Yet ANOTHER attempt at my Rain Dance Team

[RaikouLover]

I'm back again... STILL looking to perfect a rain dance team to climb the ladder. It's the only kind of team that I find good synergy and fun with. I need a few suggestions because the team keeps changing, so please help!

At a Glance!

There they are! Let's get down to business.


Lead:

Bronzong @ Damp Rock
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Attack / 4 Speed / 96 Special Defense
*Safeguard
*Stealth Rock
*Rain Dance
*Explosion

Staple of every rain dance team I make. Lays rocks, starts rain, and explodes when necessary. Safeguard seems lol, but helps me set up, as many people try to put him asleep and use him as set-up fodder.

The Sweepers:

Ludicolo @ Mystic Water
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Modest
EVs: 40 HP / 216 Speed / 252 Special Attack
*Surf
*Ice Beam
*Grass Knot
*Rain Dance

Another staple of my rain teams. I tried a team without him, but I get pwned by water pokemon so I have to keep him. Fucks Gyarados, Suicune, and many others. Outspeeds and rapes Garchomp and Deoxys, OHKOing both.. and beats everything else into the ground with super-powered up Surfs.

Kingdra @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Naughty / Rash
EVs: see below
*Surf
*Draco Meteor / Dragon Pulse
*Waterfall
*Rain Dance

Everyone's favorite swift swimmer! Love 'em. Here goes my EV dispute:

Naughty - 252 Attack / 96 Speed / 160 Special Attack: This spread outspeeds Deoxys and Scarfchomp, and grants 317 Attack / 460 Speed / 266 Special Attack. This set is good because it consistently beats Blissey. If she switches in on a Surf, Waterfall is good for 60-67%, which KOs her if stealth rock is up. However, with only 266 Special Attack I lose a considerable amount of sweeping power, especially with my dragon move. The metagame is more physical defense, so he doesn't hit as hard.
Naughty - 252 Attack / 16 Speed / 240 Special Attack: This set grants 317 Attack / 420 Speed / 286 Special Attack. Great amount of power, beats Blissey and others handily, but loses to Scarfchomp every time. I hate that. Fuck Garchomp.
Rash - 160 Attack / 96 Speed / 252 Special Attack: This set grants 266 Attack / 460 Speed / 317 Special Attack. Probably the best for sweeping, but Blissey requires prediction to beat, as waterfall does about 50-57%. Therefore, she HAS to switch in to a waterfall to get past her. Other than that, this set has the most sweeping potential, with Surf OHKOing everything.
Dragon Pulse vs. Draco Meteor: Hard decision. Dragon Pulse is more reliable, but can fuck me if I see Breloom, Roserade, and others that I need to OHKO. Draco Meteor OHKOs a good amount of things that threaten Kingdra and resist Surf, and can 2HKO the bulky waters. It's usable because I can just sweep with Waterfall after, however Intimidates can screw the sweep, and sometimes the 90% accuracy ends up fucking me anyway. As for the spread, Draco Meteor is really only usable on the last set, because it packs the most special punch.

Phew... continuing on!

Lucario @ Life Orb
Ability: Steadfast
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Attack / 252 Speed
*Close Combat
*Crunch
*Extremespeed
*Swords Dance

One of the greatest sets ever made. Luke is here as a reliable Blissey killer, and also fucks the annoying Cresselia and Celebi. Pretty Standard.

Support pokemon:

Snorlax @ Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
Nature: Impish
EVs: 140 HP / 116 Attack / 252 Defense
*Body Slam
*Whirlwind
*Rest
*Sleep Talk

I started using this guy after I read the warstory about the Whirlwinding Hariyama. Snorlax is bulkier than you think, and this spread gives 496 HP, 251 Defense, 256 Special Defense, and a respectable 285 Attack for Body Slam. He takes status for the team, phazes, and paralyzes things.

Vaporeon @ Damp Rock
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Bold
EVs: 188 HP / 252 Defense / 68 Special Attack
*Surf
*Rain Dance
*Wish
*Protect

My first time ever using this guy. Works pretty well, providing my sweepers with much needed Wish support, and 8 turn rain dances. I'm still new at using him, as support and stall isn't really my style. Any suggestions?


Well that's the team! Same strategy as any rain dance team. Outrun and wash away the opponent.

 

[.amlex.]

A good strategy that I have heard about, is to use vaporeon with a yawn/wish combo. yawn first, then the opponent will probably switch to get away from the sleep status, allowing you to set up a 'free' wish.

^not foolproof though

 

[Mullac51]

A good strategy that I have heard about, is to use vaporeon with a yawn/wish combo. yawn first, then the opponent will probably switch to get away from the sleep status, allowing you to set up a 'free' wish.

^not foolproof though

How in the hell does that help? >_>

My only small concern is Vaporeon isn't as reliable as you may think in regards to setting up Rain Dance. If you could remove it, that's great, otherwise you can make it a Sub-Passer. No Rain Dance on Kingdra plesh, it frees up room to give you both Draco Meteor and Dragon Pulse, or you can sub Dragon Pulse for Ice Beam.

My one large concern is a Taunt/Pursuit Spiritomb says hi and bye to your Snorlax. You can do nothing if it Taunts you, and can just hit you with Pursuit on the obvious switch. Remove Whirlwind please, I would rather Crunch or EQ, but w/e.

As a side note... I WANT TO SEE A CM RAIKOU IN A RAIN DANCE TEAM!!! lol, I just love it, but ya... >_>

Regards,

~M51

 

[Clash]

It looks like an OK team and looks like it has quite a good amount of potential. Could you edit in a threat list please so we can help you from there?

 

[RaikouLover]

It's doing ok. Unfortunately, a threat list is bad on a rain dance team. Because it requires me to say... well, how do you counter Garchomp? If it's raining, Ludicolo and Kingdra just steamroll him, but I can't list them as counters.

My only small concern is Vaporeon isn't as reliable as you may think in regards to setting up Rain Dance. If you could remove it, that's great, otherwise you can make it a Sub-Passer. No Rain Dance on Kingdra plesh, it frees up room to give you both Draco Meteor and Dragon Pulse, or you can sub Dragon Pulse for Ice Beam.

My one large concern is a Taunt/Pursuit Spiritomb says hi and bye to your Snorlax. You can do nothing if it Taunts you, and can just hit you with Pursuit on the obvious switch. Remove Whirlwind please, I would rather Crunch or EQ, but w/e.

Well, I have Vaporeon because Wish support is nice, but I need another bulky Rain Dance user. Any suggestions?

I have to keep Rain Dance on Kingdra. Suppose Tyranitar comes out, and then they immediately switch to Garchomp (it happens alot). Now the sand is up, Kingdra will get fucked, and Garchomp becomes a horror for my team. Rain Dance prevents people from weather-whoring Kingdra and means Tyranitar has to eat a Surf if he ever wants to switch back in.

Um, spritomb's pursuit does laughable damage and is the least of Snorlaxes worries.

 

[rkatzam]

I don't know how well Safeguard can work against starters like Gengar and Yanmega who can sleep you right off the start.

Vaporeon seems like the obvious Infernape counter that Bronzong can't handle. Other than that I don't think he will do your team any good, especially if you already blew up Bronzong and Wish support wouldn't matter much once they start paralyzing your swift swimmers. Maybe try ScarfChomp or Scarf Flygon instead? lol. Fast earthquakes, tho Flygon can be more useful with U-turn and Levitate.

I don't know how Snorlax's role in this team really matters, but I guess he makes a decent special wall to absorb that Hypnosis from Yanmega or Gengar who threaten Bronzong to a degree.

If you really need a 4th rain dancer, then it must be a pokemon who can counter Infernape without rain dance up, and right now I can't think of any pokemon other than Vaporeon.. well maybe Milotic and Tentacruel.

 

[Clash]

I don't know how well Safeguard can work against starters like Gengar and Yanmega who can sleep you right off the start.

Vaporeon seems like the obvious Infernape counter that Bronzong can't handle. Other than that I don't think he will do your team any good, especially if you already blew up Bronzong and Wish support wouldn't matter much once they start paralyzing your swift swimmers. Maybe try ScarfChomp or Scarf Flygon instead? lol. Fast earthquakes, tho Flygon can be more useful with U-turn and Levitate.

I don't know how Snorlax's role in this team really matters, but I guess he makes a decent special wall to absorb that Hypnosis from Yanmega or Gengar who threaten Bronzong to a degree.

If you really need a 4th rain dancer, then it must be a pokemon who can counter Infernape without rain dance up, and right now I can't think of any pokemon other than Vaporeon.. well maybe Milotic and Tentacruel.

Speaking of Garchomp, Remember that guy who used Surf on Garchomp in a Rain dance warstory?