Goin Hard in the Paint

[Conor]

First Glance

Team Building Process

I wanted to start the team off with one of my favorite defensive cores, Lead Poli and Ferrothorn. This core works great to get hazards up and get a leech seed/toxic off on an opposing weather lead.

Next up, I wanted somebody who could abuse the rain, therefore I chose Ludicolo for his excellent coverage. With Swift Swim he is a serious threat to most teams.

Here again I wanted something that could abuse the rain, at first I ran Tornadus, but I saw this really cool Volcarona rain set that really turns him into a beast. He replaced Tornadus because he could abuse Hurricane as well as other things, while Tornadus is sort of a one trick pony.

Next, I realized that If i'm going to have a Volcarona on the team, I need rapid spin. Volcarona is so SR it's not even funny. Hitmontop took car of the job quite well. He also so brings a few other things to the table that come in handy that I'll be mentioning later.

Finally I wanted Some priority. Band Scizor is the way to go with its monster attack stat. His Bullet Punch was all I really needed but he could also super power the shit out of Chansey, which is never a bad thing.

Scizor wasn't really working the way I wanted him too. I wanted an extremely powerful priority that could just wreck shit. So i tried out Azumarill. He gets a boost from rain with aqua jet, plus the ability huge power, plus a choice band. Huge attack stat right from the get go.

Team In-Depth

Politoed (M) @ Leftovers

Trait: Drizzle

EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 4 SAtk / 80 SDef

Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)

- Toxic

- Scald

- Protect

- Perish Song

Standard Defensive Politoed is Standard. Toxic to toxic the other leads. Scald to not be taunt bait and burn things. Protect to Toxic stall, and Perish Song to trap and kill last pokes and stuff. He works really well with ferro because If I'm up against other weather unducers I just send in Ferro, who can handle ttar and the hippo. I can set up rocks on them or power whip them to death. Against other toeds i scout with protect, and if they are going to toxic i switch to ferrothorn and power whip because ferrothorn is immune to toxic. If they use scald or a move, i keep poli in and Use Toxic.

Ferrothorn (F) @ Leftovers

Trait: Iron Barbs

EVs: 152 HP / 104 Def / 252 SDef

Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)

- Leech Seed

- Power Whip

- Stealth Rock

- Spikes

Ferrothorn with dual hazards. works fairly well as a special defense tank. Leech seed for mroe recovery and power wip to take down opposing weather inducers as well as not be taunt bait. Core information- see above

Volcarona (M) @ Leftovers

Trait: Flame Body

EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd

Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)

- Hurricane

- Bug Buzz

- Quiver Dance

- Giga Drain

This set wrecks shit in Rain. Quiver Dance to boost up, which imo is the best boosting move in the game. Hurricane gets 100% accuracy and can OHKO most non defensive pokes in 1 hit. Giga drain is for extra recovery and also hits walls like quiagsire and gastradon hard.Bug Buzz is for stab, and can kill ttar even unboosted.

Ludicolo (F) @ Life Orb

Trait: Swift Swim

EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd

Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)

- Ice Beam

- Surf

- Giga Drain

- Focus Blast

standard Ludicolo SS set. Ice Beam hits Lando/gliscor. Surf Hits everything hard because of stab/ rain boost/ life orb/ power. Giga Drain for water abosorb pokes like jelli, as well as the ground/water walls. Focus Blast is for ferrothorn. It's usually about a 2HKO.

Hitmontop (M) @ Leftovers

Trait: Intimidate

EVs: 252 Atk / 136 Def / 120 SDef

Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Rapid Spin

- Close Combat

- Pursuit

- Substitute

I originally had a set with priority, but Dark Desire reccomended i go with intimidation and close combat. this set has just that, as well as rapi spin so that volcarona doesn't get crushed in 2 turns. Pursuit I gave him because chandelure was giving me problems, so pursuit was very necessary.

Azumarill (F) @ Choice Band

Trait: Huge Power

EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd

Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Aqua Jet

- Waterfall

- Superpower

- Ice Punch

Finally we have azumarill who just abuses everyone late game. he comes in as my last poke usually, and can clean up everything with aqua jet. hazards should have racked up enough damage that I shouldn't have any problems.

Threats:

Jellicent

Rapid spinners

Chansey

other good teams.

Okay so there's the team. any advice or help would be much appreciated. Thanks for reading!

[Kamina]

not a bad team

Ludicolo

Modest------->timid

Out speed dem scarf genesects

4 sp def evs on azumaril to make genesect raise its attack

Other than that i would say its a pretty darn good team.

I barely beat it because of dat 1 hp xp.

[Shanco]

I love the threats section.

Jellicent

Rapid Spinners

Blissey

Other good teams <---- lol

• Hitmontop: I say go with Sucker Punch instead of Pursuit. Squash Chandelure, Gengar, Alakazam and all that gang before they can attack you. Zhujiao runs that set with Sucker Punch instead of Pursuit (I think Fake Out was in there too) and it messes up a lot of things.
• Volcarona: Don't let rain shy you away from using a Fire move. However, I wouldn't use anything aside from Fire Blast. It's also beneficial when the weather war isn't going your way right then and there. Just an idea thrown out there (and stolen from serebii's Volcarona POTW page) so up to you. Well, of course it is, lol

My rating is a 10/10. Virizion can tear this team a new one, you and I both have seen that. However, Virizion is a "signature" Pokemon of sorts that you don't see too much - it's like to me what Empoleon is to Joan Aguayo Planell. That said, good luck finding an actually common counter to the team.

[Dark Desire]

I've really got to hand it to you Conor, i didn't think much of the team when i first saw it but looking at the synergy of it, i'mm really starting to like it but compliments aside, it still could use some work.

I agree with Ryan with the Sucker punch, it's way more beneficial then pursuit cuz of dem gengarz and stuff but yeah.

Also, i'd maybe change that toxic for refresh on toed, since your team is really weak to Subtoxic Tenta, Ferro can't even legit-ally wall it because if scald burns.

I can't really think of anything else at the moment, but this is a really nice team Conor!

Rate: 9/10

[Kiozo]

Normally I don't read these, but this one caught my eye.

I like the idea that you started with. Not only did you start with the core, but you started with the lead. You knew that there was momentum from turn one and you wanted to roll with it. Very nice thinking and commendable there.

You've gone some different routes - and the thing that makes me like them with a strong sense of the word is the reasoning. The non-fire move on Volc isn't usually recommended, but you have an interestingly different approach to moves, with different utility in each and the typing is a very unusual spread. I'd love to see that get some KOs in action. Also, I like the idea on the Intimidation thing there, and I'd keep Pursuit for the reasons you mentioned.

Overall, I'm not very sure where the teams overall weakness lies. Jellicent looks like it could take some key problems if you play your cards right in a few spots, and Chansey, from your playstyle, isn't a threat late game. I'd be apt to know how a high powered Electric type handles your team [Thundurous, Zapdos come to mind.]

Overall, I don't see a flaw in the team from this standpoint. Well done. I just wish I knew about some team combos and whatnot that might hurt you a little more [detail I mean!]