Let's face it, weather has basically become the standard in OU. Rain stall is extremely effective. On the PO ladder, I'm currently at 1200+ rating and rising.
Any Rain team needs Politoed, and this team is no different.
Tentacruel is a staple of rain stall, due to Rain Dish and Toxic Spikes.
Jirachi is an excellent Rain abuser, in or out of stall.
I switched Jirachi to Scizor because I was finding him either too slow or too weak to sweep, even at +6 SpA/SpD. Rain allows bulky SD Scizor to laugh at HP Fires.
SubToxic Gliscor lets me take on the Fighting-types of OU, and Toxic stall Conkeldurr, whom I otherwise have no counter to. SubProtect also lets me take on Rotom-W by PP stalling Hydro Pump.
Chansey is an excellent wall, and my only safe switchin to Specs Tornadus.
Ferrothorn has his 4x Fire weakness reduced in Rain, and is a valuable resist to Water and Electric. He also has Spikes.
I found myself, in many situations, needing a Fighting immunity and a spinblocker, and I chose SubDisable Gengar and replaced Scizor, possibly the weak link in the team.
Politoed (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Protect
- Toxic
- Perish Song
Politoed is a necessity to every Rain team, and this one is no different. I have decided to use a defensive variant to go with the stallishness of the team. Scald allows me to cripple Scizor switchins and Scizor in general, as well as giving me a somewhat strong STAB in Rain. Protect allows me to stall poison damage, Perish Song, and Leech Seed damage. Toxic lets me poison pokemon like Rotom-W, whom avoid Toxic Spikes. Perish Song is a fantastic weapon against BP teams that lead with Ninjask. As they Sub, I will Perish Song, leaving them with a time limit. I can Toxic any switchins like Vaporeon.
Gengar (F) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Disable
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
With Spikes and Toxic Spikes, it would be terrible to have them simply spun away like nothing. This is where Gengar comes in. Against pokes like Forretress, I will switch in as they attempt to spin, Sub as they attack, and Disable, leaving them helpless. Or, against offensive Rapid Spin users like Starmie, I will have to sacrifice my hazards unless they're switching in for some reason or they're Modest for some odd reason.
Tentacruel (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 236 HP / 252 Def / 20 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Toxic Spikes
- Scald
- Protect
- Rapid Spin
Before, Tentacruel had no place in Rain. 5th gen changed everything, with Drizzle Politoed and Tentacruel receiving Rain Dish from the DW. This allows him to be an effective Toxic Spiker and spinner, combined with Protect making Tentacruel very hard to kill. I can also spin hazards if it gets to be too much. If I have a free turn, I'll generally spin if there's any hazards on my side. You know, just for safety.
Possible changes:
Specially defensive with Calm?
Gliscor (F) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 184 Def / 72 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Toxic
- Substitute
- Protect
- Earthquake
SubProtect Gliscor is an effective switchin to the many Fighting-types of OU, and an extremely annoying PP staller and Toxic staller. Gliscor's typical switchin is Rotom-W. I'll Toxic it on the switchin, then next time it switches in, I'll SubProtect stall them out of Hydro Pump and switch to Ferro or Tentacruel to hazard while they're helpless if they're Scarfed. Otherwise, I've taken out it's most powerful STAB. Gliscor is also my best way of dealing with Breloom and non-SubCM in Rain Jirach, as well as Terrakion and Conkeldurr.
Ferrothorn (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 48 Def / 208 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Gyro Ball
- Spikes
- Protect
- Leech Seed
Ferrothorn is just an amazing wall in general. Ferro's 4x Fire weakness is lowered in Rain, allowing me to do cool stuff like not getting 2HKOed by Zapdos's Heat Wave (albeit closely), factoring in Leftovers. It's also an effective counter to many threats, such as Lati@s, Breloom if sleep clause has been activated, and Rotom-W. Spikes and Leech Seed add up in residual damage very quickly, and the latter heals me a ton.
Chansey (F) @ Eviolite
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Toxic
- Protect
- Seismic Toss
- Wish
I tried Rotom-W for a few battles, but then I realized that I had no safe switchin to Specs Tornadus, which is Chansey's main purpose and keeping the team healthy with Wish, and having insane bulk. Seismic Toss is my utility attack so I can do at least some damage, Toxic is so I can poison pokemon like Zapdos and Rotom-W, Protect (Heal Bell?) lets me heal myself with little fear of being 2HKOed.
Possible changes: Heal Bell>Protect?
Any Rain team needs Politoed, and this team is no different.
Tentacruel is a staple of rain stall, due to Rain Dish and Toxic Spikes.
Jirachi is an excellent Rain abuser, in or out of stall.
I switched Jirachi to Scizor because I was finding him either too slow or too weak to sweep, even at +6 SpA/SpD. Rain allows bulky SD Scizor to laugh at HP Fires.
SubToxic Gliscor lets me take on the Fighting-types of OU, and Toxic stall Conkeldurr, whom I otherwise have no counter to. SubProtect also lets me take on Rotom-W by PP stalling Hydro Pump.
Chansey is an excellent wall, and my only safe switchin to Specs Tornadus.
Ferrothorn has his 4x Fire weakness reduced in Rain, and is a valuable resist to Water and Electric. He also has Spikes.
I found myself, in many situations, needing a Fighting immunity and a spinblocker, and I chose SubDisable Gengar and replaced Scizor, possibly the weak link in the team.
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Protect
- Toxic
- Perish Song
Politoed is a necessity to every Rain team, and this one is no different. I have decided to use a defensive variant to go with the stallishness of the team. Scald allows me to cripple Scizor switchins and Scizor in general, as well as giving me a somewhat strong STAB in Rain. Protect allows me to stall poison damage, Perish Song, and Leech Seed damage. Toxic lets me poison pokemon like Rotom-W, whom avoid Toxic Spikes. Perish Song is a fantastic weapon against BP teams that lead with Ninjask. As they Sub, I will Perish Song, leaving them with a time limit. I can Toxic any switchins like Vaporeon.
Gengar (F) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Disable
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
With Spikes and Toxic Spikes, it would be terrible to have them simply spun away like nothing. This is where Gengar comes in. Against pokes like Forretress, I will switch in as they attempt to spin, Sub as they attack, and Disable, leaving them helpless. Or, against offensive Rapid Spin users like Starmie, I will have to sacrifice my hazards unless they're switching in for some reason or they're Modest for some odd reason.
Tentacruel (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 236 HP / 252 Def / 20 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Toxic Spikes
- Scald
- Protect
- Rapid Spin
Before, Tentacruel had no place in Rain. 5th gen changed everything, with Drizzle Politoed and Tentacruel receiving Rain Dish from the DW. This allows him to be an effective Toxic Spiker and spinner, combined with Protect making Tentacruel very hard to kill. I can also spin hazards if it gets to be too much. If I have a free turn, I'll generally spin if there's any hazards on my side. You know, just for safety.
Possible changes:
Specially defensive with Calm?
Gliscor (F) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 184 Def / 72 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Toxic
- Substitute
- Protect
- Earthquake
SubProtect Gliscor is an effective switchin to the many Fighting-types of OU, and an extremely annoying PP staller and Toxic staller. Gliscor's typical switchin is Rotom-W. I'll Toxic it on the switchin, then next time it switches in, I'll SubProtect stall them out of Hydro Pump and switch to Ferro or Tentacruel to hazard while they're helpless if they're Scarfed. Otherwise, I've taken out it's most powerful STAB. Gliscor is also my best way of dealing with Breloom and non-SubCM in Rain Jirach, as well as Terrakion and Conkeldurr.
Ferrothorn (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 48 Def / 208 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Gyro Ball
- Spikes
- Protect
- Leech Seed
Ferrothorn is just an amazing wall in general. Ferro's 4x Fire weakness is lowered in Rain, allowing me to do cool stuff like not getting 2HKOed by Zapdos's Heat Wave (albeit closely), factoring in Leftovers. It's also an effective counter to many threats, such as Lati@s, Breloom if sleep clause has been activated, and Rotom-W. Spikes and Leech Seed add up in residual damage very quickly, and the latter heals me a ton.
Chansey (F) @ Eviolite
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Toxic
- Protect
- Seismic Toss
- Wish
I tried Rotom-W for a few battles, but then I realized that I had no safe switchin to Specs Tornadus, which is Chansey's main purpose and keeping the team healthy with Wish, and having insane bulk. Seismic Toss is my utility attack so I can do at least some damage, Toxic is so I can poison pokemon like Zapdos and Rotom-W, Protect (Heal Bell?) lets me heal myself with little fear of being 2HKOed.
Possible changes: Heal Bell>Protect?