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Kingdra's all-around good stats and access to Swift Swim make it an excellent choice on rain teams. Hurricane is used so that Kingdra can beat Grass-type Pokemon like Roserade without Draco Meteor Special Attack drops. Hydro Pump's main use over the more accurate Surf is to 2HKO even dedicated special walls like Registeel, Umbreon, and Assault Vest Reuniclus in rain; Surf is already powerful enough to OHKO most offensive Pokemon it hits neutrally. Flip Turn can be used instead to grab momentum off of Kingdra's checks and ease prediction for Choice Specs sets. Life Orb is the preferred item because it boosts power without locking Kingdra into one move; however, Choice Specs gives Kingdra the best chance to 2HKO bulky Water-types like Suicune and Milotic with Draco Meteor while also avoiding Life Orb's chip damage. Kingdra can opt for a Timid nature in order to outpace Choice Specs Gardevoir, which copies its Swift Swim with Trace, and improve its matchups against the likes of Togekiss and Chandelure out of rain. Kingdra must always be supported by Drizzle from Politoed to activate Swift Swim. Without Drizzle support, Kingdra is outclassed by other offensive Water-type Pokemon like Starmie. Kingdra works best when used alongside other rain sweepers. Kabutops, Omastar, and Ludicolo can weaken bulky Water-type Pokemon like Milotic and Suicune. Toxicroak walls the aforementioned bulky Water-types and can also switch into First Impression attempts from Golisopod, making it an especially good Kingdra partner. In a similar vein, Tornadus benefits from Kingdra's Flip Turn to come in safely and break down bulky Water-type Pokemon.

Kingdra is a decent Swift Swim user for Water teams utilizing rain, as it helps in various matchups such as Electric, Grass, and especially Dragon. Draco Meteor threatens bulky walls such as Dragalge and Amoonguss. Dragon Pulse is used to deal with foes that resist Water such as Kyurem, as well as other foes like Galarian Slowking. Hydro Pump allows Kingdra to 3HKO Galarian Slowking and gives it a chance to 2HKO Ferrothron under rain. Hurricane can be run over Hydro Pump to let Kingdra hit Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu super effectively. Maximum Speed investment allows Kingdra to outspeed threats like Choice Scarf Latios and Choice Scarf Thundurus-T. As Kingdra relies on Swift Swim to do its job, Pelipper is an amazing teammate for it. If Kingdra opts to run Hurricane, Pelipper can run a defensive set with Heavy-Duty Boots rather than a Choice Specs set. Barraskewda can break down walls like Galarian Slowking, as well as threats such as Regieleki and Alolan Raichu in Electric Terrain when rain is active. Urshifu-R is also an option, as it can pressure shared checks like Mantine and Galarian Moltres. It also ravages Ferrothorn and Kyurem, foes that would otherwise pose a huge threat to the team. Eject Button Toxapex supports Kingdra by crippling foes like Porygon2 and Chansey with Toxic and Knock Off. It also walls revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Dragapult. Slowking allows Kingdra to enter the field safely through Teleport, as well as providing Future Sight support to help wear down foes like Galarian Slowking. Swampert provides Stealth Rock support and can pivot Kingdra in via Flip Turn. It can also phaze Substitute Kyurem by using Roar. Late-game sweepers such as Crawdaunt, Cloyster, and Keldeo can be run alongside Kingdra, as they appreciate the holes Kingdra can punch in many teams. They also are able to deal with foes such as Chansey and Ferrothorn, which give Kingdra trouble. Volcanion is also an excellent teammate, as it can switch into and defeat Fairy-types like Tapu Fini, as well as Grass-types such as Ferrothorn.

Muddy Water is Kingdra's primary attacking option, as it hits both foes with significant rain-boosted damage. Hurricane is Kingdra's best option to hit Grass-type switch-ins such as Rillaboom and Amoonguss for super effective damage, and it is also nifty for sniping Urshifu-R. Draco Meteor is used to decimate Dragon-types that may otherwise be able to stomach a rain-boosted Water-type attack and hit back hard such as Kyurem-B, Dragapult, and Naganadel, though be wary, as it also weakens Kingdra considerably, squandering the already limited turns of rain. Hydro Pump is an option over either coverage move to decimate neutral targets such as Zeraora, Necrozma, and Metagross, which otherwise easily survive a Muddy Water, at the cost of being worse against either Grass-types and Rillaboom or Dragon-types. Protect lets Kingdra be safe for a turn, which is handy for giving teammates time to position around it and stalling out threatening field conditions such as opposing Tailwind and Trick Room. Life Orb in conjunction with the given EV investment and Modest nature is geared towards maximizing Kingdra's offensive presence, with Swift Swim letting it outrun practically the entire metagame under rain, getting the jump on Zeraora and Dragapult as well as Choice Scarf users such as Genesect and Galarian Zapdos.

Moves Focus Energy allows Kingdra to boost its critical hit rate. Draco Meteor is Kingdra's strongest STAB attack and synergizes well with Focus Energy and Scope Lens because critical hits ignore Draco Meteor's Special Attack drops. Hydro Pump lets Kingdra hit Fairy- and Steel-types that would otherwise wall it like Gardevoir and Registeel and OHKO Pokemon that can survive a Draco Meteor like Rhyperior. Surf is an alternative option that is more accurate than Hydro Pump but does not OHKO Pokemon like Gardevoir. Substitute lets Kingdra threaten defensive teams that might try to beat it with more passive means such as Toxic. Running Agility over Substitute allows Kingdra to improve its matchup against offensive teams, and is particularly useful if Kingdra is being run on double screens teams. Set Details Scope Lens used in conjunction with Focus Energy allows Kingdra to achieve a critical hit every time it attacks. Sniper greatly increases the power of Kingdra's critical hits. A Timid nature and 252 EVs invested in Speed let Kingdra outpace Pokemon such as Mega Blastoise and Necrozma. 252 EVs invested in Special Attack maximize Kingdra's wallbreaking potential. Usage Tips Use Substitute on predicted status moves from Pokemon like Milotic in order to gain setup opportunities. Play sensibly against Choice-locked Pokemon that could potentially give you free setup opportunities. For example, if a Choice Scarf Salazzle is locked into Fire Blast, Kingdra can force a switch or easily take the 4x resisted attack and set up Focus Energy or a Substitute. When utilizing Substitute, play wisely to get Kingdra positioned against Pokemon it can freely set up a Substitute against, such as Milotic and Araquanid. Many Choice Scarf users like Roserade threaten Kingdra’s attempts to sweep, so make sure to scout for potential Choice Scarf users and handle all of them before attempting a sweep. Team Options Pokemon like Salazzle, Nidoqueen, and Metagross deal with Fairy-types that Kingdra can't get around like Florges, making them great teammates. Likewise, Dragon-types like Flygon and Zygarde-10% prevent Kingdra from setting up, so Pokemon such as Mega Glalie are also good teammates. Entry hazard setters like Roserade, Nidoqueen, Steelix, Mega Glalie, and Rhyperior are great teammates; the chip damage that hazards provide helps Kingdra KO Pokemon like Umbreon and Florges. Pokemon like Nidoqueen, Vanilluxe, and Salazzle, which struggle with special walls like Cresselia, work great in tandem with Kingdra, as they can help each other wear down their checks and counters. Checks to Yanmega and Swellow such as Snorlax and Registeel are important teammates for Kingdra, since both can bypass Kingdra's Substitute using Bug Buzz or Boomburst. If running Substitute, Kingdra can improve its matchup against offensive teams by partnering with a Sticky Web user like Galvantula or Ribombee.

Muddy Water is a powerful STAB spread move under rain that also has a decent chance to lower the accuracy of its targets. Generally, this move will be spammed until a foe is put into KO range of another move. Draco Meteor serves as a secondary STAB move to hit Water-resistant foes and beat Dragon-types, such as opposing Kingdra and Mega Salamence. Ice Beam can be used to KO Dragon- and Grass-types without worrying about Misty Terrain or the Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor, although running this leaves Kingdra walled by bulky Water-types. Hydro Pump is valuable as a strong single-target STAB attack, finishing off targets that Muddy Water can't KO and letting Kingdra bypass Wide Guard Celesteela and Aegislash, which otherwise wall it. Rain Dance allows Kingdra to set up independently, improving momentum by making it unnecessary to switch your weather setter in and out to maintain field presence. Protect can be used to shield Kingdra while its partner removes a threat, punishes double targets, and scouts a foe’s actions. The given EV spread and nature allow Kingdra to hit as hard and as fast as possible, with the four Special Defense EVs ensuring Download users like Porygon2 don't receive a Special Attack boost. Waterium Z enables the use of Hydro Vortex, which is notable in providing a perfectly accurate Water-type move as much as in providing a strong one. Alternatively, Life Orb gives Kingdra a more consistent damage boost. If your opponent doesn't have weather setters, such as Tyranitar and Mega Charizard Y, Kingdra makes a perfect lead to punch holes early in the opposing team. If they have a setter, consider removing it before sending out Kingdra. Partners with the Drizzle ability are required to activate Swift Swim. Pelipper grants Tailwind and the ability to hit Grass-types, while Politoed offers Helping Hand support and more bulk. Since Kingdra relies heavily on its Speed advantage, running Taunt on at least one teammate to stop Tailwind and Trick Room is recommended. Running Pokemon with strong Fire- and Electric-type moves, such as Incineroar and Tapu Koko, respectively, is encouraged to avoid Ferrothorn and Celesteela late-game, as they largely wall Kingdra's attacks. Mega Gengar is a good teammate, as it's able to use Shadow Tag to trap and remove Grass-types, bulky Water-types, and opposing weather setters, making it easier for Kingdra to sweep.

Moves Hydro Pump is an insanely strong STAB move under rain that lets Kingdra 2HKO most Pokemon, including those that resist it, such as Rotom-W, Latios, and Slowbro. Draco Meteor lets Kingdra muscle past Pokemon that don't take much from Hydro Pump, such as Mega Venusaur and Lanturn. Ice Beam gives Kingdra a reliable tool against Dragon teams, notably hitting Mega Altaria, while also letting it hit certain Grass-type threats, like Tapu Bulu and Cradily, hard. While Hydro Pump is used to wallbreak, Surf lets Kingdra clean up weakened teams reliably thanks to its higher accuracy and PP. Alternatively, Scald can be used to try to cripple common switch-ins, like Ferrothorn, at the cost of a little power. Set Details Maximum investment is made in Speed, which, alongside Swift Swim, lets Kingdra outspeed the entire unboosted metagame under rain. 252 EVs are put into Special Attack with a Modest nature to let Kingdra hit as hard as possible. Choice Specs patches up Kingdra's average Special Attack and lets it wallbreak more easily under rain. 4 EVs are placed in Special Defense to prevent Download users, like Porygon2 and Porygon-Z, from getting a Special Attack boost. Usage Tips Kingdra should primarily be used in rain. Bring it in as often as possible early-game to wallbreak with a strong rain- and Choice Specs-boosted Hydro Pump. Under rain, Hydro Pump is strong enough to 2HKO even targets that resist it and normally don't take much damage, like Mega Venusaur after Stealth Rock damage. Therefore, try to keep the rain turns in mind to make the most use out of them. Kingdra can often be used to take out its own checks early-game and clean up with Surf or Scald later on. That being said, don't let it take too much chip damage from status or entry hazards, since it needs to switch in regularly. Therefore, try to bring it into play through Pelipper's slow U-turn or Politoed's Eject Button. Definitely keep Kingdra away from paralysis, as it prevents it from doing either of its jobs: sweeping and wallbreaking. While a paralyzed Kingdra can outspeed certain slower walls in the rain, it can't wallbreak efficiently between Hydro Pump's shaky accuracy and the chance to be fully paralyzed. For the most part, Kingdra shouldn't be used outside of rain, since its Special Attack and Speed are nothing to write home about. However, Choice Specs-boosted Draco Meteor is still pretty strong and can still be used to wallbreak without rain. Should Draco Meteor be used in rain, be wary that using it forces Kingdra to switch out and waste rain turns due to the Special Attack drop. Team Options Since Kingdra absolutely requires rain support, rain setters like Pelipper and Politoed are great partners. Pelipper is notable for being able to check Grass-types like Mega Venusaur. Both of these Pokemon can also bring Kingdra into play safely through U-turn and Eject Button, respectively. Wallbreakers like Tail Glow Manaphy, Azumarill, Supersonic Skystrike Gyarados, and Keldeo can take care of checks to Kingdra, like Chansey, letting Kingdra clean up easily. Greninja's access to Protean and a fantastic movepool lets it customize its moveset to beat checks to Kingdra. For example, Greninja can take care of Mega Venusaur with Extrasensory and Mantine with Hidden Power Electric. Cleaners like Mega Sharpedo, Mega Swampert, and Kabutops appreciate Kingdra's wallbreaking abilities. Swampert and Seismitoad provide Electric immunities and can also set Stealth Rock, which makes wallbreaking easier. Toxapex can wear down the opposing team with Toxic Spikes while also acting as a reliable pivot into priority moves for Kingdra. Lanturn's ability Volt Absorb lets it act as a fantastic check to Alolan Raichu. Lanturn can also cure any status condition with Heal Bell and bring Kingdra in safely through Volt Switch.

Moves Muddy Water is a powerful spread STAB move that also has a 30% chance to drop the accuracy of each target it hits. Hydro Pump is a single-target STAB attack that can snipe out targets that are just outside of Muddy Water's KO range. It also bypasses Wide Guard Araquanid to hit its ally. Draco Meteor hits hard against most targets that resist Water-type attacks and destroys opposing Dragon-types like Kommo-o, Mega Salamence, Zygarde. Beware of Misty Terrain, though, as it halves the power of Draco Meteor against grounded targets. Ice Beam is another option that lets Kingdra snipe out opposing Dragon-types without dropping its Special Attack stat or worrying about Misty Terrain. However, running this leaves Kingdra helpless against bulky Water-types like Milotic, Suicune, and Araquanid. Protect keeps Kingdra safe while its partners deal with any possible threats. Set Details Kingdra's spread isn't complicated. Maximum investments in Special Attack and Speed let it hit as hard and fast as possible under rain. A Modest nature is preferred for maximum power, since the extra Speed granted by a Timid nature isn't generally useful. It is worth noting, however, that a Timid nature on Kingdra is required to outspeed Dragon Dance-boosted Mega Salamence in the rain. Waterium Z grants Kingdra one opportunity to turn Hydro Pump into Hydro Vortex, a move that bypasses Kingdra's otherwise shoddy accuracy and hits all but the bulkiest of targets for heavy damage. Life Orb is an alternative item that can be used for more consistent damage output. Swift Swim doubles Kingdra's Speed when rain is activated. Usage Tips If the opponent isn't carrying an opposing weather setter, Kingdra and its respective rain setter make for excellent leads that apply immediate offensive pressure, but if they are, consider playing Kingdra more conservatively, opting to take out the opponent's weather setter first if possible. Kingdra quickly becomes dead weight once Swift Swim deactivates, so it is best saved for a point in the match where rain can't be disrupted. If you're able to clear out Kingdra's checks and counters beforehand, it also makes for an excellent late-game cleaner, outspeeding and picking off weakened foes with strong spread damage. When in play, Kingdra's main goal is to spam Muddy Water and consistently chip away at the opponent's team. Hydro Pump can also be used to snipe down targets that are just outside of Muddy Water's KO range. Use Draco Meteor with caution, as Kingdra quickly loses momentum once its Special Attack drops to -2. Also keep in mind that Misty Terrain halves Draco Meteor's power against grounded targets like Zygarde. If using Waterium Z, be mindful that Hydro Vortex is a one-time nuke; avoid using it on a turn where the opponent is likely to Protect or switch into a Water-resistant Pokemon. Finally, Kingdra's bulk is average at best, and Life Orb sets in particular are prone to getting worn down quickly, so avoid pivoting Kingdra in on opposing attacks if you can. Team Options Kingdra is a dedicated rain attacker, so it goes without saying that running either Politoed or Pelipper as a rain setter is mandatory. Politoed offers higher overall bulk and has access to Helping Hand, which further amplifies Kingdra's attacks. Pelipper has access to Tailwind, a second form of speed control that reduces Kingdra's dependency on Swift Swim being activated. On hyper offensive teams, Kingdra pairs notably well with Tapu Lele and Psychic Terrain attackers such as Deoxys-A and Mega Metagross. Psychic Terrain blocking priority attacks reinforces Kingdra's commanding Speed tier inside of rain. Deoxys-A and Mega Metagross apply immense offensive pressure to targets that resist Kingdra's STAB moves, such as Tapu Fini and Milotic. Likewise, these Psychic-types appreciate Kingdra's ability to clear out bulky Steel-types such as Heatran and Aegislash. On more balance-oriented teams, bulky Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Aegislash make for excellent partners, as they can pivot in on the strong Fairy- and Dragon-type attacks that Kingdra hates. Tapu Koko and Thunder Punch Mega Metagross are great options for beating Tapu Fini and Araquanid, which are prominent checks to rain teams. Kingdra relies on Swift Swim to maintain a commanding position, so partners that can deal with opposing weather setters and speed control techniques are always a good idea. Running Taunt on at least one partner helps to shut down opposing Tailwind and Trick Room users. Opposing speed control can also be countered with your own, so consider running Tailwind users like Zapdos and Pelipper or Icy Wind users such as Politoed.

Kingdra is a dangerous cleaner under the rain thanks to Swift Swim making it extremely fast. Hydro Pump-based Hydro Vortex will deal massive damage to any Pokemon that doesn't resist it, making it a great way to break through weakened walls. However, Kingdra will have big problems if Mega Charizard Y sets up Drought, making it rather useless if Pelipper or Politoed has been KOed. Other weather changers such as Hippowdon, Tyranitar, and the rare Alolan Ninetales are also very problematic.

This Kingdra focuses on more consistent power at the cost of switching moves. Since Choice Specs is a restrictive item, it's best to leave this Kingdra for late-game sweeps while the rain is up.

Moves Focus Energy is Kingdra's setup move, raising its critical hit rate to 50%. Draco Meteor is a very strong STAB attack, and critical hits will ignore the Special Attack drop from using it. Hydro Pump can hit Fairy- and Steel-types such as Florges and Mega Aggron that Draco Meteor cannot do much damage to. Agility is the best option for the fourth slot, as it can make Kingdra difficult to revenge kill, possibly allowing it to set up for a complete sweep of the opposing team. Set Details Maximum Speed and Special Attack investment maximizes Kingdra's offensive presence. Modest is the preferred nature to prevent dedicated special walls such as Umbreon from PP stalling Kingdra, which is important because Draco Meteor and Hydro Pump have a very low PP count of just 8. Alternatively, a Timid nature can be used to Speed tie with Nidoking and opposing Kingdra, but the ability to stallbreak is typically preferred. Sniper raises the damage output of Kingdra's critical hits from 1.5x to 2.25x, while Scope Lens raises Kingdra's critical hit rate one stage. In combination with Focus Energy, Kingdra is guaranteed to land a critical hit on every attack. Usage Tips Do not set up a Focus Energy on offensive Pokemon that hit Kingdra at least neutrally. It may have a good defensive typing and decent bulk, but it typically wants to avoid offensive pressure. Before using Focus Energy, Kingdra's damage output will be marginal with its modest base 95 Special Attack, so be sure to boost against a defensive Pokemon as soon as possible. If the opponent packs a faster Pokemon or a Choice Scarf user, particularly a Dragon-type one, either use Agility right away or keep Kingdra off of the battlefield until the faster Pokemon has been taken down. Team Options Steel- or Fire-types such as Metagross and Entei can force out the Fairy-types that threaten Kingdra. Likewise, a Fairy-type such as Florges or Sylveon will scare away the Dragon-types that Kingdra cannot set up on, particularly Hydreigon, Haxorus, and Kyurem.

Moves Dragon Dance boosts Kingdra's Attack and Speed to high levels. Waterfall is Kingdra's most reliable STAB attack because of its good neutral coverage and its ability to occasionally flinch the foe. Outrage is mainly used for late-game cleaning after the opponent has lost all of their Fairy- and Steel-types. Substitute has many uses on a sweeping set, but is primarily used to allow Kingdra to gain a free Dragon Dance, and to protect it from status moves from Pokemon such as Blissey. Set Details Kingdra needs its Attack and Speed maximized in order to deal damage heavily and quickly. At +1, Kingdra outspeeds Jolly Mega Aerodactyl and Speed ties with Choice Scarf Nidoking. Lum Berry prevents a Scald-induced burn from crippling Kingdra, and it will heal self-inflicted confusion from Outrage once. Sniper is the preferred ability because Kingdra is probably not going to be used on a rain team here, limiting Swift Swim's use to solely allowing it to check offensive Mega Swampert. Usage Tips When in doubt, scout the foe's moves with Substitute, but it's not always the best idea to boost directly after getting a Substitute up. If the opponent has a faster Choice Scarf user, or your current foe is a slower Pokemon that you can KO, attack instead of using Dragon Dance. This set is a late-game cleaner and not a bulky wallbreaker, so wait until the opposing Fairy- and Steel-types have been weakened before spamming Outrage. Team Options Sticky Web support from Galvantula or Shuckle will allow Kingdra to beat most Choice Scarf users at +1, such as Darmanitan. A special setup sweeper such as Suicune will deal with the physical walls that Kingdra lures in, such as Forretress. A Steel-type such as Mega Aggron can tank the Dragon- and Fairy- type attacks that Kingdra normally cannot survive. Nidoqueen and Entei can make for good offensive partners to weaken opposing Fairy- and Steel-types to aid in Kingdra's sweep.

Moves Rain Dance is a pseudo-Agility, doubling Kingdra's Speed with Swift Swim. Hydro Pump is a powerful STAB attack that is extremely powerful in the rain. Draco Meteor is a secondary STAB move that hits the bulky Water-types that can tank a Hydro Pump. Surf is a slightly less powerful but perfectly accurate Water-type STAB attack, while Dragon Pulse OHKOes the Dragon-types of UU, such as Haxorus and Hydreigon. Alternatively, Ice Beam hits Grass-types in addition to Dragon-types, but unlike Dragon Pulse, the move fails to OHKO Dragon-types. Set Details The given EV spread and a Modest nature allow Kingdra to outspeed Choice Scarf Infernape while maximizing Kingdra's offensive power in the process. Swift Swim is a must-have in order to make use of rain, as it will double Kingdra's Speed when rain is active. Life Orb is the preferred item to allow Kingdra to dish out as much damage as possible. Usage Tips Keeping Kingdra healthy is very important, as it needs a turn to set up Rain Dance before it starts attacking. Avoid setting up Rain Dance on an offensive Pokemon, or simply KO said Pokemon if it is weakened enough and slower. As this set will often be coming in on weakened Pokemon, it creates several 50/50 situations, as you must choose whether to KO the foe right there, or to predict its switch and set up a Rain Dance. Moreover, this set cannot wallbreak, so it is relegated to the role of late-game cleaner. Team Options This set is highly vulnerable to bulky Water-types, particularly Suicune. A Grass- or Electric-type such as Shaymin or Mega Ampharos, respectively, can force out the Water-types that Kingdra may lure in. Florges gives this set trouble, so a Pokemon that can set up on her such as Cobalion works as an alternative win condition. This set fits very well on dedicated rain teams, so you can pair Kingdra with rain staples such as Tornadus, Toxicroak, and Mega Swampert.

Moves Hydro Pump deals ridiculous damage in rain and can 2HKO most walls, such as Mew, Zapdos, and even Slowbro, which resists it. Draco Meteor is a second STAB move to hit foes that resist Hydro Pump, such as Mega Venusaur and Slowbro. Signal Beam allows Kingdra to check Celebi. Ice Beam provides good coverage for hitting Grass-types without Draco Meteor's Special Attack drops and hits them harder than Dragon Pulse does. While Dragon Pulse lacks the power of Draco Meteor, it is exceptional in the Dragon matchup for sweeping. It's also generally a good Dragon-type STAB attack that can be used without the loss in momentum of Draco Meteor. Surf is the most reliable STAB attack for Kingdra, being more accurate than Hydro Pump and lacking the Special Attack drops of Draco Meteor. Instead of Surf, though, Scald can be used to try to burn switch-ins, but the damage Surf provides is generally more useful for cleaning purposes. Set Details Maximum Speed EV investment makes sure Kingdra can at least Speed tie with opposing Kingdra in rain. Kingdra will also outspeed almost every viable Pokemon in the metagame including up to Choice Scarf Latios. A Modest nature is used with maximum Special Attack investment and Choice Specs to make Kingdra as strong as possible. Swift Swim is used to give Kingdra its incredible Speed in the rain so that it can sweep easily. Usage Tips Kingdra should mainly be used while rain is up, as its damage output and Speed are nothing impressive without the boosts. So, any time rain is up, try to bring Kingdra in safely so that it can fire off a strong STAB attack. Early-game, Kingdra can wallbreak to set up its, or a teammate's, late-game sweep. To make it easier for Kingdra to sweep, it should be kept as healthy as possible, so Kingdra should avoid taking damage, such as when rain is not up. Hydro Pump is generally safely used, as even Pokemon that resist it will take a serious amount of damage thanks to the rain boost. Be careful of using Draco Meteor, as turns of rain can be wasted when Kingdra is forced to switch out due to the Special Attack drop. Instead, it is a great tool for wallbreaking when there isn't rain, as it is stronger than Hydro Pump. Dragon Pulse is much more useful for sweeping Dragon teams, as Kingdra outspeeds their entire team and can OHKO every Dragon-type Pokemon except for Mega Latias. Unlike when it uses Draco Meteor, Kingdra won't need to keep switching out, so after Mega Latias is weakened, Kingdra has a quick sweep in the rain. Surf should only be used when revenge killing or cleaning, as Hydro Pump's damage is necessary to break many walls. Similarly, Ice Beam's main targets are only those weak to it and resistant to both of Kingdra's STAB attacks, as Hydro Pump in the rain and Draco Meteor outdamage it in most cases. Because it is so dependent on its Speed, Kingdra needs to avoid paralysis, which would make it incapable of sweeping at all. Team Options Politoed is a necessary teammate to set rain with Drizzle. Notably, Eject Button Politoed can save a turn of rain and bring Kingdra in safely. It can carry Toxic for the few walls Kingdra cannot break, such as specially defensive Cradily, which can relatively safely Recover off Ice Beams while Toxic stalling, and specially defensive Gastrodon. To support it with Stealth Rock, Swampert and Empoleon are two great options. Mega Swampert also appreciates Kingdra being able to take out most of its checks and can sweep late-game easily. In return, it can even set Rain Dance to support Kingdra if it isn't already using Stealth Rock. Empoleon is an alternative Stealth Rock setter that pairs well defensively with Kingdra. Thanks to its Steel typing and good bulk, it can easily switch into Dragon- and Fairy-type attacks aimed at Kingdra. It can also run Defog to remove entry hazards such as Toxic Spikes to keep Kingdra healthy. Manaphy is a versatile option that can defeat many of Kingdra's few checks. With Tail Glow, it is capable of breaking Chansey with Scald; Mega Venusaur with Psychic; and Cradily, Gastrodon, and Ferrothorn with Ice Beam. It can also serve as another Rain Dance user to give Kingdra more opportunities to be useful. Choice Band Azumarill is the best physical wallbreaker to use with Kingdra, as Azumarill is capable of breaking most special walls that stop Kingdra. Specifically, with Superpower, it can break Chansey, Empoleon, Cradily, and Ferrothorn. As Kingdra needs to switch in and out due to the low number of rain turns and Draco Meteor stat drops, Starmie's Rapid Spin support can be greatly beneficial. It can also run Psychic to 2HKO Mega Venusaur, or even OHKO it on the switch thanks to Analytic. Starmie also serves as a fast Pokemon outside of rain, which can help with defeating opposing weather setters. As sweepers, Mega Gyarados and Mega Sharpedo are good teammates that easily take advantage of the holes in the opponent's team that Kingdra opens up, as Kingdra can easily take out most of their checks.

Moves Muddy Water functions as Kingdra's primary STAB move, dealing significant damage under the rain to neutral targets while also OHKOing many Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-types such as Heatran, Landorus-T, and Terrakion. It also has a 30% chance to drop accuracy, which is useful for having a chance to avoid attacks from slower enemies. Draco Meteor is Kingdra's powerful secondary STAB attack that covers the Dragon-types such as Kyurem-B and Hydreigon that resist Muddy Water. It also dents Pokemon such as Amoonguss and Volcanion that can take Water-type attacks with ease. Hydro Pump is a single-target move that nukes anything it hits, which is useful for finishing off Pokemon that are not in the range for Muddy Water. Because it is not a spread attack, it hits the foes through Wide Guard's protection, allowing Kingdra to hit the common users, Conkeldurr and Aegislash, for massive damage. Protect is a staple move in Doubles, giving Kingdra the ability to stall out field conditions like Trick Room and allowing its partner to improve Kingdra's position. Substitute is a potential option that makes Kingdra exponentially more difficult to deal with. This shields it from status and allows it to avoid getting hit by Sucker Punch from Pokemon like Bisharp and Mega Kangaskhan, as well as taking a strong hit for Kingdra. Set Details As an offensive powerhouse, Kingdra needs all the investment it can get into Special Attack, so it opts for as much power as possible as well as a Modest nature. Maximum Speed investment is used to tie with opposing Kingdra and outspeed positive-natured base 70s like Breloom when rain is not up or when the opposition is under Tailwind. Swift Swim gives Kingdra the speed necessary to function well. Life Orb allows Kingdra to hit harder while retaining the ability to switch up moves, which is valuable for a late-game cleaner that needs to position itself well on the field with Protect. 152 HP / 160 SpA / 60 SpD / 136 Spe is an option for a more bulky spread with Substitute. This EV spread lets Kingdra's Substitutes survive an Amoonguss Giga Drain while still outspeeding neutral-natured base 70s outside of rain. Usage Tips Due to its insane power, spread, and lack of drawbacks, Muddy Water is the main attack Kingdra will be using unless it desperately needs to KO a certain Pokemon currently on the field. Be very wary of using Draco Meteor, as having to switch Kingdra out or leave in a crippled one can lead to a huge loss of momentum. Using Draco Meteor on a switch-in that resists it also gives up a ton of momentum. Note that -2 Kingdra is still a threat with its Water-type moves. Try to save Kingdra for the late-game, as it is very hard for a weakened team to be able to tank rain-boosted Muddy Waters, but make sure priority users such as Talonflame and Thundurus are out of the way first. Sacrificing Politoed after rain has run out in the late-game for a free switch in to Kingdra tends to be an effective maneuver, as it leaves Kingdra untouched with five or eight fresh turns of rain. If using Substitute, attempt to set up it on predicted Protects or Sucker Punches, which are especially easy to predict when the opponent is stalling out rain turns. Team Options Politoed is mandatory with Kingdra, as it provides rain with its ability. Its access to Helping Hand can help Kingdra sweep, and its own Water-type attacks can weaken Kingdra's checks for later. Mega Gengar traps problematic Grass-types with Shadow Tag to get rid of them and can help trap other weather setters like Mega Charizard Y and Abomasnow. Though a somewhat rare situation, it can also prevent the opponent from pivoting around to lure Kingdra into dropping its Special Attack with Draco Meteor. Teammates that take out threats to Kingdra such as Mega Charizard Y and Talonflame are appreciated. Some examples include Terrakion and Mega Diancie. Kingdra requires teammates that can break down bulky Water-types like Suicune. Electric- and Grass-types such as Thundurus and Mega Venusaur work quite well.

Moves Muddy Water is a powerful STAB spread move under rain, KOing Pokemon like Landorus-T and Heatran. Draco Meteor is Kingdra's secondary STAB move that can can hit Pokemon that resist Muddy Water such as Amoonguss, Milotic and Rotom-W. Ice Beam can be used to take out Pokemon that resist Muddy Water but shouldn't be targeted with Draco Meteor, such as Salamence and Breloom, while Hydro Pump can be used as a very powerful single-target move that can be useful for denting bulkier Pokemon such as Zapdos, Kangaskhan, and Cresselia. Protect is used to let Kingdra avoid an attack for a turn while its partner either attacks a threat or switches to a rain setter. Set Details 252 Special Attack EVs with a Modest nature and Life Orb allow Kingdra to hit as hard as possible. 140 Speed EVs allow it to outspeed Bisharp outside of rain and Choice Scarf Landorus-T in rain. The remaining EVs are put into HP to give Kingdra more bulk. Swift Swim doubles Kingdra's Speed under rain, which, in combination with its boosted STAB moves, makes it a threatening weather sweeper. Usage Tips Kingdra can be led with to impose amazing offensive pressure at the start of the match. Kingdra can also come in late-game with a rain setter to finish off weakened Pokemon. It is not very good to switch Kingdra in directly, as it isn't very bulky. Kingdra should mostly use Muddy Water, using Draco Meteor or a coverage move only against a Pokemon that resists Water or a Wide Guard user. Team Options If you are using Kingdra, you need Politoed's Drizzle to activate Swift Swim in order for Kingdra to work efficiently. Kingdra struggles with Fairy-types, so Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Mega Metagross, and Aegislash are good partners; Aegislash gets a special mention, as it has Wide Guard to shield Kingdra from Mega Gardevoir's and Sylveon's Hyper Voice. Grass-types such as Ferrothorn, Breloom, and Amoonguss appreciate Kingdra's ability to take out Fire-types that threaten them. Electric-types such as Thundurus can beat bulky Water-types that Kingdra has trouble hitting. Talonflame can beat Grass-types that wall Kingdra. Because Kingdra relies on rain, it is crippled by opposing weather, so Terrakion is a good partner to beat Mega Charizard Y and Tyranitar.

With status moves being in high supply in the Underused tier, a ChestoRest set greatly aids Kingdra in pulling off a sweep. The goal of this set is to accumulate as many boosts as possible, use Rest to heal whatever damage or status Kingdra may have taken, then begin smashing your opponent. This set excels late-game when most Steel-types are weakened or removed, and other strong threats are out of play, but can be used early on to open holes for other sweepers. Dragon Dance boosts Kingdra's Attack and Speed stats, turning it into a very capable sweeper, outspeeding the entire tier after two boosts. Backed by STAB, Waterfall and Outrage accumulate a lot of power after two or more Dragon Dance boosts, proceeding to OHKO or 2HKO nearly the entire tier. Rest, as mentioned, recovers HP and eliminates status, giving Kingdra a new lease on a sweep. Waterfall can be dropped for Sleep Talk so that Kingdra can gain additional opportunities to Rest and set up on Pokemon such as Slowbro, but this leaves Kingdra walled by Steel-types. Sniper can be used in place of Swift Swim simply because of how rare Rain Dance teams are and that the Speed boost may not be found; this powers up Kingdra's critical hits, decimating anything they touch. This set greatly appreciates having Empoleon and users phazing moves removed by powerful attackers such as Raikou or Heracross, as Empoleon walls this set cold and generally carries Roar, removing Kingdra's boosts. Entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Roserade and Bronzong is also greatly appreciated, as it weakens many of Kingdra's checks, and allowing for easier sweeps.

This variant of Kingdra puts sweeping aside for the purpose of wallbreaking, considering not much in the tier wants to be toying around with a Choice Specs-boosted Hydro Pump or Draco Meteor. Draco Meteor is the STAB move of choice, removing whatever doesn't resist it or carry a large amount of special bulk from the face of the earth. Hydro Pump functions similarly as a powerful STAB move, but doesn't suffer from the drop in Special Attack like Draco Meteor does. Dragon Pulse is a powerful backup STAB move that can be used to pick off weakened opponents instead of wasting Kingdra's Special Attack stat to Draco Meteor. Hidden Power Electric is a handy coverage move that deals considerable damage to the bulky Water-types in the tier and the occasional Flying-type that Kingdra finds itself up against, but unless they resist Draco Meteor, two Hidden Powers will always be outdamaged by two Draco Meteors. Surf is an acceptable STAB option over either Hydro Pump or Hidden Power Electric, being used much how Dragon Pulse is, which is to damage opponents while preserving Hydro Pump's low PP or if you can't afford a miss. Because of the scarcity of Rain Dance throughout the Underused tier, Sniper is a perfectly usable option over Swift Swim, boosting up Kingdra's critical hits to absurdly powerful levels. A Timid nature may be used to tie other positively natured base 85 Speed Pokemon, such as Nidoking or Heracross, but will see a hefty drop in overall power. Signal Beam may be used over Dragon Pulse or Hidden Power Electric to gain additional coverage on Pokemon such as Shaymin or Azelf, but is generally not recommended as the STAB Draco Meteor will be hitting harder. Because of its power, this set doesn't need to rely on having special walls removed, rather just weakened. All variants of Porygon2 are 2HKOed by Hydro Pump, and Snorlax takes around 40% from Hydro Pump. Entry hazard support from Rhyperior and Qwilfish is still appreciated, as it turns many 2HKOs into OHKOs.

Taking on a much more immediate sweeping role from a specially attacking perspective, Kingdra also runs an effective Rain Dance set that functions well on its own or on a Rain Dance team. Rain Dance doubles Kingdra's Speed and boosts its Water-type STAB, giving it the ability to outspeed and 2HKO or OHKO a vast majority of the UU tier. Hydro Pump and Draco Meteor are the STAB moves that are going to be generally spammed, as the two of them gain near perfect coverage throughout the tier. The last slot is useful for picking off weakened threats, and both moves are useful in certain situations. Dragon Pulse is useful so that Kingdra does not need to immediately suffer the sharp drop in Special Attack, and Surf is useful because it still hits hard in rain and has better accuracy and PP than Hydro Pump. Hidden Power Electric or Hidden Power Fighting can be used in the fourth moveslot to gain a solid hit on Empoleon, but a rain-boosted Hydro Pump does nearly the same amount of damage, so it isn't recommended. Because this set relies on Special Attack, it prefers that special walls such as Snorlax and Porygon2 are removed by a Fighting-type ally such as Heracross or Mienshao. The same goes for Empoleon, who is the number one hard counter to this set, as it has very good Special Defense and resists both of Kingdra's STABs. A strong Electric- or Fighting-type such as Raikou or Heracross respectively, are great teammates to help Kingdra out with Empoleon. Since this set will force a lot of switches, entry hazard support from Roserade and Bronzong is appreciated, as the residual damage will make Kingdra's job of sweeping much easier.

When Kingdra opts to use both of its setup moves in Rain Dance and Dragon Dance, a menacing sweeper is born. While setting up both moves in one match is often unfeasible, it allows you to pick and choose which move will give you the best chance at sweeping. In addition, this set acts as an effective lure for some Pokemon; when Kingdra uses Rain Dance, Pokemon such as Snorlax who are sent in because they are good checks to special Rain Dance will instead get destroyed by this set's physical attacks. It's much more immediately powerful than other sets, especially the ChestoRest set, but is much more vulnerable to status. The Speed boosts from both Rain Dance and a Dragon Dance leave Kingdra nigh impossible to keep up with, and priority moves are one of the few options for damaging this set. After a Rain Dance and a single Dragon Dance, Waterfall becomes a very devastating move, crushing anything that doesn't resist it. Much goes the same for Outrage, obliterating anything that isn't a Steel-type. Draco Meteor is a viable option over Rain Dance, as even with no investment, it will still be heavily damaging Pokemon like Slowbro or other physically defensive Pokemon that can stomach an Outrage or two. If using Draco Meteor over Rain Dance, a Lonely or Naughty nature should be used so it can hit as hard as possible without investment. Sniper is a viable option over Swift Swim if Rain Dance is not being used, powering up Kingdra's critical hits. Prankster Sableye is a major issue for this set, and appreciates having a strong sweeper immune to Will-O-Wisp such as Victini or Darmanitan remove it. This variant of Kingdra pairs well with another cleaner, such as Choice Scarf Moxie Heracross, as it will tear holes in the opposing team, leaving Heracross to quickly pick up the pieces and gain Attack boosts. This set also appreciates entry hazard support from Roserade and Bronzong, as it will be forcing a lot of switches, and the additional damage upon switching in will leave many opponents vulnerable to an OHKO.

The staple set from DPP returns as one of Kingdra's best sets in the BW2 UU tier. With new status inducers such as Amoonguss, and constant threats such as Sableye and Xatu becoming increasingly popular in the tier, the use of Substitute gives Kingdra more than enough time to set up and become a powerhouse. While behind a Substitute, Kingdra can use Dragon Dance to increase its Attack and Speed. With the EV distribution, two Dragon Dances will ensure that Kingdra outspeeds the entire tier, leaving it free to smash the opponent with Waterfall or Outrage, both of which are powerful STAB moves that gain near perfect coverage throughout the tier, with only Empoleon and Ferroseed resisting the combination. If you don't fear status and are willing to rely on Substitute alone to block it, Leftovers may be used over a Lum Berry to recover Kingdra's HP. Sniper is a viable option over Swift Swim because Rain Dance teams are fairly scarce in the Underused tier. This allows Kingdra to basically guarantee an OHKO with a critical hit because the multiplier is boosted from 2x to 3x. However, while Rain Dance teams are scarce in UU, Rain Dance Kingdra is not, so using Sniper over Swift Swim means you don't Speed tie with opposing Kingdra in rain. As Empoleon is the number one go-to check to Kingdra in the Underused tier, Kingdra appreciates having it removed by Electric- or Fighting-type partners such as Raikou or Heracross, respectively. Entry hazard support from Steel-type Pokemon such as Bronzong is also appreciated, as it breaks any potential Focus Sashes and allows for more collective damage to be spread if Kingdra should ever find itself unboosted or at +1. Rapid Spin support from Cryogonal or Hitmontop is vital for this set if Lum Berry is being used, as Kingdra's HP will be in low supply as it is, and won't want to be losing 37% of its overall HP upon switching in.

Simple and effective, this set is nothing short of devastating in the right hands. While Kingdra may seem outclassed by Kyogre and Palkia as a pure Special Attacking Water-type, Kingdra carves its own niche thanks to its ridiculous 538 Speed in the rain. While a base 95 Special Attack may seem low by Ubers standards, with the Choice Specs boost, Kingdra reaches 475 Special Attack, usable enough to break down many defensive Pokemon and clean up weakened teams. While the Life Orb set may seem like a better late-game cleaner, Choice Specs powers up Kingdra enough for it to actually be threatening in the early- and mid-game too, allowing it to be a revenge killer, semi-wall breaker, and sweeper all in one. While the Life Orb set eases prediction through freedom of moves, this set eases prediction through sheer power. In such an entry hazard-rich metagame as Ubers, any attempt to minimize residual damage is welcome. The moveset is as simple as it can get. When you have a Pokemon with Kingdra's Speed and two STAB coverage, the simplest set is generally the best. While it may seem redundant to carry two moves of both STAB types, the moves themselves serve different roles. Draco Meteor and Hydro Pump are used to break apart bulkier Pokemon in the early- and mid-game, while Dragon Pulse and Surf allow Kingdra to clean up in the late-game. Kingdra hardly needs anything else, although Ice Beam can go over one of Dragon Pulse or Surf to 2HKO Arceus-Grass, which is usually very problematic for rain teams. The EVs are extremely self-explanatory. Max Special Attack and a Modest nature are used for maximum power, while max Speed allows Kingdra to outspeed as many things as possible. Kingdra, unlike other weather dependent speed demons such as Kabutops and Venusaur, actually outspeeds Choice Scarf Terrakion without having to use a +Speed nature. However, if you are really paranoid, a Timid nature is always an option to outspeed Choice Scarf Darkrai and Shaymin-S, as well as Jolly Kabutops and +2 Blaziken. However, be aware that, without a Modest nature, there is a significant power drop. In terms of other move options, Hidden Power Fire is generally not a very good idea, since Hydro Pump in the rain does pretty much the same amount of damage to Ferrothorn anyway, although it does have some merit for being able to hit Ferrothorn a lot harder if it's sunny. Toxic can be used over one of Dragon Pulse or Surf to cripple potential Lugia and Arceus-Grass switch-ins. Kyogre is easily Kingdra's most important teammate. Without its eternal rain, Kingdra would just be an inferior Palkia in every way. Conversely, Kingdra's number one enemy is definitely Ferrothorn. For Kingdra to function effectively, you should be prudent to at least land around 40% damage onto the steel plant before trying to take it down with Kingdra. Fortunately, Ferrothorn is relatively easy to whittle away at, since it lacks reliable recovery outside of Leech Seed and is a common switch-in to many Uber threats. Pokemon such as Hone Claws mixed Kyurem-B, Choice Band Zekrom, Choice Specs Kyogre, and Palkia are all good teammates to lure in Ferrothorn and do enough to it that Kingdra can push through later in the game. Luring out other weather inducers is also extremely beneficial. Bulk Up mixed Dialga is an excellent lure for all weather inducers that threaten to take rain away. It can smash Groudon and Hippowdon with Draco Meteor, and break through Tyranitar and the rare Abomasnow with Aura Sphere, a boosted Brick Break, or Outrage. Mixed Zekrom is also relatively good at wiping Groudon and Hippowdon off the map, as is Hone Claws mixed Kyurem-B. Other Pokemon that give Kingdra trouble are Arceus-Grass, specially defensive Arceus-Water, Blissey and Chansey, specially defensive Kyogre, and Rayquaza. The first five Pokemon can take hits from Kingdra all day and reply with status; Rayquaza outspeeds Kingdra due to Air Lock and KOes it with its STAB Dragon-type attacks. Defensive Dialga is a good check to the first five defensive Pokemon, as it does not mind paralysis and can easily set up Stealth Rock and force switches with Roar. Bulk Up RestTalk Dialga can also use them as set up fodder. As for Rayquaza, Lugia and defensive Arceus are excellent all-round switch-ins. Otherwise, Choice Scarf Terrakion and Jirachi can revenge kill all variants of Rayquaza, while Choice Scarf Garchomp, Salamence, and Palkia can take out Dragon Dance variants. Apart from Rayquaza, even with Kingdra's fantastic Speed, it can still be revenge killed. Choice Scarf Darkrai and Shaymin-S, as well as Jolly Kabutops and Kingdra, can outspeed Modest Kingdra, while Choice Scarf Mewtwo can outspeed even Timid variants. An Arceus-Grass of your own can easily deal with Kabutops and Kingdra, as well as bulky Dialga and Lugia. As for the Choice Scarf users, Choice Band Scizor or Choice Scarf Jirachi are decent options to deal with all three, especially since Darkrai and Mewtwo can potentially cripple walls with Trick. Apart from Rayquaza, other users of Extreme Speed can also revenge kill Kingdra after prior damage. These include Extreme Killer Arceus and Deoxys-A. A bulky Steel-type such as Skarmory can easily take on Arceus, while Deoxys-A can be easily revenge killed by Giratina-O, Scizor, Choice Scarf Dialga, Jirachi, Terrakion, and Genesect, all of which can take an Extreme Speed without much trouble.

Even in the fast-paced Ubers metagame, Kingdra won't have much trouble setting up a Dragon Dance. Although, at first glance, Kingdra might seem to be outclassed by Dragon Dance Rayquaza and its much higher attacking stats, Kingdra has some notable advantages over the green dragon. The first is Kingdra's superior typing, which leaves it with only one weakness in comparison to Rayquaza's three. Next is Kingdra's Speed in the rain, which can allow it to outspeed enemies as fast as Choice Scarf Shaymin-S even without any Dragon Dance boosts. After one Dragon Dance, Kingdra can effectively outspeed the entire Ubers metagame. Waterfall should be Kingdra's primary attack, and with a boost from rain, it will become just as strong as its Outrage, the preferred attack in clear skies or other weather. The typing combination of Dragon and Water is almost unstoppable, with Ferrothorn being the only common Pokemon in Ubers resisting it. Because of Kingdra's blistering Speed, even before any boosts, it can also function as a competent revenge killer. Even though Kingdra will never be able to deal as much damage as Rayquaza can, the high Base Power and awesome coverage of its attacks add to create fearsome offensive abilities. Draco Meteor is just as important as Kingdra's physical attacks, since without it, Kingdra would have to rely on Outrage in order to KO Shaymin-S and other threats. With Draco Meteor, Kingdra can 2HKO Groudon and Dialga sets without heavy Special Defense investment with a combination of Draco Meteor followed by Outrage. After Stealth Rock damage, Draco Meteor also has the power to smash through and OHKO some Dragon-types, such as Palkia and Rayquaza, without having to lock itself into Outrage. Yawn is an interesting option over Draco Meteor, as it will allow Kingdra to more easily attain Dragon Dances, while still allowing Kingdra to have maximum coverage. Ferrothorn is a surefire counter to this set in every possible way. It has monstrous defenses and its typing allows it to resist all of Kingdra's STAB attacks. Furthermore, Ferrothorn can easily set up on Kingdra with Spikes, cripple it with Thunder Wave (though Kingdra will still move first because of Ferrothorn's lackluster Speed), sap its health via Leech Seed, or smack it with its STAB Power Whip. Because Kingdra should only be used with rain on the field, Fire-type attacks will have less of an effect on Ferrothorn. For that reason, Aura Sphere or Focus Blast users are great teammates. Dialga resists both of Ferrothorn's STABs, doesn't mind a Thunder Wave, and easily 2HKOes Ferrothorn with Aura Sphere. Mewtwo and Darkrai can OHKO Ferrothorn with Aura Sphere and Focus Blast, respectively, but they both need to be on the lookout for Thunder Wave. Choice Scarf Shaymin-S is another good teammate as it can attract Fire-type attacks, to which Kingdra has a 8x resist in the rain (though Kingdra should definitely be wary of switching into Ho-Oh's Sacred Fire because of its 50% chance of inflicting burn). The EVs on this set will allow Kingdra to outspeed all variants of Choice Scarf Shaymin-S while still allowing Kingdra to OHKO said Shaymin-S with Draco Meteor after Stealth Rock. Because Lugia is a common switch-in to Kingdra, Tickle Wobbuffet is an invaluable teammate. With a Pursuit user such as Scizor also on the team, all Lugia lacking Whirlwind don't even stand a chance of surviving. This can pave the way for a Kingdra sweep later on in the match, provided that Kingdra hasn't already sustained a lot of damage. Again, both Mewtwo and Darkrai are great partners, this time because they are quite adept at switching in and setting up on Lugia.

Despite the fact that Kingdra has less than base 100 in both of its attacking stats, it can still function as a very competent mixed sweeper. Because of Swift Swim and the infinite rain that Kyogre provides, Kingdra will also be a great revenge killer. With a neutral nature and maximum investment, Kingdra hits a dangerous 590 Speed, easily outpacing all of the unboosted Pokemon in the metagame. Surf is the preferred option over Hydro Pump after considering Hydro Pump's imperfect accuracy and Surf has more than sufficient power under rain. Waterfall is Kingdra's physical STAB attack, and for good reason. It has a good chance of 2HKOing Blissey in the rain, and is guaranteed to 2HKO with Stealth Rock or one layer of Spikes. It will also always 2HKO Choice Band Tyranitar in sandstorm, a major threat to almost every rain team. Outrage will do tons of damage to any Pokemon that does not have either a huge Defense stat or a resistance to Dragon-type attacks. Even without Dragon Dance to boost its Attack, Kingdra can still do a good amount of damage to most Pokemon. Finally, Draco Meteor is Kingdra's strongest attack, capable of OHKOing many Pokemon. There is a great chance that Kingdra will OHKO Choice Scarf Shaymin-S with Draco Meteor, an achievement that can be guaranteed with the help of Stealth Rock. Darkrai is also OHKOed, but Surf will do more damage because of the pseudo-double STAB that the rain provides. Despite the sheer immediate power this Kingdra brings to the table, it still has no way of stopping Ferrothorn. Furthermore, because Kyogre is an absolutely necessary partner to Kingdra in order for it to function properly, and the rain Kyogre summons will only make taking out Ferrothorn harder. Shaymin-S has a powerful Air Slash which can flinch Ferrothorn to death, but should the move miss or fail to flinch, Shaymin-S will most likely be taking a Thunder Wave. Since this Kingdra has no method of attaining additional boosts outside of Baton Pass, it is easily countered outside of rain. Rayquaza, though unable to switch in on Kingdra's Outrage and Draco Meteor, can OHKO Kingdra with one of its own Dragon-type STABs. Choice Scarf Jirachi is an invaluable partner to deal with Rayquaza. Not only does it resist Rayquaza's STAB attacks and Extreme Speed, but it also KOes with Ice Punch and outspeeds all variants at +1 Speed, so it will not have to fear Earthquake or Fire Blast. If Choice Scarf Mewtwo is a concern, Wobbuffet can come in and revenge kill it with ease.

Kingdra has plenty of options to use for its Water-type STAB attack; however, Surf and Hydro Pump are probably the best options. Surf allows Kingdra to attack both opponents at the same time while gaining a power boost in the rain. However, Surf will hit Kingdra’s teammate as well; knowing this, it is crucial that Kingdra’s teammate either resists or is immune to Water-type attacks, or casts Protect on that respective turn. Hydro Pump is another option, allowing Kingdra to target one single opponent without hitting its own teammate on the field; however, the lowered accuracy makes it unreliable in crucial situations, so one might want to opt for Surf instead. Dragon Pulse acts as its secondary STAB attack, giving it excellent coverage, which is only resisted by Empoleon. Draco Meteor may be used over Dragon Pulse for raw power; however, the Special Attack drop cripples Kingdra immensely. Therefore, because switching in and out is rather difficult in this present metagame, it is recommended that Dragon Pulse be used over Draco Meteor. Ice Beam is used to hit Parasect, Amoonguss and other Grass-type opponents super effectively. Hidden Power Electric may also be used in this slot in order to hit opposing Water-type enemies. Finally, Protect is used in the fourth slot, allowing Kingdra to protect itself against a powerful attack for one turn. Life Orb is used for maximum damage output, which is especially important when using spread moves such as Surf. As Kingdra is usually used offensively, Life Orb is probably the best choice for it. However, Haban Berry can be used instead to negate Kingdra’s only weakness, giving Kingdra a greater degree of survivability and an opportunity to KO the enemy in return. However, beware that a Latios using a Dragon Gem-boosted Draco Meteor will still KO Kingdra through Haban Berry. 252 Special Attack EVs are obvious since this set’s main focus is dealing as much damage as possible in the rain. 252 Speed EVs are used to outspeed almost everything in this metagame, allowing Kingdra to become an offensive monster in the rain. However, 196 Speed EVs may be used instead in order to outspeed Jolly Choice Scarf Garchomp in the rain, while the rest of the EVs can be invested into HP for additional bulk; be warned though, as a Jolly Choice Scarf Terrakion, a +2 Jolly Blaziken, a +2 Modest Yanmega, and weather abusers, such as Kabutops, will be able to outspeed Kingdra. Thus, it is recommended that one runs 252 Speed EVs instead. Politoed is probably Kingdra's most important teammate. Its ability to set up eternal rain on the field, as well as its resistance to Surf, makes it invaluable to Kingdra, not to mention the team as a whole. Toxicroak also makes a great teammate, as it is able to set up Rain Dance, while also being able to take advantage of it and Water-type attacks from its teammates due to its Dry Skin ability. Furthermore, it can take down Tyranitar, one of the biggest counters to rain due to its ability to cancel out rain with its Sand Stream ability. Finally, Toxicroak's ability to Taunt Trick Room users and access to STAB Drain Punch to take out Ferrothorn, another great rain counter, make it invaluable. Gastrodon also is a great teammate, obtaining a Special Attack boost when hit by any Water-type attack with its Storm Drain ability. Furthermore, its ability to check Trick Room teams with its abysmal Speed stat makes it further useful. Finally, a teammate who can resist Dragon-type attacks aimed at Kingdra will lengthen Kingdra's survivability by quite a bit. Metagross is perfect for this; it resists Dragon-type attacks, while sporting Ice Punch to take out the offending Dragon-type enemy. Metagross's weakness to Fire-type attacks is also mitigated by rain.

STAB Draco Meteor deals significant damage to everything that does not resist it. Muddy Water in rain is capable of 2HKOing bulky targets it hits for neutral damage such as Metagross. Substitute lets Kingdra protect itself from status moves, most notably Thunder Wave from Thundurus and Spore from Amoonguss. Life Orb helps offset Kingdra’s paltry Special Attack, while Lum Berry ensures it can set up a Substitute in front of Amoonguss and Thundurus. Other Options Hydro Pump gives Kingdra a significantly stronger Water-type attacking move. Disable can win the mirror matchup against opposing Kingdra and prevent Amoonguss from using Spore. Choice Scarf provides Kingdra viability outside of rain, letting it catch Latios and Hydreigon unaware. This also ensures that Kingdra wins the mirror matchup. Common Partners Politoed is all but required in order to set rain to activate Kingdra's ability and bolster its damage. Amoonguss can draw threatening attacks or status to itself. A Lightning Rod user can be run to redirect Thundurus's Thunder Wave to itself, or Kingdra can be paired with a Pokemon capable of quickly wiping Thundurus off the board, such as Landorus-T or Terrakion. Checks and Counters Latios can OHKO Kingdra at -2 Special Attack, which Kingdra fails to do in return. Snarl Suicune has the natural bulk to not be threatened by Kingdra and can minimize its damage output. Amoonguss does not face KO pressure from the majority of Pokemon that encompass standard rain teams—Kingdra, Politoed, Thundurus—and can often freely use Spore against Kingdra and its partners. Cresselia also cannot be quickly dispatched by Kingdra and its partners and can use Trick Room or Sunny Day to nullify it as a threat. Thundurus neuters non-Lum Berry Kingdra sets with Thunder Wave, removing one of its most valuable assets and making its already inconsistent moves even more so.

Under rain, Kingdra is an offensive juggernaut, outrunning the entire metagame and inflicting massive damage on non-resistant targets with its boosted Water-type attacks. If that isn't enough, a strong spread Water-type attack in Muddy Water makes Kingdra difficult to switch into, thus solidifying it as one of the most fearsome threats in the metagame. Muddy Water is a strong spread STAB attack with increased damage in rain. Draco Meteor is another STAB attack that can hit Dragon-types that resist Water super effectively, such as Latios and Kyurem-B. It's also a strong attack for Pokemon immune to Water, such as Gastrodon and Jellicent. Substitute most importantly blocks debilitating statuses, such as Thunder Wave paralysis, and it allows Kingdra to tank a hit with minimal damage. Hydro Pump can be used over Substitute if the damage is preferred, but this will greatly hinder the Thundurus and Amoonguss matchups. Water Gem is an option if using Hydro Pump to give Kingdra a nuke that is capable of OHKOing Thundurus. This, however, is fairly situational and weakens Kingdra's overall damage output, so Life Orb is the better option in most cases. A Timid nature is an option to outspeed or Speed tie opposing Kingdra, although it lowers Kingdra's damage output. Kingdra's combination of Speed and power can allow it to function both as a wallbreaker or a cleaner. Most of the time, Kingdra will be using Muddy Water and only uses Draco Meteor on threats that it can KO, such as Dragon-types or a weakened Amoonguss, since Kingdra will likely have to switch out afterwards. With how powerful Kingdra can be, teams with Kingdra are oftentimes built solely around supporting it. Politoed is a mandatory to set rain. Teammates that can threaten Thundurus, such as Thundurus-T or Kyurem-B, or redirect Thunder Wave, such as Amoonguss, are important to prevent Kingdra from being paralyzed. Thundurus-T and Kyurem-B both also threaten Amoonguss and Jellicent, which are two of the most common answers for Kingdra. Pokemon that can threaten Tyranitar, such as Genesect, Scizor, and Landorus-T, are important to ensure that rain stays on the field. Landorus-T also threatens Thundurus and can also pivot with U-turn, allowing one to switch Kingdra in safely. Finally, Grass-types, such as Breloom, Ferrothorn, and Shaymin-S, are common partners to threaten Water-types that resist Muddy Water, with Ferrothorn aiding with rain teams' often poor Trick Room matchups.

While Kingdra may seem like it's outclassed by Rayquaza, Dragon Dance Kingdra has two very significant advantages over Dragon Dance Rayquaza in Ubers. First of all, Kingdra's typing grants it a neutrality to Ice-type attacks, Stealth Rock, and a resistance to Bullet Punch. Most importantly, the quality that truly makes Kingdra stand out in Ubers is Swift Swim. With only 176 Speed EVs and Kyogre's eternal rain, Kingdra is able to outspeed Choice Scarf Garchomp, the fastest Dragon-type Pokemon commonly seen in Ubers. After a Dragon Dance, Kingdra will easily outspeed every single Pokemon in the Uber metagame. Waterfall is Kingdra's main STAB attack, which, thanks to Kyogre's rain, becomes just as powerful as Outrage. Outrage complements Waterfall extremely well, allowing Kingdra to have nearly perfect type coverage (with only Shedinja not being hit at least neutrally). Even before a Dragon Dance, Waterfall is a useful move for revenge killing several threats simply because this Kingdra has a Speed stat of 500 in the rain. For instance, Darkrai has around a 92% chance of being OHKOed by an unboosted Waterfall after it takes Stealth Rock damage. While Kingdra is not as powerful as Rayquaza, its boosted Waterfalls and Outrages will still deal a massive amount of damage. For example, a +1 Outrage will always OHKO max HP Kyogre after it takes Stealth Rock damage, while a +1 Waterfall in the rain or Outrage will easily OHKO Mewtwo. The last slot is best occupied by Draco Meteor for two reasons: Draco Meteor will deal over 50% to most Groudon and Dialga switch-ins (barring specially defensive Dialga), meaning that next time Kingdra gets time to set up, Groudon will often be unable to switch in and take control of the weather without sacrificing itself, and Dialga that are not specially defensive will often be KOed by Outrage after being hit by Draco Meteor. Draco Meteor will also have enough power to OHKO Rayquaza, Garchomp, and Palkia, meaning that Kingdra can destroy them without getting locked into Outrage. Yawn is a reasonable option in the last slot if Groudon is not a problem for your team. Yawn can potentially put your opponent's Kingdra check to sleep, or cause a switch that Kingdra can take advantage of by using Dragon Dance. When using Yawn over Draco Meteor, use an Adamant nature and relocate the 80 Special Attack EVs, because Kingdra will no longer be a mixed attacker. While even defensive Groudon may sometimes be 2HKOed by a +1 Outrage, it can switch in as Kingdra attempts to set up, and either cripple Kingdra with Thunder Wave, or deal a massive amount of damage with Dragon Claw or Earthquake (Dragon Claw will almost always OHKO Kingdra if Groudon holds a Life Orb). Additionally, Groudon's sunlight will ruin both Waterfall's power and Kingdra's Swift Swim. Although Lugia is usually 2HKOed by a +1 Waterfall or Outrage, it can invest in more Defense EVs and then switch in on either Dragon Dance or Draco Meteor. Lugia can then use Reflect to survive the next Waterfall or Outrage, and stall Kingdra with Roost. Lugia can even use Whirlwind to foil any of Kingdra's attempts to set up on it. If Dialga manages to switch into Dragon Dance, or is specially defensive and does not switch in on Outrage, it will barely survive Kingdra's assaults (a Dialga with no EVs in HP and Defense will take around 85%-100% from a +1 Outrage), while Kingdra will be OHKOed by one of Dialga's STAB Dragon-type attacks. Mixed Rayquaza makes an excellent teammate for Dragon Dance Kingdra. It will often lure in Groudon and Bold Lugia, and then 2HKO most Groudon with Draco Meteor, and 2HKO Lugia with Draco Meteor after it takes Stealth Rock damage. Choice Scarf Dialga will often switch in to mixed Rayquaza, expecting the Swords Dance set, only to be OHKOed by Draco Meteor after taking Stealth Rock damage. Support Dialga will also work well with Dragon Dance Kingdra for several reasons: Dialga can set up the vital Stealth Rock that allows Kingdra to gain several KOs. Dialga also lures in both Groudon and Lugia when holding Leftovers, meaning that Dialga is often able to cripple either of them with Toxic. Dialga's Draco Meteor can put most Groudon into the KO range of Kingdra's Draco Meteor or boosted Outrage. Like most setup sweepers, Kingdra will appreciate Wobbuffet's support. Wobbuffet can Encore a Fire- or Water-type attack, a support move, or status move (and then use Safeguard) to allow Kingdra to have a free turn to use Dragon Dance. Wobbuffet can also revenge kill any Dialga that is restricted by Choice Scarf. Finally, Tickle Wobbuffet can be paired with a Pursuit user (such as Metagross or Scizor) to defeat Lugia. Scizor on its own makes a great teammate for Dragon Dance Kingdra due to its ability to function as a Dialga lure. If Choice Band Scizor uses Superpower as max HP Dialga switches in, it will have a 79% chance of being OHKOed after taking Stealth Rock damage. Additionally, Choice Band Scizor's U-turn will do enough damage to minimum HP Dialga to put it into the KO range of a +1 Kingdra's Outrage. Mewtwo can switch into Lugia, and use Taunt and Calm Mind to set up on it, while Darkrai can put Lugia to sleep with Dark Void, and threaten to set up a sweep with Nasty Plot.

Thanks to Kingdra's Speed in the rain and Life Orb, Kingdra can easily become a powerful mixed attacker and revenge killer in one set. The most important choice to make is between using Surf or Hydro Pump. Surf is weaker than Hydro Pump, but the perfect accuracy often makes up for the power loss. In the rain, Surf will still do a massive amount of damage to any Pokemon who does not resist it. For example, Surf will OHKO Darkrai, while both Lugia and Calm Wobbuffet are 2HKOed when taking Stealth Rock damage and Leftovers recovery into account. Hydro Pump trades the reliable 100% accuracy for more power, which can be helpful in certain situations. For instance, offensive Mewtwo is always OHKOed by Hydro Pump (compared to Surf's approximately 66% chance of achieving the same after Stealth Rock damage), and will also always 2HKO Lugia regardless of any entry hazards. Hydro Pump has a chance of putting specially defensive Groudon into the KO range of Draco Meteor after it takes Stealth Rock damage; something that Surf can never do. Aside from its poor accuracy, Hydro Pump also only has 8PP, meaning that it will run out fast in a metagame infested with such a high number of Pokemon with Pressure. Because of these setbacks, make sure you only use Hydro Pump over Surf if your team needs it. Draco Meteor is Kingdra's most powerful attack against Pokemon who resist its STAB Water-type attacks, and will do almost as much damage as Surf in the rain! Draco Meteor will always OHKO every Dragon-type Pokemon who is weak to it with the exceptions of Giratina (who is OHKOed after taking Stealth Rock damage unless it is specially defensive), and Latias. Draco Meteor will also 2HKO most Groudon switch-ins after Stealth Rock damage, allowing your team to effectively take control of the weather. While Outrage may not pack as much of a punch as it did on the Dragon Dance set, it is still able to OHKO Latias, 2HKO Blissey, and 2HKO max HP Kyogre after it takes Stealth Rock damage. Finally, Waterfall's main purpose is to 2HKO Blissey in the rain, and to always 2HKO Tyranitar. Because mixed Kingdra does not have Dragon Dance, it will have issues with several Pokemon who have the potential to outspeed it, even in the rain. Although Rayquaza can only switch into Kingdra's Water-type assaults, it can also outspeed and revenge kill Kingdra thanks to Air Lock and powerful, STAB Dragon-type attacks. Although none of them can switch into Kingdra's attacks, fast Choice Scarf users such as Darkrai, Shaymin-S, and Mewtwo are capable of outspeeding Kingdra in the rain. While none of them OHKO Kingdra, Shaymin-S can flinch it with Air Slash or deal a massive amount of damage with Seed Flare. On the other hand, Darkrai can put Kingdra to sleep with Dark Void, and Mewtwo can either deal a massive amount of damage to it with Thunder, or sacrifice itself to OHKO Kingdra with Self-Destruct. Choice Scarf Jirachi is the best possible answer to Rayquaza, thanks to its Dragon-type and Normal-type resists, Ice Punch, and the ability to even outspeed Dragon Dance Rayquaza. Choice Scarf Metagross can take care of Rayquaza in a similar fashion, but has the bonus of being able to switch into Shaymin-S's Seed Flare without the fear of a Special Defense drop thanks to Clear Body. A Kyogre with Sleep Talk makes an excellent switch into Choice Scarf Darkrai's Dark Void, while Scizor can handle Darkrai's Dark Pulses and Shaymin-S's Seed Flares. Dialga can take not only Shaymin-S's Seed Flare, but it can also switch into Mewtwo's Self-Destruct and Thunder with ease thanks to its resistances. Finally, Wobbuffet can revenge kill both Choice Scarf Shaymin-S and Choice Scarf Mewtwo at certain points in the match.

In rain, Kingdra is capable of wiping unprepared teams with powerful rain-boosted Muddy Water. Kingdra stands out for its Dragon-typing, which makes Draco Meteor a powerful secondary STAB attack that nukes the Water-resistant Latias and Salamence while doing neutral damage to other rain checks. Its typing leaves Kingdra weak only to opposing Dragon-type attacks, often making it hard to OHKO Kingdra despite its mediocre bulk. Kingdra only succeeds with dedicated rain support, as outside of rain it is too frail, too weak, and too slow to exploit the lack of viable Water resistances in the tier. A rain-boosted Muddy Water is capable of 2HKOing most of the unresisted metagame, picking up 2HKOs on bulky foes such as Rotom-H, Mew, and Metagross. Kingdra is hard to switch into, and Muddy Water's chance of causing accuracy drops reduces counterplay even more, but Muddy Water's own accuracy will sometimes cause key misses, which foes can take advantage of. Draco Meteor is a secondary STAB attack with which Kingdra can nuke common Water-resistant foes such as Latias and Salamence and 2HKO the likes of Gyarados. It's also useful for nearly OHKOing the tier's frailer foes such as Raikou and Heracross and remains a powerful option outside of rain also. The Special Attack drop incurred by Draco Meteor often forces Kingdra off the field, as all of its attacks are significantly less threatening at -2, which can sap momentum from these rain teams that only get limited turns of rain to work with. As there is no permanent rain setter in the tier and Tyranitar's Sand Stream is highly disruptive, Kingdra can run Rain Dance to sustain itself and other Swift Swim teammates with additional turns to work with. Kingdra is not the best rain setter, as it is rather frail, so if a team has sufficient ways of setting up rain, Kingdra can also use Hydro Pump for a single-target Water-type nuke that outright OHKOes Rotom-H, Metagross, and Hitmontop and 2HKOes Mew, Swampert, and Cresselia in rain. Kingdra requires dedicated rain support to be a threatening sweeper. Fast Rain Dance users such as Gengar and Raikou synergize particularly well, as the former is immune to Fake Out, so it sets up easier, and the latter can Thunder Water-types such as Gyarados and Empoleon. Hitmontop is another capable rain setter with its own Fake Out support. As rain teams are a dedicated archetype, it pays to have an additional Swift Swim user such as Ludicolo on the team, which also has Fake Out to create setup opportunities for the Rain Dance users. Tyranitar is a particular nuisance to rain teams, so Steel- or Fighting-types that can switch in and threaten significant damage, such as Jirachi or Hitmontop, do well to check it. Kingdra also works with additional fast, powerful hitters such as Latias or Choice Scarf Heracross, as their respective STAB attacks can overwhelm teams with their sheer offensive pressure and clean up opposing teams once Kingdra has done its damage.