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Scald is Politoed's primary attack, doing reasonable damage while boosted by rain and offering utility in the form of potential burns. Weather Ball has more raw power at the cost of utility and being incredibly reliant on rain, for instance guaranteeing the OHKO on Landorus. Helping Hand mitigates Politoed's limited offensive presence by allowing it to boost a stronger teammate's attack instead. It also lets Politoed make a move before Eject Button forces it out. Politoed's third moveslot is quite flexible, and which option is best can differ depending on the exact team. Icy Wind provides speed control for teammates, while Encore can lock a foe into a move like Fake Out or Protect, punish setup such as Dragon Dance from Kyurem-B, or disrupt Trick Room users. Protect allows Politoed to stall out a turn, wasting turns of opposing Tailwind or Trick Room, or keeping it safe while a teammate is brought out to be assisted with Helping Hand. Eject Button helps Politoed get off the field after its job of setting rain is done, allowing more offensive teammates to switch in and benefit while saving Politoed to set rain again later. Alternatively, Damp Rock extends the duration of rain, reducing the need to set it an additional time. The given EV spread patches up Politoed's more vulnerable physical bulk to ensure it can survive almost any single attack. This further helps Politoed fulfill its duty of maintaining rain throughout the match.

Moves Scald is the most often used move on the set, as it is easily spammable with decent power and a burn chance, which is very useful when going up against physical attackers that threaten Politoed. Hydro Pump is the strongest move Politoed has and can leave a dent in the opposing team. The only downside is its shaky accuracy. Ice Beam can hit most notably some of the most common Pokemon in the metagame like Garchomp, Mandibuzz, and Salamence, as well as giving coverage against types that Scald can't hit. Encore can trap foes into moves and give space for teammates to take out the Pokemon at hand. Rain Dance can also work if you are expecting a weather setter like Torkoal or Gigalith to come in; in these situations, Politoed can manually set up rain again, making the switch useless. However, then Politoed must switch out and back in to use an attacking move, as it will be locked into Rain Dance. Set Details Drizzle can help Politoed as well as other teammates, with rain having various benefits like ensuring Hurricane and Thunder never miss, lessening Fire-type damage, and boosting Water-type damage. A Timid nature gives Politoed maximum Speed to outspeed most of the unboosted metagame. The EVs are designed to focus on the main areas Politoed must cover. Maximum Special Attack investment allows Politoed to hit as hard as possible, while the Speed investment paired with Choice Scarf lets Politoed outspeed positive-natured Pokemon with base 100 Speed. Usage Tips Leading with Choice Scarf Politoed against a team with a weather setter is not a good idea, as it being one of the fastest weather setters in VGC17 means Drizzle will be overridden. Choice Scarf isn't as used as the support set, so this can get a couple of surprise KOs early-game without the opponent expecting it. Scald can get burns early-game, helping to wear down physical threats, while Hydro Pump can get KOs quicker. Encore and Rain Dance are mainly for an emergency when either a threat must be stopped temporarily or rain has been countered. Thinking one turn ahead is a good idea to keep momentum on the team. Team Options Swift Swim users, mainly Golduck, make use of the rain being set up, increasing their Speed. Pokemon that can cover up for Politoed's weaknesses should be used, like a Ground-type such as Krookodile or a Flying-type like Salamence. Lightning Rod users like Alolan Marowak and Togedemaru are also appreciated to combat Electric-types. Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Kartana appreciate Politoed, as the rain lessens Fire-type damage, and they resist Politoed's weaknesses as well as helping to break through Water-types, which Politoed has a hard time against. Electric-types like Magnezone and Vikavolt that use Thunder appreciate the rain boosting the attack's accuracy, and they can deal with Water-types.

Moves Scald is the main attacking move on the set, having STAB, a decent 80 Base Power, and a 30% chance to burn, which is useful in taking care of strong physical attackers. Ice Beam is mainly for coverage on Pokemon like Garchomp and Salamence, as well as hitting Pokemon that resist Scald. Encore can neutralize threats using moves like Protect, giving teammates like Dragon Dance Gyarados and Leech Seed Celesteela chances to set up. Perish Song can force out setup sweepers like Snorlax and works when the opponent has their last two Pokemon on the field. This guarantees a win in some situations. Protect can give Politoed a turn to stay safe while another teammate switches in or takes care of a threat so Politoed doesn't take any damage. Set Details Sitrus Berry is used to keep Politoed on the field for longer and give it more bulk. Drizzle sets rain and thus powers up Scald, gives boosts to other Water-type moves, and aids Swift Swim users, as well as decreasing the power of Fire-type damage. A Calm nature complements Politoed's highest base stat, providing the greatest benefit to Politoed. The EVs are used to OHKO uninvested Arcanine with Scald and to survive a Jolly Garchomp's Tectonic Rage as well as Timid Tapu Koko's Thunderbolt. Usage Tips Politoed's main role is to bring in rain to support teammates and to boost Scald's power in the rain. It should only bring in rain and switch out most of the time. Politoed's role should be thought about when there is a weather setter on the opposing team. Bringing Politoed in as a lead can sometimes render Drizzle useless, sacrificing a turn to switch Politoed out. Politoed should switch in when there is another weather setter on the field like a Drought or Sand Stream Pokemon to counter it, even if rain isn't needed, as it can interfere with the opponent's strategy. It should also switch back in when the rain has ended in order to reset it. Perish Song should only be used against setup sweepers or at the end of the game. This is because there is no reason to use it before, as the opponent can just switch their Pokemon out. Team Options A Swift Swim user like Golduck pairs perfectly with Politoed, as it can take advantage of the rain being set up. Lightning Rod Pokemon like Alolan Marowak and Togedemaru help to cover Politoed's weakness to Electric-types. Grass-types like Kartana like the advantage of rain to lessen Fire-type damage and can take advantage of Politoed's Encore support to sweep the opposing team. Pokemon like Dragonite that use Thunder and Hurricane also pair well with Politoed, as these attacks will always hit in the rain. A fast Electric-type like Tapu Koko pairs well with Politoed, as it can use perfectly accurate Thunder in the rain as well as dealing with Water-types.

Moves Scald is an easy choice on Politoed thanks to its respectable damage output in the rain and convenient 30% burn chance. Helping Hand boosts Politoed's partners' attacks to menacing levels, often scoring knockouts that are otherwise impossible. Encore is useful for punishing Pokemon that try to set up or stall out rain turns with Protect in front of Politoed. Icy Wind provides Politoed with a means of speed control, setting its partners up to fire off powerful attacks before facing punishment. Protect allows Politoed to survive a turn without taking damage so it can more effectively support its team at a later time. Perish Song is an interesting option that can lock down endgames when the opponent only has two Pokemon remaining or deter slower-paced setup that requires multiple turns to be effective. Set Details The HP and Defense investment allows Politoed to survive a Fusion Bolt from standard Life Orb Kyurem-B, which is one of the biggest threats to rain teams in general. Additionally, a Calm nature and 8 EVs in Special Defense allow Politoed to survive a Thunderbolt from Timid Tapu Koko in Electric Terrain, provided it is not holding a boosting item. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Attack, which gives Politoed a substantial chance to OHKO uninvested Landorus-T in the rain. Damp Rock and Eject Button are two ways Politoed can try to maximize the time its allies will have to take advantage of its summoned rain, with the former focusing on extending the duration and the latter placing emphasis on maintaining momentum after bringing in Politoed. Alternatively, a Wiki Berry provides Politoed with some much-needed longevity, which can aid in its ability to set rain multiple times in a match. Usage Tips Politoed is most effectively used when it can set up rain multiple times throughout a battle. It is therefore recommended that you keep Politoed as healthy as possible. It is likely that, for maximum damage output, Politoed is better off boosting its partner with Helping Hand instead of attacking itself, but Scald can be used to prime partners for KOs or fish for burns whenever Helping Hand is not appropriate. For example, if Politoed's partner is using a rain-boosted Hydro Vortex, Helping Hand can usually boost it to levels that will knock out all but the bulkiest of Pokemon. For Eject Button sets, keep in mind that Politoed is nearly guaranteed to get off a Helping Hand before being forced out by an attack thanks to its increased priority; the same cannot be said of its other moves. Icy Wind is most effectively used when Politoed's partner needs an extra speed boost, most likely due to rain expiring or a lack of Swift Swim. If a slower Pokemon like Porygon2 or Aegislash has used a passive attack like Recover or King's Shield, Encore can punish them by forcing them to spend 3 turns failing to make any progress. Additionally, Encore can punish predicted setup moves from faster Pokemon like Dragon Dance Zygarde and Substitute Kartana, as well as locking opposing Pokemon into Fake Out if they target Politoed's partner. If you choose to employ Perish Song, it is most effectively used when your opponent only has two Pokemon remaining, effectively putting the game on a three-turn timer. Team Options Given that Politoed's existence is predicated around setting up rain for its partners, its teammates always include at least one Pokemon with the Swift Swim ability. These Pokemon, like Kingdra, Mega Swampert, and Ludicolo, make use of boosted Speed and boosted Water-type attacks very effectively, often exerting immense offensive pressure when the rain is up. All three of these Pokemon have their pros and cons, but perhaps the most effective partner is Kingdra due to its access to Muddy Water and lack of weaknesses to Grass- and Electric-type attacks. With boosts from rain, Helping Hand, and a potential Life Orb or Z-Crystal, Kingdra is able to provide both single-target burst damage or heavy multi-target damage. Mega Swampert can also clean up games with rain-boosted Waterfall or Earthquake, but the latter generally requires a partner immune to Ground-type attacks so it doesn't accidentally knock out Politoed in the process. Ludicolo is the weakest attacker of the three, but it does benefit from its access to Fake Out and Grass typing to deal with problematic Water-types like Tapu Fini and Gastrodon. Electric-type Pokemon, such as Tapu Koko and Zapdos, also partner well with Politoed, since they are generally good offensive checks to Water-types not named Gastrodon and can make use of perfectly accurate Thunder while rain is active. Grass- and Steel-types benefit from the rain thanks to the power of Fire-type moves being weakened, and Grass-types specifically can also deal with opposing Water-types. Kartana is a good example, as it benefits from the traditional rain core throttling Incineroar and can remove threats to rain cores like Tapu Fini and Gastrodon with a well-timed Leaf Blade. Since teams with Politoed tend to stack weaknesses to Electric-types, Pokemon like Kyurem-B that can sponge Electric-type moves and threaten their users are good partners for Politoed as well. There is a lot of flexibility available to Politoed teams as far as Mega Evolutions go, since many different Mega Evolutions benefit from the support Politoed provides. Mega Metagross appreciates Fire-type moves being weakened and sits in a great Speed tier for taking advantage of Icy Wind, while Mega Manectric can soft check opposing Electric-types and make use of an accurate Thunder. Finally, Politoed and its typical teammates tend to struggle with certain Steel-type Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and Kartana. Pokemon with strong Fighting-type coverage, such as Sacred Sword Kartana, Superpower Mega Swampert, and Superpower Landorus-T, therefore make good partners for Politoed. While it may seem counterintuitive, Fire-type Pokemon with useful secondary typings like Incineroar and Volcanion can also help alleviate this issue. Gothitelle provides invaluable trapping support for sets running Perish Song, making it significantly harder to escape the countdown timer that Politoed starts.

Moves Scald is Politoed's strongest attack and threatens burns. Ice Beam gives Politoed coverage against Flying- and Grass-types, such as Altaria and Simisage, while Hidden Power Electric hits opposing Water-types, such as Floatzel and Simipour. Encore allows Politoed to pressure bulkier foes reliant on status moves, such as Audino. Protect can be run instead for extra Leftovers recovery and the ability to occasionally scout foes with Choice items, but it leaves Politoed much more useless versus passive teams. Set Details Water Absorb allows Politoed to wall opposing Water-types, and Leftovers provides its only form of recovery outside of switching Politoed into Water-type attacks. Maximum Special Attack investment and a Modest nature give Politoed some offensive presence and help it KO opposing Water-types more quickly, while near-maximum HP investment makes it as bulky as possible without taking increased damage from entry hazards. Usage Tips Politoed should be conserved until the opposing team has no Water-types left, as sacrificing it too early can leave teams vulnerable to them. Politoed is a fairly obvious switch-in to most Water-types, so be wary of opponents predicting it to come in and either hitting it with a strong coverage move or double switching to a counter. Don't use Encore too liberally, as it can quickly become predictable and give foes free turns to switch. Similarly, using Protect too often for extra recovery can give foes free switching or setup opportunities. Use Scald as much as possible to spread burns throughout opposing teams. Team Options Politoed is easy to fit into most playstyles, as many Pokemon in the tier benefit from its almost unique ability to deter Water-type attackers. Pokemon vulnerable to Water-types benefit the most from Politoed's ability to absorb their STAB moves. These include Fire-types such as Monferno, Rock-types such as Golem, and even offensive Pokemon, such as Dodrio, that are normally easily revenge killed by Floatzel or Simipour. Entry hazard removal is highly appreciated, as Politoed can be quickly worn down by Spikes or Toxic Spikes, making it more difficult for it to check Water-types, and is easy Spikes fodder for Roselia, especially if running Protect. Fellow defensive Pokemon can form defensive cores with Politoed. Vullaby can take on strong physical attackers such as Stoutland and appreciates the check to Water-types that have Ice-type coverage, and Stunfisk can support Politoed with its Electric immunity in return for the Water-type check. Other Electric-type checks such as Assault Vest Bouffalant and Lightning Rod Zebstrika can deter opposing Electric-types.

Politoed is a multifaceted offensive tank and bulky Water-type. The threat of a strong Scald backed up by Ice Beam to hit Grass-types like Servine and Jumpluff makes Politoed hard to switch into. Access to Water Absorb and great defensive stats also make Politoed a valuable defensive asset in a pinch against the likes of Magmar, Klang, and Simipour. Protect doubles as a means to net extra recovery from Leftovers, as well as a defense against Choice-locked attackers like Vanilluxe. Encore also pairs well with Protect because it allows Politoed to scout and then punish utility moves and weaker attacks versus slower foes like Duosion and Bronzor, all while securing additional Leftovers recovery. Encore is also very good against setup sweepers that don't care about Toxic like Scraggy and the aforementioned Duosion. Toxic is another stallbreaking option for Politoed to be more threatening versus its counters like Regenerator Duosion, although it comes at the opportunity cost of losing the safe switch against slower status users. Another consideration is Hidden Power Grass, which can be opted for if the team needs to rely on Politoed to check offensive Water-types like Simipour and Whiscash. With 16 Speed EVs, Politoed outspeeds and revenge kills Adamant Lairon. Politoed fits on any balance and bulky offense team that can appreciate its role compression and defensive typing. Defensive cores like Gigalith + Vibrava and Dustox + Carbink need Politoed to check threats like Simipour, Klang, and Pignite. In return, they can create a safe switch opportunity for Politoed against Pokemon like Gigalith, Vibrava, and Carbink, especially when prompting foes to trade entry hazards. Scraggy and Bronzor can absorb Future Sight from Regenerator Duosion, while Dustox and Gogoat are generally good threats to Servine. Ground-types like Krokorok and Hippopotas are great to maintain momentum versus faster Volt Switch users that can force out Politoed, and they are especially beneficial versus Choice-locked Electabuzz, given Politoed's Protect will punish revenge kill attempts.

Choice Specs Politoed boasts an impressive offensive movepool and still retains a lot of its defensive merit. Most notably, the extra power offers Politoed a guaranteed 2HKO versus Regenerator Duosion and Dustox with Hydro Pump. Its coverage in Ice Beam + Hidden Power Grass gives Politoed a chance to OHKO the likes of Gourgeist-L and Whiscash, respectively. Additionally, Politoed's ability Water Absorb means that even without defensive investment, it can still soft check the likes of Simipour and retaliate with Hidden Power Grass with a chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock. Pivots like Electabuzz and Dustox are great teammates to get Politoed in safely. Knock Off users like Servine and Persian can soften up Eviolite walls like Bronzor and Quilladin, making them more vulnerable to Politoed's wallbreaking. Swalot, Ivysaur, and Gourgeist-L are all checks to Grass-types that give Politoed a defensive backbone to rely on versus the likes of Simisage and Sawsbuck. Specially offensive sweepers like Vanilluxe and Butterfree can clean late-game after Politoed pokes holes through opposing special walls. Fast attackers like Persian and Sawsbuck make for great partners to help circumvent Politoed's mediocre Speed.

Moves The move you will want to be using most on this set is Scald. Scald is preferred over Hydro Pump for its reliability and the chance to burn dangerous physical threats. Ice Beam is the only other offensive move on this set, since the combination of Water- and Ice-type coverage is only resisted by some other Water-types such as Rotom-W and Blastoise, so it is sufficient for Politoed's purposes. Protect is a staple on this set, but remember not to stall with it because that wastes a turn of rain. The positive side, of course, is to help Politoed scout against enemy attacks. Finally, Politoed can run many different support moves in the last spot. Rain Dance overall has the most utility, setting up rain again if either Charizard Y and Tyranitar decides to jump in, but Encore shuts down a Pokemon that just used Protect, and Perish Song works great to win against the opponent's last two Pokemon. Set Details The 29 Speed IVs and Sassy nature make Politoed just slower than 0 Speed Tyranitar, which means that Drizzle will persist if both are sent out at the same time, but it still faster than relevant threats such as Mega Mawile. The EVs are designed to allow Politoed to survive Mega Charizard Y's Solar Beam in sun, before rain gets back up, and Energy Ball from Life Orb Venusaur. An alternative, less bulky spread with 244 Special Attack EVs can be used to OHKO Garchomp with Ice Beam. Sitrus Berry is the preferred item because it increases Politoed's survivability. However, Damp Rock is an option if Sitrus Berry is already being used by another Pokemon on a team or if you value the eight turns of rain instead of five. Usage Tips Politoed is most effective as a lead. This Politoed is slower than Tyranitar, so rain will be the prevailing weather instead of sand if they're sent out at the same time. However, against sun teams, it is recommended to put Politoed in the back in order to cancel out Mega Charizard Y's Drought after the Mega Evolution. The best plan with Politoed is to lead with it, then to safely get in your offensive threats as soon as possible to make the most of the rain. Politoed has a limited offensive movepool, so do not expect to kill something like Salamence with Ice Beam because it is incredibly obvious that you will attempt to do so. Team Options A well-known and effective strategy is to pair Politoed with Swift Swim users such as Ludicolo and Kingdra, in order to have the edge on your opponent in terms of Speed. Furthermore, pairing Politoed with any other Pokemon that benefits from rain, such as Thunder Mega Manectric, Zapdos, and its frog friend, Toxicroak, is also a great idea in order to utilize those Pokemon to their full effect. Ironically, Fire-types such as Moltres are also good partners because they help deal with Mega Charizard Y. Furthermore, Moltres in particular can spam Hurricane and remove Grass-types such as Mega Venusaur for Swift Swim users like Ludicolo so they in turn can spam their Water-type STAB moves. Surprisingly, Ground-types like Garchomp can prove to be good partners in order to remove Water-immune Pokemon such as Heliolisk and Toxicroak. Ferrothorn is another great partner for Politoed because Ferrothorn's Fire-type weakness is mitigated by rain. In addition, Ferrothorn can whack Rotom-W with Power Whip, which completely walls Politoed. Amoonguss is another Pokemon that walls Rotom-W, and can put an opposing Pokemon to sleep, as well as support Swift Swim Pokemon with Rage Powder. Mawile is a cool option because it destroys Tyranitar; however, it sometimes has problems dealing with sun teams. Surf is always an option if you pair Politoed with Pokemon like Gastrodon, Heliolisk, and Toxicroak that appreciate being hit by Water-type moves. Most importantly, remember not to make a team completely dependent on rain. Drizzle is cool, but it will be very hard to consistently beat other weather teams if you are relying on rain in order to do so.

Moves Hydro Pump is the advised STAB attacking option on the Choice Scarf set because it is Politoed's strongest attack. However, Scald is a more reliable option if you are afraid of missing. Ice Beam is the best option in the next slot, as it hits Flying-types, Dragon-types, and Grass-types, and has overall great coverage with a Water-type move. Focus Blast hits Tyranitar and Ferrothorn hard, the latter of which resists Hydro Pump. Finally, in the last spot, Psychic can be used to get a nice neutral hit on Rotom-W and it is super effective against Mega Venusaur and Amoonguss. Alternatively, Encore can be used to stop a Pokemon that just used Protect, or Rain Dance can always be used to set rain back up on a predicted Charizard Y or Tyranitar switch-in. Set Details The EVs are exactly what you would expect of a Choice Scarf Pokemon in VGC. Maximum Special Attack investment allows Politoed to hit as hard as possible, while maximum Speed in conjunction with Choice Scarf allows Politoed to outrun everything relevant besides Mega Manectric. There are not many alternative options for the first three move slots, but the 4th slot should be whatever has the most utility on a team. Usage Tips Try not to lead with Politoed against teams that have other weather unless you are prepared to lock yourself into Rain Dance on turn one, just in case they also lead with a weather user and so nullify Drizzle. Always prepare to lead up against Rotom-W because it is the best common rain check besides Ferrothorn. Choice Scarf is less expected than the standard set with Sitrus Berry, so use this to your advantage and try and get some sneaky KOs early in the game. Team Options It's always a good idea to pair Politoed up with Swift Swim Pokemon such as Kingdra or Ludicolo, no matter what spread Politoed is running. Lum Berry Ferrothorn is always a good option as well, not only because it can dent Rotom-W, but also because super effective Fire-type moves aimed at it are weakened in the rain. Goodra can switch in on Grass-type and Electric-type moves that are super effective against Politoed, and it also has access to Muddy Water. Pokemon with Thunder such as Mega Manectric and Zapdos are good options, because they can easily remove opposing Water-types. Finally, Moltres is a good option to beat Grass-types with super effective 100% accurate Hurricanes in the rain.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on ORAS Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out ORAS Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

Moves Scald provides Politoed with a reliable STAB attack that has a chance to cripple and burn threats such as Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Metagross, which otherwise could be threatening for your team. Icy Wind is a spread move that drops the foes' Speed by one stage. It's mainly used to support the team, but it does a decent amount of damage to Landorus-T and Dragon-types such as Hydreigon and Latios. Helping Hand works well with offensive partners, especially Swift Swim sweepers, by boosting their damage output and letting them get key KOs. Encore is an alternative too, allowing Politoed to lock foes into non-threatening moves such as Protect, Substitute, and Fake Out. Protect lets Politoed scout, stall out field conditions, rack up chip and burn damage, and avoid taking an otherwise deadly attack. Set Details A standard 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD EV spread with a Bold nature allows Politoed to tank as many physical hits as possible and significantly boosts its overall bulk. Sitrus Berry allows Politoed to survive for longer, while Damp Rock allows Politoed to support its team even better by offering more turns of rain. Drizzle immediately sets up rain as Politoed switches in, which is the only reason to use Politoed. You can use 0 Speed IVs and a Relaxed nature on Politoed so that it can lock Trick Room setters such as Cresselia into Trick Room with Encore. Usage Tips Politoed can use Drizzle to cancel other weather conditions such as sun and sand. Politoed is especially a great switch-in to Mega Charizard Y, as it removes the sun from Drought and forces Mega Charizard Y to switch out with the threat of Scald. It will still have to be careful, though, because if Mega Charizard Y switches back in while Politoed is still on the field, your team is in trouble until rain is up again. It is important to note that to support its teammates as long as possible, Politoed has to stay alive for as long as possible to keep rain up. Use Encore to lock foes into support moves or other harmless moves. Use Helping Hand for a power boost only if necessary. If you use a Pokemon with a sleep-inducing move on your team, be careful with using Scald, as it might burn a foe that you would rather put to sleep. Team Options Swift Swim sweepers such as Ludicolo, Kingdra, and Mega Swampert work well with Politoed, because their Speed stats get doubled by Drizzle. Even though Mega Charizard Y doesn't like to face Politoed, a fast and strong Electric-type such as Thundurus, Raikou, or Thundurus-T is often beneficial to get rid of it. Their offensive presence and perfectly accurate Thunder allow them to check other foes besides Mega Charizard Y, such as opposing Keldeo and Talonflame. The only downside to Electric-types is that they have a lot of trouble switching in directly. Bulky Steel-types such as Mega Metagross, Mega Mawile, and Aegislash resist Dragon- and Fairy-type attacks and benefit from the rain removing their weakness to Fire. Having a Steel-type on your team also helps to check Kyurem-B, which is often used for beating rain teams. However, Kyurem-B still hits really hard with Earth Power and Steel-types have trouble switching in directly. Intimidate support from the likes of Landorus-T can help Politoed survive longer. Teammates that can check opposing Electric- and Grass-types, such as Kyurem-B and Hydreigon, also work really well because they can soak up attacks aimed at Politoed. Other strong Flying-types such as Talonflame and Togekiss are very useful for cleaning up bulkier Grass-type Pokemon. Fast Dragon-types such as Kyurem-B, Hydreigon, Latios, and Garchomp to an extent are good picks to beat sun teams and opposing rain teams. Surprisingly, Fire-types such as Talonflame and Heatran are great on rain teams because they check Grass-types and are even stronger when rain faces sun. Fairies such as Mega Gardevoir and Mega Diancie are good picks because they can also beat Kyurem-B. Mega Diancie also beats Thundurus and Mega Charizard Y, both of which are big threats to rain too.

Moves Scald does solid damage and lets Politoed fish for a burn. Politoed can provide speed control with Icy Wind or utilize a more powerful coverage move in Ice Beam. With Helping Hand, Politoed can boost the power of its partner. Encore lets Politoed punish attacks like Fake Out and Protect. Perish Song is used to guarantee a win condition if the opponent is down to their last two Pokemon. Protect is used for scouting out moves that can harm Politoed. Set Details With the EVs put into HP and Defense, Politoed can survive Mega Mawile's Play Rough. The Special Attack EVs allow Politoed to OHKO uninvested Landorus-T with an Ice Beam or rain-boosted Scald. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Special Defense. Politoed can also use Leftovers or Wacan Berry if a different Pokemon on the team has a Sitrus Berry already. Usage Tips Politoed empowers weather abusers, but that doesn't mean you should fill your team with them. Being overly dependent on rain will make your team very ineffective. Rain isn't something to be dependent on; it should be thought of more as a helpful boost. Additionally, you can challenge Mega Charizard Y's sun with Politoed if Charizard has Mega Evolved already. If it hasn't, Politoed can't challenge it without a partner faster than Mega Charizard Y with Rain Dance. Team Options Ludicolo is Politoed's go-to partner, as it has a more useful offensive typing than other Swift Swim users such as Kingdra. Ludicolo's Fake Out is also very useful. While Kingdra is still a good teammate for Politoed, the lack of Dragon Gem makes it less powerful than in previous years. Talonflame works well with Politoed and Ludicolo, despite its Fire-type moves being weakened in the rain. The three of them make a pretty good core to build around. Mega Swampert works too, but then there needs to be another Pokemon with Grass-type coverage on the team to take care of Rotom-W. Strong Electric-types such as Mega Manectric, Raikou, and Thundurus-T like to capitalize on Politoed's rain for perfectly accurate Thunders. Steel-types also benefit from Politoed and its Drizzle because the rain weakens Fire-type moves. Metagross, Mawile, and especially Ferrothorn love this. Politoed can't bust through Water- and Grass-types that well, so a partner that can hit these types for strong super effective damage synergize well with Politoed. If Politoed is being used in a Perish Trap team, Mega Gengar or Gothitelle is a mandatory partner.

Moves Hydro Pump is the hardest-hitting attack of this set. Ice Beam is used for coverage against Flying- and Grass-types. Scald is used as a compromise between power and accuracy. Surf gives Politoed a spread attack, but Politoed will need a partner who can take it. Hidden Power Grass is used for coverage against Rotom-W. Alternatively, Rain Dance can be used for refreshing the rain for the team if Charizard Mega Evolves or Mega Charizard Y switches in, and Encore is an option to allow Politoed to lock the foe into a status move. Set Details A Timid nature with maximum Speed investment and Choice Scarf allows Politoed to outspeed every Pokemon up to base 130 Speed, such as the rare Crobat; it notably lets it outspeed and OHKO 0 HP Jolly Mega Salamence with Ice Beam. To accommodate for Hidden Power Grass's IV drop, 4 EVs are moved from Special Attack to Defense; use 252 Special Attack EVs if you opt not to run Hidden Power Grass. Usage Tips When using this variant of Politoed, don't let it take too many hits, as it has no defensive investment. Try to snipe Pokemon with Hydro Pump and Ice Beam so that the opposing threats are taken out faster. Additionally, don't make your team overly dependent on Politoed's Drizzle; rain should complement your team, not be its centerpiece. Team Options Ludicolo works well with this Politoed set, as it can help with dual offensive coverage. Talonflame works well too, as its Flying-type coverage complements Politoed's attacks nicely. Kingdra and Mega Swampert also make for useful Swift Swim users. Ferrothorn and other Steel-types are good teammates for Politoed because the rain temporarily nerfs the power of Fire-type moves. Mega Manectric, Thundurus, and Thundurus-T are all solid teammates as well because they can harness a perfectly accurate Thunder.

If you can appreciate the power of Water Gem Hydro Pump and how often Politoed switches in and out, then Choice Specs Politoed provides all the firepower a little frog could ever ask for. With Hydro Pump OHKOing everything within the grey area of bulk in which Hitmontop and Metagross reside, and 2HKOing just about everything else, all of the other moves are mostly filler. Ice Beam OHKOes 4/0 Thundurus and Tornadus and deals around 87% to Latios. Hidden Power Grass comes as a surprise to incoming Gastrodon that think they can soak up a Scald or at the very least be lightly touched by Icy Wind, but doesn't have much use besides that as 252/0 Rotom-W only takes about 60% from it. Scald is weaker than Hydro Pump, but comes in handy when you need a powerful Water-type move that won't miss. As a small bonus, Scald can even ward off freeze hax, most notably from Abomasnow as Politoed switches in. Surf and Focus Blast are the only other real options for this set. Surf hurts your partners even more than usual, so it's best to either build your team around it or be prepared to Protect when Politoed Surfs. Focus Blast is great for Ferrothorn, but that's really the only notable Pokemon it can hurt more than Hydro Pump does, and even then it only has 70% accuracy with no way to boost it. Again, Swift Swim users have a love affair with Drizzle, but more importantly, Choice Specs Politoed needs solid switch-ins. Thundurus-T takes the forefront once again, as it resists Grass-type moves and is completely immune to Thunderbolts, though it has to give up its Choice Specs for Politoed to wear them. In a similar yet more obscure way, Lightning Rod Raichu can lead away Thunderbolts and provide Fake Out support, as well as Feint and Thunder Wave support to set up faster Pokemon and Protecting Pokemon for surprise Hydro Pump KOs. Amoonguss can lead away Thunderbolts and completely neuter any Ferrothorn lacking Thunder Wave or Iron Head, and gains the benefit of weakened Fire-type moves and Politoed's ability to OHKO Amoonguss's mortal enemy, Metagross. Trick Room is also appreciated, but should not be used together with Swift Swim Pokemon.

Like a lot of Pokemon in today's metagame, this set aims to be both bulky and offensive while also capitalizing on Politoed's great support moves. Icy Wind and Helping Hand form the backbone of Politoed's supportive side by helping its teammates outspeed dangerous opponents and getting the OHKOs that they desire. Ice Beam is more powerful and can nab just enough damage on Pokemon such as bulky Thundurus for better follow-throughs such as Hidden Power Ice or Draco Meteor. Encore is tricky to use, but is highly rewarding, especially when paired with Icy Wind. The trick is to use Icy Wind on Pokemon that will most likely Protect later, and when they become slower, you can lock them into Protect when they do slip up. Another perk to this is that you can punish faster Pokemon that use Trick Room in hopes of outspeeding your Swift Swimmers, forcing them to reverse their own Trick Room. Water Gem should only be used in conjunction with Hydro Pump. The reason for this is that with said Gem, Hydro Pump is able to score quick KOs on numerous Pokemon, such as Thundurus-T, Metagross, and Hitmontop, as well as severely damage anything else that doesn't resist it, such as bulky Thundurus and even Cresselia. Sitrus Berry is the next best thing if you're not interested in such power, or if you're using Scald. With a Sitrus Berry, Politoed can bounce back from an unboosted Thunderbolt (Pokemon such as Rotom-A and Thundurus-T can't OHKO without a boosting item) and continue to spew Icy Winds and Helping Hands all over the field, or simply have enough HP to last another switch. Protect is a staple on Politoed because of the attention it draws, especially when it's involved in a weather war with its all-time rivals, Abomasnow and Tyranitar. Other viable options to consider are Surf, Hidden Power Grass, and Wacan Berry. Surf is great for spread damage, but shouldn't be used unless you have a partner Pokemon that has Telepathy, Water Absorb, Storm Drain or a partner Pokemon that doubly resists it, as Surf is very powerful in the rain. Hidden Power Grass is really only good for Gastrodon and Rotom-W, but it can come in handy if your team lacks a Grass-type to deal with them. If you're worried about Choice Specs Thundurus-T or Electric Gem Rotom-A, Wacan Berry is a great item, although Politoed generally appreciates the power of Water Gem or Sitrus Berry's healing effect. The first Pokemon that springs to mind for a great partner for Politoed is Kingdra. A Life Orb and Helping Hand boosted Draco Meteor is one of the most dangerous attacks in the game, and is quickly becoming the next big attack to EV against, as it OHKOes common rain checks such as Thundurus. Additionally, it so happens that Kingdra can learn Disable, allowing Politoed and Kingdra to KO bulkier opponents such as Cresselia or bypass the normally threatening Shedinja by causing them to prematurely Struggle as Encore locks the opponent into a move that is Disabled. The downside to this is that Kingdra cannot learn both Muddy Water and Disable at the same time, but Hydro Pump is certainly a viable alternative. Ludicolo can take advantage of Surf Politoed with Absorb Bulb and Fake Out the opposition, as well as being able to comfortably check Gastrodon and Rotom-W, both of which are big threats to rain teams. Other Swift Swim users such as Kabutops, Armaldo, and Beartic are good contenders for the role of Politoed's teammates, as they are all capable of dealing with bothersome Pokemon such as Thundurus. The downside to these Pokemon are that they are vulnerable to Intimidate, don't have particularly useful moves outside of their STABs, and (mostly) don't have STAB Water moves to use. Grass- and Electric-type attacks plague Politoed and its buddies, so naturally, it would be a good idea to pack a Pokemon that can switch into such moves. Thundurus-T is an excellent option in this regard because its typing gives it a Grass resistance, while Volt Absorb allows it to freely switch into the horrible Thunderbolts aimed at Politoed; conversely, Politoed can switch into Ice Beams aimed at Thundurus. In a similar vein, Landorus-T can switch into Thunderbolts and weakens the more common offensive Grass-types (Breloom and Virizion) with Intimidate, though having to Protect whenever it uses Earthquake is a downside. Rotom-W can stomach Grass Knots and has a powerful STAB Hydro Pump to make use of Drizzle, but has a hard time switching into multiple Thunderbolts. Pokemon weak to Fire-type moves love to get soaked with rain; the most viable are Amoonguss, Scizor, and Metagross. Amoonguss is great against other rain teams and can keep Thunderbolts off of Politoed with Rage Powder, and after one or two Icy Winds, Amoonguss is all set to Spore everything in front of it. Both Scizor and Metagross serve largely the same role: to destroy Abomasnow and Tyranitar. While Abomasnow immediately recoils at the prospect of either Steel-type's STAB moves, Tyranitar may try to get smart with them and throw a Fire Punch their way, which obviously won't work because of their newfound neutrality (in Scizor's case, only a 2x weakness).

This set's aim is to simply not die. While it certainly isn't going to be leaving any smarts, it can take moves such as Fighting Gem Close Combat from Terrakion and Modest Hydreigon's Dragon Gem Draco Meteor much more comfortably than a more offensive set can. As such, this set is better for people who think Politoed should be saving its own skin and preserving the rain rather than joining the fray and getting fried. Scald and Icy Wind are excellent supportive moves as they can't be Taunted, and Protect does as advertised, which is all the more important on a defensive set such as this. Because of Politoed's newfound bulk, the third moveslot is going to be all the more useful. Helping Hand is first on the list as it is easy to use and instantly rewards you with OHKOs that would previously be impossible. Encore is as useful as ever to lock your opponent into undesirable moves and causes them to make risky plays. Perish Song is a more deadly move because Politoed isn't easily 2HKOed between Protects, which allows it to become your opponent's worst nightmare. However, this requires at least one Pokemon to be KOed and for you to have at least one of your own Pokemon still intact to negate the drawback. In the right hands however, Perish Song is an incredibly dangerous attack that can instantly force your opponent into a checkmate position, should the score be something like 2-3 in your favor. A Sitrus Berry is preferred as Politoed lacks recovery outside of Rest, but a Wacan Berry is useful to survive a deadly Thunderbolt, especially when Politoed is busy setting up Perish Song. Leftovers combos well with Protect, though it is only as useful as Sitrus Berry if Politoed receives four turns of its effect. The partners for this set are largely the same as the first rain support set (Swift Swim users and switch-ins to Grass- and Electric-type attacks), although said partners are expected to be more offensive to pick up Politoed's slack. Shadow Tag Gothitelle pairs well with Perish Song Politoed for obvious reasons, as with Gothitelle's support, Politoed can instantly turn the game into 4-2 in your favor. However, since the combo relies on Gothitelle staying behind Protect and Politoed actually setting up Perish Song, Feint or Taunt can easily bring the two to their knees, so it is prudent that you pay attention to the Team Preview and wait for just the right team to take advantage of.

Scald in the rain does respectable damage—it has a chance to OHKO Landorus-T, for example—and its potentially game-changing burn effect can effectively eliminate dangerous physical threats such as Conkeldurr and Tornadus, which can OHKO your Swift Swim sweeper. An Ice-type move is useful, as many of the checks to rain teams such as Latios, Amoonguss, and Thundurus, are weak to it. Ice Beam provides immediate damage, while Icy Wind can ensure your Swift Swim sweeper is faster than the opponent's or let Pokemon with middling Speed like Metagross or bulky Thundurus move first. Helping Hand in conjunction with rain helps turn Kingdra into an incredibly dangerous threat. With a Wacan Berry, Politoed can survive Electric Gem-boosted Thunderbolt from the Thundurus formes, while a Sitrus Berry increases Politoed's longevity. The defensive EVs let Politoed survive a Life Orb-boosted Hammer Arm from Conkeldurr. The remaining EVs are dumped into Special Defense, which gives it more than enough bulk to survive a Draco Meteor from Latios. 0 Speed IVs let Politoed be slower than Tyranitar, ensuring rain is the active weather effect and not sand. Other Options Politoed can learn other useful support moves such as Encore and Perish Song to support its team. A well-timed Encore can lock a Pokemon into using Fake Out or Substitute, while Perish Song forces the opponent to eventually switch out threatening answers to rain like Calm Mind Suicune. Because Politoed is slow, it can win games late-game by using Perish Song, stalling out the final three turns, and winning 0-0 because it faints last and will be declared the victor. Gothitelle can be considered as a teammate if Politoed will use Perish Song. With a Modest nature, Special Attack investment, a Water Gem, and the move Hydro Pump, Politoed becomes a legitimate offensive threat that is capable of OHKOing Metagross, Scrafty, and potentially bulky Thundurus. Rain Dance can be slotted in to try and counter an automatic weather setter like Tyranitar or Abomasnow switching in or a Sunny Day user. Common Partners Kingdra is reliant upon Politoed's rain to be a legitimate offensive threat, and it's the premier rain sweeper due to its typing and access to spread damage via Muddy Water. Ludicolo is the only other Swift Swimmer of note in the format. Ludicolo has a better matchup against bulky Water-types, particularly Gastrodon and Suicune, but its lack of access to Muddy Water and inability to OHKO Dragon-types like Latios make Ludicolo usually inferior to Kingdra. Non-Heatran Steel-types like Metagross and Scizor greatly appreciate having their Fire-type weakness removed or mitigated. Amoonguss also benefits from having its Fire-type weakness removed by rain, and in return, it can protect the Swift Swim sweeper with Rage Powder and check Trick Room teams. Checks and Counters Amoonguss is not particularly threatened by Politoed + Kingdra and can freely use Spore. Cresselia cannot be quickly disposed of by most rain teams and can set up Trick Room or use Sunny Day to hamper rain's offensive pressure. Thundurus can rain on Politoed's parade with Thunder Wave and a super effective Thunderbolt. Gastrodon walls Kingdra and Politoed and can easily become an offensive threat after a Storm Drain boost. A Helping Hand-boosted Draco Meteor from Life Orb Kingdra has a chance to OHKO Gastrodon depending on its EV spread, but if either damage boost is unavailable, Gastrodon can freely heal off any damage it receives with Recover.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

As one of the few weather setters in the metagame, Politoed's usage is only for its ability to set rain with Drizzle. That said, Politoed isn't useless, in part due to a great defensive typing alongside a plethora of support moves. Scald is a reliable STAB attack, benefiting from Politoed's ability. Toxic is great to hinder Jellicent and Gastrodon, allowing Politoed to passively cripple two of Kingdra's most viable checks. Helping Hand helps mitigate Politoed's lack of offensive presence and is especially devastating alongside Kingdra's Muddy Water. Encore disrupts or punishes foes that try to take advantage of Politoed's passiveness by setting up a Substitute, or it can lock them into an undesirable move such as Protect. Alternatively, Hydro Pump can be used as a stronger STAB attack. Eject Button is the item of choice, because it allows Politoed to immediately bring in a more offensive partner after setting rain. Eject Button also allows Politoed to be safely preserved in case it needs to set rain again. Sitrus Berry can be used instead to increase its longevity. The offensive EV investment allows Politoed to OHKO 4 HP Choice Scarf Landorus-T. The Special Defense investment lives a Dragon Gem-boosted Draco Meteor from Latios with the remaining EVs dumped into Defense. Politoed's one job is to set rain. If there is an opposing weather setter, such as Tyranitar, it is best to preserve Politoed as much as possible so that it can win the weather war. Naturally, Kingdra is a mandatory teammate for Politoed to take advantage of rain. Like Kingdra, Politoed also benefits from teammates that can remove common threats to rain abusers such as Jellicent, Thundurus, Grass-types, and Dragon-types. Thundurus-T can threaten Jellicent, Thundurus, and Grass-types. Genesect and Metagross both appreciate Politoed's ability to threaten Fire-types, while they can threaten Kyurem-B and Latios, two of the most common Dragon-types in the metagame.

Unlike defensive Politoed this set aims to maximize an offensive presence, pressuring the opposing team with its strong rain-boosted STAB attacks. Politoed's role, however, is still to set rain with Drizzle, so the choice between the defensive and offensive sets oftentimes comes down to personal preference. Hydro Pump is the strongest Water-type attack Politoed has access to and can do massive damage under rain. Scald is a reliable Water-type attack for when accuracy is preferred. Ice Beam can hit Water resistances, such as Latios and Amoonguss, super effectively. Toxic can be used to punish common bulky switch-ins such as Jellicent and Kyurem-B. Hidden Power Grass is a more offensive option to punish common Water-type switch-ins such as Jellicent and Gastrodon. Protect should only be used in combination with Water Gem. Choice Specs further boosts Politoed's power, while Water Gem trades the consistent power boost for the flexibility of switching moves. Both items, however, are equally valuable and the choice oftentimes comes down to player preference. This spread aims to maximize Politoed's damage output. Alternatively, a spread of 248 HP / 204 SpA / 56 SpD can be used to survive Dragon Gem-boosted Draco Meteor from Latios at the cost of slightly decreased power. Although Politoed's main job is still to set rain, it still has enough offensive presence to allow it to stay on the field, since it is not as big of a momentum sap as defensive Politoed. Due to the lack of defensive investment, if the opponent has another weather setter, it is best to play safely and preserve Politoed in order to win the weather war. Kingdra is a mandatory teammate to take advantage of rain. Pokemon that threaten or answer common rain checks, such as Jellicent, Thundurus, Amoonguss, and Dragon-types, are excellent teammates. Thundurus-T can threaten Jellicent, Amoonguss, and Thundurus. Steel-types, such as Metagross and Genesect, can threaten Kyurem-B and Latios while also benefitting from Politoed's ability to threaten Heatran. Finally, Thundurus can threaten Jellicent and Amoonguss while also offering speed control with its Prankster Thunder Wave to mitigate Politoed's low Speed.

This set takes advantage of Politoed's great defenses and dangerous support moves by using a combination of Encore and Toxic to mess with the opponent's strategy. Although Politoed isn't the fastest Encore user, it has enough Speed to outrun common walls and slower set-up sweepers, such as Spiritomb, Clefable, and Registeel, and Toxic them to inflict residual damage on your opponent's Pokemon. Surf is the essential STAB move, and allows Politoed to retain some usefulness after it is struck by Taunt, while Ice Beam is used to damage Grass-types such as Venusaur, who resist Surf and are immune to Toxic. Protect can also be used in the fourth slot in place of Ice Beam, which stalls the opponent and increases their torture from Toxic while also buying Politoed time to recover damage with Leftovers. Finally, Refresh is helpful, as it can remove damaging status such as poison or burn. This set is designed to stick around for some time, so maximizing HP and Special Defense is the best way to go for the EV spread; a Pokemon sporting 384 HP and 328 Special Defense is nothing to scoff at. As for the item choice, Politoed can also decide to use Lum Berry to block status a single time. This is best used when Politoed is without Refresh; otherwise, it would be a waste of an item slot. Entry hazard support is especially helpful when using Politoed, as Encore and Toxic will cause a lot of switches, causing the opposing Pokemon to take damage on the switch-in. Stealth Rock is the most dangerous entry hazard, hitting all Pokemon and even causing some to lose half their health upon switching in. Donphan is an excellent option to set it up, as it also serves as a lure for bulky Water-types and has Assurance to hit Ghost-types who switch in. Toxic Spikes are also useful alongside Politoed, and with two layers, steadily increasing poison damage will cripple the likes of Milotic, Chansey, and Spiritomb. These are best set up by Drapion or Qwilfish, who both have high Speed and access to Taunt. If using Toxic Spikes, Toxic can be dropped for either Protect or Refresh. Finally, Spikes are also dangerous, depending on how many layers you've set up; three layers can prove devastating to the opponent's team. Cloyster is a fine choice for setting up Spikes due to its massive Defense and access to Explosion. When using entry hazards, a spinblocker is essential for keeping them on the field, making bulky Ghost-types such as Spiritomb excellent partners. Setup sweepers can take advantage of an opponent locked into a weak or resisted attack, especially those who become dangerous after a single boost. Dragon Dance Altaria is an excellent choice, as it can switch into Grass-type moves aimed at Politoed, and has an immunity to Earthquake to take advantage of. Nasty Plot Mismagius is an excellent option as well, boasting immunities to Ground-, Fighting-, and Normal-type attacks. Other Pokemon can take advantage of their abilities to set up on Encored attacks; Houndoom can easily set up on opponents locked into Fire-type attacks, while SubCharge Lanturn can start boosting on an Electric-type attack. Grass-types also make great partners, as they share great defensive synergy with Politoed, being able to switch into Electric- and Grass-type attacks while Politoed can easily take Fire-type hits. Venusaur is an excellent choice, as it has great defenses, powerful STAB moves, access to Sleep Powder, and the ability to take on bulky Water-types with ease. Sceptile is another great option, as it can set up Leech Seed and fast Substitutes against the opponent; Politoed appreciates the health recovered from Leech Seed. On the other hand, Politoed has trouble getting past Grass-types as well, making Fire-types great additions to your team. Moltres is one of the best choices for this role due to its massive Special Attack, decent Speed, and powerful STAB moves; however, Rapid Spin support is essential to Moltres's success, as it loses half of its health upon switching into Stealth Rock. Blaziken is another good choice if you wish to go the physical or mixed route, pounding the opponent with STAB Superpower and Flare Blitz.

This set is played offensively, using Politoed's base 90 Special Attack and Choice Specs to cause a lot of damage. Surf and Hydro Pump are both reliable STAB moves, so the choice between them ultimately comes down to whether you would rather have power or accuracy. Hydro Pump will always score a 2HKO on defensive Clefable, while Surf misses out. Ice Beam is used to hit Grass-types such as Venusaur, while Hidden Power Grass is used to smash Water-types, especially Lanturn, Quagsire, and Milotic. In the last slot, Focus Blast can 2HKO Registeel and Clefable, while Psychic deals more damage to Poison- and Fighting-types, specifically Toxicroak. This Politoed runs enough Speed to outrun positive-natured base 50 Pokemon such as Aggron and neutral-natured max Speed Torterra. Max Special Attack turns Politoed into a dangerous threat, and the remaining 84 EVs are placed into HP, giving Politoed extra bulk. Alternatively, you might decide to maximize Speed investment, outrunning Ludicolo outside of rain and tying at worst with other base 70s. As this set requires a lot of prediction, it's better used for late-game sweeping; you should also consider adding a scout Pokemon to your team to ease prediction. Scyther is a good example of an effective scout, as it causes a lot of switches while escaping to another teammate with U-turn; other options include Swellow, Ambipom, and Moltres. Another way to scout the opponent's team is to use a dry Baton Passer. Good choices for this role include Ambipom, Scyther, and Espeon. Because this set is completely based on special attacks, Chansey is a troublesome Pokemon. With its huge HP and decent Special Defense, it walls Politoed comfortably, even if Politoed tries to nail it with a powerful Focus Blast. To get past Chansey, you can carry Dugtrio on your team; with its ability, Arena Trap, Chansey is unable to escape while Dugtrio demolishes it with STAB Earthquake or Beat Up. Alternatively, you can use a strong Fighting-type such as Blaziken or Hariyama to take out Chansey. As much as Chansey is an awful nemesis to special sweepers, it is an excellent teammate for Politoed, as it can take on bulky Water-types such as Milotic and Grass-types such as Venusaur. Bulky Water-types are difficult to break through, making Toxic Spikes an excellent option to wear them down; Qwilfish and Nidoqueen are excellent Pokemon to set them up. Finally, Venusaur is an excellent way to break through bulky Water-types, with its powerful Leaf Storm and crippling Sleep Powder.

Surf is mainly here for STAB and so you can hit stuff like Solrock. Hypnosis is a fun status move and in UU, pretty much everything but Hypno, Banette, and the rare Sleep Talking Lanturn will be put to sleep by this guy. Ice Beam hits Grass Pokemon and Gligar for even more damage. Counter is probably the best move option, since it can withstand a lot of physical attacks and deal them back for damage.