Gen 4 [LC] Buizel's Gains


no one uses this thing.

Then again, no one plays DPP LC anymore. The following team is one I was going to debut in LCPL W6 vs Kumiho, but I never finished the final version of the team so I ended up never bringing it. I wanted to build a rain team with some unique options, since using standard rain is boring. I saw that Buizel got Swift Swim, and I already knew I wanted to build with it. The typical Swift Swimmers are all special attackers, so using Buizel would be a cool option for the physical side.

Started off with Buizel, the king. Since this was going to be a rain team, I started with the core of Mantyke and Buizel.

I needed a rain setter, and Bronzor is essentially the best in-the-back setter for rain. Its type is complemented by Rain Dance, and can also set up Stealth Rock. Voltorb is also a fast option for setting up Rain Dance in the back, and can boom right after.

Croagunk is also benefitted by rain, as well as being my main priority user and way to chip off things like Snover.

It took me a while, but I ultimately decided Drifloon as my lead Rain setter. Typically, the option is Voltorb, but since this was built for LCPL, I didn't want to immediately shout that my team was full rain to my opponent, which is typically what Voltorb does (or at least, alerts the opponent to rain). Of course, if/when it uses Rain Dance, the opponent may be able to discover that the team may be full rain, but its all about unorthodox leads. In my entire time playing DPP, I have always been a fan of more powerful leads as oppose to weaker ones, or even anti leads, so Drifloon ended up here.


The Supporting Backbone

op (Drifloon) @ Focus Sash | Unburden
EVs: 196 Atk / 116 SpA / 196 Spe | Naive
Rain Dance / Explosion / Sucker Punch / Thunder

As mentioned earlier, I have slotted Drifloon as the lead. The power it boasts over Voltorb makes as a decently strong Pokemon, as well as being able to Rain Dance quick (if brought down to sash). Drifloon also doesn't have to worry about Fake Out and most priority moves, thanks to its Ghost-typing. This means that it can typically weaken the foe and get Rain Dance reliably, which justifies its position for the lead slot. Other moves are pretty standard, with Sucker Punch being able to get a hit off before it dies (to say, Machop using BP after it used Payback), and Thunder is the filler choice, and can be used to nuke Water-type leads, such as Kabuto.


rssp1 (Bronzor) @ Damp Rock | Levitate
EVs: 220 HP / 152 Def / 4 SpA / 68 SpD / 16 Spe | IVs: 3 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 30 Spe | Bold
Rain Dance / Psychic / Stealth Rock / Hidden Power [Fighting]

Bronzor is the most reliable Rain Dancer for teams. Its bulk allows it to switch in on weaker neutral hits, and get the rain up for eight turns. In DPP LC games, eight turns is a lot, especially when battles are very fast and offensive. No team can hurt from having Stealth Rock, and rocks make it much easier for Mantyke and Buizel to power through teams. Pokemon such as Snover, who are a huge nuisance for rain teams, are handled by Bronzor, which is another huge benefit to having one on a team and is a staple on any rain team, really. HP Fighting may seem odd to have, but I personally hate Magnemite so I have HP Fighting on Bronzor to ensure that it can never keep a sub up against my team. A Magnemite behind a sub vs. rain is so threatening because it can probably get away with two kills, which can make you lose a game really easily. Trapping is balanced.


cheek pouch (Voltorb) @ Damp Rock | Static
EVs: 36 HP / 40 Atk / 236 SpA / 196 Spe | Hasty
Rain Dance / Thunder / Explosion / Taunt

Voltorb is the speedy rain setter for the team. If I need rain up, and the opposing Pokemon can handle the previously mentioned Rain setters, then Voltorb can be used to outspeed the unboosted metagame and set up rain before going down. Once again, the eight turns of rain is precious in DPP LC since the games are incredibly fast paced. Thunder is able to hit for a decent amount of damage, while Explosion does the same and provides a safe switch into a swift swimmer.

The Croagunk

nineage (Croagunk) @ Life Orb | Dry Skin
EVs: 188 Atk / 188 SpA / 116 Spe | Lonely
Fake Out / Sucker Punch / Vacuum Wave / Dark Pulse

Croagunk is the odd ball of this team, even the nature says so. It is mainly just here to provide priority support for the team, and to benefit from the rain in the form of Dry Skin. Vacuum Wave is very handy for weakening Snover, which is overall one of the biggest threats for rain, if not the biggest. Dark Pulse can catch Gastly on a potential switch, as well as allow Croagunk to hit Duskull. Ice Punch is not as necessary on this team, espeically since it is a rain team, so Gligar is always in check.

The Sweepers

soldier (Mantyke) @ Life Orb | Swift Swim
EVs: 30 HP / 2 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SpA / 30 SpD | Modest
Hydro Pump / Ice Beam / Hidden Power [Flying] / Rain Dance

Mantyke is the first sweeper of the team. It is overall the most reliable Swift Swimmer of this tier, with a solid typing and special attack. Hydro Pump, especially with Stealth Rock, is able to kill off many weakened teams and win the game if you had set it up correctly. Ice Beam is a more safer option to hit things like Gligar, while HP Flying is Mantyke's other STAB option to hit Snover and Fighting-type Pokemon. Rain Dance, while not often clicked by Mantyke, can be used if in a pinch and may be able to win late game as well.


sparktrain (Buizel) @ Life Orb | Swift Swim
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 SpD / 236 Spe | Jolly
Waterfall / Aqua Jet / Return / Bulk Up

The king itself. Waterfall under rain is very strong and is easy to overwhelm teams with. Aqua Jet can be used to pick off weakened Pokemon, and can be especially useful if rain is not up. Return is a solid neutral option to round off Buizel's coverage. Bulk Up is an especially nice option I picked for Buizel, as it makes it much more of a threat under rain than before. It can set up on Pokemon such as Bronzor, and then proceed to destroy it with Waterfall. +1 Waterfall can also OHKO Munchlax in rain, which is a real testament to the power of Buizel. I hardly found Ice Punch to be necessary on Buizel, since Water and Normal coverage is solid in itself.

Variants
If you really prefer a faster lead with the ability to Taunt, Voltorb can be used in the lead slot, but I really prefer Drifloon for this slot.
HP Electric can be used on Mantyke to hit opposing Mantyke and other Water-type Pokemon, but I usually aim to get the opponent weakened to the point that they can't take rain boosted Hydro Pumps + HP Flying.

Replays
Unfortunately, I don't have many replays since I was using this team for testing with my LCPL teammates. I did pick up these replays recently, however, showing off two versions of the team.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen4lc-430016681
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen4lc-430017991

Import
op (Drifloon) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Unburden
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 116 SpA / 196 Spe
Naive Nature
- Rain Dance
- Explosion
- Sucker Punch
- Thunder

rssp1 (Bronzor) @ Damp Rock
Ability: Levitate
Level: 5
EVs: 220 HP / 152 Def / 4 SpA / 68 SpD / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 3 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 30 Spe
- Rain Dance
- Psychic
- Stealth Rock
- Hidden Power [Fighting]

cheek pouch (Voltorb) @ Damp Rock
Ability: Static
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 40 Atk / 236 SpA / 196 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Rain Dance
- Thunder
- Explosion
- Taunt

nineage (Croagunk) @ Life Orb
Ability: Dry Skin
Level: 5
EVs: 188 Atk / 188 SpA / 116 Spe
Lonely Nature
- Fake Out
- Sucker Punch
- Vacuum Wave
- Dark Pulse

soldier (Mantyke) @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 36 Def / 200 SpA / 196 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 30 HP / 2 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SpA / 30 SpD
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Rain Dance

sparktrain (Buizel) @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Waterfall
- Aqua Jet
- Return
- Bulk Up


Final Thoughts
I do regret not using this team in LCPL, but thats in the past so what can you really do. On other words, more people should play this fun, fast paced metagame and I'm glad it was kept alive by LCPL so I could test with my teammates often when I wasn't playing. My record wasn't too good this year, probably because I'm good at throwing away games I've won (like when I subbed on accident after already having a sub up on accident because I blanked out).

not too many ppl because im also using this site less so i talk to ppl less
Kableye Feliburn xastify Ajna Meteordash fleurdyleurse suck
OP for drafting me
sparktrain rssp1 as the ppl i mostly tested with
and the ppl who keep on playing this dead metagame
 
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Hey! I love the team! If there's one thing i'd like to add, it'd be Chinchou > Voltorb because since you already have Drifloon there's no real point of having Voltorb, though I could be wrong.

Chinchou @ Damp Rock
Ability: Volt Absorb
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 52 Def / 80 SpA / 72 SpD / 220 Spe
Calm Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Thunder
- Rain Dance
- Hidden Power [Ground]

Try it out, and hopefully it works well. Good luck!
 
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Bughouse

Like ships in the night, you're passing me by
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I'm very skeptical that this team needs 4 Rain Dance users, 3 of whom don't have Swift Swim anyway (so turns are wasted moving from that mon to the one that actually does benefit from it). The lead Drifloon seems the most likely culprit to get axed.

I would recommend a SR lead, probably Gligar, and remove SR from Bronzor in favor of Explosion (ie get into swift swimmer more easily).



EDIT: rip just remembered Bronzor doesn't learn Explosion or Self-Destruct... hm not sure what I would change then but I'm still skeptical of the 4 RD users.
 
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