Relicanth Movesets & Competitive Sets

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Moves Lead Relicanth's primary purpose is to set Rain Dance, which boosts the power of Water-type attacks and activates Swift Swim for its teammates. The addition of Stealth Rock allows teammates such as Golduck and Beartic the chance to sweep opposing teams without being stopped early by Pokemon that use Focus Sash or Sturdy. Similarly, the chip damage from Stealth Rock helps Pokemon that are benefited by rain make the most of Rain Dance by scoring the maximum number of KOs within the limited number of turns that Rain Dance provides. Head Smash is Relicanth's primary source of damage, and the recoil Head Smash causes can allow Relicanth to KO itself, which allows you to bring in a teammate for free that can take advantage of the effects of rain and helps preserve Stealth Rock by evading Rapid Spin and Defog. Yawn is used to create free turns to set up Stealth Rock or Rain Dance, while Waterfall is also an effective option to hit opposing Rock-types such as Probopass and Golem super effectively. Set Details Relicanth's ability Sturdy in combination with maximum Speed investment and a Jolly nature guarantees that it can set up either Stealth Rock or Rain Dance against the most targets, unless it is Taunted by a faster Pokemon. Its Attack stat should also be maximized so that its Head Smash can hit as hard as possible. Using Damp Rock increases the number of turns that Rain Dance will be in effect by three, which significantly bolsters the rate of success for rain-based teams. Usage Tips Relicanth should be used early-game before your opponent has set up any entry hazards so that its Sturdy remains intact for when it needs to set up either Stealth Rock or Rain Dance. After Relicanth has successfully set up, it can be sacrificed so that a Pokemon that can take advantage of the effects of Rain Dance can come in for free. In most cases, Relicanth will be used as a lead; however, it should not stay in against faster Taunt users such as Misdreavus. While it is often advantageous to sacrifice Relicanth after it has set up Rain Dance and Stealth Rock, it can be preserved to stop physically based threats such as Dodrio and Rapidash mid- or late-game, or in case the opposing team has a method of removing Relicanth's Stealth Rock. Team Options Lead Relicanth is built to support rain-based teams, so Pokemon that can take full advantage of the effects of Rain Dance are ideal. Pokemon such as Gorebyss, Armaldo, Beartic, Golduck, Swanna, Huntail, and Floatzel are all excellent options, thanks to Water-type attacks receiving a boost, Swift Swim being activated, and Hurricane becoming perfectly accurate in Swanna's case. Swanna's ability to remove the Grass-types that would otherwise wall or prevent Relicanth from setting up via its perfectly accurate STAB Hurricane makes it a great partner. Relicanth especially appreciates Volbeat as a teammate, which is able to consistently set up Rain Dance via Prankster and can also paralyze the opposition and therefore create opportunities for Relicanth to either attack with Head Smash or set up Stealth Rock. Volbeat also resists Fighting-, Grass-, and Ground-type attacks for Relicanth, while in return, Relicanth can tank any Fire- or Flying-type attacks aimed at Volbeat. Pokemon that provide Relicanth with resistances or immunities to its weaknesses also deserve special mentions. For example, Zebstrika and Raichu can be used for their access to Sap Sipper and Lightning Rod, respectively, and they also benefit from Rain Dance by receiving an accuracy boost to Thunder. Finally, Grass-types synergize well with Relicanth because they are able to take on the Electric-types that would run through rain-based teams otherwise. Similarly, these Electric-types are not stopped by Volbeat's Thunder Wave, so Grass-types such as Roselia prevent them from beating rain teams when Rain Dance is no longer in effect. However, if Roselia is being used, it should avoid using Synthesis in favor of Rest with Natural Cure, as Synthesis recovers less HP when Rain Dance is in effect.

Moves Rock Polish doubles Relicanth's Speed, allowing it to outspeed many offensive threats and KO them with a STAB-boosted Head Smash. Head Smash hits exceptionally hard and has the potential to sweep unprepared teams after a Rock Polish boost. Head Smash and Waterfall have excellent coverage together, while Earthquake can be used along Head Smash and Waterfall to hit Pokemon that take little damage from Waterfall like Metang. Earthquake also OHKOes Probopass after Stealth Rock damage has been factored in, as well as Zebstrika after a Rock Polish boost. Relicanth can also use Toxic in its last slot, which allows it to cripple bulky switch-ins such as Tangela and Gourgeist-XL. Set Details Rock Head should be Relicanth's ability of choice, as it lets it use Head Smash without incurring any recoil damage. Chople Berry is the preferred item because it allows Relicanth to take Fighting-type attacks from Pokemon such as Stoutland and Monferno once, which provides Relicanth with the opportunity to either set up or continue its sweep. Stone Plate is also a viable option as an item, as the damage boost lets Relicanth OHKO standard Roselia with Head Smash. Using a Lum Berry can cure any status ailment that would otherwise prevent Relicanth from sweeping after it has set up with Rock Polish. Leftovers is a viable option as well, letting Relicanth check Pokemon such as Purugly and Pawniard more consistently throughout the game and healing off damage incurred from entry hazards. The given EV spread and an Adamant nature maximize Relicanth's offensive capabilities. A minimum of 148 EVs in Speed should be used to let Relicanth outspeed neutral-natured base 70s and everything slower before using Rock Polish, which includes relevant targets such as Solrock, Vibrava, and Roselia. These Speed EVs also allow Relicanth to outspeed Zebstrika and other fast yet frail offensive threats after a Rock Polish boost. An alternative spread with maximum Speed investment and an Adamant nature can be used to let Relicanth outspeed additional threats before it boosts, such as Armaldo and Regice. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed Choice Scarf Rotom-F after a boost, but the loss in power is quite noticeable. Usage Tips Relicanth's primary function is as a bulky setup sweeper and cleaner, and it should use its Rock typing and superior physical bulk in order to switch in on physically based threats whose attacks it resists, such as Dodrio and Purugly. Relicanth can also force out more defensively oriented Pokemon that are weak to Head Smash, such as Armaldo and Vullaby. Once it has forced out a Pokemon that it counters, Relicanth should use this turn to set up via Rock Polish or attack with Head Smash. Relicanth is best used mid- or late-game, once offensive threats faster than 366 Speed that can revenge kill it after a Rock Polish boost, such as Choice Scarf Rotom-F and Choice Scarf Sawsbuck, have been disabled or outright removed by Relicanth's teammates. Similarly, defensive answers to Relicanth such as Stunfisk and Tangela need to be weakened significantly before Relicanth can sweep through the opponent's team successfully. Team Options Given Relicanth's weaknesses to Electric-, Ground-, Grass-, and Fighting-type attacks, Grass-types make for ideal partners. For example, Roselia resists all of Relicanth's weaknesses, barring Freeze-Dry, and at the same time, it is able to switch into Stunfisk, whittle down Relicanth's counters with entry hazards, and create setup opportunities for Relicanth via Sleep Powder or Stun Spore. Simisage is a great offensive partner to Relicanth, given its ability to break down defensive Grass-types and Ground-types with a combination of Knock Off and Gunk Shot or a powerful STAB Life Orb-boosted Leaf Storm, respectively. Conversely, Relicanth appreciates powerful teammates that can take down bulky Grass-types, such as Regice, Articuno, Dodrio, Rapidash, Ninetales, Simisear, and Monferno. Fire-types are especially useful in this case, as they are immune to or can even take advantage of burns aimed at Relicanth. Pokemon that do not mind being burned by Will-O-Wisp due to their access to Guts, STAB Facade, or Flash Fire are ideal partners. For example, Scrappy Stoutland with Choice Band and Facade can use burns aimed at Relicanth as an opportunity to force out and pressure defensive answers to Relicanth such as Misdreavus. Relicanth enjoys having teammates that can break down the other team via entry hazards like Spikes and Stealth Rock, so that once it sets up a Rock Polish, it is able to clean more effectively. Stunfisk and Camerupt are notable Stealth Rock users that also provide Relicanth with dedicated switch-ins to fast Electric-types like Electrode and Zebstrika that give it trouble, even despite sharing some weaknesses with Relicanth.

Moves Stealth Rock provides support for Relicanth's teammates by damaging switch-ins and possibly deactivating Sturdy and Focus Sashes. Head Smash can be used in tandem with Rock Head; however, if Sturdy is run for a better chance to set up Stealth Rock, Rock Slide should be Relicanth's STAB attack of choice. Toxic is used to cripple bulky switch-ins when your opponent is under the assumption that Relicanth is running an offensive set. Yawn is also an option over Toxic to force switches and provide Relicanth with more opportunities to set up Stealth Rock, as well as the means to avoid being set up on by Pokemon such as Duosion. Protect is very helpful for restoring HP via Leftovers and possibly stalling with Toxic. Protect can even be used in combination with Yawn to keep Relicanth safe as it waits for its foe to fall asleep. Waterfall is a secondary option that helps hit Pokemon that resist Head Smash harder, such as Golem. Scald can be used on defensive sets for the 30% chance to cripple physical attackers via a burn. Set Details Sturdy prevents Relicanth from being OHKOed and lets it lay Stealth Rock more reliably. If Head Smash is used, Rock Head should be Relicanth's ability of choice to avoid recoil damage. This set is meant to be used as a wall; therefore, Relicanth should fully invest its EVs in HP and Defense and use an Impish nature to maximize its physical bulk. When running Scald, a Relaxed nature should be used. Investing up to 48 EVs in Speed is a secondary option and allows Relicanth to outspeed Vullaby and Tangela. Doing so can be advantageous, given that STAB Head Smash 2HKOes Vullaby even without any Attack investment. Outspeeding Tangela also has the added benefit of laying Stealth Rock or crippling it with Toxic before being taken down. Leftovers is normally Relicanth's only form of recovery and can be used in combination with Protect to give it some extra longevity. Usage Tips Relicanth can use its Rock typing and superior physical bulk to continuously switch in on threats whose moves it resists in order to set up Stealth Rock and weaken the opponent's team via its STAB attacks or Toxic. Relicanth is meant to be used as a physical wall with this set and therefore can come in at any point in a match in order to check or counter threatening physical attackers, although it is ideal to set up Stealth Rock early- or mid-game so that it can do as much damage as possible. On the turn Relicanth forces physical attackers out, such as Purugly, Dodrio, or Stoutland locked into Frustration, it can use Stealth Rock and switch out afterward. If Stealth Rock is already up on the opponent's side of the field, Relicanth should use this opportunity to hit something with Head Smash or Toxic. Protect is especially helpful for restoring HP via Leftovers and can be used every other turn if Relicanth is staying in against a threat that has already been hit by Toxic. It also has the added bonus of easing prediction and protecting Relicanth from super effective attacks. However, spamming Protect can be dangerous because such a play soon becomes obvious to the opponent. Team Options Any Pokemon possessing either a 4x resistance to Grass-type attacks or the ability Sap Sipper, such as Sawsbuck, Bouffalant, Gogoat, Zebstrika, Jumpluff, or Roselia, can make for a great partner, given that Relicanth will be consistently drawing in your foes' Grass-type attacks. Specially defensive Roselia forms a very strong defensive backbone with physically defensive Relicanth that is only beaten by a few choice Pokemon with strong offensive coverage, such as Simisear, Ninetales, and Rock Polish Regice. Rapidash is therefore another strong choice for a teammate because it forces both Simisear and Ninetales out with its superior Speed and Drill Run, and beats Regice with its STAB Flare Blitz while resisting Regice's Ice Beam. Like Roselia, Pokemon with high Special Defense in general can help account for Relicanth's lower Special Defense stat and synergize well as a result. Given that Roselia and Relicanth will be stacking entry hazards together, Pokemon that can protect these entry hazards or deter the use of Defog are exceptionally useful partners. For example, Misdreavus can block Rapid Spin and Taunt slower Defoggers such as Vullaby and Vibrava, whereas Pawniard and Purugly can come in on a predicted Defog, boost to +2 Attack via Defiant, and proceed to threaten the opponent's team. Pokemon with an immunity to Electric-type attacks, including Lightning Rod users such as Zebstrika and Raichu as well as Ground-types such as Stunfisk, are useful for preserving Relicanth.

What better use for a Pokemon that can't boost its Attack than a Choice Band set? Instead of wasting time setting up, Relicanth aims to break skulls with its STAB Head Smash, which is especially good without the recoil thanks to Rock Head. This Relicanth has flawless neutral coverage--it hits every Pokemon in the RU metagame for at least neutral damage. STAB Waterfall has great coverage with Head Smash, as it hits Pokemon that resist Head Smash, such as Steelix, for massive damage. Earthquake nails Magneton, Aggron, and Klinklang, which also resist Head Smash. The last moveslot is a flexible one. Zen Headbutt allows Relicanth to hit Poliwrath, who resists both of Relicanth's STABs, for super effective damage; it also hits all the various Fighting-types in the RU tier besides Gallade and Medicham for super effective damage. On the other hand, Double-Edge hits Quagsire harder, which is just as crucial as Quagsire easily sponges Relicanth's other attacks. Double-Edge also has the benefit of no recoil thanks to Rock Head, so it's a viable alternative over Zen Headbutt. Adamant is the main nature as it gives Relicanth more power. Despite Relicanth's poor base 55 Speed, maximum Speed is used to outspeed Uxie and Qwilfish. A Jolly nature can be used to outspeed Altaria, which makes it a strong alternative. An alternative EV spread of 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def can be used for more bulk, which is useful alongside Relicanth's 100 / 130 / 65 defenses. However, Relicanth generally likes to outspeed common RU tanks, particularly Uxie, as Relicanth can deal massive damage with Head Smash, and thanks to Relicanth's weaknesses, it won't get much use of a bulkier spread anyways. To showcase Relicanth's power, the damage calculations below pit an Adamant Relicanth against common RU Pokemon: Head Smash vs. 252/252+ Uxie 48.3% - 57.1% Head Smash vs. 252/252+ Tangrowth 43.8% - 51.5% Waterfall vs. 252/0 Steelix 47.5% - 55.9% Earthquake vs. 252/4 Poliwrath 34.4% - 40.6% Zen Headbutt vs. 252/4 Poliwrath 55.2% - 65.1% Zen Headbutt vs. 4/0 Hitmonlee 139.7% - 164.5% Zen Headbutt vs. 12/252+ Hariyama 46.8% - 55.1% Double-Edge vs. 252/252+ Quagsire 31% - 36.5% Aqua Tail can be used over Waterfall for more power, though it does not gain any important KOs, making the drop in accuracy undesirable. Waterfall also has the chance to flinch the opponent, making its value worth much more than Aqua Tail. Sleep Talk can be used over Zen Headbutt or Double-Edge to make Relicanth a useful sleep absorber, though the loss of a coverage move generally isn't worth it. Also, most Pokemon that use sleep inducing moves are Grass-types, meaning that they would most likely OHKO Relicanth with STAB Grass-type attacks. Stone Edge or Rock Slide can be used in the last slot as well, as they give Relicanth a Rock-type attack if Head Smash should run out of PP, though both attacks are weaker, making the loss of a coverage move not worth it. As Relicanth tries to deal as much damage as possible, teammates that can set up entry hazards are really appreciated. Roselia is a prime example, as it can set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes, as well as having key resistances to Grass-, Electric-, and Fighting-type attacks, while Relicanth has resistances to Fire- and Flying-type attacks. Leafeon has excellent defensive and offensive synergy with Relicanth as well, and it can Baton Pass a Swords Dance boost, making Relicanth a force to be reckoned with. Rotom-C makes another great partner, as it is resistant to Grass, 4x resistant to Electric-type attacks, and has a key immunity to Ground-type attacks. Rotom-C can also get rid of Quagsire and Poliwrath, Relicanth's key counters.

While the Choice Band set focuses on Relicanth's power to break through walls, the Rock Polish set has the aim of sweeping the opponent once Relicanth sets up. This is made easier thanks to Relicanth's great excellent defenses, which mean that defensive Pokemon such as Uxie and Mandibuzz often cannot hurt it much. If it can get a safe switch into a Pokemon it forces out, it can set up and begin sweeping. STAB Head Smash is still the main attack on the set, as it wrecks any Pokemon that doesn't resist it. Head Smash and Waterfall make for a great combo, as few Pokemon resist both attacks. Earthquake lets Relicanth quickly dispatch of Pokemon such as Klinklang and Magneton. With a Jolly nature, Relicanth hits 458 Speed, enabling it to outpace +1 positive-natured base 86s and below after a Rock Polish, which includes common Choice Scarf users such as Rotom-C, Magmortar, and Medicham. An Adamant nature, however, guarantees more power, as well as the ability to outspeed positive-natured base 140 Speed Pokemon after a Rock Polish. However, losing out on outspeeding key Pokemon, especially Choice Scarf Rotom-C, might not be worth it. An alternative EV spread of 108 HP / 252 Atk / 144 Spe with an Adamant nature allows Relicanth to outspeed positive-natured base 115s, as well as all +1 base 60s after a Rock Polish. Since this Relicanth forgoes the power gained from using a Choice Band, teammates that can set up entry hazards are greatly appreciated. Roselia, again, makes a great teammate, as it can set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and also has excellent defensive synergy with Relicanth. Ferroseed also partners well with Relicanth, as it can set up both Spikes and Stealth Rock, as well as use Thunder Wave to cripple faster Pokemon that still outspeed Relicanth after a Rock Polish, such as Galvantula. For more offensive partners, Leafeon has excellent defensive and offensive synergy with Relicanth, and it can Baton Pass Relicanth a Swords Dance boost for total and utter devastation. Leafeon also draws out Bug- and Fire-type Pokemon, which gives Relicanth plenty of time to set up a Rock Polish. Rotom-C makes another great partner, as it is resistant to Grass, 4x resistant to Electric, and immune to Ground. Rotom-C can also get rid of Quagsire and Poliwrath, Relicanth's key counters, easing Relicanth's sweeping chances.

This set rose to fame back in the DPP era, and in a tier with Pokemon such as Ludicolo, Qwilfish, and Omastar, it can shine in the BW era as well. By utilizing Relicanth's lesser-used ability, Swift Swim, it aims to use the rain to hit the opponent as powerfully and as speedily as possible. Despite Rock Head no longer being Relicanth's ability of choice, Head Smash still remains the main attack on the set, as its sheer power alone makes it a difficult move to switch into. The combination of Waterfall and Head Smash nails just about every Pokemon in the RU tier--only three Pokemon resist Relicanth's STABs, namely Ferroseed, Poliwrath, and Quagsire. Waterfall is especially dangerous in rain, as it now has the power to take down even more Pokemon. Earthquake is used to pick off Steel-type Pokemon such as Magneton. Finally, the last moveslot depends on personal preference. Rain Dance enables Relicanth to try and sweep with its own rain, and Relicanth's Waterfall becomes even more powerful. However, if Relicanth's teammates can set up the rain for it, Stone Edge is a viable alternative for a STAB attack that doesn't cause recoil damage, which is crucial when one takes into consideration Life Orb and Head Smash recoil. A Jolly nature ensures that Relicanth can outpace +1 positive-natured base 86s in the rain, which include Rotom-A, who gives Relicanth the most problems. However, if one is unconcerned with outspeeding Rotom-A, an Adamant nature guarantees more power, and Relicanth still has enough Speed to outspeed positive-natured base 140 Speed Pokemon in the rain, as well as base 60 Speed Choice Scarf users, so the power isn't wasted. An alternative EV spread of 108 HP / 252 Atk / 144 Spe with an Adamant nature allows Relicanth to outspeed all base 115 Speed Pokemon, as well as all base 60 Speed Choice Scarf users in the rain, while giving it some additional bulk; however, maxing out its Speed usually works best. Relicanth, as with most other sweepers, loves entry hazard support. As with all Relicanth, Roselia makes a great teammate, as it can set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and thanks to rain, Roselia can take Fire-type attacks much more easily. Ferroseed also makes a great partner; as it can set up both Spikes and Stealth Rock, as well as use Thunder Wave to cripple the likes of Galvantula, who still outspeeds Relicanth in the rain. Ferroseed also benefits from the rain reducing its Fire-type weakness. Other rain abusers, such as Ludicolo, Omastar, and Kabutops, also make great partners, as they can overwhelm the opponent's rain checks. Rotom-C makes another great partner, as it can both set up rain and abuse it with Thunder, and also has the typing to deal with common Relicanth checks Poliwrath and Quagsire.

Waterfall is Relicanth's primary STAB move. In the rain, it is effectively a 120 Base Power STAB move with an added chance of flinching. Aqua Tail can be used instead of Waterfall, trading the flinching and some accuracy for a bit more power, but as Relicanth's other moves aren't 100% accurate, it will lose out on its only reliable attack. Rock Slide allows Relicanth to hit both of its opponents for decent damage and, once again, cause the opponent to flinch. For Relicanth's third move, it has a bit of choice. Head Smash can used for its sheer power, hitting even harder than a rain boosted Waterfall, but the recoil from it can really add up. Alternatively, Earthquake provides Relicanth with a secondary spread move and allows it to damage Pokemon it couldn't otherwise, such as Toxicroak and Empoleon. However, it is a bit unwieldy to use due to many of Relicanth's best partners not being immune to Ground-type moves. Lastly, Rain Dance can be used as a way to manually set up the weather. Relicanth's final move is Protect, a staple move on many Pokemon in the VGC metagame. 204 Speed EVs provide Relicanth with 101 Speed, allowing it to outrun base 130s, such as Crobat and Jolteon, in rain. If you don't worry about those Pokemon, a bulkier spread of 156 HP / 236 Atk / 116 Spe can be used, outspeeding Pokemon such as Latios and Thundurus and having enough bulk to survive a Jolly Terrakion's Close Combat when at full HP. Life Orb is the preferred item, boosting all of Relicanth's moves; however, other items such as damage-boosting Gems, type-resist Berries, and Sitrus Berry make good substitutes. As Relicanth will often need the rain, Politoed aids it tremendously. Dragon-type Pokemon, such as Dragonite, Hydreigon, and Latios, can provide a switch-in opportunity for Relicanth, as they are able to take most types of attacks that are threatening to it. Lightningrod Pokemon, such as Manectric or Seaking, can redirect away harmful Electric-type moves, but must be wary of oncoming Earthquakes. Gravity users, such as Cresselia and Starmie, can remove the risk of Relicanth missing with its attacks. If you manage to get both rain and Gravity set up, Relicanth can go all out without worrying about Speed or accuracy. Finally, Pokemon with Transform, namely Ditto and Smeargle, can work as partners for Relicanth to pull off the legendary Double Relicanth strategy.

Thanks to its high Base Power attacks, just good enough Speed, and Rock Head, Relicanth can threaten to bulldoze through any team with correct prediction. Head Smash offers Relicanth the ability to obliterate most Pokemon while causing huge dents on even those that resist it. Aqua Tail goes hand in hand with Head Smash by smashing most Ground- and Rock-type Pokemon, while also hitting Fighting- and Steel-types for neutral damage. Waterfall can be used instead of Aqua Tail if you dislike imperfect accuracy, though at the cost of lower damage. Earthquake covers every other Pokemon that resist, take little damage from, or are immune to Head Smash and Aqua Tail - Toxicroak, Quagsire, Poliwrath, and Registeel are a few examples. The last slot is mainly a filler, but Double-Edge gives Relicanth a wide range of neutral coverage should you find a situation where you can't trust your prediction skills. To demonstrate the power of this set, here are some damage calculations (with a Jolly nature): Head Smash vs. 252/252+ Uxie: 48.3% - 57.1% Head Smash vs. 252/0 Donphan: 31.8% - 37.5% Head Smash vs. 252/252+ Milotic: 60.6% - 71.8% Head Smash vs. 0/4 Venusaur: 110% - 129.9% Head Smash vs. 252/252+ Slowbro: 49% - 57.9% Aqua Tail vs. 252/0 Donphan: 76.6% - 90.6% Aqua Tail (-1) vs. 252/252+ Hitmontop: 28% - 33.6% Aqua Tail vs. 252/4 Registeel: 33% - 39% Aqua Tail vs. 0/4 Torterra: 48.9% - 58% Waterfall vs. 252/0 Donphan: 67.7% - 80.2% Waterfall (-1) vs. Hitmontop: 25% - 29.9% Earthquake vs. 252/4 Registeel: 49.5% - 58.2% Earthquake vs. 252/4 Poliwrath: 34.4% - 40.6% Double-Edge vs. 252/252+ Quagsire: 31% - 36.5% Double-Edge vs. 252/4 Poliwrath: 41.1% - 48.7% With a Jolly nature, Relicanth reaches 229 Speed, outspeeding most walls, mainly defensive Leafeon, defensive Arcanine, and support Uxie. Moreover, it allows Relicanth to speed tie with positive-natured Exeggutor, Ursaring, and Omastar. However, using an Adamant nature still puts Relicanth in a useful Speed tier with a stat of 209, as it lets the rock fish outspeed Milotic, Blastoise, and neutral-natured max Speed base 50s while increasing Relicanth's offensive prowess. The EVs are self-explanatory: max Attack to deal the highest amount of damage possible, whereas max Speed lets Relicanth outspeed as much as it can. In the last slot, Stone Edge or Rock Slide can be used in case Head Smash runs out of PP. Rock Slide gives Relicanth a reliable Rock-type attack, though Stone Edge offers more power. Choice Scarf is a valuable alternative item on this set, as with an Adamant nature, Relicanth attains 313 Speed, or 343 Speed with Jolly. However, Relicanth becomes quite weak offensively, but it can still be strong as long as Head Smash hits. Another option for this set is to use Swift Swim as the ability. In the rain, Relicanth will become fast enough to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame, and with a Choice Band intact, it will present a formidable threat to the foe. Relicanth has trouble against bulky Fighting-types, such as Intimidate Hitmontop and Hariyama, and bulky Grass-types, such as Tangrowth, Exeggutor, and Leafeon. As such, having a Flying-type such as Moltres and Scyther can be extremely useful for switching in on these threats and eliminating them with Air Slash and Aerial Ace, respectively. Faster Pokemon are also nuisances to this set. Paralysis support provided by Registeel, Uxie, and Clefable can cripple such threats. Lastly, Relicanth appreciates type synergy from the likes of Venusaur, Rotom, and Leafeon. Venusaur has the ability to sleep a foe, Rotom can spread burns and annoy teams with a Substitute set, and Leafeon can provide Wish support and phazing.

With shabby Speed, great offenses and coverage, incredible physical bulk, and the ability to force switches, Relicanth makes a natural candidate for a Rock Polish set. Rock Polish boosts its Speed from a low 209 to an amazing 418, outspeeding even Electrode. Head Smash obliterates most of the metagame, while Waterfall takes care of any stragglers and has a chance to flinch. Aqua Tail is a fine alternative over Waterfall for more power at the cost of lower accuracy. For the last slot, Earthquake is used to deal more damage to Registeel, Toxicroak, and Poliwrath, which would otherwise give this set a world of trouble. Jolly over Adamant can be useful to outspeed more threats. With Jolly, Relicanth reaches 458 Speed, outspeeding +1 positive-natured base 87s and below, including Choice Scarf Venusaur and Choice Scarf Hitmonlee. However, the loss of power from Adamant will usually be more of a curse to Relicanth as it will lose out on many useful KOs. As a rule of thumb, you should generally not use Rock Polish until you know two facts: that your foe's team has been fully revealed and that it is overall weakened. If you do not properly scout for counters, you will waste valuable turns by using Rock Polish. In contrast, if you do not weaken the foe's team, Relicanth cannot survive long enough to sweep. To help you accomplish these two factors, you can utilize phazers such as Roar Venusaur, Whirlwind Hariyama, the rare Perish Song Mismagius, and entry hazard users such as Uxie, Cloyster, and Drapion. Venusaur has resistances to Fighting, Electric, and Grass, can sleep foes with Sleep Powder, and help break down walls with Swords Dance-boosted attacks. Hariyama may not provide many resistances for Relicanth, but it is a solid status absorber due to Guts or its ability to RestTalk. Overall, Mismagius is great at supporting Relicanth thanks to its immunity to Ground- and Fighting-type attacks, access to useful status moves in the form of Thunder Wave and Will-O-Wisp, and ability to break stall with Taunt. Uxie, Cloyster, and Drapion are all fairly bulky enough to set up entry hazards reliably throughout a match, but take caution as they all lack a reliable recovery move.

Despite the fact that without Rock Head Relicanth will be taking huge recoil damage from Head Smash, it can still successfully utilize its other ability, Swift Swim, to sweep under rainy conditions. Head Smash is Relicanth's main attack, and it dents even Pokemon that resist the move. Aqua Tail comes off Relicanth's secondary STAB and smacks Fighting- and Ground-types that try to switch in on Head Smash. If you despise Aqua Tail's accuracy, you can replace it with Waterfall for its perfect accuracy and chance to flinch. Earthquake rounds out the coverage by hitting Toxicroak, Poliwrath, and Registeel for good damage. In the last slot, Rain Dance is preferred to set up rain if it is not present, but Stone Edge is a perfectly viable option in case Relicanth is taking too much recoil from Head Smash. An Adamant nature is recommended to dish out as much damage as possible. Still, a Jolly nature, alongside 240 Speed EVs, can be used to outspeed every Pokemon up to Jolly Choice Scarf Hitmonlee in the rain. The Speed EVs allow Relicanth to reach 384 Speed with Swift Swim's boost, outpacing even Swellow. Attack is maxed out to increase Relicanth's damage output, while the remaining EVs are thrown into HP to provide more overall bulk, and to safeguard against Head Smash's recoil. You can effectively pair this Relicanth with a good variety of other Pokemon, not only to break down the opposition, but to support Relicanth. Other physical rain sweepers, such as Kabutops, Qwilfish, and Swords Dance Ludicolo, can barrage the opponent's defense, due to the heavy offensive pressure that the Pokemon will be causing. Kabutops has access to a powerful Stone Edge, in addition to priority Aqua Jet. Qwilfish can absorb Toxic Spikes, which are a nuisance to rain teams, and utilize Explosion to eliminate a troublesome Pokemon. Ludicolo is an excellent partner due to its access to STAB Energy Ball, which allows it to eliminate bulky Water-types that may get in Relicanth's way. Obviously, Relicanth wants Rain Dance supporters such as Uxie, Registeel, and Electrode so that it can rain on the foe's parade. Uxie and Registeel can also set up Stealth Rock reliably in order to weaken the foe's team. With its blazing base 140 Speed, Electrode will almost always set up Rain Dance while Taunting cheeky foes. Additionally, Registeel and Electrode can Explode to not only eliminate or dent the foe, but to give Relicanth a safe switch-in. More useful Rain Dance supporters include Lanturn and Rotom, since they can abuse the rain with either boosted Surfs (for Lanturn) or 100% accurate Thunders.