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Ludicolo often sees use as a deadly late-game wincon that uses Rain Dance to boost its Hydro Pumps and outspeed the entire metagame with Swift Swim. Ice Beam nails opposing Grass- and Dragon-types such as Exeggutor, Appletun, and Altaria that resist Ludicolo's dual STAB combination. Life Orb increases Ludicolo's damage output while still letting it switch moves; it also works well in tandem with Giga Drain's HP recovery. 29 HP IVs help minimalize Life Orb recoil, while a Modest nature ameliorates Ludicolo's somewhat underwhelming Special Attack. Skuntank's Corrosive Gas and Sawk's Knock Off help Ludicolo tremendously by permanently crippling its most commonplace checks, such as Articuno and Clefairy. A physically defensive wall such as Palossand provides Ludicolo a switch-in to threatening priority move users that may try to capitalize on its below-average Defense, such as Gurdurr and Swords Dance Galarian Rapidash. Other strong special attackers such as Choice Specs Rotom can force special walls into taking a hit, weakening them for Ludicolo to clean up later. Rain Dance is easier to set up with pivots like Alolan Persian, Silvally-Poison, and Morpeko bringing Ludicolo in against passive foes.

Ludicolo is a decent special tank thanks its wide coverage, offensive movepool, and unique set of resistances. Scald and Giga Drain both synergize with Assault Vest: Scald dishes out burns, helping Ludicolo take physical attacks better, while Giga Drain provides extra longevity. Ice Beam targets Grass- and Dragon-types that resist Ludicolo's STAB moves like Altaria, Exeggutor, and Ivysaur. Knock Off cripples entry hazard removers like Articuno and Cryogonal, as well as walls like Clefairy and Alcremie. Crippling walls, alongside checking offensive Stealth Rock users like Rhydon, Piloswine, and Alolan Dugtrio with its typing and bulk, lets Ludicolo provide some early-game utility. Assault Vest allows Ludicolo to check special attackers like Rotom, Jynx, and Poliwrath. Ludicolo appreciates walls like Cofagrigus and Tangela switching into physical attackers like Sawk, Lycanroc-N, and Gourgeist-S; in return, they appreciate it blanket checking special attackers. Once Ludicolo has crippled Defog and Rapid Spin users with Knock Off, partners like Rhydon and Alolan Dugtrio can more easily keep Stealth Rock up. This helps all sorts of offensive partners wallbreak and sweep. Notably, physical attackers like Sawk and Klinklang can take advantage of special walls that wall Ludicolo, using the momentum to have an easier time cleaning late-game.

Hydro Pump is extremely powerful in the rain, especially when used with Waterium Z. Hydro Vortex coming from Ludicolo in the rain is capable of OHKOing bulky offensive threats such as Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Metagross. Although it doesn't take advantage of Waterium Z nearly as well, Scald is a more reliable option than Hydro Pump overall, and its burn chance can come in handy, especially when carrying Assault Vest. Ice Beam gives Ludicolo a way to OHKO Mega Salamence, Garchomp, and non-Assault Vest Landorus-T regardless of the weather, in addition to hitting Naganadel and Hydreigon hard. It's also Ludicolo's only way of dealing reasonable damage to Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu and Amoonguss. Energy Ball is Ludicolo's most consistently powerful Grass-type STAB attack, notably 2HKOing maximum HP Tapu Fini. However, Giga Drain is a reasonable alternative for the healing it gives Ludicolo, at the cost of power. Fake Out is an incredible option for causing foes to flinch on Ludicolo's first turn out as long as Psychic Terrain isn't up. However, Protect is a reasonable alternative for dodging powerful attacks. Waterium Z gives Ludicolo a one-time chance to drown most Pokemon that don't resist Water-type attacks, especially if using Hydro Pump. Assault Vest takes advantage of Ludicolo's good Special Defense stat, letting it survive surprising attacks. If using Assault Vest, a bulkier spread of 92 HP / 4 Def / 124 SpA / 124 SpD / 164 Spe can be considered. This spread still has enough Special Attack to OHKO Mega Salamence with Ice Beam, and it can survive some powerful attacks, such as Kartana's Leaf Blade, Tapu Lele's Shattered Psyche, and Jolly Mega Kangaskhan's Double-Edge. Another EV spread to consider for Assault Vest Ludicolo is 204 HP / 20 Def / 124 SpA / 76 SpD / 84 Spe. This still allows Ludicolo to outspeed base 130 Speed Pokemon in the rain such as Tapu Koko and Mega Gengar, in exchange for much more bulk. For example, Life Orb Tapu Koko will fail to 2HKO this Ludicolo with Thunderbolt, and it even survives Modest Tapu Lele's Shattered Psyche. Life Orb gives Ludicolo a consistent power boost at the cost of its health. Most notably, this lets Ice Beam OHKO Naganadel and fast Assault Vest Landorus-T and lets Scald OHKO Nihilego in the rain. However, the recoil makes Ludicolo easy to wear down. Swift Swim and a Modest nature are required for Ludicolo to blast through most Pokemon. Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment is fine if using Waterium Z or Life Orb to maximize damage output. A Timid nature can be used to outspeed Jolly Choice Scarf Kartana, Modest Choice Scarf Naganadel, and Timid Choice Scarf Blacephalon, but this does result in a significant power loss. Since Ludicolo is a rain sweeper, rain setters are required teammates. Pelipper is a great choice, since it hits Amoonguss and Tapu Bulu hard and is able to set up Tailwind to deal with fast Choice Scarf users. Politoed is a reasonable option due to its support movepool and its ability to viably use a Choice Scarf. Politoed can also run Focus Blast and Fightinium Z to deal severe damage to Ferrothorn, a common problem for rain teams. Putting Rain Dance on Pokemon such as Gothitelle or Cresselia can be an effective way to surprise opposing weather setters, though it should be a backup option rather than the main way of setting up rain. Ludicolo teams will need a way to deal with Mega Charizard Y and, to a lesser extent, Torkoal, since sun cripples Ludicolo's offensive capabilities. Preparing for Tyranitar and Alolan Ninetales can be a good idea too. Ludicolo especially hates Trick Room due to its reliance on Swift Swim. Taunt users such as Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele can be useful, or even having a Trick Room user of your own such as Cresselia can help for resetting Trick Room. Prepare for bulky Grass-types such as Ferrothorn, Tapu Bulu, and Amoonguss, since they are able to survive Ludicolo's assaults with little issue and hit it hard. Ferrothorn is especially troubling, since it isn't weak to Pelipper's Hurricane.

Moves Hydro Pump functions as Ludicolo's primary STAB move, dealing significant damage under rain to neutral targets. Energy Ball can hit Pokemon that resist Water-type moves such as Tapu Fini and Suicune. Giga Drain can be used instead for its healing, but usually the power from Energy Ball is more useful. Ice Beam can be used to hit common Pokemon that resist Ludicolo's STAB moves such as Mega Salamence and Amoonguss. Protect allows Ludicolo to stall out field conditions and shield itself from damage. Fake Out is able to prevent an opposing Pokemon from doing anything for a turn, allowing a partner to KO them or use a setup move. Set Details Ludicolo's Special Attack EVs are maximized to allow it to hit as hard as possible, and its Speed EVs are also maximized so it can outspeed as many Pokemon as possible both in and out of rain, notably outspeeding Choice Scarf Tapu Lele under rain. A Modest nature is used to boost its Special Attack even further, but Timid is also an option to outspeed Choice Scarf Genesect and Choice Scarf Victini. Waterium Z gives Ludicolo a powerful and accurate Water-type STAB attack; alternatively, Life Orb offers a more general boost to Ludicolo's power. Swift Swim is used to double Ludicolo's Speed under rain. Usage Tips Ludicolo works best under rain thanks to Swift Swim, so avoid sending it out when rain isn't up. It is best used to punch holes in the enemy team early-game. If your opponent doesn't have a weather setter such as Tyranitar or Mega Charizard Y, Ludicolo can be a perfect lead to pressure the opposing team. If they have a weather setter, consider removing it first before sending in Ludicolo. Hydro Pump is Ludicolo's most powerful attack, especially under rain, so use it as often as possible to deal maximum damage. Ludicolo typically works best when it switches in on fairly weak resisted attacks such as Tapu Fini's Muddy Water. It can also work well as a late-game cleaner if you are able to clear its checks and set up rain, so consider saving Ludicolo and a rain setter if you see a chance to use it for this. Team Options Ludicolo needs a partner to set up rain, so either Pelipper or Politoed is necessary. Ludicolo also benefits from another rain attacker that can help wear down its checks, such as Kingdra or Mega Swampert. Because it relies heavily on rain, running a check for opposing weather setters is always a good idea. Pokemon that set weather such as Tyranitar and Mega Charizard Y are beaten by Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Mega Scizor, and Tapu Koko. Pokemon with Fighting-type coverage, such as Hammer Arm Metagross, can help deal with defensive checks to Ludicolo such as Ferrothorn, Kyurem-B, and Chansey. A check to opposing speed control is useful, such as a Taunt user like Tapu Lele or Tapu Koko for Trick Room and your own Tailwind user such as Pelipper to deal with opposing Tailwind.

Moves Hydro Pump gains a STAB boost and generally deals the most damage to foes, but it can't be relied on due to its shaky accuracy. Surf is a more reliable option over Hydro Pump, although it lacks a lot of power, while Scald can burn and cripple physical attackers, at the cost of even more power. Giga Drain gains a STAB boost, can take on Water-types, and offers a bit of recovery, which works well with Life Orb. Ice Beam takes on opposing Grass-types and Dragon-types, forming perfect coverage with Ludicolo's Grass- and Water-type STAB moves. Rain Dance allows Ludicolo to activate Swift Swim so that it can attempt to clean an opposing team. Set Details Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs paired with a Modest nature allow Ludicolo to hit as hard as it can while still outspeeding all it needs to under rain. A Timid nature can be used to outspeed Choice Scarf Delphox, Choice Scarf Flygon, and Unburden Hitmonlee. Life Orb raises Ludicolo's damage output but at the cost of HP. Swift Swim allows Ludicolo to become a dangerous threat under rain, allowing it to outpace Pokemon it normally wouldn't. Usage Tips Ludicolo does best under rain and should be used under it if attempting to clean an opposing team. Attempt to keep Ludicolo away from status, as status can either shorten its longevity or compromise its Speed. Ludicolo should be brought in with slow momentum moves, such as Volt Switch from Eelektross and U-turn from Pelipper. Team Options Rain Dance users, such as Liepard, Bronzong, Uxie, and Volbeat, can set up rain for Ludicolo so that it doesn't have to set it for itself. In particular, Liepard and Volbeat have Prankster to set up rain with priority. Bronzong and Uxie can set up Stealth Rock and Rain Dance, with the former using Explosion and the latter using Memento to give Ludicolo a free switch in after both are set up. Other rain abusers, such as Omastar, Kabutops, and Seismitoad, can work well with Ludicolo to break down an opposing team. Slow momentum users, such as Pelipper and Eelektross, can allow Ludicolo to enter the field without taking damage. Memento and Healing Wish support from Spiritomb and Mesprit, respectively, can either weaken the foe's offensive presence or heal Ludicolo and remove its status. Rock-types such as Rhyperior, Kabutops, and Omastar can take on Flying- and Bug-types for Ludicolo, while Ludicolo can take on Grass- and Water-types for them in return. Electric-types such as Eelektross, Rotom-C, and Jolteon can take on Flying-types for Ludicolo, as well as pivot to it with Volt Switch.

Moves Waterfall is Ludicolo's main attack on this set, capable of dishing out some rather hefty damage after boosts from Swords Dance and the rain. Seed Bomb is Ludicolo's secondary STAB choice, and hits the bulky Water-types that tank Waterfall. Alternatively, one can opt for Bullet Seed for its ability to break past Substitutes. Ice Punch rounds out Ludicolo's coverage. Notably, it preys on the Dragon-types and Grass-types that resist Ludicolo's STAB moves. Rain Dance can be chosen in the last slot for Ludicolo to renew the rainfall when it ceases. However, the initial setup of rain is best left to an ally. Ludicolo can opt to run Zen Headbutt in the last moveslot in order to nail Toxicroak, which would otherwise wall this set. Set Details Ludicolo's maxed-out Attack and Speed ensure that it will be inflicting as much damage and outspeeding as many opponents as possible. An Adamant nature ups Ludicolo's firepower and is advisable given Ludicolo's mediocre Attack stat, though a Jolly nature can be used should you wish Ludicolo to outspeed Choice Scarf variants of Mienshao and Hydreigon in the rain. A Life Orb is the chosen item on this set, as it grants a much-appreciated boost to Ludicolo's offensive prowess. Usage Tips Ideally, an ally should be the one providing Ludicolo with rain, as Ludicolo would rather not have to use up a turn setting it up, and a dedicated rain support ally with a Damp Rock will be able to summon rainfall for an extended 8 turns. Ludicolo should prioritize the use of Swords Dance over anything else; it needs the boosts to attain the power necessary to sweep. Swords Dance Ludicolo plays as a late-game cleaner and thus should be sent in to finish things up after its allies have worn down the opponent. Ludicolo's checks and counters should definitely be severely weakened or disposed of before it is brought in. Ludicolo is best played on a field where it isn't plagued by entry hazards, especially Sticky Web, which would make Ludicolo's attempt to sweep far more difficult because of the Speed loss. Team Options A fast ally capable of summoning the rain is a must. Tornadus is an example of a Pokemon that fits this criteria. Another rain sweeper such as Kabutops works well alongside Ludicolo, as the latter can come in to clean up after an ally has wreaked havoc on the opposing team. Entry hazard support is definitely worth considering, as it means that Ludicolo will have an easier time KOing its opponents, and their Focus Sash / Sturdy will be rendered useless. Donphan synergizes well with Ludicolo and is capable of setting up Stealth Rock. Life Orb recoil will wear Ludicolo down and entry hazards will add to the residual damage or, in the case of Sticky Web, slow Ludicolo down and ultimately decrease its chances of a successful sweep. Donphan can remove hazards with Rapid Spin, and as previously stated, has good synergy with Ludicolo. A specially offensive wallbreaker such as Nidoking or Mega Houndoom will be able to deal with the handful of physically defensive Pokemon that can actually stand up to Ludicolo. Paralysis will bring Ludicolo's sweep to a standstill, and it definitely dislikes having residual damage from poison or burn on top of Life Orb recoil. Cleric support is always useful to have on the team for making Ludicolo healthy again.

Moves Hydro Pump is a STAB move that is capable of dishing out incredible damage in the rain. Surf is a more reliable alternative that won't suffer an untimely miss, though there is a significant drop in damage output. Giga Drain is a secondary STAB choice that allows Ludicolo to restore health (useful in conjunction with Life Orb) and overcome bulky Water-type opponents. Ice Beam preys on the Grass-types and Dragon-types that resist Ludicolo's STAB attacks. Rain Dance is in the last slot for setting up rain once it has run out; Ludicolo can also use it for the initial rain setup, though it would prefer an ally to do this. Set Details Special Attack and Speed are maxed out so that Ludicolo will hit as hard and as fast as possible. A Modest nature bolsters Ludicolo's damage output further and Ludicolo's Speed is already very high in the rain. However, with a Timid nature, Ludicolo outspeeds Choice Scarf variants of Mienshao and Hydreigon. A Life Orb is the item of choice for this set; it provides Ludicolo with a much-appreciated boost to its damage output, and Giga Drain serves to somewhat mitigate Life Orb's recoil damage. Usage Tips Preferably, bring Ludicolo in once an ally has already set up rain for it; this way, Ludicolo does not have to spend a turn doing so, and a dedicated rain support ally's rain will last for 8 turns thanks to Damp Rock. Try and make sure that Ludicolo's checks and counters have been taken care of before trying to sweep with it. Ideally, dispose of entry hazards (here's looking at you, Sticky Web) before attempting to sweep with Ludicolo. Team Options Having an ally that can provide fast rain support with a Damp Rock such as Tornadus is strongly advised. Ludicolo likes entry hazard support; this ensures that its opponents have their Focus Sash / Sturdy broken upon entering the field, and also means that Ludicolo should have an easier time netting KOs. Donphan makes for a good teammate, as it can provide the aforementioned hazards and has good type synergy with Ludicolo. Entry hazards serve to wear Ludicolo down quickly and in Sticky Web's case, hinder its attempts to sweep. Thus, Rapid Spin / Defog support is very appreciated. The aforementioned Donphan can use Rapid Spin to dispose of entry hazards that would otherwise hinder Ludicolo's longevity or its Speed. A physical wallbreaker such as Darmanitan will prove useful for getting past the special walls that Ludicolo despises. Cleric support is a possibility to cure Ludicolo of any debilitating status, especially paralysis.

Moves Ludicolo's Water-type STAB moves are boosted 1.5 times by rain, taking them to dangerous levels. For instance, Hydro Pump can OHKO neutral Pokemon such as Mega Mawile and Mega Manectric. Surf is an alternative to Hydro Pump; it has the advantage of hitting both of the opponent's Pokemon, but unfortunately it also hits your own partner. On top of that, it is significantly weaker, not only due to its lower Base Power, but also from being a spread move. Giga Drain acts as a secondary STAB move that allows Ludicolo to beat Rotom-W and somewhat counteract Life Orb recoil with its recovery. Ice Beam complements Ludicolo's STAB moves, giving it perfect neutral coverage. It also allows Ludicolo to threaten common Dragon-types such as Garchomp and Salamence, as they are both easily OHKOed by it. Fake Out gives a partner Pokemon a free turn and generally eases prediction for you. With Rain Dance, Ludicolo can set up rain on its own; this could be of use against Pokemon like Tyranitar that can remove rain and survive a Hydro Pump in sand. Ludicolo can also use Protect in the fourth slot; this could be useful for scouting an opposing Pokemon's set or blocking an attack to allow Ludicolo's partner to take down the threat. Set Details With maximum Speed and Special Attack EVs, Ludicolo hits as fast and as hard as possible. Ludicolo with a Modest nature only needs to run 204 EVs in Speed to outspeed Adamant Choice Scarf Garchomp. However, the extra 52 EVs in HP serve little to no purpose. A Timid nature could be used to outspeed Choice Scarf Salamence in rain and other base 100s. Life Orb is used to make up for Ludicolo's mediocre base 90 Special Attack, and Giga Drain's recovery mitigates Life Orb recoil. Usage Tips Ludicolo arguably plays best late-game, as it can easily clean up against weakened teams in rain. Hopefully, by this point in the battle, Pokemon which threaten Ludicolo will have been taken care of. Ludicolo can also function as a lead with Fake Out to ease first-turn predictions. Ludicolo can work outside of rain with its good coverage and typing. That said, Ludicolo is far more useful inside of rain as this augments its otherwise mediocre Speed. Team Options Politoed is almost required as a partner, as it automatically starts rain with its ability, Drizzle. As this set is less bulky, it might be favorable to run a bulkier Politoed with Rain Dance rather than an offensive set. However, Choice Scarf Politoed can be used to overwhelm the opponent by outspeeding them and hitting them hard with rain-boosted Hydro Pumps. Ludicolo's biggest weakness is Talonflame, as it will always move before Ludicolo with its priority Brave Bird. Because of this, Electric-types that can deal with Talonflame, such as Rotom-W, Mega Manectric, and, to a lesser extent, Zapdos, are all ideal partners for Ludicolo. Aegislash and Mega Mawile enjoy Ludicolo's presence as Ludicolo beats the Fire- and Ground-types which threaten them, while they can both take on physical attackers such as Mega Kangaskhan that threaten Ludicolo. Garchomp also deals with both non-Choice Scarf Tyranitar and Mega Charizard Y, the two most common weather inducers. Thanks to Ludicolo's Grass typing, it can take Garchomp's Earthquakes well enough to never be 3HKOed, allowing them to work well together.

Moves Due to this set's more defensive nature, Scald is preferred over Hydro Pump for its perfect accuracy and chance to burn your opponent. That said, if you want more power, Hydro Pump is still an option, as the extra power is noticeable; for instance, Hydro Pump has a good chance to 2HKO Tyranitar in sand, something Scald fails to do. Giga Drain complements this set, acting as an inconsistent form of recovery. It also allows Ludicolo to threaten Rotom-W, along with other Water-types. With Ice Beam, Ludicolo is able to threaten the common Dragon-types in the metagame and potentially break through the bulky Grass-types that would otherwise stop it in its tracks. The fourth moveslot is reserved for Fake Out, which gives a partner Pokemon a free turn and generally eases prediction for you. Set Details This set uses the Assault Vest to boost Ludicolo's Special Defense with very little investment, allowing it to invest far more in Defense. With the EVs listed, Ludicolo can survive a maximum Attack Play Rough from Mega Mawile, which is one of the strongest neutral physical hits in the game. On top of that, a Jolly nature Garchomp will never 2HKO with Dragon Claw and has a decent chance to be OHKOed by Ice Beam. With the Assault Vest, Ludicolo is never 2HKOed by Modest Salamence's Draco Meteor, not considering the Special Attack drop. Rain Dish gives Ludicolo recovery equal to Leftovers each turn in rain, improving its overall longevity. With the Speed EVs, Ludicolo can outspeed the most defensive Rotom-W and threaten them directly with Giga Drain. Ludicolo will hit 214 Speed in rain thanks to Swift Swim, allowing it to outspeed most other Pokemon. Usage Tips Although Assault Vest and Ludicolo's good bulk can make it difficult to take down and help it take on many Pokemon, it lacks Protect. Because of this, Pokemon that can deal with it must be taken care of before Ludicolo can come in safely. If, however, you feel confident enough, Ludicolo can function as a decent lead with Fake Out. This set is far less dependent on rain and can function well outside of it. It is worth noting that Ludicolo is far harder to take down inside of rain as it gets recovery from not only Giga Drain but also Rain Dish. Team Options Ludicolo appreciates Pokemon that can take on Talonflame, such as Rotom-W. If you aren't running rain, as this set isn't completely dependent on it, Rotom-H can make an excellent partner with its ability to beat the bulky Grass-types that Ludicolo has problems with. Politoed is always appreciated, as it brings the rain, which lets Ludicolo function at its fullest by either giving it recovery each turn or doubling its Speed, while boosting the power of Scald or Hydro Pump. Garchomp takes on opposing weather setters and generally has good offensive synergy with Ludicolo, as Earthquake hits Ludicolo for little damage, especially when considering the latter's recovery. Aegislash takes on Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Mawile, which would otherwise cause problems for Ludicolo, even with the investment.

Moves This set is the most effective one to use on Ludicolo. Fake Out can disrupt strategies by rendering an opposing Pokemon immobile for a turn, potentially allowing a partner to KO them. Hydro Pump is the main STAB attack and is great due to its neutral coverage, high power, and the fact that it gets a 50% boost from rain. Giga Drain is an accurate secondary STAB attack, hitting Water-types that resist Hydro Pump such as Rotom-W or Keldeo; the passive recovery it provides also helps improve Ludicolo's longevity. Ice Beam is a good coverage option to hit the Grass- and Dragon-types such as Amoonguss and Latios that can sponge Ludicolo's STAB attacks. Set Details The EV spread grants Ludicolo as much power as possible as well as the ability to outspeed everything up to Choice Scarf Landorus-T when under rain. Assault Vest boosts Ludicolo's special bulk, something that proves even more useful due to the fact that Ludicolo typically lacks room for Protect. Usage Tips A good idea is typically to bring in Ludicolo late-game once the opponent's team is weakened, where it can clean up with its Speed granted by Swift Swim and Water-type attacks. Also, if your opponent is carrying a Thunder Wave user such as Thundurus, play cautiously, as a paralyzed Ludicolo is infinitely less threatening than a healthy one. Fake Out is a great tool to use selectively to apply pressure on your opponent, force them into making certain plays, and create free turns for a partner, so make sure you use the move wisely. If you're not planning on using Ludicolo for a late-game sweep (or if you're sure you can keep it in good enough health to achieve said sweep), it makes for a great early-game pivot with its bulk (augmented by Assault Vest) and access to Fake Out. Team Options Politoed makes for an almost essential partner for Ludicolo, as the rain from Drizzle activates Ludicolo's Swift Swim ability and gives Hydro Pump a 50% power boost. Also, Politoed has Helping Hand to boost the power of attacks coming off of Ludicolo's middling base 90 Special Attack. Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Mega Diancie appreciate having Ludicolo as a partner due to its ability to handle Water-types such as Rotom-W that are problematic for them. Anything that appreciates the free turns bought by Fake Out, such as Substitute Metagross, could make for a good partner to Ludicolo. Pokemon such as Terrakion and Thundurus that threaten Talonflame are excellent partners as well, as Talonflame can get around Ludicolo's Swift Swim with Gale Wings and KO with a priority Brave Bird. Other good partners are Intimidate users such as Landorus-T and Scrafty that can patch up Ludicolo's lower Defense stat.

Moves Hydro Pump, when backed by the power boosts from a Life Orb and the rain, puts a large dent in anything that doesn't resist it. Giga Drain hits many common Pokemon that resist Water such as Rotom-W and Keldeo while also healing up any residual damage racked up from Life Orb recoil. Ice Beam provides good coverage against Dragon-types such as Latios and Hydreigon that would wall Ludicolo otherwise. Protect lets Ludicolo stall out field conditions, shield itself from damage, and give teammates room to work. Set Details Life Orb increases Ludicolo's damage output to very respectable levels, making it a powerful special attacker when supported by the rain. Its Special Attack is maximized to hit as hard as possible, and the Speed investment allows it to Speed tie with Pokemon such as Adamant Bisharp and Adamant Breloom outside of the rain and outspeed the vast majority of the metagame while inside it. A Timid nature is unneeded to outspeed any additional threats, making Modest the superior choice to boost Ludicolo's offensive potential as much as possible. Swift Swim allows Ludicolo to take advantage of the rain by doubling its Speed. Usage Tips Ludicolo is best used while in the rain, so try to avoid sending it in unless the rain is up. Hydro Pump is Ludicolo's most powerful attack under the rain and should be used as much as possible. While Protect usually would not get a special mention, most opponents will assume Ludicolo is an Assault Vest variant if it has not taken Life Orb recoil and may be caught off guard by the usage of Protect. Similarly, opponents might play around a potential Fake Out if Ludicolo's set has not been revealed yet. Team Options Politoed and Rain Dance users such as Thundurus are mandatory partners for this set, as they provide the rain it requires to function properly. Talonflame beats opposing Grass-types such as Ferrothorn and Amoonguss that Ludicolo may have trouble breaking through, while Ludicolo beats one of its main checks, Mega Diancie. Pokemon that beat Flying-types like Talonflame such as Landorus-T, Terrakion, and Mega Diancie are great partners for Ludicolo, with a special mention to Mega Diancie because of its ability to get past Dragon-types that Ludicolo would have to rely on Ice Beam to damage heavily. Fighting-types such as Terrakion and Conkeldurr prey on the most common defensive checks to Ludicolo, Ferrothorn and Kyurem-B.

Moves This set trades inherent special bulkiness for more power. Hydro Pump provides maximum damage, and Giga Drain hits Water-types and restores some HP. Ice Beam rounds out the coverage. Protect guards Ludicolo from attacks while its partner can eliminate the Pokemon threatening Ludicolo. Fake Out support gives Ludicolo's teammates some breathing room for the turn. Set Details Simple, super offensive EVs allow for maximum damage output, and the Speed EVs cause a Speed tie with maximum Speed Adamant Bisharp outside of rain. You can lower the Speed investment to increase bulk if you find it unneeded with a Swift Swim boost. Usage Tips This set can't take hits like the Assault Vest set can. Don't make it take too many hits and don't use this one without a Politoed on your team because it's too slow without rain. Team Options Politoed can set up rain to activate Swift Swim and boost Water-type moves as well. Talonflame and Ludicolo together have great coverage and deal nicely with what the other has trouble with. A teammate to cover Ludicolo's few weaknesses, such as to Flying-type attacks is appreciated. Mega Manectric and Rotom-H make for good partners for this role.

Moves This set combines great coverage moves and bulk for long-lasting effectiveness. Scald deals decent damage and boasts a chance to burn, but Hydro Pump, with its higher damage output, is more favorable in rain. Giga Drain complements Ludicolo's Water typing nicely, and trumps opposing Water-types, especially Rotom-W and Suicune. Ice Beam hits opposing Grass- and Dragon-types for super effective damage. Fake Out support gives Ludicolo's teammates some breathing room for the turn. Set Details Assault Vest lets Ludicolo sponge hits from Water-types such as Rotom-W and put more pressure on special attackers such as Zapdos. Swift Swim is preferred when using or playing against rain. The EV spread lets Ludicolo outpace Choice Scarf Landorus-T, and OHKO even bulky variants of Mega Salamence and Landorus-T with Ice Beam. The HP in combination with Assault Vest makes Choice Specs Sylveon's Hyper Voice a 3HKO, and the rest of the EVs are dumped into Defense to slightly increase physical bulk. Usage Tips Ludicolo should come in on a special attack that it can tank, give Fake Out support, hit what it can, and run away when a big hit is coming. Assault Vest makes Ludicolo a nice switch in for special attacks. Team Options Politoed is Ludicolo's partner in crime, as the two of them don't share weaknesses and do form a very solid rain core together; however, Ludicolo by itself can be a great answer to rain and doesn't need rain support to be effective. Talonflame is another good partner for Ludicolo, as it can take care of Mega Venusaur and Amoonguss. Ludicolo pairs reasonably well with teammates that are weak to Water-type moves and want a switch-in, such as Heatran, Rotom-H, and Landorus-T — which can all threaten Talonflame.

This set works superbly as a late-game cleaner with the aid of rain, as it gives Ludicolo the raw speed and power to eradicate the opposing team at a moment's notice. When attempting to use Rain Dance, it is advised to only do so against relatively weaker special attackers such as Manectric and Uxie. There are certain situations where it's better to just straight-up attack the opponent as opposed to setting up Rain Dance. One of the prime examples is when Ludicolo is up against weakened Pokemon that might choose to recover and thus become better equipped at stalling Ludicolo's rain turns; some notable Pokemon include Clefable and Cryogonal. Other situations are when Ludicolo is up against slower threats that can potentially KO or cripple it if given a free turn—both Escavalier and Druddigon are key threats to watch out for. Once Ludicolo has successfully set up Rain Dance, it is best to analyze the opposing team with Team Preview and determine which attack is most opportunistic. For instance, if the opposing team only has a single Water- resist as opposed to two or three Grass-type resists, then it is clear that Hydro Pump is the better move to continually utilize should the opponent choose to pivot switch around Ludicolo. Giga Drain is interesting in that it dilutes Life Orb recoil and is one of the main reasons why Ludicolo is so potent as a rain sweeper. The ability to simultaneously replenish health, attack, and mow down opposing Water-types that give rain teams headaches is invaluable. Lastly, Ice Beam quickly decimates the likes of Sceptile and Druddigon and should only be used if Ludicolo is against such threats, or if an obvious Amoonguss or Roselia switch-in attempts to ruin the fun. The most useful nature is Modest because the extra speed granted by a Timid nature isn't necessary most of the time; however, a Timid nature can be valuable in that it allows Ludicolo to outspeed and OHKO the likes of Choice Scarf Durant and Manectric in the rain as well as other speedy Choice Scarf users, and outspeed neutral base 80s such as Kabutops. This is useful so that Ludicolo can outspeed and OHKO the previously mentioned threat as opposed to taking a Stone Edge to the face. Do note that if Ludicolo opts for a Timid nature, the drop in power prevents Ludicolo from 2HKOing the likes of Roselia and Amoonguss with the combination of a rain-boosted Hydro Pump followed by a Life Orb-boosted Ice Beam after Stealth Rock, and thus makes it much easier to check. While Hydro Pump is easily Ludicolo's most powerful attack, if the 80% accuracy is a turnoff, Ludicolo can instead invest in Surf as its more reliable Water-type STAB. Another move Ludicolo can put to good use is Focus Blast. Focus Blast is notable in that it allows Ludicolo to bypass one of its better checks—Ferroseed. Focus Blast also finds use in situations where Ludicolo is without rain and must take out a weakened Cryogonal or Clefable. In terms of item substitutions, Damp Rock is useful on dedicated rain teams where Ludicolo can function as an interesting offensive supporter, although, Ludicolo will miss its Life Orb dearly because it will lose out on the ability to OHKO 0 / 0 Gallade and 156 / 0 Bouffalant with a rain-boosted Hydro Pump. On dedicated rain teams, Uxie and Volbeat work as effective partners. Volbeat can utilize its Prankster ability to set up rain as quickly as possible, and from there, it can use its slow U-turn to get Ludicolo in safely or attempt to pass Ludicolo a nasty Tail Glow boost. Uxie lacks Volbeat's Prankster ability; however, its excellent bulk in comparison means that it will almost always set up Rain Dance against even the most powerful foes (lacking Taunt). Uxie also possess other advantages over Volbeat; the most notable is having the ability to set up entry hazards in the form of Stealth Rock; this makes it difficult for the opponent to continually switch around Ludicolo. In terms of offensive partners, both Qwilfish and Kabutops can team up with Ludicolo to form a vicious Swift Swim core. Kabutops and Qwilfish can take on annoying special walls such as Cryogonal and Clefable; Kabutops benefits the core even further by removing entry hazards with Rapid Spin; Qwilfish makes use of its Poison-type STABs to smash through opposing Grass-types and can take down a troublesome threat such as Ferroseed with the use of Destiny Bond. Seeing as how Ludicolo isn't just limited to dedicated rain teams, there are a few other non-rain-exclusive partners that can be just as effective. The first two partners that work well with Ludicolo are Medicham and Gallade. Medicham and Gallade can use their STABs to easily take out Ludicolo's checks—Roselia and Amoonguss in particular won't enjoy taking a Psycho Cut. Moreover, both Gallade and Medicham can use their Fighting-type STABs to destroy Ferroseed, Clefable, and Cryogonal. While it might seem strange to pair a Fire-type such as Moltres with Ludicolo, Moltres can function surprisingly well under rain due to Hurricane's accuracy being increased to 100%. Moltres works effectively as a partner for many other reasons as well. Moltres can easily OHKO every Grass-type in the tier, use its wallbreaking prowess to soften up Ludicolo's opponents, and lure in defensive Water-types such as Lanturn to give Ludicolo better opportunities to set up.

Despite coming off Ludicolo's lower attacking stat, a physical sweeper set can be potent as well. Taking advantage of the best Attack boosting move in the game (and the only boosting move he learns other than Hone Claws), and Ludicolo's great movepool, this set can be very dangerous. It does need Rain Dance support though, since Ludicolo has no way of setting it up himself without Rain Dance because he requires a moveslot for a Swords Dance. Waterfall is the only decent physical Water-type move Ludicolo learns, so it's a must have. The choice between Seed Bomb and Bullet Seed is up to personal preference. Seed Bomb is a reliable move, but Bullet Seed can break Substitutes that your opponents set up in order to stall out your rain turns. Ice Punch can deal with common Pokemon that resist Ludicolo's STAB moves, but Rain Dance can help continue Ludicolo's sweep. The EV spread is pretty simple: max Speed allows Ludicolo to outspeed the large majority of the UU metagame in the rain and max Attack lets him hit as hard as possible. An Adamant nature seems to be the best option considering Ludicolo's not-so-great Attack stat, but Jolly lets Ludicolo outspeed Choice Scarf base 109 Speed Pokemon. Stealth Rock is a common need for sweepers in order to make their job easier, and Ludicolo is not an exception. Bronzong and Cobalion are solid partners for Ludicolo, as they both have nice synergy with him and can set up those entry hazards Ludicolo loves. Eviolite Dusclops and Ferroseed can work around this set pretty easily. Dusclops, with its amazing Defense stat and the boost from Eviolite, can take Ludicolo's hits with relative ease, and counter with a Will-O-Wisp, which makes Swords Dance Ludicolo completely useless, and recover some health with Pain Split or Rest. Ferroseed resists Ludicolo's dual STAB attacks, is neutral to Ice Punch, and can cripple Ludicolo with Thunder Wave, making his ability useless and making Ludicolo vulnerable to getting revenge killed.

Ludicolo has a great movepool that is backed by a decent base 90 Special Attack. In the rain, his Speed is doubled, thanks to Swift Swim, and Hydro Pump--or Surf, but the power drop is really noticeable--becomes incredibly powerful by effectively gaining another STAB boost, which makes Ludicolo a very fast and powerful sweeper. The other moves are self-explanatory: Giga Drain is used for a second STAB and pseudo-recovery move, and Ice Beam is used because of its fantastic coverage alongside Ludicolo's STABs. Rain Dance is used in the last slot in order to change the weather and renew Swift Swim, but Rain Dance support from Damp Rock Uxie or Azelf is still recommended. The EV spread is very simple: max Speed to let Ludicolo outspeed most of the metagame under rain and max Special Attack to hit as hard as possible. A Modest nature is probably the better choice in order to hit harder, but a Timid nature lets Ludicolo outspeed positive-nature Choice Scarf base 109 Pokemon. This set appreciates entry hazards for breaking potential Focus Sashes and Pokemon with the Sturdy ability, while also assisting Ludicolo in getting more KOs. Donphan is a good partner for Ludicolo; not only do they have nice type synergy, but Donphan also helps by taking the physical hits that Ludicolo is not fond of and providing Rapid Spin support, adding to Ludicolo's survivability. Registeel can also fit the job of laying down Stealth Rock. It and Ludicolo have good synergy together, and Registeel can set up hazards and cripple opponents with status moves such as Toxic and Thunder Wave, making Ludicolo's job easier. Special walls are always Ludicolo's worst nightmare. Registeel and Lanturn can take a hit and cripple Ludicolo with Thunder Wave, but for that to work, another Pokemon has to go down since they both get 2HKOed by Hydro Pump, and Hydro Pump + Giga Drain, respectively. Lanturn can be a good partner for Ludicolo, since she can absorb the opponent's Thunder Wave and, with rain set up, deal a lot of damage with Hydro Pump and Thunder.

One might wonder why Ludicolo would make a better Leech Seed user over Ferrothorn, who has better defensive stats and typing, stronger offenses, and better support options. However, Ludicolo does have a few tricks up its sleeve that Ferrothorn would die for. Firstly, Rain Dish is an excellent ability in Ubers where rain is everywhere thanks to the abundance of Kyogre. With Leech Seed, Rain Dish, and Leftovers, Ludicolo can heal 25% of its HP in a single turn, allowing it to outstall numerous Pokemon such as Choice Kyogre and Palkia. Ludicolo is also never 2HKOed by a full-powered Water Spout from Modest Choice Specs Kyogre, something not even Chansey can boast of. Secondly, Ludicolo's defenses are nothing to laugh at and Grass / Water is an excellent defensive typing, providing an important 2x resist to Ground-type attacks and a crucial 4x resist to Water-type attacks. As this set causes numerous switches, Substitute is very useful for providing Ludicolo with status immunity, as well as the ability to beat Chansey and Blissey. On the other hand, Ice Beam allows Ludicolo to OHKO Rayquaza, Garchomp, and Salamence. Grass Knot helps Ludicolo deal with Groudon and offensive Kyogre, both of whom are 2HKOed, and is usually a reliable offensive option against the likes of Palkia and Mewtwo. Protect allows Ludicolo to get some free HP while inflicting some damage if the opponent has been seeded. The HP EVs are maxed out so that Ludicolo can take a few hits. 216 Special Defense EVs make sure Ludicolo is not 2HKOed by a Modest Choice Specs Kyogre's Thunder factoring in Rain Dish and Leftovers. The rest of the EVs are placed into Defense so that Ludicolo can take random physical attacks such as Earthquake from support Groudon, if needed. Ludicolo can run Toxic over Grass Knot, but that leaves it helpless against Pokemon such as Palkia who are neutral to Ice-type attacks. However, Ludicolo is no Blissey; it still takes a lot of damage from obscenely powerful special attacks such as Draco Meteor from mixed Rayquaza. Physical sweepers such as Rayquaza, Dialga, and Zekrom spell trouble for Ludicolo, because Outrage will easily KO it. Dialga is especially troublesome as it laughs at Grass Knot and Ice Beam. Rayquaza, however, must be particularly wary of switching into Ice Beam, which will OHKO it. Lugia is faster and can Toxic Ludicolo first or set up a Substitute. Ice Beam does piddling damage, which Lugia can easily Roost off and phaze out Ludicolo with Dragon Tail or Whirlwind. Arceus-Grass gets free set up turns unless Ludicolo carries Toxic. Ferrothorn can beat Ludicolo with Power Whip while taking pitiful damage from Ice Beam and being immune to Leech Seed and Toxic. Abomasnow can change the weather to hail and 2HKO with Wood Hammer. Dialga can beat all of these Pokemon using Fire Blast and can Roar out Arceus. As two layers of Toxic Spikes will cripple Ludicolo, Forretress and Tentacruel make good teammates thanks to their ability to both set up Toxic Spikes and remove them. Both also share good synergy with Ludicolo and find a good home on rain teams.

This is Ludicolo's standard offensive set. A Life Orb and rain-boosted STAB Hydro Pump will dent any Pokemon not named Blissey or Chansey. Surf can be used over Hydro Pump if the 80% accuracy gives you the jitters, but Ludicolo will usually want as much power as it can get. Grass Knot is an excellent choice in Ubers thanks to the heavyweights that infest the tier, and will usually be inflicting maximum damage. Ice Beam has great coverage in Ubers and will easily OHKO Rayquaza and Shaymin-S on the switch. Focus Blast is Ludicolo's only option against Ferrothorn, Dialga, and, to a lesser extent, Tyranitar, who all laugh at Ludicolo's other moves. Indeed, Ludicolo's greatest niche over other rain sweepers is its ability to beat Ferrothorn one-on-one. Focus Blast will 2HKO Ferrothorn, and Ludicolo is immune to Leech Seed and resistant to Gyro Ball. This set attains great coverage, resisted only by Shedinja, who is easily taken care of via Stealth Rock. As Ludicolo is not blessed with offensive stats similar to those of Dialga or Palkia, this set is best used as a mid-game revenge killer or a late-game sweeper, who can plow through teams once the walls have been weakened a bit. There is no point investing the EVs anywhere other than Ludicolo's Special Attack and Speed, because Ludicolo is rather frail anyway and would like to have maximum possible Speed and firepower. The choice of nature depends on whether you want Ludicolo to outspeed certain key threats or hit as hard as possible. With Timid, Ludicolo does lose a significant amount of power but gets the ability to outspeed certain threatening sweepers such as Choice Scarf Terrakion, Palkia, and even Adamant Kabutops. As Ludicolo relies heavily on rain for sweeping, Kyogre is absolutely necessary on the team due to its ability, Drizzle. Ludicolo is extremely susceptible to revenge killing by the likes of Rayquaza and Wobbuffet. Rayquaza cancels out the rain Ludicolo loves, can outpace Ludicolo, and OHKO with Draco Meteor or Outrage. Wobbuffet is not OHKOed by any of Ludicolo's moves and can OHKO in return with Mirror Coat. Darkrai and mixed Zekrom can handily beat Wobbuffet. The former is immune to Mirror Coat and can inflict major damage to Wobbuffet with a STAB Dark Pulse, while the latter can fire off powerful Bolt Strikes and Draco Meteors to take out Wobbuffet. Darkrai can also deal with Giratina, who is never 2HKOed by Ice Beam, can phaze out Ludicolo with Dragon Tail, then heal using Rest. Choice Scarf Palkia can outspeed and OHKO Rayquaza at +1 Speed with Spacial Rend. As Ludicolo isn't exactly an offensive powerhouse, entry hazards are useful in softening up walls such as Chansey and Blissey, who laugh at Ludicolo's attacks. Support Dialga, Forretress, and Ferrothorn thrive in the rain teams that Ludicolo calls home and can set up different types of hazards.

This Ludicolo aims to annoy your opponent by Leech Seeding everything while setting up Substitutes. With Leech Seed, Rain Dish, and Leftovers, Ludicolo heals a great amount of HP every turn. Leech Seed is made even better in doubles by the fact that Ludicolo can use it on both of the enemy Pokemon. Icy Wind deals super effective damage to Grass-type Pokemon that are immune to Leech Seed, and slows down threats for Ludicolo's partner as well. However, Substitute allows Ludicolo to stall while healing every turn, which can result in a win with the time limit in effect. Giga Drain enables Ludicolo to recover even more HP, while Protect is crucial in allowing Ludicolo to survive for as long as possible while gaining health every turn. Leftovers allows Ludicolo to heal a consistent 1/16 of its HP every turn, but Sitrus Berry heals 1/4 in one sitting. Rain Dish lets Ludicolo regain more health every turn, but Swift Swim can also be considered in order to make Ludicolo's Substitute go before virtually anything else. If your opponent does not have any way to take care of Ludicolo, such as hitting it with super effective moves, it can easily stall their team out. However, the timer pushes you to essentially a 15 turn clock, meaning you must use Ludicolo well to pull out a victory because of time. Although Ludicolo is generally designed for a rain team, this specific variant can actually be used to counter one as well. It takes advantage of the rain and is able to hit just about everything with Giga Drain, while Leech Seed, Leftovers, and Rain Dish make it almost impossible to KO without a super effective hit. It can also work well with other bulky Pokemon, such as Cresselia, which can hit opposing threats with Icy Wind, making them slower than Ludicolo. Last but not least, Ludicolo also fits perfectly into a rain team, offering a bulkier alternative rather than an offensive set.

This set is fairly straightforward but also incredibly effective. Fake Out allows Ludicolo to put pressure on the opponent and assists its partner. When holding an Absorb Bulb, Fake Out Ludicolo works especially well with a partner that knows Surf, as this immediately boosts Ludicolo's Special Attack. Hydro Pump, Surf, and Scald are all strong offensive options that have different uses. A rain boosted Hydro Pump does a massive amount of damage, OHKOing almost everything that does not resist it. However, if you dislike Hydro Pump's risky accuracy, Scald is a weaker alternative. Surf pairs well with Pokemon such as Toxicroak and Parasect, benefitting your team while dealing large amounts of damage to both of your opponent's Pokemon. Giga Drain is its most reliable Grass-type STAB attack, and also deals massive damage to Rotom-W and Gastrodon. Ice Beam hits Dragon-type Pokemon that otherwise wall Ludicolo for super effective damage. However, Protect may be used to allow Ludicolo to survive as long as possible. Absorb Bulb takes advantage of Ludicolo's resistance to Water-type moves, and gives it the boost it needs to OHKO several common Pokemon such as Zapdos and Metagross. However, Life Orb can also be used as an alternative as it does not need to be set up. The EV spread given lets Ludicolo outspeed Adamant Choice Scarf Terrakion and Jolly Choice Scarf Garchomp in rain. However, an alternative spread of 172 HP / 252 SpA / 84 Spe can be used for more bulk, while maintaining the ability to outspeed all base 130 Pokemon. As this Ludicolo is designed for use on a rain team, it works best alongside other Pokemon that perform well in rain. For example, it partners very well with Politoed; Politoed sets up rain for Ludicolo, and can activate Ludicolo's Absorb Bulb with Surf. Other Pokemon Ludicolo works well with include Toxicroak, Kingdra, and Thundurus. Toxicroak takes care of Tyranitar and Abomasnow, both of whom give Ludicolo trouble when rain is not up. Kingdra can also use Surf to activate Ludicolo's Absorb Bulb and dish out huge amounts of damage with Draco Meteor and Dragon Pulse. Thundurus takes care of Ludicolo's weakness to Flying-types, easily KOing threats such as Tornadus.

While Ludicolo is generally seen as a special sweeper, this set can surprise opponents who switch in their special walls on Ludicolo. With a Swords Dance set up, Ludicolo reaches 524 Attack, which is deadly factoring in rain, which improves Waterfall's damage and Ludicolo's Speed, Life Orb, and great coverage. Swords Dance is the purpose of this set, allowing Ludicolo to boost its pitiful Attack stat to greater levels. Waterfall gives Ludicolo a strong STAB attack in the rain while also having a 20% chance to flinch lethal targets. Seed Bomb uses Ludicolo's secondary STAB to strike down Water-type Pokemon. Ice Punch rounds the set off by hitting Grass-type Pokemon and Altaria. In the last slot, Ice Punch is generally the preferred option for striking down Grass-types and Altaria, but Zen Headbutt can be used for eliminating Toxicroak while still hitting Venusaur. Adamant and max Attack is needed to give Ludicolo's base 70 Attack as much power as possible. The Speed EVs, like those on the special set, are geared to outrunning Timid Choice Scarf Rotom. Lastly, the remaining EVs are dumped into HP for additional bulk. Ludicolo appreciates other Rain Dance sweepers that can wear down the opposing team so Ludicolo can finish off the rest. Kabutops and Qwilfish can pair up with Ludicolo as additional Swords Dance sweepers to further break down the opponent's team. Omastar and Gorebyss can aid Ludicolo by attacking on the special side. Pokemon that can set up Rain Dance are beneficial to Ludicolo's ability to sweep. Uxie, Rotom, and Lanturn can all back up Ludicolo well, with Rotom and Lanturn covering Ludicolo's Flying weakness. Rotom also covers Ludicolo's Bug weakness as a bonus.

This set aims to sweep through teams once Rain Dance is present. As Ludicolo is usually paired with other Rain Dance sweepers, its main role is to remove Water-type Pokemon that may annoy them. In the rain, Surf will be the main source of damage. If Ludicolo needs more power, then Hydro Pump is a great alternative. Energy Ball allows Ludicolo to strike down Water-type Pokemon that resist Ludicolo's Water attacks. Ice Beam hits Grass-type Pokemon and Altaria for super effective damage. Surf, Energy Ball, and Ice Beam grant Ludicolo great coverage, leaving the fourth slot open for a support move. Rain Dance lets Ludicolo set up rain to maintain offensive momentum. Hidden Power Psychic OHKOes Toxicroak, while Focus Punch can be used to hit Clefable and Chansey while they recover. To figure out if you need to use Surf or Hydro Pump on Ludicolo, here are some damage calculations: Surf vs. 236 HP / 156 SpD Careful Registeel: 40.7% - 48.1% Hydro Pump vs. 236 HP / 156 SpD Careful Registeel: 51.1% - 60.2% Surf vs. 80 HP / 0 SpD Impish Hariyama: 86.9% - 100% Hydro Pump vs. 80 HP / 0 SpD Impish Hariyama: 100% Surf vs. 52 HP / 0 SpD Jolly Mesprit: 78.7% - 93% Hydro Pump vs. 52 HP / 0 SpD Jolly Mesprit: 99.4% - 100% Surf vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Bold Uxie: 39% - 46% Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Bold Uxie: 49.2% - 57.9% As seen in the calculations, there are several cases where Hydro Pump's increased Base Power changes 2HKOs into OHKOs. If you're not worried about such Pokemon or have Stealth Rock on your team, then you should use Surf. When using Focus Punch, you should change the nature to Mild and move the HP EVs to Attack. Grass Knot is also an option over Energy Ball for increased damage on Milotic, but Energy Ball is sufficient enough to 2HKO Milotic EVed in Defense. Energy Ball also deals more damage to Lanturn and Azumarill, with a high chance of OHKOing the latter with Stealth Rock damage. The EV spread provides Ludicolo with maximum power and enough Speed to outrun most of the UU metagame. 224 Speed EVs put Ludicolo at 464 Speed in the rain, allowing it to outrun Timid Choice Scarf Rotom by two points. The remaining Speed EVs are placed into HP for additional bulk. You can also move the HP EVs into Speed if you want to at worst Speed tie with other Ludicolo. It should also be noted that Ludicolo can perform on a standard team despite the lack of Rain Dance sweepers present on its side. This may seem odd, but using Rain Dance is essentially using Agility, but with the added bonus of increasing the power of Surf. Pokemon that can survive an attack from Ludicolo and paralyze it, such as Registeel, Clefable, and Lanturn, are a general annoyance. Although Registeel and Lanturn may die the next turn after they use Thunder Wave, Ludicolo will be helpless when the next Pokemon appears. Also, Clefable can stall the rain turns out by using Soft-Boiled repeatedly, waiting for Ludicolo to be fully paralyzed. Rain Dance Lanturn can help against Registeel, absorbing the Thunder Wave and striking back with boosted Surfs or Hydro Pumps. Lum Berry Toxicroak can switch in on Clefable and threaten with Cross Chop. Against Lanturn, Quagsire could be used to absorb Electric-type moves and attack with Earthquake. Dugtrio can be used to trap and eliminate Lanturn, Registeel, and Clefable. Using a Registeel yourself would also be useful since it can Explode on Clefable or Lanturn. Chansey is a big problem for this Ludicolo since it is only 5HKOed (with Leftovers factored in) by Hydro Pump, while it can cripple Ludicolo with either Thunder Wave or Toxic. Again, Lum Berry Toxicroak can be helpful against Chansey by absorbing a Thunder Wave or Toxic and striking back with Cross Chop. Dugtrio can also switch in on a Thunder Wave and strike Chansey down with two Earthquakes.

Leech Seed grants Ludicolo significant recovery in conjunction with Rain Dish and Leftovers while slowly wearing down the foe. Substitute is useful on Ludicolo to shield it from status while it sets up a Leech Seed cycle; because Ludicolo can restore approximately 25% of its health per turn so long as the foe is seeded, it can continue to use Substitute indefinitely until the opponent's Pokemon either faints or switches out. Protect increases Ludicolo's ability to stall and allows it to last longer. It also allows Ludicolo to scout Choice-locked Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Palkia. The last moveslot is dedicated to an attack of your choice. Ice Beam is probably Ludicolo's best option, as it OHKOes Rayquaza after Stealth Rock and always breaks Giratina-O's Substitute. On more offensive teams, Icy Wind can be used over Ice Beam to slow down the opponent's Pokemon to assist its teammates. Surf is a STAB option that has the added benefit of being boosted by rain. It is Ludicolo's only move that can break Ho-Oh's Substitute, and it can also chip away at Pokemon like Taunt Mewtwo, Skarmory, Forretress, and Scizor. Grass Knot is a reliable and strong move that can be used to, at worst, 3HKO all Kyogre variants while also hitting Groudon and Tyranitar hard. However, it has rather poor coverage and is generally inferior to the other moves listed. Try to keep Ludicolo hidden in the early parts of the game, as the element of surprise is critical to getting a free Substitute against a Pokemon such as Kyogre or Choice Scarf Palkia; your opponent is more likely to lock themselves into Water-type moves if they are not aware that you are using a Ludicolo. Ludicolo greatly appreciates Toxic Spikes support, as it allows Ludicolo to wear down the opposing team with passive damage much more quickly. Forretress is a good option as a Toxic Spikes user due to its access to Rapid Spin, which is greatly appreciated because Ludicolo despises Toxic Spikes itself. Kyogre is a mandatory teammate to allow Ludicolo to take advantage of Rain Dish, which dramatically increases Ludicolo's potency as a wall. Surprisingly, Groudon is also a good teammate due to its ability to handle Pokemon that threaten Ludicolo, such as Taunt Heatran and Bulk Up Dialga. Do note that while Ludicolo is not completely useless outside of rain, the sun Groudon provides is obviously a downside to using it as a teammate. Another good partner is Roar Heatran, which can deal with Substitute users such as Ho-Oh and Shaymin-S lacking Ground-type coverage. Heatran also provides excellent defensive synergy with Ludicolo in general due to its immunity to Poison, resistance to Flying, and quadruple resistance to Bug. In return, Ludicolo resists common Water- and Ground-type attacks aimed at Heatran.

Set Details Ludicolo is a powerful rain sweeper, using its solid STAB options to destroy common Pokemon such as Rhyperior and Swampert, while rain-boosted Hydro Pump can blast through non-Water-resistant Pokemon like Metagross. Not only this, but thanks to its movepool, it provides solid supportive options, using Fake Out to allow allies to freely set up the rain or forcing foes to respect the option as well as Protect, allowing for a free turn of positioning or setting up. Ice Beam can be used over Grass Knot as an option to hit Dragon-types like Latios, Garchomp, and Salamence. Icy Wind allows Ludicolo to take advantage of the boosted Speed from Swift Swim, providing speed control outside of rain. Fake Out is another good option, especially when used next to a Rain Dance partner such as Kingdra to allow for easy rain setup. Alternatively, Leech Seed is useful to win against bulkier threats like Cresselia and Bronzong or Water-resistant Pokemon like Gyarados. Lum Berry prevents Ludicolo from being statused by Thunder Wave, Hypnosis, and Dark Void from Zapdos, Bronzong, and Smeargle, respectively. Life Orb can be used on offensive teams to apply even more pressure, though it leaves Ludicolo more prone to paralysis and sleep. Leftovers can be given to Ludicolo in conjunction with Leech Seed, though it generally prefers to play more offensively. 252 Speed EVs allow Ludicolo to, when in rain, outspeed most Choice Scarf Latios. Teambuilding Thanks to Ludicolo's typing, it tanks hits from Metagross and, when in rain, can retaliate with a 2HKO from Hydro Pump. Hydro Pump also nukes Ground- and Fire-types, namely Rhyperior and Heatran, which Steel-type allies like Metagross greatly appreciate. In return, Metagross can deal with Latios and other Dragon-types, as well as miscellaneous threats like Abomasnow and Snorlax. Ludicolo struggles to hit Dragon-types like Latios. They can retaliate with powerful Draco Meteors and Dragon Claws, which Ludicolo has minimal survivability against, considering its frailty. Snorlax, with its good special bulk, can easily tank an attack from Ludicolo and retaliate with big damage. Abomasnow can readily switch in on any of Ludicolo's attacks, shutting down the rain and thus slowing it down, leaving it far more vulnerable to Pokemon such as Zapdos. Ludicolo is a great rain partner for Kingdra, as it can use Fake Out to allow it to set up rain worry-free. When in rain, Kingdra can help take on Dragon-types that Ludicolo struggles to handle. Zapdos is another good partner for Ludicolo, taking on the Water- and Flying-types that resist Hydro Pump and Grass Knot, respectively; Zapdos hits Pokemon like Suicune, Gyarados, and Togekiss. Allies like Snorlax and Metagross beat the Dragon-types that Ludicolo struggles to hit, tanking their Draco Meteors and retaliating with big damage. Metagross in particular beats down Abomasnow and can attack Snorlax's weaker Defense effectively. Ludicolo is commonly seen on Surf spam teams next to Pokemon that can absorb and heal from Surf, like Vaporeon, Lapras, and Toxicroak, or that greatly resist it, namely Kingdra. Ludicolo, on these teams, can set up rain, use Fake Out to allow partners to attack or set up rain undisrupted, utilize Surf, and take ally Surfs with relative ease thanks to its typing.