[OVERVIEW]
Pelipper is one of the premier rain setters in the Doubles OverUsed metagame with its ability Drizzle. However, Pelipper faces stiff competition from the other common rain setter, Politoed. While Politoed is bulkier and has more supportive options, Pelipper is more offensive. Hurricane and Hydro Pump give Pelipper excellent STAB coverage that allows it to keep momentum while also breaking foes, especially Grass-types. Pelipper offers useful additional support with its access to Tailwind, which can benefit Pelipper's offensive partners, and its low Speed gives it the potential to act as a slow pivot into teammates that can take advantage of rain or frailer Pokemon that do not wish to take any more damage than they have to. However, a critical Electric weakness means almost any Electric-type attack will knock Pelipper out. This, combined with less overall bulk, makes it a frailer rain setter than Politoed.
[SET]
name: Rain Setter
move 1: Hurricane
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Tailwind
move 4: Protect / U-turn / Wide Guard
item: Damp Rock
ability: Drizzle
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hurricane is a powerful STAB move that will never miss in rain, which can help Pelipper check Grass-type Pokemon that are annoying to rain teams, such as Amoonguss and Tapu Bulu. Hydro Pump, when boosted by rain, is significantly more powerful than Hurricane, so it is the better option for hitting foes hard in general. U-turn can help gain momentum, as Pelipper can pivot into a Pokemon that will do the most work depending on the situation. Tailwind provides speed control for Pelipper and its allies. Protect can keep Pelipper safe from attacks while an ally attacks or can help stall out Trick Room or opposing Tailwind. Be careful that you are not stalling out your own rain, however. Wide Guard can protect itself and its allies from moves that would hit multiple team members.
Set Details
========
Drizzle is an ability that provides eight turns of rain when used with Damp Rock, enabling Swift Swim users like Mega Swampert and Kingdra to sweep. Maximum Speed EVs are used to outrun Deoxys-A and Mega Aerodactyl under Tailwind. Focus Sash can be used to prevent Pelipper from being OHKOed by strong attacks, particularly Electric-type moves.
Usage Tips
========
As long as your team has rain sweepers healthy, Pelipper should be preserved to ensure rain stays up so they can maintain a fast, strong offensive presence. If an opponent has their own weather setter, make sure to keep Pelipper as healthy as possible in order to win the weather war. Pelipper can also be used as a slow pivot thanks to its access to U-turn, giving it momentum that can be a crucial edge over an opponent. Pokemon that run Electric-type coverage moves should always be feared when using Pelipper, as almost all of these can OHKO Pelipper, potentially your team's only rain setter. Tailwind needs to be used appropriately to help keep pace with other members of your team. Pelipper is a great switch-in for other weather conditions like sun and sand and is a particularly good switch-in for Mega Charizard Y, which is a pain for rain teams. Switches should happen before opposing setters Mega Evolve, as otherwise the turn will end up with sand, sun, or hail up against Mega Tyranitar, Mega Charizard Y, and Mega Abomasnow. Pelipper can be sacrificed late-game to set rain and take back momentum by capitalizing on the free turn.
Team Options
========
Swift Swim users such as Mega Swampert and Kingdra can be used to gain doubled Speed during rain, allowing them to outrun the entire unboosted metagame and turn them into major threats with their rain-boosted STAB attacks. Mega Swampert also has great synergy with Pelipper due to its Electric immunity and Pelipper's immunity to Earthquake. They also appreciate the removal of Grass-types through Pelipper's Hurricane. Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu can help break through bulky Water-types which rain teams can struggle with. Bulky Steel-types such as Metagross and Aegislash can benefit from rain halving their Fire weakness. Since teams with Pelipper tend to be more offensive, Pokemon that offer offensive pressure, most notably Deoxys-A, and Tapu Lele, along with the aforementioned rain sweepers, work well together. Landorus-T can be a good teammate to help deal with annoyances to rain, such as Tyranitar, Zapdos, Ferrothorn, and Kyurem-B. Pelipper appreciates a teammate that can deal with other weather, like Grass-types for opposing rain and sand or Rock-types for sand and hail. Pokemon that can threaten Mega Charizard Y and Amoonguss, such as Kyurem-B and Tapu Koko, can help deal with common checks to rain teams.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ice Beam can be run as coverage to beat Pokemon that are weak to it like Landorus-T, Salamence, and Zygarde. A bulkier spread can be used; however, it is generally outclassed by Politoed. Rain Dance can be useful for when opposing Pokemon attempt to neutralize Pelipper's weather. Choice Specs can be an option that gives Pelipper an even stronger offensive presence on a rain team. Knock Off can be run as a utility move to remove a foe's item. Holding an Eject Button can give Pelipper a great opportunity to switch in, take a hit, and immediately switch into something that can capitalize on the rain without giving the opponent a free turn or opportunity to double switch out.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Pelipper is 4x weak to Electric-type moves, and common foes such as Zapdos and Tapu Koko can dispose of Pelipper with relative ease.
**Other Weather**: Other weather, such as hail set by Alolan Ninetales, sand set by Tyranitar, and sun from Mega Charizard Y can cancel out Pelipper's Drizzle and possibly render your rain sweepers to near uselessness.
**Trick Room**: Trick Room can ruin rain teams, which rely on the ability Swift Swim to double teammates' Speed in rain. Without their Speed, they lose their ability to pressure opposing Pokemon and threaten KOs.
**Water-types**: Bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini can cause difficulty for rain teams, as they often have difficulty breaking them.
**Kyurem-B**: Kyurem-B, particularly the Assault Vest set, easily shrugs off Pelipper's attacks and just uses Fusion Bolt.[/hide][/QUOTE]
Pelipper is one of the premier rain setters in the Doubles OverUsed metagame with its ability Drizzle. However, Pelipper faces stiff competition from the other common rain setter, Politoed. While Politoed is bulkier and has more supportive options, Pelipper is more offensive. Hurricane and Hydro Pump give Pelipper excellent STAB coverage that allows it to keep momentum while also breaking foes, especially Grass-types. Pelipper offers useful additional support with its access to Tailwind, which can benefit Pelipper's offensive partners, and its low Speed gives it the potential to act as a slow pivot into teammates that can take advantage of rain or frailer Pokemon that do not wish to take any more damage than they have to. However, a critical Electric weakness means almost any Electric-type attack will knock Pelipper out. This, combined with less overall bulk, makes it a frailer rain setter than Politoed.
[SET]
name: Rain Setter
move 1: Hurricane
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Tailwind
move 4: Protect / U-turn / Wide Guard
item: Damp Rock
ability: Drizzle
nature: Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Hurricane is a powerful STAB move that will never miss in rain, which can help Pelipper check Grass-type Pokemon that are annoying to rain teams, such as Amoonguss and Tapu Bulu. Hydro Pump, when boosted by rain, is significantly more powerful than Hurricane, so it is the better option for hitting foes hard in general. U-turn can help gain momentum, as Pelipper can pivot into a Pokemon that will do the most work depending on the situation. Tailwind provides speed control for Pelipper and its allies. Protect can keep Pelipper safe from attacks while an ally attacks or can help stall out Trick Room or opposing Tailwind. Be careful that you are not stalling out your own rain, however. Wide Guard can protect itself and its allies from moves that would hit multiple team members.
Set Details
========
Drizzle is an ability that provides eight turns of rain when used with Damp Rock, enabling Swift Swim users like Mega Swampert and Kingdra to sweep. Maximum Speed EVs are used to outrun Deoxys-A and Mega Aerodactyl under Tailwind. Focus Sash can be used to prevent Pelipper from being OHKOed by strong attacks, particularly Electric-type moves.
Usage Tips
========
As long as your team has rain sweepers healthy, Pelipper should be preserved to ensure rain stays up so they can maintain a fast, strong offensive presence. If an opponent has their own weather setter, make sure to keep Pelipper as healthy as possible in order to win the weather war. Pelipper can also be used as a slow pivot thanks to its access to U-turn, giving it momentum that can be a crucial edge over an opponent. Pokemon that run Electric-type coverage moves should always be feared when using Pelipper, as almost all of these can OHKO Pelipper, potentially your team's only rain setter. Tailwind needs to be used appropriately to help keep pace with other members of your team. Pelipper is a great switch-in for other weather conditions like sun and sand and is a particularly good switch-in for Mega Charizard Y, which is a pain for rain teams. Switches should happen before opposing setters Mega Evolve, as otherwise the turn will end up with sand, sun, or hail up against Mega Tyranitar, Mega Charizard Y, and Mega Abomasnow. Pelipper can be sacrificed late-game to set rain and take back momentum by capitalizing on the free turn.
Team Options
========
Swift Swim users such as Mega Swampert and Kingdra can be used to gain doubled Speed during rain, allowing them to outrun the entire unboosted metagame and turn them into major threats with their rain-boosted STAB attacks. Mega Swampert also has great synergy with Pelipper due to its Electric immunity and Pelipper's immunity to Earthquake. They also appreciate the removal of Grass-types through Pelipper's Hurricane. Grass-types such as Tapu Bulu can help break through bulky Water-types which rain teams can struggle with. Bulky Steel-types such as Metagross and Aegislash can benefit from rain halving their Fire weakness. Since teams with Pelipper tend to be more offensive, Pokemon that offer offensive pressure, most notably Deoxys-A, and Tapu Lele, along with the aforementioned rain sweepers, work well together. Landorus-T can be a good teammate to help deal with annoyances to rain, such as Tyranitar, Zapdos, Ferrothorn, and Kyurem-B. Pelipper appreciates a teammate that can deal with other weather, like Grass-types for opposing rain and sand or Rock-types for sand and hail. Pokemon that can threaten Mega Charizard Y and Amoonguss, such as Kyurem-B and Tapu Koko, can help deal with common checks to rain teams.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ice Beam can be run as coverage to beat Pokemon that are weak to it like Landorus-T, Salamence, and Zygarde. A bulkier spread can be used; however, it is generally outclassed by Politoed. Rain Dance can be useful for when opposing Pokemon attempt to neutralize Pelipper's weather. Choice Specs can be an option that gives Pelipper an even stronger offensive presence on a rain team. Knock Off can be run as a utility move to remove a foe's item. Holding an Eject Button can give Pelipper a great opportunity to switch in, take a hit, and immediately switch into something that can capitalize on the rain without giving the opponent a free turn or opportunity to double switch out.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Electric-types**: Pelipper is 4x weak to Electric-type moves, and common foes such as Zapdos and Tapu Koko can dispose of Pelipper with relative ease.
**Other Weather**: Other weather, such as hail set by Alolan Ninetales, sand set by Tyranitar, and sun from Mega Charizard Y can cancel out Pelipper's Drizzle and possibly render your rain sweepers to near uselessness.
**Trick Room**: Trick Room can ruin rain teams, which rely on the ability Swift Swim to double teammates' Speed in rain. Without their Speed, they lose their ability to pressure opposing Pokemon and threaten KOs.
**Water-types**: Bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini can cause difficulty for rain teams, as they often have difficulty breaking them.
**Kyurem-B**: Kyurem-B, particularly the Assault Vest set, easily shrugs off Pelipper's attacks and just uses Fusion Bolt.[/hide][/QUOTE]
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