Competitive players often build Pokémon teams around rain, much like they do around harsh sunlight. Although Damp Rock is unavailable in Pokémon Champions, rain remains the primary way to boost your Water-type Pokémon.
1. What is Rain Dance
Rain Dance is a unique move that summons a downpour to the battlefield for five turns, though other weather conditions will overwrite it. Just like Sunny Day, the rain benefits several non-Water-type moves. Both Drizzle Pokémon immediately summon the rain when they’re sent out.
Mega Gyarados basks in the rainwater in Pokémon Champions.
Rain applies numerous effects to all Pokémon on the battlefield.
- Increases Water-type damage by 50%
- Halves Fire-type damage
- Thunder and Hurricane never miss (except through Protect or semi-invulnerable moves)
- Allows Electro Shot to be used instantly
- Changes Weather Ball’s Type to Water and boosts its base Power to 100 (it becomes 150 from the Water-type damage buff)
- Synthesis, Morning Sun, and Moonlight restore one quarter of their users’ maximum HP instead of half
- Halves Solar Beam and Solar Blade’s damage
2. Use Drizzle To Summon Rain
There are only two Pokémon that have the Drizzle Ability: Pelipper and Politoed. Any competitive Rain team will use one without exception. Use Pelipper for Tailwind support, Politoed for a sturdier special tank, and Rain Dance only if you need a second rain setter without doubling up on Drizzle.
Rotom-Heat’s Overheat is weaker in the rain.
Best Pelipper Builds
Pelipper is part Flying-type, meaning it has a 4x weakness to Electric-type attacks. Its weakness to Stealth Rock is also exploitable, so having a Ground-type switch-in is a must. Pelipper’s build largely depends on the battle format.
- Stats: 60 HP / 50 Atk / 100 Def / 95 Sp. Atk / 70 Sp. Def / 65 Spe
- Types: Water / Flying
Pelipper is sent out in Pokémon Champions.
Drizzle Pivot for Singles
Pelipper is too slow to sweep, so it’s best to use it as a slow U-turn pivot.
- SP Allocation: 32 HP, 32 Def, 2 Sp. Def
- Nature: Relaxed
- Held Item: Wacan Berry
- Moves: Weather Ball, Hurricane, Roost, U-turn
- Strategy: Use Weather Ball and Hurricane to make the most of Pelipper’s rain-boosted offense. Use Roost to wipe off damage when necessary, keeping in mind that Pelipper is slow. Use U-turn if you need to switch to prevent the teammate from getting hit.
Tailwind Drizzle for Doubles
With a Focus Sash, Pelipper is all but guaranteed to set up a game-winning Tailwind.
- SP Allocation: 32 Sp. Atk, 32 Spe, 2 HP
- Nature: Timid
- Held Item: Focus Sash
- Moves: Muddy Water, Hurricane, Tailwind, Protect
- Strategy: Pelipper’s purpose is to set up Tailwind, so use Protect to thwart any expected Fake Out. After using Tailwind on Turn 2, switch out or use Muddy Water to hit both opponents with a 30% chance of an Accuracy drop. Hurricane is Pelipper’s strongest attack, so use it to finish off opponents.
Best Politoed Builds
Politoed mainly uses Drizzle, and it can also run a risky Perish Trap build with Hypnosis and Whirlpool. The Accuracy of those moves is too unreliable. No matter which build it runs, Politoed is sturdy enough to take a hit or two.
- Stats: 90 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 90 Sp. Atk / 100 Sp. Def / 70 Spe
- Type: Water
Politoed summons a downpour in Pokémon Champions.
Special Tank Drizzle for Singles
This build makes the most of Politoed’s strengths, letting it switch in against any special attacker.
- SP Allocation: 32 HP, 32 Sp. Def, 2 Def
- Nature: Calm
- Held Item: Mystic Water
- Moves: Weather Ball, Hypnosis, Encore, Haze
- Strategy: Bring Politoed in against special attackers it can safely wall, then attack with boosted Weather Ball. Use Hypnosis only if you anticipate a switch-in that resists Water-type attacks. Use Encore and Haze to shut down sweeping attempts with Nasty Plot or Calm Mind.
Support Drizzle for Doubles
This build should only be used over Pelipper if your team is too vulnerable to Electric-type attacks, or if you need sleep support.
- SP Allocation: 32 HP, 32 Def, 2 Sp. Def
- Nature: Bold
- Held Item: Leftovers
- Moves: Muddy Water, Encore, Helping Hand, Protect
- Strategy: Muddy Water is Politoed’s only attack, so use it when you need to hit both opponents. Use Encore to trap a defensive Pokémon on a move. Use Helping Hand if Politoed’s partner hits harder than its own Muddy Water can.
3. All Rain-Boosted Abilities
Five Abilities in Champions require rain to be effective. Many Pokémon with one such Ability aren’t Water-types. This makes it much easier for a Rain team to have Type diversity than a Sun team.
Despite not being a Water-type, Heliolisk is healed by Water-type attacks and rain due to its Dry Skin Ability.
Each Ability applies a different effect while the Pokémon is in the rain.
| Ability | Effect | Compatible Pokémon |
|---|---|---|
| Dry Skin | Water-type moves inflict no damage and restore 1/4 of the Pokémon’s maximum HP. 1/8 of its maximum HP is restored at the end of every turn. | Heliolisk, Toxicroak |
| Forecast | The Pokémon’s Type becomes Water. | Castform |
| Hydration | Cures the Pokémon’s status conditions at the end of every turn. | Goodra, Vaporeon |
| Rain Dish | 1/16 of the Pokémon’s maximum HP is restored at the end of every turn. | Blastoise, Pelipper |
| Swift Swim | Doubles the Pokémon’s Speed stat. | Basculegion (both genders), Beartic |
Swift Swim Speed Tiers
While Champions has several Chlorophyll users for Sun teams, only two Swift Swim users are available: Basculegion and Beartic. Their base Speed is low, but they still outspeed all Mega Evolutions in the rain with proper SP Allocation. Beartic also appreciates having its Fire-type weakness nullified.
Pelipper summons a downpour in Pokémon Champions, so that Basculegion has doubled Speed.
These numbers represent the minimum and maximum Speed of each Pokémon while Swift Swim is in effect, with and without a 10% boost from its Nature. Both Basculegion genders have the same base Speed.
| Pokémon | Nature+ | Normal |
|---|---|---|
| Basculegion | 214 – 286 | 196 – 260 |
| Beartic | 154 – 224 | 140 – 204 |
4. Best Teammates for Rain Teams
Compared to other weather teams, a Rain team’s greatest strength is diversity. Many options are available, some of which don’t actually depend on rain to function. It’s also much easier to cover a Water-type’s only two weaknesses.
Meganium’s Mega Evolution has the Mega Sol Ability, allowing it to utilize Sun-boosted moves even when it rains.
These Pokémon are highly splashable in any team, but also receive some benefit from rain.
| Teammate Options | Reasons |
|---|---|
| Mega Meganium | Resists both Water-type weaknesses, Mega Sol ensures its moves function perfectly in rain, weakness to Fire-type attacks nullified by rain |
| Archaludon | Resists both Water-type weaknesses, Electro Shot doesn’t need to charge in rain, resists rain-boosted Water-type attacks |
| Scizor | Extreme weakness to Fire-type attacks lessened by rain, resists both Water-type weaknesses |
| Mega Dragonite | Hurricane never misses in rain, Thunder takes out other Water-type Pokémon, resists rain-boosted Water-type attacks. |
| Mega Ampharos | Resists both Water-type weaknesses, Thunder never misses in rain, resists rain-boosted Water-type attacks |
