Pokemon of the Week DP: Kingdra
Sets
Rain Dancer
- Item Held
- Life Orb
- Ability
- Swift Swim
- Nature
- Modest (+Special Attack, -Attack)
- Effort Points
- 252 Special Attack - 240 HP - 18 Speed
- Surf
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power Electric / Ice Beam
- Rain Dance
The lack of a good STABed move other than Surf hurt Kingdra in Advance and reduced its use a lot. Now, with D/P bringing Dragon Pulse, the sea dragon is able to hit a quite good amount of opponents. After Rain Dancing, your Speed reaches 420 allowing you to sweep easily. Since the rain boosts your Water-type moves, Surf will be your main attack, with Dragon Pulse hitting those who resist it. Hidden Power Electric covers Empoleon who resists both Kingdra's STABed moves. Ice Beam isn't that useful, it's only suggested for those who can't get the Hidden Power of their choice.
Dragon Dancer
- Item Held
- Life Orb / Scope Lens
- Ability
- Sniper
- Nature
- Adamant (+Attack, -Special Attack)
- Effort Points
- 252 Attack - 252 Speed - 6 HP
Physical Kingdra is quite a surprise as anybody expects a Rain Dancing one. After pulling of a Dragon Dance or two, Waterfall will be able to destroy whole teams caught without a wall. Also, the Speed boosts Kingdra gets helps it get some lucky hits that flinch the opponent. And here comes help from Platinum. Kingdra got a move it really needed, a second physical STAB in the form of one of the most powerful Dragon-type moves, Outrage. This thing is gonna hurt like hell after some boosts, just imagine the power it could get by a lucky critical hit. Iron Head or Return are more of a filler as they're Kingdra's only other useful Physical moves. Return has higher base power while Iron Head has some good chance of making the foe flinch (higher than Waterfall).
Choice Specs Dragon
- Item Held
- Choice Specs
- Ability
- Sniper
- Nature
- Modest (+Special Attack, -Attack)
- Effort Points
- 252 Special Attack - 252 Speed - 6 HP
- Hydro Pump
- Draco Meteor
- Hidden Power Electric / Ice Beam
- Dragon Pulse
Much like SpecsMence, but with a major difference in the form of Sniper. A critical hit by Draco Meteor will KO even some Pokémon considered to be counters. Hydro Pump is prefered to Surf because of its better base power here and also because you won't need more than 8 PP in a Choice set. Hidden Power Electric is for Empoleon again, Ice Beam won't do anything more than Draco Meteor will. Dragon Pulse for late-game beating.
Other Possible Options
Kingdra's movepool is quite limited, you have already realised that after seeing the suggested movesets. Flail and Signal Beam are two of its moves that could get a mention but they won't hit anything. Yawn is a good move for pseudo-hazing. Focus Energy, along with Scope Lens and Sniper, could grant you some lucky (and powerful) critical hits. Finally, a mixed set with Rain Dance and Waterfall is a quite viable option for luring Blissey out and KOing her.
Counters
Pokémon with a high Special Defense stat and resistance to Water are the most common Kingdra counters. Empleon and Milotic are quite good at this as even Hidden Power Electric won't OHKO (unless it's a critical hit, powered up by Sniper of course). Calm Mind - Rest Suicune is a great counter but it won't do much back. Fast, Dragon-type moves are sufficient, Kingdra's Defenses aren't that good. Repeated strong hits will knock it out as well, Kingdra doesn't have a way of recovering.
Opinion & Notes
Kingdra certainly got some new stuff to toy with but still, they aren't enough to make the sea dragon stand out. While Dragon Pulse and Draco Meteor seem to be really helpful, they make Kingdra have to worry about some more Dragon-type moves. The best additions to it though were Waterfall as well as Outrage. We all wondered why Game Freak gave Dragon Dance to this Pokémon some years ago and these two moves are the answer. Well, when used with skill and correct prediction, Kingdra has the ability to wreak some havoc. Of course, if lady Luck is by your side, Sniper-boosted critical hits can put down some really dangerous OverUsed Pokémon.
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Ninjomewtwo @ 22/01/2008, 03:10:11 pm
About the havoc part, you are right, I'm gonna fix it. :P
Anbout Return, the combination of Water-Normal in the same moveset hits most Pokémon for at least neutral damage. The only Pokémon out there that resist/are immune to both Water and Normal are Dialga, Giratina, Empoleon and Shedinja. And Kingdra isn't going to compete against Dialga or Giratina anyway… Maybe I should have clarified that in the guide. Anyway, thanks for pointing these things out!
KingDedede @ 23/01/2008, 09:06:59 pm
Hmm… I typed a huge comment, and I accidentally clicked something on my screen, loading a new page and losing it all. When I type and send it again, it doesn't appear. And, Kingdra will be competing with Dialga and Giratina, for those that battle live via PBR.
Havoc @ 26/01/2008, 08:13:36 pm
For the first set, you could adjust the EVs for Kingdra to hit 233 Speed, enough to outspeed Scarfed Adamant Garchomp if swift swim is operating under the Rain Dance. Its also enough to outspeed DDMence and DDNite on Adamant Natures, who are common with Yache Berries (although some smart people won't Dragon Dance on their first move, but some others will, thinking they can outrun Kingdra after the DD).
Ninjomewtwo @ 27/01/2008, 09:52:52 am
Who's gonna send in a Salamence/Garchomp/Dragonite on a Pokémon with a STABed Dragon move? Yache berry may save them from an Ice Beam but Kingdra will be sweeping with Dragon Pulse more often. I'll do some damage calcs first but I don't think 233 Speed is needed.
duncan66556 @ 28/01/2008, 05:15:53 pm
well kingdra is kinda cool but is it he or she? ______________
duncan66556 @ 28/01/2008, 05:21:10 pm
what hapend to the good pokemon like mewt wo deoxes and all the ather good pokemon like man come on are you kidden me wheres mew,deoxes,rayquaza,and groudon like come on u have to put 1 of them on like man!
Ninjomewtwo @ 28/01/2008, 05:26:01 pm
Man, if you only consider these Pokémon to be like cool, man, then you know like nothing, man, about Pokémon, man. Also, like man, come on, Groudon is up, man, go and read it, man.
Sorry for being offensive and ironic, I couldn't resist.
kingdra @ 21/05/2008, 05:25:39 pm
hi kingdra
ExplorerAce @ 28/07/2008, 04:23:15 pm
One problem with the rain dancer set is that if an Abomasnow come in, it will change the weather to hail, then hit it with a STABed Wood Hammer or STABed Blizzard.
Also, Agility is not mentioned in the guide. it has the same effect as Rain Dance, except for boosting Water type moves.
y @ 11/08/2008, 09:39:23 pm
Agility vs. Rain Dance.
Agility is permanent but RD offers more power, which Kingdra desperately needs.
Isn't Snow BL?
ExplorerAce @ 30/08/2008, 05:22:10 pm
Yeah, for the most part, Abomasnow is a BL pokemon. But there is nothing wrong with bringing him up to the OU environment.
niggertits @ 10/11/2008, 09:35:12 pm
Isn't it redundant for the choice specs kingdra to have two dragon attacks? I think there could be another move placed their, something that has a high critical hit ratio or something. Not like their is any that I can think of; just a suggestion.
Dragon Trainer Red @ 20/06/2009, 05:10:29 am
if you think about it that way, it does seem redundant. But it also can be necessary where draco meteor won't do much. nice movesets btw. I love this Pokemon a bunch!
Mine has…
Modest
Dragon Pulse
Surf
Rain Dance
Ice Beam0.
Patience @ 22/01/2008, 12:09:33 am
Nice article! I've got a question, though:
-In the "Dragon Dancer" set, why does it say in the explanation that "Return offers some good type coverage"? I mean, it's a Normal-type move, so I don't understand that.
And one more thing:
-In the Opinions and Notes section, "Kingdra has the ability to wreck some havoc" is written. I think it should be "Kingdra has the ability to wreak some havoc".
That's all I wanted to say. Overall a wonderful article! Thanks a lot, guys!
'-'