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
- Waterfall
- Return
- Dragon Dance
- Draco Meteor / Substitute
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. Return offers some good type coverage along with Waterfall and it's Kingdra's only other useful Physical move. The last move is a filler obviously. Draco Meteor prevents Salamence from beating you after activating its Intimidate and Substitute stops status- inducing moves like Thunder Wave that threaten to cripple Kingdra.
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 addition to it though was Waterfall. We all wondered why Game Freak gave Dragon Dance to this Pokémon some years ago and Waterfall is 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 at 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 at 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 at 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 at 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 at 05:15:53 pm
well kingdra is kinda cool but is it he or she? ______________
duncan66556 @ 28/01/2008 at 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 at 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 at 05:25:39 pm
hi kingdra
ExplorerAce @ 28/07/2008 at 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 at 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 at 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.
Patience @ 22/01/2008 at 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!
'-'