Ludicolo - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

This is a strategy guide for using Ludicolo in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, and Held Items, as well as Ludicolo's strengths and weaknesses in Ranked Battles.

Basic Information for Ludicolo

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Ludicolo
Abilities
Rain Dish	The Pokemon gradually regains HP in rain.
Swift Swim	Boosts the Pokemon's Speed in rain.
Own Tempo (Hidden)	Prevents the Pokemon from becoming confused.

Ludicolo Weaknesses and Resistances

	Type
Takes 4x damage	-
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage
Takes 0x damage	-

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

Best Nature for Ludicolo

Singles Moveset for Ludicolo

Rain Special Attacking Sweeper

This Special Attacking build for Ludicolo is designed to be a deadly sweeper or backup revenge killer. When used correctly, Ludicolo should have no issues dealing with 3-4 consecutive threats.

About Ludicolo's Moves

Hydro Pump is Ludicolo's main attacking option. Thanks to the Rain and STAB, Hydro Pump becomes even deadlier when used by Ludicolo. This is of course on top of its already high base attack.

Giga Drain is your secondary STAB-move, as well as your utility as it provides healing. This move is especially useful when you are stuck in a battle of attrition against stall teams.

Ice Beam is your coverage against popular Flying-type threats. Landorus-T and Dragonite are 4x weak to Ice Beam which allows you to deal with them before they start setting up.

Fake Out allows you to hinder your opponent's turn one play on top of dealing chip damage.

About Ludicolo's EV Spread

252 EVs on both Special Attack and Speed makes it so that Ludicolo hits hard and fast. Due to its lacklaster defenses, it's important that Ludicolo can easily deal with threats.

About Ludicolo's Ability

Swift Swim is one of the reasons this build works well. This ability gives Ludicolo immense speed and unlocks its potential as a sweeper.

About Ludicolo's Held Item

Life Orb gives Ludicolo an extra boost in terms of fire power. This helps it deal with a handful of threats it normally can't stand up to.

Other Viable Moves

Ludicolo SubSeed Stall

This build capitalizes on the fact that Ludicolo has access to both Rain Dish and Leech Seed. Like a traditional Stall build, you want to make sure Ludicolo can set-up Leech Seed before playing it as safe as you can.

About Ludicolo's Moves

Substitute allows you to set-up Ludicolo's Leech Seed. More often than not, this is the first move you want Ludicolo using. Though you need to be wary of moves like Dual Wingbeat from a boosted Dragonite as it can bust through Substitute whilst dealing supereffective damage.

Leech Seed is your main stall option. This moves gives Ludicolo passive healing on top chipping away at your target's health.

Scald will be your only direct damage move. This provides you damage as well as utility as it has a chance to burn your foe.

Lastly, Protect is a valuable move as it prevents damage from non-Max moves. This also gives you an additional turn to heal up.

About Ludicolo's EV Spread

We will allocate the EVs to Ludicolo's defensive stats. This gives it the bulk it needs to survive otherwise lethal damage.

About Ludicolo's Ability

Rain Dish provides healing under the rain. This gives Ludicolo a third healing option on top of Leech Seed and Leftovers.

About Ludicolo's Held Item

Leftovers works well with this Ludicolo build as it can help heal the damage taken from Substitute. This is of course on top of the healing Rain Dish and Leech Seed generates.

Other Viable Moves

Doubles Moveset for Ludicolo

Rain Team Ace

This Ludicolo build revolves around the versatility it offers especially under the rain. It's role in-battle depends on the situation presented as well as your opponent's team composition. This can either be a fast physical sweeper or a support Pokemon capable of providing offense.

About Ludicolo's Moves

Fake Out is a staple in Doubles as it provides utility and support. This move allows you to delay your opponent's opening tactic as it causes the target to flinch.

Icy Wind gives Ludicolo some form of speed control. Speed control is a must especially in a meta with numerous Pokemon that can potentially OHKO yours.

Muddy Water is one of Ludicolo's STAB move. This move is perfect in Doubles as it has a high base power, hits both opponents, and has 30% chance to lower your opponent's accuracy. Do note that Muddy Water, similar to other multi-target moves, has its base power lowered in Doubles.

Energy Ball is your other STAB move as well as your strongest one in terms of base power. This move boasts an incredible base 90 power and provides utility with its 10% chance to lower the target's Sp. Def.

About Ludicolo's EV Spread

252 EVs on both Special Attack and Speed makes it so that Ludicolo hits hard and fast. Due to its lacklaster defenses, it's important that Ludicolo can easily deal with threats.

About Ludicolo's Ability

Swift Swim is one of the reasons this build works well. This ability gives Ludicolo immense speed and unlocks its potential as a sweeper.

About Ludicolo's Held Item

Life Orb gives Ludicolo an extra boost in terms of fire power. This helps it deal with a handful of threats it normally can't stand up to.

Other Viable Moves

How to Use Ludicolo Effectively

Ludicolo is one of the most versatile Pokemon in the game as you can build it a handful of ways. However, at its core, Ludicolo is an offensive threat especially under the rain. Ludicolo's type combination gives you leeway as far as defense goes, but you should still pick your spots carefully as still has fragile defense stats. When piloted correctly, Ludicolo is capable of sweeping and revenge killing any team it matches up against.

How to Build a Team with Ludicolo

Rain Team Sweeper

Weather Setter	Special Attacking Sweeper	Defensive Support
Kyogre	Ludicolo	Grimmsnarl

Due to its Abilities, Ludicolo has always found a home in Rain teams as a Special Attacking Sweeper, Revenge Killer, or even as a Support Pokemon. Ludicolo appreciates weather setters such as Kyogre or Politoed as it saves him the trouble of running Rain Dance. Additionally, its aforementioned defenses enjoy the boost provided by screen setters such as Grimmsnarl. Do note that the way a Rain team is constructed vastly differs depending on how you plan to build and use Ludicolo.

How to Build a Weather Team

Counters for Ludicolo

Weakness

Wall Ludicolo with a Flying-type

Generally, Ludicolo deals little to no damage against certain Flying-types. Certain Dragonite builds for example can tank Ludicolo's Ice Beam and can potentially OHKO the Carefree Pokemon with Dual Wingbeat.

List of Flying-type Pokemon

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Dragonite	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Dual Wingbeat can OHKO Ludicolo. ・Resists Ludicolo's Grass-type moves on top of Multiscale allowing it to tank an Ice Beam at full HP. Dragonite - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
Scizor	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Outspeeds and deals super effective damage to Ludicolo. Scizor - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
Toxapex	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Resists most of Ludicolo's moves. ・A Toxapex built with little offense can easily deal with Ludicolo. Toxapex - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

Pokemon Sword and Shield Related Guides

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Series 10 List of Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

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Ludicolo