Pelipper the Water Bird Pokémon. It is a flying transporter that carries small Pokémon in its beak. It bobs on the waves to rest its wings. It protects its young in its beak. It bobs on waves, resting on them on days when the waters are calm.
Overview
Ever since receiving Drizzle in the 7th Generation, Pelipper has become the de facto non legendary Rain setter, enabling terrifying Swift Swim sweepers to take over battles. Rain as an archetype has flourished this generation with Terastalization enabling Swift Swim users like Barraskewda to obliterate everything with Tera Water Boosted Rain STAB. Pelipper stands out from previous Rain setter Politoed thanks to its access to Flying STAB, especially the potent Hurricane, which becomes incredibly reliable under Pelipper’s rain. With this, Pelipper becomes an inbuilt answer to Grass types that are a hard wall to Rain Boosted offenses like Rillaboom and Wellspring Ogerpon. Even discouting Pelipper’s Flying STAB, it is still ideal as a Rain setter, with access to Roost for longevity and U-Turn for a reliable slow pivot to get an ally out without sacrificing precious rain turns or momentum.
Sadly, Pelipper’s prospects outside of Rain are as dismal as the overcast skies it summons. Good Defense is rendered moot by Poor HP and lacking Special Defense. These poor defenses wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for Pelipper’s middling Speed. With said Speed, Pelipper’s lacking defenses are even more exploitable, preventing it from possessing the staying power one would desire for a weather setter like Pelipper. Base 95 Special attack is barely worth using, with Pelipper’s Hurricane and Rain boosted Water STAB picking up a lot of slack, leaving Pelipper exposed to dedicated sponges. Pelipper really has nothing going for it but Rain, so Pelipper’s strength is directly tied to Rain, so when Rain teams flounder, so does Pelipper./>
Positives
Drizzle is an amazing ability, allowing Pelipper to become the backbone of entire teams through its passive weather setter.
Great support for the Water types it enables, Pelipper’s Hurricane great for taking out opposing Grass types.
Good support movepool with Tailwind, U-Turn and Knock help Pelipper enable its teammates.
Negatives
60 HP/75 Special Defense leaves Pelipper frail on the special side and the poor HP does Pelipper’s physical bulk no favors.
Base 65 Speed is awkward, leaving Pelipper outsped and threatened by most offensive Pokémon.
Offenses are unimpressive if not exploiting Hurricane and Rain boosted Water STAB.
Movesets
Hydro Carrier
-Hurricane
-U-Turn
-Knock Off
-Roost
Ability: Drizzle
Item: Damp Rock
EVs and Nature:
248 HP / 224 Def / 36 SDef
Relaxed Nature
Pelipper is going to be the centerpiece for any Rain core on a team. This Pelipper set forgoes offense for durability, allowing it to come in and set Rain multiple times throughout a battle. Hurricane remains the lone offensive option, its utility in blowing away Grass types like Wellspring Ogerpon, Rillaboom on top of destroying Zamazenta and Annihilape, notable walls for the usually physical Swift Swim Sweepers. U-Turn is a fantastic pivoting Tool for Pelipper, who’s low speed means that it can bring in its Rain abusing partner safely, or simply check for what preemptive pivots your opponent has for Water typed offense and maintain positioning in your favor, while chipping whatever comes in. This also gets Pelipper out of the battle, allowing it to re-establish Rain later in the fight. Knock Off is here purely for its utility, as item disruption does so much, making defensive Pokémon less durable, lessen the power of offensive attackers, expose Heavy Duty Boot users to Entry Hazards, etc. Roost is part of what gives Pelipper staying power, allowing it to recover from weak and resisted blows, allowing to stick around and keep setting up Rain.
Tera Types:
Pelipper’s poor offenses and unimpressive defenses make it rather undesirable as a Terastalization target. It is generally preferred to save Terastalization for one of Pelipper’s teammates that can better abuse the boosts Terastalization provides. Sometimes, it is necessary for Pelipper to survive to set Rain another day (or provide Knock Off, or Tailwind support). In that case, Tera Ground is the most popular, granting an immunity to Pelipper’s quadruple Electric weakness and a resistance to Rock. Tera Flying is popular for defensive and offensive Pelipper alike, giving a notable boost to Hurricane, allowing even uninvested Pelipper to OHKO Wellspring Ogerpon and Rillaboom, OHKOs Pelipper misses otherwise. Tera Water is preferred for more offensively inclined Pelipper, pushing its Water STAB to dangerous heights with the Rain boost, allowing offensively invested Pelipper to get OHKOs on targets such as Kingambit, Gholdengo, and Tera Steel Pokémon expecting a Hurricane.
EVs and Items:
The given EV spread maximizes Pelipper’s physical defense, allowing it to reliably take on the many physical Grass types that Pelipper is expected to handle, like Ogerpon, Meowscarada and Rillaboom. Water Flying also lends itself greatly to handle physical attackers, allowing Pelipper to more comfortably switch into Ground and Fighting types like Gliscor, Landorus-Therian, Great Tusk, Sneasler, Iron Treads, Zamazenta and Gallade. Special Defense investment isn’t without merit; going 232 in Special Defense EVs with a Sassy Nature allows Pelipper to avoid a 2HKO from Gholdengo’s Shadow Ball and survive Dragapult’s Draco Meteor and Ursaluna Bloodmoon’s Blood Moon. Offensive EV investment can be considered for more fast paced teams. Max Special Attack plus Water Tera allows Pelipper to get OHKOs on Gholdengo and Kingambit, as well as reach OHKOs on Rillaboom and Ogerpon Wellspring without the need for Terastalization. Speed investment is not recommended on Pelipper unless running Tailwind. In weather wars, the slowest Pokémon that is sent out gets their weather up, so Pelipper wants to tank its speed to outslow all but the slowest of Tyranitar and Hippowdon. Damp Rock is the recommended item. Pelipper’s main job is to establish Rain, so Damp Rock’s extension makes each time Pelipper lands on the field more impactful. Heavy Duty Boots is an alternative, given the number of switching Pelipper would have to do, to help Pelipper avoid being ravaged by Stealth Rocks.
Partners:
:
Swift Swim users are the intended beneficiaries of Pelipper’s Drizzle, the Rain making them nigh impossible to outspeed on top of boosting the often STAB Water Offense. No Pokémon emphasizes this more than Swift Swim Barraskewda, who becomes near impossible to outspeed in the Rain and with Tera Water has few safe switch ins, with even targets as bulky as offensive Archaludon being solidy 2HKO’d. Basculegion is another noted Swift Swim user, easily cleaning up games with Last Respects, while Overqwil is a unique Swift Swim user that has a favorable matchup into Grass types, taking some pressure off Pelipper to handle them.
Answers to Electric types are greatly appreciated given Pelipper’s and its rain utilizing partners crippling weakness. Other Electric types work great, with Pokémon like Raging Bolt able to tank any Electric attack and in turn draw Ground types that Pelipper can come in freely on. Archaludon is another excellent example, despite not being an Electric type, it shares the same Ground and Fighting weaknesses that Pelipper tanks and flourishes in the Rain. Grass types like Meowscarada also work to a lesser extent, able to come in on the Electric attacks Pelipper draws while benefitting from the Fire damage reduction effect of the Rain.
Other Options:
Surf and Weather Ball are reliable Water STAB options for Pelipper to better threaten the Ground types it comes in on. Weather Ball is slightly stronger, but can be inconsistent into other weather setters.
Hydro Pump is the strongest Water STAB of all, but its imperfect accuracy can be costly.
Tailwind is niche, but allowing non Swift Swim users to outspeed the opposition can enable some terrifying breakers to act as sweepers.
Doubles and VGC Options
With the strength of weather in Doubles, it is of little surprise that Pelipper’s already dominant performance in Singles translates to whirlwind success in Doubles formats. While Pelipper’s sub Flying typing warding off opposing Grass types is again a strong reason for choosing it, Pelipper also boasts incredible support options in Tailwind and Wide Guard. This extra Speed control and protection has vaulted Pelipper to usage in the highest stages of Pokémon, being seen as a non-restricted alternative to Kyogre for when Rain is needed. Considering Rain’s strength as one of the strongest weathers, it often is. Not only enabling terrifying Swift Swim Sweepers like Barraskewda, Basculegion, but other Rain abusers like Archaludon, and even Pokémon looking to take advantage of Rain's Fire weakening effect like Amoonguss, Rillaboom, Gholdengo and Kingambit. All this success despite Pelipper’s crippling flaws speaks volumes to the power of Drizzle and the Rain.
Raincaller
-Hurricane
-Weather Ball
-Tailwind
-Protect
Ability: Drizzle
Item: Focus Sash
Tera Type: Stellar
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
For such a powerful support Pokémon, Pelipper can provide a surpring amount of offense. Hurricane is a given on nearly every Pelipper, due to the sheer value of Flying offense, especially into opposing Grass types (re: Rillaboom, Amoonguss, Meowscarada, Whimsicott) who threaten Pelipper's Water typed teammates and would otherwise soak up Rain boosted Water offense. Weather Ball is the preferred Water STAB. While this does leave Pelipper more vulnerable to opposing Weather setters, in all other cases, it is a reliable base 100 Rain boosted Water STAB attack, allowing Pelipper to consistently clock damage without having to risk Hydro Pump misses. Tailwind offers incredible speed control, bolstering Pelipper's own speed to the point of outrunning even max Speed Dragapult and enabling its teammates to get the jump on just about everything. Protect rounds out the set as the Doubles standard, enabling Pelipper to scout for attacks, Terastalizations, stall out opposing field conditions, punish doubling up into it, and so on.
Focus Sash addresses Pelipper's poor bulk, allowing it to survive one attack and help get Tailwind up. Pelipper surviving in general is invaluable, allowing it to re-establish Rain and Tailwind later in the battle. Pelipper is one of the few Pokémon to actually make good use of Stellar Tera, using the one time boost to reach OHKOs on Rillaboom and Amoonguss with Hurricane as well as deleting Assault Vest Incineroar with Weather Ball, as well as KOing Gholdengo and Kingambit after minor chip damage.
Other Options:
Hydro Pump is a slightly stronger alternative to Weather Ball that isn't ruined by other weather setters, though the low accuracy is disappointing.
Wide Guard is fantastic in blocking a myriad of spread moves, including Icy Wind, Snarl, Make It Rain, Hyper Voice, Dazzling Gleam, Electroweb, Earthquake, Heat Wave, and that's before we even get into the numerous signature Spread moves in restricted formats.
U-Turn gets Pelipper out of dodge, allowing it to setup Rain later, while offering chip damage and can scout predicted switches. Better on Choice sets.
Muddy Water offers appreciable spread damage, though the damage reduction does cause Pelipper's low Special Attack to show.
Helping Hand is great if wanting Pelipper to be more durable, allowing it to still provide damage even when not attacking itself.
Preferred Partners:
Rain abusers love Pelipper since Pelipper immediately sets them up for success passively, allowing them to immediately rampage. Basculegion and Barraskewda are notable Swift Swim abusers, nigh impossible to outspeed in the rain, and whose boosted Water STABs will devour anything that isn't resistant/immune. Archaludon is another notable Rain abuser, its insta-charge Electro Shots allowing it to scale out of control very quickly on top of being a solid answer into most Grass types that struggle to harm it.
Fire weak Pokémon love Pelipper, its Rain reducing that weakness. Whether it be Gholdengo and Kingambit in Regulation H or Calyrex Ice Rider in Regulation G, Pelipper's Rain does a lot to increase the longevity of such Pokémon that are already difficult to take out.
Countering Pelipper
Pelipper’s many flaws give it too many checks to list off. What is far harder to handle is the Rain Pelipper sets up and how Pelipper enables those teammates, making the handling of Rain the highest priority.
First and foremost are opposing weather setters. Take away Pelipper’s beloved Rain and it becomes far less reliable on top of defanging its terrifying teammates. Alolan Ninetails is notable, for while it soundly loses the weather war due to its higher Speed, Pelipper still must run from Freeze Dry and most Swift Swim teammates dislike switching into Freeze Dry as well. Tyranitar may need to take measures to outslow Pelipper, but is naturally slower and can win the weather war, placing Pelipper in a tough spot given Tyranitar can threaten terrifying Rock STAB. If heavily invested in Special Bulk, Tyranitar can even switch in and overwrite Rain with Sand, easily absorbing Surf, while taking mere pittance from Weather. Torkoal always outslows Pelipper, so it reliably sets its Sun, but is still solidly 2HKO’d by the unreliable Hurricane, while offensive and Tera Water Pelipper can easily 2HKO with Surf even in the Sun.
Stealth Rocks is also indispensable against Pelipper, who struggles to afford Heavy-Duty Boots and often switches when the going gets tough, allowing Stealth Rocks to greatly limit the number of times Pelipper can re-establish Rain.
Pokémon that excel again Rain teams in general are great against Pelipper, reducing the number of safe switches Pelipper can make and helping force uncontested damage. Archaludon is notable for tanking everything except Barraskewda’s Close Combat, while threatening KOs left and right with Electro Shot and Thunderbolt. Raging Bolt is notice able for resisting both of Pelipper’s STAB and Swift Swim teammates want nothing to do with Thunderclap. Gastrodon is also incredibly problematic for Rain teams, between its Water Immunity and high Special Defense rendering Pelipper moot while threatening most Ground, Electric and Steel types that aid such teams with its STABs. Kyurem is weak to Close Combat and lacks a resistance to Hurricane, but its Freeze Dry is sufficient in threatening most of Pelipper’s teammates. While Rillaboom can’t switch into Pelipper at all due to Hurricane, Choice Band Rillaboom is capable of OHKOing even physically bulky Pelipper, while threatening every Swift Swimmer aside from the niche Overqwil with Grassy Glide.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Routes 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 115, 118, 119, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133 & 134, Dewford Town, EverGrande City, Lilycove City, Mossdeep City, Pacifidlog City, Slateport City
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald
Colosseum/XD:
Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Routes 205, 213, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 226, 229 & 230, Fuego Ironworks, Iron Mountain, Canalave City, Sunyshore City, Pastoria City, Pokémon League, Valley Windwork (Diamond/Pearl)
Route 219, Route 220, Route 221, Route 222, Route 223, Route 224, Route 226, Route 230, Sunyshore City, Pokemon League, Iron Island
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Evolve Wingull
Black/White:
Route 13, Undella Town, Undella Bay
Black 2/White 2:
Route 13, 22, Giant Chasm
X/Y:
Evolve Wingull
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Route 103, Route 104, Route 105, Route 106, Route 107, Route 108, Route 109, Route 110, Route 115, Route 118, Route 119, Route 121, Route 122, Route 123, Route 124, Route 125, Route 126, Route 127, Route 128, Route 129, Route 130, Route 131, Route 132, Route 133, Route 134, Slateport City, Lilycove City, Mossdeep City, Pacifidlog Town, Ever Grande City, Aqua Hideout
Sun/Moon:
Route 14, Route 15, Route 16, Ancient Poni Path, Exeggutor Island, Poni Gauntlet, Poni Plains, Poni Wilds, Secluded Shore, Tapu Village
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Route 14, Route 15, Route 16, Ancient Poni Path, Exeggutor Island, Poni Breaker Coast, Poni Gauntlet, Poni Plains, Poni Wilds, Tapu Village
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in game
Sword/Shield:
Route 9, Axew's Eye, Bridge Field, Dusty Bowl, Hammerlocke Hills, Lake of Outrage, North Lake Miloch, Rolling Fields, Fields of Honor, Challenge Beach, Loop Lagoon, Training Lowlands, Workout Sea, Stepping-Stone Sea, Insular Sea, Honeycalm Sea, Honeycalm Island
Max Raid Battles: East Lake Axewell, Giant's Cap, Hammerlocke Hills, Workout Sea, Stepping-Stone Sea, Insular Sea, Honeycalm Sea
Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl:
Route 205, Route 213, Route 218, Route 219, Route 220, Route 221, Route 222, Route 223, Route 224, Route 226, Route 229, Route 230, Valley Windworks, Fuego Ironworks, Pastoria City, Canalave City, Iron Island, Sunyshore City, Pokemon League, Grand Underground
Legends: Arceus:
Not in game
Scarlet/Violet:
North Paldean Sea, West Paldean Sea
Tera Raid Battles: 3 Star Raid Battles, 6 Star Raid Battles
Anime Appearences
