Pelipper has one job: set the rain. The moment it touches the field, DrizzleDrizzleabilityAn ability that instantly summons permanent rain when the Pokémon enters the field — no move required.Click to read more → kicks rain on for 5 turns (8 with Damp Rock), and that single trigger is the engine for one of Reg M-A’s most consistent archetypes. Pelipper itself isn’t strong, but every Water move on its team gets 1.5× stronger and every HurricaneHurricanemoveA Flying-type special move with 110 base power — normally 70% accurate, but 100% accurate in rain.Click to read more → becomes 100% accurate.
Why it’s foundational
Champions has no other reliable rain-summoner — Drizzle on Pelipper is what enables the rain archetype to exist at all. The rain doubles Pelipper’s own offensive ceiling: Hurricane goes from a 70% accurate gamble to a guaranteed 110-power STAB hit, and Hydro Pump’s already-strong damage gets the 1.5× water boost on top. Even at 60/50 offensive bulk, Pelipper is durable enough to live through a turn before contributing.
The bigger payoff is what rain does to the rest of the team. Strong Water-types (Gyarados, Samurott-Hisui, Basculegion) hit harder with each STAB, Fire-type damage drops to half (immediately blunting Sun and aggro Fire pivots), and Thunder reaches 100% accuracy if the team carries an Electric-type.
Common sets
- Drizzle anchor (most common) — Hurricane, Hydro Pump, TailwindTailwindmoveDoubles the Speed of every Pokémon on your side for 4 turns. Often paired with Prankster for instant priority setup.Click to read more →, ProtectProtectmoveA move that makes the user immune to all moves for one turn. Fails if used consecutively.Click to read more →. Damp Rock to extend rain to 8 turns. Modest nature with bulk investment so Pelipper survives an early KO attempt.
- Choice Specs — Hydro Pump, Hurricane, Weather Ball, Ice Beam. Pure offensive breaker; locks Pelipper into damage but the boosted moves often justify the inflexibility.
- Wide Guard support — Wide Guard, Hurricane, Tailwind, Protect. Shields the rain team from spread movesSpread MovesmechanicMoves that hit both opposing Pokémon simultaneously, at 0.75× damage — the defining mechanic of doubles offense.Click to read more → like Earthquake and Rock Slide while the Swift SwimSwift SwimabilityAn ability that doubles the Pokémon's Speed stat while rain is active on the field.Click to read more → abusers do the work.
Common partners
- Basculegion — Adaptability gives it 2× STAB rather than the standard 1.5×; rain-boosted Wave Crash from Basculegion is one of the format’s hardest single-target hits.
- Samurott-Hisui — Sharpness boosts slicing moves by 50%; rain-boosted Razor Shell and Ceaseless Edge through Sharpness compound into clean two-shots on most non-resists.
- Gyarados — bulky Water that rain pushes into wallbreaker territory. IntimidateIntimidateabilityWhen this Pokémon enters the battlefield, the opposing Pokémon's Attack stat drops by one stage.Click to read more → on switch-in pre-softens incoming hits, and rain-boosted Waterfall threatens slow grounded targets.
What beats it
Electric-type moves are 4× super effective — anything carrying Thunderbolt or Volt Switch threatens an OHKO before Pelipper sets rain. Rock-type moves hit the Flying typing for 2×; Tyranitar’s Sand Stream simultaneously KOs the rain via weather override (Sand Stream activates after the slower Pelipper’s Drizzle, so sand wins the swap). The structural answer is to deny the Drizzle turn entirely — Fake OutFake OutmoveA +3 priority Normal-type move that does small damage and forces the target to flinch — only usable on the user's first turn out.Click to read more → flinches Pelipper before it acts, and faster Tailwind users that bring their own weather (sun, sand) flip the matchup at the cost of speed control.