Pokémon Kingdra

[Katy]

Kingdra

Type: Water / Dragon

Base Stats: HP 75 / Attack 95 / Defense 95 / Sp.Atk 95 / Sp.Def 95 / Speed 85

Abilities:
Swift Swim: If Rain Dance is active, this Pokemon's Speed is doubled.
Sniper: If this Pokemon strikes with a critical hit, the damage is multiplied by 1.5.
Damp: While this Pokemon is active, Explosion, Mind Blown, Self-Destruct, and the Aftermath Ability are prevented from having an effect.

All Moves

Moves

Level Up
- Whirpool
- Yawn
- Water Gun
- Leer
- Smokescreen
- Twister
15 - Focus Energy
20 - Dragon Breath
25 - Bubble Beam
30 - Agility
37 - Laser Focus
44 - Dragon Pulse
51 - Hydro Pump
58 - Dragon Dance
65 - Rain Dance

TM (Technical Machine Attacks)
TM08 - Hyper Beam
TM09 - Giga Impact
TM21 - Rest
TM24 - Snore
TM25 - Protect
TM27 - Icy Wind
TM31 - Attract
TM33 - Rain Dance
TM35 - Hail
TM36 - Whirlpool
TM39 - Facade
TM40 - Swift
TM45 - Dive
TM52 - Bounce
TM55 - Brine
TM76 - Round
TM99 - Breaking Swipe

TR (Technical Record Attacks)
TR01 - Body Slam
TR03 - Hydro Pump
TR04 - Surf
TR05 - Ice Beam
TR06 - Blizzard
TR12 - Agility
TR13 - Focus Energy
TR16 - Waterfall
TR20 - Substitute
TR24 - Outrage
TR26 - Endure
TR27 - Sleep Talk
TR45 - Muddy Water
TR51 - Dragon Dance
TR62 - Dragon Pulse
TR70 - Flash Cannon
TR74 - Iron Head
TR84 - Scald
TR89 - Hurricane
TR98 - Liquidation

Egg Moves
Aurora Beam
Clear Smog
Disable
Flail
Octazooka
Splash
Water Pulse

Move Tutor
Draco Meteor

Isle of Armor Move Tutor
Flip Turn
Scale Shot

Transfer Moves Only
Toxic
Double Team
Quash
Swagger
Confide
Headbutt
Double-edge
Mimiy
Curse

[Newly Obtainable Moves]
Breaking Swipe
Hurricane
Flip Turn
Scale Shot

[Noteable Moves]
Draco Meteor
Dragon Dance
Dragon Pulse
Flash Cannon
Hurricane
Hydro Pump
Ice Beam
Liquidation
Outrage
Rain Dance
Scald
Waterfall

[Overview]

Kingdra fits best as a special attacker on rain-teams especially in the ou-tier because it has a solid ability in Swift Swim and a decent Sp.Atk Stat which is 95.A solid Water / Dragon typing and high-BP STABs - Hydro Pump and Draco Meteor - enable Kingdra to blow past many notable Pokemon in the metagame, especially if rain is up.
Perfectly accurate in rain Hurricane as a coverage move helps Kingdra beat bulky Grass-types like Amoonguss and Tangrowth and land a neutral hit on Ferrothorn.

However, Kingdra finds itself in a metagame infested with strong checks to it, most notably Chansey but also Ferrothorn, Toxapex, Tangrowth, Amoonguss, Gastrodon. Furthermore, Kingdra's Speed tier outside of rain is less than satisfying, allowing plethora of popular offensive Pokemon like Hydreigon, Dragapult, Excadrill, Cinderace, and Kyurem to easily revenge kill it.

[Potential Movesets]

Kingdra @ Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Surf
- Draco Meteor
- Ice Beam / Hurricane

Choice Specs-Kingdra is a huge threat with not many Pokémon capable of switching into it. Surf may seem redundant alongside Hydro Pump, which is Kingdra's strongets attack in rain, but the perfect accuracy may prove to be crucial, especially late-game, when most Pokemon are weakened enough for Surf to pick them up.
Ice Beam as well as Hurricane fit the same purpose, hitting targets neutral like Ferrothorn and Toxapex.
A modest nature is mandatory to hit targets much harder and guarantee the OHKOes or 2HKOes wheres a timid nature can miss out on these.
Life Orb can also be used instead of Choice Specs but the recoil makes Kingdra worn down extremely quickly.

Pelipper is absolutely mandatory teammate to Kingdra, as it sets up the much-needed rain via Drizzle and can also bring Kingdra in safely through U-turn.
Hazard setters like Ferrothorn make Kingdra way harder to switch into, hugely contributing to its sweep or helping break down walls.

 

[Melons-N-Soda]

Probably a bad gimmick but I wanted to post this regardless:

Kingdra @ Choice Band
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Liquidation
- Iron Head
- Flip Turn

Yes, physical Kingdra. This is mainly two-fold, strong Outrage to lure in Chansey that want to switch into regular Kingdra sets (2HKOes after Rocks) as well as access to Water-type U-turn, the only rain sweeper with such luxury (outside of like Keldeo if that counts). That being said it's still kind of a gimmick because Outrage can be easily taken advantage of, and Liquidation isn't nearly as strong as Surf, let alone Hydro Pump. Iron Head is on the set to hit stuff like Clefable. (also because this thing has like no other usable physical moves off the top of my head)

 

[svcghost]

What about a mixed set?

 

[Katy]

What about a mixed set?

Mixed Sets of Kingdra might look appealing at first but I think they are imho too situational since most Ferrothorn and most Toxapex still tend to be more physically defensive thus Kingdra has trouble breaking past them with a mixed set. However if mixed Life Orb-Variants with Waterfall / Liquidation can 2HKO Chansey in the rain it should be subotimal but still worth consider using perhaps.Kingdras stats aren't the best therefore I would still tend to run a Choice Specs-Set under the support of rain to go full out with its potential.

 

[RaikouLover]

Kingdra is very good at doing one thing - providing speed control and some light cleaning for rain teams. So far my experience has been its slightly better than Gen 7 due to comparative overall power reduction in the metagame. Kingdra is not a mon to solo the tier or carry most games so it’s best paired with strong wall breakers such as Azumarill and Crawdaunt, who can muscle through its checks.

Kingdra IMO is the best Swift Swimmer in Gen 8 mostly due to its very respectable bulk, typing, and high enough speed tier. It lives all unboosted neutral attacks and the 4Xs water resists really helps its team not get counterswept by opposing water types. In rain vs. rain, the team with Kingdra will win.

 

[JTD783]

Kingdra @ Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
-Hydro Pump
-Draco Meteor
-Hurricane
-Flip Turn

I've yet to test this set but I think it looks promising. Being able to pivot out immediately against checks is fantastic, especially because it means you don't have to waste a turn of rain by switching out after a wall comes in. Kind of like U-Turn on Ash Gren in gen 7. Basically, this maintains momentum and prevents opponents from switching into their Chansey for free. I envision pairing it with a strong breaker such as one of the Urshifu variants to threaten whatever comes in against Kingdra.

0- Atk Kingdra Flip Turn vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Chansey in Rain: 111-132 (15.7 - 18.7%) -- possible 6HKO

With rocks up, Chansey takes 27-30% and can immediately be forced out by the incoming breaker. If it comes in later and it's still at 75% or less...

252+ SpA Choice Specs Kingdra Hydro Pump vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Eviolite Chansey in Rain: 226-267 (32.1 - 37.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock (Chansey is at 75% HP in calc)

Thoughts?

 

[RaikouLover]

Kingdra @ Choice Specs
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
-Hydro Pump
-Draco Meteor
-Hurricane
-Flip Turn

I've yet to test this set but I think it looks promising. Being able to pivot out immediately against checks is fantastic, especially because it means you don't have to waste a turn of rain by switching out after a wall comes in. Kind of like U-Turn on Ash Gren in gen 7. Basically, this maintains momentum and prevents opponents from switching into their Chansey for free. I envision pairing it with a strong breaker such as one of the Urshifu variants to threaten whatever comes in against Kingdra.

0- Atk Kingdra Flip Turn vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Chansey in Rain: 111-132 (15.7 - 18.7%) -- possible 6HKO

With rocks up, Chansey takes 27-30% and can immediately be forced out by the incoming breaker. If it comes in later and it's still at 75% or less...

252+ SpA Choice Specs Kingdra Hydro Pump vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Eviolite Chansey in Rain: 226-267 (32.1 - 37.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock (Chansey is at 75% HP in calc)

Thoughts?

IMO not worth it. Kingdra doesn’t really have room tbh. You can just double switch out. Kingdra really isn’t the best mon to be breaking fat defensive cores it’s normally played as a revenge killer and / or aggressively Vs. offense.

Surf is very important move and usually gets the most use on the set. Hydro Pump and Draco are too unreliable for late game cleaning, which is part of its niche.

Also, Hydro Pump 2HKOs Chansey if she gets Knocked Off. This gen it’s really easy to do that.

 

[MrHands]

IMO not worth it. Kingdra doesn’t really have room tbh. You can just double switch out. Kingdra really isn’t the best mon to be breaking fat defensive cores it’s normally played as a revenge killer and / or aggressively Vs. offense.

Surf is very important move and usually gets the most use on the set. Hydro Pump and Draco are too unreliable for late game cleaning, which is part of its niche.

Also, Hydro Pump 2HKOs Chansey if she gets Knocked Off. This gen it’s really easy to do that.

A hit from Rash Flip Turn and SR puts Chansey in potential 2HKO range from Hydro Pump. That's a neat way to ensure your own win condition is able to break its counters. I agree Kingdra kind of has 4mss but STAB 60-90 BP U-turn is pretty strong. There will certainly be games where you need to chip the opposing team where just spamming Specs Pump or Meteor could leave you vulnerable to counter setup.

tl;dr it's not Draco Meteor level "run on every set" but it's an option.