Set: Life Orb Starmie

Starmie @ Life Orb

Trait: Natural Cure

EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd

Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)

- Hydro Pump

- Grass Knot

- Rapid Spin

- Recover

Yeah, probably not the set you were expecting. This Starmie is meant to function as a fast sweeper and Rapid Spin user for Rain teams. Removing hazards is a great way to gain momentum over your opponent, and Starmie is definitely the best choice in Rain. Other than that, Starmie's high Speed and boosted attacks can dish out plenty of damage as well.

One of the most annoying threats for Rain teams to face is Ferrothorn, which sets up freely on most team members. Starmie helps combat this issue not by taking on Ferrothorn directly, but by spinning away its hazards. This set strikes a balance between power and utility, providing both team support and sweeping potential.

Hydro Pump is notable for 2HKOing bulky Rotom-W in Rain, although Surf is good for accuracy. Both, however, net the OHKO on Thundurus in Rain. Grass Knot allows Starmie to function as a lure, netting 2HKOs on Jellicent and surprisingly, Gastrodon. This means Starmie can get past one of the best Rain counters, helping its teammates out immensely. Rapid Spin makes switching a lot easier by removing hazards, and is pretty easy to use since Starmie tends to force switches itself. Recover is needed to help Starmie survive and provide team support in longer matches.

Starmie threatens every common spin blocker, so it's pretty easy to get off a Rapid Spin. Typical Rain team members do fine alongside this set, although it's preferable to include anti-metagame sets like Rain Abuser Jirachi or Mynism's Toxicroak. Just be sure you have something to take out Ferrothorn, and Starmie will do a good job of keeping hazards off the field.