quick and dirty analysis

Heatran
Mawile
Politoed
Ludicolo
Rotom-W

HEATRAN

Overview
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+Incredible typing, a whole slew of useful resistances
+Bulky Pokemon to boot
+Get a powerful spread STAB in the form of Heat Wave
-Slew of resistances comes with some bad weaknesses
-Slow

Substitute Attacker
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name: Substitute Attacker
move 1: Heat Wave
move 2: Earth Power
move 3: Substitute
move 4: Protect
ability: Flash Fire
item: Leftovers / Shuca Berry
evs: 180 HP / 252 SpAtk / 72 Speed
nature: Modest / Timid

Moves
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Heat Wave is STAB spread
Earth Power is your best secondary coverage option
Substitute lets you pose a threat as your opponent goes out to what can threaten heatran
Protect is general doubles usefulness

Set Details
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EVs are arranged to outspeed 0 speed Rotom-A with maximum investment in Special Attack and the rest in HP
Heatran's EVs are very malleable. Rotom-A often run speed creep EVs so it's recommended you transfer some investment from HP to Speed to outrun it
Heatran's resistances and Substitute make it a good enough leftovers user. A Shuca Berry can also be used; it'll let Heatran live an Adamant Scarf Landorus Earthquake once (though you won't be able to create a substitute).

Usage Tips
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Opposing Pokemon are very polarizing to go against. Generally they either destroy or can't touch Heatran
The general course of action is to switch Heatran in when it can wall or isn't threatened by either opposing Pokemon, set up a Substitute, and then start using Heat Wave.

Team Options
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Loves whatever can take out Landorus-T and Rotom-W
Your own Rotom-W is a great answer to Landorus-T. The two together are a hard core to break.
Amoonguss can deal with Rotom-W and redirect single target super effective hits.
Heatran is often a giver more than a receiver for team support. It's great to slap on when you need a Dragon or Fairy-type resist.


Other Options
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Hidden Power Grass and Ice allow Heatran to target some specific Pokemon it normally has trouble with and deal some solid damage. However, it's generally not worth the price of Heat Wave or Earth Power
Flash Cannon allows Heatran to deal with Fairy-types quicker, but it takes so little it's not really in a rush to dispose of them.
Ancient Power lets Heatran take on Charizard-Y, Talonflame, and Rotom-H, but it's very weak and not too useful outside of them


Checks & Counters
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Landorus-T, Garchomp, or anything with a quicker Earthquake is trouble for Heatran
Rotom-W can take Heat Waves just fine and Hydro Pump Heatran for the kill.
Rotom-H walls Heatran and hits it with a moderately powerful Thunderbolt
Charizard-Y and Talonflame wall Heatran while also being walled themselves.


MAWILE
(revamped version of my 2014 skeleton and analysis)

Overview
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-Still a top tier Mega Evolution
-Intimidate, great defensive typing, and massive attack makes it incredible
-Still very slow
-Will-o-Wisp, Intimidate, and effective users of Ground and Fire-type attacks are more common than ever



SET NAME
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name: Mega Attacker
move 1: Play Rough
move 2: Sucker Punch
move 3: Iron Head
move 4: Protect
ability: Intimidate
item: Mawilite
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
nature: Adamant

Moves
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-Play Rough is your main stab
-Sucker Punch allows you to work around you bad speed
-Iron Head is a more reliable STAB with lesser coverage
-Protect is Protect

Set Details
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EVS / ITEM / NATURE INFORMATION GOES HERE

-Intimidate is incredible as always
-Adamant and 252 Attack gets you your maximum damage output
-Remember that when adjusting EVs for Mega Mawhile, every point you take away and invest is essentially two with Huge Power.
-Still, if you find the entirely of mega mawhile's power unnessisary, you can dump some EVs elswhere
-44 Defense lets you live Adamant Choice Band Talonflame's -1 Flare Blitz
-36 SpDef allows you to never be 2HKOed by uninvested neutral nature Rotom-W's Hydro Pump and live Timid Chandelure's Max Special Attack Heat Wave
-52 SpDef allows you to never be OHKOed by Modest max Special Attack Heatran's Heat Wave
-124 SpDef allows you to never be OHKOed by max Special Attack Modest Chandelure's Heat Wave
-148 SpDef allows you to never be OHKOed by Modest max special attack Life Orb Tyranitar's Fire Blast or be 2HKOed by max Special Attack Modest Rotom-W's Thunderbolt
-196 SpDef allows you to always live Naughty 4 Special Attack Life Orb Talonflame's Overheat
-204 SpDef allows you to always live Modest Mega Charizard Y's Heat Wave when the sun is down
-Choose your investment based on what hits your team values enduring.
-Switching to a -Speed nature with a low IV is recommended if you are using it in dedicated trick room


Usage Tips
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-Don't feel like you need to mega immediately.
-Try to preserve Mega Mawhile when Landorus and powerful Fire-type users are around
-Mawile can switch in often with Intimidate and its valuable resistances and immunities to Fairy, Dark, and Dragon.
-Be sure to run some speed control or disruptive support. Mawile likes Rage Powder, Fake Out, and Trick Room
-Don't try to get in situations where you need to sucker punch or you die

Team Options
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TEAM OPTIONS GO HERE
-Cresselia is the go to support Pokemon for Mawhile. Has Trick Room or even Icy Wind for speed control, and can lend Mawile a helping hand boost.
-Gothitelle's Shadow Tag, Trick Room, and Tickle are all very helpful for Mawile.
-Thundurus can paralyze the opponents team and line Mawile up for a late game clean up.
-Hydreigon, Latios, and Salamence all have great defensive synergy with Mawile. Mawile can switch into attacks aimed at these Pokemon and vice versa.
-Miltoic can deal with Fire and Ground-type attackers and deter the opponent from switching in an Intimidate user for Mawile.
-Amoonguss can redirect whatever Rotom-W wants to do

Other Options
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Brick Break gives you a solid hit against Heatran.
Rock Slide allows you to heavily damage Fire-type Pokemon, especially Charizard Y and Talonflame.
The elemental punches are at Mawile's disposal if hitting a specific target interests you.
Foul Play is boosted by Huger Power, but often times you'll hit harder just using your STABs.

Checks & Counters
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-Faster Pokemon with Super-Effective attacks. Landorus-T, Charizard-Y, Garchomp, Hot dogs like Entei and Arcanine mean a lot of trouble for Mawile.
-Faster WoWs. Rotom-W is the main culpret.
-Things with Intimidate: Landorus-T, other Mawile, and Arcanine are all trouble.

POLITOED

Overview
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-Got back the support movepool it dearly missed in VGC 2014
-Now it makes an overall great support Pokemon that also brings the Rain
-Teams still all know to carry some Grass and Electric-type coverage to deal with Politoed and pals

Support
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name: Support
move 1: Scald
move 2: Icy Wind / Ice Beam
move 3: Helping Hand / Encore / Perish Song
move 4: Protect
ability: Drizzle
item: Sitrus Berry / Leftovers
evs: 252 HP / 76 Def / 180 SpDef
nature: Calm

Moves
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Scald is Politoed's STAB, does solid damage, and can let you fish for a burn
Icy Wind gives Politoed and its partner Speed control
Ice Beam gives you some power over speed control
Helping Hand lets Politoed gives its partner a boost.
Encore lets Politoed punish Protect and other attacks
Politoed's one of the best users of Perish Song around if your team needs that

Set Details
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Defense EVs let you live Mega Mawile's Play Rough
Rest is dumped into Special Defense.
Politoed can use Leftovers over a Sitrus Berry if someone else has the sitrus. Wacan is an option too

Usage Tips
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People who just start playing often think you need Poltioed + a bunch of rain pokemon. Don't do this.
Don't be over dependent on rain. Think of it more like a luxurious accessory.
You can challenge CharY's sun with Politoed if it's mega evolved already. If it hasn't, Politoed loses against it.

Team Options
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Ludicolo is Politoed's go to partner in crime. Assault Vest and the nerf to Dragons has made it the go to switch swim partner.
Kingdra is still useful with Politoed, but the lack of Dragon Gem makes it much worse off.
Talonflame complements Politoed + Ludicolo pretty well. The three of them make a sort of cookie cutter rain combo
Mega Swampert can also work, but you'll need something for Rotom-W
Thunder users like Mega Manectric, Raikou, and Thundurus-T like Politoed's rain.
Steel-types like having Rain to get rid of their Fire-type weaknesses. Metagross, Mawile, and especially Ferrothorn love this.
Politoed can't bust througn water or grass types. On top of what's already been mentioned, things like Thundurus-I, Hydregion are cool.
If running Perish Song, Mega Gengar and / or Gothitelle are pretty much manditory.


Other Options
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Choice Scarf is useful, but Politoed generally prefers to be bulky.
Offensive sets aren't terrible, especially with something with Trick Room. Max Special Attack rain boosted Hydro Pumps hurt
Hidden Power gives you coverage against Water-types, but it's weak and only marginally stronger than a resisted rain boosted Scald (120 BP vs 90 BP)


Checks & Counters
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It's important that for whatever check you have for Politoed, keep in mind that it'll have a rain boosted partner to deal with that.
Rotom-W walls Politoed, but have a plan for Ludicolo
Ludicolo walls Politoed as well and some other rain attackers, but have a plan for Talonflame
Powerful electric attacks from Thundurus-I and the like are great against Politoed, but unless they have a natural resistance to water like Rotom-W or Rotom-C, Politoed's Water-type attacks are going to hurt.

LUDICOLO

Overview
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-Once outshined by Kingdra, Ludicolo's now the go to Swift Swim user.
-Outstanding coverage between Water, Grass, and Ice
-Good special resistances, x4 resistant to water with neutrality to Ice, Electric, and Grass is rare and useful.
-Great answer to Rotom-W
-Fake Out support
-Kind of weak outside of what it hits for super effective damage
-Not much physical defense


Assault Vest
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name: Assault Vest
move 1: Hydro Pump / Scald
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fake Out
ability: Swift Swim / Rain Dish
item: Assault Vest
evs: 252 HP / 252 SpAtk / 4 SpDef
nature: Modest

Moves
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-Put your great coverage to use with the bulk to take a hit yourself.
-Hydro Pump or Scald is your main STAB move. The choice is between reliable but sometimes underwhelming damage and strong but inaccurate damage. Hydro Pump is probably what you want in Rain
-Giga Drain complements Water nicely, lets you get throw most water types, especially Rotom-W
-Ice Beam lets you hit opposing Grass and Dragon-types
-Fake Out support gives your team mate some breathing room for the turn.

Set Details
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-EVs are a straightforward split. You maximize your Special Attack and HP because otherwise they're pretty lacking
**I actually don't know a good alternate set for ludicolo**
-Assualt Vest lets you sponge hits from Rotom-W and Water-types in general for days.
-Swift Swim and Rain Dish are both good vs Rain. Swift Swim is preferred when using Rain.

Usage Tips
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-Come in on a special you resist, give Fake Out support, hit what you can, run away when a big hits coming.

Team Options
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-Politoed is Ludicolo's partner in crime, Ludicolo loves going fast and having a stronger Hydro Pump.
-He's not mandatory though, Ludicolo can be a great answer to rain itself.
-Talonflame and Ludicolo together have great coverage and deal nicely with what the other has trouble with. Talonflame + Politoed + Ludicolo together make an effective and standard rain core.
-Ludicolo pairs reasonably well with stuff that's water weak and likes a switch in. Heatran and Landorus-T like this.


Other Options
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-Life Orb is a cool boost in power, but leaves Ludicolo with pretty bad bulk.
-Absorb Bulb + Surf Politoed is a pretty cheesy old strategy from 2012. It can work, but it's awkward at times to set up and is a one time boost.
Energy Ball gives you more power but isn't generally worth the loss in recovery.
-If you're using Ludicolo without Politoed and you're not finding much use with Swift Swim or Rain Dish, Own Tempo gives you protection against Swagger users.


Checks & Counters
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-Flying-type moves from the likes of Mega Salamence and Talonflame destory Ludicolo
-Ludicolo's defense is pretty average. Strong Attacks from Mega Kangaskhan or Mega Mawile are devistating
-Ludicolo's attacking prowess is also pretty average. If you have something reasonably specially bulky, it can usually trade favorably with Ludicolo.

ROTOM-W

Overview
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-Best typing in the darn rule set. Water / Electric with a Ground-type immunity is incredible.
-Water and Electric coverage is pretty useful.
-Add Will-o-wisp and you have a really difficult Pokemon to get rid of.
-Low BST, frail without it's usual HP.
-Strong neutral hits are a problem

Standard Rotom
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name: Standard Rotom
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hydro Pump
move 3: Will-o-wisp
move 4: Protect / Rest
ability: Levitate
item: Sitrus Berry / Chesto Berry
evs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 212 SpA
nature: Modest

Moves
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Rotom-W's classic set.
Thunderbolt and Hydro Pump are for STAB coverage
Will-o-wisp lets you neutralize most physical attackers.
Protect has its normal use in doubles, eases prediction, etc
Rotom-W is one of the few Pokemon who can afford to skimp out on Protect. If your Sitrus Berry is on someone else, Chesto Berry + Rest can work.

Set Details
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The EVs allow you to live a Mega Mawile's Play Rough, two if it's burnt
From there, the rest is invested in Special Attack.
Most Rotom-W's run speed creep so it's highly recommended you take some EVs out of Special Attack into Speed. How much you want to invest is your own call.
Sitrus Berry is important to give Rotom-W some more bulk. Use Chesto Rest if your Sitrus Bery is already locket up.

Usage Tips
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Switch it into one of its many resistances and start spreading Will-o-wisp or attacking.
If you're up against something that can't touch Rotom-W like a Talonflame or most Water-types, they're likely not going to stay in. It usually worth it to predict the switch and use Will-o-wisp instead

Team Options
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One of the easiest Pokemon around to slap on a team, just about everything appreciates it.
Great with Earthquake users. Landorus-T and Garchomp love his company.
Great with anything that likes a Ground-type or Fire-type switch in. Amoonguss, Metagross, and Mawile all Rotom-W to take a hit.
It really pairs well with nearly everything.

Other Options
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Choice Specs hits hard and is a bit of a surprise. It's a little more telegraphed in Rain, but it makes using Thunder an option
Reflect is an option over Will-o-wisp if the accuracy and single target nature are a turn off.
Volt Switch is nice if you read a switch.
Hidden Power Ice lets you damage Dragon-types. Hidden Power Grass lets you touch Gastrodon.

Checks & Counters
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Amoonguss and Ludicolo wall Rotom-W. Amoonguss redirects everything he wants to do. Both take laughable damage from Rotom-W's attack and will eventually take him down with Giga Drain.
Unless Rotom-W carries Hidden Power Ice (and even then, it's not very threatening) most specially oriented Dragon-types can beat Rotom-W. Hydreigon and Latios are both problematic for Rotom-W.
Other strong neutral hits like Sylveon's Hyper Voice and Thundurus-I's Thunderbolt can whittle down Rotom-W
Though pretty uncommon and not too useful, Gastrodon is immune to both its STAB and can eventually win one on one if Gastrodon carries Recover.