Rate my Sandstorm team!

[ian952]

My ranking is floating around 1800 for a while now... I feel that I am unable to defeat rain teams in general (mainly keldeo sweep ones) and some drought teams (venusaur). Late game ice shard sweep is also giving me some trouble as well. Please leave me suggestions! Thanks!

Tyranitar

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@ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 204 HP / 80 SAtk / 220 SDef / 4 Spd
Serious Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Blast
- Crunch
- Ice Beam

Mainly used to start sandstorms and lay rocks.
Fire blast vs steel
Ice beam vs outrage dragon + gliscor
I am looking for a better EV distribution for a bulkier tyranitar.


Landorus-Therian (M)

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@ Choice Scarf
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 220 Atk / 28 HP / 36 Def / 224 Spd
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Used for poking and some late game sweeping.
Mainly used against enemy u-turn and earthquakes.
Hidden power is for dragonite and gliscor
I don't really know why I have superpower but I don't really want stone edge.
I would like to sarcifice some more speed for more bulk, but not sure how much i should sacrifice.
I feel U-turn is really important for me as I often use Landorus as my starter. I have tried a few other pokemon but they just don't cut the job. (Terrakion,Gyarados,jirachi)


Garchomp

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@ Choice Scarf
Trait: Rough Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
- Stone Edge

Late game sweeper.
Not sure about having aqua tail instead of dragon claw, suggestions?
Another problem is that both landorus and garchomp rely on earthquake STAB which makes them vulnerable to levitate pokemons. Is there another pokemon that can switch with landorus or garchomp?


Alakazam

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@ Focus Sash
Trait: Magic Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Focus Blast
- Psyshock
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball

Special sweeper.
I am currently using alakazam (and rotom) to fight against keldeo.
Also using alakazam to tank will-o-wisp.
I am wondering if I can switch sash and life orb and still managing to survive vs keldeo.
Also wondering if there is a better moveset(physic vs psychock. HP fire vs Energy ball)

Rotom-Wash

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@ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 168 Def / 148 SAtk / 192 SDef
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Thunder Wave
- Pain Split

Needed another special attacker so I chose rotom.
Mainly used to defend against hydro pump+surf in a rain team. However, I feel that I am not bulky enough and dont want to reduce my attack...
I use Rotom to tank ice shard but I really have a way to kill mamoswine afterwards.
I'm not really sure if there is a better pokemon here. Open to suggestions for other pokemon.


Metagross

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@ Life Orb
Trait: Clear Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 152 HP / 252 Atk / 100 Def / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Hammer Arm
- Meteor Mash
- Thunder Punch

Physical wall.
Bullet Punch is for low hp pokemons.
Hammer Arm is for Ferro+skarmy+dark type
Meteor mash is for STAB
Thunder Punch for water type and skarmy (espacially in rain team)
I am also looking for a better moveset. Considering switching thunder punch and meteor mash for other moves.. (definitely not earthquake since I have so many already.)

 

[haunter]

You need more in depth descriptions or this thread will be locked.

 

[dice]

Hey there!

Cool team, sand teams similar to this are getting more common nowadays. Anyways, opposing Keldeo and Venusaur are mentioned as problems. A few other problems include Sheer Force Landorus, Nasty Plot Celebi, Tentacruel, Jellicent, and many water-types in general. Keldeo is especially troublesome due to the lack of two water-resists which are basically mandatory in rain teams. Venusaur is another Pokemon that troubles you since your primary Sun check, Garchomp, is still neutral to its Giga Drain due to its Ground typing. All water-types can simply Toxic your Rotom-W to cripple it. Sheer Force Lando can freely spam Earth Power after 2HKO'ing Rotom-W with Focus Blast. Ferrothorn is also problematic as it sets up Spikes with relative ease on several of your members. Stall in general is problematic, as is Terrakion. Okay so, with all of that out of the way, let's try to help you out. My first change will be replacing Alakazam with Latias. Latias performs the same duties as Alakazam while also checking troubling things to your team. Rotom-W, Sheer Force Landorus, Venusaur, and Keldeo are all beaten by Latias. SubToxic Gliscor who is VERY annoying to your team loses to a Substitute set, which I recommend. The same applies to Tentacruel. Obviously you can't mindlessly switch-in to a Toxic.. but on a Protect or Substitute. EV's of 248 HP / 8 SpD / 252 Spe with Leftovers, a Timid Nature, and Calm Mind / Dragon Pulse / Roost / Substitute should work fantastically for you. Secondly, you are very weak to opposing stall. You lack a sweeper that can do much to opposing stall-teams as Metagross is walled by common stall-mons like Skarmory. Due to this, I recommend a Band Tyranitar instead of your current MixTar. EV's of 180 HP / 252 Atk / 76 Spe, an Adamant Nature, and moves of Stone Edge / Crunch / Pursuit / Superpower should be fine. With this, you can even outspeed and 2HKO Skarmory and most Jellicent (OHKO'ing SpDef Varients) and you do well versus several stall-mons. Landorus-T's role is rather redunant on this team. You are weak to Terrakion and Dragons, and you do not need another Scarfer. You lost Stealth Rock, so I would use a Defensive Landorus-T instead of Scarf. EV's of 200 HP / 64 Atk / 244 Def with Leftovers, an Adamant Nature, and moves of Stealth Rock / Earthquake / Stone Edge / U-turn are going to help you check both Dragons and Terrakion which currently harm you. Ferrothorn still easily sets up Spikes on a lot of your team and Scizor is a threat. Rotom-W can use a more optimal spread with Special Attack investment. 76 HP / 252 SpA / 180 Spe and Hidden Power Fire > Thunder Wave on Rotom-W should help with both of these issues. It also means Venusaur can't switch in with ease. Anyways, these changes should cover most of your major issues. Good luck.

 

[ian952]

Hey there!

Cool team, sand teams similar to this are getting more common nowadays. Anyways, opposing Keldeo and Venusaur are mentioned as problems. A few other problems include Sheer Force Landorus, Nasty Plot Celebi, Tentacruel, Jellicent, and many water-types in general. Keldeo is especially troublesome due to the lack of two water-resists which are basically mandatory in rain teams. Venusaur is another Pokemon that troubles you since your primary Sun check, Garchomp, is still neutral to its Giga Drain due to its Ground typing. All water-types can simply Toxic your Rotom-W to cripple it. Sheer Force Lando can freely spam Earth Power after 2HKO'ing Rotom-W with Focus Blast. Ferrothorn is also problematic as it sets up Spikes with relative ease on several of your members. Stall in general is problematic, as is Terrakion. Okay so, with all of that out of the way, let's try to help you out. My first change will be replacing Alakazam with Latias. Latias performs the same duties as Alakazam while also checking troubling things to your team. Rotom-W, Sheer Force Landorus, Venusaur, and Keldeo are all beaten by Latias. SubToxic Gliscor who is VERY annoying to your team loses to a Substitute set, which I recommend. The same applies to Tentacruel. Obviously you can't mindlessly switch-in to a Toxic.. but on a Protect or Substitute. EV's of 248 HP / 8 SpD / 252 Spe with Leftovers, a Timid Nature, and Calm Mind / Dragon Pulse / Roost / Substitute should work fantastically for you. Secondly, you are very weak to opposing stall. You lack a sweeper that can do much to opposing stall-teams as Metagross is walled by common stall-mons like Skarmory. Due to this, I recommend a Band Tyranitar instead of your current MixTar. EV's of 180 HP / 252 Atk / 76 Spe, an Adamant Nature, and moves of Stone Edge / Crunch / Pursuit / Superpower should be fine. With this, you can even outspeed and 2HKO Skarmory and most Jellicent (OHKO'ing SpDef Varients) and you do well versus several stall-mons. Landorus-T's role is rather redunant on this team. You are weak to Terrakion and Dragons, and you do not need another Scarfer. You lost Stealth Rock, so I would use a Defensive Landorus-T instead of Scarf. EV's of 200 HP / 64 Atk / 244 Def with Leftovers, an Adamant Nature, and moves of Stealth Rock / Earthquake / Stone Edge / U-turn are going to help you check both Dragons and Terrakion which currently harm you. Ferrothorn still easily sets up Spikes on a lot of your team and Scizor is a threat. Rotom-W can use a more optimal spread with Special Attack investment. 76 HP / 252 SpA / 180 Spe and Hidden Power Fire > Thunder Wave on Rotom-W should help with both of these issues. It also means Venusaur can't switch in with ease. Anyways, these changes should cover most of your major issues. Good luck.

Thanks for the suggestions! I will definitely adjust my team according to this :D I do have one question: Without ice beam on Tyran, how can I kill threats such as glisor, opposing landorus T, and dophan?

Thanks for the rating! I really appreciate it!

 

[shiranai]

Thanks for the suggestions! I will definitely adjust my team according to this :D I do have one question: Without ice beam on Tyran, how can I kill threats such as glisor, opposing landorus T, and dophan?

Thanks for the rating! I really appreciate it!

Gliscor and Donphan can be dealt with Rotom-W: Gliscor can only harm Rotom with Toxic, but it wouldn't stay in front of Rotom because of Hydro Pump; Donphan can only hit Rotom with Seed Bomb, and you'll face one with Stone Edge before this one. Landorus-T is kinda tricky to deal thanks to the many options it have, but the bulky set isn't fast, while the offensive set will lack some bulk; so, with Rotom-W and Garchomp you will be able to handle both of them.

 

[ian952]

I have made these changes to my teams now. Should I swap thunder punch with ice punch on my metagross for an ice move since I have none atm, or will hydro pump+stone edge be enough?

 

[shiranai]

I have made these changes to my teams now. Should I swap thunder punch with ice punch on my metagross for an ice move since I have none atm, or will hydro pump+stone edge be enough?

If you feel you need the Ice move you can change it. Metagross won't do anything to waters without T-punch, but I wouldn't let it stay in front of waters risking a burn, while its SDef isn't amazing. Gliscor and Landorus (both forms) can be OHKOed by I-Punch, while Dragonite will take something like 70% with Multiscale; but both Landorus can KO Metagross before being hit, while a Swords Dance Gliscor may KO it too with +2, beware of it.