Sandslash, Say Whaaaa! (peak #4)

kevlarscale · May 27th, 2012, 2:21:33 PM

This is my first RMT so any format improvements would be greatly appreciated,

This all started with the Idea of having a support Drilber with sealth rocks and rapid spin, so I go to PO and, FACE PALM! Drilber does not get stealth rocks, but I realized that Sandslash did and of course if your using a sand rush-er you have to have T-Tar and I went with the standard scarf set. Since I was all ready in the dream world teir and already using sand I thought hey why not use Excadrill. After this my naivete really started to show and I just slapped on three big dream world threats on in the form of Breloom, Chandelure, and Ditto. But before I even had my first battle I changed my Sandslash to a Excadrill clone and changed my T-Tar to a specially defensive variant with stealth rocks.

So the team looked like this:

...

After a little play testing I decided to make my Sandslash a little bulker so it could take two Breloom mach punches and still out speed +1 Gyra and +1 Chandalure and gave it lefties to complement this new found bulk. I also gave Exctadril Air Balloon instead of life orb. After more play testing I did not see the point of Breloom anymore because it died to passive damage so quickly and therefor switched it out for SD/sub Garchomp but then I started getting rolled by rain so i switched it back. But during that play test I found Garchomp to be very successful so I decided that I would rather have it than chandie and made that switch too. I also gave Sandslshe lum to help it beat will-o-wisp and spore.

So this is the team that I got two #4 on the Dream world ladder with:

Mrs. T (Tyranitar) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 152 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Pursuit
- Crunch
- Stealth Rock
- Superpower

Sets up rocks and Sand Storm nothing much more to say. Unless they have a different weather inducer I just let it die so I can get a sweeper in for free and because of ditto I don't even care if they set up on me. Also, this team is so offensive that the opponent rarely finds and opportunity to spin away the rocks and nor are they that important to the success of this team just very help full in general so I don't need to keep her Alive for re-setting the rocks up. The reason I choose this move pool as opposed to the standard one is because dark and fighting have near perfect coverage and pursuit is very necessarily to beat key threats like Chandelure.

Breloom (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Mach Punch
- Bullet Seed
- Swords Dance
- Spore

It is my rain counter and a very good one at that, see a more detailed description of how it functions as this later on in the post, as it has swept through almost entire rain teams by itself. In fact it prefers the rain to the sand. Aginst non-rain teams or when I have won the weather war it is used very sparingly as a stall-"braker", as in it comes in on something slow it threatens spores hoping they will switch SD's up and then goes on a sweep that sadly and quite often ends, not because they kill it, but because sand and life orb do but this is unavoidable as with out life orb I find Breloom lakes the power it needs.

Excadrill (M) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- X-Scissor
- Rock Slide

2.0 I mean

untameable (Sandslash) (M) @ Chesto Berry
Trait: Sand Rush
EVs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 56 Def / 192 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Return
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Rest

These two Need to be described in tandem as they serve the same role, set up then KILL!! Excta works by coming in on practicly anything as it has many resistances the SD's up and destroys pretty much the whole of the metagame.I chose to go with balloon because I find the Life orb recoil to be more annoying than the 1.3 multiplyer was worth, and chose Balloon as it also give him one more thing he can switch in to. But there are counters and seeing that Excta is such a huge threat and the counters are no slouches themselves these counters are very common. Gliscor, Skarm, and Breloom are the most common of the counters and I will therefore describe to you how Sandslash, whose job is to beat them, beats those three, in order. First Gliscor, I let T-tar die then switch in Sandslash and SD up which attract Gliscor, which takes SR and toxic orb activates. Next turn I return as they either SD up expecting me to switch or toxic and they then take 37.5% minimum, after which they almost always protect which allows me to get up to +4 and the best they can do is 73% with a +2 Earthquake and if they are very lucky they will survive the +2 and +4 but there is no way they could take another +4. Skarmory was much more difficult because of superior bulk, roost and whirlwind and I use to treat it like a Gliscor but have Since added Heatran so this is no longer a problem. To beat Breloom, I find a good time to send in Excatdrill then x-scissor on the switch and then switch to Sandslash who takes the mach punch then, if I'm lucky they go for bullet seed thinking that they will out speed and kill, or if I'm unlucky Sandslash takes a second mach punch and then kills as this build survives two mach punches with 2 HP minimum, often much more. Also Sandslash has pulled many a quad of five sweep so it it is not just Excta's little Brother. Before I added Heatran I use to carry lefties and stone edge to help beat Skarm but Have since switched to a resto-cheso set as earthquake return is usually sufficient coverage now and allows Sandslash to extend his sweep.

Heatran (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Overheat
- Earth Power
- Dragon Pulse

I used most commonly as a general physical wall counter, especially those with Will-o-Wisp. I chose Heatran for This spot because it is the only competitively viable fire type that is Immune to sand, and chose scarf because This team is very much based around speed and also because I needed A Pokemon that wouldn't immediately lose to Impostor Ditto. Also as previously mentioned makes a great Skarmoury counter which was something my team greatly need when I had Garchomp in this spot.

Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Imposter
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
IVs: 30 Spd
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Transform

This is my insurance policy that makes sure that no one can set up on my T-Tar and the sweep my team as it turns there sweep against team and have in fact found many instances where where I have intentionally let someone set up just so I could use Ditto them. The reason I use one less speed Iv is because it gives me HP Ice if I happen to mimic a Pokemon with an HP and the EV spread is desined, firstly to maximize health as that is the only stat that dose not get copied and then Defense in case I happen to get in a random struggle battle with opposing Ditto.

What I do against apposing weather teams:

My plan To counter sun teams is lead with Tyranitar and set up the rocks as most sun teams are incredibly weak to them then, depending on what they do with their Nine tales I either pursuit expecting them to switch or go into Sandslash / Heatran to take the incoming attack and kill with earthquake/power. Usually they will just switch their Ninetails out, but that still accomplishes the task of wearing down the Ninetails with sand damage and steath rocks so that the next time they switch in Ninetails I then switch switch n T-tar and pursuit because they can't do enough damage to kill me and are there for forced out switch and two SR switch ins, a couple turns of sand, and a pursuit is enough to take down any nine tails I have encountered. From that point Excadrill or Sandslash will easily find a time to set up and sweep.

Against rain teams I lead with Breloom as unless they are max speed or are scarfed their Politoad won't out speed me and I will spore the toad which will force them out and pretty much seal the deal because with enough sand and offensives power the Toad will die and all I have to do is keep T-tar safe. IF they switch out instead of letting my Breloom spore their Toad my Breloom gets a free SD and will cripple their team so badly, that it won't matter if they win the weather war.

TurboJoex649 · May 28th, 2012, 11:28:25 AM

Isn't garchomp/excadrill ubers?
Is this really an OU team

Bastion · May 28th, 2012, 11:38:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat TurboJoex649

Isn't garchomp/excadrill ubers?
Is this really an OU team

Its a Dream world team. They are allowed in DW.

TurboJoex649 · May 28th, 2012, 11:57:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat Bastion

Its a Dream world team. They are allowed in DW.

Alright, as you can tell I'm pretty new.
thanks for letting me know

XcRunner · May 28th, 2012, 2:16:58 PM

I don't play dream world really, but you have a massive weakness to water types and rain teams. If breloom is down, something as random as azumarill pretty much beats you. I'd recommend putting a water type on the team in place of Sandslash. I know that's the point of your team, but he is really just a slightly bulkier and MUCH weaker Excadrill. Something like Rotom-W to hurt rain teams w/ rain boosted hydro pumps and w/ super effective volt switch seems like it would help. If you insist on using sandslash, then of course you could opt to get rid of excadrill instead, but that seems like a worse idea imo. Good luck with the team

**Taylor** · May 28th, 2012, 3:15:27 PM

improve some of your descriptions otherwise i will have to lock your thread.

~~bubbly~~ · May 28th, 2012, 9:30:23 PM

So your team is made up of 2 Tyranitar, 2 Sandslash, 3 Excadrill, 2 Breloom, Chandelure, 2 Ditto, and a Garchomp? No wonder you made it so high on the ladder.

kevlarscale · May 28th, 2012, 10:25:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat Taylor

improve some of your descriptions otherwise i will have to lock your thread.

Have done
XcRunner please read the the description I added to the bottom of How I beat rain, and thank you for pointing out that I did not full point out how I deal with the water weakness

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat bubbly

So your team is made up of 2 Tyranitar, 2 Sandslash, 3 Excadrill, 2 Breloom, Chandelure, 2 Ditto, and a Garchomp? No wonder you made it so high on the ladder.

Can't tell if your trolling or not but just in case you aren't the first set of Pokemon with out description were just the first version of this team

Also general question Does My Sandslash need to out speed +1 Gyra or should I put more points in to bulk, and by points I mean point

Sciztar · May 28th, 2012, 10:28:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat kevlarscale

Have done
XcRunner please read the the description I added to the bottom of How I beat rain, and thank you for pointing out that I did not full point out how I deal with the water weakness

Can't tell if your trolling or not but just in case you aren't the first set of Pokemon with out description were just the first version of this team

Well, why don't you just put your first team in a team builder and put them in sprites. B/c I got confused on which team is which. So clean up your thread so people won't make the mistake of which team is your most current.

May 27th, 2012, 2:21:33 PM	#1
kevlarscale Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 20	Sandslash, Say Whaaaa! (peak #4) This is my first RMT so any format improvements would be greatly appreciated, This all started with the Idea of having a support Drilber with sealth rocks and rapid spin, so I go to PO and, FACE PALM! Drilber does not get stealth rocks, but I realized that Sandslash did and of course if your using a sand rush-er you have to have T-Tar and I went with the standard scarf set. Since I was all ready in the dream world teir and already using sand I thought hey why not use Excadrill. After this my naivete really started to show and I just slapped on three big dream world threats on in the form of Breloom, Chandelure, and Ditto. But before I even had my first battle I changed my Sandslash to a Excadrill clone and changed my T-Tar to a specially defensive variant with stealth rocks. So the team looked like this: ... Mrs. T (Tyranitar) (F) @ Leftovers Trait: Sand Stream EVs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 152 SDef Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk) - Pursuit - Crunch - Stealth Rock - Superpower untameable (Sandslash) (M) @ Leftovers Trait: Sand Rush EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk) - Return - Earthquake - Swords Dance - Stone Edge Excadrill (M) @ Air Balloon Trait: Sand Rush EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk) - Swords Dance - Earthquake - X-Scissor - Rock Slide Chandelure (F) @ Leftovers Trait: Flash Fire EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk) - Fire Blast - Calm Mind - Substitute - Shadow Ball Ditto @ Choice Scarf Trait: Imposter EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SDef Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd) - Transform After a little play testing I decided to make my Sandslash a little bulker so it could take two Breloom mach punches and still out speed +1 Gyra and +1 Chandalure and gave it lefties to complement this new found bulk. I also gave Exctadril Air Balloon instead of life orb. After more play testing I did not see the point of Breloom anymore because it died to passive damage so quickly and therefor switched it out for SD/sub Garchomp but then I started getting rolled by rain so i switched it back. But during that play test I found Garchomp to be very successful so I decided that I would rather have it than chandie and made that switch too. I also gave Sandslshe lum to help it beat will-o-wisp and spore. So this is the team that I got two #4 on the Dream world ladder with: Mrs. T (Tyranitar) (F) @ Leftovers Trait: Sand Stream EVs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 152 SDef Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk) - Pursuit - Crunch - Stealth Rock - Superpower Sets up rocks and Sand Storm nothing much more to say. Unless they have a different weather inducer I just let it die so I can get a sweeper in for free and because of ditto I don't even care if they set up on me. Also, this team is so offensive that the opponent rarely finds and opportunity to spin away the rocks and nor are they that important to the success of this team just very help full in general so I don't need to keep her Alive for re-setting the rocks up. The reason I choose this move pool as opposed to the standard one is because dark and fighting have near perfect coverage and pursuit is very necessarily to beat key threats like Chandelure. Breloom (F) @ Life Orb Trait: Technician EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk) - Mach Punch - Bullet Seed - Swords Dance - Spore It is my rain counter and a very good one at that, see a more detailed description of how it functions as this later on in the post, as it has swept through almost entire rain teams by itself. In fact it prefers the rain to the sand. Aginst non-rain teams or when I have won the weather war it is used very sparingly as a stall-"braker", as in it comes in on something slow it threatens spores hoping they will switch SD's up and then goes on a sweep that sadly and quite often ends, not because they kill it, but because sand and life orb do but this is unavoidable as with out life orb I find Breloom lakes the power it needs. Excadrill (M) @ Air Balloon Trait: Sand Rush EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk) - Swords Dance - Earthquake - X-Scissor - Rock Slide 2.0 I mean untameable (Sandslash) (M) @ Chesto Berry Trait: Sand Rush EVs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 56 Def / 192 Spd Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk) - Return - Earthquake - Swords Dance - Rest These two Need to be described in tandem as they serve the same role, set up then KILL!! Excta works by coming in on practicly anything as it has many resistances the SD's up and destroys pretty much the whole of the metagame.I chose to go with balloon because I find the Life orb recoil to be more annoying than the 1.3 multiplyer was worth, and chose Balloon as it also give him one more thing he can switch in to. But there are counters and seeing that Excta is such a huge threat and the counters are no slouches themselves these counters are very common. Gliscor, Skarm, and Breloom are the most common of the counters and I will therefore describe to you how Sandslash, whose job is to beat them, beats those three, in order. First Gliscor, I let T-tar die then switch in Sandslash and SD up which attract Gliscor, which takes SR and toxic orb activates. Next turn I return as they either SD up expecting me to switch or toxic and they then take 37.5% minimum, after which they almost always protect which allows me to get up to +4 and the best they can do is 73% with a +2 Earthquake and if they are very lucky they will survive the +2 and +4 but there is no way they could take another +4. Skarmory was much more difficult because of superior bulk, roost and whirlwind and I use to treat it like a Gliscor but have Since added Heatran so this is no longer a problem. To beat Breloom, I find a good time to send in Excatdrill then x-scissor on the switch and then switch to Sandslash who takes the mach punch then, if I'm lucky they go for bullet seed thinking that they will out speed and kill, or if I'm unlucky Sandslash takes a second mach punch and then kills as this build survives two mach punches with 2 HP minimum, often much more. Also Sandslash has pulled many a quad of five sweep so it it is not just Excta's little Brother. Before I added Heatran I use to carry lefties and stone edge to help beat Skarm but Have since switched to a resto-cheso set as earthquake return is usually sufficient coverage now and allows Sandslash to extend his sweep. Heatran (F) @ Choice Scarf Trait: Flash Fire EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk) - Flamethrower - Overheat - Earth Power - Dragon Pulse I used most commonly as a general physical wall counter, especially those with Will-o-Wisp. I chose Heatran for This spot because it is the only competitively viable fire type that is Immune to sand, and chose scarf because This team is very much based around speed and also because I needed A Pokemon that wouldn't immediately lose to Impostor Ditto. Also as previously mentioned makes a great Skarmoury counter which was something my team greatly need when I had Garchomp in this spot. Ditto @ Choice Scarf Trait: Imposter EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef IVs: 30 Spd Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd) - Transform This is my insurance policy that makes sure that no one can set up on my T-Tar and the sweep my team as it turns there sweep against team and have in fact found many instances where where I have intentionally let someone set up just so I could use Ditto them. The reason I use one less speed Iv is because it gives me HP Ice if I happen to mimic a Pokemon with an HP and the EV spread is desined, firstly to maximize health as that is the only stat that dose not get copied and then Defense in case I happen to get in a random struggle battle with opposing Ditto. What I do against apposing weather teams: My plan To counter sun teams is lead with Tyranitar and set up the rocks as most sun teams are incredibly weak to them then, depending on what they do with their Nine tales I either pursuit expecting them to switch or go into Sandslash / Heatran to take the incoming attack and kill with earthquake/power. Usually they will just switch their Ninetails out, but that still accomplishes the task of wearing down the Ninetails with sand damage and steath rocks so that the next time they switch in Ninetails I then switch switch n T-tar and pursuit because they can't do enough damage to kill me and are there for forced out switch and two SR switch ins, a couple turns of sand, and a pursuit is enough to take down any nine tails I have encountered. From that point Excadrill or Sandslash will easily find a time to set up and sweep. Against rain teams I lead with Breloom as unless they are max speed or are scarfed their Politoad won't out speed me and I will spore the toad which will force them out and pretty much seal the deal because with enough sand and offensives power the Toad will die and all I have to do is keep T-tar safe. IF they switch out instead of letting my Breloom spore their Toad my Breloom gets a free SD and will cripple their team so badly, that it won't matter if they win the weather war. Last edited by kevlarscale; May 29th, 2012 at 10:38:04 AM.

May 28th, 2012, 2:16:58 PM	#5
XcRunner Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 149	I don't play dream world really, but you have a massive weakness to water types and rain teams. If breloom is down, something as random as azumarill pretty much beats you. I'd recommend putting a water type on the team in place of Sandslash. I know that's the point of your team, but he is really just a slightly bulkier and MUCH weaker Excadrill. Something like Rotom-W to hurt rain teams w/ rain boosted hydro pumps and w/ super effective volt switch seems like it would help. If you insist on using sandslash, then of course you could opt to get rid of excadrill instead, but that seems like a worse idea imo. Good luck with the team __________________ Running is Funning!

May 28th, 2012, 3:15:27 PM	#6
Taylor no.... no i do not look like psyduck Moderator Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 3,988 play?	improve some of your descriptions otherwise i will have to lock your thread. __________________

May 28th, 2012, 11:28:25 AM	#2
TurboJoex649 Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 2	Isn't garchomp/excadrill ubers? Is this really an OU team

May 28th, 2012, 9:30:23 PM	#7
~~bubbly~~ Banned deucer. Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 884 Australia	So your team is made up of 2 Tyranitar, 2 Sandslash, 3 Excadrill, 2 Breloom, Chandelure, 2 Ditto, and a Garchomp? No wonder you made it so high on the ladder.