Sandstream!

TheOSC · Feb 13th, 2010, 7:39:48 PM

.: Sand Stream Mission Statement :.

The idea for the team is resisting the damage from Sandstream and then finishing the game up with some hard sweeps after the opponent has taken severe Damage Over Time. All the Pokemon are based on being either ground / steal / rock and covering their weaknesses with attack type coverage as opposed to their own typing

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.: Sand Stream v1.0 :.

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.: Sand Stream v1.4 :.

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.: Sand Stream v1.7 :.

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.: Sand Stream v2.0 :.

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Acritter · Feb 13th, 2010, 8:17:09 PM

The first thing I notice is that your team has a HUGE weakness to water. Nothing resists it, and most things are weak to it. I could see a Starmie or Swampert just ripping through your team- Starmie especially, as it can Surf/Pump away without fear of a bad switch-in and Recover off Sandstorm damage. I will admit your Dugtrio would deal with a Starmie threat admirably, but you would have to sacrifice someone for it to work, and if the Starmie is kept in reserve until Dugtrio is taken out, you would lose. Consider Swampert, Vaporeon, and really any tank with Leftovers to deal with that kind of problem.

Mergy · Feb 13th, 2010, 8:25:11 PM

Have you considered Clefable? I notice you picked all your pokemon because they will not take damage from sandstorm, and her Magic Guard gives her that ability as well. One of my personal favourite sets, which causes many switches and much ragequitting is the T-Wave/Encore set on Smogon. Tweak the EVs to your liking, and you have an excellent special wall, and one who can definitely take on CM Suicune, who gives this team a lot of trouble.

I don't like Dugtrio. He doesn't have a lot of power for a scarfer, and since you already have a pursuiter, a revenge killer loses quite a bit of its merit. Something with a choice scarf would still help you, however, and I suggest Flygon for a bit more power and U-turning synergy.

I also think you should take a look at your lead. Aerodactyl is a lead for people who NEED rocks up, and your team, as semi stall, seems to not have that requirement. Aerodactyl's other function, stopping stealth rocks, seems just as insignificant when you consider your team.

Two leads you may enjoy are Metagross and Scarfachi with Wish. As an added bonus, both are uneffected by Sandstorm.

TheOSC · Feb 13th, 2010, 8:37:54 PM

Thanks for the reply's guys I'm tweaking the team as we speak. (also good call on the Swampart, not sure why he never crossed my mind, same with Magic Guard Clefable) As for the Aerodactyl switch, i can see what you are saying but sr is a big combo with my hippo roaring, he causes a lot of devastation to flying pkmn and deals with Skarms very well. (not that their all that common any more) Will be switching Dugtrio for Swampart probably. I also had a tip to add a taunt into the mix to prevent weather setups like sunny day and such.

Cuiv · Feb 13th, 2010, 8:42:49 PM

If you want to go for all-out stall, you might consider Regirock. With 200 base Defense and 150 base SpDef (in a sandstorm), it's a defensive monster. CroRock (Rock Slide/Curse/Rest/Sleep Talk) is incredibly powerful and difficult to stop in a sandstorm. Cradily can perform a similar function: She's a little weaker defensively but has Suction Cups to prevent phazing and is neutral to Water.

TheOSC · Feb 13th, 2010, 9:47:33 PM

Just finished a battle with someone running a Sunny Beam Executor, couldn't get the roar off and sunny day let him 1 shot my whole team almost any suggestions for a counter to this poke.

Pollux-Castor · Feb 13th, 2010, 11:20:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat TheOldSchoolCrisis

Just finished a battle with someone running a Sunny Beam Executor, couldn't get the roar off and sunny day let him 1 shot my whole team almost any suggestions for a counter to this poke.

Sunny Beam Exxegutor is not that common so no major changes should be made.

I was going to tell you to use Scarfachi in place of Dugtrio but that would give you a big ass fire weakness. You could employ a Choice Scarf Starmie with Trick, she would cover the water weakness and her own weaknesses are already more than covered. She would also be faster than the Sunny Beam Exeggutor to clock him out with Ice Beam.

TheOSC · Feb 14th, 2010, 12:34:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat Pollux-Castor

Sunny Beam Exxegutor is not that common so no major changes should be made.

I was going to tell you to use Scarfachi in place of Dugtrio but that would give you a big ass fire weakness. You could employ a Choice Scarf Starmie with Trick, she would cover the water weakness and her own weaknesses are already more than covered. She would also be faster than the Sunny Beam Exeggutor to clock him out with Ice Beam.

Thanks for the suggestion but trying to avoid my team taking damage from sand stream (although the starmie does sound like a solid poke for the slot if i am still having type coverage problems) and build up damage on the opposing team over time (semi stall then push for a final sweep at the end). atm im probably adding the bulky swmprt and removing my RK dugtrio, also one of my friend suggested a Torterra does any one have a good build suggestion for him or even think its a good suggestion?

Edit: If i ran a Metagross lead would you recomend a SR suicide build (you know the standard =P) or something that could throw up some screens for better switch ins later game.

TheOSC · Feb 14th, 2010, 11:15:07 PM

:Bump:

CrossHair-a · Feb 14th, 2010, 11:25:34 PM

Hey, I'd just like to stop by and say: what's an SS team without Gliscor? He's a staple on almost all SS teams, and this seems to be no different. I suggest you run Gliscor in place of Aerodactyl or Hippowdon, as he can fit the lead and tank roles very well. With Sand Veil, attacks that Gliscor hates, such as Hydro Pump and Fire Blast, have a significantly lower chance to hit him, which allow for a safer game, but don't depend on hax to save you; it's just icing on the Gliscor cake. If you lead with him, I suggest a set of Taunt | Stealth Rock | Earthquake | Roost or U-Turn holding Leftovers with the EVs of 252 HP / 32 Def / 224 Spe and a Jolly Nature. I like to use the 224 Spe in order to outrun other Gliscors who outrun the standard Gliscor (216 standard, 220 to outrun, thus 224 to outrun them). You could also go for higher speeds, or even max speed to guarantee ties with other max speed Gliscors and base 95ers. I also do not advise you running Impish, as you will then lose to Roserade leads, as they are at base 90 and always run a positive nature and will put Gliscor to sleep. Outspeeding them lets Taunt stop their attempt at status (as well as not letting them get even one layer of TSpikes down, which can eat your team alive) and you may proceed to Stealth Rock from there.

Should you opt for Gliscor in the team slot rather than lead, might I suggest running a set of Taunt | Earthquake | Roost | Toxic holding Leftovers with 252 HP / 32 Def / 224 Spe as the EVs and a Jolly or Impish Nature. It may look exactly the same, but this Gliscor is made to break stall period. Taunt the wall, which renders saidw all useless, then proceed to deal with the switch-in however you see fit. The EVs and Nature depend on your own taste, whether you want to outspeed Jolly Lucario or Adamant Lucario is your choice; as well as whether you want to outspeed opposing Gliscor so that you can Taunt them before they Toxic/Taunt/Swords Dance you. This set can save you so much trouble against stall it isn't even funny, forcing switches and building up more residual damage, allowing Scizor or Lucario to sweep much more easily.

Also, if you seriously insist on keeping Dugtrio, have him wield a Choice Band. He desperately needs the extra power and he's quite fast enough as it is. Otherwise, try Swampert or Empoleon, as they are good Bulky Waters who are immune to sandstorm. Or try a Wish Passer Vaporeon and change Tyranitar to a Dragon Dance set; or even AgiliGross can be great to this team, and if you choose to do so, change Scizor to the standard CB set.

Hope I helped, good luck with the team! (I would go more in depth but I'm about to fall asleep).

TheOSC · Feb 15th, 2010, 12:12:44 AM

Thanks alot for the tips, i have a few leads to try out before I update the team (Gross and Gliscor) however i never did get an answer to my two questions.

1. Would Torterra have a place on this team to cover a grass and water weakness?

2. Is there a viable Metagros Barrier build for the lead slot or should he stick with standard SR Explode?

CrossHair-a · Feb 15th, 2010, 9:15:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat TheOldSchoolCrisis

Thanks alot for the tips, i have a few leads to try out before I update the team (Gross and Gliscor) however i never did get an answer to my two questions.

1. Would Torterra have a place on this team to cover a grass and water weakness?

2. Is there a viable Metagros Barrier build for the lead slot or should he stick with standard SR Explode?

1. Torterra is neutral to both Grass and Water, so no it wouldn't help. If you want a solid resistance to them both (neutrality to Grass), Empoleon can tank both hits very effectively, beating CroCune and Starmie lacking Thunderbolt 1 on 1. All I can say is that this team is in great need of a water and grass tank (which eliminates Rhyperior as an option :X) or a solid dual wall.

2. Idk, I never use Metagross, tbh :P.

EDIT: May I also suggest running someone over Lucario? If you need a special Rock-, Steel-, or Ground-type, those who come to mind are Empoleon, Heatran, Magnezone, Lucario, and Jirachi. How about SubCM Jirachi? ScarfTran? If not, you could also try NP MixApe, Zapdos, Jolteon, Latias, Rotom-A, or Vaporeon; they are all excellent choices for the special attacker bill, some of them can even tank and dish out hits (Vaporeon, Rotom-A, Zapdos) so they are all worth considering even if they do not resist sandstorm.

***Delko**** · Feb 15th, 2010, 11:06:51 AM

Hello

Although this team has gotten many positive reactions, I would like to give a suggestion myself.

I suggeset using Vaporeon over Swampert, people have mentionned you water weakness a few times and with his ability to absorb water type attacks, I think he would really benefice your team. He can also give your team wish support. And of course it can take care of Gyarados, who could cause you some real damage.

Vaporeon @ leftovers/ bold/ water absorb
188 HP / 252 Def / 68 Spe

- Wish
- Protect
- Surf
- Hidden Power (electric)

If you are looking for a special sweeper in a sandstorm team, I suggest Empoleon instead of Lucario. Empoleon forms a great pair with Gliscor in terms of sweeping and it doesn't need to run the Sub-Petaya set to be an effective sweeper. That's why I also suggest you lead with the "standard Hippowdon lead" and making Gliscor more offensive orientated.

Empoleon @ life orb/ modest/ torrent
40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe

- Surf
- Agility
- Grass Knot
- Ice Beam

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Hippowdon @ leftovers/ impish/ sand stream
252 HP / 168 Def / 88 SpD

- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Roar
- Earthquake

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Gliscor @ life orb/ jolly/ sand veil
252 HP / 40 Atk / 216 Spe

- Sword Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Roost

Hope this helped!

TyranitarHero · Feb 15th, 2010, 11:45:47 AM

If you want a special sweeper than this set will work wonders for you

Empoleon@Petaya Berry
EVS:12 HP/12 Def/252 SpA/ 232 Spe
Nature:Modest
Moves
Surf
Ice Beam
Agility
Substitute
I personally use a sand storm team similar to this team and it is the best team I have. I used to run Clefable but when I switched to Empoleon It truly was a beast.After You get an Agility up substitute, then keep substituting until petaya berry activates then Surf will be extremely strong because Max Special attack plus special attack boost plus 50% boost to surf because of Torrent can very well mean godd game. The one pokemon that gives this pokemon problems would be blissey but you do have Tyranitar toscare it away or face a stone edge to the face. Plus Empoleon has great synergy with gliscor.
Snyergy
Fighting-Gliscor
Ground-Gliscor
Electric-Gliscor,Swampert,Hippowdon
I will add Gliscors Snyergy as well
Synergy
Ice-Empoleon
Water-Empoleon
Let me know if I helped :).
PS.This set was not made by me its on Smogon

Edit: O and incase you dont know Empoleon takes no damage from sand storm beacuse its part steel

WarriorPrince · Feb 15th, 2010, 12:43:44 PM

I think you should use Vaporeon over Swampert because of the Water weakness you have. Choice Specs Starmie can spam Hydro Pump, and 6-0 you. LO Starmie can do it as well. Many Water types can hurt you, badly. Vaporeon can semi remedy this with its amazing ablility. Use this set:

Vaporeon @ leftovers/ bold/ water absorb
188 HP / 252 Def / 68 Spe

- Wish
- Protect
- Surf
- Hidden Power (electric)/ Toxic

I know Vaporeon is hurt by Sandstream, but it's important that you check your Water weakness.

TheOSC · Feb 15th, 2010, 1:37:38 PM

Alright, once again thanks a ton for the suggestions guys I am incredibly glad for your tips. =)

Quote:

If you want a special sweeper than this set will work wonders for you

Empoleon@Petaya Berry
EVS:12 HP/12 Def/252 SpA/ 232 Spe
Nature:Modest
Moves
Surf
Ice Beam
Agility
Substitute
I personally use a sand storm team similar to this team and it is the best team I have. I used to run Clefable but when I switched to Empoleon It truly was a beast.After You get an Agility up substitute, then keep substituting until petaya berry activates then Surf will be extremely strong because Max Special attack plus special attack boost plus 50% boost to surf because of Torrent can very well mean godd game. The one pokemon that gives this pokemon problems would be blissey but you do have Tyranitar toscare it away or face a stone edge to the face. Plus Empoleon has great synergy with gliscor.
Snyergy
Fighting-Gliscor
Ground-Gliscor
Electric-Gliscor,Swampert,Hippowdon
I will add Gliscors Snyergy as well
Synergy
Ice-Empoleon
Water-Empoleon
Let me know if I helped :).
PS.This set was not made by me its on Smogon

The set seems solid enough accomplish the team's goal fairly well, I will have to run some play tests with it before I'm positive but he may replace my Luke. The one thing that concerns me is him subbing, the point of dropping Luke for a different sweeper would be to cover my water weakness while still having an effective killer. If Empolion is subbing however he will be risking death after the 2nd/3rd time he pops it, also if I ever have to switch out empolion he will be sent out later on with reduced health and not have the speed boost from agility, so he will probably be ohko'ed late game.

Quote:

Hello

Although this team has gotten many positive reactions, I would like to give a suggestion myself.

I suggeset using Vaporeon over Swampert, people have mentionned you water weakness a few times and with his ability to absorb water type attacks, I think he would really benefice your team. He can also give your team wish support. And of course it can take care of Gyarados, who could cause you some real damage.

Vaporeon @ leftovers/ bold/ water absorb
188 HP / 252 Def / 68 Spe

- Wish
- Protect
- Surf
- Hidden Power (electric)

Yea I have gotten a lot of people here and on shoddy telling me not to worry about the sand stream and just run a Vaporeon in the last slot for water coverage, so I will probably play test this later on today, and wish support would fix alot of my problems with switch in. That said while I did like your idea on a lead hippo I don't really feel like she should be filling that spot, right now she composes the majority of my middle game and is a huge part of setting up my end game sweeps (Toxic, Sand storm, roaring opponents onto rocks, ect.)

Quote:

1. Torterra is neutral to both Grass and Water, so no it wouldn't help. If you want a solid resistance to them both (neutrality to Grass), Empoleon can tank both hits very effectively, beating CroCune and Starmie lacking Thunderbolt 1 on 1. All I can say is that this team is in great need of a water and grass tank (which eliminates Rhyperior as an option :X) or a solid dual wall.

2. Idk, I never use Metagross, tbh :P.

EDIT: May I also suggest running someone over Lucario? If you need a special Rock-, Steel-, or Ground-type, those who come to mind are Empoleon, Heatran, Magnezone, Lucario, and Jirachi. How about SubCM Jirachi? ScarfTran? If not, you could also try NP MixApe, Zapdos, Jolteon, Latias, Rotom-A, or Vaporeon; they are all excellent choices for the special attacker bill, some of them can even tank and dish out hits (Vaporeon, Rotom-A, Zapdos) so they are all worth considering even if they do not resist sandstorm.

CrossHair-a you have been a huge help so far and Ty for all your suggestions, I will play test some of the suggested Pokes tonight and update my team later with the changes.

Once again TY everyone and expect to see v1.7 or 9 later on today or at the latest tomorrow. (I got work, homework, and a ton of chores so I may not get to play much today.)

CrossHair-a · Feb 15th, 2010, 2:29:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat TheOldSchoolCrisis

CrossHair-a you have been a huge help so far and Ty for all your suggestions, I will play test some of the suggested Pokes tonight and update my team later with the changes.

No prob and I would also like to add something:

If you do decide to use Empoleon, a SubPetaya + Agility set would be hard to pull off on this team because Blissey, Vaporeon, Suicune with HP Electric, and Scarf Starmie all beat said Empoleon when the sub is down (and it usually is). Starmie especially already causes huge problems for your team, so if you do decide to go for Empoleon, try a bulkier set (Choice Specs?).

Just a thought.

TheOSC · Feb 15th, 2010, 3:01:52 PM

yea I was just playing the SubPetaya and it was just not doing anything for me. like you said and I feared bulky waters and faster waters are just destroying him, however I'm not sure I would want to choice him either. As far as typing goes my team is not having issues with the water as much now that I switched Luke for Empolion (although this may not last unless I can find a better build than Choice or SubPetaya) it is getting murdered by a good grass sweep and seeding (tangrowth today turned a game around so quick it wasn't funny), if they set up on my Swampert or Empolion its is almost a guaranteed GG because I can't safely setup my Ttar for firepunch, especially if they running a Energy ball sweeper (the lowered SpD changes a 3-4 hit kill on my Gliscor into a 2 hit.) once again I'm all ears if any one has a tip

Currently at risk of drops (if i drop Swampert it will be for a equally bulky Water, and yes I'm considering the ever popular Vaporeon =P)

You are not alone · Feb 15th, 2010, 3:06:15 PM

You could go with the Empoleon Delko suggested.

Looking at your team I noticed you are weak to grass, water, fighting and ground (you have weaknesses to more types as well but they are better covered). So I want to suggest either Zapdos or Rotom-a.

Good luck with the team!

TheOSC · Feb 15th, 2010, 3:26:48 PM

thanks for the advice. and as for the empolion I'm about to switch over to the Delko build for him and try that out, if its good i will probably keep it, im also going to try out the vaporeon prety soon.

CrossHair-a · Feb 15th, 2010, 4:52:33 PM

Btw, the main reason I suggested Choice Specs Empoleon is so that if you run Sleep Talk, you have a good sleep absorber.

Other than that, you could try ResTalk Empoleon or ResTalk Shuffle. Something like this set:

Empoleon @ Leftovers
Torrent
Calm
252 HP / 160 Def / 92 SpD / 4 Spe (or SpA)
~Surf
~Rest
~Sleep Talk
~Ice Beam / Grass Knot / HP Electric / Roar

I have used this Empoleon before, and I must say that it works very well as a defense. The given EVs are bias to Special Defense, but 160 EVs in defense allow you to take Kingdra and Gyarados head on and take a significantly lower amount of damage rather than going pure specially defensive. Empoleon resists any Bulky Gyarados' set that doesn't run Earthquake as the secondary attack (Stone Edge, Bounce, Return) and will usually force a switch. Empoleon is also the only pokemon to resist both of Kingdra's impressive STABs in Waterfall and Outrage, allowing him to effectively come in and shrug off Kingdra's "rain" on your team's parade. Suicune may seem better fit to fill this role, but Empoleon's incredible key resistances to Water, Ice, and neutrality to Grass benefit your team greatly (as well as immunity to Sandstorm, which hurts Suicune's logevity quite badly).

The final slot choice is tp your liking. If Gyarados should be eliminated ASAP, HP Electric is the move choice. If Swampert is causing you trouble, Grass Knot is a fine option (though Surf could suffice). Ice Beam is a standard, hitting the dragons you'll be switching into (Salamence and Latias both hate Empoleon) very hard. Roar is my favorite for the last slot, allowing Empoleon to effectively phaze and rakc up Stealth Rock damage, making it easier for Tyranitar to sweep. This set (with Roar) could also go above Hippowdon, opening a slot for another water or grass resist like Vaporeon or Heatran, respectively, which would make this team significantly better.

I suggested this set in order to help with the water weakness, and this Empoleon stays for a really long time, allowing it to switch in repeatedly to Water- and Ice-type attacks, which Gliscor specifically hates; while Gliscor can take Ground, Fighting, and Electric attacks for Empoleon, making these two very, very nice tanks together. They synergize perfectly and cover both spectrums between each other.

Consider this set, if not, try Defensive Penguin set listed on Smogon, it may arouse your interest as well. I can't see Empoleon grabbing an offensive role on this team, so I suggest going with a Defensive Empoleon.

Just saying ;)

TheOSC · Feb 15th, 2010, 5:18:39 PM

sounds like a plan, id hate to part with my hippo but I'm sure not going to let favoritism cost me a good team XD. Ill try out both and see what i find best, the roar first seems like a great set, but I haven't checked out the Defensive Penguin set yet so we shall see. v1.7 up soon

TyranitarHero · Feb 15th, 2010, 9:27:30 PM

if you fear bulky waters on empoleon just use grass knot over ice beam although vaporeon wont take much

TheOSC · Feb 15th, 2010, 11:33:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat GiggityGiggityPAWNCH!

if you fear bulky waters on empoleon just use grass knot over ice beam although vaporeon wont take much

he is one of my biggest problems atm, common poke and i have no moves to deal with it. im thinking of taking an hp electric on Empolion atm. Also updated to v1.7 Empolion was officialy added but needs a defensive set without rest to deal with Vaporeon setups.

TyranitarHero · Feb 16th, 2010, 3:06:40 PM

well run the empoleon with grass knot tell me wat u think

Feb 13th, 2010, 7:39:48 PM	#1
TheOSC Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 51 Houston	Sandstream! .: Sand Stream Mission Statement :. The idea for the team is resisting the damage from Sandstream and then finishing the game up with some hard sweeps after the opponent has taken severe Damage Over Time. All the Pokemon are based on being either ground / steal / rock and covering their weaknesses with attack type coverage as opposed to their own typing ------------------------------------------------------------------- .: Sand Stream v1.0 :. ... Aerodactyl: The Lead EV's: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd Nature: Jolly Ability: Pressure @ Focus Sash 1. Earthquake 2. Stealth Rock 3. Stone Edge 4. Taunt Purpose: Aerodactyl starts up the team either setting up SR or taunting the opponents lead to prevent their setup and the following up with SR, very standard Suicide Lead build. Known Weakness: So far I have never had any luck outrunning any opposing Aerodactyl leads (not sure why, I might just be unlucky) and counter lead leads with choice scarfs tend to out run him (Not a huge problem because he is intended to simply stop their lead from setting up SR/Spikes and the set his own up then die) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Scizor: The Physical Sweep EV's: 32 HP/252 Atk/226 Spd (Concidering moving a few points from Atk or Hp into Spd for outrunning opposing Scizor) Nature: Adamant Ability: Technician @ Life Orb 1. Bug Bite 2. Bullet Punch 3. Super Power (not fond of this move most situations it seems useful I am out run) 4. Swords Dance Purpose: Scizor is my late game sweep. When everything is nice and low from combat I throw him out and Bullet Punch their team into the ground. I have considered switching the Life Orb out for a Choice Band (allowing me to move extra HP EV's to Spd) and dropping Swords Dance for U-Turn to Revenge Kill and safely switch out to Hippowdon Known Weakness: if the Opponent is running this same build my Scizor and his just trade blows till one is dead, in addition any sweep that is resistant to Bullet Punch has a chance of out running him, with Life orb he racks up significant amounts of just from attacking making him very venerable to other Priority moves from faster Pokemon. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hippowdon: The Wall EV's: 176 HP/86 Def/248 SpD Nature: Impish Ability: Sand Stream @ Leftovers 1. Roar 2. Slack Off 3. Stockpile 4. Toxic Purpose: Hippowdon is probably one of this teams stars, she is so incredibly bulky (especially after stockpile) and can safely switch in to most Sweeps both physical and special. (excluding s calm minded Grass Knot) I choose Toxic over Earthquake for more damage over time build up and making would be setups have to flee battle. Known Weakness: As mentioned a Calm Minded Grass Knot can cause some issues for my Hippowdon and the biggest one is when Hippowdon is my last remaining Pokemon and they still have a steal type out (I can never KO it because I have no attacks on him and they are immune to both Toxic and Sandstorm) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Lucario: The Special Sweep EV's: 6 HP/252 Spd/252 SpA Nature: Timid Ability: Inner Focus @ Choice Specs 1. Aura Sphere 2. Hidden Power (Ice) 3. Shadow Ball 4. Vacuum Wave Purpose: My team lacked a special sweeper and I felt that it was relying to much on physical damage with Tyranitar, Dugtrio, and Scizor. Lucario fills the gap rather well but falls short on speed against other sweeps to often all though I have found he counters most every dragon perfectly with his Hidden Power, particularly Dragonite. Known Weakness: His speed isn't bad but it isn't the best either, this has led to a few issues recently. I also feel he is disrupting the Synergy and is filling a gap I don't really have. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Tyranitar: The Tank EV's: 160 Hp/252 Atk/ 98 Spd Nature: Adamant Ability: Sand Stream @ Choice Band 1. Aqua Tail 2. Crunch 3. Pursuit 4. Stone Edge Purpose: When I need to kill something before it can switch out or because it is immune to SS and Toxic Tyranitar usualy can step up to the plate, being bulky enough to take a hit when switching in, force a switch and get the kill with pursuit or just brute force the opponent down. He also allows a good switch in if my Sandstorm has been stopped by another weather effect. Known Weakness: Choicing him makes him a 1-2 turn pokemon not a huge deal but it does force me to take a little more damage than I am comfortable with. he also poses no threat to my biggest weakness on Hippowdon, water. (I need a safe switch in for this) if he is outrun their are a few Pokemon who make him hurt setting him up to be revenge killed. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Dugtrio: The Revenge Kill EV's: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd Nature: Jolly Ability: Arena Trap @ Choice Scarf 1. Aerial Ace 2. Earthquake 3. Night Slash 4. Stone Edge Purpose: Dugtrio is a Perfect Revenge Killer, Arena trap prevents a weak pokemon from running and he out speeds most opponents. His Aerial Ace has gotten me a few 0.o looks and a few KO's in his day. Known Weakness: It's basically just a synergy issue. RKing is nice but I don't feel it fits in well with the team and for a team that hopes to stall its opponent I have very little stall. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Currently I'm trying to find the weak points and then revamp the team as necessary, I'm defiantly not going to object to Pokemon switches if you think a different Pokemon will benefit the team more. Please reply and help me out with building a perfect Sand Stream team. ------------------------------------------------------------------- At risk of being dropped unless a better build can be suggested for the current slot. .: Sand Stream v1.4 :.* ... Gliscor: The Lead 2.0 EV's: 252 HP/34 Atk/224 Spd Nature: Jolly Ability: Sand Veil @ Leftovers 1. Earthquake 2. Roost 3. Stealth Rock 4. Taunt Purpose: Replacing Aerodactyl, basically running a suicide SR Aerodactyl was an ok choice but Gliscor is preforming the same task much better simply because he doesn't die. Roost lets him stay alive and his natural bulk keeps him from getting one shot by most common leads. Known Weakness: He is significantly slower than some leads. I still never outrun Aerodactyl's and other taunt/SR leads tend to land the taunt before me. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Scizor: The Physical Sweep and The Revenge Kill EV's: 244 HP/252 Atk/12 Spd Nature: Adamant Ability: Technician @ Choice Band 1. Bullet Punch 2. Pursuit 3. Super Power 4. U-turn Purpose: Scizor is still my late game sweep. When everything is nice and low from fighting and secondary damage I throw him out and Bullet Punch their team into the ground. I have recently switched the Life Orb set out for a Choice Band set and dropped Swords Dance for U-Turn to Revenge Kill and safely switch out to Hippowdon, Swampert, and Gliscor. Known Weakness: if the Opponent is running this same build my Scizor and his just trade blows till one is dead, in addition any sweep that is resistant to Bullet Punch has a chance of out running him still and KOing my main sweeper. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hippowdon: The Wall EV's: 176 HP/86 Def/248 SpD Nature: Impish Ability: Sand Stream @ Leftovers 1. Roar 2. Slack Off 3. Stockpile 4. Toxic Purpose: Hippowdon is probably one of this teams stars, she is so incredibly bulky (especially after stockpile) and can safely switch in to most Sweeps both physical and special. (excluding s calm minded Grass Knot) I choose Toxic over Earthquake for more damage over time build up and making would be setups have to flee battle. Known Weakness: As mentioned a CM Grass Knot can cause some issues for my Hippowdon. The biggest problem however is when she is my last remaining Pokemon and they still have a steal type out (I can never KO it because I have no attacks on him and they are immune to both Toxic and Sandstorm) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Lucario: The Special Sweeper EV's: 6 HP/252 Spd/252 SpA Nature: Timid Ability: Inner Focus @ Choice Specs 1. Aura Sphere 2. Hidden Power (Ice) 3. Shadow Ball 4. Vacuum Wave Purpose: My team lacked a special sweeper and I felt that it was relying to much on physical damage with Tyranitar, Dugtrio, and Scizor. Lucario fills the gap rather well but falls short on speed against other sweeps to often all though I have found he counters most every dragon perfectly with his Hidden Power, particularly Dragonite. Known Weakness: His speed isn't bad but it isn't the best either, this has led to a few issues recently. I also feel he is disrupting the Synergy and is filling a gap I don't really have. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Tyranitar: The Bulky Sweep EV's: 6 Hp/252 Atk/ 252 Spd Nature: Jolly Ability: Sand Stream @ Babiri Berry 1. Crunch 2. Dragon Dance 3. Fire Punch 4. Stone Edge Purpose: Being bulky enough to take a hit when switching in, Tyrantar is working very well at KOing opposing Pokemon, the new DD build lets him set up and sweep much more effectively, especially now that he is boasting much higher speed. Known Weakness: Choicing him makes him a 1-2 turn pokemon not a huge deal but it does force me to take a little more damage than I am comfortable with. he also poses no threat to my biggest weakness on Hippowdon, water. (I need a safe switch in for this) if he is outrun their are a few Pokemon who make him hurt setting him up to be revenge killed. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Swampert: The Ballance EV's: 240 HP/52 Atk/218 Def Nature: Impish Ability: Torrent @ Leftovers 1. Avalanche 2. Rest 3. Sleep Talk 4. Waterfall Purpose: Dropping Dugtrio for Swampert has increased my teams ability to setup and stall ten-fold giving me a safe switch in for most water Pokemon (a Sharpedo gave me a few issues earlier, but he isn't a common threat) Rest/Sleep Talk lets me heal up boost stats and kill Waterfall is taken over Earthquake because I needed coverage from fire and already have ground coverage on my Glicor. Known Weakness: The Rest period has caused me a few issues but with out it Swampert has no way to heal off damage. I still feel a better build could be used on him. ------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm still trying to find weak points and edit/replace members as necessary, I'm defiantly not going to object to Pokemon switches if you think a different Pokemon will benefit the team more. Please reply and help me out with building a perfect Sand Stream team. ------------------------------------------------------------------- At risk of being dropped unless a better build can be suggested for the current slot. .: Sand Stream v1.7 :. ... Gliscor: The Lead 2.0 EV's: 252 HP/34 Atk/224 Spd Nature: Jolly Ability: Sand Veil @ Leftovers 1. Earthquake 2. Roost 3. Stealth Rock 4. Taunt Purpose: Replacing Aerodactyl, basically running a suicide SR Aerodactyl was an ok choice but Gliscor is preforming the same task much better simply because he doesn't die. Roost lets him stay alive and his natural bulk keeps him from getting one shot by most common leads. Known Weakness: He is significantly slower than some leads. I still never outrun Aerodactyl's and other taunt/SR leads tend to land the taunt before me. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Scizor: The Physical Sweep and The Revenge Kill EV's: 244 HP/252 Atk/12 Spd Nature: Adamant Ability: Technician @ Choice Band 1. Bullet Punch 2. Pursuit 3. Super Power 4. U-turn Purpose: Scizor is still my late game sweep. When everything is nice and low from fighting and secondary damage I throw him out and Bullet Punch their team into the ground. I have recently switched the Life Orb set out for a Choice Band set and dropped Swords Dance for U-Turn to Revenge Kill and safely switch out to Hippowdon, Swampert, and Gliscor. Known Weakness: if the Opponent is running this same build my Scizor and his just trade blows till one is dead, in addition any sweep that is resistant to Bullet Punch has a chance of out running him still and KOing my main sweeper. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hippowdon: The Wall EV's: 176 HP/86 Def/248 SpD Nature: Impish Ability: Sand Stream @ Leftovers 1. Roar 2. Slack Off 3. Stockpile 4. Toxic Purpose: Hippowdon is probably one of this teams stars, she is so incredibly bulky (especially after stockpile) and can safely switch in to most Sweeps both physical and special. (excluding s calm minded Grass Knot) I choose Toxic over Earthquake for more damage over time build up and making would be setups have to flee battle. Known Weakness: As mentioned a CM Grass Knot can cause some issues for my Hippowdon. The biggest problem however is when she is my last remaining Pokemon and they still have a steal type out (I can never KO it because I have no attacks on him and they are immune to both Toxic and Sandstorm) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Empolion: The Experiment EV's: 252 HP/160 Def/6 SpA/92 SpD Nature: Modest Ability: Torrent @ Leftovers 1. Sleep Talk 2. Surf 3. Rest 4. Roar Purpose: Countering Water and Grass based setups on my team. Empolion basically comes in on my teams weakness and then roars out any setups rests off damage and Uses Sleep Talk to fight back while comatose. Known Weakness: F*ing Vaporeon. This Pokemon is just a better wall than my Empoleon it seems, if the opponent sends it out I can't risk using surf and if I'm resting i have to wait to roar, allowing for setups on the opposing team way to easy. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Tyranitar: The Bulky Sweep EV's: 6 Hp/252 Atk/ 252 Spd Nature: Jolly Ability: Sand Stream @ Babiri Berry 1. Crunch 2. Dragon Dance 3. Fire Punch 4. Stone Edge Purpose: Being bulky enough to take a hit when switching in, Tyrantar is working very well at KOing opposing Pokemon, the new DD build lets him set up and sweep much more effectively, especially now that he is boasting much higher speed. Known Weakness: Choicing him makes him a 1-2 turn pokemon not a huge deal but it does force me to take a little more damage than I am comfortable with. he also poses no threat to my biggest weakness on Hippowdon, water. (I need a safe switch in for this) if he is outrun their are a few Pokemon who make him hurt setting him up to be revenge killed. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Swampert: The Ballance EV's: 240 HP/52 Atk/218 Def Nature: Impish Ability: Torrent @ Leftovers 1. Avalanche 2. Rest 3. Sleep Talk 4. Waterfall Purpose: Dropping Dugtrio for Swampert has increased my teams ability to setup and stall ten-fold giving me a safe switch in for most water Pokemon (a Sharpedo gave me a few issues earlier, but he isn't a common threat) Rest/Sleep Talk lets me heal up boost stats and kill Waterfall is taken over Earthquake because I needed coverage from fire and already have ground coverage on my Glicor. Known Weakness: The Rest period has caused me a few issues but with out it Swampert has no way to heal off damage. I still feel a better build could be used on him. I am also having the same problem on this Swampert as i am on Empolion, while he rests the opponent has ample time to setup with Vaporeon. ------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm still trying to find weak points and edit/replace members as necessary, I'm defiantly not going to object to Pokemon switches if you think a different Pokemon will benefit the team more. Please reply and help me out with building a perfect Sand Stream team. ------------------------------------------------------------------- At risk of being dropped unless a better build can be suggested for the current slot. .: Sand Stream v2.0 :.* ... Gliscor: The Lead 2.0 EV's: 252 HP/34 Atk/224 Spd Nature: Jolly Ability: Sand Veil @ Leftovers 1. Earthquake 2. Roost 3. Stealth Rock 4. Taunt Purpose: Replacing Aerodactyl, basically running a suicide SR Aerodactyl was an ok choice but Gliscor is preforming the same task much better simply because he doesn't die. Roost lets him stay alive and his natural bulk keeps him from getting one shot by most common leads. Known Weakness: He is significantly slower than some leads. I still never outrun Aerodactyl's and other taunt/SR leads tend to land the taunt before me. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Scizor: The Physical Sweep and The Revenge Kill EV's: 244 HP/252 Atk/12 Spd Nature: Adamant Ability: Technician @ Choice Band 1. Bullet Punch 2. Pursuit 3. Super Power 4. U-turn Purpose: Scizor is still my late game sweep. When everything is nice and low from fighting and secondary damage I throw him out and Bullet Punch their team into the ground. I have recently switched the Life Orb set out for a Choice Band set and dropped Swords Dance for U-Turn to Revenge Kill and safely switch out to Hippowdon, Swampert, and Gliscor. Known Weakness: if the Opponent is running this same build my Scizor and his just trade blows till one is dead, in addition any sweep that is resistant to Bullet Punch has a chance of out running him still and KOing my main sweeper. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hippowdon: The Wall EV's: 176 HP/86 Def/248 SpD Nature: Impish Ability: Sand Stream @ Leftovers 1. Roar 2. Slack Off 3. Stockpile 4. Toxic Purpose: Hippowdon is probably one of this teams stars, she is so incredibly bulky (especially after stockpile) and can safely switch in to most Sweeps both physical and special. (excluding s calm minded Grass Knot) I choose Toxic over Earthquake for more damage over time build up and making would be setups have to flee battle. Known Weakness: As mentioned a CM Grass Knot can cause some issues for my Hippowdon. The biggest problem however is when she is my last remaining Pokemon and they still have a steal type out (I can never KO it because I have no attacks on him and they are immune to both Toxic and Sandstorm) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Empolion: The Experiment EV's: 252 HP/160 Def/6 SpA/92 SpD Nature: Modest Ability: Torrent @ Leftovers 1. Sleep Talk 2. Surf 3. Rest 4. HP Electric Purpose: Countering Water and Grass based setups on my team. Empolion basically comes in on my teams weakness and then roars out any setups rests off damage and Uses Sleep Talk to fight back while comatose. Known Weakness: F*ing Vaporeon. This Pokemon is just a better wall than my Empoleon it seems, Switching to HP Electric has helped out with this significantly and Vaporeon is not causing half as much of an issue as she used to. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Tyranitar: The Bulky Sweep EV's: 6 Hp/252 Atk/ 252 Spd Nature: Jolly Ability: Sand Stream @ Babiri Berry 1. Crunch 2. Dragon Dance 3. Fire Punch 4. Stone Edge Purpose: Being bulky enough to take a hit when switching in, Tyrantar is working very well at KOing opposing Pokemon, the new DD build lets him set up and sweep much more effectively, especially now that he is boasting much higher speed. Known Weakness: Choicing him makes him a 1-2 turn pokemon not a huge deal but it does force me to take a little more damage than I am comfortable with. he also poses no threat to my biggest weakness on Hippowdon, water. (I need a safe switch in for this) if he is outrun their are a few Pokemon who make him hurt setting him up to be revenge killed. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Jirachi: The Cleric EV's: 252 HP/40 Def/218 SpD Nature: Bold Ability: Serene Grace @ Choice Scarf 1. Psychic 2. Reflect 3. Trick 4. Wish Purpose: Covering my team by throwing out Wish and setting up Reflect for safe switch ins, running the Trick/Choice Scarf is also proving to help with bulky waters by removing their leftovers. This lets me either finish my setting up with Jirachi or if they are low enough Psychic them down. The EV spread is actually an inverse of the build for CM + Wish Jirachi, simply because I send him out mostly to deal with bulky waters spamming surf as their only attack. Known Weakness: So far I'm not having many issues running this poke. it is complementing the stall on the team well and alowing me to setup DD on Tyranitar, Stockpile on Hippowdon, or just simply switch in to a weakened Pokemon. Since it isn't out for very long It is never in to much danger and generally wont be KO'ed unless he is hit with pursuit. I may drop trick for Protect if i see that trick is making little difference and the put a Leftovers on this Poke. ------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm still trying to find weak points and edit/replace members as necessary, I'm defiantly not going to object to Pokemon switches if you think a different Pokemon will benefit the team more. Please reply and help me out with building a perfect Sand Stream team. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Would like to try and find a better build. Last edited by TheOSC; Feb 16th, 2010 at 8:38:03 PM. Reason: Updated Team!

Feb 15th, 2010, 11:06:51 AM	#13
*Delko at the end of the game, the king and the pawn go into the same box Super Moderator** Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 2,961 Belgium Mentor	Hello Although this team has gotten many positive reactions, I would like to give a suggestion myself. I suggeset using Vaporeon over Swampert, people have mentionned you water weakness a few times and with his ability to absorb water type attacks, I think he would really benefice your team. He can also give your team wish support. And of course it can take care of Gyarados, who could cause you some real damage. Vaporeon @ leftovers/ bold/ water absorb 188 HP / 252 Def / 68 Spe - Wish - Protect - Surf - Hidden Power (electric) If you are looking for a special sweeper in a sandstorm team, I suggest Empoleon instead of Lucario. Empoleon forms a great pair with Gliscor in terms of sweeping and it doesn't need to run the Sub-Petaya set to be an effective sweeper. That's why I also suggest you lead with the "standard Hippowdon lead" and making Gliscor more offensive orientated. Empoleon @ life orb/ modest/ torrent 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe - Surf - Agility - Grass Knot - Ice Beam ------- Hippowdon @ leftovers/ impish/ sand stream 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 SpD - Stealth Rock - Slack Off - Roar - Earthquake ------ Gliscor @ life orb/ jolly/ sand veil 252 HP / 40 Atk / 216 Spe - Sword Dance - Earthquake - Stone Edge - Roost Hope this helped! Last edited by Delko; Feb 15th, 2010 at 12:50:05 PM.

Feb 15th, 2010, 11:45:47 AM	#14
TyranitarHero Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 24	If you want a special sweeper than this set will work wonders for you Empoleon@Petaya Berry EVS:12 HP/12 Def/252 SpA/ 232 Spe Nature:Modest Moves Surf Ice Beam Agility Substitute I personally use a sand storm team similar to this team and it is the best team I have. I used to run Clefable but when I switched to Empoleon It truly was a beast.After You get an Agility up substitute, then keep substituting until petaya berry activates then Surf will be extremely strong because Max Special attack plus special attack boost plus 50% boost to surf because of Torrent can very well mean godd game. The one pokemon that gives this pokemon problems would be blissey but you do have Tyranitar toscare it away or face a stone edge to the face. Plus Empoleon has great synergy with gliscor. Snyergy Fighting-Gliscor Ground-Gliscor Electric-Gliscor,Swampert,Hippowdon I will add Gliscors Snyergy as well Synergy Ice-Empoleon Water-Empoleon Let me know if I helped :). PS.This set was not made by me its on Smogon Edit: O and incase you dont know Empoleon takes no damage from sand storm beacuse its part steel __________________ Tyranitar will own u pwn u will have shown u loan u blown u clone u flown u grown u known u thrown u postpone u. Last edited by Bloo; Feb 15th, 2010 at 12:20:29 PM. Reason: don't double post

Feb 15th, 2010, 12:43:44 PM	#15
WarriorPrince Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 503 In the worst of your nightmares.	I think you should use Vaporeon over Swampert because of the Water weakness you have. Choice Specs Starmie can spam Hydro Pump, and 6-0 you. LO Starmie can do it as well. Many Water types can hurt you, badly. Vaporeon can semi remedy this with its amazing ablility. Use this set: Vaporeon @ leftovers/ bold/ water absorb 188 HP / 252 Def / 68 Spe - Wish - Protect - Surf - Hidden Power (electric)/ Toxic I know Vaporeon is hurt by Sandstream, but it's important that you check your Water weakness. __________________ As short lived as our existence is we are purely, The key to the future, a part in our peoples story, Living unevenly privileged, yet equally-cursed, Each one of us are the same when we sleep-in-a-hearse, Don't ever let a mans wealth speak-for-his-worth, Rather how he's remembered by the people-on-Earth.

Feb 15th, 2010, 3:01:52 PM	#18
TheOSC Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 51 Houston	yea I was just playing the SubPetaya and it was just not doing anything for me. like you said and I feared bulky waters and faster waters are just destroying him, however I'm not sure I would want to choice him either. As far as typing goes my team is not having issues with the water as much now that I switched Luke for Empolion (although this may not last unless I can find a better build than Choice or SubPetaya) it is getting murdered by a good grass sweep and seeding (tangrowth today turned a game around so quick it wasn't funny), if they set up on my Swampert or Empolion its is almost a guaranteed GG because I can't safely setup my Ttar for firepunch, especially if they running a Energy ball sweeper (the lowered SpD changes a 3-4 hit kill on my Gliscor into a 2 hit.) once again I'm all ears if any one has a tip Currently at risk of drops (if i drop Swampert it will be for a equally bulky Water, and yes I'm considering the ever popular Vaporeon =P) __________________ RMT: Sandstream! RMT: All Lies RMT: Attack! RMT: Standard Model RMT: Gimmick

Feb 13th, 2010, 8:17:09 PM	#2
Acritter Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 457	The first thing I notice is that your team has a HUGE weakness to water. Nothing resists it, and most things are weak to it. I could see a Starmie or Swampert just ripping through your team- Starmie especially, as it can Surf/Pump away without fear of a bad switch-in and Recover off Sandstorm damage. I will admit your Dugtrio would deal with a Starmie threat admirably, but you would have to sacrifice someone for it to work, and if the Starmie is kept in reserve until Dugtrio is taken out, you would lose. Consider Swampert, Vaporeon, and really any tank with Leftovers to deal with that kind of problem.

Feb 13th, 2010, 8:25:11 PM	#3
Mergy Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 31	Have you considered Clefable? I notice you picked all your pokemon because they will not take damage from sandstorm, and her Magic Guard gives her that ability as well. One of my personal favourite sets, which causes many switches and much ragequitting is the T-Wave/Encore set on Smogon. Tweak the EVs to your liking, and you have an excellent special wall, and one who can definitely take on CM Suicune, who gives this team a lot of trouble. I don't like Dugtrio. He doesn't have a lot of power for a scarfer, and since you already have a pursuiter, a revenge killer loses quite a bit of its merit. Something with a choice scarf would still help you, however, and I suggest Flygon for a bit more power and U-turning synergy. I also think you should take a look at your lead. Aerodactyl is a lead for people who NEED rocks up, and your team, as semi stall, seems to not have that requirement. Aerodactyl's other function, stopping stealth rocks, seems just as insignificant when you consider your team. Two leads you may enjoy are Metagross and Scarfachi with Wish. As an added bonus, both are uneffected by Sandstorm.

Feb 13th, 2010, 8:37:54 PM	#4
TheOSC Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 51 Houston	Thanks for the reply's guys I'm tweaking the team as we speak. (also good call on the Swampart, not sure why he never crossed my mind, same with Magic Guard Clefable) As for the Aerodactyl switch, i can see what you are saying but sr is a big combo with my hippo roaring, he causes a lot of devastation to flying pkmn and deals with Skarms very well. (not that their all that common any more) Will be switching Dugtrio for Swampart probably. I also had a tip to add a taunt into the mix to prevent weather setups like sunny day and such.

Feb 13th, 2010, 8:42:49 PM	#5
Cuiv Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 178	If you want to go for all-out stall, you might consider Regirock. With 200 base Defense and 150 base SpDef (in a sandstorm), it's a defensive monster. CroRock (Rock Slide/Curse/Rest/Sleep Talk) is incredibly powerful and difficult to stop in a sandstorm. Cradily can perform a similar function: She's a little weaker defensively but has Suction Cups to prevent phazing and is neutral to Water.

Feb 13th, 2010, 9:47:33 PM	#6
TheOSC Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 51 Houston	Just finished a battle with someone running a Sunny Beam Executor, couldn't get the roar off and sunny day let him 1 shot my whole team almost any suggestions for a counter to this poke.

Feb 14th, 2010, 11:15:07 PM	#9
TheOSC Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 51 Houston	:Bump:

Feb 14th, 2010, 11:25:34 PM	#10
CrossHair-a Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 59 Canada, eh?	Hey, I'd just like to stop by and say: what's an SS team without Gliscor? He's a staple on almost all SS teams, and this seems to be no different. I suggest you run Gliscor in place of Aerodactyl or Hippowdon, as he can fit the lead and tank roles very well. With Sand Veil, attacks that Gliscor hates, such as Hydro Pump and Fire Blast, have a significantly lower chance to hit him, which allow for a safer game, but don't depend on hax to save you; it's just icing on the Gliscor cake. If you lead with him, I suggest a set of Taunt \| Stealth Rock \| Earthquake \| Roost or U-Turn holding Leftovers with the EVs of 252 HP / 32 Def / 224 Spe and a Jolly Nature. I like to use the 224 Spe in order to outrun other Gliscors who outrun the standard Gliscor (216 standard, 220 to outrun, thus 224 to outrun them). You could also go for higher speeds, or even max speed to guarantee ties with other max speed Gliscors and base 95ers. I also do not advise you running Impish, as you will then lose to Roserade leads, as they are at base 90 and always run a positive nature and will put Gliscor to sleep. Outspeeding them lets Taunt stop their attempt at status (as well as not letting them get even one layer of TSpikes down, which can eat your team alive) and you may proceed to Stealth Rock from there. Should you opt for Gliscor in the team slot rather than lead, might I suggest running a set of Taunt \| Earthquake \| Roost \| Toxic holding Leftovers with 252 HP / 32 Def / 224 Spe as the EVs and a Jolly or Impish Nature. It may look exactly the same, but this Gliscor is made to break stall period. Taunt the wall, which renders saidw all useless, then proceed to deal with the switch-in however you see fit. The EVs and Nature depend on your own taste, whether you want to outspeed Jolly Lucario or Adamant Lucario is your choice; as well as whether you want to outspeed opposing Gliscor so that you can Taunt them before they Toxic/Taunt/Swords Dance you. This set can save you so much trouble against stall it isn't even funny, forcing switches and building up more residual damage, allowing Scizor or Lucario to sweep much more easily. Also, if you seriously insist on keeping Dugtrio, have him wield a Choice Band. He desperately needs the extra power and he's quite fast enough as it is. Otherwise, try Swampert or Empoleon, as they are good Bulky Waters who are immune to sandstorm. Or try a Wish Passer Vaporeon and change Tyranitar to a Dragon Dance set; or even AgiliGross can be great to this team, and if you choose to do so, change Scizor to the standard CB set. Hope I helped, good luck with the team! (I would go more in depth but I'm about to fall asleep).

Feb 15th, 2010, 12:12:44 AM	#11
TheOSC Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 51 Houston	Thanks alot for the tips, i have a few leads to try out before I update the team (Gross and Gliscor) however i never did get an answer to my two questions. 1. Would Torterra have a place on this team to cover a grass and water weakness? 2. Is there a viable Metagros Barrier build for the lead slot or should he stick with standard SR Explode?

Feb 15th, 2010, 3:06:15 PM	#19
You are not alone Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 14 Right by your side!	You could go with the Empoleon Delko suggested. Looking at your team I noticed you are weak to grass, water, fighting and ground (you have weaknesses to more types as well but they are better covered). So I want to suggest either Zapdos or Rotom-a. Good luck with the team! __________________ Shoddy Nick: Beautiful Agony

Feb 15th, 2010, 3:26:48 PM	#20
TheOSC Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 51 Houston	thanks for the advice. and as for the empolion I'm about to switch over to the Delko build for him and try that out, if its good i will probably keep it, im also going to try out the vaporeon prety soon. __________________ RMT: Sandstream! RMT: All Lies RMT: Attack! RMT: Standard Model RMT: Gimmick

Feb 15th, 2010, 4:52:33 PM	#21
CrossHair-a Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 59 Canada, eh?	Btw, the main reason I suggested Choice Specs Empoleon is so that if you run Sleep Talk, you have a good sleep absorber. Other than that, you could try ResTalk Empoleon or ResTalk Shuffle. Something like this set: Empoleon @ Leftovers Torrent Calm 252 HP / 160 Def / 92 SpD / 4 Spe (or SpA) ~Surf ~Rest ~Sleep Talk ~Ice Beam / Grass Knot / HP Electric / Roar I have used this Empoleon before, and I must say that it works very well as a defense. The given EVs are bias to Special Defense, but 160 EVs in defense allow you to take Kingdra and Gyarados head on and take a significantly lower amount of damage rather than going pure specially defensive. Empoleon resists any Bulky Gyarados' set that doesn't run Earthquake as the secondary attack (Stone Edge, Bounce, Return) and will usually force a switch. Empoleon is also the only pokemon to resist both of Kingdra's impressive STABs in Waterfall and Outrage, allowing him to effectively come in and shrug off Kingdra's "rain" on your team's parade. Suicune may seem better fit to fill this role, but Empoleon's incredible key resistances to Water, Ice, and neutrality to Grass benefit your team greatly (as well as immunity to Sandstorm, which hurts Suicune's logevity quite badly). The final slot choice is tp your liking. If Gyarados should be eliminated ASAP, HP Electric is the move choice. If Swampert is causing you trouble, Grass Knot is a fine option (though Surf could suffice). Ice Beam is a standard, hitting the dragons you'll be switching into (Salamence and Latias both hate Empoleon) very hard. Roar is my favorite for the last slot, allowing Empoleon to effectively phaze and rakc up Stealth Rock damage, making it easier for Tyranitar to sweep. This set (with Roar) could also go above Hippowdon, opening a slot for another water or grass resist like Vaporeon or Heatran, respectively, which would make this team significantly better. I suggested this set in order to help with the water weakness, and this Empoleon stays for a really long time, allowing it to switch in repeatedly to Water- and Ice-type attacks, which Gliscor specifically hates; while Gliscor can take Ground, Fighting, and Electric attacks for Empoleon, making these two very, very nice tanks together. They synergize perfectly and cover both spectrums between each other. Consider this set, if not, try Defensive Penguin set listed on Smogon, it may arouse your interest as well. I can't see Empoleon grabbing an offensive role on this team, so I suggest going with a Defensive Empoleon. Just saying ;)

Feb 15th, 2010, 5:18:39 PM	#22
TheOSC Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 51 Houston	sounds like a plan, id hate to part with my hippo but I'm sure not going to let favoritism cost me a good team XD. Ill try out both and see what i find best, the roar first seems like a great set, but I haven't checked out the Defensive Penguin set yet so we shall see. v1.7 up soon __________________ RMT: Sandstream! RMT: All Lies RMT: Attack! RMT: Standard Model RMT: Gimmick

Feb 15th, 2010, 9:27:30 PM	#23
TyranitarHero Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 24	if you fear bulky waters on empoleon just use grass knot over ice beam although vaporeon wont take much __________________ Tyranitar will own u pwn u will have shown u loan u blown u clone u flown u grown u known u thrown u postpone u.

Feb 16th, 2010, 3:06:40 PM	#25
TyranitarHero Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 24	well run the empoleon with grass knot tell me wat u think __________________ Tyranitar will own u pwn u will have shown u loan u blown u clone u flown u grown u known u thrown u postpone u.