[SET]
name: Bulky Sandile
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Taunt / Pursuit
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stone Edge / Pursuit / Crunch
item: Eviolite
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly
evs: 100 Atk / 156 Def / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock lets Sandile provide its team with a lot of utility, being useful for breaking Sturdy and potential Focus Sashes. Taunt prevents foes from setting hazards,as well as stopping foes like Porygon from using status and healing moves. It also can be used to annoy Ferroseed and bulky Tirtouga, which like to take advantage of the free turn they gain from forcing Sandile out to set hazards. Pursuit is an option to grab chip damage on foes like Fletchling as they try to switch out. It is also useful for eliminating Gothita after it picks off something with Psychic or Thunderbolt. Earthquake provides it with a solid source of damage. Stone Edge grants Sandile the ability to threaten Flying-types such as Vullaby and Archen, which would otherwise be able to come in and Defog for free. Finally, Crunch is another option for a STAB move, granting Sandile super effective coverage on certain bulkier Pokemon, most notably Pumpkaboo and Slowpoke.
Set Details
========
Intimidate is the ideal ability for this set, as it helps mitigate Sandile's admittedly poor bulk. Eviolite effectively gives Sandile decent 21 / 18 / 15 bulk, which allows it to survive certain attacks it would otherwise not, such as Fletchling's +1 Acrobatics and Chinchou's Scald from full health. Maximum Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are necessary because it allows Sandile to hit the crucial 17 Speed tier that allows it to Speed tie with many top threats like Onix, Mienfoo, and Archen. 17 Speed also grants Sandile the best chances at both setting entry hazards and preventing them from being laid in return, most notably from Dwebble, whic honly hits 16 Speed. 156 Defense EVs allow Sandile to avoid a 2HKO from itemless Archen's Acrobatics after the Attack drop from Intimidate and OHKO back with Stone Edge. The remaining EVs are thrown into Attack in order to allow Sandile to maintain a bit of offensive presence.
Usage Tips
========
Switch Sandile into Rock-types such as Onix and Dwebble and use Taunt and set Stealth Rock as soon as possible; this should be done especially on opposing entry hazard setters or when you expect your opponent to predict your switch out. Despite Sandile's poor bulk, it can usually take a weak super effective attack like Croagunk's Vacuum Wave or U-turn, so don't be afraid to make an aggressive play in order to gain a potential advantage. Don't be too scared about switching into Pawniard and giving it a Defiant boost, because Sandile can still outspeed it and threaten it with Earthquake. When running Pursuit, bringing Sandile in on Gothita after it has used Psychic or Thunderbolt to pick off something is a great opportunity to eliminate it. Other potential targets to trap include slower Ghost-types like Pumpkaboo and Frillish, though making that play is sometimes tricky, as they can threaten Sandile with their STAB moves and aren't KOed should they not switch out. If Sandile isn't doing too much for you mid- or late-game and there is a threatening physical attacker on the opposing team, switching Sandile in to get off an Intimidate can be potentially game saving.
Team Options
========
Croagunk has really nice type synergy with Sandile, dealing with the Grass-, Water-, and Fighting-types that give Sandile trouble. However, a more secure Fighting-type check than Croagunk is mandatory, especially for threats like Scraggy and Timburr, because while Sandile can prevent setup with Taunt, it doesn't exactly want to stay in on them. This makes Cottonee, which can not only check Fighting-type threats by virtue of typing but also punish setup with Encore, a fantastic option for a teammate. Fletchling and other Flying-types enjoy Sandile's ability to deal with Rock- and Steel-types. Staryu is particularly annoying for Sandile, as Eviolite sets can come in on it without fail and proceed to spin away its entry hazards and Recover off any damage Sandile may have done to them, so a teammate such as Pumpkaboo, which not only threatens Staryu with its Grass STAB moves but also blocks Rapid Spin, is recommended.
name: Bulky Sandile
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Taunt / Pursuit
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stone Edge / Pursuit / Crunch
item: Eviolite
ability: Intimidate
nature: Jolly
evs: 100 Atk / 156 Def / 236 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock lets Sandile provide its team with a lot of utility, being useful for breaking Sturdy and potential Focus Sashes. Taunt prevents foes from setting hazards,as well as stopping foes like Porygon from using status and healing moves. It also can be used to annoy Ferroseed and bulky Tirtouga, which like to take advantage of the free turn they gain from forcing Sandile out to set hazards. Pursuit is an option to grab chip damage on foes like Fletchling as they try to switch out. It is also useful for eliminating Gothita after it picks off something with Psychic or Thunderbolt. Earthquake provides it with a solid source of damage. Stone Edge grants Sandile the ability to threaten Flying-types such as Vullaby and Archen, which would otherwise be able to come in and Defog for free. Finally, Crunch is another option for a STAB move, granting Sandile super effective coverage on certain bulkier Pokemon, most notably Pumpkaboo and Slowpoke.
Set Details
========
Intimidate is the ideal ability for this set, as it helps mitigate Sandile's admittedly poor bulk. Eviolite effectively gives Sandile decent 21 / 18 / 15 bulk, which allows it to survive certain attacks it would otherwise not, such as Fletchling's +1 Acrobatics and Chinchou's Scald from full health. Maximum Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are necessary because it allows Sandile to hit the crucial 17 Speed tier that allows it to Speed tie with many top threats like Onix, Mienfoo, and Archen. 17 Speed also grants Sandile the best chances at both setting entry hazards and preventing them from being laid in return, most notably from Dwebble, whic honly hits 16 Speed. 156 Defense EVs allow Sandile to avoid a 2HKO from itemless Archen's Acrobatics after the Attack drop from Intimidate and OHKO back with Stone Edge. The remaining EVs are thrown into Attack in order to allow Sandile to maintain a bit of offensive presence.
Usage Tips
========
Switch Sandile into Rock-types such as Onix and Dwebble and use Taunt and set Stealth Rock as soon as possible; this should be done especially on opposing entry hazard setters or when you expect your opponent to predict your switch out. Despite Sandile's poor bulk, it can usually take a weak super effective attack like Croagunk's Vacuum Wave or U-turn, so don't be afraid to make an aggressive play in order to gain a potential advantage. Don't be too scared about switching into Pawniard and giving it a Defiant boost, because Sandile can still outspeed it and threaten it with Earthquake. When running Pursuit, bringing Sandile in on Gothita after it has used Psychic or Thunderbolt to pick off something is a great opportunity to eliminate it. Other potential targets to trap include slower Ghost-types like Pumpkaboo and Frillish, though making that play is sometimes tricky, as they can threaten Sandile with their STAB moves and aren't KOed should they not switch out. If Sandile isn't doing too much for you mid- or late-game and there is a threatening physical attacker on the opposing team, switching Sandile in to get off an Intimidate can be potentially game saving.
Team Options
========
Croagunk has really nice type synergy with Sandile, dealing with the Grass-, Water-, and Fighting-types that give Sandile trouble. However, a more secure Fighting-type check than Croagunk is mandatory, especially for threats like Scraggy and Timburr, because while Sandile can prevent setup with Taunt, it doesn't exactly want to stay in on them. This makes Cottonee, which can not only check Fighting-type threats by virtue of typing but also punish setup with Encore, a fantastic option for a teammate. Fletchling and other Flying-types enjoy Sandile's ability to deal with Rock- and Steel-types. Staryu is particularly annoying for Sandile, as Eviolite sets can come in on it without fail and proceed to spin away its entry hazards and Recover off any damage Sandile may have done to them, so a teammate such as Pumpkaboo, which not only threatens Staryu with its Grass STAB moves but also blocks Rapid Spin, is recommended.
Last edited:
