QC: aim, Valentine, alexwolf
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack,
Overview
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Excadrill's access to Sand Rush allows him to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame when sand is up. This, along with his incredible base 135 Attack stat, makes him a threatening revenge killer and late-game cleaner. On top of all this, Excadrill gets the coveted Rapid Spin, which removes entry hazards on your side of the field while keeping yours up. This, when combined with a Ground / Steel typing that has a 4x resistance to Stealth Rock, makes Excadrill one of the best hazard removers available. However, while he sports a great HP stat, this is offset by his low 60 / 65 defenses, which severely limit the amount of hits he can take. They, when combined with a weakness to common priority moves in Aqua Jet and Mach Punch, mean that Excadrill needs to have his checks gone before attempting a sweep. Common weaknesses in Ground, Fire, Fighting, and Water limit his setup opportunities even more and make checking him outside of sand much easier. Finally, a base 88 Speed stat is pretty average by OU standards, meaning that Excadrill needs either sand support or a Choice Scarf to be truly effective. Moreover, Tyranitar, Excadrill's favorite teammate due to Sand Stream, shares weaknesses with him, such as Ground, Water, and Fighting.
Sand Rush Sweeper
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name: Sand Rush Sweeper
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Rapid Spin / Swords Dance
ability: Sand Rush
item: Air Balloon / Life Orb
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant / Jolly
Moves
========
Earthquake is Excadrill's primary STAB move, as it sports great power and coverage. STAB Iron Head allows Excadrill to hit Fairies such as Clefable, Mega Gardevoir, and Sylveon super effectively, while also being his best option against the likes of Landorus-T and Gliscor, common Excadrill checks, as well as other Pokemon immune to Earthquake. Rock Slide forms the EdgeQuake coverage with Earthquake, allowing Excadrill to hit Flying-types such as Talonflame and Mega Pinsir super effectively. The fourth moveslot should be based on what your team needs. If you need entry hazard control, Rapid Spin is the superior choice. However, if you already have a form of hazard control, Swords Dance is an option that can allow Excadrill to sweep teams late-game.
Set Details
========
The EVs are straightforward. Maximum Speed investment with an Adamant nature is used to speed tie opposing Excadrill at worst. If that isn't an issue, however, an alternate spread of 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe can be used to outspeed Choice Scarf base 110 Speed Pokemon. Regardless, Attack should be maximized to hit as hard as possible. Air Balloon allows Excadrill to switch into predicted Earthquakes, as well as have a safety net against opposing Excadrill. If that isn't needed, a Life Orb can be used to greatly increase Excadrill's power output. Additionally, a Jolly nature is an option to outspeed neutral-natured base 100 Speed Pokemon outside of sand, as well as potentially outspeeding opposing Excadrill.
Usage Tips
========
This set should be used as a mid- or late-game sweeper after his checks and counters have been removed. Excadrill also performs very well as a revenge killer. To do this, though, sand should be up, as otherwise his Speed is lackluster. Bringing Excadrill in on defensive or Electric-type Pokemon such as Clefable, Chansey, non-Air Balloon Magnezone, and Raikou is generally a good idea, as they have no way of hitting Excadrill hard.
Team Options
========
Sand support is a must. Tyranitar makes a great partner due to his more offensive nature than Hippowdon, the other sand setter. Smooth Rock is a good option for Tyranitar to give Excadrill more turns of sand. Additionally, teammates who can take care of Rotom-W, such as Latias, Latios, and bulky Grass-types such as Celebi and Amoonguss, are good options. The latter two can handle Breloom and Azumarill reliably as well. Keldeo also makes a great teammate, as he is able to beat Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Skarmory reliably.
Choice Scarf
########
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Rapid Spin
ability: Mold Breaker
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
========
Earthquake is Excadrill's most powerful move. Thanks to Mold Breaker, Earthquake is more spammable thanks to it bypassing Levitate, though Flying-types are still immune. This allows Excadrill to get past Latios, Latias, and Gengar without resorting to the much weaker Iron Head, which should really only be used against opposing Fairies and Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Gliscor. Rock Slide provides coverage against Flying-types, while Rapid Spin removes entry hazards. Be aware that Excadrill is basically forced to switch out after spinning, as being locked into a 20 Base Power Normal-type move loses a lot of momentum.
Set Details
========
The EVs maximize Attack and Speed, while the remainder go into Defense to give an odd HP number. A Jolly nature in tandem with a Choice Scarf allows Excadrill to outspeed key threats such as Thundurus, Mega Charizard Y, Adamant Dragon Dance Charizard X, Greninja, Gengar, Latios, and Latias, with Mold Breaker allowing him to bypass Levitate and beat the latter three.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Excadrill can check a variety of dangerous Pokemon such as Mega Pinsir, Talonflame, and Thundurus, as well as sweep, and remove entry hazards from your side of the field. Furthermore, he is one of the best offensive checks to Thundurus due to his immunity to Thunder Wave. Unfortunately, being Choice-locked into Earthquake or Rapid Spin is easily taken advantage of through the use of setup moves, so use with caution. Teammates who remedy this, such as Unaware Clefable and priority users such as Azumarill, are appreciated.
Team Options
========
Teammates who appreciate entry hazard removal, such as Talonflame and Dragonite, can capitalize on Excadrill's spinning capabilities. Users of Volt Switch and U-turn, such as Mega Scizor or Mega Manectric, allow Excadrill to get in safely. Teammates who are able to take care of Pokemon who can set up on Choice-locked Excadrill, such as Keldeo for Mega Gyarados, are appreciated, so as to not lose too much momentum. Additionally, bulky Grass-types to take on the likes of Azumarill and Breloom, such as Celebi, Mega Venusaur, Ferrothorn, and Amoonguss, make good teammates.
Other Options
########
Excadrill does have a few options not mentioned above. An Assault Vest set with an EV spread of 120 HP / 136 Atk / 252 SpD and an Adamant nature can be used as a bulky spinner. However, this set misses out on the power of the Sand Rush and Scarf sets, and Reflect Type Starmie outclasses Excadrill in this role. Additionally, Substitute can be used on the Sand Rush set to protect Excadrill from priority moves, as well as eat up hits that would otherwise KO Excadrill. If you're really scared of opposing sand teams, Sand Rush can be used on the Choice Scarf set to ensure that you outspeed opposing Excadrill. An Air Balloon set with Mold Breaker and Rapid Spin is an option. This set is usually inferior to the Sand Rush set, but unlike that set, it can get past Rotom-W. Also, a Mold Breaker + Swords Dance set holding Leftovers makes a decent stallbreaker, as Excadrill's immunities to both Toxic and Thunder Wave, as well as a 4x resistance to Stealth Rock, make him quite resilient against stall. Finally, a bulky Stealth Rock + Rapid Spin set with enough HP and Special Defense investment to take on Thundurus and Clefable makes for a decent Stealth Rock setter and Rapid Spinner all in one package.
- Checks & Counters
########
**Physical Walls**: Pokemon such as Skarmory, Mandibuzz when Stealth Rock is not on the field, Chesnaught, physically defensive Hippowdon, Slowbro, and physically defensive Gliscor can wall Excadrill all day long, thanks to their ability to tank repeated hits and recover off damage. Additionally, Tangrowth, physically defensive Celebi, and physically defensive Mega Scizor are able to tank his hits as well. However, these three lose if they come in when Excadrill uses Swords Dance.
**Bulky Pivots**: Rotom-W and Landorus-T are able to force out Excadrill repeatedly and gain momentum through the use of Volt Switch and U-turn, respectively.
**Priority Users**: Pokemon such as Azumarill, Crawdaunt, Conkeldurr, and Breloom are able to hit Excadrill with strong super effective priority attacks. Bisharp also deals a large blow with Sucker Punch.
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack,
Overview
########
Excadrill's access to Sand Rush allows him to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame when sand is up. This, along with his incredible base 135 Attack stat, makes him a threatening revenge killer and late-game cleaner. On top of all this, Excadrill gets the coveted Rapid Spin, which removes entry hazards on your side of the field while keeping yours up. This, when combined with a Ground / Steel typing that has a 4x resistance to Stealth Rock, makes Excadrill one of the best hazard removers available. However, while he sports a great HP stat, this is offset by his low 60 / 65 defenses, which severely limit the amount of hits he can take. They, when combined with a weakness to common priority moves in Aqua Jet and Mach Punch, mean that Excadrill needs to have his checks gone before attempting a sweep. Common weaknesses in Ground, Fire, Fighting, and Water limit his setup opportunities even more and make checking him outside of sand much easier. Finally, a base 88 Speed stat is pretty average by OU standards, meaning that Excadrill needs either sand support or a Choice Scarf to be truly effective. Moreover, Tyranitar, Excadrill's favorite teammate due to Sand Stream, shares weaknesses with him, such as Ground, Water, and Fighting.
Sand Rush Sweeper
########
name: Sand Rush Sweeper
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Rapid Spin / Swords Dance
ability: Sand Rush
item: Air Balloon / Life Orb
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Adamant / Jolly
Moves
========
Earthquake is Excadrill's primary STAB move, as it sports great power and coverage. STAB Iron Head allows Excadrill to hit Fairies such as Clefable, Mega Gardevoir, and Sylveon super effectively, while also being his best option against the likes of Landorus-T and Gliscor, common Excadrill checks, as well as other Pokemon immune to Earthquake. Rock Slide forms the EdgeQuake coverage with Earthquake, allowing Excadrill to hit Flying-types such as Talonflame and Mega Pinsir super effectively. The fourth moveslot should be based on what your team needs. If you need entry hazard control, Rapid Spin is the superior choice. However, if you already have a form of hazard control, Swords Dance is an option that can allow Excadrill to sweep teams late-game.
Set Details
========
The EVs are straightforward. Maximum Speed investment with an Adamant nature is used to speed tie opposing Excadrill at worst. If that isn't an issue, however, an alternate spread of 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe can be used to outspeed Choice Scarf base 110 Speed Pokemon. Regardless, Attack should be maximized to hit as hard as possible. Air Balloon allows Excadrill to switch into predicted Earthquakes, as well as have a safety net against opposing Excadrill. If that isn't needed, a Life Orb can be used to greatly increase Excadrill's power output. Additionally, a Jolly nature is an option to outspeed neutral-natured base 100 Speed Pokemon outside of sand, as well as potentially outspeeding opposing Excadrill.
Usage Tips
========
This set should be used as a mid- or late-game sweeper after his checks and counters have been removed. Excadrill also performs very well as a revenge killer. To do this, though, sand should be up, as otherwise his Speed is lackluster. Bringing Excadrill in on defensive or Electric-type Pokemon such as Clefable, Chansey, non-Air Balloon Magnezone, and Raikou is generally a good idea, as they have no way of hitting Excadrill hard.
Team Options
========
Sand support is a must. Tyranitar makes a great partner due to his more offensive nature than Hippowdon, the other sand setter. Smooth Rock is a good option for Tyranitar to give Excadrill more turns of sand. Additionally, teammates who can take care of Rotom-W, such as Latias, Latios, and bulky Grass-types such as Celebi and Amoonguss, are good options. The latter two can handle Breloom and Azumarill reliably as well. Keldeo also makes a great teammate, as he is able to beat Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Skarmory reliably.
Choice Scarf
########
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Rapid Spin
ability: Mold Breaker
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
========
Earthquake is Excadrill's most powerful move. Thanks to Mold Breaker, Earthquake is more spammable thanks to it bypassing Levitate, though Flying-types are still immune. This allows Excadrill to get past Latios, Latias, and Gengar without resorting to the much weaker Iron Head, which should really only be used against opposing Fairies and Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Gliscor. Rock Slide provides coverage against Flying-types, while Rapid Spin removes entry hazards. Be aware that Excadrill is basically forced to switch out after spinning, as being locked into a 20 Base Power Normal-type move loses a lot of momentum.
Set Details
========
The EVs maximize Attack and Speed, while the remainder go into Defense to give an odd HP number. A Jolly nature in tandem with a Choice Scarf allows Excadrill to outspeed key threats such as Thundurus, Mega Charizard Y, Adamant Dragon Dance Charizard X, Greninja, Gengar, Latios, and Latias, with Mold Breaker allowing him to bypass Levitate and beat the latter three.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Scarf Excadrill can check a variety of dangerous Pokemon such as Mega Pinsir, Talonflame, and Thundurus, as well as sweep, and remove entry hazards from your side of the field. Furthermore, he is one of the best offensive checks to Thundurus due to his immunity to Thunder Wave. Unfortunately, being Choice-locked into Earthquake or Rapid Spin is easily taken advantage of through the use of setup moves, so use with caution. Teammates who remedy this, such as Unaware Clefable and priority users such as Azumarill, are appreciated.
Team Options
========
Teammates who appreciate entry hazard removal, such as Talonflame and Dragonite, can capitalize on Excadrill's spinning capabilities. Users of Volt Switch and U-turn, such as Mega Scizor or Mega Manectric, allow Excadrill to get in safely. Teammates who are able to take care of Pokemon who can set up on Choice-locked Excadrill, such as Keldeo for Mega Gyarados, are appreciated, so as to not lose too much momentum. Additionally, bulky Grass-types to take on the likes of Azumarill and Breloom, such as Celebi, Mega Venusaur, Ferrothorn, and Amoonguss, make good teammates.
Other Options
########
Excadrill does have a few options not mentioned above. An Assault Vest set with an EV spread of 120 HP / 136 Atk / 252 SpD and an Adamant nature can be used as a bulky spinner. However, this set misses out on the power of the Sand Rush and Scarf sets, and Reflect Type Starmie outclasses Excadrill in this role. Additionally, Substitute can be used on the Sand Rush set to protect Excadrill from priority moves, as well as eat up hits that would otherwise KO Excadrill. If you're really scared of opposing sand teams, Sand Rush can be used on the Choice Scarf set to ensure that you outspeed opposing Excadrill. An Air Balloon set with Mold Breaker and Rapid Spin is an option. This set is usually inferior to the Sand Rush set, but unlike that set, it can get past Rotom-W. Also, a Mold Breaker + Swords Dance set holding Leftovers makes a decent stallbreaker, as Excadrill's immunities to both Toxic and Thunder Wave, as well as a 4x resistance to Stealth Rock, make him quite resilient against stall. Finally, a bulky Stealth Rock + Rapid Spin set with enough HP and Special Defense investment to take on Thundurus and Clefable makes for a decent Stealth Rock setter and Rapid Spinner all in one package.
- Checks & Counters
########
**Physical Walls**: Pokemon such as Skarmory, Mandibuzz when Stealth Rock is not on the field, Chesnaught, physically defensive Hippowdon, Slowbro, and physically defensive Gliscor can wall Excadrill all day long, thanks to their ability to tank repeated hits and recover off damage. Additionally, Tangrowth, physically defensive Celebi, and physically defensive Mega Scizor are able to tank his hits as well. However, these three lose if they come in when Excadrill uses Swords Dance.
**Bulky Pivots**: Rotom-W and Landorus-T are able to force out Excadrill repeatedly and gain momentum through the use of Volt Switch and U-turn, respectively.
**Priority Users**: Pokemon such as Azumarill, Crawdaunt, Conkeldurr, and Breloom are able to hit Excadrill with strong super effective priority attacks. Bisharp also deals a large blow with Sucker Punch.
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