First team ever, OU sandstorm.

[NashtyDobie]

Hello and welcome to my RMT! Ok so I got interested into competitive battling last year when I bought my first Pokemon game in Heartgold since g/s/c. However I couldn't actually play until this year.

Wanting to create a team with my favorite Pokemon as a kid (Tyranitar) I figure I'll just go with the common sandstorm teams I kept seeing. So after carefully choosing my six based on my personal liking of the Pokemon while deeply considering its role I have come up with this.

Full team


Permanent Summoner

Tyranitar @ Chople Berry
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP/ 180 SpA/ 76 SpD
Nature: Sassy
- Fire Blast
- Ice Beam
- Crunch
- Stealth Rocks

Due to the unnecessary amount of physical attackers I've decided to go with a mixed set recommended by Faladran who actually does improve my coverage as well as give me semi descent Special wall. This also allows me to carry stealth rocks which I don't know if it gains me any clean OHKO's, but will surely see after a few matches.

Sandstorm Abuser

Excadrill @ Air Balloon
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 6 HP/ 252 Atk/ 252 Spe
Nature: Adamant
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- X-Scissor
- Swords Dance

The first sweeper as you know no Sandstorm team can be without Excadrill, and so is the reason he's here. Not my favorite design but he is a scary sweeper if you lack priority. The Air Balloon is to make it easier to setup and extend his survivability aswell as giving me a second immunity to earthquakes albeit temporary. The only thing stopping him is if I get into a weather war and have Tyranitar faint.

Fighting Sponge

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP/ 184 Def/ 74 Spe
Nature: Impish
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Protect
- Ice Fang/ Taunt

My defensive wall and status inducer. Not only does he have a badass design but he's a champ as well. I chose him mainly for the fact he takes every fighting move thrown at T-Tar like a champ and can just roost off the damage later on. He has not disappointed thus far and only has trouble with Skarmory who completely walls me.

You Know You See it Coming

Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP/ 252 Atk/ 8 Spe
Nature: Adamant
- U-Turn
- Superpower
- Pursuit
- Bullet Punch

Another one of my childhood favorites who happens to be a big competitive player, he is my revenge killer and takes care of annoying Pokemon such as Blissey and Chansey. Scizor mostly comes in on Pokemon I can't normally take on and dent them with a bullet Punch or two. He also helps me scout movesets thanks to U-turn. Another consistent player on my team who still takes no damage from sandstorm while giving me heavily needed resistances.

Ferrothorn Counter

Magnezone @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 40 HP/ 252 SpA/ 216 Spe
Nature: Jolly
- Substitute
- Charge Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Fire

After seeing how I was getting walled by defensive steel types I've taken up the suggestion of Magnezone to help counter Skarmory and more importantly Ferrothorn. I expect him to be a big helper against those threats who I've had trouble with. If he doesn't produce I'll give Rotom-W a try though he doesn't fit as well on my team, at least not on paper.

Special Attacker

Reuniclus @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 SpA/ 6 Def
Nature: Quiet
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Recover

Thanks guys for reminding me about Reuniclus and his Magic Guard ability which negates sandstorm AND life orb recoil, 2 problems I had with Starmie which are fixed. Add the Psychic typing which resist the fighting type that hits supereffective against half my team along with a recovery move and I've got nice synergy. This set is the one I already from the Reuniclus so if there's one that better suits my team let me know.

Overall Issues

Since I have broken half my team down I can't say yet though I'll see after a few days of testing. But just from the look of it I'm still weak to water types, especially if Magnezone gets out the game. Oh and thanks for the advice so far, it's been great!
​

 

[wraiders11]

your team lacks bulk and really a strong counter to a water type. Starmie will do some damage to bulky waters with thunder, but it wont even last long enought to see the end of a pokemon that could wreak havoc on your team, dealing super effective damage or nuetral damage to everyone on your team. I suggest a Magnezone, with his steel typing he doesnt take damage from SS and his elecrtic typing does wonders for your coverage, plus he's a special sweeper so you dont loose much when swapping out starmie.

 

[iforgot120]

I second the Magnezone suggestion. There's no reason to have that many physical sweepers, plus you need more type coverage. Three Pokemon on your team have EQ.

 

[SurelyAwesome]

My suggestion for the frail special sweeper problem is Reuniclus. He can be immune to sandstorm and isn't very frail but still pulls in that special attack that you need. Use him to replace Starmie.

 

[Faladran]

Tyranitar should be running a bulkier mixed set with Stealth Rock. You are almost certainly going to have issues switching into Latios otherwise, and having rocks is extremely beneficial. The mixed variant also functions as a lure, taking out Gliscor with Ice Beam so that Excadrill has a better chance at a sweep. It also hits Skarmory and Ferrothron with Fire Blast, which is helpful considering most of your team has a difficult time with them. Unfortunately, DDTar just isn't as effective with all the checks running around (especially in sand).

Mixed Tyranitar

Tyranitar (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 180 SAtk / 76 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Stealth Rock
- Crunch / Pursuit
- Fire Blast
- Ice Beam

Gliscor definitely needs to have a Toxic Orb. The loss of Roost doesn't even matter, as Poison Heal does fine at handling recovery and has the added bonus of making you immune to status. This should open up more options and allow you to run Taunt or the SD set.

Starmie should be using Thunderbolt over Thunder and HP Fire instead of Recover. Ferrothorn is #1 in usage, so having something to hit it with is extremely useful for this team. Welcome back to Pokemon, and good luck with your team!

 

[Oblivion IX]

I'm going to suggest the use of Rotom-W over Starmie because a Water-type is going to be very important on this team as it resists STAB from Pokemon of the same typing that will wreck a majority of your team. Starmie is quite frail with the set you're running and won't be able to sponge attacks because of this factor while also taking constant damage from weather effects and LO. Meanwhile, Rotom-W has much more bulk than Starmie and even gets the bonus of also being part Electric-type which will help you deal with opposing Water-types much easier.

I don't see a huge need to use Garchomp as a revenge killer when you have Scizor and Excadrill that can work as a team to accomplish this same goal. Therefore, try using Reuniclus as it will give you another special attacker and a way to swiftly KO Fighting-types. It works quite well on SS team as it take no damage from weather effects and LO because of its ability Magic Guard. Hopefully these suggestions help and good luck with your team.

Rotom-W

Hide

Rotom-W @ Leftovers | Modest | 124 HP / 252 SAtk / 132 Spd
Thunderbolt | Hydro Pump | Hidden Power [Fire] / Will-O-Wisp | Pain Split

Reuniclus:

Hide

Reuniclus @ Life Orb | Modest | 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 6 SDef
Psychic | Shadow Ball | Focus Blast | Recover

 

[pindigo]

Hey,
I don't really like the idea of running Lum Berry on ttar--rarely comes into use. You're better off with leftovers. You lack a special wall, so I would concur with Faladran and say you should make it specially defensive. Not going to repost stats as he has already done so.
As for gliscor...I really don't see the benefits of changing leftovers/roost to toxic orb if you're already running protect. Acts as another status absorber (further negating use of lum berry on ttar). Losing roost opens you up with another move slot, which I recommend to be taunt to shut down some of the walls you've mentioned, especially ferrothorn. I would change some things about the starmie though. Firstly, a lot of your team would appreciate spike-less battlefields, so rapid spin would be a great choice. Thunderbolt over thunder as the hax really isn't worth it. I wouldn't recommend running hp fire over recover, as it can't 1hit ferrothorn and power whip does insane damage. Recover really isn't doing anything, so run rapid spin over that.
Good luck!

 

[NashtyDobie]

@ wraiders11 - Good idea thanks! I like the fact he doesn't take SS damage and Garchomp seems pointless at this point.

@SurelyAwesome - Perfect, I don't lose coverage plus counters all of Starmies problems nicely.

@Faladran - Ok, seeing as to how a couple people have already stated that T-tar and Gliscor need to be changed I will do, to improve and better define their roles. Plus I think Ice Fang on Gliscor really improves my coverage.

@Oblivion IX - I agree, I was always going to remove one of my physical sweepers but couldn't decide on who. Though now that I have a counter for steel types in Magnezone, Garchomps Fire Blast is rendered useless. And thanks for the sets on both, though I'll use Reuniclus since that's the same one I already have.