Excadrill [2/2]

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Thugly Duckling

I play TCG now
QC Checks: Shrang / Sweep / Dice
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I’ll teach ya how to Duggy
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[OVERVIEW]

Excadrill's niche in Ubers comes from its access to Rapid Spin and ability to sweep teams utilizing Sand Rush. Excadrill is the focal point of any sand team, as it provides a consistent check to Geomancy Xerneas with the threat of its own sweep. Excadrill also possesses a useful resistance to Extreme Speed and immunities to Electric and Poison granted by its unique Ground / Steel typing. In total, it has eight resistances and two immunities, which can make it hard to stop its offensive prowess. However, Excadrill's poor 60 / 65 defenses mean that it cannot switch into even resisted attacks, and Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre make it difficult to keep up sand, as both relevant sand setters in Hippowdon and Tyranitar are threatened greatly by each of the Primals. Excadrill is also effectively checked by Mega Salamence, one of the most metagame-defining threats. Although Excadrill is weak to the common Ground-, Fire-, and Water-type attacks, it remains a potent offensive threat that can decimate underprepared teams.

[SET]
name: Sand Rush
move 1: Rapid Spin / Substitute
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Iron Head
move 4: Rock Slide / Swords Dance
item: Life Orb
ability: Sand Rush
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
ivs: 29 HP

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Rapid Spin allows Excadrill to support its teammates with entry hazard removal. If Rapid Spin support is not necessary for Excadrill's team, Substitute is an alternative for the first moveslot, as it takes advantage of the switches Excadrill causes and allows Excadrill to avoid status moves. Earthquake deals immense damage to anything that does not resist it. Iron Head rounds out Excadrill's coverage by utilizing its secondary STAB, allowing it to revenge kill Xerneas at +2 Speed that lack significant Speed investment when Excadrill is under sand. In the last slot, Rock Slide is the preferred option because it gives Excadrill a way to hit Ho-Oh, which would otherwise check Excadrill. If Ho-Oh is of no concern to Excadrill's team, Rock-type coverage may be forgone in place of Swords Dance to raise Excadrill's Attack to monstrous levels, which can allow Excadrill to effectively wallbreak or sweep.

Set Details
========

Life Orb is the best item for Excadrill to hold, as the power boost granted by it secures several key OHKOs in conjunction with entry hazards, such as that on standard Geomancy Xerneas with Iron Head. Although this is a crucial component of Excadrill's offensive prowess, Air Balloon is another option, as it gives Excadrill the ability to check Primal Groudon much better. Air Balloon also lets Excadrill liberally spam Rapid Spin because Life Orb recoil is no longer an issue. Maximum Attack and Speed investment allow Excadrill to sweep and wallbreak as effectively as possible. A Jolly nature is preferred because it allows Excadrill to outspeed Xerneas at +2 Speed that lack significant Speed investment if sand is up, and also to outspeed Pokemon with base 100 Speed and a neutral nature outside of sand. An Adamant nature may be used to increase Excadrill's damage output, but with it, Excadrill becomes a less reliable check to Xerneas. Life Orb should be used with a Jolly nature to make up for the decrease in power, and an Adamant nature should be used with Air Balloon for the same reason. 29 HP IVs are run to minimize Life Orb recoil if it is being used.

Usage Tips
========

Bring Excadrill into battle after one of your own Pokemon has fainted. Doing this gives Excadrill free turns to either attack, force a switch and set up a Substitute or a Swords Dance, or spin away hazards. Although Excadrill functions best when sand is up, Excadrill can still be effective without it. Excadrill is fast enough to pose a threat to common Pokemon on stall teams such as Clefable, Tyranitar, Aegislash, Primal Groudon, and Water Arceus lacking Judgment. Against balanced teams,Excadrill can freely switch into passive Steel-types such as Klefki and Jirachi. Against offensive teams, sand must be up for Excadrill to fulfill its roles, but when sand is up Excadrill is very effective against them, as they often rely on Extreme Speed or another Steel-resisted priority attack to revenge kill fast sweepers. It is important to preserve your sand setter, as opposing weather setters can disrupt Excadrill's prowess by removing sand. Make sure to remove or weaken Excadrill's checks before attempting a sweep, as it must be able to break through them in the limited number of turns sand lasts.

Team Options
========

Tyranitar or Hippowdon is absolutely necessary for the success of this set. In addition to Sand Stream, which sets up sand for Excadrill upon switching in, both can provide Stealth Rock to wear down Excadrill's checks. Tyranitar is able to check Mega Salamence and other bulky Flying-types exceptionally well with its Rock typing, while Hippowdon is able to check Extreme Killer Arceus and Primal Groudon with its high HP and Defense stats. Both setters are threatened greatly by Primal Kyogre, making Pokemon that can check Primal Kyogre, such as Latias, Latios, Primal Groudon, Grass Arceus, and Ferrothorn exceptional teammates; the latter can also provide Spikes to further capitalize on Excadrill's ability to force switches. Dark-types such as Yveltal, Darkrai, and Dark Arceus make for outstanding teammates for Excadrill because they can eliminate Lugia, Giratina, and Ghost Arceus, three of Excadrill's most solid checks; the latter two also block Excadrill's Rapid Spin. In return, they appreciate Excadrill's ability to deal with Xerneas and other Fairy-types, such as Clefable and Klefki, with its potent STAB moves. Water-types such as Primal Kyogre that can defeat the bulky Ground-types that check Excadrill, such as non-Primal Groudon, Ground Arceus, and Gliscor, make for good teammates as well. Water-types can also bait in Latias and Latios, giving Tyranitar the opportunity to trap them with Pursuit. A reliable check to Mega Salamence is necessary, as otherwise Mega Salamence can set up Dragon Dance repeatedly while keeping itself healthy with Roost. Tyranitar is generally the preferred Sand Stream user because it provides a Flying-type check, a Stealth Rock setter, and a Sandstorm sand setter in one teamslot; however, fit in a secondary check to Mega Salamence if possible. Flying-types pair wonderfully with Excadrill, as they are able to switch into Ground-type attacks aimed at Excadrill while Excadrill is able to spin away Stealth Rock for them. Mega Salamence, Rayquaza, Ho-Oh, Yveltal, and Shaymin-S make for great teammates for this reason. Each of them also possesses superb offensive synergy with Excadrill.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

A bulky support set utilizing Mold Breaker, consisting of the with moves Rapid Spin, Earthquake, Toxic, and Substitute with an EV spread of 172 HP / 152 Atk / 156 SpD / 28 Spe, an Adamant Nature, and Leftovers can be used as a status spreader and soft check to Latios and Latias, and a hard check to some Arceus formes, such as Fairy Arceus and Electric Arceus; however, it is not very bulky, is slow and vulnerable to common attacking types, is setup fodder for many common setup sweepers, and does not hard check any of the biggest threats in the tier. A Choice Band set that also utilizes Mold Breaker can be used to hurt teams that rely on Pokemon with the ability Levitate, such as Giratina-O, Latias, and Latios, to check Ground types; however, it can be unreliable, as being locked into Rapid Spin can be dangerous.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Mega Salamence**: Mega Salamence can switch in on a predicted Earthquake, lower Excadrill's Attack with Intimidate before Mega Evolving, and set up Dragon Dance. However, it does not reliably check Swords Dance variants when Sandstorm is up; Air Balloon variants can also be a nuisance to Mega Salamence, as they must be hit with a resisted attack before becoming vulnerable to Earthquake.

**Rayquaza**: Rayquaza can switch in on a predicted Earthquake and, with Air Lock, negate the effects of sand and effectively neuter Excadrill, leaving it vulnerable to a super effective coverage move such as Earthquake, V-create, or Aqua Tail.

**Skarmory**: Skarmory is able to switch into any attack from Excadrill and Roost off the damage while stalling out sand turns and being able to phaze Swords Dance Excadrill with Whirlwind. Although Excadrill can easily spin away entry hazards against Skarmory, Skarmory can apply pressure with Spikes and force Excadrill to repeatedly inflict Life Orb recoil on itself by using Rapid Spin. However, Air Balloon Excadrill effortlessly finds free turns against Skarmory and can spam Rapid Spin with next to no drawbacks, causing a stalemate between the two.

**Landorus-T and Gliscor**: The former is able to tank any attack that Excadrill has with its respectable Defense after an Intimidate drop, while the latter can comfortably stall out Excadrill's sand turns with Roost and stop Swords Dance with Taunt. Both are immune to Excadrill's Earthquake and each threatens Excadrill with powerful Earthquakes of their own. However, Landorus-T struggles to check an Air Balloon + Swords Dance set, and Gliscor is unable to do anything to the same set besides Taunt it.

**Non-Primal Groudon and Ground Arceus**: With their immense physical bulk and higher speed tiers, Groudon and Ground Arceus can take any of Excadrill's attacks and threaten it back with their Ground-type STAB moves. Groudon also removes sand because of Drought.

**Ghost Arceus and Giratina-O**: Both can switch into Excadrill freely on a predicted Rapid Spin and inflict a burn with Will-O-Wisp, though Substitute can pose problems to these two. The latter also has an immunity to Ground-type attacks granted by Levitate. Both are able to inflict massive damage on Excadrill with their STAB attacks and coverage moves.

**Yveltal**: Physically defensive Yveltal can tank any coverage move Excadrill has and hit back hard with a Dark Aura-boosted Foul Play. Furthermore, both defensive and offensive Yveltal can pick off Excadrill with a powerful Sucker Punch.

**Bulky Water-types and Grass Arceus**: Bulky Water-types such as Primal Kyogre and Water Arceus check Excadrill with their impressive physical bulk and threaten back with their Water-type attacks. Grass Arceus resists Earthquake and can cripple Excadrill with Will-O-Wisp or 2HKO it with a powerful Judgment.

**Lugia**: With its impressive physical bulk and immunity to Ground-type attacks, Lugia can easily wall Excadrill and stall it out using Roost. It can't do anything in return besides phazing with Whirlwind, however.
+ Has access to Rapid Spin
+ Has a great Ground/Steel offensive typing with a respectable base 135 Attack stat
+ Possesses the potential to be a terrifying late-game sweeper with its ability, Sand Rush
+ With Sandstorm up, it can function as a solid check to Geomancy Xerneas with it's super-effective Steel type coverage
- Weak coverage moves
- Requires a Sandstorm setter for it to even be usable


Sand Rush
########
name: Sand Rush
move 1: Rapid Spin / Substitute
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Iron Head
move 4: Rock Slide / Swords Dance
ability: Sand Rush
item: Life Orb / Air Balloon
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Adamant
iv: 29 HP


Moves
========

  • Rapid Spin is the defining trait of Excadrill, supporting its teammates with hazard removal.
  • If Rapid Spin support is not a necessity to Excadrill's team, Substitute is a fine replacement for the open moveslot. It punishes well the most common method of stopping Excadrill's prowess, sacrifices; and, allows Excadrill to avoid any random Will-O-Wisps.
  • Earthquake is Excadrill's most consistent STAB attack.
  • Iron Head rounds out Excadrill's coverage, and in Sandstorm, gives Excadrill the ability to revenge kill a Geomancy-boosted Xerneas that lacks significant Speed investment.
  • In the last slot, Rock Slide is the preferred option because it gives Excadrill a way to hit Ho-Oh, an otherwise check to Excadrill should it lack the move.
  • Swords Dance pumps up Excadrill's Attack to terrifying levels, and, allows Excadrill to wallbreak for a teammate, depending on the matchup.


Set Details
========

  • Max Attack is to hit as hard as possible, and maximum Speed investment gives Excadrill the speed it needs to effectively clean under Sandstorm.
  • A 29 HP IV minimizes Life Orb recoil; however, if Air Ballon is used, the feature is unneeded.
  • Life Orb is the preferred item in order to maximize damage output, and it also secures several key OHKOes such as that on standard Geomancy Xerneas.
  • Air Balloon gives Excadrill the ability to check Primal Groudon much better, and simply has the general utility of a Ground type immunity; the latter being a reason why it compliments Swords Dance so well. It also lets Excadrill to more liberally spam Rapid Spin because the recoil when using Life Orb is no longer present.
  • A Jolly nature is preferred because it allows Excadrill to outspeed any non-Timid, Geomancy-boosted Xerneas that has significant Speed investment under Sandstorm; but, its main purpose is for consistency. In hindsight, an Adamant nature may be used simply for the raw power it grants to Excadrill; but, a consistent Geomancy Xerneas check is far more important than the marginal increase in power.


Usage Tips
========
  • When Sandstorm is up, bring in Excadrill for revenge kills after sacking one of your own Pokemon. This will get Excadrill into battle relatively unscathed, and is the best way to facilitate a sweep.
  • Realistically, Excadrill isn't sweeping every team it faces. So, depending on the matchup, it sometimes is best to weaken the opponent's checks to one of Excadrill's teammates.
  • Only attempt to sweep with Excadrill when the opponent's team has been significantly weakened, or, when Excadrill's checks and counters have been eliminated.
  • Keep a close eye on how many turns of Sandstorm there are.


Team Options
========

  • Tyranitar, and or, Hippowdon, are absolutely necessary for the success of this set.
  • Powerful Dark types such as Yveltal or Darkrai make outstanding teammates for Excadrill because they can eliminate both Lugia and Giratina, two of Excadrill's most solid checks.
  • Water types such as Primal Kyogre that can defeat the bulky Ground types which check Excadrill, such as; regular Groudon, Arceus Ground, and, Gliscor; make exceptional teammates.
  • Either a check-stacking offensive teammate or a solid check to Mega Salamence is indispensable to Excadrill's use. Otherwise, Mega Salamence can effortlessly set up Dragon Dances and Roost stall the hell out of Excadrill. To resolve this issue, Stone Edge Extreme Killer Arceus, and or, Primal Groudon, are recommended.
  • Almost anything that appreciates hazard removal makes a great teammate. Again, Yveltal is an outstanding example of a teammate because it not only appreciates Excadrill’s Rapid Spin, but is also a great switchin to spinblockers such as Arceus Ghost and Giratina-O, both which trouble Excadrill.


Other Options
########
  • A bulky support set utilizing another of Excadrill's abilities, Mold Breaker, consisting of the moves Rapid Spin, Earthquake, Toxic, and Substitute with an EV spread of 172 HP / 152 Atk / 156 SpD / 28 Spe, an Adamant Nature, and Leftovers may be used as a status spreader and solid check to Latios and Latias; but, it is not very bulky, vulnerable to commom attacking types, and set up fodder to many commonly seen sweepers.
  • Choice Band with either Sand Rush or Mold Breaker can be used to clean or wallbreak, respectively.


Checks & Counters
########

  • Mega Salamence
  • Rayquaza
  • Skarmory
  • Landorus-T and Gliscor (hue hue Problems)
  • Non-Primal Groudon and Arceus Ground
  • Arceus Ghost and Giratina-O
  • Physically Defensive Yveltal
  • Bulky Water and Grass types
 
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I think SD should also be slashed with Rock Slide since Iron Head can revenge GeoXern, as well as hitting Gira-O and Lati@s.
 

Thugly Duckling

I play TCG now
I think SD should also be slashed with Rock Slide since Iron Head can revenge GeoXern, as well as hitting Gira-O and Lati@s.
Rock Slide= EdgeQuake, and on sweeping sets, Rock Slide is preferred over Iron head which really only hits Fairies and Levitators. If something walls Excadrill as it is, it's better to remove whatever check that is to excadrill with a teammate.
 

Inspirited

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Taking on fairies is something Excadrill needs to be able to do, and revenging xern is too big to pass up. This, its extra power vs neutral levitators and the retaining of the flinch chance make Iron Head something that should be left unslashed. Ho-Oh becomes an issue, sure, but all of the qualities of Iron Head outshine this issue. I agree with slashing SD with Rock Slide but not Iron Head.
 
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Thugly Duckling

I play TCG now
Uhhh, why are we referring to Excadrill like it can revenge Xerneas? Is sand even relevant any more?
I agree with your standpoint shrang, but I was told that the Sand Rush set is still its "best set", and because it can revenge GeoXern is a reason why. smh
 
not QC but i think sand rush should remain the first set. sand isn't non-existent. also, i don't get how bulky rapid spin is that much more viable than in xy, where it didn't receive an analysis. that it fares decently against some lati and diancie looks like all it has going for it

e: i'm ambivalent as to whether the above merits bulky exca getting a set, but sand rush definitely should
cping what i posted in the analysis discussion thread in response to thugly's query about excadrill
 

Thugly Duckling

I play TCG now
I'm changing the Bulky Rapid Spin set's Speed EVs to only outspeed 12 Spe Primal Groudon. Originally the big creep was to outspeed 32 Spe base 90's, but after all, analyses don't use big Speed creeps.
 

tehy

Banned deucer.
I'm changing the Bulky Rapid Spin set's Speed EVs to only outspeed 12 Spe Primal Groudon. Originally the big creep was to outspeed 32 Spe base 90's, but after all, analyses don't use big Speed creeps.

Or any speed creep, at all.

No, seriously.

By the way, if rusher is supposed to be revenging geoxern, jolly should be first and only slash, since the current spread over at the xerneas analysis thread outspeeds adamant excadrill; might as well make it give up modest to beat you (i doubt it will do that)

252 Atk Life Orb Mold Breaker Excadrill Iron Head vs. 88 HP / 0 Def Xerneas: 367-432 (88.4 - 104%)

After 1 ss round, 62.5% OHKO and it'll die the next turn to ss (unless it was the last turn. SR rekts ofc)

Also worth noting

+2 252 Atk Life Orb Mold Breaker Excadrill Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Groudon:447-530 (110.6 - 131.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Obviously, but groudon-once your biggest bane-is now not a huge deal, and i hear landot and scor arent doing so hot either. Too bad about giraO, then again its not that hard to wear down.

Finally, a rapid spinner that threatens defoggers? Wut? You mean rocks user? In any case giraO isnt that threatened since WoW, guess it can't switch in on you which is nice.
 
Or any speed creep, at all.

No, seriously.

By the way, if rusher is supposed to be revenging geoxern, jolly should be first and only slash, since the current spread over at the xerneas analysis thread outspeeds adamant excadrill; might as well make it give up modest to beat you (i doubt it will do that)

252 Atk Life Orb Mold Breaker Excadrill Iron Head vs. 88 HP / 0 Def Xerneas: 367-432 (88.4 - 104%)

After 1 ss round, 62.5% OHKO and it'll die the next turn to ss (unless it was the last turn. SR rekts ofc)

Also worth noting

+2 252 Atk Life Orb Mold Breaker Excadrill Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Groudon:447-530 (110.6 - 131.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Obviously, but groudon-once your biggest bane-is now not a huge deal, and i hear landot and scor arent doing so hot either. Too bad about giraO, then again its not that hard to wear down.

Finally, a rapid spinner that threatens defoggers? Wut? You mean rocks user? In any case giraO isnt that threatened since WoW, guess it can't switch in on you which is nice.
In the Xerneas analysis, most of qc is agreed on 44 Spe being the main spread to outspeed scarfsect and that sand rush exca is too rare to be a speed benchmark.
 

Thugly Duckling

I play TCG now
In the Xerneas analysis, most of qc is agreed on 44 Spe being the main spread to outspeed scarfsect and that sand rush exca is too rare to be a speed benchmark.
Ya tehy doesn't know what he's talking about. Calcing a 252/252+ PDon was just dead giveaway to how lacking his knowledge of Ubers is.
 

tehy

Banned deucer.
Ya tehy doesn't know what he's talking about. Calcing a 252/252+ PDon was just dead giveaway to how lacking his knowledge of Ubers is.
*sighs*

That's called making a point; i'm fully aware that Groudon doesn't really run that, but the point is that excadrill doesn't really mind what used to be one of its greatest problems, OHKOing it 100% of the time at +2 no matter what.

As for the other, i saw their posts, but I also saw the spread not changing yet. That said and more relevantly, many of the suggested spreads have the kind of bulk that makes Adamant necessary, so there is that.

Also, no speed creep allowed and I don't get why a rapid spinner that threatens Defoggers is such a plus-you mean a rocks user?
 

Thugly Duckling

I play TCG now
Also, no speed creep allowed and I don't get why a rapid spinner that threatens Defoggers is such a plus-you mean a rocks user?
I see what you're saying. I'll change it to "the only rapid spinner that can offensively pressure Giratina-O, a common spinblocker". Typically, Rapid Spinners are defog bait, so I'll specify to that somewhere. I apologize for being frank earlier, I really just didn't understand what you were trying to point out.
 

shrang

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Lead set has some perks IMO. Denying Mega Diancie the ability to stop you gains you a turn in breathing room at the least (at the very least it'll force your opponent to Defog) against those teams, and Lati@s can't freely Defog on you either since you'd smash them with Earthquake. You can also lead off against Groudon and stuff like that, either threatening a 2HKO or set up SR early. Basically it puts immediate pressure on Magic Sun, and even for non-Magic Sun teams, it's not exactly useless since you can still check Xern with it if you keep your Sash while just hitting relatively hard in general.
 
do u know what else can deny diancie and lati@s and set sr and check xern? GROUDON

unless u consider a pokemon who can rapid spin maybe once but probably not a reliable countermeasure to sr that is inferior to the best pkmn in the tier viable.... then sure i guess add it
 

Fireburn

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Lead set is bad, please remove.

I'll look at the rest later, Sand being so hard to keep up in ORAS is rough.
 

PROBLEMS

AHEAD OF HIS TIME
On the main set you defiantly need Balloon slashed with LO. Also, on the mold breaker set I'd also recommend a mention of toxic being slashed in > SD and even Sub being mentioned > Rock Slide - evs seem /ok/

Once these have been implemented I'll approve.
 

Thugly Duckling

I play TCG now
On the main set you defiantly need Balloon slashed with LO. Also, on the mold breaker set I'd also recommend a mention of toxic being slashed in > SD and even Sub being mentioned > Rock Slide - evs seem /ok/

Once these have been implemented I'll approve.
Air Balloon makes sense, so does Toxic on the SD set, but why Sub as a mention >rock slide?
 
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