I decided to try out the monotype meta and it's pretty fun. This team is made after my favourite mon Garchomp, being a part ground type I wanted to make a team with it. And of course, when making a mono ground team, what reason is there to not include sand? So I did just that and got a sand setter. I'm currently 32-4 with this team and am open to advice.
Sand-setter:
Hippowdon @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 240 HP / 192 Def / 76 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Toxic
- Slack Off
The only other mon other than T-tar with Sand Stream is this guy (bar NFE pokes) so Hippo's an automatic choice. The EVs are stolen from Valentine's Hippo from his XY OU RMT which was archived. It is a very effective EV spread, Hippo still has all the physical bulk it needs and those 76 SpD EVs allow it to survive a lot of strong Special Attacks that it otherwise wouldn't. Hippo serves as my physical wall, sand setter and staller. The Edgequake combo is probably the best option for its two attacking moves. Toxic stalls out physically offensive mons with ease thanks to its great bulk and access to Slack Off. Smooth Rock is the obvious choice of item so sand stays in longer.
The star himself:
Garchomp-Mega @ Garchompite
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Swords Dance
Garchomp is a fantastic mon. Fast, strong, good movepool, good bulk, cool looks, it has it all. This guy does not only break special walls, but it's so strong, that even MOST physical walls can be broken by it too. The EVs and moveset are pretty much your standard OU Garchomp set. I chose Rock Slide over Stone Miss because it still KOs everything it needs to and with its sky high attack, it doesn't mind the power drop. The Garchomp before mega evolving has Sand Veil, will probably change to Rough Skin though because Sand Veil barely ever proves useful. You have to be careful when to mega evolve because of the Speed drop. I have to scout my opponent's team to see if there are any faster, threatening mons. If there are, I mega evolve later. With Sandstorm up, and its Mega Chomp's ability in Sand Force it hits stupidly hard. Once SD is up 9/10 times it's gg.
Here are some calcs:
252 Atk Sand Force Mega Garchomp Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro in Sand: 175-207 (44.4 - 52.5%) -- 78.5% chance to 2HKO after sandstorm damage
+2 252 Atk Sand Force Mega Garchomp Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro in Sand: 349-412 (88.5 - 104.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
Not even Slowbro can survive. Other Hippowdon's are 2hkod, many other physical walls are broke by it bar Skarmory thanks to its typing.
Sweeper:
Excadrill @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
My next sweeper after Garchomp. This thing with Sand Rush is an absolute beast. No surprise why it was once Uber. He makes for a common core with T-Tar in OU so I guess we all know how he works. Basically, if Sand is up, opponent's mons are weakened, or SR is up, or I'm at +2, gg. This guy is very often my win condition. Sometimes I just send in Hippo, let it die just to activate this guy, then win. With max attack and adamant nature coupled with Life Orb not much can stop it. EVs and moveset are pretty self explanatory. Adamant because it's quite a slow mon so Jolly rarely helps, and with Sand up it outspeeds everything anyway. It got a couple of clean 6-0s in the lower ladder.
Special Sweeper:
Landorus @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Earth Power
- Focus Blast
- Psychic
- Calm Mind
If there are mons that Garchomp can't break, this guy is here. Obviously it's a special attacker since Garchomp is a physical attacker. It has naturally good Sp.Atk, but when combined with the fearsome Life Orb and Sheer Force combo even special walls are left in fear. At base 101 Speed it finds itself in a good speed tier. Earth Power is natural STAB and Psychic is very useful and absolutely destroys mono-fighting teams. Focus Blast gives good coverage alongside Psychic and is often the answer to mons Chomp can't break. Calm Mind = gg stall and gg if I set it up. Here are some calcs for mons Chomp can't break:
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Skarmory: 272-320 (81.4 - 95.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Skarmory: 407-480 (121.8 - 143.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Unaware Quagsire: 324-382 (82.2 - 96.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Easy.
Something to hit Ice with and SR:
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
Swampert is a pretty good member of this team being a rock setter and special attack absorber. It makes for a good defensive core with Hippo who is on the physical side. Ice Beam can destroy my team so Swampert can absorb them and hit back with Stone Edge. If you haven't noticed it's specially defensive so it can absorbs as many Ice Beams as possible. It plays a huge role against Ice teams and if I play it well or my opponent chokes, I can remove all the faster threats my opponent has and win with Exca and Chomp and Lando. Stealth Rock also hurts Ice teams a lot.
Utility mon:
Nidoking @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
I honestly couldn't find a better mon for the 6th slot. Nido offers a lot of offensive pressure and gives coverage that my team otherwise lacks with its BoltBeam combo and Sludge Wave. However, his time to shine is often rare and mostly it's deadweight thanks to its mediocre speed and horrible defensive stats. It's probably the weakest link in this team and I'm open to changing.
Threat list:
Can't think of many but it's usually fast Ice type mons or Water mons like Weavile and Greninja. Mons with Ice Shard like Mamoswine are also threatening. Exca can beat Weavile 1v1 though and I think Swampert can too because Weavile is so frail. Hippo beats it with its bulk and Stone Edge.
Greninja on the other hand can absolutely rape this team, and if played well probably even grab a 6-0. IF IT HAS GRASS KNOT I AUTO LOSE. If it has no Grass Knot Swampert wins 1v1. Otherwise, Ice Beam Lando, Chomp, Hydro Pump Exca, Hippo, Grass Knot Hippo, and Nido is easily KO'd by either Ice Beam or Hydro Pump. Only way I can beat it is Sack Hippo and OHKO with Sand Rush Exca with EQ.
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Earthquake vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Greninja: 333-394 (116.4 - 137.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Sand-setter:
Hippowdon @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 240 HP / 192 Def / 76 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Toxic
- Slack Off
The only other mon other than T-tar with Sand Stream is this guy (bar NFE pokes) so Hippo's an automatic choice. The EVs are stolen from Valentine's Hippo from his XY OU RMT which was archived. It is a very effective EV spread, Hippo still has all the physical bulk it needs and those 76 SpD EVs allow it to survive a lot of strong Special Attacks that it otherwise wouldn't. Hippo serves as my physical wall, sand setter and staller. The Edgequake combo is probably the best option for its two attacking moves. Toxic stalls out physically offensive mons with ease thanks to its great bulk and access to Slack Off. Smooth Rock is the obvious choice of item so sand stays in longer.
The star himself:
Garchomp-Mega @ Garchompite
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Swords Dance
Garchomp is a fantastic mon. Fast, strong, good movepool, good bulk, cool looks, it has it all. This guy does not only break special walls, but it's so strong, that even MOST physical walls can be broken by it too. The EVs and moveset are pretty much your standard OU Garchomp set. I chose Rock Slide over Stone Miss because it still KOs everything it needs to and with its sky high attack, it doesn't mind the power drop. The Garchomp before mega evolving has Sand Veil, will probably change to Rough Skin though because Sand Veil barely ever proves useful. You have to be careful when to mega evolve because of the Speed drop. I have to scout my opponent's team to see if there are any faster, threatening mons. If there are, I mega evolve later. With Sandstorm up, and its Mega Chomp's ability in Sand Force it hits stupidly hard. Once SD is up 9/10 times it's gg.
Here are some calcs:
252 Atk Sand Force Mega Garchomp Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro in Sand: 175-207 (44.4 - 52.5%) -- 78.5% chance to 2HKO after sandstorm damage
+2 252 Atk Sand Force Mega Garchomp Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro in Sand: 349-412 (88.5 - 104.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
Not even Slowbro can survive. Other Hippowdon's are 2hkod, many other physical walls are broke by it bar Skarmory thanks to its typing.
Sweeper:
Excadrill @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
My next sweeper after Garchomp. This thing with Sand Rush is an absolute beast. No surprise why it was once Uber. He makes for a common core with T-Tar in OU so I guess we all know how he works. Basically, if Sand is up, opponent's mons are weakened, or SR is up, or I'm at +2, gg. This guy is very often my win condition. Sometimes I just send in Hippo, let it die just to activate this guy, then win. With max attack and adamant nature coupled with Life Orb not much can stop it. EVs and moveset are pretty self explanatory. Adamant because it's quite a slow mon so Jolly rarely helps, and with Sand up it outspeeds everything anyway. It got a couple of clean 6-0s in the lower ladder.
Special Sweeper:
Landorus @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Earth Power
- Focus Blast
- Psychic
- Calm Mind
If there are mons that Garchomp can't break, this guy is here. Obviously it's a special attacker since Garchomp is a physical attacker. It has naturally good Sp.Atk, but when combined with the fearsome Life Orb and Sheer Force combo even special walls are left in fear. At base 101 Speed it finds itself in a good speed tier. Earth Power is natural STAB and Psychic is very useful and absolutely destroys mono-fighting teams. Focus Blast gives good coverage alongside Psychic and is often the answer to mons Chomp can't break. Calm Mind = gg stall and gg if I set it up. Here are some calcs for mons Chomp can't break:
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Skarmory: 272-320 (81.4 - 95.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Skarmory: 407-480 (121.8 - 143.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Unaware Quagsire: 324-382 (82.2 - 96.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Easy.
Something to hit Ice with and SR:
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
Swampert is a pretty good member of this team being a rock setter and special attack absorber. It makes for a good defensive core with Hippo who is on the physical side. Ice Beam can destroy my team so Swampert can absorb them and hit back with Stone Edge. If you haven't noticed it's specially defensive so it can absorbs as many Ice Beams as possible. It plays a huge role against Ice teams and if I play it well or my opponent chokes, I can remove all the faster threats my opponent has and win with Exca and Chomp and Lando. Stealth Rock also hurts Ice teams a lot.
Utility mon:
Nidoking @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
I honestly couldn't find a better mon for the 6th slot. Nido offers a lot of offensive pressure and gives coverage that my team otherwise lacks with its BoltBeam combo and Sludge Wave. However, his time to shine is often rare and mostly it's deadweight thanks to its mediocre speed and horrible defensive stats. It's probably the weakest link in this team and I'm open to changing.
Threat list:
Can't think of many but it's usually fast Ice type mons or Water mons like Weavile and Greninja. Mons with Ice Shard like Mamoswine are also threatening. Exca can beat Weavile 1v1 though and I think Swampert can too because Weavile is so frail. Hippo beats it with its bulk and Stone Edge.
Greninja on the other hand can absolutely rape this team, and if played well probably even grab a 6-0. IF IT HAS GRASS KNOT I AUTO LOSE. If it has no Grass Knot Swampert wins 1v1. Otherwise, Ice Beam Lando, Chomp, Hydro Pump Exca, Hippo, Grass Knot Hippo, and Nido is easily KO'd by either Ice Beam or Hydro Pump. Only way I can beat it is Sack Hippo and OHKO with Sand Rush Exca with EQ.
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Earthquake vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Greninja: 333-394 (116.4 - 137.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
