September 18th: Wow I almost forgot about this update I did. I'll get to editing a lot of this eventually (so much school work), unless some eager beaver just can't wait in which case he or she should pm me with recommended changes. If someone is interested in writing up NU stuff then pm me since I don't know a lot about NU.
September 18th edit: Damn I just realized that Donphan became UU after I wrote this update up. Guess Sandslash mostly only viable in NU now...which means I wrote most of this up for nothing :D
_
I sorta forgot to keep track of changes, but most of the sets and comments were rewritten, plus the addition of team options and such. Only minor changes to "Opinion," "Counters," and "EVs".
I know I probably don't need all those calcs, maybe not any at all. Not sure.
***
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/sandslash
[SET]
name: Swords Dance + Rapid Spin
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Night Slash / Stone Edge
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Leftovers
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 6 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Donphan has superior stats in everything but Speed, but Sandslash is a great asset for many teams as a spinner in UU, where it belongs. A STAB Earthquake from Sandslash will put a dent in any UU Pokemon that doesn't resist it and certainly score some 1-2HKOs with a Swords Dance under its belt. Many of the metagame's defensive threats are weak to Ground-type attacks, which makes Sandslash that much more useful on a team.</p>
<p>Night Slash is a great move to hit what Earthquake can't; specifically Levitators, who are commonly Ghost or Psychic-type, such as Mismagius, Rotom, and Uxie. Stone Edge is an option if you want to hit Flying-types for super effective damage, as well as Bug-types, which resist Earthquake.</p>
<p>Bulky Grass-types, like Tangrowth, Shaymin, and Torterra are efficient counters to this set, boasting great HP and Defense while resistant to Sandslash's STAB Earthquake. Tangrowth can hit Sandslash's weaker Special Defense with a super effective Energy Ball, or even his physical side with Power Whip, which always 2HKOs with no Attack EVs factoring Leftovers. Torterra can easily take all of Sandslash's attacks excluding X-scissor and hit Sandslash with a powerful Wood Hammer.All that said, the blatant Grass-type weakness can be fixed by backing Sandslash with a Fire-type to scare opposing Grass-types. Thanks to their immunity to Will-O-Wisp Fire-types also happen to be good switch-ins to Weezing, a good counter to Sandslash with its great Defense, its immunity to Earthquake, and its access to Will-O-Wisp. Pokemon such as Blaziken and Magmortar work well with Sandslash, as they can both easily OHKO all of the Grass-types and Weezing, while also luring out (and sometimes KOing) bulky Water-types who also give Sandslash trouble. Poison-types like Crobat and Drapion give Grass-types a hard time, as do Bug-types such as Yanmega. Sandslash also wouldn't mind a Grass-type along side him to keep those troublesome bulky Water-types like Milotic at bay. </p>
<p>Pokemon who rely on Rapid Spin support can really utilize Sandslash's great ability to clear the battlefield. Moltres, Charizard, and Yanmega all appreciate Rapid Spin support, allowing them to switch in without losing 50% of their HP.</p>
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Stone Edge / Night Slash
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Leftovers
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 6 Atk / 252 Def
[Set Comments]
<p>In NU and UU alike, Sandslash can be a very useful defensive supporter for your team, as 354 HP and 350 Defense makes Sandslash quite sturdy on the physical side.</p>
<p>Besides the obligatory STAB move, Earthquake, Rapid Spin almost always has a guaranteed spot in any supporting Pokemon's moveset, as it's fairly hard to come by. While Stone Edge is the superior option for a secondary attack due to better coverage in general, Night Slash can be used in the third slot should your team require it to deal with Ghost-types more effectively. Sandslash has access to and is a great user of Stealth Rock so it's the recommended move for the fourth slot; however, Toxic and Knock Off can be used if your team already has something to set up Stealth Rock.</p>
<p>Without the Attack boost from Swords Dance, any bulky Grass or Water-type should wall any Sandslash without Toxic well. If Sandslash does carry Toxic, any Poison-type Pokemon immune or neutral to Ground-type attacks (like Weezing or Venusaur) will give Sandslash a lot of trouble. Roserade is a valuable teammate for Sandslash, as it will keep Water-types at bay with its Grass-type attacks and Grass-types under control with Hidden Power Fire. Pretty much the same counters for the Swords Dance set apply here as well.</p>
[SET]
name: Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: X-Scissor / Night Slash
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
nature: Adamant
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is a slightly more offensively-based set than the first one; while Leftovers is recommended, Life Orb is an alternative for more power in your Earthquake, scoring many more KOs than the previous set, both with and without a Swords Dance. With Life Orb, Sandslash has guaranteed OHKOs on Regirock, Steelix, Spiritomb, and others, and a guaranteed 2HKO on Uxie. X-Scissor hits Grass-types as well as Psychic-types super effectively. Night Slash is an option if you want to hit Ghost-types super effectively, instead of Grass-types.</p>
<p>Without X-Scissor, bulky Grass and Water-types give Sandslash a hard time, as always. Even with X-Scissor, though, Leafeon, Tangrowth, and Shaymin can survive and take out Sandslash with a strong Grass-type STAB attack. Bulky Water-types are still a problem no matter which move you choose. Weezing is a great counter as usual. Like before, Fire-types like Blaziken and Magmortar can take care of the Grass-type weakness, and Grass-types such as Roserade can take care of the Water-type weakness.</p>
<p>Using a Salac Berry and Substitute in the fourth moveslot is perfectly viable as well, perhaps as a late-game sweep opportunity.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: X-Scissor / Rapid Spin
move 4: Night Slash / Rapid Spin
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Again, similar to the other attacking sets, however yet another moveslot opens up with Swords Dance out of the picture. In the previous set, you need to pick between X-Scissor and Night Slash; here, you can have both, and you don't need that extra turn to set up. Sandslash can also run Rapid Spin, because the Ghost-types who block Rapid Spin, such as Rotom or Spiritomb, are very hesitant to switch into a Choice Band boosted attack.</p>
<p>Again, the same weaknesses Sandslash has with the other sets are present here, however, this set is more reliant on prediction. Sandslash benefits from Pokemon who can take care of Flying-types and Levitators who are immune to Earthquake. Stealth Rock is a big help in this case, as well as Pokemon who can hit Crobat, Uxie, Weezing and other Pokemon hard. Arcanine helps here, being bulky, immune to Will-O-Wisp, and being able to 2HKO all of the Pokemon mentioned.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Sandslash can find a place on many teams in UU; however, it's important you cover all of its weak spots, specifically what it can't hit with the attacks it uses and its weaker special side. </p>
<p>Out of all the attacking sets, the types Sandslash cannot hit super effectively include Dragon, Fighting, Ground, Normal, and Water ( and a few other exceptions like Weezing). Pokemon like Hariyama, Blaziken, Hitmonchan, and Medicham can hit almost all or all of these types super effectively with their immense Attack. Grass-types can help Sandslash out a lot by providing a Water and Grass resistance; Shaymin and Roserade are great, common examples of this. Leafeon can also support Sandslash as it's very defensive and has access to Baton Pass and Swords Dance. Meganium has the same typing and can set up Reflect or Light Screen to help with your sweep with Sandslash.</p>
<p>Sandslash is weak to Water, Grass, and Ice, as well as special moves in general. Many of these assaults can be sponged by Mantine, thanks to its typing, its great Special Defense, and its Water Absorb ability. You'll be able to switch in pretty safely too, since you know an Electric attack won't be coming your way. Registeel is extremely bulky and resists Ice and Grass attacks, while Wormadam-S provides unique, yet useful typing for Sandslash, resisting Ice and quadruply-resisting Grass. Hypno can come in on and wall most special attacks thrown at Sandslash (while being able to provide Trick Room support if you need it).</p>
<p>In the case of Sandslash, perhaps the most feared Pokemon is Weezing, as it is immune to Earthquake and has access to crippling moves like Will-O-Wisp. An extremely common match-up with Weezing is Umbreon, as they cover each other's weaknesses perfectly. Blaziken is immune to Will-O-Wisp and has access to Superpower as well as many Fighting attacks with STAB. Grass-types like Venusaur are often paired with bulky Waters like Milotic or Blastoise; these combinations can be countered by something like Porygon2 who has decent special attack and access to Thunderbolt and Ice Beam. Magic Coat could also be used to bounce back Roserade's Sleep Powder or Milotic's Hypnosis. On top of that, Porygon2 learns Toxic, which is your best friend against a bulky Water-type.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Brightpowder could be used for the first set in combination with Sandstorm, if it makes you feel safer when setting up with Swords Dance, however luck is never something to rely on.</p>
<p>Shadow Claw is exactly like Night Slash, except while Shadow Claw is not resisted by Fighting-types, Normal-types are immune. If you fancy better accuracy at the cost of power, Rock Slide is an alternative to Stone Edge. Other physical moves include Aerial Ace, Body Slam, Brick Break, Gyro Ball, and Poison Jab, but the coverage those attacks provide is less than stellar compared to the previously mentioned attacks.</p>
<p>On the supporting set, Protect and Safeguard could possibly be used...but that's about it. If you need a status absorber, it's possible to use Rest + Sleep Talk and two other moves.</p>
[EVs]
<p> Most of the time, you'll want to load up on HP, then decide what you want Sandslash to do. If you want to take more hits, invest in Defense, but if you want to improve Sandslash's damage output, pour plenty of EVs into Attack. Speed is usually irrelevant, but it is helpful on the Sweeper and Choice Band sets; 108 EVs is enough to outrun most Blastoise, 128 is enough to outrun most Venusaur, and 176 EVs hits 210 Speed, enough to outrun most Nidoqueen as well as max Speed, neutral-natured Omastar.
</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Sandslash has always been a great Pokemon to use in UU. Swords Dance and STAB Earthquake together are very potent, and while Sandslash's Speed is a let down, its good physical defensive capabilities go some way to compensate for this. Sandslash's sturdiness and ability to spin away entry hazards while setting up its own in the process makes it a valuable asset to many teams.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Regardless whether you play Sandslash in UU, OU, NU, or whatever, Water-types, as long as they don't have a secondary typing that's weak to Ground or Rock, are great counters for Sandslash; Gastrodon, Blastoise, Quagsire, and Slowbro, all do very well against it. Grass-types, specifically Shaymin, make efficient counters as well.</p>
<p>Take advantage of Sandslash's low Speed and poor Special Defense; most super effective or STAB special attacks will end Sandslash quickly.</p>
September 18th edit: Damn I just realized that Donphan became UU after I wrote this update up. Guess Sandslash mostly only viable in NU now...which means I wrote most of this up for nothing :D
_
I sorta forgot to keep track of changes, but most of the sets and comments were rewritten, plus the addition of team options and such. Only minor changes to "Opinion," "Counters," and "EVs".
I know I probably don't need all those calcs, maybe not any at all. Not sure.
***
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/sandslash
[SET]
name: Swords Dance + Rapid Spin
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Night Slash / Stone Edge
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Leftovers
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 6 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Donphan has superior stats in everything but Speed, but Sandslash is a great asset for many teams as a spinner in UU, where it belongs. A STAB Earthquake from Sandslash will put a dent in any UU Pokemon that doesn't resist it and certainly score some 1-2HKOs with a Swords Dance under its belt. Many of the metagame's defensive threats are weak to Ground-type attacks, which makes Sandslash that much more useful on a team.</p>
<p>Night Slash is a great move to hit what Earthquake can't; specifically Levitators, who are commonly Ghost or Psychic-type, such as Mismagius, Rotom, and Uxie. Stone Edge is an option if you want to hit Flying-types for super effective damage, as well as Bug-types, which resist Earthquake.</p>
<p>Bulky Grass-types, like Tangrowth, Shaymin, and Torterra are efficient counters to this set, boasting great HP and Defense while resistant to Sandslash's STAB Earthquake. Tangrowth can hit Sandslash's weaker Special Defense with a super effective Energy Ball, or even his physical side with Power Whip, which always 2HKOs with no Attack EVs factoring Leftovers. Torterra can easily take all of Sandslash's attacks excluding X-scissor and hit Sandslash with a powerful Wood Hammer.All that said, the blatant Grass-type weakness can be fixed by backing Sandslash with a Fire-type to scare opposing Grass-types. Thanks to their immunity to Will-O-Wisp Fire-types also happen to be good switch-ins to Weezing, a good counter to Sandslash with its great Defense, its immunity to Earthquake, and its access to Will-O-Wisp. Pokemon such as Blaziken and Magmortar work well with Sandslash, as they can both easily OHKO all of the Grass-types and Weezing, while also luring out (and sometimes KOing) bulky Water-types who also give Sandslash trouble. Poison-types like Crobat and Drapion give Grass-types a hard time, as do Bug-types such as Yanmega. Sandslash also wouldn't mind a Grass-type along side him to keep those troublesome bulky Water-types like Milotic at bay. </p>
<p>Pokemon who rely on Rapid Spin support can really utilize Sandslash's great ability to clear the battlefield. Moltres, Charizard, and Yanmega all appreciate Rapid Spin support, allowing them to switch in without losing 50% of their HP.</p>
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Stone Edge / Night Slash
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Leftovers
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 6 Atk / 252 Def
[Set Comments]
<p>In NU and UU alike, Sandslash can be a very useful defensive supporter for your team, as 354 HP and 350 Defense makes Sandslash quite sturdy on the physical side.</p>
<p>Besides the obligatory STAB move, Earthquake, Rapid Spin almost always has a guaranteed spot in any supporting Pokemon's moveset, as it's fairly hard to come by. While Stone Edge is the superior option for a secondary attack due to better coverage in general, Night Slash can be used in the third slot should your team require it to deal with Ghost-types more effectively. Sandslash has access to and is a great user of Stealth Rock so it's the recommended move for the fourth slot; however, Toxic and Knock Off can be used if your team already has something to set up Stealth Rock.</p>
<p>Without the Attack boost from Swords Dance, any bulky Grass or Water-type should wall any Sandslash without Toxic well. If Sandslash does carry Toxic, any Poison-type Pokemon immune or neutral to Ground-type attacks (like Weezing or Venusaur) will give Sandslash a lot of trouble. Roserade is a valuable teammate for Sandslash, as it will keep Water-types at bay with its Grass-type attacks and Grass-types under control with Hidden Power Fire. Pretty much the same counters for the Swords Dance set apply here as well.</p>
[SET]
name: Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: X-Scissor / Night Slash
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
nature: Adamant
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is a slightly more offensively-based set than the first one; while Leftovers is recommended, Life Orb is an alternative for more power in your Earthquake, scoring many more KOs than the previous set, both with and without a Swords Dance. With Life Orb, Sandslash has guaranteed OHKOs on Regirock, Steelix, Spiritomb, and others, and a guaranteed 2HKO on Uxie. X-Scissor hits Grass-types as well as Psychic-types super effectively. Night Slash is an option if you want to hit Ghost-types super effectively, instead of Grass-types.</p>
<p>Without X-Scissor, bulky Grass and Water-types give Sandslash a hard time, as always. Even with X-Scissor, though, Leafeon, Tangrowth, and Shaymin can survive and take out Sandslash with a strong Grass-type STAB attack. Bulky Water-types are still a problem no matter which move you choose. Weezing is a great counter as usual. Like before, Fire-types like Blaziken and Magmortar can take care of the Grass-type weakness, and Grass-types such as Roserade can take care of the Water-type weakness.</p>
<p>Using a Salac Berry and Substitute in the fourth moveslot is perfectly viable as well, perhaps as a late-game sweep opportunity.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: X-Scissor / Rapid Spin
move 4: Night Slash / Rapid Spin
item: Choice Band
nature: Adamant
evs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Again, similar to the other attacking sets, however yet another moveslot opens up with Swords Dance out of the picture. In the previous set, you need to pick between X-Scissor and Night Slash; here, you can have both, and you don't need that extra turn to set up. Sandslash can also run Rapid Spin, because the Ghost-types who block Rapid Spin, such as Rotom or Spiritomb, are very hesitant to switch into a Choice Band boosted attack.</p>
<p>Again, the same weaknesses Sandslash has with the other sets are present here, however, this set is more reliant on prediction. Sandslash benefits from Pokemon who can take care of Flying-types and Levitators who are immune to Earthquake. Stealth Rock is a big help in this case, as well as Pokemon who can hit Crobat, Uxie, Weezing and other Pokemon hard. Arcanine helps here, being bulky, immune to Will-O-Wisp, and being able to 2HKO all of the Pokemon mentioned.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Sandslash can find a place on many teams in UU; however, it's important you cover all of its weak spots, specifically what it can't hit with the attacks it uses and its weaker special side. </p>
<p>Out of all the attacking sets, the types Sandslash cannot hit super effectively include Dragon, Fighting, Ground, Normal, and Water ( and a few other exceptions like Weezing). Pokemon like Hariyama, Blaziken, Hitmonchan, and Medicham can hit almost all or all of these types super effectively with their immense Attack. Grass-types can help Sandslash out a lot by providing a Water and Grass resistance; Shaymin and Roserade are great, common examples of this. Leafeon can also support Sandslash as it's very defensive and has access to Baton Pass and Swords Dance. Meganium has the same typing and can set up Reflect or Light Screen to help with your sweep with Sandslash.</p>
<p>Sandslash is weak to Water, Grass, and Ice, as well as special moves in general. Many of these assaults can be sponged by Mantine, thanks to its typing, its great Special Defense, and its Water Absorb ability. You'll be able to switch in pretty safely too, since you know an Electric attack won't be coming your way. Registeel is extremely bulky and resists Ice and Grass attacks, while Wormadam-S provides unique, yet useful typing for Sandslash, resisting Ice and quadruply-resisting Grass. Hypno can come in on and wall most special attacks thrown at Sandslash (while being able to provide Trick Room support if you need it).</p>
<p>In the case of Sandslash, perhaps the most feared Pokemon is Weezing, as it is immune to Earthquake and has access to crippling moves like Will-O-Wisp. An extremely common match-up with Weezing is Umbreon, as they cover each other's weaknesses perfectly. Blaziken is immune to Will-O-Wisp and has access to Superpower as well as many Fighting attacks with STAB. Grass-types like Venusaur are often paired with bulky Waters like Milotic or Blastoise; these combinations can be countered by something like Porygon2 who has decent special attack and access to Thunderbolt and Ice Beam. Magic Coat could also be used to bounce back Roserade's Sleep Powder or Milotic's Hypnosis. On top of that, Porygon2 learns Toxic, which is your best friend against a bulky Water-type.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Brightpowder could be used for the first set in combination with Sandstorm, if it makes you feel safer when setting up with Swords Dance, however luck is never something to rely on.</p>
<p>Shadow Claw is exactly like Night Slash, except while Shadow Claw is not resisted by Fighting-types, Normal-types are immune. If you fancy better accuracy at the cost of power, Rock Slide is an alternative to Stone Edge. Other physical moves include Aerial Ace, Body Slam, Brick Break, Gyro Ball, and Poison Jab, but the coverage those attacks provide is less than stellar compared to the previously mentioned attacks.</p>
<p>On the supporting set, Protect and Safeguard could possibly be used...but that's about it. If you need a status absorber, it's possible to use Rest + Sleep Talk and two other moves.</p>
[EVs]
<p> Most of the time, you'll want to load up on HP, then decide what you want Sandslash to do. If you want to take more hits, invest in Defense, but if you want to improve Sandslash's damage output, pour plenty of EVs into Attack. Speed is usually irrelevant, but it is helpful on the Sweeper and Choice Band sets; 108 EVs is enough to outrun most Blastoise, 128 is enough to outrun most Venusaur, and 176 EVs hits 210 Speed, enough to outrun most Nidoqueen as well as max Speed, neutral-natured Omastar.
</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Sandslash has always been a great Pokemon to use in UU. Swords Dance and STAB Earthquake together are very potent, and while Sandslash's Speed is a let down, its good physical defensive capabilities go some way to compensate for this. Sandslash's sturdiness and ability to spin away entry hazards while setting up its own in the process makes it a valuable asset to many teams.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Regardless whether you play Sandslash in UU, OU, NU, or whatever, Water-types, as long as they don't have a secondary typing that's weak to Ground or Rock, are great counters for Sandslash; Gastrodon, Blastoise, Quagsire, and Slowbro, all do very well against it. Grass-types, specifically Shaymin, make efficient counters as well.</p>
<p>Take advantage of Sandslash's low Speed and poor Special Defense; most super effective or STAB special attacks will end Sandslash quickly.</p>
