~Sand Storm Soldiers~ {OU Sand}

[shadow0x0cloud]

A fairly decent team that i have been working on and improving during this week and this past week. It revolves around a late game sandstorm using baton pass. Basicly i would use Ninjask to start raising stats, then switch to baton pass using any of my pokemon resulting in either a 6-0 win, 5-0 win, or if i really have a bad time or made serious mistakes 2-0 win. So... here goes.
​

AT A GLANCE

THE TEAM

Ninjask (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 HP/188 Def/68 Speed
Jolly nature (+Speed, -SAtk)
- Baton Pass
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
- Protect

A lead Ninjask, people may say that Ninjask can easily be taken down by Taunt or Trick, but if you look at my moves, you can see that you cannot take him down so easily. First i would use protect to scout out what you would do, or if i dont think your dangerous i will either swords dance or substitute. After i protect, you will be stuck using trick, and i can get a free substitute now that i am faster than you due to speed boost. I then swords dance on the switch (if you are taunting i obviously will not) then continuously sub and swords dance. He is basicly one of the best leads in the game using this method that i have.

Tyranitar (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk/24 Speed/232 SAtk
Brave nature (+Atk, -Speed)
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Flamethrower
- Ice Beam

Well honestly what sandstorm team does not have either him or hippowdon. Personal preference drew me towards him, but then i looked at his stats, and found him just what i needed. His stats are awesome, and special defence goes up because of sandstorm. Here we have a mixed tar capable of breaking any wall (except for a really really uber mixed wall). Bronzong is taken down with flamethrower, dusknoir is down with crunch, forretress fases the same fate as bronzong, cresselia is owned, and it goes on and on. Som people may say to use LO instead of expert belt, but expert belt actually gets what i need done, without the recoil. He really shines however with the baton pass boosts. A plus six speed boost can really hurt base 75-85 speed pokes with nuetral speed (i think someone correct me if im wrong) by outrunning them, then destroying them. I did not want stone edge because of accuracy, please do not reccomend it.

Metagross @ Lum Berry
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 112 HP/252 Atk/144 Def
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Thunderpunch

Here is the poke that i would rather switch into with baton pass because swords dance and speed would really benefit him more than a mixed sweeper. Earthquake is an obvious choice as it hits all land poke's hard while thunder punch/ ice punch is for flying types or dragons thinking they are to cool for me, or think im running a choice set. Thats when they are screwed. i use bullet punch as a priority move to focus sashers thinking that they could try to get me with like a +speed berry boost. well. no. i will crush you. Lum berry was for a pokemon faster than me that would try to burn me or something to get the upper hand but i suprise them with lum and go for the kill.

Latias (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 112 HP/192 Speed/204 SAtk
Timid nature (+Speed, -Atk)
- Dragon Pulse
- Calm Mind
- Wish
- Protect

Well i needed wish support, and i thought hey why not lati. She is a beast. so i went for an Uber wishpasser set with leftovers instead of soul dew, and calm mind instead of the prefered toxic. See now wish helps heal my pokemon like ninjask, who i may need to use for another sweep, or to set up another substitute. it also helps for pokmon that try to use roar, i use wish when i expect them to roar/ whirlwind, then when another poke comes, taking 25% LO damage or so they get healed. Dragon Pulse plus calm mind equal massive ownage so i went for that. I boost my stats 3-4 times then all steels better watch out because i will hit you for 60-50% damage.

Regirock (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 SDef
Careful nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Curse
- Drain Punch
- Fire Punch
- Earthquake

When you look at him you may think, oh man look at his moves, but if you see it makes sense, if i come in late game i can boost my stats with Curse or if i come in early, i could use ninjasks boosts. This helps me packe a huge punch, and it would allow me to at least get back to 136 speed if i use curse 6 times. the special defense boosts help especially when sandstorm is in play, making him an effective sweeper. Drain punch allows me to regain my health, while people think i am just going to use rest, if needed i could also wish from latias. Fire punch helps make up for my lack of fire moves, and earthquake was a filler.

Snorlax @ Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 168 HP/120 Def/220 SDef
Careful nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Curse
- Return
- Seed bomb
- Earthquake

Seed Bomb? what? well hey i needed grass type benefits to rid me of swampert, who would be destroyed due to 4x grass super effective and roar going last. Return was picked for power over paralysis which my team may need depending on who i am fighting. Curse was to go for a curse lax set to help it raise its not so great def. Earthquake was once again a filler, but i needed and wanted it. The spdef EV's and nature boosts it spdef to the point of him being an overwieght blissey.​

So thats the team, please comment and rate. i also have a fw questions:

-Is the team good

- should i change anything

-is their a pokemon that would wall this team

- is the title to long??? (that was a joke by the way)

please help!

FINAL GLANCE

Threat list

Aerodactyl: Can be taken out easily, first i use protect so he cant hit me with taunt, then i baton pass to metagross. Metagross can end him within 2 bullet punches.

Azelf: A lead Azelf is taken down the same way as aerodactyl, but all variants of Azelf sweepers (unless the have HP fighting) are taken down with T-tar's crunch.

Blissey: All i really can do is switch into metagross when she is going to use thunder wave, absorb it with lum berry then attack with earthquake. bullet punch would then finish it.

Breloom: Taken out by one of suicunes ice beams after a calm mind. metagross + ice punch, T-Tar flame thrower...

Bronzong: Heat proof- earthquake owns it hands down. Levitate- i would have to switch to t-tar to hit it with flamethrower

Celebi: t-tar's flame thrower or crunch will 2HKO it, ice punch would 2HKO it.

Cresselia: Spam tyranitars crunch 2HKO

Dragonite: taken out by latias STAB dragon pulse.

Dusknoir: Tyranitar's crunch 3HKO if he uses pain split on the second hit

Electivire: Earthquake by either metagross or tyranitar. He would be a last resort most likely because of my lack of electric moves

Empoleon: One of metagrosses earrthquakes then a bullet punch.

Flygon: they normally run scarfes so latias is outsped, but if she is at 100-88% health she will live from 2 dragon claws, then he go bye bye, i could also use metagross or suicune to use their ice attacks.

Forretress: flamethrower ownage??!!

Gengar: crunch ends it, if it uses focus blasts and hits it takes a bit longer, i would start smaking him around with metagross and bullet punch.

Gliscor: is easily taken down by either ice punch or ice beam

Gyarados: i would be forced to baton pass into metagross to end him without losing a lot of HP, but one thunderpunch can still end him.

Heatran: Earthquake ownage, he would come in to hurt metagross or tyranitar, but would then get smacked with earthquake

Heracross: 2HKO with no baton pass when using metagross, OHKO with suicune.

Hippowdon: Ice beam/punch self explanatory

Infernape:
hmm. i would need to go into suicune, but if suicune is dead or cannot take a CC it will be a hard fight.

Jirachi: flamethrower (which would only be a last resort to bring in T-Tar) and earthquake from metagross would end him.

Jolteon: a baton pass to metagross provides masive ownage, if not i would swithc to t-tar and wreck havok

Kingdra: latias would have to outspeed it if not it will be a long fight

Latias: CM and choice specs verisions are owned by ice punch considering metagross can still take a hit. wish sets are easily walled by either metagross or suicune

Lucario: ended by earthquake on metagross

Machamp: earthquake on metagross can help, or i could wall it with latias

Magnezone: earthquake with t-tar

Mamoswine: 1 or 2HKO with bullet punch (i never fought one so im not positive)

Metagross: earthquake plus bullet punch on metagross, after a baton pass, if not i will have to pray im faster

Ninjask: i would have to stall them out with my own ninjask, waiting to see who they switch into so i can counter them effectivly

Porygon-Z: i lack a fighting move so it may be a hard fight, i would have to stall with lati.

Roserade: ice punch, ice beam, whatever

Rotoms: crunch, if they are trick i would witch to metagross so that he gets the speed, and spam bullet punch (over heat rotom) ice punch (every other one)

Salamence: easy take down, either stall with shuckle, or suicune, or metagross then pound with toxic/ic punch/ ice beam

Scizor: earth quake

Skarmory: flamethrower ownage

Smeargle: im faster than a lot of them, i would just attack before they spore on me

Snorlax: i would have to hurt it before he can use rest.

Starmie: a little hard, 2HKO with metagross, but can be really annoying if carrying the rapid spinner set.

Suicune: CM suicunes on this team hard, best i can do is pound with thunder punch

Swampert: with no grass move and his ability to psuedo haze my team, it is really hard to hurt him. i may want him in my own team XD

Tentacruel: earthquake and thunder punch can end him rather fast

Togekiss: i can easily hurt him before he can hurt me with meta's thunder/ ice punch

Tyrannitar: an earthquake can do just fine, with bullet punch here or there

Vaporeon: i would send out suicune, CM a little while he is setting up then pound him with HP elec.

Weavile: bullet punch would be the best i can do, fake out + ice shard really hurt ninjask would be forced to switch.

Zapdos: ice punch or ice beam, relativly easy 2HKO

 

[Frostfree]

You should post a 'Threats and how I answer them' section o-o, so we know more about your playstyle. Making it even easier for you, copy the following model, paste it into your RTM and write down your strategies to take down each one of these:
Potential Threats and their common answers:

Aerodactyl:

Azelf:

Blissey:

Breloom:

Bronzong:

Celebi:

Cresselia:

Dragonite:

Dusknoir:

Electivire:

Empoleon:

Flygon:

Forretress:

Gengar:

Gliscor:

Gyarados:

Heatran:

Heracross:

Hippowdon:

Infernape:

Jirachi:

Jolteon:

Kingdra:

Latias:

Lucario:

Machamp:

Magnezone:

Mamoswine:

Metagross:

Ninjask:

Porygon-Z:

Roserade:

Rotoms:

Salamence:

Scizor:

Skarmory:

Smeargle:

Snorlax:

Starmie:

Suicune:

Swampert:

Tentacruel:

Togekiss:

Tyrannitar:

Vaporeon:

Weavile:

Zapdos:

 

[xNovaXx]

Well, after reviewing this team, it is pretty good, but my one problem is with Shuckle. It really can't do much, and by the time you want to bring it out, you really won't need Stealth Rock. I would go for one of three of the following: Scizor-Snorlax-or a more defensive Pokémon. Scizor definitely benefits from a speed and attack boost-maybe running the bulky sword dance set. Snorlax is another that would benefit from a speed and attack boost with the added bonus of being able to take a couple hits.

 

[Prownage89]

I've seen a new move in Shuckle's set which was power swap. If you can get Trick Room in play and Shuckle uses Power Swap, then he too can be a sweeper. He would most likely screw everything over with its speed and its power.
Shuckle @ Leftovers
252 Def/ 252 Atk/ 4 hp
-Power Swap
-Stone Edge
-Toxic
-Stealth Rocks
This makes him quite unpredictable, but watch out when Trick Room is over cuz then...u have to do it again, but otherwise u would devastate all Infernapes looking 2 set up on this guy's ass.

 

[Vapor Trails]

- Baton Pass
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
- Protect

A lead Ninjask, people may say that Ninjask can easily be taken down by Taunt or Trick, but if you look at my moves, you can see that you cannot take him down so easily.​

​

This I don't understand.
Unless Protect and Substitute aren't affected by Trick(I don't know that), the entire moveset is nulled by Trick.:naughty:
An lead Azelf could Trick (if it has it) and effectively get a free SR up the next turn if you switch. Another option if you switchis to Explode on the Pokemon you sent out next (Most lead Azelf have Explosion.)
Or, if you don't switch, it might Fire Blast/Flamethrower you, either killing you or effectively taking a huge chunk of HP out.
I really don't know how to fix this, as I've never studied/used Ninjask.
I'm only really questioning what you said, and that's why I posted a basic Ninjask wall (I think.)

 

[Lord Blood]

This I don't understand.
Unless Protect and Substitute aren't affected by Trick(I don't know that), the entire moveset is nulled by Trick.:naughty:
An lead Azelf could Trick (if it has it) and effectively get a free SR up the next turn if you switch. Another option if you switchis to Explode on the Pokemon you sent out next (Most lead Azelf have Explosion.)
Or, if you don't switch, it might Fire Blast/Flamethrower you, either killing you or effectively taking a huge chunk of HP out.
I really don't know how to fix this, as I've never studied/used Ninjask.
I'm only really questioning what you said, and that's why I posted a basic Ninjask wall (I think.)

I think what he means by that moveset is that first you Protect to be faster than every single scarfer in the game. Then you go into a sub, and hope your opponent doesn't bring in a roarer. Then you swords dance and sub + protect 'till you're ready to baton pass. Then you pass, rape and win. =D Simple as that.

 

[boredomisbliss]

uhhh can somebody say swampert weak? and even if they dont have pert most teams are prepared to face ninjasks. using ninjask is much much easier than it sounds, as you cannot stop them from phazing you. protect against the phaze, and you get phazed out next turn. poop. also i dont see why you are calling this a sandstorm team. sure, its got a ttar on it. and a shuckle (by the way i think you should take that out). tyranitar is an unideal recipient of baton pass anyways. reason? SCIZOR. ditch tyranitar, metagross is a better recipient in pretty much every way. if you really want to use tyranitar i recommend this over shuckle:
Mr. Mime (lol) @ Leftovers
-252 HP / 40 SpD / 216 Spe - Careful
Soundproof
-Substitute
-Baton Pass
-Barrier
-Grass Knot

blocks swamperts roar and destroys with grass knot. barrier allows you to boost tyranitars defense so it can survive that bullet punch and ko back with flamethrower

 

[shadow0x0cloud]

well i wanted to keep shuckle as a defensive poke, i understand that mr. mime could help but i wanted someone with good physical and decent special defensis that could last. shuckle could rest and heal himself, like Nova said, maybe snorlax would be good as it could also add a fighting move to the team. I get what you are saying Prownage, but then i would have to change my team around to a trick room team. But even though i am faster, it is a two turn move, i set up one turn and lose my monstous defensis, then get destroyed by my opponents attack, focus sash may help, but i would only be racking up one to two kills a match with priority moves running wild

 

[UltiMario]

Could I recommend Cursedily to replace Shuckle?
Cradily@Leftovers
Careful/Suction Cups
252HP/60Atk/100Def/96SpD
Curse
Recover
Seed Bomb
Rock Slide/EQ

With Sandstorm lingering, even Heatran Fire Blasts have trouble getting through Cradily's now decently large Special Defense. It turns a lot of things that cause problems on your team into Set-up fodder, Seed Bomb and either Rock Slide or EQ as your coverage to kill things that have been problematic to your team. Its especially great against Swampert because Suction Cups prevents it from being Roared out. Cradily has problems alone but thrives in Sandstorm Teams. Cradily is also a great Pokemon to pass to because with even only +2 or +3 Speed Cradily is outspeeding things like Mad, +2 Attack would be even better. It goes right from a Tank to a Tanking Sweeper. How wonderful, isn't it?

Eh? Eh? Is this not exactly what you needed?

 

[shadow0x0cloud]

wow this is what i need, he can become a mix wall depending on how i use curse.

also i saw rampardos, since i can baton pass massive speed, could i take someone out, and add him to the team as well?

 

[UltiMario]

You could replace Metagross with either Rampardos or Aggron depending on what your looking for. Rampardos hits harder all around, but LO Aggron's Head Smash hits as hard as CB Rampardos' Stone Edge (Remember, Aggron has Rock Head). So absolute Power, or more Power in one move whilst having less in others is your decision, both are benefitted equally by sand....
From what I see, if you ran a LO Head Smash/EQ/Superpower/Roar Aggron you'd cover a lot of problems, but you'd have great dependance on whether or not you even got the pass off or not. It could still come in on a few things like Porygon-Z and Snorlax and do damage....
If you really need the solid power as a replacement, base a set off the Trick Room set on Smogon and just modify it since your depending on Speed boosts rather than Trick Room.

 

[shadow0x0cloud]

well i actually thought of not switching metagross, and maybe switching shuckle for RegiRock, as a defensive wall, and switching suicune out with cradily. seeing as fire types are already covered, i have regirock:

Regirock
leftovers
252hp/4 def/252 spd
-curse
-rock slide
-rest
-sleep talk

and Cradily:

Cradily@Leftovers
Careful/Suction Cups
252HP/60Atk/100Def/96SpD
Curse
Recover
Seed Bomb
Rock Slide

(and id i knew how to copy marrilands team builder i could show you people better) but this gives me massive resistances.

 

[The SPrinkLer]

Well, your team is quite weak to a specially-defensive Scizor. It can come in/revenge anything and basically destroy your team. It hits Suicune hard with U-turn, Metagross doesn't do shit, and hits hard with U-turn, and the rest are obvious. Celebi provides a nice combo with Suicune, and lures out Scizor. Also, it helps with Swampert and Suicune. Might I suggest this set:

Celebi @ Life Orb
Modest Nature
210 hp/252 spa/40 spd
-Leaf Storm
-HP Fire
-Recover
-Thunder Wave

Put this over Shuckle, because honestly, it does nothing. It just annoys the opponent, and lets so much stuff set up. I hope this helps, and good luck with your team!

 

[shadow0x0cloud]

wow a tinkerbell set, and a special scizor! metagross would easily own him with earthquake it does 96% damage to it without any boosts, and if he was specially defensive, i would still hit him for the same damage. also i dont know about celebi as it gives me a fire weakness, pursuit weakness, and nightslassh weakness that i really dont want. i have decided to go with regirock instead of shuckle, and snorlax instead of cradily.

 

[Yehom]

Ninjask (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 HP/188 Def/68 Speed
Jolly nature (+Speed, -SAtk)
- Baton Pass
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
- Protect
A lead Ninjask, people may say that Ninjask can easily be taken down by Taunt or Trick, but if you look at my moves, you can see that you cannot take him down so easily.

I hope you do realize that Taunt does go through Protect and with this set, your Ninjask will have no other option then to Struggle. That means your whole strategy will fail, because you only have non-damaging moves. Replace Subsitute with X-scissor to avoid that situation

 

[shadow0x0cloud]

no taunt is blocked by protect

Protects the user from most moves during the turn. If the user successfully used Detect, Endure, or Protect on the previous turn, Protect only has a 50% chance to work successfully. If the Protect user moves last in a turn, Protect fails.

Feint ends Protect's protection and damages the Protect user. Lock-On, Mind Reader, and No Guard give moves (100 minus accuracy)% chance to hit through Protect. OHKO moves (Horn Drill, Guillotine, Fissure, and Sheer Cold) are always blocked by Protect, even with Lock-On, Mind Reader, or No Guard.

In Diamond and Pearl, but not in Platinum, Thunder has a 30% chance to hit through Protect in the rain, as does Blizzard in hail.

Protect does not protect the user from:

Acupressure
Curse (used by a Ghost-type)
Doom Desire
Future Sight
Imprison
Perish Song
Psych Up
Role Play
Transform

 

[The SPrinkLer]

wow a tinkerbell set, and a special scizor! metagross would easily own him with earthquake it does 96% damage to it without any boosts, and if he was specially defensive, i would still hit him for the same damage. also i dont know about celebi as it gives me a fire weakness, pursuit weakness, and nightslassh weakness that i really dont want. i have decided to go with regirock instead of shuckle, and snorlax instead of cradily.

That Celebi's purpose is to lure in Scizor and Tyranitar, and hit them with HP Fire and Leaf Storm respectively. Those are the two most common users of Pursuit. It doesn't add a Pursuit weakness at all.

Edit: Was that reply supposed to be sarcastic? You asked me for the rate in a PM in the first place, along with the other 2-3 PM's I get a day asking for a rate.

 

[shadow0x0cloud]

i understand, but (well one i cant get that in game yet so i wanted to stay away from such legendaries as i will change this team to be more wi-fi batling when i fell it is ready) i felt that i already had those types decently covered. Scizor is now easily owned by 3 pokemon with decent attack stats that could own it. tyranitar is also out when i send in regirock, because he gets a major spDEF boost and has the ability to hurt him with drain punch. i just felt i did not need him. No offense, i was just stating my opinion to your rate

 

[UltiMario]

Cradily@Leftovers
Careful/Suction Cups
252HP/60Atk/100Def/96SpD
Curse
Recover
Earthquake
Rock Slide

Fix'd. QuakeSlide Coverage > STAB
Suction Cups > Cursing with a Rock just waiting to get Whirwinded or Roared

And also, Celebi helps out TREMENDOUSLY on sandstorm teams. ESPECIALLY with HP Fire. Also, Grass Knot > Leaf Storm. Still Kills TTar, and still kills other things that Leaf Storm Kills.

I'd Recommend

Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP/220 Def/36 Spd
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Leech Seed
- Grass Knot
- Recover
- Hidden Power Fire

Leech Seed forces out more than you can imagine, and has some considerable Bulk too. It doesn't need all those SpA EVs in order to take down TTar and Scizor. This can evne be put over Snorlax because is just about covers everything Snorlax does.