Hey guys,
I realize that with the plethora of Sand (and to a lesser extent, Stall) teams being posted that this post may not receive much attention. But I'll be happy even if I get just a couple of constructive responses. I'm still kind of new to the competitive battling scene and could use all the advice I can get.
I managed to make it to 1307/56,560 on the PO Server by using this team:
However, I could never manage to get above rank 1000, probably due to half my team being weak to Water, lack of a dedicated Special Attacker, and being walled by Skarmory, Gengar, and other key threats. So I made a couple of adjustments and came up with a team that I hope addresses some of these issues.
So without further ado...
**THE NEW AND (HOPEFULLY) IMPROVED TEAM** (UPDATED 5/22/11; changes in RED)
I. The Lead/Physical Wall/Hazard Provider/Phazer
Skarmory @ Leftovers; Sturdy
Nature: Impish (+Def, -SAtk)
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Def, 4 SDef
-Stealth Rock (replaced Spikes, since Ferrothorn has it)
-Brave Bird
-Whirlwind
-Roost
As the title says, I use Skarmory as my lead ~80% of the time (unless I see they don't have a weather inducer, in which case I'll likely lead with Tyranitar to grab an immediate advantage). Besides being one of the best physical walls ever, Skarm provides Stealth Rock and a reliable STAB Flying move, as well as Whirlwind to phaze and Roost to recover damage. Pretty standard stuff. Sturdy allows me to at least get off Stealth Rock if the opposing lead happens to have Fire Blast or Thunderbolt hidden up its sleeve.
I chose this guy to replace Forretress because 1) I desperately needed another Phazer, as Roar on Hippowdon was simply not enough, and 2) I needed my hazard provider to have some form of recovery. I lost Toxic Spikes as a result, but Stealth Rock is more reliable anyway, and besides, the Status Ailments I'll be abusing with this team are Paralysis and Burn.
II. The Weather Inducer/Status Spreader/Backup Phazer/Special Attacker/Pseudo Special Wall (wow, that's a lot of roles!)
Tyranitar @ Leftovers; Sand Stream
Nature: Calm (+SDef, -Atk)
EVs: 252 HP, 180 SAtk, 76 SDef
-Fire Blast
-Dark Pulse
-Thunder Wave (replaced Stealth Rock, since Skarmory now has it. Question: Should I use a coverage move such as Ice Beam over TWave?)
-Roar
Tyranitar replaces Hippowdon in my latest setup, mainly because I needed a Special Attacker to take on the likes of Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and other annoying threats with high Defense but a weakness to Fire. I can also catch an unsuspecting Scizor on the switch-in if I predict correctly. Besides the Sand that is so central to my strategy, TTar also provides Thunder Wave to stop opposing sweepers in their tracks as well as synergize with Jellicent's Confuse Ray. What's great is that he often lures Water-types in, who proceed to get Paralyzed and then have their Water-type attack absorbed by my Jellicent when he switches in. If they're foolish enough to stay in after that, they'll get hit with Confuse Ray and basically be rendered useless. TTar also brings another phazing tool, which helps to keep my opponent off balance and rack up hazard damage, not to mention prevent opponents from setting up. Dark Pulse rounds out his arsenal, providing a reliable STAB Dark move that has a chance to flinch the opponent. This, combined with Thunder Wave, could actually be quite effective.
Thanks to the +SDef boost that Sand provides to Rock-types, Tyranitar also becomes a respectable Special wall of sorts, able to take even a super-effective hit and stay standing.
III. The Primary Sweeper/Rapid Spinner
Excadrill @ Air Balloon; Sand Rush
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SAtk)
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Speed, 4 HP
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
-Rapid Spin
-Swords Dance
Ahh, Excadrill...one of the most overused Pokemon this generation. But no Sand team would be complete without one. I used to run X-Scissor instead of Rapid Spin, but now that Forretress is no longer on my team, I needed to find another Pokemon who could provide Rapid Spin support, and Excadrill fits the bill quite nicely--switch in to counter their Pokemon, Rapid Spin as they switch out (unless they have a Ghost-type in the ranks...). Everything else about the set is pretty standard. One thing I'm not sure about is whether this guy should run an Adamant or Jolly Nature, as I have been outsped and killed by opposing Excadrills before. I figure that as long as my Air Balloon is intact, I can still win that matchup, but perhaps I should play it safe anyway.
IV. The Backup Sweeper/Fighting-and-Dragon Counter/Taunter
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb; Poison Heal
Nature: Impish (+Def, -SAtk)
EVs: 252 HP, 184 Def, 72 Speed
-Earthquake
-Ice Fang
-Swords Dance
-Taunt (replaced Protect)
And yet another overused Pokemon. Gliscor counters those nasty Fighting-types quite nicely (though he doesn't have a Flying move). His high Defense allows him to switch in on Fighting moves with ease, then proceed to SD on the switch. Ice Fang takes care of Garchomp, opposing Gliscor, and other nasty threats, and the flinching is a great bonus. Taunt allows me to shut down other stall teams and prevent the opponent from setting up. Given the prevalence of both Fighting and Dragon-types this generation, Gliscor proves to be invaluable, and has in fact allowed me to win matches that I otherwise would have lost. Whenever my Excadrill has fallen in battle, my Gliscor has often been able to pick up the torch and carry me to victory in his stead.
V. The Hazard Provider/Status Spreader/Wall/Leech-Seeder (replaced Blissey)
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers; Iron Barbs
Nature: Careful (+SDef, -SAtk)
EVs: 252 HP, 208 SDef, 48 Def
-Spikes
-Leech Seed
-Thunder Wave
-Power Whip
Thanks to pindigo's suggestion, I decided to replaced Blissey with Ferrothorn, forming a defensive core with Jellicent. Though I lose Wish and Heal Bell, I gain a useful Water/Electric resistance, another Hazard provider, and a Leech Seeder, which acts as a pseudo-phaze and also helps with recovery. (Actually, come to think of it, the Status ailment that used to annoy me the most was Poison (usually via Toxic Spikes), but now that 4/6 of my Pokemon are immune to TSpikes, it shouldn't be so bad.) Ferrothorn, along with Tyranitar, Thunder Waves as many foes as possible to cut down their Speed and help my slower Pokemon gain an advantage. Combined with Jellicent's Confuse Ray, Gliscor's Ice Fang, or TTar's Dark Pulse, opponents will find themselves unable to do anything much of the time. Meanwhile, I'll be using Leech Seed to force switchouts and Spikes when they do switch. Power Whip is the obligatory STAB.
VI. The Rapid Spin Blocker/Status Spreader/Special Wall/Provider of the Ever-Important "Annoyance" Factor
Jellicent @ Leftovers; Water Absorb
Nature: Calm (+Def, -Atk)
EVs: 252 HP, 252 SDef, 4 Def
-Will-O-Wisp (replaced Toxic)
-Surf (replaced Scald)
-Recover
-Confuse Ray
I dunno about you, but back when Gen V had just started, it took every ounce of willpower in me to avoid ragequitting whenever I saw this Pokemon on my opponent's team. It's just so...annoying. It looks annoying. Its moves are annoying. Even the sound it makes is annoying. Ugh.
Ferrothorn + Jellicent have excellent synergy, sending the annoyance factor through the roof. Will-O-Wisp stops physical sweepers in their tracks, and if they're Fire-type, then they get hit with a STAB Surf. Recover provides longevity, which combined with Jellicent's Special bulk ensures that it'll be in the game for a long time. The true annoyance factor, however, comes from the oft-underrated Confuse Ray, which combines with Ferrothorn's Thunder Wave to make it almost impossible for the opponent to do anything. Even without the Paralysis, it gives me a 50% chance for a free switch-in, the value of which cannot be underestimated. There's nothing funnier than seeing a +4 Haxorus whack itself to death.
Needless to say, Jellicent also blocks Rapid Spin, which is central to my strategy. I used to run Taunt in order to prevent opponents from setting up, but more often than not I found myself outsped, so I replaced it.
***REPLACED***
V. The Special Wall/Status Spreader/Status Healer/Wish Passer
Blissey @ Leftovers; Natural Cure
Nature: Calm (+SDef, -Atk)
EVs: 252 HP, 224 Def, 36 SDef
-Toxic
-Seismic Toss
-Heal Bell
-Wish
Replaced Blissey with Ferrothorn on 5/22/11. The only thing I really miss is the ability to heal all Status ailments, which has saved me in a few games.
---
If you made it this far, thanks so much for reading! As previously mentioned, I don't have much competitive battling experience and would really appreciate any constructive feedback.
I realize that with the plethora of Sand (and to a lesser extent, Stall) teams being posted that this post may not receive much attention. But I'll be happy even if I get just a couple of constructive responses. I'm still kind of new to the competitive battling scene and could use all the advice I can get.
I managed to make it to 1307/56,560 on the PO Server by using this team:
However, I could never manage to get above rank 1000, probably due to half my team being weak to Water, lack of a dedicated Special Attacker, and being walled by Skarmory, Gengar, and other key threats. So I made a couple of adjustments and came up with a team that I hope addresses some of these issues.
So without further ado...
**THE NEW AND (HOPEFULLY) IMPROVED TEAM** (UPDATED 5/22/11; changes in RED)
I. The Lead/Physical Wall/Hazard Provider/Phazer
Skarmory @ Leftovers; Sturdy
Nature: Impish (+Def, -SAtk)
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Def, 4 SDef
-Stealth Rock (replaced Spikes, since Ferrothorn has it)
-Brave Bird
-Whirlwind
-Roost
As the title says, I use Skarmory as my lead ~80% of the time (unless I see they don't have a weather inducer, in which case I'll likely lead with Tyranitar to grab an immediate advantage). Besides being one of the best physical walls ever, Skarm provides Stealth Rock and a reliable STAB Flying move, as well as Whirlwind to phaze and Roost to recover damage. Pretty standard stuff. Sturdy allows me to at least get off Stealth Rock if the opposing lead happens to have Fire Blast or Thunderbolt hidden up its sleeve.
I chose this guy to replace Forretress because 1) I desperately needed another Phazer, as Roar on Hippowdon was simply not enough, and 2) I needed my hazard provider to have some form of recovery. I lost Toxic Spikes as a result, but Stealth Rock is more reliable anyway, and besides, the Status Ailments I'll be abusing with this team are Paralysis and Burn.
II. The Weather Inducer/Status Spreader/Backup Phazer/Special Attacker/Pseudo Special Wall (wow, that's a lot of roles!)
Tyranitar @ Leftovers; Sand Stream
Nature: Calm (+SDef, -Atk)
EVs: 252 HP, 180 SAtk, 76 SDef
-Fire Blast
-Dark Pulse
-Thunder Wave (replaced Stealth Rock, since Skarmory now has it. Question: Should I use a coverage move such as Ice Beam over TWave?)
-Roar
Tyranitar replaces Hippowdon in my latest setup, mainly because I needed a Special Attacker to take on the likes of Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and other annoying threats with high Defense but a weakness to Fire. I can also catch an unsuspecting Scizor on the switch-in if I predict correctly. Besides the Sand that is so central to my strategy, TTar also provides Thunder Wave to stop opposing sweepers in their tracks as well as synergize with Jellicent's Confuse Ray. What's great is that he often lures Water-types in, who proceed to get Paralyzed and then have their Water-type attack absorbed by my Jellicent when he switches in. If they're foolish enough to stay in after that, they'll get hit with Confuse Ray and basically be rendered useless. TTar also brings another phazing tool, which helps to keep my opponent off balance and rack up hazard damage, not to mention prevent opponents from setting up. Dark Pulse rounds out his arsenal, providing a reliable STAB Dark move that has a chance to flinch the opponent. This, combined with Thunder Wave, could actually be quite effective.
Thanks to the +SDef boost that Sand provides to Rock-types, Tyranitar also becomes a respectable Special wall of sorts, able to take even a super-effective hit and stay standing.
III. The Primary Sweeper/Rapid Spinner
Excadrill @ Air Balloon; Sand Rush
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SAtk)
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Speed, 4 HP
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
-Rapid Spin
-Swords Dance
Ahh, Excadrill...one of the most overused Pokemon this generation. But no Sand team would be complete without one. I used to run X-Scissor instead of Rapid Spin, but now that Forretress is no longer on my team, I needed to find another Pokemon who could provide Rapid Spin support, and Excadrill fits the bill quite nicely--switch in to counter their Pokemon, Rapid Spin as they switch out (unless they have a Ghost-type in the ranks...). Everything else about the set is pretty standard. One thing I'm not sure about is whether this guy should run an Adamant or Jolly Nature, as I have been outsped and killed by opposing Excadrills before. I figure that as long as my Air Balloon is intact, I can still win that matchup, but perhaps I should play it safe anyway.
IV. The Backup Sweeper/Fighting-and-Dragon Counter/Taunter
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb; Poison Heal
Nature: Impish (+Def, -SAtk)
EVs: 252 HP, 184 Def, 72 Speed
-Earthquake
-Ice Fang
-Swords Dance
-Taunt (replaced Protect)
And yet another overused Pokemon. Gliscor counters those nasty Fighting-types quite nicely (though he doesn't have a Flying move). His high Defense allows him to switch in on Fighting moves with ease, then proceed to SD on the switch. Ice Fang takes care of Garchomp, opposing Gliscor, and other nasty threats, and the flinching is a great bonus. Taunt allows me to shut down other stall teams and prevent the opponent from setting up. Given the prevalence of both Fighting and Dragon-types this generation, Gliscor proves to be invaluable, and has in fact allowed me to win matches that I otherwise would have lost. Whenever my Excadrill has fallen in battle, my Gliscor has often been able to pick up the torch and carry me to victory in his stead.
V. The Hazard Provider/Status Spreader/Wall/Leech-Seeder (replaced Blissey)
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers; Iron Barbs
Nature: Careful (+SDef, -SAtk)
EVs: 252 HP, 208 SDef, 48 Def
-Spikes
-Leech Seed
-Thunder Wave
-Power Whip
Thanks to pindigo's suggestion, I decided to replaced Blissey with Ferrothorn, forming a defensive core with Jellicent. Though I lose Wish and Heal Bell, I gain a useful Water/Electric resistance, another Hazard provider, and a Leech Seeder, which acts as a pseudo-phaze and also helps with recovery. (Actually, come to think of it, the Status ailment that used to annoy me the most was Poison (usually via Toxic Spikes), but now that 4/6 of my Pokemon are immune to TSpikes, it shouldn't be so bad.) Ferrothorn, along with Tyranitar, Thunder Waves as many foes as possible to cut down their Speed and help my slower Pokemon gain an advantage. Combined with Jellicent's Confuse Ray, Gliscor's Ice Fang, or TTar's Dark Pulse, opponents will find themselves unable to do anything much of the time. Meanwhile, I'll be using Leech Seed to force switchouts and Spikes when they do switch. Power Whip is the obligatory STAB.
VI. The Rapid Spin Blocker/Status Spreader/Special Wall/Provider of the Ever-Important "Annoyance" Factor
Jellicent @ Leftovers; Water Absorb
Nature: Calm (+Def, -Atk)
EVs: 252 HP, 252 SDef, 4 Def
-Will-O-Wisp (replaced Toxic)
-Surf (replaced Scald)
-Recover
-Confuse Ray
I dunno about you, but back when Gen V had just started, it took every ounce of willpower in me to avoid ragequitting whenever I saw this Pokemon on my opponent's team. It's just so...annoying. It looks annoying. Its moves are annoying. Even the sound it makes is annoying. Ugh.
Ferrothorn + Jellicent have excellent synergy, sending the annoyance factor through the roof. Will-O-Wisp stops physical sweepers in their tracks, and if they're Fire-type, then they get hit with a STAB Surf. Recover provides longevity, which combined with Jellicent's Special bulk ensures that it'll be in the game for a long time. The true annoyance factor, however, comes from the oft-underrated Confuse Ray, which combines with Ferrothorn's Thunder Wave to make it almost impossible for the opponent to do anything. Even without the Paralysis, it gives me a 50% chance for a free switch-in, the value of which cannot be underestimated. There's nothing funnier than seeing a +4 Haxorus whack itself to death.
Needless to say, Jellicent also blocks Rapid Spin, which is central to my strategy. I used to run Taunt in order to prevent opponents from setting up, but more often than not I found myself outsped, so I replaced it.
***REPLACED***
V. The Special Wall/Status Spreader/Status Healer/Wish Passer
Blissey @ Leftovers; Natural Cure
Nature: Calm (+SDef, -Atk)
EVs: 252 HP, 224 Def, 36 SDef
-Toxic
-Seismic Toss
-Heal Bell
-Wish
Replaced Blissey with Ferrothorn on 5/22/11. The only thing I really miss is the ability to heal all Status ailments, which has saved me in a few games.
---
If you made it this far, thanks so much for reading! As previously mentioned, I don't have much competitive battling experience and would really appreciate any constructive feedback.
