Hey guys. I have recently become new to the 5th gen metagame and so i have decided to attempt to make a sandstorm team that was capable in the 5th gen metagame. Any changes/criticisms are welcome. Note, i use no Dream World abilities, even though the title says i do.
Hippowdon @Leftovers Impish
EV's: 252 HP/252 Def/4 Attack
Earthquake
Stealth Rock
Roar
Slack Off
The Standard Hippowdon for this generation. Capable of taking a multitude of physical attacks as well as having a reliable recovery move, phazing abilities, access to Stealth Rock,as well as the fact that Fighting moves have become ever prevalent this generation, Hippowdon is a more solid choice for me as a Sandstreamer than Tyranitar. Hippowdon can also be "less" affected by Trick this generation, as it can make use of Roar to continually phaze out opponents, whilst all Tyranitar bar CB/CS varients find it difficult to stomach a choice item. Stealth Rock is there for to build up entry hazards, Earthqauke to provide a decent STAB move with decent coverage/attack power, Roar is there to continue to phaze out opponents, scout the opposing teams to potentially find out movesets/items that are carried. Slack Off is there to heal damage immediately.
Ferrothorn @Leftovers Impish
EV's: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Spikes
Leech Seed
Power Whip
Bulldoze
Pretty much a Standard Ferrothorn bar Bulldoze over Gyro Ball. The reason behind this is simply because of the advent of team preview. With team preview, you can more accurately predict and incoming Heatran/Magnezone and nail it on the switch in. It also functions as a means to beat opposing Ferrothorn in a 1-1 situation, if it ever arose. Spikes to add additional entry hazards, Leech Seed serves to stall opponents, whilst gaining much needed health back, Power Whip is there to check Bulky waters and serve as a reasonably hard-hitting STAB move. Bulldoze is there in order to hit the already mentioned pokemon. Gyro Ball can be used in place of Bulldoze, but i have to breed another one.
Gyarados @Leftovers Adamant
EV's: 156 HP / 72 Atk / 96 Def / 184 Spe
Dragon Dance
Waterfall
Taunt
Stone Edge/Bounce/EQ
Bulky D-D Gyarados can still be very threatening in the right hands thanks to its very handy resistances to Fighting, Fire, Bug and Water as well as being immune to Ground type moves, all common moves in the metagame. Taunt shuts down all phazers/status inflicters/setup pokemon, Dragon Dance powers up Gyara's big attack stat and decent speed stat. Waterfall provides the main attack move whilst Stone Edge provides good coverage, but Bounce and EQ can be viable in certain situations but in general Stone Edge provides Gyarados with less effective checks.
Rotom-W @Choice Scarf Timid
EV''s: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Volt Switch
Hydro Pump
HP Fire
Trick
Trick Rotom-W, cripples many bulky threats and even some potentially devastating setup sweepers (Latios/Virizion/Reniculus/Conkeldurr) all come to mind. Volt Switch to provide momentum/damage whilst switching, Hydro Pump provides hard-hitting STAB. HP Fire for destroying steel types and trick to deal with the obvious Blissey/Setup sweepers/ Bulky pokemon that don't like scarf.
Landorus @Life Orb Naive
EV's: 252 Attack/252 Speed/ 4 Sp Atack
Rock Polish
EQ
Stone Edge
Hidden Power Ice
Rock Polish Landorus, a very accomplished sweeper given its attack power and the ability to power up its speed so it can jump the gun on the many scarf users in the environment (Opposing Landorus for example). EQ/Stone edge provide massive coverage, as well as having a 30% power up from both Life orb and Sand Force. HP Ice to deal with Gliscor and Opposing Landorus who can stop its sweep dead. I am Considering CB Scizor in its place though.
Hydreigon @Choice Scarf Modest
EV's: 4HP/252 Sp Attack/252 Speed
Draco Meteor
Fire Blast
Focus Blast
Dark Pulse
The dedicated revenge killer. Outspeeds all non-scarfed Latios and revenge kills them. The reasons why i chose Hydreigon over Latios for this spot is simply because it has a greater movepool and is better at dealing with the likes of Ferrothorn/T-Tar/Jellicent and (if Hydreigon has no previous damage and Scizor is not +2Attack) it can deal with Scizor more effectively. Dark Pulse is a decently powered STAB move that can be used to pick of weakened Latios/Latias without resorting to the Draco Meteor -2 Sp Attack drop, as well as gaining a 40% Flinch rate against Jirachi (highly useful, seeing as though most Jirachi are typically CM'ers these days.) Draco Metoer to provide a massive one-turn hit to devastate most pokemon that do not resist it, Fire Blast to ensure KO's on Ferrothron/Skarmory/Scizor. Finally Focus Blast to rip through opposing T-Tar and other Steels not neutrally hit by it.
Considerations:
1. CB Scizor (For Landorus)
2. Vaporeon/Jellicent (For Rotom-W)
3. Virizion
4. CM Jirachi/Latios
Hippowdon @Leftovers Impish
EV's: 252 HP/252 Def/4 Attack
Earthquake
Stealth Rock
Roar
Slack Off
The Standard Hippowdon for this generation. Capable of taking a multitude of physical attacks as well as having a reliable recovery move, phazing abilities, access to Stealth Rock,as well as the fact that Fighting moves have become ever prevalent this generation, Hippowdon is a more solid choice for me as a Sandstreamer than Tyranitar. Hippowdon can also be "less" affected by Trick this generation, as it can make use of Roar to continually phaze out opponents, whilst all Tyranitar bar CB/CS varients find it difficult to stomach a choice item. Stealth Rock is there for to build up entry hazards, Earthqauke to provide a decent STAB move with decent coverage/attack power, Roar is there to continue to phaze out opponents, scout the opposing teams to potentially find out movesets/items that are carried. Slack Off is there to heal damage immediately.
Ferrothorn @Leftovers Impish
EV's: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Spikes
Leech Seed
Power Whip
Bulldoze
Pretty much a Standard Ferrothorn bar Bulldoze over Gyro Ball. The reason behind this is simply because of the advent of team preview. With team preview, you can more accurately predict and incoming Heatran/Magnezone and nail it on the switch in. It also functions as a means to beat opposing Ferrothorn in a 1-1 situation, if it ever arose. Spikes to add additional entry hazards, Leech Seed serves to stall opponents, whilst gaining much needed health back, Power Whip is there to check Bulky waters and serve as a reasonably hard-hitting STAB move. Bulldoze is there in order to hit the already mentioned pokemon. Gyro Ball can be used in place of Bulldoze, but i have to breed another one.
Gyarados @Leftovers Adamant
EV's: 156 HP / 72 Atk / 96 Def / 184 Spe
Dragon Dance
Waterfall
Taunt
Stone Edge/Bounce/EQ
Bulky D-D Gyarados can still be very threatening in the right hands thanks to its very handy resistances to Fighting, Fire, Bug and Water as well as being immune to Ground type moves, all common moves in the metagame. Taunt shuts down all phazers/status inflicters/setup pokemon, Dragon Dance powers up Gyara's big attack stat and decent speed stat. Waterfall provides the main attack move whilst Stone Edge provides good coverage, but Bounce and EQ can be viable in certain situations but in general Stone Edge provides Gyarados with less effective checks.
Rotom-W @Choice Scarf Timid
EV''s: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Volt Switch
Hydro Pump
HP Fire
Trick
Trick Rotom-W, cripples many bulky threats and even some potentially devastating setup sweepers (Latios/Virizion/Reniculus/Conkeldurr) all come to mind. Volt Switch to provide momentum/damage whilst switching, Hydro Pump provides hard-hitting STAB. HP Fire for destroying steel types and trick to deal with the obvious Blissey/Setup sweepers/ Bulky pokemon that don't like scarf.
Landorus @Life Orb Naive
EV's: 252 Attack/252 Speed/ 4 Sp Atack
Rock Polish
EQ
Stone Edge
Hidden Power Ice
Rock Polish Landorus, a very accomplished sweeper given its attack power and the ability to power up its speed so it can jump the gun on the many scarf users in the environment (Opposing Landorus for example). EQ/Stone edge provide massive coverage, as well as having a 30% power up from both Life orb and Sand Force. HP Ice to deal with Gliscor and Opposing Landorus who can stop its sweep dead. I am Considering CB Scizor in its place though.
Hydreigon @Choice Scarf Modest
EV's: 4HP/252 Sp Attack/252 Speed
Draco Meteor
Fire Blast
Focus Blast
Dark Pulse
The dedicated revenge killer. Outspeeds all non-scarfed Latios and revenge kills them. The reasons why i chose Hydreigon over Latios for this spot is simply because it has a greater movepool and is better at dealing with the likes of Ferrothorn/T-Tar/Jellicent and (if Hydreigon has no previous damage and Scizor is not +2Attack) it can deal with Scizor more effectively. Dark Pulse is a decently powered STAB move that can be used to pick of weakened Latios/Latias without resorting to the Draco Meteor -2 Sp Attack drop, as well as gaining a 40% Flinch rate against Jirachi (highly useful, seeing as though most Jirachi are typically CM'ers these days.) Draco Metoer to provide a massive one-turn hit to devastate most pokemon that do not resist it, Fire Blast to ensure KO's on Ferrothron/Skarmory/Scizor. Finally Focus Blast to rip through opposing T-Tar and other Steels not neutrally hit by it.
Considerations:
1. CB Scizor (For Landorus)
2. Vaporeon/Jellicent (For Rotom-W)
3. Virizion
4. CM Jirachi/Latios