SS OU Balanced Sand or Clef Sweep (Peaked 1824)

[Absorb]

Hello,
I'm an ex-BW player, and haven't played the game for 8 years. I decided to give 8th gen a try, I built this team and reached top 100 on the ladder.
Currently I think the team is pretty solid but still has some flaws, so I would appreciate testing and feedback of better players. The team had different versions, I will only show the last one there.

As an early BW player, I wanted to play Excadrill so the 2 first members of the team were obvious.

SANDSTORM (Hippowdon) @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind



Classic set. I value Whirlwind over Toxic because I frequently need it to remove some threats.

EXCA EXCA (Excadrill) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
- Rapid Spin


I don't need my exca to sweep to win games. He's there to revenge kill and Rapid spin. That's why I play lefto and not LO. Sometimes he can manage to set up and finish games, but usually I don't need him to do the job. He's my main ressource to counter fairy types Pokemon such as Clef and Hatterene.

Then I was weak to Water types so I randomly added Ferro.

FERRERO (Ferrothorn) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Body Press
- Knock Off


Knock off is really usefull to counter these boring dual screens teams. Knock off drastically reduces Grimsnarl's utility. It's also effective against Rotom-H which is a dangerous threat for the team. I use Rocky Helmet primarily to damage Dracovish, Mimikyu, Zeraora, other Ferro, and Corviknight. It can also help to finish off a Conkeldurr baited by Excadrill (Mach punch).

Spikes because Ferro has many opportunities to place them.
Body Press because it beats Kyurem, Roost Corviknight and other Ferro. Can also damage a Rotom-H.

TOXA TOXA (Toxapex) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Recover
- Haze
- Toxic

Toxa came in later versions of the team but is really important now. This Pokémon is literally broken. It covers so much things, and its sustain feels like a real cheat every game. Nothing to add. Haze is mandatory in this team. Toxic is simply better than t-spikes because Toxa is so popular that it makes the move barely impactful.

Clefable @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 80 HP / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Flamethrower
- Calm Mind
- Soft-Boiled

This is the star of the team. I don't know why offensive Clef is not more popular but in this meta this set is insanely strong. Flamethrower OHOK Ferro, can OHKO Exca. It's unbelievable how this clef has so many good matchups. LO Moonblast Modest Clef 2HKO almost everything in the metagame. After one calm mind, it becomes a real threat.
Clef still does the defensive job against Hydreigon, Conkeldurr, and Dragapult. Its main check is Toxapex but since our team deals well against it, we aren't bothered. By the way, this Clef wins its duel against most Clef because of the speed investment. It also outspeeds and OHKO Condkeldurr with Moonblast.

He basically DESTROYS my opponents most of the time.

Zera KING (Zeraora) @ Choice Band
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Close Combat
- Blaze Kick
- Grass Knot

The second revenge killer of the team with Exca.
Blaze kick because it can help destroying a ferro and I actually rarely need to have Play Rough to win my games. It would make sense to check Kommo-O, but actually we don't need to kill it. Kommo-O is perfect to set up Clef. Zeraora bander can also surprise a lot of people because the set isn't that popular. I just play bander because most of the time I use one move and switch with my Zera. Sometimes it's a bit frustrating but for this team he seems fine.

He's also my man to suprise Rotom-H. Close Combat bander Zeraora 2HKO Rotom-H.
The strategy against Rotom-H is to weaken him by Knock off / Sandstorm + consecutive switch. You basically have to predict its moves and switch between toxa / Hippo / and Zera when it uses Natsy Plot, and finish it with a Close Combat.

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To me, the team is really good. When I lose, it's because I'm not good enough, not because of the building. I rarely have bad match ups. I would like some players to test it out and maybe improve it. Any help is welcome.

exportable

SANDSTORM (Hippowdon) @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind

EXCA EXCA (Excadrill) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
- Rapid Spin

Clef STAR (Clefable) @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 80 HP / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Flamethrower
- Calm Mind
- Soft-Boiled

FERRERO (Ferrothorn) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Body Press
- Knock Off


TOXA TOXA (Toxapex) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Recover
- Haze
- Toxic

Zera KING (Zeraora) @ Choice Band
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Close Combat
- Blaze Kick
- Grass Knot

Peak (KnS Doodle 3)

 

[StepC]

Yo dude n welk on RMT,

I' m a very good Sand Team player n i know which threats could u meet, btw i hope thx my advise to improve your team.

First of all i think that Rotom-H is a very bad weak for u, n is very difficult check it, also specs users as Kyurem n no free switch in are very dangerous.

The first changes that I propose to you are that I have set the instruments, in fact for Hippowdown Rocky Helmet is the best item you can give him to damage Aegislash bands, and Volturners like Corvi and Mandibuzz.

For Toxapex atm the best 4th move is Baneful Bunker to scout better choice users n lock hit, another alternative option to poison Zeraora n Dracovish n do indirect damage with the sand n Ferro ability.

If u wanna play LO Clefable i think that u need the necessary spread to outspeed also Adamant Bisharp.
The set that i propose is:

Clef

Clefable @ Life Orb
Ability: Cute Charm
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled

Flamethrower thanks the orbs help give an HOKO on Bisharp n can severeal damage steel types on the switch in like Excadrill, Aegislash, Ferro n Corvi, Also u don't have time to set up with cm, for this reason i think that give Tbolt to chip some damage on Toxapex.
In this way you give an excellent offensive structure to the team with a defensive coverage granted by Toxapex Ferrotorn and Hippo,

In the end i think that Snorlax > Zeraora could be a very good Rotom n Kurem check, is also a very good answer to Dragapult n Specs Aegislash.

Lax

Snorlax @ Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Curse
- Body Slam
- Rest
- Heat Crash

The team is very pleased with the absence of Conkeldurr and Terrakion, which can all be managed by Hippowdown, however Snorlax acts as both a cleaner and a wallbreaker due to the fact that it can count on the boost and the possibility of recovering hp. However, Clefable is excellent for having control even against Quagshire in the possible fat balance or stall.

Obviously the absence of Ground immunity is not the best, but you should better manage this lack with the defensive structure of Ferro + Hippo, in any case SpAtk not Ground stab can be Seismitoad and Gastrodon which in my opinion very manageable by LO Clef and Lax.

The Team​