Hi, I'm returning to Showdown after quite a while, previously having played a bit of gens 5 and 6. I spent some time with a sample team and decided to make my own. I'll start by mentioning that I'm not familiar enough with specific stats to know to pick EVs other than 252/252/4, which is why I don't have more specific setups with them. This team was made by picking two attackers and then trying to fill in the blanks of what I needed. I feel like in practice, Magnezone and Azumarill often don't accomplish much other than making people switch, so I think there are better options but I'm not sure what to go for.
Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
- Swords Dance
Sweeper. This one and Alakazam were my first picks that I decided to build my team around since they're among my favorite pokemon. EQ and Iron Heard are great, and it's a threat to Blissey and Clefable so that Alakazam doesn't have to worry about them. In practice, it's the one to finish up the match if it gets sand and a Swords Dance. I went for Rapid Spin because Excadrill doesn't hate switching into hazards, and because between that and Rock Slide I figured Rock Slide isn't necessary because I have other answers to Mandibuzz and Corviknight.
Alakazam @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Nasty Plot
- Recover
Another sweeper so that I have more than one win condition. Picked for the high speed, good coverage with Psychic and Focus Blast, and as a special attacker to complement Excadrill being physical. It also is a check to Toxapex since it doesn't care about getting burned if Scald is about to happen and it can threaten with Psychic. Recover is there since I often into special attacks to bring this one in.
Azumarill @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Play Rough
- Aqua Jet
- Knock Off
- Belly Drum
This guy is here so that I can check Urshifu, Dragapult (assuming it's not locked into Choice Specs Thunderbolts, in which case I'll use one of my ground pokemon), Volcarona, and do a bunch of damage to Rotom H if necessary. STABS are there for hitting people hard, Knock Off is nice to make walls weaker, and Belly Drum is there if I get a chance to set up with the dual screens.
Hippowdon @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
The (usual) lead. Smooth rock since I feel like otherwise I'm in such a rush to get Excadrill out and set up. Rather standard, does its job of putting up rocks and making a sandstorm, walling phsyical threats and forcing them out if they try to set up, and Slack Off is there to make its usefulness last longer. I also send this pokemon out if I read a Spore from Amoongus, in which case it just becomes a sand bringer and can still fulfill part of its role.
Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Thunder Wave
- Volt Switch
This guy is there to counter non U Turn Corviknight and to check Mandibuzz, U Turn Corviknight, and Slowbro. Specs allow it to do a bunch of damage when I read that they're gonna switch out to someone who resists Electric and I do Flash Cannon. However, I feel like that's too situational. In other cases it can be a pivot with Volt Switch and/or a status spreader with its Twave it those mons aren't around, but in practice I feel like I don't get much mileage off this one unless one of the mons mentioned above is on the other team.
Ninetales-Alola @ Light Clay
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Freeze-Dry
- Aurora Veil
- Encore
- Heal Bell
Since I have three attackers that appreciate having a time to set up, Aurora Veil is here to make that a little easier. Hail doesn't affect Alakazam, and gets overridden by Hippowdon before Excadrill shows up. Snow Warning also lets me reset the timer of the sandstorm so that I don't need to wait for it's over before I can try setting up Excadrill again. I didn't agree with the Smogon suggestion of Hail since this mon often just shows up, puts up screens, and switches out, so I used Heal Bell in case a slow match is happening and status is getting spread among my team. Encore is there to lock people into setup moves when they expect me to switch.
Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
- Swords Dance
Sweeper. This one and Alakazam were my first picks that I decided to build my team around since they're among my favorite pokemon. EQ and Iron Heard are great, and it's a threat to Blissey and Clefable so that Alakazam doesn't have to worry about them. In practice, it's the one to finish up the match if it gets sand and a Swords Dance. I went for Rapid Spin because Excadrill doesn't hate switching into hazards, and because between that and Rock Slide I figured Rock Slide isn't necessary because I have other answers to Mandibuzz and Corviknight.
Alakazam @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Nasty Plot
- Recover
Another sweeper so that I have more than one win condition. Picked for the high speed, good coverage with Psychic and Focus Blast, and as a special attacker to complement Excadrill being physical. It also is a check to Toxapex since it doesn't care about getting burned if Scald is about to happen and it can threaten with Psychic. Recover is there since I often into special attacks to bring this one in.
Azumarill @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Play Rough
- Aqua Jet
- Knock Off
- Belly Drum
This guy is here so that I can check Urshifu, Dragapult (assuming it's not locked into Choice Specs Thunderbolts, in which case I'll use one of my ground pokemon), Volcarona, and do a bunch of damage to Rotom H if necessary. STABS are there for hitting people hard, Knock Off is nice to make walls weaker, and Belly Drum is there if I get a chance to set up with the dual screens.
Hippowdon @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
The (usual) lead. Smooth rock since I feel like otherwise I'm in such a rush to get Excadrill out and set up. Rather standard, does its job of putting up rocks and making a sandstorm, walling phsyical threats and forcing them out if they try to set up, and Slack Off is there to make its usefulness last longer. I also send this pokemon out if I read a Spore from Amoongus, in which case it just becomes a sand bringer and can still fulfill part of its role.
Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Thunder Wave
- Volt Switch
This guy is there to counter non U Turn Corviknight and to check Mandibuzz, U Turn Corviknight, and Slowbro. Specs allow it to do a bunch of damage when I read that they're gonna switch out to someone who resists Electric and I do Flash Cannon. However, I feel like that's too situational. In other cases it can be a pivot with Volt Switch and/or a status spreader with its Twave it those mons aren't around, but in practice I feel like I don't get much mileage off this one unless one of the mons mentioned above is on the other team.
Ninetales-Alola @ Light Clay
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Freeze-Dry
- Aurora Veil
- Encore
- Heal Bell
Since I have three attackers that appreciate having a time to set up, Aurora Veil is here to make that a little easier. Hail doesn't affect Alakazam, and gets overridden by Hippowdon before Excadrill shows up. Snow Warning also lets me reset the timer of the sandstorm so that I don't need to wait for it's over before I can try setting up Excadrill again. I didn't agree with the Smogon suggestion of Hail since this mon often just shows up, puts up screens, and switches out, so I used Heal Bell in case a slow match is happening and status is getting spread among my team. Encore is there to lock people into setup moves when they expect me to switch.