Fear The Turtle!
You see, I left the competitive scene around 6 months ago, while the metagame was still in what I'd consider to be its infancy, to focus on schoolwork. I finally come back and I decide to make a sand team, the best kind of weather in my opinion. Imagine my surprise when I find out Excadrill is an Uber now and I end up in the Ubers tier without knowing it. So I went back to the drawing board. I decided that I would soldier on with my sand team-making endeavors but this time not focus solely on Pokemon's abilities to abuse weather. I soon discovered that Shell Smash Carracosta is a terrific sand abuser and centered a team around the turtle.
This team was made to be an offensive team with bulk. Not one member will get swept easily unless the opponent is given the opportunity to set up. And, after earning 76 wins out of my first 100 battles on the Pokemon Online server, I can say with confidence that this team works. (Hey, a C average is a passing grade you know!) So without further ado, let me introduce you to the turtley terror of Carracosta!
THE FOCUS
NinjaWhat?(Carracosta)@White Herb
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs:52 Atk, 204 SpA, 252 Speed
Nature: Naive
Moves:
-Hydro Pump
-Hidden Power (Fire)
-Stone Edge
-Shell Smash
Carracosta. Put first because he is the most deadly member of my team and the sole focus of my strategy. After a Shell Smash, Carracosta can outspeed everything under base 125 speed thanks to jis Naive nature and 252 speed EVs. His moves give him near perfect coverage against most threats, and the mixed stats make sure that he won't be walled by Blissey, Skarmory, or any other dedicated walls. Solid Rock is an amazing ability that allows him to survive pretty much any supereffective hits outside CB Scizor's Superpowers and any grass type move. His naturally high defense combined with his great Special Defense in a sandstorm makes him tough to take out with neutral hits after his defenses are recovered by the White Herb he holds.
Unfortunately, like I said before, there are some things that Carracosta just can't outspeed after a Shell Smash. Also, if he gets phazed out after a Shell Smash, I'll have to smash again, but my defenses stay low. So he has to go all or nothing whenever he comes onto the field.
Synergy
Grass: Celebi
Fighting: Celebi, Jellicent, Landorus
Ground:Landorus, Rotom-W, Celebi,
Electric: Landorus, Celebi
THE DEFENSE
Dubya(Rotom-W)@Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs:252 HP, 216 Def, 40 SpA
Nature: Bold
Moves:
-Hydro Pump
-Volt Switch
-Will-O-Wisp
-Pain Split
This Rotom-W serves the same exact purpose as every other Rotom-W ever used in the simulator: To eat all physical attacks and abuse his amazing amount of resistances to benefit the entire team. His EVs are designed to tank physical hits and a couple of special hits, as well as dish out decent damage. His moveset is based around annoyance and survival. With a bit of patience and some good predictions, Rotom-W has survived onslaughts that lesser Pokemon could only dream of.
On the other hand, Rotom-W is yet another Pokemon weak to Grass on my team. This weakness means he can't help Carracosts get a sweep by eating Power Whips/ Giga Drains, but he can Will-O-Wisp attackers that would threaten my turtle and make it easier to set up. And that is why he is on this team.
Synergy
Grass: Celebi
DUBYA'S OTHER HALF
TehStache(Jellicent-Male)@Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs:248 HP, 216 Def, 44 Speed
Nature: Bold
Moves:
-Scald
-Toxic
-Recover
-Taunt
Yep, the obligatory ghost. Every team needs a bulky ghost, and I chose Jellicent to pick up Rotom's slack on the special side of things. The Pringles Man can also take physical hits and absorb water type attacks intended for Landorus and sometimes Tyranitar. His moves means I can inflict both types of damaging statuses and taunt slower setters like Foretress. In addition, Recover affords Jellicent the ability to stall out or simply survive until the next opponent switches in.
This is, however, the third Pokemon that has a Grass type weakness. Also, even though I picked it over Spiritomb, It can be trapped by Pursuit. This means until I get rid of enemy Scizors and Tyranitars, among other things, I have to be careful, lest he gets OHKO'd.
Synergy
Grass: Celebi
Dark: Tyranitar
Ghost: Tyranitar
Electric: Landorus
THE GLUE
HelloByeBye(Celebi)@Choice Scarf
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP, 252 SpA, 252 Speed
Nature: Timid
Moves:
-Leaf Storm
-Hidden Power (Ice)
-U-Turn
-Trick
Why do I call Celebi the glue? She resists Grass-type attacks. I got this set from the (genius) team "When In Doubt, U-Turn Out", and it is incredibly useful. People don't seem to expect Scarfed Celebi, and that catches her opponents off-guard, especially when they get Tricked a Scarf onto their Blissey. Celebi is an effective scout, its seven weaknesses (ick) draws out many counters and allows me to, with great prediction, U-Turn out to a counter. Celebi is no slouch offensively either, her Leaf Storm and even her HP Ice put the hurt down on opponents.
Unfortunately, Celebi has seven weaknesses and isn't terribly bulky. Even though she resists grass, she has no way to recover from these hits and that leads to her dying easily, leaving me with no Grass counters. You can see why I'm looking for a good bulky and offensive Steel type to replace her.
Synergy
Dark: Tyranitar
Ghost: Tyranitar
Fire: Carracosta, Tyranitar, Jellicent, Rotom-W
Bug: Jellicent
Flying: Tyranitar, Carracosta
Poison: Jellicent
Ice: Carracosta, Rotom-W
THE WEATHERMAN
T-Time(Tyranitar)@Leftovers
Ability: Sandstream
EVs: 252 HP, 4 Atk, 252 SpD
Nature: Adamant
Moves:
-Stealth Rock
-Crunch
-Pursuit
-Superpower
Without Sandstorm, Carracosta just could not sweep efficiently because he needs the Special Defense boost in order to survive. Tyranitar also serves a purpose in sponging special hits, but Stealth Rocks is of utmost importance. It allows Carracosta to OHKO Multiscale Dragonite as well as any Pokemon with Sturdy, such as Skarmory and Foretress. Tyranitar also Pursuit traps Psychic types such as Alakazam that would otherwise ruin my fun.
But hey, did ya notice the Grass weakness? Total count is now 4. Other than that, Tyranitar is flawless.
Synergy
Fighting: Jellicent, Landorus, Celebi,
Ground: Landorus, Rotom-W, Celebi
Grass: Celebi
Water: Jellicent, Rotom-W, Carracosta
Bug: Jellicent
Steel: Rotom-W, Jellicent
THE BACK-UP
StacheTwo(Landorus)@Life Orb
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 Atk, 4 SpA, 252 Speed
Nature: Naive
Moves:
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
-Hidden Power (Ice)
-Rock Polish
Why is Landorus the back-up? If Carracosta gets wiped out, or he just can't come out, Landorus is my go-to guy. As long as he is in a Sandstorm, his Earthquake and Rock Slide hit like a truck and if I get a Rock Polish off a switch, The other team is doomed. Hidden Power Ice is for coverage. Oh, and I know I have Rock Slide instead of Stone Edge, I just absolutely hate Stone Edge's accuracy. If you suggest changing Rock Slide to Stone Edge, I will kill you in your face.
Hey! No Grass weakness! However, his defenses leave much to be desired, and many Ice type attacks fly around the tier. Landorus is a valuable teammate despite a few small flaws.
Synergy
Ice: Jellicent, Rotom-W
Water: Jellicent, Rotom-W
So, there you have it. This is a team that has done well despite its many flaws. I am aware of these flaws (No priority, A MASSIVE Grass weakness, and an over reliance on prediction to cover for said weakness) and I wish for assistance in fixing them. Just one thing: Carracosta and Tyranitar stay where they are. Seriously. Carracosta is the focus of my team, and unless you can give me a cogent argument on why to use Hippowdon for sand instead, don't even suggest it. I appreciate your suggestions!






You see, I left the competitive scene around 6 months ago, while the metagame was still in what I'd consider to be its infancy, to focus on schoolwork. I finally come back and I decide to make a sand team, the best kind of weather in my opinion. Imagine my surprise when I find out Excadrill is an Uber now and I end up in the Ubers tier without knowing it. So I went back to the drawing board. I decided that I would soldier on with my sand team-making endeavors but this time not focus solely on Pokemon's abilities to abuse weather. I soon discovered that Shell Smash Carracosta is a terrific sand abuser and centered a team around the turtle.
This team was made to be an offensive team with bulk. Not one member will get swept easily unless the opponent is given the opportunity to set up. And, after earning 76 wins out of my first 100 battles on the Pokemon Online server, I can say with confidence that this team works. (Hey, a C average is a passing grade you know!) So without further ado, let me introduce you to the turtley terror of Carracosta!
THE FOCUS
NinjaWhat?(Carracosta)@White Herb
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs:52 Atk, 204 SpA, 252 Speed
Nature: Naive
Moves:
-Hydro Pump
-Hidden Power (Fire)
-Stone Edge
-Shell Smash
Carracosta. Put first because he is the most deadly member of my team and the sole focus of my strategy. After a Shell Smash, Carracosta can outspeed everything under base 125 speed thanks to jis Naive nature and 252 speed EVs. His moves give him near perfect coverage against most threats, and the mixed stats make sure that he won't be walled by Blissey, Skarmory, or any other dedicated walls. Solid Rock is an amazing ability that allows him to survive pretty much any supereffective hits outside CB Scizor's Superpowers and any grass type move. His naturally high defense combined with his great Special Defense in a sandstorm makes him tough to take out with neutral hits after his defenses are recovered by the White Herb he holds.
Unfortunately, like I said before, there are some things that Carracosta just can't outspeed after a Shell Smash. Also, if he gets phazed out after a Shell Smash, I'll have to smash again, but my defenses stay low. So he has to go all or nothing whenever he comes onto the field.
Synergy
Grass: Celebi
Fighting: Celebi, Jellicent, Landorus
Ground:Landorus, Rotom-W, Celebi,
Electric: Landorus, Celebi
THE DEFENSE
Dubya(Rotom-W)@Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs:252 HP, 216 Def, 40 SpA
Nature: Bold
Moves:
-Hydro Pump
-Volt Switch
-Will-O-Wisp
-Pain Split
This Rotom-W serves the same exact purpose as every other Rotom-W ever used in the simulator: To eat all physical attacks and abuse his amazing amount of resistances to benefit the entire team. His EVs are designed to tank physical hits and a couple of special hits, as well as dish out decent damage. His moveset is based around annoyance and survival. With a bit of patience and some good predictions, Rotom-W has survived onslaughts that lesser Pokemon could only dream of.
On the other hand, Rotom-W is yet another Pokemon weak to Grass on my team. This weakness means he can't help Carracosts get a sweep by eating Power Whips/ Giga Drains, but he can Will-O-Wisp attackers that would threaten my turtle and make it easier to set up. And that is why he is on this team.
Synergy
Grass: Celebi
DUBYA'S OTHER HALF
TehStache(Jellicent-Male)@Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs:248 HP, 216 Def, 44 Speed
Nature: Bold
Moves:
-Scald
-Toxic
-Recover
-Taunt
Yep, the obligatory ghost. Every team needs a bulky ghost, and I chose Jellicent to pick up Rotom's slack on the special side of things. The Pringles Man can also take physical hits and absorb water type attacks intended for Landorus and sometimes Tyranitar. His moves means I can inflict both types of damaging statuses and taunt slower setters like Foretress. In addition, Recover affords Jellicent the ability to stall out or simply survive until the next opponent switches in.
This is, however, the third Pokemon that has a Grass type weakness. Also, even though I picked it over Spiritomb, It can be trapped by Pursuit. This means until I get rid of enemy Scizors and Tyranitars, among other things, I have to be careful, lest he gets OHKO'd.
Synergy
Grass: Celebi
Dark: Tyranitar
Ghost: Tyranitar
Electric: Landorus
THE GLUE
HelloByeBye(Celebi)@Choice Scarf
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP, 252 SpA, 252 Speed
Nature: Timid
Moves:
-Leaf Storm
-Hidden Power (Ice)
-U-Turn
-Trick
Why do I call Celebi the glue? She resists Grass-type attacks. I got this set from the (genius) team "When In Doubt, U-Turn Out", and it is incredibly useful. People don't seem to expect Scarfed Celebi, and that catches her opponents off-guard, especially when they get Tricked a Scarf onto their Blissey. Celebi is an effective scout, its seven weaknesses (ick) draws out many counters and allows me to, with great prediction, U-Turn out to a counter. Celebi is no slouch offensively either, her Leaf Storm and even her HP Ice put the hurt down on opponents.
Unfortunately, Celebi has seven weaknesses and isn't terribly bulky. Even though she resists grass, she has no way to recover from these hits and that leads to her dying easily, leaving me with no Grass counters. You can see why I'm looking for a good bulky and offensive Steel type to replace her.
Synergy
Dark: Tyranitar
Ghost: Tyranitar
Fire: Carracosta, Tyranitar, Jellicent, Rotom-W
Bug: Jellicent
Flying: Tyranitar, Carracosta
Poison: Jellicent
Ice: Carracosta, Rotom-W
THE WEATHERMAN
T-Time(Tyranitar)@Leftovers
Ability: Sandstream
EVs: 252 HP, 4 Atk, 252 SpD
Nature: Adamant
Moves:
-Stealth Rock
-Crunch
-Pursuit
-Superpower
Without Sandstorm, Carracosta just could not sweep efficiently because he needs the Special Defense boost in order to survive. Tyranitar also serves a purpose in sponging special hits, but Stealth Rocks is of utmost importance. It allows Carracosta to OHKO Multiscale Dragonite as well as any Pokemon with Sturdy, such as Skarmory and Foretress. Tyranitar also Pursuit traps Psychic types such as Alakazam that would otherwise ruin my fun.
But hey, did ya notice the Grass weakness? Total count is now 4. Other than that, Tyranitar is flawless.
Synergy
Fighting: Jellicent, Landorus, Celebi,
Ground: Landorus, Rotom-W, Celebi
Grass: Celebi
Water: Jellicent, Rotom-W, Carracosta
Bug: Jellicent
Steel: Rotom-W, Jellicent
THE BACK-UP
StacheTwo(Landorus)@Life Orb
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 Atk, 4 SpA, 252 Speed
Nature: Naive
Moves:
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
-Hidden Power (Ice)
-Rock Polish
Why is Landorus the back-up? If Carracosta gets wiped out, or he just can't come out, Landorus is my go-to guy. As long as he is in a Sandstorm, his Earthquake and Rock Slide hit like a truck and if I get a Rock Polish off a switch, The other team is doomed. Hidden Power Ice is for coverage. Oh, and I know I have Rock Slide instead of Stone Edge, I just absolutely hate Stone Edge's accuracy. If you suggest changing Rock Slide to Stone Edge, I will kill you in your face.
Hey! No Grass weakness! However, his defenses leave much to be desired, and many Ice type attacks fly around the tier. Landorus is a valuable teammate despite a few small flaws.
Synergy
Ice: Jellicent, Rotom-W
Water: Jellicent, Rotom-W
So, there you have it. This is a team that has done well despite its many flaws. I am aware of these flaws (No priority, A MASSIVE Grass weakness, and an over reliance on prediction to cover for said weakness) and I wish for assistance in fixing them. Just one thing: Carracosta and Tyranitar stay where they are. Seriously. Carracosta is the focus of my team, and unless you can give me a cogent argument on why to use Hippowdon for sand instead, don't even suggest it. I appreciate your suggestions!