Ever since Mega Salamence was confirmed for the Regulation M-C, I wanted to put it on a team. So I decided to do a modern take on a classic archetype: Japan Sand. So, let's take a closer look.
Salamence @ Salamencite
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 31 HP / 14 Atk / 6 SpD / 15 Spe
- Dragon Dance
- Double-Edge
- Roost
- Protect
The set that won Worlds 2018, back now and as fearsome as ever. I tried the special attacking set first and was disappointed by its low damage output, so I went with the DD set and WOW! I also found I didn't really need Tailwind, as I have Sand Rush Excadrill and Unburden Sneasler. After 1 boost this outruns everything without a Scarf (and almost everything with) and will one shot just about everything that doesn't resist Flying. Even Mega Golisopod is cleanly 2HKOed. Roost lets it offset recoil and gives it another way to punish Protects and switches. It fits really well on Sand, as it can use many of the Pokemon that threaten Sand teams like Rillaboom, Sneasler and Basculegion as set up opportunities with Intimidate. The EVs outrun neutral natured 102s like Garchomp and Mega Floette, the Attack lets it OHKO bulkless Mega Floette without any boosts, and the rest is in bulk.
Sneasler @ White Herb
Ability: Unburden
Level: 50
EVs: 2 HP / 32 Atk / 32 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- Close Combat
- Gunk Shot
- Coaching
Mega Salamence struggles with Rock, Steel and Fairy types. Sneasler demolishes all 3 of those with its STABs. Fake Out is there for disruption, Close Combat is a reliable STAB that also triggers my White Herb and Unburden, Gunk Shot is used over Dire Claw as a lot of people now are running enough bulk on Mega Floette and Sylveon to live Jolly Sneasler's Dire Claw. Coaching is great support for my team of strong physical attackers, but I might replace it with Quick Guard.
Tyranitar @ Tyranitarite
Ability: Sand Stream
Level: 50
EVs: 6 HP / 20 Atk / 18 SpD / 22 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Knock Off
- Low Kick
- Protect
What would a Sand team be without Tyranitar? This is my secondary mega, and I designed it to put in work with or without mega evolving. Rock Slide is strong spread damage that can flinch, Knock Off removes items, Low Kick hits opposing Tyranitar and Kingambit. The EVs allow it to, in its base form, survive 32+ Charizard-Y's Solar Beam, outrun max speed neutral Kingambit and OHKO it with Low Kick.
Excadrill @ Focus Sash
Ability: Sand Rush
Level: 50
EVs: 2 HP / 32 Atk / 32 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Horsepower
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Protect
The other main component of Sand teams, Excadrill doubles as a removal of the Pokemon that trouble Salamence and a strong late game cleaner in its own right. This is the standard Excadrill set, only without Earthquake. I only have 1 Ground immunity, and with Rillaboom on the rise that move is less reliable anyway.
Sinistcha @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Hospitality
Level: 50
EVs: 31 HP / 19 Def / 16 SpD
Bold Nature
- Rage Powder
- Matcha Gotcha
- Life Dew
- Protect
With so much power, my team needed some support. Sinistcha's Hospitality has saved my sweepers' bacon more than once, and with Rage Powder it can take the heat away from its teammates. Notably, it takes the Water, Ground and Fighting moves away from Tyranitar and Excadrill. I've used Life Dew in slot 3 as Trick Room wasn't very helpful, and the healing gives it a way to punish Protect. If Rocky Helmet triggers, combined with Sandstorm chip it does just under 25% in passive damage, which can made the difference between a KO or not. For example, Chople Kingambit can live a Close Combat from Sneasler and a High Horsepower from Excadrill, but after 1 round of Rocky Helmet damage they're now a clean KO. The EVs let it always live a Kowtow Cleave from Adamant Black Glasses Kingambit, and Life Orb is a roll to OHKO too.
Milotic @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Competitive
Level: 50
EVs: 30 HP / 16 Def / 20 SpD
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Icy Wind
- Protect
- Helping Hand
With so many physical attackers on my team, I needed a way to punish Intimidate. I tried Kingambit, but it stacks weaknesses with Tyranitar and Excadrill. To be honest, this is probably the Pokemon I bring least often but it's nice to have. Scald is a solid STAB that can ruin physical attackers. Icy Wind provides my team's only Speed control, but I might replace it with Ice Beam to OHKO opposing Mega Salamence at +2. Helping Hand is there to give my offensive Pokemon another power boost. The EVs let it live max Attack Miracle Seed Rillaboom's Grassy Glide, with the rest in SpDef.
So, what do you think? Suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome. I might switch out the 2 support Pokemon, as while their help is nice neither really feels essential. I tried Rillaboom, but it felt redundant next to Sneasler and worsened my team's matchup against Mega Golisopod, which is already tricky. I also tried Incineroar, but like Kingambit it stacked too many weaknesses with my Sand core. I'm considering Whimsicott over Sinistcha.
Edit: Sorry for the poll, damn autocorrect!
Salamence @ Salamencite
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 31 HP / 14 Atk / 6 SpD / 15 Spe
- Dragon Dance
- Double-Edge
- Roost
- Protect
The set that won Worlds 2018, back now and as fearsome as ever. I tried the special attacking set first and was disappointed by its low damage output, so I went with the DD set and WOW! I also found I didn't really need Tailwind, as I have Sand Rush Excadrill and Unburden Sneasler. After 1 boost this outruns everything without a Scarf (and almost everything with) and will one shot just about everything that doesn't resist Flying. Even Mega Golisopod is cleanly 2HKOed. Roost lets it offset recoil and gives it another way to punish Protects and switches. It fits really well on Sand, as it can use many of the Pokemon that threaten Sand teams like Rillaboom, Sneasler and Basculegion as set up opportunities with Intimidate. The EVs outrun neutral natured 102s like Garchomp and Mega Floette, the Attack lets it OHKO bulkless Mega Floette without any boosts, and the rest is in bulk.
Sneasler @ White Herb
Ability: Unburden
Level: 50
EVs: 2 HP / 32 Atk / 32 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- Close Combat
- Gunk Shot
- Coaching
Mega Salamence struggles with Rock, Steel and Fairy types. Sneasler demolishes all 3 of those with its STABs. Fake Out is there for disruption, Close Combat is a reliable STAB that also triggers my White Herb and Unburden, Gunk Shot is used over Dire Claw as a lot of people now are running enough bulk on Mega Floette and Sylveon to live Jolly Sneasler's Dire Claw. Coaching is great support for my team of strong physical attackers, but I might replace it with Quick Guard.
Tyranitar @ Tyranitarite
Ability: Sand Stream
Level: 50
EVs: 6 HP / 20 Atk / 18 SpD / 22 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Knock Off
- Low Kick
- Protect
What would a Sand team be without Tyranitar? This is my secondary mega, and I designed it to put in work with or without mega evolving. Rock Slide is strong spread damage that can flinch, Knock Off removes items, Low Kick hits opposing Tyranitar and Kingambit. The EVs allow it to, in its base form, survive 32+ Charizard-Y's Solar Beam, outrun max speed neutral Kingambit and OHKO it with Low Kick.
Excadrill @ Focus Sash
Ability: Sand Rush
Level: 50
EVs: 2 HP / 32 Atk / 32 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Horsepower
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Protect
The other main component of Sand teams, Excadrill doubles as a removal of the Pokemon that trouble Salamence and a strong late game cleaner in its own right. This is the standard Excadrill set, only without Earthquake. I only have 1 Ground immunity, and with Rillaboom on the rise that move is less reliable anyway.
Sinistcha @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Hospitality
Level: 50
EVs: 31 HP / 19 Def / 16 SpD
Bold Nature
- Rage Powder
- Matcha Gotcha
- Life Dew
- Protect
With so much power, my team needed some support. Sinistcha's Hospitality has saved my sweepers' bacon more than once, and with Rage Powder it can take the heat away from its teammates. Notably, it takes the Water, Ground and Fighting moves away from Tyranitar and Excadrill. I've used Life Dew in slot 3 as Trick Room wasn't very helpful, and the healing gives it a way to punish Protect. If Rocky Helmet triggers, combined with Sandstorm chip it does just under 25% in passive damage, which can made the difference between a KO or not. For example, Chople Kingambit can live a Close Combat from Sneasler and a High Horsepower from Excadrill, but after 1 round of Rocky Helmet damage they're now a clean KO. The EVs let it always live a Kowtow Cleave from Adamant Black Glasses Kingambit, and Life Orb is a roll to OHKO too.
Milotic @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Competitive
Level: 50
EVs: 30 HP / 16 Def / 20 SpD
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Icy Wind
- Protect
- Helping Hand
With so many physical attackers on my team, I needed a way to punish Intimidate. I tried Kingambit, but it stacks weaknesses with Tyranitar and Excadrill. To be honest, this is probably the Pokemon I bring least often but it's nice to have. Scald is a solid STAB that can ruin physical attackers. Icy Wind provides my team's only Speed control, but I might replace it with Ice Beam to OHKO opposing Mega Salamence at +2. Helping Hand is there to give my offensive Pokemon another power boost. The EVs let it live max Attack Miracle Seed Rillaboom's Grassy Glide, with the rest in SpDef.
So, what do you think? Suggestions and constructive criticism are welcome. I might switch out the 2 support Pokemon, as while their help is nice neither really feels essential. I tried Rillaboom, but it felt redundant next to Sneasler and worsened my team's matchup against Mega Golisopod, which is already tricky. I also tried Incineroar, but like Kingambit it stacked too many weaknesses with my Sand core. I'm considering Whimsicott over Sinistcha.
Edit: Sorry for the poll, damn autocorrect!
Salamence @ Salamencite
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 31 HP / 14 Atk / 6 SpD / 15 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Double-Edge
- Roost
- Protect
Sneasler @ White Herb
Ability: Unburden
Level: 50
EVs: 2 HP / 32 Atk / 32 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- Close Combat
- Gunk Shot
- Coaching
Tyranitar @ Tyranitarite
Ability: Sand Stream
Level: 50
EVs: 6 HP / 20 Atk / 18 SpD / 22 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Knock Off
- Low Kick
- Protect
Excadrill @ Focus Sash
Ability: Sand Rush
Level: 50
EVs: 2 HP / 32 Atk / 32 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Horsepower
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Protect
Sinistcha @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Hospitality
Level: 50
EVs: 31 HP / 19 Def / 16 SpD
Bold Nature
- Rage Powder
- Matcha Gotcha
- Life Dew
- Protect
Milotic @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Competitive
Level: 50
EVs: 30 HP / 16 Def / 20 SpD
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Icy Wind
- Protect
- Helping Hand
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 31 HP / 14 Atk / 6 SpD / 15 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Double-Edge
- Roost
- Protect
Sneasler @ White Herb
Ability: Unburden
Level: 50
EVs: 2 HP / 32 Atk / 32 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- Close Combat
- Gunk Shot
- Coaching
Tyranitar @ Tyranitarite
Ability: Sand Stream
Level: 50
EVs: 6 HP / 20 Atk / 18 SpD / 22 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Knock Off
- Low Kick
- Protect
Excadrill @ Focus Sash
Ability: Sand Rush
Level: 50
EVs: 2 HP / 32 Atk / 32 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Horsepower
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Protect
Sinistcha @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Hospitality
Level: 50
EVs: 31 HP / 19 Def / 16 SpD
Bold Nature
- Rage Powder
- Matcha Gotcha
- Life Dew
- Protect
Milotic @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Competitive
Level: 50
EVs: 30 HP / 16 Def / 20 SpD
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Icy Wind
- Protect
- Helping Hand
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