This team is for a metagame similar to Smogon OU but with two more clauses:
Item Clause and Kalos Clause, so any Pokémon without the blue pentagon is banned. Also Mega Mawile and Aegislash haven't been suspect-tested yet in this meta, so they are not banned. Excadrill cannot be used with Sand Rush, all hax items are banned, and all accuracy-lowering moves are banned. All other Smogon rules apply.
The point of the team is to whittle down the enemy with the help of Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and two phazers. The team has 3 tanks that compliment each other's weaknesses and all have reliable recovery moves. Mid to late game I send out Scolipede to try and boost myself in order to sweep with Stoutland or Tyranitar (or even Hippowdon).
Tyranitar @ Tyranitarite
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
Tyranitar, my mega of choice, is a staple in Sandstorm teams. He sets up Sandstorm and proceeds to boost himself with DD, while I leave opponents wondering if I'll use Stealth Rock or right out attack. Its natural bulk + Sandstorm makes it almost impossible to OHKO him without a Fighting attack, making it easy for him to take at least one or two Pokémon to the grave with him.
Hippowdon @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Whirlwind
- Slack Off
The other sandstorm setter, for this one I went for pure bulk in order to check things like Talonflame and Mega Mawile, while also helping to rack up SR damage with Whirlwind and prevent setup fodder. Rock Slide and Earthquake provide all the coverage I need while Smooth Rock gives me extra turns of helpful sand.
Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Brave Bird
- Whirlwind
- Roost
The usual lead of the team, it can make sure to set up SR because of Sturdy. Many times I have switched out with 1 HP just to use Roost against a slower opponent. The EV spread gives me nice balanced bulk in order to make opponents think they'll do much more damage on the special side than they actually do. It still hates Scald burns though.
Stoutland @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Return
- Fire Fang
- Play Rough
- Pursuit
Stoutland is a very under appreciated Pokémon, that can OHKO a lot of threats. Having double speed in sand, and boasting a Choice Band and good coverage, not much is safe from this beast. Pursuit lets me take care of frail Psychics and Ghosts, Fire Fang is for Scizor, Ferrothorn and Mawile, and Play Rough to do more damage to Fighting types, Dragons and things like Tyranitar.
Scolipede @ Black Sludge
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Poison Jab
- Baton Pass
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
Scolipede was a hard choice, but it hasn't disappointed me so far. It has literally won me games in which enemies let me boost myself. I usually send it against one of its many resistances, and it never has trouble setting up a Sub with the bulky set I gave it. Then I just proceed to SD and baton pass away to Tyranitar or Stoutland, or even Hippowdon, and attempt a Sweep. Poison Jab is my attack of choice because of good accuracy and because I have no one else who can easily kill fairies. Talonflame, Crobat and Infiltrator Chandelure are the bane of its existance.
Jellicent @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Recover
After choosing the other 5, I realized I needed something to check Water, Fire and Fighting types, and who better than a bulky Water Ghost Jellicent. It can spread status in the form of burn and toxic, and is immune to Sandstorm and Spore. Also, I picked Cursed Body because it gives me the ability to force switches on choiced enemies, and to stall with recover + toxic until their strongest attack is disabled, at which point they are forced to switch out or just get stalled to death waiting for a crit.
So that's it. I've played around 15 times with this team and I can say my team absolutely hates Rotom-W and anything else that can burn, especially with Prankster, because I have 5 physical attackers and no status absorbers.
Please leave me any tips, comments or criticism.
Item Clause and Kalos Clause, so any Pokémon without the blue pentagon is banned. Also Mega Mawile and Aegislash haven't been suspect-tested yet in this meta, so they are not banned. Excadrill cannot be used with Sand Rush, all hax items are banned, and all accuracy-lowering moves are banned. All other Smogon rules apply.
The point of the team is to whittle down the enemy with the help of Sandstorm, Stealth Rock and two phazers. The team has 3 tanks that compliment each other's weaknesses and all have reliable recovery moves. Mid to late game I send out Scolipede to try and boost myself in order to sweep with Stoutland or Tyranitar (or even Hippowdon).
Tyranitar @ Tyranitarite
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
Tyranitar, my mega of choice, is a staple in Sandstorm teams. He sets up Sandstorm and proceeds to boost himself with DD, while I leave opponents wondering if I'll use Stealth Rock or right out attack. Its natural bulk + Sandstorm makes it almost impossible to OHKO him without a Fighting attack, making it easy for him to take at least one or two Pokémon to the grave with him.
Hippowdon @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Whirlwind
- Slack Off
The other sandstorm setter, for this one I went for pure bulk in order to check things like Talonflame and Mega Mawile, while also helping to rack up SR damage with Whirlwind and prevent setup fodder. Rock Slide and Earthquake provide all the coverage I need while Smooth Rock gives me extra turns of helpful sand.
Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Brave Bird
- Whirlwind
- Roost
The usual lead of the team, it can make sure to set up SR because of Sturdy. Many times I have switched out with 1 HP just to use Roost against a slower opponent. The EV spread gives me nice balanced bulk in order to make opponents think they'll do much more damage on the special side than they actually do. It still hates Scald burns though.
Stoutland @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Return
- Fire Fang
- Play Rough
- Pursuit
Stoutland is a very under appreciated Pokémon, that can OHKO a lot of threats. Having double speed in sand, and boasting a Choice Band and good coverage, not much is safe from this beast. Pursuit lets me take care of frail Psychics and Ghosts, Fire Fang is for Scizor, Ferrothorn and Mawile, and Play Rough to do more damage to Fighting types, Dragons and things like Tyranitar.
Scolipede @ Black Sludge
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Poison Jab
- Baton Pass
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
Scolipede was a hard choice, but it hasn't disappointed me so far. It has literally won me games in which enemies let me boost myself. I usually send it against one of its many resistances, and it never has trouble setting up a Sub with the bulky set I gave it. Then I just proceed to SD and baton pass away to Tyranitar or Stoutland, or even Hippowdon, and attempt a Sweep. Poison Jab is my attack of choice because of good accuracy and because I have no one else who can easily kill fairies. Talonflame, Crobat and Infiltrator Chandelure are the bane of its existance.
Jellicent @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Recover
After choosing the other 5, I realized I needed something to check Water, Fire and Fighting types, and who better than a bulky Water Ghost Jellicent. It can spread status in the form of burn and toxic, and is immune to Sandstorm and Spore. Also, I picked Cursed Body because it gives me the ability to force switches on choiced enemies, and to stall with recover + toxic until their strongest attack is disabled, at which point they are forced to switch out or just get stalled to death waiting for a crit.
So that's it. I've played around 15 times with this team and I can say my team absolutely hates Rotom-W and anything else that can burn, especially with Prankster, because I have 5 physical attackers and no status absorbers.
Please leave me any tips, comments or criticism.
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