This team started out as an attempt to use subpetaya empoleon on a team, but when I found that the team was really weak to fighting, I replaced it with a gyarados. I'm not really happy with the way gyarados has been performing in the presence of sandstorm. Anyway here it goes. Changes will be in red.
Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Adamant Nature
Sand Stream
180 hp/252 atk/76 spd
Superpower
Stone Edge
Crunch
Pursuit
Choice tyranitar is normally my lead of choice. I can bluff the mixed sets that a lot of other people have been using as sand leads, set up sand storm, and usually KO the other poke. Thunderus who try to taunt are KOed by stone edge and other TTars are KOed with superpower. Pursuit deals nicely with chandelure and other ghost and psychic types. Crunch one shots Reniculus, which this tyranitar out-speeds. Otherwise, banded tyranitar is a massively powerful physical attacker who can switch into a lot of attacks.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Relaxed Nature
Iron Barbs
252 hp/48 def/ 208 spDef IVs: 0 spd
Stealth Rock
Leech Seed
Power Whip
Gyro Ball
A typical ferrothorn set. I'm using stealth rocks over spikes because I find it easier to get one layer of stealth rocks up over three layers of spikes. Leech seed lets this ferrothorn wall any threat that lacks a fire or a fighting move. Power whip and gyro ball give it two reliable and powerful stab attacks. Shadow tag chandelure gives this set problems since it doesn't use shed shell, but the chandelure can be promptly pursuited by TTar. Ferrothorn is a strong defensive pivot for this team. Sandstorm with iron barbs and leech seed let it pile on residual damage and punish physical attackers. With prediction, its a stupendous wall with the ability to support the team with entry hazards. It does share a fighting weakness with TTar, which can become a problem.
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Impish Nature
Toxic Heal
252 hp/184 def/72 spd
Acrobatics
Earthquake
Fling
Protect
If I may be crude for a moment, this gliscor is an absolute tank. Gliscor is an important member of my team because it resists the fighting type moves that are aimed at TTar and ferrothorn. Gliscor is also able to counter Garchomp and Excadrill, taking boosted attacks and then healing up with toxic orb and protect. On a sand team that doesn't run Garchomp or Excadrill, gliscor is invaluable. Gliscor is also used to switch into status once it is poisoned. Protect lets it heal with toxic orb, earthquake provides a strong and reliable stab move, and the fling/acrobatics combo lets gliscor inflict status and then hit hard with another stab move. This gliscor is an indispensable member of my team and has strong synergy with TTar and Ferrothorn.
Gyarados @ Leftovers
Jolly Nature
Intimidate
4 hp/252 atk/252spd
Dragon Dance
Earthquake
Stone Edge
Waterfall
This gyarados replaced empoleon on this team because it has nice synergy with TTar and it resists fighting. I don't particularly like this gyarados (or bulkydos for that matter) because it feels really flimsy on a sandstorm team. I'd like to replace it, but I don't know what to replace it with, or if I should replace it at all. It runs a jolly nature to outspeed most things after one dragon dance. The earthquake/stone edge combo lets it hit most things pretty reliably, and waterfall gives it a reliable stab move. My team as a whole has trouble with rain and usually gyarados and ferrothorn are my main rain counters. I really need some input on this choice.
Chandelure @ Choice Scarf
Modest Nature
Shadow Tag
4 hp/252 spatk/252 spd IVs: 31/30/30/31/31/31
Fire Blast
Shadow Ball
Energy Ball
Hidden Power (Ice)
Chandelure is one of the best, if not the best revenge killer in the game. This poke deals with more threats than I can count, including ferrothorn, scizor, non-scarfed genesect, salamence, gengar, etc, etc. It can switch into fighting moves aimed at tyranitar and ferrothorn and it can switch into most priority moves. Its special attack reaches well over 400, so its capable of 1hitKOing a good chunk of the metagame. I'm running fire blast over overheat for more reliability in late game. Shadow ball gives it a nice stab move and energy ball and hidden power are used for coverage. The IV's used maximize special attack, hp, and speed. Chandelure is an absolutely fantastic pokemon.
Conkeldurr @ Leftovers
Adamant Nature
Guts
244 hp/252 atk/12 spDef
Bulk Up
Drain Punch
Mach Punch
Payback
Conkeldurr is the last pokemon on my roster and is capable of filling a number of roles. Bulk up and drain punch let it act as a mid to late game sweeper. Mach punch is a powerful stab priority move that hits faster threats like excadrill. Payback was used over stone edge because ghost types like chandelure and gengar are more of a problem for conkeldurr on this team, payback is more reliable, and tyranitar carries stone edge. Conkeldurr can switch into pokes like tyranitar or metagross that are unable to really do anything to it. I have found that conkeldurr works really well on this team as a sweeper and priority user. Leftovers is used to cancel out sandstorm damage.
Any advice on this team would be greatly appreciated. Let me know if I forgot anything or I need to provide a better explanation. Thanks in advance!
Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Adamant Nature
Sand Stream
180 hp/252 atk/76 spd
Superpower
Stone Edge
Crunch
Pursuit
Choice tyranitar is normally my lead of choice. I can bluff the mixed sets that a lot of other people have been using as sand leads, set up sand storm, and usually KO the other poke. Thunderus who try to taunt are KOed by stone edge and other TTars are KOed with superpower. Pursuit deals nicely with chandelure and other ghost and psychic types. Crunch one shots Reniculus, which this tyranitar out-speeds. Otherwise, banded tyranitar is a massively powerful physical attacker who can switch into a lot of attacks.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Relaxed Nature
Iron Barbs
252 hp/48 def/ 208 spDef IVs: 0 spd
Stealth Rock
Leech Seed
Power Whip
Gyro Ball
A typical ferrothorn set. I'm using stealth rocks over spikes because I find it easier to get one layer of stealth rocks up over three layers of spikes. Leech seed lets this ferrothorn wall any threat that lacks a fire or a fighting move. Power whip and gyro ball give it two reliable and powerful stab attacks. Shadow tag chandelure gives this set problems since it doesn't use shed shell, but the chandelure can be promptly pursuited by TTar. Ferrothorn is a strong defensive pivot for this team. Sandstorm with iron barbs and leech seed let it pile on residual damage and punish physical attackers. With prediction, its a stupendous wall with the ability to support the team with entry hazards. It does share a fighting weakness with TTar, which can become a problem.
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Impish Nature
Toxic Heal
252 hp/184 def/72 spd
Acrobatics
Earthquake
Fling
Protect
If I may be crude for a moment, this gliscor is an absolute tank. Gliscor is an important member of my team because it resists the fighting type moves that are aimed at TTar and ferrothorn. Gliscor is also able to counter Garchomp and Excadrill, taking boosted attacks and then healing up with toxic orb and protect. On a sand team that doesn't run Garchomp or Excadrill, gliscor is invaluable. Gliscor is also used to switch into status once it is poisoned. Protect lets it heal with toxic orb, earthquake provides a strong and reliable stab move, and the fling/acrobatics combo lets gliscor inflict status and then hit hard with another stab move. This gliscor is an indispensable member of my team and has strong synergy with TTar and Ferrothorn.
Gyarados @ Leftovers
Jolly Nature
Intimidate
4 hp/252 atk/252spd
Dragon Dance
Earthquake
Stone Edge
Waterfall
This gyarados replaced empoleon on this team because it has nice synergy with TTar and it resists fighting. I don't particularly like this gyarados (or bulkydos for that matter) because it feels really flimsy on a sandstorm team. I'd like to replace it, but I don't know what to replace it with, or if I should replace it at all. It runs a jolly nature to outspeed most things after one dragon dance. The earthquake/stone edge combo lets it hit most things pretty reliably, and waterfall gives it a reliable stab move. My team as a whole has trouble with rain and usually gyarados and ferrothorn are my main rain counters. I really need some input on this choice.
Chandelure @ Choice Scarf
Modest Nature
Shadow Tag
4 hp/252 spatk/252 spd IVs: 31/30/30/31/31/31
Fire Blast
Shadow Ball
Energy Ball
Hidden Power (Ice)
Chandelure is one of the best, if not the best revenge killer in the game. This poke deals with more threats than I can count, including ferrothorn, scizor, non-scarfed genesect, salamence, gengar, etc, etc. It can switch into fighting moves aimed at tyranitar and ferrothorn and it can switch into most priority moves. Its special attack reaches well over 400, so its capable of 1hitKOing a good chunk of the metagame. I'm running fire blast over overheat for more reliability in late game. Shadow ball gives it a nice stab move and energy ball and hidden power are used for coverage. The IV's used maximize special attack, hp, and speed. Chandelure is an absolutely fantastic pokemon.
Conkeldurr @ Leftovers
Adamant Nature
Guts
244 hp/252 atk/12 spDef
Bulk Up
Drain Punch
Mach Punch
Payback
Conkeldurr is the last pokemon on my roster and is capable of filling a number of roles. Bulk up and drain punch let it act as a mid to late game sweeper. Mach punch is a powerful stab priority move that hits faster threats like excadrill. Payback was used over stone edge because ghost types like chandelure and gengar are more of a problem for conkeldurr on this team, payback is more reliable, and tyranitar carries stone edge. Conkeldurr can switch into pokes like tyranitar or metagross that are unable to really do anything to it. I have found that conkeldurr works really well on this team as a sweeper and priority user. Leftovers is used to cancel out sandstorm damage.
Any advice on this team would be greatly appreciated. Let me know if I forgot anything or I need to provide a better explanation. Thanks in advance!
