SS OU NEED HELP - Veiled Overcoat Kommo-o with Sand Rush Banded Exca

[AlexxBlack]

Hi! I just wanted to build a team that has Alolan-Ninetales, one that would benefit from the Aurora Veil.

Can you check my team for me, please?

Zil's Nines (Ninetales-Alola) (F) @ Light Clay
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Ability: Snow Warning
Timid Nature
- Aurora Veil
- Freeze-Dry
- Hypnosis
- Hail

First is Alolan Ninetales. I want to make sure to set up the veil would be set up first, and be able to secure 7 turns of Reflect and Light Screen for the setup mons I have at the back. If lucky, I can even throw in a Freeze Dry or a Hypnosis if it's safe. But the number one role is to be able to set up the screens, then be prepped either Kommo-o to set up without much damage received the next turn, or to set up the sand by hard switching to Hippo for Exca to sweep in the sand.

Kommo-o (M) @ Throat Spray
IVs: 30 HP
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Ability: Overcoat
Timid Nature
- Clangorous Soul
- Clanging Scales
- Flamethrower
- Flash Cannon

I wanted to try using an Overcoat Kommo-o to test it out in either sand and hail, and this is a good chance for me to do so, with Hippo and Tales in the team to provide their respective roles. But I am not really sure whether it is better than the proofed ones, in this case, but this is a good chance to try it. Set up Clangorous Soul, Clanging Scales (30 HP IVs for lesser damage) STAB to kill most threats, but I found myself getting walled by Haze pex. Thus, the Sylveon with Psyshock and CM.

Sylveon (F) @ Leftovers
IVs: 0 Atk
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Ability: Pixilate
Calm Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Psyshock
- Calm Mind
- Wish

CM Sylveon with STAB Hyper Voice, and with Psyshock cover for pex, (aside from banded Excadrill) Wish to heal possible necessary mon for the latter part of the game. I find Sylveon to be a good Wish passer, but I kinda want more than that from her, and I find this set to be quite different than the normal Wish pass setup with Mystic Fire. I think with this, I will be able to tank Pokemon that have special attacks, and be able to regain health with wish while bulking up the spdef.

Mandibuzz (F) @ Leftovers
EVs: 232 HP / 204 Def / 72 Spe
Ability: Overcoat
Impish Nature
- U-turn
- Toxic
- Roost
- Foul Play

Mandibuzz would serve as the pivot with Foul Play access, and Toxic as well for possible setups. I am not sure really if there is a much better option, but please do let me know. I just want to have a Flying Pokemon with me to prevent direct incoming EQs that would possibly check my Ninetales, and then just go from there. (Probably pivot to Hippo for sand, and then prep the exca to sweep)

Excadrill (M) @ Choice Band
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Ability: Sand Rush
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Poison Jab
- Rock Slide

Exca is here to be the main patk sweeper, luckily with the guidance of the veils being up while the sand has been set up fresh as well, so he could abuse the doubled speed with stab EQs and Iron Head while having the fairy cover, as well as the flying Pokemon cover as well, that resists Iron Head. Adamant to maximize power, since speed has already been doubled, CB because of the power boost.

Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Ability: Sand Stream
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Yawn

Hippo here is for the sandstorm for Exca to abuse. Yawn to have a force switch on luckily a SR side of the field. If released early game, a good mon to set up rocks as well, and of course, a Pokemon that could take on EQs is just a blessing. Slack Off to abuse Toxic-ed Pokemon by Mandibuzz, and to abuse the high defense for a chance to execute EQs once again.

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Please check the team out and let me know if I should make any changes. I am a newbie in here, and I would appreciate the help. Basically, I just want a team that would be able to abuse the wonders of the now available Alolan Ninetales.

 

[zbr]

Heyyos! Nice sand squad you've got there! I rlly love playing sand back in the day since it had very good supporting team members in the form of Pursuit Tyranitar but now, with other weather forms being dominate in the ladder, I'm glad to see someone pursuing this archetype. Considering your team has two primary ways to facilitate a sweep, one is by Kommo-o and the other is by Excadrill, our aim should be to pave the way for them to sweep, then when the opposing team is suitably weakened, set up veils and beat your opponent up! So I've got a few suggestions for you and your team!

One potential change to make it more offensive is to change mandibuzz with Air Balloon Aegislash. Offensive AB Aegislash allows you to weaken opposing threats as well as gives you a pseudo levitate mon to work with. Aegi is a lot better than mandibuzz in this case because it lures in common threats to drill's sweep and allows you to weaken them in the process. This gives you more leeway for drill to clean up. Furthermore, on this AB set, we will run the set Shadow Ball, Flash Cannon, Shadow Sneak and Toxic. Toxic is key in this set because it is vital in ensuring that Drill's sweep is successful.

Next is some slight alterations! Overcoat Kommo-o is actually very interesting since it means that you can't be put to sleep or be affected by powder but in reality, the proof abilities are way better in allowing you to turn checks and counters into null (i.e - soundproof nullifying sylveon's ability to check and stuff), thus I think Soundproof is a better option for Kommo-o. Since your team does look like it can be properly dismantled by Conk if Sylveon is low, it is imperative that we run enough speed for it to outpace Conk. As such, I recommend running 252 HP / 120 SpD / 136 Spe EVs on Sylv with a Calm nature. This allows you to speed creep up to 190 speed which outpaces max speed adamant Conk!

Lastly, having choice band Drill may sound rlly cool in theory but in actuality, you don't want to be locked into certain moves when attempting to sweep or clean up. Personally, bandsand as an archetype isn't as consistent as normal LO sand rush because LO gives you two primary advantages. One is that you can switch up between EQ and Iron Head (this is important because a lot of common sand checks have immunity to groundspam so you don't want to be forced out when they send in their sand check) and two is that you can run SD on drill, which makes it even more easier to clean up games. Therefore, I recommend the last minor switch to be Life Orb / Soft Sand on excadrill instead of band.

Hope you enjoy the small switches I proposed and hope it helps you in the long run!

set

Sylveon @ Leftovers
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Calm Mind
- Hyper Voice
- Psyshock

Aegislash @ Air Balloon
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Mild Nature
- Flash Cannon
- Shadow Ball
- Toxic
- Shadow Sneak

tldr:
Mandibuzz > AB Aegislash
Overcoat Kommo-o > Soundproof
EVs on Sylveon > 252 HP / 120 SpD / 136 Spe
Band Excadrill > Life Orb / Soft Sand

 

[AlexxBlack]

Heyyos! Nice sand squad you've got there! I rlly love playing sand back in the day since it had very good supporting team members in the form of Pursuit Tyranitar but now, with other weather forms being dominate in the ladder, I'm glad to see someone pursuing this archetype. Considering your team has two primary ways to facilitate a sweep, one is by Kommo-o and the other is by Excadrill, our aim should be to pave the way for them to sweep, then when the opposing team is suitably weakened, set up veils and beat your opponent up! So I've got a few suggestions for you and your team!

One potential change to make it more offensive is to change mandibuzz with Air Balloon Aegislash. Offensive AB Aegislash allows you to weaken opposing threats as well as gives you a pseudo levitate mon to work with. Aegi is a lot better than mandibuzz in this case because it lures in common threats to drill's sweep and allows you to weaken them in the process. This gives you more leeway for drill to clean up. Furthermore, on this AB set, we will run the set Shadow Ball, Flash Cannon, Shadow Sneak and Toxic. Toxic is key in this set because it is vital in ensuring that Drill's sweep is successful.

Next is some slight alterations! Overcoat Kommo-o is actually very interesting since it means that you can't be put to sleep or be affected by powder but in reality, the proof abilities are way better in allowing you to turn checks and counters into null (i.e - soundproof nullifying sylveon's ability to check and stuff), thus I think Soundproof is a better option for Kommo-o. Since your team does look like it can be properly dismantled by Conk if Sylveon is low, it is imperative that we run enough speed for it to outpace Conk. As such, I recommend running 252 HP / 120 SpD / 136 Spe EVs on Sylv with a Calm nature. This allows you to speed creep up to 190 speed which outpaces max speed adamant Conk!

Lastly, having choice band Drill may sound rlly cool in theory but in actuality, you don't want to be locked into certain moves when attempting to sweep or clean up. Personally, bandsand as an archetype isn't as consistent as normal LO sand rush because LO gives you two primary advantages. One is that you can switch up between EQ and Iron Head (this is important because a lot of common sand checks have immunity to groundspam so you don't want to be forced out when they send in their sand check) and two is that you can run SD on drill, which makes it even more easier to clean up games. Therefore, I recommend the last minor switch to be Life Orb / Soft Sand on excadrill instead of band.

Hope you enjoy the small switches I proposed and hope it helps you in the long run!

set

Sylveon @ Leftovers
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Calm Mind
- Hyper Voice
- Psyshock

Aegislash @ Air Balloon
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Mild Nature
- Flash Cannon
- Shadow Ball
- Toxic
- Shadow Sneak

tldr:
Mandibuzz > AB Aegislash
Overcoat Kommo-o > Soundproof
EVs on Sylveon > 252 HP / 120 SpD / 136 Spe
Band Excadrill > Life Orb / Soft Sand

Thank you very much! I got a little worried nobody wants to even pay attention to this team I made. I have read everything you said to the dot, and I am very much happy you paid good attention to every detail, on which the team could improve. Aegislash definitely would be a great addition to the team, and your reasoning that backs it up is too good to pass up on.

I definitely would do the changes as well on all of the other ones too. Kommo-o to Soundproof, EVs on Sylveon, and Band Exca to a LO or Soft Sand (still thinking of which one to go for)

Thank you so much, and I look forward to implement these changes to the team with your modifications, zbr! :)