SS OU Need help with this standard Sand Balance

[sufys]

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Introduction​

Hello and welcome to my SSOU RMT! You may know me as sufys12 or sufys12sucks from PS! and I am going to show you my very very very standard Sand Balance team and this is my first RMT.

Teambuilding Process​

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I started with Sand Rush Excadrill because I like how with Rapid Spin it gets the ability to sweep outside of sand, while also being able to do considerable damage to most of the metagame and OHKO most pokemon after a Swords Dance.

Obviously the best sand setter is Hippowdon, it gets stealth rock, and eats Fighting type attacks which Excadrill dislikes, and can force out set-up sweepers with Whirlwind

Well I added toxapex as it gives me an alternaitve win condition, which is wearing out my opponent with Sand from Hippo as well as Toxic Spikes which Pex provides. It also is a check to Dracovish and handles the water types in the tier.

I needed a way to pressue Corviknight and Ferrothorn which is easily done by Dragapult as it can bluff Fire blast/Flamethrower and use will-O-wisp to weaken these threats to make it easier for Excadrill to clean up.

This Pokemon synergises well with toxapex, provides a secondary check to bisharp, and Defogs away hazards.

I needed a way to allow Excadrill to come in safely multiple times in the game while providing a way for Excadrill+Dragapult to keep healthy and also a check to Hydreigon and Kyurem. Clefable fits this role perfectly.

The Team

Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Swords Dance
- Rapid Spin
​

Excadrill is my primary win condition, seeing as this is a Sand team. It runs Rock Slide over Iron Head beause I wanted space for rapid spin and since this already can ohko clefable with +2 Earthquake. It runs rock slide as a means to hit Rotom-Heat and Corviknight and runs Rapid Spin to KO weakened threats in tandem with getting a speed boost, making it easier for it to sweep.

Hippowdon @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
- Slack Off
​

This is my stealth rocker, and sand setter. It do well at walling Physical threats such as Bisharp and Conkeldurr and Terrakion while alo being able to force out threats with whirlwind such as bulk up corviknight and cosmic power mew. This also has slack off so it is able to keep healthy throughout the game while continuing to check these threats.

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Recover
- Toxic Spikes
- Baneful Bunker
​

This helps my team as it gives me an alternative win condition with toxic spikes to wear down opposing pokemon, can burn opposing corvikinghts with scald while taking hits from water types such as keldeo. But mostly it just eats attacks that nothing else will and sits there. It is also my only check to Dracovish so I try to recover up and keep healthy with this as much as possible, so it doesnt die to Vish (especially banded vish)

Dragapult @ Spell Tag
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hex
- Will-O-Wisp
- Draco Meteor
- U-turn

I needed a way to pressue Corviknight and Ferrothorn which is easily done by Dragapult as it can bluff Fire blast/Flamethrower and use will-O-wisp to weaken these threats to make it easier for Excadrill to clean up. I needed something that was fast outside of sand and weaken corviknight, hippo, seismitoad and hippowdon, to make it easier for excadrill to clean up as it gets 3hkoed by a burnt corviknight, ferrothorn using body press. It is my Conk destroyer . I run spell tag over leftovers as clefable can heal this anyways so it doesnt need leftovers as much ( I also like OHKOing conkeldurr).

Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 48 Def / 208 SpD
Careful Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Body Press
- Iron Head
​

This is my defogger. It has body press for Excadrill, Bisharp. It has Iron Head to pressure the likes of clefable, sylveon and Kyurem and togekiss. It also forms a great core with Toxapex and is able to take grass type attacks and psychic type attacks, being an effecive switch-in to hatterene. Pressure is better than Mirror armor as it stalls out opposing Pokemon like opposing Corviknights which i struggle to beat on my own.

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 28 Spe
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
- Teleport
​

The Ivs are to underspeed opposing clefables to get the advantage with teleport. This is the one pokemon which almost every team runs and it just passes wishes to excadrill and Pult and clicks moonblast as often as possible so Dracovish cannot pressure me easily. It checks keldeo, kyurem and Hydreigon so that i dont have to use corviknight for them, and gives Excadrill more opportunities to sweep thanks to teleport.

Conclusion​

Thank you for taking the time to read this RMT! All suggestions and feedback are welcome and I will take all suggestions into account. The main threats are togekiss, as it is faster than adamant drill outside of sand and flinches everything to death. Dracovish is a threat because it isn't always possible to keep Pex healthy and Vish can double in on a clefable's wish. or just come in after a pokemon has fainted. Conkeldurr is a threat to every team, even this one as if i get outplayed i lose one pokemon, and I have to be careful with Dragapult. I need dragapult as it is the only thing that ohkoes the Conkeldurr with spell tag + hex and it is guaranteed if conk has taken any chip. Primarina 6-0es this team. Thanks again! The importable is below.

Importable

Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Swords Dance
- Rapid Spin

Hippowdon @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
- Slack Off

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Recover
- Toxic Spikes
- Baneful Bunker

Dragapult @ Spell Tag
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hex
- Will-O-Wisp
- Draco Meteor
- U-turn

Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 48 Def / 208 SpD
Careful Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Body Press
- Iron Head

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 28 Spe
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
- Teleport

 

[Tapeworm]

Solid team, man. I like it. One glaring thing though that I can't quite understand is Corv's purpose on this team. Your team is based on stacking hazards so Defog is not ideal, not just that but you already have Rapid Spin Excadrill to serve as removal. It doesn't serve any real purpose here besides Ground immunity but I think there's another mon that not only covers that and the matter of Clef and Kyurem but pressures other Defoggers so your hazards stay up, and offers you a resistance to Ghost Spam and that's NP Hydra. It offers more uses for your team than Corv does here.
Smaller changes I'd make as well are Jolly on Exca; there's nothing I think Adamant is specifically helpful for but the greater speed allows you to outspeed Scarf Pult (which is sadly still a thing) and tie at worst with opposing Excas. I also think Specs Pult is a better option since with T-Spikes already you can go from threatening Toad and Hippo to straight OHKOing them with Hex, I feel like Will-O is also somewhat unnecessary and you're better off with the Fire coverage for Ferro and Corv. Specs can also get the 2HKO on Clef which the Spell Tag set cannot achieve. I won't deny that Wisp Hex can have its uses here, but I think you'll get more bang for your buck with Specs.

Hope this helps. Have fun.

Import

Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide / Swords Dance
- Rapid Spin

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

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Recover
- Toxic Spikes
- Baneful Bunker

Dragapult @ Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Shadow Ball
- Fire Blast
- Hex

Hydreigon @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Draco Meteor
- Flash Cannon
- Flamethrower

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
- Teleport

 

[Zaza]

Solid team, man. I like it. One glaring thing though that I can't quite understand is Corv's purpose on this team. Your team is based on stacking hazards so Defog is not ideal, not just that but you already have Rapid Spin Excadrill to serve as removal. It doesn't serve any real purpose here besides Ground immunity but I think there's another mon that not only covers that and the matter of Clef and Kyurem but pressures other Defoggers so your hazards stay up, and offers you a resistance to Ghost Spam and that's NP Hydra. It offers more uses for your team than Corv does here.
Smaller changes I'd make as well are Jolly on Exca; there's nothing I think Adamant is specifically helpful for but the greater speed allows you to outspeed Scarf Pult (which is sadly still a thing) and tie at worst with opposing Excas. I also think Specs Pult is a better option since with T-Spikes already you can go from threatening Toad and Hippo to straight OHKOing them with Hex, I feel like Will-O is also somewhat unnecessary and you're better off with the Fire coverage for Ferro and Corv. Specs can also get the 2HKO on Clef which the Spell Tag set cannot achieve. I won't deny that Wisp Hex can have its uses here, but I think you'll get more bang for your buck with Specs.

Hope this helps. Have fun.

Import

Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide / Swords Dance
- Rapid Spin

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

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Recover
- Toxic Spikes
- Baneful Bunker

Dragapult @ Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Shadow Ball
- Fire Blast
- Hex

Hydreigon @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Draco Meteor
- Flash Cannon
- Flamethrower

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
- Teleport

Hydreigon is a good pick offensively but even with wishport Clefable I can see the potential in sand+life orb doing severe chip to Hydreigon making it easier to revenge kill. I would select Mandibuzz>Corviknight if the sand team is going towards a more defensive one and for offense I could see Aegislash>Corviknight with shadow sneak on the set along with a potential choice specs. Both of these pokemon don't get hurt by sand and can help the match-up against ghost types that are currently very annoying to this team.

 

[sufys]

Hydreigon is a good pick offensively but even with wishport Clefable I can see the potential in sand+life orb doing severe chip to Hydreigon making it easier to revenge kill. I would select Mandibuzz>Corviknight if the sand team is going towards a more defensive one and for offense I could see Aegislash>Corviknight with shadow sneak on the set along with a potential choice specs. Both of these pokemon don't get hurt by sand and can help the match-up against ghost types that are currently very annoying to this team.

https://pokepast.es/b81b84c7b16a1c31 this is the new import. After some testing, I have decided to use aegislash over Corviknight.

 

[Cri]

Nice team, my suggestion is to either change drill's ability or rapid spin. With sand, it's outspeeds, so maybe life orb instead of letfovers will be good too.

 

[sufys]

Nice team, my suggestion is to either change drill's ability or rapid spin. With sand, it's outspeeds, so maybe life orb instead of letfovers will be good too.

It has hippo so i do not see the point of removing the ability. I need leftovers so i do not need to rely on clef or lose sweeping capabilities due to damage racked up.

 

[Cri]

I understand it has Hippo, it's best to not have rapid spin and sand rush, they act similarly. And you have pex for toxic, and defog, so it's not needed!

 

[ImperialGamer517]

I understand it has Hippo, it's best to not have rapid spin and sand rush, they act similarly. And you have pex for toxic, and defog, so it's not needed!

No they do not. The main importance of Rapid Spin is to remove hazards on your side of the field without removing the hazards placed by Hippo, and since he replaced Corviknight, Rapid Spin is more important.

 

[Cri]

I know that lol, but when did he replace Corvi? that's different now. Okay

 

[sufys]

Ok I am going to bump this, it hasn't been active for 11 days.

 

[Spoontech]

I know that lol, but when did he replace Corvi? that's different now. Okay

Because Corvi doesn't really fit this team.

Team looks solid rn, I'm a huge fan of specs Aegislash but I can see mandibuzz giving this team a hard time tbf. Ever thought about NP Heattom?

 

[sufys]

The point of the team is to pressure Mandibuzz and force it in and slowly weaken it throughout the game, besides, if mandi isnt above 80 percent, exca kills it.

 

[Spoontech]

The point of the team is to pressure Mandibuzz and force it in and slowly weaken it throughout the game, besides, if mandi isnt above 80 percent, exca kills it.

Mandibuzz really easily Roosts up on this team with not too much trouble, as it doesn't really take any big damage bar Excadrill and a potential Flash Cannon (You'll more often than not click Shadow Ball), so it can Roost up basically on 5/6th of your team while also threatening to 2HKO with Foul Play. I feel like you're not able to pressure some cores enough with just Drill and Hexapult, and therefore I'd say to add Rotom as you can Toxic cripple mons and Discharge fish for Para, which will benefit your Hexapult in the long run as well, and NP + Overheat/Discharge puts huge amounts of pressure on common breakers such as Conk, Cinderace, Sand Rush Excadrill, Kyurem and Zeraora that will have trouble OHKOing it.

Also if your Hippowdown gets chipped you're free setup bait for NP Hydreigon and Bisharp, especially because you lack Leftovers (which I do recommend, Smooth Rock isn't really needed on a team with just Drill, you're going to get it in and it's gonna sweep or out in 1-2 turns anyways). Therefore I would suggest you replacing Baneful Bunker for Haze on Toxapex, as it helps you not get fucked by setup mons such as those mentioned above, and common Bulk Up mons like Conk and Cinderace. Also I prefer Leftovers on Hippo as they're quite crucial.

https://pokepast.es/c6a81f9ce05b69e8 - This would be the importable, give it a shot and let me know if you like it.

 

[sufys]

Discharge fish for Para

Vish is Banned so i dont know what 'fish' is.

Also if your Hippowdown gets chipped you're free setup bait for NP Hydreigon and Bisharp

NP hydra means I have to go hard clef, hippo isnt an answer, if hippo is in vs np hydra i click whirlwind. I also forgot to say Hippo is Leftovers over smooth rock now.
Rotom also doesnt help with my matchups vs common ghost types such as aegislash. But is leftovers on hippo necessary in any calc? I have used it but it doesnt do so much, i would prefer rocky helmet/smooth rock

 

[Spoontech]

Vish is Banned so i dont know what 'fish' is.

NP hydra means I have to go hard clef, hippo isnt an answer, if hippo is in vs np hydra i click whirlwind. I also forgot to say Hippo is Leftovers over smooth rock now.
Rotom also doesnt help with my matchups vs common ghost types such as aegislash. But is leftovers on hippo necessary in any calc? I have used it but it doesnt do so much, i would prefer rocky helmet/smooth rock

Fish as in, hope you get Paralyzes on your opponent to cripple them, which benefits your Hexapult + Paralysis is extremely broken in general.

If you don't know Hydreigon its set yet, it is possible for Hippo to tank a Draco Meteor and slack off on it which 100% forces it out, while your Hippo in general can heal itself back to full. If it's Nasty Plot + LO, it has a 37% chance to OHKO with Draco after rocks, so even if it doesn't OHKO you pretty much threw away your sand setter and physical wall. +2 Flash Cannon also has the chance to OHKO Clef, so you 100% have to force Hydreigon out somehow (Healing or Whirlwind).

Leftovers on a wall is always useful, even if it doesn't improve a matchup in direct calcs. If you can get Hippo in 3-4 times in a game, you've basically gained an extra 20ish percent of HP, which it often can get due to Hippo scaring out a lot of mons. It can mean the difference between being able to heal/attack or die. Bulk Up/Banded Cinderace is a mon I can think of that can break through Hippo after rocks if it doesn't carry Leftovers.

No leftovers (meaning you can't switch it in on Cinderace):
252 Atk Choice Band (Covers +1 and Banded) Libero Cinderace High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 189-223 (45 - 53%) -- 89.1% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
+1 252 Atk Life Orb Libero Cinderace High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 246-290 (58.5 - 69%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock


Leftovers:
252 Atk Choice Band Libero Cinderace High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 189-223 (45 - 53%) -- 31.6% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Life Orb Cinderace Pyro Ball vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 152-179 (36.1 - 42.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
+1 252 Atk Life Orb Libero Cinderace High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 246-290 (58.5 - 69%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

 

[sufys]

Why special attack on rotom?

 

[Mame YO]

Instead of Rotom, why not Cinderace?

if you’re running corviknight alongside excadrill (which I realize you swapped out), why not run iron defense+body press?

what purpose does Toxapex serve on this team besides toxic spikes? You don’t need haze because you have whirlwind on Hippowdon, as an example. What do you guys think of ferrothorn in this spot?

Mod Edit: Sufys12 is right that it's usually frowned upon to post your own team in someone else's thread looking for feedback.

 

[sufys]

if you’re running corviknight alongside excadrill (which I realize you swapped out), why not run iron defense+body press?

why would u run iron defense body press on corv lol

what purpose does Toxapex serve on this team besides toxic spikes? You don’t need haze because you have whirlwind on Hippowdon, as an example. What do you guys think of ferrothorn in this spot?

Toxapex is a great pivot, tanks 99 percent of attacks , and burns physical threats.

 

[Mame YO]

My bad, I was thinking of the bulk up set

 

[sufys]

And why would bulk up corviknight be good on this team?Explain.

 

[Mame YO]

if you’re going to run corv alongside excadrill, especially since you are stacking Hazards - you don’t need him for Defog. Bulk up with brave bird or iron head gives you a potential secondary win condition For what is otherwise a pretty defensive team without really giving up anything else. Or you can switch corv out entirely but I would argue that if you do keep him you don’t want to he running Defog and you don’t really want body press without defense investment (you have that corv running 208 SpDef) either so either way your original spread is sub-optimal in my opinion.

Mod Edit: deleted the portion of the post that was more based around posting a different team in the thread.

 

[sufys]

Oh the Toxapex is there so that if Excadrill cant win, i have another win condition to use, which is the Sand + Tspikes. I was thinking that Toxapex also could use Knock off over baneful bunker now Dracovish is no longer a threat to this team. And I will use mandibuzz over corviknight now since the ghost resist helps the match up vs Aegislash a lot and i can have a constant , reliable way to beat ghost type threats.