[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Iron Head
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Leftovers
ability: Sand Force
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance turns Excadrill into a dangerous wallbreaker that can tear through slower-paced teams, especially with the sand provided by Tyranitar or Hippowdon. Earthquake threatens key targets like Jirachi, Heatran, and Tyranitar, and smashes neutral targets like Ferrothorn and Politoed, especially after a boost. Iron Head busts past neutral targets that don't care for Earthquake, like Latios, Latias, and Celebi, as well as Gliscor after a flinch. Lastly, Rapid Spin allows Excadrill to compress its role and provide its team with a method of keeping entry hazards off the field; keep in mind that Pokemon like Garchomp and Rocky Helmet Skarmory can punish Excadrill with chip damage if it tries to use Rapid Spin.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread with an Adamant nature lets Excadrill hit as hard as possible and cleanly OHKO Ferrothorn at +2 after activating Sand Force. Alternatively, Excadrill can run 112 Speed EVs to outpace Adamant Breloom, allowing it to invest more EVs in bulk. Leftovers is preferred to extend Excadrill's longevity.
Team Options
========
This Excadrill set should only be used on sand teams, where it benefits from the extra power provided by the sand, and its team can benefit from its role compression of a Swords Dance sweeper and a hazard remover in one team slot. Tyranitar and Hippowdon are mandatory partners for Excadrill, as the sand they provide boosts the power of Excadrill's STAB options; both sand setters greatly appreciate having entry hazards kept off the field, allowing them more opportunities to come back in and maintain the sand should it be replaced by rain. Additionally, Tyranitar provides support for Excadrill in other ways, such as paralysis support with Thunder Wave to cripple faster foes like Keldeo and Alakazam, trapping and eliminating Latios with Pursuit, and setting up Stealth Rock for its team, while Hippowdon has better longevity, solidly answers Ground-types like Landorus-T and opposing Excadrill, and uses Whirlwind to foil setup sweepers that attempt to overcome the rest of their team. Psychic-types like Reuniclus, Alakazam, and Latios complement Excadrill very well, as they can handle Rotom-W and Fighting-types like Keldeo, Breloom, and Terrakion. Alakazam can also preserve its Focus Sash to check hyper offense threats like Dragonite and Starmie, while Latios switches into Fire- and Water-type attacks aimed at Excadrill. Fighting-type partners like Keldeo and Terrakion are also solid teammates for Excadrill, as they appreciate the removal of entry hazards, can solidly answer the likes of Volcarona, and aid Excadrill in pressuring its checks like Scizor, Politoed, and Thundurus-T. Ferrothorn and Skarmory provide Spikes support, digging into Pokemon that attempt to answer it like Garchomp and Politoed, and allowing Excadrill to more easily overwhelm teams after its answers are weakened or eliminated. Ferrothorn also has the benefit of pressuring Starmie and providing Knock Off support to remove important items like Leftovers from Thundurus-T and Black Sludge from Tentacruel, while Skarmory switches into Ground-type attacks aimed at Excadrill. Magnezone traps and eliminates Skarmory, taking a lot of pressure off of Excadrill. Heatran sets up Stealth Rock and can bait in and eliminate Politoed with Magma Storm, Sunny Day, and Solar Beam, removing a major roadblock for sand teams that Swords Dance Excadrill finds itself on. Bulky Grass-types like Celebi and Amoonguss also form a solid partnership with Excadrill, as they can handle Water- and Fighting-types that give Excadrill trouble like Politoed, Keldeo, and Breloom. Celebi also has the benefit of switching into Scald and shrugging off the burn thanks to Natural Cure, and it sends Tentacruel packing with Psychic, while Amoonguss provides paralysis support with Stun Spore to cripple faster targets like Thundurus-T. Pivot support from Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Rotom-W is also beneficial, as they can bring Excadrill in safely via U-turn and Volt Switch.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.102/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.103/
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Iron Head
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Leftovers
ability: Sand Force
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance turns Excadrill into a dangerous wallbreaker that can tear through slower-paced teams, especially with the sand provided by Tyranitar or Hippowdon. Earthquake threatens key targets like Jirachi, Heatran, and Tyranitar, and smashes neutral targets like Ferrothorn and Politoed, especially after a boost. Iron Head busts past neutral targets that don't care for Earthquake, like Latios, Latias, and Celebi, as well as Gliscor after a flinch. Lastly, Rapid Spin allows Excadrill to compress its role and provide its team with a method of keeping entry hazards off the field; keep in mind that Pokemon like Garchomp and Rocky Helmet Skarmory can punish Excadrill with chip damage if it tries to use Rapid Spin.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread with an Adamant nature lets Excadrill hit as hard as possible and cleanly OHKO Ferrothorn at +2 after activating Sand Force. Alternatively, Excadrill can run 112 Speed EVs to outpace Adamant Breloom, allowing it to invest more EVs in bulk. Leftovers is preferred to extend Excadrill's longevity.
Team Options
========
This Excadrill set should only be used on sand teams, where it benefits from the extra power provided by the sand, and its team can benefit from its role compression of a Swords Dance sweeper and a hazard remover in one team slot. Tyranitar and Hippowdon are mandatory partners for Excadrill, as the sand they provide boosts the power of Excadrill's STAB options; both sand setters greatly appreciate having entry hazards kept off the field, allowing them more opportunities to come back in and maintain the sand should it be replaced by rain. Additionally, Tyranitar provides support for Excadrill in other ways, such as paralysis support with Thunder Wave to cripple faster foes like Keldeo and Alakazam, trapping and eliminating Latios with Pursuit, and setting up Stealth Rock for its team, while Hippowdon has better longevity, solidly answers Ground-types like Landorus-T and opposing Excadrill, and uses Whirlwind to foil setup sweepers that attempt to overcome the rest of their team. Psychic-types like Reuniclus, Alakazam, and Latios complement Excadrill very well, as they can handle Rotom-W and Fighting-types like Keldeo, Breloom, and Terrakion. Alakazam can also preserve its Focus Sash to check hyper offense threats like Dragonite and Starmie, while Latios switches into Fire- and Water-type attacks aimed at Excadrill. Fighting-type partners like Keldeo and Terrakion are also solid teammates for Excadrill, as they appreciate the removal of entry hazards, can solidly answer the likes of Volcarona, and aid Excadrill in pressuring its checks like Scizor, Politoed, and Thundurus-T. Ferrothorn and Skarmory provide Spikes support, digging into Pokemon that attempt to answer it like Garchomp and Politoed, and allowing Excadrill to more easily overwhelm teams after its answers are weakened or eliminated. Ferrothorn also has the benefit of pressuring Starmie and providing Knock Off support to remove important items like Leftovers from Thundurus-T and Black Sludge from Tentacruel, while Skarmory switches into Ground-type attacks aimed at Excadrill. Magnezone traps and eliminates Skarmory, taking a lot of pressure off of Excadrill. Heatran sets up Stealth Rock and can bait in and eliminate Politoed with Magma Storm, Sunny Day, and Solar Beam, removing a major roadblock for sand teams that Swords Dance Excadrill finds itself on. Bulky Grass-types like Celebi and Amoonguss also form a solid partnership with Excadrill, as they can handle Water- and Fighting-types that give Excadrill trouble like Politoed, Keldeo, and Breloom. Celebi also has the benefit of switching into Scald and shrugging off the burn thanks to Natural Cure, and it sends Tentacruel packing with Psychic, while Amoonguss provides paralysis support with Stun Spore to cripple faster targets like Thundurus-T. Pivot support from Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Rotom-W is also beneficial, as they can bring Excadrill in safely via U-turn and Volt Switch.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/favmon-garchomp.653095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.102/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.103/