[OVERVIEW]
Sandaconda is a good defensive Pokemon in SV ZU thanks to its bulk and Shed Skin. The increased reliability of Rest as recovery lends Sandaconda the longevity to check Pokemon like Grafaiai, Toxicroak, and Passimian. Options like Stealth Rock, Glare, and Coil diversify Sandaconda into a great support Pokemon or a bulky setup sweeper. Sandaconda is an excellent Terastallization user to boot, enhancing its defensive profile to become even tougher to break or enabling its own sweeps. However, Shed Skin does not make Rest perfectly reliable, hampering Sandaconda's consistency. Physical attackers like Hisuian Decidueye, Glastrier, and Virizion are very problematic for Sandaconda and coerce it to burn Terastallization for its team. Despite its Electric immunity, Sancaonda's lower special bulk can leave it to be overwhelmed by coverage and additional STAB attacks from Jolteon, Magneton, and Rotom. Sandaconda also faces competition from Regirock, another Stealth Rock setter that much more reliably takes on physical attackers like Snorlax, Glastrier, and Sneasel.
[SET]
Physical Wall (Sandaconda) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Shed Skin
Tera Type: Poison / Ghost / Water
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast / Glare
- Rest
[SET COMMENTS]
Sandaconda is a great wall thanks to its natural bulk, Shed Skin, and Ground typing. Common physical attackers like Grafaiai, Toxicroak, and Regirock struggle to break through Sandaconda, and its great defensive profile enables it to consistently set up Stealth Rock. Rock Blast lets Sandaconda strike foes such as Articuno, Charizard, and Mismagius that it cannot touch with Earthquake. Alternatively, Glare lets Sandaconda spread paralysis and punish Pokemon like Hisuian Decidueye, Orthworm, and Virizion that it would deal little damage to anyway. Rest and Shed Skin can keep Sandaconda healthy, especially as it takes on Poison Touch Grafaiai sets and Hisuian Qwilfish, although the inconsistency of Shed Skin can leave it out to dry. Rocky Helmet helps Sandaconda further wear down physical attackers like Snorlax, Regirock, and Dudunsparce trying to break through it, and it enables Sandaconda to punish U-turn from pivots like Hisuian Decidueye, Grafaiai, and Passimian. Tera Poison makes Sandaconda a more reliable wall to physical attackers like Passimian, Sneasel, and Hitmonlee. Tera Ghost makes Sandaconda an even more sturdy wall to physical setup sweepers like Snorlax, Dudunsparce, and Regirock, improves its matchups against other physical attackers like Passimian and Toxicroak, and lets it spinblock Sandslash and Hisuian Avalugg. Tera Water helps Sandaconda handle Floatzel, Sneasel, and Glastrier.
Sandaconda is a good physical wall for balanced teams looking to compress entry hazard setting on a teammate that isn't bothered as much by residual damage and status compared to Regirock, Orthworm, and Sandslash. Bulkier offensive teams also benefit from the utility and bulk Sandaconda offers in Glare and absorbing status from Weezing, specially defensive Dudunsparce, and Hisuian Qwilfish for offensive teammates. Hisuian Qwilfish makes an excellent hazard-stacking core with Sandaconda, and they complement each other's defensive flaws; Hisuian Qwilfish defensively answers Grass-types like Hisuian Decidueye, Virizion, and Whimsicott and Levitate Pokemon like Mesprit and Mismagius, while Sandaconda deals with Toxicroak, Sandslash, and Muk. Sandaconda's Water weakness makes teammates like Lanturn, Whimsicott, and Dipplin helpful for managing Cramorant, Clawitzer, and Floatzel. Sandaconda is not offensively threatening to walls like Cramorant and Articuno, so teammates like Magneton and Charizard can compensate for Sandaconda's poor matchup against them and have an easier time against said targets if Sandaconda has paralyzed them with Glare. Sandaconda invites in hazard setters like Palossand and Orthworm due to its passivity, so teamamates that can remove hazards like Hisuian Decidueye and Cramorant make good partners for Sandaconda.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Sandaconda has access to Body Press, which does hit Orthworm and Snorlax harder, but Rock Blast and Scale Shot provide better general coverage against most Pokemon immune to Ground. High Horsepower can be run instead of Earthquake if Thwackey is a teammate.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Most Grass-types take little damage from Earthquake and threaten Sandaconda out with their STAB moves. Dipplin, Appletun, and Lurantis can wall Sandaconda in longer games. Defog Hisuian Decidueye and Toedscruel can remove Sandaconda's Stealth Rock and Rocky Helmet. Whimsicott and Calm Mind Virizion can easily take advantage of Sandaconda, though they don't appreciate Glare hurting their great Speed stats. Shaymin shrugs off paralysis from Glare thanks to Natural Cure. Tera Dragon and Scale Shot can give Coil Sandaconda some recourse against some Grass-types but can make its position against Pokemon like Dipplin, Whimsicott, and Dazzling Gleam Shaymin worse.
**Pokemon Immune to Ground**: Ground-immune walls like Articuno and Cramorant can walk on Sandaconda, while Orthworm can use it as fodder for setting up Coil or entry hazards. Mesprit and Mismagius can use Sandaconda to set up, block its Glare with Substitute, and use Tera Fairy to completely wall sets with Scale Shot. The Oricorio formes can set up on Sandaconda and use Taunt to deny Glare. However, Ground-immune Pokemon weak to Rock, such as Charizard and the Oricorio formes, must be wary of Rock Blast or Stone Edge. Only Vikavolt and Rotom are immune to Glare.
**Special Attackers**: Sandaconda's lower special bulk leaves it easily overwhelmed by Typhlosion, Jolteon, and Magneton, though all of them are OHKOed by Earthquake and must be wary of Sandaconda catching them with a defensive Terastallization. Calm Mind Dudunsparce is bulky enough to set up in front of Sandaconda.
**Water-types**: Cramorant threatens Sandaconda with Surf, is immune to Earthquake, and can remove Sandaconda's Stealth Rock with Defog, but Sandaconda can punish it switching in with a Rock Blast or Glare. Clawitzer, Floatzel, Veluza hit Sandaconda for strong super effective damage and generally tolerate an Earthquake. Qwilfish is capable of finishing off Sandaconda but is vulnerable to Earthquake.
**Ice-types**: Sneasel is powerful enough to overwhelm Sandaconda with a boost or some chip damage and can pick off Sandaconda's offensive Scale Shot set with Ice Shard even if Sandaconda has a boost, though it takes a lot of Rocky Helmet chip damage from Sandaconda when it uses Triple Axel. Glastrier is bulky enough to take two five-hit Rock Blasts from Sandaconda and threatens it with a strong Icicle Crash. While Frosmoth hits Sandaconda on its weaker special side, it is physically frail and very threatened by Rock Blast.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bloodace.435539/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Sandaconda is a good defensive Pokemon in SV ZU thanks to its bulk and Shed Skin. The increased reliability of Rest as recovery lends Sandaconda the longevity to check Pokemon like Grafaiai, Toxicroak, and Passimian. Options like Stealth Rock, Glare, and Coil diversify Sandaconda into a great support Pokemon or a bulky setup sweeper. Sandaconda is an excellent Terastallization user to boot, enhancing its defensive profile to become even tougher to break or enabling its own sweeps. However, Shed Skin does not make Rest perfectly reliable, hampering Sandaconda's consistency. Physical attackers like Hisuian Decidueye, Glastrier, and Virizion are very problematic for Sandaconda and coerce it to burn Terastallization for its team. Despite its Electric immunity, Sancaonda's lower special bulk can leave it to be overwhelmed by coverage and additional STAB attacks from Jolteon, Magneton, and Rotom. Sandaconda also faces competition from Regirock, another Stealth Rock setter that much more reliably takes on physical attackers like Snorlax, Glastrier, and Sneasel.
[SET]
Physical Wall (Sandaconda) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Shed Skin
Tera Type: Poison / Ghost / Water
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast / Glare
- Rest
[SET COMMENTS]
Sandaconda is a great wall thanks to its natural bulk, Shed Skin, and Ground typing. Common physical attackers like Grafaiai, Toxicroak, and Regirock struggle to break through Sandaconda, and its great defensive profile enables it to consistently set up Stealth Rock. Rock Blast lets Sandaconda strike foes such as Articuno, Charizard, and Mismagius that it cannot touch with Earthquake. Alternatively, Glare lets Sandaconda spread paralysis and punish Pokemon like Hisuian Decidueye, Orthworm, and Virizion that it would deal little damage to anyway. Rest and Shed Skin can keep Sandaconda healthy, especially as it takes on Poison Touch Grafaiai sets and Hisuian Qwilfish, although the inconsistency of Shed Skin can leave it out to dry. Rocky Helmet helps Sandaconda further wear down physical attackers like Snorlax, Regirock, and Dudunsparce trying to break through it, and it enables Sandaconda to punish U-turn from pivots like Hisuian Decidueye, Grafaiai, and Passimian. Tera Poison makes Sandaconda a more reliable wall to physical attackers like Passimian, Sneasel, and Hitmonlee. Tera Ghost makes Sandaconda an even more sturdy wall to physical setup sweepers like Snorlax, Dudunsparce, and Regirock, improves its matchups against other physical attackers like Passimian and Toxicroak, and lets it spinblock Sandslash and Hisuian Avalugg. Tera Water helps Sandaconda handle Floatzel, Sneasel, and Glastrier.
Sandaconda is a good physical wall for balanced teams looking to compress entry hazard setting on a teammate that isn't bothered as much by residual damage and status compared to Regirock, Orthworm, and Sandslash. Bulkier offensive teams also benefit from the utility and bulk Sandaconda offers in Glare and absorbing status from Weezing, specially defensive Dudunsparce, and Hisuian Qwilfish for offensive teammates. Hisuian Qwilfish makes an excellent hazard-stacking core with Sandaconda, and they complement each other's defensive flaws; Hisuian Qwilfish defensively answers Grass-types like Hisuian Decidueye, Virizion, and Whimsicott and Levitate Pokemon like Mesprit and Mismagius, while Sandaconda deals with Toxicroak, Sandslash, and Muk. Sandaconda's Water weakness makes teammates like Lanturn, Whimsicott, and Dipplin helpful for managing Cramorant, Clawitzer, and Floatzel. Sandaconda is not offensively threatening to walls like Cramorant and Articuno, so teammates like Magneton and Charizard can compensate for Sandaconda's poor matchup against them and have an easier time against said targets if Sandaconda has paralyzed them with Glare. Sandaconda invites in hazard setters like Palossand and Orthworm due to its passivity, so teamamates that can remove hazards like Hisuian Decidueye and Cramorant make good partners for Sandaconda.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Sandaconda has access to Body Press, which does hit Orthworm and Snorlax harder, but Rock Blast and Scale Shot provide better general coverage against most Pokemon immune to Ground. High Horsepower can be run instead of Earthquake if Thwackey is a teammate.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Most Grass-types take little damage from Earthquake and threaten Sandaconda out with their STAB moves. Dipplin, Appletun, and Lurantis can wall Sandaconda in longer games. Defog Hisuian Decidueye and Toedscruel can remove Sandaconda's Stealth Rock and Rocky Helmet. Whimsicott and Calm Mind Virizion can easily take advantage of Sandaconda, though they don't appreciate Glare hurting their great Speed stats. Shaymin shrugs off paralysis from Glare thanks to Natural Cure. Tera Dragon and Scale Shot can give Coil Sandaconda some recourse against some Grass-types but can make its position against Pokemon like Dipplin, Whimsicott, and Dazzling Gleam Shaymin worse.
**Pokemon Immune to Ground**: Ground-immune walls like Articuno and Cramorant can walk on Sandaconda, while Orthworm can use it as fodder for setting up Coil or entry hazards. Mesprit and Mismagius can use Sandaconda to set up, block its Glare with Substitute, and use Tera Fairy to completely wall sets with Scale Shot. The Oricorio formes can set up on Sandaconda and use Taunt to deny Glare. However, Ground-immune Pokemon weak to Rock, such as Charizard and the Oricorio formes, must be wary of Rock Blast or Stone Edge. Only Vikavolt and Rotom are immune to Glare.
**Special Attackers**: Sandaconda's lower special bulk leaves it easily overwhelmed by Typhlosion, Jolteon, and Magneton, though all of them are OHKOed by Earthquake and must be wary of Sandaconda catching them with a defensive Terastallization. Calm Mind Dudunsparce is bulky enough to set up in front of Sandaconda.
**Water-types**: Cramorant threatens Sandaconda with Surf, is immune to Earthquake, and can remove Sandaconda's Stealth Rock with Defog, but Sandaconda can punish it switching in with a Rock Blast or Glare. Clawitzer, Floatzel, Veluza hit Sandaconda for strong super effective damage and generally tolerate an Earthquake. Qwilfish is capable of finishing off Sandaconda but is vulnerable to Earthquake.
**Ice-types**: Sneasel is powerful enough to overwhelm Sandaconda with a boost or some chip damage and can pick off Sandaconda's offensive Scale Shot set with Ice Shard even if Sandaconda has a boost, though it takes a lot of Rocky Helmet chip damage from Sandaconda when it uses Triple Axel. Glastrier is bulky enough to take two five-hit Rock Blasts from Sandaconda and threatens it with a strong Icicle Crash. While Frosmoth hits Sandaconda on its weaker special side, it is physically frail and very threatened by Rock Blast.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/missangelic.452572/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bloodace.435539/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/a-blue-banana.649096/
Last edited:
