Playing in the Sand

[TheMad]

What's up, Smogon?
I am TheMad, but lately I've been team testing on Pokemon Showdown and I'm pretty new here, so I would like someone to rate my Little Cup team. Here it is:

Hippopotas
Trait: Sand Stream
Item: Eviolite
Nature: Impish
EVs: 132 HP / 20 Atk / 212 Def / 100 SpDef / 20 Spe
Moves:
Stealth Rock
Earthquake
Slack Off
Whirlwind

Hippopotas isn't really a core member of the team unless we're playing a hail team. He's just there to get the sand up and Stealth Rocks if he can. if we're playing hail, then he'll be switched in for Magnemite, who can get rid of Snover with Hidden Power Fire.

Drilbur
Trait: Sand Rush
Item: Life Orb
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 212 Spe
Moves:
Earthquake
X-Scissor
Shadow Claw
Rock Slide

He has a massive grin on his face because he has the ability to tear teams in half. He's a prime abuser of Sand Rush and Life Orb, boosting his speed to 32, and his attacks are mostly one shots. Shadow Claw for Misdreavus and Gastly, X-Scissor for Grass-types and Abra, Rock Slide for Murkrow and others, and Earthquake for everything else. A pure machine of destruction.

Sandshrew
Trait: Sand Rush
Item: Eviolite
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 116 HP / 236 Atk / 36 SpDef / 116 Spe
Moves:
Earthquake
Rock Slide
Rapid Spin
Night Slash

Sandshrew is useful for Rapid Spinning and he has some late-game sweep abilities, but that's about it. He was originally a main Sweeper, but I swapped Life Orb for Eviolite and found it more effective.

Lileep
Trait: Storm Drain
Item: Eviolite
Nature: Bold
EVs: 228 HP / 220 Def / 60 SpDef
Moves:
Giga Drain
Recover
AncientPower
Toxic

Lileep is there to stall out opposing walls and use Toxic and Recover to give them a timer. AncientPower is there for Murkrow (I hate Murkrow) and Giga Drain for everything else that doesn't resist it. Just there to wall shit, really.

Cacnea
Trait: Sand Veil
Item: Oran Berry
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
Moves:
Swords Dance
Sucker Punch
Seed Bomb
Drain Punch

Cacnea is a danger man for many. He can Sucker Punch or STAB Seed Bomb you to death. Drain Punch is there for Ferroseed and if he can get a Swords Dance boost... do I need to say any more?

Magnemite
Trait: Magnet Pull
Item: Eviolite
Nature: Modest
EVs: 156 HP / 36 Def / 240 SpAtk / 76 SpDef
Moves:
Magnet Rise
Volt Switch
Flash Cannon
Hidden Power (Fire)

Magnemite is a core member of the team. With Eviolite, he can take hits and then dish them out. I originally had Thunderbolt, but I swapped it for Hidden Power Fire so he can trap Steel-types with Magnet Pull and then demolish them. He also needs it for Snover in Hail teams, so we can get Sandstorm up safely without any interruption.


Thanks for reading. Please rate my team and point out any glaring weaknesses it has. I realise it's quite weak to Trick Room as all our Speed goes to waste. Any way to deal with that?

TheMad

 

[Electrolyte]

Hey there,

Nice team! It seems as if this team has a some issues beating Hail with Fighting type support- which 90% of Hail teams do. Removing Magnemite means you lose to Snover, and losing Hippo means you lose to fighting types- so it's incredibly hard to keep your 'walls' alive long enough. Double Rush teams in general have this problem; 3 ground types equal quadruple weakness to Ice, Grass, and Water, which your other three pokemon just barely cover. Most Water types are completely walled by Lileep, so you won't have any problems with that- but Grass types, such as Snover, Foongus, or Shroomish can wall this team to hell and back because they don't give a shit about Toxic and can Spore Magnemite until it dies. Ice types, too- mainly Snover- can spam Ice type moves until Magnemite, who doesn't have the defenses to take multiple hits, is worn down. I think your Cacnea is replaceable; it really only adds to the offensive problem of Grass types and the defensive Ice type problem, and its ability to beat Water types is covered by Lileep. Instead, I suggest you try Larvesta instead of your Cacnea.

Larvesta @ Eviolite
Adamant / 76 HP / 236 Atk / 156 Def / 36 Spe
U-Turn / Flare Blitz / WiloWisp / Wild Charge

Larvest would bring a lot for the success of this team. It is a great answer to both Fighting types and Grass / Ice types, making it both an offensive and defensive supporter. Its resistance to Ice and Grass allow it to switch in to Blizzard, threaten to OHKO with Flare Blitz and U-Turn the switch in for momentum. Its ability and resistance to Fighting allows it to also wall Mienfoo and Scraggy, who risk a burn if they try to attack it. It has great synergy with your team; the rock types it baits inare easy setup bait for Drilbur / Sandshrew, and the water types it baits in can be defeated by Lileep. Larvesta alao smashes defensive Grass types; OHKOing Shroomish and Foonguswith Flare Blitz. WiloWisp lets you burn opponents, making them easier to wall and kill later on, and Wild Charge hits Water types that can take Flare Blitzes. However, Morning Sun can be used over WoW or Wild Charge so that Larvesta isn't worn down as easily- but keep in mind, it only heals 25% in Sand / Hail.

Now, just one more little thing. I suggest you try Swords Dance on Drilbur over Shadow Claw. Swords Dance lets you boost Drilbur's already high Atk stat to even more monstrous levels- letting it muscle past defensive opponents and sweep with more destructive power. Without Swords Dance, Drilbur is pretty weak; Swords Dance lets it boost its power so it's cirtually unwallable. Shadow Claw is pretty useless in my opinion as Gastly and Missy are hit harder by +2 Rock Slide, and Psychic types are hit harder by XScissor.

Cool team!