Hippowdon @ Eject Button / Leftovers
Name: Sand Support
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD or 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake / Body Press
- Whirlwind
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
Hippowdon is a mandatory pick on sand-based Ground teams for its access to Sand Stream, which allows it to enable one of the type's most dangerous offensive threats in Sand Rush Excadrill; in addition, its amazing bulk lets it further support its team as a mixed wall and entry hazard setter. Earthquake is the default attacking move for its STAB-boosted damage, but Body Press can also be useful to harness Hippowdon's huge Defense, letting it KO Pokemon like Air Balloon Heatran and Hisuian Samurott and put more pressure on some hazard removers, most notably Terapagos and Air Balloon Iron Treads. Stealth Rock is an excellent support move that Hippowdon's teammates will enjoy not having to fit into their movesets, and the chip damage it provides is invaluable to make Excadrill and other offensive teammates like Landorus and Mamoswine more threatening. Whirlwind makes for an excellent pairing with Stealth Rock and Sand Stream, letting Hippowdon rack up chip damage at random against the opposing team; it's also excellent for stopping setup sweepers like Swords Dance Gliscor and Dragon Dance Dragonite before they can overwhelm Hippowdon with multiple boosts. With Eject Button as its item, Hippowdon can switch in, set up Sandstorm, take a powerful hit for a teammate, and get Excadrill or another offensive threat onto the field all in the same turn, generating ridiculous amounts of momentum. However, Leftovers is a solid alternative to give Hippowdon extra recovery, reducing the need to spend turns using Slack Off. A physically defensive EV spread is the default, taking advantage of Hippowdon's incredible HP and Defense to let it survive such staggeringly strong hits as Choice Band Meowscarada's Flower Trick after Stealth Rock damage and avoid a 2HKO from the Ogerpon formes' Horn Leech. Alternatively, a more balanced spread of 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SpD can help Hippowdon deal with mixed attackers like Iron Valiant and Psyshock users like Latios more effectively, the latter being especially important since Hippowdon's favorite specially defensive teammate, Clodsire, is extremely vulnerable to the move. This spread also has great synergy with Eject Button, since it lets Hippowdon soak up powerful special hits like Choice Specs Latios's Draco Meteor for the benefit of its teammates.
As a sand setter, it makes sense that Sand Rush Excadrill is the quintessential offensive teammate for Hippowdon; its Choice Band set provides excellent speed control and wallbreaking power in one teamslot, and its Steel typing also lets it offensively check some attackers that can overwhelm Hippowdon, such as Latios and Choice Scarf Meowscarada. On the defensive side, Clodsire is an excellent special wall that complements Hippowdon's physical hit-taking ability perfectly, and it can also stack Toxic Spikes to make Whirlwind even more threatening; Clodsire is especially great thanks to its Water immunity and Grass neutrality, letting it stop major threats like Keldeo and Walking Wake. Mamoswine can put pressure onto Flying- and Grass-types like Corviknight, Gliscor and Sinistcha with Icicle Crash. Thanks to Thick Fat, Mamoswine is also a great switch-in to Ice-type attacks that Hippowdon doesn't enjoy taking from powerful attackers like Kyurem and opposing Mamoswine. Landorus is a welcome welcome addition to Hippowdon's team, providing useful support with a crucial Grass neutrality and Gravity, and it also makes an excellent check to common physical walls such as Skarmory and Defensive Great Tusk with Focus Blast and Psychic respectively. Garchomp is a great addition to sand teams, thanks to its mixed attacking capabilities letting it lure annoying physical walls like Skarmory and Archaludon; it can also go on the offensive with a Swords Dance set if these foes are covered by other means. Garchomp is also capable of providing entry hazard support in the form of Spikes, giving Excadrill an easier time sweeping. Great Tusk is an incredibly reliable defensive partner, filling the roles of both entry hazard control and providing Knock Off support. Gliscor can provide Spikes support, which pairs nicely with Hippowdon's focus on passive damage. Additionally, Gliscor can opt for a Swords Dance set to set up on teams that are able to sufficiently wait out Sandstorm and Gravity.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/royalreloaded.246753/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pengairxan.622813/
Grammar checked by:
Name: Sand Support
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD or 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake / Body Press
- Whirlwind
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
Hippowdon is a mandatory pick on sand-based Ground teams for its access to Sand Stream, which allows it to enable one of the type's most dangerous offensive threats in Sand Rush Excadrill; in addition, its amazing bulk lets it further support its team as a mixed wall and entry hazard setter. Earthquake is the default attacking move for its STAB-boosted damage, but Body Press can also be useful to harness Hippowdon's huge Defense, letting it KO Pokemon like Air Balloon Heatran and Hisuian Samurott and put more pressure on some hazard removers, most notably Terapagos and Air Balloon Iron Treads. Stealth Rock is an excellent support move that Hippowdon's teammates will enjoy not having to fit into their movesets, and the chip damage it provides is invaluable to make Excadrill and other offensive teammates like Landorus and Mamoswine more threatening. Whirlwind makes for an excellent pairing with Stealth Rock and Sand Stream, letting Hippowdon rack up chip damage at random against the opposing team; it's also excellent for stopping setup sweepers like Swords Dance Gliscor and Dragon Dance Dragonite before they can overwhelm Hippowdon with multiple boosts. With Eject Button as its item, Hippowdon can switch in, set up Sandstorm, take a powerful hit for a teammate, and get Excadrill or another offensive threat onto the field all in the same turn, generating ridiculous amounts of momentum. However, Leftovers is a solid alternative to give Hippowdon extra recovery, reducing the need to spend turns using Slack Off. A physically defensive EV spread is the default, taking advantage of Hippowdon's incredible HP and Defense to let it survive such staggeringly strong hits as Choice Band Meowscarada's Flower Trick after Stealth Rock damage and avoid a 2HKO from the Ogerpon formes' Horn Leech. Alternatively, a more balanced spread of 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 SpD can help Hippowdon deal with mixed attackers like Iron Valiant and Psyshock users like Latios more effectively, the latter being especially important since Hippowdon's favorite specially defensive teammate, Clodsire, is extremely vulnerable to the move. This spread also has great synergy with Eject Button, since it lets Hippowdon soak up powerful special hits like Choice Specs Latios's Draco Meteor for the benefit of its teammates.
As a sand setter, it makes sense that Sand Rush Excadrill is the quintessential offensive teammate for Hippowdon; its Choice Band set provides excellent speed control and wallbreaking power in one teamslot, and its Steel typing also lets it offensively check some attackers that can overwhelm Hippowdon, such as Latios and Choice Scarf Meowscarada. On the defensive side, Clodsire is an excellent special wall that complements Hippowdon's physical hit-taking ability perfectly, and it can also stack Toxic Spikes to make Whirlwind even more threatening; Clodsire is especially great thanks to its Water immunity and Grass neutrality, letting it stop major threats like Keldeo and Walking Wake. Mamoswine can put pressure onto Flying- and Grass-types like Corviknight, Gliscor and Sinistcha with Icicle Crash. Thanks to Thick Fat, Mamoswine is also a great switch-in to Ice-type attacks that Hippowdon doesn't enjoy taking from powerful attackers like Kyurem and opposing Mamoswine. Landorus is a welcome welcome addition to Hippowdon's team, providing useful support with a crucial Grass neutrality and Gravity, and it also makes an excellent check to common physical walls such as Skarmory and Defensive Great Tusk with Focus Blast and Psychic respectively. Garchomp is a great addition to sand teams, thanks to its mixed attacking capabilities letting it lure annoying physical walls like Skarmory and Archaludon; it can also go on the offensive with a Swords Dance set if these foes are covered by other means. Garchomp is also capable of providing entry hazard support in the form of Spikes, giving Excadrill an easier time sweeping. Great Tusk is an incredibly reliable defensive partner, filling the roles of both entry hazard control and providing Knock Off support. Gliscor can provide Spikes support, which pairs nicely with Hippowdon's focus on passive damage. Additionally, Gliscor can opt for a Swords Dance set to set up on teams that are able to sufficiently wait out Sandstorm and Gravity.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/royalreloaded.246753/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pengairxan.622813/
Grammar checked by:
Last edited:








