Ok, after about two weeks of unsuccessfully making sandstorm teams, I finally made one that works well (9-3 record). Although it is not as defensive as some sandstorm teams, it still utilizes the sandstorm to a certain extent. I'm not the best team builder, so tell me whether this is a genuinely solid team or I just got lucky on shoddy (and the latter wouldn't surprise me at all). Here it is:
Aerodactyl @ focus sash
Ability: pressure
EV's: 252 hp / 252 spe /4 atk
Nature: jolly
- Rock Slide
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Toxic
First, I must say, credit to Alphazone for the idea of using aerodactyl on a sandstorm set. Runs through most other leads, and gives me the chance to bring tyranitar in later for the sandstorm in case of an abomasnow lead. Brilliant, I must say. More or less standard, but I threw in toxic for more utility against bulky leads like hippodon. And, no one ever sees it coming. Toxic also has application against bulky waters like suicune that can occasionally run through my team. I can usually set up stealth rock and then run like hell. Normally people use aerodactyl as a suicide lead, but I save him for quick toxic. Also, if I am threatened by an obvious attack, such as a bronzong's gyro ball, I can generally switch to an appropriate counter and take little or no damage (for example, i can switch in heatran on bronzong, taking little from gyro and hit back hard with fire blast). And I can switch out for later toxic or sweeping with SD boosts. Overall, I have found that this is one of the most reliable leads in the game, and it fits well with the rest of my team.
Tyranitar @ leftovers
Ability: sand stream
EV's: 252 hp / 52 atk / 28 spe / 176 spA
Nature: Quiet
- Substitute
- Focus Punch
- Ice beam
- Flamethrower
Ahhhh...the sweet smell of wall-breaking. Boah, without a doubt, is my favorite competitive pokemon. Boah sets up sandstorm for me, and breaks every wall my opponent cares to set up. He works well with gliscor, because he can take gliscor's SD's, and gliscor enjoys his 20% evasion rate from sandstorm. Quite a team player. Once I break a wall, their switch in is still a victim if they haven't broken my sub yet, and this is where IB and flamethrower come in. The combo of fighting/ice/fire is very good, and I can score super effective hits on many of boah's switch ins. I didn't use crunch of dark pulse because there isn't much I can hit with it for SE, and, of those few, there aren't many that aren't also hit super-effectively by focus punch, ice beam, or flamethrower.
Gliscor @ leftovers
ability: sand veil
EV's: 252 hp / 252 def / 4 spD
nature: impish
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Baton Pass
- Roost
Gliscor is, in a nutshell, my physical wall and BPer. I prefer to call him my SUPER SPECIAL AWESOME CREATURE OF DEATH! because, if I didn't call him that, it would be underestimating his skill. This team lives for setting up on people, and occasionally dies for setting up on people. But not this guy. Out of all of my wins, this guy is alive to see it more than half of the time. he hangs out, grabbing SD boosts and roosting his health back up. Then, he passes off to one of my three physical pokemon. And his typing allows him to set up on many pokemon.
Heatran @ choice scarf
ability: flash fire
EV's: 252 spe / 252 spA / 4 hp
Nature: timid
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- crunch/rock slide
- HP ice
On my team, heatran mainly serves two purposes. It is an extremely proficient revenge killer, taking down many pokemon that would have otherwise gotten a free kill on me. Heatran also serves to absorb the fire type attacks that would otherwise destroy breloom. Heatran also has a physical move, allowing gliscor to pass SD off to him,giving me more options.
Latias @ leftovers
Ability: levitate
EV's: 224 hp / 176 spe / 108 spA
Nature: Timid
- Dragon Pulse
- Thunder Bolt
- Reflect
- Wish
As you may have noticed, my last four pokemon were all susceptible to water attacks. I solve this problem with my last two pokemon. Latias is now the only defensive pokemon on this team. She basically does three things. One, set up reflect. Two, wish-pass. Three, absorb stuff.
Reflect works nicely, increasing latias's menial defense. Also, it allows me to severely limit the use of physical pokemon, many of which would commonly switch in on latias
Breloom @ toxic orb
Ability: Poison heal
EV's: 252 atk / 252 spe / 4 hp
Nature: adamant
- Mach Punch
- Seed Bomb
- Spore
- Stone Edge
Breloom really ties up the loose ends in this team. Breloom can safely switch in on many attacks and spore the opponent, or whoever cares to switch in. Mach Punch for priority and STAB, seed bomb for more powerful STAB, and stone edge for coverage. Breloom enjoys the SD boosts from gliscor, and actually once ran through a whole team with +4 atk. Breloom occasionally functions as a revenge killer with mach punch, but isn't as proficient as heatran. breloom and heatran are the loosest pokemon in this team, so if anyone has any suggested replacements, then please comment.
The real solidity in this team, I think, comes with the support that each pokemon gives each other. I have pokemon that can absorb electric, fire, ground, and psychic attacks that threaten my team. There are still some gaping holes, such as mamoswine leads (someone tell me what to do with these). And I really love trickspecs jirachi, and I'm trying to fit one in someplace. All suggestions are welcome. Thanks for looking.
Aerodactyl @ focus sash
Ability: pressure
EV's: 252 hp / 252 spe /4 atk
Nature: jolly
- Rock Slide
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Toxic
First, I must say, credit to Alphazone for the idea of using aerodactyl on a sandstorm set. Runs through most other leads, and gives me the chance to bring tyranitar in later for the sandstorm in case of an abomasnow lead. Brilliant, I must say. More or less standard, but I threw in toxic for more utility against bulky leads like hippodon. And, no one ever sees it coming. Toxic also has application against bulky waters like suicune that can occasionally run through my team. I can usually set up stealth rock and then run like hell. Normally people use aerodactyl as a suicide lead, but I save him for quick toxic. Also, if I am threatened by an obvious attack, such as a bronzong's gyro ball, I can generally switch to an appropriate counter and take little or no damage (for example, i can switch in heatran on bronzong, taking little from gyro and hit back hard with fire blast). And I can switch out for later toxic or sweeping with SD boosts. Overall, I have found that this is one of the most reliable leads in the game, and it fits well with the rest of my team.
Tyranitar @ leftovers
Ability: sand stream
EV's: 252 hp / 52 atk / 28 spe / 176 spA
Nature: Quiet
- Substitute
- Focus Punch
- Ice beam
- Flamethrower
Ahhhh...the sweet smell of wall-breaking. Boah, without a doubt, is my favorite competitive pokemon. Boah sets up sandstorm for me, and breaks every wall my opponent cares to set up. He works well with gliscor, because he can take gliscor's SD's, and gliscor enjoys his 20% evasion rate from sandstorm. Quite a team player. Once I break a wall, their switch in is still a victim if they haven't broken my sub yet, and this is where IB and flamethrower come in. The combo of fighting/ice/fire is very good, and I can score super effective hits on many of boah's switch ins. I didn't use crunch of dark pulse because there isn't much I can hit with it for SE, and, of those few, there aren't many that aren't also hit super-effectively by focus punch, ice beam, or flamethrower.
Gliscor @ leftovers
ability: sand veil
EV's: 252 hp / 252 def / 4 spD
nature: impish
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Baton Pass
- Roost
Gliscor is, in a nutshell, my physical wall and BPer. I prefer to call him my SUPER SPECIAL AWESOME CREATURE OF DEATH! because, if I didn't call him that, it would be underestimating his skill. This team lives for setting up on people, and occasionally dies for setting up on people. But not this guy. Out of all of my wins, this guy is alive to see it more than half of the time. he hangs out, grabbing SD boosts and roosting his health back up. Then, he passes off to one of my three physical pokemon. And his typing allows him to set up on many pokemon.
Heatran @ choice scarf
ability: flash fire
EV's: 252 spe / 252 spA / 4 hp
Nature: timid
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- crunch/rock slide
- HP ice
On my team, heatran mainly serves two purposes. It is an extremely proficient revenge killer, taking down many pokemon that would have otherwise gotten a free kill on me. Heatran also serves to absorb the fire type attacks that would otherwise destroy breloom. Heatran also has a physical move, allowing gliscor to pass SD off to him,giving me more options.
Latias @ leftovers
Ability: levitate
EV's: 224 hp / 176 spe / 108 spA
Nature: Timid
- Dragon Pulse
- Thunder Bolt
- Reflect
- Wish
As you may have noticed, my last four pokemon were all susceptible to water attacks. I solve this problem with my last two pokemon. Latias is now the only defensive pokemon on this team. She basically does three things. One, set up reflect. Two, wish-pass. Three, absorb stuff.
Reflect works nicely, increasing latias's menial defense. Also, it allows me to severely limit the use of physical pokemon, many of which would commonly switch in on latias
Breloom @ toxic orb
Ability: Poison heal
EV's: 252 atk / 252 spe / 4 hp
Nature: adamant
- Mach Punch
- Seed Bomb
- Spore
- Stone Edge
Breloom really ties up the loose ends in this team. Breloom can safely switch in on many attacks and spore the opponent, or whoever cares to switch in. Mach Punch for priority and STAB, seed bomb for more powerful STAB, and stone edge for coverage. Breloom enjoys the SD boosts from gliscor, and actually once ran through a whole team with +4 atk. Breloom occasionally functions as a revenge killer with mach punch, but isn't as proficient as heatran. breloom and heatran are the loosest pokemon in this team, so if anyone has any suggested replacements, then please comment.
The real solidity in this team, I think, comes with the support that each pokemon gives each other. I have pokemon that can absorb electric, fire, ground, and psychic attacks that threaten my team. There are still some gaping holes, such as mamoswine leads (someone tell me what to do with these). And I really love trickspecs jirachi, and I'm trying to fit one in someplace. All suggestions are welcome. Thanks for looking.
