Shinkou's Sandstorm

[Shinkou]

I have not play tested for VCG 2011 for a while and recently got back into playing it more. I always liked the Sandstorm theme and wanted to try it out for this year’s VGC despite Tyranitar and Hippowdon not legal for the event. I have made some changes throughout the beginning when the rules for VGC 2011 announced to now.

The purpose of this team is to set up the Sandstorm with Crustle while Mienshao is there either to protect my Crustle from disturbance from the opponent or to serve as disturbance itself. With Crustle’s Sturdy ability, it will be able to survive any one hit while Mienshao will likely Fake Out one Pokémon to prevent it from being killed by both of the opposing lead Pokémon. Once my leading Pokémon have finished their job, I will switch in my Excadrill and my Landorus to sweep the rest of the opposing Pokémon with the help of the Sandstorm, allowing Excadrill to out speed virtually every Pokémon legal in this year’s VGC outside of Tailwind and boosting Landorus’ Earthquakes and Rock Slides considerably.
​

Doom Dozer (Crustle) (M) @ Smooth Rock
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Sandstorm
- Rock Slide
- X-Scissor
- Protect

Crustle sets up the Sandstorm for my strategy. I used to use Accelgor, but I then decided that Crustle would be better because it has a Sturdy ability to ensure that it sets up as well as being more bulky. An advantage to using Crustle is that it will gain a Special Defense boost from the Sandstorm due to being a Rock-Type so that it can help resist many of the Special Attacks popular in the VGC 2011 metagame. Being able to use STAB Rock Slide is also nice to have.

Chu-Ske (Mienshao) (M) @ Fight Jewel
Trait: Inner Focus
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Fake Out
- Wide Guard
- Taunt
- Drain Punch

Mienshao is used in the lead to disrupt any lead strategies that the opponent is trying to start while also ensuring that my Crustle is not disrupted from setting up Sandstorm. I figured that since disruption was such a key strategy from VGC 2010 that it would remain to be one, so I decided to add Mienshao since it seems to be the best disruption Pokémon in Gen V (second to Liepard with Prankster but it is not certain if that will be available in time for the tournament). I see more usage of multi-hit attacks than to priority moves while testing on Pokémon Online, so I decided to choose Wide Guard over Quick Guard. Even though the analysis suggests Focus Sash, it would be counterproductive since I use a Sandstorm strategy, so I decided to give it the Fight Jewel so that its Drain Punch will be stronger for taking out lead opponents.

Granel (Landorus) (M) @ Yache Berry
Trait: Sand Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Brick Break
- Protect

Landorus is such an amazing Pokémon when the Sandstorm is brewing and it quickly became one of my most favorite Pokémon after using it in my OU team on Pokémon Online. Used for taking advantage of his powerful multi-hit attacks especially while its Sand Force is applied. Yache Berry should be able to save it from being OHKO'd by most Ice attacks except probably from a Vanilluxe so I will keep it against people using Hidden Power Ice.

Grand Mole (Excadrill) (M) @ Chople Berry
Trait: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- X-Scissor
- Protect

Excadrill of course is a staple to all variants of Sandstorm. His role in my team is of course to take advantage of its strong multi-hit attacks while out speeding every other Pokémon with its Sand Rush ability. X-Scissor is so much better than Shadow Claw from my testing due to how great Bug-Type attacks are in VGC 2011, so it was changed. Conkledurr has been very common in my Pokémon Online matches and I hate when they kill my Excadrill with a single Mach Punch, so I give my Excadrill the Chople Berry so that it will not get OHKO'd by Fighting attacks. I am currently experimenting with an Adamant Nature over a Jolly Nature because I am likely the only one using an Excadrill and it should be able to outspeed the same Pokémon if it were Jolly. If there are any Pokémon that Excadrill cannot outspeed with an Adamant Nature that a Jolly Nature can, please be sure to let me know.

I would appreciate suggestions on how to improve this team.

 

[Fantom0]

Why not use Accelgor? Being able to outspeed everything allows you to beat Mienshao/Whimsicott no problem. And the sudden power from Death Gambit is way past useful. I always find this set useful...

Accelgor @ Mental Herb
Jolly: 252 HP/4 Def/252 Spe
-Sandstorm
-Death Gambit
-Protect
-Spikes/Toxic/other filler
This set is designed to set up Sandstorm on any team bar Scarf Chandelure. Mental Herb gives you the power to beat Taunters and get up Sandstorm, as I find Focus Sash is a bit useless in Sandstorm. Death Gambit is just there to hurt something when necessary.

If you have this set, replace Mienshao/Excadrill's item with Smooth Rock.

Also, have Explosion on Landorus over Brick Break. EdgeQuake is unresisted in 5th gen, and Explosion can act as the checkmate move to a game. Just Protect with your partner as you do it. If you do, I would recommend giving Landorus Life Orb over Yache Berry, since it very nearly gives him an SD boost as soon as he comes in, multiplying his attack by 1.95x, a very big number. If there's something that can survive Landorus's Life Orbed Explosion and doesn't resist it, well, that's a rare pokemon.

Hope I helped!

 

[Shinkou]

The problem about Accelgor is that it will not help much at all after it sets up the Sandstorm. Crustle on the other hand has a Sturdy ability to ensure that it will be alive to set up the Sandstorm and benefits from the Special Defense boost. Crustle is also good against Trick Room teams due to it being able to out slow some Pokémon from what I seen on Pokémon Online.

I will try the suggestions that you gave for Landorus though as it may be promising.

 

[Pizza Fish]

a problem i can see is from trick room users. your mienshao may have taunt, but some leads run mental herbs just to evade that. in this case, your sandstorm's power has been reduced. and of course, whimsicott and prankster could easily set up tailwind too, which isnt as much of a concern though. other than that, i can't find anything that seriously threatens your team.