Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 60 Atk / 164 SpD / 32 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Superpower
- Ice Punch
Tyranitar is the engine of the sand archetype, particularly enabling Sand Rush Excadrill on the "fespy Sand" team, which has become very popular during the second Official Smogon Doubles Tournament. Thanks to its overall strong bulk with doubled Special Defense in sand, Tyranitar acts as the team's defensive backbone, checking threats such as Naganadel, Necrozma, and Tapu Lele. It can even take on Landorus and Volcanion despite the typing disadvantage thanks to Assault Vest. Zapdos, Tapu Fini, and Incineroar make for good teammates that cover Tyranitar's weaknesses well, taking on Urshifu-R and Rillaboom. Stone Edge and Crunch are strong STAB attacks with great neutral coverage, and they specifically help Excadrill by hitting Zapdos and Mew for super effective damage. Superpower and Ice Punch round out Tyranitar's coverage, nailing Heatran, Porygon2, Landorus, and Zygarde. The EVs let Tyranitar outspeed Landorus in Tailwind and almost always take two Earth Powers from it.
Check out Tyranitar and fespy Sand in action in Top 16 of OSDT II: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen8doublesou-645156
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 60 Atk / 164 SpD / 32 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Superpower
- Ice Punch
Tyranitar is the engine of the sand archetype, particularly enabling Sand Rush Excadrill on the "fespy Sand" team, which has become very popular during the second Official Smogon Doubles Tournament. Thanks to its overall strong bulk with doubled Special Defense in sand, Tyranitar acts as the team's defensive backbone, checking threats such as Naganadel, Necrozma, and Tapu Lele. It can even take on Landorus and Volcanion despite the typing disadvantage thanks to Assault Vest. Zapdos, Tapu Fini, and Incineroar make for good teammates that cover Tyranitar's weaknesses well, taking on Urshifu-R and Rillaboom. Stone Edge and Crunch are strong STAB attacks with great neutral coverage, and they specifically help Excadrill by hitting Zapdos and Mew for super effective damage. Superpower and Ice Punch round out Tyranitar's coverage, nailing Heatran, Porygon2, Landorus, and Zygarde. The EVs let Tyranitar outspeed Landorus in Tailwind and almost always take two Earth Powers from it.
Check out Tyranitar and fespy Sand in action in Top 16 of OSDT II: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen8doublesou-645156
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