Introduction
Hiya, I've been meaning to write one more RMT before this generation ends for a while, and this is a team I absolutely love using so I knew in my heart this was the one to do. This team was something I used quite a lot in UU Majors this year, using it 4 times for 4 wins, twice in qualifiers and twice in playoffs, the replays of which will be included at the end.
Around 4 months ago I RMT'd the spiritual predecessor of this team, which was my first real go at building around Stoutland, as I have always loved sand, and really wanted to try the only viable sand rush user we have in UU. I had built it with a Magneton however, and I just wasn't pleased with the matchups such as Crawdaunt, Terrakion and Mamoswine it struggled with just to trap Scizor and a few other steels, especially when Stoutland can just run Fire Fang anyway. This time around, I wanted to build a much fatter Sand Balance with Stoutland, which could allow me to play around some of Stoutland's hardest answers such as Jellicent, Mimikyu and Doublade, while giving it the survivability via wish support to better combat opposing fat teams that could attempt to outlive it.
While I have mainly used this for UU majors, this team was designed to also be very usable on ladder, with little reliance on any lure sets, and with Stoutland taking advantage of popular ladder trends to deal with fatter teams such as Toxic Spikes Nidoqueen and Nihilego, while maintaining a strong matchup against Stall teams not using Mega Steels, which are still winnable due to Superpower and the other teammates, just much tougher.
Teambuilding Process
So obviously, I wanted to build with Stoutland, and the natural partner that is a 100% requirement for this is Hippowdon. I originally started with a more mixed spread Hippowdon, but ended up making it more Physically defensive later on as I wanted it to more comfortably check pokemon such as Mimikyu and Knock Off Scizor. Hippowdon also offers valuable assistance in nullifying the recovery from Sylveon and Florges, which could otherwise make it hard for Stoutland to take down such teams due to them wish passing to Aggron/Steelix constantly.
Aerodactyl-Mega was the obvious partner for these two Pokemon, greatly appreciating Sand boosting its special defense, offering speed control outside of the weather, checking Flying-types such as Moltres and Togekiss attempting to come in on some of my other teammates, and importantly for Stoutland, Pursuit trapping Ghost-types that would otherwise annoy Stoutland.
Doublade offered some useful things for this team, giving a strong defensive answer to Pokemon such as Cobalion and Terrakion that could punish Stoutland for locking into Normal-type moves, helping to Check Nihilego which could be painful to switch into with its coverage, and offering a more defensive way of dealing with Celebi and Latias, while being the main answer to non-Knock Off Scizor for the team. Importantly, thanks to Sacred Sword it also offers help breaking through fat steels such as Mega Aggron and Mega Steelix, which greatly assists Stoutland.
Hydreigon offered the team a defogger, as well as a valuable check to threatening Water-types such as Crawdaunt and Volcanion that could greatly pressure the sand core. The useful tech of Darkinium Z also allows it to break through Steel-types (especially Scizor) more easily, and KO Mimikyu, both of which jels Stoutland appreciates. It also greatly helps deal with Stoutland's hardest matchup in Jellicent, effectively countering any set not running Toxic.
Sylveon in the last slot provides a key defensive answer to Hydreigon and Sharpedo. Due to a slightly more specially defensive spread than standard, it also helps to deal with Specs Primarina more reliably, although it is still fairly easily broken through with enough chip damage. Sylveon also offers key wish support for Doublade and Stoutland.
In-Depth Look At Team
So obviously, I wanted to build with Stoutland, and the natural partner that is a 100% requirement for this is Hippowdon. I originally started with a more mixed spread Hippowdon, but ended up making it more Physically defensive later on as I wanted it to more comfortably check pokemon such as Mimikyu and Knock Off Scizor. Hippowdon also offers valuable assistance in nullifying the recovery from Sylveon and Florges, which could otherwise make it hard for Stoutland to take down such teams due to them wish passing to Aggron/Steelix constantly.
Aerodactyl-Mega was the obvious partner for these two Pokemon, greatly appreciating Sand boosting its special defense, offering speed control outside of the weather, checking Flying-types such as Moltres and Togekiss attempting to come in on some of my other teammates, and importantly for Stoutland, Pursuit trapping Ghost-types that would otherwise annoy Stoutland.
Doublade offered some useful things for this team, giving a strong defensive answer to Pokemon such as Cobalion and Terrakion that could punish Stoutland for locking into Normal-type moves, helping to Check Nihilego which could be painful to switch into with its coverage, and offering a more defensive way of dealing with Celebi and Latias, while being the main answer to non-Knock Off Scizor for the team. Importantly, thanks to Sacred Sword it also offers help breaking through fat steels such as Mega Aggron and Mega Steelix, which greatly assists Stoutland.
Hydreigon offered the team a defogger, as well as a valuable check to threatening Water-types such as Crawdaunt and Volcanion that could greatly pressure the sand core. The useful tech of Darkinium Z also allows it to break through Steel-types (especially Scizor) more easily, and KO Mimikyu, both of which jels Stoutland appreciates. It also greatly helps deal with Stoutland's hardest matchup in Jellicent, effectively countering any set not running Toxic.
Sylveon in the last slot provides a key defensive answer to Hydreigon and Sharpedo. Due to a slightly more specially defensive spread than standard, it also helps to deal with Specs Primarina more reliably, although it is still fairly easily broken through with enough chip damage. Sylveon also offers key wish support for Doublade and Stoutland.
In-Depth Look At Team
fodlan winds (Stoutland) @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fire Fang
- Superpower
- Return
- Facade
Stoutland is the star of the show for this team, offering a very unique breaker to sand balances thanks to its ability Sand Rush allowing it to hit 518 speed. With a Choice Band, it OHKOes Latias after Stealth Rock with Return, being a dangerous revenge killer in its own right. Return can also 2HKO Alomomola after Stealth Rock, making it very difficult for stall teams to deal with if they do not have a Steel type. Fire Fang is a fantastic move to allow it to hit Scizor and Doublade supereffectively, while Superpower allows it to hit other steels such as Aggron and Steelix for supereffective damage, making it reasonably hard to switch into. Facade is the icing on the cake, allowing it to punish Scald users or Toxic spikes users to become even more dangerous.
chasing daybreak (Hippowdon) @ Smooth Rock / Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
Hippowdon, the mascot of sand teams in UU, is the mandatory partner to Stoutland for this team, with its ability to set sandstorm integral to Stoutland breaking faster teams. Smooth Rock allows Hippowdon to set longer sandstorms, which greatly benefits Stoutland, and makes Aerodactyl a more reliable Pursuit trapper to Pokemon such as Gengar, Celebi and Latias, and lets it check Nidoqueen much better. Rocky Helmet is however a viable alternative that punishes U-turn spam far more. A more defensive EV spread allows it to check Scizor better and whirlwind it out, with 56 SpDef EVs guaranteeing it isn't 2HKOd by Manectric's HP Ice after Stealth Rock. Whirlwind is incredibly useful to help take down bulky teams reliant on Sylveon of Flroges to wish pass, as it can prevent them from restoring their own health.
blue sky & battle (Aerodactyl-Mega) @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Tough Claws
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Roost
Aerodactyl-Mega forms the final part of the Sandstorm core for the team, offering reliable speed control outside of Sand, a valuable flying resist to defensively deal with Togekiss and Moltres, which can both otherwise find opportunities to come in against multiple mons on the team, and Pursuit trapping, which is particularly helpful for Ghost-types such as Gengar and Chandelure, due to their ability to otherwise punish Stoutland, but also helpful for removing Pokemon such as Celebi, Latias and Starmie to prevent them pressuring the team given free switches.
tearing heaven (Doublade) @ Eviolite
Ability: No Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 240 HP / 180 Atk / 88 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Shadow Sneak
- Sacred Sword
- Swords Dance
- Iron Head
Doublade offers some useful features in the fourth slot for this team. Firstly, it provides a solid answer to Physical threats such as Cobalion, SD Terrakion and Non-Knock Off Scizor, which can all punish Stoutland for locking into its normal STAB moves, (albeit less so a boosted facade). It also provides a defensive check to Latias, Celebi and non-Fire Blast Altaria, with the EV Spread designed to take a +1 Z-Thunder from Latias, while still guaranteeing the 2HKO with shadow sneak after Stealth Rock. Thanks to wish support, it is also able to do all of this far more reliably than it usually could. It also offers another win condition in matches where Stoutland is likely to struggle due to multiple Steel-types, with Sacred Sword allowing it to easily break through Pokemon such as Scizor, Mega Aggron and Mega Steelix. Lastly, it also provides some useful qualities versus stall teams, being able to switch into Pyukumuku without fear due to its typing to prevent it freely using Block, while being a general nuisance, as can be seen in the UU Majors match vs vivalospride in replays. Toxic is an option over Sacred Sword to make Doublade able to severely pressure stall teams with the Wish support provided, but is generally inferior due to worsening the matchups versus Mega Steel Balances.
world's apex (Hydreigon) @ Darkinium Z
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Draco Meteor
- Roost
- Defog
Defog Hydreigon is a personal favourite of mine as far as defoggers go, and fits greatly on this team as an answer to threatening water-types such as Volcanion and Crawdaunt that can otherwise overwhelm the first four members. It also serves as a solid consistent answer to Jellicent, which otherwise plagues Stoutland, and can offensively check Doublade, another one major issue for Stoutland. Darkinium Z is a useful tech that allows it to OHKO all scizors after Stealth Rock, and OHKO Mimikyu, while giving it a nuke to hit other steel types with, and a z crystal nuke that fairies can only resist, with double the base power of dark pulse, allowing it to pick off weakened prim/altaria etc.
roar of dominion (Sylveon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 16 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Protect
- Wish
- Heal Bell
Sylveon as the final member completes the Steel Fairy Dragon core with Doublade and Hydreigon, and provides a crucial fairy typing to offer a reliable switch in to Hydreigon and defensive Primarina. Wish support from Sylveon is vital to keeping Doublade and Stoutland afloat for long periods of time, making them much more threatening. Heal Bell may seem an odd choice given Facade on stoutland, but it is still highly valuable a lot of the time to be able to clear burns off doublade, paralysis off of aerodactyl or stoutland, and poisons off hippowdon or hydreigon, and clearing a status off stoutland can be useful to its longevity, especially when facade is unecessary.
Threatlist
(specs) - Obviously with the team using Calm Sylveon as its Primarina answer, Specs Primarina can be very tricky to switch into, luckily however Bulky primarina is more popular than ever lately. The counterplay for this is just to keep the offensive pressure up, making use of how quickly it can chip itself, and the fact that Sylveon can sort of switch in to moonblast. Trying to prevent it from getting free turns on Hydreigon where possible is useful, and the sand chip really helps here. (bulky) - Far less of a threat offensively than Specs Primarina is, as Sylveon can actually wall this, but it is much harder to take down. Stoutland can 2HKO it and has decent bulk against it, and Sylveon can attempt to wish pass into it while it fishes for Scald burns, allowing it to potentially OHKO with Facade after Rocks. Sylveon can also just flat PP stall it if need be. Sandstorm makes it struggle to come in against Aerodactyl as easily as well, making the risk of a 2HKO as it switches in very real. Important to keep Sylveon healthy in these matchups.
- Can be annoying to deal with due to no real pivot into it. Doublade can however trade with it, while Stoutland can take it out provided it stays reasonably healthy, and Hydreigon can pick it off if it stays out of Ice Shard range. Offensive pressure needs to be kept up in these matchups to stop it constantly coming in on Hippowdon.
+ 
- Mega Steel stall matchup is much tougher than normal matchups, and requires fairly careful play due to Alomomola in particular being able to scout Stoutland's move, and either stay in if a Fighting move was chosen or switch out into Aggron if Facade/Return was chosen while taking advantage of regenerator. Furthermore, wish support that Hippowdon can't slowly prevent via whirlwind makes the Mega Steels much harder to take down. Not an unwinnable matchup due to Wish's limited PP, but requires aggressive play and good predictions.Juuno - you are amazing, I am very lucky to have you as a friend :3
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Importable
fodlan winds (Stoutland) @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fire Fang
- Superpower
- Return
- Facade
chasing daybreak (Hippowdon) @ Smooth Rock / Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
blue sky & battle (Aerodactyl-Mega) @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Tough Claws
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Roost
tearing heaven (Doublade) @ Eviolite
Ability: No Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 240 HP / 172 Atk / 96 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Shadow Sneak
- Sacred Sword
- Swords Dance
- Iron Head
world's apex (Hydreigon) @ Darkinium Z
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Draco Meteor
- Roost
- Defog
roar of dominion (Sylveon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 16 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Protect
- Wish
- Heal Bell
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fire Fang
- Superpower
- Return
- Facade
chasing daybreak (Hippowdon) @ Smooth Rock / Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
blue sky & battle (Aerodactyl-Mega) @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Tough Claws
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Roost
tearing heaven (Doublade) @ Eviolite
Ability: No Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 240 HP / 172 Atk / 96 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Shadow Sneak
- Sacred Sword
- Swords Dance
- Iron Head
world's apex (Hydreigon) @ Darkinium Z
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Draco Meteor
- Roost
- Defog
roar of dominion (Sylveon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 16 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Protect
- Wish
- Heal Bell
Thanks for reading :)
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