XY OU Post-Weather Wars Sandstorm Team

[Shachaawaq]

Credit to Arhops for the banner​

Team Performance via Pokémon Showdown Replays:

- Sand Ace Tyrell vs pfc)nurideen : Victory [1 - 0]
- Sand Ace Tyrell vs Charleee : Defeat [0 - 2]
- Amphere vs Sand Ace Tyrell : Defeat [0 - 2]

Quick Overview:

Introduction:

Sandstorm teams have been the love of my life since Generation III, and I can honestly say that, over the course of the years, the metagame really has changed. Adapting to these changes was rather difficult; in most cases, I could handle it, because Sandstorm was still permanent and I could sweep like crazy. Now, as I move into the new generation, things have started becoming a little shaky for me, and it's become hard for me to adapt to these new changes. I was wondering if someone who is experience in both the XY OU metagame could guide me to improving my current Sandstorm team. I am a Weather War veteran of Sandstorm teams, and frankly, when I try something else, it doesn't work for me.


Team Overview:

"I've fought countless battles alongside my dedicated soldiers! Do you honestly believe you can defeat us easily?! Bring your best!"

Master Kingpin the Tyranitar @ Smooth Rock
Nature: Quiet
Ability: Sand Stream
EV Spread: 252 HP / 104 Atk / 56 Def / 96 SpA
Notable IVs: 28 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Fire Blast
- Ice Beam

* Moveset changes courtesy of TRC, Andrew and Trinitrotoluene

Tyranitar has been on every single one of my Sandstorm teams since Generation 3. It is very versatile, very bulky, and very powerful, all to a large extent. With Mega Pinsir filling the Mega slot, I decided to continue Tyranitar's role as an Anti-Lead, setting up Stealth Rock while also unraveling Dragon Dance to boost its already great Attack and decent Speed boosted by its Jolly nature. Smooth Rock allows for a longer Sandstorm to give Grounder more sweeping potential. Fighting-, Ground-, and Steel-type moves check it very often, so it is often rendered as dead weight.

"Under the command of Kingpin, Grounder and I'll make quick work of anybody! Shelley'd better keep those damn rocks off the field!"

Ruffian Paulie the Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Mold Breaker (Aerilate)
EV Spread: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Swords Dance
- Quick Attack
- Earthquake
- Frustration

* Moveset changes courtesy of Angeela

My team has always been weak to Fighting-types. Why not take advantage of the behemoth in the form of Mega Pinsir? Amazing Base Attack and Speed allow this bug to blow throw some of my team's weaknesses with relative ease, and even punch a hole in some so that my other members can finish it off. I asked around for advice, and this is the Standard set; while playing around with it, I saw why. Having never used a Pinsir before, this was definitely an eye-opener.

* The Mega Pinsir sprite was created by your's truly, and is courtesy of Smogon's XY Sprite Project.

"Cower in fear, you ugly mugs! Under the command of Kingpin, I will crush all who oppose me and my crew!"

Prince Grounder the Excadrill @ Life Orb
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Sand Rush
EV Spread: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Notable IVs: 29 HP
- Swords Dance
- Rock Slide
- Iron Head
- Earthquake

* Moveset changes courtesy of TRC and Trinitrotoluene

Excadrill serves as my team's revenge killer, boasting a high Attack stat and enough Speed to revenge-kill +1 Adamant Mega Charizard X and +1 Modest Volcarona, along with Mold Breaker Earthquake punching large holes in Physically Defensive Rotom-W and Mixed Aegislash, and checking Gengar after Stealth Rocks break the Focus Sash. It has been shown to check Talonflame on numerous occasions, although Mandibuzz would perform the job just as well.

"Need some knit-pickin', boss? If Water's your threat, you can count on me! "

Gary the Intelligence Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Nature: Bold
Ability: Storm Drain
EV Spread: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
- Recover
- Toxic
- Scald
- Earth Power

* Moveset changes courtesy of Angeela

Gastrodon has been on a majority of my Sandstorm teams since its introduction in Generation 4. Very rambunctious, very bulky, and blessed with my team's Water weakness cover in the form of Storm Drain, Gastrodon has been able to match opposing Scalders and either strike back with its own Scald or put it on a death timer with Toxic. (In the case of Generation 4, where Scald wasn't present, Surf was used instead). Recover stacked with Leftovers provides it astounding recovery ability while the opponent is worn down by Toxic. Rest Rotom-W is its current rival as far as I've seen.

"TARGETS SIGHTED. ANNIHILATING ALL THREATS TO MASTER KINGPIN AND PRINCE GROUNDER."

M-462 the Magnezone @ Assault Vest
Nature: Modest
Ability: Magnet Pull
EV Spread: 172 HP / 252 SpA / 84 Spe
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt

* Moveset changes courtesy of Amy

Perhaps the second-slowest member on my team is none other than Magnezone. An extremely high Sp Atk backed by Choice Specs dents a hole in most unresisted opponents and some Physically Defensive Blissey to an extent. With Magnet Pull, it serves as an eraser to most Steel-types (Heatran, Mega Mawile to an extent, and Genesect to an extent are examples of those who can check Magnezone first). It acts as my team's primary Azumarill check, especially to Banded and BellyJets, often living a +6 Aqua Jet. The EVs in Speed allow it to outspeed neutral Speed Scizor and KO with Hidden Power Fire before it Mega Evolves, if it Mega Evolves.

"If there 're traps ya need cleared, I'm yer girl, mates! Just show me where th' troublemakers 're at, an' I'll stop 'em!"

Roughneck Shelley the Mandibuzz @ Rocky Helmet
Nature: Impish
Ability: Overcoat
EV Spread: 248 HP / 136 Def / 108 SpD / 16 Spe
- Roost
- Defog
- Taunt
- Foul Play

* Moveset changes courtesy of Trinitrotoluene

This buzzard may as well be the bulkiest flying wall next to Skarmory. Equipped with a Rocky Helmet and a weather- and now powder-repellant Overcoat, Mandibuzz acts as a terrific Physical Wall on my team. The buff to Defog grants it the ability to blow away traps while Taunt prevents more traps from slower users from being set up. My primary concerns pertain to its reliability as a Wall; is it just a wall, or can it check what it protects against? So far, I have not found that answer...


Conclusion:

Feedback would be greatly appreciated. I've asked around, and some have told me that Gastrodon's not worth keeping, especially when its efficiency as a Toxic Wall, being lower than others, hinders it often. I would love to hear team recommendations, improvements, or substitutions, or any other form of feedback.[/b]

 

[skeletons]

For Pinsir Id switch Return for Frustration for those dittos that oddly transform around Ou since most carry max friendship.
For Gastrodon Run Earth Power instead of earthquake for obvious reasons being its special and you already run a attack lowering nature hindering earthquake a bit more. Other than those minor things. Great Team ^-^

 

[Trinitrotoluene]

k, tnt here w/ a fresh, healthy, and nutritionally balanced team rate just for you. note that i use spa to denote special attack, spd to denote special defense, and spe to denote speed.

so, i'm liking your balanced sand team (and mega pinsir sprite!), but there still remains a few problems. i don't think that your team's main problem isn't one w/ opposing playstyles, since your team is solid as it is. rather, i believe that your problem lies with the fact that your team isn't optimized. first, i don't think that scarf mold breaker drill is the best set that you can run on this team. it takes away momentum if you mispredict (which is not healthy for this team at all), and you already have a pokemon w/ sand stream! since you mentioned that you used excadrill to revenge kill shit like megazard-x and volcarona, i think that you should consider using a sand rush excadrill over your current scarf excadrill. since you're already running tyranitar, this set seems to mesh with your team better by providing a faster (and stronger!) revenge killer / late-game cleaner that can switch moves and provide an effective one-two punch when paired up w/ your mega pinsir. it also checks several major offensive threats (e.g. megazard-x, aegislash, thundurus, mega pinsir, talonflame) that would otherwise sweep your team. in addition to this, sand rush excadrill's ability to switch up moves makes it a better hazard clearer (assuming you want to go down that route, which is understandable). the only issues you might have when using this set are providing adequate sand support and checking rotom-w, but the next paragraph's suggestion will cover the first issue (and make one of your pokemon not so much dead weight!) while you already have gastrodon to cover the second issue.

if you take up my suggestion of using sand rush excadrill, you'll naturally want a reliable sandstorm provider to maximize excadrill's potential. since you already have tyranitar on your team, getting better sand support is all a matter of making some changes to tyranitar's moveset, which will change it from dead weight to a strong pillar of sand support. first, i'd recommend using smooth rock over the focus sash ttar already has. this gives excadrill a few extra turns to wreak havoc, which is always helpful when facing down opposing offensive teams. also, i would recommend using fire blast and ice beam over dragon dance and crunch respectively. these moves give tyranitar the ability to lure in and deal heavy damage to plenty of physical walls that may impede a mega pinsir or excadrill sweep. assuming you've decided to take up the previous suggestions, changing your tyranitar's current evs and nature to an ev spread of 252 hp / 104 atk / 56 def / 96 spa (credit to Andrew for the ev spread) and a quiet nature will further optimize tyranitar's supportive role.

now, here are some nitpicks that can (and should) improve your team's performance. 1) your mandibuzz's ev spread is inefficient. running an ev spread of 248 hp / 136 def / 108 spd / 16 spe gives mandibuzz enough special defense to avoid the chance of a 2hko from timid landorus' life orb + sheer force-boosted focus blasts, all while maximizing its overall bulk and avoiding an even hp number, keeping it from fainting to stealth rock damage on the switch. 2) having rapid spin on excadrill and defog on mandibuzz is redundant. choose one or the other, making changes as appropriate, depending on if you want to take a more offensive or defensive route for hazard removal. 2a) this is the more defensive hazard removal route. should you choose to keep defog on mandibuzz, try using swords dance on excadrill over rapid spin. 2b) this is the more offensive hazard removal route. if you want to keep rapid spin on excadrill, then try out toxic over defog on mandibuzz. a visual tl;dr is available below.

movesets:

Excadrill @ Life Orb / Air Balloon | Sand Rush
Adamant | 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
IVs: 29 HP
• Earthquake
• Iron Head
• Rock Slide
• Rapid Spin / Swords Dance

the ivs minimize life orb recoil if you decide to try out life orb instead of air balloon.

Tyranitar @ Smooth Rock | Sand Stream
Quiet | 252 HP / 104 Atk / 56 Def / 96 SpA
IVs: 28 Spe
• Stealth Rock
• Stone Edge
• Fire Blast
• Ice Beam

the ivs make sure tyranitar is slower than quiet aegislash, and the evs guarantee that 0 atk quiet aegislash cannot ohko this tyranitar w/ sacred sword. again, all credit to Andrew for the set.

nitpicks:

• 
  • mold breaker => sand rush
  • choice scarf => life orb / air balloon
  • jolly => adamant
  • rapid spin => swords dance (make this change only if you want to keep defog on mandibuzz)
• 
  • current moveset => my suggested moveset
• 
  • 204 hp / 252 def / 52 spe => 248 hp / 136 def / 108 spd / 16 spe
  • defog => toxic (make this change only if you want to keep rapid spin on excadrill)

hope this helps. have a nice day n_n

 

[Shachaawaq]

Many, many thanks, Trinitrotoluene! I've credited you on your feedback and changes along with the others that have helped me outside and inside this thread (noted in blue). It'll take some getting used to, but I'll do my best! Thanks again!

The track you posted... was nostalgic. I've heard that many times before, and I couldn't wrap my head around it... or even find out what it was.

 

[Arhops]

I made you a little logo since I was bored:

also some replays of you on the ladder with this team would help raters see how this team plays and stuff :]

sorry for semi-bump

 

[Shachaawaq]

Thanks, the logo looks real nice. I'll be posting some memorable replays (wins and losses) of my team on the first post at the top so you can see how I use it (recommended by Arhops). Feedback would be appreciated as well.

Note: By the way, I've been using the team in-game instead of using it on Showdown, so I've barely started laddering on Showdown. As of the time this post was made, I've reached 1339 and steadily climbing.

 

[WideTomato]

I would suggest changing gastrodons HP to 248 to live one more turn of toxic, or switch into rocks or spikes one more time. Or even changing it to 216 to hit a leftie number +1, but I doubt it's worth missing out on 10 hp for... Anyways nice team, best of luck :]