OU Sand Team Help

Started by TheStewart March 23rd, 2017 12:26 PM
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  • 4 replies
Male
Seen March 23rd, 2017
Posted March 23rd, 2017
2 posts
6.2 Years
Ive been through a few variations on this team, and this is what im using now. Im looking for help with coverage options, glaring weaknesses im not seeing, and maybe some help with better EV spreads. This is my first real trying-to-be-competitive team and i have lots of battle experience but not much building experience. I Appreciate any help i can get. Thanks!!
This is the team:

Kaiju (Tyranitar) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Earthquake
This is my main Charizard Y Check. I used a different form o this team and Charizard Y just Annihilated me. Also just a great SpD wall that hits decently hard.

Greenlake (Excadrill) @ Rockium Z
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Iron Head
Main physical sweeper. i have mo problems with this set. It's fully capable of sweeping through a team.

Your Mom (Hippowdon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
Physical Pivot, Stealth rocker. I used the standard spread.

Harrier II (Celesteela) @ Life Orb
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Air Slash / Flamethrower
- Flash Cannon
- Autotomize
Primary Special sweeper, im not to sure what the best coverage for the meta is.

Rotom-Wash @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Pain Split
- Will-O-Wisp
Another Pivot with the standard spread. Main ground type check.

Cinnabar (Volcanion) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Fire Blast
- Steam Eruption
- Sludge Wave
Just here to hit hard and cover some glaring weknesse to fire and a water immunity.
I don't think AV is a great item on Tyranitar. Choice Scarf, Choice Band, and Smooth Rock are all generally better options. You could even replace Tyranitar or Hippowdon with something else as they have similar weaknesses and you don't really need 2 sand setters, IMO.

Also Safety Goggles is probably a poor choice of an item in general, especially for Rotom. You will find leftovers much more beneficial on this mon.

The rest of your mons seem fine. I think Celesteela is better with Leftovers and a more defensive set, but a specially offensive one could work I suppose.
Male
Seen March 23rd, 2017
Posted March 23rd, 2017
2 posts
6.2 Years
I don't think AV is a great item on Tyranitar. Choice Scarf, Choice Band, and Smooth Rock are all generally better options. You could even replace Tyranitar or Hippowdon with something else as they have similar weaknesses and you don't really need 2 sand setters, IMO.

Also Safety Goggles is probably a poor choice of an item in general, especially for Rotom. You will find leftovers much more beneficial on this mon.

The rest of your mons seem fine. I think Celesteela is better with Leftovers and a more defensive set, but a specially offensive one could work I suppose.
Thanks for your input! I really appreciate it. I was thinking defensive swords dance scizor. Here's the set

Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 160 Def / 80 SpD / 20 Spe
Impish Nature
- U-turn
- Swords Dance / defog
- Bullet Punch
- Roost

I think that's a good replacement for hippo. Please let me know what you think! Thanks again.
Thanks for your input! I really appreciate it. I was thinking defensive swords dance scizor. Here's the set

Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 160 Def / 80 SpD / 20 Spe
Impish Nature
- U-turn
- Swords Dance / defog
- Bullet Punch
- Roost

I think that's a good replacement for hippo. Please let me know what you think! Thanks again.
That could work, you'll want a Defogger or Spinner on your team considering you have a Choice locked Volcanion that will be switching out a lot.

PlatinumDude

Nyeh?

Age 29
Male
Canada
Seen July 31st, 2020
Posted May 30th, 2020
12,958 posts
12.7 Years
Steelium Z is better over Rockium Z on Excadrill, as Corkscrew Crash hits physically bulky Pokemon like Buzzwole, Tangrowth, Hippowdon, and Amoonguss harder than Continental Crush would.

Having only one of Tyranitar and Hippowdon is better because they share nasty Water and Grass weaknesses. I'd lean towards Tyranitar here because of its better power:
-Stone Edge
-Crunch
-Pursuit
-Superpower/Earthquake
Nature: Adamant/Jolly
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Item: Choice Band (Adamant)/Choice Scarf (Jolly)
Ability: Sand Stream

Autotomize Celesteela doesn't really need Flash Cannon, as Air Slash already has good coverage on its own. Fire Blast is pretty much necessary on Autotomize Celesteela, as without it, Celesteela can't get past opposing Steel Pokemon like Scizor and Ferrothorn. Flynium Z is also an option on offensive Celesteela to help it nab the first Beast Boost and snowball from there. But this means changing Excadrill's item to Life Orb or Air Balloon:
-Autotomize
-Air Slash
-Fire Blast
-Giga Drain/Earthquake
Nature: Modest/Rash
EVs: 84 HP/252 SAtk/172 Spe
Item: Life Orb

IMO, I think Tapu Fini should be this team's Defogger, as opting for Scizor will add another unwanted Fire weakness to the team on top of Celesteela and Excadrill:
-Moonblast
-Nature's Madness
-Taunt
-Defog
Nature: Calm
EVs: 248 HP/192 Def/16 SDef/52 Spe
Item: Leftovers

Replace Hippowdon with Garchomp, as it doesn't stack weaknesses with Tyranitar and can exert enough offensive pressure to get Stealth Rock up:
-Stealth Rock
-Outrage/Dragon Claw
-Earthquake
-Fire Blast/Swords Dance
Nature: Naive/Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk/4 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb/Lum Berry/Focus Sash

or
-Stealth Rock
-Dragon Tail
-Earthquake
-Toxic/Fire Blast
Nature: Impish
EVs: 240 HP/176 Def/92 Spe
Item: Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin