[OU] Sandstorm-ish based.

[Silent Storm]

[OU] Sandstorm-ish team based around Rhyperior.

Demonic Storm

OK, I get this wacky idea in my head to build one of my first ever weather based teams, when my brain is scrambling on what kind of deck I create based on weather, and I narrowed it down to two things:

• Rain Dance
• Sandstorm

Rain Dance has its benefits of me being able to out speed most things and kill while boosting the power of water while sandstorm is kinda a stallish weather condition with the ability to screw up focus sash and boost special defense, now I have made a rain dance team but I like sandstorm teams more because of sandstorm hitting stuff not rock and ground, and setting up rocks is easier in my opinion.

(Technically this team is not sandstorm based any more but I like the name xd)

Demomic Line up

| *image removed* | *image removed* | *image removed* | *image removed* | *image removed* | *image removed* |​

OK so here is the line up for this team, as you can like most teams nowadays this is comprised of mainly OU titans and support Pokemon, unoriginal (for some Serebii members standards, they know who they are >=]) but still awesome when they get the ball rolling, this is by far the best team I have as it is bulky and strong, speed is lacking here but that is to be expected when creating teams like these.

In-depth look

*image removed*

Hippowdon @ Leftovers
Ability: Sandstream
Nature: Impish (+ Defence, - Special Attack)
EVs: 236 HP | 24 Attack | 192 Defence | 58 Special Defence

• Earthquake
• Stealth Rock
• Ice Fang
• Slack Off

.......................
Comments & Suggestions:
OK my peeps, I start the game out with Hippowdon, my past experience tells me that Hippo is an effective lead and can set up Stealth Rock and Sandstorm reliably which is crucial to this kind of team as this negates the effects of Focus Sash, Leftovers and turns many 3 hits into 2 hits.

Hippo also helps against Tyranitar and physical hits, with Scizor down Tyranitar can be a major pain in the backside, so with Hippo around, I am able to take down Tyranitar effectively as well as take hits for the team. Ice fang seems out of place here but at least it helps with Flygon and Salamence who is already being worn down by Sandstream and Stealth Rock.

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Timid (+ Speed, - Attack)
EVs: 252 HP | 80 Special Attack | 176 Speed

• Thunderbolt
• Heat Wave
• Roost
• Hidden Power [Grass]

.......................
Comments & Suggestions:
Zapdos is one the most vital members of my team and probably the Pokemon I can rely on, being the main counter to most counters here helps alot. Since I don't RS, Zapdos along with Salamence are my Stealth Rock weak Pokemon though this is taken care of by Roost. Zapdos also acts as my Phazer since my team is otherwise set up bait.

To further display the power of this guy I have compiled a list of stuff that die to him:

• Lucario,
• Heracross
• Bronzong
• Celebi
• Breloom
• Torterra
• Skarmory
• Forretress

If it wasn't for Zapdos, I'd probably have difficulty taking down the these titans.

*image removed*
Scizor @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant (+ Attack, - Special Attack)
EVs: 252 HP | 252 Attack | 4 Speed

• Bullet Punch
• Brick Break / Quick Attack
• Roost
• Swords Dance

.......................
Comments & Suggestions:
Scraped CBzor for SDzor.

Apart from Rhyperior who is not even that much of a set up Pokemon, I lacked many set up pokemon, I had CBzor as I believe revenge killing with him was best but in the end I just scraped the whole idea as I never really like thay Pokemon to begin with.

The basic idea here is for me to set up as quickly as possible so I can do significant damage to my opponent, Brick Break helps agaisn't screeners that could hurt me while Bullet Punch helps with Tyranitar, originally I had 244 speed EVs here but becaise I was never really interested with out speeding Tyranitar (Bullet Punch still hits him first) I moved all those EVs to HP as the EVs Smogon suggests is only there if you don't have Bullet Punch.

Vaporeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Bold (+ Defense - Attack)
EVs: 252 HP | 252 Defense | 4 Speed

• Protect
• Hidden Power [Electric]
• Surf
• Wish

.......................
Comments & Suggestions:
Lost a big paragraph here. =/

Short and sweet, Vaporeon acts as a team healer, while dealing with Gyarados and Infernape both who are hurt by Sandstream and Stealth Rock

Starmie @ Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Timid (+ Speed, - Attack)
EVs: 136 HP | 156 Def | 216 Speed

• Thunderbolt
• Surf
• Recover
• Rapid Spin

.......................
Comments & Suggestions:
This is something d2m suggested for me to help against MixApe and Gyarados but after more testing and research I have discovered he helps against Toxic Spikes + Spikes - which are normally seen on Stall teams that would give me some problems, Rapid Spin would get rid of entry hazards which helps Rhy sweep.

Also Starie adds a bit more speed to this team as well as status absorbing thanks to Natural Cure.

Rhyperior @ Liechi Berry
Ability: Solid Rock
Nature: Adamant (+ Attack, - Special Attack)
EVs: 4 HP | 252 Attack | 252 Speed

• Substitute
• Rock Polish
• Stone Edge
• Earthquake

.......................
Comments & Suggestions:
At the end now, I here we have the star of the show, Rhyperior.

I was browsing on Smogon, where I found someone promoting the use of Substitute Rhyperior. Now I have been a fan of Rhy ever since I got a glimpse of the new evolutions in 4th gen around 2007, also there was some hype around him early DP.

Basically how he works is that you use Sandstream + Solid Rock + Substitute as a defensive for him so you can set up up Swords Dance and sweep, the set I have here works a little different, near the end I use my berry to power up Rhy while having blasting speed, the thing the old version suffered from was speed, though he was protected by Sandstorm and Solid Rock, this set remedies his speed problems while giving him decent attack, which is much more scary than having good attack buy poor speed.

 

[Dark Azelf]

Zapdos @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid (+ Speed, - Attack)
EVs: 4 HP | 252 Special Attack | 252 Speed

* Surf
* Recover
* Refresh
* Dragon Pulse/Draco Meteor

XDDD you might wanna change that lol

 

[Silent Storm]

lol OK I fixed it, thanks, rate away people.

 

[=major yum!]

How does your team deal with Salamence? The new Mixmence and Scarfmence would do quite a bit of damage to this team by the look of things, and LO DDmence threatens at least a 2HKO on all your pokemon. Nothing in your team can safely switch into CBmence either, but it it is less of a threat.

 

[Silent Storm]

Indeed, Salamence is the problem Pokemon here, in some cases, Hippo at full heath should be able to deal with him, if not, Stealth Rock and Storm should wear him down enough for Scizor to finish him.

 

[StrickeN]

With Rocks up and SS in play, most LO sets or locked Outragers will take a OHKO from CBzor Bullet Punch. So he's not really a problem that I see. Not to mention with vaporeon, he's not OHKO'ing you unless he has a DD under his belt, so stalling would be childs play.

Now for the rate, I cant' find anything to outstandish to point out, Other than you have absolutely no revenge, but the good number of checks to things such as Lucario and such I dont' see that being overly a problem.

I don't see what Rhyperior does for your team to be quite honest, he's a slow late game sweeper and he doesn't take as much special hits thanks to his large HP base Solid rock and SS, but that doesn't help when you are trying to set up swords dance.

I'd propose a much more suitable late gamer, something that can probably actually dent the opposing people coming in.

Lucario @ Life Orb
252 Attack / 252 Speed / 4 HP
Adament (+Att, -Sp.Att)
-Swords Dance
-Ice Punch/Stone Edge
-Extreme Speed
-Close Combat

This would be a very suitable sweeper, however it just further boosts your weakness to fire and will hurt you in the end game if powerful sweepers or counters are still in play. Ice Punch is for dragons and if you want to cover Gyara switch ins I'd go with SE. However a +1 Extreme Speed after Rocks and sand will lol all over Gyara.

Other than that moderate thing I see your team being potentially devastating and very well thought out.

 

[Silent Storm]

Thanks.

I was considering changing Salamence with Slowbro to help take care of MixApe that can be a problem, I did some research and I found this:

Slowbro (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 212 HP / 252 Def / 44 SAtk
Bold
- Slack Off
- Surf
- Thunder Wave
- Hidden Power [Electric]

This helps with Gyarados, Machamp, Heatran, and MixApe, passes status around and overall has good defenses, then after I will replace Rhyperior with Lucario, maybe a Jolly set.

Lucario @ Life Orb
252 Attack / 252 Speed / 4 HP
Jolly
-Swords Dance
-Stone Edge
-Extreme Speed
-Close Combat

So it outspeeds non 252 spe Salamences and friends.

 

[Samson]

your salamence fails to even 2hko blissey. please find a better set or drop.

 

[Dark Azelf]

your salamence fails to even 2hko blissey. please find a better set or drop.

120 Atk LO Brick Break on Bold max hp / max def blissey 50.98% - 60.08%, more often a 2hko than not, especially with SR up and since no one uses bold bliss anymore let alone max hp. >:

Anyways, what does 136 speed evs @ naive outrun btw? Id ev it to outrun Adamant Lucario personally (80 att /252 sp.att / 176 speed @ Rash). The lack of power on draco with naive is quite noticable.

Zapdos should be timid with your current ev spread, it helps more especially vs jolly luke and what not.

 

[Silent Storm]

Salamence's nature is mean't to be Mild, forgot to edit that.

 

[d2m]

Thanks.

I was considering changing Salamence with Slowbro to help take care of MixApe that can be a problem, I did some research and I found this:

Slowbro (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 212 HP / 252 Def / 44 SAtk
Bold
- Slack Off
- Surf
- Thunder Wave
- Hidden Power [Electric]

This helps with Gyarados, Machamp, Heatran, and MixApe, passes status around and overall has good defenses, then after I will replace Rhyperior with Lucario, maybe a Jolly set.

Lucario @ Life Orb
252 Attack / 252 Speed / 4 HP
Jolly
-Swords Dance
-Stone Edge
-Extreme Speed
-Close Combat

So it outspeeds non 252 spe Salamences and friends.

I don't think 2 Bulky Waters is your answer, especially if you're dropping a sweeper like mence. Vaporeon can deal with Mixape and Gyarados just fine, I used to run one myself. Grass Knot isn't going to OHKO, but your Surf most definently is. If you're still worried, you could drop Vaporeon for Starmie (Basic spinner set as a team with rocks and spikes up hurts you anyway) then replace Mence (if you must) with a Wish Jirachi, something like:

Jirachi@Leftovers
240 HP/160 Def/ 76 SpD/32 Spe
Impish/Serene Grace

-Wish
-U-turn
-Ice Punch
-Iron Head

That set is also bulky enough to revenge kill a DD Mence locked into outrage with Ice Punch, flinchhax with Iron Head, and Wish/U-turn for healing and escapes, plus he takes no damage from sandstorm.

Also for reference:

Starmie@Leftovers
136 HP/153 Def/216 Spe
Timid/Natural Cure

-Thunderbolt
-Rapid Spin
-Surf
-Recover

Outspeeds Mixape and Gyara and OHKOs both.

 

[Silent Storm]

OK< I have done more testing, Starmie fits nicely onto this team, I will make the changes shortly.