Sand/Hail VGC Team

[amerininja]

This is a new team i am using on showdown and soon on game. It works quite well i would love suggestions.

Hippowdon @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Roar
- Protect

Rhydon @ Eviolite
Ability: Lightningrod
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Poison Jab
- Protect

Probopass @ Choice Specs
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Power Gem
- Earth Power
- Flash Cannon
- Dazzling Gleam

Noivern @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Telepathy
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dragon Pulse
- Boomburst
- Air Cutter
- Psychic

Abomasnow @ Abomasite
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Protect
- Blizzard
- Energy Ball
- Ice Shard

Octillery @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Moody
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Psychic
- Scald
- Energy Ball
- Protect

 

[MoxieInfinite]

Fix the spreads, the mons, everything.

0/10 team idea, though you get style points for using octillery

 

[amerininja]

...okay let me get this straight...you know of a better sandstorm setter and hailstorm setter that can defeat the mons in vgc format. I feel like you are trying to get me to use a singles ou team...this is for vgc which is doubles...real suggestions preferred...

 

[Nah]

Why are you running two types of weather? The Sand and Hail would conflict with each other, and the Hail doesn't really benefit anyone besides Abomasnow.

Tyraintar is probably better than Hippowdon since T-Tar has good overall bulk and wrecks Mega Zard Y and Talonflame, who are common in VGC, correct? Hippo doesn't like the Solarbeams.

Choice Specs > Choice Scarf on Noivern because its pretty fast already and needs the power since base 97 Sp.Attack isn't all that great. Also, what's Psychic there for?

Probopass is cool and all, but having a 4x weakness to Earthquake and having a 4x weakness to Fighting attacks and being weak to Water (Surf) sucks too. I'm not sure if it'd do enough damage even with Specs and Sand Force.

 

[amerininja]

Alot of what you are saying is right. The whole hail/sand thing conflicting doesn't happen too much. In vgc of course you get to use only 4 Pokemon per battle. The Hippowdon actually can take out the overly common Tyranitar and Eviolite Rhydon takes care of the ones you mentioned. The Noivern and prodopass things are right. I was thinking of taking probo out for a good ice body or snow cloak wielder. Thanks for the insight!

 

[Polar Spectrum]

If I were to suggest one thing deliberately which I think would improve your team - I would heavily suggest putting either Flamethrower or Ice Beam onto Octillery. I'm guessing you have Safety goggles on him so he's not affected by weather, which is nice. But Safety Goggles is also going to give him immunity to spore- which with Amoongus and Breloom running rampant in VGC both carring spore and hitting hard with grass STABs, you'll probably be able to expect someone to try and put a grass poke up against your Octillery at some point. Especially with its lackluster speed. It does already hit amoongus and breloom super effective with Psychic, but Ice or Fire coverage on Octillery is going to go a lot farther. Especially with Garchomps and Ferrothorns everywhere. Especially since as it is now, a pure grass type can probably do whatever it wants assuming its partner isn't in too much trouble, or outspeeds octiller and his partner at the time.

One last thing too, Protect is a godsend in doubles. :P One wrong call can throw off your opponent a whole pokemon. I don't know where you'd like it best, but having at least 2 on a team is pretty handy.

Just for those "Haha, both my pokemon outspeed both of yours, and only one of yours is a threat - so we'll double team it!" situations. Where you can protect, and either cripple, weaken, setup, or switch with the partner that would've been ignored.