Sandstorm VGC Team

[cbd98]

So, I wanted to make a sand team for VGC, because in my opinion it is the best weather condition in the game (rain is a close second though). I also wanted to make a team with Terrakion, because looking at it, it seems like a monster (although it didn't work too well).

The Team At a Glance

In-Depth Look

Hippowdon @ Passho Berry
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 36 Atk / 220 SDef
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
- Slack Off
- Crunch
Hippowdon functions well as a physical wall and a Sand Streamer, and I prefer him to Tyranitar because a 4x Fighting weakness is not good in VGC. The specially defensive variant can take a Blizzard from Abomasnow and even a rain boosted Hydro Pump from Kingdra with the Passho Berry. Earthquake is good for a STAB move and hits for okay damage, Ice Fang hits what Earthquake can't, and Crunch can deal damage to a single target in a situation where more coverage is needed. Slack Off is for recovery that is lost without Leftovers.

Garchomp @ Yache Berry
Trait: Sand Veil
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Fang
- Earthquake
- Protect
Fire Fang covers the Ice and Grass weaknesses, Dragon Claw and Earthquake are nice STAB options which use Garchomp's great Attack, and Protect is a good move for VGC.

Excadrill @ Chople Berry
Trait: Sand Rush
EVs: 196 Spd / 252 Atk / 60 HP
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- X-Scissor
- Protect
This Pokemon may have been banned from OU, but not VGC, and I couldn't resist using him. Earthquake and Rock Slide are there for some very nice spread moves, X-Scissor is a nice coverage move, and Protect for VGC and for Hippowdon Earthquake.

Togekiss @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Def
- Air Slash
- Heat Wave
- Follow Me
- Protect
Togekiss provides very nice support for my team, with Tailwind speeding up some of the slower members or even making my sweepers faster than the opponent's. Air Slash has a 60% flinch rate with Serene Grace, Follow Me can take some pressure off of the other Pokemon, and Protect because I wasn't too fond of Thunder Wave and I already have Leftovers for recovery.

Rotom-Wash @ Sitrus Berry
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
- Thunderbolt
- Hydro Pump
- Thunder Wave
- Protect
Rotom-W is my attempt to counter rain teams, resisting a lot of common Rain threats and hitting pretty hard in the process, and Levitate can let Excadrill and Hippowdon attack with Earthquake. Thunderbolt and Hydro Pump are both great STAB moves, Thunder Wave can cripple the opposing team and can even help Togekiss with ParaFlinch in the right situations. Protect is Protect, it is what it is.

Cresselia (F) @ Expert Belt
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 220 HP / 36 Def / 156 SpA / 96 SDef
Calm Nature
- Ice Beam
- Helping Hand
- Psychic
- Protect

Cresselia is an amazing defensive Pokemon, and having Levitate is even better for the Earthquake users of the team. Ice Beam hits Pokemon like Garchomp and Landorous hard. Protect is just protect. Psychic is for STAB and can hit Fighting types.

Retired Members:

Terrakion @ Life Orb
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Spd / 244 Atk / 4 SDef / 4 HP / 4 Def
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Rock Slide
- Quick Attack
- Protect

 

[Keiran]

Hmm, I assume you don't want to swap Hippowdon and Terrakion? I don't have much experience making teams around them in VGC, but I'll try to help.

First off, Cresselia is much more useful when it contributes to offense, so I suggest this:

Calm Cresselia
220 HP / 36 Def / 156 SpA / 96 SpDef
-Psychic
-Ice Beam
-Helping Hand
-Protect

With an Expert Belt and those EVs, you should always get the OHKO on Landorus-T, Salamence and Garchomps that have low investment in bulk, while also dealing heavy damage to many other threats.

Other than Grass-types, what is threatening your team? Specs/HP Flying Zapdos can pick off Grass and Fighting types easily, both of whom threaten everything but Cresselia. Since you have mostly mid/high speed Pokemon, replacing Rotom with Jellicent can help against TR teams while also keeping the rain check, if TR is an issue.

 

[cbd98]

Hmm, I assume you don't want to swap Hippowdon and Terrakion? I don't have much experience making teams around them VGC, but I'll try to help.

First off, Cresselia is much more useful when it contributes to offense, so I suggest this:

Calm Cresselia
220 HP / 36 Def / 156 SpA / 96 SpDef
-Psychic
-Ice Beam
-Helping Hand
-Protect

With an Expert Belt and those EVs, you should always get the OHKO on Landorus-T, Salamence and Garchomps that have low investment in bulk, while also dealing heavy damage to many other threats.

Other than Grass-types, what is threatening your team? Specs/HP Flying Zapdos can pick off Grass and Fighting types easily, both of whom threaten everything but Cresselia. Since you have mostly mid/high speed Pokemon, replacing Rotom with Jellicent can help against TR teams while also keeping the rain check, if TR is an issue.

For the Cresselia EVs, I understand the Special Attack EVs, but do the other EVs for the set reach any specific points (preventing an OHKO from a threat, reaching a certain amount of HP, etc.)? Also, I assume for the Zapdos I should switch out Togekiss, because both can provide Tailwind and they're both Flying types. Should I go for a more bulky Zapdos, or a more offensive one? And Trick Room isn't too much of a problem, mostly due to Cresselia operating pretty well in Trick Room, but I'll try it out to see if Jellicent has any special niches over Rotom (Water Absorb is sticking out in my mind right now). I'll update tomorrow and try it out, thank you for the advice!

 

[Keiran]

220 HP minimizes weather damage, while the defenses survive random OHKOs.

As for Tailwind Zapdos, probably offensive with just enough speed to outspeed Breloom/Heatran, Modest Kingdra and Adamant Landorus outside of Tailwind. Something like 68 HP / 248 SpA / 192 Spe, maybe? Assuming Modest and IVs for HP Flying.

 

[Griffinbane]

Lose either Terrakion or Excadrill, your preference. Switch it with something else, maybe a Garchomp or a dragon type. That'll help kill your water weakness. That'll, however, cause you to have 2 Ice weaknesses. Tbh, I haven't seen many successful Tailwind teams. You might want to ditch Tailwind, MAYBE switch out Togekiss if you're not worried about ice weakness. Togekiss is a baws though, she absorbs special attacks rather nicely, even the ice attacks. Watch out for Blizzards.

 

[cbd98]

Lose either Terrakion or Excadrill, your preference. Switch it with something else, maybe a Garchomp or a dragon type. That'll help kill your water weakness. That'll, however, cause you to have 2 Ice weaknesses. Tbh, I haven't seen many successful Tailwind teams. You might want to ditch Tailwind, MAYBE switch out Togekiss if you're not worried about ice weakness. Togekiss is a baws though, she absorbs special attacks rather nicely, even the ice attacks. Watch out for Blizzards.

I'll probably switch out Terrakion, it really hasn't been doing as well as I've hoped. Should I just use a standard Garchomp with Fire Fang to help counter the Ice and Grass weaknesses other members have? Or should I not bother with it? Also, if I don't use Tailwind on Togekiss, should I use Thunder Wave for ParaFlinch?

 

[Griffinbane]

Paraflinch is always acceptable on Togekiss. You can run Heat Wave as well to cover weakness, or Roost to help with survivability. Garchomp needs a coverage move that'll help against your weaknesses.