Hi,
I did a stupid gimmick team a while back in XY using Mega Charizard Y as a suicide lead that was very good at being bad, before taking a hiatus from Smogon. Now that I'm back, I've made a team actually meant to win and not just be weird for the sake of it, and decided to do an old hyper offense sand team that I had in my head but I never put to the test until now. Without further ado, the team itself!
The gist of this team is to keep sand up at all time, preserve momentum, and prepare Excadrill to eventually sweep the opponent's team once an opening is presented, each of my Pokemon forcing out or killing anything that could stand in the mole's way.
Not So Hungry Hippo (Hippowdon) @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Stone Edge
Hippowdon is my main sand setter, getting the sand that fuels my team in early and preferably some rocks too, while also having the bulk to switch in when the sand runs out later in the game. Earthquake and Stone Edge provide EdgeQuake coverage to hit the majority of the meta hard, and also OHKOing those M-Charizard-Y suicide leads I've been seeing, I wonder where that came from? (I'll stop now). Stealth Rock insures that Hippo can do something other than get the sand rolling, and Slack Off allows it to regain health as to insure in can switch in and keep up sand up in the late game, as well as forcing out certain Pokemon by just out stalling them out and letting the sand chip them down. 112 SpD EV's avoid Thundurus and Mega Manectric HP Ice 2KO, allowing Hippowdon to 2KO or OHKO with Stone Edge or Earthquake, respectively. Relaxed nature insures that Hippowdon is slower than any other weather setter and thus always gets sand up. Smooth Rock keeps sand up for as long as possible, meaning there is less time between me having to drop everything to get sand back up, and Sand Stream because...THIS IS A BLOODY SAND TEAM YOU DIM-WITTED CHALKER! Hippowdon's primary role is to establish Sandstorm.
Surprisingly Small (Excadrill) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Swords Dance
Before Swords Dance in the sand, this thing is scary, after a Swords Dance, this is a devastating nightmare capable of wiping many teams of the map before you can say "wasn't this banned?" Excadrill is my late game cleaner/sweeper/revenge killer/a lot of things. His speed in sand, couple with his power and stellar coverage allow him perform a multitude of roles but he is mostly a late to mid game win condition. Earthquake and Iron Head provide STAB as well as very effective coverage, Rock Slide providing EdgeQuake coverage to hit Thundurus, Rotom W and Skarmory harder. Swords Dance turns this thing into a 738 Attack monster and actually clean late game. Jolly nature lets me outspeed Heatran out of sand, max speed and attack to hit as hard and fast as possible , Life Orb gives me extra power, and Sand Rush is what actually makes this set viable.
Sharknado 13 (Garchomp-Mega) @ Garchompite
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 104 SpA / 152 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Blast
Bottom line, if my team needs something dead and Garchomp manages to get a hit on it, it will become dead, plain and simple. There are very few things in OU capable of stomaching a STAB Earthquake coming off of 170 attack in Sand Force, most of those things have an immunity or are Ferrothorn. Earthquake is what lets Garchomp completely shred anything that comes its way and provides Sand Force boosted STAB, Dragon Claw giving Dragon STAB, Stone Edge providing EdgeQuake coverage (noticing a pattern?). Fire Blast allows me to OHKO Ferrothorn and 2KO Skarmory, two pokemon that would expect to wall Chomp and just get demolished trying. 104 SpA to guarantee 2KO on Skarmory, item and ability are self-explanatory.
I somehow exist (Ferrothorn) @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Toxic
- Leech Seed
- Gyro Ball
- Power Whip
Despite making almost no physical sense, Ferrothorn acts as a catch all defense against the depredations of the water types which would sweep this team without him, and thus forces them out or deters them enough for my other Pokemon to do get the job done. I used Toxic over Spikes in order to punish any bulky switches expecting to go to town on Ferrothorn as well as forcing out anything that stays in with the threat of slow and painful death. Leech Seed allows me to encourage a Pokemon to switch even more (you can see a pattern here) as well as give Ferrothorn a bit of extra healing to stall out anything dumb enough to stay in. Gyro Ball and Power Whip act as STAB, Gyro Ball taking advantage of Ferrothorn's abysmal speed. 168 SpD EV's allows Ferro to outlast the 2KO from +3 Manaphy Ice Beam and 2KO back with Power Whip. Iron Barbs will make any physical attackers think twice about attacking, as well as even more chip damage to stall out any who still attack. Leftovers for passive recovery.
UFOP (jk) (Magnezone) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt
If you notice, a lot of my team is designed around forcing out other Pokemon and killing those that are off guard. Magnezone does the opposite, trapping many of the steel types that love to switch in to take hits and leave or kill off the attacker before I can respond. Choice Scarf so that Magnezone can actually outspeed something, Volt Switch to gain momentum on any non steel types. Thunderbolt and Flash Cannon are STAB, and HP Fire handles Scizor, Ferrothorn, and enemy Magnezone quiet nicely. Timid Nature allows me to get the jump on enemy Magnezone and either outspeed them or force a speed tie. Magnet Pull is to actually trap steel types.
One Hand Clap (Tyranitar) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Pursuit
- Superpower
- Ice Punch
Tyranitar is a catch all revenge killer for many of the threats that this team faces, such as Landorus, Dragonite, Air Balloon Heatran, Alakazam, Alolan Marowak, and the Lati's, while also being able to reestablish sand if Hippowdon is already dead. Choice Scarf let's me outspeed the various threats Tyranitar needs to handle. Stone Edge acts as STAB, Pursuit traps and kills any Psychics or Ghosts that get in my way, especially Zam and the Lati's, Superpower allows me to get the jump on any steels expecting to come in and absorb my attacks, and Ice Punch, while being an unorthodox choice, allows me to handle Landorus, Dragonite, Garchomp, Zygarde, and Gliscor when they normally expect to wall me. Standard EV's for Choice Scarf to hit as hard and as fast as possible, Sand Stream allows me to get sand back up if Hippowdon goes down.
Belly Drum Azumarill: If this thing gets Belly Drum in it's game over if Garchomp is dead, and I have to sack whatever is currently out to get Garchomp in to finish Azumarill off with Earthquake.
That's my team! If you have any suggestions or improvements please let me know, any help would be greatly appreciated
Importable: http://pastebin.com/S5gUjKvg
I did a stupid gimmick team a while back in XY using Mega Charizard Y as a suicide lead that was very good at being bad, before taking a hiatus from Smogon. Now that I'm back, I've made a team actually meant to win and not just be weird for the sake of it, and decided to do an old hyper offense sand team that I had in my head but I never put to the test until now. Without further ado, the team itself!
Wrath of The Sahara
The gist of this team is to keep sand up at all time, preserve momentum, and prepare Excadrill to eventually sweep the opponent's team once an opening is presented, each of my Pokemon forcing out or killing anything that could stand in the mole's way.
Not So Hungry Hippo (Hippowdon) @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Stone Edge
Hippowdon is my main sand setter, getting the sand that fuels my team in early and preferably some rocks too, while also having the bulk to switch in when the sand runs out later in the game. Earthquake and Stone Edge provide EdgeQuake coverage to hit the majority of the meta hard, and also OHKOing those M-Charizard-Y suicide leads I've been seeing, I wonder where that came from? (I'll stop now). Stealth Rock insures that Hippo can do something other than get the sand rolling, and Slack Off allows it to regain health as to insure in can switch in and keep up sand up in the late game, as well as forcing out certain Pokemon by just out stalling them out and letting the sand chip them down. 112 SpD EV's avoid Thundurus and Mega Manectric HP Ice 2KO, allowing Hippowdon to 2KO or OHKO with Stone Edge or Earthquake, respectively. Relaxed nature insures that Hippowdon is slower than any other weather setter and thus always gets sand up. Smooth Rock keeps sand up for as long as possible, meaning there is less time between me having to drop everything to get sand back up, and Sand Stream because...
Surprisingly Small (Excadrill) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Swords Dance
Before Swords Dance in the sand, this thing is scary, after a Swords Dance, this is a devastating nightmare capable of wiping many teams of the map before you can say "wasn't this banned?" Excadrill is my late game cleaner/sweeper/revenge killer/a lot of things. His speed in sand, couple with his power and stellar coverage allow him perform a multitude of roles but he is mostly a late to mid game win condition. Earthquake and Iron Head provide STAB as well as very effective coverage, Rock Slide providing EdgeQuake coverage to hit Thundurus, Rotom W and Skarmory harder. Swords Dance turns this thing into a 738 Attack monster and actually clean late game. Jolly nature lets me outspeed Heatran out of sand, max speed and attack to hit as hard and fast as possible , Life Orb gives me extra power, and Sand Rush is what actually makes this set viable.
Sharknado 13 (Garchomp-Mega) @ Garchompite
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 104 SpA / 152 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Blast
Bottom line, if my team needs something dead and Garchomp manages to get a hit on it, it will become dead, plain and simple. There are very few things in OU capable of stomaching a STAB Earthquake coming off of 170 attack in Sand Force, most of those things have an immunity or are Ferrothorn. Earthquake is what lets Garchomp completely shred anything that comes its way and provides Sand Force boosted STAB, Dragon Claw giving Dragon STAB, Stone Edge providing EdgeQuake coverage (noticing a pattern?). Fire Blast allows me to OHKO Ferrothorn and 2KO Skarmory, two pokemon that would expect to wall Chomp and just get demolished trying. 104 SpA to guarantee 2KO on Skarmory, item and ability are self-explanatory.
I somehow exist (Ferrothorn) @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Toxic
- Leech Seed
- Gyro Ball
- Power Whip
Despite making almost no physical sense, Ferrothorn acts as a catch all defense against the depredations of the water types which would sweep this team without him, and thus forces them out or deters them enough for my other Pokemon to do get the job done. I used Toxic over Spikes in order to punish any bulky switches expecting to go to town on Ferrothorn as well as forcing out anything that stays in with the threat of slow and painful death. Leech Seed allows me to encourage a Pokemon to switch even more (you can see a pattern here) as well as give Ferrothorn a bit of extra healing to stall out anything dumb enough to stay in. Gyro Ball and Power Whip act as STAB, Gyro Ball taking advantage of Ferrothorn's abysmal speed. 168 SpD EV's allows Ferro to outlast the 2KO from +3 Manaphy Ice Beam and 2KO back with Power Whip. Iron Barbs will make any physical attackers think twice about attacking, as well as even more chip damage to stall out any who still attack. Leftovers for passive recovery.
UFOP (jk) (Magnezone) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt
If you notice, a lot of my team is designed around forcing out other Pokemon and killing those that are off guard. Magnezone does the opposite, trapping many of the steel types that love to switch in to take hits and leave or kill off the attacker before I can respond. Choice Scarf so that Magnezone can actually outspeed something, Volt Switch to gain momentum on any non steel types. Thunderbolt and Flash Cannon are STAB, and HP Fire handles Scizor, Ferrothorn, and enemy Magnezone quiet nicely. Timid Nature allows me to get the jump on enemy Magnezone and either outspeed them or force a speed tie. Magnet Pull is to actually trap steel types.
One Hand Clap (Tyranitar) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Pursuit
- Superpower
- Ice Punch
Threatlist
Trick Room: Trick room in general has been catching my team off guard for some time, and I have been struggling to find an answer besides trying to stall out with Ferrothorn for as long as possible.
Belly Drum Azumarill: If this thing gets Belly Drum in it's game over if Garchomp is dead, and I have to sack whatever is currently out to get Garchomp in to finish Azumarill off with Earthquake.
That's my team! If you have any suggestions or improvements please let me know, any help would be greatly appreciated
Importable: http://pastebin.com/S5gUjKvg
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