Sandstorm team

[DaveTheFishGuy]

Right. I have actually NEVER battled online, just against a friend of mine, who set me onto EVing, training 'properly', etc. Anywho, here's my team built around Sandstorm, which I understand is quite popular in standard play.

If you have any constructive criticism, please let me know.

Hippowdon w/ Leftovers
Sand Stream
Careful: 252 HP, 252 SpDef, 4 Def
Earthquake,
Ice Fang,
Curse,
Slack Off,

Lead Pokemon, for obvious reasons. Sets up Sandstorm for the rest of the team. Good mixed wall, base Defenses are about equal at Lv.100. Curse a few times to get a Defense boost, then recover using Slack Off. Then use the Attack boost to launch STABed EQs. With the exception of Bronzong, Ice Fang hits everything EQ doesn't, with at least neutral damage on Flyers, and also hitting some Levitators.

Garchomp w/ Choice Band
Sand Veil
Adamant: 252 Atk, 252 Speed, 4 HP
Outrage,
Earthquake,
Fire Fang,
Stone Edge,

Sweeper, that's all I can think to describe it. STABed, Choice Banded Outrage off this beast has gotta hurt. I know I should be running Jolly w/ CB and Adamant w/ CScarf, but I bred for about three days straight and couldn't get a single Jolly. EQ is for Steels who resist Outrage, Fire Fang for Skarmory and Bronzong, Stone Edge for Ice-types. Plus, having Sand Veil in a Sandstorm team is always a bonus

Rampardos w/ Focus Sash
Mold Breaker
Adamant: 252 Atk, 200 Speed, 56 SpDef
Stone Edge,
Earthquake,
Crunch,
Rock Polish,

Send in, Rock Polish with Focus Sash guarantee, and try to sweep. Second-highest base attack in the game's gotta be worth something, right? Since, It's speed's getting doubled, I figured it didn't need max speed, so it's got some Spec Def, which is further boosted in the Sandstorm. Stone Edge is for STAB, EQ for coverage (and to hit Levitators), Crunch to hit walls like Dusknoir and Cresselia. Should hopefully be devestating if it works right.

Lucario w/ Choice Specs
Steadfast
Modest: 252 SpAck, 252 4 HP
Aura Sphere,
Dragon Pulse,
Psychic,
Dark Pulse,

The only specialist on the team, which I should probably look into. Anyway, this should stop most Physical walls, and Blissey, cold. Originally had an Expert Belt, but scrapped it for more Power. STABed Aura Sphere should put a dent in the aforementioned Physical walls, as well as Blissey (who I understand is quite popular). Dark Pulse is there to deal with Psychics and Ghosts who resist AS, and because only two Pokemon resist Fighting and Dark. Namely, Heracross and Toxicroak, both of which can be hit with Psychic if Lucario outruns them, though Hera would have to be scouted first to see if it was Scarfed. Finally, Dragon Pulse takes care of Dragons, which again I understand to be fairly popular.

Aerodactyl w/ Life Orb
Pressure
Adamant: 252 Atk, 252 Speed, 4 HP
Stone Edge,
Ice Fang,
Earthquake,
Aerial Ace,

OK, the speed-freak. It's Adamant because it's fast enough, with maxxed Attack and Speed. Stone Edge provides STAB, with Earthquake dealing with Electic-types and providing other good coverage. Ice Fang is useful for dealing with Ground-type levitators, as well as Gliscor. Aerial Ace provides secondary STAB, and never misses, which can be useful if people send in Sand Veilers to abuse my Sandstorm. It also allows it to kill non-Scarfed Heracross, as well as Heras that are locked into a move (that isn't Stone Edge).

Empolion w/ Leftovers
Torrent
Calm: 252 HP, 252 SpDef, 4 SpAck
Brine,
Grass Knot,
Stealth Rock,
Ice Beam,

The other wall on the set, more to take Special attacks. Stealth Rock helps support the team if it is placed early, with Brine providing STAB, and the doubled power after the foe is under half HP doesn't hurt. Ice Beam is there for coverage, and Grass Knot hits other Water-types.

So yeah, that's my Sandstorm team. Please post your critiques. If there were changes I'd make, I'd probably drop Dragon Pulse for Agility on the Lucario, and maybe replace Empolion with a Cradily.

Anyway, I await your opinions!
Dave

 

[Cerulean21]

Focus Sash only works on Starters (Stealth Rock ruins it), so make Rampy your Starter (or better, replace it entirely)

Then replace Hippowdon with Gliscor, because Gliscor works great with Empoleon as Defence, since Gliscor is immune to ground and resistant to fighting (which are Empoleons Weaknesses) and Empoleon is 2x resistant to Ice and resists Water.

MixApe with HP Ice tears this team to shreds

 

[Sigmon]

Huge Mixape problems. He can't replace hippo its a sandstrom team. You don't need 6 pokemon resistant to sandstorm on a sandstorm team Something not weak to water/fighting/ground llike Milotic or Blissey would work nicely

 

[Cerulean21]

Huge Mixape problems. He can't replace hippo its a sandstrom team. You don't need 6 pokemon resistant to sandstorm on a sandstorm team Something not weak to water/fighting/ground llike Milotic or Blissey would work nicely

Neither Milotic nor Blissey can reliably counter Mixape (Milotic can, but it needs a fair amount of prediction and and awful lot of HP/SpDef EVs and possibly no Sandstorm), The best counter for ape is Starmie, so if you really want to keep your Sand Storm (although it's a mystery to me) I suggest:

Tyranitar over Rampy, and make it your lead
Gliscor over Hippo
Starmie over Aerodactyl

 

[DaveTheFishGuy]

Fair points, cheers for those.

I've been seriously considering a Gliscor for a while for now, I'm seriously lacking in walls generally, and the Sand Veil would be cool. Need a Roost TM though....

I've never been too keen on TTar for some reason. Not quite sure why.

Now, what's the definition of MixApe? You may call me a n00b, but I honestly don't know. Me and a mate developed a Mixed sweeper set for Ape, consisting of Focus Blast, Flamethower/Fire Blast, Shadow Claw and ThunderPunch with Wide Lens/Life Orb. That's probably different to what other people use though....

Like I said, I've never battled online, therefore I'm unsure what is most common. Another wall I've considered has been a Claydol with Rapid Spin, which would fit on the SS team.

Stealth Rock's common, huh? Ouch.

Any Special attackers of note that would be useful in a SStorm?

 

[Cerulean21]

MixApe means:

Infernape @?*Life Orb
Naive
24 Atk, 252 SpAtk, 232 Spd
- Close Combat
- Flamethrower
- Grass Knot
- Nasty Plot / HP [Ice]

It's the most effective way to play Infernape (which is why it's so called "Standart"^^. Only has one truly effective Counter: Starmie)

 

[DaveTheFishGuy]

OK then, nothing like the one we thought of. I think ours is pretty good though, seeing how it Ball-Blasts and everything....

Might add a Starmie, though my friend might get annoyed. He's already got one, and we try not to overlap Pokemon, you see?

 

[DaveTheFishGuy]

Anyone else got any suggestions? I need 'em!

 

[Sigmon]

Neither Milotic nor Blissey can reliably counter Mixape (Milotic can, but it needs a fair amount of prediction and and awful lot of HP/SpDef EVs and possibly no Sandstorm), The best counter for ape is Starmie, so if you really want to keep your Sand Storm (although it's a mystery to me) I suggest:

Tyranitar over Rampy, and make it your lead
Gliscor over Hippo
Starmie over Aerodactyl

I would have to disagree about milotic my rest talk milotic on shoddy can switch into mixape using flamethrow/CC and then I hit Ko with surf

 

[kittenpie]

It might sound stupid... but maybe replace the empoleon. i mean its good for coverage and all, but there are probably better options for that slot in your team. Have you considered a clefable with magic guard? if it has counter, softboiled, meteor mash and cosmic power then it would be an ok addition because it is not well used and many people dont prepare for it. i probably sound stupid right now but im only trying to help :].

 

[DaveTheFishGuy]

Yeah, I'd heard about Clefable, it sounds pretty cool. Especially since it has a move that boosts both defenses. I'd have to reset LG to get Softboiled though. I might drop the Empoleon for it.

Does anyone think I could get away with dropping either Rampardos or Aerodactyl for a Gliscor? I'd probably make it a mixed wall, like my Hippo.

 

[DaveTheFishGuy]

Anyone else? I really value all imput to making this team better.

 

[darkmega]

Yeah, I'd heard about Clefable, it sounds pretty cool. Especially since it has a move that boosts both defenses. I'd have to reset LG to get Softboiled though. I might drop the Empoleon for it.

Does anyone think I could get away with dropping either Rampardos or Aerodactyl for a Gliscor? I'd probably make it a mixed wall, like my Hippo.

could trade for one?

Rampardos should be dropped it really doesnt benefit the most from sandstorm seeing as how the defense is ummm almost nonexistant (me=nice)

u need an ice counter. Mixed ape counters everything. u need something resistant to ice, which then doesnt die by grass, which then doesnt die by fire.
i can think of poison at the moment. It resists close combat, grass knot, not too dented by either ice or fire. give it pain split and toxic.

medicham is not too bad, scarf it with psycho cut. its ghost weakness will get covered by TTar and flying isnt too common not to mention u got plenty of flying counters too (so much rock >.<)

quick question so mixed ape is close combat, grass knot flame thrower and HP ice. Doesnt grass knot hit Super on starmie??

 

[PirateDelux]

Replace Rampardos with TTar or another rock type. As SandStorm raises Rock Type's SpDef. Regirock is a good choice as it has high SpDef any ways. As well as the Defense to cope.

 

[DaveTheFishGuy]

I try to refrain from using Legendaries, even if they're not Uber.

And like I said, I've never liked Ttar. I think enough people use it already, hence why I went with the Hippo.

Honestly, I'm quite attached to my Rampardos. All of my Pokemon are ones that I thought were cool, and decided to train them. The ones I'd prefer to drop are Aerodactyl and Empolion, for either Gliscor, Cradily or maaaaaaybe Clefable.

 

[Patman]

where is the cradily love!?!?!

Cradily is great:
Cradily @ leftovers
Bold nature
252 HP, 156 def, 100 sp def
-Stockpile
-Recover
-Toxic
-Energy ball/Grass Knot/Earthquake

it gets added sp def from the sandstorm! its the best

 

[DaveTheFishGuy]

Yeah, I've heard Cradily makes a good wall in a SStorm. The fact that it can't be PHazed is most useful. Shame it can't get Leech Seed. Might go with Energy Ball, but EQ would help with Steels. Looks like Skarmory's gonna wall it there. Can't be Toxic'd, EQd and EB only does 1/8th damage.

I'll consider it. Any more suggestions?