Hippowdon Tyranitar Excadrill Latios Scizor Clefable
Team Comp checklist:
Mega: Is it a T-Tar? A Scizor? A Lati? Post your answer in the survey!
Hazards: We got THREE stealth rockers - two of them are our Sandbringers, T-Tar and Hippo, and the other is Clef. Good luck defogging and rapid spinning against the barrage of Yawn, Dragon Tail and Wish passes.
Hazard control: Sand rush Exca with Rapid spin (and supported by team of 2 sandbringers and 1 cleric with healing wish). The team remains mostly hazard free, but let's just say if you see a hazard on my side of field, it's because I didn't think it was worth one round to do it.
Phazers: A Whirlwind, a Dragon Tail.
Crowd Control: Yawn on Hippo. Scarf-Trick Lati.
Where's the damage?: Exca tries to sweep but can't always. The second biggest damage output of the team is from residual sand chip and rocks combined. Then there's Lati to wear down foes and just take one life maybe. Scizor with his sweet coverage and good ol' BP can do some decent cleanup. And there's toxic on T-Tar just in case we run into some big, fat cleric-less bulkster.
1. Default Sand team mon
Excadrill @ Steelium Z
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
Typical EV spread, Steelium Z to hit harder on STAB and Rapid Spin instead of Rock Slide for Hazard Control if and when needed. 'Nuff said. No wait. There are two sand-bringers - meaning we'll have terrain for days. It's sometimes nice to keep this guy alive for multiple stints out. Use aggressive switching a lot and fully utilize Exca. Don't forget it still has Rapid Spin though.
2. Sand-bringer Utility (1 of 2)
Tyranitar @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Pursuit
- Dragon Tail
- Toxic
Smooth Rock gives sand for days: which the entire team (other than Latios) enjoys. Pursuit to catch those psychic switchouts. Dragon Tail for occasional phasing needs. Toxic helps take down bulky stalls. The EV spread is meant to maximize its mixed bulk (Sandstorm buffs SpD. so +252 Impish for phys def). This guy can take a hit. Or two. Chopple berry not preferred over smooth rock due to team needs and weather dominance.
3. Bulky sand-bringer Support (2 of 2)
Hippowdon @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Slack Off
- Yawn
- Whirlwind
- Stealth Rock
Both T-Tar and Hippo? Both with Smooth rock? Overkill much?
I don't know. Sand is just must have on my team. The Smooth Rocks are for extending it and the dual Sand-bringers are for asserting dominance over weather when up against pesky rain. This is a very typical Hippo set other than the Smooth Rock, so 'nuff said here.
4. Surprise Coverage Scizor
Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Bug Bite
- Roost
- Aerial Ace
Max HP and Atk with Adamant for plug-and-play offensive prowess. Bullet Punch, Bug Bite and Roost are kind of explanatory. Knock Off not taken in favor of AERIAL ACE. This thing has interesting coverage as it hits stuff like M-Lopunny, Venusaur, Volcarona. Remember that Volc. that hard switched into your unboosted Bullet Punch? Now watch it Quiver Dance in your face and get KOd by technician-boosted Aerial Ace. Now that's double-A.
5. Tricky Scarf Lati
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Trick
- Ice Beam
- Psyshock
Quite typical set with Draco, Ice Beam, Psyshock and Trick, max SpA and speed with Timid and scarf. Psyshock preferred over Psychic to hit pink blobs and such better. The idea is to hit as many stuff with Draco as possible and let weather chip and Scizor BP do the rest (assuming Exca has failed). Trick cripples a lot of set-uppers, bulksters and whatnot, especially during the endgame. Deals with Zard Y, Gren etc.
6. Clerical Martyr
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Heal Bell
- Stealth Rock
- Healing Wish
Magic Guard is a must because SAND FOR DAYS. Wish and Heal bell to provide typical Clef support. Stealth Rock makes it the THIRD rocker on the team (and in some matchups, a viable Lead even). Healing Wish is for giving second wind to Lati, when it seems unsure if it can take a hit to receive a normal Wish. Bulksters like Hippo and T-Tar can take the Wish. Oh, and Exca -- just when they think you're done, you healing wish into an Exca and gg -- because let's face it, it's always going to be sandy.
You want to try it? Here it is https://pokepast.es/90f003d3f2db6301
Threats:
Ok so I am scrolling down SM OU viability ranking thread and listing mons that cause issues:
Celesteela - Two not-so-straightforward ways I take care of it: either gift it a Scarf, or shuffle their team with whirlwind/dragon tail until he's the only mon left.
Any balanced team led by a trainer who knows what's up - That is the only real threat to such str0nk balance. And a very viable one, otherwise I would have posted by 1900+ ELO with this team.
Can't think of anything else. How about you name names and I tell you why they're not threats. Gren, Mag, Ferro, Pex, Sableye, Stall, all that and more.
Cheers
Team Comp checklist:
Mega: Is it a T-Tar? A Scizor? A Lati? Post your answer in the survey!
Hazards: We got THREE stealth rockers - two of them are our Sandbringers, T-Tar and Hippo, and the other is Clef. Good luck defogging and rapid spinning against the barrage of Yawn, Dragon Tail and Wish passes.
Hazard control: Sand rush Exca with Rapid spin (and supported by team of 2 sandbringers and 1 cleric with healing wish). The team remains mostly hazard free, but let's just say if you see a hazard on my side of field, it's because I didn't think it was worth one round to do it.
Phazers: A Whirlwind, a Dragon Tail.
Crowd Control: Yawn on Hippo. Scarf-Trick Lati.
Where's the damage?: Exca tries to sweep but can't always. The second biggest damage output of the team is from residual sand chip and rocks combined. Then there's Lati to wear down foes and just take one life maybe. Scizor with his sweet coverage and good ol' BP can do some decent cleanup. And there's toxic on T-Tar just in case we run into some big, fat cleric-less bulkster.
1. Default Sand team mon
Excadrill @ Steelium Z
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
Typical EV spread, Steelium Z to hit harder on STAB and Rapid Spin instead of Rock Slide for Hazard Control if and when needed. 'Nuff said. No wait. There are two sand-bringers - meaning we'll have terrain for days. It's sometimes nice to keep this guy alive for multiple stints out. Use aggressive switching a lot and fully utilize Exca. Don't forget it still has Rapid Spin though.
2. Sand-bringer Utility (1 of 2)
Tyranitar @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Pursuit
- Dragon Tail
- Toxic
Smooth Rock gives sand for days: which the entire team (other than Latios) enjoys. Pursuit to catch those psychic switchouts. Dragon Tail for occasional phasing needs. Toxic helps take down bulky stalls. The EV spread is meant to maximize its mixed bulk (Sandstorm buffs SpD. so +252 Impish for phys def). This guy can take a hit. Or two. Chopple berry not preferred over smooth rock due to team needs and weather dominance.
3. Bulky sand-bringer Support (2 of 2)
Hippowdon @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Slack Off
- Yawn
- Whirlwind
- Stealth Rock
Both T-Tar and Hippo? Both with Smooth rock? Overkill much?
I don't know. Sand is just must have on my team. The Smooth Rocks are for extending it and the dual Sand-bringers are for asserting dominance over weather when up against pesky rain. This is a very typical Hippo set other than the Smooth Rock, so 'nuff said here.
4. Surprise Coverage Scizor
Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Bug Bite
- Roost
- Aerial Ace
Max HP and Atk with Adamant for plug-and-play offensive prowess. Bullet Punch, Bug Bite and Roost are kind of explanatory. Knock Off not taken in favor of AERIAL ACE. This thing has interesting coverage as it hits stuff like M-Lopunny, Venusaur, Volcarona. Remember that Volc. that hard switched into your unboosted Bullet Punch? Now watch it Quiver Dance in your face and get KOd by technician-boosted Aerial Ace. Now that's double-A.
5. Tricky Scarf Lati
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Trick
- Ice Beam
- Psyshock
Quite typical set with Draco, Ice Beam, Psyshock and Trick, max SpA and speed with Timid and scarf. Psyshock preferred over Psychic to hit pink blobs and such better. The idea is to hit as many stuff with Draco as possible and let weather chip and Scizor BP do the rest (assuming Exca has failed). Trick cripples a lot of set-uppers, bulksters and whatnot, especially during the endgame. Deals with Zard Y, Gren etc.
6. Clerical Martyr
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Heal Bell
- Stealth Rock
- Healing Wish
Magic Guard is a must because SAND FOR DAYS. Wish and Heal bell to provide typical Clef support. Stealth Rock makes it the THIRD rocker on the team (and in some matchups, a viable Lead even). Healing Wish is for giving second wind to Lati, when it seems unsure if it can take a hit to receive a normal Wish. Bulksters like Hippo and T-Tar can take the Wish. Oh, and Exca -- just when they think you're done, you healing wish into an Exca and gg -- because let's face it, it's always going to be sandy.
You want to try it? Here it is https://pokepast.es/90f003d3f2db6301
Threats:
Ok so I am scrolling down SM OU viability ranking thread and listing mons that cause issues:
Celesteela - Two not-so-straightforward ways I take care of it: either gift it a Scarf, or shuffle their team with whirlwind/dragon tail until he's the only mon left.
Any balanced team led by a trainer who knows what's up - That is the only real threat to such str0nk balance. And a very viable one, otherwise I would have posted by 1900+ ELO with this team.
Can't think of anything else. How about you name names and I tell you why they're not threats. Gren, Mag, Ferro, Pex, Sableye, Stall, all that and more.
Cheers
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