Sandile (Analysis) [GP: 2/2]

metsrule158 said:

I'm back with my first Gen V Analysis. Sorry it took so long.

http://www.serebii.net/pokedex-bw/551.shtml

QC Approvals: 2/2 [Nails] [Aerrow]
GP Checks: 0/0

[Overview]

<p>Sandile receives great Attack and Speed stats, which makes it ready for battle in Little Cup. With an ability to further boost that Sandile's Attack stat, in Moxie, it becomes even more useful to any team. Sandile obtains just enough decent moves to succeed in the fast-paced Little Cup metagame. It is a threat to many Pokemon, even to the best of walls, such as Munchlax, Frillish, and Bronzor. Its access to Hone Claws will further help Sandile succeed. While Sandile has great utility, it is hampered somewhat by its weakness, with Fighting- and Water-type moves being common in Little Cup. Despite these weaknesses, Sandile is still a viable choice for a Little Cup team. (or blank and blank types, whatever is common and super effective against Sandile in LC) Although this is all true, its weaknesses are the types that most people use because they are just so effective. Sandile still gets enough power to dominate in the Little Cup metagame, however.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4:Fire Fang / Stone Edge
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie
nature: Adamant
evs: 180 Atk / 76 Def / 236 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p> With a Choice Scarf, Sandile easily outspeeds all non-boosted Pokemon in Little Cup. Fire Fang is very useful to Sandile as it gets a the reliable OHKO on Ferroseed. Hidden Power Ice allows Sandile to easily 2HKO Eviolite Gligar. gets an easy 2HKO against an Eviolite Gligar. What makes this even better is that, with a Choice Scarf, Gligar does not receive a chance to Roost afterward, which means it is doomed to be KOed. Adamant is the nature of choice here, as the Choice Scarf gives Sandile enough Speed to outspeed many Pokemon. Moxie is the preferred ability on this set because Choice Scarf Sandile aims to stay in and attempt to sweep, and without a Moxie boost it is unable to do so.</p> is supposed to just stay in and try to sweep everything, and to do that, it will need a much better attack stat.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>Wooper's ability, Unaware, is not affected by Moxie, which is a problem to Sandile. Wooper will just take in the hit like it was nothing, especially if the opponent has Reflect up. Choice Scarf or an Agility-boosted Gligar is a problem, mainly Sandile is not bulky. Choice Scarf Gligar or an Agility-boosted Gligar obviously outspeeds Sandile, and an Aqua Tail is devastating. Carvanha's Aqua Jet stomps on Sandile as if it was a little, annoying bug. Dwebble helps Sandile get the job done by setting up entry hazards like Stealth Rock.</p> I think all of the this (bar the last sentence), needs to be moved to Checks and Counters. AC is the place for damage calcs, why the nature+EVs are chosen, and teammates for the Pokemon.

[SET]
name: Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Fang / Stone Edge
move 4: Crunch / Pursuit
item: Life Orb
ability: Moxie
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 180 Atk / SpA Def / 236 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>Hone Claws increases Attack and Accuracy, making Stone Edge more efficient because it will hit nearly every time. almost always be a guaranteed hit. Earthquake is a great, reliable STAB move that will deal a lot of damage it if Sandile has already received a Moxie boost. Crunch is another great STAB move that, with Earthquake, gets neutral coverage on almost every Little Cup Pokemon. Stone Edge is for better coverage and completes the coverage on everything with Earthquake and Crunch. A single Hone Claws will make Sandile do a lot more damage than it usually does.</p>

Put all of this in additional comments, with the appropriate tags beside them.
Here are some damage calculations to show how much one Hone Claws and a Life Orb will affect Sandile:

Earthquake vs. 84 HP / 188 Def neutral nature Ferroseed: 93.9% - 112.2%
Earthquake vs. 236 HP / 196 Def neutral nature with Eviolite Frillish: 62.4% - 72.8%
Earthquake vs: 36 HP neutral nature Dwebble: 99% (Sturdy)
Fire Fang vs. 84 HP / 188 Def neutral nature Ferroseed: 100%
Fire Fang vs. 236 HP / 196 Def neutral nature with Eviolite Frillish: 20.8% - 26%
Fire Fang vs. 36 HP neutral nature Dwebble: 53.1% - 59.1%
Crunch vs. 84 HP / 188 Def neutral nature Ferroseed: 41.3% - 47.2%
Crunch vs. 236 HP / 196 Def neutral nature with Eviolite Frillish: 100%
Crunch vs. 36 HP neutral nature Dwebble: 94.5% - 99% (Sturdy)

[Additional Comments]

<p>Pursuit (spacing) can be used to cripple any Pokemon that attempts to switch out on Sandile. is great after dishing out a lot of damage to get the job done on any Pokemon willing to switch out. Jolly may be used instead of Adamant if an increased Speed stat is desired. Once again, Wooper counters this set as it's ability ignores the effect of Hone Claws. This set is easily KO'd by Choice Scarf Snover's Blizzard or Energy Ball. (better off in checks and counters) A good teammate is one who can set up entry hazards like Dwebble. Fire-types (like Vulpix) have good synergy with Sandile, as they take care of threats like Snover, especially if Sandile has yet to use Hone Claws. Revenge killers benefit from Sandile because of the raw power that Sandile can deal to many Pokemon.</p>


[Other Options]

<p>Payback might have been considered if Sandile hadn't been given such a high Speed stat. Toxic is viable, but Sandile is better off attacking the opponent rather than poisoning them. it wouldn't get a chance to use it, as Sandile would probably not get a chance to inflict more damage to the opposing Pokemon. Sandile also gets Intimidate, which almost no Pokemon in LC get, and even though Moxie is much better, it still can be used as its effect is very valuable to the frail Sandile.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Timburr's Mach Punch easily beats Sandile's base 35 Defense, especially since it takes super effective damage. Croagunk can easily OHKO sweep Sandile with a single Vacuum Wave. Carvanha can easily best Sandile with its STAB priority in the form of Aqua Jet attack known as Aqua Jet. Essentially, any Fighting-type Pokemon can beat Sandile with their Mach Punch or higher speed. Snover is another good check against Sandile, as its Blizzard is an OHKO. Gligar can Aqua Tail Sandile while it takes almost no damage from any of Sandile's attacks.</p>

Click to expand...

[Overview]

<p>Sandile receives great Attack and Speed stats, which makes it ready for battle Sandile's high Speed and Attack make it a threat to contend with in Little Cup. With an ability to further boost Sandile's Attack each time it scores a KO in Moxie, it becomes even more useful to any team. Sandile obtains just enough decent moves to succeed in the fast-paced Little Cup metagame. It is a threat to many Pokemon, even to the best of walls, such as Munchlax, Frillish, and Bronzor. Its access to Hone Claws will further help Sandile succeed. While Sandile has great utility, it is hampered somewhat by its weakness, with Fighting- and Water-type moves being common in Little Cup. Despite these weaknesses, Sandile is still a viable choice for a Little Cup team It can pose a threat to even bulky walls such as Munchlax, Frillish, and Bronzor, while access to Hone Claws also makes it a decent setup sweeper. Unfortunately, Sandile's awful defensive stats in conjunction with weaknesses to common Fighting- and Water-type moves makes it easy to take it down. Still, Sandile makes a fine addition to any team, and should not be underestimated.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Fire Fang / Stone Edge (add space between the colon and "Fire Fang)
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie
nature: Adamant
evs: 180 Atk / 76 Def / 236 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>With a Choice Scarf, Sandile easily outspeeds all unboosted Pokemon in Little Cup. Earthquake and Crunch are its two STAB attacks, hitting a wide range of foes very hard. Fire Fang is very useful to Sandile as it gets a reliable OHKO on Ferroseed Fire Fang complements Sandile's other moves very well, OHKOing Ferroseed while also smacking Bronzor hard. Hidden Power Ice allows Sandile to easily 2HKO Eviolite Gligar. What makes this even better is that, with a Choice Scarf, Gligar does not receive a chance to Roost afterward, which means it is doomed to be KOed Gligar cannot stall out Hidden Power Ice's PP either, as Sandile will outspeed it and score the KO eventually. Adamant is the nature of choice here, as the Choice Scarf gives Sandile enough Speed to outspeed many Pokemon. Moxie is the preferred ability on this set because Choice Scarf Sandile aims to stay in and attempt to sweep, and without a Moxie boost it is unable to do so.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>Adamant is the nature of choice here, as Sandile already outspeeds most unboosted threats with a Choice Scarf and appreciates the power boost. Moxie is the preferred ability on this set, allowing Sandile to clean up weakened teams easily with team support. Speaking of team support, Sandile appreciates having its opponents weakened by entry hazards. Dwebble helps Sandile get the job done by setting up entry hazards like Stealth Rock thus makes a great partner for Sandile, as it can set up both Spikes and Stealth Rock. Another support Pokemon, such as Exeggcute and Bronzor, would be helpful by setting up Reflect or Light Screen to deal with the frailness problem that Sandile seems to have Dual screen support from the likes of Bronzor and Exeggcute also aids Sandile immensely, as it finds it difficult to take hits with its abysmal base 35 defenses. The Attack EVs that are in this set are to maximize Sandile's Attack stat. The same thing goes with the Speed EVs. The remaining EVs go into the Defense stat to bolster Sandile's defenses The EV spread maximizes Sandile's Attack and Speed, allowing it to hit as hard and as fast as possible, and adds one more point to its Defense.</p>

[SET]
name: Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Fang / Stone Edge
move 4: Crunch / Pursuit
item: Life Orb
ability: Moxie
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 180 Atk / 76 Def / 236 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>Hone Claws increases Attack and Accuracy, making Stone Edge more efficient because it will hit nearly every time With access to Hone Claws, a wonderful ability in Moxie, and powerful STAB attacks, Sandile can function very well as a setup sweeper. Earthquake is a great, reliable STAB move that will deal a lot of damage if Sandile has already received a Moxie boost. Crunch is another great STAB move that, with Earthquake, gets neutral coverage on almost every Little Cup Pokemon Earthquake and Crunch are Sandile's dual STAB attacks, giving Sandile great neutral coverage and hitting anything that doesn't resist them very hard after a boost. However, Pursuit can be used over Crunch to revenge kill fleeing Pokemon, Psychic-types in particular. Stone Edge completes the coverage on everything with Earthquake and Crunch. A single Hone Claws will make Sandile do a lot more damage than it usually does There are two options for the final moveslot. Stone Edge pairs very well with Sandile's other moves, giving it the infamous EdgeQuake coverage as well as decimating any Flying-types who may switch in for free on Earthquake. Stone Edge also has its imperfect accuracy boosted by Hone Claws, making it much mroe reliable. On the other hand, Fire Fang roasts Steel-type walls such as Ferroseed and Bronzor to a crisp, which is very useful when considering the ubiquity of these threats.</p>
(remove all these spaces)
[Additional Comments]

<p>Pursuit can be used to cripple any Pokemon that attempts to switch out on Sandile. Jolly may be used instead of Adamant if an increased Speed stat is desired. A good teammate is one who can set up entry hazards like Dwebble. Fire-types (like Vulpix) have good synergy with Sandile, as they take care of threats like Snover, especially if Sandile has yet to use Hone Claws. Revenge killers benefit from Sandile because of the raw power that Sandile can deal to many Pokemon. The EV spread is straightforward, maximizing Sandile's Attack and Speed. Adamant and Jolly are both great options for a nature. While Adamant gives Sandile a great deal of power, Jolly allows it to outspeed threats such as Rufflet and Chinchou. Sandile also needs some team support to sweep successfully. Pokemon that can set up entry hazards, such as Dwebble, thus aid Sandile immensely. Fire-types such as Houndour also make good teammates, as they can deal with threats such as Snover with ease. However, note that they add to Sandile's Water-type weakness. Choice Scarf users that can clean up the remains after Sandile has weakened the opponent's team also make fine partners.</p>

<p>Here are some damage calculations to show how much one Hone Claws and a Life Orb will affect Sandile The damage calculations given below highlight the amount of havoc which Sandile can cause with Life Orb after a Hone Claws boost:

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Earthquake vs. 84 HP / 188 Def neutral-natured Ferroseed: 93.9% - 112.2%
<li>Earthquake vs. 236 HP / 196 Def neutral-natured with Eviolite Frillish: 62.4% - 72.8%
<li>Earthquake vs: 36 HP neutral-natured Dwebble: 99% (Sturdy)
<li>Fire Fang vs. 84 HP / 188 Def neutral-natured Ferroseed: 100%
<li>Fire Fang vs. 236 HP / 196 Def neutral-natured with Eviolite Frillish: 20.8% - 26%
<li>Fire Fang vs. 36 HP neutral-natured Dwebble: 53.1% - 59.1%
<li>Crunch vs. 84 HP / 188 Def neutral-natured Ferroseed: 41.3% - 47.2%
<li>Crunch vs. 236 HP / 196 Def neutral-natured with Eviolite Frillish: 100%
<li>Crunch vs. 36 HP neutral-natured Dwebble: 94.5% - 99% (Sturdy)
</ul>
(remove spaces)
[Other Options]

<p>Payback might have been considered if Sandile hadn't been given such a high Speed stat. Toxic is viable, but Sandile is better off attacking the opponent rather than poisoning them. Sandile also gets Intimidate, which almost no Pokemon in LC get, and even though Moxie is much better, it still can be used as its effect is very valuable to the frail Sandile Payback can hit faster threats very hard, but Sandile is pretty fast and will rarely be taking hits, making this a very poor choice. Sandile also has access to Toxic, but it is better off attacking. Intimidate can also be used over Moxie to force switches and allow Sandile to take physical attacks occasionally, but Sandile will badly miss the ability to boost its Attack each time it lands a KO, especially on the Choice Scarf set.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Timburr's Mach Punch easily beats Sandile's base 35 Defense, especially since it takes super effective damage. Croagunk can easily OHKO Sandile with Vacuum Wave. Essentially, any Fighting-type Pokemon can beat Sandile with their Mach Punch or higher speed. Snover is another good check against Sandile, as its Blizzard is an OHKO. Wooper's ability, Unaware, is not affected by Moxie, which is a problem to Sandile. Wooper will just take in the hit like it was nothing, especially if the opponent has Reflect up. Choice Scarf or an Agility-boosted Gligar is a problem, mainly Sandile is not bulky. Choice Scarf Gligar or an Agility-boosted Gligar obviously outspeeds Sandile, and an Aqua Tail is devastating. Carvanha's Aqua Jet stomps on Sandile as if it was a little, annoying bug. Sandile's awful defensive stats and weaknesses to common Fighting- and Water-type attacks make it extremely easy to counter. Priority attacks in particular are the bane of its existence, meaning Pokemon such as Meditite and Croagunk can take down Sandile without breaking a sweat. Unaware Wooper makes a fine check too, as it ignores any Attack boosts which Sandile might have acquired and OHKOes with STAB Waterfall. Snover can switch into Earthquake and dispose of Sandile with Blizzard or Giga Drain. However, it must watch out for Fire Fang, which will OHKO. Carvanha can also bring down Sandile easily with Aqua Jet or Waterfall, but can't switch in that easily. If Sandile lacks Hidden Power Ice, Gligar counters it with ease, as it can take all of Sandile's other attacks with ease and OHKO with Aqua Tail.<p>

[Overview]

<p>Sandile receives great Attack and Speed stats, which makes it ready for battle Sandile's high Speed and Attack make it a threat to contend with in Little Cup. With an ability to further boost Sandile's Attack each time it scores a KO in Moxie, it becomes even more useful to any team. Sandile obtains just enough decent moves to succeed in the fast-paced Little Cup metagame. It is a threat to many Pokemon, even to the best of walls, such as Munchlax, Frillish, and Bronzor. Its access to Hone Claws will further help Sandile succeed. While Sandile has great utility, it is hampered somewhat by its weakness, with Fighting- and Water-type moves being common in Little Cup. Despite these weaknesses, Sandile is still a viable choice for a Little Cup team It can pose a threat to even bulky walls such as Munchlax, Frillish, and Bronzor, while access to Hone Claws also makes it a decent setup sweeper. Unfortunately, Sandile's awful defensive stats in conjunction with weaknesses to common Fighting- and Water-type moves makes it easy to take it down. Still, Sandile makes a fine addition to any team, and should not be underestimated.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Fire Fang / Stone Edge (add space between the colon and "Fire Fang)
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie
nature: Adamant
evs: 180 Atk / 76 Def / 236 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>With a Choice Scarf, Sandile easily outspeeds all unboosted Pokemon in Little Cup. Earthquake and Crunch are its two STAB attacks, hitting a wide range of foes very hard. Fire Fang is very useful to Sandile as it gets a reliable OHKO on Ferroseed Fire Fang complements Sandile's other moves very well, OHKOing Ferroseed while also smacking Bronzor hard. Hidden Power Ice allows Sandile to easily 2HKO Eviolite Gligar. What makes this even better is that, with a Choice Scarf, Gligar does not receive a chance to Roost afterward, which means it is doomed to be KOed Gligar cannot stall out Hidden Power Ice's PP either, as Sandile will outspeed it and score the KO eventually. Adamant is the nature of choice here, as the Choice Scarf gives Sandile enough Speed to outspeed many Pokemon. Moxie is the preferred ability on this set because Choice Scarf Sandile aims to stay in and attempt to sweep, and without a Moxie boost it is unable to do so.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>Adamant is the nature of choice here, as Sandile already outspeeds most unboosted threats with a Choice Scarf and appreciates the power boost. Moxie is the preferred ability on this set, allowing Sandile to clean up weakened teams easily with team support. Speaking of team support, Sandile appreciates having its opponents weakened by entry hazards. Dwebble helps Sandile get the job done by setting up entry hazards like Stealth Rock thus makes a great partner for Sandile, as it can set up both Spikes and Stealth Rock. Another support Pokemon, such as Exeggcute and Bronzor, would be helpful by setting up Reflect or Light Screen to deal with the frailness problem that Sandile seems to have Dual screen support from the likes of Bronzor and Exeggcute also aids Sandile immensely, as it finds it difficult to take hits with its abysmal base 35 defenses. The Attack EVs that are in this set are to maximize Sandile's Attack stat. The same thing goes with the Speed EVs. The remaining EVs go into the Defense stat to bolster Sandile's defenses The EV spread maximizes Sandile's Attack and Speed, allowing it to hit as hard and as fast as possible, and adds one more point to its Defense.</p>

[SET]
name: Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Fang / Stone Edge
move 4: Crunch / Pursuit
item: Life Orb
ability: Moxie
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 180 Atk / 76 Def / 236 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>Hone Claws increases Attack and Accuracy, making Stone Edge more efficient because it will hit nearly every time With access to Hone Claws, a wonderful ability in Moxie, and powerful STAB attacks, Sandile can function very well as a setup sweeper. Earthquake is a great, reliable STAB move that will deal a lot of damage if Sandile has already received a Moxie boost. Crunch is another great STAB move that, with Earthquake, gets neutral coverage on almost every Little Cup Pokemon Earthquake and Crunch are Sandile's dual STAB attacks, giving Sandile great neutral coverage and hitting anything that doesn't resist them very hard after a boost. However, Pursuit can be used over Crunch to revenge kill fleeing Pokemon, Psychic-types in particular. Stone Edge completes the coverage on everything with Earthquake and Crunch. A single Hone Claws will make Sandile do a lot more damage than it usually does There are two options for the final moveslot. Stone Edge pairs very well with Sandile's other moves, giving it the infamous EdgeQuake coverage as well as decimating any Flying-types who may switch in for free on Earthquake. Stone Edge also has its imperfect accuracy boosted by Hone Claws, making it much mroe reliable. On the other hand, Fire Fang roasts Steel-type walls such as Ferroseed and Bronzor to a crisp, which is very useful when considering the ubiquity of these threats.</p>
(remove all these spaces)
[Additional Comments]

<p>Pursuit can be used to cripple any Pokemon that attempts to switch out on Sandile. Jolly may be used instead of Adamant if an increased Speed stat is desired. A good teammate is one who can set up entry hazards like Dwebble. Fire-types (like Vulpix) have good synergy with Sandile, as they take care of threats like Snover, especially if Sandile has yet to use Hone Claws. Revenge killers benefit from Sandile because of the raw power that Sandile can deal to many Pokemon. The EV spread is straightforward, maximizing Sandile's Attack and Speed. Adamant and Jolly are both great options for a nature. While Adamant gives Sandile a great deal of power, Jolly allows it to outspeed threats such as Rufflet and Chinchou. Sandile also needs some team support to sweep successfully. Pokemon that can set up entry hazards, such as Dwebble, thus aid Sandile immensely. Fire-types such as Houndour also make good teammates, as they can deal with threats such as Snover with ease. However, note that they add to Sandile's Water-type weakness. Choice Scarf users that can clean up the remains after Sandile has weakened the opponent's team also make fine partners.</p>

<p>Here are some damage calculations to show how much one Hone Claws and a Life Orb will affect Sandile The damage calculations given below highlight the amount of havoc which Sandile can cause with Life Orb after a Hone Claws boost:

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Earthquake vs. 84 HP / 188 Def neutral-natured Ferroseed: 93.9% - 112.2%
<li>Earthquake vs. 236 HP / 196 Def neutral-natured with Eviolite Frillish: 62.4% - 72.8%
<li>Earthquake vs: 36 HP neutral-natured Dwebble: 99% (Sturdy)
<li>Fire Fang vs. 84 HP / 188 Def neutral-natured Ferroseed: 100%
<li>Fire Fang vs. 236 HP / 196 Def neutral-natured with Eviolite Frillish: 20.8% - 26%
<li>Fire Fang vs. 36 HP neutral-natured Dwebble: 53.1% - 59.1%
<li>Crunch vs. 84 HP / 188 Def neutral-natured Ferroseed: 41.3% - 47.2%
<li>Crunch vs. 236 HP / 196 Def neutral-natured with Eviolite Frillish: 100%
<li>Crunch vs. 36 HP neutral-natured Dwebble: 94.5% - 99% (Sturdy)
</ul>
(remove spaces)
[Other Options]

<p>Payback might have been considered if Sandile hadn't been given such a high Speed stat. Toxic is viable, but Sandile is better off attacking the opponent rather than poisoning them. Sandile also gets Intimidate, which almost no Pokemon in LC get, and even though Moxie is much better, it still can be used as its effect is very valuable to the frail Sandile Payback can hit faster threats very hard, but Sandile is pretty fast and will rarely be taking hits, making this a very poor choice. Sandile also has access to Toxic, but it is better off attacking. Intimidate can also be used over Moxie to force switches and allow Sandile to take physical attacks occasionally, but Sandile will badly miss the ability to boost its Attack each time it lands a KO, especially on the Choice Scarf set.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Timburr's Mach Punch easily beats Sandile's base 35 Defense, especially since it takes super effective damage. Croagunk can easily OHKO Sandile with Vacuum Wave. Essentially, any Fighting-type Pokemon can beat Sandile with their Mach Punch or higher speed. Snover is another good check against Sandile, as its Blizzard is an OHKO. Wooper's ability, Unaware, is not affected by Moxie, which is a problem to Sandile. Wooper will just take in the hit like it was nothing, especially if the opponent has Reflect up. Choice Scarf or an Agility-boosted Gligar is a problem, mainly Sandile is not bulky. Choice Scarf Gligar or an Agility-boosted Gligar obviously outspeeds Sandile, and an Aqua Tail is devastating. Carvanha's Aqua Jet stomps on Sandile as if it was a little, annoying bug. Sandile's awful defensive stats and weaknesses to common Fighting- and Water-type attacks make it extremely easy to counter. Priority attacks in particular are the bane of its existence, meaning Pokemon such as Meditite and Croagunk can take down Sandile without breaking a sweat. Unaware Wooper makes a fine check too, as it ignores any Attack boosts which Sandile might have acquired and OHKOes with STAB Waterfall. Snover can switch into Earthquake and dispose of Sandile with Blizzard or Giga Drain. However, it must watch out for Fire Fang, which will OHKO. Carvanha can also bring down Sandile easily with Aqua Jet or Waterfall, but can't switch in that easily. If Sandile lacks Hidden Power Ice, Gligar counters it with ease, as it can take all of Sandile's other attacks with ease and OHKO with Aqua Tail.<p>

<p>Sandile receives great Attack and Speed stats, which makes it ready for battle Sandile's high Speed and Attack make it a threat to contend with in Little Cup. With an ability to further boost Sandile's Attack each time it scores a KO in Moxie, it becomes even more useful to any team. Sandile obtains just enough decent moves to succeed in the fast-paced Little Cup metagame. It is a threat to many Pokemon, even to the best of walls, such as Munchlax, Frillish, and Bronzor. Its access to Hone Claws will further help Sandile succeed. While Sandile has great utility, it is hampered somewhat by its weakness, with Fighting- and Water-type moves being common in Little Cup. Despite these weaknesses, Sandile is still a viable choice for a Little Cup team It can pose a threat to even bulky walls such as Munchlax, Frillish, and Bronzor, while access to Hone Claws also makes it a decent setup sweeper. Unfortunately, Sandile's awful defensive stats in conjunction with weaknesses to common Fighting- and Water-type moves makes it easy to take it down. Still, Sandile makes a fine addition to any team, and should not be underestimated.</p>

<p>Sandile's high Speed and Attack make it a threat to contend with in Little Cup. With an ability to further boost Sandile's Attack each time it scores a KO in Moxie, it becomes even more useful to any team. Sandile obtains just enough decent moves to succeed in the fast-paced Little Cup metagame. It can pose a threat to even bulky walls such as Munchlax, Frillish, and Bronzor, while access to Hone Claws also makes it a decent setup sweeper. Unfortunately, Sandile's awful defensive stats in conjunction with weaknesses to common Fighting- and Water-type moves makes it easy to take it down. Still, Sandile makes a fine addition to any team, and should not be underestimated.</p>

metsrule158 said:

[Overview]

<p>Sandile's high Speed and Attack make it a threat to contend with in Little Cup. With an ability to furtherMoxie boosting Sandile's Attack each time it scores a KO, in Moxie, it becomes even more useful to any team. Sandile obtainsit can quickly become an unstoppable threat. Sandile's movepool is just wide enough decent moves to succeed in the fast-paced Little Cup metagame. It can pose a threat to even bulky walls such as Munchlax, Frillish, and Bronzor, while access to Hone Claws also makes it a decent setup sweeper. Unfortunately, Sandile's awful defensive stats in conjunction with weaknesses to common Fighting- and Water-type moves makes it easy to take it down. Still, Sandile makes a fine addition to any team, and should not be underestimated.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Crunch
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Fire Fang / Stone Edge
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Moxie
nature: Adamant
evs: 180 Atk / 76 Def / 236 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p>With a Choice Scarf, Sandile easily outspeeds all unboosted Pokemon in Little Cup. Earthquake and Crunch are its two STAB attacks, hitting a wide range of foes very hard. Fire Fang complements Sandile's other moves very well, OHKOing Ferroseed while also smacking Bronzor hard. Hidden Power Ice allows Sandile to easily 2HKO Eviolite Gligar. Gligar cannot stall out Hidden Power Ice's PP either, as Sandile will outspeed it and score the KO eventually.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>Adamant is the nature of choice here, as Sandile already outspeeds most unboosted threats with a Choice Scarf and appreciates the power boost. Moxie is the preferred ability on this set, allowing Sandile to clean up weakened teams easily with team support. Speaking of team support, SandileThis set appreciates having its opponents weakened by entry hazards. Dwebble thus makes a great partner for Sandile, as it can set up both Spikes and Stealth Rock. Dual screen support from the likes of Bronzor and Exeggcute also aids Sandile immensely, as it finds it difficult to take hits with its abysmal base 35 defenses. The EV spread maximizes Sandile's Attack and Speed, allowing it to hit as hard and as fast as possible, and adds one more point to itswith the rest dumped into Defense.</p>

[SET]
name: Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Fire Fang / Stone Edge
move 4: Crunch / Pursuit
item: Life Orb
ability: Moxie
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 180 Atk / 76 Def / 236 Spe

[Set Comments]

<p> With access to Hone Claws, a wonderful ability in Moxie, and powerful STAB attacks, Sandile can function very well as a setup sweeper. Earthquake and Crunch are Sandile's dual STAB attacks, giving Sandile great neutral coverage and hitting anything that doesn't resist them very hard after a boost. However, Pursuit can be used over Crunch to revenge kill fleeing Pokemon, Psychic-types in particular. There are two options for the final moveslot. Stone Edge pairs very well with Sandile's other moves, giving it the infamous EdgeQuake coverage as well as decimating any Flying-types who may switch in for free on Earthquake. Stone Edge also has its imperfect accuracy boosted by Hone Claws, making it much mroore reliable. On the other hand, Fire Fang roasts Steel-type walls such as Ferroseed and Bronzor to a crisp, which is very useful when considering the ubiquity of these threats.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p> The EV spread is straightforward, maximizing Sandile's Attack and Speed. Adamant and Jolly are both great options for a nature. While Adamant gives Sandile a great deal of power, Jolly allows it to outspeed threats such as Rufflet and Chinchou. Sandile also needs some team support to sweep successfully. Pokemon that can set up entry hazards, such as Dwebble, thus aid Sandile immensely. Fire-types such as Houndour also make good teammates, as they can deal with threats such as Snover with ease. However, note that they add to Sandile's Water-type weakness. Choice Scarf users that can clean up the remains after Sandile has weakened the opponent's team also make fine partners.</p>

<p>The damage calculations given below highlight the amount of havoc which Sandile can cause with Life Orb after a Hone Claws boost:

<ul class="damage_calculation">
<li>Earthquake vs. 84 HP / 188 Def neutral-natured Ferroseed: 93.9% - 112.2%
<li>Earthquake vs. 236 HP / 196 Def neutral-natured Eviolite Frillish: 62.4% - 72.8%
<li>Earthquake vs: 36 HP neutral-natured Dwebble: 99% (Sturdy)
<li>Fire Fang vs. 84 HP / 188 Def neutral-natured Ferroseed: 100%
<li>Fire Fang vs. 236 HP / 196 Def neutral-natured with Eviolite Frillish: 20.8% - 26%
<li>Fire Fang vs. 36 HP neutral-natured Dwebble: 53.1% - 59.1%
<li>Crunch vs. 84 HP / 188 Def neutral-natured Ferroseed: 41.3% - 47.2%
<li>Crunch vs. 236 HP / 196 Def neutral-natured Eviolite Frillish: 100%
<li>Crunch vs. 36 HP neutral-natured Dwebble: 94.5% - 99% (Sturdy) wouldn't you use earthquake for the OHKO?
</ul>

[Other Options]

<p>Payback can hit faster threats very hard, but Sandile is pretty fast and will rarely be taking hits, making this a very poor choice. Sandile also has access to Toxic, but it is better off attacking. Intimidate can also be used over Moxie to force switches and allow Sandile to take physical attacks occasionally, but Sandile will badly miss the ability to boost its Attack each time it lands a KO, especially on the Choice Scarf set.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p> Sandile's awful defensive stats and weaknesses to common Fighting- and Water-type attacks make it extremely easy to counter. Priority attacks in particular are the bane of its existence, meaning Pokemon such as Meditite and Croagunk can take down Sandile without breaking a sweat. Unaware Wooper makes a fine check too, as it ignores any Attack boosts which Sandile might have acquired and OHKOes with STAB Waterfall. Snover can switch into Earthquake and dispose of Sandile with Blizzard or Giga Drain. However, it must watch out for Fire Fang, which will OHKO. Carvanha can also bring down Sandile easily with Aqua Jet or Waterfall, but can't switch in that easily. If Sandile lacks Hidden Power Ice, Gligar counters it with ease, as it can take all of Sandile's other attacks with ease and OHKO with Aqua Tail.<p>

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