Quicksands! (OU RMT)

[sandtyrant]

Hi everybody,

this is my second post on smogon and also my first RMT. The team I'm gonna show is the last I've built, a stall-oriented sandstorm one. Although it works quite well, I think it still need improvements.


Tyranitar @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Sandstream
Evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
-Crunch
-Pursuit
-Superpower
-Stone Edge

I wanted a sandstorm team, so I needed a sandstreamer; I choose Tyranitar over Hippowdon because it can hit harder and faster than the hippo and in a stall-oriented team full of defensive pokemon hippowdon would have been redundant. Tyranitar can handle threats such as the Lati-twins, Gengar(all are OKHOed by Pursuit), Reuniclus, Chansey, Blissey and Jellicent, while also dealing damage to flying types(Dragonite, Salamence, Tornadus) and working as a nice Revenge Killer. The ev spread is self-explanatory, as the moves are. I prefer Superpower over Earthquake because it can damage air balloon users(Heatran) and deal massive damage to the pink blobs.


Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Poison Heal
Evs: 252 HP / 184 Def / 72 Spd
-Protect
-Swords Dance
-Earthquake
-Ice Fang

Standard bulky Swords Dance Gliscor. It is a good check for many hard-hitting physical attackers, especially fighting-types such as Terrakion, Virizion and Conkeldurr. At the beginning I used the SubToxic version, but I realized that I lacked a late-game sweeper, that'always useful, especially on stall teams. Protect is used instead of Taunt both to stall badly poisoned foes and to allow a free turn of Poison Heal recover.


Forretress @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
Evs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 86 SpD
Relaxed Nature
-Spikes
-Toxic Spikes
-Rapid Spin
-Volt Switch

This pokemon not only works well as a physically-based mixed wall and rapid spinner, but is also excellent at setting up toxic spikes, that are essential on every stall team. Not much more to say. Volt Switch is here over Gyro Ball in order to escape from Magnezone.


Chansey @ Eviolite
Trait: Natural Cure
Evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature
-Wish
-Protect
-Seismic Toss
-Toxic

A Wish passer works well in this team, all members can take advantage of a 352 HP Wish, especially Heatran. I haven't chosen Blissey because Eviolite Chansey can take better physical hits and the loss of leftovers isn't so bad at all. Maximizing HP and Def means that Chansey can take physical attacks relatively easily, while still having a decent special bulk.
I'm thinking about replacing Protect with Softboiled for a faster recovery, but I'm not sure as Protect helps me stalling enemies with Toxic damage.


Heatran @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
Evs: 252 HP / 248 SpD / 8 Spd
Calm Nature
-Lava Plume
-Earth Power
-Stealth Rock
-Roar

When I chose the CS set for Tyranitar, I was left without a good Stealth Rock user, and I found that Heatran fitted this role very well, while also being a nice counter to many sun teams. I usually lead with him against this kind of teams, often forcing a Ninetales switch which allows him to freely set up Stealth Rock. Lava Plume is a good STAB with a nice 30% chance of burning the enemy, but it could be replaced with either Flamethrower or Fire Blast, as many opponents will be already statused by Toxic or Toxic Spikes. Earth Power hits Fire-types(especially Flash Firers such as Chandelures and other Heatrans) and also Tentacruel for decent damage. Finally, Roar phazes away annoying sweepers.

Jellicent @ Leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
Evs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 Spd
Bold Nature
-Scald
-Toxic
-Recover
-Taunt

Finally, I was looking for a good physical wall and a rain teams' check and I found with Jellicent also a Spinblocker! This fat guy can handle a lot of threats, such as Jirachi, the Latis and generally fire and water types, while also stopping other walls with taunt. In the end, Recover helps stalling poison damage. I've chosen Jellicent over Gastrodon for better physical bulk and versatility. Another special wall would have been redundant


As I said, this team isn't perfect, so I ask for suggestions. Thanks in advance to everybody who's gonna post!

 

[Gengan]

Need some pictures?

 

[SomeDrunkRockLee]

A Few Nitpicks

All right. You have Toxic on Chansey, which, since you have toxic spikes up, could theoretically free up a moveslot which might be put to better use. I reccomend Heal Bell over Toxic on Chansey since most of the Pokemon switching into Chansey are fighting types (all of which, I believe, are grounded) or things that carry a strong fighting type attack. Gliscor might switch in, but toxic is a moot point in that case. Dragonite is the best nongrounded Pokemon that chansey can really hit on the switch, and even that's questionable (since most teams will have different chansey/blissey counters). Heal bell helps your team keep free of status, which is vital to any stall team. It especially helps Jellicent, which hates toxic. I'd also reccomend Changing Chansey's ev spread to 240/252/16 since the special defense will be exaggerated more by eviolite, allowing chansey to take a few hits slightly better, and a 350 hp wish will still heal a reliable amount of health to each pokemon on your team. It's a small nitpick, but I think the slight ev shift is worth it. Also, as a side note, Protect > Softboiled on Chansey since it also has the advantages of blocking Hi Jump Kick and scouting the opponent's choice users (who have a funny habit of switching into Chanse) both for what move they will use (thing Banded Scizor or Terrakion) or if they will trick, since protecting chansey from trick is CRUCIAL.

I'm also questioning whether Forretress will get a full five turns to set up spikes and toxic spikes in most matches, especially outside of rain, due to the sheer number of Pokemon that carry a fire move to beat Ferrothorn with. I was looking at a few other spikes setters to help Forre, but none of them really work well without majorly changing your team lineup.

You mention Jellicent as being a check for rain teams and jirachi, but since most rain teams carry thunder on jirachi, which does 35%-42% (assuming -spatt nature, no spatt investment on jirachi), meaning Jirachi can take down Jellicent with parahax (its a 3HKO in sandstorm, factoring in leftovers/sand nullification). Additionally, Jellicent can do nothing better than scald Jirachi, and, while useful with the burn, the move itself doesn't do much to specially defensive Jirachi, who only takes 13-16% of its health- this means that while the burn from scald could hinder Jirachi, it actually has the upper hand against Jellicent. Not a Jirachi counter. That being said, Gliscor is a near perfect Jirachi counter, taking next to nothing from iron head, body slam, or thunder (or twave), and threatening eq back. Body slam parahax is nullified by the toxic orb.

Magma Storm over Lava Plume on Heatran would be another option. Despite the low accuracy, the psuedo-trapping could be useful preventing the double switch. Probably not the best option, but it should be considered nonetheless..

Also, just to note this, Jellicent is 2HKOd by a predicted Starmie thunderbolt on the switch, and volt switch from Forretress isn't pleasant either. This means that, with proper prediction, (and some hazards up) opponent can seriously hurt Jellicent when it switches in to block their spinners (well in Starmie's case at least), or at least annoy it with Forretress. Shadow Ball over taunt on Jellicent could help against Starmie, but taunt is probably the superior option. Um, yeah, good luck with the team.

 

[Princess Bubblegum]

Hey man this is a pretty good sand stall team you have here, the overall strategy isn't to bad, first let me make some nit picks that you really should change.

-Chansey -> Blissey: I love Chansey and all, but Blissey is much better suited for a sand stall team, Chansey just gets worn down way to easily, I highly suggest you change it over to Blissey. Also I suggest you test softboiled over protect on Blissey, because Blissey can often easily be beaten down by sand and hazards and might need immediate healing. For Blissey I highly suggest you use the following spread: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD Calm, to take strong special attacks like politoed's hydro pump and volcarona's fire blast better.

-HP-Ice > Toxic Spikes: It might seem like on odd suggestion, but hidden power ice is a very effective move to kill off a dragon locked into outrage if need be. Plus toxic spikes are pretty much useless in this metagame, hurting very few pokemon and taking to long to set up, so it is easily with the trade. Also lower Forretress's HP to 248 to take less from hazards and leech seed.

-Heatran stuff: Basically I have a few suggeestions for heatran, first off, give Heatran 248 HP / 252 SpD / 8 Spe, not the other way around, the lower HP again makes for more switches into hazards. Also earthpower is unneeded on Heatran since you have Blissey to take care of other Heatrans. I highly suggest toxic to deal with Lati@s and friends and to basically cripple Jellicent who is a major threat to this team otherwise, becuase is slower than Heatran you can easily poison it, and scald does a pathetic 30 damage to heatran before leftovers. Finally you may want to consider protect over roar to heal more damage for itself, which helps out a lot vs Gengar and Latios.

As for major team suggestions I highly suggest you run Amoonguss over Jellicent, which while it may not be able to spin block, Amoonguss does nicely patch up your weakness to volt turn and to Breloom and volt turn. Currently, volt turn can wreak havoc on your team, the only pokemon to take volt-switches reliably is Chansey / Blissey, if if gets tricked with a choice item or even just worn down enough, Blissey will faint and then you face the risk of being swept. Breloom can also come in and 1 or 2HKO all the pokemon on this team, if your facing a swords dance version you face the risk of being outright swept, and this is if it doesn't even use spore. Amoonguss can reliably take volt-switches and combat Breloom. Amoonguss also helps vs rain offense and can cripple vital pokemon on the opposing team with spore, and helps a ton vs opposing toxic spikes, which may not hurt other teams, certainly hurt you.

However this is not a perfect solution, this does open up a slight weakness to Gyarados, only solved by Forretress's volt switch to check, and it does open up a weakness to cloyster and Infernape on this team. I think my suggestion is fair though because Cloyster is uncommon, and if you play right, Gyarados and infernape can be worn down by rocks and sand, then being easily checked.

Amoonguss @ Black Sludge
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 28 SAtk / 232 SDef
Calm Nature
- Clear Smog
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Spore

A pretty standard Amoonguss set, black sludge to screw over rotom-w if it tricks, 248 HP to lower rock damage, 28 special attack to break a Keldeo sub at +2 spD with giga drain, clear smog is a must for breloom, giga drain is stab, HP ice for dragons and Landorus / Gliscor, and spore is spore.

Again a pretty solid team, good luck out there.

 

[Superpowerdude]

Hey nice looking sand stall team!

Ok looking over at your team there is a big weakness to fighting type pokemon especially ones that carry and Ice-Type move lto hit Gliscor. Conkeldurr, Lucario and Scraggy all commonly carry Ice Punch to destroy Gliscor. After all Fighting-Types can destroy Tyranitar, Heatran and Chansey with ease one Gliscor is gone though maybe Jellicent can be annoying Dragon Dance Scraggy has a Dark-Type stab and Conkeldurr has Guts. Breloom can also beat Jellicent. To help against this Fighting-Type problem i suggest AcroBat Gliscor>Bulky Swords Dance This Gliscor still provides you with a good late game cleaner with the move Swords Dance but also a good counter to alot of Fighting-Types in ou with the combination of Acrobatics and Flying Gem. With Flying Gem this obviously means you don't have Poison Heal anymore and Sand Viel is still a great ability for Gliscor especially in conjunction with sand and Substitute he can easily hax the opponent alot plagueing them with misses. What is also good is the Fighting-Type pokemon that are neatural to flying get hit hard by Gliscors Stab Earthqauke Terrakion and Lucario being good examples of this.

Other then that i second ScarfWynauts suggestion of Blissey>Chansey because Blissey is still a great special wall he doesn't get worn down in sand with Leftovers which is extremely important not to mention he has larger Wish's to heal your team. Another good thing that he mentioned was Hidden Power [Ice]>Toxic two of your pokemon already carry Toxic and Hidden Power [Ice] at least lets one of your steels be able to take on Dragons. One thing ScarfWynaut forgot to mention is using 36 evs in special attack to garuntee a 2hko on Dragonite after multiscale is broken, Salamence, and Gliscor. An ev spread of 248 Hp / 36 SpA / 176 / 48 Sp Def would do just fine.

Sets

Hide

Gliscor @ Flying Gem | Sand Viel
Adamant | 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Substitute | Swords Dance | Acrobatics | Earthqauke

Tl;dr

Hide

Gliscor
.Acrobat Set--->Bulky Swords Dance Set

Forretress
.Hidden Power [Ice]--->Toxic Spikes
.248 Hp / 176 Def / 36 SpA / 48 Sp Def

Blissey--->Chansey

~Superpowerdude

 

[Professor Birch]

Nice looking team. I would recommend Terrakion Scarf or Band. That thing fricken rapes in sandstorm.
Jolly
Stone Edge/Rock Slide
X Scissors
Close Combat
Earthquake
You will need at least one offensive pokemon to finish of the other pokemon fast.

 

[sandtyrant]

Well, I'll definetly replace Chansey with Blissey. It'll have the same Evs and the same moves(although I think I'll try Softboiled over Protect and mayb also a 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD Ev spread) but with the Calm Nature. I'm also gonna run HP Ice Forretress with Superpowerdude's Ev spread.
I've also thought about replacing Gliscor with Reuniclus:

Reuniclus @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
Evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
-Focus Blast
-Psychic
-Calm Mind
-Recover

This 'mon can wall Fighting types easily(especially Ice Punch Conkeldurr) while still working as a sort of status-absorber(a work that AcroBat Gliscor cannot perform without Poison Heal). What's your opinion about this 'mon?

I've changed Heatran's Evs to a 248 HP / 252 SpD / 8 Spd as suggested, while also replacing Earth Power and Roar with Toxic and Protect. I haven't tried this new Heatran yet, so maybe I'll come back to the old set if this one doesn't work.

Amoonguss seems interesting. I've never used this Pokemon but it could have potential, so it has replaced Jellicent. It could be useful as a second Fighting types(Breloom over all) check.

To SomeDrunkRockLee: I don't think Heal Bell will be useful, as the only Toxic-weak 'mon in the team now is Tyranitar(Blissey has Natural Cure), and with Reuniclus and Blissey as new pseudo-status absorbers, Seismic Toss and Toxic seem more viable options. But if have problems with status I'll consider this option.

To Pokemasta77: As this is a stall team' I think that another fast attacker(I have already Tyranitar) can replace one of my defensive Pokemons. If you want to give me a longer explaination of how I can find a palce for it in my team, I'll maybe think about Terrakion.

To Gengan: thanks for the images, but my Computer stop working when I open the link.

Thanks again to everyone!

 

[Princess Bubblegum]

I was talking about this somewhere else, and if you do use my Amoonguss suggestion, make sure you have gyroball on Forretress or else you get a huge Mamoswine weakness, sorry.