By LagSpike776
I started trying out competitive Pokemon around Gen 7 OU right before USUM hit. I struggled as much as you'd expect a complete novice to struggle, but it was fun. Something I'd always wanted to do but never really was able to pull off in OU was a proper sandstorm team. Then, later on, when I got into monotype, I realized that it was time to go for broke. I'd always heard legends of BW Excadrill and how strong it was, pushing sand to the top of the meta with Tyranitar's help, and I wanted to try to replicate that to some extent.
This is my first RMT pls go easy on me
Building Process:
My favorite mon of all time is Mamoswine. Don't ask why, I still don't really know. I was determined to make a sand team with Excadrill as the main sweeper, so I already had 3 slots filled in: Hippowdon to set sand, Mamoswine because I said so, and Excadrill.
The Squad
Big mama (Hippowdon) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature (+Def -Sp.Atk)
- Earthquake
- Body Press
- Whirlwind
- Stealth Rock
It would be pretty damn hard to build a sand team without sand, so I decided to pick Hippowdon because it's the only really consistent sand setter that ground type has. I was contemplating trying some wacky stuff with Sandaconda but that just sounds like madness and Sandaconda doesn't have the staying power that the hippo does. Earthquake is mandatory, Body Press is the new hotness and it means that I can get away with not investing into its attack much, whirlwind is to tell physical sweepers to fuck off, and slack off is some nice recovery.
Potential Changes:
- I don't know what the hell I'm doing when I go to the EV screen so anything relating to that? Sure, you're probably right.
Speen (Excadrill) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk -Sp. Atk)
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- X-Scissor
- Rapid Spin
If you're running a sand team and you aren't running a mon that abuses it, then what are you doing? Excadrill is my go-to sand sweeper. This dude KILLS mfs. 135 base attack when you're able to safely run adamant because of sand rush is actually so disgusting. The rapid spin buffs mean that if I'm up against a weakened mon, I could just spin it and get more speed so maybe I could continue even once sand is gone, or if they have a Pokemon on their team that Excadrill can't really touch but I can force a switch in, I could get rid of some hazards in a pinch.
Potential Changes:
- I really can't think of any mons that are so fast that I'd be forced to run Jolly but you never know
- Sand Rush is epic but if I really wanted that extra oomph, I could run Sand Force choice scarf. However, as things stand, I sincerely doubt it'd be necessary.
- Idk bro meteor beam??? X-Scissor is also kind of a scuffed option but coverage on grass types and also bulky mons like slowbro would be nice
- I find myself having a bit of trouble fully wall-breaking with this mon. Swords dance might be necessary. I could also go choice band instead.
Then Perish (Mamoswine) (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -Sp. Atk)
- Earthquake
- Icicle Crash
- Ice Shard
- Knock Off
This mon has NO chill. Mamoswine is one of those mons that puts in work in so many places that I would be remiss to not include it in favor of like, seismitoad or some shit. Band is here to absolutely put the pain on everything. Mamoswine forces switch-ins, and it abuses the hell out of that, with STAB Earthquake and Icicle crash, Ice shard for some priority just in case, and knock off to try to capitalize on enemies switching in a check to at least lower their effectiveness in the future.
Potential Changes:
- Thick Fat is great and all; makes Mamo actually resist ice and be neutral to fire, but Oblivious might actually be the real play, especially considering it recently got buffed to ignore intimidate as well.
- I have two whole ass mon in this team with rocks and one of them is a scarfer, and Mamo is a pretty reliable way to get up rocks.
- Freeze-dry, if I knew what I was doing with my EVs, could be made to obliterate mons like Gyarados, Pelipper, Kingdra, Ludicolo, Swampert, opposing Gastrodon, you get the gist.
Tier Whore (Landorus-Therian) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -Sp. Atk)
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
When you have the opportunity to put a mon that's dominated the meta for a whole ass decade on your team, you take it. I'll be honest, I used to mostly chill in UU in gen 7 back when I played, so I don't even know what the hell you're supposed to do with this mon. Crobat used to be my Landorus. I decided that a revenge killer could be useful. Scarf jolly with Knock Off and U-Turn lets me keep up the pressure if necessary. If I can't really touch their switch in and I don't want to u-turn ( Rocky Helmet Ferrothorn or some shit), I can get up my rocks.
Potential Changes:
- You can do a whole hell of a lot with a mon like this. I used to run Gliscor back in gen 7 Monotype so that I had an extra defensive mon that could stallbreak, but I don't have that luxury in gen 8. You could tell me that literally any Lando-T set is the one to run and I'd believe you.
Gastronaut (Gastrodon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature (+Sp. Def, -Atk)
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Surf
- Toxic
- Recover
Gastronaut actually knows quite a lot about rolling down in the deep, boasting Storm Drain to make the rain matchup approximately infinity times easier. This mon is my de facto specially defensive tank, and if they send out a special attacker, odds are I'm sending in Gastronaut. I've flip-flopped a bit on this set, going from Scald Clear Smog to Surf Toxic at the end. I want to be able to take out special attackers, so accidentally burning them with scald is probably not for the best.
Potential Changes
- This mon could go kinda crazy if I decided to try some new stuff. Gastrodon gets Weather Ball access, and since literally everyone expects to run into Storm Drain, I could do some based Sand Force stuff.
- The EVs could use some work I think but what the hell do I know.
Robert (Nidoking) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Sp. Atk)
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower
To mend the hole in my heart caused by Gliscor being removed in Gen 8, I decided to try out Nidoking. Sheer Force Nidoking is a well-known force in the world of Pokemon by now, and I'm not really trying to innovate here; I'm trying to make my life easier regardless of the matchup.
Potential Changes
- Nidoking gets access to half the special moves in the game so I could really do a whole lot with this set, mixing it up.
- Substitute maybe?
