So, uh, this is my first published team in the forum. However i have been playing by smogon rules since quite a lot, so i told to myself why not to publish a team, and at the same time get advise in order to improve the team itself. That being said, here is the team featurinf the Lycanroc Gang.
Team Members:
Tyranitar (M) @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 80 Def / 180 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Beam
- Stone Edge
- Toxic
First, the sand settler. So, why Tyranitar? Well, beside the fact is bulky and can endure quite a bit before falling, it has acces to Ice Beam. That allows Tyranitar to apply pressure on mons like Garchomp, Landorus and even Zapdos. However, this isn't enough to OHKO neither Garchomp nor Landorus, at least not with the actual EV spread, so it requires a wisely use. Also it provides Stealth Rocks and Toxic, that help the rest of the team along the game.
Corviknight @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Pressure hen
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 SpD
Impish Nature
- Body Press
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost
Standard Corviknight set. The defogger of the team and physical pivot. However, i haven't decided if these EV spread is the one i want, as sometimes i want him to endure physical moves in a more decent way, but other times the special bulk is pretty useful. Beside that, a pretty solid member that helps gaining momentum with U-turn, allowing the offensive members to enter the field.
Lycanroc (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fire Fang
- Accelerock
- Stone Edge
- Swords Dance
Late Game sweeper of the team and the Mon around the team is build. That said im gonna be straight honest and tell you this thing has several problems dealing with Defensive mons like Landorues, Skarmory and Corviknight. Its still a great revenge killer and a pressure tool agains mons weak to him, tho. So the best way to use it is first using a swords dance and then start to pressure the opponent.
Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Earth Power
- Recover
- Toxic
At this point, i noticed that i had two mons weak to water moves, so Gastrodon came to my mind to solve that problem. Not the best but a decent Special Defensive Pokemon that can stop a few threats. Ev spread is fully based in special defense, but a mix variant might be good as well. Anyways, this thing covers Corviknight weakness to fire and electric moves, so fits quite well in.
Rillaboom @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge m
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wood Hammer
- Grassy Glide
- U-turn
- Knock Off
Rillaboom got in under the same idea of being weak to water. But then i realized it hits like a truck, have priority, access to Knock Off, can passively heal the other members, it weaks eartquake (a threat for Tyranitar and Lycanroc) and also has acces to U-turn, allowing him to play a somehow Volt-Turn core with Corviknight and the last member of the team.
Dragapult @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hex
- Draco Meteor
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
Last member of the team and the only special attacker of the team, beside Gastrodon (looking for improvements in that way). More than doing damagem his goal is to work as a pivot, throwing Thunder Waves at everything that represents a menace ann then, either use U-turn to give pass to another mon or presurre with Hex. Draco Meteor is there for Raw damage.
So thats all. I know its not the best team in the world and that has quite a lot of weaknesses, so every advice and improvement is welcome. Feel free to use and modify this team as you please. Thanks for reading!
Team Members:
Tyranitar (M) @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 80 Def / 180 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Beam
- Stone Edge
- Toxic
First, the sand settler. So, why Tyranitar? Well, beside the fact is bulky and can endure quite a bit before falling, it has acces to Ice Beam. That allows Tyranitar to apply pressure on mons like Garchomp, Landorus and even Zapdos. However, this isn't enough to OHKO neither Garchomp nor Landorus, at least not with the actual EV spread, so it requires a wisely use. Also it provides Stealth Rocks and Toxic, that help the rest of the team along the game.
Corviknight @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Pressure hen
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 SpD
Impish Nature
- Body Press
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost
Standard Corviknight set. The defogger of the team and physical pivot. However, i haven't decided if these EV spread is the one i want, as sometimes i want him to endure physical moves in a more decent way, but other times the special bulk is pretty useful. Beside that, a pretty solid member that helps gaining momentum with U-turn, allowing the offensive members to enter the field.
Lycanroc (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fire Fang
- Accelerock
- Stone Edge
- Swords Dance
Late Game sweeper of the team and the Mon around the team is build. That said im gonna be straight honest and tell you this thing has several problems dealing with Defensive mons like Landorues, Skarmory and Corviknight. Its still a great revenge killer and a pressure tool agains mons weak to him, tho. So the best way to use it is first using a swords dance and then start to pressure the opponent.
Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Earth Power
- Recover
- Toxic
At this point, i noticed that i had two mons weak to water moves, so Gastrodon came to my mind to solve that problem. Not the best but a decent Special Defensive Pokemon that can stop a few threats. Ev spread is fully based in special defense, but a mix variant might be good as well. Anyways, this thing covers Corviknight weakness to fire and electric moves, so fits quite well in.
Rillaboom @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge m
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wood Hammer
- Grassy Glide
- U-turn
- Knock Off
Rillaboom got in under the same idea of being weak to water. But then i realized it hits like a truck, have priority, access to Knock Off, can passively heal the other members, it weaks eartquake (a threat for Tyranitar and Lycanroc) and also has acces to U-turn, allowing him to play a somehow Volt-Turn core with Corviknight and the last member of the team.
Dragapult @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hex
- Draco Meteor
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
Last member of the team and the only special attacker of the team, beside Gastrodon (looking for improvements in that way). More than doing damagem his goal is to work as a pivot, throwing Thunder Waves at everything that represents a menace ann then, either use U-turn to give pass to another mon or presurre with Hex. Draco Meteor is there for Raw damage.
So thats all. I know its not the best team in the world and that has quite a lot of weaknesses, so every advice and improvement is welcome. Feel free to use and modify this team as you please. Thanks for reading!
and Hippowdon 
have both a good defensive presence and are great Rock setters. The main abusers like Excadrill 
, Dracozolt 
, and Garchomp 
(with its gimmick Sand Veil set) are all great threats and Dracozolt is in particular very hard to switch into. Regarding Lycanroc 
, it’s an uncommon choice and in my opinion, even if it’s a cool Pokemon, it’s too hard to make it shine. Basically, Excadrill feels just like a better Sand abuser having more reliable STABs and more power. As for the defensive core, you have great ideas and choices and I’m just not that much convinced by Gastrodon 
. This Pokemon is more used as a Spe Def wall and thus won’t bring much in a team where you already have a Tyranitar. Moreover, the main Water type threat is Urshifu R 
and Gastrodon won’t take well a potential Close Combat. You indeed need a good Water resist here but I think that something able to deal more reliably with Urhsifu R and also to pivot into your breakers to keep the offensive momentum as much as possible when Sand is up would be better. Sand balance teams will have some particularly rough matchup but overall, it’s still a solid playstyle and you will have option to handle most offensive and defensive threats of the meta.
counter and a Rapid Spin user in case you can’t really Defog with Corviknight 
. Here you will have to use High Horse Power on Excadrill because of Rillaboom’s 
Grassy Terrain. This is the classic set in Sand teams:
: As I said it in the intro, Gastrodon is a bit redundant with Tyranitar 
-> 
and Garchomp 
and Tyranitar is your main Heatran answer. If you want to keep Ice Beam for the two aforementioned threats, you can remove Toxic. Lastly, I feel like Rock Blast is a bit better than Stone Edge mainly to deal with Sub Kyurem 
more efficiently. With all that, this would be the set:
: Dracozolt is a deadly weapon in any Sand team, but Magnezone 
, and Ferrothorn 
to help Excadrill sweeping or Rillaboom wallbreaking. Moreover, Magnezone can use the Grassy Terrain as a passive recovery and to take some weak Ground moves. If you find Corviknight and his fellows annoying to deal with, you may want to try this Pokemon. Here is the set able to trap both Corviknight/Skarmory and Ferrothorn:
: Changing your main breaker for an even more threating one, namely Tapu Lele 
and strengthen Slowbro‘s