SV OU Sandy shocks hazard stack

[Poke nerd]

With chi yu and annialape gone, we don't need hard checks to the two of them, making team building a lot easier.​

This is my first team since then, and it went fairly well. But like all teams, it's got it's got it's weaknesses. So I would appreciate any and all help you can give me.
( Just a side note please don't judge my team making ability I'm a 1400 peak player and 1350 on average)
I felt bad for my boy sandy, it's got huge potential. The main thing stopping it from being used is ghold.

Upsides of sandy and why ghold is used more

Upsides​

• good speed tier (101 which outspeeds the crowded base 100 speed tier)​
• good overall bulk​
• unique STAB​
• High base SpAtk ( base 125)​
• Nobody expects scarf​

Why ghold is used more​

• Slightly more SpAtk than sandy​
• Ghold's typing better defensively​
• Ghold's ability's better​

Short and simple team building process

I wanted to use sandy, its very underrated and has good potential


Ting Lu gave hazard support to help sandy as well as a reliable wall and a way to stop set up sweepers


Ghold let us keep hazards up, as well as a solid breaker with specs


D-nite was out wincon, and another great hazard abuser.


Chien pao was added as another breaker, so we don't get walled by special walls.


Skele's reason was simple, to counter the many offensive threats and spread status.


Rotom could replace skele, being a slow pivoter to let in the teams attackers, but doesn't have the same longevity.

And without further ado, let's get onto the team.

Sandy Shocks @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Volt Switch
- Power Gem
- Flash Cannon

Sandy gave the team suprise speed control, ko-ing threats such as , , ,
, , , chipped and .
It's get respectable coverage and STAB combo, and a good user of terastalisation (did I spell that right?) This Mon is deadly versus opponent's sun teams, using their sun against them to give sandy a boost.


Ting-Lu @ Leftovers / Heavy Duty Boots
Ability: Vessel of Ruin
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Atk
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Earthquake
- Whirlwind

Ting Lu is for hazard support and overall bulk, stopping the many threats to the team by simply whirlwinding them out. Boots can be run since the team lacks a hazard removal option, but it lacks in longevity anyways so I personally prefer leftovers.

Gholdengo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Good as Gold
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Make It Rain
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt / Recover / Nasty Plot
- Trick
Ghold is our breaker, I know I'm saying to use sandy over ghold, but it keeps hazards up so it does it's job well enough. Tera dark to beat opposing ghold's and other dark/ghost types. I've used the normal trick set here with t-bolt to hit corv even harder, although specs shadow ball hits hard enough to 2 hit KO, I haven't tried it against SpDef yet though. You can use recover or nasty plot in its place if you want.

Dragonite @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Multiscale
Tera Type: Normal / Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Roost / Fire Punch
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed

D-nite is our main wincon, with roost for longevity, or fire punch to hit corv, balloon ghold and grass types hard, with tera fire being an option to not get burned by things like rotom and skele, while also boosting fire punch.

Chien-Pao @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Sword of Ruin
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Crunch
- Ice Spinner
- Ice Shard
- Swords Dance

Another hazard abuser, who could benefit off of slow pivoting from rotom. Tera poison removes all of it's weaknesses, and replacing fighting fairy and bug with resists. This can suprise the opponent and let you setup a more or less free SD.

Skeledirge @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Unaware
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Slack Off
- Will-O-Wisp
- Torch Song
- Yawn / Shadow Ball

Skele provides some much need bulk, as well as being an unaware Mon to stop a lot of potential sweeps. Just a standard set here, but Phys defensive over special. You can run Shadow Ball over yawn for another attacking option to make use of torch song boosts, but putting the opponent to sleep or forcing a switch is more useful.



Here's the rotom set as a bonus option

Rotom wash set

Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpAtk
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Volt Switch
- Protect
- Hydro Pump

Rotom does somethings skele doesn't, such as resist water, be immune to ground and be a slow pivot. Tera steel to deal with meoscarada, and burn if it lands. Hydro pump for overall power against grounds who try to come in on a switch.

With the right predictions with sandy, this team can destroy it's competition. But it's still got a list of threats.

can be especially deadly against the rotom version of the team, but with the right predictions (and a burn form tera steel rotom /skele) this mu is winnable.

can be scary after a few quivers, but sandy can hit it hard with power gem and still outspeed even at +1, but still try to deal with it before it can get the chance to quiver.

is incredibly annoying to break. Namely SpDef iron defense + tera water. The pair of ghold and sandy can break it though with electric moves (or other SE moves depending on the tera).

Pokepaste (rotom version)
https://pokepast.es/ceea1de4c31c0f43

Pokepaste (skele version)
https://pokepast.es/8ae8a28ef040606b

And that's the team, tell me which version you prefer in the comments as well as if you have any advice on how to change the team for the better. Thanks in advance!

 

[chimp]

Hey!!! Glad to see Sandy getting some love... it's got a really interesting kit. In my opinion, though, one of the coolest things beyond it's rare typing.... it can set both hazards.

When I hear "Sandy Shocks Hazard Stack," what comes to mind first is a HO Volt-Turn team, and- though it is just my personal preference- I think that would get the most out of Sandy Shocks.

I would consider replacing Power Gem with Spikes. Sandy naturally forces switches due to its unconventional STAB coverage and power. Adding Spikes to its movepool lets it maintain some momentum even if you opponent has a particularly Ground-heavy or specially-bulky team. It does make you marginally more weaker to Volcarona- but every Volcarona I have ever seen terastallizes into another type, usually Grass, anyway. Plus, Ting-Lu and Skeledirge should be more than capable of handling it. I would also suggest swapping your Tera Type from Steel to Grass. You don't particularly need the extra power on Flash Cannon. In fact, I would suggest even swapping Flash Cannon with Thunderbolt- but with Flash Cannon's ability to hit Hatterene and Chien-Pao harder I think it's justified. Grass lets you potentially dodge a Ground or Water type attack coming your way. Steel does help with Ice in regards to Chien-Pao; but Shocks is still taking upwards of 80% from banded Sucker Punch so that MU is kind of up-in-the-air regardless. With Spikes on Sandy, you free up a potential moveset for Ting-Lu, for which I suggest swapping Spikes with Ruination.

All that said, like I mentioned above, I think focusing on a Volt-Turn core is the best way to squeeze the most value out of Shocks. Scizor is a really good partner for it, due to Shock's ability to pressure Corviknight and bulky waters like Dondozo. Meowscarada forms a nice Volt-Turn core as well, being able to pressure Ground-types that are immune to Shocks' Volt Switches- it also gets Spikes itself for extra hazard support. Banded Roaring Moon or Dragapult are neat in this role as well. These are all fine cores that I think would be better starts for an HO Hazard Stacking team.

Hope this is helpful!

 

[Motor Hawk]

A sandy shock build that I am trying to make work is this:

Sandy Shocks @ Blunder Policy
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Zap Cannon
- Discharge
- Earth Power
- Tera Blast

Could be really fun since blunder policy + zap cannon either connects and gives you a really powerful move, or misses and gives you a +2 to speed. Pair shocks with a defensive torkoal and you have proto spatk boosted fast shocks. This during late game sounds disgusting. And if you want to keep someone who has unaware, I dont think you'd need four heavy hitters and can sub one of them out. Anyway, thought you could find this set fun. Happy winning!

 

[Poke nerd]

I would consider replacing Power Gem with Spikes. Sandy naturally forces switches due to its unconventional STAB coverage and power. Adding Spikes to its movepool lets it maintain some momentum even if you opponent has a particularly Ground-heavy or specially-bulky team. It does make you marginally more weaker to Volcarona- but every Volcarona I have ever seen terastallizes into another type, usually Grass, anyway. Plus, Ting-Lu and Skeledirge should be more than capable of handling it. I would also suggest swapping your Tera Type from Steel to Grass. You don't particularly need the extra power on Flash Cannon. In fact, I would suggest even swapping Flash Cannon with Thunderbolt- but with Flash Cannon's ability to hit Hatterene and Chien-Pao harder I think it's justified. Grass lets you potentially dodge a Ground or Water type attack coming your way. Steel does help with Ice in regards to Chien-Pao; but Shocks is still taking upwards of 80% from banded Sucker Punch so that MU is kind of up-in-the-air regardless. With Spikes on Sandy, you free up a potential moveset for Ting-Lu, for which I suggest swapping Spikes with Ruination.

All that said, like I mentioned above, I think focusing on a Volt-Turn core is the best way to squeeze the most value out of Shocks. Scizor is a really good partner for it, due to Shock's ability to pressure Corviknight and bulky waters like Dondozo. Meowscarada forms a nice Volt-Turn core as well, being able to pressure Ground-types that are immune to Shocks' Volt Switches- it also gets Spikes itself for extra hazard support. Banded Roaring Moon or Dragapult are neat in this role as well. These are all fine cores that I think would be better starts for an HO Hazard Stacking team

Thanks for the feedback! I think I'll try the putting spikes on sandy instead of ting Lu, and changing Sandy's tera to grass as I'm sure it will help. I like the idea of putting in meoscarada, but what should I replace? D-nite? Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it!

 

[Poke nerd]

A sandy shock build that I am trying to make work is this:

Sandy Shocks @ Blunder Policy
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Zap Cannon
- Discharge
- Earth Power
- Tera Blast

Could be really fun since blunder policy + zap cannon either connects and gives you a really powerful move, or misses and gives you a +2 to speed. Pair shocks with a defensive torkoal and you have proto spatk boosted fast shocks. This during late game sounds disgusting. And if you want to keep someone who has unaware, I dont think you'd need four heavy hitters and can sub one of them out. Anyway, thought you could find this set fun. Happy winning!

This set is interesting, but I don't see much practicality to it on this style of team. It doesn't really add much, but I appreciate the thought!

 

[PBUH]

why run shadow ball over hex on skeledirge?

 

[Poke nerd]

why run shadow ball over hex on skeledirge?

I didn't think of that I'll try it and see how it goes

 

[Poke nerd]

Using my one bump to show updated team
https://pokepast.es/99aa3935c6fa848d

We have two new team members, meowscarada and treads. Spikes was added onto sandy and changed to tera grass ( thanks chimp!)

The team is more like a volt turn offense and I'll go ahead and explain the new team members.

Meow is here as a strong pivot and dozo check, and giving us a nice offensive core with the other members. Spikes or t-spikes or thunder punch can replace play rough, t-punch to hit corv or the hazards to add to the stacking potential.


Iron treads gives the team a rocker and a pivot, since the next best one is , and on top of everything, a spin Mon that also threatens non balloon ghold. The utility it provides is insane! Another steel on the team helped as well.

I can remove from threat list, as meow can beat it, and add since the final version lacks skele.

is annoying as well since only ground immunity is rotom, but meowscarada threatens it out and is fine if burned by rotom.

Hope this new version is better and I'd love any advice. Thanks in advance!

 

[Soosthemoose]

Using my one bump to show updated team
https://pokepast.es/99aa3935c6fa848d

We have two new team members, meowscarada and treads. Spikes was added onto sandy and changed to tera grass ( thanks chimp!)

The team is more like a volt turn offense and I'll go ahead and explain the new team members.

Meow is here as a strong pivot and dozo check, and giving us a nice offensive core with the other members. Spikes or t-spikes or thunder punch can replace play rough, t-punch to hit corv or the hazards to add to the stacking potential.


Iron treads gives the team a rocker and a pivot, since the next best one is , and on top of everything, a spin Mon that also threatens non balloon ghold. The utility it provides is insane! Another steel on the team helped as well.

I can remove from threat list, as meow can beat it, and add since the final version lacks skele.

is annoying as well since only ground immunity is rotom, but meowscarada threatens it out and is fine if burned by rotom.

Hope this new version is better and I'd love any advice. Thanks in advance!

Honestly the team looks pretty good, I think the only change you could make is toxic spikes over play rough on meow, but it’s up to personal preference and imo, play rough is better, I’m just giving an option