[overview]
**Draft order**: Round 4 onwards
**Price range**: 11-12 points
**Overview**: Sandy Shocks is a fast entry hazard support Pokemon that can also serve as a strong pivot with its unique and powerful offensive typing. With access to both Stealth Rock and Spikes alongside its solid offensive profile, Sandy Shocks is a potent entry hazard setter with good potential as a mid-tier Tera Captain.
Common Roles
========
**Entry hazard lead**: Threatening most entry hazard removers with its powerful STAB attacks, Sandy Shocks can reliably set entry hazards up thanks to Booster Energy boosting its Speed to a very high level, only matched by faster Choice Scarf or Booster Energy users.
**Offensive pivot**: With a very powerful Volt Switch, Sandy Shocks can get a layer of Spikes up and then deal big damage while having the ability to pivot away from unfavorable matchups, ready to get more hazards up later on.
**Late-game cleaner**: Using its access to two STAB attacks with generally great coverage, a Tera Captain Sandy Shocks has no problem finding a single Tera type that covers whatever it needs to and cleaning up late-game.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Thunderbolt, Earth Power, Discharge, Volt Switch, Scorching Sands
**Setup moves**: Iron Defense
**Utility moves**: Stealth Rock, Spikes, Thunder Wave
**Coverage**: Body Press, Power Gem, Tera Blast, Flash Cannon
Niche Moves
========
**Light Screen / Reflect**: Although it usually prefers to set entry hazards as a lead, Sandy Shocks is an unconventional dual screens setter that can set them as necessary.
**Sunny Day**: If the item slot is important in a matchup, Sandy Shocks can activate its Protosynthesis manually while also reducing the power of super effective Water-type attacks used against it.
**Charge Beam**: It's better on late game sweeper sets, as getting +1 Special Attack in addition to the +1 Speed from Booster Energy can make Sandy Shocks a cleaner that is especially hard to deal with.
Common Items
========
**Booster Energy**: Booster Energy takes Sandy Shocks's already high Speed, or even Special Attack in some cases, and boosts it to an even greater level. This item works best on sacrificial lead or late-game cleaner sets.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Sandy Shocks enjoys being able to continuously switch in and out without taking entry hazard damage, making Heavy-Duty Boots a premiere item for it.
Niche Items
========
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf makes Sandy Shocks a viable revenge killer, capable of outspeeding most foes multiple times throughout the game, unlike Booster Energy sets.
**Damage-boosting items**: Although both of Sandy Shocks’s STAB types have a common immunity, Sandy Shocks can run a damage-boosting item such as Expert Belt or Choice Specs to make it a powerful wall-breaker. Sandy Shocks’s coverage is relatively limited, so this set works best with Sandy Shocks as a Tera Captain.
**Assault Vest**: Sandy Shocks' natural bulk can enable an Assault Vest set to work if needed.
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash is an option if the goal is to guarantee multiple layers of entry hazards, especially when using Sandy Shocks as a sacrificial lead.
**Leftovers**: If running an Iron Defense + Body Press set, the consistent recovery from Leftovers can allow Sandy Shocks to stay on the field for a longer time.
Tera
========
Due to Sandy Shocks's limited coverage, it is a viable mid-tier Tera Captain that greatly appreciates the extra STAB option to hit Pokemon that shrug off Ground- and Electric-type moves. Tera Ice, in particular, can deal with the Ground- and Grass-type Pokemon that threaten Sandy Shocks with a super effective STAB move. A large variety of defensively-oriented types have their merits as well, including but not limited to: Tera Grass, which resists Water and Ground while hitting both types back super effectively, Tera Flying, which adds an immunity to Ground while also hitting Grass-types super effectively, Tera Water, which resists Water while hitting Ground-types super effectively, and Tera Fairy, which is overall a great type to have both defensively and offensively. Tera Ghost is also a good choice for lead Sandy Shocks, preventing the foe from using Rapid Spin to remove the entry hazards Sandy Shocks sets up. Despite all of its strengths, it should primarily be considered when paired alongside another mid-tier Tera Captain because there are better options in higher tiers.
Draft Strategy
========
Sandy Shocks is a relatively inflexible glue Pokemon, so it fits in a lot of draft archetypes but requires additional support in addition to the entry hazard support it provides.
**Strong physical attackers**: Sandy Shocks can easily pivot away from special walls and enable physical attackers to safely get their attacks off.
**Wincons**: Sandy Shocks provides the entry hazard support wincons that will need to finish the game, so be sure to draft Pokemon, such as Iron Boulder and Darkrai, that can fit this role.
**Spinblockers**: Gholdengo is a great partner for Sandy Shocks due to its ability to also prevent the use of Defog, but having any Ghost-type to spinblock will suffice most of the time. Annihilape and any Defiant or Competitive Pokemon are other great partners because the pressure to not give +2 to the respective attacking stat will assist in keeping the hazards on the field.
**Knock Off support**: A Knock Off user to remove the Heavy-Duty Boots that will likely be present in a game with Sandy Shocks is useful to get the continuous chip damage that wincons need.
Checks and Counters
========
**Grass-types**: Resisting both of Sandy Shocks’ STAB types and threatening it back with a super effective move, Grass-types pose a problem to Sandy Shocks, especially if it cannot Terastallize.
**Ground-types**: With an immunity to Electric, Ground-types stop Sandy Shocks from freely pivoting with Volt Switch and threaten it with a super effective move. Gliscor and Landorus are especially good counters to a Sandy Shocks that cannot Terastallize because of their immunities to both of Sandy Shocks's STAB moves.
**Faster Pokemon**: Choice Scarf or Booster Energy users faster than +1 Sandy Shocks, such as Iron Treads or Walking Wake, can threaten to OHKO Sandy Shocks before it has an opportunity to take action.
**Special walls**: Although Sandy Shocks has a high Special Attack, a special wall like Florges or Scream Tail can take a hit and heal the damage back. However, Sandy Shocks can set up entry hazards on predicted switches to these special walls.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/henguinie.313217/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/abriel.473082/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
**Draft order**: Round 4 onwards
**Price range**: 11-12 points
**Overview**: Sandy Shocks is a fast entry hazard support Pokemon that can also serve as a strong pivot with its unique and powerful offensive typing. With access to both Stealth Rock and Spikes alongside its solid offensive profile, Sandy Shocks is a potent entry hazard setter with good potential as a mid-tier Tera Captain.
Common Roles
========
**Entry hazard lead**: Threatening most entry hazard removers with its powerful STAB attacks, Sandy Shocks can reliably set entry hazards up thanks to Booster Energy boosting its Speed to a very high level, only matched by faster Choice Scarf or Booster Energy users.
**Offensive pivot**: With a very powerful Volt Switch, Sandy Shocks can get a layer of Spikes up and then deal big damage while having the ability to pivot away from unfavorable matchups, ready to get more hazards up later on.
**Late-game cleaner**: Using its access to two STAB attacks with generally great coverage, a Tera Captain Sandy Shocks has no problem finding a single Tera type that covers whatever it needs to and cleaning up late-game.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB moves**: Thunderbolt, Earth Power, Discharge, Volt Switch, Scorching Sands
**Setup moves**: Iron Defense
**Utility moves**: Stealth Rock, Spikes, Thunder Wave
**Coverage**: Body Press, Power Gem, Tera Blast, Flash Cannon
Niche Moves
========
**Light Screen / Reflect**: Although it usually prefers to set entry hazards as a lead, Sandy Shocks is an unconventional dual screens setter that can set them as necessary.
**Sunny Day**: If the item slot is important in a matchup, Sandy Shocks can activate its Protosynthesis manually while also reducing the power of super effective Water-type attacks used against it.
**Charge Beam**: It's better on late game sweeper sets, as getting +1 Special Attack in addition to the +1 Speed from Booster Energy can make Sandy Shocks a cleaner that is especially hard to deal with.
Common Items
========
**Booster Energy**: Booster Energy takes Sandy Shocks's already high Speed, or even Special Attack in some cases, and boosts it to an even greater level. This item works best on sacrificial lead or late-game cleaner sets.
**Heavy-Duty Boots**: Sandy Shocks enjoys being able to continuously switch in and out without taking entry hazard damage, making Heavy-Duty Boots a premiere item for it.
Niche Items
========
**Choice Scarf**: Choice Scarf makes Sandy Shocks a viable revenge killer, capable of outspeeding most foes multiple times throughout the game, unlike Booster Energy sets.
**Damage-boosting items**: Although both of Sandy Shocks’s STAB types have a common immunity, Sandy Shocks can run a damage-boosting item such as Expert Belt or Choice Specs to make it a powerful wall-breaker. Sandy Shocks’s coverage is relatively limited, so this set works best with Sandy Shocks as a Tera Captain.
**Assault Vest**: Sandy Shocks' natural bulk can enable an Assault Vest set to work if needed.
**Focus Sash**: Focus Sash is an option if the goal is to guarantee multiple layers of entry hazards, especially when using Sandy Shocks as a sacrificial lead.
**Leftovers**: If running an Iron Defense + Body Press set, the consistent recovery from Leftovers can allow Sandy Shocks to stay on the field for a longer time.
Tera
========
Due to Sandy Shocks's limited coverage, it is a viable mid-tier Tera Captain that greatly appreciates the extra STAB option to hit Pokemon that shrug off Ground- and Electric-type moves. Tera Ice, in particular, can deal with the Ground- and Grass-type Pokemon that threaten Sandy Shocks with a super effective STAB move. A large variety of defensively-oriented types have their merits as well, including but not limited to: Tera Grass, which resists Water and Ground while hitting both types back super effectively, Tera Flying, which adds an immunity to Ground while also hitting Grass-types super effectively, Tera Water, which resists Water while hitting Ground-types super effectively, and Tera Fairy, which is overall a great type to have both defensively and offensively. Tera Ghost is also a good choice for lead Sandy Shocks, preventing the foe from using Rapid Spin to remove the entry hazards Sandy Shocks sets up. Despite all of its strengths, it should primarily be considered when paired alongside another mid-tier Tera Captain because there are better options in higher tiers.
Draft Strategy
========
Sandy Shocks is a relatively inflexible glue Pokemon, so it fits in a lot of draft archetypes but requires additional support in addition to the entry hazard support it provides.
**Strong physical attackers**: Sandy Shocks can easily pivot away from special walls and enable physical attackers to safely get their attacks off.
**Wincons**: Sandy Shocks provides the entry hazard support wincons that will need to finish the game, so be sure to draft Pokemon, such as Iron Boulder and Darkrai, that can fit this role.
**Spinblockers**: Gholdengo is a great partner for Sandy Shocks due to its ability to also prevent the use of Defog, but having any Ghost-type to spinblock will suffice most of the time. Annihilape and any Defiant or Competitive Pokemon are other great partners because the pressure to not give +2 to the respective attacking stat will assist in keeping the hazards on the field.
**Knock Off support**: A Knock Off user to remove the Heavy-Duty Boots that will likely be present in a game with Sandy Shocks is useful to get the continuous chip damage that wincons need.
Checks and Counters
========
**Grass-types**: Resisting both of Sandy Shocks’ STAB types and threatening it back with a super effective move, Grass-types pose a problem to Sandy Shocks, especially if it cannot Terastallize.
**Ground-types**: With an immunity to Electric, Ground-types stop Sandy Shocks from freely pivoting with Volt Switch and threaten it with a super effective move. Gliscor and Landorus are especially good counters to a Sandy Shocks that cannot Terastallize because of their immunities to both of Sandy Shocks's STAB moves.
**Faster Pokemon**: Choice Scarf or Booster Energy users faster than +1 Sandy Shocks, such as Iron Treads or Walking Wake, can threaten to OHKO Sandy Shocks before it has an opportunity to take action.
**Special walls**: Although Sandy Shocks has a high Special Attack, a special wall like Florges or Scream Tail can take a hit and heal the damage back. However, Sandy Shocks can set up entry hazards on predicted switches to these special walls.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/henguinie.313217/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/abriel.473082/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/scionicle.599989/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
Last edited:
