Pokémon Games > Team Building

Casual Sandstorm Team

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DrampardonMe:
Anyone keeping up with Gen 9's battles? I have a Sandstorm team on Scarlet, and I'm curious how well it'd do in, say, a casual tournament. Not aiming for TRUE competitive, but feel free to give advice for the viewers at home who are.

Bear with me regarding IVs/EVs, I don't have the exact numbers unless otherwise stated:

Koizumi/Espeon (Male) @ Light Clay
Ability: Magic Bounce
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: Maximum Speed, a lot in Sp.Def and a good chunk in Sp.ATK
IVs: Just assume they're hypertrained in the right places
+Speed, -Attack
Reflect
Helping Hand (for Doubles, anyway)
Psychic
Protect

It basically exists to set up Reflect. Helping Hand for whomever in Doubles, but I guess I could swap it out for Light Screen in Singles. Psychic so it isn't stuck without an attack, and Protect is pretty staple in Doubles. Normal Tera Type was mostly because I raised it from an Eevee, but I'm willing to change it to something better if need be. I just figured it'd be good in a pinch against Ghosts...

This is probably the weakest link, and the most utility-based choice (I don't hate Espeon, but it's not my favorite, either) with nothing to really mitigate the Sandstorm damage. I'm pretty sure there's something with Prankster which does this better, but I like Magic Bounce, too. I'm willing to replace Espeon if need be, though.

EDIT: I was thinking Klefki, since I noticed this team would probably struggle with Dragons, but uh, it's not going to do much besides set up walls, is it? Unless Reflect/Light Screen/Dazzling Gleam/Protect is doable? Somehow? Not a big fan of the Impidimp line, plus Grimmsnarl is more of a physical attacker, and if I'm replacing Espeon, I'd rather something equal or greater to the role it plays now.

Hector/Kleavor (Male) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Tera Type: Stellar
EVs: Maximum Attack, a bunch in Speed and some in Defense
IVs: Everything except Sp.ATK is hyper trained
+Attack, -Sp.ATK
Lunge
Tailwind
Rock Slide
Protect

Kleavor is pretty much the reason I got back into playing Pokemon after skipping Sword and Shield. PLA was pretty cool, too, but I digress. In doubles, have him set up Tailwind alongside Koizumi and/or get to sweeping, depending on the situation. Lunge and Rock Slide are mainly for STAB and to take advantage of Sheer Force/Life Orb. Wish he had a better move pool... No Accelerock makes me sad...

I really only made him Stellar-type because I didn't see him benefitting from losing his dual-type, but dang if his axes don't look cool in Stellar. Too bad "looking cool" doesn't win battles, haha. Is Sharpness much better, though? I love the Sheer Force/Life Orb combo, but...

Sadcargo "the Teary-Eyed"/Magcargo (Male) @ Soft Sand
Ability: Flame Body
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: Maximum Defense, a lot in Sp.ATK and some in Sp.Def
IVs: Stupidly, I hypertrained everything when Attack didn't need the boost. Ah well!
+Defense, -Attack
Power Gem
Earth Power
Heat Wave
Protect

Ideally, I've got a Sandstorm set up to help increase its Sp.Def, but that point's moot when it terastalizes. Also ideally, Reflect is in play. It's a real novelty choice, but I'd like to get it to work if I could. Not opposed to replacing Soft Sand if there's a better item. Probably isn't the best to use in Singles, admittedly.

Patricio/Ludicolo (Male) @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim (in case of weather wars)
Tera Type: Rock
EVs: Maximum Speed, almost all in Sp.ATK and a smidge in Sp.Def
IVs: Everything except Attack is hypertrained
+Speed, -Attack
Giga Drain
Weather Ball
Chilling Water (Because it doesn't get Scald :c )
Protect

The Rock Tera-type is pretty much to ensure the Sp.Def boost and to take advantage of Weather Ball. Giga Drain for longevity. Chilling Water to capitalize on crippling physical attackers even more. Protect because Leftovers.

...Actually, I'm not sure if Chilling Water is justified or not. The only hard-hitting Water moves it has are Surf and Hydro Pump... Or, well, it learns Muddy Water, too, but I'm not a fan of that or Hydro Pump's shaky accuracy. I'm a bit stumped!

Terrence "the Teeny"/Sandslash (Male) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Sand Rush
Tera Type: Bug
EVs: Maximum Attack, almost all in Defense and a bit in Speed
IVs: Everything except Sp.ATK is hypertrained
+Attack, -Sp.ATK
Rock Slide
Leech Life
Earthquake
Poison Jab

Rock Slide and Earthquake should be self-explanatory. Poison Jab for Fairies who won't go down to any of the other moves*, Leech Life to keep him alive and justify the Tera Type. I'd rather keep it Bug Tera either way, but I figure if it's going really fast with Sand Rush and with a screen or two up, it'll likely hit hard before opponents have a chance to take advantage of it being pure Bug.

*I realize a Steel-type move would arguably be better for that, but "Kantonian" Sandslash doesn't get much better than Metal Claw or Gyro Ball... Shame, because Iron Head would be cool.

Prudence "The Early Riser"/Hippowdon (Female) @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: Max Defense, almost all HP and a smidge in Attack
IVs: 0 in Speed and that's all that matters lol. Though Attack is Best and I hypertrained HP/Defense/Sp.Def
+Defense, -Sp.ATK
Sandstorm
Yawn
High Horsepower
Protect

And so we come to the sandstorm-setter herself! Not sure if knowing Sandstorm is redundant, but the idea is to either force a switch with Yawn or get the oppponent to actually sleep. High Horsepower over Earthquake because damage isn't the overall goal. In retrospect, those spare EVs should have gone into Sp.Def... Anyway, Protect for either format because Yawn and such.

Again, I'm open to suggestions, but I don't see myself battling online since, well, the 3DS days. Mainly asking for other's benefit! ...annnnd out of curiosity, too.

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