Sandstorm based OU/BL team

I'm starting to get an idea of how to work one out, but I don't want to overlook any horrible rape flaws. So far the major problems is the fighting and ice weaknesses.

Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Adamant
252 HP 252 Attack 6 Speed
Crunch
Stone Edge
Earthquake
Pursuit

Gets sand-stream going. Hits lots for super-effective, I don't plan on keeping him out super long.

Regirock @ Leftovers
Sassy
252 HP 112 Defense 144 Special Defense
Rock Slide
Swagger
Thunderwave
Explosion

Thunderwave, Swagger, and Rock Slide give three chances for the opponent to be unable to attack. Leftovers kick in, and it's extremely annoying, walls anything physical easily. It's also a Garchomp counter, as he can't get KOd by Earthquake without Dragon Dance and some previous HP loss, and Explosion 1HKO's a standard 4hp /0Def Garchomp all the time.

Magnezone @ Life Orb/Leftovers
Modest
172HP 232 Special Attack 104 Speed
Thunderbolt
Hidden Power Ground
Substitute
Magnet Rise

Steel killer. Rapes Skarmory, Bronzong, and other Magnezones.

Donphan @ Leftovers
Impish
252 HP 252 Defense 6 Attack
Rapid Spin
Earthquake
Ice Shard
Knock Off

Rapid spins out Spikes and Stealth Rock if needed. EQ and Ice Shard are good once he's done his job on Skarmory, hits quite hard with 120 attack. Switch in on Skarmory and Knocks Off the Shed Shell, which makes Skarm useless because if he shows his face again out comes Magnezone.

Skarmory @ Shed Shell
Impish
252 HP 96 Attack 156 Defense 4 Speed
Brave Bird
Roost
Spikes
Whirlwind

Basic spiker suport and phazer. If Magnezone appears, switch to mine to destroy it (shed shell).

Flygon @ Life Orb
Jolly
32 Hp 252 Attack 8 Defense 216 Speed
Stone Edge
Earthquake
U-Turn
Roost

Blaster with Roost. Immune to two common types, so not hard to get in. U Turn to Magnezone if Skarmory switches in and I've knocked off the shell, or Donphan if I haven't.


I'm not sure if I should replace Flygon with Agilitygross for someone resistant to Ice and neutral to Fighting. And of course, anything I've missed.

I'm not awake enough for any useful moveset comments, but do remember that Cacturne and Cloud Nine Golduck have different weaknesses from the rest of your team and would also be immune to Sandstorm. Also, I've heard that Hippowdon is amazing.

Right, let's see what we have here:

Vyraura said:

Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Adamant
252 HP 252 Attack 6 Speed
Crunch
Stone Edge
Earthquake
Pursuit

Looks alright. Just be wary of bulky leads like Hippowdon.

Regirock @ Leftovers
Careful
252 HP 112 Defense 144 Special Defense
Curse
Ice Punch
Stone Edge
Explosion

If Regirock is your counter to Garchomp, then you don't want Sand Veil to kick in when you Explode. Some Chomp also carry Substitute, so the set I've given you should work a bit better. Curse Regirock can be very hard to take down in SS, and you can still keep Explosion on it to take down anything IP or SE can't.

Magnezone @ Leftovers
Modest
172HP 232 Special Attack 104 Speed
Thunderbolt
Hidden Power Ground
Substitute
Magnet Rise

HP Ground is OK, but consider Ice or Grass for Gliscor/Swampert. If Bronzong/Metagross aren't of high priority, then Light Screen is viable to give your team some more special durability.

Donphan @ Leftovers
Impish
252 HP 252 Defense 6 Attack
Rapid Spin
Earthquake
Ice Shard
Knock Off

I wouldn't suggest using this, as half your team resists SR, is immune to Toxic Spikes, and your Zone should finish off Spikers before they can act. Consider replacing with Gliscor to abuse Sand Veil. Gliscor also gets Knock Off.

Skarmory @ Shed Shell
Impish
252 HP 96 Attack 156 Defense 4 Speed
Brave Bird
Roost
Spikes
Whirlwind

Looks fine.

Flygon @ Life Orb
Jolly
32 Hp 252 Attack 8 Defense 216 Speed
Stone Edge
Earthquake
U-Turn
Roost

I don't know much about Flygon, but I suppose this could work.

I'm not sure if I should replace Flygon with Agilitygross for someone resistant to Ice and neutral to Fighting. And of course, anything I've missed.

Your team will have problems against Gyarados, Hippowdon, Swampert and CBHera, and Starmie and Specs Heatran aren't helpful either, so you might want to work this into your team:

Starmie @ Leftovers
Timid
160 HP 132 Special Attack 216 Speed
Recover
Surf
Ice Beam
Thunderbolt

This also comes with Fighting, Ice and Water resists, so definetly consider it. Of course, you don't have to, but you might want to think about it.

And just a little sidenote, Magic Guard Clefable, Toxic Orb Breloom, Cloud Nine Golduck and Cacturne aren't hurt from SS if you're looking for some more variety.

Click to expand...

...actually, Magnezone kinda needs HP Fire to handle Metagross and Bronzong. :V

I wouldn't consider Donphan absolutely necessary for the reasons Pelipy just said; you might consider replacing him for Hippowdon for a secondary method of getting Sandstorm up in case Tyranitar dies and they bring in Abomasnow.

Lets see...
Unfortunately I can't do that Regirock, because I don't have access to Ice Punch which is vital, so I opted for the second best setup. Oh well, I'll think of something.

I picked HP Ground because I want to be able to rape other Magnezone, since I have a Skarmory. Ice sounds decent though with all the dragons out there.

I totally forgot Gliscor gets Knock Off. How about this?
Physical Wall Gliscy @ Leftovers
Impish
252 HP 6 Attack 252 Defense
Earthquake
Roost
Ice Fang
Knock Off

Also, I already have a standard Toxic Orb Breloom, does this go well with the set at all? (just the standard, but a mutable last move)
Breloom @ Toxic Orb
Adamant
252 Attack 6 Defense 252 Speed
Spore
Seed Bomb
Focus Punch
Stone Edge/???

Walker: HP Ground destroys metagross, and Bronzong is ok to wipe out with Thunderbolt because he can't hurt Magnezone.

Yeah, it seems I don't need Donphan, but I'm still unsure about the last one. Hippowdon might be good but I don't need another physical wall, do I? Also Cacturne is really really fragile and I don't think he'd get a move in during OU play, though I'll see about Starmie and Golduck.

Starmie is pretty common on Sandstorm teams, afaik. It's generally accepted that it's pretty hard to get a team that can abuse Sandstorm, cover most of its bases and have everything immune to it, so people usually just use things like Starmie and accept the fact that Sandstorm will kind of mess it up a little. The overall benefit of having additional types is usually worth it.

You're right about Cacturne; I wouldn't bother with it unless you were going for a Sandstorm/Trick Room variant, in which case it might be able to kill some stuff. And since you aren't, well... You can definitely do some crazy shit with Clefable, though, so I'd give that a serious look. Or Breloom/Starmie. Little more special attack power probably wouldn't hurt, and Starmie might be able to draw out stuff like other Magnezones or easy Earthquake kills as well.

So it looks like Gliscor and Starmie are making the cut, unless one of the many Clefables would do better @_@ thats quite a moveset

Hm... an Adamant Weavile with Ice Punch and Brick Break combined with anything fast with a strong Flamethrower completely rape your team. ScarfCross also hurts you badly. Heatran solves that. Consider scarfing something yourself and slowing down Tyranitar as much as you can (possibly even getting 0 IVs at Speed) so a Hail team doesn't own you completely.

Said weavile gets raped by Regirock, he'd be lucky to 2hko with brick break, and is horribly weak to his entire strategy. Thought I might then need another Garchomp counter, so that's certainly a thought.

And I'm pretty sure Gliscor can take care of scarfcross quite well, and if he's taken out already then that'll suck but I don't think I can prepare for anything.

Also I don't want 4x weakness to EQ heatran on a team already with 2 rock types and 2 steels (albeit both can work an immunity it's total rape if they don't).

What would you suggest scarfing? Starmie? TTar?

I don't see a Gliscor on your team o_ O but if you do have it, then you don't have to fear EQ. I'd Scarf Heatran.

look at the edits :P I'll think about it but he would have to replace Starmie, which doesn't sound like a worthwhile loss.