My Sandstorm Team

[ThePyrobot]

This is my GenV Sandstorm Team. I thought it was relatively well thought out for a single battle weather team, but it's not doing as well as I hoped. I think I may need more type diversification, but I'm not sure what to take out and what to put in.

Tyranitar@Shell Bell
Sand Stream
Adamant
Atk:140
Def:180
SpDef:180
Ice Fang
Stone Edge
Earthquake
Crunch
The integral part of any sandstorm team, Tyranitar sets up the sandstorm and walls fairly well for most attacks while dealing out some decent damage.

Carracosta@White Herb
Sturdy
Adamant
Atk:255
Def:255
Shell Smash
Aqua Tail
Earthquake
Stone Edge
Carracosta uses Shell Smash and its White Herb to set up a devastating sweep.

Heatran@Wide Lens
Flash Fire
Modest
Def:127
SpAtk:255
SpDef:127
Hyper Beam
Heat Wave
Magma Storm
Flash Cannon
I feel this is a quite weak link in my team.

Scizor@Flying Gem
Technician
Adamant
Atk:255
Spd:255
Acrobatics
X-ScissorBug Bite works better with Technician
Bullet Punch
Pursuit
They flying gem is used in conjunction with Acrobatics and Technician for a devastating one-time attack.

Gengar@Black Sludge
Levitate
Modest
SpAtk:255
Spd:255
Energy Ball
Thunderbolt
Shadowball
Sludge Bomb
This is my sweeper, it boasts high SpAtk and Speed with nice type coverage and two decent STABS. It also has Black Sludge to equalize sandstorm damage.

Aggron@Shell Bell
Rock Head
Adamant
Atk:255
Def:255
Double-Edge(Thinking of subbing for Head Smash)
Aqua Tail
EarthquakeStone Edge for STAB
Iron Head
Not a lot to say here. It's a wall with an attitude.

I also have available:
Shuckle
Steelix
Metagross
Flygon
Dusknoir@Leftovers

 

[KoL]

First thing to say right off the bat: Shell Bell is crap. Moving on...

- Your Tyranitar's EVs are poor first of all since you've decided against max Attack in a game where Reuniclus runs rampant, and Sp.Def EVs are hardly necessary on Tyranitar when he gets a 50% Sp.Def bonus from his own Sandstorm. Max HP/Attack is the best spread for T-Tar's EVs. Also get Stealth Rock over Ice Fang, since Fang's low base power renders it quite ineffective against everything that doesn't have a 4x weakness to Ice. Item should be either Chople Berry or Choice Band depending on whether you decide to use Stealth Rock or four attacks respectively.

- Shell Smash Carracosta needs max Speed EVs, otherwise anything remotely quick will still outspeed the thing even after a Shell Smash. Carracosta needs to be Jolly as well since its Speed stat is just that low, and even then stuff like Latios and Gengar will probably still outspeed it. Finally Waterfall > Aqua Tail.

- Your Heatran set is awful. The only remotely useful move it has is Magma Storm, and that move's a very situational and risky one itself. There's many different Heatran sets, most of which revolving around the combination of Fire Blast, Dragon Pulse and Earth Power for perfect type coverage, and then a fourth move depending on what kind of set you're aiming for. Usually Stealth Rock ends up being the fourth move, but if you choose to give that move to Tyranitar instead, then moves like Substitute, Will-O-Wisp, Hidden Power Grass and possibly Flame Charge make good options. Air Balloon is Heatran's most common item choice. Once again, full HP/Attack works out better than Attack/Split defenses.

- I honestly don't get why people use Acrobatics on Scizor, the move offers nothing in terms of coverage to him at all and effectively wastes his item slot, especially when all of the most common switch-ins to Scizor are Steel-types who resist the move anyway. Drop it for Superpower, which is vastly superior. Now you have two options: Swords Dance Scizor, who'd drop Pursuit in this case for Swords Dance, or Choice Band Scizor, who'd switch Bug Bite with U-Turn. Finally, Scizor does not need max Speed; bulky Scizor is better in Gen V.

- Gengar's item serves no purpose besides neutralizing your own sandstorm given the nature of the set, the nature itself isn't a good one (Timid is the only option here) and the moveset itself is mediocre. I'd honestly use someone else instead of Gengar here (and I'll touch on this a bit later) but if you insist, I'd at least drop Sludge Bomb for Substitute since it's a great move for Gengar to have, and protects him from attacks since he is very frail.

- Aggron needs Head Smash - no excuses. He also likes Earthquake so he can hit Steel-types (so no Stone Edge since Head Smash is already serving as Rock-STAB) and Iron Head is good as well. Again, Shell Bell can be tossed for something else and the fourth move might as well be anything at this stage. Honestly, Aggron isn't that great regardless but hey, that's what this next part is for.

Your team is missing quite a few key Pokemon as it stands. If allowed depending on where you are (i.e. not Smogon,) Garchomp and Excadrill are two of sandstorm's best sweepers (far better than Carracosta) as are Terrakion and Landorus, yet your team lacks any of these. Walls such as Skarmory and Gastrodon work very well with sandstorm teams, but once again they're not here. You're really not using the best Pokemon for this as it stands, and right now only Tyranitar, Heatran and possibly Scizor are really going to pull their weight.

 

[ThePyrobot]

Thanks for the advice, I'll work to incorporate as much of that into my team as possible (all of it if I can). Unfortunately for me, I do happen to play where smogon runs rampant, so Excadrill and Garchomp won't be making an appearance anytime soon; however, I will attempt to work in a Terrakion or Landorus as soon as I can.

 

[ThePyrobot]

In addition to subbing out carracosta, I am also looking to put in a pokemon that will work in a sandstorm without having typing in steel, rock, or ground. Do you have any suggestions?

 

[Coreysawrus]

I would suggest Reuniclus and put Max EV's into Sp Atk, HP and put the remainder in Sp Def. Also get Magic Guard over Overcoat as it protects from poisoning, burn and entry hazards. If you use it however you'll need Trick Room as its speed is awful. As for an item use a Life Orb if possible as it won't be damaged by it

 

[KoL]

Avoid double-posting please Pyrobot. Use the Edit button if your post is the last one in a topic and you need to add to it.

I would suggest Reuniclus and put Max EV's into Sp Atk, HP and put the remainder in Sp Def. Also get Magic Guard over Overcoat as it protects from poisoning, burn and entry hazards. If you use it however you'll need Trick Room as its speed is awful. As for an item use a Life Orb if possible as it won't be damaged by it

Reuniclus does not need Trick Room. It's a potential option, but the Calm Mind/Recover/Two attacks Reuniclus is considered superior to the Trick Room set nowadays for its anti-stall properties, increased survivability and for being much harder to stop once it gets rolling.