Sand-Blind - A LittleCup RMT

[Tbird]

Sand Blind

Preface... so to speak:

Well this is my LC team .. as you can see. I've been getting interested in 'other tiers' quite a lot lately because I had been limiting myself to OU and UU, so things were getting a little boring. Firstly I tried out ubers and it's going ok .. I'm not great but hell I'm not great at any tier lol. I may be spreading myself too thin but hell, at least I'm having fun It's a whole new world and a lot of fun. I'm noticing small and odd discrepencies from the jump from OU to LC... and well they are welcomed surprises really.

Anwho, as for the actual team. I started looking over the LC rules and noticed that sandstream wasn't banned, as I thought it would be due to its damage out put per turn .. alas I was being silly as it takes a percentage, not a defined amount. So I ran with the idea and here's what happened.

(as for the lame ass name, I figured I'd just play on snow blind due to the team ... I know ... you're in stitches of laughter.)

I needed a lead to give me sand, should I actually have a sand team, and as hippopotas was the only one going I figured why not ... I mean I felt so spoiled for choice.

The next thing I needed was someone who could function in the sand. I also wanted to try sir larvitar out, and thus he became my physical sweeper.

Already I noticed that water was going to be a problem for me. It's a sand team, so that's going to be one of my weakness. I simply searched 'water absorb' and voila here mantyke arrived. She provides much needed ground immunity, water immunity AND she's not half a bad Special sweeper either. Not only is she convenient, but I've always wanted to use Mantine competitively, so I guess I get second best.

The choice of gligar came quite easily really. I knew that thus far I wasn't really abusing sand. The sand was just kind of there doing its thing. Now, Gligar gets the lovely sand veil ability, and provides more ground immunity for larvitar should things kick off. And provides more electric immunity for mantyke, should larvitar be down.

So I kind of started to get the feel of finding things that can abuse the sand really well. And at this point I wanted to get the most out of the defensive gifties given by sand stream. Also, I wanted to rack up some more entry hazards to hurt things ... basically. I also wanted a Tspiker (and you'll see why very soon). Between Mantyke, Omanyte and Gligar, I have pretty nice defence

For my last spot I wanted a few things. I wanted someone immune to fighting, so that narrowed it down quite considerable. I wanted someone speedy and powerful, that narrowed it down further. And well, hiowever I got to gastly I got there. He works much like his OU parent. Being scarfed he can revenge a lot of things, and with his attacks he has a lot of coverage. And provides a not-really-needed-but-nice-bonus in form of hypnosis.

Looking a little ...but not much deeper

Lead

[HGSSSPRITE]449[/HGSSSPRITE]

Popo (Hippopotas) (M) @ Oran Berry

Ability: Sand Stream

EVs: 212 HP/36 Atk/212 Def/36 SDef

Careful nature (+Atk, -Def)

- Stealth Rock

- Roar

- Earthquake

- Slack Off/Rock slide/Protect

Hippopotas... The only lead that can be in a sand team so, really, this lead is all but self explanatory. The given EV's give me a nice Atk stat of 14, it's not brilliant but it can hurt stuff for sure (OHKO dratini after sand + rocks in anycase). 26 HP 12 Spdef Means I am able to live a HP grass off of wingull, and roar it out next turn after the oran activation. Earthquake is standard stab, and roar hits the things that EQ can't.

Rockslide is the move that SHOULD be used here, but with Hippopatas' nice bulk it can help in toxic stalling more phsycially enclined foe, protect does the same, however, it doesn't recover, but come sin handy against the fake out leads.

---

Physical Sweeper

[HGSSSPRITE]246[/HGSSSPRITE]

Edgar (Larvitar) (M) @ Flame Orb

Ability: Guts

EVs: 36 HP/248 Atk/36 Def/188 Spd

Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Rock Slide

- Earthquake

- Crunch

- Rock Polish

Oh.. Wow. That's all that can be said here really. He's a demon, that's all there is to it. after one Rock polish he hits a very very acceptable speed of 26, backed by a monstrous 25 Attack. A fun thing I found out is Burn only deals 9% damage, whilst giving me a choice band effect... Aint that something . He also gets the lovely SpDef boost from the sand which always welcomed, and lets face it, he's not exactly frail to begin with. He is really the soul purpose of the team.

As for the moves, Rock polish is necessary really. Ddance can do good, but a whole host of scarfers revenge him... which is never good. Eq and Rock slide, great coverage really. Rockslide is there over stone edge, as with more speed, there's more chance for a flinch. Also, better accuracy. Crunch, again is stab. However, Keeps Abra and Gastly at bay.

---

Special Sweeper

[HGSSSPRITE]458[/HGSSSPRITE]

Capri (Mantyke) (F) @ Wise Glasses

Ability: Water Absorb

EVs: 76 HP/36 Def/196 Spd/200 SAtk

Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)

- Hydro Pump

- Ice Beam

- Hidden Power [Flying]

- Agility

MAntyke is really one of the Go to pokemon on the team when all else fails. She doen't mind getting slapped by an energy ball due to that astronomical Spdef, She has no qualms coming in on a fighting type attack, and seriously pwns stuff after taking a small dent.

Wise Glasses was chosen over life orb simply because she is built to take some beating, and I didn't wanna tarnish her survivability by taking a chunk each turn. WiseGlasses works well enough so I have no complaints.

After an agility she hits a lovely 26 Speed, and attacks off of a nice SpAtk of 16. Hp Flying is for things like croagunk and paras that think they can abuse Mantyke's Hydro pump for their own selfish needs, while Ice beam give nice coverage and hits dratini.

Also, with the water absorb ability, she needn't worry about rocks, as sooner or later a water attack will be aimed at her.

---

Sand Abusing Sub Passer ... Oh yes

[HGSSSPRITE]207[/HGSSSPRITE]

Bill (Gligar) (M) @ Brightpowder

Ability: Sand Veil

EVs: 156 HP/236 Def/76 Spd

Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)

- Substitute

- Earthquake

- Roost

- Baton Pass

Gligar is the first sand abuser on the team with wonderful Sand Veil.

Brightpowder just makes things even worse for the opponant, while substitute just ruins moar fun. In all seriousness though, this guy hurts; albeit not directly. Once Gligar is out he'll do one of two things depending on the circumstances, Toxic stall while rope-a-doping around the opponents failed attacks - should there be Tspikes out. And if they are not, then his main goal is to pass a sub to someone so they can set up ... Namely larvitar, but anyone will take the sub really... Because well ... It's a nice gift .

Usually, people would run Toxic/Sand Attack or Rockslide here, but I figured my team needed help setting up their boosts, and Gligar provided just the way for that.

Roost is for that lovely instant recovery and loss of flying type, as you all know and EQ is for Stab.

---

Hazards

[HGSSSPRITE]138[/HGSSSPRITE]

Trilo (Omanyte) (M) @ Oran Berry

Ability: Shell Armor

EVs: 236 HP/36 Def/236 SDef

Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)

- Spikes

- Toxic Spikes

- Surf

- Protect

Bulky as hell... Need I say more?

Now, really in most case toxic spikes are what I want to get set up. as a lot of the team revolves around the stalling element. The team functions pretty much perfectly without Tspikes, it just gives me another avenue to play with if they are out. I put spikes in over SR, as SR should already be set up, if they're not set up then they will be.

Surf is for stab, and protect is for scouting purposes, it's always easier to know what to do next when you know what someone would like to do.

His favourite time to come out is when SOMETHING he isn't weak to gets launched, like an expected quick attack. He, can eat those up all day long, And basically just start spamming those hazards.

---

Sleep Support/ Revenge Killer

[HGSSSPRITE]092[/HGSSSPRITE]

Lomax (Gastly) (M) @ Choice Scarf

Ability: Levitate

EVs: 104 HP/200 Spd/200 SAtk

Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)

- Hidden Power [Fighting]

- Hypnosis

- Thunderbolt

- Shadow Ball

Gastly. Gastly is .. Ghastly? Bleh. For a revenge killer he works really quite well. The EV spread is just a generic EV spread, 200 in Speed and Spatk get him to a nice 25 and 20, respectively.

His many immunities ... All three of them do give him nice times to come in and hurt someone, realistically speaking, after SR a couple of Sand, anything can be killed by Gastly. People are one toxic away, or hasty CC away from getting hurt. Generally speaking he provides Lead support for the likes of Meowth and Aipom. The Storm breaks the sash, and Gastly can then do the rest.

Similarly he can come in for larvitar/Omanyte when a fighting attack is launched and start punishing folk for getting in the way. Hypnosis Puts things to sleep that are otherwise problematic, and also aids in setting up.

---

So there you have it... My first LC Team. Feel free to rate in which ever way you feel fit. I know there aren't many of you competitive folk out here, so probably far less LC players, but if you're out there come give me a rate .

Thanks for taking the time to have a read/skim/scan/W/e

[Delta Blast Burn]

Just a quick note, larvitar doesn't get stab from crunch, because it's rock/ground, not rock/dark.

[Tbird]

Yeah I forgot that small discrepancy. In any case...But still, it keeps who it needs to keep at bay, at bay.