Vento Diavolo: OU Sandstall

[Gin]

Vento Diavolo:

Devil Wind

An OU Sandstall Team

Introduction

Hello. This is Bob here. Most of you probably don't know me, but there are a few who may remember...This team was originally made quite a while back, in July. It was, so to speak, "the bomb". Its final record was, I think 76-10, and I had laddered quite a bit with it even on Smogon. I was on a major hiatus, going inactive since around August, what with my accident and having to catch up on schoolwork and whatnot. Finally, I came back. I began a few battles, and noticed something was terribly, terribly wrong. My wins were down from getting 5-0s and 6-0s to 3-0s. Finally I realized that my team was simply outdated. So, I decided to come to you guys and recruit help to update these guys.

Some Team Information

The Basics: Vento Diavolo was originally created to explore a play style not used then, stall. (Ab)using entry hazards was pretty much the only thing that stall teams did. On this team, I weaken and cripple the opponent's team, then finish up with hard hitters of my own.

The Lineup:

[sPRITE]472[/sPRITE][sHINYSPRITE]485[/sHINYSPRITE][sHINYSPRITE]073[/sHINYSPRITE][sHINYSPRITE]212[/sHINYSPRITE][sHINYSPRITE]251[/sHINYSPRITE]

In Depth Look

Tawaret (Hippowdon) (F) @ Leftovers

Ability: Sand Stream

EVs: 252 HP/168 Def/88 SDef

Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)

- Stealth Rock

- Roar

- Earthquake

- Slack Off

---

Hippowdon. She starts off our sandstorm. Hippowdon is an amazing wall, with wonderful bas stats and typing. Leftovers help her survive, and the EV's/Nature give her nice defensive capabilities. Stealth Rock is usually what I start off with. I can STAB earthquake for some damage, but mostly I Phaze stuff out. I try to save Hippo for the end, where Pseudohazing helps much more, but she also provides death fodder so I can get stuff out.

[sPRITE]472[/sPRITE]

Nosferatu (Gliscor) (M) @ Leftovers

Ability: Sand Veil

EVs: 244 HP/12 Atk/60 Def/120 Spd/72 SDef

Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)

- Earthquake

- Roost

- Taunt

- Toxic

---

Ask anyone about this Gliscor, and they'll tell you how much they hate it. It outspeeds many poke's, can do moderate damage with Earthquake, taunt walls, spread the poison, and heal off damage. The given EV's help it outspeed something or the other while providing good defense.

[sHINYSPRITE]485[/sHINYSPRITE]

Surtur (Heatran) (M) @ Choice Scarf

Ability: Flash Fire

EVs: 4 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk

Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)

- Fire Blast

- Earth Power

- Explosion

- Dragon Pulse

---

Heatran functions as my special sweeper and a revenge killer. He can also take out a specific threat with scarf'd Explosion. Heatran also eats up the fire moves Scizor detests.

I debated on using HP electric/grass for gyarados/swampert in place of D-Pulse, but decided against it because of overspecialization.

[sHINYSPRITE]073[/sHINYSPRITE]

Kraken (Tentacruel) (M) @ Black Sludge

Ability: Liquid Ooze

EVs: 252 HP/120 Def/136 SDef

Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)

- Surf

- Toxic Spikes

- Giga Drain

- Rapid Spin

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Tentacruel eats up those toxic spikes and lays its own. He can also spin away other hazards. Surf is for STAB, and Giga Drain gives me recovery and hurts swampert, one VERY common switch in to Tenta.

[sHINYSPRITE]212[/sHINYSPRITE]

Beelzebub (Scizor) (M) @ Choice Band

Ability: Technician

EVs: 252 Atk/252 Spd

Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Bullet Punch

- Brick Break

- Pursuit

- U-turn

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The obligatory Scizor. I'm sure you all know what he does, so I won't bore you with the details, but Scizor is the holepuncher of this team. Bullet Punch can usually OHKO on almost anything in the endgame. Pursuit also takes out Gengar.

[sHINYSPRITE]251[/sHINYSPRITE]

Pandora (Celebi) @ Leftovers

Ability: Natural Cure

EVs: 252 HP/220 Def/36 Spd

Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)

- Grass Knot

- Leech Seed

- Recover

- Substitute

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Celebi sponges status and subseed/stalls. She also stops Gyarados and Swampert with GK.

Conclusion

This team was designed with the old threats in mind, so I'm not sure how it can work now. Each pokemon covers each other's weaknesses. Post your comments/suggestions here!

[randomspot555]

Hippowdon as a lead still works, at least against Pert, Bronzong, and Metagross. Depending on how common the latter two are, you might want to switch Celebi out for a Rotom form or Dusknoir to absorb explosions.

Swampert has a hell of a time against Aerodactyl and Azelf suicide leads, who'll always Taunt first because Swampert has no way of dealing with them. You can have Scizor take out Aerodactyl (it'll still get SR). And Heatran can safely switch into Azelf for the most part. In fact, it shoudl be the switch since it would work out great if it was Trick-Scarf.

I really don't see what Gliscor is doing that Hippow isn't already doing. Even kept around, Toxic isn't necessary since Tentacruel is laying down spikes.

It can still stay on the team, but it's not doing anything Hippowdon already isn't doing.

Speaking of Tentacruel, I think you've completely missed the point of it as a Rapid Spinner. Giga Drain is useful against ONE Pokemon, and that Pokemon is just doing to Earthquake it. The big selling point is Knock Off (as well as absorbing Toxic Spikes,etc..). You KNOW that dumb Rotom is going to come in and block your Rapid Spin, so Knock Off that Choice Scarf it tries to trick onto you.

Band Scizor is meant to be switching in and out a lot. Superpower over Brick Break.

You've got a good combination of covering your weaknesses, you've got various checks on status, but only two Pokemon are really on the offense. Everyone else is hoping that their defense plays well.

Gliscor is dead weight on this team, and you have no clear Gyarados counter...or even a single electric attack. So here is your new Pokemon:

Rotom-L w/ Leftovers

Levitate

Bold/Calm

252 HP/168 DEF/88 Speed

- Leaf Storm

- Thunderbolt

- Reflect

- Light Screen/Will O Wisp

Any number of Hidden Powers can be run instead of a Screens place. This also still gives you that ground immunity that you got out of Gliscor. Also serves as a pretty decent check on Swampert as well.

Will O Wisp seems pointless with Screens down, but it helps immensly with Scizor switch ins. It'll do a laughable amount of damage with Pursuit while you don't switch out and T-bolt it to death.

[memjee]

ahh I remember this team, great team

[wraith89]

I would go with what randomspot said for the most part... and Rotom replacing that special Gliscor might be a great idea. Sometimes, I wonder why I even suggested replacing your Magnezone with it, although that Gliscor did help a lot, did it not?

I do remember your team has a huge ice weakness and once Scizor and Heatran were gone, I remember taking down the rest of your team with Articuno. But since Articuno is not exactly standard there is one thing you should fear... and that is Gyarados. You only have Celebi as your Gyarados check, and even then once Celebi is gone your team will be hard pressed to deal with it. So that Rotom replacement might be a good idea. Aside from that, most of your team seems to complement each other.

Oh yes, Swampert is a HUGE problem... because aside from Celebi everything else will be having such a hard time dealing with it. Lawnmower Rotom, even if does not have Leaf Storm, will at least scare Swampert away.

Seriously bob, Superpower over Brick Break on Banded Scizor. Superpower will OHKO Heatrans and other stuff... Brick Break will not. Besides, are you letting Banded Scizor stay in for long? Also, run more HP on that Scizor. I would go 248 HP on Scizor so that it can take hits (the HP will end up odd to reduce SR damage) and speed should not be so large. Even with max speed, you are NOT outpacing Jolly Tyranitar, who can still take Scizor down anyways with Fire Punch/Flamethrower/Fire Blast or even CB Stone Edge because Bullet Punch will not OHKO. With 248 HP, Scizor will take 80%-94% on average from an Adamant 252 Atk Choice Band Tyranitar's Stone Edge. It CAN sometimes OHKO with Stealth Rocks, but at least you have a chance of surviving at all. Scizor's max 228 Speed is not really useful. If you want to outpace Skarmories or anything, hit 56 Speed EVs to run 180 Speed... or 60 EVs if you are paranoid and hit 181. The rest should go into HP (200 if you are running 56 Speed or 196 if you are running 60).

[lordhmm975]

Hey Bob! Ok I remember this team btw lol! So my advice is to get Spikes support because even atleast one layer of Spikes with of course Stealth Rock deals about 24% damage on Shoddy to Neutral pokemon. I am really not the best at Team Rating though lol BUT i will simply just say what team would work and you can pick and choose as you feel. A Taunt Skarmory lead would be very effective especially for this time in the Metagame its still very new and uncommon and can shut down most Stealth Rock leads such as Hippowdon and Swampert. Against leads like Azelf and Heatran and Infernape i recommend a Choice Scarf Tyranitar... it sets up the Sandstorm and provides a reliable means to KO those leads and other pokemon like Latias. Taunt/Toxic Gliscor is pretty annoying lol i don't at all like them but id use a Nidoqueen in its spot to set up Stealth Rock/ Toxic Spikes... Nidoqueen also is the best counter for Lucario and can OHKO back with Earthquake, and Fire Blast does a good job with Scizor/Skarmory. Rotom-A form is definitely needed on any type of Stall or Semi Stall team. So yeah i saw a couple comments above mine about that sooo put that in somewhere. And it looks like you would have issues with Gyarados especially the Taunt ones and it would rip through your team if you dont act fast... so i would recommend Vaporeon to handle Gyarados and it provides Wish support to the team and can also Toxic opponents. I probably just changed your team completely lol but as i said im not the best Team Rater... Hippowdon is a great wall in fact its an amazing wall i just think it is better suited for Full Stall. But considering that todays metagame basically prepares for Full Stall it would be best to go Semi Stall and still be able to attack. That leaves you with one pokemon left on your team and i dont exactly know what to recommend for it except something that can set up and use the Toxic Spikes or Entry hazards to its advantage.. i would say Jirachi- Sub Calm Mind but eh that is just me. but i like Taunt/Toxic Gliscor there are really no counters for it in the game anyways your team is beast regardless of the switches haha i had trouble getting passed your Hippowdon for sure! Haha very annoying but amazing! and NICE RMT! Beautifully presented