OU DP 4th Generation - Stall sandstorm team

[sandoiche]

Hey, im new to the forum thing, and this is one of the teams ive been working lately.

The team focus on using entry hazards, getting Sandstorm on and using protects/roars/whirlwinds when they try to set up on my walls, getting more residual damage. I have Tyranitar and Scizor for late game sweeping, but im not fully satisfied with some stuff in the team. Well, first, the pokemons:

Infernape @ Focus Sash
64 Atk, 192 Spe, 252 SpA - Hasty
Close Combat
Fire Blast
Stealth Rock
Fake Out

Infernape - Fake out if you feel like the pokemon is staying, try to attack if he does, if the other pokemon is something they are surely switching out, just stealth rock for free, then switch out for Swampert or Skarmory. Otherwise, Infernape will be used as suicide, attacking with a close combat or two thanks to Focus Sash. If I can switch out with high hp, great, it will come in handy later to kill some strong walls like blissey or other steels with CC.

Hippowdon @ Leftovers
252 HP, 152 Def, 104 SpD - Impish
Earthquake
Protect
Slack Off
Roar

Hippowdon - Switch him in against physical attacks, then Roar because they are likely to switch to a counter (you get free residual damage and information about the opp team). It gets sandstorm on, and also can Protect while getting more sandstorm damage. Earthquake gives Stab and an option to late game, since it will destroy most of the stuff that dont hit him for super effective with Slack Off + Protect.

Tyranitar @ Choice Scarf
4 HP, 252 Atk, 252 Spe - Jolly
Crunch
Pursuit
Earthquake
Stone Edge

Tyranitar - He is the monster, setting up Sandstorm, surprising opponents with Choice Scarf for speed, Crunch for high atk STAB and pursuit for pokemon running away; Stone Edge hits hard everything that doesnt resist it, and Earthquake for coverage. Also gets special defense bonus thanks to Sandstorm.

Skarmory @ Leftovers
252 HP, 252 Def, 4 SpD - Impish
Whirlwind
Roost
Toxic
Spikes


Skarmory - Skarmory helps dealing with some walls like Swampert thanks to Toxic, and he can set up spikes with ease on many pokemon. Roost recovers it life, while resisting to thunderbolt if Skar is faster, and then whirlwind stuff away for more residual damage. Also, if they are likely switching for a fire or thunder pokemon, Whirlwind for more residual damage for free.

Swampert @ Leftovers
248 HP, 216 Def, 44 SpD - Relaxed
Protect
Roar
Stealth Rock
Surf


Swampert - Resists electric attacks that are often shooted at Skarmory, while it can Protect and Roar for more residual damage, set Stealth rock late game if they Rapid Spinned your hazards, and packs STAB Surf (I chose surf over Earthquake because Hippowdon already has it).

Scizor @ Choice Scarf
12 HP, 252 Atk, 244 Spe - Jolly
Bullet Punch
Pursuit
Superpower
U-Turn

Scizor - Scizor is the pokemon im really really really not sure about it. Pursuit helps against Starmie, Gengar, Rotom-W, Celebi, who can mess with my team sometimes. Bullet Punch hits hard with priority, while Superpower gets some powerfull stuff killed late game. Im not sure about U Turn vs. Bug Bite, or other bug attack, U turn isnt working really well for me. Also I guess I should pack Choice Band or even Life Orb on this Scizor, instead of Scarf.


Pros on team: Besides the Infernape leading, all pokemon take few or very few damage to stealth rock.
Besides Infernape, no pokemon takes damage from the Sandstorm.

Againsts on team: Doesnt have something to heal status, Toxic can cripple many of my stuff, Thunder wave not much because I have two ground types who are unaffected by it.
I probably should have one more Rock pokemon abusing the Special Defence bonus given by Sandstorm.
I lack support pokemon that plays different roles than Protect+Phazing, like Aromatherapy and even Light Screen that would be helpful giving extra SpD to my physical walls.

Things Im not liking: I still not sure about the lead and about Scizor; Infernape works really well on the team, getting free stealth rock if they switch out for a counter, and when they attack (usually with Surf) I switch out for Swampert.
Im having some serious problems with Starmie, since it can Rapid Spin away my stuff, and Surf deals huge damage to Skarmory, Hippowdon, Infernape and Tyranitar. That made me think of Rotom-W, but what ive been done so far is try to kill it with Scizor, then stealth rock again with Swampert.

Im also thinking of Metagross as a sweeper or lead, but im not sure if its really that fast, and how better it can be than Scizor.

Im also thinking of Blissey, since it can sponge very well Surf and attacks like that, specially from Starmie, that my team is having problems with. Gyarados and some other pokemon like Suicune can get Roar'd for more residual damage, and Gyarados takes a lot from rocks, so i dont really worry about him.

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Neep some help! Thanks a lot dudes

 

[2sly4u]

Hi sandoiche, welcome to Smogon!

The most apparent problem is that you don't have a spinblocker or Status absorber/Cleric, both of which are important for most Stall teams. Without a Spinblocker, anybody can just use Rapid Spin and removed your hazards, while a status absorber is necessary so you can beat opposing Stall teams and pokemon with Toxic. Luckily, Rotom-W can fill both roles. Use it over Infernape:

Rotom-W@Leftovers
Bold Nature, 252HP /136Def/120 SpD
Rest
Sleep Talk
Discharge/Shadow Ball
Hydro Pump/Will-O-Wisp

This Rotom fulfills both roles previously mentioned. Rest is what makes him such a good Status absorber, since he can remove status with ease, while Sleep Talk stops him fom becoming setup bait. The move selection from there is more open. The third slot is for STAB, while the last one helps you avoid getting Pursuit trapped. Hydro Pump can maim Tyranitar, the most common Pursuit user, while Will-O-Wisp helps spread status and is generally more useful against other users of Pursuit such as the uncommon Weavile.

From here, I'd move Hippowdon into the lead slot and give him SR over Protect. He's a much better Stealth Rocks user than 'Ape for stall teams since he can reliably come in and set them up multiple times, recovering off the damage later. He also lets you get your Sandstorm up right away.

Swampert seems unecessary on this team. Sure, he's bulky, but his role is almost identical to Hippodon's. I'd replace him with a Tentacruel:

Tentacruel@Leftovers
Ability: Liquid Ooze
Calm Nature, 252 HP/120 Def/136 SpD
Toxic Spikes
Rapid Spin
Surf
Ice Beam/Protect/HP Electric

Tentacruel keeps the Water-typing of Swampert while giving you a way to remove opposing hazards with your Rapid Spin. With Toxic Spikes, he completes the entry hazard trifecta, helping you wear down opponent's faster. However, Rapid Spin is arguably much more important, essentially nullifying all the hard work opposing teams did to put up Spikes/ SR. Surf is STAB. The last move is mostly filler, but can be helpful. Ice Beam is generally preferred, since it lets you beat Dragonite/Grass-types who otherwise use you for a free setup. Protect can be useful for scouting Choice users and racking up Poison damage, while HP Electric is your best option against Gyarados and other waters who think they wall you. If it helps you make a decision, I personally use Protect.

Last, change Scizor's item to a Choice Band. Since you're mostly using him to pick off weakened pokemon and sweep late game, he'll appreciate the added power on his Bullet Punch.

Also, since you're having Starmie troubles, here's a good way to beat one with your team:
When it first comes in, figure out what it will use. If that move is Ice Beam or Surf, go to Tentacruel. Rapid Spin, go to Rotom. Otherwise, go to T-Tar.
-If Tenta is in, it will probably go for Thunderbolt. Switch in T-Tar.
Once Tyranitar is in, you can outspeed and OHKO with Pursuit.

I hope that helps. Good luck!

 

[sandoiche]

Thanks a lot man, Ive done the changes you suggested.


I really like Swampert, he has been very usefull for me most of the times, since usually only a pokemon has a grass attack the last teams ive faced.



I will keep an eye and make a few tests myself trying to fit Metagross and Blissey on the team... Im not sure if I really need a rapid spinner, Ive managed so far to deal with Stealth Rock and other Hazards well, sometimes Infernape could of kill the other lead preventing them from setting it up.

 

[2sly4u]

I really like Swampert, he has been very usefull for me most of the times, since usually only a pokemon has a grass attack the last teams ive faced.

I actually really like Swampert too. It's just a matter of you really needing a Water resist, and Tentacruel is a great fit. As for Rapid Spin, I wasn't concerned as much with just Stealth Rocks as I was with opposing Stall teams. Without Tenta, Toxic Spikes and Spikes will really take their toll on Swampy, T-Tar, and Hippo, and stall teams can't afford to let important pieces get statused and take 25%+ damage just from switching in.

I hope that helps :)

 

[Bowl Cut]

As of now, your team has massive problems with Breloom. It can come in on your choice locked move with either Tyranitar or Scizor, Spore the incoming Pokemon, and proceed to practically 2HKO your entire team, and sometimes even score OHKOs. Most current stall teams carry a ResTalk Gyarados for this reason, but you are missing the third out of the three types of entry hazards, as well as a spinner. Tentacruel can be used over ResTalk Gyarados so that your stall team has the sometimes game-changing Toxic Spikes, while maintaining the qualities of a bulky water, and you'll have a spinner which is a must on every stall team. Either Infernape or Scizor should be replaced. If you do opt for Tentacruel over ResTalk Gyarados, try running a ResTalk Heatran over either Infernape or Scizor so you can actually phaze some specially oriented threats. Now that you have all three entry hazards, you will definitely need a spinblocker. Swampert is currently (and already seemed to be since the beginning) obsolete. You have not one, not two, but three Tyranitar counters in your team, and Skarmory and Hippowdon are usually enough to take on every common Tyranitar set, and you have your own Tyranitar to at least speed tie opposing +1 Tyranitar and attempt to revenge kill. I definitely recommend a Rotom-W over Swampert so your team can have a spinblocker and still not be weak to Tyranitar. Since your Tyranitar is already your scarfer, I definitely recommend either the standard bulky Rotom-W, or a SubSplit variant. Both of which allow Rotom-W to not be as much of Pursuit bait as they are, although the latter provides Rotom-W the ability to force switches, and if you manage to get up all your hazards, it's far more effective. Hera are all the sets:

Tentacruel @ Leftovers l Bold Nature l Liquid Ooze l 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Moves: Toxic Spikes l Rapid Spin l Surf l Sludge Bomb

Heatran @ Leftovers l Calm Nature l Flash Fire l 248 HP / 8 SpAtk / 252 SpDef
Moves: Rest l Sleep Talk l Lava Plume l Roar

Rotom-W @ Leftovers l Timid Nature l Levitate l 32 HP / 224 SpAtk / 252 Spe
Moves: Substitute l Pain Split l Thunderbolt l Hydro Pump

Good luck using the team!