Perry
slayer
QC: Minority / The Trap God / Dominatio
GP: The Dutch Plumberjack / frenzyplant
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[OVERVIEW]
With access to Stealth Rock, Rapid Spin, and two useful abilities in Mold Breaker and Sand Rush, Excadrill fills the niche of an efficient dedicated lead or a dangerous weather sweeper. Excadrill's lead set is an effective anti-lead to Deoxys-S and Primal Groudon that can also discourage the use of Defog with Toxic. Its decent offensive coverage and great STAB types in Ground and Steel turn Sand Rush sets into dangerous threats if overlooked when teambuilding as well as offensive checks to most Xerneas variants and offensive Arceus formes such as Arceus-Ground and Extreme Killer Arceus. Excadrill's typing grants it seven resistances, including to STAB moves from the ever-dangerous Normal- and Fairy-types, and two immunities. However, poor bulk and weaknesses to common types such as Ground, Fire, Water, and Fighting hold it back somewhat, as those types are very common in Ubers. Even though Sand Rush sets' viability is hurt by the presence of Zygarde-C and Celesteela and the difficulty of maintaining sand from the frequent use of Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, Excadrill is no less of a force in the Ubers metagame.
[SET]
name: Suicide Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Toxic / Rock Tomb
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Rapid Spin
item: Focus Sash
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stealth Rock and Mold Breaker for a great combination, as they allow Excadrill to be the only Pokemon able to set up entry hazards versus Magic Bounce users reliably. Stealth Rock wears down the opposing team, and the residual damage is crucial for maintaining offensive pressure throughout a match. Toxic is used to punish common answers to Excadrill such as defensive Arceus formes and Giratina-O if they try to Defog against Excadrill, while Rock Tomb allows Excadrill to slow down Pokemon such as Mega Salamence and Xerneas that are trying to set up on Excadrill while also hitting opposing Flying-types; it also slows down Defoggers so that Excadrill's teammates can deal with them more easily. Earthquake is the STAB attack of choice, as it hits Primal Groudon super effectively while also covering a big portion of the metagame neutrally thanks to Mold Breaker, and finally, Rapid Spin is used to get rid of entry hazards reliably.
Set Details
========
Mold Breaker allows Excadrill to ignore opposing Pokemon's abilities, allowing Excadrill to set up Stealth Rock or use Toxic versus Magic Bounce Pokemon and hit Levitate users such as Giratina-O and Bronzong with Earthquake. Focus Sash is used to patch up Excadrill's poor bulk by allowing it to survive any hit thrown at it and at the very least set Stealth Rock. Maximum Attack and Speed EVs with a Jolly nature are used for maximum power and speed, letting Excadrill outspeed slow Arceus formes and anything up to neutral-natured base 101 Speed Pokemon such as Rash Landorus. However, an Adamant nature allows Excadrill to 2HKO Pokemon such as offensive Primal Kyogre and Xerneas after Stealth Rock, but it prevents it from outspeeding anything above positive-natured base 75 Speed Pokemon such as Smeargle and more defensive Arceus formes like Arceus-Water.
Usage Tips
========
Excadrill should be used as your lead in most matches, setting Stealth Rock and either crippling opposing Pokemon with Toxic and Rock Tomb or just dishing out damage with Earthquake. However, it shouldn't be sent out blindly in all matches, as a fair number of Pokemon are able to anti-lead it, such as Mega Kangashkan, Cloyster, Pheromosa, and the rare Terrakion. If those Pokemon are sent out versus Excadrill on the first turn, switch out to a Pokemon with a better matchup immediately, as those Pokemon prevent Excadrill from doing anything useful. In those scenarios, Excadrill should be preserved so that it can come on safely on a Pokemon that doesn't threaten it as much, preferably after a teammate has fainted, to set up Stealth Rock. However, keep in mind that Excadrill is not as useful after the early-game stage, as it doesn't provide any defensive synergy and is not dealing that much damage itself. Nonetheless, there will be some matches where its useful typing and good offensive prowess might still be useful mid-game, as most Steel-types in the tier don't come close to 2HKOing Excadrill, while Excadrill can hit them super effectively with Earthquake. This can ease the pressure on a Xerneas teammate, which doesn't like the likes of Bronzong, Magearna, and Klefki being healthy, for example. Even though Mega Salamence isn't usually a Pokemon sent out versus Excadrill, keep in mind that if Excadrill is running Toxic, it becomes bait to Facade or Refresh Mega Salamence, so keep answers for it in the back.
Team Options
========
Lead Excadrill should only be used on hyper offense teams, as it doesn't provide much more than a guaranteed Stealth Rock, and thus its teammates should be chosen with that in mind. It's crucial to have ways to prevent Defoggers such as support Arceus formes and Giratina-O from removing Stealth Rock from the field, so Pokemon carrying Taunt, such as Mega Gengar, Mega Mewtwo X and Y, and Yveltal, make excellent partners. Primal Groudon appreciates Excadrill's Stealth Rock, as it can now run a more offensive set, and Excadrill's ability to weaken support Arceus formes. Other wallbreakers such as Deoxys-A, Extreme Killer Arceus, Arceus-Ghost, Arceus-Ground, and Xerneas appreciate Excadrill's Stealth Rock support enabling them to 2HKO most of the tier with their high-powered STAB attacks. Additionally, Yveltal can take care of spinblockers that may trouble Excadrill, such as Arceus-Ghost and Lunala. Lunala itself appreciates Rapid Spin support to keep Shadow Shield intact, can spinblock opposing Excadrill and Cloyster, and when equipped with a Choice Scarf can serve as a backup answer to Ghost-types, Extreme Killer Arceus, and Mega Salamence carrying Facade or Refresh, which Excadrill doesn't fare well against.
[SET]
name: Sand Rush
move 1: Earthquake
move 2: Iron Head
move 3: Swords Dance / Rapid Spin
move 4: Rock Slide / Rapid Spin / Substitute
item: Life Orb / Air Balloon
ability: Sand Rush
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Earthquake is Excadrill's primary STAB move and hits significant threats such as Primal Groudon super effectively while hitting most of the tier at least neutrally. Iron Head complements Earthquake's coverage by allowing Excadrill to damage Flying-type and Levitate Pokemon such as Giratina-O and Yveltal reliably; it also hits Fairy-types for super effective damage, which allows Excadrill to offensively check boosted Xerneas when sand is up. Swords Dance capitalizes on Excadrill's ability to force switches and turns Excadrill into a deadly sweeper late-game when some of its usual checks have been weakened. However, Excadrill will be left with at maximum three turns to effectively wallbreak after using Swords Dance, which is not ideal in some scenarios. Rapid Spin is a valid option to clean away entry hazards. However, using it often comes at the cost of Excadrill's life if not played correctly. Rock Slide allows Excadrill to OHKO offensive Ho-Oh while hitting Flying-types such as Yveltal, Mega Salamence, and Lugia hard, while Substitute may be used to avoid status, capitalizing on the switches Excadrill forces; behind Substitute, Excadrill can be very problematic to opposing teams if they are weakened and lack reliable answers to it.
Set Details
========
Sand Rush is used to double Excadrill's Speed under sand, allowing it to become a very dangerous late-game sweeper when its checks have been weakened or to revenge kill a boosted Pokemon, such as Xerneas or Arceus-Ground, with its powerful STAB attacks. Maximum Attack and Speed EVs should be used to capitalize on Excadrill's good attacking stats and decent Speed under sand, and Jolly is the nature of choice to allow Excadrill to outspeed anything below neutral-natured base 101 Speed such as Landorus outside of sand. On the other hand, an Adamant nature allows Excadrill to achieve important 2HKOs on Pokemon such as defensive Primal Kyogre, Ferrothorn, and Lunala after Stealth Rock while still being able to outspeed almost the whole tier under sand. However, Adamant Excadrill fails to outspeed +3 Z-Geomancy Xerneas even with sand up. Life Orb is used to grant Excadrill maximum attacking prowess while remedying the damage loss from running a Jolly nature over Adamant, while Air Balloon is a niche option that allows Swords Dance Excadrill to use Primal Groudon without Fire-type moves and Arceus-Ground as setup fodder and doesn't wear Excadrill down like Life Orb does. Additionally, Air Balloon has good synergy with Tyranitar, as you can pivot Excadrill into a Ground-type move after setting up sand and potentially get a free turn to boost or deal damage to the opposing team.
Usage Tips
========
Excadrill should be kept healthy to sweep late-game when its checks have been weakened. Thus, try not to wear Excadrill down too fast with Life Orb recoil, as then you won't be able to dish out as much damage as you'd have liked. As Excadrill needs Tyranitar's Sand Stream to activate Sand Rush, you must keep Tyranitar alive until you think it's time for Excadrill to attempt a sweep or when its revenge killing abilities are in sore need, such as versus a boosted Xerneas or Extreme Killer Arceus. Excadrill and Tyranitar stack big weaknesses to Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, as well as to the likes of Mega Lucario. However, Excadrill can defeat most of those Pokemon under sand, as its raw power paired with excellent offensive typing allows Excadrill to break through Pokemon such as Mega Lucario, Primal Groudon, Mewtwo and Mega Mewtwo Y, Mega Gengar, and Pheromosa. If you forgo Rock Slide, Ho-Oh, Celesteela, defensive Mega Salamence, and Yveltal will have an easier time walling Excadrill. Therefore, try to weaken them before attempting a sweep.
Team Options
========
As the only viable sand setter in the tier, Tyranitar is required for this set to work, as without sand this Excadrill set isn't as effective. Tyranitar also supports Excadrill by setting Stealth Rock and dealing with Ho-Oh and Yveltal. Checks to Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon are a must, as they not only force Excadrill out but also override Tyranitar's Sand Stream. Primal Groudon, Giratina-O, and Arceus-Water are great examples of defensive Pokemon able to deal with one or both of them. Ho-Oh, Xerneas, Primal Kyogre, and Mega Salamence are great offensive partners that not only appreciate Excadrill's Rapid Spin support and ability to defeat Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon, such as Arceus-Rock and Magearna, but also help to weaken some of Excadrill's checks in Zygarde-C, defensive Arceus and Giratina formes, Skarmory, and Lugia. Defensive Arceus formes also appreciate Rapid Spin support, as it frees their common Defog moveslot for a better utility move.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Groundium Z with Earthquake allows Excadrill to surprise most of the checks to the Sand Rush set with an 180-Base Power Tectonic Rage, which can OHKO defensive Arceus formes after a Swords Dance boost and Stealth Rock damage. However, running Groundium Z forces Excadrill to run an Adamant nature to make up for losing the Life Orb boost, as its other moves would become rather weak by Ubers standards.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Zygarde-C**: Physically defensive Zygarde-C can shrug off all of Excadrill's moves with ease while threatening to OHKO Excadrill itself. However, it must watch out for a boosted Tectonic Rage.
**Toxic-immune Pokemon that Resist Ground**: Skarmory, Celesteela, and Bronzong share an immunity to Ground and take little damage from Excadrill's coverage moves. Thus, these Pokemon can comfortably deal with Excadrill as well as set up entry hazards. Bronzong, however, cannot switch on Mold Breaker Excadrill, as Earthquake will ignore Levitate.
**Physically Defensive Pokemon**: There is a fair share of physically bulky Pokemon able to take on Excadrill in Ubers, either by sheer physical bulk or by type advantage. Lugia, Giratina and Arceus formes, defensive Yveltal, Primal Kyogre, and Buzzwole can all deal with Excadrill if healthy. However, all of those hate being hit with Toxic by the lead set, and Sand Rush Excadrill may get past them if boosted.
**Rayquaza**: Rayquaza's Air Lock ignores Sandstorm, so a Rayquaza with maximum Speed and a Jolly nature will be able to outspeed Excadrill and possibly OHKO it with a coverage move such as Earthquake, V-create, or Surf. However, Adamant Rayquaza needs to be wary of Jolly Excadrill under sand, which can deal a lot of damage to it with Iron Head or Rock Slide.
**Faster Pokemon**: Excadrill's Speed outside sand is by no means spectacular, and when this is coupled with its poor bulk, most Pokemon naturally faster than Excadrill won't have many problems getting rid of it. Pokemon such as Mega Gengar, Mewtwo, Arceus formes, Pheromosa, and maximum Speed Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon can all do the job nicely.
**Anti-leads**: Cloyster, Mega Kangaskhan, Pheromosa, and Darkrai can all anti-lead Excadrill by ignoring its Focus Sash, putting it to sleep, or just spinning its entry hazards away.
**Ferrothorn**: Although Ferrothorn cannot take on boosted Excadrill, it comfortably tanks the attacks of non-Swords Dance sets and can proceed to cripple Excadrill with Leech Seed, set up Spikes, and punish Rapid Spin with Iron Barbs.
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