Stuck at 1400 elo with a Sand Hazard team

[BobbyHill]

Hello RMT,

I'm relatively new to competitive, I just started in August. I've played around with some sample teams and gimmick teams (an all johto team), but have started to get into more serious team building the last few weeks.

The Goal:

The team is inspired by this sample team, where there is no defogger or spinner but all of the mons either resist hazards or have HDB. Here, the team ignores hazards through a mix of resistances, boots, and magic guard. The idea is to set sand and hazards with Tyranitar and Skarmory and slowly work away at the opponent with the Ttar, Skarm, Gastro, Clefable defensive core by forcing switches and clicking toxic until the coast is clear for the sweepers to come in.

The Team
Pokepaste for easier viewing: https://pokepast.es/3524b22cad4b603a

Tyranitar @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 30 Spe
- Crunch
- Rock Blast
- Thunder Wave
- Stealth Rock

Ttar is a stealth rock setter and special wall. I usually lead it against weather teams, but generally wait until a special sweeper comes out to bring it in. Crunch and Rock blast are for coverage, twave to catch switch ins, and rocks are pointy. I know a lot of people have posted that Ttar is not worth running unless it is banded, I'm willing to swap to that but I would need a new SR setter. Boots are to avoid chip damage.

Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Recover

Gastrodon is a Heatran, Zapdos, Rotom, and Specs Dragapult check, and general special wall. Scald provides a nice burn threat, ice beam ctaches lando-t and catches dragons off guard. Toxic is for chip damage and to put special sweepers on a timer. Recover is the the reason I went with Gastro over swampert, the extra turns it provides are super useful since this team takes a while to get going.

Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Body Press
- Spikes
- Roost
- Whirlwind

Skarm is the team's spikes setter, physical wall, and phaser. Whirlwind comes in handy a lot as many players at my level will try to have a physical sweeper set up on skarm in order to break it. Body press comes in handy against Weavile and Excadril. Rocky helmet is to chip Urshifu-R as the team doesnt have many great switch ins for it and the speed EVs are to get the jump on other walls and whirlwind Ferrothorn before it tries to set up leech seed.

Alakazam @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Nasty Plot

Alakazam is a late-game sweeper and secondary speed control. I chose Alakazam because of Magic gaurd, it's easy to switch without worrying about hazards or Ttars sand. This is a standard focus sash/nasty plot set. I usually wait until all other threats have been eliminated, but he can come in mid game to take a chunk out of the opponents team so Kartana can handle the rest. I've been considering changes him to specs for more immediate damage since he is outsped by a lot of modern sweepers with the speed creep.

Clefable @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Flamethrower
- Calm Mind
- Soft-Boiled

Calm-Mind Clefable is a mid-game sweeper, and general wall in a pinch. I've tried more passive sets with wish and teleport but this team struggles to beat Ferrothorn without its fire coverage. I usually try to get off a calm mind or two on a wall, and then try and take down a few mons who underestimate it. This is a fairly standard set, Evs are all in defense since calm mind raises SpD anyway.

Kartana @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Smart Strike
- Sacred Sword
- Knock Off

Choice Scarf Kartana is a late game physical sweeper and speed control. I was struggling a lot with Urshifu rapid and the Tapus seemed like a logical answer to take them down and as an added beenfit it resist stealth rock. I usually will click knock off if Kart is in early if there are still checks in play and then wait late game until I sacrifice another teammate for it to come in safely.

Conclusion

I still struggle a bit with Urshifu, Garchomp running fire fang, and mons with taunts since the opening/midgame of my team is quite passive. Landorus-T has been on and off the team, I would consider adding him again, but I couldn't figure out who to drop.I also notice my team lacks pivots. Its likely because because I'm a new player, but I don't always find his specially defensive set particularly useful.

I'd appreciate any/all comments/tips for the team! I'm very new, so if you don't think the strategy I have is viable, I'm totally OK with that!

Thanks!

 

[Unstoppable1]

I dont think this team is good, but im sure you make a lot of mistakes in battles
try sending some of your replays

 

[awyp]

I dont think this team is good, but im sure you make a lot of mistakes in battles
try sending some of your replays

Hey I don't think you're following the rule guide of rating teams - Make sure your post is constructive in some way. We strongly prefer to avoid having single line posts outside of thanking someone for a rate. If you are not posting a rate, questions about the team are still allowed.

Please keep that in mind.

Hey Bobby,

I think you're team definitely has a good core going with Gastrodon and Skarmory. I think both of them balance real well with counters, I understand having Tyranitar as a stealth rocker as well as countering weather teams, so that doesn't become an issue. Kartana makes sense as a late game sweeper and 522 speed gives you enough to outspeed Smogon's screen set for Regieleki. I don't think Tyranitar has to be a choice band, but I do think instead of running Thunder Wave I would run Ice Beam / Ice Punch to bother Lando SR leads or to predict a switch in on a Dragon.

I don't mind Clefable if it's given you success in general but the speed does worry me as a sweeper but if you need the bulk I totally understand keeping it. Tapu Lele would be my recommendation for a replacement due to it's higher speed and special defensive bulk in general, also it helps keep a 1/4 resistance to fighting which is key since no one on the team is resistant to fighting (Aside from Clefable). Tapu Lele also bring Psychic Surge which could really help Alakazam finish off a sweep with its boost to psychic moves by 1.5x.

Tapu Lele @ Leftovers
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 8 Def / 248 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt

Lastly my other recommendation would to potentially replace Skarmory with the same typing and a potential sweeper. Skarmory would be better in a stall team to add on to entry hazard spam but this team is quite balanced so I'm not totally sold on having it on the team aside it's great physical bulk. I think Corviknight could be better with a Defog set or a Iron Defense option, which could help lead to a sweep in late game if you can remove all the common threats special attackers with electric or fire moves. Also Iron Defense would help you take care of your Urshifu / Garchomp issue by setting up on them. Defog would help with entry hazard which could be a problem for this team with keep Gastro / Kartana alive.

Corviknight @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 SpD
Impish Nature
- Body Press
- Brave Bird
- Defog / Iron Defense
- Roost

Like I said I think this a fantastic team, and I hope my suggestions are insightful.

 

[BobbyHill]

Hey I don't think you're following the rule guide of rating teams - Make sure your post is constructive in some way. We strongly prefer to avoid having single line posts outside of thanking someone for a rate. If you are not posting a rate, questions about the team are still allowed.

Please keep that in mind.

Hey Bobby,

I think you're team definitely has a good core going with Gastrodon and Skarmory. I think both of them balance real well with counters, I understand having Tyranitar as a stealth rocker as well as countering weather teams, so that doesn't become an issue. Kartana makes sense as a late game sweeper and 522 speed gives you enough to outspeed Smogon's screen set for Regieleki. I don't think Tyranitar has to be a choice band, but I do think instead of running Thunder Wave I would run Ice Beam / Ice Punch to bother Lando SR leads or to predict a switch in on a Dragon.

I don't mind Clefable if it's given you success in general but the speed does worry me as a sweeper but if you need the bulk I totally understand keeping it. Tapu Lele would be my recommendation for a replacement due to it's higher speed and special defensive bulk in general, also it helps keep a 1/4 resistance to fighting which is key since no one on the team is resistant to fighting (Aside from Clefable).
View attachment 454548
Tapu Lele @ Leftovers
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 8 Def / 248 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt

Lastly my other recommendation would to potentially replace Skarmory with the same typing and a potential sweeper. Skarmory would be better in a stall team but this team is quite balanced so I'm not totally sold on having it on the team aside it's great physical bulk. I think Corviknight could be better with a Defog set or a Iron Defense option, which could help lead to a sweep in late game if you can remove all the common threats special attackers with electric or fire moves. Defog would help with entry hazard which could be a problem for this team with keep Gastro / Kartana alive.

View attachment 454547
Corviknight @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 SpD
Impish Nature
- Body Press
- Brave Bird
- Defog / Iron Defense
- Roost

Like I said I think this a fantastic team, and I hope my suggestions are insightful.

Thanks for your suggestions! I will definitely try both of these out. You're right, I've noticed t-wave has pretty limited utility since Ttar's main switch ins are Lando and Garchomp. I also agree with you about Clefable's low speed, using Tapu Lele has the added benefit of being about to run expanding force on Alakazam which would be great.