Wound of the Wind (ranked top 10)

[Zephiel]

I'm Seph from Pokemon Online. I am frequently on the Beta Server, and this team has allowed me to win at least 10 Dream World tournaments. Furthermore, I got to the top 10 of the ladder with it, peaking at 7.

This team is quite bog standard, however, it's still very popular and well known on the Beta Server. I'm known very well thanks to this team, and especially my Sub Randorosu, which people identify me with.

Hippowdon (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 52 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
- Slack Off

Standard lead. Ice Fang over Roar to deal with Aerodactyl, Borutorosu, Salamence, Dragonite, Balloon Doryuuzu and etc. Very bulky and an excellent lead. It doesn't even get KOed by a Psycho Boost from Deoxys-N, can take a hit and kill it thanks to EQ + Sandstorm. I generally play aggressively with him, and use SR later on if I feel that I can do more damage using Earthquake or Ice Fang.

Starmie @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Surf
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Recover

The weak link of my team, although I can't think of a better alternative. My only Ice resist, it helps me deal with Skarmory and Roar Hippowdon. I am willing to replace it, as it is not bulky enough and it dies too easily. Although I put it to counter Breloom, I still have troubles with it. I had Rest Talk Gyarados in this spot, but my ice and Breloom weaknesses were too apparent.

Randorosu (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Power
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Substitute


The most important member of my team. I'm almost exclusively known for my Substitute SD Randorosu, it has swept countless teams just by setting up on greedy Nattorei, Forretress and etc. Scouts for Doryuuzu's counters and hits them like a truck. Rotom-W lure.

Nattorei (M) @ Shed Shell
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 96 Def / 160 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball

Bulky water counter and my Spikes user. I have Shed Shell to run away from Shandera, but I do miss Leftovers sometimes. Leech Seed is indisposable, and it pairs well with Sub Randorosu. When I'm out of Dream World, I'd rather use Leftovers. Honestly, Shandera is really cheap.. makes 3rd gen Dugtrio look stupid.

Garchomp (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Sand Veil
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Dragon Claw

Sand Veil has saved me countless times.. this is an excellent revenge killer. Outrage can sweep teams by itself. Fire Blast is for Skarmory as I have trouble with it, which is why I made it have a Naive nature.

Doryuuzu (M) @ Balloon
Trait: Sand Throw
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- X-Scissor

My late game sweeper, although admittedly it has been rather underwhelming. Randorosu has swept far more teams than it has. X-Scissor is to kill Sazandora, Celebi and the Lati twins. It's funny when you're facing opposing Doryuuzu, Rock Slide them, and flinch them as you break their Balloon, then kill them with EQ. Shows how centralised the metagame is.

Threats:

Although this is a very successful team, there have been several Pokemon which give it trouble.

Rankurusu: Nope. No idea how to deal with it. It's not very common but it's still very annoying. I try to hurt it with Garchomp and Randorosu but Recover is highly annoying.

Genosekuto: Again, no counters to the Rock Polish set. It can simply set up and sweep, unless it's Modest and Doryuuzu outspeeds. Sometimes, I can kill it with LO recoil.

Breloom: My pokemon hate getting slept as each one is crucial to my team. Breloom weakens the team and then sweeps it. Although I have Starmie and Garchomp to revenge it, it's still quite a big problem.

Roobushin: Although Starmie and Randorosu can deal with it effectively, they are still a bit fragile and Roobushin can always heal itself with Drain Punch. Randorosu can set up on it sometimes, but when it's even a bit hurt, Roobushin is a problem.

Cloyster: Walks through my team after a Shell Break, but Doryuuzu revenges it.

Thank you for your time! I hope you like my team.

 

[Bloo]

This seems to be an OU team. As such, I've moved it to the OU forum. It'd also be nice if you could slightly lengthen your descriptions - some of them are quite terse. Thanks!

EDIT: You don't want Illuminate on Starmie. Use Natural Cure to heal yourself of pesky status inflicting moves.

 

[Plusle]

Fire Fang>over fire Blast on garchomp, he has better physical attack

 

[Garchomper16]

I would say get another special attacker in there, maybe a specs latios or get landlos to run mixed.

You know...I beleive I did fight you online, that damn randorosu

 

[Synral]

Have you tried Scarf Shanderaa on here over Starmie? It's an additional ice resist, a fighting immunity over a resist, it traps, and it's good at removing Roopuushin, which is just generally a pain in Dooryuuzuu's side.

The weak link of my team, although I can't think of a better alternative. My only Ice resist, it helps me deal with Skarmory and Roar Hippowdon. I am willing to replace it, as it is not bulky enough and it dies too easily. Although I put it to counter Breloom, I still have troubles with it. I had Rest Talk Gyarados in this spot, but my ice and Breloom weaknesses were too apparent.

Oh yeah. Shanderaa sounds stupid good for what you need.

 

[viol and bass]

Illuminate could have use on Starmie in that it could bait some double-sleeps since now we're supposed to be following in-game mechanics strictly.

But whatever, I'm sure it's not as useful as NC. Just a thought.

 

[Zephiel]

I don't use Illuminate on Starmie, my bad.

Scarf Shandera would be rather redundant, as I would have two revenge killers, furthermore, I wouldn't be able to use it on other OU tiers.

I have considered Randorosu to run mixed but I love Sub SD too much. Maybe it's worth a try.

 

[Jaroda]

Actually if you simply give Randorosu Knock Down instead of Stone Edge you can hit every pokemon in the game with STAB Sand Power Earthquake. All except Gengar.

Need an Ice resist that can attack Skarmory? Jirachi resists sandstorm damage and can easily kill Skarmory with Thunderbolt or Fire Punch if you want a physical version. Doesn't resist fire though.

If you want it to handle Roopushin better than give it Life Orb and Psychic. I mean, how often do you find yourself able to Recover and take less than 50% damage?

Isn't Rankurusu taken care of by +2 X-Scissor? I suppose you can't really OHKO revenge it though unless it's weakened.

 

[Zephiel]

Randorosu with Knock Down is much too weak. It's only good for Skarmory.

Jirachi is an interesting idea that I thought of already but I'm more convinced to try it out now. I'm not so sure about having 4 grounds and 3 steels though..

Rankurusu KOs Doryuuzu easily.

 

[Zephiel]

I believe I'm allowed to bump now.

 

[Saint Ashes]

The difference between Naive Fire Blast and Jolly Fire Blast is negligible at best. It is always a clean 2HKO on Physically defensive Skarmory and never a 2HKO on Specially defensive Skarmory regardless of what nature you run. I'd recommend Jolly to provide yourself with slightly better bulk versus other revenge killers.

I felt underwhelmed by Doryuzuu also, and I feel like everyone's falling into the trap of "every sandstorm team -must- have Doryuzuu"
You said that Randorosu does a better job on your team and that you need an ice resist, so I'm going to do the unthinkable and suggest removing Doryuzuu from your team in place of a Heatran.
You keep the same weaknesses inherited from Doryuzuu, but inherit an immunity to fire and ice, as well as Grass. Heatran will love absorbing fire attacks thrown at Nattorei, and he can absorb ice and dragon attacks thrown at Garchomp.

A Balloon Heatran would allow you to keep on top of opposing Doryuzuu without even having to pop their balloon first.

Red Baron (Heatran) (M) @ Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 128 HP / 216 SAtk / 104 SDef / 60 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Earth Power
- Dragon Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]


This is a modified version of the ice resist Heatran I use on my own team, focusing a little more on an offensive movepool than a defensive one. The nickname Red Baron is obligitory for Balloon Heatran.

 

[Gebloth]

hey there, love the team, and i also use the same Randorosu, http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83142, and if you want a bulky ice resist I would use Empoleon or heatran, and short of sacrificing a slot to countering Breloom, you might consider sacrificing the pokemon out, then after the KO switch to Randorosu, substitute while Breloom uses spore then earthquake (does more damage than you'd think).

 

[Zephiel]

Heatran over Doryuuzu is an interesting idea which I will test. Thanks.

I considered Empoleon but it's weak to fighting and makes my Breloom weak even worse..

I do that all the time to counter Breloom, but it sets up on me and stuff.