Sandslash
[Overview]
<p>In a tier where many of the top offensive threats carry a weakness to entry hazards, Sandslash stands out from the crowd with its ability to successfully set up hazards and reliably spin them away, both neutering opposing threats and supporting its own teammates. With its excellent stats, at base 75 HP and base 110 Defense, combined with a typing that grants it a resistance to Rock-type moves, an immunity to Electric-type attacks, and few physical weaknesses, Sandslash can act as a great check to various physical attackers, and as a durable defensive pivot in any balanced team. Sandslash can even pose an offensive threat of its own. With base 100 Attack, Swords Dance, and STAB Earthquake, it can single-handedly defeat the tier's premier spinblockers, making it a staple on stall teams.</p>
<p>Whilst Sandslash's physical defenses are undeniably solid, it should be noted that some of the tier's most powerful physical attackers, such as Honchkrow, can nonetheless 2HKO it; the spiny pangolin trembles in the face of almost any special attacker thanks to its poor Special Defense and myriad weaknesses as well. Sandslash also lacks a reliable recovery move, and can thus find itself being worn down very quickly. However, with optimal team support, it can function very well in RU.</p>
[SET]
name: Swords Dancing Spinner
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Rapid Spin
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stone Edge / Night Slash
item: Lum Berry / Leftovers
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is the set that secures Sandslash's position as one of the most reliable users of Rapid Spin in RU. The set works in a simple way: Swords Dance on the switch and defeat every Ghost-type in the tier in one or two hits with a combination of Earthquake and Stone Edge while avoiding a burn from Will-O-Wisp with its Lum Berry. Upon either defeating or scaring out the opposing Ghost-type Pokemon, Sandslash is then free to Rapid Spin unimpeded. Although the primary aim of this set is to Rapid Spin, it has more than this niche use; Sandslash is very powerful after a Swords Dance, and has the bulk to boost multiple times and function as a powerful wallbreaker.</p>
<p>Earthquake is necessary on this set as it is Sandslash's most powerful move, securing the 2HKO on every grounded Ghost-type after a Swords Dance, including even the bulkiest Dusknoir and Cofagrigus. Whilst Stone Edge is the preferred option for Sandslash's second attacking move since it provides good coverage with Earthquake, Sandslash does have other options: Night Slash in particular will always OHKO standard bulky Rotom after a Swords Dance, who outspeeds and can leave Sandslash with a burn if it carries Stone Edge instead, and even an unboosted Night Slash can OHKO Haunter. Night Slash can also be used to specifically target threats such as Uxie and Claydol, and has significantly better accuracy than Stone Edge. Overall, while there are many situations in which Night Slash might be more useful, the power drop from Stone Edge is highly noticeable. Lum Berry is the preferred item, granting Sandslash a one-time immunity to Will-O-Wisp and allowing it to defeat various Ghost-types. It also retains its usefulness even if the opponent does not carry a Ghost-type, preventing Sandslash from being crippled by status.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Sandslash has two alternative item choices to Lum Berry, the key to this decision being your team's ability to deal with Toxic Spikes: Lum Berry Sandslash is particularly vulnerable to Toxic Spikes, as its Berry will be consumed as it switches in, leaving it vulnerable to burn and therefore unable to defeat bulky Ghost-types. If your team's primary answer to Toxic Spikes is Sandslash, then Leftovers is a good option; Sandslash would generally much rather be poisoned than burned, especially considering that poison renders Sandslash immune to burn, and Leftovers offsets the poison damage somewhat. Rawst Berry can be used as an attempt to cover all of Sandslash's bases, as not only does it allow it to heal from burn, but it is not used up by Toxic Spikes. However, the healing from Leftovers is missed, and Lum Berry has far more utility against teams that do not carry Ghost-types.</p>
<p>It is necessary to maximize Attack in order to defeat Dusknoir and Cofagrigus. The remaining EVs are used to optimize Sandslash's general bulk. Investment in Sandslash's Speed is unnecessary as it already outspeeds everything important and does not hit any notable Speed tier with investment. If using a Lum Berry, a Poison-type teammate such as Qwilfish or Drapion might be useful to absorb Toxic Spikes. Qwilfish is a particularly good teammate in this regard: Sandslash covers its weaknesses well, and Qwilfish is able to come in on the often weak Water- and Ice-type moves that often scare out Sandslash and set up Toxic Spikes. Sandslash also performs particularly well when paired with a bulky Wish user such as Alomomola, as Wish allows it to repeatedly switch in and fulfil its duties many times.</p>
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stone Edge / Safeguard / Toxic
item: Leftovers
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With access to both Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin, Sandslash is primed for a support role, and can work particularly well as a lead. The EVs here optimize physical defense, allowing Sandslash to check or counter some of the premier physical attackers in the tier, such as Aggron, Archeops, Electivire, and Krookodile, and to effectively wall and set up against weaker physical attackers. Earthquake is a reliable and strong STAB move that prevents it from becoming Taunt bait, whilst Stone Edge allows it to deal damage to those immune or resistant to its STAB move.</p>
<p>A teammate that can trap and take out bulky Ghost-types is necessary if your team is highly reliant on Sandslash to successfully Rapid Spin, as this Sandslash does not have the power to achieve this on its own. Honchkrow and Krookodile in particular have powerful Dark-type STABs and access to Pursuit, although they have to watch out for Will-O-Wisp. Specially based attackers such as Porygon-Z can often set up on bulky Ghost-types without fear of burn status or Ghost-type attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Without investment in Attack EVs, Stone Edge often deals paltry damage, and while its coverage is usually necessary to stop certain threats, Sandslash can substitute it for other support moves. Safeguard, although somewhat situational, can provide Ghost-type killers such as the aforementioned Honchkrow with a free switch in on a status move, aiding Sandslash to Rapid Spin. Toxic can be used over Stone Edge to allow Sandslash to cripple the defensive Grass- and Water-types that love to switch in on it. Toxic and Protect can be used together on a set over attacking moves, with Protect allowing Sandslash to stall for Toxic damage and Leftovers recovery in exchange for becoming Taunt bait and losing the ability to counter most physical attackers as effectively. Support from a Wish user is highly recommended. Sandslash has good synergy with Alomomola in particular as it can switch into Electric-type attacks with impunity whilst Alomomola can easily sponge most Water- and Ice-type attacks. </p>
[Other Options]
<p>Sandslash's main options are generally superior to its other options, but there are situational possibilities. Bulldoze is an option on the Support set, and can potentially allow a teammate to set up in front of a slower, frailer foe, but the power difference compared to Earthquake is very noticeable. It should be noted that two Bulldozes outdamage one Earthquake, however, which is relevant since the speed-reduing effect often allows Sandslash to attack first the subsequent turn; this also helps it to deal with frailer threats holding a Focus Sash, such as Kabutops. Rock Slide is - as always - an option over Stone Edge for slightly more accuracy, especially on the Support set which generally values reliability over power, but the power drop is again significant and Sandslash is too slow to abuse the flinch chance. Sandslash also has access to Sunny Day, and can function quite well on a sun team as a Rapid Spinner, sharing good synergy with Fire- and Grass-types and removing the Stealth Rock that plague sun sweepers such as Charizard. Finally, Rest is a possibility for a more defensive set, considering Sandslash's recovery is extremely limited. However, Sandslash will likely find that its defenses are too poor to survive the sleep turns; without Sleep Talk, which Sandslash is rarely going to find room for, sleep status turns it into setup bait.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Rotom with Substitute can often try to stall for Stone Edge misses against Sandslash that lack Night Slash, and eventually beat it with a combination of Pain Split and Shadow Ball. While this is not a particularly reliable strategy, it is the best chance of spinblocking Sandslash. Haunter can pull off this strategy too, as well as being able to deal significantly more damage to Sandslash than any other Ghost. However, it is OHKOed on the switch by an un-boosted Night Slash. Choice Specs variants of Rotom will always OHKO Sandslash after Stealth Rock and two layers of Spikes with Hidden Power Ice.</p>
<p>Outside of Ghost-types, there are many Pokemon that easily threaten Sandslash; however, as they cannot block Rapid Spin, the primary motive of both sets, they are arguably not true counters. Tangrowth is probably the best counter, walling every Sandslash set entirely and easily KOing in return. Similarly, Mandibuzz walls both sets and can Taunt the Support set, as well as remove her Rock-type weakness through Roost, but she must be wary of the the Swords Dance set which allows Sandslash to KO her after a few boosts. Uxie can set up dual screens in Sandslash's face, even Night Slash variants, and Yawn away its Lum Berry or force a switch, whilst Claydol is resistant to all of Sandslash's common moves except Night Slash, threaten Sandslash out with a super effective Ice Beam, and then spin away your team's Stealth Rock.</p>
<p>As for offensive threats, most strong special attackers can OHKO Sandslash; Lilligant is one such example that can easily switch in and threaten to KO Sandslash, use up its Lum Berry with Sleep Powder, or begin to accumulate Quiver Dance boosts. Strong physical attackers, such as Bouffalant, can break through even the Support set. Removing Sandslash's Lum Berry will ensure that Cofagrigus and Dusknoir can defeat it one-on-one. However, usually by the time this has happened, Sandslash would have already managed to successfully Rapid Spin.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Sandslash gains Sand Rush through the Dream World, which doubles its Speed in sand, allowing it to perform as an excellent sweeper with a moveset of Swords Dance, Earthquake, Stone Edge and X-Scissor. While permanant sand is nonexistent in RU, Sandslash does have access to the move Sandstorm, allowing it to support itself. Because both abilities are dependent on sandstorm, Sand Rush is almost always superior; the ability to attack first is a boon to both sets, and the effect of Sand Veil is too miniscule and too unreliable to be actively abused in the same way.</p>
