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Pokemon of the Week RS: Sandslash

by Eraleas

Sandslash artwork

General info

Type
Ground
Ability
Sand Veil (Evasiveness is greater during the effects of Sandstorm)
Base Stats
  • HP: 75
  • Attack: 100
  • Defense: 110
  • Special Attack: 45
  • Special Defense: 55
  • Speed: 65
Description

Despite Sandslash’s awesome physical stats, it does have a pretty low Special Defense which will count against using it. A special attack could very easily KO it or cause some serious damage if it is resistant to the type of move used. Its Speed is not high either so putting EVs into it will be a waste of effort. Two different movesets are viable though; a Physical Sweeper and an Annoyer, mostly due to its Sand Veil ability.

Online Pokédex
Click here

Role #1: Physical Sweeper

Item Held
Leftovers (Recovers a small amount of Hit Points at the end of each round)
Nature
Adamant (+Attack –Special Attack)
Effort Points
252 Attack, 252 Defense, 6 HP
Moveset
  • Swords Dance
  • Earthquake
  • Rock Slide
  • Aerial Ace
Strategy

Quite simple if you ask me… Swords Dance will pump up its Attack stat in order to inflict massive damage using the all-powerful, accurate and STAB Earthquake as well as the other two Physical attacks that should be used only against those Pokémon resistant or immune to Earthquake, Aerial Ace, mostly to be used against Grass Types and Rock Slide for Flying.

Role #2: Annoyer

Item Held
Leftovers (Recovers a small amount of Hit Points at the end of each round)
Nature
Adamant (+Attack –Special Attack)
Effort Points
252 Attack, 252 Defense, 6 HP
Moveset
  • Swords Dance
  • Earthquake
  • Focus Punch
  • Sandstorm/Double Team
Strategy

A strange Sweeper-Annoyer Sandslash makes! Set up a Sandstorm or use Double Team to raise your Evasiveness. Then make those Swords Dance and sweep like crazy with the STAB Earthquake and the almighty Focus Punch, which –with a high Evasion- will be successful most of the times.

Egg Moves

These are the moves Sandshrew can learn through breeding with Pokémon of the Ground Egg Group, and the Pokémon it can get them from.

Counter
Slakoth/Vigoroth/Slaking
Flail
Phanpy/Donphan, Zigzagoon/Linoone, Slakoth/Vigoroth/Slaking, Torkoal or Spinda
Metal Claw
Sneasel
Rapid Spin
Donphan
Rock Slide
Camerupt
Swords Dance
Farfetch’d, Zangoose or Absol
Crush Claw
Zangoose

Training Grounds

This section is to advise you on the areas in which you can train for the acquisition of the Effort Points presented above. It is recommended you use 10 vitamins on the stat you desire to raise. Do not use vitamins on stats that require less than 100 Effort Points. Equip the Macho Brace on your Pokémon to speed up the process even more.

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald
HP
Rusturf Tunner [Wishmur +1]
Attack
Fish with Super Rod on Route 118 [Carvanha +1]
Defense
Any Diving Route [Clamperl +1]
Granite Cave [Aron +1]
Victory Road 1F, B1F, B2F [Lairon +2]
Mt. Pyre [Duskull +1] (Ruby mainly)
Fire Red/Leaf Green
HP
Viridian Forest [Caterpie +1]
Attack
Routes 16, 18 [Doduo +1] [Dodrio +2]
Defense
Viridian Forest [Metapod +2] [Kakuna +2]

Contests

Item Held
Yellow Scarf
Contest Moveset 1
Sandstorm [Tough]
Sand Tomb [Smart]
Scratch [Tough]/ Double-Edge [Tough]
Swift [Cool]

Be extremely careful when using this! It’s suited for mostly Tough Contests but only two moves are of this type. Let’s see… Sandstorm has the effect of shuffling the order of the next round. It combos with Sand Tomb which, despite it’s a Smart move, will freeze the crowd’s excitement for the round. Scratch or Double-Edge are moves that you may use to gain a standard amount of Tough appeal points on every two turns; be wary of Double-Edge’s effect though! You might consider using it when Sandstorm places you last in the Appeal order. Swift is there just in case Sandstorm places you first in the next appeal order.

More precisely

  • If you appeal 1st:
    • Round 1: Swift
    • Round 2: Sandstorm/Scratch/Double-Edge
    • Round 3: Sand Tomb/Swift/Scratch/Double-Edge (depending what was used before) (Swift should be used if first in Appeal order)
    • Round 4: Sandstorm/Scratch/Double-Edge
    • Round 5: Sand Tomb/Swift/Scratch/Double-Edge (depending what was used before) (Swift should be used if first in Appeal order)
  • If you appeal 2nd or 3rd:
    • Round 1: Sandstorm/Scratch/Double-Edge
    • Round 2: Sand Tomb/Swift/Scratch/Double-Edge (depending what was used before) (Swift should be used if first in Appeal order)
    • Round 3: Sandstorm/Scratch/Double-Edge
    • Round 4: Sand Tomb/Swift/Scratch/Double-Edge (depending what was used before) (Swift should be used if first in Appeal order)
    • Round 5: Swift/Scratch/Double-Edge (depending what was used before)
  • If you appeal 4th:
    • Round 1: Double-Edge
    • Round 2: Sandstorm/Scratch/Swift (Swift should be used if first in Appeal order)
    • Round 3: Sand Tomb/Swift/Scratch/Double-Edge (depending what was used before) (Swift should be used if first in Appeal order)
    • Round 4: Sandstorm/Scratch/Double-Edge
    • Round 5: Sand Tomb/Swift/Scratch/Double-Edge (depending what was used before) (Swift should be used if first in Appeal order)

Useful Links: If you are not familiar with game language used above, read through the
Stats & Training Guide, the Team Building Guide and the Egg Group Guide. More guides shall be added soon to help you out. If you have suggestions on additional movesets for either Battles or Contests, please post them in the Comments section. I will then evaluate them and probably add some of them, giving you credit.