Dark Sands team: The Desert brings Doom

[KarlG]

Hey guys,

I'm new to competitive battling and a Bug specialty trainer, but recently I had an idea to make a Dark Sands team.

Let's break it down:

Tyranitar
Item: Tyranitarite
Ability: Sand Stream
Adamant
252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def

Stone Edge
Stealth Rock
Dragon Tail
Iron Head

Tyranitar is my setter: it comes up, opens up a sandstorm, puts in a Stealth Rock, and then Dragon Tail to knock tanky guys away. Stone Edge is mandatory offense moves to deal with any Bugs. Iron Head handles the Fairy type. For a Fighting or Ground type, I switch him out.

Cacturne
Item: Focus Sash
Ability: Sand Veil
Jolly
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Fell Stinger
Spikes
Sucker Punch
Leech Seed

Cacturne is a disrupter. Leech Seed adds sustainability, and Focus Sash is to prevent a OHKO by a Bug or Fire type, to at least get one Spikes in. Fell Stinger helps to up attack if the opponent is using a Grass type to circumvent Leech Seed. Sucker Punch surprises opponents and take priority users out.

Bisharp
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
Adamant
252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def

Sucker Punch
Swords Dance
Iron Head
Stone Edge

Bisharp is also another attacker: he has Swords Dance to get things going. If the opponent is a hard counter, Bisharp goes straight to work. Iron Head and Stone Edge deals with most of Bisharp's opponents except Ground, and Sucker Punch delivers a finishing blow.

Krookodile
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
Adamant
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Aqua Tail
Earthquake
Superpower
Crunch

Krookodile is inspired by the one Clay uses in Pokemon World Tournament. It is a full out attacker, with Earthquake and Crunch as main attacking moves, Superpower to deal with walls, and Aqua Tail to handle anything else the other 3 moves cannot handle. Choice Scarf is both a blessing and a curse - it deals with fast opponents, but it limits Krookodile, so it really has to rely on Moxie to do well against multi-types.

Hippowdon
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Impish
252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def

Slack Off
Whirlwind
Toxic
Earthquake

My sole physical wall. Defense makes Hippowdon literally undefeatable, with Whirlwind to switch Special attackers away, or Toxic and Slack off to handle other walls. Earthquake is the completing move, to dish out some damage to glass cannons.

Crustle
Item: Lum Berry
Ability: Sturdy
Jolly
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Shell Smash
Stealth Rock
X Scissor
Feint Attack

So Crustle is there because I am a Bug master and lover, and I need a Bug on this team!! Shell Smash is the defining move, and with Jolly and max-Speed EVs it really outspeeds a lot of things. X-Scissor is the powerpunching move, designed to punch a hole through many things. Lum Berry makes sure Crustle isn't weakened by status, and Feint Attack fulfills the Dark aspect of this team, and makes sure annoyances such as Double-Team/Rest isn't given too much momentum.

What do you guys think??

 

[UB-01 Kenobi]

Crunch or EQ over Iron Head on TTar, you already hit Ice with your main STAB and Rock/Fairies neutrally. Either of those provides more valuable coverage as well as a higher BP for neutral hits.

Sand Veil is illegal, and Cacturne is pretty bad in general besides. He's too frail for the role you're putting him in, in order for him not to be outclassed you need to take advantage of his unique traits, namely his high offensive stats.

Cacturne @ Focus Sash/Life Orb
Water Absorb
Hasty
252 Atk/4 Sp Atk/252 Speed
~Sucker Punch
~Destiny Bond/Spikes
~Giga Drain/Seed Bomb
~Drain Punch/Focus Blast

Bisharp should run 124 HP/252 Atk/132 Speed to outrun defensive Rotom-W, or even 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Speed to outpace things like Landorus-T and Mega Venusaur. On top of that Stone Edge is a bad move for it, run either Substitute or Knock Off.

Krookodile should run Stone Edge over Aqua Tail.

Crustle cannot reliable set Rocks as it needs Sturdy to throw up a Smash. Also Feint Attack is a bad move in general since a STAB Stone Edge hits harder than a SE Feint Attack and Evasion is illegal. You should run SS/X-Scissor/Stone Edge/Knock Off or Earthquake.

Also the team is pretty weak to Water, and to a lesser extent Grass, Fighting, Bug, and Fairy. Lots of type overlap.