Sandamer Movesets & Wettbewerbs-Sets

Thanks to Swords Dance, Slush Rush, and high-Base Power attacks, Alolan Sandslash is a great mid- and late-game sweeper on many hail and semi-hail teams alike. Earthquake hits Fire- and Steel-types like Chandelure, Registeel, and Metagross. Knock Off ensures it doesn't get walled by Bronzong and debilitates switch-ins like Golisopod and Milotic. A Jolly nature is preferred over Adamant, even with Slush Rush, to outspeed Choice Scarf Flygon. Wide Lens as the item allows all hits of Triple Axel to land more often. Alternatively, Alolan Sandslash can opt for power over accuracy with Life Orb, OHKOing threats like Registeel, Metagross, and Umbreon with boosted Earthquake and Triple Axel, respectively. On full hail teams, Aurorus and Abomasnow get hail up and further help Alolan Sandslash to set up and sweep, as they gift Stealth Rock and check Water-types, respectively. On said full hail teams, Arctovish is an amazing partner that breaks down bulkier walls like Umbreon and Gastrodon, paving the way for Alolan Sandslash late-game. Alolan Sandslash also works on semi-hail teams, with Vanilluxe as the hail setter instead. On semi-hail, Alolan Sandslash has a better defensive typing than Arctovish, making it more resilient to revenge killing from Golisopod and Gardevoir, alongside giving it a setup opportunity versus Crobat. Under hail, Alolan Sandslash can also outspeed Choice Scarf Flygon, unlike Arctovish. Alolan Sandslash struggles with breaking through bulky Water-types like Milotic, but Vanilluxe helps in this regard with Freeze-Dry. Electric-types like Raikou and Xurkitree also assist against bulky Water-types without having to risk your hail setter. Calm Mind Raikou can benefit from hail with an Ice-type Weather Ball to hit Ground-, Grass-, and Dragon-types in one move. As Steel-types like Bronzong and Registeel tend to wall Alolan Sandslash without any prior chip damage, it appreciates Fighting- or Ground-types like Heracross or Nidoqueen, or entry hazards like Spikes from Klefki and Golisopod, to soften them up for a viable sweep. Fire- and Fighting-types also threaten Alolan Sandslash, so it appreciates teammates than can take care of them like Milotic, Xatu, Crobat, and Nidoqueen. In return, it removes pesky Grass- and Ground-types for them.

Moves Earthquake is all-around good coverage, dealing super effective damage to Pokemon like Aggron, Simisear, Qwilfish, and opposing Alolan Sandslash that resist Alolan Sandslash's STAB attacks. Knock Off can be run over Rapid Spin to cripple common switch-ins to Alolan Sandslash such as Gurdurr, Bronzor, and Ferroseed, removing their vital items. However, this should only be done if the team has a different source of entry hazard control. Set Details Slush Rush is the best ability on Alolan Sandslash, allowing it to outspeed every Pokemon in the tier under hail. Usage Tips Alolan Sandslash's main role is to act as a revenge killer, picking off faster threats such as Swords Dance Dodrio and Lycanroc using its STAB attacks. Alolan Sandslash has a large number of resistances that it ought to use frequently to pivot into foes such as Aurorus and Victreebel. While this is not risk free, and Alolan Sandslash can be caught by super effective coverage, it is still critical to use Alolan Sandslash very offensively. If opting for Rapid Spin, Alolan Sandslash can be brought in against a passive Pokemon like Audino or Clefairy to remove entry hazards, improving the longevity of its teammates. Rapid Spin can still be a fairly risky move to lock Alolan Sandslash into, as it can be taken advantage of by common setup sweepers and Ghost-types such as Carracosta and Jellicent. Team Options Alolan Sandslash primarily fits on balance teams looking for a good source of role compression, functioning as a revenge killer / way of keeping faster foes in check, entry hazard removal, and an Ice-type check all in one. Choice Scarf Alolan Sandslash is well received by Spikes stacking teams, which appreciate the fast Rapid Spin Alolan Sandslash offers and the fact it doesn't remove its team's entry hazards like a Defogger would. Qwilfish is an ideal partner, offering a Fighting and Fire resistance. Due to Alolan Sandslash's 4x weakness to Fighting-type moves, Fighting-types checks are often a necessity when using it. Silvally-Fairy is another good partner that can take on Hitmonchan and Gurdurr, switching into their priority moves that would stop Alolan Sandslash in its tracks. Silvally-Fairy can also run Defog if you're looking to run Knock Off on Alolan Sandslash instead. Musharna is another good partner. Not only does it check Fighting-types, but Choice Scarf Alolan Sandslash can make good use of Future Sight support, as it is an effective way to break through Gurdurr and cripple bulky Water-types such as Carracosta. Other solid Fighting-type checks include Victreebel and Oricorio-E. Victreebel breaks the physically defensive Pokemon that Alolan Sandslash struggles to break through like Regirock and Alolan Persian, and Oricorio-E provides a Ground immunity; in return, Alolan Sandslash offers both an Ice-type check. Alolan Sandslash is also vulnerable to Fire-type Pokemon like Simisear and Combusken, so partners such as Lanturn and Jellicent that can hard switch into them most of the time are recommended. If Alolan Sandslash opts for Knock Off, it can lure in and cripple Eviolite-reliant Pokemon such as Type: Null and Tangela. This is greatly beneficial to setup sweepers such as Lycanroc and other physical wallbreakers such as Kangaskhan and Torterra. While Alolan Sandslash outspeeds most of the unboosted tier, it is not good at revenge killing Speed-boosting setup sweepers such as Combusken and Omastar. Priority users such as Hitmonchan and faster Choice Scarf users such as Primeape can help cover these threats. Ludicolo is a strong offensive partner, as it threatens Jellicent and Regirock, while Alolan Sandslash can check hail setters such as Aurorus and Poison-types like Victreebel.

Moves Iron Head allows Alolan Sandslash to hit opposing Ice-types such as Cryogonal, Rotom-F, and Abomasnow harder than any of its other moves while also being a more reliable attack to hit Fairy-types like Silvally-Fairy. Earthquake gives Alolan Sandslash coverage for foes that resist its dual STAB combination like Lanturn and Combusken and also hits Pokemon like Aggron and Qwilfish harder than any of its other attacks, while Knock Off improves its matchup against one of its most consistent defensive answers in Jellicent. Substitute makes Alolan Sandslash harder to revenge kill outside of hail, guards it from status conditions, and allows it to take advantage of passive Pokemon like Roselia by setting up on them. Substitute is an option that makes Alolan Sandslash harder to revenge kill outside of hail, guards it from status conditions, and allows it to take advantage of passive Pokemon like Ferroseed by setting up on them. However, it struggles to give up on coverage for it. Set Details A Jolly nature is used to outspeed Choice Scarf users such as Jynx and Primeape under hail. Icium Z turns Icicle Crash into Subzero Slammer, which can be used to break through very physically bulky Pokemon like Gastrodon at +2. Shuca Berry is an alternative that reduces the damage dealt by Ground-type attacks from Pokemon such as Kangaskhan, which prevents it from being overwhelmed by them outside of hail. If running Knock Off, Darkinium Z can be used to heavily threaten Jellicent and deal more damage than Icium Z to neutral targets like Simisear and Lanturn. Life Orb can also be used to increase Alolan Sandslash's damage output if its team already has a Z-Move user, but this does come with the drawback of recoil damage. Usage Tips If running Substitute, Alolan Sandslash should aim to use it on Pokemon that it will force out under hail such as Oricorio-G, as this shields it from status conditions, allows it to scout, and makes setting up with Swords Dance easier. It can also use Swords Dance against these Pokemon if it is necessary to break through a bulkier foe. Swords Dance should mainly be used when up against bulkier teams, since it allows Alolan Sandslash to break through typical checks. Against more offensive teams, it may not always be necessary to do so, though it does make sweeping easier if Alolan Sandslash gets the chance to do so. It is advised to wait until very physically bulky Pokemon like defensive Jellicent and Poliwrath have been weakened or removed to begin attempting a sweep if Alolan Sandslash isn't running Substitute, as this lessens the need for it to use its Z-Move if Alolan Sandslash is running it and allows it to preserve it if Subzero Slammer is needed to break through another foe. However, Alolan Sandslash is also capable of serving as a wallbreaker that can pave the way for a teammate to sweep. Waiting for Mach Punch users such as Gurdurr to be removed is also important, since they can quickly put an end to Alolan Sandslash's late-game sweep. Avoid switching Alolan Sandslash directly in on attacks, especially special attacks, as this will reduce its longevity and make sweeping more difficult. Despite excelling under hail, Alolan Sandslash is still capable of setting up and breaking with Icium Z outside of it. Life Orb variants of Alolan Sandslash should avoid simply using attacks against teams, since they can just pivot around and let the recoil work against it until it can be picked off by a priority move. Use the fact that it can be rather difficult to discern what item Alolan Sandslash is holding to your advantage by setting up on Pokemon like Kangaskhan, as they are forced out. Team Options Hail setters such as Abomasnow and Aurorus are indispensable teammates, as Slush Rush is one of the main things that make Alolan Sandslash as threatening as it is. Both can wallbreak for Alolan Sandslash, with the latter also being able to potentially provide Stealth Rock support and generate free setup turns with Encore, while Alolan Sandslash can break through specially defensive Pokemon like Clefairy. Since Fighting-types threaten Alolan Sandslash with strong, 4x super effective attacks, checks to them are a necessity; Pokemon such as Musharna, Silvally-Fairy, and Swanna perform this role well. Checks to Fire-types are also important for the same reason, so Pokemon such as Silvally-Dragon and Lanturn are good teammates, and both are capable of bringing Alolan Sandslash in safely with Parting Shot and Volt Switch, respectively. Fighting-types like Gurdurr appreciate Alolan Sandslash taking care of both their defensive and offensive checks like Qwilfish and Oricorio-E and can have an easier time sweeping late-game because of this. Special wallbreakers such as the two previously mentioned hail setters, Haunter, and Simisear are appreciated due to their ability to either heavily pressure or outright KO most physical walls that Alolan Sandslash has problems bypassing. In return, Alolan Sandslash can handle specially bulky Pokemon like Audino and Carbink.

Moves Rapid Spin clears entry hazards from Alolan Sandslash's side of the field, which can prove useful for maintaining the longevity of its teammates without compromising any potential entry hazards that its team may set. Alternatively, Stealth Rock can be used to pressure opposing teams by wearing foes down every time they switch in. Knock Off cripples bulkier Pokemon that are quick to switch in on Alolan Sandslash such as Regirock and Gurdurr by removing their item, which may prove useful for supporting a teammate. Iron Head threatens to hit certain Fairy- and Rock-types such as Clefairy and Regirock harder than Icicle Crash. Earthquake gives Alolan Sandslash the ability to threaten foes like Qwilfish, Aggron, and Kabutops, all of which would otherwise switch in with few issues aside from taking a Knock Off. Set Details Slush Rush doubles Alolan Sandslash's Speed under hail, which allows it to then outpace the entire unboosted metagame and pose a threat to opposing hail teams. Shuca Berry is the preferred item, since it gives Alolan Sandslash an easier time setting up or removing entry hazards against foes with Ground-type attacks such as Torterra, Kangaskhan, and opposing Alolan Sandslash as well as against Stealth Rock setters such as Regirock and Golurk. Leftovers can be used instead to prevent Alolan Sandslash from being worn down by entry hazards by granting it a form of passive recovery. Usage Tips Alolan Sandslash should capitalize on its decently broad coverage, immunity to Toxic Spikes, and advantageous matchup against common Stealth Rock setters, entry hazard removers, and spinblockers by either setting or removing entry hazards on the turn that the aforementioned Pokemon switch out. Because it is holding a Shuca Berry, Alolan Sandslash is also capable of setting Stealth Rock against foes that are reliant on Ground-types attacks to KO it such as Kangaskhan. Knock Off should also be used a lot early-game, since it cripples defensive Pokemon as well as bulkier Pokemon that can otherwise switch in with no qualms like Gurdurr. Switching in on stronger, neutral attacks is ill advised, especially if Alolan Sandslash is a team's only means of entry hazard removal, as this will wear it down faster and leave it incapable of supporting its team as effectively. However, Alolan Sandslash can switch in on Pokemon like physical Skuntank fairly well and use the following turn to its advantage by either setting Stealth Rock or clearing its side of the field. If the opposing team has a hail setter, preserving Alolan Sandslash may prove to be a good idea, since it is still capable of cleaning late-game due to its decent Attack stat and Slush Rush. Be sure to scout for Fire-type coverage from Pokemon that Alolan Sandslash can otherwise switch into, such as Silvally-Fairy and Skuntank, as they will either heavily damage or OHKO it. Team Options Wallbreakers that appreciate the removal of entry hazards or the potential setting of Stealth Rock like Oricorio-G and Drampa are good partners, since they can break through physically bulky Pokemon that Alolan Sandslash has issues with such as Gurdurr and Gastrodon. Oricorio-G can also offensively check Fighting-types for Alolan Sandslash, appreciates Pokemon like Lanturn and Probopass being worn down, and can pivot around with U-turn depending on the set. Checks to Fighting-types are very important due to them threatening Alolan Sandslash with 4x super effective STAB moves, so teammates such as Sableye and Oricorio-E are appreciated. Similarly, checks to Fire-types such as Lanturn and Floatzel are important due to Alolan Sandslash's 4x weakness to their STAB attacks. Note that Floatzel is more of an offensive option. Since Alolan Sandslash has issues with switching directly in on attacks, it appreciates pivots like Eelektross and the previously mentioned Lanturn getting it in for free against Pokemon that they bait in such as Audino. In return, Alolan Sandslash can prevent the two from being worn down too fast by getting rid of entry hazards. Alolan Sandslash can take advantage of opposing Ice-types like Aurorus and non-Focus Blast Jynx, so teammates that are vulnerable to Ice-type attacks such as Victreebel and Oricorio-G appreciate having Alolan Sandslash to fall back on. Alolan Sandslash can also take advantage of the hail that the former sets due to Slush Rush.