Gerudo Desert

By now most of you have seen this team. Tested changes, fought it in tournaments, and just fun battles. This team is one almost all of you get scared of when I use it (WHICH MAKES ME REALLY REALLY SAD D:). Normally with most my teams, I have a song or deep meaning to it, but with this one, I don't. Unless you count the Gerudo Desert a song for it (cuz well... it's LoZ themed). Eh, why not? The Gerudo Desert is cool and this team is pretty cool. So yeah. That's what this team's theme song will be.

Oh my. This team's process is just... horrid. I made three different sand teams within a day and this one had the most edits and was the better of the three to begin with.


I started off with Tyranitar since it was my main weather starter. Now some can argue that Hippowdown is better, but I prefer Tyranitar. It's got multiple options for it so yeah.



After I put Tyranitar in it, I wanted a back up weather starter, so I added Hippodown. It's got nice bulk and it's pretty good for tanking and irritating the opponent. It can be pretty good too when you set its attack up.



I love Gliscor. Enough said. I love how it can pretty much piss the opponent off once it gets a sub and sets up. I've swept so many times with it that it's not even funny. So I thought I'd use him in this team as well. Sadly he didn't make the final cut even though it's got good attack (although speed could be desired somewhat).



Gastrodon is pretty good. It's fun to use to counter rain teams since it gets Storm Drain. Its amazing whenever you can predict if your opponent will use a water type move and you swap in and watch them rage (that's right. I'm looking at you Alan!). The extra boost it gets isn't half bad either.



Forretress isn't the most desired spinner but it gets the job done. It's got some lacking speed, which I personally love in a spinner (more speed that is), but oh well. It's also a good way to set up some extra hazards (i.e. Spikes).



Landorus was the hard hitter. I couldn't really decide on what it was I wanted for the team and Landorus just seemed right (especially since I haven't used the Incarnate forme of Landorus in months). Besides, Landorus has a good way of attacking and it's got the speed I like (well... somewhat anyway).



I swapped two pokemon out. Hippowdown and Forretress. Now, the reason being was because I'd rather keep Tyranitar as a weather setter and not have to worry about one major weakness (which was Ice, water, and grass). Well, I eliminated some on the ice part but added one in its place. I chose Heatran because it's got great speed and Special attack. Donphan was to replace Forretress as the spinner because it can quickly get hazards out while still attacking pretty strong and it can get rid of hazards.



I swapped out Donphan with Tentacruel to get rid of some more weaknesses (I eliminated a grass weakness by a large amount and brought up an ice weakness). Celebi took Gastrodon's spot because it has better Special Attack and speed and can be used to boost another Pokemon up (with the set that TheyCallMeKing recommended). Latios took Gliscor's spot because Latios has the superior speed and it doesn't need that much setting up (if any at all). Terrakion took Heatran's spot because I was simply testing out different stuff at this point and Terrakion seemed like a good way to get rid of Chansey and Blissey.



I brought back Heatran seeing as I love gimmicks and Heatran has so many gimmicks to exploit (the one in my mind was the TormenTran set). Granted it gave me a ground weakness, it gives me some ways to easily bite my opponent in the butt. This is the final and current version of the team by the way.



First:

Ganondorf (Tyranitar) (M) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Crunch
- Fire Blast
- Ice Beam
- Stealth Rock
I've attempted other sets with Tyranitar but this one seems to be the most effective. It's my way to get the hazards out (although not often do I actually attempt to get them out). It gets a pretty good crunch out of those Psychic types and Ghost types too (haha Roxas you're so funny that pun was amazing... is what you would be saying :c). Ice Beam lets me make sure to get rid of the flying types and other Pokemon that are weak to ice. Fire Blast lets me hurt those pesky grass types (EXCEPT FREAKING JUMPLUFF) and certain steel types.
Synergy:








Second:

Din (Heatran) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 244 HP / 44 SDef / 220 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Torment
- Substitute
- Protect
- Lava Plume
This is the TormenTran set I was talking about. It's actually pretty fun to use granted it's got a bad gimmick to it (if it can't get it's sub+torment up or it gets locked in against another Heatran/any Pokemon with Flash Fire). The set itself is very easy to use but very easy to counter (once you figure out how to deal with it). Torment against their strongest move against Heatran, Sub next turn, protect to save, then attack with Lava Plume. It's even better if you can send Heatran in to counter a Pokemon's fire attack cuz it'll get raised. However it does get locked by the threats mentioned above (and since it doesn't have an Air Ballon, Earthquake/Earth Power kills it easily).
Synergy:




Third:

Lanaryu (Landorus) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Earth Power
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Gravity
Sheer force this. Sheer force that. So I replaced Sand Force with Sheer Force. This set is pretty fun to use to counter pokemon on Air Ballons, levitating Pokemon, and flying types (I'm glaring at you Skarmory). So pretty much you just use Gravity first (unless you're against a stronger threat, then you use the appropriate move). After that, the next few turns of intensed gravity is up to you and what you choose to do. This is pretty much your own preference/situation set. Nothing else to it. This was recommended by user TheyCallMeKing.
Synergy:



Fourth:

Navi (Celebi) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 224 SDef / 32 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Baton Pass
- Nasty Plot
- Giga Drain
- Substitute
Hey Listen! Hey Listen! Hey Listen! Oh yes Navi how we get that you want our attention though we refuse to give it to you. Well you can now shine (hehe... shiny celebi, shine...) with this set (which as I said, was recommended by TheyCallMeKing). Once you get Substitute and use Nasty Plot, depending on the situation, you can pretty much have utter control over your opponent (isn't that right, Alan?). I prefer trying to use Baton Pass into whoever I think would benefit the most from the power boost.
Synergy:







Fifth:

Tentalus (Tentacruel) (F) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 HP / 236 Def / 20 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic/Toxic Spikes
- Scald
- Substitute
Here's my spinner and a secondary hazard setter. Now Tentacruel is there because it's the most balanced and easiest spinner I've seen and been able to use while in Sand. Starmie would be an alternative, but it doesn't help cripple my opponent like Tentacruel can. Besides, Tentacruel can suck up any toxic spikes my opponent set down and can counter with its own. The reason why there's a slash between Toxic and Toxic Spikes is because both are really good to use. Toxic spikes is guranteed where Toxic misses but Toxic can't be spun away. So yeah. That's all on Tentalus.
Synergy:




Last:

Farore (Latios) (M) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Now Latios here can dish out some pretty nasty damage. It can hit hard with Draco Meteor, or surf. Psyshock is just Mmmnfff<3 It can just give flip over a Chansey or Blissey and give it the thrashing it deserves. Especially with the choice specs (though some would argue and say choice scarf is better because it can outspeed a lot of things). HP Fire hits steel types pretty fucking hard (i.e. Scizor or Ferrothorn). Another reason for Latios is because you gotta admire its speed and Special attack. Only thing that makes me sad is trick room users... e.e
Synergy:

I love the jumpluff comment, made me giggle. And I also might have to snatch that Celebi set.
However, I see one issue, Choice Band Terrakion could give you some serious problems as it can 2HKO every single member of your team with Close Combat and Stone Edge respectively.

While a banded Terrakion could 2HKO almost everything, it's not fast enough to outspeed Latios (which mine has 349 Speed while Terrakion lacks by 3 points). So Latios could just use Surf or Psyshock to counter it (although who would leave Terrakion against Latios unless you know for a fact Terrakion is scarfed and Latios isn't)

So guys, with the new nerf on weather and Fairy- typing, how well do you think this old dog would work?