Deserted (a VGC '12 Team)

[The Yoshi]

Deserted​

Hello everyone. I'm pretty much a stranger to the VGC, and I've never been to a VGC event before. I guess it might be because I hate Item Clause because Leftovers has to be used on the Pokemon that needs it the most, and if two Pokemon absolutely need the same item, you're forced to drop one of them. I decided to build a team if I can make it to Nationals or some other event, but even if I don't, it's nice to have such a team built. I'm pretty sure some of the Pokemon I'm using are used on no VGC teams whatsoever, which is what I feel makes my team unique. Without further ado, here's the team.

Teambuilding Process:

Spoiler

To make my team unique, I decided to look at a bunch of the Pokemon that might have a niche in VGC. I finally decided on Mandibuzz, only because the thing is so darn bulky, and works excellently as a Specially Defensive Mon (packing more SpD than Heatran assuming Mandibuzz runs 244+ SpD and Heatran runs 100- SpD). Mandibuzz has a nice ability in Big Pecks as well, and Roost can aggravate many teams. I also needed a physical wall who could deal with Hitmontop and the likes. Steelix, a Pokemon I'm pretty sure nobody uses in VGC, works as the physical wall I need who makes a great combo with Mandibuzz.

[animate]630[/animate][animate]208[/animate]

Next, as popular as Weather would be in VGC, I decided to go the same path. Steelix and Mandibuzz both appreciate Sand because you don't have Thunder and Surf threatening the pair, so I went with Tyranitar, the monster that summons sand.

[animate]248[/animate][animate]630[/animate][animate]208[/animate]

Next, I needed to strengthen the defensive core by using something that could cover anything Mandibuzz and Steelix couldn't handle (which is surprisingly very little). Fighting types both threaten the two, especially Mandibuzz, so I added the defensive behemoth known as Cresselia to deal with pesky Fighting types like Hitmontop.

[animate]248[/animate][animate]630[/animate][animate]208[/animate][animate]488[/animate]

Now, the offensive core was going to need some work. We all know how well both Metagross and Garchomp works in Sand. Metagross is just an offensive beast, packing a powerful Explosion with Normal Gem, and Garchomp with Sand Veil frustrates so many people. I rounded off the team with the offensive core of Garchomp and Metagross.

[animate]248[/animate][animate]445[/animate][animate]630[/animate][animate]208[/animate][animate]488[/animate][animate]376[/animate]

At A Glance:

The basic strategy of the team is to send out Tyranitar and Garchomp (unless I see Abomasnow, in which I switch to Steelix) and set up a Sub with Garchomp while I switch Tyranitar to something desirable to avoid losing the weather war. If I go for the offensive core, I'll use Metagross, Garchomp, Tyranitar, and Steelix, while a defensive core consists of Tyranitar, Cresselia, Mandibuzz, and Steelix. This will not always be the case, but it usually works against a variety of teams. Other than that, the team is actually fairly simple.

In-Depth Analysis:

Lanayru (Tyranitar) (F) @ Chople Berry
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Crunch
- Rock Slide
- Low Kick
- Protect​

So yeah, this is basically the standard VGC Tyranitar. Sand Stream makes this team what it is, and it also forms part o the offensive core. Crunch and Rock Slide cover almost anything, and Low Kick is there to hit Steel types and Rock types. Protect is good to block Close Combats from Hitmontop, one of the biggest counters to the set. Even though a Chople Berry won't prevent a 'Top's LO Close Combat from KOing it, but it is very helpful to survive a Focus Blast from a variety of Pokemon. The set is actually designed to be as slow as possible so T-Tar can abuse the common Trick Room to its advantage. Also, the EV spread ensures that Tyraintar can hit very hard on Pokemon that don't resist it's three move coverage, and it also gives it quite the HP to work with.

Molgera (Garchomp) (F) @ Yache Berry
Trait: Sand Veil
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Substitute
- Protect​

Garchomp works excellently under the Sand, and this set utilizes it to the fullest. A Substitute combined with Sand Veil is very difficult to take down under Sand. The Jolly Nature and 252 Speed EVs make Garchomp very quick, and Dragon Claw and Earthquake are two unforgiving STABs of Garchomp. Yache Berry is useful unless Cresselia removes it with Icy Wind, but it still doesn't stop Abomasnow's Blizzard from slaughtering it. Protect is pretty useful when I see Hitmontop or Weavile (though the latter usually KOs with Ice Shard). Abomasnow is the biggest threat to Garchomp overall, so I will obviously use Metagross if I see one thanks to Team Preview. Overall, Garchomp can make teams cry with its Substitutes that are very hard to take down during a Sandstorm.

Cassani (Cresselia) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Icy Wind
- Trick Room
- Light Screen
- Helping Hand​

Cresselia is just a pain for many people to face. Icy Wind is possibly the most helpful move they could have given Cresselia, because it allows me to KO opposing Garchomp with my own (plus it removes their Yache Berry). Trick Room mainly counters opposing Trick Room and can give me the edge over Tailwind users. Light Screen supports the team a lot from Surfs that Rain teams like to use, and it also boosts Cresselia's special bulk to higher levels. Helping Hand is pretty neat; it allows me to make certain KOs utilizing Garchomp's Dragon Claw and Earthquake, which can remove threats the rest of the team has a hard time with. Because Cresselia is the bulkiest member on the team, it is the member that receives Lefties.

Speaking of Garchomp, the two make a pretty good combo together. While Cresselia helps Garchomp with Helping Hand and Light Screen, Garchomp is Earthquaking away while Cresselia protects itself with Levitate. This also takes pressure off of Garchomp and forces the opponent to hit Cresselia, and it is able to sponge the attacks quite easily. Cresselia is a really cool 'Mon, and is a great addition to the team, covering some of the team's biggest problems.

Barujiina (Mandibuzz) (F) @ Sitrus Berry
Trait: Overcoat
EVs: 248 HP / 244 SDef / 16 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Taunt
- Roost
- Toxic
- Brave Bird​

Mandibuzz is just so awesome. I don't see why this bird isn't used very often. Overcoat is helpful on this team because it focuses on Sand. Mandibuzz hits 317 SpD with the EV spread and Nature iirc, which makes it a sitting bird, literally, while it annoys the foe with Tanut and Toxic. Perhaps the most helpful move Mandibuzz has is Roost, which allows it to take Burns with ease while avoiding damaging Rock type attacks from the likes of Stone Edge Tyranitar. Although Mandibuzz's Speed stat isn't great, it can still out pace many Pokemon in VGC and Taunt + Toxic them to death so they cannot use Roost, Recover, or Rest. Brave Bird is so Mandibuzz doesn't get Taunt locked, forcing it to Struggle, and it also removes the threat of Breloom (if anyone uses it). Mandibuzz is what I feel makes my team unique, and it is very helpful to the team.

Colossus (Steelix) (F) @ Passho Berry
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 96 Def / 160 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Toxic
- Gyro Ball
- Earthquake
- Protect​

Steelix is here to make for a nice combo with Mandibuzz, taking the rock type attacks Mandibuzz would rather not handle. Steelix reaches a massive 506 Defense stat with the EV spread and Nature, so this set focuses on that stat (since Mandibuzz covers special attacks that Steelix doesn't take too well). Toxic and Protect can stall out the opponent while Mandibuzz does its job with Roost and Taunt, and Gyro Ball and Earthquake hit a lot of stuff for at least neutral damage (except for Bronzong). The Passho Berry is only here because of Item Clause. Passho Berry has saved me on a few occasions, though, so I do appreciate its usefulness against Rain teams. Unfortunately, Steelix isn't here for much else other than making nice synergy with Mandibuzz, and is probably the least useful member on the team. However, it is a great defensive tank, and I am gracious for its effectiveness on the team.

Metagross @ Normal Gem
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Zen Headbutt
- Bullet Punch
- Protect
- Explosion​

Metagross is the most interesting member on the team, since he can either clean up late game or fire off an Explosion early game. With the Normal Gem, Explosion gets so much power that almost nothing can stand up to the sheer power of it. It requires much prediction, however, so I don't use it unless I need to, and that's where Bullet Punch and Zen Headbutt come in. Zen Headbutt and Bullet Punch provide great coverage, and Bullet Punch is an excellent priority move. Protect can help Metagross avoid Earthquakes from Garchomp if they are on the field together, and it protects it from nasty hazards, such as Paralysis, and the worst of all, Burn, because it lowers the power of Explosion. Clear Body is very useful because it blocks Intimidate, which would otherwise prevent Metagross from getting needed KOs. The EV spread and Nature make Metagross that much more powerful. Overall, Metagross is one heck of a Pokemon, and it provides support to threats that would otherwise decimate this team.

Threat List:

Anything in red is a major threat
Anything in orange is a minor threat

Abomasnow: Both the Scarfed and Bulky Abomasnow are minor threats. The Scarfed Abomasnow doesn't even OHKO Garchomp with Blizzard (although the Bulky Abomasnow has a chance to OHKO with either Blizzard and Ice Beam, more likely the latter). However, it does have a chance at 2HKOing Mandibuzz w/ Blizzard, and the Scarfed version can threaten Metagross with HP Fire, but even so, Metagross threatens it with Bullet Punch. Abomasnow sets are fairly standard, so it is likely I will not run into sets other than the Scarfed version and the Bulky version.

Alakazam: Alakazam is one of the bigger minor threats because it gets a guaranteed OHKO on Tyranitar and Steelix with Focus Blast, and 2KHOs Metagross with HP Fire. Plus, if it is using Substitute, it is likely I have to sacrifice a member of my team to break the Sub. A Bullet Punch from Metagross is usually enough to dent it, however, so it isn't a huge issue because I have priority, keeping Alakazam off of the major threat list.

Amoonguss: Amoonguss itself isn't very threatening to the team due to most of the team resisting its STAB Giga Drain. However, Rage Powder can be a huge issue because of how naturally bulky it is. It is difficult to make a dent in it, sometimes, and the other Mon can sweep away at my team. The best way I handle Amoonguss is hitting it with Mandibuzz's Brave Bird, hitting it for decent damage, and eventually it will be KOd (if it doesn't recover with Giga Drain).

Azelf: The reason Azelf is such a threat is because it can hit literally anything on my team for neutral damage (barring Mandibuzz, which doesn't even get OHKOd by Explosion, unless it carries Normal Gem or something). Explosion guarantees an OHKO on Garchomp, Grass Knot severely dents Tyranitar, Fire Blast hurts Metagross and Steelix, and Shadow Ball 3HKOs Cresselia. Thankfully, Azelf is rather frail, so I can get a hit on it with Bullet Punch with Metagross. However, the physcial set will always use Explosion if my opponent knows that my Pokemon can KO it. Although Azelf is a major threat to the team, Mandibuzz can serve as a solid counter to it, and once it explodes, it is no longer a threat.

Blaziken: My god this thing is annoying. Speed Boost is annoying enough; then you get the fact that it severely dents everything in my team. Sky Uppercut shows Tyranitar no mercy, Flare Blitz OHKOs Metagross, and Hi Jump Kick at least 2HKOs everything on my team except for Cresselia (which is 2HKOd by Flare Blitz, and 3HKOd by Shadow Claw). The only way to get rid of this blazing monster is to survive an attack with Mandibuzz, and KO back with Brave Bird. However, without any boosts, Garchomp out speeds Blaziken and can attempt to KO with Earthquake. However, Blaziken is more than likely to Protect itself in order to out speed Garchomp, so the strategy usually fails. Blaziken can be very threatening to the team, but with proper prediction, I can use Mandibuzz to get it off of the field.

Bronzong: Bronzong obviously isn't very threatening offensively, since the only thing it comes close to 2HKOing is Garchomp - with Explosion. However, Trick Room and Light Screen make Bronzong a minor threat to the team. On a TR team, Bronzong's bulk makes it nearly impossible to KO it before it can set up Trick Room, opening up room for Trick Room sweepers like Conkeldurr and Reuniclus to come in and sweep, while Light Screen boosts the longevity of my opponent's team, opening up room for Mons on the other team to come in and fire off attacks while being protected by Light Screen. Also, nothing on my team is able to hit Bronzong for super effective damage, making it that much harder to KO. However, Bronzong will eventually fall to members on my team that can hit it for decent amounts of damage, and because it isn't threatening offensively, it is easy to take out in the end.

Chandelure: Chandelure can be a pain if I choose to use Metagross and Steelix. Heat Wave OHKOs Metagross no matter what (plus it is immune to Explosion), while Overheat has a chance to OHKO Steelix. If the Scarfed Chandelure runs HP Ice, Garchomp can be in trouble, while Shadow Ball threatens Cresselia. Thankfully, I have Tyranitar to sponge Chandelure's attacks and hit it back with a strong Pursuit, Crunch, or Earthquake, while Garchomp can KO Chandelure with Earthquake.

Conkeldurr: Honestly, the only thing Conkeldurr threatens is Tyranitar with its STAB Drain Punch. Conkeldurr doesn't come close to 2HKOing anyone on my team (unless it either gets lucky on Garchomp or it poisons/burns itself, activating Guts). A Brave Bird from Mandibuzz or a Psychic from Cresselia will put it in its place, so Conkeldurr doesn't threaten the team too much.

Cresselia: Offensively, Cresselia is a pushover (although it threatens Garchomp with Psychic and Icy Wind). However, the Speed drop from Icy Wind can change games, especially if I'm using Garchomp. Generally I send in Tyranitar to threaten it with Pursuit or Crunch, but Light Screen/Reflect, Rest, Thunder Wave, and Helping Hand are support moves this team sometimes cannot handle. Fortunately, once I tackle Cress one-on-one, I can snag the win if it doesn't carry Rest.

Dragonite: Dragonite isn't a huge threat overall. Once I break the Multiscale with Icy Wind from Cress, I can easily revenge kill it with Garchomp. However, I must be wary of Draco Meteor, which has a chance to 2HKO Tyranitar and a guaranteed OHKO on Garchomp (even Dragon Pulse has a chance to OHKO). It isn't a huge threat overall because I carry two Steel types on the team, and Metagross isn't even 2HKOd by Fire Punch.

Excadrill: Yeah, this thing really threatens the team. Just an Earthquake from Excadrill gets a guaranteed OHKO on Tyranitar and Metagross, while getting a 2HKO on Garchomp and Steelix. It also 2HKOs Cresselia with X-Scissor, and has a slim chance to 2HKO Mandibuzz with Rock Slide (and Mandibuzz doesn't do anything to it anyway). The only way to get rid of this thing is to out speed it with Garchomp and KO it with Earthquake, and that can pose a problem if Excadrill carries an Air Balloon. If I can hit it with Icy Wind and follow with Earthquake, Excadrill will meet its fate. However, it is still a huge problem for the team to face.

Garchomp: Although Garchomp can be annoying under Sand, it isn't that threatening to my team. Sure, it hits Metagross, Steelix, and Garchomp hard, but honestly it doesn't endanger many members of the team. Cresselia is my hard counter to Garchomp, hitting it super effectively with Icy Wind, being immune to Earthquake, and allowing my Garchomp to OHKO it. Rock Slide does 3HKO Mandibuzz (if Mandibuzz is unable to use Roost), it comes close to OHKOing Tyranitar and Metagross with Earthquake, which can be troublesome, but if I choose to use Cress, Garchomp isn't much of a problem.

Metagross: Personally, Metagross is only an issue if I'm not using Steelix. Explosion OHKOs Garchomp, Meteor Mash OHKOs Tyranitar, Earthquake 2HKOs my own Metagross, and Explosion also severely dents Mandibuzz and Cresselia. Steelix can shrug off Metagross' attacks with ease, and hit back hard with Earthquake. Mandibuzz can also Roost off the Explosion damage if I properly predict when it will use it, so overall, Metagross can be easy to handle if I predict properly.

Terrakion: It's pretty obvious that Terrakion can be threatening to any team, especially when in tandem with Whimsicott. Generally, I handle Terrakion + Whimsicott by sending out Garchomp and Metagross. On the turn that Terrakion Protects, I go all out on Whimsicott by attacking it with both Garchomp and Metagross, hoping it will KO. Then, on the turn that Terrakion tries to hit one of my Mons, I attack Terrakion with a BP from Metagross, which can severely dent it, and without the attack boost, it will be a pushover as I take it down with Garchomp. If Terrakion is not being used with Whimsicott, I generally avoid hitting it until I send out Metagross, so I can hit it effectively with Bullet Punch (after it gets the Defense drop, Metagross can usually KO it).

Thundurus: Honestly, Thundurus isn't very threatening to the team. Unless it is carrying Focus Blast, Tyranitar makes for a nice check with Rock Slide, and Cresselia can shrug off Thunders from it, and hit back with Icy Wind, allowing another member of the team to come in and KO it. However, if it is behind a Sub or is at +2, or if it chooses to use Thunder Wave, it can severely cripple the team. The best way I deal with Thundurus is KOing it with either Tyranitar or Steelix, who takes Thundurus' hits so easily.

Tornadus: Tornadus can be annoying, but it isn't too troublesome. Focus Blast OHKOs Tyranitar and Steelix no matter what, and Hurricane hits almost every member on my team pretty hard. HP Ice also threatens Garchomp, but luckily I have Cresselia, who can hit it with Icy Wind to lower its Speed, or hit it with Psychic to deal out some heavy damage. The Prankster Tailwind set is a little harder to deal with because Tornadus still out speeds my team at -1 Spe. Usually, I deal with Tornadus by hitting it with a Bullet Punch from Metagross, followed by another powerful attack from either Garchomp or Cresselia to KO it. Overall, Tornadus is a threat, but because it is rather frail on the physically defensive side, I can take it out pretty quickly.

Tyranitar: As long as I can either win the speed tie with Tyranitar or survive a Crunch with Garchomp, Tyranitar will fall. Even Steelix doesn't take much damage from the physical 'Tar's attacks, and the Unnerve doesn't even 2HKO Steelix with Flamethrower (however, Occa Berry would be useful in this situation). If it is one on one, the only member that loses to Tyranitar is Cresselia (generally; Tyranitar loses if it loses the speed tie). I have considered giving Tyranitar 2 IVs in Spe instead of 0 so I don't have to worry about the Speed tie, but I also want to make sure that it is slower than other weather users. Overall, Tyranitar isn't too menacing, but I have to worry about the occasional threat it poses.

Export:

Spoiler

Tyranitar (F) @ Chople Berry
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Crunch
- Rock Slide
- Low Kick
- Protect

Garchomp (F) @ Yache Berry
Trait: Sand Veil
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Substitute
- Protect

Cresselia (F) @ Sitrus Berry
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Icy Wind
- Psychic
- Light Screen
- Helping Hand

Mandibuzz (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Big Pecks
EVs: 248 HP / 244 SDef / 16 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Taunt
- Roost
- Toxic
- Brave Bird

Steelix (F) @ Occa Berry
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 96 Def / 160 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Toxic
- Gyro Ball
- Earthquake
- Protect

Metagross @ Normal Gem
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Zen Headbutt
- Bullet Punch
- Protect
- Explosion

Conclusion:

Thank you so much for reading my RMT. I learned a lot from starting out VGC, and I'd like to give a shout-out to [member]ohyeah1988[/member] for being so helpful with his suggestions, and I feel my team got much better with his tips, and also to [smod]King Arceus[/smod] for giving me some formatting tips. I probably won't be using this team competitively any time soon irl, but if I do, I know what team I want to use. I found an interest in VGC, and it helped improve my knowledge of VG. Thanks again for reading!

 

[King Arceus]

One minor nitpick I have on Steelix is to use Passho Berry. The reason for this change is because Surf hits all except the users and is boosted by rain teams. Your current team already does well against sun teams.

Personally I would swap Mandibuzz and Cresselia's items because Cresselia has more bulk overall with its higher HP. Cresselia also doesn't have Moonlight. I believe running Moonlight on Cresselia would be more beneficial than Psychic because then it will be able to survive longer to use Helping Hand when it isn't using Light Screen. This also takes further advantage of Helping Hand because Helping Hands partners dish out a lot more damage than it does. Metagross' Zen Headbutt takes care of Hitmontop nicely since it isn't affected by Intimidate.

 

[The Yoshi]

I'll try Passho Berry on Steelix, and I'll definitely consider switching the items on Cresselia and Mandibuzz, due to Mandibuzz having Roost. I'll also consider Moonlight over Psychic, but the problem is that Moonlight only heals 25% in Sand (iirc), so it might not be as beneficial as Psychic is. Thanks for your suggestions!

 

[Alan]

Excadrill is faster and stronger than Garchomp. But then you'd have too much fighting weakness. Hmm... I'll take a closer look when I get the chance.

 

[Cobalt Phoenix]

One quick question: Why Big Pecks on Mandibuzz? Most people play Overcoat on Mandi with weather up.

Although Defense dropping attacks aren't used so often, Mandibuzz appreciates Big Pecks to avoid Crunch dropping its treasured Defense stat

Why would someone use Crunch on Mandibuzz?

 

[The Yoshi]

@CoolTrainer Alan: That's the main reason I use Garchomp over Excadrill. However, I do have Cresselia and Metagross. I'll have to think about it.

@ohyeah1988: The reason I use Big Pecks on Mandibuzz is because Lefties negates the Sandstorm damage. I was talking about 'Mons that use Crunch on Mandibuzz, not Mandibuzz using Crunch.

 

[Dork Void]

@CoolTrainer Alan: That's the main reason I use Garchomp over Excadrill. However, I do have Cresselia and Metagross. I'll have to think about it.

@ohyeah1988: The reason I use Big Pecks on Mandibuzz is because Lefties negates the Sandstorm damage. I was talking about 'Mons that use Crunch on Mandibuzz, not Mandibuzz using Crunch.

That doesn't change the fact that nothing is going to be using Crunch on Mandibuzz. Few Pokemon learn Crunch, fewer carry it, and none would use it when its not very effective on a Mandibuzz, and even then you've only got a 20% chance of the defense being lowered anyway-aka its not gonna happen. even if lefties negates the sandstorm damage, with Overcoat you're recovering health in the sandstorm, or you can use a different item.

 

[The Yoshi]

That's true. I'll go with Overcoat and Sitrus Berry on Mandibuzz, then. Thanks for the input!

 

[The Yoshi]

*Bump*

Made some changes, and I actually like the team a lot better now. Thanks for all the suggestions, guys.

 

[One Approved]

One minor nitpick I have on Steelix is to use Passho Berry. The reason for this change is because Surf hits all except the users and is boosted by rain teams. Your current team already does well against sun teams.

Personally I would swap Mandibuzz and Cresselia's items because Cresselia has more bulk overall with its higher HP. Cresselia also doesn't have Moonlight. I believe running Moonlight on Cresselia would be more beneficial than Psychic because then it will be able to survive longer to use Helping Hand when it isn't using Light Screen. This also takes further advantage of Helping Hand because Helping Hands partners dish out a lot more damage than it does. Metagross' Zen Headbutt takes care of Hitmontop nicely since it isn't affected by Intimidate.

Heavens no. Running Moonlight on Cresselia is quite silly. In Sand, Rain, and Hail, Cress will only gain 1/4th of its health back. I would much rather use Psychic than I would moonlight.

Another option is Trick Room. While your team isn't slow, it counters your opponent's Tailwind teams, giving you the upper hand rather than them.

I'd rather use Excadrill over Steelix because Sand Rush will allow Excadrill to outspeed your opponents and kill them all off. Earthquake after a Swords Dance boost would hit extremely hard.

Lastly, get rid of toxic. In VGC, walls pretty much don't exist. It's a fast-paced hyper offensive game 9/10 times, and if toxic is there long enough to do a decent amount of damage, it means you're not killing whatever Pokémon you used Toxic on fast enough. I don't know Mandibuzz's movepool offhand, but Featherdance IMO would be much better as it could potentially cripple your opponent's physical sweepers, and force switches, which is a HUGE deal in VGC.

 

[Red Striker]

I'd rather use Excadrill over Steelix because Sand Rush will allow Excadrill to outspeed your opponents and kill them all off. Earthquake after a Swords Dance boost would hit extremely hard.

I agree with that statement except for the part about Swords Dance. Protect>SD, since with the many EQers and Heat Wavers out there, Excadrill is too easy to pick off. Besides, a +0 X-Scissor is enough to OHKO Latios, a major threat, as well as (correct me if I'm mistaken) 2HKOing a Cresselia, and various other Mons as well.

This is the set I recommend:

Excadrill@Focus Sash
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 Att, 252 Spe, 4 SDef.
Moveset:
- Protect
- Eartquake
- X-Scissor
- Rock Slide / Brick Break


Also, on Cress, I'd get rid of Moonlight for Trick Room. In this sort of format, a Trick Room counter is absolutely manditory on a team. Besides, in Sand, Moonlight will be doing squat due to the hinderance in Sand and Hail.

 

[The Yoshi]

Made some changes. Thanks, everyone!

@Teapot, I'll switch to Trick Room b/c they have been an issue lately. I agree with you about Excadrill, and I will try it out soon. And Mandibuzz does not learn Featherdance.

@Red Striker: Thanks for the set. I'll try it out.

 

[superpokemon67]

Finally, a VGC rmt. Your team seems good, although I completely agree with Excadrill over Steelix. The problem imo comes with Mandibuzz. Straight stall is interesting in VGC because it could work, but most of the time your opponent will just time stall and you will lose to time. That's why Mandibuzz hasn't been used that much. I would like to recommend Togekiss over Mandibuzz on your team.

Togekiss (M) @ Sitrus Berry
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 240 HP / 92 Def / 72 SAtk / 60 SDef / 44 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Air Slash
- Thunder Wave
- Follow Me
- Protect

The EVs are specifically designed to survive a Dragon Gem Draco Meteor from Latios and outspeed the average Toxicroak. The set itself provides maximum support with Air Slash flinches and Thunder Wave, as well as Follow Me for your team's fighting weakness and certain water types. You can also opt for Aura Sphere over Thunder Wave if you feel Cresselia handles speed well enough. Hope I helped.