Building a Sandstorm Trick Room Team | Pokémon Champions
Résumé
This post on Pokémon Champions | VGC Battles & Tournaments explores a unique competitive team build combining Sandstorm, Trick Room, and Tailwind archetypes. Featuring Mega Steelix, Tyranitar, and Farigiraf, the discussion analyzes how to balance speed control and offensive pressure. It is a great resource for players looking to optimize their ranked duos strategies and get feedback from the community.
I made this team on pokemon showdown in hope that I can play with it later on pokemon champions ranked duos once it's finished.
This team combines three different archetypes: sandstorm, trick room and tailwind.
Mega steelix, tyranitar, maushold, farigiraf, excadrill, staraptor
Tyranitar is the sandstorm setter, he's mainly here to weather war but also to blow holes inside the opposing team thanks to it's great attack stat. Tyra can easily one shot aegislash and other common steel types. He also greatly benefits from the tailwind to compensate for its average speed.
MSteelix is here as the core of the team, in sand, he will activate its ability sand force which will allow it to deal massive rock slide and heavy slam damage. It is also very physically tanky and can shrug super effective damage easily. The sand also helps on its spdefensive side with a 50% spdefense boost. Greatly paired with tyra or in trick room. (also has wide guard to shut down annoying hyper voice gardevoirs or expanding force spammer.)
Maushold is purely used as a support here, it can use after you on farigiraf to make it set the trick room much faster. Encore, to trap pokemons, follow me as a last resort. He's vital when slower mons like fari or steelix are outside the trick room to help them be much faster.
Excadrill is here as the fast sweeper of the team, with sand rush, he is able to outspeed most of the meta and can kill threats like inceneroar, armarouge and gardevoir.
Staraptor is the tailwind setter, he can deal good damage and can pick up kos but his role will mainly be to intimidate, set up tailwind, then u-turn into another pokemon.
Farigiraf is obviously the trick room setter, she has good synergy with maushold for setting the trick room and okay defense. Do not hesitate to bring her in when you feel a priority move coming since she can block them with armor tail. Farigiraf is great here because she can be used in both tailwind or trick room or she can shut down other TR teams
https://pokepast.es/b310d16f151fb157
The team isn't doing too great right now, what should I change or upgrade. I'm also bad with stat spreads or moves so check that if you need to.
i never tried steelix team b4, i cant give you advice, but have you ever watch wolfey team using mega ttar and mega steelix? maybe it will give you ideas.
Giving ttar mega gives you a dual mega option and giving it max speed goves you the option to switch between tw ttar and tr steelix and swappung thunder punch for rock slide for more coverage on zard and other mons
Now switching maushold for sinischta does the same job with healing support and also switching staraptor for talonflame gives you priority with tw
Giving excadrill iron head instead of shadow claw to deal with aero likes and fairy types
give excadrill focus sash ,farig sitrus or coblur berry and having thunder bolt and pshycic for more coverage as for its spreads you can do 29hp 17def and rest all to spd and sassy nature
but I don't understand, why have two megas ? I know wolfey did it but I don't understand the point
if you have only one mega opponent will know its coming for sure and you also are bound to use the same mega but with it gives you more coverage like aganst charozard you dont want to bring steelixe but bringing in ttar mega gives option to set up sand and to better than steelix
if the matchup is not favored mega steelix, you have ttar for your mega choice
Oh okay I get it now thanks
i think max atk max speed ttar
yes you switch betqeen tr and tw with steelix and ttar
Why talonflame over staraptor ? I get that it has priority with tw but staraptor can intimidate and is fast enough to set tailwind before getting killed, while talonflame doesn't have as much offensive pressure too
it wont be faster then other tailwind setters such as aero nad if facing whimsicoot it uatmoattically puts in the last to move
and gives more coverage with priority dual wingebeat or acrobatics
Oh okay thanks, which item and spread for talon then ?
depends on what you want to use acrobatics or brave bird
Brave bird will make me lose the gale wing so I think acro would be better
so no item and jist go for max speeed and max atk
alright thanks alot for your time
np
Nice I won my first battle with this team
This was a very close battle, the crit at the end saved me and I don't like that. How can I improve my gameplay with this team ?
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9championsvgc2026regmb-2655699328
