The problem clearly isn't Sand Force or Rush. Mega Chomp and Hippo aren't problems, and Stoutland isn't a problem. Excadrill is a problem.
Good luck everyoneAnnouncing: Excadrill Suspect and Evasion Abilities Quickban
First of all, Pokebilities will start suspecting Excadrill until the 21st. Excadrill is incredibly fast and powerful under sand, which is the easiest weather to run due to the existence of four very powerful setters, where every other weather has 1 good one at best. Additionally, Excadrill has absolutely perfect neutral coverage with its three Sand Force boosted moves, Earthquake, Iron Head, and Rock Slide, and can hax past the few Pokemon that wall it with two semi-reliable flinching moves. That said, there are a few Pokemon that can switch in, and several more that can either outspeed or outprioritize and KO, though those really can't switch in. To qualify for the suspect, you need 79% GXE on a fresh alt containing "EXC". To vote, just post in this thread with a screenshot of your reqs, your vote, and your reasoning.
Also, starting now, Evasion Abilities will be banned in Pokebilities under the Evasion Clause. They add nothing constructive to the meta, and only serve to be highly uncompetitive. While they may have been removed from the Evasion Clause near the end of Gen 6, as weather isn't as good in standard play and most Pokemon have better abilities anyway, in Pokebilities there's no opportunity cost to have them because Pokemon get all their abilities anyway, and as a result of this weather is made more powerful. We understand that only Ninetales-Alola had a weather setting ability and the corresponding Evasion ability at the same time, but it's the abilities that are uncompetitive as a whole, not Ninetales-A.
No, this is wrong. Scope Lens gives you +1 crit chance and Focus Energy gives you +2. +3 Crit chance means you have 100% chance of critting, that is the mechanic. Trust me, I have also used Critdra for almost all of ORAS and have never once missed out on a critical hit unless the opponent has Shell Armor.Critdra needs both Razor Claw/Scope lens and Focus Energy to have guaranteed crits. Sniper doesn't increase crit rate, it just increases crit damage. Razor Claw/Scope Lens by itself gives Kingdra only a 12.5% crit chance which is not reliable at all. With Focus Energy and no crit-boosting item it's 50%. With both Razor Claw/Scope Lens and Focus Energy, Kingdra has a 100% crit chance.
So.....you basically repeated the same thing he said? Just worded it differently.No, this is wrong. Scope Lens gives you +1 crit chance and Focus Energy gives you +2. +3 Crit chance means you have 100% chance of critting, that is the mechanic. Trust me, I have also used Critdra for almost all of ORAS and have never once missed out on a critical hit unless the opponent has Shell Armor.
lol I'm an idiot. I read it wrong, i thought he meant guaranteed crits are impossible since you'd need focus energy and BOTH razor claw AND scope lens. Lol my b.So.....you basically repeated the same thing he said? Just worded it differently.
No, it's random which it'll getDoes zebstrika get a special attack and speed boost if hit by an electric move? Bad mon but seems cool if it did.
You forgot to mention buzzwole, which can completely counter excadrill barring flinches and stall out sand turns with roost or bulk up and become physically invincible. I made a post about him a while back, (probably on page 3 or 4) but he seems to have slipped completely under the radar, despite countering excadrill, conkeldurr and even azumarill after a bulk up or two.Skelos said:So um sorry if this post makes me seem like im two-faced, but trust me it doesnt.
So i first complained that sand cores make this OM mundane since it was very easy to win and almost unstoppable with a perfect set-up. But heyIm not really wrong and not taking that back, but the metagame has amazingly adapted to it, providing it many various checks. So what am I pointing out? I dont want excadrill banned, sand force on it is the thing that needs to get attention. Excadrill is very volatile under sand, sporting a good speed tier to outspeed everything in sand, and sand force just makes it even harder to stop. But like I said, this is not very problematic thing since we're anyway just started this meta, and we have developed numerous checks and counterplays to beat this beast down.
Dedicated physical walls
There are very limited switchins to slowbro under sand. Slowbro-Mega, Gliscor, to name a few, are very viable mons in the meta atm. Their gigantic physical defense can chew a hit even at +2, and has their own decent offense stats ko back with their STAB moves, making them a reliable and not a passive answer to it. Stuff like mandibuzz,regular slowbro,hippowdon and pelipper must deserve a mention for being a soft check by taking a hit and koing back. I feek like im still missing a lot of checks, but these are the common walls that stop it from a rampage.
Priority is one of the nicest stops to excadrill, and Conk and Azu are the most notable users of this. Priority slips past to excadrill's humongous speed, and these two's powerful atk stat can pick off a weakened excadrill easily with stab priority, and even from full, providing that Conk has gotten the guts boost from flame orb, or a banded Azumarill.
Weather Summoners
Pelipper is the most notable one in this, as it can switch in into anything excadrill has provided rocks arent up, and reverses the weather to rain which makes it more tankier as it gets a benificial recovery from rain dish, aside from the reliable roost and a possible leftovers. Other things that switches the weather to anything not sand would immediately stop, since excadrill isnt really that fast outside of sand, and is koed by anything faster that hits hard enough thanks to its abysmal defenses (though high HP). This meta has been a weathers war, so if someone uses weather to win, why not use weather to stop them?
TR
Probs the most niche from its checks. Just a simple desc for this one, Trick Room nullifies the sand boost by basically making slower mons move first, which makes fast mons in general and not only Excadrill be checked and koed by powerful slow breakers.
This is only to name a few checks, and Excadrill will get more of this if sand force itself will be removed from it. Besides, Excadrill isnt really threatening outside of sand anyways, and depends on it most of the time to get most of its KOs. Regular Excadrill with no Sand Rush+Force in OU isnt really troublesome and is checked by a plethora of mons.
So yeah here we go
TL;DR: Excadrill itself even with sand force has a numerous viable mons as checks and few counters to name with and doesnt really deserve a ban, and sand force is the lone reason to make it unappealing in the meta, and seems like a better option since we can ban abilities themselves.
Banning sand force would be better itself, as excadrill would still be usable as a sand sweeper (without the 1.3 boost this time) but way more manageable this time, and can stop certain meta threats like Magnezone with the SpD set which can take special hits nicely like Magnezone's coverage moves like HP fire even with the Specs and Analytic boost, thanks to its huge HP stat and decent SpD. Plus, mold breaker lets break through Levitate, Sturdy, and even Magic Bounce in a defensive stand point to set up rocks vs those mons. Excadrill is a fun mon, Sand Rush+Force is really just to bleh tbh.
P.S.
Posting calc if you need them to prove that sand force is the only problem(and when I have time).
You guyz just forgot about SWORDS DANCE: it can litterally setup with SD to a pokemon that can't do much against it, then it 2hKOes or OHKOes the whole meta with the Sandstorm. Plus, it has the perfect coverage to hit all pokemons.You forgot to mention buzzwole, which can completely counter excadrill barring flinches and stall out sand turns with roost or bulk up and become physically invincible. I made a post about him a while back, (probably on page 3 or 4) but he seems to have slipped completely under the radar, despite countering excadrill, conkeldurr and even azumarill after a bulk up or two.
Buzzwole is literally the most criminally underrated pokemon atm, and isn't even a niché choice. He can put in work outside of excadrill too.
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Sand Force Excadrill Iron Head vs. 232 HP / 252+ Def Buzzwole in Sand: 285-335 (69 - 81.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after sandstorm damageElecktrochoko said:You guyz just forgot about SWORDS DANCE: it can litterally setup with SD to a pokemon that can't do much against it, then it 2hKOes or OHKOes the whole meta with the Sandstorm. Plus, it has the perfect coverage to hit all pokemons.
You guyz just forgot about SWORDS DANCE: it can litterally setup with SD to a pokemon that can't do much against it, then it 2hKOes or OHKOes the whole meta with the Sandstorm. Plus, it has the perfect coverage to hit all pokemons.
How does it "Counter" Azumarill thou? Does it get Gunk shot or something?+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Sand Force Excadrill Iron Head vs. 232 HP / 252+ Def Buzzwole in Sand: 285-335 (69 - 81.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after sandstorm damage
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Sand Force Excadrill Rock Slide vs. 232 HP / 252+ Def Buzzwole in Sand: 179-212 (43.3 - 51.3%) -- 5.9% chance to 2HKO after sandstorm damage and Leftovers recovery
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Sand Force Excadrill Earthquake vs. 232 HP / 252+ Def Buzzwole in Sand: 177-209 (42.8 - 50.6%) -- 2.3% chance to 2HKO after sandstorm damage and Leftovers recovery
0 Atk Buzzwole Hammer Arm vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Excadrill: 432-510 (119.6 - 141.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Buzzwole comes in on swords dance and beats 1v1, even if there are rocks.
Poison Jab is not boosted by iron fistNo, but Conk gets Iron Fist Sheer Force Poison Jab, which handily OHKOs Azumarill. People have been running either maximum speed or enough to outspeed Conk in retaliation.
I also was talking about buzzwole. How does buzzwole counter azumarill?No, but Conk gets Iron Fist Sheer Force Poison Jab, which handily OHKOs Azumarill. People have been running either maximum speed or enough to outspeed Conk in retaliation.