What is a good moveset for Sandslash?

Question

This thread is for Kantonian Sandslash. For Alolan Sandslash, please go here.

If you have a good competitive moveset for Sandslash, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Sandslash Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Role: Lead and Spinner

Sandslash (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 160 HP / 96 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge

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Never expected this guy to be a lead?

He can set up rocks and start sweeping, any opponents try to set up Spikes etc. You can Spin 'em Away.

Earthquake for STAB, and Stone Edge for Coverage.

Comments

He's actually a pretty common lead in NU.

Answer 2

I have a good technique. First you send out something with sandstorm, or the ability sandstream (I suggest tyanitar to set up) then after you do that send out Sandslash. The sandslash ability is going to kick in from the sandstorm (Sand Rush) Which makes Sandslash faster so then you can set up your sweep. I suggest having a electric Pokemon on your team or a grass Pokemon so water will not be a problem.

Sandslash @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- X-Scissor
- Swords Dance

Answer 3

My favorite Pokémon!

Note: Maybe use this in doubles with a Tyranitar
Splendid sweeper for a splendid swiffer

Sandslash @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock / Rapid Spin

Earthquake Must I say why? Beware of the Tyranitar though. Maybe a Focus Sash on Tyranitar?
Swords Dance For OHKO'ing your way up the Ladder
Stone Edge I'm not scared of you, Flying Types and Ice Types.
Stealth Rock / Rapid Spin Stealth rocks to keep the Flying types in the field then use Stone Edge. Rapid Spin to get rid of the Entry Hazards.

Comments

For the tyranitar you can give it an air ballon to make it imune to ground moves

Answer 4

Gen 8 ZU

Sandslash @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin

Earthquake is STAB. Spikes to soften up the enemy team. Stealth Rock to further soften up the enemy team, and also hits Flying types and Levitate users which are immune to Spikes. Rapid Spin to clear hazards on your side of the field and to boost Sandslash's Speed, which I swapped out for SpD investment.

Answer 5

Gen V

Sandslash (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 80 Def / 176 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- X-Scissor

Lower tier version of Excadrill. Nice to have Stone Edge and Life Orb instead of Rock Slide and Air Balloon though, but you just can't beat those Excadrill stats. Oh well, still is a powerful Pokemon. All I have to say on the subject.

Answer 6

Gen III

Sandslash (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 128 Atk / 128 Def / 252 SpD
Impish Nature
- Defense Curl
- Rollout
- Earthquake
- Brick Break

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Defense Curl and Rollout is a classic favorite here, I love using it.
EVs set for him to survive a special move, and physical moves just won't do it to him, Rollout hits hard with Defense Curl, and Earthquake has STAB, with Brick Break as Coverage.

Comments

Really like this one!

Answer 7

Role: Sand Sweeper

Sandslash (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Lonely Nature
- Earthquake
- Brick Break
- Shadow Claw
- Swords Dance

The Focus Sash is for making sure that you can survive a hit and set up SD. EVs are your given Sweeper EVs. Sand Rush raises Speed, so this is like a Rain Kabutops. Lonely maxes out Attack, and lowers Defense to make the Sash activate. Earthquake is your STAB, and Brick Break has incredible type coverage, as well as breaking Screens and providing coverage against Ice-types.

Shadow Claw kills Ghost-types that have Levitate (cough Mismagius and Gengar cough). Finally, Swords Dance provides boosted Attack. This set is like Kabutops in the Rain, but in a Sandstorm.

Comments

Very cool, but I don't understand the Lonely nature.  Why whittle down his defense?

Answer 8

Double/Triple Battle

Sandslash (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 20 Def / 236 Spe or 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Aerial Ace
- Brick Break

Either it can be a sweeper or a Banded tank. The difference is whether you run Sandstorm or not. The first EV set is for if you have Sandstorm support. The second set is for if you don't have Sandstorm support.

Rock Slide and Earthquake are incredible moves, they get great coverage together and hit multiple foes in multi-battles. Earthquake also gets STAB. Aerial Ace can hit any foe in a Triple Battle. Brick Break is coverage and it can break through Dual Screens which see good use in multi-battles.

Answer 9

Sandslash @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- X-Scissor
- Earthquake

Average RU lead Sandslash.

Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin are obvious.
Earthquake is STAB.
X-Scissor is just a little something I threw on there.

Answer 10

OMG!!! I cant belive nobody has suggested using Gyro Ball yet! Give this guy an Iron Ball and Gyro Ball is good to go! Plus, this guy wrecks in a sandstorm!
But now lets get to it!

Sandslash @ Iron Ball
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Sandstorm
- Swords dance
- Earthquake
- Gyro Ball

Sandstorm (get that Sand Veil going)
Swords Dance (+2 Attack is always good)
Earthquake (do I really need to explain?)
Gyro ball (low speed + Iron Ball = epic Gyro Ball!)

Comments

And he makes a good user of Trick Room now

Answer 11

NEW META?!?

Role: NU Trick Room Sweeper / Sandstorm Tank

Sandslash @ Iron Ball
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 200 HP / 252 Atk / 56 SpD
IVs: 0 Spe
Brave Nature
- Gyro Ball
- Fling
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge

This set provides amazing coverage for it's tier. Gyro ball hits the Ice- and Rock-types, Fling for the Ghost-types, Earthquake because it's Earthquake and Stone Edge for coverage.

Comments

It Is Fast Tho? Why Use Gyro Ball If Not Gonna Be Slow Enough?

Answer 12

Sandslash @ Rockium Z
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature
- Sandstorm
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab

Give it Rockium Z for Sandstorm because Z-Sandstorm will boost the 1.5x Spe effect plus another 1.5x Speed since it has the Ability Sand Rush.

Answer 13

Sandslash @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Poison Jab
- Sandstorm

Earthquake - 150 Base Power with STAB, hits all Pokémon on the field
Rock Slide - 75 Base Power with 90% Accuracy, 30% chance to flinch the target, coverage against Fire-, Ice-, Flying-, and Bug-types
Poison Jab - 80 Base Power 30% chance to poison the target, coverage against Grass- and Fairy-types
Sandstorm - Setup for chip damage on the opponents, raises evasiveness for this Pokémon

Comments

You put Choice Band as the item when you really should have put Life Orb.

Answer 14

Gen 9 NU Sand Sweeper

Sandslash @ Life Orb / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Sand Rush
Tera Type: Ground / Bug / Dark
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Leech Life
- Stone Edge / Knock Off

This Swords Dance set should be used on Sand Teams in Gen 9 NU. With Swords Dance, Sandslash can become a scary threat when sand is up. Earthquake is Sandslash's strongest Ground STAB. Leech Life is a nice coverage move that hits Grass-types such as Rotom-Mow, Arboliva, Hisuian Electrode, and Shaymin super effectively. Leech Life also allows Sandslash to recover some HP, which is pretty neat. Stone Edge rounds out this set's coverage by giving Sandslash a move to hit Flying-types such as Scyther, Bombirdier, and Altaria super effectively. Knock Off is an alternative move that allows Sandslash to cripple checks such as Orthworm, Avalugg, Sandaconda, Gligar, and Bronzong by removing their item. Life Orb is used as the item to boost Sandslash's attacks at the cost of losing a little HP. Heavy-Duty Boots is an alternative item to have to prevent Sandslash from being chipped by hazards, which can be useful if your Sand team doesn't have Healing Wish support. Tera Ground is used to boost the power of Earthquake. Tera Bug allows Leech Life to become a STAB move to make it more powerful. Tera Dark is used to boost the power of Knock Off is you use Knock Off in the last slot.

Answer 15

Rollout Sweeper

Sandslash @ Stone Plate
Ability: Sand Rush
Tera Type: Rock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rollout
- Defense Curl
- Hone claws
- Earthquake

So, first defense curl to up rollout and defense, then hone claws to up attack and accuracy, then rollout at starting 90 power and 100% accuracy. Earthquake is there because earthquake.

(Before people start yelling at me that Sandslash can't learn hone claws, it's an egg move on sandshrew.

Comments

3 things:
A. rollout
B. Swords Dance is learned
C. Earthquake can't just 'be' there

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A. what's so bad about rollout
B. I know, but I don't have enough moveslots
C. YES IT CAN ITS EARTHQUAKE (plus its coverage)

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Swords Dance is just generally better than Hone Claws tbh

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I want the accuracy boost so rollout wont miss

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Rollout is basically Fury Cutter, but a but better.(Defense Curl) It's a horrible move & I still wouldn't depend on sweeps with it.

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Well, I use this set and it usually works. If it doesn't for you, that's a shame.

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This set would take too long to setup in a competitive setting.

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"If I use defense curl, hone claws, & then rollout then im dead then." -Your sandslash in competitive