Is Alolan Sandslash Good for Great League?
Among the Ice-type Pokémon available in Great League, Alolan Sandslash fares the best against tanks, including Lanturn, Bastiodon, and Registeel. However, it also has two double weaknesses, making it the least safe option among its peers.
Defending Capabilities
Alolan Sandslash’s highest defensive stat is 195 points, making it suitable for defending against physical and special attacks. Its defenses are quite high, earning it a spot as an effective defensive Pokémon.
Type Advantages
By being an Ice/Ground-type, Alolan Sandslash gains resistance to Fire, Flying, Dragon, Electric, and grass-type moves. Moreover, it is insensitive to Ground-type attacks due to its grounded type.
Movesets
When it comes to choosing moves, Alolan Sandslash’s main move options are Metal Claw and Blizzard. Metal Claw provides decent damage and, boosts Alolan Sandslash’s speed if the target is a Pokemon that can’t move.
Comparison to Regular Sandslash
Does not have the same base stat total as regular Sandslash. Regular Sandslash has a higher combined attack and defense stat sum.
Comparison to Sandslash
Sandslash has a higher max HP, but Alolan Sandslash has a 95 HP advantage with 245 HP compared to 150 HP.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
• Has the ability to resist various types, including Fire, Flying, Dragon, and Grass
• Not affected by Ground-type attacks due to its dual Ice/Ground typing
Weaknesses:
• Has two double weaknesses to Fire and Fighting-type moves
• Is slow, with relatively low speed
Synergies and Countering
When building a team, pair Alolan Sandslash with Pokémon with abilities that counter Fire-types to mitigate its defensive weakness.
Conclusion: Is Alolan Sandslash Good for Great League?
While Alolan Sandslash is not the sturdiest Pokémon defensively, it has significance strengths that place it in a unique corner of the Great League defensive market. Its ability to resist multiple types and disregard Ground-type attacks makes Alolan Sandslash worthy of consideration for tournament players and casual players.
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Resistance to Fire, Flying, Dragon, Grass, and Electric-type attacks | Two double weaknesses: Fire and Fighting-type |
| Not affected by Ground-type attacks | Slow overall speed |
| High overall defense stat | 245 HP max |
Tl;dr: In summary, Alolan Sandslash’s defensive capabilities coupled with its unique typing can be beneficial in the right circumstances, but its poor speed and double weaknesses could prove limiting.