Sandaconda - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

This is a strategy guide for using Sandaconda in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, and Held Items to use with Sandaconda, as well as its strengths and weak points.

Sandaconda - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle	Gigantamax Sandaconda

Basic Information for Sandaconda

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Sandaconda
Abilities
Shed Skin	The Pokemon may heal its own status problems.
Sand Spit	The Pokémon creates a sandstorm when it's hit by an attack.
Sand Veil (Hidden)	Boosts the Pokemon's evasion in a sandstorm.

Sandaconda Weaknesses and Resistances

	Type
Takes 4x damage	-
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage	-
Takes 0x damage

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

Best Nature for Sandaconda

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Sandaconda

Lead Support Moveset & Best Build

This build allows Sandaconda to fill the role of lead support with the goal of creating an advantageous starting point for the rest of the team with its support moves.

About Sandaconda's Moves

Sandaconda's moves are intended to create as much disadvantage as possible to your opponent's team.

Glare is its primary support move that you should use at the very start of the battle except when you are facing an Electric-type lead.

Rock Tomb is used to lower an opponent's Speed stat even more, and is useful if you think that the foe can still outspeed your main attacker. Mud-Slap on the other hand lowers accuracy which is very effective against Pokemon that rely on high power, low accuracy moves such as Blizzard or Hydro Cannon.

Stealth Rock can be used when you're in favorable conditions to deal residual damage in case your opponent switches Pokemon.

About Sandaconda's EV Spread

This build uses a straightforward EV spread with full investment in Attack and Speed so that it hits hard and as fast as possible, with the remaining 4 HP to give it some bulk.

About Sandaconda's Ability

Sandaconda's signature Ability Sand Spit lets it whip up a Sandstorm for five turns when it is hit by a damaging move.

About Sandaconda's Held Item

Letting Sandaconda hold Focus Sash ensures that it can use Glare or set up Stealth Rock before it gets knocked out.

Other Viable Moves

How to Use Sandaconda Effectively

An Excellent Lead against Fast Attackers

Sandaconda has access to Glare, Mud-Slap, Rock Tomb, and other stat-decreasing moves which are good moves to use against speedy, offensive Pokemon.

Letting it hold Focus Sash also guarantees that you can use at least one move to lower your opponent's stat before Sandaconda is knocked out.

How to Build a Team with Sandaconda

Lead Support with Moody Glalie

This team mostly relies on Glalie's Moody Ability. The majority of Glalie's stat changes may be out of your control, but you can definitely help it by afflicting disadvantages at your opponents with Sandaconda.

The following team shows an example of how Sandaconda can be effectively used in a party for Ranked Battle.

Example Build Team

Lead Support	Set-up Sweeper	Special Attacker
Sandaconda	Glalie	Mimikyu

Sandaconda leads the team and uses Glare to slow down your opponent. This is followed by either Mud-Slap to lower their accuracy or Rock Tomb to lower their Speed even more. This allows Glalie to have more breathing room with its random stat changes thanks to its Ability.

Sandaconda's Stealth Rock softens up any opposing Pokemon that Glalie or Mimikyu may face. As these two are built offensively, it will be easier to clean up the opposing team, especially with Mimikyu who may not be able to hit as hard as Glalie.

How to Build an Offensive Team

Counters for Sandaconda

Weakness

Overpower it with Special Attacks

Sandaconda has a low Special Defense stat, which makes it very vulnerable to powerful Water and Grass-type moves as long as they can outspeed it.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Tapu Fini	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can heavily Damage Sandaconda with Hydro Pump or burn it with Scald ・Its Misty Surge Ability sets up Misty Terrain, preventing status moves such as Glare activating Moveset & Best Build for Tapu Fini
Wash Rotom	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can heavily Damage Sandaconda with Hydro Pump ・Has immunity to Ground-type moves thanks to its Levitate Ability Moveset & Best Build for Wash Rotom
Mow Rotom	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・Can heavily Damage Sandaconda with Leaf Storm ・Has immunity to Ground-type moves thanks to its Levitate Ability Moveset & Best Build for Mow Rotom

Related Links

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Series 10 List of Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

Best Builds for New Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for New Pokemon
Dragapult	Galarian Corsola	Toxtricity
Galarian Darmanitan	Corviknight	Dracovish
Grimmsnarl	Rillaboom	Duraludon
Cinderace	Alcremie	Dracozolt
Hatterene	Eiscue	Inteleon
Pincurchin	Frosmoth	Zacian
Sirfetch'd	Flapple	Coalossal
Centiskorch	Arctozolt	Zarude
Galarian Weezing	Eternatus	Indeedee (Female)
Sandaconda	Zamazenta