>>41183113So how does it compare with Hippowdon?
Well, stat-wise it is very similar. Only 15 points shy of the hippo's BST, and with very similar physical and special stats.
Sandaconda: 72.107.125.65.70.71 (BST: 510)
Hippowdon: 108.112.118.68.72.47 (BST: 525)
Our snek basically trades Hippowdon's good HP stat for a middle-of-the-road speed stat that doesn't really seem all that good on paper. Despite its higher defense, its not high enough to outperform Hippowdon's physical bulk granted to it by its excellent HP. On top of that, Sandaconda has no reliable recovery. Hippowdon's access to Slack Off alone probably marks it as the better of the two, meanwhile its access to phasing moves Roar and Whirlwind, as well as the switch-inducing Yawn, are pretty good reasons to go with the hungry hungry hippo over this adorable snake wearing a neck pillow.
So its a worse Hippowdon then? Well, probably. But maybe you don't need a phaser or maybe you're into trying new mons out. Sandaconda can do some things Hippowdon can't. With unique access to Glare outside of Zygarde, he can give you some excellent speed control. Of lesser note he also has access to both Iron Defense and Coil, both of which synergize well with the new move Body Press, a new 80 bp Fighting move that calculates off of defense rather than attack, allowing you to get around burns and attack drops from Intimidate.
