What it does
Scorching Sands is a Ground-type special move that has roughly a 30% chance to inflict Burn. Burn cuts the target's physical Attack by half and deals ongoing HP loss each turn — against physical attackers, a successful burn dramatically reduces the threat they pose for the rest of the game.
As a special Ground move, it fills a specific slot: it lets special-attacking Fire types hit Rock and Steel targets that would otherwise check them, without needing to run a physical attacker. It's also a cleaner doubles option than Earthquake, since it hits one target precisely and won't damage your own partner.
Who runs it
Typhlosion (56%) needs Scorching Sands the most. Its Fire/Ghost dual typing is otherwise excellent, but Rock types — which resist its Fire STAB — are a real problem. Scorching Sands hits those Rock types for super-effective damage, turns the matchup around, and runs entirely off Typhlosion's Special Attack investment. The burn chance also gives it a fighting chance against physical threats that would otherwise run it over once the burn is up.
Charizard (15%) uses it similarly. Its standard sets usually lead with Fire Blast or Flamethrower, and Scorching Sands is the fourth-slot answer to the Rock-type weakness. On special attack builds it hits hard; on more support-oriented sets, it still dents Rock targets enough to matter.
How to use it
Cover your Rock-type counter: Rock types resist or threaten both Charizard and Typhlosion. Having Scorching Sands means you don't have to switch out when a Rock type hits the field — you answer it in place, saving the tempo loss of a pivot.
Burn as physical control: If Scorching Sands burns a physical attacker, that attacker's damage output is halved for the rest of the time it stays in. Rock types tend to be physically offensive, so a successful burn on the target you're most worried about is a significant swing in the game state.
Doubles substitute for Earthquake: If your partner has a Ground-type weakness, you can't click Earthquake without hitting your own side. Scorching Sands is the clean, single-target alternative. Check your partner's type before committing to which Ground move to use.
Tips & strategy
Ground immunity is a hard stop: Flying-type Pokemon and anything with Levitate are completely immune to Ground moves — Scorching Sands does zero to them. Check whether your target can even be hit by Ground before clicking it.
Don't count on the burn: 30% is not reliable enough to build a strategy around. The move's primary value is the Ground coverage hit itself. Burn is a secondary benefit — it might fire and save you a turn, but you shouldn't be in a position where you need the burn to win.
Scorching Sands vs Earth Power: Against targets that need to be burned (physical attackers) and where you have a choice, Scorching Sands is the right pick. If burn is irrelevant (you just need the super-effective hit), the choice comes down to accuracy and base power. The burn chance is the tiebreaker that favors Scorching Sands in most scenarios.