Ask a Simple Question, Get a Simple Answer Mark III: Read the FAQ in the Opening Post

[Matthew]

If you're thinking of making a topic that can be answered with one post, please post it here instead. New threads should be for discussion!

When posting in this thread, follow the following guidelines:

1. Your answers should contain at least a brief explanation, even if it was the simplest of questions.
2. While answering Yes/No question, please quote the question you're referring to. It gets confusing otherwise.
3. At least do a simple google search before asking the question here.
4. This is already in the Smogon and Stark forum rules, but I will reiterate again do not discuss ROMs or other illegal things.
5. Do not ask for Action Replay or other external device codes. Use Google for that.

Frequently Asked Questions
What does [move / item / ability] do?
Check the links in this topic before asking. http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78983
Also read the first post here: http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79340

How can I view an alphabetical listing of all the Pokemon threads?
Click here.

Can we breed Dream World Abilities?
From the research thread:

CONFIRMED Breeding a Dream World female parent with any male parent (but not vice versa) has a chance of giving the offspring its respective Dream World Ability. It is unknown whether Ditto counts as the female for this purpose, and we won't know until DW Ditto is released. (Maverick Hunter, 0mastar\The Shadow Knight)

Can you use Rotom's alternate forms over WiFi?
Yes.

Why can't I select a Pokémon to replace a fainted in a Pokémon in a Triple Battle?
First you have to select which Pokémon you want to have replaced. If multiple Pokémon fainted, the game doesn't know which Pokémon you want on which position. So what you have to do is first select one of your fainted pokemon, and then select which unfainted pokemon you want to replace it with. (Thanks Chieliee)

The first SQSA thread can be found here.
The second can be found here.

 

[Showsni]

Thanks for the confirmation, but to the "second" part of my question - does the stat multiplier still derive from the original stat (394) or the new stat after the CB Boost (591)?

The Choice Band *1.5 boost stacks on top of the +6 attack *4 boost, so that's *6 in total. But why do you have Choice Band Scizor using Swords Dance? :P

 

[WoOoShoOo!!]

Is Blaze Blaziken banned?

 

[Negi]

Is Blaze Blaziken banned?

Yes, any Blaziken is uber.

 

[Onicon]

Which Chansey/Blissey spreads are popular nowadays? I need to now to tailor an appropiate mixed sweeper.

 

[Molk]

Max hp max defense bold should work for you, their special defense is high enough anyway.

 

[Onicon]

Max hp max defense bold should work for you, their special defense is high enough anyway.

Which would be the spread used since the 3rd gen. Still, some people may argue that the D/P/P set is outdated and that Bold 252Def/252SDef is the current one.

Don't know who to believe.

 

[Molk]

Which would be the spread used since the 3rd gen. Still, some people may argue that the D/P/P set is outdated and that Bold 252Def/252SDef is the current one.

Don't know who to believe.

blissey only gains about 2% special bulk using that spread, no notable things and it is still the standard ev spread for blissey as far as i know

 

[Onicon]

Thanks, they would have taken more damage from physical moves anyway, so I'm on the safe side with Bold 252HP/252Def.

 

[Kalyst]

Has anyone ever gotten the "Game Sync has run out of energy" thing before? I'm getting the message on my Pokemon Black. As far as Nintendo's site says, it can happen if you change the hardware or reset the internal clock. Also apparently AR's can mess up game sync as well, but I've never let an AR touch my Black version cause it's my tournament copy for VGC.

However I DID get on DW on my Pokemon White, which is linked to the same account and I removed my Pokemon Black to access Game Sync with White. When I tried to use my Black version to sync this morning it said it was still out of energy even though it's been much longer than 24 hours. D: I hope nothing's wrong with it and maybe I'm freaking out unnecessarily, but do you think it should fix itself if I've never used an AR on my Black and I haven't messed with the internal clock?

**Yes I have googled this issue, I just want confirmation here because most of the google searched answers have either been left unresolved or have insufficient answers. That and I want to make sure I don't do anything that could possibly add to the 24 hour penalty. ><

 

[Iceblade157]

Is Blaze Blaziken banned?

Only Speed Boost Blaziken is actually banned. Normal Blaziken is still allowed to be used (I just tested this on the Smogon server on PO), despite the fact that both of Blaziken's abilities were listed in the "Uber" analysis on the website.

 

[Matthew]

Only Speed Boost Blaziken is actually banned. Normal Blaziken is still allowed to be used (I just tested this on the Smogon server on PO), despite the fact that both of Blaziken's abilities were listed in the "Uber" analysis on the website.

No type of Blaziken is allowed

 

[BurningMan]

Only Speed Boost Blaziken is actually banned. Normal Blaziken is still allowed to be used (I just tested this on the Smogon server on PO), despite the fact that both of Blaziken's abilities were listed in the "Uber" analysis on the website.

both are banned the script is propably just not working correct. If you use Blaziken (or anything else thats illegal) in an OU Battle your opponent is allowed to call a mod if you refuse to forfeit on your own.

 

[Iceblade157]

Oh... In that case, may I ask: Why are both forms of Blaziken banned? I understand the reasons for Speed Boost, but can someone provide me a link to posts about the normal Blaziken ban, or just state some reasons.

 

[Crazykid]

Iceblade157 has brought up a very good question. It would be nice to see the reasoning to why Blaze Blaziken was also banned with the obviously overpowered (yet still hastily banned) Speed Boost Blaziken.

 

[Foxy Grandpa]

Oh... In that case, may I ask: Why are both forms of Blaziken banned? I understand the reasons for Speed Boost, but can someone provide me a link to posts about the normal Blaziken ban, or just state some reasons.

Complex Bans=Bad
Just banning Speed Boost=Complex ban
Therefore, by the transitive property of congruence only banning Speed boost is bad.

 

[Matthew]

Oh... In that case, may I ask: Why are both forms of Blaziken banned? I understand the reasons for Speed Boost, but can someone provide me a link to posts about the normal Blaziken ban, or just state some reasons.

Iceblade157 has brought up a very good question. It would be nice to see the reasoning to why Blaze Blaziken was also banned with the obviously overpowered (yet still hastily banned) Speed Boost Blaziken.

It has always been this way and will be this way for a bit longer. A pokemon's best set is what breaks it. A comparison is that Garchomp would be completely manageable without Swords Dance, but we don't want to add another element that makes it harder for newer players to get the ropes. Plus it's a huge slippery slope that we don't want to go down.

 

[Crazykid]

Well Blaze Blaziken was UU in the previous generation. What makes Blaze Blaziken unmanageable in the standard battling environment this generation?

Is Blaze Blaziken banned just banned to avoid confusion between the two abilities or just to limit complex bans?
I understand your "best set" argument, but I always thought of different abilities creating entirely different versions of Pokemon with different roles/uses.

 

[Matthew]

Well Blaze Blaziken was UU in the previous generation. What makes Blaze Blaziken unmanageable in the standard battling environment this generation?

Is Blaze Blaziken banned just banned to avoid confusion between the two abilities or just to limit complex bans?

There is currently one complex ban in OU -- and for the most part we're intending on keeping it that way for the future. So I guess the answer is we're doing this to limit complex bans. Also why care about Blaziken being Uber? It's not like with Blaze he's going to be good. It's a clear case of favoritism.

 

[Axmaster68]

^^I think both.

 

[Crazykid]

I guess we're just wondering is all. I don't really even plan to use Blaze Blaziken, (maybe if he were UU, but that's kinda besides the point) it's just something of pure curiosity.

 

[Strobe]

Who is the Best Jirachi Counter, and who is the best Heatran Counter?

 

[Matthew]

SpDef Jellicent has a pretty solid handle on Heatran. Heatran can't do much to beat it down and Jelly can fire off STAB Water-type moves. Best Jirachi counter is a hard question. Most Jirachi now are SpDef variants, so something with a strong EQ will probably take it down fairly easily. Gliscor is a great check with the immunity to being paralyzed thanks to Toxic Orb

 

[-Tsunami-]

Who is the Best Jirachi Counter, and who is the best Heatran Counter?

Depends on the sets. Blissey is usually a good Heatran counter unless it's something such as Magma Storm with Taunt. Jirachi is impossible to get a counter for without knowing the sets, as body slam + iron head variants have much different counters compared to CM Versions (and even CM versions get countered differently by the coverage moves they run).

 

[Thorhammer]

There is currently one complex ban in OU -- and for the most part we're intending on keeping it that way for the future. So I guess the answer is we're doing this to limit complex bans. Also why care about Blaziken being Uber? It's not like with Blaze he's going to be good. It's a clear case of favoritism.

Has there ever been a vote on this, or anything else to validate it as policy other than the leaders saying "because I said so" and shutting down any consideration of reasonable alternatives to how complex bans are regarded?