Official TPCI Pokemon Tournament 2009 | Congrats to all who participated!!

[Carl]

Yeah, it's not that rain is a bad strategy, per se; it's just that most people make it their top priority to set up rain dance on turn one and if they don't they lose. These are the people who fill the team with swift swim pokemon and maybe a Jolteon or Toxicroak. This is just too predictable. A solid rain team for 2v2 would be one that can make use of the weather but doesn't need to set it up right away or at all in order to succeed. The problem is that VGC is only 4 pokemon so it's usually not worth the effort to try and "save rain dance for later" because at that point you might as well ignore it completely or choose the more reliable sources of weather: hail via Abomasnow or sandstorm via Hippowdon. Definitely disappointing that a 4 pokemon doubles team just can't properly make use of rain.

 

[penpad]

I was just crackin a joke with my post. I've been to europe a dozen times or so. It's really a great place. Nice to see architecture thats more than 140ish years old. Also the transportation systems are much better. I love roundabouts and Ive tried to convince the yanks to use them, but no one listens. Holland's my favorite euro country tho.

 

[VashTheStampede]

on your my pokemon account (www.op.pokemon-tcg.com/mypokemon) make sure all the information is current.

log into your my pokemon, at the top it will say:
view my profile - edit my profile - logout
view my events - view my orders.

select edit profile, and make sure all the info there is current.

Well, since I have no orders... What exactly should be under "view my events"? It should just be the Philly and Nationals stuff, right?

For a start... Do you guys think the Japanes will use Trick Room and MOLF party again? Because these days everybody knows MOLF and counters it so I suppose they won't be so stupid to try it again... I've got the slight suspicion that we will see many, many Cresselias from the Japanese, lol

Well, from what I understand, MOLF has changed up 1-2 Pokemon, so it will be different from what we know it has been in the past. Mind you, this is just a rumor I heard, but supposedly there is a new lead and different backups. And I concur with seeing a lot of Cressies running rampant. SE Physical Dark/Ghost moves will need to be around to beat them down properly, though it can work from both sides, Special ones will need to beat on it earlier and faster.

I hope to see a rise in the number of Japanese PAIN Dance teams. With the current rise in goodstuffs I think a Japanese rain team will tear it up.

I may have to agree with this. Proper rain teams will have simple ways to get around such other things.

Nah, goodstuffs beats rain. Goodstuffs beats everything pretty much. Rain is actually very underwhelming because if the sweepers don't get an OHKO right off the bad, they'll get OHKOed right back. Plus the setup turn is an ideal opportunity for goodstuffs to hit the rain teams.

I used rain at London, and epically failed both times I faced goodstuffs (yeah I lost twice). Lost in the second round but thankfully to a cheater, then lost in the quarter finals to UltimateUnknown/Sadman. Did quite well on Supremacy though, and in test battles. So in short, rain is a disappointing strategy. I'll be going goodstuffs all the way next year. Not without putting my own spin on it, though. Shoe's worlds team will be somewhat similar to my team I have planned for next year (I designed it mainly for him really), so anyone at San Diego'd better watch out. This is definitely something fresh and new, and I could see it becoming copied in the near future if he does well.

And if he does do well... maybe he'll buy me one of those Rayquaza hats or something. =P

Well, what exactly was your team? Maybe we can help you out. Because, IMO, Rain will be one of the more dominant teams coming into this, so long as they can take care of Cress as well.

 

[Zog]

It was Dusknoir/Gengar/Kingdra/Kabutops with Jolteon/Toxicroak as backup. Pretty much perfect for one of my rain teams, and I've been running rain teams since the early days of 3rd gen, so not a bad team. =P

Definitely wasn't the team design at fault: definitely the best rain team I've ever used, and it was a good team, just too risky. The best it could be, just unreliable. One crit on the rain dancer and it's curtains for rain. And that's exactly what happened to me in the quarter finals.

You got lucky, Sadman. I assure you. XD
Had I won that match and the semifinal and final followed as my practise matches had played out (my team having beaten both McSpam and Shoe with little/no losses), I would've won London. Oh well; I guess there's always next year.

 

[mattj]

ONTOPIC (lol): Anyone who wants some to practice against should PM me or add me on AIM if they want some battles.

Hmmm...I should have my team re-bred (for like the millionth time XD) by this weekend, so I'll definitely take you up on that.

Also...

...MOLF has changed up 1-2 Pokemon, so it will be different from what we know it has been in the past.

MOLF? What? Minimize, Odor-Sleuth, Lunar-Dance, Flail? I don't see that crafty strategy as being much of a challenge. But what is it really.

Oh yes and most importantly. Has anyone gotten any confirmation emails or anything in the mail or whatever concering worlds yet? I filled out my online part and mailed off what needed to be mailed, but it's going on 2 weeks and I haven't seen anything yet. Still I guess it does take a while to process everything, book hotels and plane tickets and whatnot so...

By the way, there's lots to talk about between now and worlds :P Just be creative. Does anybody have any questions specifically for those who are going to worlds? I don't know but that could be interesting...

 

[ultimatedra]

@Vash - your events should be blank, as the events are only programed for the TCG (For now at least-VGC is still new, but i believe it should be in there in the coming years). Orders are for Tournament organizers and League leaders (Like me).

@mattj - it can take a little while, but make sure that you add @go-pokemon.com so that emails from TPCI do not go to the junk mail.

 

[Huy]

Hmmm...I should have my team re-bred (for like the millionth time XD) by this weekend, so I'll definitely take you up on that.

Also...
MOLF? What? Minimize, Odor-Sleuth, Lunar-Dance, Flail? I don't see that crafty strategy as being much of a challenge. But what is it really.

Oh yes and most importantly. Has anyone gotten any confirmation emails or anything in the mail or whatever concering worlds yet? I filled out my online part and mailed off what needed to be mailed, but it's going on 2 weeks and I haven't seen anything yet. Still I guess it does take a while to process everything, book hotels and plane tickets and whatnot so...

By the way, there's lots to talk about between now and worlds :P Just be creative. Does anybody have any questions specifically for those who are going to worlds? I don't know but that could be interesting...

It takes about 3 days to get an email regarding flight information.

Also MILF party is more of something I'm interested in.

Edit: I'm down for some MILF parties in SD if anyone catches my drift.

 

[penpad]

Also...
MOLF? What? Minimize, Odor-Sleuth, Lunar-Dance, Flail? I don't see that crafty strategy as being much of a challenge. But what is it really.

MOLF Party

Dusknoir@Chesto Berry
Trick Room, Shadow Punch, Will-o-Wisp, Psych Up

Smeargle [Lv1]@Focus Sash
Fake Out, Endeavor, Dark Void, Protect

Snorlax@Sitrus Berry
Belly Drum, Body Slam, Crunch, Selfdestruct

Spiritomb@Lum Berry
Sucker Punch, Psych Up, Shadow Sneak, Pain Split

I looked it up in the thread. I do not know why this called MOLF party tho

 

[FiveKRunner]

It takes about 3 days to get an email regarding flight information.

Also MILF party is more of something I'm interested in.

Edit: I'm down for some MILF parties in SD if anyone catches my drift.

Sorry, Bianca will be with me over here on the East side of the country. She's mine now!

I looked it up in the thread. I do not know why this called MOLF party tho

It's called MOLF because that is the username of the Japanese player who designed it.

 

[POKEMONBATTLEBRAIN]

Update: the VGC site has updated with the Worlds rules and regulations!

http://www.pokemonvgc.com/en/rules/wrg.html


Almost all of the rules are the same, except they have confirmed a self KO clause, in addition to confirming the Swiss rounds. It's going to be best of three matches for both Swiss and single elimination. The Swiss rounds will take place that Friday, while the Single Elimination will take place Saturday afternoon(not at 8:30am!). Then I am guessing Opening Ceremonies will be Thursday evening and Closing Ceremonies will be Sunday afternoon.

 

[Diesel]

MOLF Party

Dusknoir@Chesto Berry
Trick Room, Shadow Punch, Will-o-Wisp, Psych Up

Smeargle [Lv1]@Focus Sash
Fake Out, Endeavor, Dark Void, Protect

Snorlax@Sitrus Berry
Belly Drum, Body Slam, Crunch, Selfdestruct

Spiritomb@Lum Berry
Sucker Punch, Psych Up, Shadow Sneak, Pain Split

I looked it up in the thread. I do not know why this called MOLF party tho

WTF? Is that really what a MOLF team is? I literally had zero knowledge of this when I made my team for Seattle. The only thing I "changed" was Pain Split on Spiritomb. That's crazy (so crazy I almost doubt people will believe me). I made my team based on a different TR team I saw while researching doubles that was similar to PBB's team last year I think.

 

[Mosquito]

MOLF Party

Dusknoir@Chesto Berry
Trick Room, Shadow Punch, Will-o-Wisp, Psych Up

Smeargle [Lv1]@Focus Sash
Fake Out, Endeavor, Dark Void, Protect

Snorlax@Sitrus Berry
Belly Drum, Body Slam, Crunch, Selfdestruct

Spiritomb@Lum Berry
Sucker Punch, Psych Up, Shadow Sneak, Pain Split

I looked it up in the thread. I do not know why this called MOLF party tho

Actually, MOLF Party (Version I) is like this (off the top of my head):

Bronzong@Chesto Berry (MOLF used to win Worlds '08)
Trick Room, Hypnosis, Explosion, Psychic

~or~

Dusknoir@Chesto Berry (MOLF used to win Hiroshima '09)
Trick Room, Rock Slide, Will-O-Wisp, Psych Up

Smeargle[Lv. 1]@Focus Sash
Dark Void, Endeavor, Fake Out, Follow Me

Snorlax@Sitrus Berry
Return, Belly Drum, Protect, Fire Punch

Metagross@Lum Berry
Psych Up, Bullet Punch, Rock Slide, Hammer arm


Version II (which MOLF used in Japan Nationals '09) had Mismagius in exchange for Dusknoir, Smeargle[Lv. 50] in exchange for smeargle[Lv. 1], and Rhyperior in exchange for Metagross.

Btw, San Diego was awesome (I'm in California), I'll tell what to do there when I get back home.

 

[drug_duck]

With level 50 Smeargle, the 'new' MOLF party is a normal trick room team... I'm quite sure this can be beaten more easily than the 'original' MILF party, which happens to be countered hard anyway.

Btw...

(Japan)
-Akai Takahiro
-Urano Yuu
-Fukumori Tomoaki
-Morishima Takushi
-Tsuji Kazuyuki
-Hideshima Hiroaki
-Mano Yuu
-??? (Anonymous)

Izuru Yoshimura (or something like that, can't they have normal names? lol) is the World Champion 2008, also the MILF party user. As you can see, he's not on the list so... is he Mr. Anonymus or isn't he going to Worlds this year?

On to metagaming... The problem with Raindance teams is their inferiority to well-built trick room teams and because trick room has been popular for a long time now, especially with all those smeargles in da hood, Raindance isn't used as often anymore. Good stuff is simply 'good'. The crux is that goodstuff requires major predictions by the players using it. If your opponent gets that trick room in and you haven't damaged Smeargle / have priority moves / sleep berries, you're pretty much fucked up. Standard rain dance teams can be beaten as well but it's gonna be hard when there's a Vaporeon for set up because she and Ludicolo could easily double surf Gengar to death after it wasted a turn with taunting... So you see, it's not that easy.

Much ado about nothing.
Lol.

 

[Zog]

Very true, lol.

Trick room teams always have that leverage of an incoming trick room to let them get free hits on the enemy. Tauntgar is overrated also (I used one alongside a taunting Dusknoir as lead). More often than not, trick room stuff just hits you anyway and Gengar dies. Metagrosses are literally everywhere too. In fact, every team should have a Metagross because of how borderline broken it is in VGC rules doubles. Massive power, STAB priority and almost impossible to OHKO barring STAB fire blasts without occa berry or possibly with boosted STAB earthquakes. It's nasty, by all means. 3/4 of the London semifinalists had lead Metagrosses, all of which did significant amounts of damage in their respective battles. And it can explode, too. Though I wouldn't recommend explosion because it's predictable and people just protect anyway. Unless you have a protecting imprison user.

 

[mattj]

Wow, they even listed Sunny Day as a weather effect that can KO you or Your opponent?! Man, they're actually getting technical this time?!

If an environmental effect knocks out both players’ last Pokémon, the result of the match is a tie. This includes Hail, Sandstorm, or Sunny Day.

No loopholes this time!

I guess I never realized there would be just 30 of us competing per age group this time... That seems kind of thin.

hee hee! Does anybody else still think you can game that sudden death part with perfectly timed explosions and protections to still end up with a tie! XD

 

[Alex Practice]

Sunny Day can cause damage? The only reason I can imagine for that is Dry Skin but I'm pretty sure they're simply vulnerable to Fire type attacks and not weather o___O

 

[DukeTheDevil]

Any pokemon with the ability Dry Skin loses health every turn its expose to sun.

 

[Huy]

Sunny Day can cause damage? The only reason I can imagine for that is Dry Skin but I'm pretty sure they're simply vulnerable to Fire type attacks and not weather o___O

Solar Power.

 

[imperfectluck]

they forgot rain dance! (acid rain)

 

[mattj]

they forgot rain dance! (acid rain)

ha! loophole #1 discovered! ^.6

 

[drcossack]

ha! loophole #1 discovered! ^.6

what, pursuit killing a Pokemon that's about to switch out?

Wait, would Roar/WW+Pursuit work? I'm tempted to say no since Roar/WW are negative priority.

 

[mattj]

KRAPXSSS!!!

I just now completed my online travel stuff. I had attempted to like a week ago and was pretty sure everything had gone through fine, but other people were talking about their confirmation stuff, and I hadn't gotten anything so I emailed them and they said they hadn't received anything, so I re-filled out the online form and I got a confirmation email this time.

AAAACK!

It's all good now though. :D

 

[ultimatedra]

I just now completed my online travel stuff. I had attempted to like a week ago and was pretty sure everything had gone through fine, but other people were talking about their confirmation stuff, and I hadn't gotten anything so I emailed them and they said they hadn't received anything, so I re-filled out the online form and I got a confirmation email this time.

AAAACK!

It's all good now though. :D

Smoothe dude.
BTW - i will be at worlds as well. I will not be playing nor will i have time to play. I will be busy working. If you see me working though, be sure to say hey/hello/wazzup ETC.

 

[mattj]

I'm going to be so glad when Worlds is over. I haven't touched my Guitar in like 3 months.

Is anybody else missing anything or are y'all just chillin till San Diego?

 

[Huy]

I'm going to be so glad when Worlds is over. I haven't touched my Guitar in like 3 months.

Is anybody else missing anything or are y'all just chillin till San Diego?

I haven't played Pokemon since Nationals. Y'all should stop worrying and get back to your normal lives!