Ask a simple question, get a simple answer - VGC edition

[Lucien Lachance]

People using Thunder Wave and Icy Wind are more common than Trick Room and Tailwind.

Trick Room is normally used to reverse Trick Room if a dedicated Trick Room team is being used.

 

[Kiyo]

Well that's a given, cresselia is the best support Pokemon in the metagame and any team loves icy wind or t wave support. But I've definitely seen a similar amount of icy wind cress and dedicated tr teams. Regardless both tailwind and speed reducing moves are counterproductive against a tr team

 

[The Knights of Wario Land]

I actually have seen sand quite alot with Tyranitar and Metagross in the many matches I have done and watched, probably as much as I've seen rain.

Also, an interesting question: if something like a "rain" delay happens (although it's not likely to happen at all), how will the events be moved?

 

[Drifblim]

I actually have seen sand quite alot with Tyranitar and Metagross in the many matches I have done and watched, probably as much as I've seen rain.

Also, an interesting question: if something like a "rain" delay happens (although it's not likely to happen at all), how will the events be moved?

Something incredibly drastic i.e an earthquake in that area, as our Japanese friends experienced, would need to happen for the event to be cancelled. In which case, here's what I expect would happen:

Regionals: That one Regional just gets forgotten about

Nationals: People attending that national would probably only have a larger then usual LCQ weeks later, that would be terrible for anyone who has won a trip to Nats.

Worlds: Shit, everybody will just have to fly home and there will be no Worlds 2012.

 

[Nightfront]

Something incredibly drastic i.e an earthquake in that area, as our Japanese friends experienced, would need to happen for the event to be cancelled. In which case, here's what I expect would happen:

Regionals: That one Regional just gets forgotten about

Nationals: People attending that national would probably only have a larger then usual LCQ weeks later, that would be terrible for anyone who has won a trip to Nats.

Worlds: Shit, everybody will just have to fly home and there will be no Worlds 2012.

For Nationals they would probably keep the people who won their trips and not hold an LCQ. They would probably just hold the event itself weeks later.

 

[Sprocket]

Could someone go into details about how "swiss pairing" works in a tournament format?

 

[Drifblim]

If I have a Pokemon with Leftovers, my opponent double Protects, and they have Hail/Sandstorm up, at the end of the turn do I have full health? Will the Leftovers regeneration not happen before the weather damage because I have 100% at the time, or will weather damage happen then I get Lefties regen to get the health back?

 

[R Inanimate]

Hail/Sandstorm damage occurs before Leftovers recovery, so you will still have 100% of your HP if you were at 100% before taking the hail damage.

 

[Skyshayde]

If I have a Pokemon with Leftovers, my opponent double Protects, and they have Hail/Sandstorm up, at the end of the turn do I have full health? Will the Leftovers regeneration not happen before the weather damage because I have 100% at the time, or will weather damage happen then I get Lefties regen to get the health back?

You;ll take damage from the weather and then it will be healed by leftovers.


Edit:

Ninja'd

 

[CakesOfSpan]

Could someone go into details about how "swiss pairing" works in a tournament format?

Swiss implies players will all receive the same amount of matches during the first stage of the tournament (for Regionals, the only stage.) Generally speaking, you will be paired with an opponent of the same record in order to create an even and competitive playing field. For example...

Round 1 - Random Pairings
Round 2 - Pairings based on record, 1-0 players will play 1-0 players and vice versa. If there is an odd number of players, there may be an 0-1 vs 1-0 matchup.
Round 3 - Same idea as round 2, however the 2-0 player with the highest opponent win % will play the 2-0 player with the lowest opponent win %. Again, the odd players rule may still apply.

This continues up until, say, you have three 5-0 players. In this case, one of the three players would end up playing someone 4-1.

At the end of the day rankings are based...

1) Off overall record. If a tie...
2) Opponent win percentage. If a tie...
3) Opponent's opponent's win percentage. If a tie...
4) idk lol

 

[Sprocket]

Thanks CakesOfSpan. Sounds like the US Regionals are going to have a lot of battles going on.

 

[theamericandream38]

Hail/Sandstorm damage occurs before Leftovers recovery, so you will still have 100% of your HP if you were at 100% before taking the hail damage.

This is also relevant in the situation in which the Pokemon that has Leftovers is at 6% HP or less, as it will die from the weather effect before it can recover HP with Leftovers.

 

[PokeMaster366]

Swiss implies players will all receive the same amount of matches during the first stage of the tournament (for Regionals, the only stage.) Generally speaking, you will be paired with an opponent of the same record in order to create an even and competitive playing field. For example...

Round 1 - Random Pairings
Round 2 - Pairings based on record, 1-0 players will play 1-0 players and vice versa. If there is an odd number of players, there may be an 0-1 vs 1-0 matchup.
Round 3 - Same idea as round 2, however the 2-0 player with the highest opponent win % will play the 2-0 player with the lowest opponent win %. Again, the odd players rule may still apply.

This continues up until, say, you have three 5-0 players. In this case, one of the three players would end up playing someone 4-1.

At the end of the day rankings are based...

1) Off overall record. If a tie...
2) Opponent win percentage. If a tie...
3) Opponent's opponent's win percentage. If a tie...
4) idk lol

What do they mean by opponent win % anyway?

 

[Skyshayde]

What do they mean by opponent win % anyway?

They mean if you tie 7-0 with enough people, the people who will continue to nationals will be determined by how well their opponents did.

 

[Magicxgame]

There's an unofficial VGC11 (yes '11, not '12) tourney coming up, and I'm stuck between two EV spreads for my standard Drain Punch/Rock Slide/Mach Punch/Protect Conkeldurr.

EV Spread #1: 68 HP/244 Atk/196 Spd, Adamant @ Flame Orb. Conkeldurr hits 90 Speed. This allows it to outspeed "genies" after a Tailwind and have a 75% chance of OHKOing them with a spread Rock Slide. I'm running Tailwind Tornadus and Thunder Wave Thundurus, so Conkeldurr will have opportunities to outspeed them. The extra speed also helps it get a surprise jump on opposing Pokémon like Scrafty. However, this spread detracts from Conkeldurr's bulk, and the Flame Orb damage doesn't help.

EV Spread #2: 252 HP/180 Atk/20 Def/4 Sp. Def/52 Spd, Adamant @ Sitrus Berry. I came up with this spread after seeing the bulky Conkeldurr on BlueCookies' Worlds team. Conkeldurr outspeeds 4 Speed Eelektross, survives a normal Acrobatics from Jolly Tornadus, and has enough power to 2HKO Hydreigon with Mach Punch.

I'm leaning towards the bulky spread, but what do you guys think?

 

[Saboros]

There's an unofficial VGC11 (yes '11, not '12) tourney coming up, and I'm stuck between two EV spreads for my standard Drain Punch/Rock Slide/Mach Punch/Protect Conkeldurr.

EV Spread #1: 68 HP/244 Atk/196 Spd, Adamant @ Flame Orb. Conkeldurr hits 90 Speed. This allows it to outspeed "genies" after a Tailwind and have a 75% chance of OHKOing them with a spread Rock Slide. I'm running Tailwind Tornadus and Thunder Wave Thundurus, so Conkeldurr will have opportunities to outspeed them. The extra speed also helps it get a surprise jump on opposing Pokémon like Scrafty. However, this spread detracts from Conkeldurr's bulk, and the Flame Orb damage doesn't help.

EV Spread #2: 252 HP/180 Atk/20 Def/4 Sp. Def/52 Spd, Adamant @ Sitrus Berry. I came up with this spread after seeing the bulky Conkeldurr on BlueCookies' Worlds team. Conkeldurr outspeeds 4 Speed Eelektross, survives a normal Acrobatics from Jolly Tornadus, and has enough power to 2HKO Hydreigon with Mach Punch.

I'm leaning towards the bulky spread, but what do you guys think?

I'm not a fan of using Conk outside of TR, but if you had to choose between the two sets, I'd choose the Bulky one as it seems it's more useful because of your ability to tank and outspeed a few important things.

 

[Saboros]

In response to the sign up times and such for the NorCal regionals this year, a few questions have come across:

• Will I need more than just a Pokemon Black or White cartridge and a Nintendo DS, DSi DSiXL or 3DS in order to participate in the event? (I've read somewhere I need some sort of trainer ID)
• If I do need something other than the cartridge and a DS, what else is there?
• Will regionals only allow a certain amount of players into their division? If so how many?
• If Regionals start at 8:30, what would be a safe time to arrive to make sure I secure a spot in the tournament?

 

[Snack Attack]

What are the exact rules of VGC?

 

[voodoo pimp]

What are the exact rules of VGC?

Second post.

Edit: oops, missed a post.

In response to the sign up times and such for the NorCal regionals this year, a few questions have come across:

• Will I need more than just a Pokemon Black or White cartridge and a Nintendo DS, DSi DSiXL or 3DS in order to participate in the event? (I've read somewhere I need some sort of trainer ID)
• If I do need something other than the cartridge and a DS, what else is there?
• Will regionals only allow a certain amount of players into their division? If so how many?
• If Regionals start at 8:30, what would be a safe time to arrive to make sure I secure a spot in the tournament?

You can get an ID through your Trainer Club account, but they'll give you one when you register if you don't. But you should get one beforehand if you can, so you don't slow down the line. I don't think you need anything else.
If fall regionals are any indication, attendance should be nowhere near the cap, but if you're really worried it seems you can pre-register here. At San Jose last year I got there about an hour before it started and was ~250th in line.

 

[Snack Attack]

Thank you.

 

[Saboros]

Edit: oops, missed a post.

You can get an ID through your Trainer Club account, but they'll give you one when you register if you don't. But you should get one beforehand if you can, so you don't slow down the line. I don't think you need anything else.
If fall regionals are any indication, attendance should be nowhere near the cap, but if you're really worried it seems you can pre-register here. At San Jose last year I got there about an hour before it started and was ~250th in line.

Thanks voodoo, could you help me figure out how to make a Trainer Club account, I have literally no idea.

 

[voodoo pimp]

Thanks voodoo, could you help me figure out how to make a Trainer Club account, I have literally no idea.

https://www.pokemon.com/us/account/signup/
Follow all the directions etc. Once you've logged in to your account, it should be on this page.

 

[QuickClaw49]

I have a question. If we are interested in learning about the VGC, how should we start? I'm new and would like to learn the ropes. Thanks :)

 

[CakesOfSpan]

Check out the battling 202 program!

http://www.smogon.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=180

Also I'd be more than happy to help you out if you'd like. (:

 

[Skyshayde]

What would be the easiest type of team too use for someone who doesn't play pokemon much? One of my friends is playing this year and doesn't play much.