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Event Discussion
- Thread starter Pikachu315111
- Start date
The Newsletter containing the code to get one of the Winged Mirages (Articuno, Zapdos, & Moltres) with their Hidden Ability is starting to be sent out! If you signed up for the Pokemon Trainer Club newsletter before April 22nd (which for those who got the ORAS demo you should be signed up already) you should be getting one soon.
Articuno has Snow Cloak and comes with Freeze-Dry, Ice Beam, Hail, & Reflect.
Zapdos has Static and comes with Discharge, Thunder Shock, Rain Dance, & Agility.
Moltres has Flame Body and comes with Sky Attack, Heat Wave, Sunny Day, & Safeguard
They're at level 70, holding no items, can be any Nature, and are in Cherish Balls.
Articuno and Moltres are alright (don't know why you'd want Sky Attack on Moltres, but it can use it) but why Thunder Shock on Zapdos? It has Thunder, Zap Cannon, Drill Peck, Thunder Wave, even Reflect and Detect. Why go back to a move that's outclassed by another move you gave it?
Articuno has Snow Cloak and comes with Freeze-Dry, Ice Beam, Hail, & Reflect.
Zapdos has Static and comes with Discharge, Thunder Shock, Rain Dance, & Agility.
Moltres has Flame Body and comes with Sky Attack, Heat Wave, Sunny Day, & Safeguard
They're at level 70, holding no items, can be any Nature, and are in Cherish Balls.
Articuno and Moltres are alright (don't know why you'd want Sky Attack on Moltres, but it can use it) but why Thunder Shock on Zapdos? It has Thunder, Zap Cannon, Drill Peck, Thunder Wave, even Reflect and Detect. Why go back to a move that's outclassed by another move you gave it?
They're probably not worth it. Outside of Moltres, and maybe Zapdos, the birds have little use for their HAs and will probably not come into play very often at all.
Well there's this article on the main Pokemon website as some poor guy tries to come up with strategies, gimmicky as they are, to get your money worth's out of the Hidden Abilities of the Golem and Bird Trio.
Just for fun I'll also throw my hat into the ring and try not to be too cynical:
Articuno: One who's Hidden Ability you can actually form a strategy around. Articuno's Hidden Ability screams "use me only on a Hail team". While Articuno learns Hail (and this one comes with it), while you can use it to summon hail it might be a better idea to have a bulkier teammate use Hail or have a member of the Snover family or Amaura family that knows Snow Warning. So, now Hail is up and Snow Cloak is giving you an evasion boost, now what? Well first off if you're going to be in Hail you better have Articuno know Blizzard (really Pokemon Company, Ice Beam?).
But let's say you want to play around more with Snow Cloak, specifically the Evasion increase. The article above mentions giving it Bright Powder which I guess you can do but I think Articuno would prefer a power-up item (FUN FACT: If you transferred an Articuno from Gen I to Gen II it would be holding a Bright Powder). Instead if you want to be the most hated thing in Pokemon battles you can teach it the ever so spited Double Team. With Evasion already increased you'll probably be able to pull off some Double Teams before Hail goes away thus keeping the Evasion increase (or even more so depending on how many Double Teams you use).
Looking at Smogon's movesets for Articuno I'd suggest using the SubRoost set (have another Pokemon set up Hail) and replace the Ice move with Blizzard and than you can decide where to replace a move with Double Team or not (I'd suggest either Substitute (if you want more than one attacking option) or Hurricane (if you really want to focus on surviving as long as possible)). And remember every turn your opponent's non-Ice-types lose 1/16 of their HP in Hail so stalling doesn't hurt. But that said you can just go to town with an offensive set, it's all up to you.
Zapdos & Moltres: Yup, I'm doing both of them at once since their Hidden Abilities are not only similar but also passive. Honestly just choose the Zapdos and Moltres set you would normally use. The article mentions giving them a Rocky Helmet to do additional damage to Physical attackers but f*** that, let nature take its course and give them an item they'd normally use (Zapdos & Moltres). If you do anything different I'd just suggest don't skip out on having 31 Defense IVs and choose a Nature that doesn't decrease Defense (in fact there's a Zapdos set which has it being a Bold nature, but as Kurona mentioned above I think it's meant to PP drain).
Just for fun I'll also throw my hat into the ring and try not to be too cynical:
Articuno: One who's Hidden Ability you can actually form a strategy around. Articuno's Hidden Ability screams "use me only on a Hail team". While Articuno learns Hail (and this one comes with it), while you can use it to summon hail it might be a better idea to have a bulkier teammate use Hail or have a member of the Snover family or Amaura family that knows Snow Warning. So, now Hail is up and Snow Cloak is giving you an evasion boost, now what? Well first off if you're going to be in Hail you better have Articuno know Blizzard (really Pokemon Company, Ice Beam?).
But let's say you want to play around more with Snow Cloak, specifically the Evasion increase. The article above mentions giving it Bright Powder which I guess you can do but I think Articuno would prefer a power-up item (FUN FACT: If you transferred an Articuno from Gen I to Gen II it would be holding a Bright Powder). Instead if you want to be the most hated thing in Pokemon battles you can teach it the ever so spited Double Team. With Evasion already increased you'll probably be able to pull off some Double Teams before Hail goes away thus keeping the Evasion increase (or even more so depending on how many Double Teams you use).
Looking at Smogon's movesets for Articuno I'd suggest using the SubRoost set (have another Pokemon set up Hail) and replace the Ice move with Blizzard and than you can decide where to replace a move with Double Team or not (I'd suggest either Substitute (if you want more than one attacking option) or Hurricane (if you really want to focus on surviving as long as possible)). And remember every turn your opponent's non-Ice-types lose 1/16 of their HP in Hail so stalling doesn't hurt. But that said you can just go to town with an offensive set, it's all up to you.
Zapdos & Moltres: Yup, I'm doing both of them at once since their Hidden Abilities are not only similar but also passive. Honestly just choose the Zapdos and Moltres set you would normally use. The article mentions giving them a Rocky Helmet to do additional damage to Physical attackers but f*** that, let nature take its course and give them an item they'd normally use (Zapdos & Moltres). If you do anything different I'd just suggest don't skip out on having 31 Defense IVs and choose a Nature that doesn't decrease Defense (in fact there's a Zapdos set which has it being a Bold nature, but as Kurona mentioned above I think it's meant to PP drain).
Gosh, I'd better train my Flame Body Moltres in defense! Because then I'll totally survive the water, electric, and rock type moves that will be thrown at me and will make contact!
Also, is there a GF employee lurking in the depths of competitive battling, because it specifically mentioned "many trainers already train their Zapdos in Defense". That's a bit odd in my book. But I do feel sorry for the guy who had to try and make these HAs seem redeemable enough to actually use.
That reminds me of the person that had to try to make regular Zygarde sound good for this year's VGC ruleset with the old "no one would expect it!"
As I said in another thread, the Pokémon website recently seems to have hired on someone who knows their competitive shit for writing articles - there was a very impressive one made on Competitive Gen 1 that is legitimately helpful at least as a starting point for Competitive G1 - and then there were also similar competitive-minded articles written on ORAS battle competitions. So, yeah, they seem to have roped this person into writing up stuff for HA Birds and Golems... and it is so evident how hard this person is trying to come up with any use whatsoever. They're like one step away from writing "no don't bother these are fucking terrible"
I think that person was a founder of Nuggetbridge and also a commentator for VGC.
But yeah, it's a thankless job trying to hype something that just isn't good. You can only polish a turd so much (and the analogy is quite graphically fitting in the case of Regirock).
It reminds me of Microsoft's initial E3 presentation for the Xbone.
But yeah, it's a thankless job trying to hype something that just isn't good. You can only polish a turd so much (and the analogy is quite graphically fitting in the case of Regirock).
It reminds me of Microsoft's initial E3 presentation for the Xbone.
To be honest, this article is hilarious. I know Nintendo is more concerned with their doubles format, therefore I shouldn't be surprised that there is an advertisement for Registeel to be used against the likes of Mega Kangaskhan or Weavile which both know Low Kick.
But the most interesting part of the article for me was the part with Regice using Hail...for a moment I was shocked that you can use the move to abuse Regice's ability until I came back to reality of it wasting a moveslot and having only 1 resistance.
But that article convinced me to get a HA Moltres...it is more fancy to have a legendary Flame Body Bird than an early route Flame Body Bird for hatching eggs.
Yeah, it's sort of hard to hype Regice's and Articuno's HAs making them harder to take down when Close Combat and Rock Slide exist.
What i find funny is how they keep pretending EVs and IVs STILL don't exist.
Train it in Defense! Yup, that makes a lot of sense to the average casual player.
And from a previous article: "X person made his Pokemon slower in order to use Trick Room. uh-huh, yup, the guy MADE his pokemon slower, because Iron Ball is that great of an item. Definitely didn't get 0 Speed IV pokes.
Train it in Defense! Yup, that makes a lot of sense to the average casual player.
And from a previous article: "X person made his Pokemon slower in order to use Trick Room. uh-huh, yup, the guy MADE his pokemon slower, because Iron Ball is that great of an item. Definitely didn't get 0 Speed IV pokes.
As a kid I felt a sense of wonder when first learning about EVs and IVs. Why not have a guy hidden in the post game who explains it all? You could have him say it as a myth so people who can't / don't want to understand don't have to.
Also seeing them try to act like some of those abilities are good is too funny. Truant is great when used in combo with Hyper Beam, you don't have to worry about the recharge!
Also seeing them try to act like some of those abilities are good is too funny. Truant is great when used in combo with Hyper Beam, you don't have to worry about the recharge!
Oh gosh, I remember reading that in my Prima Pokemon walkthrough book.
The Shiny Xerneas is now available for North America through the Nintendo Network (Mystery Gift > Receive Gift > Get Via Internet)!
It's Level 100, comes in a Cherish Ball
, and knows the Moves Geomancy, Moonblast, Aromatherapy, and Focus Miss Blast.
Here's Smogon's moveset strategies for it. Interesting enough if it was holding a Power Herb and had a Modest Nature (with good IVs) you'd be all set to go for the first strategy, the one titled "Geomancy". Use one Geomancy + Power Herb to instantly buff up, use Aromatherapy to heal off status ailments, and then go to town with Moonblast and Focus Blast.
It's Level 100, comes in a Cherish Ball
Here's Smogon's moveset strategies for it. Interesting enough if it was holding a Power Herb and had a Modest Nature (with good IVs) you'd be all set to go for the first strategy, the one titled "Geomancy". Use one Geomancy + Power Herb to instantly buff up, use Aromatherapy to heal off status ailments, and then go to town with Moonblast and Focus Blast.
Welp...the easiest part is already done for us. Just left is the time-consuming part (soft resetting it) and "hard" part (EV training).The Shiny Xerneas is now available for North America through the Nintendo Network (Mystery Gift > Receive Gift > Get Via Internet)!
It's Level 100, comes in a Cherish Ball, and knows the Moves Geomancy, Moonblast, Aromatherapy, and FocusMissBlast.
Here's Smogon's moveset strategies for it. Interesting enough if it was holding a Power Herb and had a Modest Nature (with good IVs) you'd be all set to go for the first strategy, the one titled "Geomancy". Use one Geomancy + Power Herb to instantly buff up, use Aromatherapy to heal off status ailments, and then go to town with Moonblast and Focus Blast.
Is there a different prize if you place within a certain bracket? I was thinking I'd like to enter it but I also don't really have much free time due to summer courses in my masters program...
They offer one prize. That is it.
You only have to battle 3 times for the event gift, doesn't matter if you win or lose iirc.
Thanks for the info guys-- may as well jump in even with shitmons, at least I'll have some fun!
The problem is, nearly everything that would be attacking Flame Body Moltres willingly either isn't physical(Electric, Water) or doesn't make contact(Rock).
Also, you can't hide that Moltres doesn't have pressure due to the switch in phrase "XXXX is exerting its pressure" not being there, so there isn't a chance of baiting someone into potentially triggering it. Not to mention you're trading a fairly consistent(if a bit useless) ability for an inconsistent, RNG based one.
It's a shame really, some of us got our hopes up for them distributing the dog trio with their HA's but alas, we get the cry baby's cow. Still I'll be competing simply because I cannot bring myself to pass up a competition consisting of just first and second gen. My Lanturn revolution has begun!