OU Player of the Week #1: ABR

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Welcome to the SM version of OU Player of the Week! This project will feature interviews from some of the most accomplished and influential users in the tier so that we can learn more about them.
If there is a user that you would like to see interviewed be sure to let me know.

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ABR
Most known for:
 Current gen OU builder/player, Tournaments player, OU Council member
Favourite pokemon: Alakazam
Most used pokemon: Landorus-Therian

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself outside of Smogon?
I am 19 years old and I primarily live in New York but attend university elsewhere. Speaking of university, I'm currently finishing up my freshman year. I intend to major in finance and I'll be applying to the business school next year. In terms of hobbies I really enjoy pokemon of course, going for runs, listening to music, and playing sports recreationally.

Where did you get your name from?
Adam B___ R___ = my name

How and when did you get into competitive Pokemon?
I was always into the main game series (sapphire > red > silver > emerald > pearl was the order i played them), and thus I found my way to youtube. Discovering youtubers like pimpnite and theflamingspade, I was eventually led to PO around the end of BW2. I only played for a few weeks though and eventually quit until around a year after XY's release, where I primarily played on pokebattle. What drew me to Smogon was actually the announcement of the first Official Ladder Tour, and as soon as I got on PS and PB was dying I made the transition.

What’s your favourite generation of OU and why?
Current gen aside because I'm kind of biased there and it can't really be compared without hindsight, I enjoy the first 3 gens of pokemon the most. RBY is really just pure positioning and % management. There are no hazards, leftovers, just your switches (positioning) and attacking. It is unironically like chess in this sense. GSC is probably the most competitively balanced tier, and I feel it is the gen that rewards the better player the most. 1-2 big turns don't really win GSC games, it's about how well you play and establish a win condition over a longer period of time. ADV as a tier is extremely diverse and fun, with a lot of cool offensive options and unique strategies. It isn't as "pure" as the older gens but I still love playing it. If I had to pick a single one I enjoy the most then probably GSC.

What’s your favourite playstyle to use and why?
I use everything besides extremely offensive HO (think azelf birdspam), but most of my builds gravitate towards bulky offense. I don't like being overly passive (unless I'm very confident in a matchup) but I also don't like when 1-2 turns with HO are insanely crucial and not as easy to execute. With some bulky support, pivoting is done much more easily and you don't always have to sacrifice too much offensive presence.

What are your thoughts on the current metagame and how do you feel about SM in comparison to ORAS?
I like both gens but SM is way more fresh and dynamic. The current state of ORAS is pretty set in stone, with certain cores and combinations being a dominant structure for a long time now. That's not to say there's no room for innovation, but it is much harder to come by and not really necessary. SM on the other hand leaves room for many unique offensive strategies, especially when aided by Z moves. I really love the introduction of Z moves because they offer essentially limitless creative options when teambuilding. I also feel almost every playstyle is viable at the moment.

Do you believe anything is suspect-worthy at the moment?
I'm really glad that Pheromosa is out of the way, but I'm sure everyone knows Metagross and Greninja are on the radar. I'm not swayed one way or another on either of these pokemon right now but they are clearly the most controversial and powerful so they'll probably be tested soon.

You’re currently in the top 4 of OST. Could you give us a little bit of insight into what that experience has been like? How do you usually prepare for tournament matches?
Compared to other tournaments, OST is always weird because there is no qualification or playoff phase. In something like SmogTour I have to grind 9 weeks and then do a playoff phase, so there's a lot more buildup there. In OST it feels like I didn't really even do that much to get here but now all of a sudden I'm in the semifinals. That being said I look forward to the remainder of this tournament.

In terms of my preparation for tour matches, I almost always build new teams for every opponent. This generally involves analyzing what I expect my opponent to bring, and then building what I feel necessary to counteract that.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone trying to break into the tournament setting?
You only get better at tournaments by playing in tournaments (spectate a lot too). I used to be mostly a ladder guy and I tried out for SPL/WCoP but never made the rosters. I realized that merely trying out and asking people doesn't really get you anywhere so I made a run at individual tournaments. If you do well enough then you will be noticed and you'll keep participating in all the tournaments you want. I also think the competitive nature of tournaments really forces players to improve themselves, if they really want to win that is.

Who are some of your favourite people in the Smogon community?
blunder, teal6, and Omfuga are probably my closest friends on this website, but I've met a ton of other great people through smogon. BKC is someone I look up to as a tour player, as he seems to dominate every gen of OU he pursues and even has trophies to show for it, all while being incredibly passionate about the game. I think smogon is a great social place in general and the friends are probably what keeps most people here. I have way too many friends to individually shout out so s/o OLT crew for being my go-to daily chat.

Finally, can you provide us a team that you think reflects your current playstyle, with a brief explanation of how it works?

Scizor-Mega (M) @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost

Landorus-Therian @ Rockium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge

Keldeo-Resolute @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Rest

Tyranitar (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 236 Atk / 60 SpD / 212 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Fire Punch
- Pursuit

Mew @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 248 HP / 168 Def / 36 SpD / 56 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Will-O-Wisp
- Soft-Boiled

Tapu Koko @ Wise Glasses
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Volt Switch
This is a team I made for OST quarterfinals (http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen7ou-272586). Banded Tyranitar isn't nearly as popular now as it was in ORAS, but it has a few very appealing qualities. Not only is it a potent wallbreaker, but it also 1v1s many pokemon like LO Gren and non-focus Lele, and even revenges Mawile. Tyranitar lets in some scary threats like Medicham, Metagross, and Zygarde however, and I also wanted hazard removal to pivot freely, so I used a Scizor + Mew bulky / hazard control core. Lando is a standard pick here for its usual reasons, like being the only real ground resist that isn't weak to rocks (grasses like tang aside), but I didn't need a defensive set so i opted for SD. Sub is great because it subs on status moves like Sableye Wisp, and also circumvents Counter and Sucker Punch. Keldeo is a sort of role compressor in being a water type + Gren check, so i added that. Rest is used as I don't need stone edge for Volcarona, and it allows Keldeo to sit in on Sableye if I need to take a wisp. Lastly, Tapu Koko is there to punish waters like Toxapex, while adding to the voltturn core and providing switchin opportunities for the main breaker Tyranitar. This team has some bulkier pivots as well as an offensive presence, so it pretty much sums up the style of bulky offense I enjoy.
 
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Finchinator

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OU Leader
You're known predominantly as a new generation player and this is unquestionable. However, it is true that you've dabbled a lot in generations 1-3, as you've stated in your interview. What have you learned about the game, on a fundamental level, that can be applied to every generation and playing in general from the time spent in generations 1-3 and do you feel this has changed your outlook or gameplay in any way in newer generations?

What're your thoughts on the current state of the OU Council? Do you think that things are done properly, optimally, etc. or do you think that we need to change things drastically, improve our process, change personnel, etc.?

You always form your own opinion and that tends to make your stance a bit more genuine than some other members of this community. However, it also leads to you having a lot of unpopular opinions. If you could state three unpopular opinions about the current SM OU metagame (be it about the viability of a Pokemon/set or how broken/not broken something is, anything wrks), what would they be and why?

When you surfaced on Smogon a while back due to OLT, you didn't know too many tournament players and you where far from integrated into the OU or tournament community. Now that you're very much ingrained in the culture of the community and members of it, what is your overall stance on the Smogon Community? What do you think could be improved?

How do you feel in regards to the community isolating and regarding stall, as a playstyle, in the fashion that they do? I feel as if a lot of people take a suboptimal approach in this regard as they treat dealing with it in a foreign, and even linear, fashion when, in my opinion, you can treat it like any other playstyle and account for it in teambuilding, but you do not have to devote a whole slot just to "stall" and facing stall is not only black-and-white, win-or-lose from the start. Feel like your public opinion on this would be interesting seeing as you've been a frequent stall user over the past year or two.

How long do you see yourself playing competitive Pokemon for on Smogon and do you have any ultimate goals for the remainder of your time here?

Favorite lower tier of any generation?
 
You're known predominantly as a new generation player and this is unquestionable. However, it is true that you've dabbled a lot in generations 1-3, as you've stated in your interview. What have you learned about the game, on a fundamental level, that can be applied to every generation and playing in general from the time spent in generations 1-3 and do you feel this has changed your outlook or gameplay in any way in newer generations?
I think RBY taught me the most about fundamental pokemon, as it is the most fundamental generation. In addition to the aforementioned stuff about positioning and whatnot, I think what RBY has taught me above all else is to respect the odds. I see many current players go crazy over a Hydro Pump miss, a Scald burn, or 1 paralysis in 3 turns. A move like High Jump Kick has 90% accuracy, not 100%. It's going to miss once every few battles if you use it a ton, that's just statistics. Similarly, RBY is all about this sort of odds management. On the surface it may look like a ton of para spam and crit fishing, but this disciplines players to maximize their chances of winning. Sometimes people just take any way to win, when one may be statistically advantageous over another. If you aren't careful about this in RBY especially, you usually get screwed over, but I feel this same principle applies to all generations of pokemon.

What're your thoughts on the current state of the OU Council? Do you think that things are done properly, optimally, etc. or do you think that we need to change things drastically, improve our process, change personnel, etc.?
I've seen quite a few people complain about the pace at which the council works, but I wouldn't change a thing. Before I was on the council I sort of felt the same way, but people fail to realize how much weight our decisions really carry. If we decide to test and subsequently ban something hastily, this has rippling effects on a tier for years to come. We can't just cave in to public demand on a whim, our decisions need to be well thought out and analyzed. As such, I'm personally fond of how we do things at the moment (some of my fellow councilmen are a bit more eager than I am in regards to certain threats).

You always form your own opinion and that tends to make your stance a bit more genuine than some other members of this community. However, it also leads to you having a lot of unpopular opinions. If you could state three unpopular opinions about the current SM OU metagame (be it about the viability of a Pokemon/set or how broken/not broken something is, anything wrks), what would they be and why?
In terms of tiering, I'm probably way more conservative than most this generation. I know a TON of people want Gren/MMeta banned as soon as possible, but I always like to err on the side of caution and patience, and I'm not quite convinced that they are broken. Metagames shift and thus so do our perceptions (they should at least). I guess another unpopular opinion of mine is that HJK mons are pretty much unviable, particularly in SM OU. Not only do you get severely punished for missing 10% of the time, but there are also plenty of viable ghost types and Protect mons like Ferrothorn. Considering these factors, such a powerful move like Medi's HJK is the farthest thing from spammable so I don't really get the major appeal of using it. I'd say the same about Lopunny being released in this metagame. This all ties back to the respect for odds that a lot of people seem to lack. Lastly, Alakazam is a pretty underrated pokemon right now. If it's paired with Spikes and uses the Sash Counter set, then it will probably be doing significant damage against the other team. Spikes are important to punish switches, and staying in = kill vs a plethora of physically-based pokemon, even something like a Ferrothorn Gyro.

When you surfaced on Smogon a while back due to OLT, you didn't know too many tournament players and you where far from integrated into the OU or tournament community. Now that you're very much ingrained in the culture of the community and members of it, what is your overall stance on the Smogon Community? What do you think could be improved?
I definitely enjoy the social aspect of Smogon a lot more since being a tournament player. When I used to ladder I had friends but I wasn't nearly as close with them as I am with my current friends. It might also be due to my longer time spent here, but after playing so many tournaments I really got close with a lot of people, and as you know the topics of discussion go far beyond pokemon itself. I suppose as an outsider the tour community can be seen as exclusive and disingenuous, but it makes sense that you have to earn your respect through good performances.

How do you feel in regards to the community isolating and regarding stall, as a playstyle, in the fashion that they do? I feel as if a lot of people take a suboptimal approach in this regard as they treat dealing with it in a foreign, and even linear, fashion when, in my opinion, you can treat it like any other playstyle and account for it in teambuilding, but you do not have to devote a whole slot just to "stall" and facing stall is not only black-and-white, win-or-lose from the start. Feel like your public opinion on this would be interesting seeing as you've been a frequent stall user over the past year or two.
As long as something is not banned in the OU tier, I respect the use of it. This isn't some moral game - if something is allowed and enables wins then it's going to be used. Accept it. My previous uses of stall have mostly been to abuse matchups that people don't adequately prepare for, and I mean, why wouldn't I abuse that? At the end of the day however, going for this matchup is usually a gamble, and a gamble doesn't always pay off. If you get the wrong matchup then you usually lose without too much room to outplay. So, all people have to do is prepare properly. A lot of people simply don't expect stall (understandably, as it's relatively uncommon), thus don't prepare for it, and thus get frustrated when they lose to it, and I know I'm guilty of doing this in the past as well. If people treat it as any other playstyle and don't blame their opponents for the laziness of their own preparation, then all issues are resolved.

How long do you see yourself playing competitive Pokemon for on Smogon and do you have any ultimate goals for the remainder of your time here?
I'll stop playing when this game stops being fun. I think it's silly when people try to quit despite still obviously having a passion for their hobby, for whatever reasons they come up with. Unless there is literally 0 time to play or there is never any enjoyment from this game, then quitting is foolish, especially in a sort of commitment way. That being said, I still love this game and a ton of new metagames continue to interest me all the time, so I'll be sticking around for a good amount. In terms of goals, I obviously want to win tournaments, but having fun while competing is more important than that anyhow.

Favorite lower tier of any generation?
I'm not exactly an experienced lower tier player, but I guess SM/ADV UU are my favorite. In playing the UU classic, I got furthest in and had the most fun playing ADV UU for sure. SM UU is probably the most involved I've been in a current UU, and it's interesting to build/play in that tier. I've even been making my own teams in UUPL.


Most overrated mon in sm rn ? Most underrated ?
I guess this is sort of similar to what Finchinator asked me so: Overrated = Medicham; Underrated = Alakazam

Favorite to win Smogon Tour ?
I'm going to assume that you don't want me to answer myself (I'm already secured in playoffs). That being said, there are a lot of solid players in the current top 16. Blunder, Poek, Alexander, PDC, TDK are all people to watch out for, as they are overall great players with a history and a pretty good knowledge of all 3 tiers.

Do you watch anime?
My extent of watching anime is pretty much Pokemon and the Dragon Ball series (Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and now Dragon Ball Super).
 
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If your major wasn't fiance what would it be?

And if you play different tiers which different tier is you favorite?
 
If your major wasn't fiance what would it be?

And if you play different tiers which different tier is you favorite?
I'm pretty interested in Psychology, and I've even taken a couple of courses in the field. In general I think it's very interesting to analyze human thought and everything related to that.

I think besides my "main" gens I enjoy playing GSC OU the most. If you mean of all the other SM tiers, probably UU.
 

Funbot28

Banned deucer.
If you could quickban any mon in SM OU atm besides Mega Meta and Greninja, what would it be?

Similar question, but since I know you play a lot of BW, would you change anything that current meta if you had the oppurtunity?

Who's ur fav poketuber? (besides blunder ofc)

Dont need to reveal names, but what ethnicity ;)
 
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what's your favorite color?

i've seen you mention how you feel that the current tiering system for SM OU is working at appropriate speeds. could you explain your standpoint on the current tiering system and how/if it needs to be fixed? thoughts on some of the proposed changes such as adopting a koko system or something faster in general?

what are your thoughts on user: False.'s terrible font choice in this post?
 
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If you could quickban any mon in SM OU atm besides Mega Meta and Greninja, what would it be?
I wouldn't quickban anything.

Who's ur fav poketuber? (besides blunder ofc)
BKC is my favorite poketuber (on the rare occasion he uploads) because he offers a nice analysis of tournament games in all tiers.


Favorite team from any generation (doesn't have to be yours)?
Weavile stall because it dominated ORAS OU for a super long time and was the easiest autowin team ever

Favorite pair of shoes?
I can't take a pic from my comp and idk the name so


what's your favorite color?
Blue (probably more on the light side), and also White

i've seen you mention how you feel that the current tiering system for SM OU is working at appropriate speeds. could you explain your standpoint on the current tiering system and how/if it needs to be fixed? thoughts on some of the proposed changes such as adopting a koko system or something faster in general?
I don't think something like the koko system is optimal at all, or even necessary. Contrary to what most people think, the OU tier, in my opinion, is not overflowing with unbearable threats. People just need to deal with what's given to them (assuming nothing is Zygod bad) and let the metagame shift and settle before passing judgment on certain pokemon. Additionally, putting the tier in the hands of 8 people alone is not exactly the best publicity move for Smogon's main format. It's not like the council was "elected" either, so expecting full power is meh. Also, I like that we only test things one at a time and at a slower pace because it helps isolate variables and potential problems. If we just drop 80 things at once and have votes with no real testing period then it's pretty hard to be accurate in what's best for the tier.

what are your thoughts on user: False.'s terrible font choice in this post?
I kinda like it
 
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why are u always weak to zygarde



heres a serious question tho: whats ur thoughts on the whole sableye dugtrio predicament plaguing the tier rn
I used Mega Slowbro, physdef ibeam Mew, and Tangrowth today. That's not really Zyg weak...

I don't think that there is a "whole predicament" in the first place. I know I voted ban on Dugtrio earlier this gen but read what I said to finch about stall and everything I said in this thread about being patient and cautious.
 
What advice would you give to someone who aims to become a better builder?
It's a bit too complex to say in one post but there are a few main points to address I suppose. Firstly, worry more about general counterplay than counters, especially in newer gens with more threats. You can't have a 100% wall to everything, so don't feel too bad if you have to settle for a mediocre switchin + revenge killer, as long as you control momentum well and play smart it should all work out. Secondly, don't be scared to take unconventional approaches to covering weaknesses. There are a lot more viable options out there than you might initially think.


If you weren't playing Pokemon Showdown what game would you play instead of PS?
It's tough to say, as right now at college I don't have any consoles, and really only my computer to play games on. That being said, the only other game I'm really following competitively is melee so maybe I'd get more into that.
 
Do you think that in "important" tournament matches it is acceptable to make extremely aggressive plays if you are very strongly inclined to make them? When, if ever, is this tactic justifiable?

Given what is often at stake, social pressure from lobby chat/peers or having to otherwise justify your decision making, does tournament play coerce players into choosing "safe" options vs higher-reward, higher-risk plays?

Do you feel any of the above might have an influence on how certain suspects are viewed, or shape players' views on tiering in general?
 
Do you think that in "important" tournament matches it is acceptable to make extremely aggressive plays if you are very strongly inclined to make them? When, if ever, is this tactic justifiable?

Given what is often at stake, social pressure from lobby chat/peers or having to otherwise justify your decision making, does tournament play coerce players into choosing "safe" options vs higher-reward, higher-risk plays?

Do you feel any of the above might have an influence on how certain suspects are viewed, or shape players' views on tiering in general?
In tournament matches, any play that a player feels is optimal to win is the right play. Even if it comes off as overly aggressive, as long as it's for the purpose of trying to win the game then there is never any issue with it. I do agree, though, that some people are a lot more timid in tour games. I think worrying about lobby criticism or whatever is very foolish and ideally it should have no bearing on the plays someone makes. Plays in general come down to assessing 1: what you instinctively expect the opponent to do, and 2: the risk vs reward of doing such a play. It is entirely in the eye of the beholder to see if these criteria pass a certain threshold for "I should do this."

Also I don't see how this relates to tiering or anything.
 

Mur

If you're not first you're last
I too, have kinda had my eyes opened about playing the odds of mons recently. When you make a team and notice that there are a decent amount of moves that are inaccurate (can be 90-95% doesn't have to be like focus blast or edge) or there are certain aspects to the gameplan that are prone to hax, how do you try to circumvent this?

Following this what is your opinion on going for lower power moves (think like surf>hydro on ash-gren or something) in that scenario. It's situational to the team ofc, but what are your thoughts on this?

Also, what could I have done better in this game we played in tour a few weeks ago?
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-ou-263120

Ignoring the fact that I'm retarded and forgot kyu wasn't scarfed like 2 turns after it was first revealed when it hit tar the first time, so that's why I never chipped it with u turn from lando LOL

I recognize a few things like the exca vs kyu sequence starting on turn 13. You couldn't go lando on ihead so I feel like there was no reason for me not to sd into eq to get a kill in zor out of that sequence since lando couldn't really be risked there I feel. The first tar vs kyu matchup I feel I misplayed as well since even if you stay in and I pursuit I get off two turns of sand and two suits which would have made kyu much easier to deal with later on without having to risk edge or hurricane.

On a larger scale(in terms of overall gameplan and not specific plays) I think maybe I should have tried to weaken lando with exca and concede rocks for a bit and attempted to get rocks up with cele on clef, but I could be wrong about all of this what do you think?

Sorry this is a viciously long post lmao, but one more, what do you think is the best way to improve yourself out of the "never getting past early rounds" stage into a more consistent player? What abilities in general do you feel one needs to hone in on to get to this point?
 
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Colonel M

I COULD BE BORED!
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As far as ORAS and SM go, do you have any cores that you particularly love to build around or use?

(I know it isn't a question but I really dig the team by the way).
 

Leo

after hours
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What are your thoughts on the current state of Spikes/Hazard stacking cores?
 
I too, have kinda had my eyes opened about playing the odds of mons recently. When you make a team and notice that there are a decent amount of moves that are inaccurate (can be 90-95% doesn't have to be like focus blast or edge) or there are certain aspects to the gameplan that are prone to hax, how do you try to circumvent this?

Following this what is your opinion on going for lower power moves (think like surf>hydro on ash-gren or something) in that scenario. It's situational to the team ofc, but what are your thoughts on this?
I think you outlined most of our game so I won't get into that but as per the quoted questions:

I don't think it's really an issue when a couple of mons have inaccurate moves like Draco Meteor or something. However, I have an issue when a pokemon's main STAB move (supposed to be spammable) is largely inaccurate, or just moves that have to be used often. This includes Hydro Gren/Strmie, LO Torn, Focus Blast Gengar/Alakazam, and more. If a pokemon relies on 70% often to be successful (Alakazam not being trapped by Tyranitar let's say) then that pokemon is simply not good. Also, I'm an avid supporter of Surf on the aforementioned water types. I think Fire Blast is probably the lowest I'll personally go for the accuracy of a primary stab move, and Volcarona needs the power, but Zard-Y for example can just use Flamethrower.

Sorry this is a viciously long post lmao, but one more, what do you think is the best way to improve yourself out of the "never getting past early rounds" stage into a more consistent player? What abilities in general do you feel one needs to hone in on to get to this point?
In addition to using solid teams, I'd say making sure the depth of your plays go beyond instinctive prediction is pretty important. What you expect the opponent to do is only one side of making an optimal play; The pure risk vs reward of said play also has to be accounted for here. I know a lot of new players take risks that simply do not need to be taken to win games, and this is something I've done in the past, but it is a really inconsistent way of playing.


What made you play pokemon showdown?
I played on PO for about a month towards the end of BW2 and then I spent a good year or so on Pokebattle. What finally drew me to the much larger PS was actually the introduction of the Official Ladder Tournament, as I felt it would be an easy path into the larger competitive singles community.


Do you think a hazard-less metagame would be more balanced?
Unless we remove many other components of the metagame, no. The only hazard-less metagame is RBY, but it's important to note that it also has no leftovers. So, it's fine that there is no passive damage as there is also no passive recovery. However, if you enable leftovers without hazards then there would just be unnecessarily elongated games. Another neat thing gamefreak did (not sure if intentionally) was introducing Roost and Stealth Rock at the same time. Prior to the introduction of Roost, Flying types were immune to spikes, but they also had no real recovery so it was balanced out in that sense. As soon as Roost was brought into gen 4, rocks were added as a way to balance out the lack of spikes damage these pokemon take. I also think stuff like Volt Switch or U-Turn might be too powerful with no hazards at all.


As far as ORAS and SM go, do you have any cores that you particularly love to build around or use?

(I know it isn't a question but I really dig the team by the way).
There's nothing in particular that I really tend to use more than something else, but in general I'm a big fan of a lot of good pivots and strong instant attackers. I find setup mons are a bit harder to build around and are sort of worse with momentum, but obviously if done right they can be extremely devastating.


What are your thoughts on the current state of Spikes/Hazard stacking cores?
As much as Pheromosa needed to be banned, it's kind of upsetting that there are 0 viable Rapid Spinners in OU. So, you're either accepting the fact that there will either be 0 hazards on the field or that there will be hazards on both sides over a longer game, Sableye matchups aside. We also have a decent number of defoggers but they aren't all easy to fit on every team. Additionally, I think the main Spikers right now (Gren and Ferro) are incredibly good at doing just that, so removing is definitely not looking too hot right now.
 
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