Smogon Community - View Single Post - The Better Battlers Project (Round 3 Critiques) [READ OP]

Manitary · Dec 27th, 2012, 5:52:39 AM

Just a few things I noticed

@BlankZero

...

Turn 1 - I'd never stay in with Skarmory against Nidoking, if you don't invest in SpD both Flamethrower and Thunderbolt will activate Sturdy (and he carried Fire Blast), and I don't understand why your opponent switched in Espeon instead of killing you...ok maybe he wanted to bounce back one hazard and setup screen or something similar but Skarmory 2HKOs if he can't put up Reflect, and killing the Skarm is just easier.
You have a really bad match-up against Nidoking since your team is weak to Fire moves, Volcarona can't survive 2 consecutive Fire Blast (even with a Quiver Dance between), Haxorus doesn't like taking all that damage (he takes 36.75 - 43.37%) and Nidoking outspeed him, and Keldeo fears the Thunderbolt.

Turn 3 - Why do you choose Celebi over Keldeo? Keldeo 252+ is faster (at this point you know that Nidoking isn't scarfed) and threaten him with Surf, while Celebi is slower, take 61.13 - 72.02% from Fire Blast and only 2HKO with Psychic so Nidoking can try to kill or just switch out after the first hit. Idk why he used Ice Beam: maybe he thought you switched in Haxorus, but Fire Blast deals 36.75 - 43.37% damage and Adamant Haxorus has 2 speed point less than Timid Nidoking (and he's Timid seeing the damage of Ice Beam)

Turn 5-6 - Again, why switch into Keldeo and mostly why stay in with Forretress if he has Fire Blast? Maybe you could U-Turn to Forretress to see if he Thunderbolt'd (trying to predict the switch to Keldeo) and then to Keldeo to take the incoming Fire Blast

Turn 8 - From the damage it's hard to say what is the Rotom-W set, but surely it doesn't invest much in SpD (at most ~120EV with neutral nature) so he has a chance to be scarfed and Volt Switch does 67.49 - 79.87% damage which is a kill after recoil/poison. You are already in a bad position though, since Celebi would be trapped by Scizor and Haxorus doesn't like free damage+poison and the incoming Scizor forcing another switch

Turn 8-9 - I wouldn't put Volcarona on Whimsicott exactly because he has priority Leech Seed, you could use Celebi instead since Toxic Spikes prevent paralysis and you're immune to Leech Seed so you can heal or U-Turn out preventing a switch/U-Turn to Scizor

Turn 11-12 - Flash Fire Arcanine (I hope he hadn't Justified!) just wall you, and with the Leech Seed damage the OHKO with Flare Blizt is guaranteed while you need a +2 to have a chance to 2HKO him. If you sacrifice Volcarona (as you did) you have nothing dedicated to Scizor, and if you switch to Haxorus he gets seriously damaged by Flare Blitz+poison (not counting that scarf Rotom-W will KO after the damage)

@BlackRussian

...

@White Symphoni

...

Dec 27th, 2012, 5:52:39 AM	#35
Manitary Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 163 Italy	Just a few things I noticed @BlankZero ... Turn 1 - I'd never stay in with Skarmory against Nidoking, if you don't invest in SpD both Flamethrower and Thunderbolt will activate Sturdy (and he carried Fire Blast), and I don't understand why your opponent switched in Espeon instead of killing you...ok maybe he wanted to bounce back one hazard and setup screen or something similar but Skarmory 2HKOs if he can't put up Reflect, and killing the Skarm is just easier. You have a really bad match-up against Nidoking since your team is weak to Fire moves, Volcarona can't survive 2 consecutive Fire Blast (even with a Quiver Dance between), Haxorus doesn't like taking all that damage (he takes 36.75 - 43.37%) and Nidoking outspeed him, and Keldeo fears the Thunderbolt. Turn 3 - Why do you choose Celebi over Keldeo? Keldeo 252+ is faster (at this point you know that Nidoking isn't scarfed) and threaten him with Surf, while Celebi is slower, take 61.13 - 72.02% from Fire Blast and only 2HKO with Psychic so Nidoking can try to kill or just switch out after the first hit. Idk why he used Ice Beam: maybe he thought you switched in Haxorus, but Fire Blast deals 36.75 - 43.37% damage and Adamant Haxorus has 2 speed point less than Timid Nidoking (and he's Timid seeing the damage of Ice Beam) Turn 5-6 - Again, why switch into Keldeo and mostly why stay in with Forretress if he has Fire Blast? Maybe you could U-Turn to Forretress to see if he Thunderbolt'd (trying to predict the switch to Keldeo) and then to Keldeo to take the incoming Fire Blast Turn 8 - From the damage it's hard to say what is the Rotom-W set, but surely it doesn't invest much in SpD (at most ~120EV with neutral nature) so he has a chance to be scarfed and Volt Switch does 67.49 - 79.87% damage which is a kill after recoil/poison. You are already in a bad position though, since Celebi would be trapped by Scizor and Haxorus doesn't like free damage+poison and the incoming Scizor forcing another switch Turn 8-9 - I wouldn't put Volcarona on Whimsicott exactly because he has priority Leech Seed, you could use Celebi instead since Toxic Spikes prevent paralysis and you're immune to Leech Seed so you can heal or U-Turn out preventing a switch/U-Turn to Scizor Turn 11-12 - Flash Fire Arcanine (I hope he hadn't Justified!) just wall you, and with the Leech Seed damage the OHKO with Flare Blizt is guaranteed while you need a +2 to have a chance to 2HKO him. If you sacrifice Volcarona (as you did) you have nothing dedicated to Scizor, and if you switch to Haxorus he gets seriously damaged by Flare Blitz+poison (not counting that scarf Rotom-W will KO after the damage) @BlackRussian ... Turn 3-4 - I don't understand your choice: why don't you directly send out Swampert? In this way you took a free Psyshock! Turn 5 - Bad choice for your opponent: even without the crit your Swampert 2HKO 252/252+ Donphan and unless he runs 164 Spe EVs you're faster Turn 13 - You know that Alakazam is not scarfed, and it outspeed Landorus (even if he's modest) so that was a bad move. You don't know if he has a sash or not (well, from the damage dealt to Swampert he probably carries a sash and not a LO) but in any case it's broken and scarf Heracross outspeed him taking at most 28% from Focus Blast so switching him in and using CC (foreseeing a switch to Skarm, you still KO zam if he stays in) was probably the best choice. Turn 23 - Here you probably lost your last chance. Ok, +6 Flash Cannon deals at most 36.78% to 252/4 Bold Eviolite Chansey (it has not EV investment in SpD seeing the damage of +2 FC) but if you want to wish-pass, switch when Chansey will probably be Softboiling and not when he has no risk in Seismic Tossing! You could just reach +6 (meaning that Latias can't switch in and take at least 57% damage, and this only if she's 252/252+), try to see how your opponent use Softboiled and switch at the right moment. @White Symphoni ... Sadly that crit didn't help in understanding what set is Mew using, probably sacrificing Scizor was the best thing to do to be sure that Tornadus would have KO'ed him. I'd suggest to U-Turn out against the Hydreigon and KO with Breloom but I'm probably conditioned by watching how the match was played, since he probably can KO Breloom on the switch (or maybe not thanks to the rain...I'm not experienced enough to tell you what was the less risky way to play) Last edited by Manitary; Dec 27th, 2012 at 6:35:24 AM.