Official Nintendo Pokemon Tournament

[Forsety]

The Pokémon Video Game Showdown is a BATTLE of the best Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl players from Japan and the United States. The United States Qualifier Tournaments are now complete, and 32 of the country's best Pokémon Trainers have risen to the top. These competitors will join Japan's top 32 Trainers to face off in the Pokémon Video Game Showdown Finals in Orlando, Florida.


The competition takes place on August 16th, 2008, and the battles are bound to be legendary. For competition updates straight from Orlando, stay tuned to the official Pokémon Video Game Showdown and 2008 Pokémon TCG World Championships website.




Los Angeles Showdown:
zerowing's warstory (includes many pictures from yamipoli and OmegaDonut)
omni's warstory
POKEMONBATTLEBRAIN's warstory
LA Showdown Finals part 1
LA Showdown Finals part 2


New York City Showdown:
Bonta-kun's warstory (champion)
kindnug's warstory
Expert Evan's warstory
XxBlueCookiesXx's warstory
Hikari Meoru's warstory
NYC Showdown Finals part 1
NYC Showdown Finals part 2





Congratulations to everyone going to Orlando representing Smogon, lets make a big impression when we get there.



Pre-July 20 stuff:

http://showdown.pokemon.com

In case the site goes down:

Originally Posted by Fat rules

Pre-Qualifications:

Players may only use North American versions of Pokémon Diamond or Pokémon Pearl.
Players compete in one of two age divisions based on their date of birth.

• Junior Division: Born in 1996 or later
• Senior Division: Born in 1995 or earlier

Qualifying to Participate:

Players must have an active My Pokémon account.
Players must complete an online exam to determine their eligibility to participate in a Qualifier Tournament.

• Players may only submit an entry for one Qualifier Tournament.
• Players may not enter more than once.
• If the number of players eligible for participation in a Qualifier Tournament exceeds 128 per division, players will be selected at random and invitations will be distributed to selected players.
• Only players with invitations may participate in a Qualifier Tournament. No substitutions are allowed.

Unused invitations will be distributed at the Qualifier Tournament via on-site drawing. Players entering the drawing must comply with the rules set forth in this document before entering.
Battle Rules:

Battles are played using the 2-on-2 format.
A player’s team must consist of exactly 4 Pokémon. Players may change Pokémon between rounds, though each Pokémon must still meet the rules outlined in this document.
A player’s team may not contain two of the same Pokémon.
Each Pokémon on a player’s team must be level 50 or lower.
Each Pokémon on a player’s team may use held items, though no 2 Pokémon on a team may hold the same item. Players may change held items between rounds. Allowed items include held items from Pokémon Diamond, Pokémon Pearl, and earlier video games, including Berries 1-60. The Soul Dew item may not be used.
Players may not enter two Pokémon with the same nickname.
Players may not enter a Pokémon nicknamed with the name of another Pokémon character (ex: a Lucario nicknamed “Spiritomb”).
Players found to have inappropriate/offensive Trainer names or Pokémon nicknames, as determined by the event staff, will be disqualified from the event.
Pokémon Restrictions:

Players may use Pokémon found in the Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl National Dex, between 001 and 491, including those Pokémon imported from earlier video games, with the exception of those Pokémon listed below.
The following Pokémon are ineligible for use in the tournament:

• 149 - Dragonite
• 150 - Mewtwo
• 151 - Mew
• 248 - Tyranitar
• 249 - Lugia
• 250 - Ho-Oh
• 251 - Celebi
• 382 - Kyogre
• 383 - Groudon
• 384 - Rayquaza
• 385 - Jirachi
• 386 - Deoxys
• 483 - Dialga
• 484 - Palkia
• 485 - Heatran
• 486 - Regigigas
• 487 - Giratina
• 489 - Phione
• 490 - Manaphy
• 491 - Darkrai

Move Restrictions:

Pokémon may only use moves (including those learned in an earlier video game) which have been learned through one of the following methods:

• By leveling up
• By TM or HM
• As an Egg Move, through breeding
• From a Move Tutor
• Already learned by a Pokémon, which was downloaded at an official Pokémon event or promotion
• Already learned by a Pokémon, which was downloaded from another Pokémon game (such as the Pikachu, which knows Surf, from Pokémon Battle Revolution)
• By Smeargle’s “Sketch” move (limited to the above moves learned by Pokémon between 001 and 491)

Tournament Operation:

The Qualifier Tournament is a Single Elimination event. Each match will consist of a single game, and will result in the winner advancing to the next round and the loser being removed from the tournament.

• A player wins by knocking out his or her opponent’s final Pokémon.
• If an attack knocks out his or her final Pokémon, as well as his or her opponent’s final Pokémon, the match is a tie and both players are eliminated from the event.

Each player will be assigned to one of 4 flights within their age division. Competitors in each flight will play Single Elimination matches until 4 players remain in each flight. The remaining competitors will be re-paired into a top 16 playoff within their age division.
Each match during the elimination rounds and playoffs has a 15-minute time limit, and will be played using special Nintendo DS Lite systems, located at the event. When time expires, the tournament staff will determine the result of any unfinished matches using the tiebreakers outlined below.

• Players who are found to be intentionally delaying the pace of their match will be disqualified from the event.
• Players who are tardy to their match for any reason will be disqualified from the event.

The final match in each age division will be played without a time limit using Pokémon Battle Revolution.
Tiebreakers:

When time expires, any games that are still in progress are halted, and players will be required to step away from their DS. Once all attacks and effects of the current turn have resolved, the tournament staff will determine the winner of the match using the following tiebreakers. If a player is choosing a move, the current turn has not started.
Remaining Pokémon
The tournament staff will assess the number of Pokémon that each player has remaining.

• If one player has more remaining Pokémon, that player wins the match. The losing player is eliminated from the tournament.
• If both players have the same number of Pokémon remaining, the match is tied, and the result of the match is determined by Sudden Death, as described below.

Sudden Death
Players will have up to 3 turns to gain an advantage in number of remaining Pokémon over their opponent. After each turn has completed, the tournament staff will assess the number of Pokémon that each player has remaining.

• If a player has more remaining Pokémon than his or her opponent at the end of any turn, that player wins the match. The losing player is eliminated from the tournament.
• If both players have the same number of Pokémon remaining at the end of the first or second turn of Sudden Death, the match continues.

If both players have the same number of Pokémon remaining at the end of the third turn of Sudden Death, the match is a tie and both players are eliminated from the tournament.
Other Information:

The use of external devices to alter a player’s Pokémon game is expressly forbidden. Random checks will be performed throughout the tournament to determine whether or not an external device has been used to modify a player’s game or Pokémon. Players found to have games that have been tampered with will be disqualified from the event, regardless of whether the player tampered with his or her game, or received a Pokémon or item that was tampered with by someone other than the player. It is the player’s responsibility to have legal Pokémon. Event officials have the final determination regarding the legality of a Pokémon.
A player should notify the staff immediately if he or she believes that there is a problem with an opponent’s Pokémon. At the end of the round, all match results become final. Issues that go unreported until after the round has completed will not change the result of that match, regardless of whether there is a problem with an opponent’s Pokémon or not.
Players and spectators are expected to demonstrate proper sportsmanship over the course of the event. A player may be disqualified from the event, based on actions taken by friends or relatives which disrupts the operation of the tournament.

Originally Posted by Fat Format

Pokémon Video Game Showdown
Qualifier Tournaments


July 12, 2008
Los Angeles, California
California Science Center
Junior Division
- Registration and Check-in: 9:00am-9:45am
- Play begins: 10:00am
Senior Division
- Registration and Check-in: 10:00am-10:45am
- Play begins: 11:00am



July 19, 2008
New York, New York
The Altman Building
Junior Division
- Registration and Check-in: 9:00am-9:45am
- Play begins: 10:00am
Senior Division
- Registration and Check-in: 10:00am-10:45am
- Play begins: 11:00am


Age Groups

Each Qualifier event will be broken down into the following age groups:

• Junior Division: Born in 1996 or later
• Senior Division: Born in 1995 or earlier

Pokémon Trainers will put their skills to the test in a 2-on-2 Battle format tournament until only eight players in each age group remain. These players will be invited to compete for the ultimate crown at the Pokémon Video Game Showdown Finals in Orlando, Florida.
All Pokémon Trainers must register to participate at a Qualifier Tournament in advance, here at Showdown.Pokemon.com. Registration is now underway and ends on June 17th, 2008. To qualify, Trainers must first pass the Pokémon Video Game Challenge Quiz.
Prizes

Prizes are awarded to the top finishers in each of the two age divisions, Junior (Born in 1996 or later) and Senior (Born in 1995 or earlier).
Prizes for the Pokémon Video Game Showdown Qualifier Tournaments are:
1st Place:

• An invitation to compete at the Pokémon Video Game Showdown in Orlando, FL
• Paid travel and 5 day/4 night hotel accommodations for you and a guest to the Pokémon Video Game Showdown in Orlando, Florida
• A Nintendo Wii package including a Wii system, four Wii Remotes, four Nunchuk controllers, and a copy of Pokémon Battle Revolution

2nd - 8th Place:

• An invitation to compete at the Pokémon Video Game Showdown in Orlando, FL
• Paid travel and 5 day/4 night hotel accommodations for you and a guest to the Pokémon Video Game Showdown in Orlando, Florida

Prizes for the Pokémon Video Game Showdown are:
Two 1st Place Finishers Receive:

• A 6 day/5 night vacation package for four to your choice of New York, NY, Honolulu, HI, or Tokyo, Japan.
• A Custom Nintendo DS Game System
• A Pokémon First Place Prize Pack

Two 2nd Place Finishers Receive:

• A Custom Nintendo DS Game System
• A Pokémon Second Place Prize Pack

Four 3rd Place Prize Finishers Receive:

• A Custom Nintendo DS Game System
• A Pokémon Third Place Prize Pack

Eight 4th Place Finishers Receive:

• A Custom Nintendo DS Game System
• A Pokémon Fourth Place Prize Pack

I would put off trying to register for the next couple days (it's the 15th as of this posting). The site is really slow right now, and I don't want to risk being put into some sort of semi-registered limbo due to the site lagging on me. According to their stuff, it's not first-come, first-served, so that's not an issue.

Use of the Transform glitch is almost certainly banned (only possible in early Japanese DP, short version is that any Pokemon that can Transform by any means can learn any Sketchable move)

When they say your team must consist of 4 Pokemon, do they mean that like JAA was (bring 6, see their team, select 4) or you have to just put 4 Pokemon in your team? Consensus so far is that you have to put 4 Pokemon on your team, since it's apparently on DP instead of PBR.

Smeargle apparently cannot use Seed Flare or Judgment. Dark Void is legal.

All event moves are allowed.

[Bliksem]

"Each Pokémon on a player’s team may use held items, though no 2 Pokémon on a team may hold the same item. Players may change held items between rounds. Allowed items include held items from Pokémon Diamond, Pokémon Pearl, and earlier video games, including Berries 1-60. The Soul Dew item may not be used."

[Railith]

The site is probably being hit hard because I can't get to the registration link.

[Bliksem]

Same.

Why do these tournaments always have to take place in the two furthest places of the United States. The midwest is always getting ****'d over by these things.

[Railith]

Are the 128 people selected to be in a qualifier random?

[Smasher89]

Ah, there´s no autolv 50 in this tournament?, I loled about the Dragoniteban before seeing that, nothing like this will like ever happen in sweden v_v

[Drab Emordnilap]

How does that team with the level 1 smeargle go again?

[Bliksem]

Yeah.

"If the number of players eligible for participation in a Qualifier Tournament exceeds 128 per division, players will be selected at random and invitations will be distributed to selected players."

Level 1 Smergle won't really work as the format is 2v2. Even with Focus Sash, Double Earthquake or Double Surf or something similiar would stop that.

[phalanx]

smeargle used dark void tyvm :D

[Tangerine]

Originally Posted by Fat phalanx

smeargle used dark void tyvm :D

Smeargle has Spore.

Also, if you have an Arceus, you better reset, cause...

The use of external devices to alter a player’s Pokémon game is expressly forbidden. Random checks will be performed throughout the tournament to determine whether or not an external device has been used to modify a player’s game or Pokémon. Players found to have games that have been tampered with will be disqualified from the event, regardless of whether the player tampered with his or her game, or received a Pokémon or item that was tampered with by someone other than the player. It is the player’s responsibility to have legal Pokémon. Event officials have the final determination regarding the legality of a Pokémon.

Hahahaha.

I wonder if they'll have pAC checks at the tournament, or hex code checking. I wouldn't be surprised if we know more about what is "legit" and what the game can generate than those clowns.

I need to learn 2 vs 2 and reset my Pearl Cart in the meanwhile.

[phalanx]

yes but it is 2v2 so dark void is far more effective as you sleep both the opponant pokemon, and if it is indeed 2v2 your second pokemon could have dream eater, nightmare or something and win easily

[Kedavra]

lol those rules really suck >_>

[Miao]

No sleep clause, 1hko moves are not banned. Smeargle is also limited to moves from pokemon 1-491, which means Dark Void smeargle will be legal.

Smeargle with Dark Void, Lock On, Sheer Cold and something else I suppose... or DT for that extra amusement.

[phalanx]

lol there will be lots of disqualifications if they check for hacked pokemon, what happens if you got one off the GTS you didn't know was hacked.

2v2 does tham mean only 2 pokes each or what?
if so
smeargle
dark void
lock on
sheer cold
horn drill (if more then spider web)

[carlos1982]

Any idea whats in the prize pack??


Lol 128 people in each age group. Gonna be alot of disapointed entrants.

[gorm]

predicting obi randomly enters and wins with a mono ghost stall team

this is kind of pathetic, i really thought nintendo knew a bit more about competitive play

[Odinwolf]

This is pretty awful, but the prizes look pretty sweet. Nintendo is the master of arbitrary tournaments. I might have to make my way up there for this and abuse the terrible rules to make it deep into the tournament. Sadly, eventually I'll probably run into someone with a similar strategy and the winner will be determined by speed or a coin-flip for a speed tie-breaker.

EDIT: I'm not seeing a species clause... hmmm...

[Chozo]

Originally Posted by Fat phalanx

2v2 does tham mean only 2 pokes each or what?
if so
smeargle
dark void
lock on
sheer cold
horn drill (if more then spider web)

Double battles, 4 Pokemon a side.

And I think Sketch is limited to moves from Pokemon that aren't banned, meaning that Dark Void cheese is potentially off limits. The site's taken a dump ATM so I can't check.

Plus, I'm not seeing how the rules are truly so awful. Yeah, Dragonite and Ttar being banned because they don't evolve until level 55 is kinda eh, but they've actually done the smart thing this time and banned all the 670+ stat legendaries and Soul Dew. "Oh noes, teh OHKOs/Double Team are not banned!" you say? You actually dick around with those in a double battle?

[Murkrow]

Originally Posted by Fat Chozo

And I think Sketch is limited to moves from Pokemon that aren't banned, meaning that Dark Void cheese is potentially off limits. The site's taken a dump ATM so I can't check.

Darkrai's being released at the end of this month. :P I wonder why they banned Regigigas, though. Perhaps he was truly meant to be uber!? Isn't Regigigas useable in the Battle Tower?

As for the tournament, LA & NY??? So much for that Journey Across America they had going.

And if only 128 people will pass the online challenge, what's stopping a bunch of people from taking the test, qualifying, and not going? I'm not saying I'd do that, but I can imagine that happening a lot, especially given the ease of their past tests.

[Gigafrost]

Originally Posted by Fat Odinwolf

I'm not seeing a species clause... hmmm...

http://showdown.pokemon.com/rules/qualifier_rules.xhtml

A player’s team may not contain two of the same Pokémon.

[RBG*]

Reason Regigias was banned:

Skill Swamp or Gastro Acid

[Chozo]

Originally Posted by Fat RB Golbat

Reason Regigias was banned:

Skill Swamp or Gastro Acid

I'm pretty sure that's less due to either of those (see: Slaking not banned) and more because you catch him at level 70.

[Gigafrost]

In case anybody was wondering whether or not Shaymin is banned, it is, just not explicitly:

Players may use Pokémon found in the Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl National Dex, between 001 and 491

I know I was wondering about this because the New York qualifier happens on July 19th, the first day of the Shaymin event in Japan.


Along similar lines, Smeargle is also not allowed to use Seed Flare, as per the attack restrictions:

By Smeargle’s “Sketch” move (limited to the above moves learned by Pokémon between 001 and 491)

[Alice]

smeargle w/dark void and OHKO moves paired with NO GUARD machamp...

Yes, OHKO moves do break 2v2.

[Shiven]

Smeargle with Dark Void and a second pokemon with Fake Out really limits the chances of him dying.