Simple Questions & Simple Answers & General Resources (OU Edition) MK II

[alkinesthetase]

CB dnite should be something like

outrage/dclaw (i think the extra power from outrage is quite important but you do NOT want to be locking in early game)
espeed (if you're not using the banded priority dnite doesn't even have that many advantages over other band dragons)
fire punch (screw skarm and most other steels)
earthquake (heatran)

quote from band set analysis:

Superpower is actually a very competitive alternative. It does heavy damage to Tyranitar, Blissey, and Chansey, and has arguably better coverage too, hitting most Pokemon that Earthquake hits and more. However, Jirachi in rain and Metagross will then wall Dragonite, but outside of rain Fire Punch deals a decent amount of damage and the right support can make them a non-issue.

other than band most dnite sets don't really have room to be running superpower in the first place. dnite has a lot of sets so refer to the analysis if you really want to know, but generally the ground/fire combination is more useful, and if you can only run one of the 3 (ground/fire/steel), best to run fire. you don't wanna really be running superpower on stuff like ddnite, it's hard enough to boost with nite in this game as it is and throwing your boosts away is really gonna be a nuisance.

[Gairyuki789]

^thank you for your answer master black mage, I appreaciate it greatly.

[Uvood]

I see the suspect test pages have been removed, does this mean it's over? If so, was Genesect banned, or did he get to stay? Or are you still counting votes? It's hard keeping track of this these days, since you no longer put these news on the main page :P.

[Remedy]

Everything is there.
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthr...66#post4488666

[Admiral Bobbery]

He's banned, which makes most of the team I have been using useless T.T

Although, perhaps it's for the best, since now people (myself included) will have to put a little bit more thought into their teams instead of just putting Genesect on every team imaginable because he fits in so well. I do think Tornadus-T usage will rise, as will Scizor (maybe even Scarf Scizor. I actually saw a Scarf Scizor the other day and I ended up losing the match because I thought it was Banded!). But to answer your question without the commentary: yeah, he's banned.

[dragonuser]

For future reference, if you are ever wondering where a vote is/how it turned out check the Policy Review Forum, specifically the Blind Voting subforum.

[Arceus Nui]

Okay, I quit playing this game shortly after Garchomp was put back into OU (I didn't quit because of Chomp's release, just was unmotivated), and I'm thinking of coming back, so can anyone tell me any metagame changes that has happened since then? (Not only tier changes, but also new popular team archetypes, and which team archetypes don't work anymore, like the archetype that was extremely popular before I quit was Lavos Spawn's GeneSun team) And please don't refer me to usage stats; I can understand how to read them, but I can't interpret them. Thanks!

EDIT: When I say I can't interpret the ugase stats, I mean I can't tell 'if Pokemon X usage increases, then Pokemon Y usage will increase/decrease

Oh and, knowing any new sets that I should look out for would be great help :)

[Lady Alex]

Genesect was just banned, so that's probably going to cause a pretty huge metagame shift. Rain offense is likely to see a large rise in usage, though, since Genesect was a significant threat to Tornadus-T, though.

[Yomegami]

I've been considering using Deoxys-D for my bulky offense rain team, since it has reliable recovery and can set up both Spikes and Stealth Rock for me. However, the analysis for it seems to suggest that you should only use it on hyper offense (or, in the case of the bulky spiker, stall) teams.

So I'm wondering: Is Deoxys-D a good choice for a hazard setter on anything other than a hyper offense/stall team, or should I go with something else?

[dragonuser]

Deoxys-D has been used to some effect on more stallish teams, but generally other walls perform better in its place. Especially since stall teams are already so tight on spots, as there are just so many threats to cover in this metagame. It is pretty hard to say without seeing your full team, but to answer your question: Yes, it can serve specific niche needs.

[alkinesthetase]

i do not like deoxys-D on FULL stall (emphasis on FULL stall, which is pretty difficult to pull off these days anyway). it has a lot of natural bulk but its typing is extremely subpar and its only use is spiking. stall is so cramped for utility slots and resistances, and deoxys really doesn't contribute a heck of a lot of either. however i have seen "balanced deoxys-D" which is basically deo offense with a jellicent for taunt+wow trolling and spinblocking.

either way i would not use deoxys on a highly defensive or bulky team, but it can fit comfortaby into "balanced" teams. offense is its proper home though

[Chimpakt]

You can definitely use Deoxys-D as a stall breaker on a stall team so that you don't instantly lose to stuff like Reuniclus, Taunt Gliscor, or CM Latias. It also serves as a great spike user if you want your hazard inducer to be resistant to fire (under rain) / fighting.

If you do intend on using Deoxys, you shouldnt be using it to set up both hazards. There are much better Stealth Rock users on rain stall than deoxys.

[Drybones]

I feel that team preview in gen 5 has been the worst addition to pokemon since -- ever. At best it causes the mid and end game to come earlier and freshens up the game. At worst it causes too much emphasis to be placed on teambuilding over in game strategy. Interesting bits of the metagame like leads and scouting have been watered down.

My question is: is there a version of B/W played with no team preview? If there is, do enough people participate to make it worthwhile?

I think I remember something about some kind of wifi mode based on an actual nintendo style of play with no team preview.

[alkinesthetase]

My question is: is there a version of B/W played with no team preview? If there is, do enough people participate to make it worthwhile?

you can turn off wifi clause on PO iirc, which will take off team preview. PS doesn't have any such option because there is no standard ladder with team preview off - it is an integral part of the gen V simulator metagame, so the playerbase for no-preview meta is pretty damn low on sim. not sure you'll have much luck here.

[mew420]

Originally Posted by Fat rot1npieces

-- Lastly, how do you guys keep track of EVs, where do you get your EV lowering berries, and how do you get your Rare Candies? I'm afraid that you're going to say Battle Subway for Rare Candies, because I'm notoriously bad at it x.x

if i'm ev'ing a mon, i attach the power item and constantly switch to a lv. 100 mon with 100% accurate moves that will guaranteed ohko the opponent. you don't even really need to track ev's then. just wait until you've used up 30pp worth of moves in a 1 ev battle, or 25 in a 2 ev battle, you know you've hit 250 ev's after 10 vitamins (different calcs apply to pokerus and alternate spreads, but that's easy enough to work out).

if the mon you are ev'ing is strong enough to 100% ohko, you don't even need to switch.

endure and sturdy mons complicate things a little further, but still simple enough to handle.

[Siggu]

I know that Heatran is one of the best pokemon to check Sun teams, if not the very best, and it has no problem in being used on Sand teams because of its Steel typing, but... which other pokemon are good at checking Sun teams AND are viable on Sand teams? I want to use something different, not Heatran. I've been using Specially Defensive Rotom-H, but its SR weakness and Genesect's ban are making me think there could be better options

[alkinesthetase]

latias, terrakion are some good examples of sun checks that fit on sand. many dragons (besides dragonite) that fit well on sand can be used as sun checks. shed shell tyranitar is also a bloody nuisance for sun teams to kill; ninetales loses one on one and you can gtfo from dugtrio

[hotcoldyay]

If i want to let my cm cofagrigus speed creep, should i give it 8 speed evs or 12 speed evs? The current set says 4 evs.

[Siggu]

Originally Posted by Fat hotcoldyay

If i want to let my cm cofagrigus speed creep, should i give it 8 speed evs or 12 speed evs? The current set says 4 evs.

You should give it 8 Speed EVs, but if you are TOO paranoid about the possibility of speed-tying with other speed-creeping Cofagrigus, then you can give it 12 EVs... and even then it's a continuous speed-creeping chain that will only end with 252 EVs and a Timid nature :P

[rot1npieces]

What's the point of Volt Switch U-Turn rain teams? I was looking through the RMT to get some ideas, and I've heard about Volt Turn teams before but a lot of these monsters hold stuff like the choice items..

Whats the point of that? Are you only suppose to use Volt Switch and U-Turn the whole battle?

Does anyone have any recent vods or streams of some matches? I'm still stuck on where to begin lol

[Turtle Soup]

Obviously you're not only going to use only Volt Switch/U-turn. The point of those abilities is that it helps you keep offensive momentum making you able to control the flow of the match.
You bring in your pokemon that has VoltTurn against something that it threatens, but instead of going for the big attacking move you go for VoltTurn knowing that he will switch out. Thereby you get to see his switch in and can freely go to something that effective against that poke, sometimes even to another VoltTurn user where you can repeat the process.

[Onicon]

You, of course, won't rely on Volt Switch and U-Turn alone. The whole point about Volt-Turn is maintaining offensive pressure by forcing your opponent to react. Because switching has a higher priority than attacking your opponent either has to stomach the hit or switch out. In the latter case, because of the higher priority of switching, the Volt-Turner keeps the momentum and can react according to the switch-in - at least when you don't Volt Switch into something immune.

I don't have a log but here is a little guide. This one is a bit old and doesn't feature BW2 with Tornadus-T, move tutor, Genesect (kicked upstairs), but sums up the idea.

[Jukain]

Adding to that, VoltTurn aims to win with residual damage. U-turn and Volt Switch do some damage, and when you add entry hazards to that, the opponent will get worn down rather quickly. The basic premise is to force your foe out and U-turn / Volt Switch as they switch, going into another U-turn / Volt Switch user that threatens the Pokemon that switched in. The cycle continues. This is based on cores of Pokemon that beat many counters of another Pokemon. Usually, the endgame is Choice Scarf Pokemon or set-up sweeper cleaning the opponent's heavily weakened team. Why rain? Scizor + Rotom-W is a good VoltTurn core. Rain reduces Scizor's Fire weakness and boosts the power of Rotom-W's STAB Hydro Pump.

[Turtle Soup]

On a physical Abomasnow (max Atk, @Expert Belt) what should I run for my 4th attack? Ice punch for a stronger Ice stab, Focus Punch the manly choice or Protect the lady choice? I was thinking Focus Punch since Ice Shard should probably be enough for ICe stab and Protect is kinda pointless without Leftover/Leech Seed.

[ClubbingSealCub]

Originally Posted by Fat Turtle Soup

On a physical Abomasnow (max Atk, @Expert Belt) what should I run for my 4th attack? Ice punch for a stronger Ice stab, Focus Punch the manly choice or Protect the lady choice? I was thinking Focus Punch since Ice Shard should probably be enough for ICe stab and Protect is kinda pointless without Leftover/Leech Seed.

I'm assuming you're using Ice Shard / Earthquake / Woodhammer; so maybe Hidden Power Fire would be a good option, since Ferrothorn walls that set to hell and back. If your team has no problem with Ferrothorn, I would use Leech Seed to gain some health back and annoy the opposition.