Ask a simple question, get a simple answer - VGC edition

[Azoa]

Hello fellow smogoner's,

I write this post because of a 6+ Hr endeavor with a certain legendary pokemon, Lugia. I have attempted to capture him literally hundreds of times now with regular poke balls and when that fails I simply chuck my master ball at it. I am having difficulty getting the nature that the strategy pokedex recommends which is timid. Given that this is for the VGC i was wondering if a Modest Nature(+SpA -Atk) Would be better seeing as I saw in last years competition and videos from this years, that attacking is better then trying to stall. Now I was thinking something like this for the modest bird


Lugia @ Leftovers
EVs: 252 Speed / 252 SpA
Nature: Modest
- Roost
- Aero Blast
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power

So would the modest nature for this be better for the VGC or would it just be a lack luster set? Lemme know what you think

[J-Man27]

Hey guys, on a Trick Room team, is it wise to have 2 Pokemon that know Trick Room? Or will one suffice?

[xNovaXx]

Originally Posted by Fat J-Man27

Hey guys, on a Trick Room team, is it wise to have 2 Pokemon that know Trick Room? Or will one suffice?

Better to have two. If the first one is KO'd before it can get Trick Room off, you have a serious problem. Also, if Trick Room expires and the first Pokémon is KO'd, you will have another Pokémon to use it.

[J-Leo-L]

Originally Posted by Fat Feathers

Nope, that wouldn't be me. xD
I think I talked to one smogoner right before my 3rd match. He asked if I EV trained, to which I said "yup". Any chance that was you? xD

Nope, I joined here last January. Like I keep saying, I've got to make an effort this year to meet some people.

Originally Posted by Fat ultimatedra

So, if you are 17 when you win - but 18 come nationals, you will NOT receive the extra $300 for your parent/legal gaurdian.

Darn. Ah well. Thank you for looking into it.

[Werecario]

Originally Posted by Fat Firestorm

You're overestimating the power of IVs. Manipulating the game's RNG is to give you a better chance of getting high IVs. That's all. IVs make a one stat point difference. You'll want 31 Speed obviously, but there are few times when you'll be one stat point away from a KO methinks. Definitely more common with some Pokemon than others, but it should definitely be possible to win without delving into that stuff.

You can also look for reputable WiFi traders here if you want to take no chances.

Thank you for your answer. It is a bit comforting to know. I am at least making sure the ivs are decent enough.

Another question. What do you guys think of a TR team lead by two fast, generally sweeper pokemon, one (the one that knows TR) holding an iron ball and the other equipped with fake out and priority attacks to go first anyway? I think that this will avoid taunts for non-TR teams and will allow me to gain a turn against TR teams by letting them set up TR instead of me. Does it sound too good to be true? The secondaries have to be slow of course though.

[Misdreavus]

Is it worth it to take a potential VGC team on PBR random Wi-Fi for testing, or would that just be a waste of time?

[Noxe]

Originally Posted by Fat Misdreavus

Is it worth it to take a potential VGC team on PBR random Wi-Fi for testing, or would that just be a waste of time?

It's worth it because you get to play the japanese players over wifi as well. There are alot of japanese wifi VGC teams that are worth your time, but at the same time there are alot that are a waste of time as well. All in all though, I found my PBR time to be useful.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Fat Azoa

Hello fellow smogoner's,

I write this post because of a 6+ Hr endeavor with a certain legendary pokemon, Lugia. I have attempted to capture him literally hundreds of times now with regular poke balls and when that fails I simply chuck my master ball at it. I am having difficulty getting the nature that the strategy pokedex recommends which is timid. Given that this is for the VGC i was wondering if a Modest Nature(+SpA -Atk) Would be better seeing as I saw in last years competition and videos from this years, that attacking is better then trying to stall. Now I was thinking something like this for the modest bird


Lugia @ Leftovers
EVs: 252 Speed / 252 SpA
Nature: Modest
- Roost
- Aero Blast
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power

So would the modest nature for this be better for the VGC or would it just be a lack luster set? Lemme know what you think

Modest nature isn't too bad. The only problem is some +speed legendaries will outspeed you as a result. Though Lugia is fast already so its hard to say.

That looks like an okay build for Lugia. Probably having 252 HP / 252 SpA might be a bit more suitable for bulkiness + roost. :]

[Pokethan]

Originally Posted by Fat Misdreavus

Is it worth it to take a potential VGC team on PBR random Wi-Fi for testing, or would that just be a waste of time?

PBR is good because it makes you think on your toes and points out weaknesses in your starategy you might not have noticed otherwise if you just played people with standard VGC teams. You have to be ready for the unexpected so using PBR isn't a bad thing at all.

[POKEMONBATTLEBRAIN]

PBR can be a decent source of competition and information as to how your team actually plays out. It really depends on when you play and how lucky you get with opponent selection. If you play late at night against a few Americans and the more-often-than-not good Japanese players, chances are the competition will be better quality than normal. If you play in the middle of the day at 2pm, not so much.

[Garaluo]

Are the slots still being handed out by lottery? Or is it first come first serve this year? (I seem to have heard both somewhere)

[POKEMONBATTLEBRAIN]

It is first come first serve, up to 786 people for the senior division.

[Swords]

Is this just for Smogon? If not, is this just for Pokemon?

[Alakapimp]

No, Yes.

[NjSoccer]

I've seen a lot of Smeargles in my recent battles for practicing for VGC. Some are fake out ones, other are follow me, some are dark void, they are all so different D: (which kinda makes me want to make a team with one :p)

Anyone know a good set for a good smeargle? Or maybe some of the popular ones (so i know what their movesets are)

[Firestorm]

There are a lot of questions about individual Pokemon here and if you're thinking in terms of that I think there's a lesser chance of winning. Doubles requires team synergy even moreso than singles I'm finding. Smeargle in particular is a support Pokemon. Honestly, he's a last resort imo. If there's something you really need done, and no Pokemon can pull it off, that's when you go to Smeargle. That's one of the reasons you'll see him often using moves like Dark Void or combinations of moves that few to no other Pokemon can use.

[Alakapimp]

Dark Void/Endeavor/Fake Out/Follow Me

All those were the same smeargle set probably.

[Showsni]

Here's one for a Trick Room team:

Smeargle (Lv.1)@Focus Sash
Ability: Own Tempo
Nature: Brave
EVs: none (Spd IV of 0)
- Fake Out
- Follow Me
- Dark Void
- Endeavor

It's harder to practise with level 1 Pokémon on WFC, though.

[Sixonesix]

Smeargles everywhere will have Dark Void, and likely Follow Me and/or Fake Out. Then probably a couple of the following:

Detect
Super Fang
Endeavor
Tailwind
Gravity
Shadow Sneak/Ice Shard/Bullet Punch (as a last resort to pick off pokemon at 1 HP)

[Alakapimp]

Why would you do shadow sneak six? Ice shard so that nothing is immune.

[Cshadow]

Well, Shedinja is immune, so it could be used to pick off him.

[Sixonesix]

Pretty much. It's a choice between either killing Shedinja or finishing off enemy Smeargle.

[Alakapimp]

And Snorlax too I guess, but personally I just really hate smeargle.

[djbeardo]

Is Giratina-o considered legal for the VGC?

Or will the griseous orb be stripped before the match (as it is in wifi battles)?

[Firestorm]

If it can be used in a local battle it can be used at VGC.