Research During Battles

[DragonKnight900]

1) How much research do you do while in the middle of a pokemon battle?
2) Do you feel like you've won / lost a game because of your mid-game research?

I do zero research during a battle ( on shoddy, PBR or wi-fi ). I don't think that it is 'cheating' to research or anything along those lines because we all have access to the same tools via the internet its just that I would rather see where my instincts take me and get a feel for the ebb and flow of a battle than crunching numbers and figuring out the statistics . . .

Until I see otherwise I pretty much assume that every non-lead Infernape has Close Combat / Flamethrower / HP Ice / Grass Knot / U-Turn / Mach Punch / Nasty Plot. I realize that this is impossible and very unlikely that they'll probably only have 2 available slots after Close Combat / Flamethrower, but I just playing it safe . . . I know that there are players out there who will see how much damage Infernape does to their Pokemon and infer what its moveset is . . . but I don't.

And I feel like this has cost me a match or two.

I don't know off the top my head if my Scizor can take out a Gayardos with 25% health left with a CB Bullet Punch . . . I know I could find out using anyone of the numerous Damage Calcs but I would rather spend my time in a battle, learn from my mistakes and hopefully do better next time instead of spending 3 minutes figuring out that the potential damage output is 24% - 27% ( just made that up ) and have it all come down to a toss of the RNG.

Plus, battles just take forever when each player is running calcs to see who the best candidate to take a DD Outrage is after their main Salamence counter has been defeated . . . we spend time with RMT and statistic usage and the Smogon Pokedex to know these things before battles . . . not try and learn them during.

[Jaxx]

I also don't use damage calcs during a battle. If I know what my Pokemon can live or KO is from experience of actually risking it in battle. I prefer to stay in the heat of the battle instead of whipping open my laptop and typing like crazy.

Although I don't mind people who do you calcs during a battle as long as they don't take about half hour testing every single option.

Another reason I don't use damage calcs is because you can't be sure how an opponent has EV'd their Pokemon and you could mess up because of it.

Peace out.

[Stylish Interval]

I'd rather see / read a good, long match that was good and long because both players ran calculations and wrote down notable things than to witness / read a short, run of the mill battle because both players just clicked moves they were used to clicking.

Also I'm doubting it takes 3 minutes to do a calculation, especially with the SDC.

[Drathos]

I usually do research for battles in the Battle Frontier although for games against actual people I don't do any kind of research besides knowing what types are effective against others which I think is basic pokemon knowledge:)

[GaRgAnt]

I always do research during battle, to calculate how much damage that Choice Band Stone Edge is going to do to my Scizor. It's important to me because I want to be as efficient as possible in keeping my team at relatively good health while whittling down my opponents', so I'm pretty obsessive in calculating and also researching move side-effects.

[PI-Dimension]

I only run calcs when I'm stuck between two moves, such as Tbolt vs Hydro Pump on Starmie (Tbolt is better if it can OHKO, b/c of accuracy). I'd say I'd run maybe 3-4 calcs a game.

[bludhoundz]

I'm not always taking it really seriously and then I don't look up a mon's set on the Shoddy Pokedex or use Damage Calcs.

But if I'm trying to play really well I always have the Calculator open. For example, if I want to KO a pokemon but it is at mid HP and I also think that they might switch it out, I check to see which of my moves can KO, suspecting that for the switchin it might be a pokemon that resists my main STAB but might be weak to or not resist a secondary attack I have.

It also really helps for end game, because then I can calculate different possible scenarios and try to think what my best course of action is. Also I often check the dex for sets and EVs so that I can get an idea of what their other moves are or for damage calculations.

Finally if I'm trying to play really hard I open notepad and record their pokemon, items (? if it is unknown, or I can say not LO / Lefties, possibly choiced, etc..), and moves.

So to answer the question I don't do a lot of research when playing casually, but if I'm attempting to play my best or increase my CRE I conduct a fair amount of research.

[ungulateman]

I don't run calc, but I occasionally look up standard sets for more obscure Pokemon or look up BST to see if I can outspeed, say, a +2 Kingdra.

[Sy123]

I never ever run damage calculations, I feel like an accountant if I do these things in the middle of something I love doing.
I only use my experience, type effectiveness, and confidence!
Also I do actually mind if my opponent looks it up, not because it reveals my pokemon. But because I like battles that are fast paced, and will only take less than 20 minutes (Yes 20 minutes is a proper battle)
It wont do them any use, since I sometines dont use the smogon set for EVs, and do my own

[BinarySolo]

Nah, I never calculate damage. I'm not against it or anything, but I've never really been in a position where knowing exactly (well, within the deviation) how much a move will do could cost me the match. I've looked up base speeds on Pokemon a few times though, since that's actually likely to have an effect on the outcome of the battle.

[Chou Toshio]

If I've been playing with a team for a while, I don't use them-- typically I will from time to time with a newer team. Partly because Doug's new smogon calculator is so simple to use and effective, I've been doing calcs more than before.

But recently, I've realized that not doing some background calcs and taking your time is just sloppy. Even sloppier to not take note of what the enemy is using. We are given a certain alotted time in shoddy, and I think that in the context of playing competitively, do what it takes to win (if that's what you're aiming for).

On another note, I do think it would be wiser for players to be able to set time settings. I have felt more than once that we are given WAY too much time in a typical shoddy battle.

[Myrmidon]

calculations, no...I leave that up to knowledge and experience.

eyeballing speed tiers, however, is a different story.I'm horrible at remembering what's got what speed, and all that, and I usually think something is faster/slower than it is.so I've got no issues checking speed ratings mid-battle...

[Tyranitar]

Sometimes, but usually when the match depended on it.

[wavedash]

I use Smogon's damage calculator a whole lot. For me, competitive battling isn't an immersive experience. It's a battle of wits against my enemy. I don't plan on taking a calculus III test without a calculator.

I never run damage calcs on Starmies to see if they're bulky or offensive, though. I use calcs to predict the future, not see my opponent's hand.

[Fear The Pika]

I'll run calcs to see if I can KO or not, or if they'll KO me, but I don't try to see what set they run through how much damage they did. However, if I start taking a while, I'll just make my move as it's unfair to spend 5-10 minutes finding out what every possible scenario is. Some of the game is up to luck, and there are some people who just don't accept that. Not saying that running calcs is not accepting it, the whining and complaining about hax afterward. A note or two on how it may have been different if X might not have happened is fine, but nobody likes a poor loser.

[Despotar]

Originally Posted by Fat ChouToshio

If I've been playing with a team for a while, I don't use them-- typically I will from time to time with a newer team.

Quoted for truth

[bearsfan092]

I'll often check with Smogon's damage calculator as to whether I should boost a stat or not. There's no point in attacking with, say, a +2 Thunderbolt and barely leaving your opponent a live, requiring another turn for a kill, when it would be more productive to Calm Mind another turn, attack afterwards, and use the same amount of turns in a more efficient manner.

[boredomisbliss]

Using the calculator is definitely not my first instinct, nor my second, nor, whatever you get the point. I have enough experience to know what to do in most situations I'm up against, and its not usually hard to figure out exactly what to do. Like for example you know that even though you're not going to kill that Celebi Ice Fang is your best bet (not that I have ever used Ice Fang, Stone Edge > it because of other Gyarados)

Only in rare situations do I actually use damage calcs. For example its nice to know CB Scizor Bullet Punch does 15% to Empoleon. And that the ESpeed from Dragonite won't KO my Suicune so I can actually Rest this turn.

[Res Ipsa Loquitur]

I occasionally do damage calcs, mostly when they decide victory. Like, it's 2 on 2, with my +1 BulkyGyara in against his Physically Bulky Salamence at X%, and I am holding back a Weavile while he is holding back an Infernape with enough health left to need two Ice Shards to kill. I need to know if Stone Edge can OHKO, because if my Gyarados dies, I lose. If Stone Edge cannot OHKO, I have a 0% chance to win (well, barring a crit) if I stay in and a small chance to win if I switch and he chooses to Dragon Dance. I would definitely run the calc in that situation.

About 99% of the ingame "research" I do, though, is Speed. I could not dream of telling you the base Speed of, say, Hypno right now, nor how many EVs it typically runs if any. If I have some other slow-but-not-glacial thing in, like a Breloom or something, I am going to check Hypno's analysis every time.

[Alan]

I have a lot of important calcs memorized because im a nerd like that and i have no life so what do something. for calcs im not sure of whatever i will use a damage calc or if im not sure of items and/or moves a pokemon carries i will look that up. i only do it for shoddy since every wifi battler i have battles (all three of them) used shit moves/items/pokemon

[Mazaki Anzu]

I do calcs when I think it's necessary, but not very often (in fact I think I haven't done a single calc this year)

For example, if I'm fighting a empoleon I calculate the damage a modest 252 s atk empoleon can do to my pokemon, then, when I got experience about the damage that pokemon can do, I don't care about calcs

[Ericcc]

I never do damage calcs, lol,
They're a waste of time and make battles seem so technical.
Sometimes though, I think I can KO something when I can't, and if I would have run some calcs, they would have saved me... but that hasn't happened often.
I guess it's all based on personal preference.

[ARandomDude]

I only do midgame calcs when I am figuring out whether a KO when actually be, well, a KO.

[falcokid]

I usually use it to check the power of the grass knots (without the LO boost curse you GK glitch.....) on opponents such as Swampert and Tyranitar.

[pharaohcalvin]

No I don't use damage calcs. Mostly because I don't know what there evs are, and I don't expect all my foes to be borning run of the mill brainless people that only run the move sets on smogon's lists ^^