Ask a simple question, get a simple answer - mark 22 (READ THE OP)

[cantab]

A Pokemon with full EVs will always have the same strength at a given level, no matter whether it is 'really' that level or has been auto-levelled (down or up) to it.

So if you plan on playing battles with auto-levelling, there is absolutely no need to level up beyond what you need to learn your moves. (Indeed, it's better to hold off level 100 so you can change your EVs if you want).

 

[Purple Wobbuffet]

In level 50 all battling, is a Pokemon at level 50 weaker than a level 100 Pokemon brought down to level 50?

As in, should I bother leveling up my Pokemon to level 100 after they've been EVd or does it truly matter?

In Lv. 50, all pokes are made Lv. 50.

 

[BeatenByBulbasaur]

How do EV's express themselves? Say I have a level 5 pokemon with full EV's - it wouldn't have received all of it's stat bonuses yet right? Exactly how does this mechanism work?

 

[cantab]

The stats formulae are given here:

http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Statistics#Determination_of_stats

However, that doesn't properly state where and how rounding takes place. I think there's an article on Smogon that does.

The behaviour of EVs is unusual at low levels. It takes a lot of EVs to gain 1 stat point; however, the number required to gain the first stat point (from 0 EVs) is often not that to gain subsequent stat points. I suggest you ask in the Little Cup forum - quite probably there are articles and threads written about EVing in LC, which you can be pointed to (but search yourself first).

 

[Zowayix]

If a Heatproof Bronzong is hit with a Fire-type move, does it still say "It's super effective"?

EDIT: Thanks Delko!

 

[Delko]

If a Heatproof Bronzong is hit with a Fire-type move, does it still say "It's super effective"?

Yes, but deals less damage.

 

[Zowayix]

Which Pokemon have a lower base stat in one category than its pre-evolved counterpart(s)?

Ex: Scizor has lower base Speed than Scyther, Shedinja has lower base HP than Nincada, etc.

(Outside of Shedinja's HP, the only stat category that is decreased after evolution is Speed, right?)

 

[rayquazamaster776]

Which Pokemon have a lower base stat in one category than its pre-evolved counterpart(s)?

Ex: Scizor has lower base Speed than Scyther, Shedinja has lower base HP than Nincada, etc.

(Outside of Shedinja's HP, the only stat category that is decreased after evolution is Speed, right?)

Vibrava has less Attack than Trapinch.

 

[ForretressUpInHere]

Just a few simple questions about Gen 4 in general.

1. Does there exist a good guide online for simple EV training? I've yet to find one, but then, I don't exactly know where to look.

2. To evolve Magnezone, Magneton needs to be leveled at Mt. Coronet... Does this mean that if I wanted Magnezone in HeartGold, I'd need to trade Magneton over to DPP and trade it back after the evolution? Or have they provided an alternative to this?

3. What is the name of Dusknoir's evolution item? I've evolved him before, I'm just not sure what the item is called... To expand, is this item available in HG/SS at all?

4. In competitive play, are there many ice STAB users running around? I ask because there aren't many OU ice-types to begin with... I ask because I plan on running with a Flygon - massive 4x ice weakness.

 

[cantab]

@ForretressUpInHere:

2) AFAIK Magneton cannot be evolved into Magnezone in HGSS, so yes you would need to trade.

3) Reaper Cloth. Don't know if it can be had in HGSS.

4) Ice is mainly taken to hit Salamence. Like Flygon, Mence is 4x weak, so non-STAB ice will normally take him down. Despite that weakness, Mence is still really popular. Flygon less so but it does see usage.
Do watch our for Mamoswine, which has priority Ice STAB.

 

[symphonyx64]

1. Does there exist a good guide online for simple EV training? I've yet to find one, but then, I don't exactly know where to look.

2. To evolve Magnezone, Magneton needs to be leveled at Mt. Coronet... Does this mean that if I wanted Magnezone in HeartGold, I'd need to trade Magneton over to DPP and trade it back after the evolution? Or have they provided an alternative to this?

3. What is the name of Dusknoir's evolution item? I've evolved him before, I'm just not sure what the item is called... To expand, is this item available in HG/SS at all?

4. In competitive play, are there many ice STAB users running around? I ask because there aren't many OU ice-types to begin with... I ask because I plan on running with a Flygon - massive 4x ice weakness.

1. Ev Training guide.

2. Most likely you are going to be trading it from DPP.

3. The name of the item is Reaper Cloth. Yes, you can find it in Mt. Silver.

4. You really don't need a STABed Ice user to OHKO Flygon, or any Dragons for that matter. Anything running HP Ice, Ice Beam, etc in OU play is usually given the proper EV spread to OHKO all Dragons. However, tanks and walls are usually excluded from that, such as Cresselia or Blissey.

 

[DDRMaster]

Which Pokemon have a lower base stat in one category than its pre-evolved counterpart(s)?

Ex: Scizor has lower base Speed than Scyther, Shedinja has lower base HP than Nincada, etc.

(Outside of Shedinja's HP, the only stat category that is decreased after evolution is Speed, right?)

Salamence, Butterfree, Beedrill, and Beautifly all have less Defense than their pre-evolved forms.

1. Does there exist a good guide online for simple EV training? I've yet to find one, but then, I don't exactly know where to look.

2. To evolve Magnezone, Magneton needs to be leveled at Mt. Coronet... Does this mean that if I wanted Magnezone in HeartGold, I'd need to trade Magneton over to DPP and trade it back after the evolution? Or have they provided an alternative to this?

3. What is the name of Dusknoir's evolution item? I've evolved him before, I'm just not sure what the item is called... To expand, is this item available in HG/SS at all?

4. In competitive play, are there many ice STAB users running around? I ask because there aren't many OU ice-types to begin with... I ask because I plan on running with a Flygon - massive 4x ice weakness.

1. http://www.gamefaqs.com/portable/ds/file/946308/56146
2. As far as I know, there is no way to obtain a Magnezone, Probopass, Leafeon, or Glaceon in HGSS without trading.
3. Reaper Cloth; you can find it in Route 28, Champ Road, and on wild Duskull. http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Reaper_Cloth#Reaper_Cloth
4. There aren't many Ice-types in OU but there are a ton of Ice attacks and Flygon is frail enough to be OHKO'd by most of them. Flygon is certainly not a bad Pokemon, but you need to make sure your team has atleast one Ice resist so you can switch in on the Ice attacks aimed at it.

Edit: Beaten, but I got the right areas for Reaper Cloth.

 

[Lightsabre]

1) yes there is, but I couldn't tell you where to find it, so here is where I EV train in DIAMOND(not in Platinum, Pearl works)

HP: solacean town, bike down and right before the bike ramp there's a cowgirl with 5 Bidoof. 1 each + PKRS and power item= 10 each, so you're getting 50 EVs per fight

ATK: go to your hometown and use the SUPER ROD on the lake below you. there will always be either Gyarados or Seaking. both of which give you 2 EVs +PKRS+Power Item=12 EVs per fight

DEF: go to the Ruin Maniac Cave. there are only geodude and Hippopotas there, both giving 1 DEF EV. 1+PKRS+Power Item=10 EVs per fight

SPATK: go to the Old Chatuea(spl?) and battle the ghastly there. if you don't have a GBA game in then you're guaranteed to run into ghastly every battle. they each give 1+PKRS+Power Item=10 EVs per fight

SPDEF: This one's anoyying, but go to Pastoria City and surf on the lake on the bottom right. you have a good chance of running into Tentacool(1+PKRS+Power Item=10 EVs per fight) and a rare chance of meeting a Tentacruel(2+PKRS+Power Item=12 EVs per fight). You also have a chance of running into wingull and Pelliper. Wingull gives SPEED and Pelliper give DEF EVs, so you want to run from them

SPEED: Fly to Eterna City and bike to your left. there should be a group of four fishermen, 3 of which will battle you. you want to battle the middle one(facing to your right) and he has 6 Magikarp. 1+PKRS+Power Item=10x6=60 EVs per battle

2) I have no clue :/

3) Reaper Cloth

4) there are not many STAB users, but the move Ice Beam is on several pokemon, so you'll need to watch out

 

[frogbandit]

Quick question that I've always been wondering:
In pokemon games, does pressing a certain button/combination of buttons increase your chances of catching a wild pokemon?

 

[ForretressUpInHere]

Alright, so typically, when looking at the ice users, what are their types? Predominantly water?

Here's the team I want to be running:

Forretress
Dusknoir
Kingdra
Flygon
Breloom
Magnezone

Speaking strictly in terms of weaknesses (I've yet to decide EV's or movesets), fire and ice are the glaring weaknesses (as well as Dragon, to a lesser extent). I've tried to address all weaknesses... Just want to make sure I can kill the opponent instead of simply walling it.

Also, how do these elemental "hidden power" attacks work? How do you know which is grass, fire, water, etc.?

 

[veedub08]

Im having trouble choosing my electivires moveset. I used the Mixed Ev recommendation with mild nature.

Locked moves are Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Grass. Im contemplating between flamethrower, earthquake, focus blast, ice punch, brick break and low kick for the last two slots.
In my current team i have a scizor with brick break, a starmie with boltbeam, and a salamence with fireblast, the only move type im missing in my team is earthquake which salamence could learn. Can you guys help me eliminate some moves from this long list?

 

[Naxte]

Quick question that I've always been wondering:
In pokemon games, does pressing a certain button/combination of buttons increase your chances of catching a wild pokemon?

No:
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Catch_rate

 

[veedub08]

I believe if you have the platinum version you can got to the house next door to the game corner and the guy on the left will tell you what the HiddenPower will be for your specific pokemon.

 

[cantab]

Alright, so typically, when looking at the ice users, what are their types? Predominantly water?

Ice Beam is most often seen on water types, but you could see Hidden Power ice on just about any special attacker.

Also, how do these elemental "hidden power" attacks work? How do you know which is grass, fire, water, etc.?

They are determined by IVs. If you know your IVs, you know your Hidden Power.
You can determine the type by speaking to a man in the Game Corner Prize Exchange, or using Hidden Power on a Kecleon. The power, which ranges from 30 to 70, can't be determined by any means other than knowing your IVs - though you may at least be able to tell 'strong' from 'weak' by attacking stuff.

 

[DDRMaster]

Hidden Power's type and Base Power are dependant on the Pokemon's IV's, which are randomly generated for each Pokemon but you can breed two Pokemon together and the baby Pokemon will have atleast one of its IV's passed down from the parents.

http://www.smogon.com/dp/moves/hidden_power
http://www.smogon.com/ingame/guides/breeding_guide_part3

 

[High Turtle]

Also, how do these elemental "hidden power" attacks work? How do you know which is grass, fire, water, etc.?

If you have Diamond, you can go to Route 210 which is to the right of Celestic Town. You can use the PokeRadar there and sometimes Kecleon will appear if you use the PokeRadar. Kecleon will not appear in Pearl or Platinum, so make sure you are using Diamond Version. You then can use your hidden power against it. Kecleon has the Color Change ability, so it will change to the type of an attack that hits it, so this is a good way to find out what hidden power you have. If it doesn't affect Kecleon, then it will be Ghost-Type since Kecleon is Normal-Type and Ghost attacks don't affect Normal Types.

Hope this helped

EDIT: Beaten =)

 

[Zowayix]

Seeing as there are a lot more Pokemon with base stats that decrease after evolution than I thought, is there a list anywhere of Pokemon that do so?

I vaguely remember a list being somewhere, but I can't find it...

 

[veedub08]

Electivire @ mild nature + expert belt
Moveset: (x means locked in)

-thunderbolt x
-hidden power grass x
-flamethrower
-earthquake
-brick break
-ice punch
-low kick
-focus blast

Any recommendations for which should be kept for the last two slots given my team:

Salamence: outrage/draco meteor/fire blast/roost
Scizor: bullet punch/brick break/roost/swords dance
Ninjask: X-scissor/protect/swords dance/baton pass
Starmie: surf/psychic/ice beam/rapid spin
arcanine:flare blitz/extremespeed/thunder fang/crunch

im leaning more towards a flamethrower+earthquake, any suggestions?

 

[shuckles my hero]

veedub08 I think that it should have brick break (cross chop would be better imo but you don't have that option) to help get better type coverage.

 

[veedub08]

veedub08 I think that it should have brick break (cross chop would be better imo but you don't have that option) to help get better type coverage.

I would put cross chop in but its too much of a hassle to breed and hope for a mild nature and hope to get hidden power grass with its IVs when i already have eveything i need minus cross chop. Im going to go with brick break.Thanks for helping me decide.

So i was thinking of either brick break/earthquake and flamethrower but now im considering brick break and earthquake instead of flamethrower.
My salamence has fire blast and my arcanine has flare blitz. No need for a third insurance and i have no ground attack whatsoever in my team. To bad arcanine doesnt learn earthquake.