Doubles OU Player of the Week #41 - Stax

Pastelle

we're all star stuff
Okay real talk I had no idea you were a musical nerd and that makes me very happy, cause theatre is the best ^_^

What are some roles you've played? What have been your favorites?

Okay now Pokemon questions:
Who's your prediction to win the Doubles UU Minitour? What's your favorite Pokemon not for competive reasons? If Skymin gets banned, how do you think it will affect the meta?
 

talkingtree

large if factual
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Two-Time Past SCL Champion
What pokemon have you tried to build around, but not been able to make work?
In a similar vein, are there any pokemon you wish were more viable?
Do you find yourself defaulting to your old teams more often or building more often to try to keep the game fresh?
Least favorite tutee?
 

ryo yamada2001

ryo yamada2001
is a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnus

Interviewee #15 - Level 51
1. Hi! Who are you and where do you come from?
Hi! I'm [name redacted] and I'm a 17-year old student hailing from the sunny island of Singapore.

2. Where did your username come from, and what does it mean?
Oh geez, not this again.
So when I just joined Smogon, I was busy playing the HGSS Battle Frontier. As well all know the Battle Frontier has you playing opponents at Level 50, so, uh, I think you can see where this is going. I actually regretted the choice of name quite a lot later on, but by then I thought I was fairly well-known and a name change wouldn't go over too well.

3. When did you start playing competitive Pokémon, when did you start playing competitive Doubles, and why did you stick around?
I started playing competitive Pokemon with the Battle Frontier, which necessarily meant I started off with Singles. Eventually I ended up playing RU, where I managed to land the rotating council once and then became a lot worse once Hail got banned. I also hung around the OM section a lot, where I had a lot of fun with various broken metas. I topped the BH, Hackmons and Glitchmons ladders a few times before they got any good, and one fine day I saw the Doubles thread when Pocket originally posted it. I found the irc link Pocket put in, and popped onto irc to say hello. I got in a battle with Pocket, where he destroyed my scrubby After You + Water Spout / Eruption team pretty easily, and since then I haven't really moved back to Singles. So I guess you could say I've been playing competitive Doubles since the start, but some might argue I've never started playing competitive Doubles at all lol.

4. What is your favourite playstyle to use in Doubles, and why?
My favourite playstyle is technically balanced goodstuffs, since I barely / never use anything else, but given the quality of the teams I've been bringing out recently I think my playstyle is probably more suited to badstuffs / AIDStuffs, unfortunately. I guess I just like seeing people rage on the ladder, since being Singaporean, I have a taste for a healthy amount of salt in my diet. n_n

5. Obviously with a favourite playstyle comes a favourite Pokémon. What is your favourite Pokémon to use competitively and why? What is your favourite Pokémon overall and why?
oooo boy. I probably have way too many of these to count; I like Togekiss for its Follow Me + Tailwind combination, and also because it's super cute. I also remember using Solar Beam Togekiss on a Sun team once to put big damage onto Rotom-W, and while I never really got to make much use of it, that was certainly enjoyable. Another big-time favourite is Gengar; I really enjoy having Shadow Tag around, since it really makes up for my somewhat sub-par prediction skills, and the possibilities with Mega Gengar are pretty much endless. Between Disable, Perish Song, Will-O-Wisp, and even Skill Swap and co., Mega Gengar is a really fun Pokemon to build a team around. That said, I think Gengar is probably my all-time favourite Pokemon overall; I remember that Gengar was the first Pokemon I ever hatched in-game with 3 perfect IVs. :3

6. How do you feel like the Shaymin-Sky ban will impact the current metagame? Do you think this is positive for the metagame or were you against banning it?
Oh man I really had no idea how to vote on Skymin, I was pretty undecided right up until I posted my vote. In the end though I think I'd like to get a taste of a metagame without Skymin first before I can pass judgment on whether its ban was healthy or not. I have lost my fair share of games to flinches from Skymin, but I have also won a few off Air Slashes when I used it myself, so I can't really complain either way.

7. Is there anything else that you consider unbalanced or broken in the current metagame. If yes, why do you think it's broken?
I think the current metagame is actually pretty balanced, especially now that Skymin is gone. Of course I can't say much since I haven't put together a solid team for this stage yet, but I hope that Stratos' doomsaying ways don't prove true.

8. Do you follow the Seasonals? Who do you think is the big favourite to win, Memoric, Tricking, Tesung or checkmater?
Oh haha I haven't actually followed this round of Seasonals because I've been busy with my schoolwork, but I think either Tricking or Memoric will take this, either by lucking everyone out or by pulling surprise azn strats. And I'M SORRY STATS WILL HAPPEN EVENTUALLY PLEASE DON'T KILL ME

9. Could you give us a team that resembles your playstyle and could you give us a brief explanation of it?
uh
no
Revelations (Victini) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- V-create
- U-turn
- Bolt Strike
- Final Gambit

Exodus (Excadrill) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Swords Dance
- Protect

Psalms (Togekiss) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 212 HP / 216 Def / 20 SpD / 60 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Air Slash
- Follow Me
- Tailwind
- Protect

Deuteronomy (Conkeldurr) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
EVs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Drain Punch
- Ice Punch
- Mach Punch
- Knock Off

Lamentations (Sharpedo) @ Sharpedonite
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Waterfall
- Crunch
- Ice Beam
- Protect

Genesis (Zapdos) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 132 HP / 24 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 96 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Tailwind
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost

so that's my 'signature' team, I used it a bit (actually a lot) in Seasonals but I guess it's not actually that good. Basically it's a Tailwind team, meaning that Stratos will probably gut me for this, so I don't think it's a great team to copy. It's probably more VGC-oriented than Doubles-oriented, so I guess at least this is a good reason why you can't import teams straight from VGC to Doubles OU. Oh well.

10. If you could change anything about Doubles OU, what would it be and why?
eh, given that I've recently jumped on the cancer teams train myself, I guess you could say I've come to a better understanding of these teams: why good ones work, and why bad ones don't. I think that even teams people label as bad do require some level of plays to be made, so I don't see any problem with those at the moment. That said, wait until Haruno / TGMD build a new bunnies-type team and ask me again. Until then I don't think anything really needs changing.

11. Do you have any advice for people who want to improve at Doubles?
I'm probably not the best person to ask this question, but I think that if you're just starting off, you should probably pick up a sample team rather than going SPECIAL SNOWFLAKE mode. Otherwise, once you're comfortable with standard teams, it's just a matter of practicing, gaining knowledge about the meta, and only then maybe you can start trying to add your own flair to your teams. I admit I skipped a few stages in between. Don't learn from me.

12. Is there anything you like to do outside of playing Pokémon?
oh yay! I'm vice-president of my school's Mathematics Competition Team, and I quite enjoy competing in Math competitions, no matter how nerdy this may sound. I also enjoy playing VSRGs (Vertical Scrolling Rhythm Games); I ran through Guitar Hero fairly fast so I picked up osu!mania, in which I am currently ranked top 700 globally and 9th in Singapore. Other than that I don't think I do anything real with my life; I should probably get outside more. oops.

13. If there is one person on the world you could meet, who would it be and why? If there is one place on the world you could go, where would it be and why?
Wow, this is a pretty tough call. i don't think I could decide on just one person, though I could probably meet a lot of the people high on the list by just showing up at Worlds and meeting all the VGC players there. That said, especially since I don't go out and associate much, I don't think there's anyone who is (a) alive right now and (b) not a Pokemon player who I would really like to meet. Besides, I think meeting up with anyone remotely famous would just be really really awkward, since after I tell them I'm a huge fan there would be literally zero conversation. In terms of location, I like it just fine here in Singapore. I wouldn't mind going back to some places I've already been though; the Lake District in the UK was a really nice calm and peaceful place, so it's probably one of my favourite places I've been, and the top of Tintagel Castle is similarly high on the list simply because it was an amazing experience.

dont edit this l51 HAHA GET WRECKED KID - level 51

Thanks for the interview Level 51! Stay tuned for more cool interviews

also shoutout to Laga for not answering his questions -_-
 
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Laga

Forever Grande
is a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnus
Okay real talk I had no idea you were a musical nerd and that makes me very happy, cause theatre is the best ^_^

What are some roles you've played? What have been your favorites?

Okay now Pokemon questions:
Who's your prediction to win the Doubles UU Minitour? What's your favorite Pokemon not for competive reasons? If Skymin gets banned, how do you think it will affect the meta?
I haven't really participated in many musicals. I only do it with my school, and just enjoy it a lot! Last year i played Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar, and this year i hope to be cast as Mark Cohen or Tom Collins in RENT :)

I have no idea lol, I stopped following when i was no longer a prediction possibility aka got my ass kicked.

My favourite pokemon non competitive atm is probably Aerodactyl. It's just kinda cool.

Sry i missed this q, looks like its a little late to answer it :v
What pokemon have you tried to build around, but not been able to make work?
In a similar vein, are there any pokemon you wish were more viable?
Do you find yourself defaulting to your old teams more often or building more often to try to keep the game fresh?
Least favorite tutee?
Exploud. It just didn't work :[

I really wish that Zygarde was more viable cuz that thing is a lil bitch atm even though it was designed to be the rayquaza of xern / yveltal / zyg.

I build new teams probably, but can't really choose one of these. I always like editing an old ass team to fit the current meta.

Least favourite tutee has gotta be that dude i contacted on skype who i asked "So, how long have u been playing doubles, and if you're coming from singles, how long have you played that?" who answered (2 days later) "I've played battle spot dubs for half a month" and then never talked again after i told him this was about Doubles OU, a smogon tier.
What are your plans for your youtube channel?
You're into music; what are some of your favorite artists?
Idk really... I definitely will stick to uploading whenever I want to, as I don't plan on making it big. Might try out some teambuilding content soon, but I just started back in school, and these first few weeks are rough.

My favourite artists (at the moment) include George Ezra, Matt Corby, Seafret, Kodaline, Bernhoft, Jack Johnson, OMAM, Norah Jones, John Mayer, Bastille, OneRepublic, Jack Johnson, Hozier, James Bay, and Jason Mraz. I'm in a huge folkrock / acoustic zone at the moment, but still regularly listen to other genres :]

also q for L51: When will u make Drapion viable in dubs?
 

Anty

let's drop
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
(this is for lvl51 ofc)

What are you 1. most succesful innovations (or 'badstuff' as you call it), and 2. funnest innovations?
 

Checkmater

It’s just us kittens left, and the rain is coming
is a Tiering Contributor
mfk Arcticblast, Audiosurfer, Stratos

I haven't really participated in many musicals. I only do it with my school, and just enjoy it a lot! Last year i played Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar, and this year i hope to be cast as Mark Cohen or Tom Collins in RENT :)

I have no idea lol, I stopped following when i was no longer a prediction possibility aka got my ass kicked.

My favourite pokemon non competitive atm is probably Aerodactyl. It's just kinda cool.

Sry i missed this q, looks like its a little late to answer it :v

Exploud. It just didn't work :[

I really wish that Zygarde was more viable cuz that thing is a lil bitch atm even though it was designed to be the rayquaza of xern / yveltal / zyg.

I build new teams probably, but can't really choose one of these. I always like editing an old ass team to fit the current meta.

Least favourite tutee has gotta be that dude i contacted on skype who i asked "So, how long have u been playing doubles, and if you're coming from singles, how long have you played that?" who answered (2 days later) "I've played battle spot dubs for half a month" and then never talked again after i told him this was about Doubles OU, a smogon tier.

Idk really... I definitely will stick to uploading whenever I want to, as I don't plan on making it big. Might try out some teambuilding content soon, but I just started back in school, and these first few weeks are rough.

My favourite artists (at the moment) include George Ezra, Matt Corby, Seafret, Kodaline, Bernhoft, Jack Johnson, OMAM, Norah Jones, John Mayer, Bastille, OneRepublic, Jack Johnson, Hozier, James Bay, and Jason Mraz. I'm in a huge folkrock / acoustic zone at the moment, but still regularly listen to other genres :]

also q for L51: When will u make Drapion viable in dubs?
you didn't answer my mfk question :(
 
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Level 51

the orchestra plays the prettiest themes
is a Site Content Manageris a Community Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Top Smogon Media Contributoris a Team Rater Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnusis a Past SCL Champion
also q for L51: When will u make Drapion viable in dubs?
Does this count?
edit: this too
edit2: why not this as well. Drapion's Toxic came in handy vs CM Cress even though I didn't get to Acupressure it up as much as I would have liked to, and I win against a relatively legit team!
edit3: with this battle, I'm 10-0 on ladder with Drapion. s i g h
(this is for lvl51 ofc)

What are you 1. most succesful innovations (or 'badstuff' as you call it), and 2. funnest innovations?
I'm not sure any of my 'badstuffs' teams could be called successful, since they are, by definition, bad. I guess as far as full badstuffs teams go, the one that played the best was probably this sack of shit team which I played against Arcticblast (here!) and which handed him a loss I will probably never let him live down. Here's the team, snipped from my Team Archive:

<THE BEST OF> (Yanmega) @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 20 SpD / 236 Spe
Modest Nature
- Bug Buzz
- Air Slash
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Protect

YANMEGA is an amazing Pokemon; thanks to Anty for the suggestion! Bug Buzz destroys a ton of important Pokemon like Cresselia and Latios (the latter after a Speed Boost), while Hidden Power Ice takes out Scarf Landorus-T, Garchomp, Salamence, and so forth after a Speed Boost. Air Slash is mainly for fun flinches here, but it can also play an important role in the fight against Keldeo.


<FEATURING> (Cradily) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 40 HP / 212 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Ancient Power
- Earth Power
- Protect

Cradily is also here to mess with Keldeo. switching in an unexpected Storm Drain next to Chandelure can make the latter virtually immune to Keldeo's attacks; meanwhile, Cradily's EVs ensure it gets to survive a Timid LO Keldeo Secret Sword and launch a Giga Drain in response. Rocky Helmet is also great for switching into predicted Kangaskhan attacks and watching it remove 1/3 of its own HP.


<RERELEASED> (Chandelure) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 52 Def / 252 SpA / 204 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Heat Wave
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect

Safety Goggles Chandelure has always struck me as a slightly stronger and faster version of Safety Goggles Heatran — and all the better at countering Sun. In addition, Safety Goggles Chandelure can also easily get a Will-O-Wisp off onto Kangaskhan thanks to its part Ghost-typing, making it much easier for the rest of the team. The EVs do something semi-important that I have since forgotten, whatever, not like I'm going to use this team again.


<REMASTERED> (Mienshao) @ King's Rock
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 24 SpD / 232 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- High Jump Kick
- Fling
- Quick Guard

FLING + KING'S ROCK is pretty amazing sometimes, when it isn't expected it a turn 2 flinch can come as a nasty surprise to an unprepared opponent (and let's face it, who is prepared for FLING + KING'S ROCK anyway???). Other than that, Mienshao is pretty boring; I really just slapped it on as a way to deal with Talonflame.


<REMIXED> (Whimsicott) @ Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tailwind
- Moonblast
- Taunt
- Protect

LO Whimsicott was probably the most successful Pokemon I got out of this teambuilding experience. LO Moonblast was deadly on a lot of unprepared Pokemon, such as most Terrakion and Keldeo, negative SDef natured Kyurem-B, as well as the odd Garchomp and Salamence. Besides that, Whimsicott also managed to perform its supporting role pretty well, with Tailwind and Taunt being integral to the function of this team.


<BONUS TRACK> (Blastoise) @ Blastoisinite
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 144 HP / 252 SpA / 112 Spe
Modest Nature
- Water Pulse
- Ice Beam
- Aura Sphere
- Protect

Mega Blastoise hits super hard and is definitely one of the most underrated megas in the format. There isn't really much to say here, other than the fact that I chose not to use Water Spout since I couldn't afford for Blastoise to become dead weight after taking any damage at all. 112 Speed EVs were to outspeed all Tier 1 Pokemon under Tailwind.
Funnest innovations? Did you mean: AIDS?
This is another tough call, lol. I had a lot of fun with my Primeape team at the end of last year, as well as my Triple Bunnies team this year, but I think that the one that absolutely takes the cake is probably the Geomancy Smeargle team I built after watching it almost win a round in the World Championships. Essentially the team features Geomancy + Power Herb + Heart Swap Smeargle, as well as one or two Pokemon with Psych Up. It's an amazing feeling to grab a +2/+2/+2 Mega Gardevoir or something like that; sadly since we don't have Mega Salamence anymore I can't travel down that route, though it's probably the best option for this team. I can't say I've personally had much consistent success with the team, though, since Smeargle somehow manages to become even worse than it already is once it loses Dark Void and Focus Sash.
Here's one for you, lvl 51.

So, in the Ubers room, we have a person known as Level 56.

Do you know him?
No, not really. Apparently enough people know him that I am asked this question on a regular basis, though. >_>
 
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ryo yamada2001

ryo yamada2001
is a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnus

Interviewee of the Week #16 - Mizuhime
1. Hi! Who are you and could you tell us a little about yourself?
Hello! On the internet people call me Mizuhime, in real life people call me Mikaela. I am a 21 year old college student who is currently studying Advertising and Marketing communications. I live in a city called Windsor, it's directly across the border from Detroit. One day I hope to move out west to BC or California but only time will tell. I love the dodgers, the ravens, and drinking. Other than all that there isn't much special about me, I hope to manage during the next SPL and find myself dedicating more time to hosting than playing now.

2. Where did your username come from and what does it mean?
My username comes from left field. It's technically my 3rd username on Smogon, the first being Shuckle4ubers and the second being The Exeggutor. They wouldn't badge me when I was Shuckle4ubers so I was forced to change it. On a whim, I picked something I didn't really like and grew tired of it. I started looking for a name that sound cool, and wasn't directly related to Pokemon like the other two were. Mizuhime, is Japanese and means "water princess". Water is my favourite type of Pokemon and I decided that it would make for an interesting username that wasn't too long or too shitty.

3. When did you join competitive Pokemon and why did you, why did you stay around?
For me, competitive Pokemon begins way way back in 2007. I was playing Diamond, and I realized my Rampardos has incredibly high attack, which confused me. So like any other person in the internet age would, I googled it. I stumbled across Smogon, and self taught myself everything about EVs and IVs. I also saw they had a Pokemon sim, so out of plain curiosity I downloaded it and was a complete lurker noob for a while before I even got remotely decent at the game. In 2010 I discovered VGC, now this was something completely new to me, I mean 2 mons on the field at once?! no way. I took a liking to it almost right away, I didn't like Kyogre in the format but oh well. This is where i began to actually become, imo decent at the game. This was also the year I actually created a Smogon account, my join date, ironically is the exact same as BKCs. It wasn't until 2012 that I finally learned how to play singles at a not shit level, I started in OU and even went as far as getting a tutor to help me play stall. The tutor turned out to be one of my good friends now, Iconic. My original tutor quit on me, and Bloo who was leading b101 at the time could see that I was really eager to learn so she had set up Iconic for me. Iconic was also the Captain of Team Canada at the same time as my tutoring so this is how I was introduced into the tournament scene, I made the roster in 2013 wcop, but didn't play a single game. It was still a learning experience and I thank iconic to this day for letting me on. Once doubles got included into more official tournaments that's when I began to grow and shine as a player. I was never good at singles, and i'll never claim to be either, but doubles is a completely different ball game for. Even though I don't play tournaments as much anymore, I still stick around because I like to host them, and I like a lot of people from the Doubles, and the tournament community, i've made a lot of long lasting friendships with people from this website, and that's something i'll never be able to turn away from, despite how old I get.

4. What is your favourite Pokemon in general, and what is your favourite Pokemon to use competitively, and why?
My all time favourite Pokemon, as you could probably guess is Gyarados, something about it ever since I was a little girl made me love it as a Pokemon. Although it's a close call between Gyarados, Blastoise and Lapras, basically i'm a sucker for gen 1 water types. As far as competitive goes, I would have to say one of my favourite mons to use is probably Thundurus or Abomasnow. Thundurus is an amazing disrupter with good bulk and a very annoying ability. On the other hand Abomasnow is something that people often overlook, it's typing is bad defensively but great offensively and it's got powerful stats to back that typing up. Some of my more successful teams have been based around Abomasnow and hail in general.

5. Is there anything that you feel is suspect worthy, if yes why?
Currently, no. Nothing really strikes me as obviously broken, and I don't think anything really comes close to be honest. I hear the stray complaints about Kyurem-b and Mega Kanga but those are easy to keep in check in my opinion.

6. Obviously Shaymin-Sky recently got banned in Doubles OU, how do you feel about this? Did you support it or not, and why?
I thought it was a good thing and I did support it. Originally I was opposed to testing it, but realizing the damage it could cause with flinches deemed it unfair. It could basically take one of your opponents Pokemon, or your own out of the equation and the battle would degrade to a 2v1 situation more often than not.

7. What would you change about the Doubles tier if anything, and why?
Personally, I wouldn't change much. I think it's a near perfect tier in terms of balance. I just wish people would be open to using more mons and exploring more options as opposed to staying with whats comfortable to them. It would make things a lot more interesting and games much more fun to watch.

8. What is your favourite part about the Doubles community, and why?
My favourite part about the community has to be that everyone is so close and willing to work with each other. It's generally a tight group, although that does make it harder for newer users which is the only downfall to it. I also like that in tournaments now it's never the same people doing well, it's a competitive tier not really held down by any one person.

9. Who do you think are the big favourites to win the Doubles Open? And why?
As far as the open goes, and in contradiction to my last answer, A couple of the favourites I can see straight off the bat are Laga, and Finally. Laga always does shitty in circuit tours, but never fails to do well in tours with trophies on the line. On the other hand Finally, who has seemingly been dead, is one of the best players to ever play the tier and depending on how hard he tries, is always a favourite to win. My dark horse pick for the tournament would have to be McMeghan, he's dabbled into doubles before so he knows what he's doing and he's one of the best players currently on Smogon when it comes to Pokemon so he could always make a deep run into the tournament. Soulwind is also a player I can see going far, I only advanced to finals of last years open by lucking him. He's a very good player in general and just understands the game from ever angle.

10. Is there anyone you see as a rising star currently?
As far as some of the newer talent goes, Kyle and Kami both stand out to me. Kyle is one of the most diverse players i've seen in a while, even rivalling Laga in my honest opinion. He builds solid teams and always has a game plan in mind. Kami is quite new, but is still a very good player who could very well be one of the next stars of the tier. These 2 have very large potential and only time will tell what they do with it.

11. Is there any chance you are going to participate in the next Smogon Premier League?
I will be participating hopefully, but not in the playing side. I've had enough of playing the game and it's always nice to see newer people get the spotlight for once. Personally, I would love to manage as i've already said. I just need someone to answer and hopefully things work out, if not though, I still won't play, but rather lay in the shadows and watch from the sidelines, helping a team if they want it from me.

12. What is your favourite tier to play outside of Doubles OU?
I'll always love VGC, so that has to be an answer in this question. Another few answers are past generations of Pokemon. Personally, I can't stand current gen OU, I think it's a horrible tier in every aspect. If I do have to play singles, I like playing GSC OU, ADV OU, and DPP OU the most. I can also say I like RBY OU, even if it is often a shit show.

13. What are your hobbies outside of playing Pokemon?
Outside of Pokemon I live a pretty boring life now, no more sports to claim, no clubs or anything like that. Generally I like to watch anime, I like to play video games like Gears of War and Halo, I like to watch baseball and football, I like to drink with my friends, and I like to hangout with my boyfriend of 3 years. That pretty much sums up my life in a single paragraph. I also like to play stupid minigolf on a stupid german website with my shitty friends on the internet :D

Thanks mizuhime for the interview, I hope everyone enjoyed this interview, stay around for week 17 where I might interview other cool users n__n
 
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Checkmater

It’s just us kittens left, and the rain is coming
is a Tiering Contributor
time for serious questions

1) What's it like playing in SPL? Any tips for newer players?
2) What's it like being tierleader?
3) A lot of the other interviews had a team that they felt reflected their playstyle... could you maybe post one of yours?
4) What are some mons that are hyped up or rated tier 1 by the community that you don't think deserve the hype and why?

edit: since it's my job: marry fuck kill: Stratos, Arcticblast, Audiosurfer
 
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McMeghan

Dreamcatcher
is a Tournament Director Alumnusis a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis an Administrator Alumnusis a Dedicated Tournament Host Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnusis the 5th Smogon Classic Winneris the Smogon Tour Season 14 Championis a defending SPL Championis a Past SPL Champion
Big Chungus Winner
Micky is bae
Laga is beast

why does everyone use the same shit in this tier? from my little experience in it, there is soooooooo much room for creativity/viability that honestly, as a singles player, i just wanna use so much wild stuff and know it will work if i play it well and it baffles me that i often see the same stuff being used in doubles tournaments
but maybe (probably?) that's because it's coming from a single player

what are pokemons you consider severely overrated and underrated in the tier? (for example, i consider amoonguss underrated and hoopa-u overrated in ORAS)
same question but for stuff that aren't pokemons (items, playstyles, moves, etc)

why don't you want to play anymore/what stopped you from wanting to dominate the dubs scene (as a player)?

what are your short and long terms goals for Doubles (the tier, not your own relationship with the tier)?

hmmmm

FREE HYPNOGRAV
 

Mizuhime

Did I mistake you for a sign from God?
is a Top Tutor Alumnusis a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
time for serious questions

1) What's it like playing in SPL? Any tips for newer players?
SPL is a very interesting tournament to play in, and also very stressful in your first go. It's a team tournament, so a new environment to a lot of people. Basically this means that you end up thinking about your teammates just as much as you do yourself. You also have their help when you're preparing for your upcoming games, but of course this goes both ways. The team your playing isn't just a single person, it's a team. This tournament requires a lot of diversity in your playing and teams, because using one style over and over will result in a piss poor record, people will figure out what you're doing every week. By the time the 9th week comes around, I was fresh out of ideas and had 0 idea what to use, I just hit a wall and couldn't think of anything that was even worth using anymore.

It's a great tournament though, the team tournaments on Smogon (SPL + Wcop) are often my favourite to be around because you get to meet a bunch of new people and make new friendships with your teammates. They're also drama filled, but that's to be expected. As for advice for newer players, you'll need to get yourself known, make a name for yourself and make a lasting impression on managers in a good way. SPL is a big name tournament, managers are hesitant to go with an unproven player, but it works out if they've done their homework. When it comes that time, do tryouts, and make yourself into something the managers want, be a good teammate, be a good sport, and most of all be a good player O_o.

2) What's it like being tierleader?
I think one of the major things most tier leaders don't realize is the amount of influence they have within their tier. Anything you use or things you try will automatically be tried by plenty of people, your opinions are copied by others and generally everything you do is held in high regard by the newer users within the community. That power despite you realizing that you have it or not can shape the community. It's kinda daunting when you think about it like that, but it's just one of the many jobs as a tier leader. All jobs aren't bad, though. Coming up with some forum ideas and approving eager contributors to do their ideas is something that's always fun to see. One of the things that makes me like being a tier leader a lot, is seeing the community and the people in it grow. You get to see all the young players turn into better people and better players over the years, and that's something I find i'll never get over.

3) A lot of the other interviews had a team that they felt reflected their playstyle... could you maybe post one of yours?
Sure! Melo just forgot to ask this question

This is actually a tough question for me, I never felt I was restricted to a play style, but always ended up using more offensive oriented teams while maintaining some bulk, a few creative choices here and there, and often reliant on weather. I've never really found myself to be confined to the same 10 Pokemon a lot of people end up doing. So for this i'll post a team that's been posted before (nearly all my teams have), but is one that's been unique to myself for years.

Abomasnow @ Abomasite
Ability: Snow Warning
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
- Blizzard
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Protect

Darkrai @ Life Orb
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Blizzard
- Focus Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Protect

Talonflame @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Steel Wing
- Protect
- Flare Blitz

Gyarados @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Double-Edge
- Ice Fang
- Earthquake

Conkeldurr @ Leftovers
Ability: Guts
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Ice Punch
- Mach Punch
- Wide Guard

Raikou @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Substitute
- Protect


Hail is something i've used plenty of times. Everyone always says hail is bad at one point, so i'll make a new team and prove it's not. This team was built to play Juedy during the SPL season and ran on a similar idea to the Darkrai / Greninja one. It was just built better than the other one. This team has actual synergy as opposed to spamming Blizzard. Raikou Talonflame and Conkeldurr are all great Pokemon for this team as they each provide something unique the team benefits from. This team also includes one of my all time favourite sets to use in doubles, Choice Band Gyarados. It gets intimidate, a monster attack, great typing, and has great synergy with Abomasnow (outside of the rock weakness) they cover each other pretty well. This is actually one of my all time favourite teams i've built, and i'll always enjoy using it. It's tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it it's a pretty great team.

4) What are some mons that are hyped up or rated tier 1 by the community that you don't think deserve the hype and why?
Rotom-w and Amoonguss.

Rotom-w is a good Landorus-t counter, yes. It get's Will-o-Wisp and can burn kanga yes, and it can also beat Diancie, despite all this i've always found that it's a mon people will use for literally no reason. They just slap it on a team and expect it to do well. Generally, I find that in a lot of games Rotom-w doesn't do a lot of anything other than dodge some eqs. It's a good mon, but not a tier 1 mon.

Amoonguss is something i've said was overrated for years, and will continue to do so. As a redirector it's got good typing and good bulk, that's not a question. But it also gives free turns to a lot of Pokemon. Heatran, Charizard, Kyurem-b, literally anything with safety goggles, literally any grass type, any sub user, all enjoy a free turn of set up when Amoonguss is on the field. Amoonguss also has the problem of being extremely passive and it often contradicts its self when in play. The 2 moves that Amoonguss gets used for are Rage Powder and Spore, both are great support moves, but during play Amoonguss can put something to sleep, and either Rage powder the next mon, or switch out, which just results in wasting a lot of turns if not done perfectly. In terms of redirection Pokemon I find Amoonguss to be inferior to Jirachi and Togekiss in nearly every situation I can think of, and don't ever find it worth using.


edit: since it's my job: marry fuck kill: Stratos, Arcticblast, Audiosurfer
not really a hard choice,

M- Ablast
F- Audio
K- Pwn

Will explain further if you don't see why it's an easy choice

now i want to ask you, what are some mons that you feel deserve more hype by the community that currently dont have it?
Hoopa-u is good and has a lot of untapped potential, but no one has really built anything with it (including myself)
Metagross, as memoric showed in seasonal can be more than just a one-trick-pony and can win a game on it's own
Gothitelle, imo is the best trick room setter
Feel Zard-x might actually be untapped as well, it's really hard to build with though
and finally obligatory Mega Abomasnow post.


Micky is bae
:heart:
Laga is beast
:mad:

why does everyone use the same shit in this tier? from my little experience in it, there is soooooooo much room for creativity/viability that honestly, as a singles player, i just wanna use so much wild stuff and know it will work if i play it well and it baffles me that i often see the same stuff being used in doubles tournaments
but maybe (probably?) that's because it's coming from a single player
I believe you know the answer to this by just being a tournament player. It's hard to be creative when it matters, and people will always stray away from it and go back to what's proven to work for them. Builders like Lady Bug, Ben Gay, myself, Level 51, Laga are a dime a dozen. It takes a special kind of person to push the norm and use things others wouldn't think about. It's true, there is an unlimited potential for creative in doubles, but it's the same reason that everyone uses Aero in adv that people use Kanga in doubles. It's a great Pokemon that's proven to work time and time again, and doing new things is scary to a newer player, and even a lot of older players.


what are pokemons you consider severely overrated and underrated in the tier? (for example, i consider amoonguss underrated and hoopa-u overrated in ORAS)
same question but for stuff that aren't pokemons (items, playstyles, moves, etc)
Strangely enough I think Amoonguss is extremely overrated in doubles and Hoopa-u underrated :D. Other than the obvious choices, there are plenty of underrated Pokemon, Greninja (not the mat block shit), Mega Abomasnow, Conkeldurr, Hariyama, Machamp, Gothitelle, Mawile, Lapras, Tangela, I could go on for a while but that's not important. Underrated in doubles just means people have found a use for it yet, nearly every fully evolved Pokemon can be used to do something useful in doubles, and could prove to be a great supporter or just the right fit for a team.

I think a few of the tier 1 mons are overrated, they're good mons yes, but I don't think they are good as people make them to be. Mega Kanga, Mega Diaincie, Rotom-w, Amoonguss, are examples of that. I also think Latios is good, but not better than Hydreigon or Kyurem-b, I also Think people over estimate Kyurem-b's abilities and personally I think Hyreigon is the best Dragon.

I feel choice items are underrated severely. People rely on protect too much, but a choice specs or band can make the difference between a kill/not a kill in a crucial moment of a game. I think full trick room is really underrated, although it is hard to pull off, and I think weather in all forms is severely underrated, the speed boosting abilities are the easiest form of speed control ever.


why don't you want to play anymore/what stopped you from wanting to dominate the dubs scene (as a player)?

what are your short and long terms goals for Doubles (the tier, not your own relationship with the tier)?
Playing grew boring, and drama in the tournaments drove me away. People criticize everything even when they don't understand whats happening. I'm guilty of it too, I know I am. Playing in the last SPL felt more like work to me, I wasn't enjoying the game anymore and that's what we're all here for, right? Too have a good time. Once I hosted the ADV Open, I found that I do enjoying hosting more than I did playing. After that I decided I would stick to hosting as opposed to playing. I still get to remain close to the tournament scene, without directly being in the thick of things and having to deal with petty drama between people, Pokemon is much more enjoyable as a spectator sports.

The tier growing is a goal, obviously. But one of my main goals is actually to have the average players now, turn into great players later. I feel there is a lot of potential in a lot of people currently and I would love to see them grow as players and as people, we're generally a young community and I feel a lot of people can take the tier by storm was far as competitive play goes. Another goal I have is converting single players tbh, a lot of people don't actually realize how good the tier is and won't play it because it's too different, so if I can change that I would like too.


FREE HYPNOGRAV
no.
 
Last edited:

Arcueid

nah i'd win nah i'd win nah i'd win
is a Battle Simulator Moderator
How did you become a good player at Doubles?
How does it feel to be surrounded by John Cena memists (Space) in the Doubles Room?
Do you think that my HTML is dank?
 

Yoda2798

Not the user you are looking for
is a Community Leaderis a Community Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributor
Doubles Leader
A very interesting and detailed interview this week :]

1. Being an experienced player, how do you usually prepare for an important tour/SPL match?
2. Where do you draw the inspiration for your diverse innovation from?
3. Any tips for new players getting into the tier/community?
4. What are your thoughts on DUU as a tier?
 

Mizuhime

Did I mistake you for a sign from God?
is a Top Tutor Alumnusis a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
How did you become a good player at Doubles?
The most obvious answer I can give you is practice, practice, practice. Build teams, fine tune teams, realize what missplays you made in your game, learn what you can change to maybe win the next game. Just keep going and over time you'll see improvements.

How does it feel to be surrounded by John Cena memists (Space) in the Doubles Room?

Honestly don't care

Do you think that my HTML is dank?
It's a giant pain in the ass that I had to learn so not really

A very interesting and detailed interview this week :]

1. Being an experienced player, how do you usually prepare for an important tour/SPL match?
I differ from most people i'm sure, but when i'm preparing for a tournament game I do 2 things, first I decide what I want to use this week, any interesting mons, any certain play style, and second, I start building a team that reflects the former while keeping my opponents play style in mind, not a counter team at all, just keeping what they like to use in mind. You can't win if you aren't playing your game, as soon as you play their game you'll lose.

2. Where do you draw the inspiration for your diverse innovation from?
Tough question really, usually an idea just randomly pops into my head and i'll start tinkering with it. Some cases I think of what I really need on a team to round it out, to be the glue if you will and start searching. There are plenty of mons that fit a lot roles in doubles. Surprises might end up the difference between winning or losing. If i'm using something in an important games it's never for no reason.

Some of my ladder teams, such as the infamous Frozen theme team are created just because I was bored. For the Frozen team, I just happened to be watching Frozen at the time and decided it would be fun to troll the ladder with it.

Generally speaking, since Pokemon are designed and given movepools that will have some potential in a 2v2 style of battle, nearly everything has a certain move, or a certain ability to interact with other Pokemon that can make them even a little viable in a doubles based metagame. Guard moves are generally the most common, Ally switch is given to a lot of mons that seemingly shouldn't have it, Follow me is given to a fair bit of mons, and even items can make a Pokemon way better than it is. For the most part I just do a lot of research and build the way I always do, with a goal in mind. I've never been one to build a team without an idea so i'm generally always trying to accomplish something, unless of course i'm trolling.


3. Any tips for new players getting into the tier/community?
First off, if someone is brand new to the tier they should learn the basic mechanics. After that I suggest taking a sample team from the thread and playing on ladder until you get a basic understanding of what's common and what to expect. The idea is no different than singles, you want to faint the entire opposing team. But when you play you have more options you need to keep in mind which changes the entire way the game is played. Although, that seems like a lot, it isn't. Once you familiarize yourself with tier you'll start picking up on what the obvious move is, eliminating most of the problem a lot of singles players have while transitioning. A lot does happen in the games, yes, but if you can learn the tier you'll be fine just like in any other.

As for the community we mostly hang out on the ps room now, as much as I dislike that. So you should just join us there and start interacting with everyone, no one bites, maybe pwn, but getting to know everyone is a very good place to start.

4. What are your thoughts on DUU as a tier?
I'm sorry I can't really answer this question with a real answer, i've never played it and don't really care to. It would be nice to get away from the same 6 Pokemon every always uses, but i'd rather play dou if i'm playing
 

Arcticblast

Trans rights are human rights
is a Forum Moderatoris a Tiering Contributoris a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
You're trapped on an island with kingofmars and a moderately drunk shrop05. At your possession you have a steak on the end of fishing line, an unopened fifth of cheap vodka, a wig, three years worth of cute puppy calendars, and Donald Trump's disembodied arm. How do you stay away from the former while fending off the advances of the latter?
 

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