Introduction to Doubles, FAQ, and Help Thread

[Joim]

Welcome to the Doubles Subforum! Please keep in mind that all general Smogon rules apply.
Here you can read an introduction to the Doubles metagame, the rules to follow on this forum, get answers to FAQs, and get help from experienced players.

What is Doubles?
There are several Smogon and The Smog articles available for new people to the metagame. First of all, you must know this meta is completly different from the other metas available in Smogon. This meta, like its own name indicates, is about two Pokémon fighting against two Pokémon in a team of six.
Recommended reading:
http://www.smogon.com/smog/issue24/smogon_doubles_intro
http://www.smogon.com/smog/issue24/smogon_doubles
http://www.smogon.com/smog/issue25/doubles_strategies

What are the Metagame Rules?
Players are allowed a team of up to 6 Pokémon that are not banned, aren't holding a banned item, or know a banned move. The following Pokémon are banned from use in Doubles:

• Arceus
• Dialga
  
• Giratina
  
• Groudon
  
• Ho-Oh
• Kyogre
• Kyurem-White
  
• Lugia
  
• Mewtwo
• Palkia
• Rayquaza
  
• Reshiram
• Xerneas
• Yveltal
• Zekrom

The ability Moody is banned. All unreleased Hidden Abilities are banned.
The move Dark Void is banned.
The item Soul Dew is banned.
The following clauses are active at all times during a Doubles battle:

• Species Clause - Only one Pokémon may be on a team from each species.
• Sleep Clause - Only one Pokémon can be put to sleep by an opponent at a time, per team.
• OHKO Clause - Moves that score a guaranteed "One-hit-KO" on the opponent, such as Sheer Cold, Horn Drill, Guillotine, or Fissure, are banned.
• Evasion Clause - Moves that boost evasion (i.e. Double Team and Minimize) are not allowed.

Resources that might prove helpful when learning the Doubles metagame:
The following are some helpful resources to familiarize yourself with Doubles:

1. Effective Cores
2. Sample Teams
3. Teambuilding Competition
4. Ask a Simple Question, Get a Simple Answer - Doubles Edition
5. Doubles Overview, Replays, & EV Benchmarks

IRC channels: #pokemon, Smogon's main channel for all things related to competitive Pokémon and, #doubles, main channel for Doubles discussion. All channels are found on the network irc.synirc.net. You can follow the Smogon IRC guide for information on how to connect using various clients (located here). As all metagames, we have a room on Pokémon Showdown, feel free to join in there using /join doubles from any room.

What Pokémon can I expect in this metagame?
Mostly all of them. There's of course prefered ones and Pokémon more adapted to this metagame. NU Ludicolo is in Doubles an all-star OU-usage Pokémon. The only ones you won't find are the ones banned:
Mewtwo, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Giratina-Origin, Arceus (all types), Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem-White, Xerneas, and Yveltal.

How do I get involved with Doubles? Can I chat with you?
We the Doubles guys hang out on IRC on #doubles. Find out more about Doubles there! You can also visit the regular Doubles forum, see the ongoing Gen 5 analyses on Contributions and Corrections, and chat with us on Pokémon Showdown!

Also, please check out our Mentorship Subforum to introduce yourself if you are a new player or lurker, and to ask any questions you may have. If you have any Doubles-specific questions, feel free to post in this thread.

How to Play Doubles

Visit the simulator Pokemon Showdown! and just click on Look for a battle on the Doubles metagame! There is a suspect test currently happening on our official ladder: Smogon Doubles—the first listed under the XY Doubles subheader. Go play!

Helpful Tips and Tricks!

• Protect is an essential move to survive a turn without switching out.
• Resistance berries is a core part in Doubles play.
  
• Check out all spread moves. There might be moves you didn't know that had a spread attack, and those are usually better in Doubles!

 

[noobcubed]

Okay, maybe the following could be added to the OP:

Useful spread moves in doubles: Heat Wave, Muddy Water, Rock Slide, Blizzard, Eruption (doesn't hit your partner); Earthquake, Surf, Discharge (hits your partner)
Useful support moves in doubles: Protect, Fake Out, Follow Me/Rage Powder, Helping Hand, Trick Room, Tailwind, Icy Wind, Thunder Wave, Taunt, Wide Guard
Useful abilities in doubles: Intimidate, Prankster, Defiant, weather abilities.

 

[Nollan]

Is there anything else banned?
Yes. The item Soul Dew and the move Dark Void. We also use the following clauses: Sleep Clause, Species Clause, OHKO Clause, Moody Clause, and Evasion Clause.

If I recall correctly, Sky Drop is also banned.

-EDIT-
Ah, ok

 

[Joim]

Not on gen 6 :|

 

[Dashspin]

Okay, maybe the following could be added to the OP:

Useful spread moves in doubles: Heat Wave, Muddy Water, Rock Slide, Blizzard, Eruption (doesn't hit your partner); Earthquake, Surf, Discharge (hits your partner)
Useful support moves in doubles: Protect, Fake Out, Follow Me/Rage Powder, Helping Hand, Trick Room, Tailwind, Icy Wind, Thunder Wave, Taunt, Wide Guard
Useful abilities in doubles: Intimidate, Prankster, Defiant, weather abilities.

Dazzling Gleam is also a spread move, I believe.
Levitate, Telepathy, Drought, Drizzle, Sand Stream, and Snow Warning are all useful abilities as well.

 

[Jec]

Hey everyone! Im new to doubles, and im trying to figure out how to create a team and all. I have read in an article that Pokémon roles is largely different in doubles fr singles. But i have no idea on what Pokémon to put in a team. Should i work around a poke, or a central theme? So, every Teambuilding/pokemon roles tips would be very appreciated. Thanks a lot.

 

[Escape Plan]

I like to pick a 'core'. I've heard it go around that really you want 4 choice Pokemon and then use the other two to fill in gaps/weaknesses. Think about Pokes that have good synergy together as they can make good partners - a good place to start I think is the viability rankings thread on this forum as it lets you know at least which Pokemon are decent in the doubles meta game. I'm trying to learn doubles (I'm crap at singles as well so I've got a long way to go!) as well so its a learning curve, especially when you take into account Pokemon that are useless in singles are great in doubles (Aromatisse!). Maybe someone can offer better tips, however.

 

[Goddess Briyella]

I hope it's alright for me to post here. I am primarily a Little Cup player but I am interested in learning XY Doubles in the near future. I'll be lurking around the threads here and I hope to become involved in this community soon. I look forward to learning this tier!

 

[Joim]

Just FYI, the OP is a little messy right now and I plan to revamp it, add more stuff and more links.

 

[kingmidas]

So I'm in the same boat as Briyella pretty much. Mainly a LC player that wants to learn doubles. Probably gonna lurk a bit, and hopefully contribute and get good at doubles.

 

[Haruno]

Pretty much what midas and briyella said though I'm mostly an ubers player that wants to learn doubles. Time to start lurking and get good.

edit: Joim, what's a dialg?

 

[Pocket]

Haruno, kingmidas, Goddess Briyella - you should check out Deoxy and Ultima's Teambuilding Competition Thread. People have shared some strong teams there that you can borrow to give yourself a head start. Laga's Effective Core Thread is also a good resource to find useful pairs and figure out what makes an effective core.

Thanks for checking out this tier ;)

 

[youngjake93]

http://www.smogon.com/smog/issue32/switching-doubles

When I initially wrote this I wanted it accessible via the forums to help people trying to improve. Just a few tips on making the most out of the switching mechanic in dubs. This is a must read for everyone who believes switching is bad or rare!