I refuse to eat eggs
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Project Player of the Week: Karnisbroke
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I really enjoy the work of Overlay Office in NYC. They're a small firm, but they really use color and aesthetic in interesting ways; I don't see a lot of architecture practices that engage in "playful" architecture. My favorite project of theirs can be found here: https://overlayoffice.com/GRITTIER-GLITZ. Material studies are both realistic in application over time; the drawings show a decent amount of information and still are quite stylized. Their work in general has its own identity: the drawings and work can be attributed to them on sight. I also enjoy Grittier Glitz cause I did similar work! Will edit it in later :)
The reality of limitations from zoning, budgets, client demands, and etc. don't always allow for aesthetic, or even in representation it seems to be lacking. This doesn't mean that those limitations are "bad"; I studied a bland design that provided breakfast and lunch for schoolkids that routinely went without either, so some projects prioritize function over form.
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lol the special coba has atk evs
Most of the readers know who you are by now, but could you introduce yourself by telling a little bit about yourself?
Hello! I'm Patrick (he/him), or SingleThunder. I'm 22 and in my senior year (4 of 5) of architecture school. After this semester, my fifth year is mostly on my thesis project. Growing up, I found Pokemon through the chapter books, and I got into competitive doubles after finding Cybertron and ThePikaWu on YouTube. The Boston Regional was my first tournament, back when VGC was free to enter lol, and it went okay for me not knowing EV's, natures, etc. I found DOU later in 2014 and using all six Pokemon seemed more interesting, and now I'm here. I also skipped DOU 2017 for VGC, and got 90 CP through Premier Challenges. I also am sometimes known in relation to Mega Camerupt SWEEP from KyleCole's The Weekend Show. I also have a tuxedo cat named Violet and my favorite dog breed is corgis or dachshunds!
What are your hobbies outside of playing Pokemon? What do you like to do in your free time?
I used to run a lot in high school, but I enjoy rock climbing, especially bouldering, manga, and have been practicing cooking more often this semester. I really enjoy cooking, it's a great way to relax and sometimes cook for friends. I also am captain of my college's Overwatch team; it's my second year. We have a wide range of skill, and I'm only plat rank, but I try my best to make it enjoyable for myself and everyone. I also have Twitch and YouTube
What does your username mean and why did you choose it?
My first Smogon username was PoliLoco because I started playing DOU with rain teams (with Politoed and Ludicolo). On Showdown I chose TripleThunder because of alliteration and thunder was especially cool to 15-year old me. I made alts of DoubleThunder and SingleThunder, forgot my password to Triple, and SingleThunder had a nice ember color, so it just happened this way. Last April papiloco applied for DPL and people kept confusing us, so I got a name-change.
How did you find smogon doubles and why did you choose to stick around?
I kinda answered this already, but additionally the PS! Smogon Doubles room was pretty helpful when I joined, and I remember Yellow Paint being especially helpful and patient when I kept asking questions, so thank you. It also seemed like people kept talking in inside-jokes, and I wanted to feel a part of the community. Arcticblast was actually the first DOU person I talked to! Because I posted in a locked thread.
Is there anyone you've looked up to as a player?
[Redacted], KyleCole and a lot of XY players were pretty active when I joined, so it was really everyone lol. I guess Ezrael ; I really haven't seen them lose. shrop , Mishimono , and Grandmas Cookin were really helpful in 2020 with teambuilding and practice games, thank you. xzern beat me in a game once.
What play styles or mons do you think are underrated in the current state?
I took a break after World Cup/in December, so I'm not especially sure what's dominating now, but I think Landorus-I is decent. I tried building around Cobalion, both physical and special, and it's only ok, but maybe good when team scouting (or Volt Switch over TWave)
Could you give us a team that resembles your playing and building style and give a little explanation about it?
My favorite meta/gen is XY; I thought Megas were relatively healthy, and at the very least, fun to use. The sets are pretty standard. Hydreigon with Flash Cannon is fun and usually reliable; Tailwind might be better, but it already has a decent amount of speed control options. I made this for Classic or World Cup because I didn't have a Char-Y team I liked and it was a good opposing matchup from what I could scout. I love Hydreigon and it gets the switch support it needs to fire off attacks with Zard! Thundurus additionally can be subbed for Kyurem-Black!Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Drought
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heat Wave
- Overheat
- Solar Beam
- Protect
Cresselia (F) @ Safety Goggles
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Icy Wind
- Psyshock
- Calm Mind
- Moonlight
Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Superpower
Hydreigon @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Flash Cannon
- Protect
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Atk / 168 SpD
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
- Leech Seed
- Protect
Thundurus @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 164 Def / 4 SpA / 72 SpD / 20 Spe
Modest Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunder Wave
- Taunt
You've been a long time player and have seen lots of changes in the community overtime. What do you like about Smogon Doubles and what would you like to see changed?
I enjoy the community and there are still a lot of people from when I first joined the PS room, so that's cool. I think we do a good job of building our format and all the discourse around bans and circuit building. I think we've made something to be very proud of, and it has been fun to be around for all of it. I think we do a decent job of being helpful to new people joining, but there seems to be a lot of people in the Discord that don't talk; I can empathize from the Overwatch team stuff that getting people to interact consistently is quite difficult. I think it just reaches a point where only so much can be done, I think we're doing that, and there seems to be a influx of new people recently.
Who would you like to see fill the empty Tier Leader spot and why?
I don't have really have an opinion on TL to be honest. There are a couple people who are quite active, friendly, and capable, so it should turn out alright. I support Shrop for TL for sure.
Do you have any advice for players that are new to the tier?
I think it's important to be receptive to criticism and to apply it. There is a lot to learn and a lot of it is gotten best from just playing with intention.
Is there anything you would like to add to the interview?
This XY team is also fun and SingleThunder-y: . Thanks to everyone for being friendly and helpful! Post more DPL memes. I would also like to do more Pokemon art commissions, so if you have some ideas please consider me! Post any q's below :)
Most of the readers know who you are by now, but could you introduce yourself by telling a little bit about yourself?
Hi! I'm dnagerbadger. A self-deprecating, ambiverted, asexual 16-year old in high school who needs a new hobby. I am the owner of about half of the posts in the meme thread, with only about 5 of them relating to DPL (I'll tone it down next year I swear!).There's even a meme about me in said meme thread that I don't get but i'm too afraid to ask.
What are your hobbies outside of playing Pokemon? What do you like to do in your free time?
I play soccer for one. I also play
What does your username mean and why did you choose it?
Believe it or not, but I wasn't trying to spell "danger badger". I was trying to spell danger though. Basically I was attempting to type danger, spelled it dnager by accident, my friend added badger after it because it rhymed, and then I was born. I don't really have a good reason for keeping it though. I just thought it was funny and liked the rhyme. Also I didn't have anything better lol.
How did you find smogon doubles and why did you choose to stick around?
I'm going to be 100% honest here: I don't remember what I tier I played prior to when I got into DOU. I don't have the best memory when it comes to those sort of things, but I do remember how I got into it! It was actually through Dubers of all things. I made a team for it and put it into the RMT channel of the Smogon discord. The team was bad to put it generously, and Yellow Paint told me to put it into the Dubers channel in the Doubles discord for advice. And that's about it. Why did I stick around? To be honest Doubles was the first community I was really apart of. I liked the feeling of being apart of something, so I stuck around.
Which mon do you most enjoy using in the current meta-game and why?
Volcarona. I really enjoy how much damage it does after a quiver dance. even if it dies halfway through the sweep. Getting flame body burns from fake outs is also fun.
Is there any mon or play style you feel if underrated in the current meta?
I haven't really seen people use Aegislash so I'd say it's underrated. I really like the steel-ghost combination against semi-room, especially if it's the core of diancie+p2. Diancie can't do anything to aegi and p2 can only use tbolt to hit it. Also if pult's their answer to it then.
252 SpA Choice Specs Dragapult Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Aegislash-Shield: 246-290 (75.9 - 89.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Aegislash-Blade Shadow Ball vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Dragapult: 384-452 (121.1 - 142.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
it's not a rock solid answer to semi-room, and it's realistically going to struggle against stuff like zygarde but I think it has potential.
Could you give us a team that resembles your playing and building style and your thought process behind it?
Warpriest (Rillaboom) @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Grassy Glide
- Wood Hammer
- Knock Off
- U-turn
Demon of Hatred (Heatran) @ Charcoal
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Heat Wave
- Earth Power
- Eruption
- Protect
c: (Latias) (F) @ Soul Dew
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Tailwind
- Roost
Incineroar @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 68 Atk / 32 Def / 160 SpD
Careful Nature
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
- Flare Blitz
- Parting Shot
Unit-02 (Genesect) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Download
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- U-turn
- Iron Head
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower
Alak-Hul (Kyurem-Black) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 248 HP / 112 SpA / 88 SpD / 60 Spe
Serious Nature
- Ice Beam
- Fusion Bolt
- Earth Power
- Icy Wind
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Grassy Glide
- Wood Hammer
- Knock Off
- U-turn
Demon of Hatred (Heatran) @ Charcoal
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Heat Wave
- Earth Power
- Eruption
- Protect
c: (Latias) (F) @ Soul Dew
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Tailwind
- Roost
Incineroar @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 68 Atk / 32 Def / 160 SpD
Careful Nature
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
- Flare Blitz
- Parting Shot
Unit-02 (Genesect) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Download
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- U-turn
- Iron Head
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower
Alak-Hul (Kyurem-Black) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 248 HP / 112 SpA / 88 SpD / 60 Spe
Serious Nature
- Ice Beam
- Fusion Bolt
- Earth Power
- Icy Wind
I started off with choice band Rillaboom and Heatran because I thought both would work well under tw. and rilla would take out fini for tran, while tran would take care of steels for rilla.
I then picked Latias for my tailwind setter becuase I wanted to use latias. That is the extent of my selection process for it.
I was considering Landorus-Therian over Incineroar here, but the only thing that lando brought that incin didn't was stealth rock, and I didn't need it too badly. Fake out was really helpful for setting tw, along with other things. Basicly lando did nothing that wasn't already covered on my team.
Genesect provides speed outside of tailwind and Kyurem can use icy wind as a pseudo tailwind for rilla and tran. Don't really have a reason for those two outside of that. They just work really well.
Yeah I mainly steal teams lol. Not the best builder.
Is there anyone you've looked up to as a player?
Honestly mostly everyone in the DOU community has inspired me at one point or another! It would be easier to list the ones who didn't inspire me! I won't though because that's mean. If I had to say one person though, it would be emma . She was the first one to tell me that I didn't need to be good to be apart of this community, when I had previously believed the opposite was true. She also inspired me to come out in the discord server......which I proceeded to make wayyyy to big of a deal about it (I blame this on what happened to one of my friends when they came out). Also emma claims that she isn't good at mons but I've yet to see proof of that claim in the 4ish months I've been here.
What do you like about Smogon Doubles and what would you like to see changed?
What I like about Smogon Doubles is that it's far more balanced then singles, but at the same time bans problematic things, unlike VGC which doesn't really ban period (besides legends+mythicals)
I don't really know what I want to see changed! The tier isn't perfect, but I can't pin down one single issue with it. So idk.
Do you have any advice for players that are new to the tier?
Use sample teams! They are great ways to learn the metagame with, and good teams period. Building may be fun, but it's haaaaaard. Samples are made by experienced builders who know what they're doing, so it's a far better way to be introduced to the metagame!
Is there anything you would like to add to the interview?
Thank you Nineage and Gummy for drafting me in LPL! Sorry I went 1-4.......
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Hi dnagerbadger my follow up questions
what is your favorite thing to bake? and why?
How do you feel about shadow tag in SS? should it be unbanned, stay banned, or unsure?
what is your favorite thing to bake? and why?
How do you feel about shadow tag in SS? should it be unbanned, stay banned, or unsure?
Which playstile weather is your favorite?
My favorite thing to bake is actually snickerdoodles! It was the thing that got me into baking, and I've been told they were really good, so I never really stopped making them!
Shadow Tag is up in the air for me right now. On one hand it's been legal for the entirety of DOU, so that should warrant a public test, but I also cannot recognize any developments that would make it any better than it was when it got the ban. I'll likely go along with whatever happens involving it,
Anyone who has used mish before is my favorite
probably sun lol
Hi Yoda, congrats on becoming our newest Tier Leader. Most people know you well but can you give us a small introduction about yourself since your last interview?
Hi! I'm Yoda2798, and to reiterate what I said last time, there is no meaning behind those numbers, since people still sometimes ask me, they're just random numbers I used when creating my username as a child. I'm from Scotland, and I graduated from university last year with a bachelors in mathematics and physics. I don't have a job yet, but I'm aiming to get work doing programming of some sort. I'm 22 years old, and have been playing competitive Pokemon for ~7 years, Doubles for ~6 years (it's been that long? wow).
What are your hobbies outside of playing Pokemon? What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time I like to play a lot of video games, ranging everything from visual novels like Steins;Gate to grand strategy games like Crusader Kings 2 to multiplayer games like Rocket League or PUBG. The main genres I don't really like are driving (I just personally don't find it that interesting) and horror (I get way too scared at games, even though I'm fine with movies). My favourite genre is probably strategy, I really enjoy the thinking and strategising involved. Recently I've been playing a lot of Slay the Spire and Hades, two very good and different roguelike/lites I'd definitely recommend. It's not really a video game but I also love to play chess, and managed to reach the tiebreaker for first in the Smogon chess tour (admittedly through some act win and queen sac shenanigans), I'm always up if anyone wants to talk or play.
I also enjoy programming, and have done various Pokemon related stuff, probably most famously the battle bot I worked on with fespy which is on hold at the moment. I'm most experienced with Python, since that's what I was first taught at university, but I also know some Javascript (and HTML/CSS), and have dabbled in some other stuff like C#/C++/Java. I've done a limited amount of modding, with a pretty simple mod I made for A Hat in Time getting featured by the developers and reaching over 15,000 downloads on Steam which is cool.
What are your goals and ambitions as tier leader and as a player?
As tier leader I don't really have many specific goals, besides keeping Doubles going great as it currently is. A couple of minor things I'd really like to change though are how Sleep is handled tiering wise. In gens 6-8 we have an unnecessary complex ban on Gravity + <100% Sleep moves, when a simple ban on Gravity would be completely functional, especially when Gravity is a move with zero usage anyways. In gen 5 we don't have GravSleep clause, since instead there's Sleep "Clause" Mod. For those unaware, unlike in later gens, sleep turns in BW are reset on switching out, and there's no immunity to powder moves (Spore) granted by being a Grass-type, having the ability Overcoat, or holding the item Safety Goggles (which didn't exist). So because sleep is really powerful in BW, we have an artifical limit in place only allowing putting only one of the opponent's Pokemon asleep at a time. The major problem with this is that it isn't recreatable on cartridge, which I believe is the only such break we have in the official Smogon Doubles tiers. Again, this can just be replaced with a ban on Sleep moves, a change that has already occurred in singles, which used to have Sleep Mod as well. People like to say when newer players try to break it, that they just need to learn the mechanic, but that's not really accurate. A mechanic is something like Grass-types not being immune to Spore, Sleep Mod is a mid-game break from what would actually happen, and isn't what happens in any other Doubles tier, in singles, or in the actual game. A ban on Sleep moves would be simpler, more intuitive, and more accurate than the current solution.
As a player I'd like to win an official individual tournament. I won the most recent Kickoff tour, although that isn't part of circuit, and have came close to winning on a few occasions, but never quite clinched it. Winning a tour is a big milestone for a player, and seeing myself in the Hall of Fame outside of the teams section would be a big accomplishment for me.
How has your experience as a first time DPL manager been?
I had already managed in DWCoP, but DPL was a new experience and quite different. In WCoP you're choosing from a predefined pool of players, and largely just selecting the best players available, but there's a lot of strategy involved with the DPL draft. Doing the mock drafts helped me a lot, but even still, the pressure on draft day had me quite nervous, so I ended up a bit overly conservative with my bidding early in the draft, which wasn't planned. In the end I wound up with a fairly flat team compared to others being more top heavy, and also joint largest team (with Ghosters) at ten players. Immediately after the draft I was regretting that I was so tight with my wallet, since if I had gotten a 15-20k player like Para/shrop/Z Strats earlier in place of the big bench I would have really liked my draft. Not to say that my team was bad, I still felt good about it going into the tour. In retrospect I still don't think my draft was that bad despite the team's performance, it's difficult to judge exactly how well players will do beforehand, and given the power rankings (for the most part), clearly other people expected our lineup to do good as well. Still, there were definitely some improvements to my draft I could have made. This DPL has been a valuable lesson and I'll be taking notes on how to improve for next year.
Which mon do you most enjoy using in the current meta-game and why?
I like using Kartana, especially now that I've seen the light of Scope Lens. Critting stuff is fun and it can blow through a lot of stuff, even through Intimidate.
Is there any mon or play style you feel if underrated in the current meta?
It has actually been picking up with Lele teams recently, but I think Amoonguss is underrated at the moment. With all the Rillaboom teams going around, many teams struggle to deal with Sleep effectively. It's also good with or against two of the most prominent team styles, semiroom and setup.
Do you think anything is suspect worthy in SS?
I don't think there's anything problematic in the current meta. Technically Shadow Tag should be tested, since it was banned from a council vote when it had never been suspected/banned before, but given how widely agreed the ban was, and the amount of disinterest shown whenever anyone brings it up, I don't think a suspect test is necessary.
Could you give us a team that resembles your playing and building style and your thought process behind it?
Me, building? Good one. I haven't really built much recently, so I'll post one of the teams I used for DPL instead to talk about my style.
Landorus-Therian @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 72 SpA / 28 SpD / 112 Spe
Modest Nature
- Earth Power
- U-turn
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
Kartana @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 56 Atk / 200 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Tailwind
- Protect
Incineroar @ Figy Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 48 Def / 116 SpD / 92 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Flare Blitz
- Knock Off
- U-turn
Tapu Fini @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 148 SpA / 68 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Muddy Water
- Moonblast
- Calm Mind
- Protect
Zeraora @ Assault Vest
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 128 HP / 112 Atk / 72 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- Plasma Fists
- Snarl
- Volt Switch
Latias-Mega @ Latiasite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Ice Beam
- Calm Mind
- Roost
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 72 SpA / 28 SpD / 112 Spe
Modest Nature
- Earth Power
- U-turn
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
Kartana @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 56 Atk / 200 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Tailwind
- Protect
Incineroar @ Figy Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 48 Def / 116 SpD / 92 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Flare Blitz
- Knock Off
- U-turn
Tapu Fini @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 148 SpA / 68 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Muddy Water
- Moonblast
- Calm Mind
- Protect
Zeraora @ Assault Vest
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 128 HP / 112 Atk / 72 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- Plasma Fists
- Snarl
- Volt Switch
Latias-Mega @ Latiasite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Ice Beam
- Calm Mind
- Roost
This is the team I beat emforbes with. Prep wise I was wanting something solid against rain, so I decided on Mega Latias, looked at teams I had with it, and decided on this (not a team I built, of course). Teams like this or Stax Sample are really my style, something solid, balanced, and bulky, with an element of setup. I'm a big fan of teams without lopsided matchups, so that theoretically I can face anything and be evenly matched, and try to get ahead on playing ability. I also like teams on the slower and bulkier side, where there's less emphasis on individual turns or making big reads compared to something closer to HO. I think that's why I enjoy and do relatively well in SM, the prevalence of 50% berries and pivoting is emblematic of a meta I get along with. For setup, I like how it can give a clear wincon, which helps in creating a gameplan towards victory. As for playing I also tend towards something similar in plays that are solid and can't really be exploited rather than risky reads, although if I think I have a pretty good read on what they're doing, or I see something which is low risk/high reward, then I'm not afraid of switching it up. Sometimes in the past I've gotten too focused on what I think my opponent is going to do and basing my plays off that, when often there's a play which is just plain better if you look at things objectively.
What is your favourite thing about the Doubles tier, it can also be about the community.
My favourite thing about Doubles is how it feels like one, friendly, tight-knit community, where (for the most part) people get along and we avoid the drama sometimes seen in other communities. People help each other and are generally welcoming and accepting. It's a nice atmosphere where it feels like everybody is there to have fun rather than taking things too seriously.
If you could change anything about Doubles, what would it be and why?
As I mentioned above, Doubles is already great so there isn't much I'd want to change, but there is one thing. Back in the days of Skype we had calls all the time and they were really fun, but for several years now we've only had the yearly DPL draft call and that's really it. fespy's recent Twitch streams are somewhat reminiscent, but don't completely scratch the itch. Basically, what I'm saying is KyleCole BRING BACK THE WEEKEND SHOW!!!!! (100% unironic)
What is the best log from Demantoid's quote database?
Anything from DAD1 is an instant classic, but this log from Kudasai is definitely the best.
[8:27 AM] Kudasai: Do you remember the hot friendly girl that hitted on me some weeks ago
[8:27 AM] Kudasai: Well idk what i was thinking but i texted her that i fapped to her
[8:28 AM] Kudasai: And she isnt talking to me the same way anymore.
Do you have any advice for players that are new to the tier?
A good start is always going to be looking at the Viability Rankings and using sample teams. Once you get a grasp on the meta then you can switch it up. Building wise, you can start experimenting by swapping out Pokemon or tweaking sets from what you already have, or build your own team from scratch (with the help of the VR). Looking at teams which top players use in tours and either copying them/using them as a basis, or figuring out what beats them, is a helpful thing to do. Playing wise, joining a forum tour will up the ante compared to ladder or room tours, and is a good way to grow as a player. Joining a team tour (DPL) in particular can be beneficial, as you can get advice or teams from teammates. In either regard, you can ask for help in the Doubles PS room or Discord and more experienced users can give you a hand. If you want video commentary to see players give thoughts on games as they're going on, I'd recommend fespy's channel for more recent videos, or the official Smogon channel for some older videos, but be aware those are for oldgens rather than SS.
Is there anything you would like to add to the interview?
If you have any ideas or concerns please voice them and I'll try to do what I can (as I'm sure Bowman/the other mods would also do)! I want to be as approachable as possible and do the best I can for Doubles.
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How was it getting one of your own mods featured by the developers of the game you made it for?
How hard is Python? I've heard horror stories about it from one of my stranger-on-the-internet friends.
How has your first 4 days as tier leader been?
Eggs on toast?
How hard is Python? I've heard horror stories about it from one of my stranger-on-the-internet friends.
How has your first 4 days as tier leader been?
what is the meaning behind the no meaning of the numbers 2798?
Do you have a catchphrase?
What is your favorite IRL or video game hat/accessory?
Which DOU player would you bring out of retirement/quitting?
What is your favorite IRL or video game hat/accessory?
Which DOU player would you bring out of retirement/quitting?
sawamura
Banned deucer.
Since you sent me to the FriendZone for mentioning me as your Favorite User and being out of the DPL I'm going with My Mish-questions.
1.-What is the difference between C, C+ and C++ languages? I am not yet in this course, so I have done only C and C+ languages.?
2.- do you want me to rank with my Alt de Parabellum or DLTXS I love Yoda?
3.- What is your vision for the LATAM team for the next Wcop?
4.- If you had a chance to meet me, what would be the first thing you would ask me?
I already subscribed to Fespy's channel for the memes. By the way Out of the Game between us. Great Job Bro congratulations on the promotion I hope you will be there when I get mine c:
Mish Mish. c:
1.-What is the difference between C, C+ and C++ languages? I am not yet in this course, so I have done only C and C+ languages.?
2.- do you want me to rank with my Alt de Parabellum or DLTXS I love Yoda?
3.- What is your vision for the LATAM team for the next Wcop?
4.- If you had a chance to meet me, what would be the first thing you would ask me?
I already subscribed to Fespy's channel for the memes. By the way Out of the Game between us. Great Job Bro congratulations on the promotion I hope you will be there when I get mine c:
Mish Mish. c:
What do you think is the biggest obstacle to mid-level DOU players in their growth in the competitive scene?
It was an unexpected surprise. I didn't apply for it or anything, and my mod doesn't do anything spectacular, it's just an imported model and the functionality is literally along the lines of playerSize = 10. Good example of how you can luck your way into good things.
Python rightfully has a reputation of being easy to learn. I tried learning programming before with other languages but found it too complicated, Python is much simpler for beginners. That said it's still a programming language, so if you can't wrap your head around the logic like some people struggle with, or have a bad teacher, then that might explain your friend's experience.
Uneventful so far. I have been thinking about how Tier Leader managers have generally done poorly in DPL, so that's my excuse for Haxers underperforming this year.
Eggs on toast
There is no meaning behind the no meaning of the numbers 2798. There is also no meaning behind the no meaning behind the no meaning of the numbers 2798. There's even no meaning behind the no meaning behind the no meaning behind the no meaning of the numbers 2798. Beyond that, even I don't know.
I've never played in or visited any VGC events, the travelling requirement and time investment made it unrealistic for me. In the COVID era I would have considered playing in online events, but I don't actually own a copy of Sword/Shield or have Nintendo Online, and I'm not buying it just for that. I was planning to go to worlds in London, and if the next one is still happening there then I should be there.
Given my physics background I definitely prefer applied maths, but I like pure maths as well. In physics there's a similar divide between theoretical and experimental physics, where I very heavily prefer theoretical physics (which is more mathematical).
I haven't decided yet because I'm bad at deciding things. I am open to suggestions for my banner.
Don't think I have a catchphrase.
I have this hat I like.
This is a difficult question. Do emforbes or stax count since they haven't played much recently outside of DPL? Does Tree count after only recently retiring? If so then one if them. If you're only counting people who have been completely gone for years, then there's so many it's difficult to choose, so I'll just say Laga because he tutored me.
1. C is an older programming language that underpins a lot of modern computing. C# and C++ are two newer programming languages based on C, but different from each other. I don't know the exact programming differences, but what I do know is C# is used by Unity and C++ is used Unreal Engine (two popular video game engines).
2. I would rather DLTXS I love Yoda but I'm happy either way as long as you qualify.
3. Following in the footsteps of the fellow Spanish-speaking team Mediterranean, LATAM will win WCoP this year.
4. Either "mish mish" or "Zikam sogood"
Definitely the mindset of only thinking turn-by-turn without really considering the overall gameplan, something I've done a lot in the past. Just clicking what seems best each turn can often get by, but playing with a grander strategy in mind leads to better decision making. Identifying the role/importance of each Pokemon in a given matchup, determining win conditions and what board positions you want to get/avoid can all help inform your decisions. Knowing things like you need to play to get a Toxic on the Porygon2, or that you should sacrifice something worthless and lose a Pokemon rather than take damage on something valuable, or that you should avoid positions which are a free setup turn for Kyurem-B can make subtle improvements to your play. I've seen many games where people unnecessarily risk their win-con, or aren't playing around their opponent's, because they aren't thinking about long-term strategy.
My first words out of the womb were not in fact "a dad joke".
Generally I like Defect most, because when you have orbs doing a bunch of damage/block for free each turn it feels great, but recently I've been enjoying Ironclad a lot. At first I thought the class was relatively simple, but there's a lot of interesting stuff with things like exhaust synergies or Barricade + Entrench strats.
I've read a number of other VNs, and have an even greater number I own but haven't read yet. I've also read/played Steins;Gate 0, Clannad, the Grisaia series, most of the Higurashi series, some of Chaos;Child, Root Double, the Danganronpa series, some of the Ace Attorney games, Zero Escape 999, AI: The Somnium Files, and some others as well.
https://automatetheboringstuff.com/ is pretty good, I'm sure there's also good courses on like Codecademy you can use. My getting started with Python was a class at university so I haven't used many online resources first hand.
Hi fespy, congrats on winning DPL. Most people know you well but can you give us a small introduction about yourself?
Thank you! I’m Trevor, a 22-year old from all around the US. I first joined the DOU community in 2018 when I qualified for DLT with Mega Blastoise fullroom and was lucky enough to be picked up by Arcticblast on the DPL4 Storms. I had a decent seasonal run shortly after, got picked up by the Sharks for SPLX, and since then haven’t been as committed to staying good at the game. I’ve been known to run monofire in games where I shouldn’t and got some attention building a Showdown bot with Yoda. I still enter tours and sometimes play on ladder but I’m definitely not as good now as I used to be.
What are your hobbies outside of playing Pokemon? What do you like to do in your free time?
I’m an engineer, an entrepreneur, and an athlete (in that order). When I was 18/19 I built the world’s first fully-autonomous Drone As a First Responder system and ran that as a startup for a few years. After I wrapped things up there I got immediately sucked back into the tech entrepreneurship scene and started building a pretty neat medical device which I’m still working on now. I also do contract work for NASA on the side.
In the sports world I play golf and baseball competitively and tennis and football recreationally. You’ll find me at the gym most mornings, I just ran my first half-marathon last Thanksgiving, and now I’m training for an upcoming triathlon.
Building technology and playing sports are by far my two biggest interests but I also play the saxophone, play a little guitar, am a licensed scuba diver, play other video games, read, and am the self-proclaimed best beer pong player in my city. I like to cram as many things as possible into each day and am happiest when I’m the busiest.
From your past experiences in team tours what did you take away that contributed to your success as a winning manager?
My outlook on team tours is similar to the managers that drafted me, which is that it’s more important to have a fun and enjoyable group of people than it is to completely maximize odds of winning. I’d rather an average record but have fun than a great record but feel like I’m working instead of playing a game. I was lucky enough this year to get the best of both worlds :)
Most of the decisions I made as a manager stemmed from experience leading teams of people at work and in sports. I strongly believe in the importance of picking people that cover for your own weaknesses, and in DPL this meant filling our XY and BW slots with self-sufficient veterans since I’m total ass at both tiers. I also wanted a very top-heavy draft in general to minimize the points that we had to leave on the bench each week.
What was the most memorable match during DPL and why?
Every player had a lot of memorable matches but my favorite has gotta be AtmosphereVGC week 1 game vs The_Bandit . Actuarily was arguably the strongest DUUer outside of SMB, and if you look at the Storms’ roster we looked super weak in DUU. Atmosphere was the closest thing we had to a DUU main and some of the people helping him prep had not played a single DUU tour game in their life. We buckled down, started prep early in the week, identified a core that we thought was strong (Zeraora + GWeezing), built a few teams around it, played a lot of test games, and eventually settled on one. Actuarily led very well and we were in a hole early but Atmosphere played like an absolute pro and took home a very convincing win. Seeing the team come together and pull off an underdog win right out of the gate set the tone for the rest of the season.
Was there anything that surprised you during the tour and anything you would do differently as a manager next time around having had this experience?
I said this already last week, but if I had the chance to lock in the same players for the Storms next year I’d do it in an instant. I was extremely happy with how the draft went at the start of the season and I’m just as happy with it at the end of the season. I honestly would do nothing different there.
Aside from my obvious lack of experience with some older gens, I think my biggest shortcoming this year was taking a few weeks to realize that I couldn't manage every player the same. Different players play well with different teams and everyone has their own process for building and prepping. I probably tried a little too hard to push everyone towards the processes that I thought were best but I think by mid-season I started getting the hang of it.
Is there any mon or play style you feel is underrated in the current meta?
As I said earlier, I’m not as good as I used to be and I’m really not an authority on high-level play. Two mons that feel decent to me as lower-tier mons that don’t really see any use competitively are Araquanid and Galarian Moltres, which Shadowmonstr7 won a few games with this DPL. I also think that Gothitelle is likely not that broken and would like to see a suspect test.
Do you think anything is suspect worthy in SS?
Give Goth a Chance 2021.
Could you give us a team that resembles your playing and building style and your thought process behind it?
Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Thunder Punch
- Stomping Tantrum
- Protect
Gothitelle @ Aguav Berry
Ability: Shadow Tag
EVs: 252 HP / 180 Def / 76 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Psychic
- Trick Room
- Heal Pulse
- Protect
Kyurem-Black @ Assault Vest
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 248 HP / 44 Def / 216 SpA
Rash Nature
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Fusion Bolt
- Icy Wind
Incineroar @ Aguav Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 140 Atk / 40 Def / 52 SpD / 28 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Fake Out
Zygarde @ Groundium Z
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 76 HP / 248 Atk / 184 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Substitute
- Dragon Dance
- Protect
Tapu Fini @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Def / 180 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Muddy Water
- Moonblast
- Protect
- Calm Mind
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Thunder Punch
- Stomping Tantrum
- Protect
Gothitelle @ Aguav Berry
Ability: Shadow Tag
EVs: 252 HP / 180 Def / 76 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Psychic
- Trick Room
- Heal Pulse
- Protect
Kyurem-Black @ Assault Vest
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 248 HP / 44 Def / 216 SpA
Rash Nature
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Fusion Bolt
- Icy Wind
Incineroar @ Aguav Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 140 Atk / 40 Def / 52 SpD / 28 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Fake Out
Zygarde @ Groundium Z
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 76 HP / 248 Atk / 184 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Substitute
- Dragon Dance
- Protect
Tapu Fini @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Def / 180 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Muddy Water
- Moonblast
- Protect
- Calm Mind
The sets have changed a bit throughout the years and most of the team was built by GenOne but I’ve had far more success with this team than any other. It gave me my seasonal run, a DLT qualification, an SPL win against Edu, and won a DPL finals while piloted by Ezrael .
9/10 games I lead with some combo of Meta / Kyube / Incin. The idea is to use those three to put on offensive pressure and force the opponent into an uncomfortable position, then trap them with Goth and set up with Fini / Zygarde. My favorite mechanic with the team that I really miss now in Generation 8 is strategically delaying the mega evolution. Metagross’s has a different role here than it usually does - it's not to directly pick up kills, but rather to exert offensive pressure and force the opponent to dance around it. It can’t do that nearly as well at -1 and there are a lot of situations where the added bulk / damage aren’t immediately important. Against Lando / Incin teams I usually lead Metagross and don’t mega for several turns.
Is there anyone you've looked up to as a player?
SMB . That dude can build twice as good as me, play three times as good, and play four times the number of tiers. I really want him to manage a team next year but am also terrified to have to face him.
What do you like about Smogon Doubles and what would you like to see changed?
There’s honestly nothing that I want changed. I do my best to say this as often as possible but the leadership (TLs, Council, Mods, etc) do an amazing job of maintaining a high-quality competitive scene while also encouraging collaboration and discouraging toxicity. Keeping that balance is not easy and I have huge respect for what they do.
Do you have any advice for players that are new to the tier?
Identify what you’re here for. There are two reasons people play on ladder and/or enter tournaments - to become a better player, and to de-stress / have fun. Oftentimes both are possible, but it’s important to recognize which is more important to you and prioritize it.
Is there anything you would like to add to the interview?
Thank you to everyone in the community that makes it such a great place to be - DOU is my escape from real life and having such a good group of people around every day makes all the difference in the world.
I tried to not make my answers too long, but I can talk about tech / engineering / running a company / building a product all day long. If you want to hear more, just ask!
I like waffles
He'd win no matter who he drafted but prolly Spanish Armada
Not sure what generation "ultimate" is
crow raven
Most of the readers know who you are by now, but could you introduce yourself by telling a little bit about yourself?
Hi I’m Karn. I'm a freshman in college and I am Majoring in psychiatry(pre med) . Mental health is a topic I am very passionate about, and I’m looking forward to helping people when I open up my practice. I’m 18 years old and am excited to experience the world as an independent adult.
What are your hobbies outside of playing Pokemon? What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy hiking, smash ultimate, reading, movies, philosophy and learning. Experiencing the outdoors while getting exercises is an awesome experience and I'm often astounded by the beauty of nature. Relaxing playing a game with friends or competing smash is a fun experience. A good story is unbeatable, my favorite stories are ones that make you extremely emotionally invested in the characters. Philosophy is so interesting to me because all questions are on the table, giving me a lot to think about. Sometimes I find myself lost down a rabbit hole of information on an obscure topic. By far what I enjoy the most is talking to people. Everyone has something interesting to say or an important experience to share and I love getting to experience genuine connection.
What does your username mean and why did you choose it?
I named myself after a character in Breath of Fire(an old rpg game). The character named Karn gets a fusion ability that makes him extremely overpowered which inspired the name Karnisbroken.
How did you find Smogon Doubles and why did you choose to stick around?
I initially started playing doubles because I lost all my singles teams. I joined the discord after chatting with The_Bandit and entered the seasonal afterwards. The main reason I why I stayed was because Doubles is much more fast paced then singles, fixing many of the problems I had with the format. I also preferred 6v6 over vgc’s 4v4 and the lack of dynamax making doubles ou ideal for me.
Which mon do you most enjoy using in the current meta-game and why?
I enjoy using Kartana the most because its fast, strong and can offer great team support with tailwind. And the ability to crit semi consintely with intimidate is a nice plus as well.
Is there any mon or play style you feel if underrated in the current meta?
I think zapdos galarian form is extremely underrated because of how many things it can one shot, and it has u turn giving the team access to a fast pivot mon. On top of this the ability defiant makes it amazing for checking intimidate users.
Could you give us a team that resembles your playing and building style and your thought process behind it?
Darkest Knight (Necrozma) @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Prism Armor
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Photon Geyser
- Trick Room
- Earth Power
Not ludicolo (Marowak-Alola) @ Thick Club
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Flare Blitz
- Bonemerang
- Detect
- Poltergeist
Porygonblue (Porygon2) @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpA
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Ice Beam
- Tri Attack
- Trick Room
- Recover
Queen (Tsareena) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Queenly Majesty
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Triple Axel
- High Jump Kick
- Power Whip
Siren (Primarina) @ Throat Spray
Ability: Liquid Voice
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Protect
- Energy Ball
- Moonblast
Shoelace (Cinderace) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Libero
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 216 HP / 252 Atk / 40 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Pyro Ball
- U-turn
- Iron Head
- High Jump Kick
Ability: Prism Armor
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Photon Geyser
- Trick Room
- Earth Power
Not ludicolo (Marowak-Alola) @ Thick Club
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Flare Blitz
- Bonemerang
- Detect
- Poltergeist
Porygonblue (Porygon2) @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpA
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Ice Beam
- Tri Attack
- Trick Room
- Recover
Queen (Tsareena) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Queenly Majesty
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Triple Axel
- High Jump Kick
- Power Whip
Siren (Primarina) @ Throat Spray
Ability: Liquid Voice
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Protect
- Energy Ball
- Moonblast
Shoelace (Cinderace) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Libero
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 216 HP / 252 Atk / 40 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Pyro Ball
- U-turn
- Iron Head
- High Jump Kick
This was my first team I topped the ladder with . My Idea behind the team was mainly what if someone took a hard trick room but eliminated some of the consistency issues with it . It was in the era where rillaboom dominated the ladder making tsareena an essential component to the team. I had maroak Alola and porygon 2 as a standard trick room core. Scarf cinderace supplemented the team with an ability to hit hard outside of trick room and a fast pivot that allows the team to reposition. I added necrozma because the initial version of the team needed more speed control and wasn't able to get trick room up for long enough or consistent enough. Primarina was a strong mon that functioned as a way to beat other trick room cores and another offensive force to make the team have a strong offensive presence. The ridiculous names were made by my friend and despite their cringe I still love them.
Is there anyone you've looked up to as a player?
I look up to Actuarily and n1n1. Actuarily is an exceptional player and watching Him is always very entertaining. Seeing a relatively new player do well is awesome considering I’m pretty new myself. n1n1 always has some amazing idea that utilizes mons you won’t be able to see anywhere else, he never fails to amaze me.
What do you like about Smogon Doubles and what would you like to see changed?
I really like doubles and my favorite thing is the ban of dynamax for Dou. As someone who tried to get into VGC, dynamax really diminished the experience for me so I'm ecstatic it was banned. My least favorite thing about smogon doubles is the tiering based on usage, usage and viability aren’t always going to overlap and I wish there was a tiering system that reflected this reality.
Do you have any advice for players that are new to the tier?
My advice for new players is to build your own teams. It’s okay to reach out to other people for help but taking samples isn’t going to help your building.
Is there anything you would like to add to the interview?
I wanna thank everyone who has helped me enjoy my experience with the smogon doubles community. Its given me a great experience and I appreciate all your efforts.
Omlettes or anything with a liquid yolk is really good everything else is still good but not as good
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