Simulator Usage Statistics for VGC '12 (Updated January 15th)

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voodoo pimp

marco pimp
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It may be that I haven't been paying that much attention to it but I never noticed how high up Jellicent and Infernape were. Personally, I love both of those Pokemon and used them on my fall Regionals team but from most of the games I've played on PO, they were never really used effectively for me to really remember. That or I just haven't really seen many teams with them.
Obviously you've never gone against my team, then :P
 

soul_survivor

VGCPL Champion
I'm not really surprised to see that rain continues to decrease slightly every week. To be honest, most of the rain teams I have either seen or played on PO are very basic / general, and a good player should have counters to it and know how to beat it. That being said, I still feel that a rain team is very viable as long as you know how to beat its main problems, such as bulky Pokemon (ie Cresselia), Thunder Wave (ie Thundurus, Cresselia), other weather (ie Abomasnow, Tyranitar, Sunny Day from random Pokemon), and other rain teams. I've stressed this in many threads but most people think rain is an autopilot kind of team, "Oh, I'll just lead with Politoed and Ludicolo every game and Surf/Hydro Pump everything into oblivion." Obviously, it's not true but the fact that rain is starting to see a decrease is still pretty interesting.

It may be that I haven't been paying that much attention to it but I never noticed how high up Jellicent and Infernape were. Personally, I love both of those Pokemon and used them on my fall Regionals team but from most of the games I've played on PO, they were never really used effectively for me to really remember. That or I just haven't really seen many teams with them.

Also, Android users have made PO so much less fun when they don't know what they're doing :/
Rain is very viable but many of the newer players do run that poli/colo because its easy to understand, and its great to start off with.(especially with juniors). At vgc this year I ran Politoed/Toxicroak/Scizor/Terrakion/Amoonguss/Jellicent, which is obviously not common rain, and I went 5-1. The more people test with rain I believe we'll find some new strategies that aren't easy to counter.


Also I agree most infernape users don't use him correctly(except for a few). Nape is probably the 2nd best goodstuff FO user and very versatile.(I used nape in one of my rain teams and got amazing results running just closecombat,feint,protect,FO) He's one of the few pokemon that can go mixed and work extremely well beating two of the 4 weather inducers with C.C alone. Jellicent is another versatile pokemon. He's good in tailwind,Trickroom,Scarfed, Goodstuff, and Rain(then there are bulky variants too), but again i feel most people go in thinking "ok so get him at full hp and win with watergem waterspout", though it usually never goes this way.



And another thing. Whats wrong with android users? I was thinking of dloading it on mine. How does it make it nt fun?
 
Infernape is a very good Fake Out user on goodstuffs. However, people commonly just use Hitmontop because they remember how good it was in 2010. That time has passed, plain and simple. Hitmontop is a good pokemon to use and is one of the best Fake Out users, but in some classes it isn't the best. Infernape can hit harder on the special side when its other STAB doesn't work, while Hitmontop has to rely on Sucker Punch to hit things, which people can easily predict. Infernape is also the 2nd(?) fastest Fake Out user, making it go first, where Hitmontop usually gets outsped against by other Hitmontop.
And the droid users can only battle in Single Battles, making it pointless for them to be there except randomly chat.
 

R Inanimate

It's Lunatic Time
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Infernape is also the 2nd(?) fastest Fake Out user...
Quite a few that are faster actually. Weavile and Ambipom are the most notable ones, but there's also Persian and Purugly.

Also Ludicolo and Shiftry, if they have Swift Swim / Chlorophyll active.
 

Eraddd

One Pixel
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Infernape is a very good Fake Out user on goodstuffs. However, people commonly just use Hitmontop because they remember how good it was in 2010. That time has passed, plain and simple. Hitmontop is a good pokemon to use and is one of the best Fake Out users, but in some classes it isn't the best. Infernape can hit harder on the special side when its other STAB doesn't work, while Hitmontop has to rely on Sucker Punch to hit things, which people can easily predict. Infernape is also the 2nd(?) fastest Fake Out user, making it go first, where Hitmontop usually gets outsped against by other Hitmontop.
And the droid users can only battle in Single Battles, making it pointless for them to be there except randomly chat.
Except Hitmontop acts more than as a Fake Out user, since it has access to Mach Punch with Technician, Sucker Punch, Close Combat, Wide Guard, and Intimidate. These alone set it apart from most Fake Out users. Granted it's not the fastest, and doesn't hit the hardest compared to Infernape, but its sheer utility alone makes it a top choice. The synergy you can build around with Hitmontop surpasses what you can do with Infernape in my opinion.
 

Biosci

Danger!?
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Except Hitmontop acts more than as a Fake Out user, since it has access to Mach Punch with Technician, Sucker Punch, Close Combat, Wide Guard, and Intimidate. These alone set it apart from most Fake Out users. Granted it's not the fastest, and doesn't hit the hardest compared to Infernape, but its sheer utility alone makes it a top choice. The synergy you can build around with Hitmontop surpasses what you can do with Infernape in my opinion.
This, and personally, Fake Out isn't the first thing when I think of when I see Hitmontop in a team on team preview. I get to thinking how it can be used against me with it abusing things Intimidate, Mach Punch, Sucker Punch, or Wide Guard. I really see Hitmontop as definitely more of a versatile utility that can support your team in many ways. You could even use Eject button on it so even if your opponent got the first Fake Out off, but then you know you can come back, Intimidate again, and with a ready Fake Out to support. I really hate hitmontop with a passion, but it is a very useful Pokemon if you use it correctly.

I don't see Infernape being able to do support the team as much as I see Hitmontop due to bulk variations and utility uses. Sure Infernape is very good, he can go mixed, he has a fast Fake Out, but I don't see it entirely outclassing Hitmontop as a whole, especially with even faster Fake Outers like Ludicolo, which used in rain would stop Infernape being faster and Infernapes use of going mixed and using Heat wave.

tl;dr As I ramble, but you need to remember each fake out user has it's own uses and ability outside of just fake out. Fast fake out doesn't always mean good fake out
 
01 - Hitmontop (24.18 %) +1
02 - Zapdos (23.11 %) -1
03 - Latios (19.89 %) =
04 - Tyranitar (15.91 %) +2
05 - Metagross (15.85 %) -1
06 - Cresselia (15.17 %) -1
07 - Garchomp (14.26 %) +2
08 - Chandelure (13.52 %) =
09 - Terrakion (13.31 %) +1
10 - Scizor (13.26 %) -3
11 - Thundurus (12.25 %) +1
12 - Ludicolo (10.23 %) +2
13 - Volcarona (10.07 %) -2
14 - Politoed (9.66 %) +1
15 - Abomasnow (9.34 %) -2
16 - Rotom-W (7.34 %) =
17 - Scrafty (5.50 %) +6
18 - Jellicent (5.34 %) -1
19 - Suicune (5.01 %) +7
20 - Togekiss (4.43 %) +4
21 - Tornadus (4.31 %) +9
22 - Ferrothorn (4.30 %) +15
23 - Kingdra (3.81 %) +4
24 - Ninetales (3.77 %) -4
25 - Infernape (3.76 %) -7
26 - Dragonite (3.75 %) +20
27 - Amoonguss (3.72 %) -5
28 - Excadrill (3.70 %) +11
29 - Hydreigon (3.57 %) -10
30 - Salamence (3.48 %) -2
31 - Heatran (3.47 %) +5
32 - Gyarados (3.24 %) +15
33 - Whimsicott (3.08 %) =
34 - Landorus (3.07 %) +10
35 - Weavile (3.06 %) -14
36 - Gallade (2.83 %) +5
37 - Breloom (2.73 %) -6
38 - Sableye (2.53 %) -6
39 - Reuniclus (2.48 %) -4
40 - Rhyperior (2.48 %) +12
41 - Bisharp (2.37 %) +9
42 - Gastrodon (2.21 %)
43 - Mienshao (2.14 %) +5
44 - Toxicroak (2.10 %) +1
45 - Latias (2.04 %) -11
46 - Porygon2 (1.91 %) +28
47 - Gastrodon-East (1.87 %)
48 - Conkeldurr (1.75 %) +11
49 - Haxorus (1.72 %) +14
50 - Swampert (1.72 %) -1
 
49 - Haxorus (1.72 %) +14



Um what? Who would use Haxorus this much? While he is powerful and has decent bulk his speed almost makes him laugable.
 

mattj

blatant Nintendo fanboy
Power items generally are more useful than the Iron Ball unless you're planning to fling it.
 
Neither are that useful (except iron fling). I find Trick Room teams with members of average base speed work best due to their outspeeding opposing Trick Room teams outside of Trick Room. Hydreigon is a particular favourite of mine, but I never use a speed decreasing item on him - just min speed and a Quiet nature.
 
I thought at first to cleffa "Oh maybe Friend Guard does have some viability." Then I remembered that Clefairy AND Jigglypuff both get it. I don't know which of those is better, but Cleffa just gets outclassed by either.
 

Huy

INSTANT BALLS
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One of the reasons I use Iron Ball is to bait the opponent into tricking for it and removing levitate.
 
I thought at first to cleffa "Oh maybe Friend Guard does have some viability." Then I remembered that Clefairy AND Jigglypuff both get it. I don't know which of those is better, but Cleffa just gets outclassed by either.
It's probably another person making huge usage of another F.E.A.R set. Cleffa, after all, does have a good support movepool. Dual Screens, Helping Hand, the obvious Endeavor, and Icy Wind. Luckily, you can only get most of those through HGSS.
 

Biosci

Danger!?
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I thought at first to cleffa "Oh maybe Friend Guard does have some viability." Then I remembered that Clefairy AND Jigglypuff both get it. I don't know which of those is better, but Cleffa just gets outclassed by either.
Only reason Cleffa is there is because of Android users, that's all. Cleffa has nothing going for it, DW Cleffa isn't even released. Most of the small time NFE you'll see on there will be from people trolling around to mess with accurate usage statistics.
 

soul_survivor

VGCPL Champion
I've been pondering this since the usage stats came out. I never noticed volca was used this much. Can someone tell me from their personal experience how Volca is so popular. Most I see it was on inexperienced players who lost it quickly or tried to quiver dance -_-.
 

Biosci

Danger!?
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I've been pondering this since the usage stats came out. I never noticed volca was used this much. Can someone tell me from their personal experience how Volca is so popular. Most I see it was on inexperienced players who lost it quickly or tried to quiver dance -_-.
Well some of my Pokemon on my team are fighting weak, so I sometimes Volc as a good switch in to absorb the blow. It's also quick and hard hitting even without a quiver dance boost. It works especially well if you use Wide Guard to ensure Rock Slide won't be an issue every other turn.
 
I've been pondering this since the usage stats came out. I never noticed volca was used this much. Can someone tell me from their personal experience how Volca is so popular. Most I see it was on inexperienced players who lost it quickly or tried to quiver dance -_-.
He also has access to Rage Powder, and that's sometimes annoying if you don't have a Rain team or Rock Slide.
 
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