Hi everyone, I'm TheCalmSnivy (Matthew Dunham irl) and I competed in the Seniors Division LCQ and World Championships this year. It was my first VGC event, but I had been living on the Skarmbliss PO server the past few months, and I knew the meta fairly well (i.e. don't get flinched). Anyways, let me introduce my teams and tell the story!
LCQ Team
Stoutland (M) @ Normal Gem
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Return
- Helping Hand
- Crunch
- Thunder Wave
Feferi (Jellicent) (F) @ Water Gem
Trait: Cursed Body
EVs: 148 HP / 252 SAtk / 108 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Water Spout
- Trick Room
- Ice Beam
- Shadow Ball
1-UP (Amoonguss) (F) @ Mental Herb
Trait: Effect Spore
EVs: 144 HP / 176 Def / 168 SDef / 20 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Spore
- Protect
- Giga Drain
- Rage Powder
Landorus (M) @ Yache Berry
Trait: Sand Force
EVs: 60 HP / 252 SAtk / 196 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Grass Knot
- Protect
Nimbus (Thundurus) (M) @ Charti Berry
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Taunt
- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
Equius (Terrakion) @ Chople Berry
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Rock Slide
- Protect
- Sacred Sword
- Quick Attack
ADAMANT TERRAKION? SPECIAL LANDORUS? STOUTLAND?? Yes, it's an unorthodox team to say the least, but it had gotten me to 9th on the Skarmbliss ladder, and it handles the meta's top threats very well. Landorus is not running max speed because if you don't run a +Spe nature, the only real important pokes are +Spe 80 Pokemon like Chandelure.
Friday, August 12
My alarm clock rings at 4:30 am, and I've gotta get ready for LCQ. I do my stuff and my dad and I are out on the road for San Diego. We get to the Hilton at about 6:50 and the line is already huge. I start wondering if we maxed out Seniors divison, but that is far from reality. I get in line next to V17 and we talk a bit, until Maski tells me to come wait with her in the front of the line (i know, bs girlfriend linecut hax). I start for the head of the line when Kid Kadabra notices me and we start a conversation. At the front of the line, I help Maski decide whether to use physical or special Eelektross. I think we might have been in line next to Kota Yamamoto, Shota's little brother, but I'm not very sure because there were a lot of Japanese at Worlds. I thought it was really nice to see that a few could make the trip out considering the circumstances there. Cybertron comes by to say hi and we take a picture.
FITE 2 DA DEATH
Registration comes up really soon and I turn in my game cart. At first there is a bit of a problem, and I immedieatly worry (i dropped my cart once, and it has a chip in it). But it's really nothing and I go into the room ready for round 1.
me hanging out with kristian
Round 1 vs Wendell F.
We talked pre-battle and he said he was from New York. I felt kinda bad that I would have to knock him out r1 since he came so far. Don’t remember in detail but he led with Volcarona and Scrafty. I lead with Stoutland and Terrakion. Turn 1 I just rock slide and he rage powders on moth. No Fake Out from Scrafty, and I return on it with Stoutland. Don’t really remember the rest but he had Scrafty, Volcarona, Samurott, and Sawk. 3-0 win.
Also bs hax kok loses to a Sp. Def drop r1
Round 2 vs PaperGlaceon
I asked if he was on Smogon and he said he was PaperGlaceon. Felt kinda bad to face a Smogonite here, but I gotta play. In team preview I see he runs Seismitoad, so I know it’s a rain team. He leads double genies, and I go with Thunuduus and Amoonguss. Immediately he’s like “crap”. I protect on mushroom to block Acrobatics and go for Thunderbolt on Tornadus. Up 4-3. He sends out Seismitoad turn 2 and rain dances with Thundurus, while I Thunderbolt it. I switch out Thundurus turn 3 and go to Jellicent (lol had cursed body) to try and scare him a bit. He goes with Thunder and one shots it. Oh well. Tied at 3-3. I go for Giga Drain on Seismitoad and OHKO. Up 3-2. I send out Thundurus, he goes with Jellicent. Scarfspout. I rage powder and my Thundurus survives the Water Spout WITH 1 HP. I go for Thunderbolt on his Thundurus, and KO it. Up 3-1. Thunder Wave the Jellicent before Thundurus goes down. Up 2-1. Send out Stoutland with Crunch and mushroom finishes it off with Giga Drain. I win 2-0.
me after my round 2 lcq win
also kid kadabra expresses his loss very loudly around here
Round 3 vs tylee61
I feel really great about this battle beacuse it will be on TV. I ask my opponent if he’s on Smogon and he tells me he’s tylee. Oh man, another Smogonite. I see his team and its tailwind. Ugggggh, I forget what happens for most the battle, but I get some nice free switch-ins on prediction, and stalled out his Tailwind. He set it up again and I Trick Roomed with my Jellicent to put the final nail in the coffin. Used Terrakion, Jellicent, Stoutland, and Thundurus. I won 3-0. This match was my favorite because I played well and the #teamseniors members cheered me on. Also one of the Aarons (forgot who) told my dad I played perfectly, so that was a boost too.
Maski loses to kamz in a battle where she got hax and it made her lose. Weird, right?
I have some time to lounge around after my hack check and Duy congratulates me on making it to finals. lol I didn't think any masters would know who I was.
Anyway, we go to the finalist lounge and Mike Liesik, being such the baller he is lets ALL 10 of the finalists go through instead of using byes and play. Cool man, really thank you for that. So I make it through LCQ and feel great.
outside of maski's hotel room
After LCQ, me, kingofkongs, maski, and kid kadabra go to maski's room and make her dad's team for masters LCQ. We give him a team with Amoonguss and Tailwind and go eat at Subway. Good sandwich. We go back for Masteres LCQ and cheer them on. lol funniest moment was when the crowd was totally against Deagle round 2. Maski's dad makes it to round 2 and loses to Metabou by 1 HP.
I don't get to hang around much longer before Dad drives me home. Seriously, no hotel was like the biggest bummer of the weekend.
I listen to some house and check irc before heading off to bed.
Now I'll reveal my Worlds team
Zzzzzzz (Amoonguss) (F) @ Chesto Berry
Trait: Effect Spore
EVs: 144 HP / 184 Def / 180 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Spore
- Protect
- Giga Drain
- Rage Powder
Sazandork:) (Hydreigon) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Protect
- Flamethrower
Full Bloom (Emboar) (F) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Flare Blitz
- Rock Slide
- Hammer Arm
- Protect
GhostNStuf (Cofagrigus) (M) @ Mental Herb
Trait: Mummy
EVs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 156 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Shadow Ball
- Trick Room
- Protect
- Will-O-Wisp
Strobe (Gigalith) (F) @ Rock Gem
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Rock Blast
- Explosion
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
Maski (Reuniclus) (F) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 172 HP / 32 Def / 252 SAtk / 52 SDef
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Psychic
- Trick Room
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Shadow Ball
Yyyyyyyeep. Trick Room. After seeing Wolfe's great success with it, I had decided to give it a chance, and I was winning a lot of games on PO, (Note to self future refernece: PO is not an accurate reflection of the metagame) and I figured my LCQ and Worlds team would really break the mold of the metagame.
Saturday, August 13
Today I'm feeling a little humorous, so I wear my Ghostbusters shirt and claim it stops Chandelure and Jellicent. If anything, it made them stronger, haha. We leave for San Diego at 6 and get there by 7:45. I check in at Late Registration and hang out with Kristian, Phillip, and kingofkongs until opening ceremonies start. Also around this time I come up with my Trainer Card greeting:
Do you think TRAINER can TAKE IT EASY?
After Nick McCord does his stuff at the ceremonies, it's time to battle. I'm paired up with kamz in round 1. (also known as Seniors World Champ)
He leads with Chandelure and Jellicent and owns me from there, taking match one. I still can't come up with an answer match 2, so he wins the series, and I'm 0-1.
Round 2 is against Aaron Traylor (Unreality)
Match 1
o
m
g
He led with Krookodile and Terrakion, double Rock Slide, flinched every single turn. Never got to move.
I win the second match, but he takes the third, and I go down to 0-2.
I realize that if I lose one more match I'm out.
don't know what round these parings were for
Round 3 is vs Madeline Chang (forgot if she had a Smogon). It was on TV and I easily countered her Sandstorm team. I win 2-0. I'm 1-2. Alright. Doin good, as long as I don't face anymore Smogonites, I might get to 3-2.
Round 4 Pairing
26| Aaron Zheng (1/2) vs Matthew Dunham (1/2)
Are. You. Serious.
I'm nervous from the start, he's National Champ, I have a total record of 3-4 today. Never mind the that the loser can't make top 8. This is a round that needed to be on TV, just sayin. He leads with Chandelure and Jellicent, I go with Cofagrigus and Amoonguss. Protect with my coffin, and his Heat Wave misses. Ouch. Jellicent Water Gem Water Spouts, barely denting Amoonguss. I get the Spore on Chandelure. We fight for a few turns and I'm down to a severly hurt Cofagrigus and Reuniclus. I protect with Cofagrigus, and he double targets Reuniclus, taking it down, and any hope I have of winning the first match. At first I raged prediction hax, but I didn't run Protect on Reuniclus, so I was screwed either way.
Match 2: I didn't run my Amoonguss counter, Emboar, and he had Amoonguss. Spore. GG bro. So I go down to 1-3 and can't make top 8.
Nick mentions something about seeing the staff if you want to drop, and I consider because I can't top 8 so what's the point. I decide to play on and I'm against Andrea Paone for Round 5. I tried a bit, but then I went down and sorta BS'ed the rest of the match. lol I was a nob and called over tournament staff because I thought he was Scarfed and healed off my Spore, but he had Lum. I lose again and finish with a record of 1-4. Obviously not happy, but it's even worse because my dad wouldn't take me back to watch top 8 tomorrow if I didn't qualify.
After Swiss I hung out with the #teamseniors crew until I had to leave :(
I guess I really didn't play well, and I know I didn't run the best team. Wide Guard Conkeldurr would have saved my ass so many times today it's not even funny. But oh well, what can I do now. I've still got one more year in Seniors, so I'll have to make the most of it. bs hax tpci y u make worlds 2012 in hawaii now i can't lcq
On the way home, JRank pointed out his sun team's advantages over text messages (had to be better than my Trick Room attempt)
Me: Yeah I choked, went 1-4
JRank: cause you didn't run sun
^love that guy
Props and Slops:
Props: Parents for letting me miss school to LCQ, I really had a great time this weekend
Maski: For being one of the best people I've ever met. You rock.
Kid Kadabra: You're an awesome dude, we gotta hang at San Jose next year
Duy and BadIntent for being the only Masters who knew who I was lol
Mike Liesik for letting all 10 Seniors through at LCQ
#teamseniors- great group of players, Unreality you are a part of teamseniors forever
You, if you've actually read this whole thing, haha
Special Landorus and Stoutland getting good kills in LCQ
Slops:
1-4 Record Q_______Q
Flopping like Stunfisk with Trick Room
HP Bug on Reuniclus (only used it once on Whimsicott, where Protect could have won me a match)
Snake losing his first VGC match (you're gonna wreck seniors next year)
Hax (c'mon everyone expected it here)
No hotel; had to drive back and forth 2 hours everyday 9.999999999
Well that's about it, thanks for the read!
LCQ Team
Stoutland (M) @ Normal Gem
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Return
- Helping Hand
- Crunch
- Thunder Wave
Feferi (Jellicent) (F) @ Water Gem
Trait: Cursed Body
EVs: 148 HP / 252 SAtk / 108 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Water Spout
- Trick Room
- Ice Beam
- Shadow Ball
1-UP (Amoonguss) (F) @ Mental Herb
Trait: Effect Spore
EVs: 144 HP / 176 Def / 168 SDef / 20 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Spore
- Protect
- Giga Drain
- Rage Powder
Landorus (M) @ Yache Berry
Trait: Sand Force
EVs: 60 HP / 252 SAtk / 196 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Grass Knot
- Protect
Nimbus (Thundurus) (M) @ Charti Berry
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Taunt
- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
Equius (Terrakion) @ Chople Berry
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Rock Slide
- Protect
- Sacred Sword
- Quick Attack
ADAMANT TERRAKION? SPECIAL LANDORUS? STOUTLAND?? Yes, it's an unorthodox team to say the least, but it had gotten me to 9th on the Skarmbliss ladder, and it handles the meta's top threats very well. Landorus is not running max speed because if you don't run a +Spe nature, the only real important pokes are +Spe 80 Pokemon like Chandelure.
Friday, August 12
My alarm clock rings at 4:30 am, and I've gotta get ready for LCQ. I do my stuff and my dad and I are out on the road for San Diego. We get to the Hilton at about 6:50 and the line is already huge. I start wondering if we maxed out Seniors divison, but that is far from reality. I get in line next to V17 and we talk a bit, until Maski tells me to come wait with her in the front of the line (i know, bs girlfriend linecut hax). I start for the head of the line when Kid Kadabra notices me and we start a conversation. At the front of the line, I help Maski decide whether to use physical or special Eelektross. I think we might have been in line next to Kota Yamamoto, Shota's little brother, but I'm not very sure because there were a lot of Japanese at Worlds. I thought it was really nice to see that a few could make the trip out considering the circumstances there. Cybertron comes by to say hi and we take a picture.
FITE 2 DA DEATH
Registration comes up really soon and I turn in my game cart. At first there is a bit of a problem, and I immedieatly worry (i dropped my cart once, and it has a chip in it). But it's really nothing and I go into the room ready for round 1.
me hanging out with kristian
Round 1 vs Wendell F.
We talked pre-battle and he said he was from New York. I felt kinda bad that I would have to knock him out r1 since he came so far. Don’t remember in detail but he led with Volcarona and Scrafty. I lead with Stoutland and Terrakion. Turn 1 I just rock slide and he rage powders on moth. No Fake Out from Scrafty, and I return on it with Stoutland. Don’t really remember the rest but he had Scrafty, Volcarona, Samurott, and Sawk. 3-0 win.
Also bs hax kok loses to a Sp. Def drop r1
Round 2 vs PaperGlaceon
I asked if he was on Smogon and he said he was PaperGlaceon. Felt kinda bad to face a Smogonite here, but I gotta play. In team preview I see he runs Seismitoad, so I know it’s a rain team. He leads double genies, and I go with Thunuduus and Amoonguss. Immediately he’s like “crap”. I protect on mushroom to block Acrobatics and go for Thunderbolt on Tornadus. Up 4-3. He sends out Seismitoad turn 2 and rain dances with Thundurus, while I Thunderbolt it. I switch out Thundurus turn 3 and go to Jellicent (lol had cursed body) to try and scare him a bit. He goes with Thunder and one shots it. Oh well. Tied at 3-3. I go for Giga Drain on Seismitoad and OHKO. Up 3-2. I send out Thundurus, he goes with Jellicent. Scarfspout. I rage powder and my Thundurus survives the Water Spout WITH 1 HP. I go for Thunderbolt on his Thundurus, and KO it. Up 3-1. Thunder Wave the Jellicent before Thundurus goes down. Up 2-1. Send out Stoutland with Crunch and mushroom finishes it off with Giga Drain. I win 2-0.
me after my round 2 lcq win
also kid kadabra expresses his loss very loudly around here
Round 3 vs tylee61
I feel really great about this battle beacuse it will be on TV. I ask my opponent if he’s on Smogon and he tells me he’s tylee. Oh man, another Smogonite. I see his team and its tailwind. Ugggggh, I forget what happens for most the battle, but I get some nice free switch-ins on prediction, and stalled out his Tailwind. He set it up again and I Trick Roomed with my Jellicent to put the final nail in the coffin. Used Terrakion, Jellicent, Stoutland, and Thundurus. I won 3-0. This match was my favorite because I played well and the #teamseniors members cheered me on. Also one of the Aarons (forgot who) told my dad I played perfectly, so that was a boost too.
Maski loses to kamz in a battle where she got hax and it made her lose. Weird, right?
I have some time to lounge around after my hack check and Duy congratulates me on making it to finals. lol I didn't think any masters would know who I was.
Anyway, we go to the finalist lounge and Mike Liesik, being such the baller he is lets ALL 10 of the finalists go through instead of using byes and play. Cool man, really thank you for that. So I make it through LCQ and feel great.
outside of maski's hotel room
After LCQ, me, kingofkongs, maski, and kid kadabra go to maski's room and make her dad's team for masters LCQ. We give him a team with Amoonguss and Tailwind and go eat at Subway. Good sandwich. We go back for Masteres LCQ and cheer them on. lol funniest moment was when the crowd was totally against Deagle round 2. Maski's dad makes it to round 2 and loses to Metabou by 1 HP.
I don't get to hang around much longer before Dad drives me home. Seriously, no hotel was like the biggest bummer of the weekend.
I listen to some house and check irc before heading off to bed.
Now I'll reveal my Worlds team
Zzzzzzz (Amoonguss) (F) @ Chesto Berry
Trait: Effect Spore
EVs: 144 HP / 184 Def / 180 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Spore
- Protect
- Giga Drain
- Rage Powder
Sazandork:) (Hydreigon) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Protect
- Flamethrower
Full Bloom (Emboar) (F) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Flare Blitz
- Rock Slide
- Hammer Arm
- Protect
GhostNStuf (Cofagrigus) (M) @ Mental Herb
Trait: Mummy
EVs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 156 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Shadow Ball
- Trick Room
- Protect
- Will-O-Wisp
Strobe (Gigalith) (F) @ Rock Gem
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Rock Blast
- Explosion
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
Maski (Reuniclus) (F) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 172 HP / 32 Def / 252 SAtk / 52 SDef
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Psychic
- Trick Room
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Shadow Ball
Yyyyyyyeep. Trick Room. After seeing Wolfe's great success with it, I had decided to give it a chance, and I was winning a lot of games on PO, (Note to self future refernece: PO is not an accurate reflection of the metagame) and I figured my LCQ and Worlds team would really break the mold of the metagame.
Saturday, August 13
Today I'm feeling a little humorous, so I wear my Ghostbusters shirt and claim it stops Chandelure and Jellicent. If anything, it made them stronger, haha. We leave for San Diego at 6 and get there by 7:45. I check in at Late Registration and hang out with Kristian, Phillip, and kingofkongs until opening ceremonies start. Also around this time I come up with my Trainer Card greeting:
Do you think TRAINER can TAKE IT EASY?
After Nick McCord does his stuff at the ceremonies, it's time to battle. I'm paired up with kamz in round 1. (also known as Seniors World Champ)
He leads with Chandelure and Jellicent and owns me from there, taking match one. I still can't come up with an answer match 2, so he wins the series, and I'm 0-1.
Round 2 is against Aaron Traylor (Unreality)
Match 1
o
m
g
He led with Krookodile and Terrakion, double Rock Slide, flinched every single turn. Never got to move.
I win the second match, but he takes the third, and I go down to 0-2.
I realize that if I lose one more match I'm out.
don't know what round these parings were for
Round 3 is vs Madeline Chang (forgot if she had a Smogon). It was on TV and I easily countered her Sandstorm team. I win 2-0. I'm 1-2. Alright. Doin good, as long as I don't face anymore Smogonites, I might get to 3-2.
Round 4 Pairing
26| Aaron Zheng (1/2) vs Matthew Dunham (1/2)
Are. You. Serious.
I'm nervous from the start, he's National Champ, I have a total record of 3-4 today. Never mind the that the loser can't make top 8. This is a round that needed to be on TV, just sayin. He leads with Chandelure and Jellicent, I go with Cofagrigus and Amoonguss. Protect with my coffin, and his Heat Wave misses. Ouch. Jellicent Water Gem Water Spouts, barely denting Amoonguss. I get the Spore on Chandelure. We fight for a few turns and I'm down to a severly hurt Cofagrigus and Reuniclus. I protect with Cofagrigus, and he double targets Reuniclus, taking it down, and any hope I have of winning the first match. At first I raged prediction hax, but I didn't run Protect on Reuniclus, so I was screwed either way.
Match 2: I didn't run my Amoonguss counter, Emboar, and he had Amoonguss. Spore. GG bro. So I go down to 1-3 and can't make top 8.
Nick mentions something about seeing the staff if you want to drop, and I consider because I can't top 8 so what's the point. I decide to play on and I'm against Andrea Paone for Round 5. I tried a bit, but then I went down and sorta BS'ed the rest of the match. lol I was a nob and called over tournament staff because I thought he was Scarfed and healed off my Spore, but he had Lum. I lose again and finish with a record of 1-4. Obviously not happy, but it's even worse because my dad wouldn't take me back to watch top 8 tomorrow if I didn't qualify.
After Swiss I hung out with the #teamseniors crew until I had to leave :(
I guess I really didn't play well, and I know I didn't run the best team. Wide Guard Conkeldurr would have saved my ass so many times today it's not even funny. But oh well, what can I do now. I've still got one more year in Seniors, so I'll have to make the most of it. bs hax tpci y u make worlds 2012 in hawaii now i can't lcq
On the way home, JRank pointed out his sun team's advantages over text messages (had to be better than my Trick Room attempt)
Me: Yeah I choked, went 1-4
JRank: cause you didn't run sun
^love that guy
Props and Slops:
Props: Parents for letting me miss school to LCQ, I really had a great time this weekend
Maski: For being one of the best people I've ever met. You rock.
Kid Kadabra: You're an awesome dude, we gotta hang at San Jose next year
Duy and BadIntent for being the only Masters who knew who I was lol
Mike Liesik for letting all 10 Seniors through at LCQ
#teamseniors- great group of players, Unreality you are a part of teamseniors forever
You, if you've actually read this whole thing, haha
Special Landorus and Stoutland getting good kills in LCQ
Slops:
1-4 Record Q_______Q
Flopping like Stunfisk with Trick Room
HP Bug on Reuniclus (only used it once on Whimsicott, where Protect could have won me a match)
Snake losing his first VGC match (you're gonna wreck seniors next year)
Hax (c'mon everyone expected it here)
No hotel; had to drive back and forth 2 hours everyday 9.999999999
Well that's about it, thanks for the read!
