Approved by Sweep
Based on other Player of the Week threads
Co-hosted by Gunner Rohan
Art by NicoReaper
Welcome everyone to Ubers Player of the Week! This'll be a weekly project where Gunner Rohan and I interview well known players to try and see into their mind a bit. If anyone has any suggestions on who Gunner / I should interview, feel free to shoot us a PM. Anyways, lets get to it!
Minority Suspect
Favorite Pokemon(s):
Tell us a little about yourself.
Hello everyone. I recently turned 19 and I'm an engineering student that's going to be a senior this fall. I'm originally from California, but I've been moving around the United States a lot so I'm not sure what home is right now. During the winter snowboarding becomes my source of income so I have much less free time to play Pokemon (start next UPL in May pls). I also film and edit for my youtube channel, play classical guitar and piano, and talk about certain topics (ATLA, music, etc.) far more than anyone would ever want to hear. If you want to know more details about my personal life just ask.
How did you choose the name Minority Suspect?
I kinda chose it on a whim and it stuck, so I'm sorry there isn't a more interesting backstory. The suspect part came first because of the double meaning with Smogon suspect testing. The minority part was basically to communicate that I'm a nobody and that I'm a slave to taking the dissenting opinion. The two words together are a reference to racial profiling. I'm currently considering a name change to something more PC that is also cringy and edgy that I'll undo a couple months later.
How and when did your get start in Ubers?
I first played Pokemon back in the summer of 2003 and despite thinking initially that it was something not for me I really liked it. Everyone at summer camp always played it and people just used the strongest Pokemon that were available, so from the beginning I was battling other people with Pokemon like Groudon, Kyogre, and Mewtwo. By 2006 I had a very basic, but still minimal, understanding of what ADV Ubers was like and had experience playing what was at the time the official format (Journey Across America). I had never been to any real tournaments though and didn't know Smogon existed so ya, I understood mechanics and details but not really the best way to compose teams, basically none of us really knew what we were doing.
I started playing in this community just over two years ago, starting at the beginning of XY and having to learn all the mechanics because I haven't touched a Pokemon game older than Platinum. I went directly to learning Ubers because I believe a competitive game has the most worth when it has the least number of restrictions, so long as it maintains a strong competitive edge. As some users have noted in several PR and tiering discussions, Ubers replaced OU's role as the competitive tier with the highest power creep long ago. Early on I played on PO because that's what I remember (I briefly played BW OU on PO right after launch of Gen 5) then got a Smogon account and shifted towards PS! use instead. My initial forum presence was mostly in RMT and C&C because those areas of the site are closest to the front lines for people getting into competitive Pokemon and I wanted to contribute, despite being a horrible poster and not understanding forum culture well at all. It wasn't until after a lot of embarrassment, learning more about forum culture, being decent at writing analyses, and doing well in tour matches that people began to pay me any attention, although I still embarrass myself sometimes.
You don't actively play ORAS Ubers much, yet you've done many high quality analyses like Mega Gengar, Darkrai, Xerneas etc. What keeps you contributing so much to a tier that you don't find much fun?
It's not that I don't find ORAS Ubers fun, it's just more that I don't feel particularly motivated to enter tournaments. Building, testing, preparing, and scheduling takes a lot of time, so if I feel the tour isn't a good opportunity to improve myself as a player or demonstrate my ability I won't bother. The only Ubers tours I've played in recently were team tours where I was requested to play (MUTE and last PSPL). Tours where I would go out of my way to play ORAS would be limited to official ones (have no support for Ubers as this time) and UPL (I already play ADV there). As for what keeps me writing analyses I feel that C&C is the most important part of the site because it's often a person's first exposure to Smogon. Analyses and guides here need to be top notch and professional, things that intrigue people to explore the competitive side of Pokemon. I also want to be a part of the process that keeps a record of what the best sets and Pokemon were in each generation of Ubers.
What are some of your favorite things of ADV?
It's certainly a number of different things. One of the big ones is that I feel the tier has a perfect balance of team diversity and power level. Teams are often able to check everything they need to in a lower number of slots when compared to newer generations, leaving luxury slots that can be used for some really creative techs and Pokemon. I think another reason why I enjoy the tier so much is how it handles risk vs. reward. In later Ubers generations, plays often have much more risk associated with them, which means that a single turn is much more likely to decide the entire match. ADV plays are much more subtle and require players to have a steady and firm control of the game to excel. Naturally this supports an environment for comebacks. Lastly, something I really like about ADV is that I get to see a lot of my favorite Pokemon that aren't really viable in ORAS such as Metagross, Regice, Magneton, Snorlax, and Umbreon.
What's your stance on team match-up in ORAS Ubers?
I think the definition of a good team is one that is able to maximize the number of options it has against all relevant matchups. Matchup is certainly an issue in ORAS Ubers, just as it is in all ORAS tiers, and arguably, all tiers in Pokemon. It always becomes an argument of degree, but I strongly believe that ORAS Ubers has numerous stable arrangements and supports an environment where the better player usually wins. Losses that are blamed on matchup are a common occurrence, but rarely are they actually due to this.
What are you most looking forward to in gen 7, Pokemon Sun & Moon?
At this point I just want each generation of Ubers to hold its own and be unique for better or worse. You could argue that power creep has caused singles tiers to deteriorate in recent generations, but at least each tier is unique. So far each generation of Ubers feels very different and I don't want to see a new gen that is basically last gen + a couple new Pokemon and minor mech changes. Ideally Pokemon Sun and Moon would forge a tier where teams, especially balance, are much better at role compressing. I think this would leave much more room for creative techs and would help prevent stagnation, although I think that is unlikely to happen. The conditions necessary just don't really seem in place based on the information we have, but I won't count it out 100%. I also expect a change in Sleep mechanics because those are changed every gen for some reason.
What's your favorite play-style and why?
Most definitely hyper offense, so if you play me bring Ditto + Mega Kanga HO. But seriously bringing HO every game isn't a good plan so I mix it up with BOs, Balances, and Stalls. I strongly believe that games need to reward offensive play appropriately so that players cannot force stalemates or Nash equilibrium scenarios. I really enjoy playing with offense and thinking about how I'm going to tear apart my opponent's team, regardless of if they're using Stall, Balance, or HO themselves. Many of my favorite Pokemon in ORAS Ubers also lend themselves to being offensive.
Favorite UPL game?
This match against Innovamania in week 3 was my favorite to play, but overall this match against SoulWind in week 2 was my favorite in hindsight. Really the only games worth playing are the ones you lose at and this match gave me some helpful insight into my building and playing. It was especially annoying for me because I lost the match on a silly single-turn misplay, but now I'll never forget the importance of getting my Spikes early when using them with Aerodactyl on HO. SoulWind used a very standard team, didn't really make any huge plays, and didn't hax me, which made me really examine how I played and the way I structured my team. That was more valuable to me than a match where execution was good all the techs worked as intended.
Who are some of your favorite people in the Smogon/Ubers community?
I originally had, and still do, have the most respect for people involved in Ubers C&C. Blue Jay, Polop, Melee Mewtwo, Sweep, Shrang, Fireburn, and Hack come to mind because of their C&C activity when I first started trying to pickup analysis writing. Initially I wanted to someday be as cool as a user like Blue Jay, but I should have realized that would be impossible. I'd like to think I get along with the people that started playing Ubers around the same time I did, but there are also some cool people that have picked up the game more recently. Right now I think I'm closest to my teammates from last UPL (and Fireburn because C&C and frequent in #Drizzlers) like Nayrz, BKC, Dice, Melee Mewtwo, and WreckDra. People like to rip on Melee Mewtwo and Dice, but really they are some of the most interesting people to talk to that play Ubers. I also really like RMT staff users like Haxiom, Outrage, and IronBullet. I also appreciate Hack for his critical eye and C&C activity even though we don't always see things the same way. Modest but successful players such as Blim and Jibaku are probs my biggest inspirations for improving myself as a player. Chances are if you're active in the PS! Ubers room we've talked quite a bit so I guess this applies to you too.
Any advice for new players getting into Ubers?
I'd say just go into it with the mindset that after the initial hump you'll think you know everything, but the reality is that you don't. The more you learn about Pokemon the more you learn how inadequate you are as a player. If you think you're the best player around that's a strong indication that you aren't. Other than that I'd say just whatever you decide to do in this community, regardless if it's just using PS!, posting in subforum threads, or rating teams, just don't do anything stupid. I know that's really vague, but really all it means is that you don't need to attract attention to yourself, engage in shitposting, or act like your minimal experience tells you everything there is to know. When I first started here I broke all these rules and was a fool. Not everyone has to make those mistakes though.
Finally, can you provide us a team with a brief explanation of how it works?
People probably don't want to see another ADV team so here's an ORAS one; this team is my favorite build that features Yveltal and Mega Gengar. It's a super old build that is intuitive and not very interesting, but it incorporates a lot of the things I like (Hyper Offense, Special Attackers, spooky ghost, edgy contrived name). I like how teams such as this have room for detailing work in the spreads and move sets so you can keep up with trends and make everything a little more personal, even if the combination of the six Pokemon aren't anything unique.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks again to Minority Suspect for taking out time to complete this interview.
Ask him any questions you have below!
Edit- For those who are interested on Minority Suspect's ADV teams you can watch them here
Based on other Player of the Week threads
Co-hosted by Gunner Rohan
Art by NicoReaper
Welcome everyone to Ubers Player of the Week! This'll be a weekly project where Gunner Rohan and I interview well known players to try and see into their mind a bit. If anyone has any suggestions on who Gunner / I should interview, feel free to shoot us a PM. Anyways, lets get to it!
Minority Suspect
Favorite Pokemon(s):
Latias, probably because it's from Gen 3, is still viable in Ubers, and has a beautiful shiny sprite. I also really like Metagross and Regice, but they aren't viable anymore.
Most Known For:
Strong showings in UPL III and IV playing ADV, writing Gen 6 Ubers analyses, keeping stats and data threads in the Ubers subforum, rating Ubers teams, being good at math, coming off as a callous smartass, and not actually playing Ubers (good one).
Strong showings in UPL III and IV playing ADV, writing Gen 6 Ubers analyses, keeping stats and data threads in the Ubers subforum, rating Ubers teams, being good at math, coming off as a callous smartass, and not actually playing Ubers (good one).
Tell us a little about yourself.
Hello everyone. I recently turned 19 and I'm an engineering student that's going to be a senior this fall. I'm originally from California, but I've been moving around the United States a lot so I'm not sure what home is right now. During the winter snowboarding becomes my source of income so I have much less free time to play Pokemon (start next UPL in May pls). I also film and edit for my youtube channel, play classical guitar and piano, and talk about certain topics (ATLA, music, etc.) far more than anyone would ever want to hear. If you want to know more details about my personal life just ask.
How did you choose the name Minority Suspect?
I kinda chose it on a whim and it stuck, so I'm sorry there isn't a more interesting backstory. The suspect part came first because of the double meaning with Smogon suspect testing. The minority part was basically to communicate that I'm a nobody and that I'm a slave to taking the dissenting opinion. The two words together are a reference to racial profiling. I'm currently considering a name change to something more PC that is also cringy and edgy that I'll undo a couple months later.
How and when did your get start in Ubers?
I first played Pokemon back in the summer of 2003 and despite thinking initially that it was something not for me I really liked it. Everyone at summer camp always played it and people just used the strongest Pokemon that were available, so from the beginning I was battling other people with Pokemon like Groudon, Kyogre, and Mewtwo. By 2006 I had a very basic, but still minimal, understanding of what ADV Ubers was like and had experience playing what was at the time the official format (Journey Across America). I had never been to any real tournaments though and didn't know Smogon existed so ya, I understood mechanics and details but not really the best way to compose teams, basically none of us really knew what we were doing.
I started playing in this community just over two years ago, starting at the beginning of XY and having to learn all the mechanics because I haven't touched a Pokemon game older than Platinum. I went directly to learning Ubers because I believe a competitive game has the most worth when it has the least number of restrictions, so long as it maintains a strong competitive edge. As some users have noted in several PR and tiering discussions, Ubers replaced OU's role as the competitive tier with the highest power creep long ago. Early on I played on PO because that's what I remember (I briefly played BW OU on PO right after launch of Gen 5) then got a Smogon account and shifted towards PS! use instead. My initial forum presence was mostly in RMT and C&C because those areas of the site are closest to the front lines for people getting into competitive Pokemon and I wanted to contribute, despite being a horrible poster and not understanding forum culture well at all. It wasn't until after a lot of embarrassment, learning more about forum culture, being decent at writing analyses, and doing well in tour matches that people began to pay me any attention, although I still embarrass myself sometimes.
You don't actively play ORAS Ubers much, yet you've done many high quality analyses like Mega Gengar, Darkrai, Xerneas etc. What keeps you contributing so much to a tier that you don't find much fun?
It's not that I don't find ORAS Ubers fun, it's just more that I don't feel particularly motivated to enter tournaments. Building, testing, preparing, and scheduling takes a lot of time, so if I feel the tour isn't a good opportunity to improve myself as a player or demonstrate my ability I won't bother. The only Ubers tours I've played in recently were team tours where I was requested to play (MUTE and last PSPL). Tours where I would go out of my way to play ORAS would be limited to official ones (have no support for Ubers as this time) and UPL (I already play ADV there). As for what keeps me writing analyses I feel that C&C is the most important part of the site because it's often a person's first exposure to Smogon. Analyses and guides here need to be top notch and professional, things that intrigue people to explore the competitive side of Pokemon. I also want to be a part of the process that keeps a record of what the best sets and Pokemon were in each generation of Ubers.
What are some of your favorite things of ADV?
It's certainly a number of different things. One of the big ones is that I feel the tier has a perfect balance of team diversity and power level. Teams are often able to check everything they need to in a lower number of slots when compared to newer generations, leaving luxury slots that can be used for some really creative techs and Pokemon. I think another reason why I enjoy the tier so much is how it handles risk vs. reward. In later Ubers generations, plays often have much more risk associated with them, which means that a single turn is much more likely to decide the entire match. ADV plays are much more subtle and require players to have a steady and firm control of the game to excel. Naturally this supports an environment for comebacks. Lastly, something I really like about ADV is that I get to see a lot of my favorite Pokemon that aren't really viable in ORAS such as Metagross, Regice, Magneton, Snorlax, and Umbreon.
What's your stance on team match-up in ORAS Ubers?
I think the definition of a good team is one that is able to maximize the number of options it has against all relevant matchups. Matchup is certainly an issue in ORAS Ubers, just as it is in all ORAS tiers, and arguably, all tiers in Pokemon. It always becomes an argument of degree, but I strongly believe that ORAS Ubers has numerous stable arrangements and supports an environment where the better player usually wins. Losses that are blamed on matchup are a common occurrence, but rarely are they actually due to this.
What are you most looking forward to in gen 7, Pokemon Sun & Moon?
At this point I just want each generation of Ubers to hold its own and be unique for better or worse. You could argue that power creep has caused singles tiers to deteriorate in recent generations, but at least each tier is unique. So far each generation of Ubers feels very different and I don't want to see a new gen that is basically last gen + a couple new Pokemon and minor mech changes. Ideally Pokemon Sun and Moon would forge a tier where teams, especially balance, are much better at role compressing. I think this would leave much more room for creative techs and would help prevent stagnation, although I think that is unlikely to happen. The conditions necessary just don't really seem in place based on the information we have, but I won't count it out 100%. I also expect a change in Sleep mechanics because those are changed every gen for some reason.
What's your favorite play-style and why?
Most definitely hyper offense, so if you play me bring Ditto + Mega Kanga HO. But seriously bringing HO every game isn't a good plan so I mix it up with BOs, Balances, and Stalls. I strongly believe that games need to reward offensive play appropriately so that players cannot force stalemates or Nash equilibrium scenarios. I really enjoy playing with offense and thinking about how I'm going to tear apart my opponent's team, regardless of if they're using Stall, Balance, or HO themselves. Many of my favorite Pokemon in ORAS Ubers also lend themselves to being offensive.
Favorite UPL game?
This match against Innovamania in week 3 was my favorite to play, but overall this match against SoulWind in week 2 was my favorite in hindsight. Really the only games worth playing are the ones you lose at and this match gave me some helpful insight into my building and playing. It was especially annoying for me because I lost the match on a silly single-turn misplay, but now I'll never forget the importance of getting my Spikes early when using them with Aerodactyl on HO. SoulWind used a very standard team, didn't really make any huge plays, and didn't hax me, which made me really examine how I played and the way I structured my team. That was more valuable to me than a match where execution was good all the techs worked as intended.
Who are some of your favorite people in the Smogon/Ubers community?
I originally had, and still do, have the most respect for people involved in Ubers C&C. Blue Jay, Polop, Melee Mewtwo, Sweep, Shrang, Fireburn, and Hack come to mind because of their C&C activity when I first started trying to pickup analysis writing. Initially I wanted to someday be as cool as a user like Blue Jay, but I should have realized that would be impossible. I'd like to think I get along with the people that started playing Ubers around the same time I did, but there are also some cool people that have picked up the game more recently. Right now I think I'm closest to my teammates from last UPL (and Fireburn because C&C and frequent in #Drizzlers) like Nayrz, BKC, Dice, Melee Mewtwo, and WreckDra. People like to rip on Melee Mewtwo and Dice, but really they are some of the most interesting people to talk to that play Ubers. I also really like RMT staff users like Haxiom, Outrage, and IronBullet. I also appreciate Hack for his critical eye and C&C activity even though we don't always see things the same way. Modest but successful players such as Blim and Jibaku are probs my biggest inspirations for improving myself as a player. Chances are if you're active in the PS! Ubers room we've talked quite a bit so I guess this applies to you too.
Any advice for new players getting into Ubers?
I'd say just go into it with the mindset that after the initial hump you'll think you know everything, but the reality is that you don't. The more you learn about Pokemon the more you learn how inadequate you are as a player. If you think you're the best player around that's a strong indication that you aren't. Other than that I'd say just whatever you decide to do in this community, regardless if it's just using PS!, posting in subforum threads, or rating teams, just don't do anything stupid. I know that's really vague, but really all it means is that you don't need to attract attention to yourself, engage in shitposting, or act like your minimal experience tells you everything there is to know. When I first started here I broke all these rules and was a fool. Not everyone has to make those mistakes though.
Finally, can you provide us a team with a brief explanation of how it works?
Xerneas @ Power Herb
Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 200 Def / 252 SpA / 56 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Geomancy
- Aromatherapy
- Thunder
- Moonblast
Gengar-Mega @ Gengarite
Ability: Shadow Tag
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Will-O-Wisp
- Focus Blast
- Hex
Arceus @ Life Orb
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 124 HP / 252 Atk / 132 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed
Groudon-Primal @ Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs: 152 HP / 236 Atk / 44 SpD / 76 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Polish
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- Precipice Blades
Yveltal @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Rash Nature
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Oblivion Wing
- Dark Pulse
Dialga @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder
- Flash Cannon
- Draco Meteor
Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 200 Def / 252 SpA / 56 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Geomancy
- Aromatherapy
- Thunder
- Moonblast
Gengar-Mega @ Gengarite
Ability: Shadow Tag
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Will-O-Wisp
- Focus Blast
- Hex
Arceus @ Life Orb
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 124 HP / 252 Atk / 132 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Extreme Speed
Groudon-Primal @ Red Orb
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs: 152 HP / 236 Atk / 44 SpD / 76 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Polish
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- Precipice Blades
Yveltal @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Rash Nature
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Oblivion Wing
- Dark Pulse
Dialga @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder
- Flash Cannon
- Draco Meteor
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks again to Minority Suspect for taking out time to complete this interview.
Ask him any questions you have below!
Edit- For those who are interested on Minority Suspect's ADV teams you can watch them here
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