Approved by King UU and Hogg
Stolen from Hairy Toenail
Art by rozes
Hello, and welcome to UU's Player of the Week, where I interview
some of Smogon's most accomplished and well known players in the tier to give
some insight on who they are and their views on certain aspects of the metagame.
If there's someone you want to see interviewed, shoot me a PM!
Sam
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hello, I am a 23 year old currently residing in the suburbs of Philadelphia. I graduated this past summer with a degree in chemical engineering. Besides mons I'm pretty in to sports and photography, and am known for being a lover of fragrance.
Most known for?
Being an admin. Before that, being a super mod and an SPL manager. Before that, being UUTL. Before that, nothing really.
Favorite Pokemon?
Starmie
Most Used Pokemon?
Dunno, I try to be varied. Probably Mega Aero or Sylveon.
What brought you to Smogon and competitive Pokemon in general?
Way back when at the start of BW (when they still used the Japanese names), one of my friends found Pokemon Online and we played DPP UU together and on the PO server for a bit. That friend lost interest, but I stuck around and was pretty much a ladder hero on Smogon. I made an account in 2011 but didn't really get involved much until the end of 2013. At that time, XYUU beta started and I became involved in the community.
What is your favorite Generation of Pokemon and why?
Probably Gen 3. Competitively it is the most fun. I don't care for in-game that much and don't have a ton of nostalgia for the originals.
Thoughts on the current metagame of ORAS UU?
It's pretty fun. A lot of people feel obligated to use standard as hell balance teams but there's a ton to explore outside of those.
What is your favorite playstyle?
In my heart I always have a soft spot for offense.
Do you think any playstyle is blatantly dominant or weak in the metagame?
Not really. Like I said before I think people restrict themselves to their cookie-cutter balance teams because it feels 'safe', but there's a ton of underutilized things that can threaten balance pretty easily. Offense is very good, but a little hindered by how well mons like Sylveon can cover a variety of things in one slot. Stall, like always, has its good and bad matchups.
Thoughts on S/M so far?
Haven't dabbled in to UU alpha too much yet, but I've enjoyed what I've played of OU.
Can you tell us about your experience in SPL and whether you plan on ever playing in it again? Also, what advice would you give to newer tournament players who strive to reach that level of play?
My experience playing SPL is pretty much getting picked up as a random at the end of the auction and being forced to start. I did well (4-2 in UU) and suddenly people knew who I was. I'd love to play again sometime, but managing is also a very fun experience and I don't see myself giving that up. For new players, focus on playing tournaments. Play against well known players. Ladder rank and random replays don't really do much.
Who are some of your favorite people in the Smogon Community?
There's way too many to list. The people I hang out with on Discord, UU friends, other members of Senior Staff, etc. Shoutouts McMeghan for being the only other person interested in PTCG!
Finally can you provide for us a team that you think reflects your current playstyle with a brief explanation of how it works?
Here's a team a built to use against Christo for LTPL. I built the team a few minutes before I had to play him and didn't even bother testing it. I had the idea the CM Espeon would do well vs him, and that turned out to be true. The Celebi set may seem weird but nothing is more frightening than a boosted Celebi behind a sub. The set can deo well if Hydreigon gets lured or weakened, which Espeon and Entei can do. I forget what the Blastoise EVs are for but it's a pretty good check to a ton of things, and the Rocky Helmet on Krook is to wear things down (mostly Aero). Mienshao covers most weaknesses and has a very good matchup vs offense.
----------
Thank you for your time and the great interview, Sam! If you have any questions that you would like to ask him, feel free to leave them below. I'll be back next week with another interview!
Past Interviews:
Hairy Toenail - http://pastebin.com/aqDRDWP8
teal6 - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-2-teal6.3576364/page-2#post-6889419
Christo - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-3-christo.3576364/page-2#post-6889419
Omfuga - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-4-omfuga.3576364/page-3#post-6916323
dodmen - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-5-dodmen.3576364/page-5#post-6927526
Hogg - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-6-hogg.3576364/page-5#post-6938848
King UU - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-7-king-uu.3576364/page-6#post-6950905
Pearl - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-8-pearl.3576364/page-7#post-6961579
IronBullet - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-9-ironbullet.3576364/page-8#post-6974040
ZoroDark - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-10-zorodark.3576364/page-9#post-6983919
Ice Tea - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-11-ice-tea.3576364/page-9#post-6995389
Stallion - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-12-stallion.3576364/page-10#post-7006390
Vinc2612 - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-13-vinc2612.3576364/page-11#post-7018663
xMarth - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-14-xmarth.3576364/page-11#post-7075155
Tony - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-15-tony.3576364/page-12#post-7089056
Sacri' - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-16-sacri.3576364/page-12#post-7102343
Shiba - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-17-shiba.3576364/page-13#post-7116669
Rodriblutar - http://www.smogon.com/forums/thread...k-18-rodriblutar.3576364/page-13#post-7139500
Sam - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-19-sam.3576364/page-14#post-7158516
Stolen from Hairy Toenail
Art by rozes
Hello, and welcome to UU's Player of the Week, where I interview
some of Smogon's most accomplished and well known players in the tier to give
some insight on who they are and their views on certain aspects of the metagame.
If there's someone you want to see interviewed, shoot me a PM!
Sam
Hello, I am a 23 year old currently residing in the suburbs of Philadelphia. I graduated this past summer with a degree in chemical engineering. Besides mons I'm pretty in to sports and photography, and am known for being a lover of fragrance.
Most known for?
Being an admin. Before that, being a super mod and an SPL manager. Before that, being UUTL. Before that, nothing really.
Favorite Pokemon?
Starmie
Most Used Pokemon?
Dunno, I try to be varied. Probably Mega Aero or Sylveon.
What brought you to Smogon and competitive Pokemon in general?
Way back when at the start of BW (when they still used the Japanese names), one of my friends found Pokemon Online and we played DPP UU together and on the PO server for a bit. That friend lost interest, but I stuck around and was pretty much a ladder hero on Smogon. I made an account in 2011 but didn't really get involved much until the end of 2013. At that time, XYUU beta started and I became involved in the community.
What is your favorite Generation of Pokemon and why?
Probably Gen 3. Competitively it is the most fun. I don't care for in-game that much and don't have a ton of nostalgia for the originals.
Thoughts on the current metagame of ORAS UU?
It's pretty fun. A lot of people feel obligated to use standard as hell balance teams but there's a ton to explore outside of those.
What is your favorite playstyle?
In my heart I always have a soft spot for offense.
Do you think any playstyle is blatantly dominant or weak in the metagame?
Not really. Like I said before I think people restrict themselves to their cookie-cutter balance teams because it feels 'safe', but there's a ton of underutilized things that can threaten balance pretty easily. Offense is very good, but a little hindered by how well mons like Sylveon can cover a variety of things in one slot. Stall, like always, has its good and bad matchups.
Thoughts on S/M so far?
Haven't dabbled in to UU alpha too much yet, but I've enjoyed what I've played of OU.
Can you tell us about your experience in SPL and whether you plan on ever playing in it again? Also, what advice would you give to newer tournament players who strive to reach that level of play?
My experience playing SPL is pretty much getting picked up as a random at the end of the auction and being forced to start. I did well (4-2 in UU) and suddenly people knew who I was. I'd love to play again sometime, but managing is also a very fun experience and I don't see myself giving that up. For new players, focus on playing tournaments. Play against well known players. Ladder rank and random replays don't really do much.
Who are some of your favorite people in the Smogon Community?
There's way too many to list. The people I hang out with on Discord, UU friends, other members of Senior Staff, etc. Shoutouts McMeghan for being the only other person interested in PTCG!
Finally can you provide for us a team that you think reflects your current playstyle with a brief explanation of how it works?
Espeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Morning Sun
- Psyshock
- Dazzling Gleam
Krookodile @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Pursuit
Entei @ Choice Band
Ability: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sacred Fire
- Flare Blitz
- Stone Edge
- Extreme Speed
Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Substitute
- Giga Drain
- Recover
Blastoise-Mega @ Blastoisinite
Ability: Mega Launcher
EVs: 100 HP / 252 SpA / 156 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Dark Pulse
- Rapid Spin
Mienshao @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Morning Sun
- Psyshock
- Dazzling Gleam
Krookodile @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Pursuit
Entei @ Choice Band
Ability: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sacred Fire
- Flare Blitz
- Stone Edge
- Extreme Speed
Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Substitute
- Giga Drain
- Recover
Blastoise-Mega @ Blastoisinite
Ability: Mega Launcher
EVs: 100 HP / 252 SpA / 156 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Dark Pulse
- Rapid Spin
Mienshao @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
Here's a team a built to use against Christo for LTPL. I built the team a few minutes before I had to play him and didn't even bother testing it. I had the idea the CM Espeon would do well vs him, and that turned out to be true. The Celebi set may seem weird but nothing is more frightening than a boosted Celebi behind a sub. The set can deo well if Hydreigon gets lured or weakened, which Espeon and Entei can do. I forget what the Blastoise EVs are for but it's a pretty good check to a ton of things, and the Rocky Helmet on Krook is to wear things down (mostly Aero). Mienshao covers most weaknesses and has a very good matchup vs offense.
----------
Thank you for your time and the great interview, Sam! If you have any questions that you would like to ask him, feel free to leave them below. I'll be back next week with another interview!
Past Interviews:
Hairy Toenail - http://pastebin.com/aqDRDWP8
teal6 - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-2-teal6.3576364/page-2#post-6889419
Christo - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-3-christo.3576364/page-2#post-6889419
Omfuga - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-4-omfuga.3576364/page-3#post-6916323
dodmen - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-5-dodmen.3576364/page-5#post-6927526
Hogg - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-6-hogg.3576364/page-5#post-6938848
King UU - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-7-king-uu.3576364/page-6#post-6950905
Pearl - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-8-pearl.3576364/page-7#post-6961579
IronBullet - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-9-ironbullet.3576364/page-8#post-6974040
ZoroDark - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-10-zorodark.3576364/page-9#post-6983919
Ice Tea - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-11-ice-tea.3576364/page-9#post-6995389
Stallion - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-12-stallion.3576364/page-10#post-7006390
Vinc2612 - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-13-vinc2612.3576364/page-11#post-7018663
xMarth - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-14-xmarth.3576364/page-11#post-7075155
Tony - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-15-tony.3576364/page-12#post-7089056
Sacri' - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-16-sacri.3576364/page-12#post-7102343
Shiba - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-17-shiba.3576364/page-13#post-7116669
Rodriblutar - http://www.smogon.com/forums/thread...k-18-rodriblutar.3576364/page-13#post-7139500
Sam - http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uu-player-of-the-week-19-sam.3576364/page-14#post-7158516
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