Ask a Simple Question; Get a Simple Answer & General Resources (OU Edition)

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alkinesthetase said:
alright time for ME to ask a question

i planned to actually ladder in celebration of my potato and get more serious about pokemon, seeing as normally all i do is theorize and that really limits how you can contribute to smogon. at lavos's recommendation i am also considering chasing a badge. however university has like just started for me (actual university, not smogon university) and my schedule is about to be loaded full. i'm not ready to just walk away from smogon for 8 months, nor am i ready to battle more than 1-2 times a day but i know that as a result of that, my laddering will probably be of limited use. i don't want to spend too much time proving the obvious to myself if it's avoidable.

so how should we go about asking for short advice on our teams? ladder for like 2 hours, then post a lineup of six, and get one-line suggestions about it? i'm basically looking for a heavily diluted version of an RMT: i understand that i've invested less time in playing the team, and so i don't expect or deserve for people to invest very much time in looking at it. however people are dumb and sometimes we miss obvious issues or solutions, i'm no exception so i could use some quick advice. rather than a full rate, simple comments like "team looks weak to tornadus-T, can't take hurricane spams" or "celebi would be a good fit for you" are all i'm looking for. is this thread an appropriate place to ask these kinds of questions?

EDIT: oh and if the response to this post is "just go ladder more", i am actually okay with that. just curious to know if there are any resources i can draw on in this way.
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You should test your team for 4-5 days on the ladder, then post a RMT. Alternatively you can try to ask for help in #ratemyteam on IRC. You can also ask here for more generic team advices.
 
Jimbon said:
If you're having trouble with defensive Steels, there are a couple ways you can go about it. Generally, these Steels have trouble against the prime Rain abusers such as Keldeo, Thundurus-T and Tornadus-T, while even offensive Politoed is troublesome.
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Thanks for the detailed answer. It was very helpful indeed. Specs Toad is an absolute monster under rain! Vastly underrated, IMO.

Anyway, I've got another question regarding speed tiers - which Pokemon can outspeed Venusaur in sun with a scarf/ what is the minimum speed tier required? And are there Pokemon who can outspeed Liligant and Sawsbuck in sun at all?
 
FaceFaceFace said:
Thanks for the detailed answer. It was very helpful indeed. Specs Toad is an absolute monster under rain! Vastly underrated, IMO.

Anyway, I've got another question regarding speed tiers - which Pokemon can outspeed Venusaur in sun with a scarf/ what is the minimum speed tier required? And are there Pokemon who can outspeed Liligant and Sawsbuck in sun at all?
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Everything with more than base 108 Speed can outspeed Modest 252 Venusaur in the Sun. This includes Infernape, Keldeo and Terrakion, as these Scarfers hit 519 with a +Spe Nature while Modest Venusaur reaches 518. Timid Venusaur on the other hand is a lot different, generally people only run 180 Speed EVs with Timid because the fastest thing you need to outspeed is Scarf Latios at 525, and after that there are no relevant benchmarks you need to hit. Timid Venusaur is a lot harder to outspeed, as all the common scarfers are outsped and dealt with. I've been trying Scarf Tornadus-T to help against Chlorophyll abusers -- it's surprisingly good and no-one expects it.

As for Lilligant and Sawsbuck, it depends on the set in question. Max Speed sets with a +Spe Nature outspeed pretty much everything, except +2 Ninjask lol.. You can tweak with Speed EVs to find out what you need to outspeed while still outspeeding a lot with an Adamant / Modest Nature. If you want to know what to outspeed, use this.
 
FaceFaceFace said:
Thanks for the detailed answer. It was very helpful indeed. Specs Toad is an absolute monster under rain! Vastly underrated, IMO.

Anyway, I've got another question regarding speed tiers - which Pokemon can outspeed Venusaur in sun with a scarf/ what is the minimum speed tier required? And are there Pokemon who can outspeed Liligant and Sawsbuck in sun at all?
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I like using tailwind. My Whimsicott + banded Haxorus combination demolishes sun teams, one of the easiest lineups for me to slaughter (in less than 15 turns a lot of the time). Whimsicott is a great anti-setup pokemon that forces more switches than skarmory could dream of, tailwind is a great 4th slot that sets up 3 turns of +2 speed if you use it on a suicide turn. PS: Incase you're wondering, the reason I use haxorus to abuse the +2 is because late game it doesn't care about clever switching that people can often use to stall out the tailwind, it doesn't discriminate against non steels and powers through them :P

I also like using tornadus-I for tailwind, it also gets priority and the 3 following turns can be priceless. Tornadus-I has 2 key things over whimsicott, offesnive presence: it's able to threaten walls with a powerful acrobatics, doesn't afraid of espeon, grass types and xatu (if your flight gem is intact they are ohkoed) and importantly, it carries a faster taunt :P Theres some bulky tailwind users as well (did you know latios has tailwind for example), really bw2 opened the flood gates with the move tutors but noone is really trying it out other than me, from what I see..
 
Anikrahman1995 said:
I went to the pokemon website and I foun this: http://www.pokemonblackwhite.com/po...2/#en-us/story/keldeo/details-keldeo-extended
Keldeo will return to its Ordinary Form if it ever forgets Secret Sword, so be careful when it levels up and learns new moves. If you make Keldeo forget the move by accident, you can return to the carved stone near Floccesy Town, and it will remember Secret Sword again. Also, if Keldeo is in Resolute Form, it cannot be transferred back to Pokémon Black Version or Pokémon White Version. If you want to send Keldeo back, you’ll need to make it forget Secret Sword so it returns to its Ordinary Form.

So.....why is it that I see Keldeo with Secret Sword on the ladder when its not in its resolution forme? Isnt that illegal? This means it is impossible to have Keldeo with Secret Sword in its normal form. Right?
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voodoo pimp said:
Keldeo can learn Secret Sword in BW1, and I'm not sure what happens if you trade a Keldeo that knows it to BW2. It doesn't matter though, because the form difference is entirely cosmetic.
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According to a spanish player who has tried to do it, nothing happens. So Keldeo will be on its Old From in BW2.

So it's possible to have a non-Resolution Keldeo with Secret Sword in BW2 doing that.

If you want to have Resolution Keldeo doing it, when talking to the man/going to the place/ whatever that teaches Secret Sword in BW2 it will transform to Resolution instantly.
 
Does anyone have an idea of when lightningrod zapdos will be released? Also, is there an easy place to find a list of all unreleased dream world abilities?
 
GatoDelFuego said:
Does anyone have an idea of when lightningrod zapdos will be released? Also, is there an easy place to find a list of all unreleased dream world abilities?
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No one knows when anything that doesn't have its dreamworld ability released will have it released.

Anyway, I don't know anywhere you can find a list of things without released dreamworld abilities, but here's a list I made comparing Serebii's list of released dreamworld abilities and the list of all Pokemon:
Ekans (Unnerve)
Arbok (Unnerve)
Paras (Damp)
Parasect (Damp)
Articuno (Snow Cloak)
Zapdos (Lightningrod)
Moltres (Flame Body)
Mewtwo (Unnerve)
Chikorita (Leaf Guard)
Bayleef (Leaf Guard)
Meganium (Leaf Guard)
Cyndaquil (Flash Fire)
Quilava (Flash Fire)
Typhlosion (Flash Fire)
Totodile (Sheer Force)
Croconaw (Sheer Force)
Feraligatr (Sheer Force)
Aipom (Skill Link)
Pineco (Overcoat)
Forretress (Overcoat)
Raikou (Volt Absorb)
Entei (Flash Fire)
Suicune (Water Absorb)
Wurmple (Run Away)
Beautifly (Rivalry)
Dustox (Compoundeyes)
Seedot (Pickpocket)
Nuzleef (Pickpocket)
Shiftry (Pickpocket)
Nincada (Run Away)
Ninjask (Infiltrator)
Roselia (Leaf Guard)
Gulpin (Gluttony)
Swalot (Gluttony)
Regirock (Sturdy)
Regice (Ice Body)
Registeel (Light Metal)
Kricketot (Run Away)
Kricketune (Technician)
Budew (Leaf Guard)
Roserade (Technician)
Ambipom (Skill Link)
Heatran (Flame Body)
Snivy (Contrary)
Servine (Contrary)
Serperior (Contrary)
Tepig (Thick Fat)
Pignite (Thick Fat)
Emboar (Reckless)
Oshawott (Shell Armor)
Dewott (Shell Armor)
Samurott (Shell Armor)
Pansage (Overgrow)
Simisage (Overgrow)
Pansear (Blaze)
Simisear (Blaze)
Panpour (Torrent)
Simipour (Torrent)
Audino (Klutz)
Timburr (Iron Fist)
Gurdurr (Iron Fist)
Conkeldurr (Iron Fist)
Throh (Mold Breaker)
Sawk (Mold Breaker)
Scraggy (Intimidate)
Scrafty (Intimidate)
Gothita (Shadow Tag)
Klink (Clear Body)
Litwick (Shadow Tag)
Lampent (Shadow Tag)
Chandelure (Shadow Tag)
Rufflet (Hustle)
Larvest (Swarm)
Volcarona (Swarm)

That's 73 Pokemon that still have unreleased Dreamworld abilities and 38 fully evolved ones.
 
Yes, stacking hazards is absolutely allowed, and encouraged if you're using a team that can take advantage of it. However, the more hazards you put out, the more they can spin away, so stacking them while they have a known spinner isn't exactly a good idea.
 
What would be the best set/spread for Seismitoad to run in OU as a Water Absorb abuser/Stealth Rock user over Gastrodon? I'm thinking something along the lines of:

Calm/Careful/Sassy
252 hp | 4 def | 252 spd
Stealth Rock
Scald/Ice Punch
Toxic/Refresh
EarthPower/Earthquake

Pretty ambiguous I know, those seem to be its best options and I can't decide what would be the most useful combination.
 
GatoDelFuego said:
Yes, stacking hazards is absolutely allowed, and encouraged if you're using a team that can take advantage of it. However, the more hazards you put out, the more they can spin away, so stacking them while they have a known spinner isn't exactly a good idea.
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Unless you carry a Spinblocker of sort, like Jellicent, that can switch into most of the spinners with relative impunity and protect your hazards with its Ghost typing. Gengar is a much more aggressive approach to Spinblocking, being able to do so and abuse said hazards with the huge amount of switches it causes. Many others are available, but I bet you got the point!
 
DrunkDemon said:
I want to try out a SubPetaya set for Sceptile, and I was wondering how many EVs are required in health so Petaya activates in three subs.
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For Petaya to activate after three subs no matter what, you want your HP divisible by 4. For Sceptile, the minimum number of EVs necessary to reach such a total is 12 (giving it 284 HP), and the maximum is 252 (giving it 344 HP).
 
DrunkDemon said:
I want to try out a SubPetaya set for Sceptile, and I was wondering how many EVs are required in health so Petaya activates in three subs.
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Any HP number that's divisible by 4. Assuming you want to keep SpA and Speed as high as possible, either 12 EVs or dropping the IV to 30 will do it.
 
When you EV train a pokemon for a standard OU team, the stats at level 50 don't really matter, because if you EV trained them correctly, they should be at the correct numbers at level 100. However, how do you ensure that their stats will be where you want them to be at level 50?? The reason this is important is because of the Battle Subway. So, what do you do to make sure the stats are where you want them to be at this level??
 
lmitchell0012 said:
When you EV train a pokemon for a standard OU team, the stats at level 50 don't really matter, because if you EV trained them correctly, they should be at the correct numbers at level 100. However, how do you ensure that their stats will be where you want them to be at level 50?? The reason this is important is because of the Battle Subway. So, what do you do to make sure the stats are where you want them to be at this level??
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For the most part it doesn't matter much, since everything is lowered proportionally, but the easiest way is to just build it in your simulator of choice and set the level to 50.
 
lmitchell0012 said:
When you EV train a pokemon for a standard OU team, the stats at level 50 don't really matter, because if you EV trained them correctly, they should be at the correct numbers at level 100. However, how do you ensure that their stats will be where you want them to be at level 50?? The reason this is important is because of the Battle Subway. So, what do you do to make sure the stats are where you want them to be at this level??
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IIRC, the battle subway does not alter EVs / IVs - it simply lowers the pokemon's level to 50. So if you had 252 AtK IVs at level 100, you'll still have them at level 50.
 
lmitchell0012 said:
When you EV train a pokemon for a standard OU team, the stats at level 50 don't really matter, because if you EV trained them correctly, they should be at the correct numbers at level 100. However, how do you ensure that their stats will be where you want them to be at level 50?? The reason this is important is because of the Battle Subway. So, what do you do to make sure the stats are where you want them to be at this level??
Click to expand...

While your question has been mostly answered, I'll give you a bit extra since I'm a Subway guy. EVs will work very similarly at level 50 and 100 but there are slight differences. The first 4 EVs give you 1 point towards a stat, but after that, you only gain 1 stat point every 8 EVs. So if you are using a spread with something like 200 Defense EVs, instead make it 196 because that gives you the same stat ouput. The most significant occurrence of this in the Subway for me is if you are doing a 252 HP offensive set, instead make it 244 HP 4 Def 4 SpD

So a bulky Choice Band Scizor at level 100 being 252 HP 252 Atk 4 Spe should optimally be 244 HP 252 Atk 4 Def 4 SpD 4 Spe at level 50

Long story short: It's not that important. You should use the PO teambuilder to make EV distribution easier if you aren't too experienced with it.
 
I've been trying to build an OU team and I've decided on 4 pokes already, I feel extremely comfortable with them, know their limits/abilities well, and usually win battles mainly with those 4. For the last 2 slots on my team, i've been trying random OU-Smogon-sets on random OU pokes.
If possible, i would really appreciate any feedback to possible teammates.
My 4 loved pokemon,
:
Trollgar the Dragonslayer
Timid Gengar (M) w/ Leftovers & Levitate
252 SpAtk/ 252 Speed/4 SpDef
-Substitute
-HP Ice
-Shadow Ball
-Destiny Bond

This set fakes a substitute->(focusblast/Disable) set. Shadow ball for stab, hp Ice to surprise all the set-up dragons that always switch in on the substitute. After killing a dragon, i resub, on the switch in, feigning panic, then destiny bond. This Gengar nearly always takes 2 pokes down. The only thing that this Gengar is scared of is Steel types(not pursuit scizor, thats what destiny bond is for) such as Magnezone/Metagross

Hades
Modest Heatran (M) w/ Choice Scarf & Flash-Fire
252 SpAtk/ 252 Speed/ 4 SpDef
-Overheat
-HP Ice
-Earth Power
-Dark Pulse

I almost always switch my Gengar into this Heatran. The choice scarf is a major surprise to people. Overheat rather than LavaPlume/Flamethrower because this Heatran is usually in for only 1-2 turns. Earth Power to kill enemy Heatrans after popping their balloons. HP Ice to once again to just suprise Salamence/Hydreigon/Haxorus/Dragonite and to completely DESTROY the common Landorus/Gliscor that switch in on my Heatran. I have really no clue what to put in 4th moveslot but Dark Pulse has been doing me good, suprising psychic types such as Azelf/Cresselia with a good hit.

Swordzor
Adamant Scizor w/ Leftovers & Technician
246 HP/ 252 Atk/12 Speed
-Bullet Punch
-Pursuit
-Swords Dance
-Roost

This is a late game scizor. He is usually the last pokemon I bring out, unless theres something with ~20% hp that a regular bullet punch will kill or a Terrakion that needs to be taught a lesson or a Psychic type that desperately needs to be pursuited so that it leave me alone (cough Espeon). The reason for this is that with Heatran & Gengar, I usually kill the opponent's fire type mid-game, giving scizor a strong advantage when its down to 1v2/2v3/2v2. After the fire type dies, I bring him out, sponge all hits while laughing, set up a swords dance or two depending on the types of hits i'm taking (usually taking 28% Earthquakes), Roost all the damage off, and Bullet Punch everything to victory

Isengard
Impish Ferrothorn w/ Leftovers & Iron Barbs
252 Def/ 252 SpDef/4hp
-Leech Seed
-Toxic
-Power Whip
-Protect

This is my favorite physical wall, it can survive nearly anything from full health. When I bring it out, the opponent 90% of the time brings out a fire or fighting type pokemon in response. On the opponents switch I toxic the switch-in fire/fighting (usually Terrakion or Arcanine). Then I take one hit from them which usually does 60-75% Super Effective and in return I leech seed them. Then I Protect since I know they're gonna go for the 2HKO. Now, with 55% hp, since they can still 2HKO, they always go for the attack a 3rd time, and I switch into either Gengar against a Fighting or Heatran against a Fire type, let the leech seed and toxic kill. If the fire type dies, then I have a strong chance of late-game sweep with Swordzor.


For the last 2 pokes, i'm completely lost and have not found any pokes with the synergy of these 4 of mine. At the moment i'm rocking a Skarmory and Infernape, although a few days ago I had a Jellicent and a Dragonite.
...
Could anybody please help? When i'm battling, the 2 other pokes on my team usually die without being a major part of battle, getting maybe 1 kill, or some status. I either win or lose with my main 4.
...
I welcome any and all suggestions, and please be specific. In theory I think I want a wall that can setup stealth rock, and some kind of offensive threat.
Please help me if you have any good ideas!
 
Hi all,

I'm currently laddering on the OU suspect ladder, and I'm wondering about how to find my deviation. Iconic mentioned referring to Aldaron, but I'm having trouble finding any post or thread about it. Does anyone know the equation/what the deviation is listed under?

Many thanks.
 
look under Glicko2 for your deviation; the number that follows +/- is your deviation.

Ie If your Glicko2 is 1978 +/- 45, 45 is your deviation.
 
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