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ethan06

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This will probably wait until USUM comes out and hopefully brings us good Move Tutors, but I am wanting to try out a team featuring Lopunny/Mega Lopunny. I don't see an entry for Lopunny in BSS so I wanted to ask here if it's viable and if so, what set? I'm guessing it might just be worse than Mega Kangaskhan as a normal type Mega? Even if so, I'm ok with that and want to try it. :)
I've used it before and can confirm that it certainly has a niche (: It's not worse than Mega Kangaskhan anymore - while Kang still outpowers it slightly, the Parental Bond nerf has closed the gap a lot and Lopunny's Fighting STAB and far superior Speed make it a fantastic pick against offensive teams with picks such as Greninja, Mamoswine and Ferrothorn. A simple Fake Out/Return/High Jump Kick/Ice Punch set is the standard but you can opt for more supportive or disruptive sets featuring Substitute, Power-Up Punch, Encore or Healing Wish.
 
Does anyone know if pokemon bank will immediately work on USUM release day? Or will we have to wait until January again? :(
If XY to ORAS taught us anything, it will probably update to be compatible with USM within no more than a week or so after USM drops. I believe this is true, because you could essentially trade between XY and ORAS (within the usual restrictions ORAS set). The same could be said for SM to USM.
 
Which is the most viable nature for Totem Komo-o?
Jolly, Adamant, Modest, Timid, and Naive are all equally viable natures now that Kommo-oium Z exists, since Kommo-o can run decent special, physical, and mixed sets. It's still a little too early to decide what the best nature is right now.
 
How viable is Tangrowth? Just like it is in OU tier, it might serve as decent switch-in to Tapu Koko with Assault Vest while defensive sets are bulky enough to live stuff like +2 Twinkle Tackle from Mimikyu while it can annoy switch-in's Leech Seed or Sleep Powder.
 

chemcoop

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Tangrowth isn't particularly viable due to other 'mons filling its niche better as well as being threatened by many of the most common 'mons in BSS. Sleep Powder is meh in BSS currently with the abundance of Electric/Misty Terrains, and something like Ferrothorn can also Leech Seed as well as threaten Mimikyu/Koko and set Stealth Rocks. Tangrowth is also heavily pressured by common BSS Pokémon such as Charizard X/Y, Mega Salamence, (Mega) Blaziken, Naganadel, and Heatran among others.
 

ethan06

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For an example of something that outclasses Tangrowth, Amoonguss is really good right now for its ability to beat the two setters of anti-sleep terrain, Tapu Koko and Tapu Fini, and be able to Spore everything else once those terrains are out of the way. Grass/Poison is also a better offensive typing in general than pure Grass thanks to the added resistances, and the bulk and ability are more or less the same between Tang and Amoonguss anyway so there's little reason to use Tangrowth when Amoonguss does most of the same things. Tangrowth's only real draw is, in my opinion, the resistance to Grass, and if you need that then running a Flying-type or something like Tapu Bulu will probably serve you better.
 

cant say

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How viable is Tangrowth? Just like it is in OU tier, it might serve as decent switch-in to Tapu Koko with Assault Vest while defensive sets are bulky enough to live stuff like +2 Twinkle Tackle from Mimikyu while it can annoy switch-in's Leech Seed or Sleep Powder.
The two before me explained it well, but the thing with BSS is that if your defensive Pokemon loses to Mega Salamence, Mega Blaziken, and Naganadel then it isn't a defensive Pokemon. All of these are banned from OU, so Tangrowth actually has a niche there.
 
Sorry if this isn't the right place to ask I'm new here, but is there any place that has advice for people transitioning from playing the general tiers (OU/UU/etc) to Battle Spot? Like is it just the same thing but with the different ruleset, or are there things that work specifically in Battle Spot and not in Smogon? Or would, generally speaking, a decent Smogon OU team also be decent in Battle Spot?
 
Sorry if this isn't the right place to ask I'm new here, but is there any place that has advice for people transitioning from playing the general tiers (OU/UU/etc) to Battle Spot? Like is it just the same thing but with the different ruleset, or are there things that work specifically in Battle Spot and not in Smogon? Or would, generally speaking, a decent Smogon OU team also be decent in Battle Spot?
Hey there! You should check the Viability ranking we have here (here is the link http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/bss-viability-rankings.3605970/). Its a good place to start with. Idk the OU meta in depth but some mons are common like landorus, tapus. Other aren’t allowed like magearna, zygarde. Some mons arent banned like in OU(aegislash, mega kangaskan, etc) so IMO a OU team might not be good at BSS. Also we are talking about a 3v3 format, so the teambuilding is totally different here. We have stall and hyper offense, like in OU but in a much faster pace (usually of course). Join the battle spot room at pokemon showdown too. We got an amazing community and programs to help with team building. :)
 
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Psynergy

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What's the optimal lvl. 50 Poison Heal Gliscor HP EV invest?
Generally speaking:

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 12 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Guillotine
- Substitute
- Protect

Gliscor spreads vary slightly based on what you need for the team but specially defensive is currently the most common since there's many dangerous special attackers this gen. Some run more Speed to be able to set up a Substitute against faster threats like max Speed Heatran (212 Speed EVs), though the checkmate scenarios Gliscor forces vary a lot based on if Gliscor is faster or slower than the foe so there isn't really an optimal benchmark for that. Physically defense sets are also still perfectly viable if you find the team struggling with physical threats more.
 
Generally speaking:

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Level: 50
EVs: 244 HP / 12 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Guillotine
- Substitute
- Protect

Gliscor spreads vary slightly based on what you need for the team but specially defensive is currently the most common since there's many dangerous special attackers this gen. Some run more Speed to be able to set up a Substitute against faster threats like max Speed Heatran (212 Speed EVs), though the checkmate scenarios Gliscor forces vary a lot based on if Gliscor is faster or slower than the foe so there isn't really an optimal benchmark for that. Physically defense sets are also still perfectly viable if you find the team struggling with physical threats more.
Does 244HP ensure max recovery from Poison Heal?
 

bobochan

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Does 244HP ensure max recovery from Poison Heal?
To ensure maximum recovery from Poison Heal, Gliscor should have its HP divisible by 8 (since Poison Heal recovers 1/8th of your MAX hp per turn).
Looking at the highest possible number divisible by 8, you get 176 (the next value would be 184, however Gliscor's max possible HP is only 182 at level 50).
And since you're using Substitute in the set, ideally you would also want your HP to be divisible by 4, add 1 (the reason for this is, say if your max HP is 101, it costs you 25 HP to make 1 sub, so with 100 HP you can only make 3 subs but with 101 it gives you 4 full subs).
Therefore, the HP you want to aim for on Gliscor looking to max recovery WHILE using sub is 177 (or 212 EVs in HP).
The beauty with HP number is that it's also divisible by 16 (or more commonly known as 16n+1, meaning you'll be minimizing residual damage from weather such as Hail which deals 1/16th of your MAX hp per turn).
So with 177 HP, it will cost you 44 HP to make 1 sub, while you get 22 HP back from Poison Heal.
But because of how rounding down works in the game, 244 EVs in HP gives you 181 HP, meaning it will now cost 45 HP to make 1 sub, while you still get 22 HP back from Poison Heal, so you're basically losing 1 HP every cycle in the long run.
With that said, it won't really matter in the end (for most matches both HP spreads will suffice).
 
What beats Charizard Hippopotamus teams?
I dont know a specific counter to that core but I had success with SpD p2, mixed scarf greninja with rock slide (pretty cool to beat boosted volcarona as well), Zmove primarina (survives charY’s solarbeam). Nihilego with a water type (like fini. This option is very good vs CharY or X), rain teams, life orb koko with grass knot (if hippo isn’t SpD). CharY with rock tomb (I tried a rock tomb gimmicky that beats opponent charY, and actually worked).
 
What's the best last slot for Porygon2? I got a Download Porygon with Recover, Ice Beam and Foul Play, but it doesn't have Hidden Power Fire, so what else should I use?
 
What's the best last slot for Porygon2? I got a Download Porygon with Recover, Ice Beam and Foul Play, but it doesn't have Hidden Power Fire, so what else should I use?
You could use Toxic to stall other tanks, Trick room (if u have a slow offensive mon, and it helps against rain teams), discharge/tbolt to hit celesteela (discharge has higher chance to paralyze the opponent). Or Tri attack as Stab
 
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Sorry if this is already answered but are virtual console Pokémon allowed on battle spot? Like the gen 1 and 2 transfers? There are some legacy moves I want to try.
 

cant say

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Sorry if this is already answered but are virtual console Pokémon allowed on battle spot? Like the gen 1 and 2 transfers? There are some legacy moves I want to try.
Not on the ranked ladder. You can use them in free battle but the competition isn't very good...

Thanks for the answer. Is free battle like it connects me to a random automatically or like you mean just walking around festival plaza?
Free battle is a matchmaking mode on Battle Spot. If you choose "Visit the Battle Spot" from the plaza it will ask you if you want to play Free or Rated. They work exactly the same except there's obviously no ladder for Free mode.

I actually don't know how battles with Passerbys works because I've literally never played any! I feel like they allow transfers though.
 
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What are good teammates for sash Lele?

Yes, free battle connects you to a rando automatically. It's similar to rating battle, but it lacks the ratings, which is why most serious competitive players avoid it.
 
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Is there an easy way to counter the Mega Sala + Tyranitar + Excadrill combo? Getting kinda tired of running into it many times in a row.
 

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