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Item Clause: Outta here?

Madcat

With the recent discussion of the standard clauses, I have to ask: should we really even include item clause as one of the standard clauses? Item clause was originally made for the Battle Tower, where one was restricted to three pokemon battles. With three pokemon, it becomes easier to avoid violating the item clause. But in a drawn out battle with 6 vs. 6, where people generally use double walls, and perhaps even an annoyer that needs Leftovers, item clause seems more like an annoyance in itself than a clause that prevents annoying situations (sleep clause, evasion clause). If we do keep item clause, I say it ought to be used in 3 vs. 3 only. Agree? Disagree?
 
Few people even play with it... Besides, Leftovers is really the only thing affected.

I was under the impression that Item Clause was not a "Standard Clause."
 
Item clause would literally screw me over.
I'm testing a team and they all use Leftovers.. lawl.
I don't even know anyone who plays with item clause, it's not like it's really gamebreaking unless you have a team of six sashers, which is already ruined by a simple weather change/SR set up.
 
I personally use Item Clause. I don't usually tell the opponent or make him play by it, I just set it as a little extra challenge to me. I enjoy playing with it on, as it forces you to think of new strategies. (You can't stall well without Lefties).
 
It's not that hard...

For example, your generic random team:

Breloom @ Toxic Orb
Skarmory @ Shed Shell
Blissey @ Leftovers
Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Salamence @ Life Orb
Weezing @ Black Sludge

It's not that hard. Only stall teams normally use all Leftovers anyways. My current 'best' team has Choice Scarf, Choice Band, Leftovers, Life Orb, Salac Berry, and another Life Orb. =/
 
I've never liked playing under item clause. Among other things, it makes weather teams significantly more annoying that they already are. D/P introduced some great new items, and most teams now don't use six lefties anyway.

Still, the clause it a bit of a nod to the oft neglected poison types, which now have black sludge. (Really, the idea of seeing breloom on every team just frightens me).
 
Item clause is a load of BS.

It doesn't hurt anything except for walls. Offensive players find it an advantage, and defensive players find their pokes fucked by the sandstorm they created.
 
i agree with you guys, item clause is BS. i wouldn't make a team with more than one poke using a choice item or life orb. things like lefties and muscle band aren't abusive. forget about focus sash too.
 
If it were down to me, I would play Item Clause but with Leftovers omitted from the restrictions. I don't mind when my opponent has 6 Leftovers, but when they throw 3 Focus Sashes at you it starts to get a little shitty. I guess you could say Item Clause is for the guidance of wise men and for the obedience of fools.

My current team has Lum Berry, Life Orb, Choice Specs, Choice Band, Occa Berry and Leftovers btw. :)
 
Its a poor clause, but a good teambuilding rule.

You are doing something wrong if you have 3 Focus sashes or Choice Bands (you may be annoying, but easily countered).
 
Yeah. I don't use Item Clause, but I use it to pay attention to my team. If I have too many Choice item users without a Spinner then it will be bad.
 
If item clause was a standard clause,then we'll probably see a large increase of poison type walls(Weezing,Muk,Drapion),or stuff like Shed Shell Skarmory,Toxic Orb Breloom,etc.

As many others have said, Item Clause is basically a rule for team building.
Example.(Here is someone's thoughts. I used italicized print to show thoughts by the way.)

Hey,I should use a Counter-Sash Alakazam! It has really low defenses,and I can kill them easily with Psychic. I should also use Counter-Sash Weavile! It's really speedy,and it's very weak to fighting type moves. I should also use... Wait a minute! If I use another focus sash pokemon,my team will be definitely weak to weather pokemon,like Tyranitar,and Abomasnow. Maybe I should take out one of them..
 
Item Clause was invented by jackasses who thought that Nintendo made up tournament rules. If it's a standard clause, we're just going to end up having everyone have to say "no item clause" so why have it?
 
personally i always liked item clause. i always saw it as the one 'clause' that is actually used somewhere in the game itself, battle tower. obviously battle tower and wifi are totally different realms. however, i still don't understand why anyone on a team would have two thirds of their team being walls/annoyers and therefore needing leftovers to be effective...if that's your battle style than we just don't see eye to eye i'm afraid.

on top of that...i just flat out don't like having to watch that stupid leftovers animation every turn if someone has 4-6 of their pokemon holding it. if they cut that dumb thing out it would bother me less than half as much as it does currently. that little *twitch, twitch* thing is necessary if something random like a quick claw activates i would say, or when someone's helf berry activates...but not for leftovers that is going to work every turn...i'm a little off topic though.

ultimately, i understand that there are just too many popular defensive pokemon (if i had a nickel for every team i've faced running bliss and skarm as their two walls...) that need lefties to have the staying power desired in order to make the item clause as we know it a standard/accepted clause. what i sometimes ask of people when setting up a battle is if he/she would be willing to limit the teams to no more than two of any given hold item. 2 lefties, 2 sashes, 2 whatever. i've found that the majority of the time people are willing to meet me halfway...sure i still encounterthe occasional stereotypical smogonite (no offense intended) who is of the, "...replace one of my leftovers? you're kidding...right?" attitude but it's pretty rare actually that someone isn't willing to budge at all.
 
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