Metagame Linked

[Schpoonman]

There are Pokemon faster than Lopunny (don't sleep on Choice Scarfs, they're unconditional speed control), as well as priority (Quick Attack + Feint MPinsir). Lopunny's not a problem, but I think weather and terrains are. Unburden Seeds are still awful, and most teams have enough abusers to have a few double-hitters and set-up nukes.

 

[SadisticMystic]

What's supposed to happen if you include Belch in a link? Unlike something like Spit Up (where you can select the move without having any active stockpiles, it'll just fail if you do), Belch locks you out at the move selection screen unless you've already eaten a berry. Should it lock the link in its interty from being selected, or just automatically sever the link the way a scarf would, or let you select the other move but then somehow try to use Belch and have it fail, or even let you select the link by the other move and use a drawback-free Belch since you didn't actually try to select it?

Also, it seems like if you have a link with Mimic in it, and you catch an opponent out using Protect, that'll be a (completely legal) way of obtaining a link with Protect in it, provided you survive the turn to start using it when the slot has Protect instead of Mimic. Think of it as a bit of discouragement for blindly throwing Protect around.

 

[Marquis13]

I discovered a bug, please fix it as soon as possible. http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7linked-727573048

 

[wadusher]

I discovered a bug, please fix it as soon as possible. http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7linked-727573048

What's the bug?

 

[SadisticMystic]

There is no bug there: if you have a link of Giga Impact + anything, you can basically sacrifice your second move so that every time you attempt to use it in the link, it consumes Giga Impact's recharge turn instead, and lets you select the link every turn with no further recharge needed.

 

[Nalaroa]

doesnt matter if its jolly/adamant, it still fails to beat hawlucha, both natures are viable and good, using jolly pinsir isnt "bad" dont know why u give people that impression for.


+1 252 Atk Pixilate Altaria-Mega Return vs. +1 152 HP / 0 Def Hawlucha: 450-530 (134.3 - 158.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO ?
what is this calc saying? this literally means nothing. this proves nothing.

this situation will never happen, this is why i believe u have never played linked even if u have u must be really bad because
u havent sounded any good arguments at all, u literally posted a calc that has nothing and does nothing for ur argument at all.

this situation can never happen in linked
be realistic no one cares about calcs like this.
who is going to purposely let a altaria get up a dd and proceed to return a hawlucha? r u really that idealistic?
r u not aware that hawlucha no matter the situation will be faster than altaria? hawlucha outspeeds a +2 altaria and kills.
r u going to come up with some random ass set just to support ur claims? it will still lose. no one is switching hawlucha into an altaria
altaria can not stop a +4 hawlucha nor a +2 hawlucha its not possible because i am not sure if u even read my previous post, if 252 hp /252 def+ loses how the hell can some 172 hp set win? god.


"alolan raichu outspeeds and ohko's lucha," "fastest pokemon, and +2 tbolts in electric terrain ohko nearly anything"
wrong lucha can easily be faster than raichu if it wanted to, it just loses bulk and even with its lost bulk it still tanks every priority excluding talonflare and pinsir thats it. again why r u so idealistic, electric stab isnt as spammable as u think it is. using alolan raichu restricts ur teambuilding forcing u to run koko, meanwhile hawlucha can run with 4 tapu and they are all viable. stuff like bulu/fini/koko/lele will all be everywhere u honestly believe that "alolan raichu can ohko nearly anything" even in terrain it fails to ohko common checks. there's so many checks for that i dont even know u even consider this at all.

lastly, u havent play this meta more than i have just because u think i havent been in alt servers LOL im not even going to comment on this because i cant tell if ur joking or being serious. i have played linked since the beginning of gen 6 and played alot of mashed up tours with it in all variants even before this meta was a thing in gen 6 so calm down there lol. i was playing this meta before u even existed lol, were u playing this meta 3-4 years ago? lol




hmmm never said its not thing its just not viable, unfortunately people like u guys actually believe that this mon can "6-0" offense teams WHEN THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED LAST GEN, these sort of statements has really worried about this community as a whole. as i said in my previous posts clefable is an answer to hawlucha but its not viable do u actually believe that u can get to +6 with a clefable in linked? my god literally any offensive steel beats it. magic guard can not be used period because if it is magic guard it will lose to hawlucha, if ur running magic guard clefable u cant beat hawlucha, unaware should be the only set that clefable uses.
magic guard is terrible its not good at all.

have u even played linked 3 years ago? the only set used was unaware and it did the same quagire did, stop set up sweepers magic guard was never a thing. now that the amount of steels literally doubled magearna will literally shit on this mon in tr builds

lawl u were the one saying hawlucha literally owned every team 100% of the time. Your currently digging a large hole for yourself

PS: the +1 altaria was said cus in linked it uses ddance + return in one turn

 

[Ivy]

The two major bugs I've been made aware of so far (aside from Mega Pinsir and Mega Beedrill ;p) are Dark-types not being immune to Prankster-boosted links (probably due to older gen6 code) and Encore literally causing battles to crash. Both of these are quickly being worked on.
Also, sadly, it seems like Laser Focus can still fail if used consecutively (the effect doesn't wear off immediately after your first move, so the game thinks you are using it twice in a row). RIP.
And yeah, that Giga Impact is working as intended.
Belch is largely a waste of a link, so it's probably not even worth patching the code if it doesn't really work, lol.

 

[slader]

It appears that the fusion bolt + fusion flare victini set doesn't properly work. I don't know if it's a coding bug or if it's a game mechanic that you can't boost your own fusion attack or something. Here's a replay to show it: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7linked-727653737 Turn 15, Victini does only 10% more to a Lele with the fusion flare compared to the fusion bolt, which obviously shouldn't be the case.

 

[SadisticMystic]

I tested it in the actual game, and if you have a single Pokemon with both Fusion Bolt and Fusion Flare in its set, you pick one of the moves on one turn, then next turn you get Instructed into that move ahead of choosing the opposite move normally, the second move does get the power increase. (Interestingly, this is not the case for any combination of Grass Pledge/Fire Pledge/Water Pledge.)

 

[AquaticPanic]

A move I haven't seen being much mentioned is Assurance

Since in this meta you can easly damage the foe by putting Assurance in a link, it's essentially a 120 BP Dark move (As long as the target is not immune to the first move in the link). With this in mind, there are a few sets I could think of:

Absol-Mega @ Absolite
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Assurance
- Play Rough
- Stone Edge

Simple yet effective set. Shouldn't be hard to see how it works


Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Poison Jab
- Assurance
- Fire Punch
- Stone Edge

Takes advantage of not onl

Sharpedo-Mega @ Sharpedonite
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Liquidation
- Assurance
- Protect
- Ice Fang

Probably my favorite of them. Protect pre-Mega, and then use the combo. Liquidation is a pretty solid water STAB, at 85 BP, meaning you will do some solid damage to the target. Then comes Assurance, which easly can take out the foe.


Keep in mind these are just examples, and there are probably better options out there, but the move is still awesome

 

[earl]

A move I haven't seen being much mentioned is Assurance

View attachment 109110

Since in this meta you can easly damage the foe by putting Assurance in a link, it's essentially a 120 BP Dark move (As long as the target is not immune to the first move in the link). With this in mind, there are a few sets I could think of:

Absol-Mega @ Absolite
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Assurance
- Play Rough
- Stone Edge

Simple yet effective set. Shouldn't be hard to see how it works


Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Poison Jab
- Assurance
- Fire Punch
- Stone Edge

Takes advantage of not onl

Sharpedo-Mega @ Sharpedonite
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Liquidation
- Assurance
- Protect
- Ice Fang

Probably my favorite of them. Protect pre-Mega, and then use the combo. Liquidation is a pretty solid water STAB, at 85 BP, meaning you will do some solid damage to the target. Then comes Assurance, which easly can take out the foe.


Keep in mind these are just examples, and there are probably better options out there, but the move is still awesome

For mega sharpedo Assurance is the same power as a Strong Jaw boosted Crunch, if I’m remembering correctly. Either way cool idea with assurance, might still be eclipsed by Knock Off (that fatty, making all other dark STABs look bad) in a lot of Pokemon tho just due to sheer utility.

 

[Champion Leon]

fixed

Endeavor is simply better.

Swellow @ Liechi / Salac Berry
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 HP, Def, SpD
- Endure
- Endeavor
- Reversal
- Quick Attack

Kangaskhan @ Salac Berry
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 HP, Def, SpD
- Endure
- Endeavor
- Reversal
- Sucker Punch

Lopunny @ Lopunnite
Ability: Limber
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 HP, Def, SpD
- Endure
- Endeavor
- Flail
- Quick Attack

Sorry Ghosts, you are not immune. Reversal and Flail are for when you know the foe will use a status move such as Toxic on a turn you plan to use Endure and Endeavor.

Reversal also secures a hard hit if you need to sacrifice your 1 HP sweeper for a Rocky Helmet (Endeavor won’t KO, but Flail/Reversal will, haven’t tested to see if Endure saves you from Rocky Helmet, etc.)

A move I haven't seen being much mentioned is Assurance

View attachment 109110

Since in this meta you can easly damage the foe by putting Assurance in a link, it's essentially a 120 BP Dark move (As long as the target is not immune to the first move in the link). With this in mind, there are a few sets I could think of:

Absol-Mega @ Absolite
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Assurance
- Play Rough
- Stone Edge

Simple yet effective set. Shouldn't be hard to see how it works


Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Poison Jab
- Assurance
- Fire Punch
- Stone Edge

Takes advantage of not onl

Sharpedo-Mega @ Sharpedonite
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Liquidation
- Assurance
- Protect
- Ice Fang

Probably my favorite of them. Protect pre-Mega, and then use the combo. Liquidation is a pretty solid water STAB, at 85 BP, meaning you will do some solid damage to the target. Then comes Assurance, which easly can take out the foe.


Keep in mind these are just examples, and there are probably better options out there, but the move is still awesome

Crunch gets the Strong Jaws boost to equal the same power (80 x 1.5 = 120, same as 60 x 2), which means it’s only a factor before it Mega Evolves (such as knowing you will need to save the Mega for later because the foe has a priority move).

 

[chartung17]

Hmm. I did play Linked last gen and I can tell you that if you say Unaware Clefable is not common, you are certainly wrong. Here's the reason.

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware / Magic Guard (both are good)
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Cosmic Power
- Calm Mind / Moonlight
- Stored Power
- Moonblast / Moonlight / Calm Mind

This particular set, can survive nearly anything that uses setup + attacking move and once you increase your defenses with Cosmic Power, you can pretty much make this mon near-unbreakable AND sweep with Stored Power. Cosmic Power + Calm Mind in a link is the most common due to how devastating it is after setup, while Cosmic Power + Moonlight in a link means that you can stay healthy AND increase your bulk at the same time, making it much harder to handle if you doesn't 1HKO Clefable. If you're not carerful, this is a powerful Offense destroyer and can 6-0 teams.

Here's an offensive answer to Clefable which also threatens pretty much any other mon (except rock/steel/ghost types) as well:

Fearow @ Flame Orb
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Laser Focus
- Facade
- Protect
- U-turn / Defog / Toxic / Roost

252+ Atk Sniper Fearow Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Clefable on a critical hit: 384-454 (97.4 - 115.2%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Sniper Fearow Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mew on a critical hit: 316-373 (78.2 - 92.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

You can also use Adamant + Silk Scarf + Double Edge or Jolly + Life Orb + Double Edge for guaranteed OHKOs against Clefable, but with those sets your opponent can easily kill Fearow just by switching out, so if Fearow is your only Clefable check, you would probably still lose.

 

[Hiker Clarence]

How does something like thunder wave + electro ball work? Does it use the paralyzed mons new speed stat when calcing damage for electro ball? because that sounds cash to me

 

[Ivy]

How does something like thunder wave + electro ball work? Does it use the paralyzed mons new speed stat when calcing damage for electro ball? because that sounds cash to me

Yes. However even with an optimal 150BP Electro Ball, there are better options for raw strength, like Charge + Thunderbolt (180BP). Of course, the act of spreading paralysis with your set has its own utility!

 

[Hiker Clarence]

ah i didnt know charge doubled, i assumed it was 1.5. ah man i guess theres no point then. oh well at least theres curse gyro ball

 

[ArceusIsAFakeGod]

So...I just got into a battle with a guy who was using a Prankster Liepard w/ a Torment Encore link and it crashed the game.

Im an idiot so I didn't save the link, but you should probably ban that regardless.

 

[Champion Leon]

So...I just got into a battle with a guy who was using a Prankster Liepard w/ a Torment Encore link and it crashed the game.

Im an idiot so I didn't save the link, but you should probably ban that regardless.

I used Disable Encore Linked Alakazam; Encore would work, Disable would fail, whether 1st or 2nd in the link. Is this intended? Trick also fails, which I assume it is to prevent breaking other’s links. I don’t remember for sure but I think I tried Disable in a 3rd or 4th slot, so the move itself may be prevented from executing at any move slot.

 

[Deleted User 91486]

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7linked-727842960
The opposing Excadrill had Drill Run and Earthquake linked; but when it used Iron Head, the message "Pelipper flinched and couldn't move" appeared twice. Don't know if that is just a visual bug or the game checked twice for flinch here despite Iron Head not being linked with another flinch move, as this message also appears twice when a mon has two flinch moves linked, uses them and gets the flinch.

 

[AquaticPanic]

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7linked-727842960
The opposing Excadrill had Drill Run and Earthquake linked; but when it used Iron Head, the message "Pelipper flinched and couldn't move" appeared twice. Don't know if that is just a visual bug or the game checked twice for flinch here despite Iron Head not being linked with another flinch move, as this message also appears twice when a mon has two flinch moves linked, uses them and gets the flinch.

It's because you were going to use two moves. You flinched and couldn't use either moves on the link.

 

[Synchronoise Umbreon]

I tested it in the actual game, and if you have a single Pokemon with both Fusion Bolt and Fusion Flare in its set, you pick one of the moves on one turn, then next turn you get Instructed into that move ahead of choosing the opposite move normally, the second move does get the power increase. (Interestingly, this is not the case for any combination of Grass Pledge/Fire Pledge/Water Pledge.)

So you said that it will only get the boost the 2nd turn? If this is intended then i would really like to hear the idea behind it. Otherwise it seems like a pretty big inconsistency.

 

[Deleted User 91486]

After playing Linked a bit and reaching #1 on the ladder, I think Hawlucha and probably weather really deserve bans or at least suspect tests. The team I used was a simple rain offensive team with a Magearna over a second Swift Swimmer as an answer to boosting Clefables, a check to opposing TR teams and a TR setter for Ferrothorn and rain-less Swampert against faster teams

Importable

Tapu Koko @ Light Clay
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- U-turn
- Thunder / Thunderbolt / Taunt

Toilet (Pelipper) @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
- Scald
- U-turn
- Hurricane
- Roost / Defog

Swampert-Mega @ Swampertite
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Power-Up Punch
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch

Hawlucha @ Electric Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 64 HP / 252 Atk / 192 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Acrobatics
- High Jump Kick
- Rock Slide / Roost

Free Hugs (Ferrothorn) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball

Magearna @ Fairium Z
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Volt Switch
- Heart Swap
- Fleur Cannon

Explanation

Tapu Koko sets the electric terrain for Hawlucha and supports the team by setting up both screens in one turn and gaining momentum via U-turn.

Pelipper sets rain for Swampert and to weaken fire moves against Ferrothorn and Magearna. Scald and U-turn are linked for a bit more damage and a possible burn when pivoting out after setting rain; Pelipper is also surprisingly bulky on the physical side, the full investment allows it to tank more physical hits to retaliate with a rain-boosted Scald and a pivot to gain momentum.

Swampert with Waterfall and PuP linked is a monster in this metagame. There's almost nothing which can switch into that thing and thanks to its great bulk and screens support, revenge-killing it can be a nightmare. The only thing you have to worry about is Rocky Helmet, but with Earthquake it has a nice second STAB which doesn't cause Helmet recoil.

Hawlucha also is pretty much a monster and sweeps almost every game when Swampert didn't. Especially with Screens support there's almost nothing which can stop its sweep - not even a Mega Pinsir with Quick Attack and Feint linked kills it. Only Unaware Clefable can switch in, but also takes 30 to 40% from acrobatics. I also run some speed creep on it, which I haven't included in the Importable for obvious reasons to reliably revenge opposing 'luchas.

Ferrothorn does not only sets Rocks and gains momentum on the same turn via Explosion, it can also serve as a slow threat in Trick Room, which is especially useful when you see that all opposing mons are faster and vulnerable to Ferrothorn's quite powerful moves.

Magearna walls boosting Unaware Clefable, which sets up on Hawlucha, reverses Trick Rooms set by opposing mons while pivoting out and sets TR for Ferrothorn and sometimes Pelipper or Swampert if I can no longer abuse Swift Swim due either of them being dead.

 

[Champion Leon]

After playing Linked a bit and reaching #1 on the ladder, I think Hawlucha and probably weather really deserve bans or at least suspect tests. The team I used was a simple rain offensive team with a Magearna over a second Swift Swimmer as an answer to boosting Clefables, a check to opposing TR teams and a TR setter for Ferrothorn and rain-less Swampert against faster teams

Importable

Tapu Koko @ Light Clay
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- U-turn
- Thunder / Thunderbolt / Taunt

Toilet (Pelipper) @ Damp Rock
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
- Scald
- U-turn
- Hurricane
- Roost / Defog

Swampert-Mega @ Swampertite
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Power-Up Punch
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch

Hawlucha @ Electric Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 64 HP / 252 Atk / 192 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Acrobatics
- High Jump Kick
- Rock Slide / Roost

Free Hugs (Ferrothorn) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball

Magearna @ Fairium Z
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Volt Switch
- Heart Swap
- Fleur Cannon

Explanation

Tapu Koko sets the electric terrain for Hawlucha and supports the team by setting up both screens in one turn and gaining momentum via U-turn.

Pelipper sets rain for Swampert and to weaken fire moves against Ferrothorn and Magearna. Scald and U-turn are linked for a bit more damage and a possible burn when pivoting out after setting rain; Pelipper is also surprisingly bulky on the physical side, the full investment allows it to tank more physical hits to retaliate with a rain-boosted Scald and a pivot to gain momentum.

Swampert with Waterfall and PuP linked is a monster in this metagame. There's almost nothing which can switch into that thing and thanks to its great bulk and screens support, revenge-killing it can be a nightmare. The only thing you have to worry about is Rocky Helmet, but with Earthquake it has a nice second STAB which doesn't cause Helmet recoil.

Hawlucha also is pretty much a monster and sweeps almost every game when Swampert didn't. Especially with Screens support there's almost nothing which can stop its sweep - not even a Mega Pinsir with Quick Attack and Feint linked kills it. Only Unaware Clefable can switch in, but also takes 30 to 40% from acrobatics. I also run some speed creep on it, which I haven't included in the Importable for obvious reasons to reliably revenge opposing 'luchas.

Ferrothorn does not only sets Rocks and gains momentum on the same turn via Explosion, it can also serve as a slow threat in Trick Room, which is especially useful when you see that all opposing mons are faster and vulnerable to Ferrothorn's quite powerful moves.

Magearna walls boosting Unaware Clefable, which sets up on Hawlucha, reverses Trick Rooms set by opposing mons while pivoting out and sets TR for Ferrothorn and sometimes Pelipper or Swampert if I can no longer abuse Swift Swim due either of them being dead.

I would switch Pelipper’s nature to a lower Speed + Defense Nature, it’ll improve U-Turn’s performance and better allow you to slow pivot after setting the Rain.

 

[adfjo]

Yeah, just ban Encore or fix it, it's caused way too many problems.

 

[Synchronoise Umbreon]

How does Quash work?