Project OU Player of the week #45: Henry

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Welcome to the OU Player of the Week Project: Rebooted! For those of you that don't know, this is a project where I interview a tournament player and have you, the readers, leave any questions you may have down below for them to answer. The ultimate goal is to gain insight as to how they play this skillful and strategic video game. If any of you have a suggestion for who I should interview, feel free to VM/PM me, and I will take your suggestion into consideration. Now, enough of this boring intro. Let's get to it!

henry​

Most Known For: Idk man I wish I knew what to put here.

Favorite Pokemon: Laprassssss. Also Metagross.

Most used Pokemon: Probably a tie between Lati@s, Manaphy and Hippowdon throughout all of ORAS OU. For mega evos I use Altaria, Alakazam, Metagross and Venusaur the most.

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I'm an 18 year old from the United States (NJ) and am now a freshmen in college. I have a habit of getting really interested in random topics and learning things about them like counting cards, chess, reading, skiing etc.

Where did you get your name from?

My dad!


How and when did you get into competitive battling?

I have probably the weirdest story out of anyone that's done this. A few days before my forum date I saw some random kids in my high school German class playing random battles on PS. I had no idea what the fuck they were doing because I had never played a cartridge game and hadn't ever thought about trying pokemon before this, so I knew nothing. They taught the format to me and I lost every single time I played against them.

I spent the weekend learning the typechart and the meanings of base stats and abilities just to try to beat them. I learned about the Smogon tiers after registering for the the forums, and started messing around on the ladder for a few days before i found "cpg." I stole a generic deosharp team from them and after playing pokemon for only a few weeks I peaked top 10 on an ELO ladder (I know it doesn't matter now). From there I learned about competitive pokemon from people in cpg like y4 (metagamesecrets), Bedschibaer (jk he's fucking useless), Outrageous Fortune, McMeghan and ash borer.

How do you feel about how ORAS plays compared to XY?

Almost every balance team I've seen in current ORAS has a flaw that can't be repaired without making another pokemon much more threatening. I don't think I can say the same for XY. ORAS is encouraging more and more extremes like hard stall with goth+sableye or hardcore HO with ridiculous ways to beat the extremes of another playstyle. Both metagames have different pros and cons so I don't think there's one i definitively like more, but XY was more balanced.

To add onto the above, thoughts on the team matchup issue?

I think any potential team-matchup advantage stems from people overcompensating the process of dealing with a certain core or team archetype, which can bring about easy wins or crushing losses that seem impossible to deal with in hindsight. To me it's more self-induced than an inevitable part of ORAS OU.

Do you feel that there is anything that is suspect worthy at the moment?

I'd like to see a suspect ladder for Mega-Sableye without Mega-Sableye allowed on it, but I don't know if I want it banned right now.


What's your favorite playstyle and why?

When I used to ladder my answer would've confidently been balance, but I don't really have one anymore. I like to use all playstyles although I probably use stall the least often.

What's your favorite generation of OU and why?

XY is the only tier I've played so I guess that's my answer. Sometimes I randomly ask people to play DPP but I don't really know the tier.


How do you go about preparing for tournament matches? Does the process differ depending on the tournament?

Aside from a few occasions I never actually prepare for tournament matches, so I can't really answer either question. I guess ideally I'd just focus on what I would bring if I was playing myself, and try to build a team that would bother that mindset. If I was playing in a competitive team tournament precedent tells me that I should talk to my transcendent poke-god teammates, like in SPL.


Favorite to win STour and OLT?

I expect Tesung/PDC to win OLT because I think they're the most consistent and knowledgeable players in ORAS OU. STour I know less of because I only understand 1/3 of the tiers in it, but I wouldn't be surprised if McMeghan won again.

If you could change one thing about OU, what would it be and why?

There isn't really anything that I'd want to permanently change. I'd like to at least try OU without momentum-based moves and Regenerator because I think they're both dumb and give thoughtless advantages to the user. Maybe scald.
Do you have any advice for newer players for playing, and for Smogon in general?

Never get lazy when teambuilding. To assume your new team is perfect is also to assume you will lose.

If you could change one thing about Smogon as a whole to make it better, what would it be and why?

Cash prizes for major tournaments, I guess. I don't really have an answer.

What players do you look up to / are good friends with?

Tokyo Tom, Stathakis, Tesung, Sugarhigh, 49, TDK, Kushalos, Dallaren, Crestfall, Ium, BKC, Cased, liberty32, Reverb, AM, McMeghan, c0mp and the rest of cpg.

I don't really match many tournament matches so I don't know much, but players like Tesung, McMeghan, Heist, Ojama and BKC are people that I know can play.

Finally, can you provide us a team that's a good fit for this metagame and reflects your playstyle, with a brief explanation of how it works?

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Kyurem-Black @ Life Orb
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Ice Beam
- Iron Head
- Outrage
- Focus Blast

Hippowdon @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge

Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 64 Atk / 16 Def / 180 SpD
Impish Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Bug Bite
- Roost
- Swords Dance

Tornadus-Therian @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 96 HP / 160 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Hurricane
- U-turn
- Superpower

Talonflame @ Leftovers
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 HP / 240 SpD / 16 Spe
Careful Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Bulk Up
- Roost
- Brave Bird

Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Rapid Spin
- Psyshock
- Recover

generic bulky offense team with lures in kyurem-b and tornt with support from starmie, talonflame and hippowdon.

 

[col49]

how does it feel being the biggest dork on this site?

 

[Vert]

suspect test y/n

• manaphy
• mega sableye (e: you already said yes in the op my bad)
• gothitelle
• hoopa-u
• mega charizard x

re-test y/n

• mega mawile
• genesect
• aegislash
• greninja
• deoxys-d

what's your favorite m-gross set?
opinions of kyurem-b right now?
i know a lot of people hate on rotom-w, but i like it to be honest. what position do you stand against this controversial 'mon?
opinions of scarfgar?
opinions on megabro?

thanks n_n

 

[Reverb]

You're extremely Jewish.

Is Crestfall handsome?

 

[Soldier]

hi, what do you do there henry ??

 

[Random Passerby]

1) Most annoying Pokemon to face on offense / balance / stall? Why are they annoying?

2) Favourite Gen 6 meta?

3) If given a choice between using Stall and fighting against Stall, which option will you choose?

4) Opinions on Clefable, Suicune and Raikou in the current meta?

 

[Crestfall]

Next player who's name will be held in the same regard as Earthworm, Bloo (lel), McM, etc.?

If you were trapped on an island and could only bring 3 things with you (nothing that could help get you off it) what would you bring?

UNBAN GENE y/y?
Unban Aegi y/n?

Is Reverb even remotely decent at OU?

answer

no

 

[Creator of Chaos]

Hello Henry :). Love how you got into competive pokemon. Thats almost the opposite of me lol.

Anyway Some questions:

1) What are your Thoughts on Fairy spam/Double fairy Cores that are starting to pop?

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Please note as this is my favourite tactic if you say anything Bad I'm making you a TLS NPC in the Smog game

1.5) Fairy Spam Vs Dark Spam?

2) What is the Worst possible match up you could find yourself currently?

3) Am I evil for breaking peoples dreams using nasty pass celebi and Diancie togethor

4) Thoughts on crazy users Recreant and Karxrida

5) I know alot has already been said about stall already but given that its only viable in its traditional form because 2 Questionably broken pokemon (Namely sableye but arguements can be made for Goth) and the powercreep that megas and fairies have brought us should we keep the archtype on life support or just let it slip into history?

 

[p2]

hey can you finally build with fairy resists now????

 

[Martin]

Which user is cuter: Bludz, fleggumfl or AM?

 

[Ebinola]

Is it true that you actually went to a party filled with WOMEN and ALCOHOL?

 

[Updated Kanto]

What happened to "chwag xD" ?????

 

[Bedschibaer]

henry why are you trying this hard to be cool on the internet?

 

[henry]

how does it feel being the biggest dork on this site?

you tell me haha!

suspect test y/n

• manaphy
• mega sableye (e: you already said yes in the op my bad)
• gothitelle
• hoopa-u
• mega charizard x

re-test y/n

• mega mawile
• genesect
• aegislash
• greninja
• deoxys-d

what's your favorite m-gross set?
opinions of kyurem-b right now?
i know a lot of people hate on rotom-w, but i like it to be honest. what position do you stand against this controversial 'mon?
opinions of scarfgar?
opinions on megabro?

thanks n_n

manaphy: no
sableye:yes
gothitelle: no
hoopa-u: maybe :/
char-x: lol no

retest

mega mawile: nah
genesect: YES <3 it would be fun at least...
aegislash: no
greninja: no
deoxys-d: no

favorite mgross set is kinda simple. I think it's overlooked actually. For using offense pursuit is awesome but most of the time teams would benefit from gknot more than they would with pursuit.

Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Grass Knot
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Hammer Arm

kyurem-b is pretty good, but not necessarily used correctly. i think it's important to use an unconventional set like in the sample team, as opposing teams usually have a conventional way to beat it (clefable, ttar etc)

rotom-w is fine. i don't think its usage has changed much since the beginning of oras bar the rise of tornt.

scarf gengar sucks lol

megabro is ok. thinking about it in theory will make you think "oh my god this is the best thing ever," but i've noticed that it rarely panes out like that in an actual battle. still a threat.

You're extremely Jewish.

Is Crestfall handsome?

yes so kawaii!

hi, what do you do there henry ??

.-.

1) Most annoying Pokemon to face on offense / balance / stall? Why are they annoying?

2) Favourite Gen 6 meta?

3) If given a choice between using Stall and fighting against Stall, which option will you choose?

4) Opinions on Clefable, Suicune and Raikou in the current meta?

most annoying for offense: DD cotton guard alt lol

balance: hoopa-u

stall: togekiss or manaphy, probably togekiss

2. Not sure I understand this question. I only play OU but when I was in the UU open i enjoyed UU a lot.

3. Fighting against stall. i love playing stall (not kidding).

4. clefable is the same man, lol. suicune is great to me because of scald, but not much else. raikou is an awesomeeeeeeee cmer and can tear apart teams late-game.

hey can you finally build with fairy resists now????

no i still can't! sometimes i accidentally use a steel/fire type in which case i do, but other than that, no!

Which user is cuter: Bludz, fleggumfl or AM?

only AM <3

Is it true that you actually went to a party filled with WOMEN and ALCOHOL?

dont tell my mom she looks at my smogon.

What happened to "chwag xD" ?????

dead but not in our hearts.

henry why are you trying this hard to be cool on the internet?

i learned from the best.

 

[Reverb]

Are you phammered rn?

 

[WECAMEASROMANS]

hey man, can you tell me the secret of you being able to garner such an impressive post/like ratio here on smogon.com/forums ? how are you able to consistently write up many top quality well liked posts?

 

[Teclis]

Don't you think that giving cash for tours will cause more dramas etc ? :/