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Tournament Random Battles Team Tournament VIII - Commencement
- Thread starter sharpclaw
- Start date
Hello everyone,
I have noted the lack of youtube coverage on RBTT.
That's why I'm working on a project of covering on YouTube RBTT with 2 formats.
Format 1 :
Covering my games to give people an idea of how I think during the games and for some in dept analyses.
Format 2 :
Doing predictions every week a bit Lax style to give even more hype to the tour.
If you're drafted in RBTT and wish to help me in those videos (by being in vc with me during the predicts for example) then hit me up on discord "Slikkles".
Will try to get out the first vid tomorrow.
Have a great day y'all
I have noted the lack of youtube coverage on RBTT.
That's why I'm working on a project of covering on YouTube RBTT with 2 formats.
Format 1 :
Covering my games to give people an idea of how I think during the games and for some in dept analyses.
Format 2 :
Doing predictions every week a bit Lax style to give even more hype to the tour.
If you're drafted in RBTT and wish to help me in those videos (by being in vc with me during the predicts for example) then hit me up on discord "Slikkles".
Will try to get out the first vid tomorrow.
Have a great day y'all
You should invite Bodi and TNT together to maximize views (for an episode, before someone inevitably reports the video for inappropriate content)
I too, made a video.
If you ever wondered what the hell is going on in a hackmons cup game, give it a watch.
If you ever wondered what the hell is going on in a hackmons cup game, give it a watch.
guys hear me out what if suicunes stopped referring to themselves as cunes and referred to themselves as suiiiiiis instead
sometimes i wonder why i say these typa things
sometimes i wonder why i say these typa things
Just to bring new life to this thread, I'll give my unrequested opinions on the most interesting pairings for this week! It's a totally subjective list and I fully recognize there are many more cool matches going on, but I'll try to explain why I am picking the following series :p
Team Zygarde
vs Team Ho-Oh 
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - pokeblade101 vs teresbahji > Teres, who is "not a gen 9 player" by his own admission, is currently 5-0 in this tournament... and he has been playing on phone. No, for real, we have the screenshots that prove it. Blade is seeking revenge after his loss vs GXE, but is he going to be able to keep his cool against such a troll? Or is he going to be caught up in the vortex of Teres nonsense, impulse to click too fast etc.? Tune in (this weekend) to find out!
Gen 4 Rands - Shadows4 vs SMB > Very interesting gen 4 series between two players who have a positive record. Before the competition started, I rated SMB as the best player in the pool but that player is currently Shadows if we look at his record. He has a distinctive playstyle that makes it for fun games, but SMB is obviously an expert player who can quickly adapt to his opponents. I pray for even matchups because this can be a really good one
Gen 9 Random Doubles - FreyaknightVGC vs marcofiero > My most anticipated series of the week for many reasons. The main one is that it's two italian doubles players facing each other. For those who live under a rock and know nothing about VGC, Marco is one of the best players in the world and pretty much of all time. Davide's main achievement is embarrassing me in auth challenge and winning his first ever series with his favorite pokemon getting the final ko (let's be honest, this is dope as heck).
Dumb jokes aside, he has joined rbtt as a complete rookie and has played very well in every series so far (his series vs ionnss is probably the best I have seen so far), showing he definitely belongs to this stage. He is as hyped to play Marco as I am to see the match, so I am hoping for a great show from both :]
Team Suicune
vs Team Zeraora 
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - MichaelderBeste2 vs JJ09LIE > It feels like SPL but it's actually rbtt. They need no introduction, so I'll just say I am interested to see Michael for the first time (!) in the main format this year, especially against JJ who beat him in rbtt last year. Fast clicks and aggressive plays is what I am expecting here
Gen 5 Rands - flameingpigey2 vs Dj Breloominati♬ > Mr pigey has played two team tournaments (wcor and this edition of rbtt) and his record is 10-1, which is absurd given that gen 5 can be merciless. His opponent has played juuuust a tiny bit more than two team tournaments and he had the best gen 5 record in last year's rbtt. Most importantly, he is one of the members of the flameingpigey fanclub along with yours truly and nemoauditur, so this is the good old master vs apprentice situation that draws a big audience to a match
Gen 4 Rands - Trade vs O1V7O2X9O > Similarly to Freya vs Marco, we have two players from the same country playing the same slot. Trade is not exactly having a good time in the pool in terms of luck, while Steven is showing us why not drafting him last year was a mistake. Both are nice people and great battlers, so this is a good series to watch. And when I say "to watch", I mean I'll see the replays once I wake up because this is going to happen at weird times during the weekend :/
Team Keldeo
vs Team Regigigas 
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - Typhlosion48 vs GXE > It can't get any better than this when it comes not just to gen 9, but to randbats in general. Typ was able to bounce back after a disappointing start, while GXE keeps performing in gen 9 week by week. Is Typ going to show us the brilliance so many celebrate him for, or is GXE's consistency be too much for him? Big hype for the US South clash!
Gen 6 Rands - Michielleus vs Drifting > Mich has lost for the first time in gen 6 last week after an absurd win streak of 10. No shame in losing to Michael but now he has another tough nut to crack in Drifting. As the manager of team Keldeo, he needs to lead a much needed comeback to have some chances to qualify to playoffs, while Drifting is definitely willing to prove himself against the best player of the pool
Gen 5 Rands - HaunterBoy28 vs Lady Writer > Haunter played gen 5 last year for team Hoopa and he did well. Lady Writer was also on team Hoopa last year, playing gen 8. I was on team Hoopa as well last year, playing the benchwarmer. And I was playing the benchwarmer because these two are very talented players, even if gen 5 is not exactly their main and favorite format. Nonetheless, it's interesting to see who adapts the best to this peculiar gen
Gen 9 Battle Factory - Slikkles vs CrashinBoomBang > I would have never thought to see CBB in a randbats event but here we are! This is the main reason why I am highlighting this matchup, but it's very interesting to see how he'll fare against the newcomer Slikkles, who is doing pretty well in the tier
Gen 9 Hackmons Cup - oaklies vs Nudepantsman > Oaklies just got nominated for luckiest user at the Smog Awards. You know what it means
Team Zarude
vs Team Hoopa 
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - LoSconosciuto vs Prosaic > Ever since the start of rbtt, Losco has talked about wanting to battle his former Galarian Zapdos teammate Prosaic, and now his wish has come true (he is the manager so of course he put himself in this spot smh). This matchup is the classic blast of the past between two peak gen 8 players who are now duking it out in gen 9 :D
Gen 7 Rands - Betathunder vs Trefleuh > The good old "ladder matchup" between two people who lose their sanity every day on the cursed gen 7 ladder. They have played each other a gazillion times, they are both good, and they most definitely don't want to lose this series
Gen 3 Rands - drifttrick vs xGang > In similar fashion to pigey vs Spitfire, we have the highly rated newcomer Drifttrick vs the legend himself, xGang. They are both playing super well and even if I am not the biggest gen 3 fan, this is a series to watch to see who can reach the impressive score of 5-1
Gen 9 Hackmons Cup - MultiAmmiratore vs Panty&Stockings > Hey, I like spectating Hackmons and this series happens to occur between two of the longest tenured HC players. They know each other too well and they always perform when it comes to HC in rbtt, so I am expecting some high quality gaming
Team Zygarde
vs Team Ho-Oh Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - pokeblade101 vs teresbahji > Teres, who is "not a gen 9 player" by his own admission, is currently 5-0 in this tournament... and he has been playing on phone. No, for real, we have the screenshots that prove it. Blade is seeking revenge after his loss vs GXE, but is he going to be able to keep his cool against such a troll? Or is he going to be caught up in the vortex of Teres nonsense, impulse to click too fast etc.? Tune in (this weekend) to find out!
Gen 4 Rands - Shadows4 vs SMB > Very interesting gen 4 series between two players who have a positive record. Before the competition started, I rated SMB as the best player in the pool but that player is currently Shadows if we look at his record. He has a distinctive playstyle that makes it for fun games, but SMB is obviously an expert player who can quickly adapt to his opponents. I pray for even matchups because this can be a really good one
Gen 9 Random Doubles - FreyaknightVGC vs marcofiero > My most anticipated series of the week for many reasons. The main one is that it's two italian doubles players facing each other. For those who live under a rock and know nothing about VGC, Marco is one of the best players in the world and pretty much of all time. Davide's main achievement is embarrassing me in auth challenge and winning his first ever series with his favorite pokemon getting the final ko (let's be honest, this is dope as heck).
Dumb jokes aside, he has joined rbtt as a complete rookie and has played very well in every series so far (his series vs ionnss is probably the best I have seen so far), showing he definitely belongs to this stage. He is as hyped to play Marco as I am to see the match, so I am hoping for a great show from both :]
Team Suicune
vs Team Zeraora Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - MichaelderBeste2 vs JJ09LIE > It feels like SPL but it's actually rbtt. They need no introduction, so I'll just say I am interested to see Michael for the first time (!) in the main format this year, especially against JJ who beat him in rbtt last year. Fast clicks and aggressive plays is what I am expecting here
Gen 5 Rands - flameingpigey2 vs Dj Breloominati♬ > Mr pigey has played two team tournaments (wcor and this edition of rbtt) and his record is 10-1, which is absurd given that gen 5 can be merciless. His opponent has played juuuust a tiny bit more than two team tournaments and he had the best gen 5 record in last year's rbtt. Most importantly, he is one of the members of the flameingpigey fanclub along with yours truly and nemoauditur, so this is the good old master vs apprentice situation that draws a big audience to a match
Gen 4 Rands - Trade vs O1V7O2X9O > Similarly to Freya vs Marco, we have two players from the same country playing the same slot. Trade is not exactly having a good time in the pool in terms of luck, while Steven is showing us why not drafting him last year was a mistake. Both are nice people and great battlers, so this is a good series to watch. And when I say "to watch", I mean I'll see the replays once I wake up because this is going to happen at weird times during the weekend :/
Team Keldeo
vs Team Regigigas Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - Typhlosion48 vs GXE > It can't get any better than this when it comes not just to gen 9, but to randbats in general. Typ was able to bounce back after a disappointing start, while GXE keeps performing in gen 9 week by week. Is Typ going to show us the brilliance so many celebrate him for, or is GXE's consistency be too much for him? Big hype for the US South clash!
Gen 6 Rands - Michielleus vs Drifting > Mich has lost for the first time in gen 6 last week after an absurd win streak of 10. No shame in losing to Michael but now he has another tough nut to crack in Drifting. As the manager of team Keldeo, he needs to lead a much needed comeback to have some chances to qualify to playoffs, while Drifting is definitely willing to prove himself against the best player of the pool
Gen 5 Rands - HaunterBoy28 vs Lady Writer > Haunter played gen 5 last year for team Hoopa and he did well. Lady Writer was also on team Hoopa last year, playing gen 8. I was on team Hoopa as well last year, playing the benchwarmer. And I was playing the benchwarmer because these two are very talented players, even if gen 5 is not exactly their main and favorite format. Nonetheless, it's interesting to see who adapts the best to this peculiar gen
Gen 9 Battle Factory - Slikkles vs CrashinBoomBang > I would have never thought to see CBB in a randbats event but here we are! This is the main reason why I am highlighting this matchup, but it's very interesting to see how he'll fare against the newcomer Slikkles, who is doing pretty well in the tier
Gen 9 Hackmons Cup - oaklies vs Nudepantsman > Oaklies just got nominated for luckiest user at the Smog Awards. You know what it means
Team Zarude
vs Team Hoopa Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - LoSconosciuto vs Prosaic > Ever since the start of rbtt, Losco has talked about wanting to battle his former Galarian Zapdos teammate Prosaic, and now his wish has come true (he is the manager so of course he put himself in this spot smh). This matchup is the classic blast of the past between two peak gen 8 players who are now duking it out in gen 9 :D
Gen 7 Rands - Betathunder vs Trefleuh > The good old "ladder matchup" between two people who lose their sanity every day on the cursed gen 7 ladder. They have played each other a gazillion times, they are both good, and they most definitely don't want to lose this series
Gen 3 Rands - drifttrick vs xGang > In similar fashion to pigey vs Spitfire, we have the highly rated newcomer Drifttrick vs the legend himself, xGang. They are both playing super well and even if I am not the biggest gen 3 fan, this is a series to watch to see who can reach the impressive score of 5-1
Gen 9 Hackmons Cup - MultiAmmiratore vs Panty&Stockings > Hey, I like spectating Hackmons and this series happens to occur between two of the longest tenured HC players. They know each other too well and they always perform when it comes to HC in rbtt, so I am expecting some high quality gaming
Last week of rbtt, but there are some very cool matchups that could play a big role in determining who goes to the playoffs!
Team Zygarde vs Team Hoopa
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - pokeblade101 vs snorlax142857 > Blade is the first person to defeat Teres in this edition of rbtt, and his last opponent in the regular season is, to his surprise, Snorlax numbers. The latter his making his debut in bo5 but Blade knows he can't underestimate one of the most versatile players in the community
Gen 3 Rands - Xrn vs xGang > Xrn finally won a series last week after some bad luck this season, while Gang is finishing a rbtt season with a positive record yet again. Xrn's record doesn't reflect his prowess as a player and this week is very important for Zygarde, so let's see if he can bring his A game against the randbats legend of the format
Gen 2 Rands - Mikon vs Nuage > MGN's season has been quite cursed and the last stop to their journey is a very big hurdle in Mikon. It's a similar match to Xrn vs Gang in terms of vibes, but this time it's the Zygarde player to have a dominant record
Gen 9 Hackmons Cup - platinumCheesecake vs Panty&Stockings > You'll see that this is one of multiple HC sets I have highlighted because they are easily some of the best HC players out there and they have played each other many times in different rbtt editions, with Platty trying to finish with the best record in the pool and Panty hoping to secure the same record as the HC mastermind
Team Suicune vs Team Zarude
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - MichaelderBeste2 vs LoSconosciuto > This is the match that always happens at least twice every year between rbtt and wcor, and it's a good thing because it can't get much better than this if you want to see high level randbats gameplay. I am a bit surprised Michael is playing this week given that he has EUIC later this week, but I guess he doesn't mind playing Losco once again and he is probably going to play soon anyway
Gen 3 Rands - Amaranth vs drifttrick > (ALREADY HAPPENED) Probably one of the highlights on the week, they are battling to be the best gen 3 player of the pool (at least for the regular season). Both have been playing amazingly so far but their main achievement is that they will force me to spectate this series in one of my most hated gens!
Gen 2 Rands - Eeveeto vs livid washed > Similarly to the matchup above, we have two of the best gen 2 players in the pool that maintained the expectations before the tournament. If you like gen 2 and if you have a lot of free time, this is the series for you!
Gen 1 Rands - CollectorEly vs king edgy > Two of the most respected gen 1 players in the community, they haven't done too too well in regular season this year. Edgy is on a 3 week win streak but he is currently dealing with "technical difficulties", while Ely's availability is often unpredictable. However, I do expect both to look forward to playing this series, so it should be a nice one
Gen 9 Battle Factory - Hacker vs temp > The pattern continues with the only two players who are currently 5-1 in Battle Factory. They are renown Smogon personalities and very experienced players, so this can probably go either way
Gen 9 Hackmons Cup - Luchik vs MultiAmmiratore > In similar fashion to Panty vs Multi of last week, we have yet another battle between HC enthusiasts (and great players overall) which should provide some good entertainment (Panty vs Multi was a nice series, I advise you to watch the replays)
Team Keldeo vs Team Ho-Oh
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - Typhlosion48 vs teresbahji > '-' and "..." duking it out in a high tense best of 5 set. This series is also a pretty interesting clash of playstyles, so I am eager to see when it's going to happen (which is not straightforward since the way they schedule is "peculiar" at best)
Gen 8 Rands - mj vs Clementine > (IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS WRITING THIS) mj has become one of those players you always expect to win their sets. His records in gen 8 in the last two years are ridiculous and he is a joy to spectate. In addition to the writer's curse, he has to face another tough opponent in Clem, who didn't have the best season but they obviously know how to play with dyna (see wcor). Will Mj remain perfect or is Clem going to win back to back sets? Only one way to find out...
Gen 6 Rands - Michielleus vs JustOut459 > Another highlight of the week! Those two are probably the best players in the gen 6 pool and they have faced each other a bunch of times in the last months (rbtt, rands slam playoffs and...baby rands). Justin has finally managed to beat Mich in their last encounter and he ladders gen 6 daily, but we all know Mich's crazy record in gen 6 in the last two editions of rbtt. It can go either way and we can only hope for entertaining matches
Gen 5 Rands - HaunterBoy28 vs jyusaan > My hipster pick for the week. They faced each other in rands slam where Haunter won in 3. Jyusaan wasn't happy with how he played but here is his chance to prove himself and seek revenge. Speaking of proving himself, Haunter is still looking to get a win in rbtt this year, so the stakes are high (especially given the record of their teams)
Gen 3 Rands - Jisoo vs violet river > "How many aggressive plays and double switches do we want to see?" "Yes."
Gen 9 Random Doubles - emforbes vs marcofiero > Very surreal matchup to see in rbtt between two of the best VGC players ever. Marco has been playing randdubs for a while at this point, while Emilio Forbes had to adapt to the format in the last two weeks. This could have easily been the final of a prestigious tournament, so it really feels like a testament of how big rbtt has become
Team Regigigas vs Team Zeraora
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - GXE vs JJ09LIE > They got picked one before the other in the first round, so we already know we are in for a treat. They are both too good at this game and very little details can determine the outcome of this series
Gen 5 Rands - Lady Writer vs Dj Breloominati♬ > They know each other well, but one is a main and the other was asked to adapt to gen 5, doing it with fairly good results so far. Once again, we love matchups between very good players, and this is most definitely one of them
Gen 9 Hackmons Cup - Nudepantsman vs rabbit13 > If it wasn't clear enough, I like spectating Hackmons if I have time. I am also quite curious to see the battle of the Midwesterns, even if I don't know how much history there is between them (I also just realized there are four HC players from Midwest in this pool, which is a fun trivia)
Bonus #1: All the matches involving players who are still undefeated at 6-0
Ionnss vs soTsoT (dubs), Piyush vs Zden (gen 7) and flameingpigey2 vs Micaiah (gen 5) are all entertaining series on paper and the currently undefeated 6-0 players will have very strong opponents to face if they want to continue their amazing run. Note of merit for LordST, who is also undefeated (5-0) in the hellhole known as gen 7, and he will face Tref in a cool battle between veterans of the gen
Bonus #2: Expulso vs Jytcampbell 2: Electric Boogaloo
After losing last week, I thought Expulso would be fully focused for his rematch but this post shows differently. I don't think he fully understood he is now forced to play his opponent every week until the end of time, in a perpetual cycle of despair and suffering (I don't know what I am saying, I just wanted to meme)
Team Zygarde
vs Team Hoopa Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - pokeblade101 vs snorlax142857 > Blade is the first person to defeat Teres in this edition of rbtt, and his last opponent in the regular season is, to his surprise, Snorlax numbers. The latter his making his debut in bo5 but Blade knows he can't underestimate one of the most versatile players in the community
Gen 3 Rands - Xrn vs xGang > Xrn finally won a series last week after some bad luck this season, while Gang is finishing a rbtt season with a positive record yet again. Xrn's record doesn't reflect his prowess as a player and this week is very important for Zygarde, so let's see if he can bring his A game against the randbats legend of the format
Gen 2 Rands - Mikon vs Nuage > MGN's season has been quite cursed and the last stop to their journey is a very big hurdle in Mikon. It's a similar match to Xrn vs Gang in terms of vibes, but this time it's the Zygarde player to have a dominant record
Gen 9 Hackmons Cup - platinumCheesecake vs Panty&Stockings > You'll see that this is one of multiple HC sets I have highlighted because they are easily some of the best HC players out there and they have played each other many times in different rbtt editions, with Platty trying to finish with the best record in the pool and Panty hoping to secure the same record as the HC mastermind
Team Suicune
vs Team Zarude Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - MichaelderBeste2 vs LoSconosciuto > This is the match that always happens at least twice every year between rbtt and wcor, and it's a good thing because it can't get much better than this if you want to see high level randbats gameplay. I am a bit surprised Michael is playing this week given that he has EUIC later this week, but I guess he doesn't mind playing Losco once again and he is probably going to play soon anyway
Gen 3 Rands - Amaranth vs drifttrick > (ALREADY HAPPENED) Probably one of the highlights on the week, they are battling to be the best gen 3 player of the pool (at least for the regular season). Both have been playing amazingly so far but their main achievement is that they will force me to spectate this series in one of my most hated gens!
Gen 2 Rands - Eeveeto vs livid washed > Similarly to the matchup above, we have two of the best gen 2 players in the pool that maintained the expectations before the tournament. If you like gen 2 and if you have a lot of free time, this is the series for you!
Gen 1 Rands - CollectorEly vs king edgy > Two of the most respected gen 1 players in the community, they haven't done too too well in regular season this year. Edgy is on a 3 week win streak but he is currently dealing with "technical difficulties", while Ely's availability is often unpredictable. However, I do expect both to look forward to playing this series, so it should be a nice one
Gen 9 Battle Factory - Hacker vs temp > The pattern continues with the only two players who are currently 5-1 in Battle Factory. They are renown Smogon personalities and very experienced players, so this can probably go either way
Gen 9 Hackmons Cup - Luchik vs MultiAmmiratore > In similar fashion to Panty vs Multi of last week, we have yet another battle between HC enthusiasts (and great players overall) which should provide some good entertainment (Panty vs Multi was a nice series, I advise you to watch the replays)
Team Keldeo
vs Team Ho-Oh Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - Typhlosion48 vs teresbahji > '-' and "..." duking it out in a high tense best of 5 set. This series is also a pretty interesting clash of playstyles, so I am eager to see when it's going to happen (which is not straightforward since the way they schedule is "peculiar" at best)
Gen 8 Rands - mj vs Clementine > (IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS WRITING THIS) mj has become one of those players you always expect to win their sets. His records in gen 8 in the last two years are ridiculous and he is a joy to spectate. In addition to the writer's curse, he has to face another tough opponent in Clem, who didn't have the best season but they obviously know how to play with dyna (see wcor). Will Mj remain perfect or is Clem going to win back to back sets? Only one way to find out...
Gen 6 Rands - Michielleus vs JustOut459 > Another highlight of the week! Those two are probably the best players in the gen 6 pool and they have faced each other a bunch of times in the last months (rbtt, rands slam playoffs and...baby rands). Justin has finally managed to beat Mich in their last encounter and he ladders gen 6 daily, but we all know Mich's crazy record in gen 6 in the last two editions of rbtt. It can go either way and we can only hope for entertaining matches
Gen 5 Rands - HaunterBoy28 vs jyusaan > My hipster pick for the week. They faced each other in rands slam where Haunter won in 3. Jyusaan wasn't happy with how he played but here is his chance to prove himself and seek revenge. Speaking of proving himself, Haunter is still looking to get a win in rbtt this year, so the stakes are high (especially given the record of their teams)
Gen 3 Rands - Jisoo vs violet river > "How many aggressive plays and double switches do we want to see?" "Yes."
Gen 9 Random Doubles - emforbes vs marcofiero > Very surreal matchup to see in rbtt between two of the best VGC players ever. Marco has been playing randdubs for a while at this point, while Emilio Forbes had to adapt to the format in the last two weeks. This could have easily been the final of a prestigious tournament, so it really feels like a testament of how big rbtt has become
Team Regigigas
vs Team Zeraora Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - GXE vs JJ09LIE > They got picked one before the other in the first round, so we already know we are in for a treat. They are both too good at this game and very little details can determine the outcome of this series
Gen 5 Rands - Lady Writer vs Dj Breloominati♬ > They know each other well, but one is a main and the other was asked to adapt to gen 5, doing it with fairly good results so far. Once again, we love matchups between very good players, and this is most definitely one of them
Gen 9 Hackmons Cup - Nudepantsman vs rabbit13 > If it wasn't clear enough, I like spectating Hackmons if I have time. I am also quite curious to see the battle of the Midwesterns, even if I don't know how much history there is between them (I also just realized there are four HC players from Midwest in this pool, which is a fun trivia)
Bonus #1: All the matches involving players who are still undefeated at 6-0Ionnss vs soTsoT (dubs), Piyush vs Zden (gen 7) and flameingpigey2 vs Micaiah (gen 5) are all entertaining series on paper and the currently undefeated 6-0 players will have very strong opponents to face if they want to continue their amazing run. Note of merit for LordST, who is also undefeated (5-0) in the hellhole known as gen 7, and he will face Tref in a cool battle between veterans of the gen
Bonus #2: Expulso vs Jytcampbell 2: Electric BoogalooAfter losing last week, I thought Expulso would be fully focused for his rematch but this post shows differently. I don't think he fully understood he is now forced to play his opponent every week until the end of time, in a perpetual cycle of despair and suffering (I don't know what I am saying, I just wanted to meme)
Imagine being in rbtt and not even highlighting yourself smhLast week of rbtt, but there are some very cool matchups that could play a big role in determining who goes to the playoffs!
Team Zygarde
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - pokeblade101 vs snorlax142857 > Blade is the first person to defeat Teres in this edition of rbtt, and his last opponent in the regular season is, to his surprise, Snorlax numbers. The latter his making his debut in bo5 but Blade knows he can't underestimate one of the most versatile players in the community
Gen 3 Rands - Xrn vs xGang > Xrn finally won a series last week after some bad luck this season, while Gang is finishing a rbtt season with a positive record yet again. Xrn's record doesn't reflect his prowess as a player and this week is very important for Zygarde, so let's see if he can bring his A game against the randbats legend of the format
Gen 2 Rands - Mikon vs Nuage > MGN's season has been quite cursed and the last stop to their journey is a very big hurdle in Mikon. It's a similar match to Xrn vs Gang in terms of vibes, but this time it's the Zygarde player to have a dominant record
Gen 9 Hackmons Cup - platinumCheesecake vs Panty&Stockings > You'll see that this is one of multiple HC sets I have highlighted because they are easily some of the best HC players out there and they have played each other many times in different rbtt editions, with Platty trying to finish with the best record in the pool and Panty hoping to secure the same record as the HC mastermind
Team Suicune
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - MichaelderBeste2 vs LoSconosciuto > This is the match that always happens at least twice every year between rbtt and wcor, and it's a good thing because it can't get much better than this if you want to see high level randbats gameplay. I am a bit surprised Michael is playing this week given that he has EUIC later this week, but I guess he doesn't mind playing Losco once again and he is probably going to play soon anyway
Gen 3 Rands - Amaranth vs drifttrick > (ALREADY HAPPENED) Probably one of the highlights on the week, they are battling to be the best gen 3 player of the pool (at least for the regular season). Both have been playing amazingly so far but their main achievement is that they will force me to spectate this series in one of my most hated gens!
Gen 2 Rands - Eeveeto vs livid washed > Similarly to the matchup above, we have two of the best gen 2 players in the pool that maintained the expectations before the tournament. If you like gen 2 and if you have a lot of free time, this is the series for you!
Gen 1 Rands - CollectorEly vs king edgy > Two of the most respected gen 1 players in the community, they haven't done too too well in regular season this year. Edgy is on a 3 week win streak but he is currently dealing with "technical difficulties", while Ely's availability is often unpredictable. However, I do expect both to look forward to playing this series, so it should be a nice one
Gen 9 Battle Factory - Hacker vs temp > The pattern continues with the only two players who are currently 5-1 in Battle Factory. They are renown Smogon personalities and very experienced players, so this can probably go either way
Gen 9 Hackmons Cup - Luchik vs MultiAmmiratore > In similar fashion to Panty vs Multi of last week, we have yet another battle between HC enthusiasts (and great players overall) which should provide some good entertainment (Panty vs Multi was a nice series, I advise you to watch the replays)
Team Keldeo
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - Typhlosion48 vs teresbahji > '-' and "..." duking it out in a high tense best of 5 set. This series is also a pretty interesting clash of playstyles, so I am eager to see when it's going to happen (which is not straightforward since the way they schedule is "peculiar" at best)
Gen 8 Rands - mj vs Clementine > (IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS WRITING THIS) mj has become one of those players you always expect to win their sets. His records in gen 8 in the last two years are ridiculous and he is a joy to spectate. In addition to the writer's curse, he has to face another tough opponent in Clem, who didn't have the best season but they obviously know how to play with dyna (see wcor). Will Mj remain perfect or is Clem going to win back to back sets? Only one way to find out...
Gen 6 Rands - Michielleus vs JustOut459 > Another highlight of the week! Those two are probably the best players in the gen 6 pool and they have faced each other a bunch of times in the last months (rbtt, rands slam playoffs and...baby rands). Justin has finally managed to beat Mich in their last encounter and he ladders gen 6 daily, but we all know Mich's crazy record in gen 6 in the last two editions of rbtt. It can go either way and we can only hope for entertaining matches
Gen 5 Rands - HaunterBoy28 vs jyusaan > My hipster pick for the week. They faced each other in rands slam where Haunter won in 3. Jyusaan wasn't happy with how he played but here is his chance to prove himself and seek revenge. Speaking of proving himself, Haunter is still looking to get a win in rbtt this year, so the stakes are high (especially given the record of their teams)
Gen 3 Rands - Jisoo vs violet river > "How many aggressive plays and double switches do we want to see?" "Yes."
Gen 9 Random Doubles - emforbes vs marcofiero > Very surreal matchup to see in rbtt between two of the best VGC players ever. Marco has been playing randdubs for a while at this point, while Emilio Forbes had to adapt to the format in the last two weeks. This could have easily been the final of a prestigious tournament, so it really feels like a testament of how big rbtt has become
Team Regigigas
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - GXE vs JJ09LIE > They got picked one before the other in the first round, so we already know we are in for a treat. They are both too good at this game and very little details can determine the outcome of this series
Gen 5 Rands - Lady Writer vs Dj Breloominati♬ > They know each other well, but one is a main and the other was asked to adapt to gen 5, doing it with fairly good results so far. Once again, we love matchups between very good players, and this is most definitely one of them
Gen 9 Hackmons Cup - Nudepantsman vs rabbit13 > If it wasn't clear enough, I like spectating Hackmons if I have time. I am also quite curious to see the battle of the Midwesterns, even if I don't know how much history there is between them (I also just realized there are four HC players from Midwest in this pool, which is a fun trivia)
Ionnss vs soTsoT (dubs), Piyush vs Zden (gen 7) and flameingpigey2 vs Micaiah (gen 5) are all entertaining series on paper and the currently undefeated 6-0 players will have very strong opponents to face if they want to continue their amazing run. Note of merit for LordST, who is also undefeated (5-0) in the hellhole known as gen 7, and he will face Tref in a cool battle between veterans of the gen
After losing last week, I thought Expulso would be fully focused for his rematch but this post shows differently. I don't think he fully understood he is now forced to play his opponent every week until the end of time, in a perpetual cycle of despair and suffering (I don't know what I am saying, I just wanted to meme)
...but South Carolina is in the US South
I WAS SO SURE YOU WERE MIDWEST, I AM SORRY...but South Carolina is in the US South
After a very bitter loss and no chance at playoffs left I wanted to make a post to give a shoutout as well as giving my toughts on RBTT as a newcomer.
I started rands after logically going undrafted the year before. With 0 rands experience, I joined Rbel and even if I had a meh score it made me new friends with who I did slam with the first objective being to make top 64. Somehow, I managed to make top 32 with some highs and lows and even win a set there which was very unexpected as I was already happy to make it to top 32.
After going undrafted in ccc, I had low expectations for being drafted this Rbtt. I still joined hoping that I get a chance as a sub. The fact that I made it in as a starter is insane and for that I want to thank Michielleus and Jordy004 for trusting me espacially as they picked me up for bssf and we made a last minute change with icy. The fact that I went positive is also very good for me as I faced players who proved so much more and are way better than me.
Now that Rbtt is over for me and I completed my first year rands journey. I can say that I loved it and will hopefully be there for wcor, ccc and Rbtt again.
All this wouldn't have been possible without all my friends. There are too many to tag but they know who they are and for that I want to say thank you so much. I will root for my friends satvik123 ionnss flameingpigey2 pokevin03dragonite and the suicunes, JustOut459 dunoks jyusaan and the oh-ohs and FreyaknightVGC and the zygards.
I will stop yapping now and wish you all a good day and see ya in future tours. o7
Peace
I started rands after logically going undrafted the year before. With 0 rands experience, I joined Rbel and even if I had a meh score it made me new friends with who I did slam with the first objective being to make top 64. Somehow, I managed to make top 32 with some highs and lows and even win a set there which was very unexpected as I was already happy to make it to top 32.
After going undrafted in ccc, I had low expectations for being drafted this Rbtt. I still joined hoping that I get a chance as a sub. The fact that I made it in as a starter is insane and for that I want to thank Michielleus and Jordy004 for trusting me espacially as they picked me up for bssf and we made a last minute change with icy. The fact that I went positive is also very good for me as I faced players who proved so much more and are way better than me.
Now that Rbtt is over for me and I completed my first year rands journey. I can say that I loved it and will hopefully be there for wcor, ccc and Rbtt again.
All this wouldn't have been possible without all my friends. There are too many to tag but they know who they are and for that I want to say thank you so much. I will root for my friends satvik123 ionnss flameingpigey2 pokevin03dragonite and the suicunes, JustOut459 dunoks jyusaan and the oh-ohs and FreyaknightVGC and the zygards.
I will stop yapping now and wish you all a good day and see ya in future tours. o7
Peace
As the final week of round robin comes to an end, I also find myself looking back.
I was not planning to manage this year, but when Irpachuza asked me to co-manage I couldn't say no. To manage team Hoopa with all its history—and indeed where I made my own RBTT debut—is a great honor, and I'm glad I had this chance.
The draft went largely according to plan, and I think we ended up with a solid team. In our opinion it was the strongest, of course, otherwise we would have drafted differently, but I think looking at the lineup most people will agree that this year's team Hoopa was a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately the results did not bear this out. Where the other teams were fighting for their lives until the end, we had been mathematically eliminated after round 5. As always in Rands tournaments it was due to a combination of performance and RNG, but fact is we ended in last place by some margin.
To the Hoopas: thank you for your dedication this year. We tried our best and, hopefully, had some fun. Even throughout the end of the tour, when we were already out, we kept bringing our best game, which I'm grateful for. Remember that the vast majority of Random Battles players never reach this level, and so having played RBTT is itself an achievement. I hope to see you all next year, and in the meantime as either allies or enemies in WCoR!
Next year I'm sure team Hoopa will return stronger than ever, but without me at the helm. I'll go back to trying to bring value as a late-draft pick in RBTT, or failing that RBEL.
To the Suicunes, Zeraoras, Ho-Ohs and Zygardes: gl, hf
I was not planning to manage this year, but when Irpachuza asked me to co-manage I couldn't say no. To manage team Hoopa with all its history—and indeed where I made my own RBTT debut—is a great honor, and I'm glad I had this chance.
The draft went largely according to plan, and I think we ended up with a solid team. In our opinion it was the strongest, of course, otherwise we would have drafted differently, but I think looking at the lineup most people will agree that this year's team Hoopa was a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately the results did not bear this out. Where the other teams were fighting for their lives until the end, we had been mathematically eliminated after round 5. As always in Rands tournaments it was due to a combination of performance and RNG, but fact is we ended in last place by some margin.
To the Hoopas: thank you for your dedication this year. We tried our best and, hopefully, had some fun. Even throughout the end of the tour, when we were already out, we kept bringing our best game, which I'm grateful for. Remember that the vast majority of Random Battles players never reach this level, and so having played RBTT is itself an achievement. I hope to see you all next year, and in the meantime as either allies or enemies in WCoR!
Next year I'm sure team Hoopa will return stronger than ever, but without me at the helm. I'll go back to trying to bring value as a late-draft pick in RBTT, or failing that RBEL.
To the Suicunes, Zeraoras, Ho-Ohs and Zygardes: gl, hf
Future Tours aka the one you're managing and winning
We're making it out of the cereal box with this one
I just realized that the font in the meme above is quite awful but I swear I tried my best to correct it. Anyway! On to the notable matchups of this week, when we reach semifinals!
Team Suicune vs Team Ho-Oh
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - MichaelderBeste2 vs teresbahji > Rematch of the last Rands Slam semifinals, I am interested to see this not just because of their records and their resume, but also because I want to see the video and Michael's reactions to the inevitable Teres moments we are going to spectate (I swear we could do a bingo just for this)
Gen 6 Rands - Impeckable vs JustOut459 > Biased man is biased but they are both great players and, most importantly, good friends. I would like to root for both but I guess I'll root for this match to not happen and the overall series to end before they play, which is going to be on Sunday, as always -_-
Gen 5 Rands - flameingpigey2 vs jyusaan > First 7-0 alert! Mr pigey has been blazing through the gen 5 field, but now he is going to face the newcomer jyusaaaaaaaaaaan, who has adapted pretty well to gen 5 and will try to flip the odds. Both are representing fiery birds: the former by nickname, the latter by mascot, but only one will be left after this match...
Gen 4 Rands - Trade vs SMB > The two best players in the pool for me before the start of the tournament, they have had very different journeys in rbtt 8. SMB keeps showing how he is a force to be reckoned with in any format he plays, while Trade is slowly turning into Lavos due to some classic gen 4 moments. Still, this can be a very good series on paper if the hax gods allow it
Gen 3 Rands - Amaranth vs violet river > Their regular season series wasn't exactly good in terms of matchup, but there were still some very nice turns in there, so I hope they'll be able to replicate them with more frequency and in less awkward matches
Gen 1 Rands - CollectorEly vs YBW > Interesting battle between two veterans who are considered among the best gen 1 randbats players. While I was preparing the comment to this series, I just remember what happened in the last gen 1 discord tour, so yeah, I WANT TO SEE BLOOD RAHHHH
Gen 9 Random Doubles - ionnss vs marcofiero > Easily one of the most anticipated series of the week, it's a battle between the best randdubs player and the best dubs player in the pool. Ionnss going in 7-0 in regular season is one of the most impressive results I have ever seen in rbtt, but Marco is aq very fitting final boss waiting for him. The latter has gotten better and better as the weeks passed by, but Ionnss is terribly analytical and I am sure he is going to try and adapt his plays accordingly
Team Zeraora vs Team Zygarde
Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - JJ09LIE vs pokeblade101 > Umpteenth episode of JJ vs Blade, but this time I have seen Blade writing that he is motivated to seek revenge after losing to JJ in regular season. Is he going to change his mindset and be more reflective? Is random stuff going to happen as always whenever these two play each other? We'll see!
Gen 9 Rands - Fragments vs Separation > Ok, at first I didn't have this series as one to watch but I can't shake off the feeling that something weird is going to happen so I hope that's the case x) I am mostly curious because Separation is technically favored but Fragments has momentum as well...
Gen 7 Rands - Piyu vs LordST > Probably the match of the week, and there are multiple storylines to tell. Both are undefeated (!) in gen 7 (!!), and I assume it might be the first time in rbtt history that a 7-0 is facing a 6-0. Funnily enough, Lord's only missed week 2, when his opponent was going to be Piyush himself. Last year Lord won and Piyush has been trying to avenge those nasty matchups for more than one year and the time has finally come...
Gen 5 Rands - Dj Breloominati♬ vs peap > Gen 5 fans (which include me and other three people in the community, I guess) are eating good this week. Peap returns to gen 5, where he has become more and more comfortable, but his next opponent is none other than Spitfire, who finished positive for the second regular season in a row and he is now looking to bring home a much needed win for the furries
Gen 4 Rands - O1V7O2X9O vs Shadows4 > I finally had the pleasure to battle both in a serious tour and even if the matches sucked in terms of quality, I know they are very solid and this should be a fun and even battle. Good luck to both :)
Gen 3 Rands - Glop vs Xrn > The very bizarre match between players who are currently "unwashing". Jokes aside, Xrn started awfully but as he wrote in the thread, he might have needed to undergo loaded manager and maybe now he'll become the good version of playoff Kawhi Leonard. After a fantastic rbtt 6, Glop was never able to replicate those performances due to a bunch of circumstances, but what he showed lately is definitely promising and maybe Xrn is about to get glopped
Gen 9 BSS Factory - DerpySuX vs yone > Two friends with a very different records but the curiosity behind this series is that they know each other too well and this might affect how the series is going to be played out. Let's see if Derpy's recent resolution to get a Zeraora tattoo will bring them good luck :o
(Update: maybe the tattoo wasn't a great idea after all...)
Team Suicune
vs Team Ho-Oh Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - MichaelderBeste2 vs teresbahji > Rematch of the last Rands Slam semifinals, I am interested to see this not just because of their records and their resume, but also because I want to see the video and Michael's reactions to the inevitable Teres moments we are going to spectate (I swear we could do a bingo just for this)
Gen 6 Rands - Impeckable vs JustOut459 > Biased man is biased but they are both great players and, most importantly, good friends. I would like to root for both but I guess I'll root for this match to not happen and the overall series to end before they play, which is going to be on Sunday, as always -_-
Gen 5 Rands - flameingpigey2 vs jyusaan > First 7-0 alert! Mr pigey has been blazing through the gen 5 field, but now he is going to face the newcomer jyusaaaaaaaaaaan, who has adapted pretty well to gen 5 and will try to flip the odds. Both are representing fiery birds: the former by nickname, the latter by mascot, but only one will be left after this match...
Gen 4 Rands - Trade vs SMB > The two best players in the pool for me before the start of the tournament, they have had very different journeys in rbtt 8. SMB keeps showing how he is a force to be reckoned with in any format he plays, while Trade is slowly turning into Lavos due to some classic gen 4 moments. Still, this can be a very good series on paper if the hax gods allow it
Gen 3 Rands - Amaranth vs violet river > Their regular season series wasn't exactly good in terms of matchup, but there were still some very nice turns in there, so I hope they'll be able to replicate them with more frequency and in less awkward matches
Gen 1 Rands - CollectorEly vs YBW > Interesting battle between two veterans who are considered among the best gen 1 randbats players. While I was preparing the comment to this series, I just remember what happened in the last gen 1 discord tour, so yeah, I WANT TO SEE BLOOD RAHHHH
Gen 9 Random Doubles - ionnss vs marcofiero > Easily one of the most anticipated series of the week, it's a battle between the best randdubs player and the best dubs player in the pool. Ionnss going in 7-0 in regular season is one of the most impressive results I have ever seen in rbtt, but Marco is aq very fitting final boss waiting for him. The latter has gotten better and better as the weeks passed by, but Ionnss is terribly analytical and I am sure he is going to try and adapt his plays accordingly
Team Zeraora
vs Team Zygarde Gen 9 Rands (bo5) - JJ09LIE vs pokeblade101 > Umpteenth episode of JJ vs Blade, but this time I have seen Blade writing that he is motivated to seek revenge after losing to JJ in regular season. Is he going to change his mindset and be more reflective? Is random stuff going to happen as always whenever these two play each other? We'll see!
Gen 9 Rands - Fragments vs Separation > Ok, at first I didn't have this series as one to watch but I can't shake off the feeling that something weird is going to happen so I hope that's the case x) I am mostly curious because Separation is technically favored but Fragments has momentum as well...
Gen 7 Rands - Piyu vs LordST > Probably the match of the week, and there are multiple storylines to tell. Both are undefeated (!) in gen 7 (!!), and I assume it might be the first time in rbtt history that a 7-0 is facing a 6-0. Funnily enough, Lord's only missed week 2, when his opponent was going to be Piyush himself. Last year Lord won and Piyush has been trying to avenge those nasty matchups for more than one year and the time has finally come...
Gen 5 Rands - Dj Breloominati♬ vs peap > Gen 5 fans (which include me and other three people in the community, I guess) are eating good this week. Peap returns to gen 5, where he has become more and more comfortable, but his next opponent is none other than Spitfire, who finished positive for the second regular season in a row and he is now looking to bring home a much needed win for the furries
Gen 4 Rands - O1V7O2X9O vs Shadows4 > I finally had the pleasure to battle both in a serious tour and even if the matches sucked in terms of quality, I know they are very solid and this should be a fun and even battle. Good luck to both :)
Gen 3 Rands - Glop vs Xrn > The very bizarre match between players who are currently "unwashing". Jokes aside, Xrn started awfully but as he wrote in the thread, he might have needed to undergo loaded manager and maybe now he'll become the good version of playoff Kawhi Leonard. After a fantastic rbtt 6, Glop was never able to replicate those performances due to a bunch of circumstances, but what he showed lately is definitely promising and maybe Xrn is about to get glopped
Gen 9 BSS Factory - DerpySuX vs yone > Two friends with a very different records but the curiosity behind this series is that they know each other too well and this might affect how the series is going to be played out. Let's see if Derpy's recent resolution to get a Zeraora tattoo will bring them good luck :o
(Update: maybe the tattoo wasn't a great idea after all...)
I HAD THE MESSAGE PREPARED BUT YOU COULDN'T WAIT ME TO WRITE THE COMMENT FOR THE OTHER MATCHES, RIGHT???
Then you deserve the jinx >:)
And so, with Team Zygarde falling short and being eliminated from RBTT after obtaining a 7-2 lead, the dynasty ends. The 3peat was simply not meant to be.
Team Zygarde has been some of the most fun I've had in RBTT with some of the best vibes. I want to thank my team personally, so this post is made for them.
pokeblade101 - Its been a pleasure to manage with you the past few years! Although things seem to not have clicked for you against Zeraora this year, there is no doubt that you have been a rock for us that we all had faith in to get us over the line regardless. You're one of the best randbats players on the site and you've continued to prove it year after year.
Separation - you doubted my decision to take you round 1, but you only went and proved me right. You're a fantastic player who could easily have performed well in the BO5 slot, but with pokeblade behind you, not only did you not let pride or ego interfere, you absolutely dominated the competition and truly showed your difference in skill. Thank you for giving it your all every week, I would have put money on you to win vs anyone!
Sylveon used calm mind - your availability is ass and had me worried for a couple of weeks, but the difference between having you with us and not was so clear. You're a great player and I'd make the decision to team with you again any time again.
LordST - My goat. You've been with us for 3 years in a row and you carry us every time. Your consistency is incredible and we wouldn't have got to where we are without you. Thank you for your enthusiasm to play for us year after year and I hope you've had the best time doing it. Don't beat yourself up after this one, 1 game doesn't define you.
Pia / Paycard / Lechen / Lrogue - I decided to group this one, gen 6 definitely did not go the way we all wanted this year but every week you all showed such motivation to bring us a win in this cursed slot. Thank you for your energy and time that you put in for us, I'm sorry I couldn't have played you all more!
peap - My beloved. I'm super happy that you ended up with us again, I can't really believe you didn't get picked! You're an absolute beast, thank you for picking up gen5 solely for our RBTT runs, you manage to consistently win in such an unusual format! Your flexibility is crazy and I would absolutely love to team with you at every future opportunity <3
Shadows4 - This is the first time we have teamed together and I absolutely love your positivity. You brighten our team cord and pull up with wins at the same time, which can't be understated! I hope to continue interacting with you in future.
Xrn - LOL what a season. Even going 0-5 my faith in you doesn't waiver and you repaid me back. Thank you for playing for us again, you're super fun to interact with and I hope this one hasn't put you off!
Mikon - You're a quiet one, but you play so well your gameplay is loud. You're an insanely talented player and its an absolute pleasure getting to team with you, I'd pick you again for any tiebreak! Lets run it back in WCOR.
tylerfitz8 - I know its not the season you wanted but I just want to say that you're a great player and keep your head up, thanks for playing for us!
platinumCheesecake - My man you are the only player who can win a HC game for me so that might certify you as the goat, but I'm still not teaming with you again so I never see a tiebreak ;) thanks for your positivity and good vibes, you make HC fun to watch!
kDCA - I know this probably isn't the season you wanted either but I'm super glad you reached out to me. A huge part of this tour is to make new friends and I hope that perhaps next year could be your year! Looking forward to hanging out with you more in future.
yone - Zygarde's hero. Vibes and talent all in one. I said before the draft that you were the person I wanted to team with most this year and boy did you deliver. You're super talented and funny. I hope you stick around, the RBTT trophy won't be far away!
FreyaknightVGC - What a tournament for you! You came into it as an unknown, but have people singing your praises by the end. You've been such a friendly presence and I hope I was able to give you the experience you hoped for. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next for you, I'll be following your journey!
Ampha - I can only apologise that I couldn't find the time you get you some more games. You've been super kind and I really respect your availability and motivation to want to get involved. You've been a great member of the team to have and I wish you all the best in the future!
s/o yone and freya
With that, its time to say that this is likely my last RBTT as a manager. The last 7 years have been fantastic and its amazing to see how far this tournament has come. Plans change so there's always the chance of a return, but for now, its goodbye!
Team Zygarde has been some of the most fun I've had in RBTT with some of the best vibes. I want to thank my team personally, so this post is made for them.
pokeblade101 - Its been a pleasure to manage with you the past few years! Although things seem to not have clicked for you against Zeraora this year, there is no doubt that you have been a rock for us that we all had faith in to get us over the line regardless. You're one of the best randbats players on the site and you've continued to prove it year after year.
Separation - you doubted my decision to take you round 1, but you only went and proved me right. You're a fantastic player who could easily have performed well in the BO5 slot, but with pokeblade behind you, not only did you not let pride or ego interfere, you absolutely dominated the competition and truly showed your difference in skill. Thank you for giving it your all every week, I would have put money on you to win vs anyone!
Sylveon used calm mind - your availability is ass and had me worried for a couple of weeks, but the difference between having you with us and not was so clear. You're a great player and I'd make the decision to team with you again any time again.
LordST - My goat. You've been with us for 3 years in a row and you carry us every time. Your consistency is incredible and we wouldn't have got to where we are without you. Thank you for your enthusiasm to play for us year after year and I hope you've had the best time doing it. Don't beat yourself up after this one, 1 game doesn't define you.
Pia / Paycard / Lechen / Lrogue - I decided to group this one, gen 6 definitely did not go the way we all wanted this year but every week you all showed such motivation to bring us a win in this cursed slot. Thank you for your energy and time that you put in for us, I'm sorry I couldn't have played you all more!
peap - My beloved. I'm super happy that you ended up with us again, I can't really believe you didn't get picked! You're an absolute beast, thank you for picking up gen5 solely for our RBTT runs, you manage to consistently win in such an unusual format! Your flexibility is crazy and I would absolutely love to team with you at every future opportunity <3
Shadows4 - This is the first time we have teamed together and I absolutely love your positivity. You brighten our team cord and pull up with wins at the same time, which can't be understated! I hope to continue interacting with you in future.
Xrn - LOL what a season. Even going 0-5 my faith in you doesn't waiver and you repaid me back. Thank you for playing for us again, you're super fun to interact with and I hope this one hasn't put you off!
Mikon - You're a quiet one, but you play so well your gameplay is loud. You're an insanely talented player and its an absolute pleasure getting to team with you, I'd pick you again for any tiebreak! Lets run it back in WCOR.
tylerfitz8 - I know its not the season you wanted but I just want to say that you're a great player and keep your head up, thanks for playing for us!
platinumCheesecake - My man you are the only player who can win a HC game for me so that might certify you as the goat, but I'm still not teaming with you again so I never see a tiebreak ;) thanks for your positivity and good vibes, you make HC fun to watch!
kDCA - I know this probably isn't the season you wanted either but I'm super glad you reached out to me. A huge part of this tour is to make new friends and I hope that perhaps next year could be your year! Looking forward to hanging out with you more in future.
yone - Zygarde's hero. Vibes and talent all in one. I said before the draft that you were the person I wanted to team with most this year and boy did you deliver. You're super talented and funny. I hope you stick around, the RBTT trophy won't be far away!
FreyaknightVGC - What a tournament for you! You came into it as an unknown, but have people singing your praises by the end. You've been such a friendly presence and I hope I was able to give you the experience you hoped for. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next for you, I'll be following your journey!
Ampha - I can only apologise that I couldn't find the time you get you some more games. You've been super kind and I really respect your availability and motivation to want to get involved. You've been a great member of the team to have and I wish you all the best in the future!
s/o yone and freya
With that, its time to say that this is likely my last RBTT as a manager. The last 7 years have been fantastic and its amazing to see how far this tournament has come. Plans change so there's always the chance of a return, but for now, its goodbye!