Note: I feel I should qualify this by saying that this is a Double Battle warstory.
Note: This is not a brand new warstory. I changed the title and planned to edit it a third warstory (hence the 'trinity'). It will be done in a few hours.
I prepared a team in my spare weekends, the only time I am able to access Wifi right now, that focuses on rain sweepers. The very first battle I had with it was so memorable, that I decided to make a warstory out of it. Then, immediately after logging off and loading that one up, I had ANOTHER fine battle. Being as that I hadn't written one up in a while, I wanted to appease my creative outlet with a little something, but I couldn't decide on the one I prefered. Hence, you see before you two battles.
Key:
-> My team's movements and subsequent effects
-> Foe's team's movements and subsequent effects
-> Unattached side effects
-> Switches
Table of Contents:
Battle #1
Battle #2
Battle #3
-> Sirk sent out Metagross and Rotom!
-> Opponent sent out Jellicent and Amoonguss!
Doubles is largely a game of gambits. For those of you who became familiar with the VGC2011 metagame you will recognize this as almost an inherent truth, at least in that format and this one, Random Matchup, owing to the mere 4 pokemon each player is alotted. You could have Arceus and Kyogre in the back row, but if you have feeble leads or even just an undeveloped strategy for them, you're just setup fodder for a good opponent. While not less intricate or more lacking in strategy than Doubles, Singles is a relatively "narrow" battle format where attacks are only directed at a single opponent. There, facing a team full of 600 BSTs can actually be pretty difficult even to the better player, just because there's only so much he can do in any one turn. But in Doubles, you have a mountain of options, and can even circumvent incoming attacks with Protect. The opponent using a team full of ubers still has a little natural advantage over the player who isn't using ubers, but the discrepancy between them is much less than in Doubles. This was truer in Gen IV, when anyone who had Explosion could roll over a team full of Pokemon without Protect. It's still true in the form of environmental effects, which can be enjoyed by both members of a side while taking only one Pokemon to make the effect (Singles also has great potential for weather abuse, but while the weather still only takes one Pokemon to put it into effect, only one pokemon on your side can enjoy it at a time).
My team being a rain team, a completely revamped version of an old rain team called War Soap (out of which another warstory was written), I have things made to abuse the extra water-STAB, Thunder's accuracy, Pokemon's abilities, and reduced Fire-type attack power. But it isn't always best to start with your weather-setter in the vanguard, because your opponent can do it too, messing you up and putting your weather setup two turns behind (One turn if you have U-turn or Volt Switch). Weather also isn't very subtle, compared to Trick Room and arguably Tailwind, which have a plethora of Pokemon capable of using them. One of the Pokemon usable in and out of Trick Room is Jellicent, whom I am now facing down, so I'll have to treat this situation like it's both of them. Even if I knew what it was going to do, that doesn't narrow it down completely. Is it wearing a Scarf? Leftovers? Water Gem? Any of those could be on there so far (In fact, the only thing I know it isn't wearing is an Air Balloon). Seeing Amoonguss by Jelly's side means it probably is the Trick Room variant, but as my opponent is evidently a seasoned player with his Gold Card, he probably also knows that I've figured that out, and might not use Trick Room right away. If he doesn't, I've got the potential to do some damage with Thunder from Rotom-W, and if he's a scarfer and outruns Rotom-W, well, he can't do crap to it anyway. If he does, I might be looking at a Rage Powder in tandem with the TR. Well, I'm going to stick to my original strategy, since I can't switch in anything now that would be better to handle Jellicent:
Turn 1
---------------
---------------
100%
100%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
100%
100%
-> Metagross was returned!
-> Go, Politoed!
-> It started to rain!
-> Jellicent used Protect!
-> It protected itself!
-> Rotom used Thunder!
-> Jellicent protected itself!
-> Amoonguss used Spore!
-> Politoed fell asleep!
This is what I meant by "circumventing" in one of the above paragraphs. My opponent predicted the incoming Thunder, Protect'd, then Spore'd with Amoonguss. He knew that Metagross couldn't do anything and that a switch would be even better, a free turn while he Spore'd. Now I've got my weather in place and he doesn't have his effect on the field yet, but who is really at the advantage? Rotom-W's Thunder could take care of Jellicent... if Amoonguss wasn't there to Rage Powder it away. Politoed could KO Amoonguss with Ice Beam... if it actually had a respectable SpA. And even if it crit'd Amoonguss, Rotom's Thunder would already have been drawn to Amoonguss, since (as my foe likely knows) my Rotom is faster than my Politoed. Well, if he knows what he's doing, I may as well pretend to as well:
Turn 2
---------------
---------------
100%
100%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
100%
100%
-> Politoed was returned!
-> Go, Metagross!
-> Rotom used Protect!
-> It protected itself!
-> Amoonguss used Rage Powder!
-> It became the center of attention!
-> Jellicent used Trick Room!
-> The dimensions were twisted!
That was basically inevitable. I figured there was an off-chance he might Spore the non-sleeping Pokemon of the two, Rotom-W, so I Protect'd with Rotom and switch my sleeper into someone else, namely Metagross. Bad move. I should also say that I thought Amoonguss might Giga Drain Politoed, but I forgot that nobody gives a damn about the sleep clause on Wifi, and Spore being obviously the safer option, he's liable to use it again when he has sped up under Trick Room conditions. Amoonguss is the absolute Sandman under TR. If he decides he wants you to sleep, you'll sleep; if he wants your whole party to sleep, well, you're having a slumber party. There are ways to work around this, though, which I will attempt to use right now.
Turn 3
---------------
---------------
100%
100%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
100%
100%
-> Rotom was returned!
-> Go, Politoed!
-> Metagross used Protect!
-> It protected itself!
-> Amoonguss used Spore!
-> Politoed is already asleep!
-> Jellicent used Scald!
-> Metagross protected itself!
While I only used one Protect, switching in a pre-sleep'd Pokemon is like having an entirely shielded side when one foe is a Spore user and the other one is predictable. I'm even for the count right now, but I successfully burned one turn of Trick Room. Now, since I don't have any sleepers on the bench, and Metagross used Protect just now, I basically need to go on the offensive, however poorly I can do that under Trick Room. But my opponent wants to get an edge in with the switch-fest, and you'll see the reason I didn't start the battle with Politoed promptly:
Turn 4
---------------
---------------
100%
100%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
100%
100%
-> The opponent returned Jellicent!
-> Abomasnow was sent out!
-> It started to hail!
-> Politoed is fast asleep.
-> Amoonguss used Spore!
-> Metagross fell asleep!
-> Metagross is fast asleep.
-> Amoonguss was buffeted by hail!
-> Politoed was buffeted by hail!
-> Metagross was buffeted by hail!
Yep, the god damned Snowman is here to have a party with Sandman and pals. Hail is the bane of the ever-popular Focus Sash in Doubles, and Abomasnow's existence is part of the reason I don't carry one. Amoonguss Spore'd my anti-Snowman Pokemon to render the visible party fully-crippled. At least I spent Politoed's necessary Sleep turn, so there's a chance I'll have an awake attacker coming up. I have a hunch that neither Amoonguss nor Abomasnow is going to attack or Spore Metagross, seeing as that I'm not likely to switch him out with no backup sleeper to absorb a Spore. That gives me an idea.
Turn 5
---------------
---------------
100%
94%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
94%
94%
-> Metagross was returned!
-> Go, Rotom!
-> Politoed woke up!
-> Politoed used Protect!
-> It protected itself!
-> Amoonguss used Giga Drain!
-> Politoed protected itself!
-> Abomasnow used Energy Ball!
-> Politoed protected itself!
-> Amoonguss was buffeted by hail!
-> Metagross was buffeted by hail!
-> Rotom was buffeted by hail!
Success! The plants focused fire on Politoed and were neutralized by Protect, and I got a free swtich in and another free Trick Room turn. I took some hail damage but, hell, so did he.I still have one more turn of Trick Room to endure and Politoed isn't fast (read: slow) enough to outrun either of them. I have another hunch, too: Having experience with JP players who use TR and Tailwind, they tend to prepare pretty well for when it's about to run out. I think I know which batter's coming back to the plate.
If he indeed sends in Jellicent for Trick Room again, he's probably going to be afraid of Rotom-W's Thunder, so where's his Spore likely to fall? Well, not on Rotom anymore, because I'm sending in my current snoozer to absorb it.
Turn 6
---------------
---------------
100%
88%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
94%
88%
-> The opponent returned Abomasnow!
-> Jellicent was sent out!
-> Politoed was returned!
-> Go, Metagross!
-> Rotom was returned!
-> Go, Ludicolo!
-> Amoonguss used Spore!
-> Ludicolo fell asleep!
-> Amoonguss was buffeted by hail!
-> Metagross was buffeted by hail!
-> Ludicolo was buffeted by hail!
-> Jellicent was buffeted by hail!
-> The twisted dimensions returned to normal!
lolfailpredict. Now there's no question who's running the advantage. I've got two sleepers, one of whom is in his first sleep stage (so he's definitely not dreaming yet) (lolpsychology); he's got hail in place, and a healthy TRer ready to set it up again. Things are not looking too bright for the Soap. I can throw in some chicken bones, do a little rain dance, and consult the oracle to find out if Metagross will wake up this turn, but it won't do me much good unless Meteor Mash happens to crit on Amoonguss. The last Trick Room turns were a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing except a bunch of sleeping. I don't think he's going to go for that again.
Jellicent's move is pretty much sealed, but Amoonguss' is a three-way coin toss between Rage Powder, Giga Drain, and an unlikely cautionary Spore. I bet on the Rage Powder initially, but I realized that he knew I couldn't do anything to Jellicent (again). Ludicolo literally could not wake up this coming turn, and Metagross wouldn't KO with ThunderPunch even if he woke up, which he didn't, which doesn't matter because he didn't carry ThunderPunch anyway.
Turn 7
---------------
---------------
94%
82%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
94%
88%
-> Metagross is fast asleep.
-> Ludicolo is fast asleep.
-> Amoonguss used Giga Drain!
-> Ludicolo took 25% damage!
-> Amoonguss restored some health!
-> Jellicent used Trick Room!
-> The dimensions were twisted!
-> Amoonguss was buffeted by hail!
-> Jellicent was buffeted by hail!
-> Metagross was buffeted by hail!
-> Ludicolo was buffeted by hail!
Another predictfail, which didn't matter because by fighters are in lala land, having inappropriate dreams about underage Metangs and female Ludicolos not wearing their fur. At least Jellicent did like it was supposed to, which means at least I'm getting a little better at mindreading (from halfway across the world, no less!). Now both of my boys *can* wake up, and the now-faster Amoonguss won't Spore either of them unless my opponent is dicking me around. Amoonguss won't Rage Powder for reasons scantily explained above: it would draw fire that it would have anyway.
I'm running an... unusual item on Metagross due to the restrictions of the item clause. It wouldn't have been necessary as you will momentarily see, but hell, maybe it confuses my opponent a little. Or maybe it is a normal item and I'm just an unusual person. Probably a little of both. Anyhow, I'm going to repeat my opponent earlier tactic, hopefully omitting the part where I Protect'd and rendered it useless.
Turn 8
---------------
---------------
88%
89%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
58%
82%
-> Amoonguss used Giga Drain!
-> Ludicolo took 23% damage!
-> Amoonguss restored some health!
-> Jellicent used Scald!
-> Metagross took 25% damage!
-> Metagross woke up!
-> Metagross used Meteor Mash!
-> The Steel Gem boosted the attack!
-> Amoonguss took 87% damage!
-> Ludicolo woke up!
-> Ludicolo used Ice Beam!
-> Amoonguss took 5% damage!
-> A critical hit!
-> It's super effective!
-> The foe's Amoonguss fainted!
-> Jellicent was buffeted by hail!
-> Metagross was buffeted by hail!
-> Ludicolo was buffeted by hail!
-> The opponent sent out Abomasnow!
4-3
The opponent's moves were... rather feeble. I guess when everything's asleep Amoonguss is not such a tough guy anymore. I figured Jelly's Water Spout would still be more powerful than Scald, even in hail, but maybe he doesn't even carry it. The foe may have foreseen things like Rotom-W's Thunder as too big a threat to Jellicent to have an HP-dependent attack on him. But then why was he so cautious about keeping Jellicent's HP high in the beginning? So many questions, so few answers...
At least there won't be any more sleep-casualties today. Ludicolo makes the first KO of the match with a totally unnecessary crit. In retrospect, if I had used Giga Drain on Jellicent instead of Ice Beam on Amoonguss, I could still have used Bullet Punch from Metagross to KO Amoonguss before it could do anything next turn. But I didn't really know that it would do THAT much; he must have been a SpD-heavy Amoonguss.
Well, Ludicolo can't do a whole whole lot anymore, and I need to clear the hail up and get a little glory back in my side. There's only one frog that can do that. In the meantime, I need to get rid of Abomasnow stat, and while I hate to hope for criticals (not the least reason for which being that they tend to make people ragequit), one of them would really help out here.
Turn 9
---------------
---------------
82%
100%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
29%
52%
-> Ludicolo was returned!
-> Go, Politoed!
-> It started to rain!
-> Metagross used Bullet Punch!
-> Abomasnow took 62% damage!
-> It's super effective!
-> Abomasnow used Blizzard!
-> Metagross took 27% damage!
-> Politoed took 21% damage!
-> It's not very effective on Metagross or Politoed...
-> Jellicent used Scald!
-> Metagross took 25% damage!
-> Metagross fainted!
-> Go, Ludicolo!
3-3
That worked pretty well. I got my rain in, a nice chunk off of Abomasnow, and a renewed Fake Out. Metagross soaked up some damage, then keeled over and cleared up some space. There are no more 100% accurate Blizzards to fear either, until he decides to bring in the last party member. Well, unless it's a ghost, I can at least Fake Out it. Politoed can't do crap to Jellicent so he'll have to break out the Ice Beam in case Abomasnow doesn't switch.
Turn 10
---------------
---------------
82%
38%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
61%
21%
-> The opponent returned Abomasnow!
-> Chandelure was sent out!
-> Ludicolo used Fake Out!
-> It doesn't affect Chandelure...
-> Jellicent used Blizzard!
-> Politoed took 9% damage!
-> Ludicolo took 13% damage!
-> It's not very effective on Politoed...
-> Politoed used Ice Beam!
-> Chandelure took 12% damage!
-> It's not very effective...
Back the fun bus the fuck up! Where did Chandelure come from? Out of the depths of hell, that's where. Another focus-fire plan fails, only perhaps breaking the Sash Chandelure's probably not wearing anyway because of the hail. I have a feeling he only took him into the field to 1) laugh in my face at the uselessness of Fake Out and 2) to renew his weather. Well, two can play at that game.
Turn 11
---------------
---------------
82%
88%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
52%
10%
-> The opponent returned Chandelure!
-> Abomasnow was sent out!
-> It started to hail!
-> Politoed was returned!
-> Go, Rotom!
-> Jellicent used Blizzard!
-> Rotom took 14% damage!
-> Ludicolo took 10% damage!
-> It's not very effective on Rotom...
-> Ludicolo fainted!
-> Jellicent was buffeted by hail!
-> Rotom was buffeted by hail!
-> The twisted dimensions returned to normal!
-> Go, Politoed!
-> It started to rain!
2-3
Rotom-W is still running strong. That's makes only one of us. The plan worked though, and and I got the weather back on my side, easy as that. Now Trick Room is gone and finally, finally I've got the advantage. He may try to renew his weather one last time but I see through him like a window cleaned with Febreeze and lumberjack spit (the manliest of all spit). He probably sees what I'm going to do too, and what Rotom has to do is fairly obvious.
Turn 12
---------------
---------------
75%
38%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
86%
52%
-> The opponent returned Abomasnow!
-> Chandelure was sent out!
-> Jellicent used Protect!
-> It protected itself!
-> Rotom used Thunder!
-> Jellicent protected itself!
-> Politoed used Hydro Pump!
-> The Water Gem boosted the attack!
-> Chandelure took 88% damage!
-> It's super effective!
-> Chandelure fainted!
-> Rotom restored some HP using leftovers!
-> Abomasnow was sent out!
-> It began to hail!
2-2
Oh Chandelure, we'd only just met... I knew that Hydro Pump, in the rain, with STAB, and a Water Gem, would hit Abomasnow harder than Ice Beam, and Chandelure, well, I won't say he died a pretty death. The weather war is officially over, with hail triumphing to my dismay, but being basically unable to Trick Room anymore he can't take advantage of Abomasnow as well as he could otherwise. Rotom is about to expire his usefulness, but either way I think the game is decided.
Turn 13
---------------
---------------
75%
38%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
92%
52%
-> Rotom used Thunder!
-> Jellicent took 75% damage!
-> It's super effective!
-> Jellicent fainted!
-> Politoed used Ice Beam!
-> Abomasnow took 29% damage!
-> Abomasnow used Energy Ball!
-> Rotom took 92% damage!
-> It's super effective!
-> Rotom fainted!
-> Politoed was buffeted by hail!
1-1
Holy crap Energy Ball hit Rotom hard... or maybe it's because I didn't give my poor little guy any HP EVs. Abomasnow couldn't hit both of us with anything useful, and unless Jellicent double-Protect'd, there wasn't much he could do. Now I have the speed advantage, so there's only one thing he can do.
Turn 14
---------------
---------------
9%
>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<
46%
-> Abomasnow used Protect!
-> It protected itself!
-> Politoed used Ice Beam!
-> Abomasnow protected itself!
-> Politoed was buffeted by hail!
O_o Is he seriously going to do it? It could work...
Turn 15
---------------
---------------
9%
>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<
40%
-> Politoed used Ice Beam!
-> Abomasnow took 9% damage!
-> Abomasnow fainted!
Nope. He backs downs and lets Abomasnow give up the ghost.
Props:
-My opponent, for not disconnecting on me.
-Jellicent, Abomasnow, and Amoonguss for doing Trick Room well.
-My sleeping pokemon, for waking up quickly.
Slops:
-Rotom, for failing to take a mere Energy Ball from 92 base Aboma without a LO or Choice Specs (Really, my fault here).
-Chandelure, for doing basically nothing.
Note: This is not a brand new warstory. I changed the title and planned to edit it a third warstory (hence the 'trinity'). It will be done in a few hours.
The Hailstone Trinity
I prepared a team in my spare weekends, the only time I am able to access Wifi right now, that focuses on rain sweepers. The very first battle I had with it was so memorable, that I decided to make a warstory out of it. Then, immediately after logging off and loading that one up, I had ANOTHER fine battle. Being as that I hadn't written one up in a while, I wanted to appease my creative outlet with a little something, but I couldn't decide on the one I prefered. Hence, you see before you two battles.
Key:
-> My team's movements and subsequent effects
-> Foe's team's movements and subsequent effects
-> Unattached side effects
-> Switches
Table of Contents:
Battle #1
Battle #2
Battle #3
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Battle One: Who will stop the rain?
72-38980-82908
-> Sirk sent out Metagross and Rotom!
-> Opponent sent out Jellicent and Amoonguss!
Doubles is largely a game of gambits. For those of you who became familiar with the VGC2011 metagame you will recognize this as almost an inherent truth, at least in that format and this one, Random Matchup, owing to the mere 4 pokemon each player is alotted. You could have Arceus and Kyogre in the back row, but if you have feeble leads or even just an undeveloped strategy for them, you're just setup fodder for a good opponent. While not less intricate or more lacking in strategy than Doubles, Singles is a relatively "narrow" battle format where attacks are only directed at a single opponent. There, facing a team full of 600 BSTs can actually be pretty difficult even to the better player, just because there's only so much he can do in any one turn. But in Doubles, you have a mountain of options, and can even circumvent incoming attacks with Protect. The opponent using a team full of ubers still has a little natural advantage over the player who isn't using ubers, but the discrepancy between them is much less than in Doubles. This was truer in Gen IV, when anyone who had Explosion could roll over a team full of Pokemon without Protect. It's still true in the form of environmental effects, which can be enjoyed by both members of a side while taking only one Pokemon to make the effect (Singles also has great potential for weather abuse, but while the weather still only takes one Pokemon to put it into effect, only one pokemon on your side can enjoy it at a time).
My team being a rain team, a completely revamped version of an old rain team called War Soap (out of which another warstory was written), I have things made to abuse the extra water-STAB, Thunder's accuracy, Pokemon's abilities, and reduced Fire-type attack power. But it isn't always best to start with your weather-setter in the vanguard, because your opponent can do it too, messing you up and putting your weather setup two turns behind (One turn if you have U-turn or Volt Switch). Weather also isn't very subtle, compared to Trick Room and arguably Tailwind, which have a plethora of Pokemon capable of using them. One of the Pokemon usable in and out of Trick Room is Jellicent, whom I am now facing down, so I'll have to treat this situation like it's both of them. Even if I knew what it was going to do, that doesn't narrow it down completely. Is it wearing a Scarf? Leftovers? Water Gem? Any of those could be on there so far (In fact, the only thing I know it isn't wearing is an Air Balloon). Seeing Amoonguss by Jelly's side means it probably is the Trick Room variant, but as my opponent is evidently a seasoned player with his Gold Card, he probably also knows that I've figured that out, and might not use Trick Room right away. If he doesn't, I've got the potential to do some damage with Thunder from Rotom-W, and if he's a scarfer and outruns Rotom-W, well, he can't do crap to it anyway. If he does, I might be looking at a Rage Powder in tandem with the TR. Well, I'm going to stick to my original strategy, since I can't switch in anything now that would be better to handle Jellicent:
Turn 1
---------------
---------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-> Metagross was returned!
-> Go, Politoed!
-> It started to rain!
-> Jellicent used Protect!
-> It protected itself!
-> Rotom used Thunder!
-> Jellicent protected itself!
-> Amoonguss used Spore!
-> Politoed fell asleep!
This is what I meant by "circumventing" in one of the above paragraphs. My opponent predicted the incoming Thunder, Protect'd, then Spore'd with Amoonguss. He knew that Metagross couldn't do anything and that a switch would be even better, a free turn while he Spore'd. Now I've got my weather in place and he doesn't have his effect on the field yet, but who is really at the advantage? Rotom-W's Thunder could take care of Jellicent... if Amoonguss wasn't there to Rage Powder it away. Politoed could KO Amoonguss with Ice Beam... if it actually had a respectable SpA. And even if it crit'd Amoonguss, Rotom's Thunder would already have been drawn to Amoonguss, since (as my foe likely knows) my Rotom is faster than my Politoed. Well, if he knows what he's doing, I may as well pretend to as well:
Turn 2
---------------
---------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-> Politoed was returned!
-> Go, Metagross!
-> Rotom used Protect!
-> It protected itself!
-> Amoonguss used Rage Powder!
-> It became the center of attention!
-> Jellicent used Trick Room!
-> The dimensions were twisted!
That was basically inevitable. I figured there was an off-chance he might Spore the non-sleeping Pokemon of the two, Rotom-W, so I Protect'd with Rotom and switch my sleeper into someone else, namely Metagross. Bad move. I should also say that I thought Amoonguss might Giga Drain Politoed, but I forgot that nobody gives a damn about the sleep clause on Wifi, and Spore being obviously the safer option, he's liable to use it again when he has sped up under Trick Room conditions. Amoonguss is the absolute Sandman under TR. If he decides he wants you to sleep, you'll sleep; if he wants your whole party to sleep, well, you're having a slumber party. There are ways to work around this, though, which I will attempt to use right now.
Turn 3
---------------
---------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-> Rotom was returned!
-> Go, Politoed!
-> Metagross used Protect!
-> It protected itself!
-> Amoonguss used Spore!
-> Politoed is already asleep!
-> Jellicent used Scald!
-> Metagross protected itself!
While I only used one Protect, switching in a pre-sleep'd Pokemon is like having an entirely shielded side when one foe is a Spore user and the other one is predictable. I'm even for the count right now, but I successfully burned one turn of Trick Room. Now, since I don't have any sleepers on the bench, and Metagross used Protect just now, I basically need to go on the offensive, however poorly I can do that under Trick Room. But my opponent wants to get an edge in with the switch-fest, and you'll see the reason I didn't start the battle with Politoed promptly:
Turn 4
---------------
---------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-> The opponent returned Jellicent!
-> Abomasnow was sent out!
-> It started to hail!
-> Politoed is fast asleep.
-> Amoonguss used Spore!
-> Metagross fell asleep!
-> Metagross is fast asleep.
-> Amoonguss was buffeted by hail!
-> Politoed was buffeted by hail!
-> Metagross was buffeted by hail!
Yep, the god damned Snowman is here to have a party with Sandman and pals. Hail is the bane of the ever-popular Focus Sash in Doubles, and Abomasnow's existence is part of the reason I don't carry one. Amoonguss Spore'd my anti-Snowman Pokemon to render the visible party fully-crippled. At least I spent Politoed's necessary Sleep turn, so there's a chance I'll have an awake attacker coming up. I have a hunch that neither Amoonguss nor Abomasnow is going to attack or Spore Metagross, seeing as that I'm not likely to switch him out with no backup sleeper to absorb a Spore. That gives me an idea.
Turn 5
---------------
---------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-> Metagross was returned!
-> Go, Rotom!
-> Politoed woke up!
-> Politoed used Protect!
-> It protected itself!
-> Amoonguss used Giga Drain!
-> Politoed protected itself!
-> Abomasnow used Energy Ball!
-> Politoed protected itself!
-> Amoonguss was buffeted by hail!
-> Metagross was buffeted by hail!
-> Rotom was buffeted by hail!
Success! The plants focused fire on Politoed and were neutralized by Protect, and I got a free swtich in and another free Trick Room turn. I took some hail damage but, hell, so did he.I still have one more turn of Trick Room to endure and Politoed isn't fast (read: slow) enough to outrun either of them. I have another hunch, too: Having experience with JP players who use TR and Tailwind, they tend to prepare pretty well for when it's about to run out. I think I know which batter's coming back to the plate.
If he indeed sends in Jellicent for Trick Room again, he's probably going to be afraid of Rotom-W's Thunder, so where's his Spore likely to fall? Well, not on Rotom anymore, because I'm sending in my current snoozer to absorb it.
Turn 6
---------------
---------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-> The opponent returned Abomasnow!
-> Jellicent was sent out!
-> Politoed was returned!
-> Go, Metagross!
-> Rotom was returned!
-> Go, Ludicolo!
-> Amoonguss used Spore!
-> Ludicolo fell asleep!
-> Amoonguss was buffeted by hail!
-> Metagross was buffeted by hail!
-> Ludicolo was buffeted by hail!
-> Jellicent was buffeted by hail!
-> The twisted dimensions returned to normal!
lolfailpredict. Now there's no question who's running the advantage. I've got two sleepers, one of whom is in his first sleep stage (so he's definitely not dreaming yet) (lolpsychology); he's got hail in place, and a healthy TRer ready to set it up again. Things are not looking too bright for the Soap. I can throw in some chicken bones, do a little rain dance, and consult the oracle to find out if Metagross will wake up this turn, but it won't do me much good unless Meteor Mash happens to crit on Amoonguss. The last Trick Room turns were a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing except a bunch of sleeping. I don't think he's going to go for that again.
Jellicent's move is pretty much sealed, but Amoonguss' is a three-way coin toss between Rage Powder, Giga Drain, and an unlikely cautionary Spore. I bet on the Rage Powder initially, but I realized that he knew I couldn't do anything to Jellicent (again). Ludicolo literally could not wake up this coming turn, and Metagross wouldn't KO with ThunderPunch even if he woke up, which he didn't, which doesn't matter because he didn't carry ThunderPunch anyway.
Turn 7
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---------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-> Metagross is fast asleep.
-> Ludicolo is fast asleep.
-> Amoonguss used Giga Drain!
-> Ludicolo took 25% damage!
-> Amoonguss restored some health!
-> Jellicent used Trick Room!
-> The dimensions were twisted!
-> Amoonguss was buffeted by hail!
-> Jellicent was buffeted by hail!
-> Metagross was buffeted by hail!
-> Ludicolo was buffeted by hail!
Another predictfail, which didn't matter because by fighters are in lala land, having inappropriate dreams about underage Metangs and female Ludicolos not wearing their fur. At least Jellicent did like it was supposed to, which means at least I'm getting a little better at mindreading (from halfway across the world, no less!). Now both of my boys *can* wake up, and the now-faster Amoonguss won't Spore either of them unless my opponent is dicking me around. Amoonguss won't Rage Powder for reasons scantily explained above: it would draw fire that it would have anyway.
I'm running an... unusual item on Metagross due to the restrictions of the item clause. It wouldn't have been necessary as you will momentarily see, but hell, maybe it confuses my opponent a little. Or maybe it is a normal item and I'm just an unusual person. Probably a little of both. Anyhow, I'm going to repeat my opponent earlier tactic, hopefully omitting the part where I Protect'd and rendered it useless.
Turn 8
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---------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-> Amoonguss used Giga Drain!
-> Ludicolo took 23% damage!
-> Amoonguss restored some health!
-> Jellicent used Scald!
-> Metagross took 25% damage!
-> Metagross woke up!
-> Metagross used Meteor Mash!
-> The Steel Gem boosted the attack!
-> Amoonguss took 87% damage!
-> Ludicolo woke up!
-> Ludicolo used Ice Beam!
-> Amoonguss took 5% damage!
-> A critical hit!
-> It's super effective!
-> The foe's Amoonguss fainted!
-> Jellicent was buffeted by hail!
-> Metagross was buffeted by hail!
-> Ludicolo was buffeted by hail!
-> The opponent sent out Abomasnow!
4-3
The opponent's moves were... rather feeble. I guess when everything's asleep Amoonguss is not such a tough guy anymore. I figured Jelly's Water Spout would still be more powerful than Scald, even in hail, but maybe he doesn't even carry it. The foe may have foreseen things like Rotom-W's Thunder as too big a threat to Jellicent to have an HP-dependent attack on him. But then why was he so cautious about keeping Jellicent's HP high in the beginning? So many questions, so few answers...
At least there won't be any more sleep-casualties today. Ludicolo makes the first KO of the match with a totally unnecessary crit. In retrospect, if I had used Giga Drain on Jellicent instead of Ice Beam on Amoonguss, I could still have used Bullet Punch from Metagross to KO Amoonguss before it could do anything next turn. But I didn't really know that it would do THAT much; he must have been a SpD-heavy Amoonguss.
Well, Ludicolo can't do a whole whole lot anymore, and I need to clear the hail up and get a little glory back in my side. There's only one frog that can do that. In the meantime, I need to get rid of Abomasnow stat, and while I hate to hope for criticals (not the least reason for which being that they tend to make people ragequit), one of them would really help out here.
Turn 9
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-> Ludicolo was returned!
-> Go, Politoed!
-> It started to rain!
-> Metagross used Bullet Punch!
-> Abomasnow took 62% damage!
-> It's super effective!
-> Abomasnow used Blizzard!
-> Metagross took 27% damage!
-> Politoed took 21% damage!
-> It's not very effective on Metagross or Politoed...
-> Jellicent used Scald!
-> Metagross took 25% damage!
-> Metagross fainted!
-> Go, Ludicolo!
3-3
That worked pretty well. I got my rain in, a nice chunk off of Abomasnow, and a renewed Fake Out. Metagross soaked up some damage, then keeled over and cleared up some space. There are no more 100% accurate Blizzards to fear either, until he decides to bring in the last party member. Well, unless it's a ghost, I can at least Fake Out it. Politoed can't do crap to Jellicent so he'll have to break out the Ice Beam in case Abomasnow doesn't switch.
Turn 10
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---------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-> The opponent returned Abomasnow!
-> Chandelure was sent out!
-> Ludicolo used Fake Out!
-> It doesn't affect Chandelure...
-> Jellicent used Blizzard!
-> Politoed took 9% damage!
-> Ludicolo took 13% damage!
-> It's not very effective on Politoed...
-> Politoed used Ice Beam!
-> Chandelure took 12% damage!
-> It's not very effective...
Back the fun bus the fuck up! Where did Chandelure come from? Out of the depths of hell, that's where. Another focus-fire plan fails, only perhaps breaking the Sash Chandelure's probably not wearing anyway because of the hail. I have a feeling he only took him into the field to 1) laugh in my face at the uselessness of Fake Out and 2) to renew his weather. Well, two can play at that game.
Turn 11
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---------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-> The opponent returned Chandelure!
-> Abomasnow was sent out!
-> It started to hail!
-> Politoed was returned!
-> Go, Rotom!
-> Jellicent used Blizzard!
-> Rotom took 14% damage!
-> Ludicolo took 10% damage!
-> It's not very effective on Rotom...
-> Ludicolo fainted!
-> Jellicent was buffeted by hail!
-> Rotom was buffeted by hail!
-> The twisted dimensions returned to normal!
-> Go, Politoed!
-> It started to rain!
2-3
Rotom-W is still running strong. That's makes only one of us. The plan worked though, and and I got the weather back on my side, easy as that. Now Trick Room is gone and finally, finally I've got the advantage. He may try to renew his weather one last time but I see through him like a window cleaned with Febreeze and lumberjack spit (the manliest of all spit). He probably sees what I'm going to do too, and what Rotom has to do is fairly obvious.
Turn 12
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---------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-> The opponent returned Abomasnow!
-> Chandelure was sent out!
-> Jellicent used Protect!
-> It protected itself!
-> Rotom used Thunder!
-> Jellicent protected itself!
-> Politoed used Hydro Pump!
-> The Water Gem boosted the attack!
-> Chandelure took 88% damage!
-> It's super effective!
-> Chandelure fainted!
-> Rotom restored some HP using leftovers!
-> Abomasnow was sent out!
-> It began to hail!
2-2
Oh Chandelure, we'd only just met... I knew that Hydro Pump, in the rain, with STAB, and a Water Gem, would hit Abomasnow harder than Ice Beam, and Chandelure, well, I won't say he died a pretty death. The weather war is officially over, with hail triumphing to my dismay, but being basically unable to Trick Room anymore he can't take advantage of Abomasnow as well as he could otherwise. Rotom is about to expire his usefulness, but either way I think the game is decided.
Turn 13
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---------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
-> Rotom used Thunder!
-> Jellicent took 75% damage!
-> It's super effective!
-> Jellicent fainted!
-> Politoed used Ice Beam!
-> Abomasnow took 29% damage!
-> Abomasnow used Energy Ball!
-> Rotom took 92% damage!
-> It's super effective!
-> Rotom fainted!
-> Politoed was buffeted by hail!
1-1
Holy crap Energy Ball hit Rotom hard... or maybe it's because I didn't give my poor little guy any HP EVs. Abomasnow couldn't hit both of us with anything useful, and unless Jellicent double-Protect'd, there wasn't much he could do. Now I have the speed advantage, so there's only one thing he can do.
Turn 14
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---------------
>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<
-> Abomasnow used Protect!
-> It protected itself!
-> Politoed used Ice Beam!
-> Abomasnow protected itself!
-> Politoed was buffeted by hail!
O_o Is he seriously going to do it? It could work...
Turn 15
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---------------
>>>>>>>>>>Vs<<<<<<<<<<
-> Politoed used Ice Beam!
-> Abomasnow took 9% damage!
-> Abomasnow fainted!
Nope. He backs downs and lets Abomasnow give up the ghost.
Props:
-My opponent, for not disconnecting on me.
-Jellicent, Abomasnow, and Amoonguss for doing Trick Room well.
-My sleeping pokemon, for waking up quickly.
Slops:
-Rotom, for failing to take a mere Energy Ball from 92 base Aboma without a LO or Choice Specs (Really, my fault here).
-Chandelure, for doing basically nothing.
