After playing hundreds of battles with this team. I have experienced countless insults, endless harassment, and even death threats. My main purpose for writing this RMT amendment is simply to express my disappointment in this community as a whole. I merely wished to enjoy a game that I grew up with from childhood.
Not only has the Pokemon Showdown community left a bad taste in my mouth, but it has completely ruined any chance of me ever playing a Pokemon game again. The verbal attacks I have received expand well beyond the in game sims, but also into post game PM's and even personal messages on Smogon forums. People have literally gone out of their way and spent their free time to put me down. I honestly can't understand how so much hatred has spawned out of a simple video game.
It seems that people on Smogon/Showdown have forgotten how to think for themselves, and have now taken any Pokemon set posted on Smogon as the only possible option. Any new innovative set or EV spread is immediately shunned and ostracized.
Even after defeating well known players who are mods and voiced, I am told that I am a bad player. I never claim to be the best, but it makes zero sense how I could be accused of being a bad player after winning a battle against seasoned veterans. If I can win with a 'bad team' wouldn't that make me a really good player?
To illustrate my point, I will refer to the Charizard-Y set I have posted below. The obvious difference between my set vs what Smogon has posted is Dragon Pulse over Roost. Roost is used to help elevate the 50% Stealth Rock damage from Charizard's Fire, Flying typing and is a good set, but with only three attack moves (Fire Blast, Solarbeam and Focus Blast) Mega-Zard-Y becomes completely walled by Latios, Latias, Mega-Altaria and Garchomp. It is completely illogical to me to say that these Pokemon are guaranteed switch-ins on Zard-Y when Charizard has access to a Special Dragon type attack, Dragon Pulse. I did not post this team without testing it out. I know it works, but the reason it works is because I studied the Sparkybott data.
I understand that Smogon runs thousand of battles and has the data to support which sets are the most viable. I also understand that a perfect team would have an answer to every possible scenario. What people on this site have seemed to overlooked is that in order to ladder and win often, you don't have to have an answer for every possible scenario! We literally have access to all of the data. Most notably, which leads are being used most frequently, what EV spreads, items, moves, and even which Pokemon are being used to counter each other. If this were a GBA league than scouting your opponents sets would be necessary, but this isn't the GBA, this is Pokemon Showdown. I literally know what percent change my opponent will be running Scarfchomp vs Tankchomp before I even begin the game.
As of today Garchomp is being used by players with an ELO of 1800+, 22% of all battles. The item being used by Garchomp 64% of the time is Rocky Helmet, and Stealth Rock is a move that is brought 82% of every game. With this data in mind, If Charizard-Y were faced against Garchomp in a battle and I have not yet been able to determine the item nor the moves Garchomp is running, I can still be very confident that clicking Dragon Pulse over switching out will play to my advantage. Sure, occasionally I will be wrong, my opponent will have ScarfChomp with Outrage which will 100% OHKO. But why would I switch out and forgo a 64% chance that it will be a TankChomp? Even if it is jolly with 252 EV's in speed, I nearly have an 80% chance that it will click SR before attacking me. There is not scenario that Garchomp lives a Flamethrower in the sun followed by a Dragon Pulse from Zard-Y. It is really quite simple when you think about it, it becomes basic probability.
This principle of using statistics to your advantage can be applied to all tiers and Pokemon on Showdown. I honestly don't care that this team has a hard time against Goodra or even Charizard-X, because I know that Goodra is only used 2.3% of the time, and Zard-X is used 7.8% of the time. Why would I prepare for the 2% when I could be better against the 22%? If I were to forfeit turn 1 of every game that I saw Goodra on my opponents team I would still have the other 98%, the 98% which I am more likely to win against. Because players on Showdown discourage any sets outside of what is most viable, they become very very predictable. The greatest strength suddenly becomes the greatest weakness.
Using statistics is only one of the reasons that this team breaks the meta, the other is because players no longer expect any set outside of what is posted on Smogon. The example I will use for this is with my Mamoswine set. Over and over again players assume that Tornadus-T will outspeed Mamo. They click Superpower or U-turn with the intention to kill or damage Mamo, but instead Mamo OHKO's Tornadus-T.
This same scenario where the opponent is expecting to outspeed happens with the following list:
HJKing Mega-Lopunny, Hydro pumping Starmie, Low kicking Weavile, Focus Blasting Thundurus, Focus Blasting Gengar, Moon Blasting Mega-Diance, Adamant +1 Att +1 Spe Mega-Gyarados, Adamant +1 Att + 1 Spe Mega-Altaria, Mega-Manectric, Mega-Latios/Latias, +1 Spe T-tar, Mega-Garchomp, Adamant +1 Att + 1 Spe Mega-Zard-X, weakened Mega-Pinsir, and weakened Mega-Metagross w/o bullet punch.
This is a massive list of Pokemon that Mamoswine can OHKO! I understand that it is an untraditional scarfer, I also am aware that it cannot outspeed any Pokemon with base speed 426, but I know which few pokemon those are and I have ways to kill them. It doesn't matter that this team can be swept by a boosted Pinsir, Mega-Diance and Zard-X, but I don't need to have a defensive answer to all scenarios, I only need to kill all of the Pokemon in the meta before they can kill me, which this team can.
Continuing on with this concept of surprising the opponent with unusual sets, brings me to the Clefable and Latias set I have listed below. First and for most, the opponent doesn't know what set I have at the beginning of the match. It would be easy for my opponent to capitalize on the fact that 3/6 of my teams Pokemon are locked into a move, if prior to the battle they knew my items, but they don't. Players are too confident that I am will be running standard sets and that allows me to win games.
Another point I wanted to make is the concept of differential and how it doesn't matter at all. A 1-0 victory 100% of the time is better than 6-0ing 50% of the time. Obviously, it is not that cut and dry but the principle still applies. Sacrificing 1 Pokemon and giving up the 6-0 win for a strategic in game advantage is always worth it to me. The fact of the matter is whatever is measured improves, measuring your differential is measuring the wrong thing. You want to focus on the number of wins vs loses. You will never gain points to boost Glicko or ELO if you are losing.
The last point that I felt needed to be addressed is the concept of ELO. The majority of this message revolves around how to improve the statistic, but in the end who cares!? If someone wants to have fun over laddering why are they being attacked? The entire point of the game is to have fun. To me its seems people are willing to forgo having fun to simply boost a number on a video game. If you are no longer having fun, why are you doing it? I mean 150 turn stall games, really people? To what level are you willing to go to get a higher ELO? Stop hating people for being innovative or better stop hating people who are simply trying to have fun.
Try using an NU team vs OU and see how far you can go. Try an only choice scarfed team just for the fun of it.
Because ELO seems to be such a high priority for this community here is my peak. #16 on the ladder. Again, if this team is so bad, why am I better than 79.3% of you?
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-314050501 drunk flygon
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-314302926 I do ok
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-317017540 mob barley
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-317088742 Valldar
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-317853648 costa
Not only has the Pokemon Showdown community left a bad taste in my mouth, but it has completely ruined any chance of me ever playing a Pokemon game again. The verbal attacks I have received expand well beyond the in game sims, but also into post game PM's and even personal messages on Smogon forums. People have literally gone out of their way and spent their free time to put me down. I honestly can't understand how so much hatred has spawned out of a simple video game.
It seems that people on Smogon/Showdown have forgotten how to think for themselves, and have now taken any Pokemon set posted on Smogon as the only possible option. Any new innovative set or EV spread is immediately shunned and ostracized.
Even after defeating well known players who are mods and voiced, I am told that I am a bad player. I never claim to be the best, but it makes zero sense how I could be accused of being a bad player after winning a battle against seasoned veterans. If I can win with a 'bad team' wouldn't that make me a really good player?
To illustrate my point, I will refer to the Charizard-Y set I have posted below. The obvious difference between my set vs what Smogon has posted is Dragon Pulse over Roost. Roost is used to help elevate the 50% Stealth Rock damage from Charizard's Fire, Flying typing and is a good set, but with only three attack moves (Fire Blast, Solarbeam and Focus Blast) Mega-Zard-Y becomes completely walled by Latios, Latias, Mega-Altaria and Garchomp. It is completely illogical to me to say that these Pokemon are guaranteed switch-ins on Zard-Y when Charizard has access to a Special Dragon type attack, Dragon Pulse. I did not post this team without testing it out. I know it works, but the reason it works is because I studied the Sparkybott data.
I understand that Smogon runs thousand of battles and has the data to support which sets are the most viable. I also understand that a perfect team would have an answer to every possible scenario. What people on this site have seemed to overlooked is that in order to ladder and win often, you don't have to have an answer for every possible scenario! We literally have access to all of the data. Most notably, which leads are being used most frequently, what EV spreads, items, moves, and even which Pokemon are being used to counter each other. If this were a GBA league than scouting your opponents sets would be necessary, but this isn't the GBA, this is Pokemon Showdown. I literally know what percent change my opponent will be running Scarfchomp vs Tankchomp before I even begin the game.
As of today Garchomp is being used by players with an ELO of 1800+, 22% of all battles. The item being used by Garchomp 64% of the time is Rocky Helmet, and Stealth Rock is a move that is brought 82% of every game. With this data in mind, If Charizard-Y were faced against Garchomp in a battle and I have not yet been able to determine the item nor the moves Garchomp is running, I can still be very confident that clicking Dragon Pulse over switching out will play to my advantage. Sure, occasionally I will be wrong, my opponent will have ScarfChomp with Outrage which will 100% OHKO. But why would I switch out and forgo a 64% chance that it will be a TankChomp? Even if it is jolly with 252 EV's in speed, I nearly have an 80% chance that it will click SR before attacking me. There is not scenario that Garchomp lives a Flamethrower in the sun followed by a Dragon Pulse from Zard-Y. It is really quite simple when you think about it, it becomes basic probability.
This principle of using statistics to your advantage can be applied to all tiers and Pokemon on Showdown. I honestly don't care that this team has a hard time against Goodra or even Charizard-X, because I know that Goodra is only used 2.3% of the time, and Zard-X is used 7.8% of the time. Why would I prepare for the 2% when I could be better against the 22%? If I were to forfeit turn 1 of every game that I saw Goodra on my opponents team I would still have the other 98%, the 98% which I am more likely to win against. Because players on Showdown discourage any sets outside of what is most viable, they become very very predictable. The greatest strength suddenly becomes the greatest weakness.
Using statistics is only one of the reasons that this team breaks the meta, the other is because players no longer expect any set outside of what is posted on Smogon. The example I will use for this is with my Mamoswine set. Over and over again players assume that Tornadus-T will outspeed Mamo. They click Superpower or U-turn with the intention to kill or damage Mamo, but instead Mamo OHKO's Tornadus-T.
This same scenario where the opponent is expecting to outspeed happens with the following list:
HJKing Mega-Lopunny, Hydro pumping Starmie, Low kicking Weavile, Focus Blasting Thundurus, Focus Blasting Gengar, Moon Blasting Mega-Diance, Adamant +1 Att +1 Spe Mega-Gyarados, Adamant +1 Att + 1 Spe Mega-Altaria, Mega-Manectric, Mega-Latios/Latias, +1 Spe T-tar, Mega-Garchomp, Adamant +1 Att + 1 Spe Mega-Zard-X, weakened Mega-Pinsir, and weakened Mega-Metagross w/o bullet punch.
This is a massive list of Pokemon that Mamoswine can OHKO! I understand that it is an untraditional scarfer, I also am aware that it cannot outspeed any Pokemon with base speed 426, but I know which few pokemon those are and I have ways to kill them. It doesn't matter that this team can be swept by a boosted Pinsir, Mega-Diance and Zard-X, but I don't need to have a defensive answer to all scenarios, I only need to kill all of the Pokemon in the meta before they can kill me, which this team can.
Continuing on with this concept of surprising the opponent with unusual sets, brings me to the Clefable and Latias set I have listed below. First and for most, the opponent doesn't know what set I have at the beginning of the match. It would be easy for my opponent to capitalize on the fact that 3/6 of my teams Pokemon are locked into a move, if prior to the battle they knew my items, but they don't. Players are too confident that I am will be running standard sets and that allows me to win games.
Another point I wanted to make is the concept of differential and how it doesn't matter at all. A 1-0 victory 100% of the time is better than 6-0ing 50% of the time. Obviously, it is not that cut and dry but the principle still applies. Sacrificing 1 Pokemon and giving up the 6-0 win for a strategic in game advantage is always worth it to me. The fact of the matter is whatever is measured improves, measuring your differential is measuring the wrong thing. You want to focus on the number of wins vs loses. You will never gain points to boost Glicko or ELO if you are losing.
The last point that I felt needed to be addressed is the concept of ELO. The majority of this message revolves around how to improve the statistic, but in the end who cares!? If someone wants to have fun over laddering why are they being attacked? The entire point of the game is to have fun. To me its seems people are willing to forgo having fun to simply boost a number on a video game. If you are no longer having fun, why are you doing it? I mean 150 turn stall games, really people? To what level are you willing to go to get a higher ELO? Stop hating people for being innovative or better stop hating people who are simply trying to have fun.
Try using an NU team vs OU and see how far you can go. Try an only choice scarfed team just for the fun of it.
Because ELO seems to be such a high priority for this community here is my peak. #16 on the ladder. Again, if this team is so bad, why am I better than 79.3% of you?
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-314050501 drunk flygon
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-314302926 I do ok
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-317017540 mob barley
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-317088742 Valldar
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-317853648 costa
Weather Warning! DROUGHT in November!
Possibly my favorite team I have ever made. It is a blast to play with. My ELO is currently 1650 and rising. The goal of this team is to put a dent in the opponents team ASAP and destroy morale, play this team offensively. Don't think about endless switches, the point is to kill all 6 of your opponents Pokemon, not create a team that can survive all possible scenarios. Who wants 50 turn battles anyway, when you can end it in 20?
Check it out for yourself!
Possibly my favorite team I have ever made. It is a blast to play with. My ELO is currently 1650 and rising. The goal of this team is to put a dent in the opponents team ASAP and destroy morale, play this team offensively. Don't think about endless switches, the point is to kill all 6 of your opponents Pokemon, not create a team that can survive all possible scenarios. Who wants 50 turn battles anyway, when you can end it in 20?
Check it out for yourself!
Sozin's Comet (Charizard-Mega-Y) @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Solar Beam
- Focus Blast
- Dragon Pulse
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Focus Blast vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Tyranitar in Sand: 404-476 (100.2 - 118.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Focus Blast vs. 248 HP / 192+ SpD Heatran: 222-262 (57.6 - 68%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Dragon Pulse vs. 212 HP / 0 SpD Soul Dew Latias: 116-138 (32.7 - 38.9%) -- 99.7% chance to 3HKO
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Focus Blast vs. 248 HP / 192+ SpD Heatran: 222-262 (57.6 - 68%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Dragon Pulse vs. 212 HP / 0 SpD Soul Dew Latias: 116-138 (32.7 - 38.9%) -- 99.7% chance to 3HKO
Manny (Mamoswine) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Superpower
- Icicle Crash
- Knock Off
Fleur Delacour (Clefable) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Stealth Rock
- Flamethrower
- Moonblast
Dry eyes (Heatran) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Earth Power
- Lava Plume/Overheat
- Ancient Power
- Flash Cannon
Sunny (Latias) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 246 Def / 16 SpD
Calm Nature
- Defog
- Healing Wish
- Psyshock
- Trick
0 SpA Soul Dew Latias Draco Meteor vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Mega Lopunny: 235-277 (86.7 - 102.2%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO
or
0 SpA Soul Dew Latias Psyshock vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Lopunny: 294-348 (108.4 - 128.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
or
0 SpA Soul Dew Latias Psyshock vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Lopunny: 294-348 (108.4 - 128.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Snake in my boot (Serperior) @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
Sunny (Latias) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 136 Def / 120 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Healing Wish
- Psyshock
- Trick
Sozin's Comet (Charizard-Mega-Y) @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Solar Beam
- Focus Blast
- Dragon Pulse
Manny (Mamoswine) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Superpower
- Icicle Crash
- Knock Off
Dry Eyes (Heatran) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Earth Power
- Lava Plume
- Ancient Power
- Flash Cannon
Majin Buu (Clefable) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Stealth Rock
- Flamethrower
- Moonblast
Slytherin! (Serperior) @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 136 Def / 120 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Healing Wish
- Psyshock
- Trick
Sozin's Comet (Charizard-Mega-Y) @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Solar Beam
- Focus Blast
- Dragon Pulse
Manny (Mamoswine) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Superpower
- Icicle Crash
- Knock Off
Dry Eyes (Heatran) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Earth Power
- Lava Plume
- Ancient Power
- Flash Cannon
Majin Buu (Clefable) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Stealth Rock
- Flamethrower
- Moonblast
Slytherin! (Serperior) @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
Last edited:
