Ask a Question Thread - READ FIRST POST

[maximomrc]

Thank you honus!!

 

[Raravian]

Kinda hoping this subforum hasn't gone dead yet, because Smogonites are ignoring my question in favor of the XY metagame.

Could a team without stat boosters work if you don't have a Rapid Spinner to rid the field of hazards? I keep making teams without Rapid Spinner or stat boosters (the teams mainly consist of a revenge killer, hazard setter, and bulky but very offensively capable mons like bulky attacker Rotom-W, offensive Heatran, offensive Celebi, Life Orb Latias, Choice Band Scizor etc.), because I simply can't fit boosters or Rapid Spinners in unless I compromised on checking threats, which I do not want, given a single unchecked threat could potentially annihilate a team. Should I give up this responsive way of battling for a more initiating one? Putting my offense before my defense at the cost of checking a few threats? Could teams like the ones I've built so far work? Because without boosters or Rapid Spinner I thought stall would become a problem, even though I have checks to every stall mon in OU and I have VoltTurn. But would that even work without a Rapid Spinner? How to beat stall anyway?

By the way, I'm super insecure if you couldn't tell yet...
But I want to understand, and I want to know which direction I should be going with my battling style, and if this is even right.
Also, I want to leave BW2 OU behind with a feeling of accomplishment and closure, not like I have failed and it would be too late to even do something about it.
So please help?

 

[Sparkbeat]

Kinda hoping this subforum hasn't gone dead yet, because Smogonites are ignoring my question in favor of the XY metagame.

Could a team without stat boosters work if you don't have a Rapid Spinner to rid the field of hazards? I keep making teams without Rapid Spinner or stat boosters (the teams mainly consist of a revenge killer, hazard setter, and bulky but very offensively capable mons like bulky attacker Rotom-W, offensive Heatran, offensive Celebi, Life Orb Latias, Choice Band Scizor etc.), because I simply can't fit boosters or Rapid Spinners in unless I compromised on checking threats, which I do not want, given a single unchecked threat could potentially annihilate a team. Should I give up this responsive way of battling for a more initiating one? Putting my offense before my defense at the cost of checking a few threats? Could teams like the ones I've built so far work? Because without boosters or Rapid Spinner I thought stall would become a problem, even though I have checks to every stall mon in OU and I have VoltTurn. But would that even work without a Rapid Spinner? How to beat stall anyway?

By the way, I'm super insecure if you couldn't tell yet...
But I want to understand, and I want to know which direction I should be going with my battling style, and if this is even right.
Also, I want to leave BW2 OU behind with a feeling of accomplishment and closure, not like I have failed and it would be too late to even do something about it.
So please help?

I've found that against stall, you pretty much need at least one of two things: a set-up sweeper or Stealth Rocks + (Toxic) Spikes. These two things can greatly hamper a stall team by punishing them for switching, or just boosting enough to rip through usual checks. If your team lacks these, stall teams will be a problem because they can continually switch into their checks for each of your Pokemon without much worry. Yes, it is possible to make a team without a set-up sweeper, but it can be rough if you are faced with a well made stall team. As for Rapid Spin, unless you're using 2 or more Pokemon weak to Rocks, not having it isn't too much of a problem.

 

[Raravian]

I've found that against stall, you pretty much need at least one of two things: a set-up sweeper or Stealth Rocks + (Toxic) Spikes. These two things can greatly hamper a stall team by punishing them for switching, or just boosting enough to rip through usual checks. If your team lacks these, stall teams will be a problem because they can continually switch into their checks for each of your Pokemon without much worry. Yes, it is possible to make a team without a set-up sweeper, but it can be rough if you are faced with a well made stall team. As for Rapid Spin, unless you're using 2 or more Pokemon weak to Rocks, not having it isn't too much of a problem.

Ok, thanks. I do have Stealth Rock, and now I'm considering turning my Choice Band Scizor into a bulky Swords Dance (252 HP / 40 Atk / 216 SpD - Leftovers + Roost). Would it still be able to help against stall that way or would it be better to give it another more offensive EV-spread and item?

Aaargh millionth edit, I can't choose between the bulky SD and offensive SD set.

Bulky SD:
- Can actually counter Choice Specs Latios
- Better against Alakazam, Gengar, Latios and Latias
- Many set-up opportunities
- Small amount of power
- Trouble with walls

Offensive SD (200 HP / 252 Atk / 56 Spe):
- Breaks through (some) walls
- Better against Reuniclus (at least, if it has Bug Bite)
- Can still check the fast Ghost- and Psychic-types but takes a lot of damage while doing so
- Can only revenge kill Choice Specs Latios, because it's 2HKO'd by Draco Meteor despite the Special Attack drop, Stealth Rock not even factored in yet, meaning it can't switch in and live the second one
- Can fake choice item with Iron Plate/Muscle Band (probably Muscle Band, so it still gets the OHKO on Reuniclus with Bug Bite).

Both have a small amount of lure support on my team (fast Toxic Heatran), and Skarmory can be overcome by Rotom-W and said Heatran. There are no other set-up sweepers on my team that could weaken the walls though, unless I find a way to fit in Gravity Landorus-T at the cost of weather (Hippowdon), but this would make me weak to Terrakion. I could swap out my Amoonguss for a Ferrothorn to better handle Specs Latios, but this would make me weaker to Low Sweep Breloom and Icy Wind Keldeo, because they could KO everything on my team except Latias (but Expert Belt Keldeo could beat it if I switch Latias in on the Icy Wind, same for Breloom if Bullet Seed hits 4 times or more), though Scizor can deal some damage before going down.

So that means:

Offensive Scizor + Amoonguss = only able to revenge kill Specs Latios
Offensive Scizor + Ferrothorn = only able to revenge kill Expert Belt Keldeo / Low Sweep Breloom
Bulky Scizor + Amoonguss = being able to counter everything, but perhaps having difficulty with stall/walls?

What should I choose?

OTL and here I was thinking I could make a decent team, dream = shattered.

 

[PolkaMan]

Okay, so my question has to do with EV training. A Pokemon that I really like has all the EVs that I've wanted to give it. Now that it has maxed out EVs in its desired stats, can I train it on any wild Pokemon or trainers I want? By the way, these Pokemon are in a 4th generation game.

 

[theraggedyman]

Quick question: If you give a Power item to a Pokemon with Contrary, would it boost the Pokemon's speed instead of dropping it?

 

[Psynergy]

Okay, so my question has to do with EV training. A Pokemon that I really like has all the EVs that I've wanted to give it. Now that it has maxed out EVs in its desired stats, can I train it on any wild Pokemon or trainers I want? By the way, these Pokemon are in a 4th generation game.

If its EV training is complete, it doesn't matter anymore what Pokemon you fight, trainer or otherwise. Only real difference between 4th Gen and later is that EV's are applied upon level up rather than instantly, so if you're concerned, level it up once first, then you'll be absolutely fine.

Quick question: If you give a Power item to a Pokemon with Contrary, would it boost the Pokemon's speed instead of dropping it?

Contrary works off of stat changes from attacks, so unless I'm mistaken, a Power item will still halve its speed.

 

[lecheroflakes333]

Im having some trouble understanding some of the new breeding mechanics and I was wondering: How does Azumarill learn both belly drum and aqua jet, if it can?

 

[ahad0001]

Will this jazz band lock down all of the opponent's moves? If thus, can this work on any pokemon switches as well? i am assumptive it does not work as a result of i have never detected of anyone doing it however.

 

[dragontamer44722]

Never mind, figured it out