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View Poll Results: Do you play Pokemon competitively?
Yes 26 65.00%
No 6 15.00%
I want to 8 20.00%
Voters: 40. You may not vote on this poll

 
 
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  #1  
Old August 28, 2011, 04:59:41 PM
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DashArmy DashArmy is offline
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Post Playing Pokemon Competitively?

As we all know, Pokemon has gained quite the competitive edge in the multiplayer aspect, now that we can control every aspect of a single Pokemon to the degree that it is engineered for battle. Along with this makes it tougher for the people who battle with the Pokemon they used throughout the entire game instead of manipulating time to get the stat's you want on a Pokemon. That being said, if you don't know what you're doing and try getting a one-on-one battle, chances are you're going to come across a trainer or two that knows quite a thing or two about battling. For them, Pokemon is serious business.

The online battleground can be a living nightmare for those of the inexperienced, and nothing more then a playground for the rest. This will often result in frustration and confusion for the player, for even if both opponent's Pokemon have the exact same moves and level, it will still not be a level playing field- that's where effort values and many of otherwise fan-dubbed terms come to fruition. I want to get into it myself, but my past attempts have been so discouraging; I made a team for the VGC 2011, but I never got to go. I don't want to fail myself again. Pokemon is the only thing I have swore to myself I could be good at. To put it simply, I want to be the very best. Like no one ever was.

But how do I get there?

Discuss your experiences here. I ask that you not boast, however.
  #2  
Old August 28, 2011, 09:14:11 PM
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I rember when got diamond when the whole 4th gen. started, i battled using pokemon from my gba games and of course at this time i was to lazy to read the ev traing guides, but i lost that battle and i swore i would get better. Nowdays im very good at it.

Last edited by kakashidragon; August 28, 2011 at 09:14:50 PM.
  #3  
Old August 28, 2011, 10:03:53 PM
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I would like to be good at Pokemon, but I just don't have the experience simply put. Usually I can't stand how much time and repetition it takes to level up your team.
Normally I level up Pokemon the regular way.
  #4  
Old August 29, 2011, 04:18:11 AM
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When I played FireRed, Ruby and Emerald years ago, I never knew about competitive battling nor cared. Even when I bought Diamond, my team was so basic and the only thing I worked on was covering weaknesses. But once I joined a Pokémon forum in 2008 and found myself unable to defeat most of the members, I started reading Serebii and Smogon, learning the aspects of competitive battling. In a month time, I had a team that destroyed those who used to defeat me badly.
  #5  
Old August 29, 2011, 05:29:01 AM
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It was only until I got Platinum that I discovered competitive battling. Although there's a theoretical side to it which you must know (EVs, natures, etc), most of it is really just experience and practise. I remember that upon starting to explore competitive battling and trying to understand how it works, I told myself: "This is far too complicated for me and I'm never going to get it." Slowly, after checking out articles on popular sites such as Smogon and Serebii, I began to appreciate competitive battling more. Eventually, after many successes and failures, I was able to become a good competitive battler.

My word for you is: don't lose hope because competitive battling is really not that difficult. Once you know the basics, you only need to practise making balanced teams and have as many battles as you can. I'm sure many competitive battlers over here, myself included, are willing to help you learn how to do it.
  #6  
Old August 29, 2011, 07:50:47 AM
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I didn't care about competitive battle until DPP. Up until then, I couldn't battle anybody. I got Wi-Fi with DPP. I attempted to battle competitively. Every member of my team was either a physical or special attacker, because I never understood the uses of the other types. Afterwards, I just gave up. It was too much work for me to do.

Going off the subject of Pokemon to Sonic, but still related. With the Chao gardens in Sonic Adventure (1 and 2), there are a few emblems to be earned there. But some of them, especially the races, require so much meticulous planning and work to raise up your Chao (same as Pokemon).

I feel, in both games, that's just too much work for something with very little rewards.
  #7  
Old August 29, 2011, 08:04:10 AM
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Much like what appears to be everyone in this thread, my competitive battling days didn't start until later into my Diamond experience. I first went through the game with a team that consisted of anything that gave me a wide variety of types, much like my days in Red/Blue. As time passed, though, I would often search Pokemon up on Google for certain information, and Smogon was one of the sites that often came up along with the Pokemon's competitive analysis.

I read more and more and these and eventually got more curious about what it all meant, and downloaded Shoddy Battle, the premier battle simulator at the time. (you whippersnappers and your Pokemon (DISALLOWED))

Using the OU guide for reference, I handpicked a few Pokemon and made my first team. I was destroyed all of my first battles. I don't exactly recall why, but I quickly made the switch to UU, perhaps because most of my favorite Pokemon were in the tier at the time. Anyway, I would make several teams just to get a feel for the Pokemon, and eventually discovered useful strategies and, more importantly, ways to predict foes.

Such a tactic is one that you eventually glean from battling a lot, as you eventually learn of certain things to expect if foes make a certain move. For example, going back to UU, if a foe brought in a Spiritomb on my very bulky Clefable, I eventually could deduce that it ran a set that utilized Choice Band and Trick as a way of hampering the use of my poor Clefable. From there I could switch to my Dugtrio, also wielding a Choice Band, and waste Spiritomb's turn. Arena Trap locked in Spiritomb, and I was free to take it down quickly with Earthquake. It is little things like that one eventually learns how to deal with.

Keep in mind that NO ONE is good when they first start. The amount of teams and battles I created and lost is pretty high, and it took me ages to create a UU team that was actually able to place 1st on the ranked ladder in Pokemon (DISALLOWED) (albeit rather briefly.)

Still, it is important to remember that things will always be tough at first, especially when you start a new tier or metagame. I myself am still working my way around the new Gen. 5 metagame, but having played last generation certainly helps. The trick is to just keep on battling, and eventually create teams and tactics that are reliable.

Competitive battling really is quite a bit of fun once you can get into it, but certainly is not for everyone. It gives a rather new way of playing the games that many of us have played for many years!

Last edited by Alakazamaster; August 29, 2011 at 08:05:26 AM.
  #8  
Old August 29, 2011, 08:36:45 AM
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I've started competitve battling ever since Diamond and Pear were released, I learned how to EV train with the right Natures, but I didnt get more in depth with competitive battling (like IVs and Hidden Power) until Black and White were released. I've loved competitve battling since then because of how much strategy is involved. Making predictions and choosing the right pokemon for your team is the most important. A lot of people battle differently; I use my favorite pokemon to battle instead of teams that are made by specific tiers or by weather effects. Competitve battling is actually not that hard once you learn the basics of it and its fun, so Im glad that I battle competitively.
  #9  
Old August 29, 2011, 11:07:29 AM
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Im starting to use the 4th. gen stuff this gen. it helps. Also ive been working on the 3rd gen stuff for this in case i ever ran into someone with a GBA system and a GBA pokemon game.
  #10  
Old August 29, 2011, 04:51:33 PM
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I started to battle competitively when I got Heartgold in late 2010. I didn't know much about EVs/IVs/Natures, but I learned over time. I think I caught on pretty quickly. Although to this day I still have problems remembering what some natures do, which I have to search up. But I can remember ones like timid, jolly, adamant, modest, bold, etc.

When I first started, I was getting beat a lot. Mostly 6-0'd or 5-0'd. I was EV training, but I was making a huge mistake...I wasn't using items and I wasn't building a balanced team. Can you imagine someone using Blissey without lefties? Yeah, that was me once. xD I also wasn't aware of how a team is supposed to be built (such as having a wall, having a good lead, having sweepers, etc). But one of my friends taught me about proper team roles, so that no longer plagues me.

I've also had one large disadvantage, and that is the fact that I got into 4th gen late. Like, REALLY late. By the time I was getting comfortable in 4th gen wifi, 5th gen came around and completely changed the metagame. Luckily, I got the hang of 5th gen much quicker then I did 4th gen.

As of right now, I don't battle nearly as much as I used to. It's partially because of boredom, partially because I'm too lazy to create new teams. But I have been rather successful with the current 5th gen teams I do have, which is cool I guess. One other random thing I want to mention is that I've never been one to use typical pokemon in each respective tier. I like to be creative and use pokemon/sets that others probably have not used before (ex: offensive ferrothorn and offensive whimsicott, not saying that I'm the only one who has ever thought of that though).
  #11  
Old August 29, 2011, 05:04:23 PM
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I read some articles about competitive battling and I wanted to do it, but I don't have the time to build a team and get started.
  #12  
Old September 19, 2011, 12:31:58 AM
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I started Using RNG abuse around Diamond/Pearl. I've never went back. though my friends say I have 'beast' teams I prefer only to use a single Mono-Type.

I have not done anything for B/W as I've been lazy to look it up, but If I ever did I'd be a challenge, unless you use a type that obviously is my weakness.
  #13  
Old September 19, 2011, 11:22:41 AM
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When I got Platinum, and beat the game, I went onto battling Wi-Fi. And it was ruthless.

I sometimes got 1 Pokemon down, before a Garchomp/Infernape swept me to death, due to irregular EV training (because I didn't know Pokemon had a comptitive side.)

I started lurking Serebii Forums, learning slowly, and when I got the basics down, I started going onto PO. Then I got beat up because I was using UU teams. So I taught all the little details myself (curtosey of Bulbapedia, of course.), and tried again. They usually ended in me winning 1-0 (although I got 5-0 once), so I learned about the metagame. Before I knew it, I was sweeping people, walling, etc., and winning 3-0 constantly.

And did I feel alive.
  #14  
Old September 25, 2011, 02:32:11 PM
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I don't, and maybe never will, battle competitavely. I focus on leveling up in the game and finishing the national dex, plus I don't even know what EV training is, and my team wouldn't be the best for competitive battling.
  #15  
Old September 25, 2011, 10:30:25 PM
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Same as everyone here, I started in Diamond and Pearl (it's amazing what online did for Pokemon) with my competitive teams. Still chose my favorites but man did they start to show results compared to when I didn't EV train.

Back in Gen. 3 when I had no knowledge of EV's or things of that matter, I use to wonder why Pokemon like Mewtwo were no longer the toughest. At that point, all I did was level him up to 100 (along with Dragonite and other known "strong" Pokemon) and try to kill things as I did in Gen. 1. I put him in Colosseum and quickly found that Mewtwo can get killed very quickly despite his legendary status.

I pondered over why this was so and it wasn't until Diamond and Pearl that I started to really do some research (thanks to friends that I hung out with and battled when I could) on how Pokemon had changed from generation 2 to 3 and then 4.

I then realized that getting to level 100 meant absolutely nothing in today's games. It was how you got there that determined your real power.

To tell you the truth, I use to believe EV's and IV's were either not that important or imaginary (as in they didn't really exist). It wasn't until I EV's trained and check my new Mewtwo's IV's that I regained the true power of that Psychic Poke and believed in the methodical process.

I don't know if I necessarily support EV's, IV's, natures, and things of that sort (I'm old school and kind of miss the old ways of Pokemon), but it certainly does add value to the games in that you play longer to play better.

That's all I have to say on this.
  #16  
Old September 26, 2011, 03:57:48 AM
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I have a pretty awesome team, I just need more time to actually play it, but yes I do sometimes competitively battle.
  #17  
Old October 1, 2011, 02:30:18 AM
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How'd I get better?
I got my ass kicked by Kaz a bunch, thats how. xD NOW THAT MAN WAS A TRUE RIVAL! We'd constantly compete and come up with different statedgys to the point where we knew how each other thought inside and out. That definitely drove me to learning new things about the metagame in order to keep up with him. =p

I didn't know you played competitively Ashy. =p

I'll tell ya what I know~ =w=

1) Don't be afraid to take risk: In the competitive scene everyones team has amaaaazing team synergy! They'll constantly be making safe switches to a pokemon that can counter yours. To stop this you gotta be brave, read who they'll send in and counter there counter! One turn can make all the difference in this game.

2) ANALYZE ANALYZE ANALYZE: I can't stress this enough! Read your opponent like a childrens book! Everybody has tendencys and habits when they play whether it be over-predicting, or under-predicting. Analyze them constantly during the match and learn there tendencys.

3) Develop team synergy: In this game you really are using a team. =p Make your pokemon cover for the others weaknesses and vice versa. You're only as strong as your weakest link.

4) Make unpredictable but productive moveset: Hurr ok well this one isn't a must, but its what I did alooot and man it helped! I constantly gave my pokemon weird, but good movesets. Everyone expects you too have a standard edition smogon moveset. It throws the opponent off majoooorly just by rearranging the EVs or altering a moveset so your pokemon fills a role that it usually wouldn't. It also earns you lotsa respect points. :3 Just make sure your pokemon can fill whatever role your thinking of. Your defensive zoroark won't be walling a lucario anytime soon. =p

5) Don't take advice from Sunny: He hasn't played this game competitively for like a year. :V

Last edited by Sunny; October 1, 2011 at 02:31:35 AM.
  #18  
Old October 1, 2011, 07:35:40 PM
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You know sunny, thats how i play sometimes. thats why i got so many different eved pokemon to mix it up alot. (Thats why my team will mostly be sort of random at time)

Last edited by kakashidragon; October 1, 2011 at 07:36:15 PM.
  #19  
Old October 14, 2011, 02:39:36 AM
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I play Pokémon for fun. If I do battles online, I will take care of competitive stuff, but I'm more into having fun. Not having a lot to worry about is a great thing indeed. (I do still train my stuff, though, just in case.)
  #20  
Old May 24, 2012, 08:49:05 PM
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So how many people have lv 100 pokemon for b/w for DS battles. Ive been waiting for more opponets to crush.

Last edited by kakashidragon; May 24, 2012 at 08:49:39 PM.
  #21  
Old May 30, 2012, 01:58:53 AM
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I joined the VGC 2012 competition and... kinda failed miserably. XD I plan on attending in the future and doing more research on the metagame.
  #22  
Old May 30, 2012, 02:17:49 PM
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I started battling with EVs and everything in Gen 4 and I was okay. But all I really knew back then was what pokemon were powerful. I didn't know any strategy or anything but now I do. Coming to VR and joining other forums, helped me a lot!
  #23  
Old June 16, 2013, 10:09:00 AM
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I know it's been quite awhile since the last post, but i still think i should post my opinion over this topic. I think it has been a year since i got into competitive battles, and by far i'm really enjoying it. The main problem with me is with people who are "smogon****" and just take everything about battling seriously to the point where Pokémon are nothing but "chess pieces" to them. It's nice to battle with Pokémon you like, all you gotta do is see what your favorite pokés can do, and make a team with that they do best, that's all, but the whole smogon thing sometimes forces people to use pokémon just because they're stronger, what else they're going to lose. I really think that some people should not take everything to the edge, and just try to see the "fun factor" about the game.

Last edited by Reuniclus; June 16, 2013 at 10:12:08 AM.
  #24  
Old July 3, 2013, 08:11:55 AM
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Honestly, I used to be completely against EV training, nature breeding, and IV breeding, simply because the online forum I frequented was full of teams that people had that were identical to one another. I didn't want to fall into that mindless training of the same thing as everyone else, so I stayed away from it and continued my old way of training with just levels.

Somewhere down the road I realized what I was missing out on. I began breeding and training like I should have been, and eventually I raised a ton of great Pokémon.

I still stay away from online battling to avoid the sameness everyone seems to share, and I still manage to make my own unique teams and move sets with a few friends that battle with me whenever we get a chance.

TLDR; I agree with the idea that Maogi said about Smogon making Pokémon like "chess pieces" to them. Raise your favorites, be creative, have fun!
  #25  
Old July 3, 2013, 01:41:02 PM
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I actually started competitively battling somewhere around when B/W came out. I had no idea what EVs and IVs were at the time and I honestly could not tell what was going on. But now that I understand it more, I'm able to have more fun creating offbeat teams that have actually done pretty well for themselves. I surprise myself with how decently my mono-Grass team has held, even holding their own against teams that I shouldn't get even close to beating when it comes to type disadvantages. XD
  #26  
Old July 3, 2013, 02:42:12 PM
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Hmm, well even though I'm quite a bit of a good battler, I suppose, I'm definitely not a competitive battler. Sure it's fun but I can't do competitions because I will always lose. My friend taught be the basics about EVs and IVs and so I went into that further because I like learning. I have a very effective way to speed through EV training and have great IVs in only a few minutes, but that's only just to battle for points or recreation. I focus mostly on giving love to my all Grass Type Team.
 
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