2016 International Challenge June

[QuantumPolagnus]

If someone has already started a thread to discuss this online competition, please feel free to shut this one down and direct me to the main one. Now that that is out of the way, I didn't notice anyone else talking about this VGC tourny, so I'm curious to see how many people are competing and how everyone is doing, so far.

I know I only signed up to get that HA Mewtwo, but I've been having so much fun in my battles. This is easily some of the most fun I've had in online battling, so far.

How is everyone else faring?

 

[Youngster_Jack]

If someone has already started a thread to discuss this online competition, please feel free to shut this one down and direct me to the main one. Now that that is out of the way, I didn't notice anyone else talking about this VGC tourny, so I'm curious to see how many people are competing and how everyone is doing, so far.

I know I only signed up to get that HA Mewtwo, but I've been having so much fun in my battles. This is easily some of the most fun I've had in online battling, so far.

How is everyone else faring?

Is it too late to register for the tournament?

 

[QuantumPolagnus]

Is it too late to register for the tournament?

Yes, unfortunately. The sign-up period ended about 16 hours ago. There will apparently be more opportunities to participate and get the Mewtwo code, but this one has started already.

 

[Wispy Willow]

Well, while I am pretty much just using the same team I used in my local VGC Regionals ages ago (with the exception of replacing Psyshock for Psychic to 2HKO Primal Groudon), I am doing surprisingly well. I expected to hever around the mid-1500s at the very best, but right now I am in the early 1600s with 12 wins and three losses (I think) at the end of day 1.

As for the team I'm using, as I mentioned in the last paragraph, I am using the same one as I used in the last VGC Regionals, which doesn't actually contain any Legendaries (which is the reason why I thought I wouldn't do so well). If you wnat to see what the specifics of the team is, then just check out the battle videos in this post, but other then that, all I will say is that it's a Trick Room team as per usual.

Also, I would like to mention something amusing that happened in one of my battles: after taking out my opponent's two Legendaries (Kyogre and Rayquaza I think), my opponent only had Meowstic (M) and Klefki left... While I had saved my Hitmontop with Quick Guard and Ferrothorn. Thus, I was able to completely stop his attempt to use Thunder Wave and Swagger due to them both having Prankster and Quick Guard mechanics. I found that amusing.

 

[Youngster_Jack]

Well, while I am pretty much just using the same team I used in my local VGC Regionals ages ago (with the exception of replacing Psyshock for Psychic to 2HKO Primal Groudon), I am doing surprisingly well. I expected to hever around the mid-1500s at the very best, but right now I am in the early 1600s with 12 wins and three losses (I think) at the end of day 1.

As for the team I'm using, as I mentioned in the last paragraph, I am using the same one as I used in the last VGC Regionals, which doesn't actually contain any Legendaries (which is the reason why I thought I wouldn't do so well). If you wnat to see what the specifics of the team is, then just check out the battle videos in this post, but other then that, all I will say is that it's a Trick Room team as per usual.

Also, I would like to mention something amusing that happened in one of my battles: after taking out my opponent's two Legendaries (Kyogre and Rayquaza I think), my opponent only had Meowstic (M) and Klefki left... While I had saved my Hitmontop with Quick Guard and Ferrothorn. Thus, I was able to completely stop his attempt to use Thunder Wave and Swagger due to them both having Prankster and Quick Guard mechanics. I found that amusing.

Never used quick guard before competitively...How's it work exactly? It counters prankster mons? So you use your Hitmontop as a support mon then? Really like that.

 

[sharkshocker]

I know I only signed up to get that HA Mewtwo, but I've been having so much fun in my battles. This is easily some of the most fun I've had in online battling, so far.

Same here, but it's also nice to get some VGC battles and test stuff out.

Like Etrian I'm also packing a Trick Room team but I made the mistake of not checking their movesets before locking in the team. Ludicolo has Giga Drain and Synthesis instead of Scald and...Protect -_- The rest of the team should be fine (I hope) but I usually include Ludicolo in my teams so this should be interesting.

 

[Wispy Willow]

Never used quick guard before competitively...How's it work exactly? It counters prankster mons? So you use your Hitmontop as a support mon then? Really like that.

Indeed, I use a support Hitmontop, a remenent from VGC 15 when Fake Outs were more common then Dark Voids... Oh, and Wide Guard is probably my favourite move to use on it with all the Eruptions and Water Soputs and such BTW.

As for how Quick Guard works, it is kinda like Protect except it works on your whole side of the field but only protects against priority moves. For instance, if your opponent were to use Sucker Punch on your attacking ally and you were to use Quick Guard, then Sucker Punch would be blocked and do no damage. This also applies to moves given priority via abilities, such as Gale Wings or Prankster (which is why I use it on a TR team because Thundrus). Just be careful because it is in the same priority bracket as Fake Out*, so if your opponent has a faster Fake Out user, they will outspeed and Quick Guard will not activate (which is why I gave it an Eject Button... That and I have a Mawile for DOUBLE INTIMIDATES!!!) Oh, and it will stay in effect even if an Eject Button activates and sends the user out of the battle for the moment, which is probably my favourite thing about it.

*Unless you use a Prankster Meowstic (M).

And if you're wondering, Wide Guard is the same only for spread moves, such as the previously-mentioned Eruption and Water Soput. However, A. it is in the same priority bracket as Quick Guard, so a faster Fake Out can still make it fail and B. it does not block status moves like Dark Void, so watch out for that.

 

[Youngster_Jack]

Indeed, I use a support Hitmontop, a remenent from VGC 15 when Fake Outs were more common then Dark Voids... Oh, and Wide Guard is probably my favourite move to use on it with all the Eruptions and Water Soputs and such BTW.

As for how Quick Guard works, it is kinda like Protect except it works on your whole side of the field but only protects against priority moves. For instance, if your opponent were to use Sucker Punch on your attacking ally and you were to use Quick Guard, then Sucker Punch would be blocked and do no damage. This also applies to moves given priority via abilities, such as Gale Wings or Prankster (which is why I use it on a TR team because Thundrus). Just be careful because it is in the same priority bracket as Fake Out*, so if your opponent has a faster Fake Out user, they will outspeed and Quick Guard will not activate (which is why I gave it an Eject Button... That and I have a Mawile for DOUBLE INTIMIDATES!!!) Oh, and it will stay in effect even if an Eject Button activates and sends the user out of the battle for the moment, which is probably my favourite thing about it.

*Unless you use a Prankster Meowstic (M).

And if you're wondering, Wide Guard is the same only for spread moves, such as the previously-mentioned Eruption and Water Soput. However, A. it is in the same priority bracket as Quick Guard, so a faster Fake Out can still make it fail and B. it does not block status moves like Dark Void, so watch out for that.

Lovely explanation, thanks for the reply! Keep forgetting that VGC is double battles, myself being a Smogon singles battler (both have their pros and cons) but anyways, thanks for the reply. Seems like that Hitmontop really compliments the TR team well. What's its base speed?

 

[Wispy Willow]

Lovely explanation, thanks for the reply! Keep forgetting that VGC is double battles, myself being a Smogon singles battler (both have their pros and cons) but anyways, thanks for the reply. Seems like that Hitmontop really compliments the TR team well. What's its base speed?

You are welcome, I kinda got carried away there. Though if you want to see how both the Guards can help you in battle as opposed to theory, then I suggest taking a look at this battle I had today:

3QKW-WWWW-WW4B-ARNP

And yeah, I think I prefer Smogon battles at the moment, but that will change if/when they get Legendaries out of VGC since the combos you can do in Doubles can be so much fun. That and Trick Room is much more viable in Doubles then Singles and I love my Trick Toom, so there's that.

As for Hitmontop's Speed, it's somewhere around 70 I think, which is not exactly the best since it gets outsped by Kangaskhan's base 90-or-so and Faked Out... Which, again is one of the reasons I gave it an Eject Button. Strategy!


As for how day 2 went... Well, I did defeat someone with a rating of 1700-something so there's that... But aside from that, I managed to defeat a Mega Gengar with Hex and Hypnosis thanks to a turn 1 wake-up Trick Room activation (oh, and that battle would have been my example as to how Hitmontop can screw over any non-Smeargle strategy if I hadn't already uploaded the other one above since they had a Groudon with Precipice Blades and a Prankster Whimsicott), someone with a Roar Zapdos that stoped me from using Trick Room which I found amusing despite losing to it, two fellow Trick Room users, both of whom I beat, one of which was also using a Reuniclus and an Eject Button 'mon (Scrafty in this case) that came down to his Reuniclus and his Groudon verses my Reuniclus, with him Protecting the wrong 'mon at the end, letting me win.

...That aside, as far as ratings go, while I did manage to get into the 1700s for a little bit, I went on a tilt shortly after and fell back down to the mid 1600s where I started today with 21 wins and 9 losses. Still, it could be worse, but I regret not quitting while I was ahead...

Oh, and I recorded by battle against the 1700-something bloke, and here's the code:

3U5W-WWWW-WW4B-ARPB

 

[Youngster_Jack]

You are welcome, I kinda got carried away there. Though if you want to see how both the Guards can help you in battle as opposed to theory, then I suggest taking a look at this battle I had today:

3QKW-WWWW-WW4B-ARNP

And yeah, I think I prefer Smogon battles at the moment, but that will change if/when they get Legendaries out of VGC since the combos you can do in Doubles can be so much fun. That and Trick Room is much more viable in Doubles then Singles and I love my Trick Toom, so there's that.

As for Hitmontop's Speed, it's somewhere around 70 I think, which is not exactly the best since it gets outsped by Kangaskhan's base 90-or-so and Faked Out... Which, again is one of the reasons I gave it an Eject Button. Strategy!


As for how day 2 went... Well, I did defeat someone with a rating of 1700-something so there's that... But aside from that, I managed to defeat a Mega Gengar with Hex and Hypnosis thanks to a turn 1 wake-up Trick Room activation (oh, and that battle would have been my example as to how Hitmontop can screw over any non-Smeargle strategy if I hadn't already uploaded the other one above since they had a Groudon with Precipice Blades and a Prankster Whimsicott), someone with a Roar Zapdos that stoped me from using Trick Room which I found amusing despite losing to it, two fellow Trick Room users, both of whom I beat, one of which was also using a Reuniclus and an Eject Button 'mon (Scrafty in this case) that came down to his Reuniclus and his Groudon verses my Reuniclus, with him Protecting the wrong 'mon at the end, letting me win.

...That aside, as far as ratings go, while I did manage to get into the 1700s for a little bit, I went on a tilt shortly after and fell back down to the mid 1600s where I started today with 21 wins and 9 losses. Still, it could be worse, but I regret not quitting while I was ahead...

Oh, and I recorded by battle against the 1700-something bloke, and here's the code:

3U5W-WWWW-WW4B-ARPB

Interesting stuff. And yeah, that's why I don't do VGC doubles, too many legendaries. Plus, Mega-Gengar doesn't belong, which is why I love tiers so much in Smogon. I'm fine with legendary trios still being included, but Groudon etc. should not be.

 

[Wispy Willow]

*Goes to battle on the last day of this thing* *Runs into teams that, for the most part, seem to have been designed to counter mine and loses a lot while getting really angry*

...Yeah, I regret not quitting while I was ahead again. At least I didn't drop below 1500 though... Oh, and I'm thinking of giving my Hitmontop Mach Punch instead of Helping Hand to break sashes/finish off weakened 'mons. That is all.

Also, @Youngster_Jack, regarding the Wide and Quick Guards (pun not intended), there's something I forgot to mention earlier - unlike Protect, they don't have a chance to fail after multiple uses, so you can just keep spamming them over and over with no negitive repurcussions (with the exception of your opponent catching on to it and punishing you or something). Just thought I should mention that.

 

[QuantumPolagnus]

I ran into the same thing, Etrian. My first day I went 12 and 3; by the end of the second day I quit at about 17 and 13.