(best viewed in latest Poké Link themes, sorry if the gray is bright, lawl)

That's right, got my win streak up to 49, beating Palmer with ease and looking forward to taking on Tier 4. The road from 35 to 49 was easy, bar two battles... well, in one, I figured out who exactly the team is weak to. (Also learning what I have to change to fix it) Then I battled another team that, without doubt, became the greatest battle I've ever had in the Tower, and oh, hell yes will I be talking about it. XD

I'll talk about the team threat I encountered first. Late the other night, I was going through the 36 - 42 seven trainers when I encountered Collector Josh, Battle #41, his lead Pocket Monster, a Crobat. I immediately look up the exact set for my cheerful cruise win smile to turn upside down.[ 739 Crobat Timid Lum Berry Hypnosis Roost Sludge Bomb Dark Pulse HP/Speed ]

To be completely honest, I never thought a Crobat could possibly be the nightmare dagger in the back. I was bound to find the specific team threat at some point. (I already knew about Imprison Mismagius, but ... Crobat?) Never once crossed my mind. Here's the problem.

1. It outspeeds all three party members
2. Yawn is ineffective thanks to Lum Berry, that means it'll take four turns for it to get Sleep Status, and with Dark Pulse super effective on Uxie, and Hypnosis to render it useless, it doesn't stand a chance.
3. There's one ... and ONLY one way to beat this thing. At the team's current state, luck.

Uxie eventually falls to it so I send in Garchomp without a scratch. Here's where the going gets iffy. I have to out predict what the AI will do. Garchomp has a Lum Berry so I got one turn, would a Dragon Claw from Jolly Chomp, no boosts, be enough to OHKO it. My instincts said no. Thus I elected to Swords Dance. One of two things would happen, it'll miss, and I get a chance to destroy it. Or it'll hit, and I lose the opportunity to sweep and break at its will until I wake up or faint. Surprisingly, the AI elects to rely on luck from Dark Pulse to beat it. Since the Battle Tower boosts luck, it has a good chance to flinch me. It does, three times in a row. After it lowers my health, picking up these flinches... It elects to Hypnosis, it misses! I Swords Dance, GG.

Regardless of a 2 - 0 win (heh, same score in the Mismagius game) this Crobat becomes the number one threat to the team. And I'll be damned if I ever see both on the same team, hell, if that happens, I'll enjoy it.

How do I help ease the 739 Crobat weakness?

By placing substitute on Garchomp, over Fire Blast. How does that help it? Easy. Garchomp would come in untouched from the Uxie faint and set up a substitute. Hypnosis would break the Lum Berry, going faster, and I would get a free substitute. I set up, bye Bat. The problem is, funny enough, lack of funds. :D! To obtain Substitute TM, I must achieve the prize at the Veilstone Game Prize. I need to find cash somewhere, buy enough coins to go get it, or buy enough to get within reach to gamble for it. :/ So yeah, I won't be continuing this streak until I get my hands on Substitute. Damn lack of Pocket Dollars, lol.

Best Battle Tower Match in Beachy History?

Earlier this morning, Jasmine (Dark_Azelf) woke up and got on MSN, I had finished my streak up to 42 by then, so I decided to have another go. This time, for tier 4 and the second Palmer battle. Little did we know I'd experience one of the most thrilling Battle Tower Matches I've ever had. Telling her the play by play as I went along, I started the streak, creaming 3 - 0 sweeps and victories up to Battle #47. Then battle against Camper Justyn... began.
The battle begins, I toss out Uxie, he unleashes Hippowdon. Right away I check to see what type of variant he's running. Quick Claw Hippowdon, the exact set being... [ 868 Hippowdon Adamant Quick Claw Earthquake Stone Edge Thunder Fang Crunch Atk/Sp. Def ] As you can tell, that luck coupled with its moveset can score some Super Effective attacks on my team. Knowing full well it has Crunch, following my team protocol, I Reflect, both absorb the attack with ease, and setting the stage for Lucario. Uxie yawns the Hippo as I absorb yet another Crunch, as expected. Uxie gets into yellow, in the Battle Tower, the AI will choose another attack to finish the opponent off. It'll either Stone Edge or Thunder Fang (both of which will do lol damage to Luke thanks to Reflect)

I switch to Luke the turn Yawn is supposed to take effect, so one hit before nap time, Lucario comes in while Hippo (as predicted) chooses to Stone Edge, it misses! I set up substitute, followed by a Calm Mind. I select Calm Mind again, Quick Claw activates...and the Hippo wakes up, Earthquake obviously breaking the substitute. :/ So here I am with a slight worry. If Quick Claw activates again, Lucario is down and Garchomp would not only have to face a steep 1 - 3 comeback, but Uxie wouldn't have enough time to set up a healthy sweep.

I would substitute down to activate the Petaya Berry, but again, that Quick Claw would ruin any attempt. Knowing I'll be going down in flames if I don't attack, I select Aura Sphere, which leaves it with about 10HP left. >_> Dang, couldn't finish the Hip off. Oh well, Earthquake then trashes it and Lucario faints.

2 - 3

Thankfully, I still have Grass Knot on Uxie for Focus Sashers, and this is perfect scenario for it. Uxie comes in, QC doesn't activate, finishes off the Hippowdon. And time to become death fodder for whatever comes out next. 2 - 2 ; Justyn then sends out Magmortar. [ 886 Magmortar Modest Shuca Berry Fireblast Psychic Focus Blast Confuse Ray Def/Sp. Atk ] Before I die, Uxie thankfully sets up Yawn, giving Garchomp some time to set up later on. Fire Blast finishes off Yellow Hat and it's time to see if Garchomp can pull this puppy off.

Garchomp comes in at full health, Mag has one turn before it falls asleep and I'm obviously going to Swords Dance here. Seeing as Confuse Ray will be stopped by Lum Berry, I'm safe. It uses Focus Blast and takes quite a bite out of Jetstream. It's okay though, since it falls asleep. I set up once more, giving Garchomp +4 stages of attack. So it really all depends on the last Pocket Monster. I attack with Earthquake, Shuca Berry activates but it still easily OHKOs.

1 - 1

Somewhat confident Garchomp will be able to finish off the last Pocket Monster, Justyn sends out Rampardos. I breathe a sigh of relief, look the moveset, and suddenly fall right back down to Earth. [ 838 Rampardos Choice Scarf Head Smash Earthquake Giga Impact Iron Tail Atk/Speed ] Unsure if it'll be able to outspeed my Jolly Garchomp I check the stats. Open up Team Builder, add the EVs, pray to Mantine to doesn't outspeed me. If so, I've lost at 47 and all this effort goes up in flames. Garchomp's speed in the battle tower (lvl. 50, remember) is 163. After calculating, a neutral nature Choice Scarf Rampardos in the Battle Tower is 165. So that's that. I mean, losing to Hax in the Battle Tower is frustrating, sure, but I'd prefer it over being my fault. And it is mine here. Garchomp should have better Speed Independent Values. The team lost at 62 in the previous run due to lack of item. (Salac would've won it) And now, I'm going to lose due to my IV being BARELY lower. I'll be damned, that's one of the worst loses a man can have. I click Earthquake with my head down, D_A is all "ololololol" on MSN. And son of a biscuit Garchomp outspeeds Rampardos and we win.

How did that happen? Minus Speed Nature is a blessing. Thank you random Battle Tower natures.

Score: BeachBoy 1 - Justyn 0. And I move onto to beat the next battle and rip Palmer into a million pieces 3 - 0. Haha.

So yeah, awesome battle & information on my latest threat. Now I have to go get money for substitute and gamble away.

Catch ya next time~

why do you actually get good matches which I'm stuck with horrific Quick Claw OHKO Crawdaunt. ;_;

[ 332 Crawdaunt Adamant Quick Claw Guillotine Frustration AncientPower Aerial Ace HP/Sp. Def ]

Chop chop, Lala.

Lawl.

Thou shalt not go without punishment. >=/ (Just wait till an actual Scarf Rampardos outspeeds you in BT, I will point my finger and laugh) >:

Actually, since Tier 4 has flawless IVs in every stat, etc. I think I may do a make over. Get the proper team, proper IVs and everything before I take my serious run. How long that will take though depends.