Simple Q&A Thread

[PirateSam]

I have a question is there a item that grants the user the levitate ability or is there a Move other than magnet rise?

 

[Azonic]

Aside from being flying type, I'm pretty sure there isn't.

 

[Ambient]

With the Solar Power Ability, is Sunflora anywhere near to being a viable choice in Ubers? (with Groudon support)

 

[airconditioning]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

No.

 

[Kevo182]

im workin on a new team, and i cant decide on which to use.
heres a list of the pokemon i have.

Raichu EV'd in speed and Sp. Attack
Metagross EV'd in Attack, Sp. Defense, and speed
Shedinja EV'd in Speed and Attack
Salamence EV'd in Attack and Speed
Shuckle EV'd in HP, defense, and Sp. Defense
Milotic EV'd in HP, Defense, and Sp. Attack
Charazard EV'd in Attack and Speed
and if theres anything else that would make it better, please recomend it :]

as you can probably tell, im new to forming strategys

 

[Xebelleon]

I have a question is there a item that grants the user the levitate ability or is there a Move other than magnet rise?

Levitate is simpler to obtain compared to slightly similar Flying-type.

~Skill Swap against a Levitate opponent (Double Battle much?)
~using Conversion when a Flying-type move is present in movepool (Smeargle, LOL).
~Arceus or Smeargle with "Judgment + Sky (Flying-type) Plate"
~Oh noez! Kecleon was clobbered with a Brave Bird!

 

[Archer]

Here's something I've been wondering about for a while.

Say you have a Scarf Medicham with Skill Swap and a Slaking on your side of the field in a double battle. If you use Skill Swap, will it successfully give Slaking Pure Power?

Yeah. Keep in mind that Medicham will end up with Truant. Not quite as handy as you'd like.

Levitate is simpler to obtain compared to slightly similar Flying-type.

~Skill Swap against a Levitate opponent (Double Battle much?)
~using Conversion when a Flying-type move is present in movepool (Smeargle, LOL).
~Arceus or Smeargle with "Judgment + Sky (Flying-type) Plate"
~Oh noez! Kecleon was clobbered with a Brave Bird!

That's probably the only viable solution. Aside from Tracing a Pokemon with levitate, but that's limited to a small pool of pokemon that aren't really going to benefit from it.
A considerable chunk of pokemon got Magnet Rise with the Platinum move tutors, anyway.

 

[sims796]

The only differences between Oventom and Motortom is their appearances, and the fact that Oventom gets Overheat, while Motortom gets Leaf Storm. I would say that Motortom makes a good check to bulky waters, especially Swampert. Leaf Storm should be able to OHKO pert if you put some Spa evs in. None of the other forms can do that much to Pert.

Well that's a given. But seeing how diverse the Oven-Tom is, just from having one extra move, I would like to know if Leaf Storm opens him up widely, or at least close to diverse, in compettitive battling. Other than using him tp beat Swampert & Suicune, why should I pick him over Oven?

 

[Skip Shot]

Well that's a given. But seeing how diverse the Oven-Tom is, just from having one extra move, I would like to know if Leaf Storm opens him up widely, or at least close to diverse, in compettitive battling. Other than using him tp beat Swampert & Suicune, why should I pick him over Oven?

THat's the only reason why you would use him over OvenTom. Overheat is more valued in the Platinum metagame because of Lucario and Scizor, who run around commonly these days. I don't see Leaf Storm doing anything besides killing off Pert and such.

 

[Farasha]

I'm just starting to feel my way through competitive battling, and I was wondering: Is it better to make sure you have at least one of every type of move on the team, so you can KO anything the opponent throws at you, or to make sure that your team has as many resistances as possible?


I'd like to be able to win with a team I actually like as opposed to one I put together wholly based on strategy.

 

[airconditioning]

Neither. Having one of every move, while nice, will have your team spread thin- besides, a number of moves aren't necessary. Poison, Grass, Steel, and Psychic all suck as attacking types, and should only be present on specific Pokemon. And certain types are better offensively than others- Ice, Lightning, Fighting, Earthquake, Rock, etc. The same problem with resistances- you don't want to spread yourself thin (although admittedly, resistances are very nice. There's nothing like switching Gliscor in on a predicted Earthquake/ T-bolt.).

All you need to do is make a team that can cover its own weaknesses- for example, putting Gyarados on the same team as Tyranitar in order to cover Tar's Scizor weakness.

 

[Farasha]

Continuing with the total n00b questions then -

Does everyone really use the same Pokemon? I mean, there are over four hundred of them. If I don't build my strategy around those commonly used Pokemon will I get well and truly run into the ground? I'm planning to battle exclusively on Wi-Fi here, and I have a team in my head but from what I've been looking at I'm focusing too much on balancing my team in anticipation of not knowing what I'm up against and not planning for the ones people tend to use.

 

[airconditioning]

Let me trim those numbers down for you. There are 493 Pokemon, yes- but how many of those are fully evolved? Less than half that amount.

And then you have to remember that some Pokemon are better than others- this is where the modern tier list comes in. With that, we're left with about 45 Pokemon that can seriously compete on the same level (Altaria can not defeat a Salamence, no matter how strongly it believes in itself). Of those 45, there are a few standouts (they're who you'd expect- Tyranitar, Gyarados, Salamence, etc.). since these 'standouts' are used notably more than other OUs, it's widely perpetuated that OU is just the same Pokemon over and over again.

And yes, you will have to prepare for the Pokemon you will face- carry moves that will cover the Pokemon that kill you (for example, pack some Ice moves is Salamence gives you trouble). Of course, don't go overboard- no matter what Smogon says, Steel-reducing berry on Tyranitar is a stupid idea. Just make decisions based on what you think would be strategically viable.

For more information on tiers and such, look at Smogon.

As for usage statistics, click here.

 

[Archer]

I'm just starting to feel my way through competitive battling, and I was wondering: Is it better to make sure you have at least one of every type of move on the team, so you can KO anything the opponent throws at you, or to make sure that your team has as many resistances as possible?


I'd like to be able to win with a team I actually like as opposed to one I put together wholly based on strategy.

Well, you'll need the resistances to deal with common offensive types (Rock, Ice, Electric, Dragon, Fighting, Water. Plus others I've forgotten) This usually means at least one: Steel, Ghost, Ground.
Then you need to fill different roles on the team, such as Physical Sweeper, or Special Wall, and choosing pokemon that cover each others weaknesses. You don't need all types of attacks, but the important ones are: Ice, Electric, Ghost/Dark, Fighting, Fire, Ground. Try to mix them around, so they're not all physical or special, so you aren't walled to easily. Did that help?

 

[Farasha]

Yes, thank you both, that does help. I've been looking at the Smogon website to try and figure out some good movesets to put on the Pokemon I know I want to use - that link is really helpful! :)

 

[F-F-Franklin]

Does Leech seed effect grass and/or flying types?

 

[Lalapizzame]

Does Leech seed effect grass and/or flying types?

It does not affect Grass-types, but Flying-types are still affected, yes.

 

[F-F-Franklin]

It does not affect Grass-types, but Flying-types are still affected, yes.

Alright, thanks for answering.

 

[Ambient]

I've been hearing Milotic is now BL, (I seem to remember Milotic was OU before), what changed when Platinum came out, and what did Platinum bring to the metagame?

 

[The Hero Without a Name]

I've been hearing Milotic is now BL, (I seem to remember Milotic was OU before), what changed when Platinum came out, and what did Platinum bring to the metagame?

Well, besides the Hypnosis accuracy drop, she was already hit hard in DP with Salamence, Metagross, Tyranitar, etc. gaining much more powerful moves to slam her with and new, much more powerful threats that she just can't deal with.