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Did you ever use strategy in your Pokemon Playthoughs?

SuperEspeon

Sinnohbaby
180
Posts
10
Years
So, when I first started playing Pokemon I remember that all I would do is attack. I was very attack oriented, I didn't care about none of that Screech/Leer or Shell Smash or Wish strategies, I would only attack. If it didnt deal damage, it didnt have a spot in my turn slots.

It wasn't until I got into WiFi battling that I cared about how bulky a pokemon and would Dragon Dance and Swords Dance.

What about you guys?
DISCUSS!
 
105
Posts
10
Years
I still only mainly just use attack, although when I see necessary, I do use stat decreases/increases. I did have a strategy with Mewtwo for tough trainers (Eg Pokemon League), I used calm mind until my Sp.Attack and Defence were maxed out, and just destroy the team with Psychic. Heh. But yeah, I only really use them when I need too, because if I can make a Pokemon faint in two or three moves and not suffer much in return, I see no need too.
 

FSNW5yiFrXVXqv

Guest
0
Posts
Ah, yes. This is one of the most unforgettable experiences I've had in my childhood.

It all started way back in Gen 2. Pokemon Silver. I was so excited with the game, loved the new MC's sprite and then picked Hinoarashi as starter (Cyndaquil's Japanese name) because he was so cute and cool first time I saw him. I was feeling so great, happy, and awesome at the same time. I've managed to solve the Unown puzzle quickly as a noobish pokenerd-to-be with a fat gameboy and 4 pairs of batteries to spare.

Winged the first two badges then reached Goldenrod. At that time, Quilava was my only strong pokemon, proudly defeating my Rival's Croconaw without even losing more than half it's health from Water Gun. However, when I entered Goldenrod's gym, I was brutally beaten by Whitney's Miltank, and even single-handedly. It was my earliest whiteout in my pokemon gaming records ever. What was to blame? ROLL-freaking-OUT! Oh, my poor, lovely and awesome Quilava...around 6-7 levels above...wiped out in 2 hits!? WHAT?! wtfomgdatpokemooisOP!

...and that, my friends, is when I came up with Smokescreen/Sand Attack+Supersonic A strategy I desperately relied on as my last resort to avoid endless rage...I mean weeping... err... training. From then on, I've been carefully saving at least one slot for a "utility move" among one or two of my Pokemon.
 
50,218
Posts
13
Years
On my first playthrough of Black, in my Gym Battle against Elesa I ended up pulling off a very unusual but clever strategy no-one else would have even thought of.

I was initially training myself a Sandile for the fight but I brought in my Zebstrika as a backup but accidentally had Zebstrika, who was female, with Motor Drive and her moveset was Attract, Flame Charge, Shock Wave and one attack I can't remember, in the first slot of my party.

In fact, I ended up sweeping Elesa's entire team with just my Zebstrika but I did do a fun strategy with it. Against the two Emolgas I spammed Shock Wave against them so I could bypass Double Team and also they weren't able to Volt Switch me because surprise my Zebstrika is immune to Electric due to her ability. What did I do when Elesa's Zebstrika came out? I used Attract on it so it wouldn't be able to attack most of the time and then because I couldn't use Electric attacks I spammed Flame Charge against it and eventually defeated it quickly.

Yeah, did not even need any of my other Pokemon in the fight.
 
2,334
Posts
15
Years
  • Age 33
  • Seen Aug 21, 2021
I mostly play in-game and not competitively so I don't really go too deep when it comes to strategies.

In more recent games I've started taking advantage of Leech Seed and Poison, I usually have a pokemon who can use both moves and it can be handy to take down stubborn pokemon who refuse to go down quickly.
 
483
Posts
11
Years
  • Seen Oct 2, 2020
I started playing as an adult and an experienced gamer, so I considered strategy right from the beginning. I've always treated pokemon games in much the same way as I would any turn-based strategy game - something like Fire Emblem or Super Robot Taisen or Dynasty Warriors (though without the movement part). I saw from the start that it was all about balancing each moveset, and the entire team, to deal with whatever threats I was going to end up facing- just like choosing and upgrading weapons and assembling a team in a more traditional TBS game.
 

Firox

eepz, come help pwease!
2,585
Posts
11
Years
I never use strategy in any of my games. I always rely on luck the most, Pokemon's held item. All my Pokemon always have at least 1 non-attacking/damaging move (such as Detect, Sword Dance, Agility... and so on, anything to aid in battle).
 

Sirfetch’d

Guest
0
Posts
In game I never use a particular strategy, but just play it out. I guess I can can I make sure I have plenty of items and a diverse team, but honestly no other strategies.
 
1,103
Posts
11
Years
  • Age 31
  • Seen Feb 20, 2024
In my younger years and even when I got back into Pokémon after years of not playing, I used to go for brute force alone. The higher the number under "Power", the better.
But as I played on and joined challenges, I slowly realized how wrong my play style was.
So I slowly started relying on status changing moves as well. Ever since then, I've used moves such as Thunder Wave, Attract, Confuse Ray, Screech, Swords Dance and so on and so forth to suit my needs.
And I always include such moves when planning out teams for challenges. Or well, at least I try to xD
 

Sableye~

Back to PC~
4,016
Posts
11
Years
  • Seen Jan 4, 2018
Once I learned how to play (I never bothered with instructions or websites), I did what pretty much everyone else here said. Just went for the most powerful moves. I didn't understand the difference between Attack and Sp.Attack, nor between Defense and Sp.Defense.

It took until I began to battle competitively before I gave other moves (i.e. Substitute, Swords Dance, etc.) a chance.
 

Gogofreak

Touhou and Pokemon Fanatic
30
Posts
10
Years
I tend to just overlevel and overpower. Also, I do pay attention to type advantages. Though, in Pokemon Crystal, I hatched a shiny Cleffa, so I might attempt to EV train...
 

The Local Joke

Trubbish in the Classroom
38
Posts
10
Years
  • Age 27
  • Seen Aug 8, 2013
I would stick to straight attacking for the majority of my fights, but sometimes, a little strategy was in order. For example, during my Platinum playthrough, the only strong Pokemon I had was a Level 22 Budew. I got to fight Mars, and she sent out her Purugly that absolutely destroyed me. After a little bit of leveling, I decided to try again with a strategy in mind.

I sent out my Piplup to use Stealth Rock at the start of the fight, then I threw out my HM Slave. It got killed in one hit, but that let me switch into my Budew without losing a turn. I stunned the Zubats with Stun Spore, and proceeded to use Growth six times, Mega Drain the Zubats, and then Stun Spore Purugly and Mega Drain it over and over again.
 

Shrew

is a Shrew
838
Posts
10
Years
1. In Diamond, I was so desperate to beat Cynthia in the Elite 4 without starting entirely over, that I used ~4 Max Revives on my Gengar to spam Destiny Bond.

2. In White, I had a Whimsicott which I lead with in all Elite Four matches to cripple the heck out of the opponent's team. Stun Spore + Leech Seed --> Teammates.

3. In Black 2, I had a Magneton with Sturdy. I'd be guaranteed to survive on 1 HP. Then I'd paralyze. Then I would heal back to max health, and repeat healing until the opponent could not move. Then I'd Volt Switch to a better teammate with Sturdy in tact.
 
7,741
Posts
17
Years
  • Seen Sep 18, 2020
Sure thing. Filling up the move slots entirely with high-power attacks is just boring. It comes down more to individual tactics per monster than overall strategy though, I don't have the competitive knowledge and mindset to put together a team of monsters that will compliment each other effectively.
 

Noir

Sir Lucious Left Foot
119
Posts
11
Years
Normally, strategy in-game amounts to "send out powermon and use Surf/Earthquake/Flamethrower/Thunderbolt/Psychic/Ice Beam/Crunch/Hi Jump Kick." so nope.

It's only when I'm doing special playthoughs that I have to mix things up a bit: in my recent Little Cup playthrough of HG I used a Light Screen, Thunderwavin' Cirno Mareep to cripple clair's pokemon and stop Kingdra from never missing with Hydro Pump ever so I could attempt a clean up with an Ice Fang totodile, with Perish Song/Mean Look misdreveous a very real backup plan.
 

InMooseWeTrust

Jack of All Trades
803
Posts
16
Years
In normal playthroughs I don't really need any strategy other than type advantages. The typical 386/493/649 hacks are different because the battles are way harder. This is where I actually take some advice from the metagames and try to figure out what will be good counters. Entry hazards are always good because the AI never uses them, and when it does, it uses them badly. I haven't seen any rapid spinning opponents in any ROM hack.
 
180
Posts
12
Years
  • Age 36
  • Seen Aug 12, 2023
Once in a great while, I'll go for a leech seed, spikes, confuse ray, and toxic combo. Otherwise, I just sweep with the occasional thunder wave here or there.
 
37,467
Posts
16
Years
  • Age 34
  • Seen Jan 2, 2024
Haha, no. Really, I'm a move spammer and seldom use switchout tactics or anything like that. The smartest thing I do in-game is putting stuff to sleep or leech seed them xD Type advantages are so much easier for strategy in-game than competitively, since your AI opponent isn't thinking... much... at all.
 
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