2nd Gen Stat Change Moves in non-competitive

[Kihaju]

Hello, this is my first post!
I don't have many friends, actually 0 friends who still play pokemon lol so I've decided to join your community :)

I've just started playing RBY and GSC again via emulator on my Droid phone. As I was coming up with teams to use and their move sets I began wondering about stat change moves such as Amnesia, Swords Dance, Light Screen, etc...

Obviously these moves are very important in competitive play, but are they really necessary in non-competitive? I remember as a kid I only focused on offensive moves and had no problems beating the Elite Four. Then again, you could beat them with just about any team as long as they're leveled high lol.

So, question is, what's your opinion on these moves in non-competitive play? Do you use them in battle? Use them as fillers that get rarely used?

 

[Sydian]

When it comes to gen I, I really don't care for moves like these. I like quirky movesets, so you'll see me running Nidoking with like...Bubblebeam lmao. I just go for all out attack when it comes to this gen, unless I just can't find a good TM or that Pokemon doesn't learn a decent move. For in-game though, I mean, it doesn't really matter. You could win with a level 100 Caterpie with Tackle if you really tried, haha.

 

[Kihaju]

LV100 Caterpie with Tackle?

Challenge...ACCEPTED! lol

 

[Fire Flyy]

Well seeing as to how competitive play is a step up from battles, it's fairly obvious that most of these should be useful. Amnesia can make you pretty much unkillable vs special attacking foes while Swords Dance uses up only one turn but doubles your attack stat. The best part is you can use potions and healing items so you should have no problem getting to +6 with boosts. So yeah I'd try them out.

 

[Sydian]

btw, for those of you that report this thread, I'm keeping it in here as long as people talk about RBY and GSC stat moves and what they do in those games. For one thing, this section could use SOME activity and also, now that these games are a lot older, people might play them differently than they used to. So yeah.

Also, I forgot to mention that Amnesia + Surf on Snorlax is fun. Since it was before the Special split in gen II, it boosts just the Special stat, which covers Surf and makes it better. :3c Fun fun!

 

[Mr Cat Dog]

In RBY/GSC, I always hated stat change moves and would always replace them at a moment's notice. I never had any problems with this approach in-game, although with the benefit of hind sight, I know it's not the best strategy. Still, if you do use all attacking moves in Gen I/II, you shouldn't really have too much of an issue with trainers, so long as your team is appropriately levelled-up.

 

[Dartht33bagger]

Hmm. I still usually get rid of all stat changing moves except sand attack early on. What stat changing moves are actually good enough to use?

 

[white lancer]

I've always gotten rid of stat changing moves with very few exceptions across all generations. There are some that are obviously worthwhile but generally in-game I go for coverage rather than stat changes.

 

[Altairis]

Younger, I thought they actually did nothing for some reason and that they were giving me a "free turn" which of course, was not true. I never really use them ingame now anyway, attacking moves are better.