Paldea Prologue

Apparently, the first official Online Competition for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is here! Players are eligible to sign-up until March 12, 2023 at 4:59 PM or 16:59. Only Pokémon from the Paldea Pokédex are allowed, along with one special Pokémon, which refers to Miraidon or Koraidon. This means the Starters you received from Raids, along with your Walking Wake, Iron Leaves, or regional variants are banned from the competition. Personally, I am really excited for it and I am currently preparing my team for the competition. The better you do during the competition, the better in-game rewards you win. Is this something you find interesting? Will you sign-up for the competition?

I'll definitely participate in some way, even if its just a hastily thrown-together strategy (no way I'm completing the game by then, so no Kor/Miraidon for me). Shame about the Pikachu not being viable - I actually won 3 in a row (in Poké Ball tier, admittedly) with Mightiest Pikachu, a Storm Drain Gastrodon (those two combined easily walked over Dondozo), Imposter Ditto, and the vent Garganacl (which never got out of its ball). Guess I could breed one, but have no way of checking IVs! (Hyper Training at Lv. 50 is a welcome improvement, given that's the level competitive is played at).

I'm curious about the regional groupings aspect, does this mean I only get to play against fellow Europeans? I found it quite cool in the end of the Gen 8 ranked battles when I would play against Japanese players who had Pokémon that I didn't think were receivable in a Cherish Ball, and it would be something odd like you got it if you took your 3DS to a Pokémon Center on your birthday and answered a questionnaire.

One thing I really hate that they haven't changed from Gen 8 is that you have to set your team at the moment of registration. They do now let you sign up during the competition, but I can't have been the only one who suddenly found they couldn't play their save until the start of the competition because all their favourites were locked away in a battle team for weeks.

Amore said:

I'll definitely participate in some way, even if its just a hastily thrown-together strategy (no way I'm completing the game by then, so no Kor/Miraidon for me).

Click to expand...

I can lend you my Miraidon for the duration of the competition if you'd like to use one, as I don't really use it at all. (plus I trust you to give it back afterward lol)

Alex_Among_Foxes said:

I can lend you my Miraidon for the duration of the competition if you'd like to use one, as I don't really use it at all. (plus I trust you to give it back afterward lol)

Click to expand...

Oh wow! I may take you up on that, once I've had a look at some strats.

Amore said:

Oh wow! I may take you up on that, once I've had a look at some strats.

Click to expand...

Cool, just PM me if you decide to borrow it. 👍

I take it that, other than Amore, nobody is interested in this sort of thing?

I'm interested in helping people that are serious about competing get the Pokemon they need for their teams ready for the competition,
but in terms of actually being able to compete myself, I just don't have a good enough mind for it.
It's awesome that people can do this sort of thing and would like to take part, just as more of a supporter/helper of the 'athlete' and not as the 'athlete' myself.

I've never been interested in competitive Pokemon.

Alex_Among_Foxes said:

I'm interested in helping people that are serious about competing get the Pokemon they need for their teams ready for the competition,
but in terms of actually being able to compete myself, I just don't have a good enough mind for it.
It's awesome that people can do this sort of thing and would like to take part, just as more of a supporter/helper of the 'athlete' and not as the 'athlete' myself.

Click to expand...

I'm mediocre at best - I got to Master Rank after about 3 months in Sword and Shield, then when the final season rolled around I instantly lost all the way down to Poké Ball (6-7 rank falls). Unless I hit a hot streak I probably won't last more than 10 matches in this tournament.

Amore said:

I'm mediocre at best - I got to Master Rank after about 3 months in Sword and Shield, then when the final season rolled around I instantly lost all the way down to Poké Ball (6-7 rank falls). Unless I hit a hot streak I probably won't last more than 10 matches in this tournament.

Click to expand...

Definitely not true. You can do it. I have faith in you! 😊

Amore said:

I'm mediocre at best - I got to Master Rank after about 3 months in Sword and Shield, then when the final season rolled around I instantly lost all the way down to Poké Ball (6-7 rank falls). Unless I hit a hot streak I probably won't last more than 10 matches in this tournament.

Click to expand...

After our Walking Wake Raid session today, you've got my support too! 👍

Sweet Serenity said:

Definitely not true. You can do it. I have faith in you! 😊

Click to expand...

Alex_Among_Foxes said:

After our Walking Wake Raid session today, you've got my support too! 👍

Click to expand...

Cheers guys! Definitely going to need to do some research though, I've only battle competitive as a joke (Mightiest Pikachu + Gastrodon completely shuts down Dondozo lol, I just threw an Imposter Ditto in there too - although could be fun to see how far I can go with a gimmick)

Tbh that Walking Wake raid might be my reason for not competing - not sure I want to risk the save data loss (and really frustrated that we don't have a stable game and HOME support - I could catch so many Vivillon, I have every form!), maybe wait it out at least until the 2nd shot at Decidueye comes around.

Amore said:

Cheers guys! Definitely going to need to do some research though, I've only battle competitive as a joke (Mightiest Pikachu + Gastrodon completely shuts down Dondozo lol, I just threw an Imposter Ditto in there too - although could be fun to see how far I can go with a gimmick)

Tbh that Walking Wake raid might be my reason for not competing - not sure I want to risk the save data loss (and really frustrated that we don't have a stable game and HOME support - I could catch so many Vivillon, I have every form!), maybe wait it out at least until the 2nd shot at Decidueye comes around.

Click to expand...

The Paldea Prologue started today! Did you begin the competition? If so, how did you do? You can only do 15 battles a day and I did my 15. I went 11-4 today. I was dominant for much of the whole day! What about you? How did you do? Did you ever decide to enter?

Sweet Serenity said:

The Paldea Prologue started today! Did you begin the competition? If so, how did you do? You can only do 15 battles a day and I did my 15. I went 11-4 today. I was dominant for much of the whole day! What about you? How did you do? Did you ever decide to enter?

Click to expand...

Na, not risking my save data. I know its irrational, and I'll probably get over it if there's no patch by the time Decidueye comes back around, but right now it just doesn't seem worth it. Done breeding and trading in Gen VII and VIII instead to fill out my Aprimon collection - hatched myself a Shiny Safari Ball Spinda in Ultra Moon with no charm!

Amore said:

Na, not risking my save data. I know its irrational, and I'll probably get over it if there's no patch by the time Decidueye comes back around, but right now it just doesn't seem worth it. Done breeding and trading in Gen VII and VIII instead to fill out my Aprimon collection - hatched myself a Shiny Safari Ball Spinda in Ultra Moon with no charm!

Click to expand...

Some confusion existed regarding my previous post in this thread. Apparently, the Paldea Prologue began on the 9th and not the 12th of March. I recall attempting to compete in the competition before then, but I saw the message that it did not begin yet. Thus, I assumed that it began on the 12th and started it yesterday based on misreading the date. Despite that, I still engaged in all 15 battles for that day and went 11-4. The competition was fun, as I was dominant throughout most of it. Regarding my losses, I would say that two players got lucky when they defeated me. One player defeated me with Ditto somehow after it Transformed into my Volcarona with Quiver Dance boosts. I had Koraidon in play with Flare Blitz, which would have definitely won me the battle if it hit Ditto, but somehow it missed. Flare Blitz has 100% accuracy and my opponent did nothing to lower my accuracy or increase their evasion. Thus, I believe they must have given their Ditto Brightpowder to hold or something. This means that it was able to outspeed me without a Choice Scarf, which I believe was also luck. The other player literally got lucky because they Terastalized Miraidon to be Fairy and I just happened to have my last two Pokémon in play weak to Fairy. It was a very situational situation to say the least. The other two pretty much outplayed me, mainly by getting a Speed advantage of Tailwind or making smart moves. Other than that, I pretty much ran through the competition.

Nonetheless, I might have to talk to you about some of those Pokémon in your trade sheets later.

Sweet Serenity said:

Some confusion existed regarding my previous post in this thread. Apparently, the Paldea Prologue began on the 9th and not the 12th of March. I recall attempting to compete in the competition before then, but I saw the message that it did not begin yet. Thus, I assumed that it began on the 12th and started it yesterday based on misreading the date. Despite that, I still engaged in all 15 battles for that day and went 11-4. The competition was fun, as I was dominant throughout most of it. Regarding my losses, I would say that two players got lucky when they defeated me. One player defeated me with Ditto somehow after it Transformed into my Volcarona with Quiver Dance boosts. I had Koraidon in play with Flare Blitz, which would have definitely won me the battle if it hit Ditto, but somehow it missed. Flare Blitz has 100% accuracy and my opponent did nothing to lower my accuracy or increase their evasion. Thus, I believe they must have given their Ditto Brightpowder to hold or something. This means that it was able to outspeed me without a Choice Scarf, which I believe was also luck.

Nonetheless, I might have to talk to you about some of those Pokémon in your trade sheets later.

Click to expand...

Yeah I thought the timing of your message was off :( Ah well, you'd still get the 10,000 LP right?

Ditto is a great anti-meta Pokémon in a pinch. I briefly mentioned walling a Dondozo with Pikachu and Gastrodon, but what I didn't mention is that in most of the battles I did there, my main strategy was smart switching with Ditto and Gastro / Garganacl to use the opponent's Pokémon against them whilst my two bulky 'mon took all the hits. Its a shame, I genuinely enjoy competitive I just don't want to lose a save with a bunch of event 'mons, rare balls, and shinies. I'm curious, what were the most common Pokémon? I feel like the initial promise of "everything can have a tera type, everything will be viable" can't possibly have remained, there's always some meta-defining Pokémon (although hopefully not as much as Zacian in early SwSh or Kyogre and Groudon in every meta they're available in).

I had a Pikachu transform into an Iron Moth in a raid once (but still looked like a Pikachu) which was fun, got video of it using Fiery Dance haha. Yeah I'm enjoying the trades, got the entire rare ball + HA combo for Sinistea now!