Are they reallly that X-cellent?

[curiousnathan]

Let's talk about battle items. More specifically, 'X' items. (X Arttack, X Speed etc) Did you use them throughout your playthroughs? Or did they rot in your bag? If you did use them, were they reallllly that useful?

Personally, I found no use for them whatsoever. My team did absoloutely fine without them.

How about yours? Discuss!

 

[Captain Gizmo]

I don't like wasting a turn using x-items. I prefer using one of my moves or a HP restoring/ status removing item instead of an X-items. Whenever I find some, I just sell them for a few extra cash.

 

[Iceshadow3317]

I always sell them. I never like using them because it is a waste, at least to me they are.

 

[DavidtheDeadPhilosopher]

I only found X-Accuracy to be useful, and only in very specific circumstances. Usually having to do with a Pokemon spamming Minimize or Sand-Attack, etc, etc.

 

[Sydian]

I sell those items. I have no need for them unless I'm doing a Caterpie solo run. Which I'm not.

 

[skyluigi2]

I always sell them. I've literally never used one of them, and so I really couldn't say how useful they are.

 

[Seki]

No I don't use them, I find them useless. The moment I get them, I straight away sell them.

 

[Hikamaru]

I used an X Attack on my Riolu during my Gym battle with Cheren in Black 2, and I have to say it saved my life cos he would have taken my entire team out with Work-Up boosted Tackles.

I have to say, X items can be handy when used at the right time.

 

[Starry Windy]

I use X items when some Pokemon Trainer (like Cheren and Game Freak Morimoto) send out Liepard. So it's no waste of turn if Liepard use Fake Out to my Pokemon, and I could make it to my advantage.

 

[Guy]

i c wut u did there.

Those items usually rot in my bag until I probably sell them. I've used them a couple of times, just for the heck of it, but I generally find them to be rather useless.

 

[Sydian]

You know, if I'm gonna rely on a stat boost, I'd rather use a move like Dragon Dance or Quiver Dance and get in more than one stat boost and that way, it's a move on my Pokemon rather than an item I wouldn't be able to use in a link battle. Just another thought.

 

[blue]

For the whole 15 years of playing Pokemon I think I've only ever used the X items twice.

 

[King_21]

I always sell them because I don't find them useful.

 

[Arlo]

I've never used them much at all, other than very rarely if I happen to remember to use an X Accuracy for something like a Sand Attack spamming Pidgey. I generally sold them back when there was a limit on bag items, but now I don't bother.

The concept seems pretty good - the benefits of a stat-boosting move without having to use up a move slot - but they work out to just not be that useful. In-game, stat-boosting isn't particularly necessary, since you don't need to sweep, since the AI is dumb as a brick and switching is pretty much risk free. And competitively, when stat-boosting becomes a more desirable strategy, you can't use items anyway.

 

[mishy.]

Because I rarely go to the shop and sell items they just tend to sit there in my bag until that once in a blue moon moment does come around and I go and sell things like Nuggets, Pearls, etc. X-Items then are on that list of things to sell.

 

[Cerberus87]

I used them once, in Heart Gold, against Red. I sent out Kingdra against his Blastoise, stuffed him full of X items, and swept. It was quite funny actually.

These items don't see much use because most of the time they aren't needed, and in later games there are many good stat-boosting moves. But they can be very useful. Using an item on a Pokémon has priority over anything, any move, even the likes of Gastro Acid which stop you from using items on your Pokémon. So you can use an item like an X Defend and boost your Defense before the opponent attacks, increasing endurance.

If you don't have any stat-boosting moves, these items could have some use, too.

 

[Brendino]

When used at the right time against certain Pokemon, the X items can actually be quite useful. That being said, I can't recall a single time that I've ever used one on my Pokemon. If I want my Pokemon to boost their stats in battle (or lower an opponent's), I'll just stick to the moves that my Pokemon already knows.

 

[Legobricks]

I tend to forget them but I do use them when I both remember and see fit. It helps in my case that I've come to favour a defensive approach to battles, which is to say that burning a turn isn't likely to have dire consequences. I personally think Dire Hit is the most useful battle item for general use; most monsters can't naturally boost their critical hit ratio beyond holding a Scope Lens, which of course takes up the held item slot. At the very least, things like Cynthia's Spiritomb make a good case for carrying X Accuracies.

The concept seems pretty good - the benefits of a stat-boosting move without having to use up a move slot - but they work out to just not be that useful. In-game, stat-boosting isn't particularly necessary, since you don't need to sweep, since the AI is dumb as a brick and switching is pretty much risk free. And competitively, when stat-boosting becomes a more desirable strategy, you can't use items anyway.

More people should use the Wonder Launcher.

 

[Palkia]

Personally I think that the X times are a Xtreme waste of time (oh no I didn't. >:()

You're probably better of with just stat boosting moves.

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

I really have no use for X items, so I just sell them for Xtra cash.