6th Gen In-Game Quick Questions & Answers

[Howmander]

Hmm, if you're going to run Dragon Dance and Dragon Ascent I would personally prefer +SpD -Atk or +Def -Atk. Why? You're going to need one or two turns to set up Dragon Dance, so you need to make sure Rayquaza survives those turns. Since both Speed and Atk are increased, I'd render those obsolete, and if you want to make full use of Dragon Dance I'd also add one more physical attack, so that puts less priority on Special Attack as well.

Since you like mixed Rayquaza just keep Special Attack neutral and equip him with one special attack, Dragon Dance, and two physical attacks. Build him a bit bulky so you'll live through the first two turns of setting up Dragon Dance.

This is how I would go about it, but I have no experience AT ALL in competitive battling, so if a more experienced player offers different advice, I'd go with that. I've just offered my two cents on my thought process.

So you would suggest a Timid or Bold nature then? Hmm. That's a way I could go. Although, having said that, upon looking through it's move set again, if I did a physical only Rayquaza (I still prefer mixed though!) and gave it Iron Head (MAYBE Iron tail, although I'm not liking the 70% hit rate) that takes care of ALL it's weaknesses in one move (Ice, Rock, Fairy) so maybe Jolly would work too. Ugh this is so hard! Why can't game freak hurry up and make a Ditto evolution that can breed with legendaries so I can re breed pokemon I make mistakes on! :D Does anyone think Iron Head is a worthwhile move on Rayquaza?

 

[HairyLoco]

So you would suggest a Timid or Bold nature then? Hmm. That's a way I could go. Although, having said that, upon looking through it's move set again, if I did a physical only Rayquaza (I still prefer mixed though!) and gave it Iron Head (MAYBE Iron tail, although I'm not liking the 70% hit rate) that takes care of ALL it's weaknesses in one move (Ice, Rock, Fairy) so maybe Jolly would work too. Ugh this is so hard! Why can't game freak hurry up and make a Ditto evolution that can breed with legendaries so I can re breed pokemon I make mistakes on! :D Does anyone think Iron Head is a worthwhile move on Rayquaza?

Sorry, by SpD I meant Special Defence, in other words, a Calm nature, or Bold nature.

I would not go with Iron Tail personally, as you say I'm not a fan of the 70% hit rate either. Iron Head though, 80 Power, 15 PP, 30% chance to flinch and 100% hitrate, it sounds solid especially on a Dragon Dance buffed Rayquaza. Also you should remember that Mega Rayquaza's ability halves Ice, Rock and Electric type attacks damage. Instead of 4x Damage from Ice Attacks, you'd only receive 2x, and Rock deals only 1x damage and Electric .5x

 

[Howmander]

Sorry, by SpD I meant Special Defence, in other words, a Calm nature, or Bold nature.

I would not go with Iron Tail personally, as you say I'm not a fan of the 70% hit rate either. Iron Head though, 80 Power, 15 PP, 30% chance to flinch and 100% hitrate, it sounds solid especially on a Dragon Dance buffed Rayquaza. Also you should remember that Mega Rayquaza's ability halves Ice, Rock and Electric type attacks damage. Instead of 4x Damage from Ice Attacks, you'd only receive 2x, and Rock deals only 1x damage and Electric .5x

OH! I did not know that about it's ability! Thanks very much for the clarification, that certainly does alter my plan then, and good to know that Iron Head is a good move to consider. Thanks very much, this has given me a lot to think about!

 

[Nah]

If you're going for a mixed Rayquaza I don't think that a -Attack nature like Calm or Bold would be a good idea. If you're going mixed you don't want to lower either offensive stat, even if using a move that boosts Attack. You want to maximize your offensive potential. If you don't wanna use Naive Howmander, other options are Hasty (+Speed -Defense), Lonely (+Attack -Defense), Naughty (+Attack -Sp.Defense), Mild (+Sp.Attack -Defense), or Rash (+Sp.Attack -Sp.Defense). Depends on what exactly ya want and how yer gonna build your Rayquaza. I don't think that you need to worry too much about buffing its defenses because like was said before, Delta Stream lessens Rayaquaza's Flying based weaknesses, giving it time to set-up usually.

 

[HairyLoco]

If you're going for a mixed Rayquaza I don't think that a -Attack nature like Calm or Bold would be a good idea. If you're going mixed you don't want to lower either offensive stat, even if using a move that boosts Attack. You want to maximize your offensive potential. If you don't wanna use Naive Howmander, other options are Hasty (+Speed -Defense), Lonely (+Attack -Defense), Naughty (+Attack -Sp.Defense), Mild (+Sp.Attack -Defense), or Rash (+Sp.Attack -Sp.Defense). Depends on what exactly ya want and how yer gonna build your Rayquaza. I don't think that you need to worry too much about buffing its defenses because like was said before, Delta Stream lessens Rayaquaza's Flying based weaknesses, giving it time to set-up usually.

In that case I stand corrected. Could you please explain why it is, in this case, better to enhance speed or attack stats instead of the defences?

 

[Howmander]

In that case I stand corrected. Could you please explain why it is, in this case, better to enhance speed or attack stats instead of the defences?

I would imagine it's more of an issue of not lowering it's speed or attacks, so therefore the only thing left to lower (in order to be able to raise a stat) would be Def or Sp Def

 

[Nah]

In that case I stand corrected. Could you please explain why it is, in this case, better to enhance speed or attack stats instead of the defences?

In my experience boosting the defenses only through a nature usually doesn't do enough to help the Pokemon. Most sweepers are kinda frail to begin with, but need the extra Speed or Attack/Sp.Attack for maximum damage output. Like one example I can think of is Garchomp. Having a +Sp.Defense nature sounds nice to cushion it a bit from Fairy and Ice attacks that tend to be specially based, but:

0 SpA Pixilate Sylveon Hyper Voice vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Garchomp: 314-372 (87.7 - 103.9%) -- 25% chance to OHKO

0 SpA Pixilate Sylveon Hyper Voice vs. 4 HP / 0+ SpD Garchomp: 288-338 (80.4 - 94.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

And it still dies to like every Ice Beam out there.

Sure, with the +Sp.Defense nature it avoids the chance at getting OHKO'd, but it's still left in critical condition. Most Pokemon with priority would be able to take it out. And what's worse is by going with a +Sp.Defense nature you're losing out on on the extra Speed, meaning that Garchomp is now getting outsped by all the base 95+ Speed Pokemon with max Speed EVs and +Speed natures, which is really bad for it. Stuff like max Speed Hydreigon, Haxorus, Black Kyurem, are now capable of checking it, and Mega Gardevoir now counters it instead of just checking it.

Most sweepers really need max Speed to do their job effectively.

You'd also be surprised at what base 180 Attack/Sp.Attack with max investment and a + nature can't kill. I use a max Attack EVs Primal Groudon with an Adamant nature on Showdown, and it actually (just barely) fails to OHKO some pokes with STAB Precipice Blades. Having a -Attack nature would make that even worse.

Uh, hope that makes sense....kinda went and typed up this long ass post, and it's not like I'm the best battler either.

 

[Nihilego]

even beyond specifics like the above as a general principle you'll probably find that if you try and get a mon to do too much at once then you just end up with something not really good at anything and outclassed by pretty much everything specialised to its job. and especially with an absolute machine of an attacker like rayquaza you're wasting so much potential by trying to make it an attacker with a nature that isn't helping its attacking abilities. as far as its tier goes rayquaza is not, and never really will be, something that can do its job effectively while trying to play defensively. identify a role that a pokemon can fill, then design it to fit that role - don't try and spread it out over lots because you'll end up with something that's okay-at-best at everything (also mathematically it's often less beneficial to pick a nature for a lower stat other than in exceptional circumstances, especially if you plan on ev training in it - but i don't really know what your plans on this front are). for the most part i'd say that a pokemons nature determines its role; if it isnt a special defender, for example, its nature shouldnt be +spdef.

that said - zekrom i'd argue that your point that "Most sweepers really need max Speed to do their job effectively" only applies to non-speed-boosting sweepers. rayquaza for example imo does not always need a +speed nature when it it can use dragon dance. the difference between speed and attack is that speed can be in excess while attack cannot; if your opponent has 299 speed then it doesn't matter if you have 300 or 500 - the same result is achieved. but with other stats higher is better since there's no 'turning point' like there is with speed. so i personally would tend towards cutting back on speed in favour of other stats as far as is possible. i'm aware that a lot of the time this isn't possible at all but with something like megaquaza i feel like it is. same deal for stuff like salamence, dragonite, blaziken, mega sharpedo (with speed boost ability before mega evolving), etc. they can all raise their speed to excess levels so don't as much need the nature behind it. in fact you can sometimes, if they're bulky enough to set up, ev mons to outspeed their fastest threat by 1 point at +1 speed and dump the rest into hp, meaning you've got excess evs to drop into hp. it's case-by-case though i suppose, and after all you did say "most", heh. dunno where i'm going with this d:

to the person who asked the original question - if you're using dd rayquaza i would 100% recommend an adamant nature (unless you go mixed, but still have +attack -def/spdef in this case) over anything else. after a dragon dance it outspeeds almost anything and the extra speed provided by a jolly nature is just redundant. for the reasons i gave above i don't recommend boosting a stat that it won't be using properly. further to this i would ask why you want to go mixed when physical hits significantly harder using the available setup moves - as you say there are more options if you're mixed, but how do they help you? do the benefits offset the drop in physical ability? when you have to use sky ascent for the mega evolution can you afford to drop the attack stat behind a 120/100 physical move?

by the way, i skimmed and saw something about iron head as an option - i recommend against that. a 2x iron head does less damage that a 1x dragon ascent against ice or fairy types. recommend using earthquake instead for steel types and to hit rock types harder than dragon claw or dragon ascent can.

...in case it wasn't implicit overall i'd recommend adamant with dragon dance, dragon claw, dragon ascent, earthquake unless you have a reason to deviate from this.

 

[Nah]

that said - zekrom i'd argue that your point that "Most sweepers really need max Speed to do their job effectively" only applies to non-speed-boosting sweepers. rayquaza for example imo does not always need a +speed nature when it it can use dragon dance. the difference between speed and attack is that speed can be in excess while attack cannot; if your opponent has 299 speed then it doesn't matter if you have 300 or 500 - the same result is achieved. but with other stats higher is better since there's no 'turning point' like there is with speed. so i personally would tend towards cutting back on speed in favour of other stats as far as is possible. i'm aware that a lot of the time this isn't possible at all but with something like megaquaza i feel like it is. same deal for stuff like salamence, dragonite, blaziken, mega sharpedo (with speed boost ability before mega evolving), etc. they can all raise their speed to excess levels so don't as much need the nature behind it. in fact you can sometimes, if they're bulky enough to set up, ev mons to outspeed their fastest threat by 1 point at +1 speed and dump the rest into hp, meaning you've got excess evs to drop into hp. it's case-by-case though i suppose, and after all you did say "most", heh. dunno where i'm going with this d:

Nah, you're absolutely right. Pokemon using Speed boosting moves don't really need to run a +Speed nature most of the time. I didn't really think about that when writing my previous post.

Since when were you into battling though?

 

[NevanPTF]

Oh! I haz a question!

Going back to the IV stuff. I would like to know how can I calculate or understand how perfect IVs scale with pokemon lvl.

An example:
- I've been tring to get a good Zoroa and I know that a perfect IV for a stat is 31, correct? So how can I tell that a lvl 2 or lvl 5 Zoroa has perfect IVs?

I've noticed on dexnav that I get a Zoroa on the scanner with 3 Stars of Potencial. Does that implicate a Zoroa with more than 1 max IV?

Thanks!

 

[Emboar]

Oh! I haz a question!

Going back to the IV stuff. I would like to know how can I calculate or understand how perfect IVs scale with pokemon lvl.

An example:
- I've been tring to get a good Zoroa and I know that a perfect IV for a stat is 31, correct? So how can I tell that a lvl 2 or lvl 5 Zoroa has perfect IVs?

I've noticed on dexnav that I get a Zoroa on the scanner with 3 Stars of Potencial. Does that implicate a Zoroa with more than 1 max IV?

Thanks!

If you find a Pokemon using DexNav that has the three stars filled in, then that Pokemon has 3 or more perfect IVs. Another way to see if a Pokemon has perfect IVs would be by talking to the Stats judge at the Battle Resort, and if he tells you the Pokemon you showed to him has "outstanding potential overall", the Pokemon has at least one perfect IV, and then he will proceed to tell you what stats have perfect IVs.

Hope this helped!

 

[NevanPTF]

Oh nice! Then I wasnt really far from it hehe

thanks =) The search for them stronk pokemons continues :3

 

[Howmander]

So I just got the level release for my secret base, turned it on, worked great, left my base to change party members, came back fought another battle and they were all level 50, not 100 and then I noticed the level release was turned off, SO is the level release ONLY good for the people that are your pals in your own secret base, but does not work in other people's secret bases or how does that work? Can I only fight level 50 secret bases unless they are my pals in my own secret base? Thanks!

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

Should I use the Master Ball on Groudon? I was told that the catch rate of its Primal Forme is higher, and I'm saving it for Deoxys, but it keeps breaking free while one-shoting my team barring my Swampert despite being a few levels higher than it.

 

[Emboar]

Should I use the Master Ball on Groudon? I was told that the catch rate of its Primal Forme is higher, and I'm saving it for Deoxys, but it keeps breaking free while one-shoting my team barring my Swampert despite being a few levels higher than it.

I'd use it on Deoxys, 'cause Groudon's catch rate is slightly higher than Deoxys's, with Groudon's being 5 and Deoxys's being 3. Eventually you will catch it, all you need is some luck :)

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

I'd use it on Deoxys, 'cause Groudon's catch rate is slightly higher than Deoxys's, with Groudon's being 5 and Deoxys's being 3. Eventually you will catch it, all you need is some luck :)

I caught it the first time, but it had the wrong nature, so I soft reset to catch an Adamant Groudon, and I'm already having trouble catching it. Catching an Adamant Groudon is part of my New Years Eve plan, and I need to catch it before 2015 starts.

 

[NevanPTF]

Imho I would save the master ball for a legendary with a lower catch rate, if worth it ofc. I caught my primal Kyogre with a ultra ball and Thunder wave from pikachu. I suggest getting a pokemon that can induce paralysis, sleep, etc.

Save that master ball :3 I haven't used mine yet heh

 

[Emboar]

I caught it the first time, but it had the wrong nature, so I soft reset to catch an Adamant Groudon, and I'm already having trouble catching it. Catching an Adamant Groudon is part of my New Years Eve plan, and I need to catch it before 2015 starts.

I'd still use it on Deoxys, 'cause Deoxys has access to Recover and Cosmic Power, which will really make it a pain to catch.

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

Imho I would save the master ball for a legendary with a lower catch rate, if worth it ofc. I caught my primal Kyogre with a ultra ball and Thunder wave from pikachu. I suggest getting a pokemon that can induce paralysis, sleep, etc.

Save that master ball :3 I haven't used mine yet heh

My Roserade has Stun Spore, since Groudon's immune to Pikachu's Nuzzle, but it always misses and gets one-shot in return.

 

[NevanPTF]

Oh now thats a bummer :/ hope you can get that duderino!