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Is competitive battling that hard?

WingedDragon

Competitive Trainer
  • 1,288
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    Is competitive battling that hard or am I just making hard for myself? When I see people like P.D. Can just come up with a team in the drop of a hat. I put together team and they all just seem to have the same or similar problems. Ive put together countless amount of teams and I do mean that seriously. It makes me doubt myself as a trainer. I wonder if others are currently or have had this problem.
     

    Flushed

    never eat raspberries
  • 2,302
    Posts
    10
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    • Seen Nov 5, 2017
    The way I look at it is like a subject in school. There's so many different aspects that you have to learn and understand, so exposure and practice definitely helps, but sometimes others grasp things quicker. On a less introspective note, a lot of it is technical and mechanical, aspects that require a lot of memorization.

    You shouldn't worry about it. Like all things, you get better as time goes by. There's no set pace you should be getting better at.
     

    WingedDragon

    Competitive Trainer
  • 1,288
    Posts
    12
    Years
    The way I look at it is like a subject in school. There's so many different aspects that you have to learn and understand, so exposure and practice definitely helps, but sometimes others grasp things quicker. On a less introspective note, a lot of it is technical and mechanical, aspects that require a lot of memorization.

    You shouldn't worry about it. Like all things, you get better as time goes by. There's no set pace you should be getting better at.

    I know there is a set time but I do have a limited time. Being 26 I am up there by most competition standards. I dont want to be that creepy old guy at these things.
     

    Griffinbane

    I hate Smeargle.
  • 1,293
    Posts
    16
    Years
    Considering I've seen oldies who's got to be past age 60 puttering about at all the regionals I've been to, you have nothing to worry about. Besides, most masters are around our age or just a bit younger.
     

    zygardian harbinger

    The One and Only
  • 103
    Posts
    10
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    • Seen Sep 4, 2017
    You see, it's the combination of different Abilities and Type matchups, along with overall physical and special balance, that makes a good team. You also need to come up with counters for common threats. Do some researching around the wikis and ask us if you have any questions or concerns about your team. That's what we're here for, after all.
     
  • 23
    Posts
    10
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    • Seen Jan 16, 2015
    If your team isn't good at dealing with common threats, it'll be hard to win, once the team is solid a lot of it comes from learning prediction, and sometimes it won't go your way. Things like, he has a fire pokemon, lets say Chandelure, you switch in a water, so is he going to switch and you can use the turn to set up? Probably, or is he going to fire off an energy ball and is your pokemon too fragile to take it? I wouldn't call it a glorified game of rock,paper, scissors exactly, there's more to it, but prediction as to what your opponent is going to do is key, it helps when you#re aware of the movesets most pokemon are going to be rolling with, but occasionally you'll get a surprise.

    Also with the number of pokemon that there are, a good team can handle most threats, but occasionally you'll just get unlucky and their team is practically made to counter yours.
     

    Nah

  • 15,969
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    • Age 31
    • she/her, they/them
    • Seen yesterday
    Not to sound like a goddamn parrot, but it really is just a lotta experience and research. It's not like anyone who's good at battling now started off that way. There's plenty of trial-and-error before you get good. And even when you are good, most teams you make require some tinkering and battle-testing before they're perfect.

    Don't worry about your age. I think that most of the people who do in-person tourneys are only 10 years younger than you at most. Plenty of the people are in their mid-twenties. You'll hardly be the creeper old guy there. Not like people should give a **** about how old you are when doing these things.

    And be sure to make threads about your teams; we'll be glad to rip them apart help you improve them.:)
     

    WingedDragon

    Competitive Trainer
  • 1,288
    Posts
    12
    Years
    Not to sound like a goddamn parrot, but it really is just a lotta experience and research. It's not like anyone who's good at battling now started off that way. There's plenty of trial-and-error before you get good. And even when you are good, most teams you make require some tinkering and battle-testing before they're perfect.

    Don't worry about your age. I think that most of the people who do in-person tourneys are only 10 years younger than you at most. Plenty of the people are in their mid-twenties. You'll hardly be the creeper old guy there. Not like people should give a **** about how old you are when doing these things.

    And be sure to make threads about your teams; we'll be glad to rip them apart help you improve them.:)

    Last thread I made about a team, no one posted in it. I was figuring people were saying "f*ck it he doesnt get it"
     

    Nah

  • 15,969
    Posts
    10
    Years
    • Age 31
    • she/her, they/them
    • Seen yesterday
    Last thread I made about a team, no one posted in it. I was figuring people were saying "f*ck it he doesnt get it"

    Really? Try again. I know I'll probably post in it.
     

    dreyko

    Isolated System.
  • 270
    Posts
    13
    Years
    You are never to old to have fun, be it Pokemon, Call of duty, or watching professional sports. When trying to make a competitive team i think of these following things:

    -What is the goal/core strategy of my team? (do i want to stall, or do i want to win with hard hitters, are some examples).

    -What pokemon are best suited to accomplishing the goal of the team?

    -Are they effective at what they do? (sweeping, stalling, hazards, set up, ect)

    -Is there some synergy with my team/ do my Pokemon work well together?

    Also, know your outs in a match. For example if their Scizor just got of a Swords Dance, think of a new strategy that involves stopping it.

    Competitive battling is something that comes is time. There is a bit of a learning curve in terms of EV spreads, prediction, IVs and meta calls. I've found that in competitive battling you can have flawless Pokemon with perfect natures, EVs movesets and whatnot, but if you cannot predict, to a degree, what your opponent will do then winning will be more difficult.
     
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