New to the competitive scene-what're your tips?

[CleverCookies]

So, I've very recently decided to get involved in the wonderful world of competitive Pokémon.

I've begun EV training a team, picking specific builds and so forth.

This thread is basically for anyone who has a few battling and building suggestions for a newcomer.

I skipped Gen.5 due to a lack of interest, and I didn't have wifi during Gen IV... Hence why I'm late to the party.


Anyway, launch away, lads and ladies!

 

[srinator]

https://www.smogon.com/forums/forums/competitive-discussion.249/
This has all the answers and discussions on various mons of various tiers, go through all that.

After that's done going through a few teams will do you good since it helps you know and understand what sets/ mons are common in the competitive scenario .
https://www.smogon.com/forums/forums/rate-my-team.52/


You could also go through the rmt archive for proven and very well built/successful teams.

The new smog dex is handy too, tho I would recommend using ur own sets it is still very useful since ur just starting and helps u get to know standard sets out there
https://www.smogon.com/dex/xy/pokemon/

 

[Anti]

I would find a decent balanced team and use that on Pokemon Showdown to get an idea of how competitive works. Really, you just need experience so you can learn to play a little. Then I'd build and test your own team, and then you can build it in-game. But the team you're building now might be a victim of inexperience, so I'd test it on a sim where it takes five minutes to build and prep the whole team. Sri posted some good resources that you should definitely take advantage of. (There all also some in the PC rules sticky.)

 

[Hikamaru]

Srinator has linked a lot of helpful resources from Smogon, but I'll leave my mark here too.

Basically, my advice for people new to competitive battling is to start by looking at simulators such as Pokemon Showdown so you can get an idea of how competitive play works. As Anti said just above, next you build a team and then test it to see how it fares and if you do lose, don't worry. It's a sign that there's always room for improvement.

Also, we have several Team Help threads in this section alone where you can look for ideas. Smogon's Rate My Team thread archive can also help give you some ideas and with some digging around you should be able to find some pretty successful teams that can also serve as inspiration for you.

Basically, start small and then work up, as you continue testing your teams you'll be able to learn more about the metagame and find out which EV spreads, abilities, items, natures and movesets are the most effective for that Pokemon. We have some competitive experts here too, and you can always post a Team Help thread here or ask in the questions thread.

I hope this will help you become a better battler, and we do wish you good luck with your competitive battling career!

 

[MoxieInfinite]

How I got into Pokemon:

I watched a lot of YouTube videos, and then I went to Smogon and PO.

I made an NU team with random Pokes that formed somewhat of a core, and if it sucked, I restarted. Same for RU and UU. It took me probably two months to build me a decent team. (BW UU with Ambipom, Miltank, Gligar, Porygon2, Dusclops and Cobalion. Don't know how, but it worked). Eventually I started playing OU too, and it didn't take me too long to reach Top 250 on Showdown. I also started playing Advance, and eventually GSC. I've played a tiny bit of XY OU(reached top 100 a couple of times, and top 20 once).

It's not hard to start at all.

 

[Polar Spectrum]

I would hiiiiiiighly advise gaining your own personal experience, and studying both how to make the best use of and how to counter what everyone else does on Smogon, as well as what that community neglects. You'll be a smarter and much more diversely experienced battler for it, and be far more versatile in the long run- as when the meta inevitably changes; you'll be able to pioneer your own new strategies and builds rather than wait for another person or group to establish a new norm for everyone to follow. Keep an open mind and don't be afraid to try things you're interested in. It is possible to win while trying out things that you find fun despite no one else using them.

Especially if you're playing on cartridge - give double battles a look if you haven't already. Just my personal 2 cents on getting into competitive :p