The Pokemon Gentleman's Lounge

[Zexaeon]

Well, like I said, Tiers are much more difficult to do in Doubles. Aside from Ubers being in an Uber Tier, there really isn't much of a Tier-listing as far as I know, simply because Doubles can make almost any pokemon usable without having to try TOO hard.

 

By comparison, an NU in standard will have to have plenty of good team support to be usable in OU.

 

Anyway, I guess exceptions would be obviously terrible Pokemon, such as Luvdisc, or perhaps NFEs, but THOSE can be useful. (People running Sentrets for Follow Me, wanting them to get killed easily so that they can bring in the next Pokemon without needing a switch).

 

There is also a phenomenal amount of focus on Abilities, so that also affects the possible tier lists.

[Felix]

As far as I've heard though, only a few strategies really work in doubles, like a Pokemon with Follow Me absorbing attacks while another Pokmon like Scizor sets its self up. Protect and Fake Out and Priority also run rampant in Doubles. I'm purely repeating what I've heard though, I've never had any experience of Doubles.

[Dark]

(People running Sentrets for Follow Me, wanting them to get killed easily so that they can bring in the next Pokemon without needing a switch).

 

Isn't that just a complete waste of a team slot? What else can Sentret really do, except suck?

[Zexaeon]

It really isn't. See, your mindset is stuck in standard.

 

In Doubles, using Sentret for the sole purpose of giving you a turn of set-up is completely viable. And remember, this is an environment where switching out is usually not a good idea - facing the possible prospect of two incoming attacks right on the switch is highly undesirable, especially with the abundance of entry hazards.

 

Switching in a Pokemon after another member of your party dies is about the safest means of accomplishing it, normally. So no, Sentret is most certainly not a wasted team slot in this example, because if the person is basing their team around a particular Poke's setting up, then Sentret's task is very important.

 

 

Also, bear in mind that in most Doubles teams, it's typically 3-4 Pokemon that are really the heart of the team. The other 3-2 tend to be filler for one specific task.

[Dark]

No, I perfectly get that part. But couldn't they find a Follow Me user that actually, hmm, I don't know, serves another purpose? Sure, you need to set up, so suicide your Sentret. But if your plan was foiled early on, now you have a liability in Sentret. If you had another Follow Me user (Clefable, maybe), you could actually use it to inflict Toxic, or at least do some damage in case your strategy was foiled. The only problem is you need something with paper thin defenses, and in this case, Sentret luckily has that.

[Zexaeon]

It's designed to be used as a lead with a more suitable partner coming in afterward.

 

For example, let's look at Tyranitar and Zapdos.

 

TTar wants to spend its time EQuing the field, and also sending some Rock Slides at the foes that will resist it or are immune. Zapdos wants to aim Special Attacks at whatever walls TTar, blasting away with Hidden Powers or TBolts while enjoying immunities to EQ.

 

Now, in order to promote a healthy sweep, TTar obviously wants a good DD under its belt. And Zapdos doesn't wanna be in on the first turn to take potential hits, nor does TTar want to be left open to them.

 

The solution is simple. Sentret will use Follow Me to take in any attacks aimed at TTar while he sets up. Sentret then goes down thanks to paper defense, and Zapdos gets to have a nice, free switch in.

 

Now you may commence sweeping with the pair that was supposed to be together.

 

See, Sentret is designed to just be a filler for while you prepare your real pair for battle.

 

A more stable Follow Me poke would be used on a different kind of team, as it serves no real purpose in this strategy. If you wanted a Follow Me-er that could actually do something useful with itself, you'd use Togekiss, or Clefable.

[Dark]

Let's look at it this way, then.

 

So you have TTar and Sentret out. Sentret uses Follow Me, TTar gets a DDance. Sentret faints, Zapdos comes out. So you have a nice, +1 ATK/Spe TTar, with a Zapdos.

 

Now let's have a TTar with an extremely bulky Clefable. Clefable uses Follow Me, TTar gets a DDance. Clefable lives, uses Follow Me again on the second turn, and TTar gets a second DDance. And then Zapdos can come in "for free". You get an extra +1 ATK and Speed, at little cost. You only need to take an average of 33% from each move (for Clefable, since sandstorm does nothing because of Magic Guard), and the fourth move will finish you off. Why isn't that viable?

[Ghost-O]

Dear me. I've found myself joining many a Pokemon related Organization. Oh, but I can't help myself can I? Guide me Gyarados.

 

Name: PotS or Ghost. It is at your discretion.

Age: 18

Pokemon Games in your possession: Pokemon Platinum

Preferred Tier: OU

Shoddy Battle Name: N/A; I'm not a fan of Shoddy Battle.

Friend Code: I currently do not know my friend code. Could someone tell me how to figure it out.

Favorite Pokemon: Gyarados of course. The Thrasher, as I call him.

[Dark]

You just have to log onto WiFi once and it'll be in your PalPad.

 

Zex, this guy is uber cool (haha, pun). You should accept him.

[Zexaeon]

Yeah, sure, he's in.

 

@Topic: That IS viable. Dark, I think you're misunderstanding me - the whole point of me explaining all of this stuff was to establish why Sentret is used, since you were questioning that. I never intended to say Sentret was better than any of the other Follow Mes, which I'm getting the feeling you've interpreted from me.

 

I'm simply explaining the use Sentret has in Doubles as a Follow Me user.

 

I myself am still new to the meta, so I'm sure a more experienced battler could better explain any other uses for the thing.

[Dark]

Okay, that makes more sense. Because I assumed you were saying Sentret was a more viable Follow Me'er than others, and I was apalled at that statement. Thanks for clarifying. <3

[Zexaeon]

xD Come now, Dark, how long have you known me?

[Zexaeon]

Bamping, because I have a wifi team I wanna play with.

 

Felix, you game? Answer quick now, I may go to sleep soon.

[Dark]

If you can make your team on Shoddy, I can battle you tomorrow. :/

[Ghost-O]

Is it safe to assume I am in the presence of "Pros"? Because the moment I establish an indefinite wireless connection at my home location, I'd like to know I have some proper aid.

[Dark]

We are not as good as top-tiered Smogon people, but I'd say we are at least half-decent.

 

Me, Zex, Felix, Flame Dragon, Tekken... we are the main competitive battlers on this website. :D

[Ghost-O]

I'll keep that in mind when I'm looking for tips and hints. Thank you Dark.

[Zexaeon]

Yeah, and between all of us, I'm probably the weakest link. xD

 

Granted, I haven't been outright swept away by any of the others Dark mentioned, and whenever I lose it's usually a close match, but that doesn't change the fact that I almost always lose to them. =P

 

However, I have a ton of Pokemon "Book Smarts", I guess you'd call it.

 

@Dark: Well, the whole point of me making it on my SS is because I wanted to play it on wifi and possibly record the battle, so Shoddy is a no.

 

Besides, Smogon has still yet to update some of their database with the new moves some Pokemon get in HGSS. =/

[Dark]

I agree. I have a lot of common knowledge about Pokemon and just battling in general, but I fail to put it to use in battle. I will predict a switch from five miles away and not take a risk, because my playing style is too conservative. And I am trying to change that, but it ends up in me losing pretty badly. I rarely trust my predictions, unless I am ten thousand percent sure of something, which isn't too often.

 

And I see what you mean there, but I don't have an "actual" team on my Diamond ready to go. But I'll see what I can do in the next few days. Maybe we can shoot off a battle, but don't expect much. D:

[Ghost-O]

I'm still raising my Scizor, Darkrai, and Arceus for my Uber team.

 

Then, I'll proceed to work on my OU team.

[Dark]

What I don't get is that Arceus is still banned on the Uber ladder in Shoddy. Or maybe I'm mistaken, but he was banned just over a week ago. :/

 

And may I inquire what your other three Pokemon are?

[Ghost-O]

Ho-Oh, Kyogre and Giratina.

[Dark]

I'm actually embarassed to hit 14k posts. <___<

 

And why Kyogre and Ho-oh on the same team? I'm not knowledgable in Ubers, but doesn't seem like a nice combo.

 

But yeah, most teams with Darkrai have Kyogre. Or maybe that is because most teams have Kyogre in the first place.

[Ghost-O]

I was going to put Latias in Ho-Oh's place, but then I'd have two Dragons. So, I'm thinking about Mewtwo or Lugia. But I haven't been able to find one with a decent nature and / or stats to trade for.

 

:/

[Zexaeon]

Sounds good Dark, just let me know when you cook something up.

 

=O I'm eager to experiment with this team, because it's another UU team that IS capable of playing in OU (I tend to make a lot of those, huh?).

 

Except unlike my other ones, this one actually has a couple OU swap-ins for playing *better* in OU.

 

 

EDIT: Yeah, Ho-Oh is best played alongside Groudon. Although, gaining Brave Bird has given it a significant boost in playability - anything it can't hit with Sacred Fire can get some serious hurt from LO'd BB off of Ho-Oh's massive Atk.