SOCIETY OF POKEMON MASTERS

5/29/15
MEETING AGENDA
• Rule Changes
• Battle Strategy Presentation
• Battle Demonstrations
• Showdown Practice and Anaysis
RULE CHANGE SUGGESTIONS
• If anyone has proposed rule edits, propose them now!
BATTLE STRATEGY PRESENTATION
NAVIGATION

Basic OverallAdvantages
Typing Gameplan
Checks/Counters
•• Learn
How do
What how
to you
to try
watchbesttouse
out win?
for your typing

Predictions
Physical
Using a Freeand Loss Mitigation
vs Special
Switch
Great •• Learntotomaximize
useyour
Anticipate
How defensive
a lostbias
opponent Pokémon

Abilities
Using and Items
Niche Utility
Tactics
Moves
Ultra •• Abuse options
Win bydown
Wear to of
the skin
your their maximum
your teeth potential
opponent
 TYPING ADVANTAGES
• Know your types, Pokemon is a very complicated game of Rock Paper Scizors
• Damage multipliers are multiplicitive. Dual type pokemon hit by a move that is Super Effective
to one type, and Not Very Effective to another, receive normal damage.
• Know common attacking types and combinations:
• Ghost , Dragon , Flying hit most targets Neutrally
• “EdgeQuake” and “BoltBeam”, Near perfect Neutral coverage
• Know your Resistances and defensive typing
• Steel and Fairy types have many useful
Resistances
• STAB: Same Type Attack Bonus
• Moves the same type as your Pokémon
receive a 1.5x Boost
• Do the math. A 2x Supereffective Non-stab attack
is equalilent to a neutral Fire type STAB under Sun
 PHYSICAL VS. SPECIAL
• Just another layer of Rock Paper Scizors
• Every move is Physical or Special
• Every Pokémon can attack Physically or Specially with power depending on their stats
• Every Pokémon has Physical and Special defense, to defend against moves.
• Recognize the strengths of opposing Pokémon
• If physically bulky, try a special attacker, if specially bulky, try a physical attack
• Likewise, If physically powerful, switch in a physically bulky Pokémon
• Know Pokémon that can go mixed, and know how to handle them
• Certain moves change the formula:
• Psyshock, Sacred Sword attack physical side with Special Attack
• Know how to boost your abilities to their best potential
• Choice Band: 1.5X Boost to Physical Attack. Choice Specs: 1.5X Boost to Special Attack.
Assault Vest: 1.5X Boost to Special Defence
 ABILITIES AND ITEMS
• Know your options
• Some abilities are clearly superior; try to avoid chance based abilities
• Look up the best ability for a given Pokémon, ie. Use magnet pull over sturdy on Magnezone, as it
provides Magnezone’s best niche
• Some Pokémon have a plethora of useable abilities, such as Clefable’s Magic Guard or Unaware
• Choice items are useless for non-attacking Pokémon
• Frail pokemon are not wel served by defensive items, such as leftovers.
• Know the ability and common items of opposing Pokémon
• A Flash Fire Heatran in the wings makes you more careful with fire attacks
• A Levitate or Air Ballooned Pokémon can avoid spikes and ground type moves
• Iron barbs or Rough skin with a Rocky Helmet deters contact moves
• A Magic Bounce Pokémon deters hazards.
• Know the possible options of abilities and items of opposing Pokémon
• Watch for activation messages. A Mold Breaker message on an Excadrill means it does not have Sand
Rush. Air balloon is announced, so pop it before using a ground type attack.
• A slow but powerful Pokémon may use a choice scarf to boost its speed. Watch out for known
Scarfers
• Watch out for defiant or competitive users, who may switch in on Defogs or Intimidates
 CHECKS AND COUNTERS
• Check
• A Pokémon that can take out an Opponent under near ideal conditions
• Ideal conditions often entail an unboosted opponent, a nearly full health Pokémon without status, and no hax
• Example: A Mega Sceptile Checks a Mega Manectric, OHKOing with a Leaf Storm, and can switch in on
electric attacks
• Conditional Check
• A check only for certain variants of a pokemon.
• Example: A Mega Gardevoir Checks Kyurem-B, if Kyurem-B is not running Iron Head
• Emergency Check
• A Pokemon that only checks a weakened pokemon
• Example: A Talonflame conditionally Checks Garchomp. Normally, a Talonflame can not OHKO a Garchomp,
and is OHKOd in return. Against a weakened Garchomp, Talonflame outspeeds and takes out Garchomp.
• Counter
• A Pokémon that can take out an Opponent under nearly every condition
• Barring extreme hax or extensive prior damage, a counter can take multiple hits, and can often OHKO in
return.
• Example: A Magnezone 4x resists both STABs of a Skarmory, Traps it, and can OHKO with Thunderbolt
 USING A FREE SWITCH
• So your Pokémon was just taken out, now what?
• A Free Switch means no damage on the incoming Pokémon
• Revenge Kill
• Do you need an opposing Pokémon gone right now?
• Is the opposing Pokémon weakened?
• Bring in a faster threat to take it out, or to punch holes it it switches
• Set up
• Don’t just take out the opponent, you have better options
• Bring in a counter or hard check to the opposing Pokémon
• Use a boosting move. The opponent does minimal damage to you, and you can deal with them at any time. To
deal with your Pokémon, the opponent needs to switch.
• Use the free turn to boost, and overpower any switchins. This can often begin a sweep.
• Example: A Latios took out your Pokémon with a Draco Meteor, and is now at -2. You bring in your Mega
Tyranitar. You could OHKO with a crunch, but the opponent might switch to a resist, or sack the Latios.
Instead, Dragon Dance to gain Attack and Speed. Now, you can muscle through the opponent’s team to
sweep.
• Cripple
• Bring in a Pokémon to force a switch. Use a status move or knock off. Worst case scenario, opponany sacks
their current Pokémon. Best case scenario, you burned their physical attacker, and crippled the biggest threat
to your team. You can take out the switched Pokémon later.
 USING UTILITY MOVES
• Battles can be long, and simply attacking may not be the best option.
• Status:
• Burns: Damage over time, halves Attack stat. Use to neuter physical attackers to assist setups or checks
• Toxic: Growing Damage over time. Use to wear down opponents that have overstayed their welcome. Every
bit counts.
• Paralysis: ¼ Chance to skip turn, quarters speed. Use to neuter anything that relies on its speed to take out
opponents, or rely on hax to give yourself an edge.
• Hazards
• Just use them. Chip damage or other effects subtly but importantly changes the match
• Stealth Rocks: Damages opponent based off of weakness to Rock Type when switching in
• Spikes: Can be placed up to three layers, damages switched grounded Pokémon per layer
• Toxic Spikes: Poisons or Badly poisons depending on layers.
• Sticky Web: Lowers opponent's speed one stage. Beware Defiant or Contrary Pokémon
• Hazard Removal/Prevention
• Rapid Spin: 20BP Normal Type attack, Removes hazards on your side of the field, blocked by ghosts
• Defog: Clears Hazards and Screens from both sides of the field. Prevented by Taunt
• Taunt: Prevents use of Non-Attacking moves, such as Hazards and Defog
• Magic Bounce: An Ability which bounces back non-attacking moves such as Taunt and Hazards
 OVERALL GAMEPLAN
• Know your Win Condition
• A sweeper or cleaner can blow through a weakened team after the right opportunity
presents itself
• An unbreakable wall can stall out an opposing team once its counters are gone
• Know your team’s weaknesses to specific Pokémon
• While a single type weakness might be apparent, know which Pokémon carry the
right moves that dismantle your team
• Know if you need to keep a certain Pokémon around to deal with a certain threat. It is
no use sacrificing a key check to a threat for some chip damage
• Be conscious of your team strategy
• If a VoltTurn team, attempt to rack up chip damage rather than going for the kill
• Hyper Offence does not often switch, while Stall does not often attack.
• Have a back up plan if your first choice fails. A secondary win condition is important.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
 PREDICTIONS AND LOSS MITIGATION
• You must learn to predict your opponent, and predict what they predict from you.
• Keep type immunities of team members in mind, as they often are used for free switches.
• If an opponent has a counter in the wings, they may be inclined to switch to it. Take this
opportunity to switch to a counter of that counter.
• If you know a certain move is incoming, switch to a resist. Beware however, if the
opponent thinks you may switch, they may use a move strong against the switch in, or a
status move
• If you don’t know for certainty what move a Pokémon will make, choose your move based off of
the least risky decision
• If you have a choice between a powerful move that an opponent’s benched Pokémon is
immune to, and a weaker move, consider the weaker move. A free switch is more
dangerous than a less weakened Pokémon that stays in
• Know your damage output. That resisted move may not his for much, but if it can take out
a weakened Pokémon, use it if it provides better numbers against Pokémon in the wings.
• Don’t use inaccurate moves when you don’t have to.
• A 2HKO with either move, but one has 90% accuracy? Choose the 100% Move to avoid
hax, especially if you already counter the pokemon.
 NICHE TACTICS
• These may win you tight games, but are hard to pull off
• Stalling
• Recovery Stall: If the opponent does less than 50% per hit, keep healing. Attacking moves often have
less PP than recovery moves
• Recoil Stalling: Does the opponent hurt themselves every move? Consider continuous switching or
recovery, to prolong the time the opponent attacks, whittling down their health.
• Paraflinch: paralysis and flinching moves allow a Pokémon to outmatch Pokémon they shouldn’t with
fair reliability
• Leftovers Stalling: If you can delay fainting an opponent, then do. Allow yourself to recover more
health with leftovers before striking a final blow. Use Status moves continuously to discourage
switches.
• Juggling
• Intimidate Juggle: Keep switching in Intimidators to weaken an opponent to manageable levels.
• Fake Out Juggle: Use Fake Out, Switch, get free switch, repeat. Whittle down a problem sweeper with
high priority.
• Rocky Helmet Juggle. Switch in a Rocky Helmeter, switch to avoid a powerful move, then switch back
when the opponent switches attacks for the new target. Warning, only works so many times.
• Taking advantage of choice items
• Did that slow Pokémon outspeed you? They have a scarf, and you can now free switch in a counter
and set up.
USEFUL RESOURCES
• Player of the Week: http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/clones-thread-
archive.3509483/
• Terminology Database http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/pokemon-terminology-
database.3531296/
• Battling Tips: http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/battling-tip-of-the-day.3508693/
BATTLING SHOWCASE

• Member Volunteers who prepared teams will battle people on Showdown

• As each move takes place, the volunteer will explain their thought process.
DO NOT MAKE SUGGESTIONS
We are here to see how others think. Group participation comes later
• After each battle, feel free to ask the Volunteer more questions about their thought
process. Feel free to record a battle to be able to point out moments of interest.

• After the volunteers, we will move to people who wish to learn. Volunteers to battle will be
counseled by the group in choices to make, in how to beat other Showdown players