D
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I see a lot of people playing smogon standards, which is fine for the most part, but like all things spoon fed to the masses, you should eventually come to realize that smogon standard sets simply aren't all that good for the most part. I'll go over a few examples here for reference, but mainly it's time people started to realize what a good Pokemon really is, rather than seeing them as chess pieces with specific purposes.
Pokemon are, primarily, strategic devices to defeat the opponent. At least for competitive battling purposes. Pokemon can have varied stats, aand barring nature a stat can span up to 94 points from it's opposite (31 in IVs, and 252/4 or 63 for EVs). These points are used either to achieve a specific speed or HP, and after that are used as part of the damage formula, sometimes specific but usually not. A great example is my personal fav Umbreon, who needs to be decently fast to use his best move, Taunt.
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21302
However, some sets suggested are simply not good overall. A good example of this is the new common specsmence.
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20467
I notice many people use specsmence over other varients when it should be seen as more of a gimmick set, like tyraniboah or special metagross. Let's review. Salamence has a higher physical attack, better physical movepool, has dragondance as an option, and the majority of pokes have higher special defense than defense. By choosing specsmence, the player leaves themselves venerable to getting walled more easily, as salamence suddenly has less diversity and a lower attacking stat than his potential.
I have a few other examples I'll present as well, namely pokemon I play. This example is Garchomp.
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20484
Garchomp, against more talented players, is simply not a good choice for swords dance. Garchomp has an immense physical movepool, double stab, and immunity to sandstream. Chomp is much better off with a choice item or focus sash, as a switch in sandstream won't kill him at 1 HP like it would other pokes.
Another pokemon I like is Registeel. The standard for registeel seems to involve inaccurate electric moves on his base 50 spe att stat, even though registeel has better typing, defenses, and ability for tanking than deoxys lg.
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22674
I don't feel I need to go in depth as to why this is outright awful.
Steps to making solid, competitive pokemon:
1. Take smogon standards with caution. Some are indeed very good, and I like my CB metagross set just fine. Some on the other hand, are just mediocre or outright bad. Don't be fooled by the bad ones.
2. Plan what you want. Know minimally what stats you need to achieve. Expect opponents to use max stats. Outside of Speed, IVs usually take a back seat to natures and abilities, and really aren't that important. Adamant/Jolly/Modest/Timid are not the only natures. Experiment, make exactly what you need.
3. Use your stats correctly. Stats are given as diversity. Do not go by generic sets as the best, but merely as a reference. For example, I took the standard latios set and created what I feel is the best starter in the game:
Latios @ Soul Dew
Modest
252 spe att/ 252 spe def/ 4 HP
by dropping the speed EVs or HP EVs I effective created the hardest hitting latios, which is absolutely necessary to OHKO groudon/kyogre/mewtwo and the like, but I also found a special wall that outclasses Blissey, which far outweighs the speed difference. This guy eats mewtwo ice beams and laughs about it. walls calm mind kyogre, etc.
Stats have many various roles, whether to reinforce a strength (jolteon speed EVs) or to cover a weakness (Blissey defense EVs) and should be used accordingly.
4. Weigh strengths carefully. A pokemon should do what it's supposed to well. Taunt Umbreon should not use sub 170 speed. Trick room/ gyroball bronzong should have a -speed nature and a 0 speed IV. Endeavor smeargle can have 0 in all defenses. My smeargle is, for example:
Smeargle @ Salac berry
Hasty
255 att/ 255 speed
0 IVs in HP, def, spe def, spe att, 31 att and speed
Endure
Endeavor
Spore
Extremespeed
On the other side, feel free to go 252s on attackers if you need it. Jumpluff should be max speed and speed natured. Etc. I scarfed my jolly garchomp for example, 499 speed is nice. Most would think that scarf would cover for a speed nature and play adamant, but losing to another garchomp for that reason alone really sucks.
5. Use favorites. Pokemon are really diverse, and many can be used effectively, not just standards. Build them, adapt to fight better pokes. Play who you like, make them win by strategy, and let your numbers and preparation do the supporting.
CRACKERS
Ratatta @ focus sash
guts
brave
IVs are all 0 except 31 attack
255 attack/ ~
Endeavor
Quick Attack
Pursuit
Sleep talk
Pokemon are, primarily, strategic devices to defeat the opponent. At least for competitive battling purposes. Pokemon can have varied stats, aand barring nature a stat can span up to 94 points from it's opposite (31 in IVs, and 252/4 or 63 for EVs). These points are used either to achieve a specific speed or HP, and after that are used as part of the damage formula, sometimes specific but usually not. A great example is my personal fav Umbreon, who needs to be decently fast to use his best move, Taunt.
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21302
However, some sets suggested are simply not good overall. A good example of this is the new common specsmence.
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20467
I notice many people use specsmence over other varients when it should be seen as more of a gimmick set, like tyraniboah or special metagross. Let's review. Salamence has a higher physical attack, better physical movepool, has dragondance as an option, and the majority of pokes have higher special defense than defense. By choosing specsmence, the player leaves themselves venerable to getting walled more easily, as salamence suddenly has less diversity and a lower attacking stat than his potential.
I have a few other examples I'll present as well, namely pokemon I play. This example is Garchomp.
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20484
Garchomp, against more talented players, is simply not a good choice for swords dance. Garchomp has an immense physical movepool, double stab, and immunity to sandstream. Chomp is much better off with a choice item or focus sash, as a switch in sandstream won't kill him at 1 HP like it would other pokes.
Another pokemon I like is Registeel. The standard for registeel seems to involve inaccurate electric moves on his base 50 spe att stat, even though registeel has better typing, defenses, and ability for tanking than deoxys lg.
http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22674
I don't feel I need to go in depth as to why this is outright awful.
Steps to making solid, competitive pokemon:
1. Take smogon standards with caution. Some are indeed very good, and I like my CB metagross set just fine. Some on the other hand, are just mediocre or outright bad. Don't be fooled by the bad ones.
2. Plan what you want. Know minimally what stats you need to achieve. Expect opponents to use max stats. Outside of Speed, IVs usually take a back seat to natures and abilities, and really aren't that important. Adamant/Jolly/Modest/Timid are not the only natures. Experiment, make exactly what you need.
3. Use your stats correctly. Stats are given as diversity. Do not go by generic sets as the best, but merely as a reference. For example, I took the standard latios set and created what I feel is the best starter in the game:
Latios @ Soul Dew
Modest
252 spe att/ 252 spe def/ 4 HP
by dropping the speed EVs or HP EVs I effective created the hardest hitting latios, which is absolutely necessary to OHKO groudon/kyogre/mewtwo and the like, but I also found a special wall that outclasses Blissey, which far outweighs the speed difference. This guy eats mewtwo ice beams and laughs about it. walls calm mind kyogre, etc.
Stats have many various roles, whether to reinforce a strength (jolteon speed EVs) or to cover a weakness (Blissey defense EVs) and should be used accordingly.
4. Weigh strengths carefully. A pokemon should do what it's supposed to well. Taunt Umbreon should not use sub 170 speed. Trick room/ gyroball bronzong should have a -speed nature and a 0 speed IV. Endeavor smeargle can have 0 in all defenses. My smeargle is, for example:
Smeargle @ Salac berry
Hasty
255 att/ 255 speed
0 IVs in HP, def, spe def, spe att, 31 att and speed
Endure
Endeavor
Spore
Extremespeed
On the other side, feel free to go 252s on attackers if you need it. Jumpluff should be max speed and speed natured. Etc. I scarfed my jolly garchomp for example, 499 speed is nice. Most would think that scarf would cover for a speed nature and play adamant, but losing to another garchomp for that reason alone really sucks.
5. Use favorites. Pokemon are really diverse, and many can be used effectively, not just standards. Build them, adapt to fight better pokes. Play who you like, make them win by strategy, and let your numbers and preparation do the supporting.
CRACKERS
Ratatta @ focus sash
guts
brave
IVs are all 0 except 31 attack
255 attack/ ~
Endeavor
Quick Attack
Pursuit
Sleep talk
