Battling Strategies

[Linkachu]

Some of you probably won't like this topic (it exposes seekrits! :X), but others may find it fun and/or helpful. Either way, it doesn't look like we already had one like this (at least not for awhile).

Now, to the point. What are some of your favourite team/battling strategies? Could be for singles or doubles. Feel free to share anything you like, whether it be a fairly common strategy or one completely random/unique to your own playing style.

Myself, I love a lot of the typical strategies that can be utilized during double battles. Many of them are standards now yet still highly effective when used right, ie. using Protect before your partner Pokemon releases an EQ attack, Surf, Discharge, and so on - or matching an EQ user with a Levitating/Flying-type teammate, matching a Surf user with a partner that has the Water Absorb ability, etc. Anything that involves Skill Swapping is really fun, too, or Psych-Up match-ups. Then there's Swaggering/Flattering a team mate who's immune to confusion... Good times there.

Derr, those are just some of the more common strategies I can think of off the top of my head. Anyone have something to add? ^^

 

[Carmen Lopez]

Not sure if this is a battle strategy per se, but I like predicting what my opponent will do next to make my next move. Like switching my Flash Fire Arcanine into a Flamethrower attack meant to take down my Meganium or Bronzong. Or having my Lucario use Dark Pulse on a Gengar that switched in because my opponent thought I'd Aura Sphere their Metagross which was already in battle.

I'll post again, if I come up with something better XD

 

[Psycho Monkey]

My favorite strategy all out offense. I hit hard and I hit fast, which is why I absolutely love Infernape . Even if the Pokemon in question doesn't have the best attack, if it has a good move-set I'll still use it.

Depending on the opponent, I may have to integrate some tactics after analyzing my foe's strategy.

 

[Stark]

Don't forget you can use the weather too. I have some teams based around that, it opens up new possibilities whilst restricting you in other areas. A risk... but hey

 

[Linkachu]

Hah, forgot another classic double battle strategy.

Exploding when matched with a Ghost-type partner. Makes for great fun if you don't have a Protect/Detect/Subs user handy 8D

Lightning Rod is also a great ability when partnered with the right Pokemon ^^

 

[SoIHerdYaLiekAnime]

OH, that reminds me Linkachu. Once I was battling with someone, but it wasn't wifi, so I couldn't choose only level 100's. He said he would get some of his weak Pokemon. He didn't. I ended up battling level 100... Golem, and that's all I can remember, with a Rotom. He used Explosion and he forgot that Rotom is a Ghost type. He got mad... But hey, it wasn't my fault |D

There is also of course, having a wall with recover (or some move like it) and one offensive move. Makes for a long battle, but a battle well won.

 

[Shocari]

Here are two of my favorites:

For my Rain Dance team, I usually do Doubles and pair up Registeel and Kingdra. 'Dra will usually outspeed almost anything else and kill it within that first hit, while 'Steel either sets up Rain Dance(both for his defense and Kingdra's overpowered offense) or attacks something.

On my Sunny Day team(which only functions in Doubles), I send out Slaking and Exeggutor, the latter of which it Focus Sash'd. Slaking, with his monstrous speed, sets up Sunny Day, while Exeggutor pulls off a guaranteed Skill Swap on Slaking, both allowing him to hit hard EVERY TURN(until he switches out or gets KO'd) while having well over 700-something speed, effectively a Choice Scarf with the freedom to select a move.

....I lied. A third one. On my Trick Room team, I always start with Pory-Z(focus sash'd) who WILL get off Trick Room. So on turn 2, he'll either murder or die, but neither of those really matter because I'll usually send out Thick Club'd Marowak, a beast inside Trick Room, or some other hard hitter who can now shine since they'll go first.

 

[Blisk]

When I battled my friend last using my new Arceus I had just gotten from ToysRUs, he used Giratina's Shadow Force and I countered it, since I was faster, with a Shadow Force. So his missed and mine hit double damage because it was super effective. That was the highlight of the battle for me. Especially because I lost because I had 1 lvl 100 and he had 6.

I also use type advantages a lot. Every time I battle a Pokemon League, I make my team based off their types.

 

[The Argonauts]

In Doubles battles, I like to use type combinations to compensate weaknesses. My Flygon and Lucario combination, for example, works great. Simply using abilities and type advantages to win is the simplest. It's why my Gengar and Empoleon always work together.

 

[Toastie]

Well, I'm pretty fanatical about my pokemon having moves that are good against types they are at a disadvantage to.
Also, double strategies interst me, such as the 'Discharge to your partner's Volt Absorb' or the same with Surf and Water Absorb.
Of all the stats, my team(s) probably mainly focus on speed.
Also, I really want a Thick Club Marowak, just for the pure pwnsome attack.

 

[Bennett856]

When it comes to battle strategies, speed really isn't my thing. I do have a few fast moving, hard hitters to make sure I'm at least somewhat unpredictable, but my preferred strategy is to take hits then deal more damage back. Take my Tyranitar for instance, it's typing is pretty awesome, it's only weakness being fighting moves. So other than those, it usually takes something with the power of a small thermo-nuke to take it down. And not only that, it can deal a huge amount back in return.

Oh and Toastie, Thick Club Marowak is made of awesome, I have one and I must say, it was well worth trying to find the Thick Club, it's attack stat is monstrous.

 

[Secad MS]

I'm very much of a sweeper person. I love to be faster, stronger, and able to hit harder than my opponent. I'm not the best at strategy, so I find sweepers the best bet for me.

If I find that a sweeper cannot take a hit or two on the off chance they miss, I switch out to one of my more tanky-sweepers or tanks. For example, my Empoleon is a rather tanky-sweeper, because of it's resistances and defense. However, I have an almost-sweeper set on it.

In doubles, I tend to put out a pair that complements each other and covers weaknesses, like Empoleon and Torterra, for example. It's not the best pair, but it works for me.

 

[Nim]

Ok this may sound a bit complicated but it is my best strategy of all time. Firstly get a breloom and equip it with an item called toxic orb. Then teach it substitute, focus punch, spore and leach seed.

Once you enter a battle with the breloom the toxic orb will badly poison you which normally does more damage each turn but due to breloom's ability it makes the damage that the poison does to you turn into health regeneration. This will allow you to heal well every turn without even wasting a move.

The first attack you must use is spore which will put the enemy to sleep allowing your badly poisoned state pick upso by the time they wake up you will be healing more than they are damaging. Once they are asleep use leech seed just for a little more health regeneration while they are in there sluberous state.

Now once they are asleep and leech seeded you must use substitute and then focus punch. Since you have to wait a turn to use focus punch substitute will garuntee a sure hit even if the enemy does manage to awaken.

If the enemy wakes up simply put them back to sleep with spore.
If all goes to plan you will be able to absolutely anhinalate the enemy without taking a scratch.

Hope this little idea of mine is good.

 

[Hunting Rifle]

I think it's important to have an all-round team, with enough different types to cover up for weaknesses of the other team PokeMon. That's why I never use a team that consists of several PokeMon with the same type. Sure, you could use only Fire and Fighting types, but when the opponent calls out Claydoll, you're goners.

My favourite strategy for solo battles is have a good offensive moveset on a high-attack PokeMon for an all-out offensive. For double battles, I include a PokeMon with handy moves like a bunch of 'powders and 'spores or Hypnosis, so my first PokeMon can defeat it more easily. It's even better to have a PokeMon with Hypnosis and Dreameater.

I also never use Dire Hits and X-' stuff. I helps, but not much. And it wears out after battle, so it's a waste of money in my opinion.

 

[GodlessM]

Ok this may sound a bit complicated but it is my best strategy of all time. Firstly get a breloom and equip it with an item called toxic orb. Then teach it substitute, focus punch, spore and leach seed.

Once you enter a battle with the breloom the toxic orb will badly poison you which normally does more damage each turn but due to breloom's ability it makes the damage that the poison does to you turn into health regeneration. This will allow you to heal well every turn without even wasting a move.

The first attack you must use is spore which will put the enemy to sleep allowing your badly poisoned state pick upso by the time they wake up you will be healing more than they are damaging. Once they are asleep use leech seed just for a little more health regeneration while they are in there sluberous state.

Now once they are asleep and leech seeded you must use substitute and then focus punch. Since you have to wait a turn to use focus punch substitute will garuntee a sure hit even if the enemy does manage to awaken.

If the enemy wakes up simply put them back to sleep with spore.
If all goes to plan you will be able to absolutely anhinalate the enemy without taking a scratch.

Hope this little idea of mine is good.

Just thought I'd point out the point I have bolded and italisized above; its smogon's strategy not yours, half the world uses that set and technique.

I'd also like to point out to an earlier user that just all-out attacking isn't a strategy.

Most epic strategy ever has to be Gigatitan's Regigigas strategy for doubles:

1. Continously use Follow Me with a Clefable or other Pokemon that knows the move so that the accompanying Drifblim can Stockpile up.

2. Once the Follow Me-er goes down, bring out Regigigas. Skill Swap with Drifblim passing on its Unbruden and taking away Slow Start, while Regigigas Psych's Up the Stockpiles.

3. Drain Punch with Gigas to regain health while Drifblim Swaggers Gigas, doubling his attack, confusing him which uses up his Lum/Persim Berry and activates Unburden doubling his speed.

4. Finally Baton Pass out with Drifblim to another Pokemon who can then optionally Pysch Up off Gigas or Helping Hand to boost Gigas even further.

 

[Blisk]

I think he met "my" has in the one he uses.^^

Also, I love the Regigigas strategy. I mainly like how complicated it is. Instead of merely having a Pokemon use Earthquake when your 2nd Pokemon is flying or has Levitate, you have an actual strategy. It is a multi-turn plan that will boost the power of Regigigas and maybe even another Pokemon, depending on how it's used. Very creative. Did you come up with that?

 

[Nim]

Just thought I'd point out the point I have bolded and italisized above; its smogon's strategy not yours, half the world uses that set and technique.[\quote]

I hate to say buddy but I actually thought up that strategy with my friend, and maybe you should open your mind once in a while and realise that some people may have the same ideas as you or your friends and anyway how am i ment to know the whole world uses it anyway. Just trying to help people.

 

[KoL]

I love how you point out that Feralagtr's Breloom strategy isn't original, Greene1516, when you also forget that Gigatitan's Regigigas strategy was done similarly in Gen III with Slaking long before his videos appeared on YouTube - the only reason it receives more notice now with Gigatitan is because no-one uses PHazers anymore, unlike in Gen III when every (good) team had one which essentially meant Baton Pass teams in Gen III got butchered constantly. I'd love to know why people stopped using PHazers myself - you get fraggin' Magikarp sweeps now thanks to their absence, you'd think competitive players would learn a thing or two from what's going on around them...and as far as complicated strategies go Blisk, don't forget that the more complex the strategy is, the more there is that could possibly go wrong.

...in any case, my battling strategy is hard to describe in any real detail - any battler worth their salt will have more than one strategy available to them so that they can adapt to different opponents and beat them. Going back to my point about complicated strategies, I go for simplicity mostly - keep the strategy simple, yet solid as a brick sandwich. Nothing special, yet impossible to counter - essentially, my strategy is simply to win; nothing more, and nothing less.

After all, does it really need to be any more complex than that?

 

[Linkachu]

Heh... In response to Greene1516's comment: Having the exact same set and strategy as Smogon does not mean it came from Smogon.

It's kinda silly to assume that every battler out there uses Smogon. Even more silly to assume that people can't come up with similar strategies simply on their own. Great minds think alike, y'know? Or maybe it's just noticing the obvious potential from a Pokemon that others see as well. Regardless, keep the arrogant comments out of this thread. It's meant to share strategies, not to cry "SMOGON RIP-OFF!!!111!" XP

 

[KoL]

Double irony is that they pinched one of their sets for Lucario from me. Just goes to show a lot of the sets that apparently came from Smogon were probably pinched from other people and then put on their site.

 

[flygon master]

I have one. My friend loves using high attack pokemon so I had to come up with a good defender and this is what I got:
Blissey:
cosmic power
moonlight
follow me
substitute(leftovers)
My friend had a Dialga 20 levels stronger and roar of time only cut the health in half before I used moonlight and leftovers kicked in. Then I combo that with one of my stab pokemon and voila instant win.

 

[KoL]

So basically, your strategy is to use a Blissey with a hacked moveset? Well done.

 

[flygon master]

Don't underestimate the power of the cheatcode. ;D

 

[KoL]

Yeah, illegal hacking is not condoned at all on this site. You can and will be warned/banned for using hacked movesets in battles against other members here - I suggest you keep that in mind.

 

[GodlessM]

@ Gerudo; I never said Gigatitan created it, but since he was the first person I saw using it I always just called it Gigatitan's strategy. A play on words that could mean several things, I won't hold you on it which brings me to my next point.

@ Linkachu; you make far too many assumptions and misobservations, firstly, I never cried Smogon rip-off, I am well aware that half of their sets are stolen without credit, and God knows people come up with better sets on their own, I never said he stole the set, nor did I say or imply that everyone uses smogon, an assumption you accused me of making. On that note, arrogance is a sense of superiority over those you are addressing, and since I never once mentioned myself in my reply to Feraligatr, I don't see how my comment is in any way arrogant.

@ Feraligatr; don't assume me to be a smogonite clone or any friend of theirs; truth be told I hate that site, but I got the impression from your message that you were under the illusion that the set was yours and nobody else used it. I merely intended to infrom you otherwise.

 

[Blisk]

[quote name='Gerudo Ganon]and as far as complicated strategies go Blisk' date=' don't forget that the more complex the strategy is, the more there is that could possibly go wrong.[/quote']

I agree, KoL. I was just commenting about how I thought it was cool someone could come up with something as complicated as that. I also prefer simple strategies. Baton passing is useful, but I myself have never used it before.

I probably don't have any strategy that hasn't been used over and over again by others, I just try to bring out the potential on Pokemon based on their stats and movesets.

 

[StellarWind Elsydeon]

'xcuse me for intervening, but, uh, from the way your initial comment sounded, it DID sound like you were calling out 'Smogon Rip-off'. If this person thinks he invented the wheel, what's wrong with that? It's a big internets. Anyone might think they came up with a strategy that other people did. What's the point of 'informing them otherwise' if not to sound better than they are? Give it an effing rest.

Either way, your entire tone of post is coming off as condescending and arrogant - and not just to Katie here, but to me as well. When two of this site's admins (and believe me, other members in various points of the spectrum) seem to think you're being a condescending twit, I highly suggest you take a look at your posts and think what you're doing wrong.

Tread lightly, oh one that is not original enough to not have numbers in its name. Tread lightly.

 

[Blisk]

I also have forgotten til now that the strategy of Skill Swapping a Pokemon with a horrible ability for a better one has been used by so many individuals, it's not even worth counting. Even a NPC in Colosseum uses that strategy with a Slowking and Slaking.

 

[KoL]

The NPC you're thinking of is Evice, the final boss of the game. Skill Swapping abilities is an age-old strategy now, and Baton Pass chains are even older than that, dating all the way back to Gen II with the popular Jolteon/Marowak "Joltwak" combo.

 

[Fumanshu]

Mh my strategies are actually built before I start a battle.
I take a threatlist of the most dangerous Pokemon/Playstyles and build a team around it that usually can handle all those Problems.

I usually have many Pokemon ready to switch around, but the team synergy is very important for me.
And certain battle strategies..I dont really have. I predict a lot, and play safe when I can afford it.
The magic rather happens while I build teams. Certain items,moves,EVs can change a lot.

I used to play bulky offense, but that got punished by certain playstyles so I mixed it up.

I guess its all about balance and not too many gimmicks~

 

[Linkachu]

@ Linkachu; you make far too many assumptions and misobservations, firstly, I never cried Smogon rip-off, I am well aware that half of their sets are stolen without credit, and God knows people come up with better sets on their own, I never said he stole the set, nor did I say or imply that everyone uses smogon, an assumption you accused me of making. On that note, arrogance is a sense of superiority over those you are addressing, and since I never once mentioned myself in my reply to Feraligatr, I don't see how my comment is in any way arrogant.

I apologize if I misread your post, however I very much doubt that I was alone in doing so. Reread your post. If you don't want to come off as arrogant, please don't make arrogant sounding posts.

Now, let's get back on topic. If you have further concerns, send them to me in a PM.

 

[Abnaki_Knight]

Okay I have a combo with a Smeargle. Have Smeargle know Lock-on, Outrage and two one hit K.O. moves and another pokemon that knows Follow me. Have the FMer be a pokemon that can wall the whole battle. Smeargle Locks-on and next turn K.O. When the wall faints use the Outrage with out being confused. The Swagger can come in handy here. The Lock-on, 1 hit K.O. moves I learn for back in Gen II. the Outrage and Follow me parts I added. I don't know if anyone though of this yet yell at me for copying.

 

[PoisonIsEPIC]

I make sure all my hits 1-hit ko them.

 

[112% Elusive]

I make sure all my hits 1-hit ko them.

What if they don't?

 

[Abnaki_Knight]

Then you're srewed ??? anyway i see a weakness in my plan... moves like surf and earthquake. hit's smeargle even if there is follow me out.