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The competitive side of things [Updated with list of some new hold items]

Ruko

Bearded Trout Warrior
New Hold Items
Credit to Serebii, Reworded most of the descriptions to patch up their spelling/grammar issues. As stated in my post below, I don't think that this list is complete - I was inspired to search for a list at the mention of an item I didn't find on it.

[Type] Jewel[/b] - Increases the power of --- type attacks just once. There's one for each type, but how much of a boost they give is uncertain right now. [b][Type] Cassette[/b] - Held items specific to Genosect, the last pokemon in the Isshu Dex. All they do is change one of it's signature moves to a specific type, sort of like Arceus' plates changed Judgement. [b]Baloon[/b] - If held by a pokemon, they will float in the air. The baloon will be destroyed the first time they are attacked. I'd imagine this works like levitate and would be pretty useful on a few frail pokemon weak to ground [Raichu, for instance] [b]Bulb[/b] - If the pokemon holding this item is hit by a water attack, their special attack will increase. Description mentions that it's disposable, so probably only one-time use. [b]Bull's Eye[/b] - A pokemon holding this item will always be hit when an attack targets them, regardless of typing/accuracy. Abilities such as levitate still interfere, however. [b]Escape Button[/b] - The pokemon holding this item will switch when it is hit by an attack. This just seems odd at best, but I'm sure it has some amazing use somewhere. [b]Evolution Stone[/b] - Increases the Defense and Special Defense of a pokemon that has not fully evolved. Need exact details, but Dusclops comes immediately to mind as being a good user of this. The amount it raises defense is 50% according to Smogon. [b]Pressure Band[/b] - Increases the damage dealt by moves that cause pressure. I'm not sure what exactly this means, but Wrap comes immediately to mind. With the buffs already made to them and this item, they may actually see some good use now. [b]Pumice Stone[/b] - Decreases the holder's weight. It has its uses, but probably not enough of one to warrant using it over something else. [b]Rechargeable Battery[/b] - If the pokemon holding this item is hit by an electric attack, their Attack will increase. This may also be a one-time use item. [b]Red Card[/b] - If a pokemon holding this card is attacked, the attacking pokemon is switched out with another. Ultimate one-time PHaze, anyone? I can see this being put to great use on a pokemon with Sturdy if they wouldn't rather have leftovers. [b]Rugged Helmet[/b] - If a pokemon holding this item is attacked physically then the attacking pokemon receives 12.5% of their health in damage. Rough Skin / Steel Thorns packed into an item. [hr][/hr] I'm curious what sorts of ideas the battlers around here might be starting to come up with. Most [if not all] of the abilities have been translated and we can see who gets what along those lines. TMs are still up in the air as of now so full movesets are still out of the question, but I'm sure everyone has some ideas of what changes they do and don't like :) [u]The things that stand out most to me are:[/u] Drought and Drizzle on Ninetales and Politoed.. These really speak for themselves. It'll be nice to see teams revolving around more than endless sandstorm now. Primeape getting a new ability called Competitive Spirit really strikes me as overpowered. Competitive spirit raises a pokemon's attack whenever another stat is lowered.. and Primeape is capable of learning Close Combat. Put the two together and you get something similar to Charge Beam, but with a much higher starting power, no chance to miss and a 100% attack increase chance. Ditto is likely to be on nearly every team I build now due to it's wonderful ability Eccentric. Ditto can now Transform instantly rather than wasting a turn transforming only to be OHKO'd, nearly OHKO'd, or have whoever you're fighting simply switch to something much weaker. Slap a scarf on it and you have a counter for nearly every even semi-frail sweeper in the game with decent coverage. Admittedly, more information is needed about Eccentric before I can validate these claims - If eccentric doesn't work exactly like transform, Ditto may not copy stat changes [Swords Dance, etc.]. Omastar nets itself some Breakable Armour, which will allow it to raise its speed every time it gets hit with a physical attack. The only drawback is losing a stage of attack power each time as well. With base 125 Defense and 115 Special Attack, I'd like to think Omastar can manage with the loss of attack for speed :) Blaziken can now set up for an unparalleled sweep simply by existing; Speed Boost will raise its speed stat every turn, and will put it ahead of a great deal of the game after just the first turn. The only downside is surviving that first turn without sacrificing an attack slot for Protect. Finally, Gliscor really stands out to me with Poison Heal. Breloom made great use of the ability with rather sub-par defenses, so I don't see why a physical tank with Roost wouldn't be able to. Status immunity and double the healing of leftovers every turn is something any wall would kill for, I'm sure. [hr][/hr] There were others that I liked, but these are the most immediately threatening additions I noticed. I'm sure there are more among the newer pokemon, but since I don't have any feel for what TMs/Breeding moves they may be capable of learning, I don't have anything to work with for how useful they would be :X[/Type]
 
Re: The competitive side of things

Oooh, a few Pokemon got additions that I'm very excited about. Ruko mentioned a lot of of them but I have some too.

Swampert with Damp. I really like this one due to the sheer amount of things exploding in the Metagame. Having Swampert being able to block it is an amazing asset. Milotic with Cute Charm is another new favorite of mine. It tends to bait physical attacks anyway, so it may make opponents think twice about attacking it if they thing their Pokemon could be disabled. Infernape may not have been blessed to get Speed Boost, but Iron Fist isn't bad. Now I want to try one with Drain Punch + Iron Fist + Muscle Band.

I also really love some of the tweaks in attacks. Petal Dance, Giga Drain, and Drain Punch all get a welcome boost. We still don't seem to have the stats on Wild Bolt but here's hoping it does a decent amount of damage and is physical.
 

Linkachu

Hero of Pizza
Staff member
Administrator
Re: The competitive side of things

I honestly haven't had a lot of time to look into the new attacks or abilities yet, but I'm interested to see how this "Attack power raises when you KO an opponent" ability will fair in a competitive setting. I've also been wondering if you'd get multiple attack boosts for KOing two-three opponents at once, too. If so, that could be pretty snazzy and equally deadly.

These new protective attacks (ie. shielding your party members from being damaged by your own attacks) for Double/Triple battles are going to open up a lot of new options, too, but I still need more information about 'em before I can formulate proper strategies.
 
Re: The competitive side of things

Lanturn getting water absorb is pretty useful. Double lanturn team yeeeahh.

Telepathy looks like a really useful ability.

Some of the new Pokemon have great stats. 145 Sp. Attack on Shandreaa and 140 (I think) attack on Roopushin.
 
Re: The competitive side of things

Ditto may have some potential at last! its dreamworld ability Eccentric permits it to transform into the opponent when it is released instead of having that one turn to do it with the attack. It wont make him insane but it gives him a chance to do his work.

Theres all sorts of dreamworld abilities that have great potential. Im loving the idea of a Raindish Blastoise, Drought Ninetails and many others.

Oh and of course the ability Overconfidence has insane potential for sweepers. It raises the attack stat when the user KOs an opponent. This ability is naturaly on the sand crock family but can also be dream world to Pinsir, Gyarados, Heracross, Mightyena, Salamence, Honchkrow.

im really excited about this gen though
 
Re: The competitive side of things

I can see Blaziken being moved to Uber because of that Speed Boost ability and almost everybody using it D:

Ditto's ability definitely will need clarification
 
Re: The competitive side of things

M. Dent said:
Ditto's ability definitely will need clarification
As far as I can tell its pretty simple. Ditto will transform (as in the usual ability) upon entry into the opponent directly infront of it. So in multi battles it takes the form of whoever is strait infront at the time.

EDIT: Almost forgot, the new ability Perversity is rather intresting, stat changes are reversed. Im not sure if this applies to status induced reductions like speed drop from paralyze but even then the smugleaf line can have the ability and they can learn leafstorm... so leafstorm would boost Sp.Atk instead of lowering it after every use.

Has very intresting potential.
 

Ruko

Bearded Trout Warrior
Re: The competitive side of things

Jeydis said:
M. Dent said:
Ditto's ability definitely will need clarification
As far as I can tell its pretty simple. Ditto will transform (as in the usual ability) upon entry into the opponent directly infront of it. So in multi battles it takes the form of whoever is strait infront at the time.

The only issue I see is if the ability doesn't work exactly like transform. If it doesn't copy stat changes, that dampers part of ditto's potential use [Coming in to revenge-kill a pokemon that's used Dragon Dance won't be possible, for instance].


I'd also like details on Illusion for the sake of Zorua / Zoroark. The game description states that it will 'transform' into the pokemon behind it before entering the field. I'm wondering if it copies everything like Ditto would or just the sprite and name.. or even falling somewhere in-between. Perhaps it copies typing and sprite but nothing else? When does the illusion fade exactly? etc.
Zoroark has rather high special attack and decent speed/attack, so there's a lot of potential here.

Perversity would have a pretty devastating result with Leaf Storm o_O
At least grass isn't too spectacular of an attacking type.
 
Re: The competitive side of things

Even so, a boosted Leaf Storm would seriously dent something that doesn't resist it. Apparently Bulbapedia and Serebii list different stat distributions for Jaroda. Bulbapedia lists its sp. Attack at 113 while Serebii lists it as 75. Whatever the case, I still may use Jaroda as a replacement for Megan on my new team for one because the higher speed is appealing.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

KoL

Expert FPS Player
Staff member
Moderator
Re: The competitive side of things

M. Dent said:
I can see Blaziken being moved to Uber because of that Speed Boost ability and almost everybody using it D:

...ah-ha-ha-ha-oh wait, you were serious...yeah, if Yanmega wasn't even OU with this ability, Blaziken sure as hell won't be Uber - it probably still won't be as good as Infernape even with this ability since Infernape has a better moveset.

If anything, I predict that the Uber tier will be more lax this time around since there's far more dangerous Pokemon now introduced, and the game will by extension need more potential powerhouses from the previous generations to keep the new guys in check. We may very well see Garchomp and Salamence (for everywhere that Uber'd the thing...) return to play, and possibly Latios/Latias joining the standard play fray as well.

Way I see it, this is going to be fun.

Lady Carmen said:
Even so, a boosted Leaf Storm would seriously dent something that doesn't resist it.

Roserade will tell you that an unboosted Leaf Storm is enough to seriously dent or even outright OHKO a lot of things that don't resist it. Having to take a boosted Leaf Storm is definitely not a fun proposition if an unboosted one already causes massive damage to a lot of opponents.
 
Re: The competitive side of things

I'm definately seeing BW as a step toward a more competitive game, and definately more surprises, but when I heard about the dream world abilities, I was deathly afraid of them being banned from tournaments due to the new abilities, however since it seems that they are fixed, I'm not so worried.

But I'm definately curious about the attack combos. THis seems to reflect the contest (like if you used Flamethrower and Fireblast one after the other), however, It could also challenge your knowledge of your teams. Plus, in Multi battles, it could get quite frustrating if the opponent (or you) get a move that isn't wanted.

But anyway... Jolteon getting Quick feet definately impresses me :) Now my Jolteon can zig zag through competition! (THough, what doesn't make since is that it works for all status ailments EXCEPT paralysis, yet He can move when frozen?)
 

Ruko

Bearded Trout Warrior
Re: The competitive side of things [Updated with some new hold items]

Updated first post with some new hold items - I don't think this list is complete, as I was inspired to check for it when Fumanshu mentioned an item I didn't find on the list in chat.
I pulled the information from Serebii and patched up the grammar a bit in the transfer.
 
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