OU Simple Questions, Simple Answers (Read the OP First!)

[goomy pls]

I caught a Zapdos with these IVs in Y:
Zapdos - #145 (Timid)
HP: 31
Att: 31
Def: 24
SpA: 29
SpD: 31
Speed: 29

Is it worth keeping or should I keep trying? Most notably, the speed is slightly below perfect, and the attack is maxed which could make Swagger more painful.

I intend to use it in Wifi battles. Is that metagame significantly different from Smogon OU?

 

[Trainer Au]

I caught a Zapdos with these IVs in Y:
Zapdos - #145 (Timid)
HP: 31
Att: 31
Def: 24
SpA: 29
SpD: 31
Speed: 29

Is it worth keeping or should I keep trying? Most notably, the speed is slightly below perfect, and the attack is maxed which could make Swagger more painful.

I intend to use it in Wifi battles. Is that metagame significantly different from Smogon OU?

I'm prob not the BEST person to be answering this question, because I don't know if it is easier to get good ivs now (probably not), but if it were me, I would keep that zapdos because they look pretty good. You have 3 that are max (2 are important!) and 2 important ones that are 2 away from max. If you want to try your luck go ahead I guess but those look pretty good.

 

[dwarfstar]

If the mechanics in X and Y are the same as in previous generations, then the roaming legendaries' IVs are determined and set the first time you meet them, rather than when you catch them, so there probably isn't anything you can really do. Regardless, I'd say that's a very good spread - not perfect, but it's almost impossible to get a perfect spread on a legendary without RNG abuse, so I'd be happy with it.

 

[Chadtherest00]

Man I'm just about to pass the pokemon game.
Any of you guys wanna be Kool and give me some generic shines ;D

 

[ABaker]

When reading analyses I always see parts saying something like "X amount of EVs to outspeed (insert name here)". My question is, how is this calculated and how does the total number of EVs get divided up to accommodate dealing with threats? I also sometimes see weird EV spreads instead of the 252/252/4 format and was wondering what the process of coming up with these spreads involves?

 

[Usatoday]

When reading analyses I always see parts saying something like "X amount of EVs to outspeed (insert name here)". My question is, how is this calculated and how does the total number of EVs get divided up to accommodate dealing with threats? I also sometimes see weird EV spreads instead of the 252/252/4 format and was wondering what the process of coming up with these spreads involves?

I understand your confusion when reading many of the analysises that are here on smogon. However mostly you will find these certain spreads by experimenting on your own. For example I have a defensive latias that i want to outspeed all breloom. I know from looking at its stats that breloom can hit a max speed of 262 at level 100, so my latias needs to hit a speed of 263. In terms of defensive calculation spreads it can show up by fiddling with a calculator found here. Again it is here that you must fiddle to adjust your own evs to survive a specific hit that you might want to live that you couldn't normally. Offensive life orb latias is ohko'd by a +2 sludge bomb from Venusaur for example. However by simply running 84 hp evs i am garunteed to live that same attack from a venusaur. Hope this helped.

 

[Otter Power]

So I've finally bred myself a really good Ferrothorn -- Now that he can learn both spikes and stealth rock, what move set should I run on him? Currently I'm running:

- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Gyro Ball

I love the juicy damage the hazards do, and the sustain with Leech Seed, but Gyro Ball runs out of PP fast and I'm left without any offence other than stalling with Leech seed. Should I replace Gyro ball with Power Whip? And what item should Ferro hold? I'm thinking either rocky helmet or leftovers.

 

[Chadtherest00]

So I've finally bred myself a really good Ferrothorn -- Now that he can learn both spikes and stealth rock, what move set should I run on him? Currently I'm running:

- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Gyro Ball

I love the juicy damage the hazards do, and the sustain with Leech Seed, but Gyro Ball runs out of PP fast and I'm left without any offence other than stalling with Leech seed. Should I replace Gyro ball with Power Whip? And what item should Ferro hold? I'm thinking either rocky helmet or leftovers.

Leftovers is the way to go I run protect on mine
Wait I'll do u better I'll write u my build

Ferrothron
Item:leftovers
Gyro ball
Leech seed
Stealth rock
T wave/protect

T wave has a bigger impact on a team when you get the safe switch and they are forced to switch out
You get a chance to get one free t wave. Protect let's you gain a little more life

Example
You switched in right they are forced to switch out u get a free seeds
End phase u gain life. Then the next turn protect and that's another plus

 

[SagMyPants]

I was watching the XY Smogcast and they were sure that Mega Gengar would be banned from OU. Why?

 

[Usatoday]

I was watching the XY Smogcast and they were sure that Mega Gengar would be banned from OU. Why?

Shadow tag base 170 Satk Nuff said

 

[SagMyPants]

Shadow tag base 170 Satk Nuff said

Is there a thread where they are debating that. That is not enough reason. I barely see it.

 

[O'shane Wint]

I am new to smogun could someone help me get settled in

 

[Raravian]

Ehm... well... I have problems teambuilding (BW2 OU). And there's no teambuilding thread. So I'm dropping it here.

I usually try to respond to everything the opponent can throw at me instead of just overwhelming the opponent with my own mons. In my teams, that leaves no room for a booster, because I want to have checks and counters for everything perhaps. I've tried so many different things but I keep creating teams with no stat booster, and a lot of slow Pokemon. And now I'm just hkafkakfsfshkfsjlkdasklj very frustrated because I've made yet another slow responsive team after a long, long hiatus. I thought, maybe I'm just a stall player, but it's not really stall, because the Ttar is Choice Scarf, and there's a Choice Scarf Latios, and Landorus-T is faster than usual, and Heatran is fast and strong for a Heatran (even though it's not scarfed). Other teams I've made had similar stuff like that too, like bulky offensive Celebi, Life Orb Latias and Choice Band Scizor in the mix. So it's not stall. But if it fails as real stall, and if it fails as offensive, then what is it? And I don't really want to replace them with typical stall mons/sets because then I wouldn't be able to KO the threats easily (and I don't rely on hazards and residual damage for the teams I'm talking about, except for SR). And I also don't really want to replace them with typical offensive boosters, because that would mean that I can't check or counter certain things. But I don't know, maybe I should? Because now I'm super afraid that my teams suck, and I want to know their true potential instead of it just being tied to my own competence as a battler. I'm afraid to try them out and afraid of failure (have become so after a huge losing streak right after a winning streak). So... well... I've been looking at other teams and I try to figure out why they're successful, but I've never come across a team without a stat booster that isn't stall and doesn't have a Rapid Spinner for opposing stall.

Is there any chance for teams like that? Without a stat booster while not having support of a Rapid Spinner? Or should I, in the end, really consider changing my playstyle, and with it, my teams?
Sorry for the length of this.

 

[Chadtherest00]

Is there a thread where they are debating that. That is not enough reason. I barely see it.

God I hate your avi....

But that ridiculous special attack and shadow tag might be a good reason to bann it

 

[MagikaripIsOP]

Is that how zoroark effect works?

yes

 

[Chadtherest00]

Hey does anyone have a spare ditto I can have I want to start building my completive team

 

[Chadtherest00]

Also how can I get the torchic? I know it's off the wifi but how

 

[michaeloche]

Why in the hell are things like Blaziken still OU on bank? I just encountered a team with it, Deoxys-S, Thundurus-I, and Genesect.

 

[Trainer Au]

I was watching the XY Smogcast and they were sure that Mega Gengar would be banned from OU. Why?

Is there a thread where they are debating that. That is not enough reason. I barely see it.

Shadow Tag in itself is enough to ban things, someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe wobb was banned in 4th gen because of Shadow Tag. The fact that you have unresisted coverage with 170 base satk and 130 base spe adds to the threat that is MegaGengar. Also don't forget that steel no longer resists ghost, making only Dark and Normal types resist/immune Ghost, and these two types are uncommon in OU. It also has access to STAB Sludge Wave which is important vs Fairies because Gengar can come in, trap your Fairy with Shadow Tag, and kill it with Sludge Wave allowing a team of Dragons to do damage.

 

[Dr Ciel]

I am new to smogun could someone help me get settled in

If you're not sure as to what part of Smogon you want to jump into, I would highly recommend heading over to this forum.

 

[Chadtherest00]

Why in the hell are things like Blaziken still OU on bank? I just encountered a team with it, Deoxys-S, Thundurus-I, and Genesect.

They're legal according to smogon rules
I think those are the more balanced users personally

 

[Miao]

Shadow Tag in itself is enough to ban things, someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe wobb was banned in 4th gen because of Shadow Tag. The fact that you have unresisted coverage with 170 base satk and 130 base spe adds to the threat that is MegaGengar. Also don't forget that steel no longer resists ghost, making only Dark and Normal types resist/immune Ghost, and these two types are uncommon in OU. It also has access to STAB Sludge Wave which is important vs Fairies because Gengar can come in, trap your Fairy with Shadow Tag, and kill it with Sludge Wave allowing a team of Dragons to do damage.

Wobb was banned because of how horribly dull Wobb vs Wobb battles were, threatening to always tie. Shadowtag vs Shadowtag being allowed to switch fixes that.

Also give the meta some time, right now, it's very new. Also, for Mega Gengar in particular, it does not prevent switching that first turn. no sane person would keep their Fairie in vs a Gengar, especially if it's the only dragon counter on a team. Who knows, we might even see a resurgence in dark and normal types to help care for it. They've become scarce because of the sheer dominance of fighting types, and fairy might help balance that some.

 

[Chadtherest00]

Wobb was banned because of how horribly dull Wobb vs Wobb battles were, threatening to always tie. Shadowtag vs Shadowtag being allowed to switch fixes that.



Also give the meta some time, right now, it's very new. Also, for Mega Gengar in particular, it does not prevent switching that first turn. no sane person would keep their Fairie in vs a Gengar, especially if it's the only dragon counter on a team. Who knows, we might even see a resurgence in dark and normal types to help care for it. They've become scarce because of the sheer dominance of fighting types, and fairy might help balance that some.

Fine read :D

 

[Trainer Au]

Wobb was banned because of how horribly dull Wobb vs Wobb battles were, threatening to always tie. Shadowtag vs Shadowtag being allowed to switch fixes that.

Also give the meta some time, right now, it's very new. Also, for Mega Gengar in particular, it does not prevent switching that first turn. no sane person would keep their Fairie in vs a Gengar, especially if it's the only dragon counter on a team. Who knows, we might even see a resurgence in dark and normal types to help care for it. They've become scarce because of the sheer dominance of fighting types, and fairy might help balance that some.

The pressure on your fairy types when there is a megagar is just like magnezone and steel types, Zone switches in easily vs most steels because it resists most of their moves. Thanks to Gengar's poison typing, it resists fairy and it also got a boost in bulk, making it easier to switch into fairies. Yes you have to MEvo but after that you stay in that form. MegaGar outspeeds and kills all unboosted dark types as well as normal types (i'm pretty sure) so I doubt that a rise in them will stop MegaGar. Also, fairy resists Dark so they are even further hampered.


I realize it may turn out that Gengar won't be banned because we can't see the future, I was just stating to him the reasons why people would be in favor of a ban.

 

[MagikaripIsOP]

Why cant we pick the blue gastrodon?