Project Random Battles Community Interview #5 - TheFranklin

Tarrembeau

le moi est incommunicable
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Welcome to the Random Battles Community Interview! The goal of this project is to interview well-known members of the Randbats community every month and learn more about them. These members may include players who’ve been successful in tournaments, high-ladderers, format/forum contributors, and more!


For our fifth interview, we have the pleasure and honor of interviewing TheFranklin. You may know them for their dominance in the RU scene or for their recent selection in SPL, but TheFranklin holds more than one title in the Random Battles community as well! Over their 5 total selections for RBTT over the years, they’ve won with Team Hoopa in RBTT 2 and with Team Shaymin-Sky in RBTT 5. They hold the title of most RBTT series ever won (23 as of this interview, and counting!), and were also one of Team Benelux’s MVPs during the first edition of WCOR.


Tarrembeau
thanks for giving us some time to do this little interview. Let's break the ice with a completely unrelated question: do you have, or have you had, any pets?


TheFranklin
Haha that is indeed a question I did not expect. I had a bunny for about 3 years when I was a small kid. But after that I didn't have any pets. I definitely want to get a cat at some point though


Tarrembeau
I am unpredictable cats are definitely one of the go-to pets, independent, caring, and cute all at the same time. You still have to feed them and give them a big enough space, though. Did you pick the cat Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet, if you played the game?


TheFranklin
Unfortunately I haven't played any recent main games. I don't own a Switch, so the last Pokemon game that I played through was Sun & Moon
However
Fuecoco for the win!


Tarrembeau
This is a based take and I can't agree more. If the most recent main-series Pokemon game you played is Sun & Moon, what's the oldest gen you ever played? and did you play every game in-between?


TheFranklin
My first game I played was Pokemon Emerald. I must have over 1000 hours on that game. Also played Firered, Ruby and Sapphire a lot
Later I played the gen 4-7 games, but most of them only once


Tarrembeau
Seems like you've always been a Pokemon enjoyer! ADV is my childhood generation as well so I can relate very well. How did you end up on the competitive scene from there?


TheFranklin
I started playing on Showdown at the start of Gen6. I played mainly Randbats and some OU. I didn't have many good OU teams which is why I enjoyed Randbats so much
I played a ton of Randbats and step by step moved to lower tiers as well


Tarrembeau
Randbats from that era must have been very different from how they are nowadays. You’ve had a lot of success in RU and recently got drafted in SPL as well, and yet you're still battling in Random Battles despite now being able to have many good OU teams! Is there a particular reason you still enjoy them?


TheFranklin
It is just very lowkey. You don't need any prep and can play right away. And I enjoy the concept of no team preview as well + RBTT always has the nicest communities


Tarrembeau
RBTT communities are indeed great, we also had a blast last year with team Skymin which was my first rodeo but certainly not yours. You’ve been playing Gen5 Rands pretty much since the very beginning, although it's not included this year. Why do you like BW specifically? are there any other Rands formats you enjoy playing?


TheFranklin
I played Gen5 in my first RBTT and just stuck with it. And I always enjoy BW metas for some reason. Besides Gen5 Rands, my favorite format is probably Battle Factory


Tarrembeau
BW rands feels great but it's not the most perfect format aha, so many deadly Pokemon there. What are a few of your favorite Pokemon to roll in Random Battles (any generation)?


TheFranklin
I always like Tauros in BW rands. A first generation mon, but it's such a beast there


Tarrembeau
You’ve had great success in team tours like RBTT and also in the World Cup of Random Battles, but not so much in the various solo tours. Do you think there’s a particular reason for this?


TheFranklin
Hmm no not really. It is Randbats after all. Sometimes you win, sometimes lose. You can't always influence the outcome


Tarrembeau
and yet you're the most consistent RBTT player as of now! Is there any strategy you apply to battling that helps you bring home the W?


TheFranklin
Ehhmm not really. I think just having a ton of experience helps a lot. Both Randbats experience and just overall Pokemon playing (official tiers) experience


Tarrembeau
You mean like getting a feel for the format?


TheFranklin
Yea feeling the format, but also having a feeling about the strategies in Randbats
Like developing and adjusting your game plan as more and more mons get revealed


Tarrembeau
No team preview is a big part of Randbats’ identity currently, yet you also mentioned Battle Factory as a format you enjoy. What's your opinion on team preview in the context of randomized formats?


TheFranklin
I think team preview gives you a little bit more chance to outplay your opponent. Of course there are still a lot of completely unplayable match ups


Tarrembeau
Such is the nature of randomness. This interview is coming to an end, but before we quit, do you have any advice for newer players or for players who seek to get better at this game?


TheFranklin
Practice a lot and always be critical. Even if you won. What could you have done better? What mistakes did you make? If you do this often you will see that you improve and make these mistakes less in the future


Tarrembeau
Alright, thanks for the great insights and for your time!


TheFranklin
No problem, glad to be here!

Thanks TheFranklin for the wonderful interview! Feel free to ask any further questions for them in this thread, and make sure to keep an eye out for future interviews!
 
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