Sunday Afternoon on the Island of the Grand-Jatte
An RU Warstory
Hey there RUers! This Warstory came about when I was laddering on RU to test out Smeargle for Research Week 2 (sorry Vileplume and Drifblim, no love for you). I had been laddering for about half an hour and managed to avoid Aemon (Zebraiken’s alt) for a while, but I knew that as I crept higher and higher (I think I peaked around the 50 mark and then fell heavily) I would have to face this titan. Some of you may have heard of me, but even if you haven’t you’ll definitely have heard of my opponent, so enjoy the battle!
SkullCandy’s team
Opponent's team
Battle between SkullCandy and Aemon started!
Tier: Standard RU
Mode: Singles
Variation: +28, -4
Rule: Rated
Rule: Sleep Clause
Rule: Species Clause
Rule: Wifi Battle
Rule: Self-KO Clause
Your team: Smeargle / Sandslash / Honchkrow / Sceptile / Primeape / Gallade
Opponent's team: Cofagrigus / Hitmonchan / Rotom / Bouffalant / Sharpedo / Smeargle
I look at his team and immediately start to panic a bit. He has a Smeargle, (to be expected because at the moment, in RU, everyone and their cousin runs Smeargle) which means hazards. No one on my team (especially Honchkrow) likes hazards but luckily I have my trusty Sandslash to spin them away…If he didn’t have two Ghosts. I can see here that Honchkrow is going to be pretty key here in taking down his Ghosts because, without the Krow, I’m very susceptible to them. Aside from my worries about being out-teamed I worry because, well, it’s Zebraiken. This guy is a monster in RU (this team is in the Other Teams sub-forum in RMT, you should check it out) and was at number 1 for a while before, as he put it, a “silly loss” pulled him down a notch. Here’s hoping I can be another “silly loss”!
SkullCandy sent out Smeargle!
Aemon sent out Smeargle!
Ok it’s Smeargle vs. Smeargle. From past experience most will try to do one of three things: a) Try and set up hazards b) Use Taunt to stop me from setting up hazards or c) Spore straight away in hope of winning the speed tie. I’m going to go with Magic Coat because option C is the one that threatens me the most. I consider using Spore here (to catch Hitmonchan trying to spin my hazards), but it’s too risky with Bouffalant waiting in the wings.
Start of turn 1
Aemon called Smeargle back!
Aemon sent out Bouffalant!
Smeargle used Magic Coat!
Smeargle shrouded itself with Magic Coat!
He sends in Bouffalant to absorb the Spore and get a Sap Sipper boost but is greeted by a painter shrouding himself in his technicolour dreamcoat. I have no clue how to deal with Bouffalant so I pull up the Smogon analysis page. Hmm. If it’s a standard set it’s either Banded or an attacker with Swords Dance or Substitute. Either way I need to start getting hazards up (and I can easily get two layers against Bouffalant) so I go with Stealth Rock (to hit his Rotom) and rely on my trusty Focus Sash to keep Smeargle alive.
Start of turn 2
Smeargle used Stealth Rock!
Pointed stones float in the air around Aemon's team!
Aemon's Bouffalant used Head Charge!
Smeargle hung on using its Focus Sash!
Smeargle lost 313 HP! (99% of its health)
Aemon's Bouffalant is hit with recoil!
Aemon's Bouffalant restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
I could have switched at this point and waited for a better opportunity to set up more than one layer of Spikes, but that would probably be useless considering Smeargle’s average Speed (and the fact that he would die if Zebraiken got any hazards up). Anyway I need as many hazards as I can get (considering how bulky his team is) so I go with Spikes.
Start of turn 3
Smeargle used Spikes!
Spikes were scattered all around the feet of Aemon's team!
Aemon's Bouffalant used Earthquake!
Smeargle lost 1 HP! (0% of its health)
Smeargle fainted!
Aemon's Bouffalant restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Rocket Man is watching the battle.
SkullCandy sent out Sandslash!
SkullCandy: 5 Aemon: 6
Now that I have some hazards I send in my physical tank: Swords Dance Sandslash. It can take any hit Bouffalant can dish out and a KO it with a +2 Earthquake. Now that would be the best case scenario. I know that he’ll probably send out one of his ghosts to burn Sandslash and essentially neuter it for the rest of the match. The great thing about Lum SD Sandslash is that it can take out pretty much every spin blocker in RU in one or two hits with a Swords Dance boost so I go for the Swords Dance which benefits me either way.
Start of turn 4
Aemon called Bouffalant back!
Aemon sent out Rotom!
Pointed stones dug into Aemon's Rotom!
Sandslash used Swords Dance!
Sandslash's Attack sharply rose!
Aemon's Rotom restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Perfect, a +2 Stone Edge should KO it easily. I can then spin away any hazards Smeargle tries to set up after I’ve taken out Cofagrigus with Honchkrow. The only thing that would annoy me here is if it’s a TrickScarf Rotom, but it wouldn’t make much sense to Trick me so early on (especially as he knows that my Sandslash is an offensive one) so it’s safe bet to assume he’s going to use Will-O-Wisp in a futile attempt to burn my lil’ shrew-turned-porcupine.
Start of turn 5
Aemon's Rotom used Will-O-Wisp!
Sandslash was burned!
Sandslash ate its Lum Berry!
Sandslash's status cleared!
Sandslash used Stone Edge!
Aemon's Rotom lost 82% of its health!
Aemon's Rotom restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Sorry, what?! How did a +2 Stone Edge coming from an 100 base attack stat with full investment and an Adamant Nature not KO? You see that? That’s my plan rapidly sinking down that drain to your left. Either way I can’t risk Sandslash getting burnt so I switch to my one special sweeper to take the burn in its stride. (In retrospect Stone Edge does roughly 81% - 96% to a full health Rotom with 252 EVs in HP, which is what Zebraiken had. So I could have OHKOed, but it wasn’t a huge chance.) Sandslash, why u so weak!
Start of turn 6
SkullCandy called Sandslash back!
SkullCandy sent out Sceptile!
Aemon's Rotom used Will-O-Wisp!
Sceptile was burned!
Aemon's Rotom restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Sceptile is hurt by its burn!
That probably tells you a lot about how unprepared I am for burns (and status in general). It’s pretty much guaranteed that Aemon is going to switch out because he won’t want his hazards (which he has yet to get up…) spun away with greater ease later on. I’m going to go with Hidden Power Fire because I’m fairly certain he’s going to switch in Bouffalant, but I don’t want to risk over-predicting with Focus Blast in case he sends in Cofagrigus. Either way something’s going to take a considerable amount of damage thanks to Spikes + SR.
Start of turn 7
Aemon called Rotom back!
Aemon sent out Bouffalant!
Pointed stones dug into Aemon's Bouffalant!
Aemon's Bouffalant is hurt by spikes!
Sceptile used Hidden Power!
Aemon's Bouffalant lost 27% of its health!
Sceptile is hurt by its Life Orb!
Aemon's Bouffalant restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Sceptile is hurt by its burn!
Okay so he sent in Bouffalant. I need to get this guy out of the way so I can start spamming Leaf Storm a bit more before Life Orb wears me out completely. So I’m going to go for the rather predictable Focus Miss (oh leave me alone, I can’t be bothered to predict the whole time) and hope that it doesn’t…well…miss.
Start of turn 8
Sceptile used Focus Blast!
It's super effective!
Aemon's Bouffalant lost 42% of its health!
Aemon's Bouffalant fainted!
Sceptile is hurt by its Life Orb!
Sceptile is hurt by its burn!
Aemon sent out Hitmonchan!
Pointed stones dug into Aemon's Hitmonchan!
Aemon's Hitmonchan is hurt by spikes!
SkullCandy: 5 Aemon: 5
Yay! Yes! Hallelujah! It finally hit when I needed it to! I find that Focus Blast only ever hits when a Ghost-type intercepts it or when some other resist switches in to tank the hit. But when it’s 1 on 1 at the end of a tense game it always misses. Back to the present. Hitmonchan is in and (probably) looking to spin away my hazards. I don’t want that to happen so it’s time to nail him with the strongest attack I’ve got. I’m going to bring the THUNDER down on him! (Leaf Storm, storm=thunder, bring the thunder…)
Start of turn 9
Aemon's Hitmonchan used Mach Punch!
Sceptile lost 121 HP! (42% of its health)
Sceptile fainted!
Aemon's Hitmonchan is hurt by its Life Orb!
SkullCandy sent out Sandslash!
100%
SkullCandy: 4 Aemon: 5
Unfortunately for me Hitmonchan breaks the speed of sound and punches Sceptile back to the lab that they grew that abomination of a tree frog in. I decide to send Sandslash in here because it has great physical bulk and a decent Attack stat so I doubt Hitmonchan can KO me with anything and I can cripple it with STAB Earthquake.
Start of turn 10
Aemon's Hitmonchan used Drain Punch!
Sandslash lost 175 HP! (49% of its health)
Sandslash had its energy drained!
Aemon's Hitmonchan is hurt by its Life Orb!
Sandslash used Earthquake!
Aemon's Hitmonchan lost 76% of its health!
51%
Ouch. That hurt a lot more than expected. Luckily, Hitmonchan is 2HKOed by Earthquake (even with Drain Punch’s healing) so this should be pretty easy. Unless of course he runs Ice Punch. You know, just to hit RU’s three most common Pokemon (Gligar, Claydol, Honchkrow).
Start of turn 11
Aemon's Hitmonchan used Ice Punch!
It's super effective!
Sandslash lost 179 HP! (50% of its health)
Sandslash fainted!
Aemon's Hitmonchan is hurt by its Life Orb!
SkullCandy sent out Gallade!
SkullCandy: 3 Aemon: 5
As I thought. Hitmonchan sticks his hand in a freezer and slugs Sandslash right in its cute little face. I’m not worried about Hitmonchan because I can revenge it with Gallade thanks to Shadow Sneak. However, the fact that Smeargle hasn’t come out worries me a bit. It might be an annoying Scarfer with Spore and Trick. I need to keep Primeape alive so that it can take the Spores. It can also switch Scarfs with Smeargle to ruin Trick.
Start of turn 12
Gallade used Shadow Sneak!
A critical hit!
Aemon's Hitmonchan lost 3% of its health!
Aemon's Hitmonchan fainted!
Gallade is hurt by its Life Orb!
Aemon sent out Cofagrigus!
Pointed stones dug into Aemon's Cofagrigus!
Aemon's Cofagrigus is hurt by spikes!
SkullCandy: 3 Aemon: 4
Gallade can’t do anything against Cofagrigus apart from hitting it with an unboosted Shadow Sneak or a neutral Ice Punch. I decide to switch to Honchkrow who, apart from a burn, can take anything Cofagrigus can dish out. Most Cofagrigus are offensive these days anyway so I’m not too preoccupied.
Start of turn 13
SkullCandy called Gallade back!
SkullCandy sent out Honchkrow!
Aemon's Cofagrigus used Trick Room!
Aemon's Cofagrigus twisted the dimensions!
Aemon's Cofagrigus restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Trick Room Cofagrigus is a beast in this metagame. It has excellent bulk, good Special Attack after a boost and can outspeed everything apart from random things like Ferroseed after Trick Room. I’ve a sneaking suspicion that he’s going to use Nasty Plot here; predicting the Sucker Punch. So I decide the through up a sub, then I can guarantee the KO with Sucker Punch.
Start of turn 14
Aemon's Cofagrigus used Nasty Plot!
Aemon's Cofagrigus's Sp. Att. sharply rose!
Honchkrow used Substitute!
Honchkrow made a substitute!
Aemon's Cofagrigus restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
All going according to plan so far…However I’m having second thoughts about it now. Up until this point I’ve played quite predictably. Some of you may point out things like Swords Dancing on the expected Rotom switch or using Substitute as he used Nasty Plot, but that’s what I call ‘easy’ predicting. In both those situations (and others) I couldn’t lose much by using the moves I did. I don’t feel like going for the obvious Sucker Punch, so instead I’m going to make Honchkrow grow a pair (or be ‘brave’) like the badass bird it is and kamikaze this Ghost, or whatever else he switches in!
Start of turn 15
Aemon's Cofagrigus used Hidden Power!
Honchkrow's substitute faded!
Honchkrow used Brave Bird!
Aemon's Cofagrigus lost 62% of its health!
Honchkrow is hit with recoil!
Honchkrow's ability became Mummy!
Honchkrow is hurt by its Life Orb!
Aemon's Cofagrigus restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Okay, maybe I should have used Sucker Punch. Either way it wouldn’t have killed him, so it doesn’t really matter. Now that my Sub is down and Trick Room is still active I have to use Sucker Punch in case he attacks me. This really isn’t ‘easy’ prediction because if I use Sucker Punch and he switches to something like Hitmonchan, I die. If he doesn’t switch and I go for the Brave Bird, I also die. Here’s hoping!
Start of turn 16
Honchkrow used Sucker Punch!
But if failed!
Aemon's Cofagrigus used Nasty Plot!
Aemon's Cofagrigus's Sp. Att. sharply rose!
Aemon's Cofagrigus restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Oh well, all that talk for nothing. I’m pretty certain that he’s going to stay in and keep using Nasty Plot (call it a hunch) because he won’t be able to do much after switching into Spikes and Stealth Rock again. More Sucker Punch then!
Start of turn 17
Honchkrow used Sucker Punch!
But if failed!
Aemon's Cofagrigus used Nasty Plot!
Aemon's Cofagrigus's Sp. Att. sharply rose!
Aemon's Cofagrigus restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
The twisted dimensions returned to normal!
Honchkrow: Yeah bitch, you like that! How you like my punches bitch!
Cofagrigus: I’m going to kill you. Rip your guts out and force feed them down that ugly beak of yours…
Honchkrow: Yeah, who’s the Kingpin? Take this! And this!
Cofagrigus: …then I’ll go to your home and rape Honchkrowetta, and kill all your little Murkrows…
Honchkrow: Will you fucking attack me already and stop plotting infanticide!
Anyway… Trick Room is gone now, so I’m going to throw out a Brave Bird and kill it (or hit anything else he sends in hard).
Start of turn 18
Honchkrow used Brave Bird!
Aemon's Cofagrigus lost 43% of its health!
Aemon's Cofagrigus fainted!
Honchkrow is hit with recoil!
Honchkrow is hurt by its Life Orb!
Aemon sent out Rotom!
Pointed stones dug into Aemon's Rotom!
SkullCandy: 3 Aemon: 3
Rotom’s out and I’m thinking over my options here. No one on my teams wants to take the Will-O-Wisp that is definitely coming my way. Gallade is necessary to take out Rotom with Shadow Sneak. Primeape is the only thing that outspeeds Smeargle on my team (both Gallade and Honchkrow run Adamant Natures). Primeape is also my best option against Sharpedo. It is 2HKOed by Earthquake, 3HKOed by Crunch, but is OHKOed by Hydro Pump. So far Rotom has shown itself to be pretty bulky so I’m guessing its going to be quite slow. Roost will get rid of my electric weakness, and a Thunderbolt from a defensive Rotom isn’t going to do much in any case. If he tries to Will-O-Wisp me, then I can still take him out with Brave Bird considering his low health. (The burn won’t matter in the long run, Sharpedo could take him out as well as grab a Speed boost at the same time.)
Start of turn 19
Aemon's Rotom used Will-O-Wisp!
The attack of Aemon's Rotom missed!
Honchkrow used Roost!
Honchkrow landed on the ground!
Honchkrow regained health!
Aemon's Rotom restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Oh shit. Bulky Rotom is bulky, but fast Rotom is fast. I don’t have a hope against him now. He won’t risk Will-O-Wisp missing again and I can’t switch out, so I guess I’ll have to sacrifice my Krow. Once a Ghost busting kingpin; now, death fodder for a poltergeist turned domestic electrical appliance.
Start of turn 20
Aemon's Rotom used Thunderbolt!
It's super effective!
Honchkrow lost 248 HP! (72% of its health)
Honchkrow fainted!
Aemon's Rotom restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
SkullCandy sent out Gallade!
SkullCandy: 2 Aemon: 3
Shadow Sneak FTW! (There’s not much to say this turn…So here’s a pretty picture of what Gallade using Shadow Sneak on Rotom would look like!)
(Okay, maybe not. But it’s the best I could do on such short notice…)
Start of turn 21
Gallade used Shadow Sneak!
It's super effective!
Aemon's Rotom lost 14% of its health!
Aemon's Rotom fainted!
Gallade is hurt by its Life Orb!
Aemon sent out Smeargle!
Pointed stones dug into Aemon's Smeargle!
Aemon's Smeargle is hurt by spikes!
SkullCandy: 2 Aemon: 2
Smeargle shouldn’t be a problem thanks to Primeape’s Vital Spirit and his Close Combat.
Start of turn 22
SkullCandy called Gallade back!
SkullCandy sent out Primeape!
Aemon's Smeargle used Spore!
Primeape stayed awake because of its Vital Spirit!
Primeape: Staying awake! Staying awake! Ah, ah, ah yeah staying awake!!!!
Start of turn 23
Primeape used Close Combat!
It's super effective!
Aemon's Smeargle lost 75% of its health!
Aemon's Smeargle fainted!
Primeape's Defense fell!
Primeape's Sp. Def. fell!
Aemon sent out Sharpedo!
Pointed stones dug into Aemon's Sharpedo!
Aemon's Sharpedo is hurt by spikes!
SkullCandy: 2 Aemon: 1
What happens next worries me. After killing Smeargle with Primeape I find myself with nonexistent defenses. I don’t know what set Sharpedo is running, but judging from what I’ve seen so far, it won’t be something too standard. If it’s running max Attack and Speed with a Jolly Nature and it wins the Speed tie after Protecting against Primeape, or if it pulls off a Protect for a second time, then I lose. However, if it is a mixed set with Hydro Pump with split attacking EVs and lower Speed EVs with a Rash Nature, I can win this with a simple Close Combat. But I panicked. I don’t quite know what I did here. Maybe I thought I could get the crit on Sharpedo with Shadow Sneak. (Yes I realise that if I had just stayed in and Close Combated against Sharpedo I would have won. In battle, pressure will do terrible things to a trainer…)
Start of turn 24
SkullCandy called Primeape back!
SkullCandy sent out Gallade!
Aemon's Sharpedo used Protect!
But if failed!
Aemon's Sharpedo's Speed Boost increases its speed!
Aemon's Sharpedo's Speed rose!
Oh well. At least I got Zebraiken down to 1 Pokemon. That’s pretty good right? I can claim the moral victory, and that’s the best victory of all!
Start of turn 25
Aemon's Sharpedo used Crunch!
Gallade lost 224 HP! (80% of its health)
Gallade fainted!
Aemon's Sharpedo is hurt by its Life Orb!
Aemon's Sharpedo's Speed Boost increases its speed!
Aemon's Sharpedo's Speed rose!
SkullCandy sent out Primeape!
SkullCandy: 1 Aemon: 1
I now have no hope to win this. I’m screwed.
Aemon: here's hoping
SkullCandy: gg
Aemon: gg indeed
Start of turn 26
Aemon's Sharpedo used Protect!
Aemon's Sharpedo protected itself!
Primeape used Close Combat!
Aemon's Sharpedo protected itself!
Aemon's Sharpedo's Speed Boost increases its speed!
Aemon's Sharpedo's Speed rose!
Yep. I’ve lost. The only way I could possibly win is if something ridiculous happened. Like, I don’t know, a miss with Hydro Pump or something…(oh please God)
Start of turn 27
Aemon's Sharpedo used Hydro Pump!
Primeape lost 100% of its health!
Aemon won the battle!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
(Just kidding)
Aemon's Sharpedo used Hydro Pump
The attack of Aemon's Sharpedo missed!
Primeape used Close Combat!
It's super effective!
Aemon's Sharpedo lost 65% of its health!
Aemon's Sharpedo fainted!
Primeape's Defense fell!
Primeape's Sp. Def. fell!
SkullCandy: 1 Aemon: 0
SkullCandy won the battle!
Aemon: gg
Aemon: ahhhh
Rocket Man: intense!
Aemon: boo
SkullCandy: sorry man
SkullCandy: thanks
Aemon: gg haha
SkullCandy: i might warstory (I did warstory! I did!)
Oh wow. Some of you may call me lucky. However, as Gary Player said “The more I practice, the luckier I get”. I tried to make Hydro Pump miss okay!
In all seriousness, however, I would like to extend my greatest congratulations to Zebraiken for having such a great team and letting me turn this match, that he might of well have won, into a Warstory. I hope you enjoyed it, and that my occasional stupid plays and the hax at the end didn’t put you off!
Now for props and slops:
Props:
-Smeargle for getting up those crucial hazards that helped me win.
-Rotom for being incredibly bulky and fast (and stopping me from getting an early victory with Sandslash!)
-Sharpedo for getting an inch away from winning the game for Zebraiken.
Slops:
-The beast that is Swords Dance Gallade being relegated to a simple revenge killer.
-Zebraiken’s Smeargle for basically being…death fodder.
Well there we go. I hope you enjoyed the match, there was a good deal of prediction and some interesting Pokemon. Overall, I think it did well in highlighting the biggest threats of the last RU metagame (for those of you who don’t know; Sharpedo and Honchkrow are now UU) and hopefully peaked some interest in the great and diverse metagame that RU is!
