[EAST] PAX Pokemon League 2012: Rivals!

RainbowTunnel

I just got the national 'dex in White! Guys I'm so far in the game it's ridiculous, you gotta hold me back before you fall too far behind.

KoalaBro2

Alright, so I just bought myself a copy of Pokemon Black to get in on this action. However, I haven't played any Pokemon since the original Red/Blue. I've still in story mode and all that, but it's been so long since I played any sort of Pokemon, can anyone recommend a good primer on how to build a competitive battling team?

Xerlith

KoalaBro2 wrote:

Alright, so I just bought myself a copy of Pokemon Black to get in on this action. However, I haven't played any Pokemon since the original Red/Blue. I've still in story mode and all that, but it's been so long since I played any sort of Pokemon, can anyone recommend a good primer on how to build a competitive battling team?

www.smogon.com as a strategy guide, with www.bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net for reference, should give you all the information you need. It's up to you to decide how far down the rabbit hole you're willing to go, though.


EDIT: Links are made of black magic and voodoo, so just take some URL's.

Gameshark

Xerlith wrote:

KoalaBro2 wrote:

Alright, so I just bought myself a copy of Pokemon Black to get in on this action. However, I haven't played any Pokemon since the original Red/Blue. I've still in story mode and all that, but it's been so long since I played any sort of Pokemon, can anyone recommend a good primer on how to build a competitive battling team?

www.smogon.com as a strategy guide, with www.bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net for reference, should give you all the information you need. It's up to you to decide how far down the rabbit hole you're willing to go, though.

To add:
Some people hate Smogon, some people like myself see it as a good starting point. It's unfortunate to say this, but there is a big difference between a competitive team and a fun team (Ie, one with all your favourites). I don't say this to scare you though. The PPL is geared for all levels of play and just a team of your favs will be more than capable of netting yourself some badges (maybe even mine!). As Xerlith said, you can go as deep as you want into the mechanics of making them Pokemans... but once you go down that deep dark path there's no going back. Trust me Arcanine... Houndoom.... I love you guys but your stats are JUST SO BAD.

Honestly, you kids these days have it easy. Back in my day I had to bike all the way up and down Route 34 for 5 miles in my grandfather's underwear uphill both ways to make teams. Now you kids can build a team and battle using tools such as Pokemon Online to test your teams before you go through all the work of making a fo reals one in game. After that, it's just practice, practice & more practice.

PAX Pokemon League website pimping ahoy: If you head on over to the PPL there's a forum specifically made for team building! Go there and just say something along the lines of, "I Like X, Y and Z Pokemon, what can I do?" I'm sure people (myself included) would be more than happy to help.

Hope these helps you and all other trainers wanting to tackle the league.

Xerlith

Gameshark wrote:

Xerlith wrote:

KoalaBro2 wrote:

Alright, so I just bought myself a copy of Pokemon Black to get in on this action. However, I haven't played any Pokemon since the original Red/Blue. I've still in story mode and all that, but it's been so long since I played any sort of Pokemon, can anyone recommend a good primer on how to build a competitive battling team?

www.smogon.com as a strategy guide, with www.bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net for reference, should give you all the information you need. It's up to you to decide how far down the rabbit hole you're willing to go, though.

To add:
Some people hate Smogon, some people like myself see it as a good starting point. It's unfortunate to say this, but there is a big difference between a competitive team and a fun team (Ie, one with all your favourites). I don't say this to scare you though. The PPL is geared for all levels of play and just a team of your favs will be more than capable of netting yourself some badges (maybe even mine!). As Xerlith said, you can go as deep as you want into the mechanics of making them Pokemans... but once you go down that deep dark path there's no going back. Trust me Arcanine... Houndoom.... I love you guys but your stats are JUST SO BAD.

Honestly, you kids these days have it easy. Back in my day I had to bike all the way up and down Route 34 for 5 miles in my grandfather's underwear uphill both ways to make teams. Now you kids can build a team and battle using tools such as Pokemon Online to test your teams before you go through all the work of making a fo reals one in game. After that, it's just practice, practice & more practice.

PAX Pokemon League website pimping ahoy: If you head on over to the PPL there's a forum specifically made for team building! Go there and just say something along the lines of, "I Like X, Y and Z Pokemon, what can I do?" I'm sure people (myself included) would be more than happy to help.

Hope these helps you and all other trainers wanting to tackle the league.

Yeah, I didn't mean to imply that you must use a hardcore competitive team. Up until last year, I basically just used my in-game team to fight. They're good enough to take out the Elite Four, so they're good enough for battling, right? Anyway, we had a RBY tournament on my dorm floor, and I wanted to prove that I was the very best, so I ended up getting sucked into the whole competitive metagame. Plenty of people don't like that, but it actually got me re-interested in later Generations (no longer fueled by nostalgia or childlike wonder, but rather by an interest in the depth of the battle system), so I'm happy.

Basically, just do whatever makes you happy. Remember, anyone less involved than you is missing out, and anyone more involved is probably unhealthily obsessed. Enjoy!

KoalaBro2

Awesome, appreciate the links. How far I "go down the rabbit hole" will probably be based mostly on how much time I have available to work on the team. Other than that, I'm not sentimental (I'm with Gabe on this one).

Zombiewski

There's something to be said for training a pokemon you don't like but whose stats and abilities fit your team, but then they come through in the clincher and suddenly you're bros for life.

Gumbyx84

I still say go with what you like. That is how I came up with my team for last year and most people were surprised at what they saw. If I remember correctly, some even said I was the hardest gym leader due to my unpredictability :toots own horn:.

Well time to get back to work. I have to make sure everything is taken care of in the Safari Zone before I head out to Unova.

KoalaBro2 wrote:

Awesome, appreciate the links. How far I "go down the rabbit hole" will probably be based mostly on how much time I have available to work on the team. Other than that, I'm not sentimental (I'm with Gabe on this one).

You MONSTER!!! : hides Kosshi:

Scunosi

Man, I used to think I was pretty hot stuff when it came to Pokemon, but I think honestly I just played a lot more than anyone else I knew. I never knew/got into EV training and all that, too much work for too little fun I think. I mean sure winning is fun, but fighting everyone else who's using the same 10 or so Pokemon because they're all the best....that's just kinda lame, especially given how many options we have these days. I remember getting stomped by a dual-Scizor team at the PPL. It was kinda funny at first, but the fact that both trainers had basically the exact same Pokemon was kinda...discouraging I guess, like it told me "if you aren't doing this you're doing it wrong." At least Shuckle was a surprise, though I hate him so much.
I've pretty much always just used my "main team," which is generally comprised of my faves spread across different types, and then usually the inevitable Surfer/Flyer who got leveled all to hell by sheer necessity. My old Walrein was pretty cool...man, I wish it was easier to get your old guys onto Black and White with only one Gameboy. Shame they got rid of the "plug in the old one and transfer" method, though I guess really they had to as you can't have two DS cartridges equipped at the same time.

In other news, still waiting on N and some art, but you know....maybe he just doesn't love Pokemon as much as I thought he did.

Propriety

Just so everyone knows, we've switched hosting for the website; we're temporarily at paxpokemonleague.net. Hopefully the .com site will be back up soon, but for now everything should be available on the .net version of the site.

Also: cool things are brewing! Percolating, if you will!

@Scunosi: All I can say is, the best way to play pokemon is the way in which you have the most fun. I love when people use teams with their favorite pokemon on them, rather than the overused STRONG pokes. Sure, you may lose some matches to those people, but goodness me it's just so much more enjoyable when you're playing with pokemon you love. But it seems like you've figured that out. ;D

Gameshark

So relevant on so many levels.

Xerlith

Gameshark wrote:

So relevant on so many levels.

Yeah, fuck those guys. I mean, I often use an AR to cut down on the time of leveling, and I choose my team members based more on stats and movepool than whether I like them, but...wait. Huh.

On second thought, you guys can just slap me if I ever come across as a dick.

RainbowTunnel

Everyone knows there's another option than your favorites or hardcore-iness: joke teams (that are actually carefully trained)!! Those are the best. That way you don't get humiliated when you're ripped to shreds, and when you win you can claim your team was better prepared than it appears.

feitocomfruta

Working on my in-game storyline play. I got to Opelucid City, and have now realized I have a ton of work to do leveling up a few of my other Pokemon so I don't get utterly whipped for the final badge.

Scunosi

The final badge was another Dragon leader right? I remember having issues with that, since there were so few Ice types available in this game. I know you actually meet Vanillite early on but I didn't actually catch one 'til much later as you never actually had to enter that grassy area. And Cryowhatsit has a really really low encounter rate meaning I didn't see him 'til I farmed him. I guess I could have just used another Dragon type but that's always seemed risky to me, using one of the self-weak types against itself.

Heleor

There's a lot of Ice types around in the winter!

(Not that they'll help you against me. Muaha.)

Edit: I find it hilarious that my avatar has icicles and snow on it now.

feitocomfruta

OH FFS!!!!!!!

So I decided to try to beat the gym leader with my current team. I hate Dragon Tail.

I am just frustrated because for me to train my ice pokemon, I have to go to chargestone cave and Twist Mountain, which both really piss me off because they turn into "step step step WILD POKEMANZ step step WILD POKEMANZ" so fast.

So I have Cubchoo, Vanillite, and Cyrogonal to work with, but they are all level ~30ish. Maanwhile my first pokemon Emboar is at level 51, and I get within about 30 HP of a faint, and it goes "Dragon Tail to faint, switch out for weak ass pokemon" and I lose.

xenard

Had I known playing Pokemon was so much fun, I would've picked it up sooner. Now I know what I've been missing.

Matev

So...... just FYI, I can't get to the website. What's the deal with that?

Also, Seattle peeps planning on going to SakuraCon due to expense reasons, hit me up, I haff eh plehn...

Gumbyx84

Matev wrote:

So...... just FYI, I can't get to the website. What's the deal with that?

Also, Seattle peeps planning on going to SakuraCon due to expense reasons, hit me up, I haff eh plehn...

The site is still around, just has a differnt URL: http://paxpokemonleague.net/

Forums can be found at: http://paxpokemonleague.net/forum

So hurry up and head over!

Now, if you'll excuse me
:Pulls out a map: Where is that forest everyone is talking about? Any ideas Kosshi?
:Marowak shrugs:
Oh well. Guess we'll just keep looking......

browncoatbeth

since there is no pokecrawl thread yet, but I feel like its participants would probably have a lot of crossover with this thread, I wanted to share something with y'all.

there is an awesome shirt up in the voting derby on shirt.woot this week (and I'm pretty sure there's only one more day to vote). it's an amazing snorlax shirt that those of you who trolled the crawl on team snorlax last year would REALLY appreciate, and really, anyone who enjoys pokemon (or super smash brothers) would probably appreciate:

http://shirt.woot.com/Derby/Entry.aspx?id=59213

so if you can spare a minute or two to vote for it on the derby this morning, it'd be great, because I think this is a shirt we should all definitely have the opportunity to acquire!!

(ps. it's not my design or anything, so this isn't me begging for votes, it's just a shirt I REALLY want to buy!)


EDIT! Derby voting closes at NOON TODAY! oh noes! vote soon if you like it!

Creamsteak

I threw a vote in. It appears that there's another pokemon related design in the fog.

browncoatbeth

Creamsteak wrote:

I threw a vote in. It appears that there's another pokemon related design in the fog.

thanks, yo. i saw that other pokemon shirt. it made me sad, all the little guys running for their lives. despite the fact that the snorlax one they actually get eaten and not chased, it still seems less violent.

Trandescent

Got my copy of Pokemon Black this christmas. Working on beating the main storyline so I can transfer my white pokemon over.

Gameshark

To give people a pre-2012 update on the hip and happenings:
- The brave souls of the Rules committee are almost done yelling at each other about what should or should not be allowed.
- Some of the Leader artwork has been released to us and it's looking mighty fine. Expect many avatars to be changed.
- With the new year we're going to begin getting the word out about our fine little league. If you have any connections to spread the word, we'd be much obliged.


Other stuff n' things:
- If you're into Magic: The Gathering, the PPL is doing its own sealed draft with the new Dark Ascension set during PAX. Take a break from Pokemon to tap some mana yo. I'll even be up for teaching people how to play. Once you start playing Magic ALL of your money will be gone though. But so worth it.
- While I was home for the holidays I found my old Gameboy Pocket and original copy of Pokemon... so I totally haven't been neglecting my League team since. Anyone else have their original copy and that Gameboy ext cable? I'd love to trade and even battle doing it old school. Now that I think about it, I would have loved to have been the hipster Elite 4 trainer. "Oh, you're fighting with Excadrill? I myself only fight with the original 151." A false sense of superiority and condescending remarks always hit for super effective damage.

Heleor

As one of the give-aways we're going to be doing, here is a sneak preview!

Propriety

It's the new year, and you know what that means: The PPL is a-flutter with activity, ramping up for PAX in a big way.

We've got two pieces of big news: first, official rules have been posted! See http://paxpokemonleague.net/rules/ for full details!

Second, for those of you who want to know who you're up against this year, we're starting our gym leader bios! This week: Oceanus, The Storm Chaser! http://paxpokemonleague.net/category/pax-pokemon-league/ppl-east-2012/leaders/

And keep checking back, we'll be posting more bios, news, and info in the coming weeks, all the way until PAX!

Rappak

Are you guys also poking over at AB and having gym leaders there too or is it just PAX?

Heleor

The current plan is to focus only on PAX. If there's some sort of cross-promotion going on where PAX badges let us into AB and there are shuttles, that may change, but it's very unlikely.

We've actually discussed bringing this officially to AB, but there is not as much interest there, and we don't want to split our attention between more than one con.

cocowoushi

Some words of advice for people new to competitive battling, but don't want to go hardcore into it: TYPE COVERAGE!!

Have a wide selection of moves to try and cover as much weaknesses as possible, and hit as much as possible. This can really make even a mono-type team a real threat if you consider a wide variety of moves.

Also, remember your hold items! Review our rules on them and educate yourself on their various effects. They can turn the tide of a battle. (QUICK CLAAAWWWW FFFFFFFFF)

Propriety

Listen, there's nothing in the rules that says a Slowking can't hold a Quick Claw. La Reina won me many a-match. She was... my pride and joy. <3

GIJoe68

I want to see a lot of challengers at East this year! Tell all your friends to come!

Propriety wrote:

Listen, there's nothing in the rules that says a Slowking can't hold a Quick Claw. La Reina won me many a-match. She was... my pride and joy. <3

I remember my Electivire doing some serious damage to your pride and joy last year

xenard

GIJoe68 wrote:

I want to see a lot of challengers at East this year! Tell all your friends to come!

I'm definitely ready to challenge. I'm so excited about this.

Propriety

GIJoe68 wrote:

I want to see a lot of challengers at East this year! Tell all your friends to come!

Propriety wrote:

Listen, there's nothing in the rules that says a Slowking can't hold a Quick Claw. La Reina won me many a-match. She was... my pride and joy. <3

I remember my Electivire doing some serious damage to your pride and joy last year

Haha yes. Gosh darn Electric types. They're just so fast. D:< But that Quick Claw was a nasty surprise for a bunch of people. Lot of them seemed surprised by it!

Heleor

I love my Quick-Clawed Exploding Torkoal.

Rappak

Understandable. I can't try to be a leader this year since both AB and PAX are the same weekend and I am staff but I hopefully will be ready to challenge again. Or just import last years team. Either or.

Jove

This...looks pretty damn badass. I think I would have a lot of fun with this.

Now I haven't actually played Pokemon since the original blue/red and Silver, but I've been leaning towards SOMETHING to get me back into it since I got a 3DS for my birthday, and I think this could be it. I'll pick up my copy of black or white (just so I know, what's the difference exactly?) at gamestop in a week or two. Is there any rules of what kind of Pokemon I CAN'T USE? (basically no Mewtwo, Lugia, or any of the legendary Pokemon right?)

As far as identifying the gym leaders is concerned, I know im suppose to look for a green scarf and you guys will also be wandering the halls but I went to pax east last year for the first time and it was HUGE, so is there some sort of meeting spot or usual place you guys appear in where I can find and beat you all in?

That's pretty much it. I loved pax last year and I'm going again this year. I never actually did any of the events there, just went to a lot of panels and played some games at the expo, but I think that will change this time. I'm looking to be a lot more social for this event so expect me to be very wild and goofy! XD...well ok i probably won't be wild but I am the definition of goofy. (I also love using smileys, don't judge me)

zerzhul

I believe the rules are in a link in the OP, and should contain any banned pokemon, etc.

Scunosi

When I was at Prime last year I used a Quick Claw on my Musharna. She's typically as slow as they come but thanks to the power of thethe Claw she got in quite a few clutch Hypnosis (Hypnoses?) and attacks. And yeah, most people seemed surprised to see it, I wonder if it's not used that much? I realize some people probably prefer more reliable items but it always felt like I could tell when a proc was coming with it.
As for specific meet-ups, last year I asked a leader if they were going to do anything and they told me they were meeting at so-and-so area at such time, which was nice, but I'm not sure if they actually had any signs or anything. Then again since they're not official they may not be allowed to post anything, but if they could somewhere visible in a high-traffic area that'd be nice.

Heleor

We're not allowed to post posters or signs anywhere, but you can always ask at the Handheld Lounge. Leaders tend to hang out there...

We will likely have official meet-up times, but those are typically very crowded. The best chance of battling a leader without a line is to follow our twitter and find leaders while they're wandering PAX!