Upcoming Battle Spot Tournaments!

[Theorymon]

So, I'm just going to quote Serebii here, since it looks like there's been a bunch of Battle Spot tournaments announced!

Here are the tournaments! I'm using the Japanese descriptions but the English names. Serebii says it isn't clear that they are connected, but considering their names and order, I think it's safe to assume they are, However, some of these may not be international tournaments!

June 6–8: Think Fast Competition: Registration for this competition is open from May 29th to June 6th while the battle runs from June 6th to June 9th. It's a Single Battle tournament open to the National Pokédex except for the usual Legendary Pokémon and have to be Kalos Native. Entrants receive 1,000 PokéMiles. The times to select moves has been reduced: 10 minutes for the battle, 30 seconds to select your Pokémon and 15 seconds to select your move

Late June: 2014 International Challenge June: Another International Battle Competition open to everyone worldwide. This follows VGC rules.

July: Eevee Friendly Match [Name TBD]: The Eevee Friendly is scheduled for July and features use only of Eevee, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon & Sylveon, and is a Rotation Battle tournament

July: All Star Battle [Name TBD]: This is a Double Battle tournament scheduled for July and allows you to use any Pokémon except Diancie. Pokémon from Poké Transporter can be used, but you can only have two Legendary Pokémon or Mythical Pokémon registered in your Battle Box

August: Think Fast Competition: This competition is a Double Battle tournament that runs without you seeing your opponent's team before battle. In addition to that, you can only select 3 Pokémon for entry into battle, rather than the usual 4

Fall: Fairy-type Cup [Name TBD]: This tournament is limited only to Fairy-type Pokémon. The type of battle has yet to be determined

Fall: Halloween Party [Name TBD]: This tournament is limited to Ghost-type Pokémon and is a Single Battle competition. You need to include a Gourgeist in your Battle Box

We'll probably post individual threads for some of these later, and maybe get some showdown ladders for them. But for now, Let's discuss the many strange metagames gamefreak has just brought forth!

 

[Age of Kings]

To be perfectly honest, I'm wondering why they didn't go the full nine yards on having a monotype tournament rather than two separate monotype ones. I really like most of the rulesets except for doubles which I don't care for.

Think Fast Competition: Sounds interesting in theory, probably going to see a lot of "auto-pilot" HO or Swagplay. It would be interesting to see how the game rewards thinking quickly.

Eevee Friendly: Wasn't there a Wi-Fi tournament on the forums based on this? It was singles and not rotation. Don't write this off, because it's a fairly interesting and balanced meta that harkens back to a mini DPPt UU where everything has checks and balances. I remember Curse Umbreon being good, but it has a new massive check in Sylveon. Flareon is pretty good in this meta and even moreso now with Flare Blitz because of 65/110 special defenses meaning it can take a hit and capitalize on the rest of the Eeveelution's shit defense. The only thing that can really tank it is Vaporeon, and Vaporeon is uncommonly seen because it's on the weak side. Of the 8 Eeveelutions, I would probably leave out Vappy who is only good for Wish passing and Glaceon because it can't abuse its best qualities without Hail.

Fairy Cup: Making the assumption Xerneas is banned. I'm expecting every game to be one of two scenarios: whoever gets Azu or Mawile set up first or whoever lucks out on the Klefki/Whimsicott bullshit wins. The fact that Azu/Mawile/Klefki/Whimsicott is a legit combination in itself is pretty sobering. Because the pool of Fairies is shallow, I don't anticipate this meta to be as fun as Halloween party.

Halloween Party: Making the assumption Giratina is banned. This sounds like a much more fun meta than Fairy Cup. I do expect Gengar everywhere. Run Mega Banette instead of Mega Gengar because of Prankster and being the Scizor of this meta:
252+ Atk Mega Banette Shadow Sneak vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Gengar: 134-162 (98.5 - 119.1%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Mega Banette Sucker Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Gengar: 180-212 (132.3 - 155.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252+ Atk Mega Banette Sucker Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Chandelure: 132-156 (97 - 114.7%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO

252+ Atk Mega Banette Shadow Claw vs. 248 HP / 8 Def Eviolite Dusclops: 84-102 (57.5 - 69.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252+ Atk Mega Banette Shadow Claw vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Aegislash-Shield: 114-134 (68.2 - 80.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Mega Banette Shadow Claw vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Jellicent: 210-248 (101.4 - 119.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO

etc. It has really strong priority and Prankster so you can run whatever you like in the last slot to further annoy opponents. I would run Spiritomb over Aegi for further priority spam because of superior typing. Sableye will be strong as ever.

A Gourgeist mandate isn't too bad given how versatile it is. It's ok to run Average/Medium because base 84 speed outruns the entire tier barring Gengar, Froslass, and Missy. Super Size is likely to be standard though.

 

[Zetsumei-Sensei]

I just checked the PGL and there's an announcement for all of these competitions on the main page, so it looks like ALL of these will be international affairs! Personally, I'm looking forward to the blind speed double battle and the Eevee Friendly!

 

[Theorymon]

I just checked the PGL and there's an announcement for all of these competitions on the main page, so it looks like ALL of these will be international affairs! Personally, I'm looking forward to the blind speed double battle and the Eevee Friendly!

What I meant by International was "the ability to play against Japanese and Korean players", since I know that wasn't an option in April Friendlies, and I think the Japanese date for the Think Fast competition is earlier than ours sadly.

 

[Pyritie]

Didn't gen 5 have an eevee friendly as well?

Just curious but how frequent was a set like this seen?

Leafeon @ (whatever)
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Nature: Adamant/Jolly
- Leaf Blade
- X-Scissor
- Knock off
- Swords Dance

with something else setting up the sun

 

[Age of Kings]

You jogged my memory, there was an Eevee tournament in the 5th gen but it was Japan-only. The Wi-Fi forum here hosted a substitute tournament with the same rules though.

For a Global Link tournament, never operate under the assumption that tutor moves will be allowed, it could be KB-only. So I'm going to run with the assumption that Heal Bell, Hyper Voice Sylveon, Superpower Flareon, Signal Beam Espeon, and Knock Off Leafeon will not be allowed. (oh arceus please let this not be KB-only. have mercy on the eevee's shallow movepools, gamefreak)

That being said, Sun is definitely a more attractive option since this is in rotation format. Leafeon, Flareon, and Espeon/Umbreon (if you run Morning Sun/Moonlight) all benefit from it and nothing besides Vaporeon and random wackos who run Thunder Jolteon are hurt by it. Espeon is probably the best choice to set up Sunny Day because Magic Bounce offers it some protection in setting up.

The only concern I have is that nobody good is going to let you set up a +2 Leafeon in the sun. All it really accomplishes is outrunning Espeon and Jolteon since you already outrun most of the tier. I would, however, pair it with Flame Charge Flareon if you're set on a sun team since Flareon is packing a lot of power as is and doesn't need SD, but needs a little speed.

P.S. No, really, it OHKOs the bulkiest Pokemon in the tier in the sun barring Vaporeon. With Jolly.
252 Atk Guts Flareon Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Umbreon in Sun: 213-252 (105.4 - 124.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Guts Flareon Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Sylveon in Sun: 217-256 (107.4 - 126.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

 

[Pyritie]

The only concern I have is that nobody good is going to let you set up a +2 Leafeon in the sun. All it really accomplishes is outrunning Espeon and Jolteon since you already outrun most of the tier.

Outrunning those two is kinda a big deal though:
252 SpA Life Orb Jolteon Signal Beam vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Leafeon: 140-166 (99.2 - 117.7%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO
252 SpA Espeon Signal Beam vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Leafeon: 122-144 (86.5 - 102.1%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO
252 SpA Life Orb Espeon Signal Beam vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Leafeon: 159-187 (112.7 - 132.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
(calcs are at level 50)

I dunno if it'd be worth dropping some speed EVs for SpD ones though. Depends how well you can keep sun up

I think taunt on umbreon is going to be pretty much essential! (It's the only one that can learn taunt, right?)

 

[Age of Kings]

Again, you're making the assumption that tutor moves will be allowed which we do not know for sure because GF loves KB. I'm sure they hurt either way so you have a point, but don't assume tutor moves will be allowed.

Umbreon is too slow for Taunt and it can backfire if Espeon rotates in. I'm not so sure if it's the best idea since it has a chance of disabling itself. What would it be hitting around its own speed tier? Other Umbreon and Vaporeon, but I'm not so sure of everything else.

 

[Pyritie]

Umbreon is too slow for Taunt and it can backfire if Espeon rotates in. I'm not so sure if it's the best idea since it has a chance of disabling itself. What would it be hitting around its own speed tier? Other Umbreon and Vaporeon, but I'm not so sure of everything else.

You said that since the last eevee tournament was japan-only, there was one hosted here instead. Do you know how stally that one was? I'd think toxic stall spam could be viable since they all learn recovery, toxic, and heal bell (or refresh if KB is enforced), in which case having a taunter could be very useful to counter that. And if you're worried about magic bounce, give it a mental herb since there's probably going to be item clause as well and you can give the leftovers to sylveon or something

 

[Age of Kings]

You said that since the last eevee tournament was japan-only, there was one hosted here instead. Do you know how stally that one was? I'd think toxic stall spam could be viable since they all learn recovery, toxic, and heal bell (or refresh if KB is enforced), in which case having a taunter could be very useful to counter that. And if you're worried about magic bounce, give it a mental herb since there's probably going to be item clause as well and you can give the leftovers to sylveon or something

It was more of a balanced meta, the stalliest thing was Curse Umbreon and now it has a new check in Sylveon that it can't boost against. Toxic isn't a great move to use because like Taunt, it can backfire with Synchronize and Magic Bounce. Flareon actually loves being poisoned if not carrying a Toxic Orb itself and you are saving its user a turn of setting up, while OHKOing or 2HKOing the entire meta. Consider also the pool of Pokemon available; while it could be possible in theory, the pool of things that can actually stall is somewhat limited.

I'm not the definitive source on all strats, but do remember that rotating does not amplify Toxic damage per turn (it doesn't reset the poison counter but rather locks it in place until said Pokemon is active again) and a rotated mon does not take poison damage. Combined with the fact that rotating does not cost a turn like switching does, it is easier to sideline the effects. You can theoretically build a team around passive damage, but I'm not sure if it would be particularly effective.

 

[Pyritie]

I wonder if there will be a sky battles tournament/ladder at some point.