Ophie

Of course, that's just a beneficial side effect. I would agree that power creep is the main reason for it. The 5th-generation creep seems to be bigger though. Actually, it feels like each creep has been bigger than the one before it. It's practically exponential. Or maybe logarithmic.

Click to expand...

I think "logarhythmic" should be a word. That's how I always read it, anyway

Yeah, it went back in time, but precisely to the point that was right before Archer was taken down.

"Giovanni directly said he would retire and disband Team Rocket in RBGY."

He did, but there was the Celebi event in HGSS. But yeah, they've all had conclusions.

Ophie, ah, thank you - that's what I thought. I was trying to think of the appropriate term to use for a shop around here - and it's a hobby shop. Thanks for the clarification!

What's the difference between a hobby shop and a card shop (if there is one)?

Ophie said:

(mainly due to Dodrio Mode)

Click to expand...

What is Dodrio Mode?

Ophie, I tend to play with my favorites, so my team rarely (if ever) ends up changing - I also tend to go with a certain theme as I do so; currently it's Offensive Sandstorm. (As such that basically necessitates I must lead with Tyranitar 95% of the time.)

Granted, preparing accordingly for your opponent's team works in places like VGC (when both players pick 4 from a pool of 6), but in standard single battles, where it's a 6-v-6, you don't even need Team Preview.

Ophie, Level 50 battles happen way too fast for my taste. There is actually a rather significant difference however, and it usually has to do with things like Leftovers, Toxic, and anything else that works off the % of max HP.

Team Preview also made leads obsolete, for the most part. For example, it made my FO Weavile lead basically no longer viable, and it makes it much easier to counter-lead.

Ophie, it's sorta like running Ancientpower on Heatran. I started doing it, and it's not something that's commonly expected. It's like the special version of EdgeQuake, and it works. (Prediction is the video game's biggest factor - it means the difference between victory or defeat. This is why I don't like that Team Preview is ALWAYS on in B/W fights, even in no-restrictions Wifi. The point is to not see things coming, and if a newer game ever gets released, I'm pushing for auto-level-100 fights and the option to remove Team Preview.)

Ferrothorn in sun? I guess they figure that since it dies to fire anyway, why not go all out? Then again, they probably have a Heatran to cover the weakness anyway.

Ophie, TCG is unfortunately not as laid-back as VGC, mostly because there are a lot of players who get dissatisfied with the format (and I don't blame them sometimes). But with the video game, things don't really change. You don't get a new small batch of Pokemon every few months; you get everything you need right up front.

I remember mentioning back in the "No Room for Nonconformity" thread that EV training and moveset analysis gives you the option to plan all sorts of fun stuff. For something like Ferrothorn there are only 2 legal cards and thus only 2 options you can go with. However, by contrast, in the VG Ferrothorn is given a vast movepool, and while most of his sets are very similar, all of them play a tiny bit differently, and they accomplish vastly different things - yet you still have the same typing and same stats, pretty much.

Ophie, the Vanilluxe from Noble Victories, to be exact. The point of the deck is to use Double Freeze for constant paralysis - combed with Victory Star, reducing your already-low chance of 25% chance of failure to 6%. Vileplume is there for Item Lock, ensuring there is no Switch to escape.

That's the standard. I just tweaked the build around to accommodate Donktini and gave it T1 Zekrom + donk capabilities - if my hand draws well, of course.

VGC is an interesting meta to be sure. At Fall Regionals I ran a Regigigas-themed team (surprise surprise) and although I went 3-4 (could have been 4-3 but no big deal), I could say that I had a lot of fun, and received a few compliments on my team to boot.

Ophie, yeah, that was probably me. I'd started the day with an Entree level of B1/W5 or something, and then managed to get it all the way up to B8/W25 before lunchtime. Then the struggle came at the end of the day when most people had gone home and I was all the way at B28/W30, but no one else had their DSs on...until someone offered to hook his DS up to the wall and leave it on so I could get the last two levels on Black. (And that's when I had to leave.)

I'm assuming Genius Sonority were the developers of PBR.

As far as VGCs go, that is a doubles meta instead of a singles one; as such there's room for more strategies to exist (like Specs Water Spout Jellicent, something that would NEVER exist in singles), in addition to denying some existing ones (e.g. the use of the moves Surf, Earthquake, and Explosion, which come at a considerable risk to allies unless precautions are taken). Doubles is definitely different, that's for sure. As for singles? There are actually quite a few of the Unova mon that have come into prominence - Excadrill and Thundurus were even deemed Uber by Smogon, and there are a few others besides that are dangerous threats (like Conkeldurr, Chandelure, and the ever-present Ferrothorn).

The more "normal" version of the deck I'm using is called VVV - Vanilluxe, Victini (reflip), and Vileplume. It's built to last and lock up your opponent with basically never-ending paralysis. I made my own tweaks to the list and created more of a donk-style deck, trimming out Vileplume and adding the Donktini. There's also PlusPower in the deck, just in case I come face-to-face with a Tao Dragon - with 130 HP, I still can't OHKO it with V-Blast.

I do it mostly to see the looks on their faces when Victini lands a kill after I flip two heads and I do a T1 120.

"There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's Troll and Toad." - DNA, on the subject of tournament experiences

Ophie, guy and his sister...okay, that makes more sense. I remember him (you?) saying "RANDOM FERROTHORN OF MINE" at one point during the day (which, in light of my recent theme change, is highly ironic that THAT particular memory came up). I was the guy with the big black backpack who was trying to max out his Entree at the end of the day before I had to leave.

Honestly, extreme kudos for bringing PBR there with you. I knew that B/W had just come out, but PBR has that unique feel that most other games can't really give. It's sometimes a bit slow and the announcer ticks me off, but it has its moments. (Chansey Seismic Toss was probably the highlight of the day.)

I like to see what's popular as well, and usually I can do that by judging - I can look over all the various tables at once. Thing is, with States, that isn't so easy, and I feel that I can gain a lot more by socializing with everybody than I can at a staff position. (At PRs/BRs/Cities they're small enough so that I can talk with people while I go about my duty. States and Regs, eh, not so much - I was only a runner at Autumn Long Beach Regs, and I was busy all day.)

The decks I play, I usually play for the shock or surprise factor. For the past several months I have been playing Gengar, but after seeing how it doesn't hold its own very well against Eelzone, I'm taking a break from it and seeing how I can remodel my list. Right now, I'm leaning heavily on the shock factor and running V-Donk; the look on their face after a T1 120 with virtually no effort is basically priceless. I honestly don't care if I win or lose - granted I play to win, but if I can say I had fun while playing, it will be worth it. That's how I've always played before, and I don't intend on stopping.

Ophie, aha, I see. I think those are the years I've been going as well - I remember getting back into it around Mysterious Treasures and have been going to each States ever since.

I agree that getting all the I/S/S is most often the trickiest part. Indeed, I get all my packs from judging OP events, and I like you do not have a single Pokemon Catcher. (Emerging Powers was NOT very kind to me, not at all. As a result, I've been trying to run decks that can work fine without Catcher.) Fortunately I've been able to trade for what I need with all the leftovers I have, but I know not everyone's as well off as me in that category...

I know that it's important to play for fun, but it definitely doesn't hurt to win either so I understand why you're doing what you're doing.

The VG side event? I know there was a Chinese (?) guy and his wife (?) who brought a Wii and PBR there with them; were you one of them or am I thinking of the wrong people?

Ophie, I see.
There is actually more to do at States than just playing in the tournament - in fact, States is more of a social gathering than it is a tournament, it seems.
Picture a regular tourney like Battle Roads or Cities where everyone's hanging out and having a good time. Now picture that on the Queen Mary with 500+ people. That's basically what States is.

Yeah, you can play, but you don't have to. (I will be, but I'd be just as happy hanging out.) It's up to you. Either way, if you do decide to go I'll be looking around for you.

Ophie,

Thank you so much! Are the Foongus plushies Japanese-exclusive?

To this day, I haven't found one hobby shop in the San Fernando Valley part of Los Angeles that charges less than the department stores do for packs, decks, or tins. In fact, my favorite one to go to when I was younger has since closed its doors, as it always charged more than the Toys R Us next door.

Click to expand...

San Fernando Valley? That's...That's actually not that far away from where States is in California - namely the Queen Mary in Long Beach.

Do you have any plans for going? (It's on Saturday March 17th.) I plan to meet and say hello to as many PBers as I possibly can there.

Know anywhere I can get Pokemon plushies (specifically the 5th Gen; when do they get released?) in retail stores?

Hi; just wanted to stop by and say hello, and say that I appreciate your views and opinions on things in the TCG and such.
I can tell you're very well-read and informed, and seeing things from your take is pretty nifty. I get a kick out of reading your posts as well.

...That's all I wanted to say for now. Have a nice day and don't be creeped out by what I just said.

Hey, I was wondering if you'd like to draw up art for an rmt forum member Bippa and I are working on. PM me if you think you can do it. If not then we totally understand. Thanks! :]