Battle Stadium Singles blog — Fair and Square (Special Edition)

Did they botch the rollout of the ruleset for this competition, as well? Well, yes. But we shouldn't let the seemingly endless parade of witless incompetents responsible for online in this game detract from the fact that what we ended up getting, at the end of the day, was a pretty interesting format for a weekender, all things considering.

   However, despite the format offering some deliciously degenerate things to play with here, I am sorry to report that I went pretty hard in the opposing direction after a bunch of practice games, ending up with a conservative defensive backbone of Hippowdon, Ferrothorn, and Rotom-H.

Value Eerie Impulse.

Ah yes, memers. I know because I suffer from the same disease, and can recognize it in others; in these folks, it is sadly in a very advanced state indeed.

Lose half your health to Hurricane Charizard thanks to confusion and miss the Wisp on Dragonite — all in a good day's work for Rotom-H.

Hmm, Ice Fang Hippowdon, you say?

Disgusting.

Announcement: https://battle.pokemon-home.com/regulation/000000109/en

Thread: https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/fair-and-square.3685517/

Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/6d8ef8ba7c0b3381

1) Team overview

Togekiss

Before playing in the 360-man practice tournament, I was set on doing the wallbreaking role with Volcarona (and before that, with Nasty Plot Zoroark). As it turns out, however, Togekiss is just so much better in this overall for Max Airstream reasons (living a hit from Cinderace and Dragonite), whereas Volcarona just felt more like a slightly less passive version of Gothitelle with how hard it was to bring. Silly of me to even think otherwise.

   The offensive coverage on this set is focused on breaking some of Togekiss' checks like Rotom-H. Cutting the Fire-type coverage is justified by having both Cinderace and Rotom-H on the team, whereas not having Dazzling Gleam is slightly harder to make a case for (Dragapult/Dragonite/Garchomp).

Ferrothorn

The main check for Dracovish, with Speed creep for a Relaxed Iron Defense + Body Press Ferrothorn mirror. Despite the main offensive part of the team being so weak to Stealth Rock, a defensive cycle with Ferrothorn and Hippowdon/Rotom-H is still feasible thanks to Leech Seed.

Hippowdon

Recovery (Slack Off) is excellent on Kee Berry Hippowdon, but I went for Ice Fang in this, which prevents Hippowdon from becoming set-up bait for some prominent Dragon Dance/Swords Dance users packing a Lum Berry (Dragonite, Garchomp) at the cost of longevity.

   Another somewhat dubious choice was going FIWAM berry instead of another Sitrus Berry, especially impactful when switching into Cinderace. And yes, Aguav Berry is clearly wrong here because of things like Trick (Rotom), which would potentially get boned by Tricking themselves a Figy Berry (-Att nature confusion), something I straight up did not even consider before locking this team in.

   Otherwise, there's nothing special going on here like putting EVs into SpDef to live a Zapdos hit like you would do in BSS. Indeed, as Hippo is wont to do, most games, the idea is to try to find a free Stealth Rock turn, click Yawn until it dies, and follow-up with a sweeper.

Mimikyu

Mimikyu is the universal check in a volatile format. On this team, it has to shore up some pretty big holes in team-building, like being able to revenge opposing Max Rockfall Togekiss momentum, and potentially even letting the team get away with benching Ferrothorn against Dracovish teams if playing for Cinderace/Togekiss momentum is on the table. And then there's the matter of going up against multiples of Dragonite or Dragapult.

Cinderace

 "It's Baby's first physical Max Airstream sweeper™. Now available on well-built teams everywhere. Watch it effortlessly break through Porygon2 in the absence of Urshifu, Pheromosa, and Blaziken — even without Dynamaxing. Wow!"

Rotom-H

The most interesting thing here is Discharge + Eerie Impulse over Volt Switch and something like Nasty Plot. The reasoning is that this is the main check for (non-Ancient Power) Togekiss on the team, aside from Mimikyu.

   Because it resists both Flying and Fire, Rotom also wants to check Cinderace (and Dragonite), which is what the full defensive investment and Will-o-Wisp are for.

   Eerie Impulse has additional utility in letting Rotom cripple things like Kee Berry Unaware Clefable, which this team is largely unequipped to handle, Ferrothorn included. Eerie Impulse obviously also has targets in the likes of other potentially problematic threats like Reuniclus, Volcarona, or even Porygon2 — not to mention opposing Rotom.

2) Tournament

As always, losses are far more educational for me than wins, so those will be briefly covered below, too.

Day 1

Win / Loss: 13 – 2

Loss 1: Hippowdon-Cinderace-Mimikyu vs 6x Dragapult (Screens + Special Attacker + Weakness Policy sweeper)
First game of the tournament. Stalled out Reflect from slow Dragon Darts Thunder Wave Light Clay Screens Dragapult for the game-deciding turns, but died to Weakness Policy Max Steelspike Dragapult in the back as Mimikyu by going for immediate Max Starfall instead of Swords Dancing after seeing paralyzed Cinderace die to Max Phantasm.

   This was a throw, and a bad one; always a nice way to start things off.

Loss 2: Rotom-Hippowdon-Mimikyu vs 6x Dragonite (Life Orb + Special Attacker + Choice Band)

A burned Choice Band Waterfall Dragonite flinched Hippowdon twice in a row while trying to click Ice Fang for the kill so as to have a Disguise-intact Mimikyu in the back for the final mon 1v1, which was too much to recover from.

   In the resultant endgame, I played around Weakness Policy on the last Stealth Rock-damaged Dragonite by Max Phantasming (20.6 - 24.5%) instead of Max Starfalling (59.8 - 70.6%) with Disguise-down Dynamax Mimikyu with two Dynamax turns left, but it was +252 Att Life Orb, which meant Dynamax Mimikyu keeled over even after the Kee Berry proc on the first Max Airstream.

Loss 2.

Rating after day 1.

Nothing spectacular to report after the first day. I only ended up bringing Togekiss twice all day, and it only got to actually click buttons once. Moreover, it's too early to tell how I will place in this, but I always have serious reservations about playing anything resembling defensive styles in a Dynamax-format, so I fully expect to be repeatedly bruteforced through Hippowdon and Ferrothorn by the darndest of things going forward. So let's have it.

Day 2

Win / Loss: 9 - 5

Loss 3: Cinderace-Hippowdon-Ferrothorn vs Excadrill-Gyarados-

First game of the day, and I lost connection to the server after getting Stealth Rock up and fat Leftovers Gyarados asleep at the cost of around a half of Hippo's health.

   That's what you get for playing this on mobile internet. For the record, last season of BSS this happened a grand total of four times in 300 games. Sorry, friend.

Loss 3.

Loss 4: Rotom-Ferrothorn-Togekiss vs Rillaboom-Toxapex-Clefable

Let myself get timer stalled by a questionable stall team because +2 Togekiss died to Toxic poison from a surprise Protect from 20% health Clefable, which led to a 2v2 endgame with Rotom & Ferrothorn against Toxapex & Clefable.

   So, after getting the first KO on Rillaboom, all I would have had to do was to slow-play with Ferrothorn and not let Togekiss die, but I was simply unable to read that Clefable set (Aromatherapy/Protect/Wish) — +2 Air Slash connecting there would have killed either Clefable or the 60% Toxapex in the back.

   To be clear, Aromatherapy doesn't do anything in 3v3 singles, and apparently only goes unpunished by baddies like me. Over 20 points gone right there.

Loss 4

Loss 5: Hippowdon-Cinderace-Rotom vs Cinderace-Dragonite-Scizor

If you look at those teams and wonder how it is ever even possible to lose here, you are not factoring in the two lost Cinderace Speed ties and the one turn sleep from Weakness Policy Dragonite that just clicked Dynamax after switching in on Yawn even though they had U-turn (Life Orb!) Cinderace and an unrevealed Scizor.

    Not to take anything away from the opponent, but their team could have been piloted by a coin-operated laundromat this game with similar results.

   And so, back to the low 1600s from being two games away from 1700 after these two consecutive losses.

Loss 5.

Absolute highway robbery right here: dodge the Gunk Shot, then get the Ancient Power proc to live Max Lightning — albeit after a double Max Guard from Dynamax Dragonite (Heavy-Duty Boots) to keep Multiscale up through Togekiss' Dynamax turns, but still. (Hippowdon-Ferrothorn-Togekiss vs Dracovish-Cinderace-Dragonite).

Loss 6: Togekiss-Mimikyu-Hippowdon vs Lapras-Hippowdon-Cinderace

Took a little risk I didn't have to and led Togekiss without a proper Lapras switch (Ferrothorn) to try to catch Hippowdon, only to get immediately punished by turn 1 crit GMax (Light Clay) Lapras on a hit Togekiss could have otherwise lived unless it was heavily invested +SpAtt Lapras, which, let's be honest, it probably was anyway. Too behind after that to recover.

Loss 6.

Attract Dragapult was almost a thing for a little bit when Libero Cinderace first came out, but Attract Cinderace *and* Inteleon? That just seems bad even with paralysis support from screens Dragapult. (Hippowdon-Ferrothorn-Mimikyu vs Dragapult-Cinderace-Inteleon).

   Even still, I almost managed to lose to this to Inteleon with Ferrothorn being either paralyzed or immobilized by love three straight turns (Attract turn + Focus Energy turn + Air Slash turn) while clicking Body Press to either straight KO or put it into Shadow Sneak range, and with Mimikyu living the crit Hydrosnipe with a cool 3 HP in the final mon 1v1 Dynamax duel (252 SpA Sniper Inteleon-Gmax G-Max Hydrosnipe (160 BP) vs. 132 HP / 4 SpD Dynamax Mimikyu on a critical hit: 285-337 (96.9 - 114.6%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO.

Loss 7:  Hippowdon-Ferrothorn-Cinderace vs Vikavolt-Centiskorch-Armaldo

Lost to Armaldo in the back in the final mon 1v1 Dynamax duel with Cinderace after being put behind when Hippowdon got 1HKO'd from the lead by Choice Specs Energy Ball Vikavolt.

   Worse still, it was one of those games where just recovering the lost points was going to basically take three straight wins again. All I can say is I hope this mad man takes the whole thing.

Loss 7.

Perfect coverage (Ferrothorn-Rotom-Togekiss vs Rotom-W-Hippowdon-Cinderace).

Just what you want to see on turn 1 after you Wisp into a Life Orb High Jump Kick. Fortunately the opponent found a way to throw *thrice* that game to let me take it in the end (Rotom-Hippowdon-Cinderace vs Life Orb Cinderace-SpDef Porygon2-Kee Berry Mimikyu).

Rating after 23 games...

....and after day 2 (29 games).

Full disclosure here, the plan was to get on my alt account for some games with a less sweaty team on day 2, but by the time I had finished all but one of my games on this account, any desire to do so was but a distant memory, such was the extent of the fatigue this game induces when you whiff Will-o-Wisp 2/4 uses while Ancient Power gets the Serene Grace buff proc 2/4 times. At least I've dodged all 4 Sheer Colds I've been subjected to so far.

   On the positive side, I didn't misplay badly enough to be in the dumpster going into the day three, so as long as luck doesn't become a major factor, I should be able to do something on the final day of play.

   On the other hand, a 9-5 record like today's is obviously not going to cut it going forward, so if anything, luck has to be actively on my side to get a good finish.

Day 3

Win / Loss: 8 – 8

Loss 8: Mimikyu-Togekiss-Hippowdon vs Gothitelle-Cinderace-Lycanroc

Got to play against Theorymon, and it was an eventful one. Mimikyu lead is free against both Lycanroc and Gothitelle, and worked out, forcing out Gothitelle and getting the kill on Lycanroc, which led to the key point in deciding the outcome of the game: do I Max Guard-open Dynamax Disguise-broken +1 Def +2 Att Mimikyu to trade into Cinderace and risk hitting something like a Max Steelspike set (Focus Sash or Choice-item), do I Sneak to get enough damage on it so Dynamax Togekiss can clean up, or do I go straight to Hippowdon and possibly get locked in by Gothitelle?

   I went for the +2 Shadow Sneak, but it turned out that +2 Sneak and two ticks of Life Orb damage, super-effective Togekiss Max Rockfall and a round of sandstorm damage was not enough KO GMax-Cinderace to get to the Togekiss vs Gothitelle endgame.

   It should also perhaps be noted that I also had the opportunity to go from Togekiss to Hippowdon and try to double back on a Gothitelle switch on GMax-Cinderace after it got the KO on Mimikyu, but decided not to go for it, still firmly tunnelvisioned into the Max Rockfall play, especially after seeing the Life Orb.

   After this, it was a Bounce-paralyzed Hippowdon and a Togekiss at 50% health against Chesto Berry Cosmic Power Gothitelle. I tried to go for the timer stall route, which was helped by a four (if memory serves) turn Ice Fang freeze, but Gothitelle rightly started to go offensive with +4/+4 Stored Power after thawing out and Resting. I manage to click Yawn into this, which gave me a slim Togekiss out.

  Gothitelle gets the three-turn sleep, so I manage to get to +4 and get to Air Slashing. On the final turn, I need either a crit or a flinch, but Gothitelle prevails. GG.

Loss 8.

Loss 9: Togekiss-Ferrothorn-Hippowdon vs Togekiss-

Got 3-0'd from the lead by defensive (Air Slash / Mystical Fire / Morning Sun / Thunder Wave) Togekiss. The opponent tried to throw by Air Slashing Ferrothorn on its Gyro Ball turn, but got a flinch.

Loss 9.

With 12 games to go, I was off to attend a family gathering, not being able to do the rest of my games until late in the evening after a full day of healthy socializing. And, you know what, I'm perfectly fine letting that be an excuse for the collapse that ensued upon my return to playing mere hours before the conclusion of the event.

Loss 10: Rotom-Togekiss-Ferrothorn vs Slowking-G-Slowbro-Avalugg

 -4 SpAtt Assault Vest Slowking-G crit a Sludge Bomb on Togekiss — enough to KO after Dynamax Avalugg did 50% and wasted two Dynamax turns with Sturdy — but somehow didn't have a Fire-move for Ferrothorn?

   Massive punish, the very definition of a throw, for not bringing Hippowdon against a player over 100 points below me. Down into the 1600s again after this game.

Loss 10.

Loss 11: Cinderace-Ferrothorn-Hippowdon vs Skarmory-Cinderace-Gyarados

I knew exactly what was coming (Focus Sash Weak Armor Rock Tomb Stealth Rock into Gyarados/Cinderace all in), but benched Mimikyu anyway and went for an even more passive cushion style. It failed after Cinderace switched in when Ferrothorn came in to wall Dynamax Gyarados. This was another autowin thrown in the team select screen.

Loss 11.

Loss 12: Rotom-Ferrothorn-Togekiss vs Lapras-Rhyperior-Salamence [3x Weakness Policy]

Lost to someone with Confuse Ray Lapras and Heat Crash + Rock Polish Rhyperior after clicking Discharge on turn 2 instead of going for another Eerie Impulse in order to get the free win with Togekiss against what they had, like someone with a brain would have done.

Loss 12.

Loss 13: Hippowdon-Togekiss-Ferrothorn vs Gyarados-Corsola-Chansey

ChestoRest Moxie Dragon Dance Gyarados bruteforced through Ferrothorn. Losing to a Corsola team is always embarrassing. 

Down to the mid-1600s with six games to go, so I resolved to stop if I got above 1700 again.

Loss 14: Rotom-Ferrothorn-Mimikyu vs Dragapult-Togekiss-

Got 3-0'd by lead Wisp + Hex SubLefties Dragapult because it crit Ferrothorn so it missed out on the Gyro Ball that would have put it in Shadow Sneak range. Instead, Mimikyu got crippled by Wisp, effectively ending the game immediately.

Loss 14.

Loss 15: Hippowdon-Ferrothorn-Rotom vs Hatterene-Snorlax-Cinderace

Hatterene into Belly Drum Snorlax managed to bruise my Cinderace checks enough even while burned so that Cinderace just ran over everything. Sixth Ferrothorn loss of the day.

Loss 15.

Final rating.

Final ranking. Despite going 30-15, as painfully documented above, the game thinks I went 31-14. I guess that one disconnect on my part somehow counted as a win?

3) In Conclusion

Alright, there's no way around this...I had a truly awful time with this. Most of that is explained by the fact that I was not playing hyper offense, but a relatively defensive style instead, and that's just not a good idea with Dynamax around, as far as I am concerned, at least. Yes, I had some rotten luck at the end, but I also decided to keep going when I knew I was playing poorly. When even winning feels bad, you know you've gone wrong somewhere.

   The next entry should be a regular BSS one at the end of the month as per usual. Thanks for reading.

- Tox

SW-0021-9848-8999