3DS Tigers VGC 2015 Mini Tournament Team Analysis

It's been a long time since I last touched my Gen 6 Pokemon games, because of what my 3DS XL has gone through (see previous post). Then a tournament was organized, and I'm cramming up a team. In the end, I decided to use an improvement of my VGC '14 team. This is my first team analysis.

I hereby dub the team, "Revenge of the Hail Team"

 

 

Marshmallow

Abomasnow @ Icy Rock

Snow Warning

Quiet Nature (0 Speed IV)

252 HP, 252 SpA, 4 Def

> Blizzard

> Grass Knot

> Leech Seed

> Protect

Originally used for TR team, and holding Abomasite, this Abomasnow now focuses on stalling, and heavily relies on the residual damage of the hail. Blizzard is its main offensive move because it hits 100% on hail, and provides area damage. Grass Knot is chosen over Energy Ball in case some heavy mons like Snorlax show up. Leech Seed is for additional residual damage. Lastly, Protect is for additional stalling.

Icy rock is chosen over Abomasite for making the hail last for eight turns. While Abomasite gives Abomasnow more offensive power, it's too risky, considering the speed drop because I'm not running TR for this team. 0 IVs on Speed while running a Quiet Nature ensures that Snow Warning will always activate when against starting Tyranitar, the most common Sandstorm setter.

Kelvinator

Rotom-Frost @ Choice Scarf

Levitate

Timid Nature

252 SpA, 252 Spe, 4 HP

> Blizzard

> Volt Switch

> Trick

> Thunder Wave

Blizzard is for offense, same with Abomasnow. Volt Switch is for damage while switching out to someone tanking the hit intended for Rotom-F. Trick is for crippling setters, forcing a switch, or locking stallers to one move. Lastly, Thunder Wave is for crippling speed, after losing the choice scarf.

Rotom-F has decent bulk, but with low HP. A Timid nature and full speed EVs makes it run first against most high speed mons. Full SpA EVs makes it a good offensive player with Blizzard. Choice Scarf is chosen over Choice Specs because some mons are still able to outspeed Rotom-F even with maximum speed investment.

MammothGYard (Mammoth Graveyard)

Mamoswine @ Life Orb

Thick Fat

Jolly Nature

252 Atk, 252 Spe, 4 HP

> Stealth Rock

> Ice Shard

> Icicle Crash

> Earthquake

Icicle Crash and Earthquake are its main offensive moves. Ice Shard is for priority, KO-ing low HP, high speed threats. Stealth Rock is for extra residual damage to opponents when they switch in, and negates the effect of Focus Sash.

Life Orb is chosen as its held item for extra damage, and to make up for the Attack stat that should've been increased by Adamant Nature. Jolly Nature is chosen for more speed. After all, what's the moveset for if you can't execute it? Thick Fat is chosen over Snow Cloak for its ability to take some fire type attacks.

 

 H2O-eon

Vaporeon @ Leftovers

Water Absorb

Bold Nature

252 HP, 252 Def, 4 SpA

> Scald

> Ice Beam

> Wish
> Protect

Scald is for STAB, and is its main attacking move. Burn from scald is a bonus. Ice beam is for coverage especially to grass and dragon types. Wish + Protect combo ensures HP regeneration will be received by Vaporeon.

Since Vaporeon already has a good Special Defense, Bold nature is chosen.  This enables Vaporeon to tank most physical attacks, and cripple them with the burn from scald, or wish those damages away. Leftovers is the held item to negate the residual damage taken from hail. Water Absorb is the best ability choice because the hidden ability is rain dependent. This also enables Vaporeon to switch in to predicted water moves aimed at Mamoswine and Chandelure.

 

(no nichname, I'm not the OT)

Chandelure @ Safety Goggles

Flash Fire

Timid Nature

252 SpA, 252 Spe, 4 HP

> Heat Wave

> Shadow Ball

> Will-O-Wisp

> Protect

Heat Wave and Shadow Ball are its main offensive moves. Will-O-Wisp cripples physical attackers, and sucker punch users, while providing residual damage. Protect gives it stalling power, enabling residual damage from hail.

Timid Nature with max speed investment makes it overspeed mons on the same speed tier. Flash Fire enables Chandelure to switch in to predicted fire type attacks intended against teammates, and receive a boost. Safety goggles protects Chandelure from the hail damage.

Chandelure is one of my best players in the tournament. Since my team's main weakness is Fire and Fighing types, Chandelure is here to solve the problem. Receiving attacks of those types is its main goal, and cripple them with burn, or finish them off with Heat Wave or Shadow Ball.

Sixth member? Just ignore it. All it made to do is help me lose some rounds. He's just an extra.

My 3DS XL Finally Repaired

One of the most painful moments of being a gamer is when your console / handheld gets damaged, or breaks down. It's even more painful when you lose all your game progress. Imagine all your hard work, gone, down the drain.

The 3DS XL is one of the most common devices where there can be damages. It's because of the design for the unit which Nintendo made.

My 3DS XL had a problem with the housing. It all started around the second week of May 2014, when the first signs of housing damage showed up. Some of the part above the R trigger got chipped off. I just used super glue on that part, and simply ignored the problem, but I was more careful when I close the lid of my unit. I can't show the damage because I have no pictures of this, or I lost them when the hard drive of my previous laptop broke down..

The problem worsened on the release date of Pokemon ORAS, when I, together with friends, went out to buy our copies of Pokemon OR or Pokemon AS. The part of the housing that got chipped off and got glued back, suddenly got lost inside the mall. I have no idea how that happened. When I close the unit, I have to hold the rough edge above the R trigger to close the lid, and it's really uncomfortable because of the somewhat sharp edges.

Around March 2015, when I'm on my internship days, this then happened.

Too much pain as the problem worsens. I can still use the unit normally though.

Around July 2015, days before school opening, the housing finally broke down, one year and two months from the first signs of damage. I had it repaired last September 8. Housing replacement for the lower screen. Here is the current state of the unit.

The housing together with the service cost PHP 1400 (around USD 30). I don't know if the price is right, because we don't have local stores that sell the housing. Housing parts are shipped from other countries, and we have problems with the customs tax. Since I desperately wanted to have my unit repaired, and I missed playing with it, I just spent some of my savings.

Too bad I just can't transfer the skin because it's already two years old, and probably won't stick when I transfer it.

Lesson: Don't lend the unit to anybody who doesn't know how to care for gaming units. Family members are also included. Also, be careful with gadgets. I learned mine the hard way.