My son is 8 and he plays his DS constantly. I will be taking his older brother to the Toronto fall regional for the trading cards and thought it would be fun for the younger boy to play in the video game tourney. I have read a couple posts about Dreamworld? which my son has not been to. I am looking for some team ideas for him. I think he has most pokemon from the game ( he has HGSS, black, white and platinum ). Any team ideas and basic strategy for him would be greatly appreciated. He tells me his strong guys are wailord, samurott, audino and volcarona. Thanks
Beginners Help Needed!
- Thread starter pokedad71
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Kayle
Active Member
Black and White cartridges only. Pokemon from all generations are allowed, but there is a specific list that isn't.
I'd tackle a team strategy idea but I'm seriously exhausted right now.
Check back tomorrow maybe.
Kayle
Active Member
Usually, players will breed or train an entirely new team of Pokemon to use. So, largely, the pokemon your son already has isn't really going to be helpful. It does depend on what moves his Pokemon know or can learn.
In particular, his selection of Pokemon isn't really helpful. Volcarona is a threat in singles, but in the Doubles style of battle that they use at Regionals, its typing renders it weak to a wide variety of common attacks. Its strong attacking moves - Heat Wave and Bug Buzz are quite good - are nice, so it's not unsalvageable.
If we go a different route, Audino can learn a move called Trick Room, which causes slow Pokemon to go first. Audino also has access to the useful Heal Pulse and Safeguard, and the Healer ability (if your son's has it), which help it support its team by keeping them healthy and preventing status conditions.
Wailord can learn Water Spout, and that itself just makes it a massive threat, but it's quite slow. Give it an item like Life Orb and use Trick Room, and it'll do huge damage with Water Spout and go first thanks to the field effect. Samurott can similarly benefit, but not quite as effectively.
VGC/Doubles isn't my strong suit so this is kind of just a glance at where you might start. Hopefully some others can give you some more concrete ideas based on this!
In particular, his selection of Pokemon isn't really helpful. Volcarona is a threat in singles, but in the Doubles style of battle that they use at Regionals, its typing renders it weak to a wide variety of common attacks. Its strong attacking moves - Heat Wave and Bug Buzz are quite good - are nice, so it's not unsalvageable.
If we go a different route, Audino can learn a move called Trick Room, which causes slow Pokemon to go first. Audino also has access to the useful Heal Pulse and Safeguard, and the Healer ability (if your son's has it), which help it support its team by keeping them healthy and preventing status conditions.
Wailord can learn Water Spout, and that itself just makes it a massive threat, but it's quite slow. Give it an item like Life Orb and use Trick Room, and it'll do huge damage with Water Spout and go first thanks to the field effect. Samurott can similarly benefit, but not quite as effectively.
VGC/Doubles isn't my strong suit so this is kind of just a glance at where you might start. Hopefully some others can give you some more concrete ideas based on this!
Team Rocket Elite
New Member
A team that uses a Dream World Politoed with the Drizzle ability can be simple enough for a beginning Junior to play while at the same time can hold it's own in battle. Here's a example of one that was used by Brendan Zheng, one of the top Junior players:
http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/op_regionals_vg_strategy_1-2011-11-23/
Politoed and Ludicolo are the core of a rain style team. You can add other Pokemon that are good in the rain like Kingdra or Gastrodon. Wailord isn't that great of a Pokemon but if he wants to use one it can be a less effective replacement for Jellicent. You can give it a Choice Scarf held item and the move Water Spout and it'll do decently in the rain. If he likes Dragon Pokemon, you could try putting Garchomp, Salamence or Hydreigon on the team. All 3 are solid Pokemon to use.
http://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/op_regionals_vg_strategy_1-2011-11-23/
Politoed and Ludicolo are the core of a rain style team. You can add other Pokemon that are good in the rain like Kingdra or Gastrodon. Wailord isn't that great of a Pokemon but if he wants to use one it can be a less effective replacement for Jellicent. You can give it a Choice Scarf held item and the move Water Spout and it'll do decently in the rain. If he likes Dragon Pokemon, you could try putting Garchomp, Salamence or Hydreigon on the team. All 3 are solid Pokemon to use.
PMysterious
New Member
Well, that's interesting. The tough guys are nice to note.
Wailord is a slow HP tank. Water Spout does wonders and you can give it the Item Leftovers to heal off HP for Water Spout to do some damage.
Samurott is more of a mixed attacker. It learns a good diversity of moves and can put decent dents on other Pokemon if you have the correct set. Give this thing a Choice Scarf and you're good to go for a decent sweeper.
Audino is a decent defensive wall with many different ways of working it. The best way is through Trick Room to prevent those speedy Pokemon from killing off Audino and Wailord right off the bat. Also, give it Rain Dance to help Wailord and Samurott do more damage than before.
Volcarona is your attacking beast when it comes to play. Teach it Hurricane to give it a devastating Rain reliable move. Fire type attacks work wonders too.
After that, you need 2 more Pokemon. Otherwise, your son can't join. I would recommend a Grass type Pokemon for the Grass/Fire/Water trio and an Electric type Pokemon that can learn Thunder to be another Powerhouse in the rain.
Hope this helps.
From, PMysterious :thumb:
ultimatedra
New Member
Ummm....Yes you can still play. You REQUIRE 4 pokemon, not 6. Sure 6 will get you a better advantage in terms of what to use, but you can do it with only 4.
FirestormXVI
Member
To be honest, the juniors can be an incredibly small division. I can see your son placing highly if you do a bit of research and help him out. Read this the introduction to competitive Pokemon article and see it's something you want to spend some time on or not.
Otherwise, without training your Pokemon the correct way it's really tough to win, so I'd just stick to using his favourites and doing as well as he can. Because it's swiss, he'll be paired up with others doing the same thing for a decent amount of his battles.
Otherwise, without training your Pokemon the correct way it's really tough to win, so I'd just stick to using his favourites and doing as well as he can. Because it's swiss, he'll be paired up with others doing the same thing for a decent amount of his battles.
PMysterious
New Member
Well, I didn't know that. Interesting thing to note.
FirestormXVI
Member
Sooo considering Toronto only had 3 Juniors show up, how'd it go? =P
Fox_Master51
New Member
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Drizzle/SwiftSwim combo banned in VGC?
Team Rocket Elite
New Member
Nope. It's absolutely legal. The Drizzle/SwiftSwim ban is a fanmade clause used in some Single Battle formats.