Pokémon Starting Competitive Battling Help

[Th3 Mayor]

So I just decided to start competitive battling to make better use of my Alpha Sapphire game. Can anyone give me tips or a guide to start? I tried watching videos on YouTube and they're too complicated for me ughh.

 

[FireNinja1]

Do you have a team? I assume not?

 

[Th3 Mayor]

Do you have a team? I assume not?

Sadly I do not

 

[FireNinja1]

Sadly I do not

Alright, well, what kind of team do you want? Do you like the kind that hits really hard, or do you want something that defends much easier? Maybe something in the middle?

 

[Th3 Mayor]

Alright, well, what kind of team do you want? Do you like the kind that hits really hard, or do you want something that defends much easier? Maybe something in the middle?

I think I'd like a team in the middle

 

[Jarrad]

Do you understand how training your competitive team words? EVs, IVs, abilities, natures, movesets etc.

I'd recommend using the pokemon battle simulator pokemonshowdown it helped me so much when I first began battling competitively. It gives you a random set of pokemon and pits you against someone else

 

[Misuzurin]

Hmm tips for a beginner? Everything should work together on your team while being able to counter and deal with various common pokemon and strategies. Try to avoid having a team with similar weaknesses and coverage. Pokemon is a mind game so you have to be able to guess what your opponent is going to do. Be careful of volt switching if your opponent has a ground type he can switch in. Have a way to deal with statuses with either a magic bouncer or cleric.

There are different kinds of teams too. Hyper offensive, stall, defensive, balanced, batton pass, weather, trap, etc. Pokemon is game where you are almost always going to be learning something new as you play more competitively.

 

[FireNinja1]

I think I'd like a team in the middle

Try to have one really powerful 'mon, three Pok?mon that can support it, something with Stealth Rock or Spikes, and then something else to just round out the entire team. And yes PS! is a great way to improve. I should use it more often but I haven't had the time to lol.

 

[Th3 Mayor]

Try to have one really powerful 'mon, three Pok?mon that can support it, something with Stealth Rock or Spikes, and then something else to just round out the entire team. And yes PS! is a great way to improve. I should use it more often but I haven't had the time to lol.

Thanks for your help!

 

[RhinoK]

There are plenty of guides explaining it all. Gen VI is a great place to get into competitve training bc it's been made so easy compared to previous generations

The most important thing is synergy. You'll want to cover each pokemon's weaknesses and have a balance.

- - - Post Merge - - -

P.S. IVs seem so not-important but remember a Greninja with 31 IVs and 252 EVs in Speed will make the difference if another Greninja (of same nature) has 0 IVs and 252 EVs in Speed

 

[tobi!]

I used to be the Pokemon Master. No one could defeat me.
Then times changed. New Pokemon meant new abilities, moves, and strategies. The Electivire and Lucario I worked so hard to EV trained became UU and even NU. Become used to change.

What I recommend would probably be experience. The reason I was so good was because I'd be having five different battles a day with different people. I was able to predict what they were going to do and counter it. I gave up my glory days when Weavile was removed from OU considering it was my sweeper and my favorite Pokemon. Now, I'm struggling to get back into Competitive but I know through experience and even this website/Smogon offering me tips, I can get back in the groove...hopefully.

Challenge a lot of people. Choose Pokemon you think would be best, not what Smogon thinks. Find what works best for you. Are you a sweeper, a hard hitter, or even an uber user or perhaps you like to mix it up a bit?

 

[Cress]

I'd say choose 1 or 2 Pok?mon you would want to use on your team, and then build it on from there.

 

[tobi!]

Also, make sure you Pokemon's abilities/moves compliment each other

 

[Paramore]

I recommend starting by reading up on a few guides about EVs, IVs etc. There is no easy way to start, so I honestly think you should just jump in by playing on Showdown with Random teams, so that you get a feel for what its like. After a while, start building your own team. Smogon will help in providing movesets, EV's, and Natures. Your first team will almost definitely suck, but pay attention to what others use in the ladder so that you could maybe try their strategies or try to counter them.

 

[Paramore]

I recommend starting by reading up on a few guides about EVs, IVs etc. There is no easy way to start, so I honestly think you should just jump in by playing on Showdown with Random teams, so that you get a feel for what its like. After a while, start building your own team. Smogon will help in providing movesets, EV's, and Natures. Your first team will almost definitely suck, but pay attention to what others use in the ladder so that you could maybe try their strategies or try to counter them.

Oops sorry for double posting. I'm not sure how to delete it

 

[TheEliteEmpoleon]

When I started, I did everything here, which helped, and one more thing: I lurked around smogon, mainly the RMT section, and I looked at all the teams there, and took note of what others and myself did and didn't like. Although some people disagree with their tiering and whatnot, you can't argue that the people there know what they're talking about, and even just lurking gave me some valuable insight.

 

[kasane]

Most importantly, take note of IVs, EVs, Nature and stats.

I bought my competitive Pokemon here, and I've been able to be in the Top 3 in a tournament. Note that that was my first time battling other people in real life!

And I'm currently breeding a competitive Torchic (completed), Milotic (completed), Scizor (working) and other 'mons