Draft

[wicked pilot]

[lofty wigeon]

the mew was a more defense one at first that had rocks Knock off play rough and taunt

[wicked pilot]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1btFlb5hdTkiqCLq6SZUnNSdKSvMZBIswx-BkF5zvnec/edit?usp=drivesdk

I basically have a pick of anything 14 or under

[rancid kestrel]

in the end you're running the team Orbit so run what you feel best with

[wicked pilot]

And I already have Terap, Gren, and Mega Latias

[rancid kestrel]

is there a drafts tab im missing??

[wicked pilot]

It’s in a separate doc

lemme pull it up

[rancid kestrel]

wild.

[wicked pilot]

lol it’s super informal

we’re doing it with a group of friends auction style

[rancid kestrel]

never mind, not reading that lol

[wicked pilot]

yeah

[rancid kestrel]

okay. things missing

• something that resists fairy, bug, dragon, flying
• hazard setter (your setters dont want to set)
• base speed 100ish

you arent gonna solve everything in one or two picks

[wicked pilot]

Yeah

Maybe just a heatran then

[rancid kestrel]

heatran resists a lot of those and can set hazards but also kinda doesnt want to. but it's also only 12pt so

i was kinda looking at celesteela ngl

[wicked pilot]

Oh that’s gets a ground immune

Which is nice

[rancid kestrel]

ye mlati doesnt wanna be the only one

[wicked pilot]

Yeah I think that’s smart

I’ll go Celes then

and fix the other issues with the rest of my points

After the auction ends

[rancid kestrel]

you really want to grab something that can set hazards and something around base 100 yea

wdym after the draft ends...

[wicked pilot]

*auction

[rancid kestrel]

are you only picking 6 pokemon?

[wicked pilot]

we’re auctioning first 4

then snake drafting last four

[rancid kestrel]

fascinating

[wicked pilot]

yeah it’s fun

[spare relic]

Yea about that BW match I played that one stupid. I don’t think the prep in general was bad outside of the raikou, but I went on about it badly

https://pokepast.es/dd3f4da47b478b6c this was the paste I brought

I prob should have been CM raikou but I thought specs could give me the chance to KO Kblack, etc

[rancid kestrel]

Did you use the showdown calc to test this stuff?
252 SpA Choice Specs Raikou Thunderbolt vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Kyurem-Black: 117-138 (29.9 - 35.2%) -- 20.7% chance to 3HKO
This was pretty obvious to see in advance...

252 SpA Choice Specs Raikou Aura Sphere vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Kyurem-Black: 294-348 (75.1 - 89%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

This isn't terrible, I guess

[spare relic]

Raikou is forced to run rash if its running aura sphere since its event exclusive in BW. So I would be +spatk nature. You were spot on about the Kblack set though

I did get the lead right with yache berry Claydol so I can get my rocks up but I kinda sold by clicking ancient power instead of explosion on the substitute and I ended up throwing the game

[rancid kestrel]

Yeah, I don't know much abt BW so I can't really comment further, but KyuB was definitely a huge threat to you. Hopefully a learning process from bracket should you get there and face more KyuBs

[spare relic]

hmm ic

Yea thanks for the help

[wicked pilot]

Do you think regular Chomp into Prim would be a good call then?

[rancid kestrel]

I could see that working, yeah, just off the top of my head

Not a lot of defenses to go around on the roster, but that can be fixed w/ later picks

[wicked pilot]

Alr

[lofty wigeon]

Won my last match only losing one mon , this is my next week. It's Rain vs Sand time

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[jade solar]

ok i may be in too many leagues, but week 1 of a natdex league (i'm sorry everyone i get bored easily 😭). Bit of a weird MU on my hands here, not sure how to approach it again. https://pokepast.es/3a4695bcefc3aad4, built a team for this how i could, that gren set is just a placeholder set for now, need to figure out a better one.

[rancid kestrel]

whats their urshi @jade solar? ill get to it after orbit's if i can. prob shorter for both of you, 2x rates + a busy day.

[rancid kestrel]

• Tough matchup for you, for sure. I don't know the point system but it's wild that they have all that they do. They're almost like, spoiled for choice, Barra/Zap/Shifu/Arch/Dengo/Bascu is six, so one of em gotta get benched for Peli. But like, wild point system, I guess it makes sense when you hard commit to every 'mon being good on Rain and then also get Kricketune as 1pt webs and a random Gabite for hazards I guess.
• Their speed is fine. Sure, second fastest being 100 is like, not great, but it's a rain team - three of their mons have Swift Swim. But it is notable that outside of rain that they are wildly slow. Do they tend to run scarf mons or not? Could impact what Shifu or Dengo do. I like your speed into theirs, TTar aside, obviously.
• A drawback of weather commit teams are that they do not have hazard play. It's just Rocks on Arch and Gabite (fake), and Webs on Kricketune (fake). Their removal is just spin on Quaq. It's pretty bad, lol. I also don't see TSpikes absorption unless they commit to Tera Poison on whatever their TC is, and even then, it's not like, easy to do, yknow? Rain tends to view hazards as a "use this to grab momentum" turn, but like, Barra loves to rely on Flip Turn to weaken up defensive options before a sweep later, and the hazards/poison chip is gonna build up.
• If I'm your opponent, I start with a Pelipper and Barra, those are the core of the team. I'd probably make Barra band, with Ada, it doesn't need Jolly and it can rely on FTurn/CC to chip down RWash/Serp before trying to sweep later. I'd bring Zapdos and Arch, they can serve as special attackers to help with the pivoting Barra to keep you playing on your back foot.

• The final two slots are more flexible. Shifu should come, it can be another physical attacking menace - it's not like it needs to be quite as scared of Talonflame, after all, and it can help answer stuff like Glowking, Mew, and RWash. I would personally pick Gholdengo as my final 'mon, anything from Shuca (need to have Exca chipped to roughly half or hit FBlast...) to Balloon (risks flinch) to Scarf (can't outspeed) is doable, but the answer to Sand Exca is probably a ground-resistant Tera on whatever the Tera 'mon is. But I could see Bascu coming. Quaq's an outside option if they get cold feet about hazards, Gabite Tune Beartic are probably not real.
• If I'm you, I bring TTar Exca, your hope is to get sand up and get Exca going, I'd think. At the very least, you probably shouldn't cede weather to them? That'd be my guess. I like Glowking and Mew as SpD and Def options on each side, though without going deep in calcs I'm not sure either is better than RWash - YMMV, test it out, though I'd think two of those three is what I'd do.
• My final two mons are probably Darkrai and Serperior, I think they serve as good means of dishing out damage that otherwise is mostly going to be limited to Excadrill otherwise. Besides, if they do bring Webs (they shouldnt) all of the sudden Serp's moving even faster (it won't matter). Yay. I can see Prankster Whimsi being useful for like, Stun Spore, maybe drop either of them for that, though Talonflame I don't think the Gale Wings/Flame Body potential procs are enough.

[rancid kestrel]

Ye, need to wait to hear back on what Shifu this is and also Z-Move rules before I put my thoughts together

[cerulean aspen]

I'm familiar with the draft so
they have Shifu-Dark, Z is banned, tera capts are free

[lofty wigeon]

https://pokepast.es/1e7ed20ec5870f8f

this is what I came up with

[jade solar]

They're Single Strike

and no Z moves allowed

just Free Tera with tera preview

[rancid kestrel]

• Your team fascinates me. It looks vaguely like the goal is to just KO your opponents before they can do much of anything, but then you realized after getting the Webs threat that wait, you have nothing to switch into anything, so you grabbed three vaguely defensive 'mons. It's not terrible, probably, but it's gonna depend a ton on Gren/IV/Lati to get kills every game, I'd think.
• Their speed is fine, though it has its cracks. Fastest 'mon Cinderace is maybe not amazing because it often wants to run bulk and 119 is maybe a touch slow in natdex drafts, and the 110-97 drop isn't great, but it's not a game ender for them.
• Yoour speed is good at thye top, aside the 110-85 drop, which is like, pretty bad. Overqwil doesn't even want to run so much speed, so in reality your slowest 'mon running speed is a 110, meaning everything slower is going to be able to invest a ton into bulk. Their Shifu's a good example of that - if it isn't Scarf (it should be, I'd think) then there's a lot of Speed it can give up depending if it wants to outspeed Overqwil/Cutiefly or not. That's EVs getting dumped into surviving hits that you don't want it EVing for.
• I like their hazard gameplay, but it is NatDex. The obvious one is Ace Court Change, but given how many hazards they have access to, it may be better for them to rely on less-ideal removal like MLati Defog or Bramble/Gligar. Don't sleep on Bramble though. Lots of usable hazards, including very real TSpikes that you have no real response to barring Tera Poison or Defog on your MLati. It may be harder than normal for them to get Spikes up, Gligar dislikes Gren a ton and Corv can stuff Brambleghast, but they have plenty of legitimate ways to get up SR.

• Your hazards are fine, plenty of options though wildly only one way to access SR. Spikes can probably go up reliably, though I have my doubts that Gren wants to carry them every week. Webs aren't real. You have solid removal though, Corv can happily bring Defog and MLati can do it in a pinch, though it does seem like it would restrain building - are Corv and Pert coming to every match just to help w/ hazards? Maybe they're good enough for that anyway.
• If I'm your opponent, I start with Ace, MLati, and Shifu. Shifu is probably Scarf here, MLati's probably offensive with what I think I'm bringing next, and Ace is probably Court Change 3A? Something like Pyro HJK UTurn. That's mostly bc I do not think Bramble wants to come.
• Alo and Clef can be a defensive backbone, though IV and Gren's ability to switch between ATK and SPA is not great for it, so maybe it's Archaludon instead of one of them? Bastiodon is for sure not real, though maybe Gligar is? It's hard to properly answer for Gren+IV understandably. Two of those four, for sure, hell probably even three of them.
• For you, I'd definitely bring Gren, IV, and MLati. How you kit those out is gonna depend on what you think their defensive core looks like, and which way you're hoping EV allocation goes. It's not quite a "guess right and win", but I'm not clever enough to decode what sets could/should be what, certainly not 30m after waking up.

• I think Corv and Pert come here, if only for hazards but also I think the duo can comfortably respond to a fair bit of the damage output from your opponent's top three.
• Final mon could be Clops if the calcs are in its favor, could be an offensive OgerH if you feel good about your defensive core, could even be Overqwil though I'm not super sure what good it does here - stuffs non-CC Shifu, I guess? Feels like it's not got the rolls to really take on what it wants to take on, though.
• Looking at the paste, not super sure why you benched MLati, though I guess I see the logic into MLati Shifu Bramble Arch, sure.

• I like your Gren and IV sets, I think that you've probably got a better idea of what sides to hit from and how given it's your team. I dunno that Specs is where I'd go on Val, Booster would've been my guess, but maybe you want multiple times w/ Val? I'm not super sure it can get those.
• Corv and Swamp look right, my gut instinct would've been to have Helm on Corv instead, since you're not exactly trying to take physical hits on Pert, right? But that's a minor thing I think. If you feel good about the Overqwil set, that's great - I didn't calc too hard trying to make it work in my writeup earlier.

[jade solar]

well helmet on swamp is just to like dent ace engh

like punish random u turns or hjks

[rancid kestrel]

Ah fair

[proven zenith]

Draft team im planning on bringing:https://pokepast.es/03f89105b6a4ffad
My team:
Magnezone(Tera electric, fighting, ground)
Wo-chien(dark, poison, fairy)
Houndstone(ghost, fairy, steel)
Lycanroc midday
Tyranitar
Kommo-o
Iron Crown
Heat Rotom
Ogre Hearthflame
Lokix
Nidoking

my opponent's team:
Urshifu-single strike
clefable
zapdos
excadrill
zoroark hisui
blastoise
arcanine hisui
fezandipidi
rotom mow
suicune
miltank

if there's any suggestions, id be glad to hear about it

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[rancid kestrel]

what are your opponent's teras

[proven zenith]

oh right, forgot to share that haha

fezendipidi(fairy, flying, dark)
mow rotom(electric, fire, fairy)
miltank(normal, ghost, steel)

[proven zenith]

i see...is my opponent really that unbeatable?

[rancid kestrel]

No, I just didn't have time to write anything until now, lemme put stuff into my doc and see what I think

@proven zenith i'/ve just realized this and want to ask - is this natdex? are there rules about z moves? are deleted moves present?

[proven zenith]

yes, national dex, no z moves, no megas, no evasion boosting moves, ban of last respects

ban of pursuit

[rancid kestrel]

Wild. OK. Gonna get back to my writing.

[rancid kestrel]

• Their TCs are not great. I dunno why it is the way it is, but Suicune, HArc, and Clef all seem like better low tier Tera choices. I dont know the structure of your league, it looks like low tier but you both randomly have some good 'mons (Zap Shifu for them, nothing to the same extent but IG Crown Oger for you) that typically aren't available in low tier. Anyways I'm not super excited about their TC choices, yours are... better? I'd think Crown would benefit from the Tera much more.
• Their speed tiers are much less good than they look at first glance. I dunno how in natdex there's a full matchup where the fastest 'mon is 112, but I suspect if I saw your league's board I'd have a conniption. Their speed is fake - 110 on the "I'm not me" lure Pokemon, 100 and 99 on the bulky 'mons that are not running speed, I'm not even convinced Miltank's ever coming to a game... So they have 100Zapdos, 97Shifu, 90HArc, 88Exca as their top speeds. Wild.
• Your speed tiers are... better? I think in a vacuum? Your 112 and 110 aren't fake speed lures, though the drop to 98 is rough, but at least it's on a Booster mon. 92 Lokix is fine. You are gonna be mostly outsped I think, depending on what comes, but at least your speed mons are, on the whole, more valuable. Though like, you do have to contend with a Zapdos and a Shifu. Yikes!
• Their hazards are wack. Lots of good/usable removal because it's ND, but they literally only have access to SR - no Spikes, TSpikes, or Webs. And even in their SRers, it's really just Clefable and Excadrill. Wild. Though, "get SR up and defog if you ever need to" is a perfectly fine place to be.

• Your hazards, on the other hand, is quite alarming. You have a single removal somehow, and it isn't like great removal either. Being forced to bring Rotom-H to every game that there's a chance of hazard stacking isn't super fun. I don't think that's this game, but I'd be concerned. You have good hazard setting, maybe a touch weaker on the Spikes but plenty of usable Rockers and even a cheeky TSpikes for special ocassions.
• If I'm your opponent, I see an alarming weakness to my Excadrill. X-Scissor for non-Tera'd Wo-Chien, EQ for most everything else, and then a rock-type move for your floaters(beware mold breaker for heattom)/to pop balloons if necessary. Even your tera responses don't help, there's space for IHead over Spin potentially for the Fairy variants, the only thing that comes out neutral is Fighting Magnezone. Exca kinda otherwise messes you up real bad.
• From there, I add Zap and Shifu, why not bring the Good Mons every week in a low tier draft, yknow? Zap can be utility here, I don't see its stabs accomplishing a ton in this game frankly. Shifu also can do a ton, though the Tera Fairy kinda does make it quite sad. It also does not like a physdef Nidoking.
• This might actually be a game for Miltank, I'm not convinced Clefable's super excited to come into a game w/ Crown, Zone, Nido, etc. It'll be one of those two, though, I think, to handle hazard setting.

• HArc can probably come here too, this is where I'd put my scarfer, the problem is that it gets destroyed by Lycanroc, so maybe the scarfer is Shifu. You could, in theory, put rocks on HArc, but that's I think a touch overcooked.
• Assuming Exca/Zap/Shifu/Clef/HArc, my guess is the final 'mon is either Toise or Suicune, a bulky physical water looks good into your TTar/Crown/Oger/Lokix/Kommoo - not all of them together obviously, but it can do stuff. Other options include Horoark, though it seems less effective here since beyond Houndstone and sorta Kommoo you aren't spamming Normal/Fighting/Ghost moves for the most part, Mowtom can come but a lot of things cause it problems (Heattom, Lokix, Oger, Nido), Miltank could in theory come over Clef like I mentioned.
• For you, I think that Ogerpon is mandatory here, it's the primary response to Excadrill. Keep it healthy I would think, but try to avoid a trading war with Exca too?
• I would bring something like a Band Lokix here, even if you have to switch out after FImp, you are threatening Shifu, Horoark, Mowtom, and with Knock/Turn/whatever else, it's not like you can't also do significant damage to stuff like Zapdos, a bulky water, Fez, etc.

• I think that Nidoking for hazards can work here, it can come in on a few things (clef, fez, zap) and scare them out. Lycanroc can do this too, but it scares a different group of things (zap, harc) that frankly seem harder to make work.
• If you can make a Crown work, go for it - looks difficult to me, but maybe a WP Agility set w/ EVs to survive from full something like an Arc FBlitz/Exca EQ from 252 neutral non-CB/boosted? Seems risky to me.
• Does Kommoo get its silly omniboost thing? Could use that. I don't see a ton of priority on their team, and a set of like, ClangSoul/Dragon attack/fighting attack/Iron Head would chew through most things on their lineup that aren't bulky waters or a defensive zapdos?

• If you bring all five of those, you have a pretty offesnively oriented team, but you also don't have a ton of defensive options. Fluffy Houndstone could be a good response to Exca, but it makes it terrified of HArc. Wo-Chien I just kinda don't think is good here. You could bring Heattom for removal, but it opens the door for a lot of things here. You could hope that they don't bring Sand Rush Exca and bring TTar?
• My gut instinct is Oger/Lokix/ICrown/Kommoo/Houndstone/Nido, but there's for sure flexibility there.

[proven zenith]

ok, i see...situation is dire then haha

regarding kommo-o, it does get clangerous soul as a move...so a throat spray set could work

[rancid kestrel]

It's not dire. You just have multiple big threats to prep for - you have some luck that Zapdos matches up quite poorly into your team. Excadrill is quite scary, but there are ways around or through it.

[proven zenith]

regarding tera captains, we have it set up to pokemon underneath a certain threshold, with some bans(like lokix)

[rancid kestrel]

I figured as much. Your league's board is just very odd because there's like, no good 'mons on it so it feels Low Tier, but then randomly there's ICrown, Zapdos, and Shifu

[proven zenith]

we have a bigger league this year, all the better picks were snagged really quick haha

[olive halo]

What pick were you?

[rancid kestrel]

I'm gonna guess pick 13-16 of a 16p pool and they got two of Crown Oger Lokix as their (psuedo-)wheel and then by the time it came back they were limited on picks, grabbing the third + KommoO and then went from there

Which like, if you look at it as 16p, the lineups do seem more reasonable - they for sure have the "wifi" aspect to them that you see in those leagues that do 16p regularly, especially w/ the tera type selections.

[lofty wigeon]

Won my match up this week and am looking ahead to week 4
Tera caps for me Mew and Serp
For them Keldeo and R Heat

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[olive halo]

Congrats on the win!

Fastest mon at 110 LMAO. Expect a scarfer. Beyond that, serp looks great here and a bulky flame body talonflame + wisp checks kingambit alright so you're good on that front.

I would watch out for... Vacuum wave keldeo with your darkrai, but otherwise a specs darkrai kinda shreds this team. bring dark pulse, sludge bomb trick and like psychic? Wisp? Twave? And you will be able to muscle your way through most of this team just fine. This is also a rotom wash match-up if I've ever seen one, good into keld, should check garchomp, good for azumaril, I really like that pokemon here.

As for what I'd bring... It's def talon, darkrai, serp, wash, and I guess just whimsicott mew. Mew should be your tera pokemon here over serp I think? But I'm not sure why. Again Dragon dance here is heat because everything is so slow, and then whim can just be like rocky helmet leech seed sub moon blast and like idk encore? something to pester gambit so it can't come in for free always? Unsure but it's good into keld, azumaril, and chomp.

Last note is to watch out for their keld ofc. I mentioned this earlier with darkrai, but it feels like a it can tera into anything here since water and fighting are good coverage here. I guess it can't beat whim with non tera stabs but like tera steel here looks good, as does electric as does fairy as like grass and flying. I really don't know what it can be. Expect almost anything

[proven zenith]

17/20

[olive halo]

Damn 20 person pool is crazy

[rancid kestrel]

Just run two 10-player pools! Goodness. Okay, gonna get started on Orbit, though I doubt I'll come up with any original thoughts since Happygate's a god

[rancid kestrel]

• I don't like their team much. It doesn't feel very coordinated - how do you only have two Water resists, one ground immunity (fake into you) and no resists, one ghost resist, two Flying resists? Keldeo and Azumarill feel conflicting here, Gengar and Kingambit kinda just exist without any interactions with teammates or whatever, Forry's a clear "aaaaa hazard removal" panic pick... I dunno. Just look at their speed, that's not a coordinated structure I feel like.
• Their scarfer's gonna be Keldeo, right? If it predicts well, it can break through your whole team bar RWash. Like Happygate said, their speed is centralized around 110-108, then a 102, and then a buncha slowpokes. Could they even run two scarfers? Gengar probably needs a balloon. Maybe a Trailblaze OgerC or a Scale Shot Chomp. Always the chance for BD AJet Azu, but like, it doesn't even OHKO w/ Liquidation agaisnt RWash. Their speed's rough, for sure.
• Solo removal is Spin on Forry. They actually have okay hazards beyond Forry, thanks to Garchomp and Oger, but solo-removal is tough in SV, and Forry's a D-Tier solo-removal for sure. And like, your removal is good enough that if they do try to hazard-stack, it's not too hard for you to remove it. Gengar ain't nothing against Exca - they have no ground resist! You can just click EQ to either wreck Gengar, discover their balloon, or whatever. RHeat gets done over by Mold Breaker, it sure isn't gonna be Tera Flying or whatever nonsense yknow? Keld wants the Tera to protect against your grass types/turn the tables on them. Tera Bug Scarf or something?
• If I'm them, I build around Keldeo. I think it's Scarf here, but Specs or boosting can work if it's got ATales screen support, but that seems tough into a TTar. My guess is Scarf Tera Bug w/ Water Move Tera Blast Sacred Sword Vacuum Wave or smth.

• Forry has to come, utility Gengar has to come with a balloon I'd think, between those two you can sorta manage the hazard gameplay. Maybe Gengar is TrickScarf? I really do think it really wants Balloon, though.
• Garchomp can be a more offensive set due to Forry's presence... Something like SD Scale Shot Lum could be doable? SD on you switching out TTar into Talonflame/Darkrai/Wash or smth, Scale Shot to boost speed on the Wisp/Twave, then hope you don't have Encore Whimsi?
• Final two mons - I think one of them is OgerC, it does a lot into your team with just SD 3A or Trailblaze 3A - could even bring a fuckery set and rely on the threat of the offensive stuff to get away with stuff like Encore, Rock Tomb, Leech Seed, Knock, whatever.
• Final mon: Azu or Gambit are bringable as physical attacking threats, but both get stuffed by Wash or Talon depending and OgerC's right there. RHeat feels supremely unreal here, though if they're quaking in their boots over Whimsi/Serp, it could come to tech for those. ATales could be a means to mess with the weather and bring veil, but I think it comes out worse in the exchange overall. If I'm picking, I pick Kingambit, but I can see logic for the other 'mons.
• For you, just read Happygate's message, I'm not going to try to reinvent the wheel.

[weary ibex]

So I am doing a draft league and atm I am trying to build a team for it. The format is /challenge gen7vgc2019 @@@ +hoopa-unbound, +zeraora, +shaymin, +battle bond, +greninja ash, +greninja bond. I am leaning on doing a Mega Charizard sun team, but there are a few rain and one hail team to consider.

The first team I gotta deal with is this, seems like a very bulky team

Probably gonna be Trick room if I had to guess

[weary ibex]

I think this is what I am considering...

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[rancid kestrel]

Hey, you are not likely to get a lot of good advice here, NatDex-type VGC is a pretty far distance from standard Gen 9 draft here, so it's going to be hard to really provide assistance since basically no active draft rater has a deep understanding of draft VGC. I can provide some loose thoughts.

• What EVs are you running?
• Are choice items that good in VGC? It's my understanding that they're not great. I can see the value of Tricking it, but it seems to me that Weavile really wants to be switching moves.
• What is your plan when TR goes up? It seems to me that you sorta just collapse when TR goes up, not a single mon that can realistically take a hit either Rhyperior and Cressila on the field - I don't know that Encore on Whimsi is the ideal one-size-fits-all response, especially when under TR, Cress can use Protect or something to avoid getting Encored into TR specifically and undoing it.
• Whats your plan to kill Snorlax? It seems to me that HJK on Hawlucha's the only thing that'll do reasonable damage in a single hit, and that's certainly not reliable. Why isn't it CC?

[weary ibex]

I can give you Evs in a bit

Choice items usually are not amazing, but they work for the pokemon I am using them for since most of the time Weavile exists to be a pursuit trap for Crescelia in this instance.

My plan for Trick room is pretty much trying to kill stackatacka before he gets a chance to use it by threatening him with either Charizard or Hawlicha since it's 4x weak to fighting, but I can always maybe give whimsicoot taunt instead. Or I could use Torkoal maybe since I can make him really slow.

Snorlax is pretty much the same with Focus blast/Hjk, Snorlax is mostly just a tough pokemon for me in general to deal with.

And Hawlucha for SOME REASON DOESNT LEARN CC

[olive halo]

Can you run Z moves? Fightium Z should solve your hawlucha problem

I also really think that for doubles weavile should just always be a fake-out bot and then use your other Pokemon to nuke something

Does whim get rage powder or follow me?

Re-direction feels important with how frail your team is.

I’d also run heat wave over fire blast in blace. Gotta hit both targets

[weary ibex]

Unfortunately no Z moves. Fake out is fair, I could definitely give him it, but atm he is going to be my main counter for Landourus T, and other big threats.

Rage powder or Follow me is fair. And Heat wave works, just worried about the stat drops.

[jade solar]

it does

if ur talkin abt natdex it does have cc

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[jade solar]

oh lmao

[jade solar]

why on earth does he need that many mons?

also so many of em are less than ideal

[weary ibex]

It doesn't seem like he learns it in Sun and moon

[jade solar]

wait so this is sm vgc?

and not natdex?

that explains it lol

[weary ibex]

yeah...... idk why they did this tbh. I wanted to do gen 9 so bad

[rancid kestrel]

Yeah, S/M VGC is for sure going to be pretty distant from anything anyone can help you here, unfortunately.

[weary ibex]

But they wanted megas for some reason

The drafts were very interesting

my knowledge on this gen is pretty much nothing

My stat spreads btw

[rancid kestrel]

okay so, even knowing nothing about sm vgc draft - you almost certainly aren't EVing efficiently - even in a world where you aren't facing TR, you know the exact range of possible speeds of all of your opponents. why does weavile need to be 252+, for example, if the fastest pokemon on their team is base 89 vivillion?

even choice scarf primarina doesnt reach a point where you need 252+ weavile. even if you wanted to tech for something ridiculous like that, at most you need 172+. that's like, 70 EVs being entirely wasted in speed that has no value

blacephalon is similar - you can't outspeed scarf prim (?!) or scarf scrafty even if you tried, so even if you wanted to outspeed scarf tangrowth, again unreal, you only need 196+ - 50+ evs gone to waste in speed that will never be useful

[weary ibex]

Yeah, thats my bad, I honestly though that we were locked on stats and moves after week one, I just learned that this was not the case

[rancid kestrel]

that would be a bonkers rule in a draft league - obviously y'all are a bit off the standard anyway what with more than 12 pokemon or running sm vgc, but yes the allure of draft tends to be the ability to change stuff up to face your opponent.

[weary ibex]

Alright, so what would you suggest stat wise? out of curiosity

[rancid kestrel]

Again, I (and basically everyone else here) is/are so far out of my league here, I'm barely even able to give you larger scale suggestions let alone specific nitpicks. You're facing a TR team, so consider that your opponent is not running Speed EVs on most things - make sure you're not moving second outside of TR, but otherwise, I'm not convinced you need many speed EVs at all. Sure, is 252 HP gonna help Weavile live a Stakataka Gyro Ball, probably not, but it could help it tank a Tangrowth Giga Drain or a Snorlax Body Slam, yknow?

[weary ibex]

For sure, I could maybe even get him off of choice band and maybe put him on focus sash?

[rancid kestrel]

Up to you and what you think is best. I don't have SM VGC-specific advice here, I just have general draft types such as being sure you're making good use out of your EVs.

[weary ibex]

So I did this.... I dont know how much the hp bumps are going to matter, but who knows

[rancid kestrel]

In your situation, given the speed structure, it can't hurt, yknow?

Like dropping all that speed doesn't mean they're suddenly going to start outspeeding you - it's free EVs to put in HP.

[weary ibex]

True

I think most of there team actually cant use learn Trick room except maybe stackatacka. and maybe crescelia. So as long as I can lead with Taunt whimicoot I should be in the clear

[rancid kestrel]

Cress, Dusclops, Stakataka

[weary ibex]

Yeah, so not bad tbh. I think I can manage. I can lead with probably Taunt whimsicoot and maybe Weavile....

[rancid kestrel]

Can't help much with gameplan thoughts - I wish you luck in your match, for sure. But yeah, this place is primarily for SV Singles, so SM VGC is pretty far cry from that which makes things difficult to help with.

[cerulean aspen]

okay I at least have a decent understanding of VGC but USUM is not my wheelhouse

but either way

you need to stop TR. the moment TR goes up you insta lose the game

Stak + Rhyperior spams rock slide vs you

unfortunately you have no rock resist
I would recommend bringing Clefairy (does it get After You this gen?) EV for min spe + after you
also bring min spe torkoal, solar beam + eruption does fairly well into their entire team
in addition fight z / fly z hawlucha does fairly well as a single target nuke, perhaps with Tickle Whimsicott to blow up Cress / Stak / MSciz / Prim / Clops (basically everything)

[weary ibex]

Unfortunatly we are not doing z moves for whatever reason

[cerulean aspen]

k then most likely white herb acro / hjk

unless you need black belt to OHKO stak which I doubt

[weary ibex]

also clefairy does learn after you

[cerulean aspen]

so your anti-TR is fine
Whims Weavile Torkoal Clefairy Hawlucha Zard Y

Weavile Sash Taunt Fake Out stabs
Whims Babiri Berry Tickle + literally whatever you want (you don't need TW here so mb just drop whims entirely lol)

[weary ibex]

Taunt on Weavile?

[cerulean aspen]

ya

try to stop TR at least

[weary ibex]

Fair, so I probably start with Weavile Fake out and Taunt? Then probably keep Clefairy in the back then?

[weary ibex]

So maybe this?

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[rancid kestrel]

gonna just ping @cerulean aspen i suppose

[weary ibex]

Yeah, was worried to ping him since I was worried he was sleeping

[cerulean aspen]

looks a lot better
protect > roost on zard y
protect > knock on clef
taunt > pursuit on weav
wtf is that hawlucha set...

[weary ibex]

This better? also idk man, Hawlucha is just not my kind of guy.

[cerulean aspen]

just put it on a prep doc bc it's easier

bro even the prep doc couldn't fit it all 😭

If I'm your opp I bring Tangrowth / Cress / Stak / Lax / Prim / either clops or scrafty

probs scrafty weav looks kinda rough

does +2 hjk / acro not delete msciz already (ie do you need fire punch?)

I doubt they bring msciz into the sun mu tbh (4 fires lol)

there's no Covert Cloak so Fake Out + Taunt (on Whims perhaps) to deny TR should be pretty safe

[weary ibex]

I could do that, Taunt over tailwind?

[weary ibex]

Probably not, just not to sure what to put there

I could put protect I guess

unless there is a protect clause I am forgetting about

I can also grab U turn?

[cerulean aspen]

if you're SD you don't need Uturn

Protect is good

Protect in VGC is always good

[weary ibex]

Got it @cerulean aspen So this is it? This final squad?

[cerulean aspen]

looks solid
can lucha proc white herb?

ig u can self-tickle

[weary ibex]

Yeah... that is a problem. I dont think he can proc it himself

[weary ibex]

I could maybe grab Super power? but that doesnt feel worth

[cerulean aspen]

ya no CC is sadge

can probs do superpower tbh

[weary ibex]

Probably for hjk I guess

[cerulean aspen]

yeah they probs have protect at least on some stuff

¯_(ツ)_/¯

[weary ibex]

Yeah.... we shall see. I think this team is good for now

[olive halo]

Oh I like this team way more than your first one

[jade solar]

week 4 got horsed last week thanks to my 0 braincell brain forgetting GSurge on Rilla which meant I just became the hay it has for every breakfast. Gotta bounce back this time, and a more alright matchup on me rn. https://pokepast.es/c1b609f02bbdb856 team made so far rn

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[jade solar]

i really need to lock in, my paldex record has been stupidly bad in the 3 paldex drafts i have played 😭

4-5, 3-5 and 4-4 so far

[rancid kestrel]

• I didn't realize the Torn TingLu kinda fat teams were still in the meta, honestly. But gods this one looks so ridiculously fat. What's the non-Torn wincon on their team? Lucario? Enam? Munkidori? Sure, whatever. It's not like this style of team hasn't been proven to work.
• One side effect of this triple down on bulk stuff is that their speed situation is wack - double 121s to 106 to 90 is so far removed from any suggestion I'd ever make or want personally. Sure, your speed isn't much different, 120-111-95, but its not like, The Same, yknow? I guess Scream Tail can run a lot less speed if you don't think Dori is gonna hyper-invest in Speed. But yeah, your draft's approach of gimmick speed (boosting, priority) feels less valuable when your opponent doesn't give a damn about speed in the first place, yknow? It's hard to take advantage of their speed drops when you don't have things in those speed ranges, really, STail-Dori interaction aside.
• One interesting thing about the Sneasler+Bolt combo is that I'm not convinced there is any type that Torn's excited to be here. You'd normally see Steel or Fairy into Bolt IIRC, but both of those hate Sneasler. The 1 point speed difference here also means that Torn can't run a ton of bulk safely, unless it wants to be outsped by Sneasler. So, I'm not super sure what type the Torn will come with - Ice could be useful since you have a strong weakness to it, if they want to just toss the concerns about defensive Torn and just commit to breaking your team before you can break through theirs? That's probably what I'd do. Yeah, you're weak to Sneasler, but just outspeed it lol. Skarm can stuff the Unburden route if you go that way, after all. I could also see Ghost, takes neutral from Sneasler+Bolt stabs, and you don't have a lot of good resistances to it, since Terap doesnt want to get UTurn TShell broken, yknow? Fairy is another option if you can get around Heatran and again don't worry about the SE Sneasler STAB.

• Solo-removal Cyclizar is not great, though maybe one of the best solo-removal options. I'm surprised a fat team like this couldn't fit another removal somewhere? Whatever. TingLu and Skarm carry the hazard game here, meaning they can split the task or trade off depending. My guess is that Ting takes hazard duty this week and Skarm techs for Sneasler Rilla Sand? IDT a defensive Lu really wants to be tasked with defensively checking especially those first two. Let it try to take care of Bolt/Goltres/Terap alongside RWash, the regen core, etc.
• I don't see a consistent way for them to stop Terap from removing, but your Terap prob doesn't wanna be removing often, it allows them regen boosting and chances to chip your Tera Shell. Though I do think they have an easier time removing into you as a result, even if Cyc is on paper a worse solo-removal than Terap. But like, they may just choose to leave up the rocks since they're bulky enough and it's not like you can hazard-stack them, you for sure aren't bringing TSpikes into a team with Munkidori and regen, right?
• If I'm them, I bring Torn, Cyc, Skarm, and Ting as mandatory mons. Regen core ft. the removal and the Tera, and then the defensive core. I think that Ting brings the hazards here - I'm of the opinion that it's less valuable here (though it is probably quite important against Golt) than Skarm is, so it losing HP to set up hazards is not the end of the world.

• From there, I think to me the logical choices are Rotom-Wash, Munkidori, or EnamT. I probably pick EnamT, I think that Healing Wish is a death sentence for opponents to bulky teams - spend two dozen turns getting their TornT or TingLu or RWash down to a health/status where they could reasonbly be KOed, likely sacrificing your ability to get them to that HP in the first place, only for a HWish to go off and bring em back to 100%?
• Lastly, I think that I'm a touch worried about the special side of things, so I'd lean RWash - Munki matches poorly into Golt and STail, and Wash can be teched plenty of ways to help prevent a Golt/Terap runaway. Lucario or Skeledirge are also options, but I'm not super worried about a boosting Bolt/Terap here if I'm your opponent personally? And Lucario kinda gets chewed on by most of your team. If anything, you prob drop EnamT for the Skeledirge if you're that scared of those two boosting, but like, the most likely booster is Golt, and Skeledirge cannot stop Golt.
• For you, I think Sneasler has to come, and I think Bolt does too - they're going to be expected, there will be techs against it, but something like Fairy Bolt w/ Tera Blast can chew through Cyc/Lu, and something like a Band Sneasler can do a lot unexpectedly, which bulky teams are not usually super fond of - their response to that generally has to be to pivot and predict well, which favors you in the long-term.

• Terap should come here too, if only for removal. You cannot let yourself get SR+3Spikes'd against a bulky team where you're constantly have to respond to pivoting and dealing with random Knocks removing your boots or whatever. I think a Boots utility set here is your best bet, SR Spin Toxic Rest or something.
• I think an offensive STail looks quite nice here, Moonblast+Thunderbolt hits a huge range of their team quite hard, and you can tech stuff like Encore on their slower stuff trying to hazard stack or Wish for healing or whatever.
• Final two mons - I can see a setup sweeper Golt as an end-game threat, bulky teams can often proc WP accidentally by just not doing enough damage because that isn't usually their goal.

• I can see Heatran being useful, though I have my doubts against TingLu/Lucario/RWash - though it works well against Fairy/Ice TornT sets that lack Focus Blast. Could also carry the Rocks if you don't want Terap to?
• I'm not sure I see Rilla working, GT benefits them as a bulky team too much, and I'm not sure there's a set that doesn't get stuffed by Skarm and friends. I also don't see Sandaconda's benefits here much, a passive Pokemon (fmpov) like it is free momentum generation for their team, whether that's Regen farming or prepping for hazard placing. Haunter continues to be a 1pt pick that I don't know I'll ever be convinced is a good option.
• In the end, I prob pick Tran Golt, but that's only because I don't see the value of your other options. If you can make Rilla or Sand or Haunter work, good for you, I support it, but I don't see a way that I could make them work, yknow?
• I didn't realize you had a paste when making my suggestions. You have a lot of wild choices that I don't understand. Throwaway lure Sneasler that dies to RHelm against a bulky pivot team? Rilla that gets stuffed by Skarm and friends? Setup Tera Flying Bolt? Balloon Heatran? Okay actually the Tran set doesn't look too bad to be honest. I just don't agree with basically any other set other than the Terap set, sorta. If it works for you, sure, by all means, but I think trying to "outbulk" the bulky regen pivot team is a death spiral - what's that one line about not getting into a mudfight with a pig, you both get dirty but they enjoy it? I don't know that I think this is the way I'd approach a buncha these decisions personally.

[jade solar]

how else can i approach the sets i run here?

the sneas set i have here is gimmicky yes but once skarm is out of the mix or is knocked, i have 0 problems cleaving through their team

[rancid kestrel]

If

[jade solar]

unless tera ghost torn

[rancid kestrel]

What is killing Skarm on your team?

[jade solar]

heatran

and bolt

[rancid kestrel]

Why is Skarm ever in against either and staying in?

It's switching out and waiting for the next time Rilla or STail or Terap (latter two once it confirms no TBolt) are in to roost up and be a pest further

I would've run a Band Sneasler, a more offensive STail, I think that the Bolt and Terap sets are probably fine but not the specifics I'd personally run. Bolt's prob fine, I don't understand Tera Flying but I didn't think on your Tera too much. I flatly do not understand the Rilla bring at all, you don't even need it for the Sneasler set since it activates Unburden on its own with Endure

I think your team can work. I think it is not what I'd run and I think I'd spectacularly fail at trying to run it, but I think if you are confident in it and it works, then by all means go for it.

[jade solar]

i still have to test it

and if i am running band sneas and offensive stail

who do i bring in for rilla

[rancid kestrel]

My ramble above liked Goltres personally

[jade solar]

alright

what tera do i run on goltres tho

something that procs wp quickly maybe?

[rancid kestrel]

...Huh? Your Tera is Bolt, isn't it?

[jade solar]

i have 2 tera caps

goltres and bolt

[rancid kestrel]

Oh. Well I do think Bolt prefers to have Tera. Could do something like Dark to proc off a Uturn? The problem with bulky teams is that the types of their attacks don't matter a ton. Could do water if you expect vswitch/tbolt RWash, could do fire if you expect a ground-type attack from TingLu, grass if poison from Munki, etc.

Dunno why I didn't have Golt marked as a TC on my sheet.

[weary ibex]

@cerulean aspen I did it (He brought a very different team) This is who I play next

[cerulean aspen]

Rain vs Sun 🙁

thankfully you have prankster sunny day whimsicott

unfort they have Entei

[weary ibex]

Yeah..... entei is my biggest issue I think.

Landorus can die to weavile, Tapu koko struggles with Venasaur I am pretty sure, Entei is tricky, I could use darmanitan sheer force and just hit him really hard?

[lofty wigeon]

@cerulean aspen this was a 20 man nat dex doubles draft. Banned Z moves and scale shot?
Any moves i should look at during free agency. Doc is broke but any suggestions are fine since a lot of people are trading

[cerulean aspen]

Z moves banned and... scale shot banned?

is it open tera?

[lofty wigeon]

No but all my mons are over the points for tera

9 pointers and under and my lowest is 10

[cerulean aspen]

💀
I'd drop mpert

u alr have krook and shifu water for ground and water

and there's no rain setter

a steel would go well here

[lofty wigeon]

i forgot my peliper

[cerulean aspen]

something like corv celesteela or aegi

[cerulean aspen]

u have a peli?

[lofty wigeon]

yes

mb

[cerulean aspen]

eeeh it's alr then but Im not a fan of pert peli just as a core sitting ther

what's the board looking like

[jade solar]

https://pokepast.es/6177c28af66181d0 made a team with moltres now @rancid kestrel thoughts?

[rancid kestrel]

this def looks much closer to something id run, for sure. whether it works for you is within your own hands, but this looks much closer to what i'd put together. some small nitpicks like sr>ep on terap or less taunts but definitely just personal preference stuff

[jade solar]

without ep i kind of become a sitting duck against skele lol

[rancid kestrel]

ye fair. i am less concerned abt skele (toxic does help) overall coming at all but i do understand the worry

[jade solar]

game wrapped up

and man some day

i am going to legit crashout

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9draft-2427050857-k50xgxv4562kmil98laa177y0v5s8mspw

i had him with molt

i was perfectly set up

and if ting fell

av cycli wouldn't be a problem if i max rolled it

and i had chipped skarm and wash down to where moltres has no remote problem even shoving them in the trash

but then

as usual

(this isn't a vague game without some hax involved)

missed hurricane

which allowed ting to kill me

and i effectively was fucked in the next 5 turns or so by tera ground LO torn

[rancid kestrel]

ah, that's rough, sorry friend. hate to see a won game lost to hax

[jade solar]

i've lost all how do you say it

wanting to play the game

and i'm just looking to make POs in paldex

not even win the league entirely

but just POs

[rancid kestrel]

motivation? yeah, that's understandable. hopefully it comes back with time and less leagues juggled

[jade solar]

it's not even the amount of leagues i juggle

i put equal effort into all of em

but rng decides to screw me over even if i've prepped my utmost best

[rancid kestrel]

right but what i'm saying is that sometimes doing a lot can be a pressure cooker on motivation, allowing things like rng to have an outsized impact on motivation - but this is not the place for post-game chatter anyways, we're well off-track

[jade solar]

yeah lol

well ty for the help

from next week i won't be asking a lot of help, i'm trying to be more independent and try and learn to do things myself

[rancid kestrel]

up to you, this place will be here for the forseeable future if you do want help and thoughts!

[lofty wigeon]

just to update you
Dropped M swamp for Kelfki and Misdreavus
Traded Tapu Koko for Archludon

[cerulean aspen]

are you kidding me

you had koko bundle and you dropped it for arch 😭

it can't even tera

idk man vgc has a learning curve but koko bundle kinda broken even for singles mind I would think

[lofty wigeon]

When the format has Zamazenta crowned mega sal and other extremely broken mons i would rather have a team that is completely synergistic rather than having just 1 big threat that isn't even in the top 5 anymore because of the power spike imo

[cerulean aspen]

zamazenta crowned allowed in natdex doubles 🙁

what the freak

archaludon is literally counterpoint to what you said
arch is the "one big threat"

its fine tho

[lofty wigeon]

That is synergistic with the team. It's just makes the rain team cleaner. The tier list was adapted from my friends singles draft which is why some weird quirks are around like scale shot ban.
a bunch of stuff was heavily undercoated

[weary ibex]

After looking at boxes this is kinda what im considering....... I may use darmanitan or maybe even Hawlucha for some things but not sure

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[weary ibex]

Oh yeah this is VGC 2019, USUM

[rancid kestrel]

• What's HP Water for on Venusaur, Knock off on Whimsicott, and Moonblast on Clefairy? Surey these have better moves they could be running?
• Are you comfortable with your speeds? I'm not sure I understand 252 Chlorophyll, but I also didn't look at the speed tiers too closely.
• What's your response to them bringing Politoed? You have no way to hit it when it brings up rain, seeing as your grass attacks are Solar Beam exclusivley and I see no Electric-type attacks.
• Is Leftovers correct on Whimsi? Surely it doesn't have the bulk for it to come into play. Is maybe Sitrus or a resist berry better?

As always, little idea about old gens VGC Draft, just some thoughts on draft conceptually.

[weary ibex]

I can run this instead and maybe add Helioptile to deal with politoad?

[rancid kestrel]

I def think I like what I'm seeing here a lot more, but obviously my knowledge is pretty limited.

[weary ibex]

To be fair, this guy is probably my worst match up, I am hoping to kill Landorus with Weavile ice crash, Venasaur for tapu koko, then in case of entei being used I can use Clefairy torkoal to hopefully earth power.

[weary ibex]

here is speeds

@cerulean aspen Any input? sorry to bother you

For what I know, Tapu, Lando, Entei, Poli, Guzzlord. Are my big worries.

[cerulean aspen]

np
sun vs rain but again whims goes super hard

they don't have manual weather you do so you should win the weather war every single time
after that zard y goes super hard
solar beam heat wave weather ball protect

entei kinda annoying tho

[cerulean aspen]

this actually looks p good!
I'd go a bulkier venusaur to check koko w/ earth power (does it get earth power in USUM?)

slot on protect > growth and drop solar beam for earth power
zard y should have protect > roost (you're dead to stone edge entei either way)
idt u need after you their trick room setter is azelf

again please run protects! idk what av torkoal is doing here tbh I'd rather shuca or charti

[weary ibex]

Unfortunately no, I could Hp ground? Or maybe bulldoze?

[cerulean aspen]

unfort entei shits ur entire team
I'd just go drain sludge protect sleep powder w/ occa (if you can EV to live sacred fire in sun from entei)

maybe not sleep powder they have a koko hrm

[weary ibex]

Yeah atm, entei is a huge problem for me. I was considering maybe using Torkoal to deal with it maybe. Or just have hp ground on something

[cerulean aspen]

does torkoal also not get earth power

damn these usum movepools

[weary ibex]

He does

[cerulean aspen]

use that then

eruption heat wave earth power filler

[lofty wigeon]

The owner of terapogaos is looking to trade should i make an offer ?

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[lofty wigeon]

this is their team

[rancid kestrel]

I don't know what you would be able to give up that'd be beneficial to both of you

[kindred igloo]

pool 7, im im_m0rtal. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Jqhly9YUOdUWJZF_IpRaQb3ZDHyzcXns4gYDXywCHQg/edit?gid=1567888383#gid=1567888383

[kindred igloo]

this is the draft so far

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[olive halo]

Your team is sooooooo

And I cannot emphasize this enough

Soooooooo slow

You need a 110 and a 120 and quickly

That and a flying type

[kindred igloo]

latios?

[olive halo]

How many points do you have/would that leave you with?

[kindred igloo]

6

what think you

@olive halo i need to draft a mon soon, my deadline is reaching the end

im sorry for the ping

[olive halo]

Probably just better off with talon flame tbh

But latios is also fine

It’s just so many points

And you already have a psychic

[kindred igloo]

i was told tflame is shit

[lofty wigeon]

Not in draft per say, it's all about matchups, my team talon flame serves an important role as a fast will o mon since i'm kinda weak on the physical side

[rancid kestrel]

I definitely like Talonflame for your team - adds a fighting, fairy, and fire resist, adds a good speed tier for you - 126-105 absolutely needs to be filled out further, but Talon should be a cheap option that adds key resistances, another removal, and a good speed tier for you. @kindred igloo

[kindred igloo]

i ended up going for latios tbh, my timer was going to get skipped

i think ill end up going a poison type next i think

[dull jackal]

What Pokemon should I buy to improve a team my PS name is Pannawit12235

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[olive halo]

Stealth rock /spiker and honestly just a ground type

Right now your only rocker is kingambit and I don’t think you want your tera Pokemon running rocks all the time

[dull jackal]

What ground type should I buy

[rancid kestrel]

Sandy Shocks can do all three and adds a nice speed tier space for you. Though, it struggles as defensive option.
Clodsire adds a bunch of hazards but can be taken advantage of as a ground type.
Swampert and Rhyperior add just SR but are pretty good defensive options.

Shocks seems good to me here, @dull jackal

[weary ibex]

@cerulean aspen Here is what should be the final team

[cerulean aspen]

you have 2 protects on venusaur lol

[weary ibex]

LOL

[cerulean aspen]

leaf storm or solar beam should do the trick, blow up lando-t
or hp ice

that zard spread is weird

should be EV'd to outspeed lando-t

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[weary ibex]

So how am I starting? do I go charizard whims? Or maybe I have Venasur whims?

[weary ibex]

I lost 🙁 @cerulean aspen

[ember knot]

Already in playoffs im lowk feeling froslass screens + setup spam

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[ember knot]

W these 6

[jade solar]

so uhh

why are froslass and sanda at top?

[rancid kestrel]

tera captains iirc

[jade solar]

i see

[rancid kestrel]

im busy but gonna leave some quick thoughts

• big dislike their speed structure. 113 to 95? yikes. yours is not much better, 110-95, but i like your higher speed mons more than theirs. i like your speed gimmicks (unburden hawlucha, scarf lele/lando, baxc ice shard, gambit sucker) more than their gimmicks (booster moon, scarf serp/gdarm/dengo, prankster volbeat)
• you have no resistance to steel and they have a gholdengo. good luck. you have no resistance to ice and they have a gdarm. good luck. otoh they have no resistance to flying aside dhengo, so hawlucha and maero can go hard here.
• their bring should be rmoon, gdarm, dengo, plus three. id bring molt for removal, glimm to set hazards since your removal is on mons that need to be doing other things or shouldnt come, and then a super defensive sandaconda w/ helmet or something.
• with these 6, idk what your answer to dengo is, it eats you alive aside some wellspring/lando which can't beat it long-term. id suggest maero but you dont outspeed 252+ scarf which is rough. a specially defensive lando could work but without recovery you're playing a losing game i think.

they could maybe drop molt and rely on hazards entirely on the glimm but idk what theyd bring, gdarm i guess?

[ember knot]

Trust tera water froslass w screens then lando becomes the most devious double dance sweeper since the birth of stored power reuniclus

[ember knot]

i lost cus i brought limber lucha lmfao

[jade solar]

oof

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[cerulean aspen]

quick thoughts (at least what I have so far)
Entei good sacred fire very spammable, unlikely they bring fast tenta

helmet alo chips lando quite well
jirachi can soft check val (mb scarf trick asw for zarude)
(just me or does chomp look not that good here and articuno freeze dry goes hard)

[rancid kestrel]

marked unread, probably will respond tomorrow. not a huge fan of your opponent's team off rip, tera zarude's not what it used to be and i dont see an easy response to double dragon here. they have a good top 3, an alright 4, and then its sorta downhill from there

[cerulean aspen]

ty

[solemn warren]

i could see Jirachi as a Val check and trickscarf against Zarude
Alomomola is a good defensive pivot to fall back on
Entei's Sacred Fire is a really good tool as their only natural Fire resist is the Tentacruel

[jade solar]

First Round of Seasonal here as well. Got a Waterpon MU r1 itself which is a shiesty chance of luck. https://pokepast.es/07bcf8ee4dfec98c the first draft of the team basically

• Pads Meow has a pretty MU into him for the most part and allows me to pivot on molt carefree which is useful here.
• Speedy Tera Poison Keld with CM + 3A which basically is unresisted by the opp's draft with Secret Sword as useful tech for Pon and Vacuum being useful against Rai.
• Physdef Tenta with Helmet to punish Scarf Rachi Ihead Spam, Spin to keep off hazards which with his draft shld be easy enough to, and 0 atk Gunk just about eats off non-Tera Waterpon
• Scarf Lando as a useful tech against him incase of non-scarf Rai and overall looks like a good threat into his team to cause Chaos. Gknot with 104 Spa invest. is a good safeguard against Donphan.
• Cleaner DD Gouging with 3A to clean off the weakened roster at the end, went pretty agressive here to make sure they can't try to outplay in the endgame.
• SpDef Tink with Rocks, Encore to shut down Rai and Rachi at moments, Twave spam being useful into his draft to make sure i stay on top against faster foes when they're parad. GHammer is a last minute safe option into Glimm or Enam-T when it doesn't Tera.

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[rancid kestrel]

• Gosh I don't like your speed tier structure. So much free EVs for Lando to run bulk, or IV, that's rough for you. At least Meow can also run a fair bit free EVs, but IV could be a Booster?
• You have zero removal. Be aware of this, expect TSpikes/hazard stack of some kind. Best prep Boots or Balloons or whatever.
• What's their sixth? Surely it's DeoS, IV, Zarude, Tenta, Lando, and like, it'll probably always be those five (though Tenta's not thrilled to play your team so maybe it gets dropped) but like, what's even worth bringing? Eelektross maybe as a way to protect agaisnt Bolt and Chomp? I'm not convinced it has the defenses to pull that off. Steel Tera w/ Levitate kinda stuffs Chomp/Bolt/most Meow real bad, and it matches up well into Rachi/Arti. Are they really giving up the Zarude Tera for it, though?
• Could see scarf Lando if Deo is utility, or a utility Lando w/ offensive Deo. I can see Lando wrecking shop against Bolt/Meow before their types change, but it doesn't make a ton of sense to me. I think I'd rather an offensive Deo and a utility LandoT. That's probably who they're going to be in this tour - offensive IV/DeoS/Zarude and then utility Tenta/LandoT/+1. IV could be some nonsense Encore stuff to make Chomp/Bolt work harder to Scale Shot/Thunderclap? Could be hazard stack Deo, but I like offensive more.

• For you, I like Meow obviously, Entei can probably do a lot but I worry that it'll struggle to take hits, maybe Scarf? It won't outspeed DeoS (they should be EVing to outspeed Scarf Chomp, should) or Booster Speed Val, but it can get one over on everything slower. Rachi scarfer is also doable, it's not impossible to do both? Could also Boots/Balloon Entei, probably the former. So yeah Scarf Rachi + Boots Entei prob makes some sense.
• I'd bring Bolt here, it's your TC primarily. Tera Steel looks alright here to me, so does Fairy but Fairy will always look good. If you can figure out how to ensure Alo doesn't fold to Zarude (252/252 takes 43 min from unboosted 252 Petal Blizzard) it can make sense to bring, but maybe it just tries to avoid Zarude and you rely on Rachi/Entei/Chomp/Articuno/something else?
• Final two mons, Chomp can be a liability but I dunno how you get hazards up otherwise. Rabsca's not real sorry. So you're probably leaving behind Rabsca and one of Chomp / Alo / Arti depending on how you feel about the matchup. I'd probably leave behind Alo personally, but I'm also expecting special DeoS/Val and utility LandoT.

Shorter stuff today in part because I'm not feeling well/am busy but also 8mon's usually a bit simpler. But also I am expecting to get busy in the future so I need to be careful writing out huge rambles. Time for the other one now.

[rancid kestrel]

• I worry about your firepower. Meow, Keldeo, non-tera GF, and Lando are like, good firepower 'mons, but they do kinda feel like secondary firepower 'mons, Meow and sorta Keldeo aside. I do really like Tera Keldeo, though, even if OgerW gives it pain. Meow go brr.
• I likw your speed, but that's no surprise, your second slowest 'mon is 91. Meow gets to run so much free EVs only needing to worry about Oger - outspeed Modest Darkrai IMO, though. Scarf Keldeo goes hard here, but you can also see damage boost item and just not bother outspeeding their Darkrai/Oger/scarfRachi. I don't see another viable scarfer for them other than Darkrai which like, i dunno, lock into Psychic or Dark Pulse and Meow destroys, lock into FBlast and Lando/Tink/Tenta/Froslass own.
• Their speed is good, 125-110-100-90 is more or less textbook, but Rachi and Molt are gonna struggle to 252+ Speed regularly.
• Shorter here so gonna try to just get to the point. Single removal Tenta is rough, but you've got lotsa hazard setters. Their setters are basically Glimm and Donphan which are momentum killers and abusable. If you see both, Glimm's offensive.
• If I had to guess what their team was, it's Darkrai (scarf trick or sub 3a) Oger (sd trailblaze ground attk) defensive/scarf rachi (depends on darkrai) SpD Moltres lured to eliminate Keldeo, Donphan for hazards, and some demon EnamT set of some kind. I think Glimm is bad into Tenta/Tink and Lanturn doesn't do much for them.
• I like your paste at first glance. What's Mold Breaker doing for you on Tinka? I guess there might be situs where you don't want to Pickpocket something, but stealing a Boots on a Moltres UTurn or a Sitrus on a Donphan Spin could be real useful. Hard to see you getting Pickpocket off on Darkrai yknow? Rachi's the scary one, I guess.
• Covert Cloak on Keldeo for what? Rachi? Sure, can see that. I wonder if it's super necessary but it probably can't hurt.

[jade solar]

• They're more than engh imo and each one is flexible too.
• Yeah, having more crunched speed tier definitelly helps here and Modest Rai hits 349 only which i cover by speed creeping Ogerpon already.
• Yeah single removal is tough, but tenta does work here which is fine
• Will change Mold to Pickpocket
• CCloak is useful for sure esp when i'm trying to sweep and ihead rachi tries to pull something funny on me if i tera

i'll have to test the team out to see what else i lose to and what other nitpicks to cover

[lofty wigeon]

Lost last week due to me just playing mediocre. On to the next !

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[rancid kestrel]

• I don't like your opponent's team much at all. It feels slapdash and unfocused - IV and tera Crown are the standouts here, but everything else feels messy. SkeleDozo as I guess your defensive core, but both prefer to lean physical... Non-Tera Ogerpon and Annihilape, limiting their ability to do a ton of good. Maushold? Tera Iron Thorns? Unsupported Ursa-BM?
• 116-111-110-98 isnt a great speed lineup. Sure, the paradoxes can boost, Ape/Oger can Scarf, Maus can boost, but these feel like hard things to manage realistically. Like, what's stopping a Specs Darkrai Dark Pulse here? Not sure. Their advantage on you, sorta, is that Maus and Oger occupy the 113-100 space that you don't have anything in, but being slower than 4 of your 'mons is not great.
• Solo removal Maushold is wack. That's rough stuff. Imagine a Rocky Helmet TTar, it makes Maushold's life a living hell. Their setting kinda sucks too, its Iron Thorns with some help from Oger and Ape - three 'mons that shouldn't be exclusively burdened with this stuff - their secondary TC (admittedly, Crown always wants Tera) is their hazard setter? Worrying. Ape and Oger can set sure, but it's a bit limiting for them. No TSpikes absorbers too, though Tera Poison's not entirely illogal into your team, Exca aside.
• So what even are they bringing. IV has to come, it has coverage for everything probably barring like, idk the Grass types? It can prob make X-Scissor or Fire Punch work, lol. Can't bring all of it, but can bring enough. Iron Crown obviously also comes, I dunno what set it can run a billion things, but I could see Booster Speed + CM + Tachyon + Tera coverage/Psychic coverage. Tera makes more sense to me, personally, but that'll depend what your opponent finds troublesome on your team.

• I would not leave Maus and Iron Thorns at home, hazards are important and ignoring them would be an issue. You can maybe try to not bring Maus and just hope IV Crown act fast enough to avoid hazard stacking, but like, Wash/TTar both exist as Helmet afficianados, and Talonflame's Flame Body is existential dread for Maus as well. I'd personally bring them both. Thorns can be Ape/Oger with a single hazard, but I dunno. I don't super like Ape into Talon/Darkrai/Whimsi, and Oger into Glowking/grasses/Talon also seems not great.
• I think one of the defensive duo needs to come, and I think it has to be Skeledirge pretending to be specially defensive. It matches well into everything but Darkrai, but it shouldn't be trying for Darkrai - it should be trying for the grasses, Mew, that kinda stuff. I think Dondozo is a bad choice here, though IG if they're terrified of Exca it can come.
• Sixth. If it isn't Dozo, I could see one of the other hazard setters coming. I could also see Ursa, Ground + BM seems rough for you - 252/252+ Rotom still takes like 60-70% from BM, though obviously it's not sticking around to eat the HPump. And lord help you if you predict the BM and switch in Glowking on EP. I'd personally bring BM here.
• For you, I like Darkrai here, a ton. It's hard to see really what switches into specs Dark Pulse, and most of their speed boosts are either Scarves, which are predictable, or boosts, which are one-time/not inherent. I think that bringing RWash here is mandatory to prevent Crown runaway, be aware of like boosting sets or Specs Psyshock tho.

• I like Mew here, but I'm always gonna like Mew here. Lords only know what set it wants, my gut instinct is that some boosting set could go real hard with the proper coverage. Could also be hazard setting, again no TSpikes response really!
• Three slots left. Whimsi seems useful, both as an offensive tool into Ape/Thorns/BM/Dozo, but also as like, Prankster fuckery in case they do try to do boosting with IV/Crown and/or as a defensive response to Oger. It prob can't do all of that, but it seems useful to me here.
• I'd bring Talonflame here, it prob can't run Helmet due to needing boots, but Flame Body can be an okay response to Maushold anyway, and it serves as good removal. Exca seems not great to me here, but it can come if you're motivated by it, I'm just not personally.
• Last slot, could be basically anything but Serp, I really don't see Serp doing well here. Maybe some silly Tera set to muscle past Dirge/Crown, but that seems unrealistic and I think Mew would want it. TTar or Glowking can set hazards and hold Helmet for Maushold, Exca can come like mentioned above, they don't actually have a ton of good responses to its stabs bar Ogerpon.

[lofty wigeon]

Thank you.
I think this is a Roar/Dragon Tail match up. Or even a sneak haze on darkrai. I have only ran Scarf the past 4 weeks so i might be able to get away with it. I'm thinking a Screens Whimscott with Taunt and Stun Spore seems hard got him to deal with

Encore might be better to get a free switch to a dragon tail/roar mon

[dull jackal]

https://pokepast.es/6410357b295ba4e5
What should I fix?

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[spare relic]

Can you like crop the screenshot so it’s more clear what your matchup is because there is like 3 other match ups showing

[lofty sparrow]

that is the exact same thing

they are on the left

[dull jackal]

@spare relic

[rancid kestrel]

Bit of a shorter one but I will just give some thoughts on the paste.

• Do Gambit and Sneasler need that much Speed? Presumably Sneasler's trying to Unburden sweep, in which case it actually needs 0 Speed to outspeed even Choice Scarf Meowscarada. If this isn't for Unburden sweeping, it's not like it's doing much - even Choice Scarf Heatran outspeeds it. Maybe you could see a world where you're aiming to beat neutral 252 Meow, but that only takes 156+ to overcome, and 176+ if you want to outspeed 252+ Latios. That's at least 80ish EVs being spent in Speed uselessly.
• Kingambit too, sure you speed tie with neutral Donphan, but is it really running 252? It doesn't seem to be likely to me, they've got plenty of speed elsewhere and if Donphan is coming, it's going to be defensive alongside Fez/Heatran. So what's the speed for there, yknow? Like, that's a lot of speed EVs to not do anything when even through Chople you're taking still 87% from Boots unboosted Aura Sphere, yknow? What good's a Chople if it's not helping you actually take the hit?
• What's Alluring Voice on Skeledirge for? I'm not seeing any opportunity for it to come up, the Keldeo Skeledirge situation doesn't work like that since you're Teraing out of the weakness, and they aren't going to try to boost in front of an Unaware Pokemon.
• Is not bringing any hazards a great play? They have a bunch of pivoting, between Meow/Thund/Fez and are going to enjoy being able to switch in and out, I rarely feel able to comfortably recommend just flatly not having any hazards at all. Unsure where you could fit them on, I do question Kingambit's presence into Meow+Keld+Heatran so that might be the angle.
• Not sure what 52 speed is for on Rilla. I trust there's a reason.

[spare relic]

Little confused about my MU, opponents team is odd but like all there mons are bringablish

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[spare relic]

I’m the one on the right btw

[ember knot]

Hey

This my current lineup

Natdex draft

Ok so im thinking

1. Need defog support
2. Need ground immune
3. Need speed control for like 95-100 and 105-110
4. Speed tier for around 70-80 if possible
5. Want dark and psychic type
6. More offensive pressure while filling other needs

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1PhJdbVk3W9VUuPlarbFOg79zkcu1JOzNUR_zH-uADvg/edit?gid=2120737182#gid=2120737182

Im also 1st to pick meaning I get 2 at once

My current ideas
Hydreigon
Sygilith tera
Xatu tera
Silvally
Articuno/articuno galar tera

Tera works like u pay for the mon then theres a tera tax so its really expensive for most tera picks

[rancid kestrel]

agree on 1, 2, 3 sorta, you need 110ish and 100ish, you shouldnt do 95 110 for example. dont really care about 4 5, if you want it for your own fun sure but i dont think it's important. 6, yeah i can get behind.
what i dont see mentioned is hazard setting, ferro cannot be your only hazard setter, swampert barely counts. its natdex, it's 16 person, you can find something else to set spikes or something im sure.
of your thoughts, im most motivated by hydreigon, since it's a ground immune, powerful attacker, a scarf option, can set SR maybe once a season. i dont see a ton of value in your other selected ideas to be totally honest, i'm not sure what value you're getting out of something like silvally or sigilyph.

[ember knot]

Howcome swamp barely counts?. Yeah ur right i do need another mon with some form of rocks/spikes

Idea with silvally was that its a defoger and has a decent speed tier for my team but I wanted to hear what u think about silvally

Sigilyth was kinda the same reasoning + being a ground immune

What do u think of something like hydreigon + froslass?

Also I'm kinda stuck on removal dyk hydreigon and cyclizar is enough

[rancid kestrel]

Swampert's not going to be able to reliably set up Stealth Rocks. It doesn't have the bulk or moveset space to reliably run rocks, and it often is going to struggle to come to games. This might be slightly different in ND 16p than SV 8p, but Swampert's pretty roughly speed crept.

Silvally does not have a good speed tier for you, to be brutally honest, especially if you pick up Hydrei. Silvally doesn't even run speed. There is no good space between 116-95 to fill with a single Pokemon that doesn't cause you problems later. At best you could get like, a 106~ mon, but they're all mostly not good. Like, it's not doomed, but it wouldn't really be something I'd be actively considering. It's item locked if it wants to be anything of value, and then giving it Tera is like, wack to me? Maybe I don't see the vision.

Froslass could be quite good. 116-110-98 is not perfect, especially if Hydrei's going to be running Scarf often, but it's certainly better than 116-garbage-98-95 if you ask me. I like the idea of Froslass for sure.

I do not think Hydrei+Cyclizar is enough, especially in Natdex when you have so many options - the idea of Hydrei running Defog regularly is kinda unrealistic, especially if you are usually going to rely on it or Froslass to be your speed control - 121 Cyclizar is fast yes but it is not top end speed in Natdex, so you're going to be wanting speed control regularly, and right now it's speed booster Val or it's scarf Hydrei, and one of those is your best 'mon getting the opportunity once a game.

[rancid kestrel]

I haven't overlooked this, btw, I will get to it after lunch which I need to leave for soon

[ember knot]

Damnit I thought i cooked with pert 2nd pick 😭 tf was i doing yeah sivally point is fair so if I go hydreigon + 110 maybe froslass or an ogerpon

[rancid kestrel]

Pert is fine, it wouldn’t have been my pick 2 but it’s not bad especially in 16p context. It just isn’t gonna be an incredible setter, meaning more often than not it’ll have to be Ferro, which is fine but it does mean it’s going to be hard for Ferro to do other things.

[ember knot]

Idk what else would swamp want to run(

Wouldn't it just be like rocks flip eq knock most of the time

[lofty sparrow]

you can run some really weird shit like endure custap endeavor

or like band???? eq liquid flip filler

it can do a lot it just doesnt do them particularly well

[ember knot]

Oh alr this sounds cool

Wishing I went with it like 5th now tho lol I thought it was a good defensive mon

Or i could've went with mega I guess

[rancid kestrel]

Just remember, the goal is to have fun, and there are very few Wrong Decisions during drafting - Swampert will be fine for you, it's not incredible but I think especially in a 16p format you will find value in it. I just don't think it can be the only other hazard setter, and that it does come with some flaws - but I think you will definitely find value in a very deep movepool and what have you. Band, Endure, pivoting, hell it even gets some cutesy techs like Barrier, Amnesia, Seismic Toss, stuff like that.

[rancid kestrel]

• I think that you're right, your opponent's team is somewhat grab-bag energy. It really just kinda looks like they picked a buncha 'mons that benefit from Electric Terrain and then got weirdly sniped on Pincurchin or whatever. Obviously the Paradoxes can set it (surprisingly to me, Nec can't?) but generally speaking I'm not thrilled with how their team came out.
• Speed is not idal, 110-106-97 in the important space is not great, though Bundle being super fast is helpful. Most of those mons also are like, motivated to run Booster, and it's often going to be Speed I'd think? Moth kinda wants Boots. Anyway, your speed is not great into them, Shifu's position here is terrifying to you because you are 110-97.
• Your hazards gameplay is funny to me. You have basically no setters, but between Magic Bounce and Court Change, I guess you're kinda hoping your opponent sets your hazards for you? Their hazards suck though, sure they can get up SR reasonably btwn Treads/Clef, but where's any Spiker? Is Moth really TSpiking? I don't think so. And their removal are their two obvious leave-behinds, besides Treads. Treads is alright removal, I guess.
• Their obvious leave-behinds are Decid and Braviary each week. They look especially bad into your Ace, Jolt, and Frosslass. So that leaves Clef, Necrozma, Treads, and their three heavy hitters. I don't know how you switch into Bundle, I guess AV Glowking? Sure. Shifu can maybe be responded to by a bulky Tusk? CC does so much tho, it still 2HKOs off Ada Band. Though it shouldn't be Ada Band? If it is, I mean, uh oh? Iron Moth might try to not run Boots here given your hazard limitations, but that'd be a risk since you can set up Rocks. Glowking can check it, it's not a TC, but doing so makes it harder to check Bundle probably.

• I think their Shifu is Scarf, it lets them do Ada since it would outspeed Jolteon anyway? Bundle I'd make Specs here, and Moth boots. Either of those can be Booster depending on your opponent. Treads shouldn't be Booster IMO, it can't really hit Tusk if it comes in and forces it out, and Treads is probably doing removal if not that and setting. Clef and Nec are the wild-cards, they could be setup sweepers, utility, whatever. I'm not clever enough to figure that out. If I had to guess, it's utility Clef with Rocks and set-up Necrozma of some kind.
• For you, I think Glowking and Tusk have to come as defensive answers to Bundle/Moth and Shifu. I'd bring an offensive Cinderace, maybe with a Scarf for safety (not seeing many other scarf options on your lineup).
• I don't think Jolteon or Hatterne should come, the former seems like it'd struggle to do a lot of damage, and the latter seems like switch-in fodder for a lot of their heavy hitters. This means that Blastoise, Apple, and Frosslass are my brings.
• Frosslass can set hazards and make things difficult for Choice Shifu/Bundle who arent clicking Wicked Blow/HPump. Apple provides a Tera as an emergency response, as well as being a Regen core with Glowking. Blastoise can handle removal, easing Tusk's moveset if necessary, but it can also be a surprise Shell Smash option - beware Mirror Herb on like, Bundle or Moth randomly. Just also be aware that +2 doesn't outspeed Booster Speed Bundle.

[spare relic]

Hmm ic. I’m not sure that decidueye is completely unbringable. He could potentially bring it as a check for great tusk because tusk is really scary into this team.

Im not sure teraless iron moth is threatening to my team especially since i have glowking??

Bundle is for sure running specs, pretty obvious since i have glowking they would want to try and overwhelm it. Im thinking AV but support glowking also has a lot of utility so it’s a hard decision. FWIW im definitely bringing max max spdef glowking though.

Necrozma is the big puzzle for me because of its versatility. I’m guessing physical necrozma would be a bigger threat than special necrozma? I imagine he runs steel coverage for hatterene.

[rancid kestrel]

0 Atk Great Tusk Ice Spinner vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Decidueye: 184-218 (61.9 - 73.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Can't say that Decid is super motivating to me. Iron Moth is not super threatening to me yeah, but Glowking is going to have its hands pretty full dealing with Bundle, especially if you don't have AV. 96% chance for Timid Specs HPump to 2HKO withut AV.

And ye, Necrozma's a fucking misery trying to predict what it'll do. Something like Destiny Bond on your Froslass might be a good "most cases emergency button" for offensive stuff.

[spare relic]

Yea decidueye doesn’t tank tusk coverage well. But at the same time my opponent wouldn’t want me clicking ground move or fighting move for free especially on their iron bundle

I’m thinking scarf tusk might be an interesting bring here, to catch bundle off guard

[rancid kestrel]

I'm just not sure what they drop for it. Moth in your mind I guess? Could also be Clef but then where are hazards coming from? Treads, I guess.

[rancid kestrel]

What's your Shifu answer if you've got Scarf Tusk?

[spare relic]

Yea that’s a good question. I might do max def hydrapple with rocky helmet and Tera? Tera fairy seems ideal here

[rancid kestrel]

Could be doable. I like Tera Fairy especially if you're not expecting Moth to come. And even if you are, like, it's not like you leave Apple in against it, you go Glowking.

[spare relic]

Yea that’s true

Thanks for the advice as usual!

[dull jackal]

What I should replace with hazard setter

[rancid kestrel]

Kingambit was my initial thought in the post above.

[rancid kestrel]

Happy to help!

[dull jackal]

https://pokepast.es/54da0177f1af6aac
ok what should I fix

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[rancid kestrel]

To be clear, "what should I fix" doesn't really stick in Draft - I'm just making suggestions, and you may find value that I don't in some things, and your best team will be whatever you feel most comfortable loading into your opponent. That said: what is Mirror Coat doing on Sandy Shocks? Is it some lure for Latios or Keldeo or something?

[dull jackal]

For latios

[rancid kestrel]

I don't see anything else specific that screams out to me as needing changing - if you wanna keep the Sneasler speed that low (what is it for exactly out of curiosity?), Alluring Voice on Skeledirge, no Stealth Rock, that's up to you in the end it may end up being valuable or being non-harmful. But those are definitely remaining questions from my original thoughts above that seem unanswered.

[dull jackal]

Ok thanks for advice as well I will fix it

[ember knot]

future changes

swampert<mega pert 11-14
Ogerpon-H<Ogerpon-W/Ogerpon-C
tera florges 12
tera doublade 4

tbh im just gonna rock with this 😭

seems decent enough in my eyes

and looks fun

[rancid kestrel]

id find a way to set rain if you're going mega pert, but thats up to you. pelipper can help with your ice weakness too. if it doesnt exist thats fine so be it its not like mpert needs rain it's just not as effective without it

[ember knot]

rain setters are both expensive

12 and 8

[rancid kestrel]

Understandable. I just think that the mega upgrade is maybe not super necessary

[ember knot]

i agree not super necessary but u said before my speed tiers like 130 and stuff isnt good so swift swim would help alot

and alot of my mons can run manual rain dance

ill make it work im sure

[rancid kestrel]

Gotcha, sure, makes sense.

[ember knot]

while ur here dyk when the ubers draft starts?

[rancid kestrel]

The one in Smogon Draft? It should be Sunday, at latest Monday at earliest Saturday

[ember knot]

yeah , alr thxx

[spare relic]

https://pokepast.es/93330e15d1471449 I think this is the paste I’m going to bring, my game will start soon

[rancid kestrel]

Good luck, don't see any emergency things sticking out to me. Light Clay on Glowking maybe is odd to me.

[spare relic]

Honestly I think bundle might be the scariest mon and I think support glowking might be useful.

Toxic is also nice incase they try and bring unaware clefable. They might not be convinced of my hazard game and try and sneak it in

[rancid kestrel]

Wishing you the best of luck, obviously

[spare relic]

Yea thx

[spare relic]

Update: forgot urshifu had sucker punch and ended up throwing away cinderace and tusk to shifu

[rancid kestrel]

Unfortunate, though those kinda things can happen.

[spare relic]

Yea it’s annoying cuz missing out on those crucial details can cost you a game even if your prep is fine. it’s alright though we move on

[jade solar]

ik i said i won't be asking help much but because i'm in a pickle like this i do need me some advice. Bounced back from the 2 losses, won last week thanks to an absolutely riveting 6-0 by Goltres which earned it MVP. So we're back in the competition 2-3 0, and we need a solid win to be in POs contention. What i made https://pokepast.es/5fc04c0339b20ccd (Don't mind the scream set, it's a funny tech for haxorus).

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[rancid kestrel]

• I actually like the STail set, to be honest. I can see it working into a number of your opponents, though obviously I do have worries about Gren since presumably it'll want the Tera.
• What's SPunch for on Goltres? I'm not immediately understanding the benefit of it.
• I think it's unfortunate to not have SR. Does Terap need EP? It doesn't even assure 2HKO 252/0 Glowking at +1, and Starstorm actually does equivalent basically. Same story vs Shocks, it's such a minor difference. Could EP be Rocks instead? They don't even have a ton of good removal since Mandi invites in Bolt. Conk actually kinda looks good into you.
• Screech on CB Rilla...? Like, sure, no Unburden Sneasler's fine even alongside Rilla in the same paste, but... Screech? Is that a typo, genuine question.

[jade solar]

no it's not a typo xD

it's just a random filler to annoy mandi

also spunch is a filler dk really what else to put

yeah i can change ep to rocks

[rancid kestrel]

I'd sooner want to click Wood Hammer than Screech, I'd think. Just a flexibility of a "actually I will do one billion damage to you now"
For Goltres, you could try Hyper Beam as a surprise to get a KO you might not normally be able to? I just can't imagine what I'd be using Scarf SPunch into, and at least Hyper Beam can be clicked to force a KO against a final mon or whatever. I dunno.

Memento works in much the same way. I'd think it got Destiny Bond but it seems like not

[spiral thunder]

wrong channel mb

[jade solar]

or maybe knock last slot? to make sure my rocks actually do something or is hammer just better for the damage

[weary ibex]

The format is vgc2019USUM with a few additonal pokemon this week is also Trade week so I can try to trade with someone or even just grab a free agent from the list https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1b5BmvA8XzBjPkPS6xLs44-6yRNtz5KxkLy752dNAZIA/edit?usp=sharing

I am going against Ace this week. If anyone has any suggestions for pokemon I should grab (which I cant use until next week, pls let me know.)

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[weary ibex]

Looking at the speeds, They could maybe do trickroom stuff, but I doubt since only slowbro can learn it.

Here is what I am kinda thinking.

I know some of the moves are bad, I am just in a rush, going to work

[rancid kestrel]

Knock makes plenty of sense, sure!

[jade solar]

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9draft-2436874440-4o1goxgg979geih2cfxtnccewg0pcyepw

won that matchup

was a bit of a slugfest at first

but managed to make it work and win the game

rocks made a good diff for sure, pressured mandi a lot

[rancid kestrel]

Not going to try to do trade improvement stuff because old gens VGC draft is so outside anyone here's wheelhouse, but some generic evergreen draft thoughts...

• Why are your speeds the way they are? Hawlucha is 8 points higher than their fastest and is proccing Unburden, why is it 252 speed? 112 after Unburden outspeeds +2 Neutral MBlaze (228 for +Speed), 192+ outspeeds 252+ Raichu, 220+ outspeeds +3 Gyarados(?). I'm not sure what 252 neutral does for you speed-wise. I have a similar opinion about Darmanitan and Weavile, what is 252+ doing for either? Darm's never overcoming +Speed Hydreigon, and Exca is pretty left in the dust all things considered. 200+ is enough to outspeed 252+ Exca and 252 Hydrei. Weavile, for example, is never outspeeding Blaziken after a boost or Exca in sand, and is spending everything past outspeeding 252+ Raichu (which it needs only 136+ to succeed) on EVs that won't matter - you can't even outspeed +1 neutral Dragonite even at full investment. That's 100+ EVs spent on outspeeding nothing.
• I want to bring your attention to Gigalith, sand setter, and Excadrill, sand sweeper. Yes, you can get the sun advantage with CharY activating on T1 instead of T0, but you are bringing 4 Pokemon that get absolutely destroyed by Rock Slide from a Sand Rush Exca, and like, it's not like Hawlucha and Whimsi are entirely immune to this strategy. Like genuinely what is your strategy if they open Gig+Exca, even if you have CharY on the field? I don't know.
• I know you said some of these things are selected in a rush, but like, I can't help but feel like most of these choices are suspect. Taunt on Weavile, Babiri on Whimsi, everything on CharY, Drain Punch and SD on Hawlucha, Eruption+FThrower and Iron Tail on Torkoal... Surely these are not correct decisions?

[rancid kestrel]

Hey, good stuff, congratulations!

[jade solar]

ty!

3-3 +2 now

just 2 more wins

and we make history

(first paldex POs for me)

kek

[rancid kestrel]

Wishing you luck! One game at a time and all that. You've got this.

[jade solar]

yeah

ty

[rancid kestrel]

I'm curious, why on T27 click TWave not Encore? Wasn't that kinda the perfect spot for Encore? I know this isn't a space for replay reviews but that sticks out to me as something I'm curious about.

[jade solar]

oh yeah, a friend who helped me prep also pointed that out

but i was really nervous playing the game

and it didn't strike me at that moment

[rancid kestrel]

Ah, fair

[weary ibex]

The speed tuning was something I was going to work on when I got home, just haven't touched it yet. And I honestly have zero idea how to deal with exca gigalith. After my last lost I am just completely unsure on what to do.

[rancid kestrel]

As a general statement, I would not recommend sharing stuff until it's ready to be critiqued. There's little value in giving feedback on something you already know you don't intend to use.

[weary ibex]

I was mostly just trying to get something out there. Sorry. I'll just figure it out

[kindred igloo]

hi!

does anyone have a bit of knowledge regarding ndubers?

https://spo.ink/natdex_ubers_ii_draft_pools_1_16

ticked mons have been picked

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[kindred igloo]

im stuck b/w waterceus eternatus and marshadow

idk what to get

marsh might be broken but i feel its too linear

wdyt

eternatus sounds cool but there are various good dragon types that i might wanna get later on

wdyt

[kindred igloo]

went eterantus

[pine cargo]

Eternatus is the defacto BEST mon to get in nduber drafts

Good call

[kindred igloo]

thankyou

i was not wanting to get it b/c i love kyub

but

c'est la vie

[pine cargo]

eternatus just has so much versatility and firepower

You could try and get fairyceus next if available

if not then yvel, magearna, waterceus, hooh are pretty good too

ultimately it’s what you wanna build around

[spare relic]

I need to bounce back after selling W1, my matchup this time is a lot more obnoxious though unfortunately

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[spare relic]

I think Ace looks pretty good here though

My feeling here is that Tera dark iron moth comes here

[lofty sparrow]

band tinkaton what switches in

[rancid kestrel]

(they are 40kultra)

[lofty sparrow]

Oh

💔

[rancid kestrel]

• Your opponent's draft is pretty top heavy. Moon Val Moth, but then the dropoff is severe. ThundT TC is fine, but Moth wants Tera real bad. They have no ghost resist bar Moon, and you have a Froslass. No Psychic resists barring Moon/Tink though you have less that can reasonably handle that.
• I like their speed. Their top 3 unfortunately are all like, booster speed fiends, but Moth probably always has to be Boots on their team given their garbage removal. But I'd be scared about Moon and Val casually outspeeding you real quick. Your defensive options dont stack up well into them really.
• They have a buncha hazard options all locked to bad mons/mns that dont wanna run hazards, and solo-removal Donphan which is like, hell. Qwilfish shouldn't be coming into you, neither should Spidops bc Court Change, so that leaves Tink Phan to handle their hazards - Hatt doesn't wanna switch into Tink, at the very least they have that going for them.
• You have plenty of removals but no real good hazard options. I guess Tusk can click SR but if they bring non-Booster IV then that's free switchins forever. Don't bring TSpikes even into Tera Moth and Qwil being bad into you. Froslass should be some kinda offensive scarf set IMO here. Yeah Dark tera Moth might be a thing, but like, what's the ghost switchin otherwise? I kinda think they go Ghost personlaly, bc you have no ghost resist either LOL. Dark means Moth is real scared of Tusk.
• I do think they can't bring Spidops, and I think Qwil here sucks into Jolt Tusk Apple and the defensive mons. At least ThundT serves as a blank stop to Jolt and can prob be ev'd to trade down with Toise.

• For you, I'd leave behind Glowking or Hatt, I can't see you being able to get away with both given how they're magnets for the paradoxes coming in to act terrifying. I also think Blastoise here looks not great to me, after a Smash you still outspeed all the booster mons, but gods forgive you if you let em get a Mirror Herb boost up. On the other hand, what is Jolteon doing for you? It bounces off ThundT, though scarf can let it outspeed the booster speed paradoxes. But again, what is it doing to them, yknow?
• I think a scarf Frosslass (ties w/ speed moth, doesnt outspeed moon/val speed) just spamming Shadow ball seems cool. Ice Beam should scare Moon, and it isnt even a bad click into post-tera Moth, and most thinks that arent Tink that come pre-damaged really.
• Defensive Tusk with Red Card maybe? Fuck over a booster speed or whatever, can stuff Moon/Moth/Val depending on the click. Some kinda Ace, prob utility I'd think. Apple as the late game wincon, Steel Tera could work if you can reliably get Moth out of the way and Val doesnt have fighting coverage (imo id not bring fighting coverage into your team) NP 3A?
• Whichever two you bring of Toise Glowking Hatt Jolt is your own thoughts. I'd prob bring Jolt Glowking personally, but I'm not sure.

[spare relic]

That is true I don’t really have a ghost resist. But I imagine they would want do dodge psychic noise damage completely?? And maybe be immune to mirror coat but they can run sub too. Maybe helpful vs zen headbutt ace too

I imagine moth probably brings Sub Tera blast sludge wave and last move? Maybe they get greedy with agility or Tspikes or just run fiery dance.

Spidops is for sure not coming. I’m not sure about qwilfish being unbringable as it can definitely check ace and she’ll smash toise pretty decently(although I do obviously have Tera)

The key in this MU is finding a way to phase out the boosters at least once(Val,moth,moon), and then maybe use my own speed(ace,lass,jolt) in the late game.

I think shell smash toise can be useful here. I have learned harshly in LT that mirror herb is blastoises worst enemy. I think I have the plan to come prepared for that

Hatt is weird. I have a feeling it can be a soft check to moon and Val even though they have coverage moves to hit them, I think it has potential to be bringable.

[rancid kestrel]

I think these are all valid perspectives, yeah. I don't know about Toise here, Mirror Herb would terrify me, but that's obviously something you need to play around with naturally. I agree on needing to remove the Boosters from play for sure.

[ember knot]

ill add u to draft gc just discuss there fr

[dull jackal]

Into a round 2 but my opponent quite weak to sneasler right?

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[olive halo]

Which side are you?

[rancid kestrel]

They're Pannawit

[olive halo]

thx ❤️

[rancid kestrel]

• Their speed tier is rough. 119-106-87... Sure, they've got a 180, but they don't really have hazards without DeoS providing it. Shocks can perfectly not run +Speed and still outspeed Tusk. Not that Shocks can do anything there. Rilla can basically drop all speed, lol, maybe you wanna outspeed 218 but man that's a defensive MFer yknow.
• I see a lot of opportunities for them to mess with your Sneasler Unburden nonsense. AMuk kinda blanks it and can bring Red Card to delete the speed boost. With a scarf Enam or something, that's all that's needed to make Sneasler much less effective. You might be better served not bothering with Unburden - sure you outspeed DeoS and scarf Ace/Enam if it's up, but I can see AMuk or Hands tanking a hit and pushing you out.
• Mystical Fire from Scarf Enam is doing about 40% to fully SpD Corv. EP does about 50% to fully SpD Skeledirge and a bit more to same Gambit. What exactly is your Enam response...? Assault Vest Rilla? It does nothing back. Gods save you if they can switch moves, too, boots or whatever, and then it's not just a predictions game -> force out.
• If I'm your opponent, I leave Komala (it's a Komala) and... Empoleon? Tusk? I don't like Emp into Sneasler/Shocks/Rilla, but Tusk into Lati/Rilla/Corv has to feel bad. Everything else seems bringable.
• Hazard probably on Tusk, it doesn't seem super useful here besides tanking Gambit/Lokix otherwise, and I want an offensive DeoS here. Sash 4A or some nonsense to just trade down with something. Scarf EnamI with Moonblast/MysFire/EP +1 - Trick? HWish?
• SpD AMuk for Lati, Shocks, Skeledirge in some manner. Def IHands for Sneasler, Lokix, Rilla. Tusk probably helps on the Def side to let IHands do more offense stuff. Cinderace could be scarf if EnamI isn't, but could also just be a pest with like Court/UTurn/Pyro Ball/HJK.

• For you, I think you leave Lokix and Gambit at home. Maybe Shocks or Corv but I disagree with that personally. Lokix thuds into Cinder, Enam, Tusk, IHands, hell even AMuk, and you don't have reliable enough removal in this matchup to give it the damage boosting it needs. Kingambit is terrified of DeoS, Cinderace, Enam, Tusk, and IHands - some of these are terrified back, yes, but you really don't wanna SPunch into Sash/berry DeoS and get wrecked by SPower back. Let Skeledirge have the Tera here to not fold to BDrum IHands or Contrary Enam nonsense.
• So, Sneasler Lati Shocks Rilla Corv Skeledirge is what I build. I think Lati is Scarf here, 3A Trick or something works fine here, and so long as it isn't specifically scarf Cinder, you're fastest on the field. Shocks sets up hazards, IDT it's a Booster here, bc it does thud into Tusk somewhat.
• Rilla I do think you use AVest to protect against SpA Enam, let Skeledirge post-Tera handle Atk Enam. Sneasler I've talked about above, IDT Unburden's the play here but like, it could be! Just think Poison Touch is so much nicer dealing with defensive switchins that arent AMuk yknow?
• Skeledirge, it prob wants to be PhysDef to handle boosting Enam/Tusk/Hands, but the Tera Type is rough. Fairy seems usable? Corv can be defensive too, but that might mean you don't have a ton of firepower outside of Lati Sneasler. Maybe there's space for some wakc Power Trip set if Rilla/Dirge are mostly handling the offensive scaries?

[dull jackal]

What item should I get on sneasler?

[rancid kestrel]

If not Unburden... Scarf works if you're terrified of DeoS. A resist berry could help with trading against Enam depending on calcs. Band can make UTurns cause trouble to their defensive core, especially since their healing isn't terrific. LO does the same at its costs. Boots and Balloon help with hazards and the latter can make it harder for Enam to fight you which it really doesnt have the turns for. White Herb can bluff Unburden, so can Sitrus, and both come. I'm sure there are other things that exist that I can't think of off the top of my head.

[dull jackal]

https://pokepast.es/9d5b215caae0ea35
Like this right?

[rancid kestrel]

Okay, so. Corv, Lati, and Shocks are all putting in Speed EVs that don't need to be there. Let's talk speed creeps - lets use Shocks as an example - with 252+, it hits 331. However, what is it doing hitting that? It's not outspeeding 252 Ace, +1 Komala, it's not or 252+ Enam at 337 343 and 342 respectively. So, what is the next thing lowest down? Non-Scarf 252 Enam at 311. So, that's 30 Speed points it doesn't benefit from really.

What does it need to hit? 312, outspeed 252 Enam by 1, needs 184+, something like 70 EVs saved for HP or a defense stat! Hell, if you don't think it's reasonable to expect 252 Enam (surely it runs Jolly to outspeed the thing that can hit it SE without Booster in play?), you're looking at outspeeding 252+ Tusk, which takes 144+. An entire 100 EVs saved by making sure EVs are where they need to be.

Corv's another example, let's say you get a Agility off, now you're 512. 252+ Deo is 504, so you can save like 20 EVs dropping down to 240+, hitting 506 at +2(you can't get 505 for jumpoints, beyond the scope here, but hey 252 Ada Scarf Ace is 505 so like, outsped!). You're anyways not outspeeding Jolly Scarf Ace, so it's not worth trying. Sneasler's actually able to save like 4 EVs (woooo....) since Ace is right on its tail.

As for the rest of the paste... I dunno that Low Kick looks super impactful here to me, it does like 45-50ish to Hands, Wood Hammer's better. I dunno that I'd not bring removal at all, though IDK where you can fit Defog on Corv, but double hazards on Shocks no removal into Court Change feels rough. Other than that, the only thoughts I have are nitpicky/"just not what I would've run" which like, doesn't matter when you're the one loading up the team.

[dull jackal]

Ok I will change my team as you said

[cerulean aspen]

quickie thoughts
you MUST keep sun up, excadrill screws u 10 ways from sunday
unfort they have uh 11 bringable mons
tbh would actually consider lo whims here
weather ball leaf storm moonblast smokes everything not named amoonguss and u have a sun team

[kindred igloo]

@rancid kestrel hi!

are you free right now? i need help with a draft

i saw you online is why im asking

its ndubers, fair warning

[formal haven]

Unless your opponent is in here, you can always drop a picture/paste and it will ping a few peeps

Usually your best bet

[kindred igloo]

i need help with drafting

not with prep haha

[formal haven]

Ah valid

Shoot, what do you need help with?

[rancid kestrel]

Hi, @kindred igloo - please just ask, there's more than just me who can help out for sure.

[kindred igloo]

drafting mainly

ive gotten sniped a lot

[rancid kestrel]

link doc etc please @kindred igloo

[kindred igloo]

https://spo.ink/natdex_ubers_ii_draft_pools_1_16

@rancid kestrel

[rancid kestrel]

Which pool are you?

[kindred igloo]

1

i wanted mag

sniped

[rancid kestrel]

short answer: get one of arc fighting elec or flying, see https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/ubers-draft.3734822/ and https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/draft-league-tiering.3733707/#post-10694307 as useful documents about the theory of ndubers
long answer: typing now see below

[kindred igloo]

okay thank you, dont think ill get fighting since i have mmx

[rancid kestrel]

https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/ubers-draft.3734822/ and https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/draft-league-tiering.3733707/#post-10694307 may be helpful reading. the former is a ndubers draft guide, the latter are thoughts on ndubers tiering. i think you're doing fine enough right now, but i would prioritize a good arceus, i see fighting flying and electric available. i would also look at finding some/a useful dark and fairy type, its my understanding that you do not want to be stuck w/o one facing down stuff like psychic or dragon types.
id also look into trying to get something that can just like, deal damage. you are likely to find that mmx is not fantastic and doing so, and neither is pogre. eternatus can, but is pulled many ways often in a builder. assuming you get one of those arceuses, non-offense dark/fairies (remember, their goal is to try to stuff mons like xerneas, arceus dragon, etc not be a sweeper), you're at a point where your damage is primarily coming from MMX, which struggles, Etern and Arc, which can't always run offensive sets, and POgre, who struggles with speed, hazards, and can occasionally be stuffed by a team's dedicated SpD counter. something like genesect, chien pao (but not as your Dark Type necessarily, check out Lesser Used Ubers and Other Pokemon in the first link), deoxys.

remember that this isn't 8 mon, and type overlap isn't the end of the world. i'd encourage you to read through the documents I've linked, their writers are far better at ndubers draft than I am. but if we're honest, my perception of ndubers is mostly a matter of the back half of the draft - picking up a buncha good mons that dont overlap at the top is important (for example, if you have yveltal or groudon, you prob shouldnt get flutter mane or arceus-ground, but like, you can make that work) but you really wanna make sure you dont have 0 game plan for the big 5 or other strong threats within your draft.

[kindred igloo]

thank you so much

i read all of it

dark, fairy, flying, ground, steel is what i need

• damage dealer

[kindred igloo]

@rancid kestrel i've made a list, can you please check it? fair warning it is quite long but should be relatively helpful i think... any of the other draft helpers are welcome to check it too ^o^

Viable dark types left : chien pao (Also a breaker but not defensive), darkrai, chi-yu (not defensive?), weavile, meowscarada, urshingle, zarude (no tera so prolly ahh), greninja (prolly not), kingambit (looks hella nice), alolan muk, boring goon, krook
Viable fairy types left : koko, fini, ival, lele, klefki, clefable, enam, fez, florges, sylveon
Viable flying : arc flying, landi, lugia, zapdos, corv, mandi, torn
Viable ground : landi, chomp, ursa, treads, glis, tusk, urs bm,
Viable steel : genesect (ugh, bad defense), melmetal, corviknight, treads, ferrothorn
Viable breakers : kyu-b, deo-a, genesect, chien pao, lele, chi yu, melmetal, ursa, ursbm

i'm not sure what types to prioritize quite honestly

[rancid kestrel]

okay so. you need a dark type that does not fold to a psychic type's coverage. all of the ones you've listed have functionally 0 defenses, aside amuk.
some of these fairy types listed are good, but like, koko and klefki do WILDLY different things in ndubers so cant really be compared.
dont forget levitate mons in your flying type list. rotom w shouldnt be slept on.

[kindred igloo]

surely not gambit too!

[rancid kestrel]

what is any mon you listed doing against a psychic type that has focus blast

they all fold

[kindred igloo]

chople sucker hehe

just kidding

lemme check

[rancid kestrel]

you dont have to be neutral to focus blast but you do have to be aware that like, coverage exists

like, stuff like pao is fine, tho chiyu needs sun to work. but what good is a dark type if the mmy clicks thunderbolt or ice beam and you get 2hkod, yknow?

[kindred igloo]

also i think i listed all the darks on the board

above 10 points

the fact only amuk works is just sad

[rancid kestrel]

mandibuzz exists in theory

but yeah even just having an offensive dark type is like

necessary

obv defensive dark types are not super widespread and higher point ones like arc-dark, ting lu, etc are quickly taken up. but you do need a dark type and it should be able to do damage

but like you said - your team as it stands kinda gets done over by powerful psychics, etern and mmx do not wanna take those hits, pogre and whatever arc you get arent likely to help. amuk's first sentence in the guide reads "Alolan Muk is a very good special defensive option if your team struggles into powerful special-based Psychics and Ghost-Types" which like, idk to me i see it yknow.

[kindred igloo]

alright, thank you so much

[weary ibex]

So issue, because this gen is straight buns, whims does not learn weather ball or leaf storm. So I had to just make do. But I am really not sure on the last pokemon

[cerulean aspen]

gotta keep up weather control ya

maybe Clefairy HH w/ Whims

[weary ibex]

Maybe

Do I give whims prankster for sunny day then?

[weary ibex]

So maybe this?

[cerulean aspen]

do they have anything faster than whims naturally

[weary ibex]

Ninetails, raichu

[cerulean aspen]

whims is 116

ninetales rai are below 116

just run chloro

[spare relic]

Does whimscoot not have growth in usum?

[weary ibex]

Okay

[weary ibex]

Yeah

[spare relic]

Why don’t you run growth for better wall breaking capabilities

[cerulean aspen]

^ this also works
@weary ibex I'd go moonblast grass knot hp fire growth
then you really just concentrate on keeping sun up

[weary ibex]

I guess I do that with switches? like torkoal and charizard rotations?

[cerulean aspen]

yes

[weary ibex]

So are we thinking this maybe?

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[cerulean aspen]

looks aight, though I'd go charcoal on Torkoal & offensive item on Whims (expert belt or smth maybe)
then run mocks

idt you need knock on clef

[weary ibex]

mocks?

[dull jackal]

https://spo.ink/natdex_ubers_ii_draft_pools_1_16
what Pokemon should I buy in my mind I want some tanky pokemon but I don’t know what is the best my pool is 3 name Pannawit12235

[kindred igloo]

how the fuck were you able to get arc fairy

ur last pick

[kindred igloo]

lugia could be cool its tanky

[dull jackal]

But if I want to save coin?

[kindred igloo]

idk

im not a pro at ts

[rancid kestrel]

Yeah, you don't have a ton of defensive options right now. I'd take a look at these documents

https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/ubers-draft.3734822/ and https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/draft-league-tiering.3733707/#post-10694307
And read up a bit on the meta and what options might be available for you. You aren't going to find a ton of good advice here, NDUbers is pretty far removed from standard Gen9Draft, but those documents are chock-full of good information.

[jade solar]

week 7 of this paldex league, 3-3 +2 now need a win to get back into POs contention and have a pretty tricky matchup on my part. dealing with weather drafts isn't my forte and need help on this matchup as i direly need to win.

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[spiral thunder]

Who should i Tera, also rate the lineup

[spare relic]

What format is this?

[rancid kestrel]

• Bit smaller, sorry, it's been a long day and I'm not feeling well. Weather teams can be tough, though I'm not actually sure this really is one, since it's kinda just TTar and Exca (I assume Sand Veil is banned). Though like, it does work well into most of your team. It kinda runs out of moves - XScis for Rilla, EQ for Bolt and Tran, IHead for STail, Rock Slide for GMolt, boosting, removal (their only other is hitmon!), Tera Blast for Sand etc.
• Sneasler after Unburden can outspeed both Booster Speed Bundle and non-boosted Sand Exca. Depending on the tera, it can easily KO both with CC. Otherwise, I dislike your opponent's speeds - discounting those two mons, it's 110-102-95-90? But the 95 and 90 don't want to be running full speed. Mowtom and TTar can scarf, I guess, but it's probably Gengar (or Chomp). Not that Gengar really wants to run Scarf here between GMolt, Tran, Terap, Bolt, and Chomp into STail Rilla Tran etc...
• They can get rocks up decently. Though TSpikes and Spikes are much harder for them to do, and they shouldn't be doing the former into you anyway. Garchomp the hazard bot, I guess? Probably not into your Bolt and STail. Do you maybe tech Iron Head for the STail if you're the opponent? Otherwise you kinda go through Encore hell.

• They prob bring Exca TTar Bundle as their core. Chomp can come as a Scarfer I think, I kinda don't like Gengar into you and Outrage can become a free click on removal of STail and enough damage on Tran. I probably bring SpD Uxie for hazard/utility... and then... Granbull as a defensive 'mon? I like Intimidate into you.
• For you, I bring Unburden Sneasler, Rilla, Terap (outside of Sand it can be a useful stopgap to their Bundle/Chomp/whatever), Sandaconda for Exca (beware Tera), STail seems real useful here to me. Final 'mon is either GMolt or Bolt depending on what you think works better as a wincondition. My gut instinct is like, Agility GMolt with a Charti Berry (or Yache if you're more scared of Bundle than Sand Exca/Scarf Chomp).

I dunno. Not feeling 100% so a bit shorter and prob less thought through.

[rancid kestrel]

What are the format rules here? It looks Paldex, so I'm assuming that. What are the tera rules? Espathra is a Tera hog but isn't good even with it, Hamu and Wake both can appreciate Tera, Garchomp should not be allowed to Tera it is very good without it and is even more bonkers with it.

I'm sorry, I'm going to be a bit brutally honest here, because this team seems more like you grabbed your favorite 'mons or things you saw go well in a youtube video once without much consideration to what they can do and how they work together. This is not a good team.

• I dislike your speed tiers a lot, sorry. How do you have nothing faster than 111 in SV? Why is your only speed control Booster Wake, scarf Hamu/Chomp, and Speed Boost Espathra? Worrying.
• You have no resists really. Bug, Dark, Dragon, Fairy, Fighting, Ground, and Poison all are easily spammable into you, and the bolded ones are types which are real easy to spam depending on your opponent.
• Your defensive backbone is like, Jirachi Wake Bellibolt, and only Bellibolt has healing. Dudun and Amphy can help defensively, but they should never really be coming to a game.
• You have a single way to remove hazards, and it's Maushold Tidy Up. That's wildly alarming, because you also somehow have very few ways to reliably put hazards up - CEdge on Hamu, yes, but if Garchomp's going to be your Tera Captain (it's your best option if rules permit) then you really don't want it carrying hazards. So that leaves what, Jirachi and Dudun?

I think, in the end, draft is about fun, and if these are your favorite 'mons or things you want to play with, by all means! I hope you enjoy it, the team looks fun conceptually and these problems are not insurmountable in the builder and at match time. There's good in this Draft - Hamu, Wake, Chomp, are all good Pokemon. But there are also problems for sure, which makes it really hard to rate this lineup highly at all.

[spiral thunder]

i tried to just go for a fun team, not really "great" but yeah lol
its only my 2nd draft

thank you

it is paldex

[kindred igloo]

Hi!

got sniped a lot and now i have this

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[kindred igloo]

idk if lando i counts as removal

thinking of going scizor/cinderace next wdyt

[rancid kestrel]

Yeah, snipes are likely in a 10-person pool, my pool has had two snipes a round every round it feels like. As for your options: Both are doable, but I would also try to keep in mind that by picking either up, you're running headfirst into a situation where ground spam is really good into you, LandoI can't really take coverage hits - like, take a second and try to gameplan against an Arceus-Ground who has Ice Beam. It runs over you. I do think that avoiding a total lack of hazard removal is good, Pao Etern like carrying non-Boots items and MMX POgre ArcE are all item-locked (I believe MMX has to carry the stone...?) so they're at risk of stuff like TSpikes (less of a concern w/ Etern) but just like, I dunno, ground spam looks good into you.

Fairy spam too, sorta, but Scizor/Cinder are gonna help with that somewhat.

[kindred igloo]

what do you think i should get

to prevent that

[rancid kestrel]

I don't know. A quick glance at your board and I see stuff like Lugia, Celesteela, Skarmory, Bronzong, Moltres, and Rotom-Heat all still available, but I don't know NDUbers enough to know how well they'd work on your team.

[kindred igloo]

oh, gotcha

moltres doesnt sound too bad

i could go molt and forgo cinderace but probably not

[rancid kestrel]

could do, yeah. molt's more reliant on boots than ace is, but it's not the end of the world and in non-8mon its not the worst thing to do those kinda things

[solemn warren]

Are you obliged to Mega your Mewtwo

[kindred igloo]

indeed

[kindred igloo]

for sure and would save a lot of budget too for god knows what

wdyt

[rancid kestrel]

I wouldn't try to plan that far out so specifically, but without deep research that seems like a decent selection of 'mons.

[kindred igloo]

hmm alright

in what order dyt i should approach it

never mind im going to forgo tha

[solemn warren]

What Mons and points do you have access to

Sword cat was a killer pick though

[kindred igloo]

thank you!

chien pao is really cool

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eFci7x-T5SYNmRc254vP6hjkUaqgPMXS6oM3FzqQ-kk/edit?gid=369482896#gid=369482896

im group 1

[solemn warren]

Document refuses to open

Fuck

[jade solar]

https://pokepast.es/d5f31887ca5d53f7 made a team for the matchup finally, went for a more offensive style again this week

with screens to take hits better and and also help position my mons into winning scenarios

thoughts?

[rancid kestrel]

Baton Pass on STail feels weird to me, what's that for? Protective Pads and Low Kick on Rilla? I assume the former is for Moltres, but the latter I'm not sure I understand. No hazards or hazard removal seems like a risk to me that I'm not sure I'd happily take.
Other thoughts are small nitpicky stuff or just 'I wouldn't have gone that direction' things that aren't helpful.

[jade solar]

to pivot out after screens
i'm not sure what else to pack on rilla but low kick is mainly for exca and just one shotting ttar

[rancid kestrel]

Gotcha. Does Glide not do functionally the same thing w.r.t. Low Kick?
For STail, I do worry that a fast BP comes with the danger of taking damage, but I guess so does hard switching.

[jade solar]

yeah hard switching is risky and just bping out means i get in my attackers more safely

and abt glide true yeah

what can i slot over low kick?

[rancid kestrel]

Hard to go wrong with Wood Hammer usually IMO but I know that it's not exactly the most motivating option given recoil. High Horsepower could be a neat tech, as cool Fake Out, Facade, Endeavor, or other more wacky stuff. Low Kick's not bad but it'd suck to go for it and then get XScissor'd before you can move, yknow?

[lofty wigeon]

my match up this week

[lofty wigeon]

https://pokepast.es/b3815519bea58814

[kindred igloo]

awww :(

[spare relic]

No Ho-oh sucks but I still think this team can work. I’m thinking of adding a ghost type that can check Mega lucario/blaziken

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[spare relic]

Natdex Ubers btw

Speed tiers aren’t that bad between Pheromosa,flutter mane,Shaymin sky so far

https://spo.ink/natdex_ubers_ii_draft_pools_1_16

draft pool 14

[rancid kestrel]

Not seeing a ton of mons that can take a hit. Dialga and Groudon sure, but it's not great otherwise. Also not seeing a ton of hazard play in your roster. (Orbit I'll get to you when I can)

[rancid kestrel]

• Their speed's not great. Tusk can speed boost, Regi can Scarf, but other than that there's not a lot there. 125-101 is pretty rough all things consisdered for them. Like, Whimsi still needs +Speed to outpace ThundT, but like, there's plenty of free EVs for you to redistribute into bulk in multiple places. Like, Mew's never outspeeding ThundT (though I'd make sure you don't underpace neutral Speed ThundT) but it also isn't scared of getting outsped by Tusk, yknow?
• Their hazards are tied to Tusk pretty badly. Qwilfish can (t)spikes, but it's hard to bring TSpikes into Glowking and Spikes are probably hard to keep down against you without a ghost type or a way to stop Talonflame from Defogging. Stonjourner exists, I guess, but are you really bringing it into Darkrai Whimsi Serp Mew Wash? They shouldn't at least.
• With only eight 'mons, it might be easier to figure out what isn't coming. Stonjourner shouldn't, so that's one of two. My gut instinct is that Arboliva could come, it seems useful into a number of your 'mons, especially the Excadrill (via Seed Sower depowering EQ and XScissor not really being a logical bring into them) and Serperior. That'd leave what, Regidrago and Qwilfish on the chopping block? Could see both coming for sure, could also see both dropped. My inclination personally would be to drop Regidrago, because Whimsicott feels like a hard counter into it without Tera, and I'm not convinced it wants to take Tera from Thundy.
• So, Weavile ThundT Tusk Qwil Hoodra and Arboliva. The latter three are probably a defensive core of some kind, though Tusk does need to be the spinner by necessity. I could see Specs Hoodra though, get the click right and you can destroy basically anything on your team between DMeteor, Flash Cannon, and Thunderbolt - the things that take those hits, RWash Exca Glowking, only really Exca challenges back. But they do have to get the clicks correct.

• Weavile I'd make boots or lum here, SD on the Serp/Glowking and then 3A to sweep through an end team. ThundT probably also wants boots, I could see like an Agility set working? It prob can't be both SD Weav and Agil ThundT. And we're running out of scarfers, too. Scarf Weavile seems bonkers to me. Is it scarf ThundT? Surely not...
• For you, I'd bring TTar Exca, Exca does real good into basically their entire team. Try to fit in XScissor if you can somehow, it + EQ + like, Rock Slide destroys everything not named Great Tusk, and you have plenty that scares Tusk. I'd bring a scarf Darkrai, Trick seems particularly potent into their defensive core, and it'll be nice to get the jump on whatever their speed control is (Booster Tusk?). TTar can probably be kitted out to help against ThundT depending on their tera of choice?
• Prankster Whimsi can do a lot here to mess with their slower 'mons, and Moonblast does feel like a pretty free click - it's not like Qwilfish's going to be thrilled to switch in. I'd bring Mew just to bring Mew, frankly, Tera Captain plus it can do so incredibly much. I'd also bring Talonflame personally, it looks like hell for Tusk/Weavile to try to take care of. But RWash and Glowking are also viable options here too.

not my best work probably but better than no work at all

[lofty wigeon]

You're good I already played the game and got into a Serp set up spot only for me in horror to realize that it was in fact not contrary

[rancid kestrel]

Oh no…

[lofty wigeon]

After that he got a nice read on my ttar with f blast and it was over

I also somehow forgot to put palafin into their team. R wash handled it fine tho

[spare relic]

I might get a deoxys does that sound good

[rancid kestrel]

It’s not what I’d be considering but it’s not a throw

Doesn’t get you removal or a defensive backbone but you can probably figure those out in future picks

[spare relic]

Yea this is why missing out on Ho-oh sucks cuz ho-oh solves all these problems

I can try and make moltres a budget ho-oh but knock off not looking good

Thoughts on Annihilape?

Maybe a mega latios can go a long way

[rancid kestrel]

Mega Latios sucks

Dont get it

[spare relic]

Really? It seems like a cheap check to Mblaziken

[rancid kestrel]

https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/draft-league-tiering.3733707/#post-10694307 ctrl+f "Mega Latios rant"

[spare relic]

Hmm ic, so between the lati twins latias is probably more efficient

Since it has better bulk and stuff

I’m thinking Annihilape or Moltres is the play for me

[rancid kestrel]

both of those make some sense to me! moltres provides removal too which is nice

[spare relic]

Yea moltres is like the budget Ho-oh

I can also go mandibuzz too it’s not a bad option either

[rancid kestrel]

I doubt there's a "wrong" pick TBH but I'm not super knowledgeable on NDUbers.

[spare relic]

Ic

I will focus on the defensive pieces for now, then go for cheap abuser in my very later picks cuz the defensive options are being picked up fast

[frigid crater]

hey could somone hop in a call with me
and help me with my pokemon draft
i already know who i want and i already have 4 mons
need help drafting pokemon.
for each of my carry mons will basically have 2 full teams
would apreciate if somone could hop in call and help
will need help buidling them aswell pretty new

i have draft sheet

would go over in call while streaming

[rancid kestrel]

hi, that's not something you're going to find here, asking to go out of server into an unmoderated voice/video space is not going to work, @frigid crater

[frigid crater]

i can video in the server

no?

like screenshare

theirs calls in the server nah?

[rancid kestrel]

Those are limited to trusted server members

You are welcome to share what information you have here in the chat and raters may respond when they have time

[untold crag]

https://pokepast.es/6cf72b759e56ae9b

I have prepped this

[knotty grotto]

https://pokepast.es/d64408ecac1adb34

just lmk if it looks all good

my main thing is choice scarf flamigo

nukes them after little progress

[weary ibex]

@cerulean aspen I got boned by the fact that its not gen 8, turns out speed is calcs at the start of the turn, not during it. So Turn 1 sun doesnt work. big rip

[rancid kestrel]

Is this SV or NatDex? I see it listed as SV, but you both have Mega Aerodactyl...?

[rancid kestrel]

Which of the Paldean Tauroses is that?

[rancid kestrel]

Did this since the Paldean Tauros doesn't matter a ton in reviewing the paste. I admittedly am confused by a number of decisions made, but like, it's not like you're loading alarm bell catastrophes, really.

• Speed is kinda rough here. 125-111-105-98-90 is not bad by any means, but they're mostly on Pokemon that are going to struggle to be major game changers (non-tera Torn and Crown, Flamigo) compared to Weavile, Hawlucha. I guess it's not a huge imbalance but like, something to be said about the 118 vs 111, 108 vs 105, 100 vs 98, 95 vs 90, that kinda stuff. Like, half of your team or more is real slow. And you don't even really have TR.
• A glance at weaknesses makes me wonder if Psychic and Flying could be reasonably spammable types. A look at your paste makes it seem like you're aiming for Torn spam at least, though a lack of Iron Crown and Darkrai is hard to understand. I guess that's the nature of non-8mon, you're leaving many mons behind. But like, why's it Lightning Rod Rhyperior and not Solid Rock? Surely you're more worried about Low Kick from Weavile than you are raising your Special Attack from a Galvantula Thunder?

• What's this Dudun set...? No setup, no attempt to take advantage of Serene Grace, I'm not sure what the goal here is. I guess I just don't understand what Dudun is bringing to this lineup here, seeing that Rhyp and Glowbro are already doing defense wall stuff. Like, Rattled - what's the value of +1 Speed on taking... Weavile or Muk Night Slash?
• What is Haze for on Wartortle? +2 Hawlucha clicks CC, you take minimum 84 and click Haze, it clicks CC again and you go down. Weavile, same story, they click Knock Off as you Haze, you take minimum 74 and then the following Knock does 37 min, safely KOing you - and this isn't even Adamant.
• What's the Torn set? You get a NP and then get to click just Bleakwind? I see the value of Taunt and UTurn, but on a set with NP? I'm not convinced of that. Why is it 252+, what does it need the EVs for? It needs 232+ to outspeed 252+ Galvantula and non-Unburden 252 Hawlucha, it's never outspeeding 252+ Hawlucha, so what's the extra 20 EVs in speed for?
• Why is Flamigo Naive? What does it need 4 SpA for? All of its moves are Physical, what's the value in losing Special Defense?

[knotty grotto]

lol

I changed it dw

thats about

the same thing I changed

heres the new uh prep

well uh let me fix one last ev

https://pokepast.es/3da5428b6140559e

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[knotty grotto]

forgot naive

supposed to be adamant

I changed it

[rancid kestrel]

Upper Hand Choice Scarf seems like a questionable decision to me.

My comments on the Torn EVs remain. Otherwise, the sets seem more understandable to me, though I'm just sorta assuming that you have an idea of what the best 'mons are to bring, since you had I paste I didn't game out that stuff.

[knotty grotto]

its for the rare situation they know im choice and weavile clicks ice shard

[cerulean aspen]

unfort
gen 7 moment

happens

[rancid kestrel]

I guess it's not likely you're ever clicking it, anyway. Feels like to me I'd rather have something like Liquidation, Throat Chop, I dunno. But I guess it's not impossible of a situation.

[frigid crater]

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12LPAQ0BzEYuBTNgLeqkD6TniIG9GB9gtDa2sNc-3uzg/edit?gid=217668042#gid=217668042

im the hershey umbreons

can see my draft so far

need help with rest

i like my team so far

but need help with rest of draft

i wanna do two teams

[rancid kestrel]

where do i see the drafts?

[frigid crater]

one with blaziken

one wiht mega blaziken one with mega gengar

if u click on it

and see

free agents are pokemon

im in kanto only

im kanto

and unova

cant do paldea till round 14

or smthn

theirs 15 picks total

but if you look at draft order

you can see my team

[rancid kestrel]

Okay, let me get accustomed to your league's rules, because this all looks bonkers to me.

[frigid crater]

so far

only allowed three specialty mons btw

i have my 3 already

mew mega gengar mega blaziken

my main 5 i wanted to get

was mega blaziken mega gengar umbreon mew and crauwdaunt

i got all 5

thusfar

my teras are dark and fairy btw

like i can tera anymon with those 2 teras

[rancid kestrel]

Gotcha, odd system, sure.

[frigid crater]

i could swap off of one like buy another tera

but

not worth

i like my teras

i was given

you have to spend your coins they give you

to swap

and its like

dark fairy is fine for my team

cant tera the megas

i can tera dark mew and crawdaunt

wich i think is solid

i wanna focus on a main tera fairy mon now too

if could help with options

mew crawdaunt are my dark ones rn

i still have like 10 more mons to choose from lol

but next one i wanna lock in a fairy lol

like for tera hard hitting

[rancid kestrel]

Okay. I'm looking at your league rules and I'm going to be totally honest, they're wildly bonkers and I'm not sure anyone is going to be of much help since y'all have a buncha super weird rules that make this way different from standard Draft.

I'm going to try, but y'all play a strange game.

[frigid crater]

i mean its 15 picks

and fixed draft

winners fo last seaosn get later picks

but i choose again soon

on 6

and cant decide on a good fariy mon for my team

[rancid kestrel]

Where can I find the available Pokemon?

[frigid crater]

i mean dont look at trules its normaly battle i chose singles as my arena

just wanna complement the mons ive chosen

like a good 2 squad

need 2 solid teams

cus in playoffs have to use two dif teams

im thinking one team with mega gengar cus abilty

and a sweeper team with blaziken

[rancid kestrel]

Your leagues' rules are not normal. Nobody does "and the BST changes for this 'mon if you buy an item" or "all Pokemon must show up to two battles at least" or "we have to use two different teams".

[frigid crater]

two dif teams

only apply

for playofs

lol

normal season

[rancid kestrel]

I am going to try to help but this league is pretty different from standard Draft so you will not find much help here.,

[frigid crater]

only 2 minimum games

i mean i jsut need help choosing mons

not like

battles

lmao

like i need a good offensive tera fairy option from kanto/unova region

you can see avalible pokemon

in free agents tabs

*tan

*tab

oh btw my rookie pokemon i chose was porygon

[rancid kestrel]

Right, but choosing mons is going to be based on regular Draft logic. Nobody here picks mons from specific regions for specific tera types, so nobody here is going to be able to give you great advice.

[frigid crater]

but i have 9 mons left

i mean im just saying options from the kanto unova

gen 1-5

[rancid kestrel]

You aren't understanding me. I am saying I am going to try to help, but it isn't going to be very helpful, because your league is pretty different from standard Draft.

[frigid crater]

but im thinking im picking u

[rancid kestrel]

"I want to draft something from Gens 1 to 5 that specifically I am drafting for Tera Fairy" is not how any regular draft player thinks about Pokemon, so it's going to be a bit hard to help.

[frigid crater]

up

chandelure

if open

next

for fairy tera

[rancid kestrel]

Chandelure is a good Pokemon, sure.

[frigid crater]

she can learn moonblast right

or am i tripping

thought they learnt a fairy move

but i also want a good hazards mon on round 7

cant decide on that either

lol

[rancid kestrel]

Chandelure does not learn Moonblast, no.

[frigid crater]

ahj kk

i mean still good special attackerw

on one of my squads

[rancid kestrel]

And you can use Tera Blast as a Tera Fairy type, anyway.

[frigid crater]

i was thinking maybe

mawhile

aswell though

for physical fairy

[rancid kestrel]

Nidoking and Nidoqueen can often do hazards well. So can Aerodactyl and Gligar and Steelix.

Mawile is not very good, it's not going to be dealing a ton of damage.

[frigid crater]

but yeah

terablast chendelure

with choise specs

doesnt sound awful lol

for like a possible free kill

ect

i think would be best on blaziken team

like im def donig one blaziken mega based team

[rancid kestrel]

Well, you'll be building teams for specific opponents, so whatever item it would be would depend on what you expect to face.

[frigid crater]

and a mega gengar based team

yeh

mega gengar il might do some cringe stuff

like maybe a dugtrio late game

and do like

lmao

shadow tag plus arena trap

and they gotta play around not getting stuck in bad matchup lol

mega blaziken im just gonna do a hit hard team

like

as much dmg

as fast as possible

fk it we ball

lmao

[rancid kestrel]

Please do not send one million messages for every thought. I beg of you.

Put your thoughts together and send one coherent message.

[untold crag]

its natdex

[deep orchid]

Hi I need help with drafting ty

[misty plume]

New [Gen 9] Draft RMT @olive halo, @formal haven, @ripe pine, @rancid kestrel, @final marten, @spice peak, @tidal frigate, @random geyser, @lean horizon. I won't notify you again for at least 6 hours.

[rancid kestrel]

@deep orchid - I can respond in more depth later but we need more information, such as game rules, format (ND seemingly?), available Pokemon, etc.

I'm not a big fan of this team, you have a ton of common weaknesses, no real speed balance, zero removal and zero usable hazard setting. If I had to guess, Pokemon are selected not for competitive viability or coordination, but are rather attempting some sort of theme team or similar "I pick my favorites" - this is fine if true, but in an RMT section you aren't going to get a lot of good advice limiting yourself competitively in this manner.

[deep orchid]

Hello
It's natdex and we got to pick 2 random rares and 4 commons
We can't change forms
Other than that anything is allowed but those 6 mons with everything preset once submitted

[rancid kestrel]

I'm not sure I understand. Do you have a sheet link for your rules doc?

[deep orchid]

Ah no but I can copy paste and send 😅

[rancid kestrel]

I haven't overlooked this, by the way, I will get to this when I have time

[untold crag]

Kk thanks

Just look at my paste i sent

[rancid kestrel]

If you can send a pastebin or something that'd be fine. Please don't paste an entire doc into the chat here. If you don't have a sheet link, though, I'm not sure how I can help you with picking Pokemon

Ah. You've pasted everything into this chat.

[deep orchid]

ah sorry

I will send it somewhere and send a link

[rancid kestrel]

That's fine, you've already done it.

[deep orchid]

https://pastebin.com/qvBmWTB7

i hope this is what u were referring to

[rancid kestrel]

So to be clear, you don't have a drafting board or anything?

You just rand six Pokemon and then... what comes next?

[deep orchid]

we will battle against each other with those 6 mons

[rancid kestrel]

...I see. So this isn't really Draft at all, but it's not too dissimilar either.

[deep orchid]

yeah its kind of no rules thing except the form restriction

and 6 preset mons with preset moves and abilities

[rancid kestrel]

Kinda not a thing for you, because you don't have forme mons anyway.

Sorry, preset moves and abilities?

As in, you can't change things to prepare for new opponents?

[deep orchid]

Yeah

[rancid kestrel]

...

Ok.

So it's just not Draft at all, alright.

[deep orchid]

Yeah

I am new to this so I kind of keep on losing to status moves like people stacking them I want to learn how to tackle that and use those for myself

[lofty wigeon]

Is there the battle royale pick a mon from the other team thing ?

[deep orchid]

ah nope ig

[rancid kestrel]

Okay. Well, there's not really anything I can do to help you given that

• You aren't drafting Pokemon, so I can't give any drafting advice.
• You aren't prepping per team, so I can't give team review advice and suggest sets.

I would build sets that are reasonable and effective. The Smogon StrategyDex can give you sets that are effective in most situations. Make tweaks as you see fit, but like, without doing individual team prep (and I don't even know what your opponents have even rolled) it's kinda not possible to give you advice on things. Like, is Tera and ZMoves and Dynamax and Megas allowed?

[deep orchid]

Yeah those are allowed

I am not getting tera option while battling though

[rancid kestrel]

Yeah, Tera is banned in the NatDex format, so it'll lock you out of it.

[deep orchid]

Ah okay

[rancid kestrel]

Okay. For a team that is going to be stuck running the same thing forever, this isn't terrible. I would make Enam Scarf and give it Tera Blast over... Mystical Fire, probably. I would not have Body Press on Runerigus, Toxic Spikes are probably more long-term useful. Other than that, this is probably a reasonable enough selection of moves items and what have you for a format like this, I'd guess.

I have to head out, and when I get back I'll respond to Movo's thing, but yeah the paste looks about as good as you can probably get in a format like this.

I don't mean to denigrate the rules or league or whatever, but it's an inherently uncompetitive unserious format, so it's hard to say anything more.

[deep orchid]

Okay thanks

[rancid kestrel]

It's not really possible to structure a competitive draft-styled league that removes the two competitive things draft adds - drafting and team prep, unfortunately.

[deep orchid]

Yeah I guess they are new as well or maybe giving us an opportunity to learn how to use this

[untold crag]

@rancid kestrel can you help me with this matchup instead please

Instead of the other

Again its natdex and no tera

[rancid kestrel]

what are the z move rules?

@untold crag

[untold crag]

no omni z moves

Allowed

[rancid kestrel]

but otherwise free reign?

[untold crag]

No captains so free reign

Yeh

[rancid kestrel]

Gotcha.

[untold crag]

main issue i think its his hydreigon

Dont really got a clean switch in for it

[rancid kestrel]

SpD Suicune could possibly? It doesn't need status moves either probably so could use AVest in theory. Gonna write up my thoughts now.

[untold crag]

Kk

Also he has lot of toxic spam options so originally was thinking of doing rest suicune

But ill see what u think

[rancid kestrel]

sure but it's natdex so every team can have toxic spam

[untold crag]

Ah true

[untold crag]

Let me know when you have some ideas thanks

[rancid kestrel]

I'm typing them up in another document so Discord doesn't eat them randomly

[untold crag]

Ahh kk np

[rancid kestrel]

• The amount of duplicate Pokemon here is bonkers. MAero, Thundy, Sala, Hydrei, Skeledirge all duplicate? What a wild situation to be in. I don't even begin to understand how this happens.
• Like you said, Hydrei looks real good here for them, your response is like, SpD Suicune which is okay, but their response is Clefable which is much better. Thund and MAero have a dance of death sorta where they're each scared of the opponent's other and don't have a ton of flexibility bar like, Scarf Thund, Sala and Dirge both have SE onto themselves but have a ton of set variety.
• I like your remaining mons (Victini Suicune Mamo Nec) more than theirs (Milo Breloom Meta Clef). Your mons are still generally effective in modern gens, at least to some extent, but their mons have all mostly been power crept and are less effective than they have used to be.
• Wild that neither of you have anything beyond Rocks and Defog. Not a single Spikes or Rapid Spin to be found in Natdex? Sure. I like their Rocks setters better, Nec Mamo wanna be doing other things mostly but Clef and Meta can spend the slot to SR. MAero can set but shouldn't for them, and Hydrei can't set in this MU specifically. For defoggers, most don't want to - a more utility Salamence can but like, MAero Hydrei Thundy don't want the limitation inherent to Defog.
• I like Scarf Victini or maybe Thundy for you. You can even go Modest and still outspeed MAero, but you need +Speed to outpace Scarf Hydrei on both mons (by 5 infuriating points for Thundy, damn!) - you could even potentially do both with scarf?

• If I'm your opponent, I kinda think I don't bring MAero - risk of Scarf Tini/Thundy makes it kinda not helpful honestly, I'd rather defensively check your shit than fail to outspeed. Hydrei for sure comes, it's for sure Scarf, and if they play well, it can get a kill on anything not named Suicune - 252/522 Suicune takes 43 max from Hydrei DMeteor, so like, you can even run boots! Though in return, Ice Beam only does 40-47%.
• I bring Clefable here as a response to Salamence and Hydrei, and it probably has the space to run Rocks which is nice. But like, things get harder here - what can I bring to check MAero, Thundy, and Victini? There's not really an answer - Sala can check some 2 and 3, Milo can do 1 and some 3, Skeledirge can do 2 and 3, Breloom and Meta can do 2... I probably bring Skeledirge Milotic and Metagross, the latter maybe with Shuca to trade down with Aero. If they wanna spam Rock moves sice you have no resistances, drop one of the defensive 'mons for MAero.
• For you, I bring MAero, Thundy, Victini, Suicune for sure. It's a ton of offense, yes, but I think the first matches real well w/ EdgeQuake+DWB into so much of what they have, the second does a lot either as Prankster utility or as a scarfer, and I really do think Scarf Tini is a major piece for you. Suicune is your answer to Hydreigon, and with Boots it can safely switch in on Uturns a bunch and pivot out against Thundy if necessary.
• I like Mamoswine here, it scares a lot of the opponent's team if positioned correctly. I can also see Hydrei doing a lot, though it's better into you than into your opponent. Necrozma and Skeledirge can serve as defensive options alongside Suicune, and the former can even do Rocks if wanted. I'm not super huge on Salamence here, but it's not a terrible option either. If I had to guess, I probably pick Nec and Dirge personally, since I dislike not having rocks at all, and I quite like a defensive core, and Dirge can be surprisingly bulky into non-SE hits.

[untold crag]

Uh ok lemme digest this 😭

[rancid kestrel]

No rush, no worries

[untold crag]

Ok mamo, suicune, skeli i bring i think

Thunderus too

[rancid kestrel]

Sure. Nec's def hard to bring into Hydrei for sure, though do be aware with that selection you are limiting yourself a bit on what can set up SR.

[untold crag]

Originally I was thinking vic too but would he being milotic?

Bring

[untold crag]

Yeh hm

bc like even if i run bulky necro with like set up what do I do to his hydreigon in return

[rancid kestrel]

Victini I think is, to compare, your equivalent to their Hydreigon.

[untold crag]

Oh

[rancid kestrel]

I think Scarf Victini super runs them over if you predict well and/or their team is pretty weakened

[untold crag]

yh I see what u mean