Feel The Ground Shake (Pokemon - Ground-type specialist)

[Xsyq]

Brad's playing pretty dirty here, but that's really only to be expected of a Ground-type.

 

[Petrox]

I guess they are going to patch the roar if he does that in the conference, maybe limiting the times he can spam that.

 

[azereath]

I guess they are going to patch the roar if he does that in the conference, maybe limiting the times he can spam that.

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I hope not, it always irritates me when a good strategy is banned simply because most people cannot beat it, but if its just for that reason why bother having a tournament at all if you can just complain that a strategy is unfair. I could understand if it put the pokemon in danger but that's not the case. Brad has already pointed out one way to beat it with soundproof. I am sure there are others either via skills or held items

 

[King0fHearts]

I guess they are going to patch the roar if he does that in the conference, maybe limiting the times he can spam that.

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Even if they do they can't rule change mid tournament or match without major backlash

 

[Requiem_Jeer]

Well, he needs to basically sacrifice Vlad, his single best mon that's not Grundy (for now, Simon's stonks are on the rise) to set it up, and as the enemy can pick the mon they send out, if they have some kind of counter, it works immediately, and they can still outspeed the kroododile to get a hit in, theoretically.

And remember, rapid spin. Move pools can be pretty damn deep in this universe. Wattson just wasn't prepared.

 

[Greatazuredragon]

Watson best poke-Santa. XD
Nice work, and happy new year.

 

[Pkbwgsc]

I guess they are going to patch the roar if he does that in the conference, maybe limiting the times he can spam that.

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Without 4 movepool restrictions, there's a lot of ways for hands to be dealt.
That's before the implications that fast enough pokemon can just dodge hazards as was implied with a comment on Manectric or that they can just get blown up with enough AOE.

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I think this battle was probably the best one written so far. The of push-pull of the fight was written great.
Well paced and easy to follow while still feeling the pressure of thinking Brad was under. Though knowing that Defog fact off hand felt a little out of left field in how it broke up flow and questioning how tf he remembers that off hand in the middle of a fight.
I guess prep might explain it

 

[ApiLol123123]

Thanks for the chapter, eager to read the next one!!!!

 

[Unlistedwaffle]

I love Watson so much lmao, I hope we see more of him in the future.

 

[Aetra]

I hope not, it always irritates me when a good strategy is banned simply because most people cannot beat it, but if its just for that reason why bother having a tournament at all if you can just complain that a strategy is unfair. I could understand if it put the pokemon in danger but that's not the case. Brad has already pointed out one way to beat it with soundproof. I am sure there are others either via skills or held items

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Depends on how dominant and niche the strategy becomes. They literally banned dunking in basketball for a while back in the day cos one guy was just too good at it

 

[SeVdex]

Watson is a pretty cool guy here

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Bearded Jolly fat guys are really fun to read anywhere.

 

[Hans Bloodsmith]

I guess they are going to patch the roar if he does that in the conference, maybe limiting the times he can spam that.

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Honestly, if you're a conference-level trainer and don't have more than a few ways to deal with strategies like hazard stacking and phasing, at that point, it's a skill issue on your part.

Hazard removers like Rapid Spin or Defog, abilities to prevent being switched out like Suction Cups or Soundproof, moves such as Ingrain, or even one that makes you immune to hazards such as Magic Guard. Alternatively, you can just try to prevent hazards in the first place by using moves like Taunt or Pokémon with the Magic Bounce ability. There's also items such as Heavy Duty Boots or Air Balloon, tho, I don't exactly know how they work in this world.

 

[Zerak]

Watson is a pretty cool guy here

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Agreed, really embodies that pokémon spirit.

 

[Neruz]

I hope not, it always irritates me when a good strategy is banned simply because most people cannot beat it, but if its just for that reason why bother having a tournament at all if you can just complain that a strategy is unfair. I could understand if it put the pokemon in danger but that's not the case. Brad has already pointed out one way to beat it with soundproof. I am sure there are others either via skills or held items

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The thing you need to remember is that the purpose of sports is to be entertaining to the audience.

One person who reliably steamrolls everything all the time because they have mastered one cool trick that nobody is skilled enough to stop is not entertaining to the audience.

 

[Chrisleech]

He didn't note that Grass Knot was also being used differently here? It's normally a remote attack that strikes from below tripping you and converting gravity into Grass damage. Not a contact move that leaves a lash scar.

I'm guessing that Volt Swotch here was being used by striking himself. Because normally Volt Switch does nothing if it can't damage.

The thing you need to remember is that the purpose of sports is to be entertaining to the audience.

One person who reliably steamrolls everything all the time because they have mastered one cool trick that nobody is skilled enough to stop is not entertaining to the audience.

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On the other hand this is also the pokemon world, wherein the primary purpose of the battles is to prove yourself better than your opponent.