Running a Monotype Team - 2
When you run Pokémon Leagues, sometimes your Gyms will be challenged by specialized teams specifically built to defeat your Gym. These challenges are a little tougher to battle, but with proper use of your team's strengths and good prediction skills, you can come out on top.
This is my friend's second attempt at defeating my Normal-type Gym. My opponent's team is in the bottom left corner, and my team is in the top right corner.
This is my friend's second attempt at defeating my Normal-type Gym. My opponent's team is in the bottom left corner, and my team is in the top right corner.
Kyle (MazinKaiser21) VS Danny (Black Kick)
Turn-by-Turn Analysis
- We send out our leads: my Persian versus his Skarmory. Already this battle looks to be a lot tougher than the first, as Skarmory is one of the premier defensive Pokémon in the game, and combined with its Steel typing it will be able to easily take most of the attacks my Pokémon can throw at it. I predict that my opponent will try to set up some kind of entry hazard, so I have Persian use Taunt, which prevents the opponent from using anything but offensive attacks (attacks that deal direct damage). This works, and Skarmory is unable to do anything for the turn. Current Score: 0 - 0
- I attempt to have Persian do as much damage as possible before fainting, so I have it use Return on Skarmory, which does more damage the higher the user's happiness stat. However, Skarmory's defenses and Steel-typing allow it to take minimal damage from the attack, and he retaliates with a powerful Brave Bird, which does a lot of damage but inflicts recoil damage on the user. Skarmory is also holding Leftovers, so it heals a little bit after the turn, further minimizing the damage I've done to it thus far. Current Score: 0 - 0
- I again try use Return to do as much damage as possible, knowing full well that Persian isn't going to survive past this turn. Skarmory answers with a Brave Bird, and Persian is down. Skarmory's taunt has also ended, and is now free to set up entry hazards. Current Score: 0 - 1
- I send out Kangaskhan early to try and stop Skarmory before it builds up too much momentum, and choose to Mega-Evolve it immediately. Kangaskhan uses Power-Up Punch, which hits twice because of Mega-Kangaskhan's ability and doubles its Attack stat, but Skarmory's defenses are too high, and the attack does minimal damage again. Skarmory sets up Stealth Rock, which means that every time I switch Pokémon in, they'll take damage based on their types: if the Pokémon I use were weak to Rock-type attacks, for example, they would lose 25% of their HP upon switching in. Current Score: 0 - 1
- I have Kangaskhan use Power-Up Punch again, which does a little more damage this time thanks to the Attack boost from the previous turn, but it still isn't enough to defeat Skarmory. Skarmory uses Whirlwind, which forces me to switch Pokémon, dragging out my Lopunny, who takes damage from the Stealth Rocks in the field. Kangaskhan also loses all stat boosts it got because it got switched out. Current Score: 0 - 1
- I have Lopunny use Encore to trap Skarmory into using the same attack in an attempt to make it easier to counter it in a future turn. Skarmory again uses Whirlwind, switching Lopunny out and bringing Kangaskhan back in. Current Score: 0 - 1
- I have Mega-Kangaskhan use Power-Up Punch again, but Skarmory still refuses to faint, and Whirlwind once again forces Kangaskhan out, this time dragging Chansey out. Current Score: 0 - 1
- I have Chansey use Seismic Toss on Skarmory, who finally faints. Current Score: 1 - 1
- My opponent sends out Breloom, a powerful Fighting-type Pokémon. I have Chansey use Protect to scout out what Breloom will try to do. My opponent uses Low Sweep, a Fighting-type attack that lowers the Speed of the opponent. This allows me to get an idea of what my opponent will try to do next turn. Current Score: 1 - 1
- I send out Fearow next, who will take less damage from Low Sweep because of his Flying-type. However, Stealth Rocks takes away 25% of Fearow's HP, and Breloom is still powerful enough to nearly defeat Fearow in one Low Sweep. Current Score: 1 - 1
- Because Breloom is Grass/Fighting, it will take quadruple damage from Fearow if it uses a Flying-type attack. My opponent predicts this and switches Breloom out for his Krookodile. However, I predict this switch, and have Fearow use U-Turn, which does double damage to Krookodile because of his Dark-type. This allows me to do significant damage to Krookodile, but Fearow's Life Orb, which drains HP from the holder after every attack in exchange for a higher power behind attacks, causes Fearow to faint. Current Score: 1 - 2
- I switch in Bouffalant next. Krookodile uses Brick Break, but Bouffalant's defenses allow it to survive. Its Choice Band boosted Megahorn does massive damage to Krookodile, evening up the score. Current Score: 2 - 2
- My opponent's next Pokémon is Starmie, which opens the turn with a Surf attack, which does not defeat Bouffalant. Bouffalant again uses a Choice Band boosted Megahorn, landing a OHKO on Starmie. Current Score: 3 - 2
- Next up is Gengar, who Mega-Evolves immediately. Gengar uses Thunderbolt and defeats Bouffalant easily. Current Score: 3 - 3
- I send out Mega-Kangaskhan again. I predict that Gengar will use an offensive attack and have Kangaskhan use Sucker Punch to move first. Mega Kangaskhan's Ability allows it to defeat Mega-Gengar easily. Current Score: 4 - 2
- My opponent sends his Breloom back out. Kangaskhan uses Return and defeats Breloom easily. However, Breloom's Ability causes Kangaskhan to have a Paralysis status. Current Score: 5 - 2
- My opponent sends out his last Pokémon, a level 1 Rattata. Clearly this is running the standard FEAR moveset, but Mega-Kangaskhan's Ability allows it to counter the FEAR strategy. After a Power-Up Punch, Rattata faints, and the victory goes to me. Final Score: 6 - 2