Official Pokémon VGC Discussion Thread: Check OP For News And Updates

[Madden610]

Anyone here going to participate in the 2012 International Challenge Tournament? Since the rules are the same, it'd be good practice for VGCs.

Already guaranteed a spot. My cousin is always up at like midnight so he's just gonna sign me up real simple and bam. Easy practice for VGCs. But no one real gives a hoot because of all the idiot dc'ers.

[MSK]

Well another VGC and another disaster for me
After leaving on Friday night I arrived in Birmingham at 1:30am and after sitting in the Airport with 2 guys (James and Matt from Preston) who I met there we made our way to the NEC at 4am!!! No sleep and lots of queuing all seem such a waste of time as by 8:45am I'd already been knocked out.
Got paired with a guy who made the final 16 last year, and despite me having spent all year learning to RNG and breeding a flawless team I got owned without even knocking one of his Pokes out. So Gutted!!!

The only consolation was that my team did own everyone I played in the Knockout Tournament that runs on the other side of the hall.

I downloaded 5 Shiny Larvitars and tried RNG'ing one while I was there, got 31/31/31/31/*/* so not bad.

[Wzmrvo]

After travelling all the way from Essex, staying over night in a campervan, getting up at 4am, was near the queue, nature calling before we were called in, coming out to find the line was moving, cutting the middle of the line "GAAASP!"....

I passed 1st round with my Whim last standing with 3HP and poisoned, but I was knocked out in the 2nd round God damn Sporing Smeargle (being faster than my Whim!) destroying most of my team. I would have took out Garchomp if I was awake enough to use Ice Beam instead of Dragon Pulse, but since it used Outrage and didn't automatically use a berry, I assumed it had another berry to weaken Ice attacks.

Either way, at least I didn't get knocked out in the 1st round. I presume that's everyone's first objective :P But downloaded two Larvitars (Black and White I had on me) so not a complete loss for everyone. I didn't stay for the Master's Final. Trying to find a Youtube vid of it. Anyway, HERE'S TO NEXT YEAR!

[Disgruntled Goat]

Here is the final VGC battle! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGNjnQVddFY

I was there, my sandstorm team got through to the second round. I only finished it the night before so it was untested.

MSK, how did you IV-check your Pokemon at the VGCs?

[AquaRegisteel]

Congrats to Ben and of course, Ruben. I never thought his Gary Oak themed team was going to make it real far, but damn it did.

There's always a ton of smogonites there, aren't there?

And MSK, how did you RNG it right there?

[MSK]

Hi guys

Well I'd already found my seed on Reporter before I went, so I'd jotted down everything I needed to hit it etc. Just wasn't expecting it to be a locked Adamant nature as Serebii had said it was random nature
So I hit my seed and it came out Adamant with the right numbers on the stats but when I took it to the guy in Gear Station he told me it only had 31's in the first 4 stats. Turns out I'd missed my PID by 2 frames but I saved by then so just have to hit it again with the other one I picked up. (In case you're wondering I got it on my spare White Cart so I reset after trading it off to download a 2nd)

[Sumanuil]

Edit: My mistake. Wrong thread. Sorry.

[Madden610]

Wasn't Reuben the guy that got disqualified unfairly later that day for an incident at the hotel that his friends caused?

[TrollFreak]

US Regionals in 4 days, everyone prepared?

[Shreyas]

Sure hope so. It was awkward having a huge lastname at nationals last year, and it definitely will be as awkward this time~ atleast it'll be easier to find my name...

Anyway, good luck to everyone participating, and may the odds ever be in your favor!

[Lobita]

I just got home from Athens, the tournament was awesome!
I MUCH prefer the Swiss format (everyone guaranteed a certain number of fights, even if they lose). Did pretty lousy my first turn, but every other battle was great. Ran out of time on one, and the others were in danger of the same, haha. My final rating was 96 of about 170 people, and I won four matches and lost four matches.
Every time I compete, I get a little better!

I was a little shocked though- on WiFi, it is rare to find a team without Whimsicott. I didn't even see a single Whimsicott today, nor did my friends. I was expecting to see the same heavy hitters from last year's tournament make a return this year- Conkledurr, Chandelure, etc- didn't see them either. Didn't have anyone try Stealth Rock, Spikes, or Toxic Spikes, surprisingly (and thankfully).

Lotta Smogon kids, I only had to face one of them (least I think he was a Smogon kid... he had a custom made Pokemon team shirt, but he didn't have any teammates with matching shirts around, unlike the other packs of Smogoners. There were a few super unprepared people (just started playing the game, team isn't done, came here on a whim the night before, etc) but I didn't fight any of them. No, the majority seemed to be pretty on the ball with EV training and movesets, saw some really interesting stuff.

The venue itself was ridiculous... we were really spoiled last year with a huge arena area for the event, with TV screens to watch the epic final battles, a side station for people to play King of the Hill, mascot costumes, huge inflatable Reshiram and Zekrom, a backdrop to take photos against, music, etc. Really nice.
So it was kind of a shock to come into this tiny dimly lit ballroom with hand-written signs taped up with blue painter's tape, and have the only sitting areas be the competition areas. No mascots or music, and it was hard to hear announcements because they only intermittently used their microphones, and everyone was so loud. >_<
There also seemed to be significantly less people this year... we really filled out the larger venue last year.

Not sure why it was like that, but I was disappointed in the venue, though it was awesome having all kinds of food within easy walking distance.
Also my battling experience was way better at this tournament due to the different format, so I still don't really mind all that much.

Something else I wish they would do is open up a merch booth! They could make so much money selling Pokédolls and shirts to people, especially the little kids who beg their parents for souvenirs. Of course I'm also saying this because I love merch, but seriously... they're missing a huge opportunity here!

Anyway, that was my experience. Was anyone else there?

[Gundam Leafeon]

I just got home from Athens, the tournament was awesome!
I MUCH prefer the Swiss format (everyone guaranteed a certain number of fights, even if they lose). Did pretty lousy my first turn, but every other battle was great. Ran out of time on one, and the others were in danger of the same, haha. My final rating was 96 of about 170 people, and I won four matches and lost four matches.
Every time I compete, I get a little better!

I was a little shocked though- on WiFi, it is rare to find a team without Whimsicott. I didn't even see a single Whimsicott today, nor did my friends. I was expecting to see the same heavy hitters from last year's tournament make a return this year- Conkledurr, Chandelure, etc- didn't see them either. Didn't have anyone try Stealth Rock, Spikes, or Toxic Spikes, surprisingly (and thankfully).

Lotta Smogon kids, I only had to face one of them (least I think he was a Smogon kid... he had a custom made Pokemon team shirt, but he didn't have any teammates with matching shirts around, unlike the other packs of Smogoners. There were a few super unprepared people (just started playing the game, team isn't done, came here on a whim the night before, etc) but I didn't fight any of them. No, the majority seemed to be pretty on the ball with EV training and movesets, saw some really interesting stuff.

The venue itself was ridiculous... we were really spoiled last year with a huge arena area for the event, with TV screens to watch the epic final battles, a side station for people to play King of the Hill, mascot costumes, huge inflatable Reshiram and Zekrom, a backdrop to take photos against, music, etc. Really nice.
So it was kind of a shock to come into this tiny dimly lit ballroom with hand-written signs taped up with blue painter's tape, and have the only sitting areas be the competition areas. No mascots or music, and it was hard to hear announcements because they only intermittently used their microphones, and everyone was so loud. >_<
There also seemed to be significantly less people this year... we really filled out the larger venue last year.

Not sure why it was like that, but I was disappointed in the venue, though it was awesome having all kinds of food within easy walking distance.
Also my battling experience was way better at this tournament due to the different format, so I still don't really mind all that much.

Something else I wish they would do is open up a merch booth! They could make so much money selling Pokédolls and shirts to people, especially the little kids who beg their parents for souvenirs. Of course I'm also saying this because I love merch, but seriously... they're missing a huge opportunity here!

Anyway, that was my experience. Was anyone else there?

Athens?!?!?! Sounds almost identical to Pleasonton, even the number of competitors!

[Lobita]

Athens?!?!?! Sounds almost identical to Pleasonton, even the number of competitors!

Freaky! Did you prefer this new format, or the old "You lose, you're out of the game" format?

[Shreyas]

Pleasonton was 178 Masters.
I guess I'll be going to Nats this year

[Pokemom]

I was at Athens....we had almost 200 Masters players. My first trip up and I went 2-6. Grafton Roll was there, but he disappeared between rounds 6 and 7...not sure why.

Athens went 8 rounds swiss. For Masters: TCG had Top 32, VGC Cancelled Top Cut. Masters VGC Champ was the only player to go 8-0.

I liked it except for the venue wreaking havoc with my allergies..maybe if I could have breathed I would have done better


My results:


TCG: Call of Legends-Retort (pre-constructed Lucario/Donphan deck, just for fun)

Final Standing: 1-7. 145/179 Masters Division

Points Received: TBD (5 + ?)

Prizes: Promo Card, PoP Binder





VGC Rules: bring-6/pick-4, doubles, item clause, specie clause, banned list. Swiss/modified

Team: Rhydon/Eviolite, Dragonite/Leftovers, Weavile/EBelt, Gengar/Black Sludge, Gyarados/Wide Lens, Lucario/Kings Rock

Final Standing: 2-6. 150/195 Masters Division

Points Received: TBD (5 + ?)

Prizes: Promo Card, Commemorative Reshiram pin


Planning to get a warstory up soon.


edit: Harrison Saylor, Masters Champ...come to think..he was in a Skamabliss shirt O_O

[TrollFreak]

Bumping!

http://www.smogon.com/forums/showpos...&postcount=468

[TrollFreak]

Nationals this weekend, leaving tommorow,, good luck to anyone attending!

[jstinftw!]

Good luck everyone! You're all so lucky that you all get to go. T^T

Don't let this thread die! Update everyone on your progress!

[TrollFreak]

went 5-3, two matches I got haxed in so I didn't top cut

[PokeMaster366]

Sorry about that, TrollFreak. BTW, is the Skarmbliss server shut down right now in order to make updates for BW2 or something?