No one expects the spanish Nquisition! A Smogon Doubles warstory

nyttyn

From Now On, We'll...
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Nyttyn

VS

Level 51


So, a lot of users thought that Double Battles are a ton of fun, and so one day Smogon Doubles was born. It's a really fast, intense, high paced metagame which has so much strategy and potential innovation it's frankly insane.

I am here today to share some of that magic with you with my first ever warstory. One of my better fights, against a fine gent known as Level 51. We've got for you today Sand vs who know what the fuck! You'll have to read on to see!

Turn 0

Battle between NyttyN and Level 51 started!
NyttyN sent out Hitmontop!
NyttyN sent out Volcarona!
Level 51 sent out Qwilfish!
Level 51 sent out Landorus-Therian!
The foe's Landorus-Therian intimidates Hitmontop!
Hitmontop's Attack fell!
The foe's Landorus-Therian intimidates Volcarona!
Volcarona's Attack fell!
Hitmontop intimidates the foe's Qwilfish!
The foe's Qwilfish's Attack fell!
Hitmontop intimidates the foe's Landorus-Therian!
The foe's Landorus-Therian's Attack fell!
The foe's Qwilfish intimidates Hitmontop!
Hitmontop's Attack fell!
The foe's Qwilfish intimidates Volcarona!
Volcarona's Attack fell!

100% Intimidatedx2
100% Intimidatedx2​

100% Intimidated
100% Intimidated​

Yes, turn 0 is so important that it deserves its own description. Who you lead with is obscenely important in Doubles, due to the importance of key turn 1 moves like Fake Out (which is infinitely more important in Doubles) and Trick Room. Here, you see a whole lot of initmidate action - always amusing when this happens. Try to set up a game plan, but don't worry if it isn't working out - you're playing speed chess here afterall.

Turn 1 is usually dictated by at least one pokemon from each side using Fake Out with the other flinching. Sometimes people attempt to use faster Fake Outs to Fake Out the Opponent's Fake Out so their supporter can get up a field hazard, other times they don't bother and go for Faking Out the opponen't supporter, and then there's shenangins that happen when there's no Fake Out...

Basically you can call turn 1 turn Fake Out and Field effects.

Looking at his team, I'm guessing some sort of stall at this point, so I decide to call back Volcarona to avoid it dying early to a Rock Slide. I was hoping to get some aggressive pressure in early on, but this is pretty much a no win scenario for Volcarona, since both pokemon counter it. Might be able to bring it back in later to kill Bronzong. I fake out Landorus-T to keep potential Stealth Rocks off my field for just a bit longer, and throw in Tyrantiar to get up the sand, as it's key to a potential Excadrill sweep, which I see as a real possibility.


Turn 1
NyttyN: i hate thundurs
Level 51: lol
NyttyN: wiht the rage of a thuousand undying suns
NyttyN: OH MY GOD SO MUCH INTIMIDATE
Level 51: lol
NyttyN called Volcarona back!
NyttyN sent out Tyranitar!
Tyranitar's Sand Stream whipped up a sandstorm!
Hitmontop used Fake Out!
The foe's Landorus-Therian lost 8% of its health!
The foe's Qwilfish used Aqua Jet!
It's super effective! Tyranitar lost 13% of its health!
The foe's Landorus-Therian flinched!
The sandstorm rages.
Hitmontop is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The foe's Qwilfish is buffeted by the sandstorm!

94% Intimidated x2
80%​

100% Intimidated
100% Intimidated​

I'm a bit confused as to why he used Aqua Jet though. Well, it did a pittance, so I guess I can't complain. Landorus-T can't do jack this turn though, on account of being intimidated. So, welp, time to call out Hitmontop. And protect on Tyranitar, I don't want him taking any damage he doesn't have to.

Nyt Notes: Turns 1 and 2 are usually used for scouting and switching around into a more favorable position, as Protect can often dampen the blow from any shit your opponent might throw out these turns. Consider it like scouting in singles, only you've got twice as much to think about.


Turn 2

NyttyN called Hitmontop back!
NyttyN sent out Latios!
Level 51 called Qwilfish back!
Level 51 sent out Bronzong!
Tyranitar used Protect!
Tyranitar protected itself!
The foe's Landorus-Therian used Earthquake!
It doesn't affect the foe's Bronzong...
It doesn't affect Latios...
Tyranitar protected itself!
The sandstorm rages.
Latios is buffeted by the sandstorm!


94%
80%

100% Intimidated
100%​

A Hitmontop at -2 attack is pretty much worthless, so I swaped in Latios to try and put a dent in Landorus-T while Tyranitar protects. He swaps in Bronzong to avoid EQ damage, and basically dick all happens this turn. Still no idea what he's up to though. Still in the scouting part of the game. Gotta play it safe, not reveal too much, see what he's up to...

Might as well try and kill his Landorus-T. Might as well, it's the biggest obstacle to a Excadrill sweep and Volcarona isn't a huge fan either. Really, with Two rock weak, two rock neutral, and only one resist on his team, I see excadrill comfortably sweeping with a mixture of Rock Slide and EQ once Bronzong and Landorus-T are down.


Turn 3

Level 51: aw
Level 51 called Landorus-Therian back!
Level 51 sent out Heatran!
NyttyN called Tyranitar back!
NyttyN sent out Cresselia!
Latios used Draco Meteor!
The Dragon Gem strengthened Draco Meteor's power!
It's not very effective... The foe's Heatran lost 46% of its health!
Latios's Special Attack harshly fell!
The foe's Bronzong used Trick Room!
The foe's Bronzong twisted the dimensions!
The sandstorm rages.
Cresselia is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Latios is buffeted by the sandstorm!


88%
94%

54%
100%​

Welp, dick. He completely sees through it and sends in Heatran, who tanks it like a champ and blows my Dragon Gem. Oh, and Trick Room is up. That's always nice (/sarcasm). I swapped out Tyranitar for Cresselia...idunno why. Perhaps I thought it'd be best to avoid EQs?

Speaking of Cresselia, she's a great supporter in Doubles, use her!

Well time to start holding out. Trick Room is nasty to face in doubles pretty much always. Since I lack any real way to handle it,

Nyt Note: If you're having troubles with Trick Room, you can always dedicate two of your Cresselia's (or other applicable supporter) spots to Imprison and Trick Room, which will prevent them from ever using it until Cresselia is dead. Don't rely on Taunt to stop it, because Taunt often gets beaten by Mental Herb. Fake Out can also do the trick to keep it pinned until you can killmurder it, just watch out for faster Fake Outs attempting to block your Fake Out. If all else fails, just try and kill the setter with a REALLY powerful move.

Did I mention Fake Out was a really important move in Doubles?


Turn 4

NyttyN: oh sh*t
Level 51: ?
Latios used Protect!
Latios protected itself!
The foe's Bronzong used Skill Swap!
The foe's Bronzong swapped Abilities with its target!
The foe's Heatran used Lava Plume!
The foe's Bronzong's Flash Fire raised the power of its Fire-type moves!
Latios protected itself!
The Fire Gem strengthened Lava Plume's power!
Cresselia lost 24% of its health!
Cresselia was burned!
Cresselia used Icy Wind!
It's not very effective... The foe's Bronzong lost 4% of its health!
The foe's Bronzong's Speed fell!
It's not very effective... The foe's Heatran lost 2% of its health!
The foe's Heatran's Speed fell!
The sandstorm rages.
Cresselia is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Latios is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Cresselia was hurt by its burn!


82%
52% Burned

52% -1 spe
96% -1 spe​

At this point I start swearing, because gdi trick room. Well, nothing to do but stall it out. At this point he fully plays his hand, revealing a pretty nifty Skill Swap. Looks like his team's based around slow, bulky Skill Swaps. A cool strategy, but, well, he could only hold out for so long with that. Thankfully, his Heatran isn't really packing the heat.


...I have just been informed that I am legally no longer allowed to make puns under penalty of KO.

Well, let's send out Hitmontop to try and kill one of these steel types, eh? Not that he'll be much good against the rest of his team.

Nyt Note: Well, scouting's over. I pretty much know he's a Trick Room team now, and he knows that I'm a standard Sand team with no real surprises. I still have Setup Volcarona up my sleeve, as well as one other surprise, but well the former never really gets a chance to be used because...well, just see next turn.


Turn 5

NyttyN: no it's just, trick room oh fuuck
Level 51: lol
NyttyN called Latios back!
NyttyN sent out Hitmontop!
Hitmontop intimidates the foe's Bronzong!
The foe's Bronzong's Attack fell!
Hitmontop intimidates the foe's Heatran!
The foe's Heatran's Attack fell!
The foe's Bronzong used Iron Head!
Hitmontop lost 18% of its health!
The foe's Heatran used Stealth Rock!
Pointed stones float in the air around your team!
Cresselia used Light Screen!
Light Screen raised your team's special defense!
The sandstorm rages.
Hitmontop is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Cresselia is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Cresselia was hurt by its burn!
Cresselia ate its Sitrus Berry!
Cresselia restored HP using its Sitrus Berry!


69%
58% Burned

52% -1 spe -1 atk
96% -1 spe -1 atk​

Oh crap, Rocks. Volcarona is now pretty much completely useless as a combination of Stealth Rock and Trick Room means that not only is it coming in at 50%, it's going to go last while Trick Room is up. Guess I'll have to use it as sac bait. Nothing else to comment on, really. Just trying to outlast Trick Room right now and taking a beating as a result. Might as well get in some free damage with Fake Out. Can't recall what I was going to do with Cress, probably another icy wind. Didn't realy wind up mattering, because...

Nyt Note; Some people will attempt to tell you Stealth Rock is bad in Doubles: It is not. It is simply situational. It won't work every game, but in a lot of games it can do some serious work. Try and fit it on your team if you can - it's by no mean as mandatory as it is in Singles, but it's always nice to have.

Oh, and don't even bother trying to Rapid Spin. You'll never get a chance to, and there's always better things to do with your time.

Turn 6
Hitmontop used Fake Out!
A critical hit! It's not very effective... The foe's Heatran lost 10% of its health!
The foe's Bronzong used Iron Head!
Cresselia lost 11% of its health!
The foe's Heatran flinched!Cresselia flinched!
The sandstorm rages.
Hitmontop is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Cresselia is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Cresselia was hurt by its burn!


63%
29% Burned

42% -1 spe -1 atk
96% -1 spe -1 atk​

Flinch hax is always obnoxious. Not much happened this turn. Still stalin. And then my brain has a completely retarded idea.

Nyt Brain: LETS TRY AND CLOSE COMBAT SOMETHING WITH MAXIMUM HP AND DEF INVESTMENTS THAT ONLY TAKES NEUTRAL FROM CLOSE COMBAT WHILE AT -1 ATTACK. GREAT IDEA.


Turn 7

NyttyN: flinchhax
Level 51: flinch <3
Not Heterosexual left.
Cresselia used Helping Hand!
Cresselia is ready to help Hitmontop!
The foe's Bronzong used Earthquake!
It doesn't affect the foe's Heatran...
Hitmontop lost 13% of its health!
It doesn't affect Cresselia...
The foe's Heatran used Lava Plume!
Hitmontop lost 19% of its health!
Hitmontop was burned!
[DEBUG] Light Screen weaken.
Cresselia lost 8% of its health!
Hitmontop used Close Combat!
The Fighting Gem strengthened Close Combat's power!
The foe's Bronzong lost 38% of its health!
Hitmontop's Defense fell!
Hitmontop's Special Defense fell!
The sandstorm rages.
Hitmontop is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Cresselia is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Hitmontop was hurt by its burn!
Cresselia was hurt by its burn!
The twisted dimensions returned to normal!


12% Burned -1def -1sdef
2% Burned

42% -1 spe -1 atk
59% -1 spe -1 atk​


I have no idea what possessed me to attack Bronzong over Heatran. Going after his TR, perhaps? Regardless, I'm in a really tight spot here now due to a massive screw up on my part, and will have to suffer through another trick room as well as lose two pokemon. I'm not out of this yet though, not by half. Might as well try and kill Heatran now, since I was a idiot and didn't do that last turn. Close Combat gogogo!

Nyt Note: Don't be a idiot like that.


Turn 8
NyttyN: OH GDI
Level 51: YESSS
The foe's Heatran used Protect!
[DEBUG] Success chance: 100%.
The foe's Heatran protected itself!
Cresselia used Icy Wind!
It's not very effective... The foe's Bronzong lost 4% of its health!
The foe's Bronzong's Speed fell!
The foe's Heatran protected itself!
Hitmontop used Close Combat!
The foe's Heatran protected itself!
The foe's Bronzong used Trick Room!
The foe's Bronzong twisted the dimensions!
The sandstorm rages.
Hitmontop is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Cresselia is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Hitmontop was hurt by its burn!
Cresselia fainted!
Hitmontop fainted!
NyttyN: Well that was kinda stoooopid of me
Level 51: :)
NyttyN sent out Volcarona!
Pointed stones dug into Volcarona!
NyttyN sent out Tyranitar!
Pointed stones dug into Tyranitar!

4-6

74%
50%​

42% -1 spe -1 atk
55% -2 spe -1 atk​

Time to suffer through this punishment. Go for some scratch damage, get out-predicted, and lose two mons. Ouch. Remember kids - Protect is usually on every single pokemon in Smogon Doubles unless proven otherwise! It's just that good of a move here.

You know what this means, right?



Yeah, I'm just going to have to play it safe, using Protect and shit. Low Kick might get a kill here though because Ttar's so slow (and thus fast in Trick Room), so let's try and nail that Heatran!


Turn 9

NyttyN: ah well live, learn, etc
Volcarona used Protect!
Volcarona protected itself!
The foe's Bronzong used Earthquake!
It doesn't affect the foe's Heatran...
A critical hit! It's super effective! Tyranitar lost 50% of its health!
Volcarona protected itself!
The foe's Heatran used Lava Plume!
It's not very effective... Tyranitar lost 4% of its health!
Volcarona protected itself!
Tyranitar used Low Kick!
It's super effective! The foe's Heatran lost 42% of its health!
The foe's Heatran fainted!
The sandstorm rages.
Volcarona is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Your team's light screen wore off!
NyttyN: CRRIIIITHJAAAAAAAAAAAAAX
Level 51: q_q
Level 51 sent out Qwilfish!
The foe's Qwilfish intimidates Tyranitar!
Tyranitar's Attack fell!
The foe's Qwilfish intimidates Volcarona!
Volcarona's Attack fell!

4-5​

44% -1 atk
19% -1 atk​

94%
55% -2 spe -1 atk​


And on top of everything else I'm getting critically hit. Yeah yeah, rub it in all you want game. You'll get your just deserts soon. At least I didn't get burned. Oh and look it's a Qwilfish. Probably about to lose another mon here. It's all good though, all a part of the plan...All I need to do is kill that Bronzong, hehehe. Unfortunately, I'm not really in position to do that right now, so I might as well go for a protect on Tyranitar and try to heat wave Bronzong. No sense in dying to a failed protect when I could just try and get a kill

Turn 10
Tyranitar used Protect!
[DEBUG] Success chance: 100%.
Tyranitar protected itself!
The foe's Qwilfish used Aqua Jet!
It's super effective! Volcarona lost 38% of its health!
The foe's Bronzong used Earthquake!
It's super effective! The foe's Qwilfish lost 18% of its health!
Tyranitar protected itself!
Volcarona lost 5% of its health!
Volcarona fainted!
The sandstorm rages.
The foe's Qwilfish is buffeted by the sandstorm!
NyttyN sent out Latios!
Pointed stones dug into Latios!

3-5​

19% -1 atk
70%​

94%
55% -2 spe -1 atk​

Okay, now I'm really curious as to that Qwilfish's set. Does it just not have Waterfall or something? That Earthquake was also out of the blue. Well, whatever, Volcarona goes down, and Tyranitar holds on for dear life. That's it, my team. Just a little more. You all just have to hold out. I'm sure Level 51s ringing the victory bells by this point, but it's never too late. We might look cornered, but we aren't! Where there's life, there's hope! We will prevail!

It's looking like there's not much I can do here, so I might as well try and protect with TTar so he doesn't die. I can at least killmruder Qwilfish with Psyshock so there's that.

Nyt Note: By turn 10, the battle is usually decided, if not already over. This battle just happened to be unusually long. Yeah, Doubles is a pretty fast metagame!


Turn 11
Tyranitar used Protect!
[DEBUG] Success chance: 50%.
But it failed!
The foe's Bronzong used Earthquake!
It's super effective! The foe's Qwilfish lost 18% of its health!
[DEBUG] Negating (sp)atk boost/penalty..
A critical hit! It's super effective! Tyranitar lost 19% of its health!
[DEBUG] artificial immunity.
It doesn't affect Latios...
Tyranitar fainted!
The foe's Qwilfish used Pain Split!
The battlers shared their pain!
Latios used Psyshock!
It's super effective! The foe's Qwilfish lost 57% of its health!
The foe's Qwilfish fainted!
The sandstorm rages.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.
Latios is buffeted by the sandstorm!
NyttyN sent out Excadrill!
Pointed stones dug into Excadrill!
Level 51 sent out Venomoth!

2-4

97%
58%​

100%
55% -2 spe -1 atk​


Welp, so much for the protect gambit. Just one more turn...everyone, hold out. Please. We can do this. We're battered, bruised, bloodied, and down to our last men, but we've still got fight left in us. And if we should so fall in the field of battle, we will fall as men, taking out as many as we can! We have already bathed in the blood of Qwilfish - let that be a warning of the carnage to come! NO QUARTER! NO RETREAT! NO SURRENDER!

DAMN THE TORPEDOES, FULL SPEED AHEAD!

Actually you know what, Trick Room only has one turn left on it so...




bloody pointless critical hits...

Turn 12
NyttyN: excadrill VS the world
Latios used Protect!
Latios protected itself!
Excadrill used Protect!
Excadrill protected itself!
The foe's Bronzong used Earthquake!
The foe's Venomoth lost 16% of its health!
Excadrill protected itself!
It doesn't affect Latios...
The foe's Venomoth used Skill Swap!
Excadrill protected itself!
The sandstorm rages.
The foe's Venomoth is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Latios is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The twisted dimensions returned to normal!

Scratch that, guard up, mind the torpedoes very much. Some friendly fire happens, but for the most part, that was a filler turn. Trick Room's down, perfect. Time to strike. No quarter, men! Hopefully, I can killmurder both of them in a single turn with STAB Gem'd Earthquake. (Bronzong skill swapped away his levitate earlier. The fool!) Latios can, Iunno, use Hidden Power Fire to burn something just in case.

Turn 13

Excadrill used Earthquake!
[DEBUG] artificial immunity.
It doesn't affect Latios...
The Ground Gem strengthened Earthquake's power!
It's super effective! The foe's Bronzong lost 55% of its health!
A critical hit! The foe's Venomoth lost 78% of its health!
The foe's Bronzong fainted!
The foe's Venomoth fainted!
Latios used Hidden Power!
But there was no target...
The sandstorm rages.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.
Latios is buffeted by the sandstorm!
NyttyN: lgt
Level 51 sent out Landorus-Therian!
Level 51 sent out Thundurus!
The foe's Landorus-Therian intimidates Excadrill!
Excadrill's Attack fell!
The foe's Landorus-Therian intimidates Latios!
Latios's Attack fell!

2-2

Well, that's that I guess. We managed to completely wipe Venomoth and Bronzong off the map, but that's game over man, right? A -2 Latios and an intimidated Excadrill who's facing off against Landorus-T? Yeah, it was a good run, but I think this is GG. Well, fought, Level 51....





nyt note: never give up hope

Turn 14



Excadrill used Magnet Rise!
wh-?

Remember, Master?
Excadrill used Magnet Rise!
...Where there's life...
Excadrill used Magnet Rise!
There's hope!
Excadrill used Magnet Rise!
Excadrill levitated with electromagnetism!


NOBODY EXPECTS THE MAGNET RISE INQUISITION!






Nyt Note: It can be really handy to have some last minute ace hidden up your sleeve to pull a win out of your ass.







From there, the battle was pretty one-sided, as Landorus-T, at worst, had Rock Slide/Stone Edge to nail me with, which wouldn't do terribly much damage due to Excadrill's steel/ground typing. Turns out it was Choice Scarf locked, so, yeah.

Turn 14
Excadrill used Magnet Rise!
Excadrill levitated with electromagnetism!
The foe's Landorus-Therian used Earthquake!
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
It doesn't affect the foe's Thundurus...
[DEBUG] artificial immunity.
It doesn't affect Excadrill...
[DEBUG] artificial immunity.
It doesn't affect Latios...
The foe's Thundurus used Hidden Power!
A critical hit! Latios lost 46% of its health!
Latios fainted!
The sandstorm rages.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.
The foe's Thundurus is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Turn 15
NyttyN: SURPRISE MOTHERFUCKER
Excadrill used Protect!
[DEBUG] Success chance: 100%.
Excadrill protected itself!
The foe's Landorus-Therian used Earthquake!
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
It doesn't affect the foe's Thundurus...
[DEBUG] artificial immunity.
It doesn't affect Excadrill...
The foe's Thundurus used Hidden Power!
Excadrill protected itself!
The sandstorm rages.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.
The foe's Thundurus is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Turn 16
Level 51: ugh
Excadrill used Rock Slide!
The foe's Landorus-Therian lost 16% of its health!
It's super effective! The foe's Thundurus lost 47% of its health!
The foe's Landorus-Therian used Earthquake!
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
It doesn't affect the foe's Thundurus...
[DEBUG] artificial immunity.
It doesn't affect Excadrill...
The foe's Thundurus flinched!
[DEBUG] p2: Thundurus move interrupted; movedThisTurn: false.
The sandstorm rages.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.
The foe's Thundurus is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Turn 17
Excadrill used Rock Slide!
The foe's Landorus-Therian lost 18% of its health!
It's super effective! The foe's Thundurus lost 35% of its health!
The foe's Thundurus fainted!
The foe's Landorus-Therian used Earthquake!
[DEBUG] artificial immunity.
It doesn't affect Excadrill...
The sandstorm rages.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.
Turn 18
Excadrill used Earthquake!
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
It doesn't affect the foe's Landorus-Therian...
The foe's Landorus-Therian used Earthquake!
[DEBUG] artificial immunity.
It doesn't affect Excadrill...
The sandstorm rages.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.
Excadrill's electromagnetism wore off!
Turn 19
Excadrill used Magnet Rise!
Excadrill levitated with electromagnetism!
The foe's Landorus-Therian used Earthquake!
[DEBUG] artificial immunity.
It doesn't affect Excadrill...
The sandstorm rages.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.
[DEBUG] natural immunity.
[DEBUG] weather immunity.


Props: Me, for never giving up hope
For pulling a win straight of my ass
Level 51, for consistently great plays
Slops: Me, for derping like a madman.
Volcarona ,for being worthless.
Game freak, for inventing critical hits and flinches.

Lessons to be taken from this: Always have an ace up your sleeve, never consider your opponent to be down and out, don't close combat Bronzong.

MVP


Couldn't have done it without ya, girl. Magnets, man.

The replay: http://www.pokemonshowdown.com/replay/smogondoubles7664584

Importable of this team coming soon to a Smogon Doubles metagame thread near you!
 

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