Hello again and welcome to our next Player of the Week. This thread hopes to increase the visibility of prominent NU players to the community and the outside world while promoting both users and the strategies that they find to be effective in the metagame. If there is someone you would like to see interviewed, feel free to drop me a PM.
Hollywood
Favorite Pokemon: Bunnelby
Most known for: "bein a random who got smods for bein cool and for being cute :) and for getting mods so fast in everything" - A fangirl
Favorite Playstyle: Bulky offense
Most used Pokemon: Kricketune
This week we'll be talking with Hollywood, probably one of the sassiest NUers, even sassier than your's truly. He's ranked higher than you on PS!, he's an owner in the NU room, and he actually leads the Other Metagames...thing. Let's give it up for Hollywood.
Lord Alphose: Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to Pokemon?
Hollywood: I'm Ryan
"I've been playing mons since RBY" oldfag nostalgia stuff aaaaaand I got into competitive Pokemon in early BW while learning about EVs/IVs and strategy online for the pro battle subway. found smogon, lurked a bit, read lots of analyses and I ended up downloading PO bc it was mentioned on Smogon, but Smogon's server was down a bunch so I ended up on PO main where I stayed for like a tear and a half and I ended up here because I got bored w/ PO and most of my friends there left
Lord Alphose: How and when did you start playing NU? Do you remember your first team?
Treecko: I started compmons with BW UU because it had lots of legendaries that I always wanted to use but never could get in-game(shaymin, victini, raikou, etc) but I ended up down in NU because I wanted to use bad pkmn cometeitively. when I came to smogon, I just stuck with NU because it's what I knew and at that point the NU metas on PO and smogon were similar. and I remember some of the stuff I used way back in the day, but not my first team. I used stunfisk a lot bc it used to be my favorite mon. I used SD shiftry a lot because I thought it was op and I remember one time I used spdef porygon which was cute
Lord Alphose: When did you first fight real NU players? When was the first time you really got destroyed by someone who just totally outclassed you?
Hollywood: I used to fight some of the good PO players because I could get decently high on the ladder and usually played at dead hours bc of my work schedule. first time I remember getting destroyed was after I switched to PS/smogon. I'd been using this one team that basically had all the top mons on the viability rankings, and I'd gotten so used to checking musharna with skuntank and then it got twaved and they bp'd out and I just lost a shitton of momentum and got thrashed. oh and my opp was MMF and it was on ladder.
Lord Alphose: What is your favorite element of NU?
Hollywood: idk probably that I can use all kinds of different stuff. in higher tiers, I always feel like underrated mons still aren't as consistent as the top ones. that's pretty true in NU too, but to a much lesser extent. like, I can use topius on a serious team and do well with it. what the fuck is that?
Lord Alphose: If you could change one thing about NU by banning or unbanning it, what would it be?
Hollywood: I'd get rid of spiritomb. the thing that pisses me off the most about spritomb is that it's relaly not broken, it's just really good at checking lots of stuff, and it's a really annoying pokemon, so from a tiering perspective, I don't think it should be banned but when I play NU, I really wish it wasn't around. honorable mention goes to banning spikes. same story: shouldn't happen, but I fucking hate it
Lord Alphose: NU user or player you most admire?
Hollywood: I fucking hate everyone. to answer the question tho. ugh, it's so hard I really hate everybody so much, but I'd probably say punchshroom if only because he can ladder so goddamn much without getting tired of it. I feel like I'd be a much better player if I played as much as he does and he's obviusly pretty good bc he gets towards the top a lot
Lord Alphose: What do you think is the most successful Pokemon, core, or strategy in the current meta?
Hollywood: probably smashpass. before combusken was banned, people didn't really know the best formula/structure for a good smashpass team, but then people started using busken, and figuring out good recipients because much easier. it's really underrated right now, but I've played with it a lot lately and have had a ridiculous amount of success with it
Lord Alphose: Why did you change your name?
Hollywood: lol, I don't even like this shitass game, I certainly don't want to be named after it. also because I can, and I'm a goddamn mermaid
Lord Alphose: Advice to new NUers?
Hollywood: don't use/not use stuff solely because people tell you to. test things out on your own, see what works for you and what doesn't, and form your own opinions, but at the same time, be open to hearing why others feel the way they do. and take advantage of the millions of resources we have in the subforum.
Lord Alphose: And can you give me something like a mini-RMT?
this is the team that I used vs. QQ in NUPL. I think it's probably the best at showcasing my playstyle while also being a really solid team. basically just uses fat Pokemon to wear down the opposing team until I can clean with SD zard, and BW Knock Off Gurdurr is still really good.
Thank you for your time Hollywood, and maybe I'll see you next week with another Player of the Week.
Hollywood
Favorite Pokemon: Bunnelby
Most known for: "bein a random who got smods for bein cool and for being cute :) and for getting mods so fast in everything" - A fangirl
Favorite Playstyle: Bulky offense
Most used Pokemon: Kricketune
Lord Alphose: Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to Pokemon?
Hollywood: I'm Ryan
Lord Alphose: How and when did you start playing NU? Do you remember your first team?
Treecko: I started compmons with BW UU because it had lots of legendaries that I always wanted to use but never could get in-game(shaymin, victini, raikou, etc) but I ended up down in NU because I wanted to use bad pkmn cometeitively. when I came to smogon, I just stuck with NU because it's what I knew and at that point the NU metas on PO and smogon were similar. and I remember some of the stuff I used way back in the day, but not my first team. I used stunfisk a lot bc it used to be my favorite mon. I used SD shiftry a lot because I thought it was op and I remember one time I used spdef porygon which was cute
Lord Alphose: When did you first fight real NU players? When was the first time you really got destroyed by someone who just totally outclassed you?
Hollywood: I used to fight some of the good PO players because I could get decently high on the ladder and usually played at dead hours bc of my work schedule. first time I remember getting destroyed was after I switched to PS/smogon. I'd been using this one team that basically had all the top mons on the viability rankings, and I'd gotten so used to checking musharna with skuntank and then it got twaved and they bp'd out and I just lost a shitton of momentum and got thrashed. oh and my opp was MMF and it was on ladder.
Lord Alphose: What is your favorite element of NU?
Hollywood: idk probably that I can use all kinds of different stuff. in higher tiers, I always feel like underrated mons still aren't as consistent as the top ones. that's pretty true in NU too, but to a much lesser extent. like, I can use topius on a serious team and do well with it. what the fuck is that?
Lord Alphose: If you could change one thing about NU by banning or unbanning it, what would it be?
Hollywood: I'd get rid of spiritomb. the thing that pisses me off the most about spritomb is that it's relaly not broken, it's just really good at checking lots of stuff, and it's a really annoying pokemon, so from a tiering perspective, I don't think it should be banned but when I play NU, I really wish it wasn't around. honorable mention goes to banning spikes. same story: shouldn't happen, but I fucking hate it
Lord Alphose: NU user or player you most admire?
Hollywood: I fucking hate everyone. to answer the question tho. ugh, it's so hard I really hate everybody so much, but I'd probably say punchshroom if only because he can ladder so goddamn much without getting tired of it. I feel like I'd be a much better player if I played as much as he does and he's obviusly pretty good bc he gets towards the top a lot
Lord Alphose: What do you think is the most successful Pokemon, core, or strategy in the current meta?
Hollywood: probably smashpass. before combusken was banned, people didn't really know the best formula/structure for a good smashpass team, but then people started using busken, and figuring out good recipients because much easier. it's really underrated right now, but I've played with it a lot lately and have had a ridiculous amount of success with it
Lord Alphose: Why did you change your name?
Hollywood: lol, I don't even like this shitass game, I certainly don't want to be named after it. also because I can, and I'm a goddamn mermaid
Lord Alphose: Advice to new NUers?
Hollywood: don't use/not use stuff solely because people tell you to. test things out on your own, see what works for you and what doesn't, and form your own opinions, but at the same time, be open to hearing why others feel the way they do. and take advantage of the millions of resources we have in the subforum.
Lord Alphose: And can you give me something like a mini-RMT?
Charizard @ Flying Gem
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
- Roost
- Swords Dance
Musharna @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Yawn
- Baton Pass
- Moonlight
Gurdurr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Ice Punch
- Knock Off
Carracosta @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Scald
- Protect
- Toxic
Roselia @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 160 HP / 252 SpA / 96 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sleep Powder
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis
Golurk @ Choice Band
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Shadow Punch
- Ice Punch
- Drain Punch
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
- Roost
- Swords Dance
Musharna @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Yawn
- Baton Pass
- Moonlight
Gurdurr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Ice Punch
- Knock Off
Carracosta @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Scald
- Protect
- Toxic
Roselia @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 160 HP / 252 SpA / 96 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sleep Powder
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis
Golurk @ Choice Band
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Shadow Punch
- Ice Punch
- Drain Punch
Thank you for your time Hollywood, and maybe I'll see you next week with another Player of the Week.
