Jess

@St0mpa Yes, it is kinda tricky to create good Baton Pass chains using only 'mons of one type...

Exactly. If something is part of the game, let people use it. It has so many counters that if you have none of them in your team, then it is your fault that you can't stop it and you need to adjust your team. But smogon players are kinda allergic to new things, different things plus anything that their already-planned teams aren't capable of countering as they are. @Zargerth Me too! Insurgence already had a Baton Pass user as an E4 member, so why not here as well? Especially with a field that helps that! Would be fun to try and defeat that!

With Double Team it is silly, so Titania had Smart Strike on her Excadrill. Didn't change into it. Not my problem. We aren't in competitive now, it's just a playthrough, so complaining about something being broken is silly, especially with the kind of advantages Gym Leaders in Reborn get. Being called out like this for using something (that you consider) "broken" in a monorun feels bad. Also, Baton Pass chains can be stopped by about a million ways. I forgot to mention Circle Throw, Dragon Tail, Leech Seed, Toxic, Clear Smog, Fake Out/priority moves, counter-setting up and Will-O-Wisping physical attackers as methods of countering it, together with Taunt, Encore, Haze, Roar and Whirlwind. Plus, as we all know, if you keep complaining about something at Smogon, you will get it banned eventually. That's the story behind Baton Pass.

I still don't know whether your first comment about "lots of broken fun with Baton Pass chains" was ironic or not... It really isn't broken...

Come on, she gets a free Swords Dance on her Aegislash with Seed+Stance Change... Plus, I didn't use any good Baton Passers, apart from Scolipede. Volbeat and Illumise are really below mediocre 'mons and I managed to defeat her without changing the field as well... I don't think Baton Pass is broken, as long as it isn't combined with Speed Boost 'mons. You just have to have Taunt to counter it. Or Encore. Or haze. Or Roar. Or Whirlwind. @Azeria I still haven't explored around, so no idea about us having access to Will-O-Wisp! But I was planning to use it in my main run to counter her team, with Ninetales. Did entirely different stuff on my Poison mono though.No Baton Pass used there!

CHAPTER 35: Teamwork and iron will! *Frantically undusts the topic...* "A...a...aaaaAAAAAAA CHOOOOOOO!!!!" *Notices the crowd laughing watching. God damn it! Happy New Year everyone! Been such a long time since I last updated my Bug monorun! But I'm excited for this! Episode 17 and new places to explore! After defeating Adrienn, the first place we visited was the renovated Grandview Train Station, hoping that no psycho tries to blow it up again! The inscription said that it was open for places outside Reborn City as well... This place turned out to be Tourmaline Desert! I am not sure at all that I want to go through a desert, but, given the fact that Titania's Gym is there and she took the Sapphire Bracelets and went to hide them from Team Meteor there, makes it a necessity to do so... So, rather unwillingly, I decided to hit the road, embark on a train and visit the desert with my Bugs for my only companion. And my flying Rufflet. In my second trip there. Long story short, in my first trip to the desert I took no Pokemon that can learn Fly with me. Because all Bugs do Fly, but apparently they aren't since only Volcarona can learn Fly. Because a tiny Rufflet can carry me on its back and fly anywhere, but a huge Yanmega can't. Anyways, Pokemon logic is the reason. And, also long story short, I got lost. BIG TIME! South, West, East, North, I could not find the platform back to Reborn for the life of me. Eventually (an hour later) I did. So, I'd not make the same mistake twice! Always take a flier to Tourmaline Desert with you people. The second visit, with me resting assured that I could Fly back anytime, went better. I found the R2D2/C3PO (or whatever it's called like) Scrapyard and started smashing rocks. And riding trains. And crashing and destroying engines. It was like being in a Luna Park! Hmmm, I wonder when we will meet Luna, Radomus and GG again, btw... And Bennett, the new E4 memberahahHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Anyways, after some wondering around, and riding trains, we found our way to the north, into the base of the Scrapyard. And, while we were expecting to find Anakin Skywalker at his original house, since the place was very Tatooine-like, we found... Bouffalant Bill. That was a disappointment. But, all the people we met there are strangely very willing to help us and offer accommodation! We even found a couple that was rescued from the desert, and an ex-Sigmund orderly, who fled and came to work there! Soon enough though, we left and headed East, and after passing through like a million train wagons, we were in... Paradise? Well, a looping paradise as it proved to be, until we found a staircase... The staircase to heaven?! Weird things were happening... The Heaven world turned out to be quite confusing, and showed me a shiny Druddigon, in my first encounter, which got brutally murdered (for warm-up) by a Megahorn from Honesty, my (also shiny) Scolipede. On the top(?) of the staircase there was a Fairytale Castle! We entered it (rather cautiously) and spoke to Adrienn, who gave us (?) advice on how to beat Titania. Well, he wasn't really helpful by the way, but warned us about Stance Change and (practically) about facing Titania in a Field that turns Aegislash into an OP (Anything-Goes level of OP) beast. Good to know. As we advanced we learned two things. 1) That Titania is a feminist and dislikes the Fairytales that show women as helpless beings who wait for the knight to save them by the Dragon who keeps them captives (Since she says clearly that the only one who can slay the Dragon is the one to whom the beast has its back turned to, aka the imprisoned woman herself), and 2) (quite more useful) that Lin is there. And keeps being weirdly friendly to us. Hmmmm... So, after defeating Knights Xander, Asmus, Isadan, Lancelot and others, we face Knight Rylin (ryLIN) who has Ame's stolen Alolan Ninetales. We defeat it quite easily (not really, this thing took out my Volcarona and gave me a taste of what this field can do, as Heat Wave gained the secondary Dragon typing and did nothing to A-Ninetales... After defeating her, Lin reveals herself and puts us in a cradle. Shouting that "IT IS NOT MY BEDTIME!" I get up, read some more feminist side of a fairytale, climb some books, then climb some (probably poison) ivy that is holding tightly on the castle walls and end up high... Climbing another staircase... Where I finally met Titania. I admit that, even though I find all the murders of hers unnecessary, I trust her. She'd not stay with Amaria or give Meteors false intel if she was on the enemy's side. So, she gives me the Sapphire Bracelets, and climbs up... And I enter the Dragon's Den, where I fight a Zekrom Stature, which kinda was brought to life! Facing Zekrom was a massacre, since I wasn't prepared for this. The bloody thing took out 4 of my 'mons before my Volcarona dealt the killing blow! But, at least it was gone now, so I guess that brute-forcing it kinda worked, on first try too.A bit deeper into the Dragon's Den, armored Lin has ambushed me. She demands that I hand her the Sapphire Bracelets, asking whether I think I can defeat her, after having witnessed Amethyst's fate... Of course I believe in myself, no way I'd lose to Lin. But Titania jumps behind her and Aegi-slashes her up! A move I 100% approve of, against Lin. Then, with Lin presumed dead, since she isn't responding, Titania invites us to a Gym Battle, with the winner to keep Sapphire Bracelets, having proven that xe/she is the stronger trainer among the two! Some quick testing of the waters revealed how hard the battle would be. But soon enough, I had a plan! Using brute force wouldn't give me the win. She is far too strong in that field. Also, Slush Rush Alolan Sandslash hits quite damn hard. Fire wouldn't help. Klefki is 100% countering Volcarona in this field, since it resists Hurricane two times and Bug Buzz 4 times, while Heat Wave gains Dragon typing, blah blah blah, Fairies are immune to Fire here! So, teamwork would be my way! VS TITANIA The team I used to face Titania was the following! Valor, the Forretress (Male) Careful/Sturdy (Item: Iron Ball) Toxic Spikes Gyro Ball Payback Spikes Seduction, the Illumise (Female) Bold/Prankster (Item: Magical Seed) Infestation Charm Wish Baton Pass Optimism, the Volbeat (Male) Relaxed/Prankster (Item: Leftovers) Double Team Tail Glow Confuse Ray Baton Pass Honesty, the Scolipede (Male) Adamant/Speed Boost (Item: Black Sludge) Megahorn Rock Smash Iron Defense Baton Pass Gaia, the Galvantula (Female) Modest/Unnerve (Item: Metronome) Sticky Web Hidden Power Ground Discharge Bug Buzz Sir Galahad, the Heracross (Male) Jolly/Moxie (Item: Black Belt) Megahorn Close Combat Bullet Seed Rock Blast Yes, versus a Steel Gym without Volcarona. Nothing strange here. So, battle started... And it is hailing (of course) and the Slush Rush Alolan Sandslash comes in. I start with Valor setting up 3 layers of Spikes. I will need this because I'd hate it if she had some kind of Focus Sash granting her 'mons a free Swords Dance. Not that it is impossible to happen otherwise... Regardless, All the extra damage I can get is good, I believe... Alolan Sandslash sets up Aurora Veil (damn this move) and then proceeds to KO Forretress with a combination of Earthquakes and Iron Heads. So, I send in Seduction, my Illumise. The Magical Seed grants it a King's Shield and boosts my Attack (which might be useful, or not...). Sandslash thankfully tries an Iron Head and gets -2 in Attack and Sp. Attack, while Seduction uses Infestation, preventing Sandslash from switching and ruining my set up chain. In the next two turns, Sandslash gets its Attack to -4 by a Prankster-priority Charm, and Illumise also sets up a Wish, as Sandslash keeps using Iron Head. A priority Baton Pass then brings in Optimism, my Volbeat, who tanks another Iron Head and Hail damage before getting back to full HP by Wish. Volbeat uses Double Team as Sandslash sets up Aurora Veil again... In the next two turns, Sandslash hits 1/2 Iron Heads, as Optimism sets up two(!) Tail Glows, maximizing his Sp. Attack. This is followed by another Double Team, a Confuse Ray and two missed Iron Heads on behalf of Sandslash! Things were looking good, since Titania was too arrogant to swap, and fixated into her brute-forcing tactics. A third Double Team happens as Sandslash hurts itself in confusion and then a priority Baton Pass to Honesty, my Scolipede! Honesty tanks an Iron Head with half HP (damn, even at -4 Attack, Sandslash hits hard with Field-boosted Iron Head) and gets a Speed Boost. Three turns later, Scolipede has set up 3 Iron Defences, has gotten 3 more Speed Boosts (now outspeeding Sandslash) and all Sandslash has done is miss 2 more Iron Heads and set up for another time the Aurora Veil (which is a bit concerning). Then, Honesty Baton Pass'ed into Gaia, my Galvantula. And all the magic happened! Galvantula first took out Alolan Sandslash with a Discharge (through Aurora Veil). Then, Excadrill came in, and it was holding a Magical Seed... So, I took the time to set up a (pointless, since all her 'mons are slow and she relies on priority attacks to cope) Sticky Web, since I wasn't sure whether King's Shield was broken enough in this Field to drop my stats even if I tried a non-contact attacking move... Excadrill set up Sandstorm though, which doubles its Speed, cause Sand Rush. But all the Speed Boosts that were Baton Passed worked, Gaia outsped Excadrill in Sandstorm and OHKO'ed it (after Spike damage) with HP Ground. It was the turn for Mega Scizor. It tried a Bullet Punch, which nearly scratched Gaia (with +6 Defense), who in turn proceeded to OHKO Mega Scizor with Discharge. Klefki came in, and plan works, because it can use Thunder Wave on an Electric type 'mon! So, it gets also taken out by yet another Discharge! Empoleon at this point was only a joke, even with Defiant giving it a +2 in Attack due to Sticky Web. Another Discharge, another OHKO, right after Aurora Veil expired. Even an Aqua Jet wouldn't have KO'ed my Gaia with +6 Defense. After Empoleon goes down Sandstorm subsides too. However, all the damage over time with Hail/Sandstorm plus Bullet Punch have gotten Gaia to a third of her HP. And Titania sends in Aegislash. It has Magical Seed, so I just use Sticky Web again (could've used the turn to heal, but fuck that, I like suspense-still unsure whether that shield in that field reduces stats even if you use a non-contact move on it...). Strangely, Aegislash goes for King's Shield on its free turn. I think that this would drop my Sp. Attack 4 times if I had attacked, but no idea if those 2 shields stack up. In the next turn, Aegislash uses Shadow Sneak (at +2 Attack, since Seed gave a +1 on entrance and the broken field-Stance Change gave another +1), and Gaia survives with 2 HP, and OHKO'es the sword with Discharge! Battle coverage! After this exceptional win, we get our 15th Badge, the Alloy Badge, and the TM fr Flash Cannon! Also, we get to keep the Sapphire Bracelets. But also, we get rejoined by Lin, who is alive... Which stuns Titania, and confirms the hypothesis that she isn't human... Or, at least, not entirely human... She insinuates that me and Team Meteor work together to cloud up Titania's judgement, and tosses a threat for Amaria's life... So, Titania runs to Fiore Mansion, inviting us there, after warning us not to backstab them... So, all we can do is follow her, and see what happens... In the next chapter! Till then, enjoy everyone!

@Chim Lol, don't get uppity, I'm only joking. You had claimed that the type you like the least is Electric>Bug, but ok

Since @Chim decided to be that guy... Grass: 31 Electric: 5 Steel: 9 Ground: 13 Ice: 26 Fight: 15 Normal: 12 Ghost: 25 Dark: 19 Bug: 22 Rock: 15 Poison: 12

Grass: 30 Electric: 9 Steel: 8 Ground: 15 Ice: 27 Fight: 17 Normal: 14 Ghost: 24 Dark: 19 Bug: 21 Rock: 16 Poison: 19

Interesting! So, denying to fight Taka in the WTC can end up in Zekrom route, if you don't agree to him following you in the Desert! Having played both routes now, I have to say that I much prefer the Zekrom route. Not so much for Taka's survival, but because (having fought and occasionally still fighting depression myself), seeing Amaria like that in Reshiram path felt like getting stabbed. Plus, I'm adamant in my opinion that, truth is indeed the best thing, but only if it is revealed when the timing is correct. e.g. man and wife have participated in a car crash. Wife wakes up in hospital after a surgery, but her husband has passed away. If the doctors tell her the truth when she's still fragile, her heart might fail and she dies too. So, they tell her he is recovering too. A lie, till she is ready mentally and physically to accept the truth. In general, if a lie is preserved in order to save lives until less "dangerous" circumstances for the revelation of truth are created, then this is what should be the way to follow. In a way, truth is morally right, but diplomacy will get you further. And may have better outcome than you'd have by just spitting out truths anywhere and anytime without thinking of the consequences. This is just my subjective opinion though.

You seriously joined the forums yesterday and your first post was to hurt Bugs?! I'm losing hope in humanity...

Maybe, since I chose to give Cera the Magma Stone... I guess the normal choice is to keep it, but I didn't wanna risk her killing the Elder. I'm pretty sure I read all the notes though, I checked everything quite meticulously...

I'm not sure... But I didn't see the Angie-awakening cutescene in my run. No idea why...

@Kuranashi Amethyst has answered to this before. She has said that, if they started creating patches of the game in other languages, then every person would start demanding patches in their own native language. So, this won't happen. Only way it will happen is after the release of the game's final version, and by fans that want to take this project into creation themselves. In other news, English is the universal language and everyone should know it well nowadays.

@Wolfox @Azeria (Without taking stats under consideration) Why even put Ash-Greninja in games that don't feature Ash as the main character? So, if my Greninja loves me so much that it creates a Battle Bond with me, it will turn into fucking ASH?! Give it at least alternative forms that match the main character in appearance. No more Ash, please....

My favourite type is Bug and I still can't get myself to like Scizor. It's OK, but not "HOLY SHIT SCIZOR IS AMAZING" kind of OK... To me at least...

Grass: 30 Electric: 11 Steel: 8 Ground: 15 Ice: 28 Fight: 17 Normal: 18 Ghost: 21 Dark: 20 Bug: 24 Flying: 7 Rock: 16 Poison: 18 MFW Grass gets out of hand and no one seems to care, but it is one of my favourite types anyways, so I don't care about keeping it in check.

Nope. I don't want my Dragonair to evolve. Ever. As long as I keep pressing "B", it counts.

Dragonair. I need to explain nothing. With Eviolite. Dragon Dance, Extreme Speed, Waterfall, Outrage

Grass: 28 Dragon: 2 Electric: 13 Steel: 10 Ground: 17 Ice: 27 Fight: 18 Normal: 18 Ghost: 21 Dark: 19 Bug: 26 Flying: 9 Rock: 14 Poison: 19 Psychic: 5 I'll take @Hycrox's advice and spare Dragons for yet another day. I will pull the plug tomorrow though...

You're right about setup, my fault, how could I forget about stuff like Bulk Up/Swords Dance etc. I had entry hazards in my mind (Stealth Rocks, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Sticky Web), duh! Reborn isn't very "competitive-meta-related", since you can use various 'mons successfully, even if they are not very good competitively. e.g. Garbodor. But yes, Fighting type is all about killing the enemy faster than the enemy kills you. I like pretty much the same 'mons as you, with the exception of preferring Hitmonchan over Hitmonlee. I also am not a huge fan of Lucario (still dunno why it got a movie) /Hawlucha, but prefer Heracross and Gallade.