"A Little Help?!" - A Guide to the Intricacies of LC
By Ray Jay. Sample team provided by Raseri.
Little Cup was introduced in Pokemon Stadium 2 as one of the "Stadium Cups", or particular modes in which the player had stipulations set upon his or her team. The stipulation for Little Cup was that only Pokemon hatched from eggs could participate, and thus, it included only Pokemon that could evolve but had just been hatched at, in accordance with Gen III mechanics, level 5. While players slowly began to pick up this odd tier due to its uniqueness in star Pokemon and viable strategies, it was not until DPP that Little Cup (LC) finally had a chance as a competitive metagame at Smogon, under the direction of vader, who brought it over from the earliest medium for LC communication, the Little Cup Forum. A few mechanics had changed with breeding, and the logistics of the tier had also developed; for example, eggs now hatched at level 1, but LC was still played at level 5, allowing for ease in applying EV spreads.
DPP LC saw a small, tightly knit community and strategies that predominantly revolved around hyper offense. By BW, LC began to progress both as a metagame and as a community. The introduction of Eviolite allowed more balanced strategies to prosper, and the community became a much more thriving place. Now, XY LC has arrived, and the metagame is entirely fresh, the playerbase is growing quickly, and playing LC has never been more fun. Hopefully, this guide will provide you with all of the tools you need to join in the fun!
Rules
Pokemon Eligibility
In order to be used in LC, a Pokemon must fit the following criteria:
Little Cup, like other metagames, uses clauses to ensure the most competitive environment can be created. These are:
Scyther
Type: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 70 HP / 110 Atk / 80 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 105 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Technician / Steadfast
Scyther's base stats, which are actually the same in total to its evolution, Scizor, are simply too good to be compared to the rest of LC. Scyther has access to everything it needs to abuse these high stats, including boosting moves (Swords Dance and Agility) and strong STAB (Technician-boosted Aerial Ace and Bug Bite). It even has priority (again boosted by Technician) in the form of Quick Attack. Scyther has never been unbanned and likely never will be.
Sneasel
Type: Ice / Dark
Base Stats: 55 HP / 95 Atk / 55 Def / 35 SpA / 75 SpD / 115 Spe
Abilities: Inner Focus / Keen Eye / Pickpocket
Sneasel, while not as extreme as Scyther in stats, still has excellent offensive STABs and a simply brilliant stat spread. Sneasel was actually temporarily allowed in early XY LC, but was banned due to its extremely strong Knock Off (which also got buffed this generation), which, in conjunction with Ice Punch and Brick Break or just by itself, was able to wear down even Sneasel's common switch-ins. Furthermore, Sneasel was difficult to revenge kill due to its access to priority Ice Shard.
Tangela
Type: Grass
Base Stats: 65 HP / 55 Atk / 115 Def / 100 SpA / 40 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Leaf Guard / Regenerator
Tangela was one of the first two Pokemon banned by the LC Council this generation. Tangela was originally allowed into the metagame, but was found to be simply too strong and bulky, especially when running its signature set of Sleep Powder, Solarbeam, and Ancient Power with support from Drought Vulpix. Even outside of the sun, Tangela can run a devastatingly hard to break through defensive set or an extremely strong and long-lasting Life Orb set that uses Leaf Storm and Regenerator. Tangela was banned in a unanimous vote.
Yanma
Type: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 65 Atk / 45 Def / 75 SpA / 45 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Speed Boost / Compound Eyes / Frisk
Yanma was the second of the first two Pokemon to be banned by the LC Council. Yanma had two destructive sets that were simply too strong for the Little Cup metagame: a Speed Boost set, which swept opponents easily late-game when priority users had been eliminated, and a Compound Eyes set that utilized Hypnosis and Yanma's 20 Speed to cripple all potential counters and either set up with Substitute or get out with STAB U-turn. Ultimately, the proliferation of this second set, one that was simply too fast, strong, and unstoppable for LC to handle, was what pushed Yanma over the edge and lead to a unanimous vote.
EV Spreads and Stats
One of the biggest differences between LC and other metagames is the effect of EVs on stat points. The maximum number of EVs a Pokemon can have is still 510, and the maximum in any one stat is also still 252, but a few other things change. Base stats are less decisive in determining the final stat of a Pokemon; the range of stats at level 5 is not nearly as wide as it is at level 100. For example, Gligar has base 85 Speed, Abra has base 90 Speed, and Murkrow has base 91 Speed, but all three of them have a maximum Speed stat of 19. For Murkrow, this takes a Speed-boosting nature and 188 EVs; for Abra, a Speed-boosting nature and 196 EVs; for Gligar, a Speed-boosting nature and 236 EVs.
At level 100, it takes 4 EVs to boost a stat by one point, but in LC, it takes a whopping 80 EVs. As with every rule, this too has an exception: the first stat point increase is variable depending on the Pokemon's base stat. Going back to the previous example, Gligar's base Speed stat ends in a 5, so it takes 76 EVs to raise the stat by one point, 156 EVs to raise it by another, and 236 EVs to reach its maximum. Abra's base Speed stat ends in a 0, so it takes 36 EVs to raise it by one point, 116 to raise it by another, and 196 EVs to max it out. Murkrow's base Speed ends in a 1, so it takes 28 EVs to raise it by one point, 108 to raise it by another, and 188 EVs to max it out. Below are the number of EVs a Pokemon must invest to increase its stats based on the number that its base stats end in:
Base Stat Ending / EVs required for stat gain
xx0 / 36 /116 / 196 EVs
xx1 / 28 / 108 / 188 EVs
xx2 / 20 / 100 / 180 EVs
xx3 / 12 / 92 / 172 / 252 EVs
xx4 / 4 / 84 / 164 / 244 EVs
xx5 / 76 / 156 / 236 EVs
xx6 / 68 / 148 / 228 EVs
xx7 / 60 / 140 / 220 EVs
xx8 / 52 / 132 / 212 EVs
xx9 / 44 / 124 / 204 EVs
The lowest a base stat can be while still hitting the actual stat is 3, as represented by the fact that Pokemon with base stats ending in a 3 or a 4 can increase their stat four times through EVs. For example, Magby's base Speed is 83, which means that with a Speed-boosting nature and 0 EVs, it has a Speed stat of 15. With just 12 EVs, it can reach 16, and with 252 EVs, it can reach the aforementioned Speed stat of 19. If Magby had a base Speed of 82, it would still start at a Speed stat of 15, but it would only be able to reach a maximum Speed of 18, through investing 180 EVs.
IVs also can slightly nuance stats in LC; everything above applies in most cases where IVs are presumed to be 31. For every IV point missing, you need 4 more EVs to increase the stat point. For example, Magby with a 30 IV in Speed would not be able to hit 19 Speed, as it would technically need 256 EVs to max out while the maximum number of EVs for a single stat is 252.
Items
What You Should Use
Berry Juice
Aside from being simply delicious, Berry Juice restores 20 HP when the holder's HP drops below 50%. This allows most Pokemon in Little Cup to completely or almost completely restore their HP. This is exceptional on most setup sweepers that are comfortable taking a hit, as it allows them to potentially sweep from full health. Some Pokemon that synergize particularly well with Berry Juice include Swirlix, who uses Berry Juice and Unburden to begin sweeping after accruing a few boosts; Gligar, who heals with Berry Juice and then has a boosted Acrobatics; Misdreavus, who is bulky and has Nasty Plot, but lacks other recovery aside from Pain split; and Tirtouga and Dwebble, who have the combination of Sturdy and Shell Smash, which allows them to set up Shell Smash and still have the potential to take another hit with Sturdy after recovering back to full HP with Berry Juice.
Choice Scarf
Choice Scarf boosts the holder's Speed by 1.5x, but forces it to only select one of its moves each time it switches in. This makes Choice Scarf perfect for revenge killing specific threats, and is frequently seen on Pokemon that have wide coverage, have some sort of method of maintaining momentum, reach at least 14 Speed (21 with a Choice Scarf; this is enough to outspeed all unboosted LC Pokemon), or have any combination of the above. Snover is a prime example, as it hits 14 Speed, revenge kills many of the large threats in the metagame, such as Gligar, 2HKOes many switch-ins before they ever get a chance to strike, and has the added bonus of removing additional weather effects. Chinchou is also a common user, as it has good coverage combined with Volt Switch. Inkay is fabulous in that it is almost never seen without a Choice Scarf, as this allows it to spam Superpower and gain boosts from it via Contrary. Bunnelby is also a frequent user, as its middling Speed is reconciled through Choice Scarf, and it likes to repeatedly use Huge Power-boosted Return anyways.
Eviolite
Eviolite gives any unevolved Pokemon a 1.5x boost to both the Defense and Special Defense stat. In Little Cup, every single Pokemon can take advantage of this boost. The most notable users are walls and defensive pivots with some form of recovery (Vullaby, Mienfoo) or Pokemon with a boosting move who appreciate the added bulk while trying to set up (Scraggy, Honedge). Eviolite is a big reason for why Little Cup has slowed down from DPP, which featured mostly heavily offensive teams. Eviolite was suspected at the beginning of BW LC, but it was not banned and is now firmly accepted as a staple of the Little Cup metagame.
Life Orb
Life Orb gives a 1.3x boost to the holder's attacks at the cost of 10% of its HP per attack. In Little Cup, this is typically paired with a Pokemon that simply has excellent attacking stats or coverage. A good example is Murkrow, who can 2HKO most of the tier with Life Orb Brave Bird, Sucker Punch, and Heat Wave. Due to the fact that most numbers in Pokemon round down, any Pokemon with an HP stat of 19 will take 1.9 damage from Life Orb recoil, but this rounds down to only 1 damage. Elekid and Houndour are two Pokemon that appreciate the power boost from Life Orb but also get to minimize the effects of recoil.
What You Should Not Use
Assault Vest
Assault Vest gives the holder a 1.5x boost to its Special Defense stat, but the holder can only use attacking moves. This is inferior to Eviolite, which provides a 1.5x boost to both the holder's Defense and Special Defense with no downsides.
Leftovers
Leftovers restores 1/16 of the holder's health at the end of each turn. This is almost never enough HP to be useful in LC, as the holder would have to have a whopping 32 HP to restore just 2 HP per turn. Instead, Berry Juice should be used if one wants some form of recovery or Eviolite should be used to provide greater longevity in general.
Oran Berry
Oran Berry restores 10 HP to the holder when its HP drops below 50%, which is objectively inferior to Berry Juice. Berry Juice also is unaffected by Incinerate, Pluck, and Bug Bite, giving it further advantages.
Sitrus Berry
Sitrus Berry restores 25% HP to the holder when its HP drops below 50%, which is inferior to both Oran Berry and Berry Juice for all LC Pokemon (no LC Pokemon can reach an HP stat of 40, meaning Sitrus Berry can never restore 10 HP or more).
Situational
Choice Band / Choice Specs
Choice Band and Choice Specs have the same adverse effect as Choice Scarf, but Choice Band gives a 1.5x boost to the holder's Attack and Choice Specs gives a 1.5x boost to the holder's Special Attack. Most of the time, LC stats are so low that the difference between Life Orb (1.3x) and Choice Band or Choice Specs is negligible in comparison to the benefit of being able to switch moves. The only exceptions occur for Pokemon that are weak to priority and therefore do not want to whittle down their own HP and are likely to only use a single attack anyways. Choice Band Bunnelby is a good example of this.
Damp Rock
LC has plenty of rain sweepers, but no automatic inducer. Damp Rock can be used on any of the tier's bulkier Pokemon with Rain Dance, such as Bronzor or Mienfoo, to allow these Pokemon to shine when the sun does not.
DeepSeaTooth
DeepSeaTooth doubles Clamperl's Special Attack, putting it at around 36 before any boosts. This allows Clamperl to fire off exceedingly strong Surfs and Ice Beams. DeepSeaTooth can also be used alongside Shell Smash to simply devastate teams without strong priority attacks or Water-type immunities.
Focus Sash
Focus Sash allows the holder to survive any attack when it is at full HP. It is commonly used by Abra, who can ensure that it will live any attack that only hits once through its ability, Magic Guard, which negates all status effects, weather effects, and field effects such as Stealth Rock and Spikes.
Heat Rock
Heat Rock extends the number of turns sun can be on the battlefield from 5 to 8. This is commonly used by Vulpix, who has Drought to instantly change the weather to sunlight.
Normal Gem
Normal Gem is consumed to boost the power of the first Normal-type move used by the holder. It is the only gem that is currently available in XY. This is commonly used by Fletchling, who can boost its STAB Return and proceed to fire off priority Acrobatics through its ability, Gale Wings.
Move / Ability Legality at Level 5
Little Cup is played at level 5, which makes for some interesting situations regarding move legality. This section will attempt to briefly cover the main sources for why something that might be legal at level 100 is not legal at level 5. Also, know that it is impossible for simulators to detect all of these sources for legality that is different at level 5 than level 100.
Before we begin, one nice thing to note is that Gen VI has fortunately changed the way egg moves work, so now either parent may pass on egg moves to the offspring. This has removed virtually all previously impossible egg move combinations, including Budew with Spikes and Sleep Powder, Shelmet with Spikes and Encore, and Tentacool with Rapid Spin and Mirror Coat.
New Abilities / Moves and Old TMs / Move Tutors
This is probably the largest source of move illegality for Little Cup Pokemon and Pokemon in general. At its simplest level, this simply means that new moves or abilities are incompatible with old moves that can't be bred onto a child.
In Generation III, the Pomeg Berry, which removes 10 HP EVs upon use, could be used to faint one's party Pokemon from the field and then enter battle with only an Egg. This Egg could gain experience points in battle and learn level-up moves, but when it was hatched, it would still be at level 5. Most Pokemon do not have any problem with having level up moves bred onto them, as the only prerequisite is that both parents know the move. The exceptions are genderless and male only Pokemon, who must breed with Ditto. As Ditto cannot learn any of said Pokemon's level-up moves, this would cause their level-up moves to be illegal; however, the Pomeg glitch can be used to rectify this situation. Some notable benefits of the Pomeg glitch include Tri Attack and Recover on Porygon, and Rapid Spin, Recover, and Hydro Pump on Staryu.
Genderless / Single Gender Pokemon and Level-Up Moves After ADV
After Generation III, the Pomeg glitch was removed in its purest sense from the game, and genderless and single-gender Pokemon could no longer learn moves while in Egg form. As female only Pokemon can breed with male fathers, they have the least problems; virtually all competitive egg moves are available to the female Pokemon of Generations IV, V, and VI. Male only Pokemon have many more problems as they can only breed with Ditto; the only casualty of this post-Gen III is Rufflet, who unfortunately misses out on Brave Bird in LC. Genderless Pokemon have an equal number of problems, with Bronzor missing out mostly on irrelevant level up moves, Klink losing Shift Gear and Gear Grind, and Golett tragically losing access to Shadow Punch and Focus Punch.
Ability Capsule
Many people theorized that the introduction of Ability Capsule, an item that allows you to change your Pokemon's ability, would solve many of Little Cup's legality issues with hidden abilities. Unfortunately, Ability Capsule only allows a Pokemon to switch between its two main abilities and not to its hidden ability. For this reason, it does not solve any legality problems regarding past generation move tutors and hidden ability introduction, although many of these were solved by BW2 move tutors (eg, Prankster Heat Wave Murkrow) or can be expected to be resolved with future move tutors. A notable thing allowed for by Ability Capsule is old moves on Pokemon who did not originally have two abilities but had an ability added in Gen IV; for example, Ability Capsule can be used on a Pomeg glitch Tri Attack Porygon (which would have Trace from Generation III) to get Porygon with Tri Attack and Download.
Sample Team
Now that you're finally beginning to understand the world of Little Cup, it's time to have a go at the tier. Maybe you're not quite ready to build a team yourself just yet, but do not fear! We have graciously provided you with a standard team that will help you to learn the metagame from a hands-on perspective.
Timburr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 236 SDef / 76 Def
Adamant Nature
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Knock Off
Timburr's job is to act as a specially defensive sponge and pivot capable of causing switches and then punishing them via Knock Off. Knock Off allows the other Pokemon on the team to be a lot more effective, and allows Timburr to easily handle Ghost-type switch-ins such as Misdreavus with only a slight bit of prediction. Guts is useful as an ability for soaking status for the other members, be that a defensive Pokemon trying to use Toxic on Munchlax or something trying to Will-O-Wisp Gligar. Bulk Up, although it might not see too much use, can still be valuable late-game or against teams that solely use physical threats. Drain Punch keeps Timburr healthy throughout the match, and is especially effective after the opponent's Eviolites have been Knocked Off.
Munchlax @ Berry Juice
Ability: Thick Fat
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 236 SDef / 76 Atk
Careful Nature
- Recycle
- Earthquake
- Body Slam
- Ice Punch
Munchlax is more of a true specially defensive wall than Timburr due to its superior typing and lack of Flying-type and Fairy-type weaknesses. Munchlax serves as a good switch-in to Fire-type Pokemon, such as Larvesta or Ponyta, who try to cause havoc for Foongus via their strong STAB or for Gligar via Flame Body. Recycle is used in conjunction with Berry Juice to keep Munchlax healthy throughout the match, and is more efficient than Rest + Sleep Talk as it only consumes one slot; however, it does leave Munchlax prone to status, which makes the above set a good complement. Body Slam allows Munchlax to potentially paralyze Pokemon hoping to switch in and could cripple common problem Pokemon such as Mienfoo and Meditite. Ice Punch prevents Gligar from staying in safely, and Earthquake rounds out the coverage, devastating Pawniard and Chinchou.
Foongus @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 124 HP / 156 Def / 156 SDef
Bold Nature
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis
Foongus is the first part of the Regenerator core for this team, allowing it to sponge hits repeatedly and then recover health upon switching out. Regenerator eases prediction for Foongus and allows it to make a few mistakes without major consequence. Spore can be used to ease prediction for the other teammates, specifically aiding Timburr and Houndour, who can KO faster opponents if they are asleep. Sludge Bomb is important for offering coverage against Fairy-types, who might otherwise try to set up on this team's defensive core.
Gligar @ Berry Juice
Ability: Hyper Cutter
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Spd / 236 Atk
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Acrobatics
Gligar is a great Pokemon to lead with and also provides an easy way for the team to gain momentum. Stealth Rock is crucial to the effectiveness of glass cannons such as Houndour, as it prevents many Pokemon from switching in with comfort and also provides the user the upper hand in longer fights. Gligar can use U-turn to scout what the other team's potential counters are, letting it know what thread needs to be sufficiently weakened before it attempts to be weakened to Berry Juice range and then sweep with Acrobatics. This also makes Gligar a pretty good candidate to absorb Knock Off, as it allows it to immediately start firing off strong Acrobatics, which has incredible coverage alongside its other STAB of choice, Earthquake.
Slowpoke @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Def / 196 SDef / 76 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Slack Off
- Fire Blast
- Thunder Wave
Slowpoke is an incredible physically defensive wall, handling the devastating Meditite and offensive Gligar with ease and repeatedly switching into nigh every physical threat that lacks Knock Off. Thunder Wave helps Houndour clean up late in the game. Scald can be used alternatively if one suspects a switch to Murkrow, as a burn will render it much less effective. Slack Off allows Slowpoke to heal off weaker attacks from Meditite and Gligar, and works well in conjunction with Regenerator. Once again, Regenerator greatly eases prediction and makes Slowpoke a very easy Pokemon to use. Fire Blast ensures Ferroseed cannot set up layers of Spikes in front of Slowpoke.
Houndour @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Spd / 196 SAtk / 36 Atk / 36 Def
Naive Nature
IVs: 0 HP
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
Houndour is one of the most devastating offensive Pokemon in the tier, capable of 2HKOing many common switch-ins, especially with Stealth Rock support. Its STABs provide both excellent neutral coverage and key super effective hits. Pursuit can be used as a nasty surprise to Misdreavus, Phantump, and Pumpkaboo, all of which will flee at the first sight of Houndour. Sucker Punch picks off weaker Pokemon that outspeed Houndour but have been sufficiently weakened by its first attack. 0 HP IVs allow Houndour to hit 19 HP, which means it will take 1 damage from each recoil of Life Orb. Houndour synergizes well with Slowpoke, who can take the weaker priority attacks of the tier, and Foongus, who can switch into Houndour's biggest threats repeatedly due to Regenerator and also baits Fire-type attacks for Houndour to absorb.
Resources
By Ray Jay. Sample team provided by Raseri.
- Introduction and Background
- Rules
- EV Spreads and Stats
- Items
- Move / Ability Legality at Level 5
- Sample Team
- Resources
Little Cup was introduced in Pokemon Stadium 2 as one of the "Stadium Cups", or particular modes in which the player had stipulations set upon his or her team. The stipulation for Little Cup was that only Pokemon hatched from eggs could participate, and thus, it included only Pokemon that could evolve but had just been hatched at, in accordance with Gen III mechanics, level 5. While players slowly began to pick up this odd tier due to its uniqueness in star Pokemon and viable strategies, it was not until DPP that Little Cup (LC) finally had a chance as a competitive metagame at Smogon, under the direction of vader, who brought it over from the earliest medium for LC communication, the Little Cup Forum. A few mechanics had changed with breeding, and the logistics of the tier had also developed; for example, eggs now hatched at level 1, but LC was still played at level 5, allowing for ease in applying EV spreads.
DPP LC saw a small, tightly knit community and strategies that predominantly revolved around hyper offense. By BW, LC began to progress both as a metagame and as a community. The introduction of Eviolite allowed more balanced strategies to prosper, and the community became a much more thriving place. Now, XY LC has arrived, and the metagame is entirely fresh, the playerbase is growing quickly, and playing LC has never been more fun. Hopefully, this guide will provide you with all of the tools you need to join in the fun!
Rules
Pokemon Eligibility
In order to be used in LC, a Pokemon must fit the following criteria:
- The Pokemon must be able to evolve.
- The Pokemon must be in its earliest evolution stage.
- The Pokemon must be at level 5.
Little Cup, like other metagames, uses clauses to ensure the most competitive environment can be created. These are:
- Species Clause: Only one Pokemon may be on a team from each species.
- Sleep Clause: Only one Pokemon can be put to sleep by an opponent at a time, per team.
- OHKO Clause: Moves that score a guaranteed One-hit-KO on the opponent, such as Sheer Cold, Horn Drill, Guillotine, and Fissure, are banned.
- Evasion Clause: Moves that boost evasion (i.e. Double Team and Minimize) are not allowed. Note that moves with an alternative purpose that incidentally affect Evasion (such as Defog or lucky Accupressures) are allowed.
- Dragon Rage: Dragon Rage, which always inflicts 40 damage on the opponent (unless they are Fairy-type), is banned. This move is an absurdity in LC, where no Pokemon can even reach an HP stat above 40.
- Sonic Boom: Sonic Boom, which always inflicts 20 damage on the opponent (unless they are Ghost-type), is banned. Although it is less brutal than Dragon Rage, it is still enough to instantly take out a large portion of the tier.
- Moody: Moody, which gives one random stat +2 and one random stat -1 at the end of each turn, is banned. It is considered too random to be competitively applicable.
Scyther
Type: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 70 HP / 110 Atk / 80 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 105 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Technician / Steadfast
Scyther's base stats, which are actually the same in total to its evolution, Scizor, are simply too good to be compared to the rest of LC. Scyther has access to everything it needs to abuse these high stats, including boosting moves (Swords Dance and Agility) and strong STAB (Technician-boosted Aerial Ace and Bug Bite). It even has priority (again boosted by Technician) in the form of Quick Attack. Scyther has never been unbanned and likely never will be.
Sneasel
Type: Ice / Dark
Base Stats: 55 HP / 95 Atk / 55 Def / 35 SpA / 75 SpD / 115 Spe
Abilities: Inner Focus / Keen Eye / Pickpocket
Sneasel, while not as extreme as Scyther in stats, still has excellent offensive STABs and a simply brilliant stat spread. Sneasel was actually temporarily allowed in early XY LC, but was banned due to its extremely strong Knock Off (which also got buffed this generation), which, in conjunction with Ice Punch and Brick Break or just by itself, was able to wear down even Sneasel's common switch-ins. Furthermore, Sneasel was difficult to revenge kill due to its access to priority Ice Shard.
Tangela
Type: Grass
Base Stats: 65 HP / 55 Atk / 115 Def / 100 SpA / 40 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Leaf Guard / Regenerator
Tangela was one of the first two Pokemon banned by the LC Council this generation. Tangela was originally allowed into the metagame, but was found to be simply too strong and bulky, especially when running its signature set of Sleep Powder, Solarbeam, and Ancient Power with support from Drought Vulpix. Even outside of the sun, Tangela can run a devastatingly hard to break through defensive set or an extremely strong and long-lasting Life Orb set that uses Leaf Storm and Regenerator. Tangela was banned in a unanimous vote.
Yanma
Type: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 65 Atk / 45 Def / 75 SpA / 45 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Speed Boost / Compound Eyes / Frisk
Yanma was the second of the first two Pokemon to be banned by the LC Council. Yanma had two destructive sets that were simply too strong for the Little Cup metagame: a Speed Boost set, which swept opponents easily late-game when priority users had been eliminated, and a Compound Eyes set that utilized Hypnosis and Yanma's 20 Speed to cripple all potential counters and either set up with Substitute or get out with STAB U-turn. Ultimately, the proliferation of this second set, one that was simply too fast, strong, and unstoppable for LC to handle, was what pushed Yanma over the edge and lead to a unanimous vote.
EV Spreads and Stats
One of the biggest differences between LC and other metagames is the effect of EVs on stat points. The maximum number of EVs a Pokemon can have is still 510, and the maximum in any one stat is also still 252, but a few other things change. Base stats are less decisive in determining the final stat of a Pokemon; the range of stats at level 5 is not nearly as wide as it is at level 100. For example, Gligar has base 85 Speed, Abra has base 90 Speed, and Murkrow has base 91 Speed, but all three of them have a maximum Speed stat of 19. For Murkrow, this takes a Speed-boosting nature and 188 EVs; for Abra, a Speed-boosting nature and 196 EVs; for Gligar, a Speed-boosting nature and 236 EVs.
At level 100, it takes 4 EVs to boost a stat by one point, but in LC, it takes a whopping 80 EVs. As with every rule, this too has an exception: the first stat point increase is variable depending on the Pokemon's base stat. Going back to the previous example, Gligar's base Speed stat ends in a 5, so it takes 76 EVs to raise the stat by one point, 156 EVs to raise it by another, and 236 EVs to reach its maximum. Abra's base Speed stat ends in a 0, so it takes 36 EVs to raise it by one point, 116 to raise it by another, and 196 EVs to max it out. Murkrow's base Speed ends in a 1, so it takes 28 EVs to raise it by one point, 108 to raise it by another, and 188 EVs to max it out. Below are the number of EVs a Pokemon must invest to increase its stats based on the number that its base stats end in:
Base Stat Ending / EVs required for stat gain
xx0 / 36 /116 / 196 EVs
xx1 / 28 / 108 / 188 EVs
xx2 / 20 / 100 / 180 EVs
xx3 / 12 / 92 / 172 / 252 EVs
xx4 / 4 / 84 / 164 / 244 EVs
xx5 / 76 / 156 / 236 EVs
xx6 / 68 / 148 / 228 EVs
xx7 / 60 / 140 / 220 EVs
xx8 / 52 / 132 / 212 EVs
xx9 / 44 / 124 / 204 EVs
The lowest a base stat can be while still hitting the actual stat is 3, as represented by the fact that Pokemon with base stats ending in a 3 or a 4 can increase their stat four times through EVs. For example, Magby's base Speed is 83, which means that with a Speed-boosting nature and 0 EVs, it has a Speed stat of 15. With just 12 EVs, it can reach 16, and with 252 EVs, it can reach the aforementioned Speed stat of 19. If Magby had a base Speed of 82, it would still start at a Speed stat of 15, but it would only be able to reach a maximum Speed of 18, through investing 180 EVs.
IVs also can slightly nuance stats in LC; everything above applies in most cases where IVs are presumed to be 31. For every IV point missing, you need 4 more EVs to increase the stat point. For example, Magby with a 30 IV in Speed would not be able to hit 19 Speed, as it would technically need 256 EVs to max out while the maximum number of EVs for a single stat is 252.
Items
What You Should Use
Berry Juice
Aside from being simply delicious, Berry Juice restores 20 HP when the holder's HP drops below 50%. This allows most Pokemon in Little Cup to completely or almost completely restore their HP. This is exceptional on most setup sweepers that are comfortable taking a hit, as it allows them to potentially sweep from full health. Some Pokemon that synergize particularly well with Berry Juice include Swirlix, who uses Berry Juice and Unburden to begin sweeping after accruing a few boosts; Gligar, who heals with Berry Juice and then has a boosted Acrobatics; Misdreavus, who is bulky and has Nasty Plot, but lacks other recovery aside from Pain split; and Tirtouga and Dwebble, who have the combination of Sturdy and Shell Smash, which allows them to set up Shell Smash and still have the potential to take another hit with Sturdy after recovering back to full HP with Berry Juice.
Choice Scarf
Choice Scarf boosts the holder's Speed by 1.5x, but forces it to only select one of its moves each time it switches in. This makes Choice Scarf perfect for revenge killing specific threats, and is frequently seen on Pokemon that have wide coverage, have some sort of method of maintaining momentum, reach at least 14 Speed (21 with a Choice Scarf; this is enough to outspeed all unboosted LC Pokemon), or have any combination of the above. Snover is a prime example, as it hits 14 Speed, revenge kills many of the large threats in the metagame, such as Gligar, 2HKOes many switch-ins before they ever get a chance to strike, and has the added bonus of removing additional weather effects. Chinchou is also a common user, as it has good coverage combined with Volt Switch. Inkay is fabulous in that it is almost never seen without a Choice Scarf, as this allows it to spam Superpower and gain boosts from it via Contrary. Bunnelby is also a frequent user, as its middling Speed is reconciled through Choice Scarf, and it likes to repeatedly use Huge Power-boosted Return anyways.
Eviolite
Eviolite gives any unevolved Pokemon a 1.5x boost to both the Defense and Special Defense stat. In Little Cup, every single Pokemon can take advantage of this boost. The most notable users are walls and defensive pivots with some form of recovery (Vullaby, Mienfoo) or Pokemon with a boosting move who appreciate the added bulk while trying to set up (Scraggy, Honedge). Eviolite is a big reason for why Little Cup has slowed down from DPP, which featured mostly heavily offensive teams. Eviolite was suspected at the beginning of BW LC, but it was not banned and is now firmly accepted as a staple of the Little Cup metagame.
Life Orb
Life Orb gives a 1.3x boost to the holder's attacks at the cost of 10% of its HP per attack. In Little Cup, this is typically paired with a Pokemon that simply has excellent attacking stats or coverage. A good example is Murkrow, who can 2HKO most of the tier with Life Orb Brave Bird, Sucker Punch, and Heat Wave. Due to the fact that most numbers in Pokemon round down, any Pokemon with an HP stat of 19 will take 1.9 damage from Life Orb recoil, but this rounds down to only 1 damage. Elekid and Houndour are two Pokemon that appreciate the power boost from Life Orb but also get to minimize the effects of recoil.
What You Should Not Use
Assault Vest
Assault Vest gives the holder a 1.5x boost to its Special Defense stat, but the holder can only use attacking moves. This is inferior to Eviolite, which provides a 1.5x boost to both the holder's Defense and Special Defense with no downsides.
Leftovers
Leftovers restores 1/16 of the holder's health at the end of each turn. This is almost never enough HP to be useful in LC, as the holder would have to have a whopping 32 HP to restore just 2 HP per turn. Instead, Berry Juice should be used if one wants some form of recovery or Eviolite should be used to provide greater longevity in general.
Oran Berry
Oran Berry restores 10 HP to the holder when its HP drops below 50%, which is objectively inferior to Berry Juice. Berry Juice also is unaffected by Incinerate, Pluck, and Bug Bite, giving it further advantages.
Sitrus Berry
Sitrus Berry restores 25% HP to the holder when its HP drops below 50%, which is inferior to both Oran Berry and Berry Juice for all LC Pokemon (no LC Pokemon can reach an HP stat of 40, meaning Sitrus Berry can never restore 10 HP or more).
Situational
Choice Band / Choice Specs
Choice Band and Choice Specs have the same adverse effect as Choice Scarf, but Choice Band gives a 1.5x boost to the holder's Attack and Choice Specs gives a 1.5x boost to the holder's Special Attack. Most of the time, LC stats are so low that the difference between Life Orb (1.3x) and Choice Band or Choice Specs is negligible in comparison to the benefit of being able to switch moves. The only exceptions occur for Pokemon that are weak to priority and therefore do not want to whittle down their own HP and are likely to only use a single attack anyways. Choice Band Bunnelby is a good example of this.
Damp Rock
LC has plenty of rain sweepers, but no automatic inducer. Damp Rock can be used on any of the tier's bulkier Pokemon with Rain Dance, such as Bronzor or Mienfoo, to allow these Pokemon to shine when the sun does not.
DeepSeaTooth
DeepSeaTooth doubles Clamperl's Special Attack, putting it at around 36 before any boosts. This allows Clamperl to fire off exceedingly strong Surfs and Ice Beams. DeepSeaTooth can also be used alongside Shell Smash to simply devastate teams without strong priority attacks or Water-type immunities.
Focus Sash
Focus Sash allows the holder to survive any attack when it is at full HP. It is commonly used by Abra, who can ensure that it will live any attack that only hits once through its ability, Magic Guard, which negates all status effects, weather effects, and field effects such as Stealth Rock and Spikes.
Heat Rock
Heat Rock extends the number of turns sun can be on the battlefield from 5 to 8. This is commonly used by Vulpix, who has Drought to instantly change the weather to sunlight.
Normal Gem
Normal Gem is consumed to boost the power of the first Normal-type move used by the holder. It is the only gem that is currently available in XY. This is commonly used by Fletchling, who can boost its STAB Return and proceed to fire off priority Acrobatics through its ability, Gale Wings.
Move / Ability Legality at Level 5
Little Cup is played at level 5, which makes for some interesting situations regarding move legality. This section will attempt to briefly cover the main sources for why something that might be legal at level 100 is not legal at level 5. Also, know that it is impossible for simulators to detect all of these sources for legality that is different at level 5 than level 100.
Before we begin, one nice thing to note is that Gen VI has fortunately changed the way egg moves work, so now either parent may pass on egg moves to the offspring. This has removed virtually all previously impossible egg move combinations, including Budew with Spikes and Sleep Powder, Shelmet with Spikes and Encore, and Tentacool with Rapid Spin and Mirror Coat.
New Abilities / Moves and Old TMs / Move Tutors
This is probably the largest source of move illegality for Little Cup Pokemon and Pokemon in general. At its simplest level, this simply means that new moves or abilities are incompatible with old moves that can't be bred onto a child.
- Lickitung gets Wish and Heal Bell in ADV from a special event and the ability Cloud Nine from the Dream World in BW. There is no way to have these special moves on a Lickitung with the newer Cloud Nine ability.
- Stunky gets Sucker Punch in DPP from move tutors and Play Rough as an egg move in XY. There is no way to have a level 5 Stunky with Sucker Punch and Play Rough bred onto it.
- Staryu can obtain Hydro Pump and Rapid Spin in ADV via the Pomeg Glitch and the ability Analytic from the Dream World in BW. There is no way to have these moves on Staryu with the newer Analytic ability.
In Generation III, the Pomeg Berry, which removes 10 HP EVs upon use, could be used to faint one's party Pokemon from the field and then enter battle with only an Egg. This Egg could gain experience points in battle and learn level-up moves, but when it was hatched, it would still be at level 5. Most Pokemon do not have any problem with having level up moves bred onto them, as the only prerequisite is that both parents know the move. The exceptions are genderless and male only Pokemon, who must breed with Ditto. As Ditto cannot learn any of said Pokemon's level-up moves, this would cause their level-up moves to be illegal; however, the Pomeg glitch can be used to rectify this situation. Some notable benefits of the Pomeg glitch include Tri Attack and Recover on Porygon, and Rapid Spin, Recover, and Hydro Pump on Staryu.
Genderless / Single Gender Pokemon and Level-Up Moves After ADV
After Generation III, the Pomeg glitch was removed in its purest sense from the game, and genderless and single-gender Pokemon could no longer learn moves while in Egg form. As female only Pokemon can breed with male fathers, they have the least problems; virtually all competitive egg moves are available to the female Pokemon of Generations IV, V, and VI. Male only Pokemon have many more problems as they can only breed with Ditto; the only casualty of this post-Gen III is Rufflet, who unfortunately misses out on Brave Bird in LC. Genderless Pokemon have an equal number of problems, with Bronzor missing out mostly on irrelevant level up moves, Klink losing Shift Gear and Gear Grind, and Golett tragically losing access to Shadow Punch and Focus Punch.
Ability Capsule
Many people theorized that the introduction of Ability Capsule, an item that allows you to change your Pokemon's ability, would solve many of Little Cup's legality issues with hidden abilities. Unfortunately, Ability Capsule only allows a Pokemon to switch between its two main abilities and not to its hidden ability. For this reason, it does not solve any legality problems regarding past generation move tutors and hidden ability introduction, although many of these were solved by BW2 move tutors (eg, Prankster Heat Wave Murkrow) or can be expected to be resolved with future move tutors. A notable thing allowed for by Ability Capsule is old moves on Pokemon who did not originally have two abilities but had an ability added in Gen IV; for example, Ability Capsule can be used on a Pomeg glitch Tri Attack Porygon (which would have Trace from Generation III) to get Porygon with Tri Attack and Download.
Sample Team
Now that you're finally beginning to understand the world of Little Cup, it's time to have a go at the tier. Maybe you're not quite ready to build a team yourself just yet, but do not fear! We have graciously provided you with a standard team that will help you to learn the metagame from a hands-on perspective.
Timburr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 236 SDef / 76 Def
Adamant Nature
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Knock Off
Timburr's job is to act as a specially defensive sponge and pivot capable of causing switches and then punishing them via Knock Off. Knock Off allows the other Pokemon on the team to be a lot more effective, and allows Timburr to easily handle Ghost-type switch-ins such as Misdreavus with only a slight bit of prediction. Guts is useful as an ability for soaking status for the other members, be that a defensive Pokemon trying to use Toxic on Munchlax or something trying to Will-O-Wisp Gligar. Bulk Up, although it might not see too much use, can still be valuable late-game or against teams that solely use physical threats. Drain Punch keeps Timburr healthy throughout the match, and is especially effective after the opponent's Eviolites have been Knocked Off.
Munchlax @ Berry Juice
Ability: Thick Fat
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 236 SDef / 76 Atk
Careful Nature
- Recycle
- Earthquake
- Body Slam
- Ice Punch
Munchlax is more of a true specially defensive wall than Timburr due to its superior typing and lack of Flying-type and Fairy-type weaknesses. Munchlax serves as a good switch-in to Fire-type Pokemon, such as Larvesta or Ponyta, who try to cause havoc for Foongus via their strong STAB or for Gligar via Flame Body. Recycle is used in conjunction with Berry Juice to keep Munchlax healthy throughout the match, and is more efficient than Rest + Sleep Talk as it only consumes one slot; however, it does leave Munchlax prone to status, which makes the above set a good complement. Body Slam allows Munchlax to potentially paralyze Pokemon hoping to switch in and could cripple common problem Pokemon such as Mienfoo and Meditite. Ice Punch prevents Gligar from staying in safely, and Earthquake rounds out the coverage, devastating Pawniard and Chinchou.
Foongus @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 124 HP / 156 Def / 156 SDef
Bold Nature
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis
Foongus is the first part of the Regenerator core for this team, allowing it to sponge hits repeatedly and then recover health upon switching out. Regenerator eases prediction for Foongus and allows it to make a few mistakes without major consequence. Spore can be used to ease prediction for the other teammates, specifically aiding Timburr and Houndour, who can KO faster opponents if they are asleep. Sludge Bomb is important for offering coverage against Fairy-types, who might otherwise try to set up on this team's defensive core.
Gligar @ Berry Juice
Ability: Hyper Cutter
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Spd / 236 Atk
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Acrobatics
Gligar is a great Pokemon to lead with and also provides an easy way for the team to gain momentum. Stealth Rock is crucial to the effectiveness of glass cannons such as Houndour, as it prevents many Pokemon from switching in with comfort and also provides the user the upper hand in longer fights. Gligar can use U-turn to scout what the other team's potential counters are, letting it know what thread needs to be sufficiently weakened before it attempts to be weakened to Berry Juice range and then sweep with Acrobatics. This also makes Gligar a pretty good candidate to absorb Knock Off, as it allows it to immediately start firing off strong Acrobatics, which has incredible coverage alongside its other STAB of choice, Earthquake.
Slowpoke @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Def / 196 SDef / 76 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Slack Off
- Fire Blast
- Thunder Wave
Slowpoke is an incredible physically defensive wall, handling the devastating Meditite and offensive Gligar with ease and repeatedly switching into nigh every physical threat that lacks Knock Off. Thunder Wave helps Houndour clean up late in the game. Scald can be used alternatively if one suspects a switch to Murkrow, as a burn will render it much less effective. Slack Off allows Slowpoke to heal off weaker attacks from Meditite and Gligar, and works well in conjunction with Regenerator. Once again, Regenerator greatly eases prediction and makes Slowpoke a very easy Pokemon to use. Fire Blast ensures Ferroseed cannot set up layers of Spikes in front of Slowpoke.
Houndour @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Spd / 196 SAtk / 36 Atk / 36 Def
Naive Nature
IVs: 0 HP
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
Houndour is one of the most devastating offensive Pokemon in the tier, capable of 2HKOing many common switch-ins, especially with Stealth Rock support. Its STABs provide both excellent neutral coverage and key super effective hits. Pursuit can be used as a nasty surprise to Misdreavus, Phantump, and Pumpkaboo, all of which will flee at the first sight of Houndour. Sucker Punch picks off weaker Pokemon that outspeed Houndour but have been sufficiently weakened by its first attack. 0 HP IVs allow Houndour to hit 19 HP, which means it will take 1 damage from each recoil of Life Orb. Houndour synergizes well with Slowpoke, who can take the weaker priority attacks of the tier, and Foongus, who can switch into Houndour's biggest threats repeatedly due to Regenerator and also baits Fire-type attacks for Houndour to absorb.
Resources
- The Little Cup Forum Section is where most things pertaining to LC take place, including discussion megathreads and community challenges.
- The Introduction Thread specifically is a great place to start in this forum if you are new.
- #LittleCup is our IRC channel and is a great place to get advice from LC veterans and discuss other things pertaining to Little Cup.
- Pokemon Showdown! is our official simulator, and we have a Little Cup chat room and ladder there.
- Little Cup Speed Tiers is a resource containing information regarding EVs and maximum / common Speed stats attained in competitive Little Cup.
Code:
[title]
"A Little Help?!" - A Guide to the Intricacies of LC
[head]
<meta name="description" content="A Guide to the Basics of Little Cup." />
[page]
<div class="author">By <a href="/forums/members/51861/">Ray Jay</a>. Sample team provided by <a href="/forums/members/12579/">Raseri</a>.</div>
<ol>
<li><a href="#intro">Introduction and Background</a></li>
<li><a href="#rules">Rules</a></li>
<li><a href="#stats">EV Spreads and Stats</a></li>
<li><a href="#items">Items</a></li>
<li><a href="#legality">Move / Ability Legality at Level 5</a></li>
<li><a href="#team">Sample Team</a></li>
<li><a href="#resources">Resources</a></li>
</ol>
<h2><a name="intro">Introduction and Background</a></h2>
<p>Little Cup was introduced in Pokémon Stadium 2 as one of the "Stadium Cups", or particular modes in which the player had stipulations set upon his or her team. The stipulation for Little Cup was that only Pokémon hatched from eggs could participate, and thus, it included only Pokémon that could evolve but had just been hatched at, in accordance with Gen III mechanics, level 5. While players slowly began to pick up this odd tier due to its uniqueness in star Pokémon and viable strategies, it was not until DPP that Little Cup (LC) finally had a chance as a competitive metagame at Smogon, under the direction of vader, who brought it over from the earliest medium for LC communication, the Little Cup Forum. A few mechanics had changed with breeding, and the logistics of the tier had also developed; for example, eggs now hatched at level 1, but LC was still played at level 5, allowing for ease in applying EV spreads.</p>
<p>DPP LC saw a small, tightly knit community and strategies that predominantly revolved around hyper offense. By BW, LC began to progress both as a metagame and as a community. The introduction of Eviolite allowed more balanced strategies to prosper, and the community became a much more thriving place. Now, XY LC has arrived, and the metagame is entirely fresh, the playerbase is growing quickly, and playing LC has never been more fun. Hopefully, this guide will provide you with all of the tools you need to join in the fun!</p>
<h3><a name="rules">Rules</a></h3>
<h4>Pokémon Eligibility</h4>
<p>In order to be used in LC, a Pokémon must fit the following criteria:</p>
<ul>
<li>The Pokémon must be able to evolve.</li>
<li>The Pokémon must be in its earliest evolution stage.</li>
<li>The Pokémon must be at level 5.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Clauses</h4>
<p>Little Cup, like other metagames, uses clauses to ensure the most competitive environment can be created. These are:</p>
<ul>
<li><em>Species Clause:</em> Only one Pokémon may be on a team from each species.</li>
<li><em>Sleep Clause:</em> Only one Pokémon can be put to sleep by an opponent at a time, per team.</li>
<li><em>OHKO Clause:</em> Moves that score a guaranteed One-hit-KO on the opponent, such as Sheer Cold, Horn Drill, Guillotine, and Fissure, are banned.</li>
<li><em>Evasion Clause:</em> Moves that boost evasion (i.e. Double Team and Minimize) are not allowed. Note that moves with an alternative purpose that incidentally affect evasion (such as Defog or lucky Acupressures) are allowed.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Banned Moves and Abilities</h4>
<ul>
<li><em>Dragon Rage:</em> Dragon Rage, which always inflicts 40 damage on the opponent (unless they are Fairy-type), is banned. This move is an absurdity in LC, where no Pokémon can even reach an HP stat above 40.</li>
<li><em>Sonic Boom:</em> Sonic Boom, which always inflicts 20 damage on the opponent (unless they are Ghost-type), is banned. Although it is less brutal than Dragon Rage, it is still enough to instantly take out a large portion of the tier.</li>
<li><em>Moody:</em> Moody, which gives one random stat +2 and one random stat -1 at the end of each turn, is banned. It is considered too random to be competitively applicable.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Banned Pokémon</h4>
<div><img src="/download/sprites/bw/123.png" alt="Scyther" /></div>
<p>Scyther<br />
Type: Bug / Flying<br />
Base Stats: 70 HP / 110 Atk / 80 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 105 Spe<br />
Abilities: Swarm / Technician / <em>Steadfast</em></p>
<p>Scyther's base stats, which are actually the same in total to its evolution, Scizor, are simply too good to be compared to the rest of LC. Scyther has access to everything it needs to abuse these high stats, including boosting moves (Swords Dance and Agility) and strong STAB (Technician-boosted Aerial Ace and Bug Bite). It even has priority (again boosted by Technician) in the form of Quick Attack. Scyther has never been unbanned and likely never will be.</p>
<div><img src="/download/sprites/bw/215.png" alt="Sneasel" /></div>
<p>Sneasel<br />
Type: Ice / Dark<br />
Base Stats: 55 HP / 95 Atk / 55 Def / 35 SpA / 75 SpD / 115 Spe<br />
Abilities: Inner Focus / Keen Eye / <em>Pickpocket</em></p>
<p>Sneasel, while not as extreme as Scyther in stats, still has excellent offensive STABs and a simply brilliant stat spread. Sneasel was actually temporarily allowed in early XY LC, but was banned due to its extremely strong Knock Off (which also got buffed this generation), which, in conjunction with Ice Punch and Brick Break or just by itself, was able to wear down even Sneasel's common switch-ins. Furthermore, Sneasel was difficult to revenge kill due to its access to priority Ice Shard.</p>
<div><img src="/download/sprites/bw/114.png" alt="Tangela" /></div>
<p>Tangela<br />
Type: Grass<br />
Base Stats: 65 HP / 55 Atk / 115 Def / 100 SpA / 40 SpD / 60 Spe<br />
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Leaf Guard / <em>Regenerator</em></p>
<p>Tangela was one of the first two Pokémon banned by the LC Council this generation. Tangela was originally allowed into the metagame, but was found to be simply too strong and bulky, especially when running its signature set of Sleep Powder, Solarbeam, and Ancient Power with support from Drought Vulpix. Even outside of the sun, Tangela can run a devastatingly hard to break through defensive set or an extremely strong and long-lasting Life Orb set that uses Leaf Storm and Regenerator. Tangela was banned in a unanimous vote.</p>
<div><img src="/download/sprites/bw/193.png" alt="Yanma" /></div>
<p>Yanma<br />
Type: Bug / Flying<br />
Base Stats: 65 HP / 65 Atk / 45 Def / 75 SpA / 45 SpD / 95 Spe<br />
Abilities: Speed Boost / Compound Eyes / <em>Frisk</em></p>
<p>Yanma was the second of the first two Pokémon to be banned by the LC Council. Yanma had two destructive sets that were simply too strong for the Little Cup metagame: a Speed Boost set, which swept opponents easily late-game when priority users had been eliminated, and a Compound Eyes set that utilized Hypnosis and Yanma's 20 Speed to cripple all potential counters and either set up with Substitute or get out with STAB U-turn. Ultimately, the proliferation of this second set, one that was simply too fast, strong, and unstoppable for LC to handle, was what pushed Yanma over the edge and lead to a unanimous vote.</p>
<h3><a name="stats">EV Spreads and Stats</a></h3>
<p>One of the biggest differences between LC and other metagames is the effect of EVs on stat points. The maximum number of EVs a Pokémon can have is still 510, and the maximum in any one stat is also still 252, but a few other things change. Base stats are less decisive in determining the final stat of a Pokémon; the range of stats at level 5 is not nearly as wide as it is at level 100. For example, Gligar has base 85 Speed, Abra has base 90 Speed, and Murkrow has base 91 Speed, but all three of them have a maximum Speed stat of 19. For Murkrow, this takes a Speed-boosting nature and 188 EVs; for Abra, a Speed-boosting nature and 196 EVs; for Gligar, a Speed-boosting nature and 236 EVs.</p>
<p>At level 100, it takes 4 EVs to boost a stat by one point, but in LC, it takes a whopping 80 EVs. As with every rule, this too has an exception: the first stat point increase is variable depending on the Pokémon's base stat. Going back to the previous example, Gligar's base Speed stat ends in a 5, so it takes 76 EVs to raise the stat by one point, 156 EVs to raise it by another, and 236 EVs to reach its maximum. Abra's base Speed stat ends in a 0, so it takes 36 EVs to raise it by one point, 116 to raise it by another, and 196 EVs to max it out. Murkrow's base Speed ends in a 1, so it takes 28 EVs to raise it by one point, 108 to raise it by another, and 188 EVs to max it out. Below are the number of EVs a Pokémon must invest to increase its stats based on the number that its base stats end in:</p>
<table class="sortable">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Base Stat Ending</th>
<th>EVs required for stat gain</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>xx0</td>
<td>36 / 116 / 196 EVs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>xx1</td>
<td>28 / 108 / 188 EVs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>xx2</td>
<td>20 / 100 / 180 EVs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>xx3</td>
<td>12 / 92 / 172 / 252 EVs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>xx4</td>
<td>4 / 84 / 164 / 244 EVs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>xx5</td>
<td>76 / 156 / 236 EVs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>xx6</td>
<td>68 / 148 / 228 EVs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>xx7</td>
<td>60 / 140 / 220 EVs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>xx8</td>
<td>52 / 132 / 212 EVs</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>xx9</td>
<td>44 / 124 / 204 EVs</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The lowest a base stat can be while still hitting the actual stat is 3, as represented by the fact that Pokémon with base stats ending in a 3 or a 4 can increase their stat four times through EVs. For example, Magby's base Speed is 83, which means that with a Speed-boosting nature and 0 EVs, it has a Speed stat of 15. With just 12 EVs, it can reach 16, and with 252 EVs, it can reach the aforementioned Speed stat of 19. If Magby had a base Speed of 82, it would still start at a Speed stat of 15, but it would only be able to reach a maximum Speed of 18, through investing 180 EVs.</p>
<p>IVs also can slightly nuance stats in LC; everything above applies in most cases where IVs are presumed to be 31. For every IV point missing, you need 4 more EVs to increase the stat point. For example, Magby with a 30 IV in Speed would not be able to hit 19 Speed, as it would technically need 256 EVs to max out while the maximum number of EVs for a single stat is 252.</p>
<h3><a name="items">Items</a></h3>
<h4>What You Should Use</h4>
<dl>
<dt>Berry Juice</dt>
<dd>Aside from being simply delicious, Berry Juice restores 20 HP when the holder's HP drops below 50%. This allows most Pokémon in Little Cup to completely or almost completely restore their HP. This is exceptional on most setup sweepers that are comfortable taking a hit, as it allows them to potentially sweep from full health. Some Pokémon that synergize particularly well with Berry Juice include Swirlix, which uses Berry Juice and Unburden to begin sweeping after accruing a few boosts; Gligar, which heals with Berry Juice and then has a boosted Acrobatics; Misdreavus, who is bulky and has Nasty Plot, but lacks other recovery aside from Pain split; and Tirtouga and Dwebble, who have the combination of Sturdy and Shell Smash, which allows them to set up Shell Smash and still have the potential to take another hit with Sturdy after recovering back to full HP with Berry Juice.</dd>
<dt>Choice Scarf</dt>
<dd>Choice Scarf boosts the holder's Speed by 1.5x, but forces it to only select one of its moves each time it switches in. This makes Choice Scarf perfect for revenge killing specific threats, and is frequently seen on Pokémon that have wide coverage, have some sort of method of maintaining momentum, reach at least 14 Speed (21 with a Choice Scarf; this is enough to outspeed all unboosted LC Pokémon), or have any combination of the above. Snover is a prime example, as it hits 14 Speed, revenge kills many of the large threats in the metagame, such as Gligar, 2HKOes many switch-ins before they ever get a chance to strike, and has the added bonus of removing additional weather effects. Chinchou is also a common user, as it has good coverage combined with Volt Switch. Inkay is fabulous in that it is almost never seen without a Choice Scarf, as this allows it to repeatedly use Superpower and gain boosts from it via Contrary. Bunnelby is also a frequent user, as its middling Speed is reconciled through Choice Scarf, and it likes to repeatedly use Huge Power-boosted Return anyways.</dd>
<dt>Eviolite</dt>
<dd>Eviolite gives any unevolved Pokémon a 1.5x boost to both the Defense and Special Defense stat. In Little Cup, every single Pokémon can take advantage of this boost. The most notable users are walls and defensive pivots with some form of recovery (Vullaby, Mienfoo) or Pokémon with a boosting move who appreciate the added bulk while trying to set up (Scraggy, Honedge). Eviolite is a big reason for why Little Cup has slowed down from DPP, which featured mostly heavily offensive teams. Eviolite was suspected at the beginning of BW LC, but it was not banned and is now firmly accepted as a staple of the Little Cup metagame.</dd>
<dt>Life Orb</dt>
<dd>Life Orb gives a 1.3x boost to the holder's attacks at the cost of 10% of its HP per attack. In Little Cup, this is typically paired with a Pokémon that simply has excellent attacking stats or coverage. A good example is Murkrow, who can 2HKO most of the tier with Life Orb Brave Bird, Sucker Punch, and Heat Wave. Due to the fact that most numbers in Pokémon round down, any Pokémon with an HP stat of 19 will take 1.9 damage from Life Orb recoil, but this rounds down to only 1 damage. Elekid and Houndour are two Pokémon that appreciate the power boost from Life Orb but also get to minimize the effects of recoil.</dd>
</dl>
<h4>What You Should Not Use</h4>
<dl>
<dt>Assault Vest</dt>
<dd>Assault Vest gives the holder a 1.5x boost to its Special Defense stat, but the holder can only use attacking moves. This is inferior to Eviolite, which provides a 1.5x boost to both the holder's Defense and Special Defense with no downsides.</dd>
<dt>Leftovers</dt>
<dd>Leftovers restores 1/16 of the holder's health at the end of each turn. This is almost never enough HP to be useful in LC, as the holder would have to have a whopping 32 HP to restore just 2 HP per turn. Instead, Berry Juice should be used if one wants some form of recovery or Eviolite should be used to provide greater longevity in general.</dd>
<dt>Oran Berry</dt>
<dd>Oran Berry restores 10 HP to the holder when its HP drops below 50%, which is objectively inferior to Berry Juice. Berry Juice also is unaffected by Incinerate, Pluck, and Bug Bite, giving it further advantages.</dd>
<dt>Sitrus Berry</dt>
<dd>Sitrus Berry restores 25% HP to the holder when its HP drops below 50%, which is inferior to both Oran Berry and Berry Juice for all LC Pokémon (no LC Pokémon can reach an HP stat of 40, meaning Sitrus Berry can never restore 10 HP or more).</dd>
</dl>
<h4>Situational</h4>
<dl>
<dt>Choice Band / Choice Specs</dt>
<dd>Choice Band and Choice Specs have the same adverse effect as Choice Scarf, but Choice Band gives a 1.5x boost to the holder's Attack and Choice Specs gives a 1.5x boost to the holder's Special Attack. Most of the time, LC stats are so low that the difference between Life Orb (1.3x) and Choice Band or Choice Specs is negligible in comparison to the benefit of being able to switch moves. The only exceptions occur for Pokémon that are weak to priority and therefore do not want to whittle down their own HP and are likely to only use a single attack anyways. Choice Band Bunnelby is a good example of this.</dd>
<dt>Damp Rock</dt>
<dd>LC has plenty of rain sweepers, but no automatic inducer. Damp Rock can be used on any of the tier's bulkier Pokémon with Rain Dance, such as Bronzor or Mienfoo, to allow these Pokémon to shine when the sun does not.</dd>
<dt>DeepSeaTooth</dt>
<dd>DeepSeaTooth doubles Clamperl's Special Attack, putting it at around 36 before any boosts. This allows Clamperl to fire off exceedingly strong Surfs and Ice Beams. DeepSeaTooth can also be used alongside Shell Smash to simply devastate teams without strong priority attacks or Water-type immunities.</dd>
<dt>Focus Sash</dt>
<dd>Focus Sash allows the holder to survive any attack when it is at full HP. It is commonly used by Abra, who can ensure that it will live any attack that only hits once through its ability, Magic Guard, which negates all status effects, weather effects, and field effects such as Stealth Rock and Spikes.</dd>
<dt>Heat Rock</dt>
<dd>Heat Rock extends the number of turns sun can be on the battlefield from 5 to 8. This is commonly used by Vulpix, who has Drought to instantly change the weather to sunlight.</dd>
<dt>Normal Gem</dt>
<dd>Normal Gem is consumed to boost the power of the first Normal-type move used by the holder. It is the only gem that is currently available in XY. This is commonly used by Fletchling, who can boost its STAB Return and proceed to fire off priority Acrobatics through its ability, Gale Wings.</dd>
</dl>
<h3><a name="legality">Move / Ability Legality at Level 5</a></h3>
<p>Little Cup is played at level 5, which makes for some interesting situations regarding move legality. This section will attempt to briefly cover the main sources for why something that might be legal at level 100 is not legal at level 5. Also, know that it is impossible for simulators to detect all of these sources for legality that is different at level 5 than level 100.</p>
<p>Before we begin, one nice thing to note is that Gen VI has fortunately changed the way egg moves work, so now either parent may pass on egg moves to the offspring. This has removed virtually all previously impossible egg move combinations, including Budew with Spikes and Sleep Powder, Shelmet with Spikes and Encore, and Tentacool with Rapid Spin and Mirror Coat.</p>
<h4>New Abilities / Moves and Old TMs / Move Tutors</h4>
<p>This is probably the largest source of move illegality for Little Cup Pokémon and Pokémon in general. At its simplest level, this simply means that new moves or abilities are incompatible with old moves that can't be bred onto a child.</p>
<ul>
<li>Lickitung gets Wish and Heal Bell in ADV from a special event and the ability Cloud Nine from the Dream World in BW. There is no way to have these special moves on a Lickitung with the newer Cloud Nine ability.</li>
<li>Stunky gets Sucker Punch in DPP from move tutors and Play Rough as an egg move in XY. There is no way to have a level 5 Stunky with Sucker Punch and Play Rough bred onto it.</li>
<li>Staryu can obtain Hydro Pump and Rapid Spin in ADV via the Pomeg Glitch and the ability Analytic from the Dream World in BW. There is no way to have these moves on Staryu with the newer Analytic ability.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Gen III: The Pomeg Glitch</h4>
<p>In Generation III, the Pomeg Berry, which removes 10 HP EVs upon use, could be used to faint one's party Pokémon from the field and then enter battle with only an Egg. This Egg could gain experience points in battle and learn level-up moves, but when it was hatched, it would still be at level 5. Most Pokémon do not have any problem with having level up moves bred onto them, as the only prerequisite is that both parents know the move. The exceptions are genderless and male only Pokémon, who must breed with Ditto. As Ditto cannot learn any of said Pokémon's level-up moves, this would cause their level-up moves to be illegal; however, the Pomeg glitch can be used to rectify this situation. Some notable benefits of the Pomeg glitch include Tri Attack and Recover on Porygon, and Rapid Spin, Recover, and Hydro Pump on Staryu.</p>
<p>Genderless / Single Gender Pokémon and Level-Up Moves After ADV</p>
<p>After Generation III, the Pomeg glitch was removed in its purest sense from the game, and genderless and single-gender Pokémon could no longer learn moves while in Egg form. As female only Pokémon can breed with male fathers, they have the least problems; virtually all competitive egg moves are available to the female Pokémon of Generations IV, V, and VI. Male-only Pokémon have many more problems as they can only breed with Ditto; the only casualty of this post-Gen III is Rufflet, who unfortunately misses out on Brave Bird in LC. Genderless Pokémon have an equal number of problems, with Bronzor missing out mostly on irrelevant level up moves, Klink losing Shift Gear and Gear Grind, and Golett tragically losing access to Shadow Punch and Focus Punch.</p>
<h4>Ability Capsule</h4>
<p>Many people theorized that the introduction of Ability Capsule, an item that allows you to change your Pokémon's ability, would solve many of Little Cup's legality issues with hidden abilities. Unfortunately, Ability Capsule only allows a Pokémon to switch between its two main abilities and not to its hidden ability. For this reason, it does not solve any legality problems regarding past generation move tutors and hidden ability introduction, although many of these were solved by BW2 move tutors (eg, Prankster Heat Wave Murkrow) or can be expected to be resolved with future move tutors. A notable thing allowed for by Ability Capsule is old moves on Pokémon that did not originally have two abilities but had an ability added in Gen IV; for example, Ability Capsule can be used on a Pomeg glitch Tri Attack Porygon (which would have Trace from Generation III) to get Porygon with Tri Attack and Download.</p>
<h3><a name="team">Sample Team</a></h3>
<p>Now that you're finally beginning to understand the world of Little Cup, it's time to have a go at the tier. Maybe you're not quite ready to build a team yourself just yet, but do not fear! We have graciously provided you with a standard team that will help you to learn the metagame from a hands-on perspective.</p>
<p>Timburr @ Eviolite<br />
Ability: Guts<br />
Level: 5<br />
EVs: 196 Atk / 76 Def / 236 SpD<br />
Adamant Nature<br />
- Bulk Up<br />
- Drain Punch<br />
- Mach Punch<br />
- Knock Off</p>
<p>Timburr's job is to act as a specially defensive sponge and pivot capable of causing switches and then punishing them via Knock Off. Knock Off allows the other Pokémon on the team, especially Houndour, to be a lot more effective, and allows Timburr to easily handle Ghost-type switch-ins such as Misdreavus with only a slight bit of prediction. Guts is useful as an ability for soaking status for the other members, be that a defensive Pokémon trying to use Toxic on Munchlax or something trying to Will-O-Wisp Gligar. Bulk Up, although it might not see too much use, can still be valuable late-game or against teams that solely use physical threats. Drain Punch keeps Timburr healthy throughout the match, and is especially effective after the opponent's Eviolites have been Knocked Off.</p>
<p>Munchlax @ Berry Juice<br />
Ability: Thick Fat<br />
Level: 5<br />
EVs: 76 Atk / 196 Def / 236 SpD<br />
Careful Nature<br />
- Recycle<br />
- Earthquake<br />
- Body Slam<br />
- Ice Punch</p>
<p>Munchlax is more of a true specially defensive wall than Timburr due to its superior typing and lack of Flying-type and Fairy-type weaknesses. Munchlax serves as a good switch-in to Fire-type Pokémon, such as Larvesta or Ponyta, who try to cause havoc for Foongus via their strong STAB or for Gligar via Flame Body. Recycle is used in conjunction with Berry Juice to keep Munchlax healthy throughout the match, and is more efficient than Rest + Sleep Talk as it only consumes one slot; however, it does leave Munchlax prone to status, which makes the above set a good complement. Body Slam allows Munchlax to potentially paralyze Pokémon hoping to switch in and could cripple common problem Pokémon such as Mienfoo and Meditite. Ice Punch prevents Gligar from staying in safely, and Earthquake rounds out the coverage, devastating Pawniard and Chinchou.</p>
<p>Foongus @ Eviolite<br />
Ability: Regenerator<br />
Level: 5<br />
EVs: 124 HP / 156 Def / 156 SDef<br />
Bold Nature<br />
- Spore<br />
- Giga Drain<br />
- Sludge Bomb<br />
- Synthesis<br />
<p>Foongus is the first part of the Regenerator core for this team, allowing it to sponge hits repeatedly and then recover health upon switching out. Regenerator eases prediction for Foongus and allows it to make a few mistakes without major consequence. Spore can be used to ease prediction for the other teammates, specifically aiding Timburr and Houndour, who can KO faster opponents if they are asleep. Sludge Bomb is important for offering coverage against Fairy-types, who might otherwise try to set up on this team's defensive core.</p>
<p>Gligar @ Berry Juice<br />
Ability: Hyper Cutter<br />
Level: 5<br />
EVs: 236 Atk / 236 Spe<br />
Jolly Nature<br />
- Stealth Rock<br />
- U-turn<br />
- Earthquake<br />
- Acrobatics</p>
<p>Gligar is a great Pokémon to lead with and also provides an easy way for the team to gain momentum. Stealth Rock is crucial to the effectiveness of glass cannons such as Houndour, as it prevents many Pokémon from switching in with comfort and also provides the user the upper hand in longer fights. Gligar can use U-turn to scout what the other team's potential counters are, letting it know what thread needs to be sufficiently weakened before it attempts to be weakened to Berry Juice range and then sweep with Acrobatics. This also makes Gligar a pretty good candidate to absorb Knock Off, as it allows it to immediately start firing off strong Acrobatics, which has incredible coverage alongside its other STAB move of choice, Earthquake.</p>
<p>Slowpoke @ Eviolite<br />
Ability: Regenerator<br />
Level: 5<br />
EVs: 236 Def / 76 SpA / 196 SpD<br />
Bold Nature<br />
- Scald<br />
- Slack Off<br />
- Fire Blast<br />
- Thunder Wave</p>
<p>Slowpoke is an incredible physically defensive wall, handling the devastating Meditite and offensive Gligar with ease and repeatedly switching into nigh every physical threat that lacks Knock Off. Thunder Wave helps Houndour clean up late in the game. Scald can be used alternatively if one suspects a switch to Murkrow, as a burn will render it much less effective. Slack Off allows Slowpoke to heal off weaker attacks from Meditite and Gligar, and works well in conjunction with Regenerator. Once again, Regenerator greatly eases prediction and makes Slowpoke a very easy Pokémon to use. Fire Blast ensures Ferroseed cannot set up layers of Spikes in front of Slowpoke.</p>
<p>Houndour @ Life Orb<br />
Ability: Flash Fire<br />
Level: 5<br />
EVs: 36 Atk / 36 Def / 196 SpA / 236 Spe<br />
Naive Nature<br />
IVs: 0 HP<br />
- Dark Pulse<br />
- Fire Blast<br />
- Pursuit<br />
- Sucker Punch</p>
<p>Houndour is one of the most devastating offensive Pokémon in the tier, capable of 2HKOing many common switch-ins, especially with Stealth Rock support. Its STABs provide both excellent neutral coverage and key super effective hits. Pursuit can be used as a nasty surprise to Misdreavus, Phantump, and Pumpkaboo, all of which will flee at the first sight of Houndour. Sucker Punch picks off weaker Pokémon that outspeed Houndour but have been sufficiently weakened by its first attack. 0 HP IVs allow Houndour to hit 19 HP, which means it will take 1 damage from each recoil of Life Orb. Houndour synergizes well with Slowpoke, who can take the weaker priority attacks of the tier, and Foongus, who can switch into Houndour's biggest threats repeatedly due to Regenerator and also baits Fire-type attacks for Houndour to absorb.</p>
<h3><a name="resources">Resources</a></h3>
<ul>
<li>The <a href="/forums/forums/little-cup.260/">Little Cup Forum Section</a> is where most things pertaining to LC take place, including discussion megathreads and community challenges.</li>
<li>The <a href="/forums/threads/introductions-faq-help-thread-please-read-if-new.3491009/">Introduction Thread</a> specifically is a great place to start in this forum if you are new.</li>
<li><a href="http://client00.chat.mibbit.com/?server=irc.synirc.net&channel=%23littlecup">#LittleCup</a> is our IRC channel and is a great place to get advice from LC veterans and discuss other things pertaining to Little Cup.</li>
<li><a href="http://play.pokemonshowdown.com">Pokémon Showdown!</a> is our official simulator, and we have a Little Cup chat room and ladder there.</li>
<li><a href="/forums/threads/lc-speed-tiers-gp-2-2-html.3494369">Little Cup Speed Tiers</a> is a resource containing information regarding EVs and maximum / common Speed stats attained in competitive Little Cup.</li>
</ul>
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