Project Player Of The Week Revived: Week 12 - Tone

[TJ]

TONE
Favorite Pokemon: Clawitzer
Most used Pokemon: Primeape
Most known for: PU QC Member, PU Room Moderator, Cannon Enthusiast, PU C&C Moderator, and PUPL Manager
​

TJ: Hey Tone, how are you doing today?
Tone: I'm doing just fine, thanks for asking.

TJ: Can you tell us a little about yourself outside of Smogon?
Tone: I'm currently a college student finishing up my degree in Financial Mathematics and I do some math tutoring on the side (remidial high school stuff, nothing fancy.) My hobbies include hanging out with my friends, playing video games, or just playing football (the American version) or studying Math (i'm kind of a math junkie, but nothing too complicated.)

TJ: How and when did you get into competitive Pokemon? What drew you to PU?
Tone: Well I wasn't the best battler, let alone teambuilder, so I decided to try looking up new battle strategies and I stumbled across Pokemon Showdown! around late 2013. I wasn't the best battler, much less a teambuilder, so I settled into the Competitive Tutoring room as I did play OU a lot when i first started playing competitively around the beginning of XY. Over the past year and a half, I met a bunch of great people who were willing to help me along as I tried to get better at battling as a whole. As for getting into the PU tier itself, I wanted to expand my knowledge beyond OU and I wanted to try out lower tiers since I'll be forced to run lesser known Pokemon which was fun to try out. The PU room just started out when I first joined back around the Musharna meta and the people I've gotten to know since then as well as the community have all been great and I've loved the tier ever since.

TJ: Where did you get your username from?
Tone: Well the nickname "Tone" came from back when I was around 9 years old when one of my mom's friends from work would always call me Tone instead of by my actual name and then everyone started calling me by Tone so it pretty much stuck with me even through high school and now into college.

TJ: Did you sign up for PU Open yet?
Tone: I haven't, probably won't to be honest. Might change my mind who knows depends on availability.

TJ: What advice would you give to new players starting out in PU?
Tone: The PU forum is a great place to get started with from the Viability Rankings to the Sample Teams thread. Laddering also helps in getting a feel for the tier even though it isn't the most reliable source. Above all else, just remember to have fun. It's one thing that you want to learn the tier, but there have been plenty of cases of losing to hax or extremely bad strategies that can easily rile people up and throw you off your game. It is difficult to think this way and it can easily cloud your judgment, plus there's no sense in complaining over something you can't control. Long story short, use the forums to your advantage, don't be afraid to ask for help, and just have fun. That's the important thing.

TJ: What's the best part about PU?
Tone: Not having to prep for Lilligant. Other than that, amount of diversity in the tier makes things a lot more fun in terms of trying out different sets and hidden gems through testing (Specs Shiinotic in my case).

TJ: Can you name any up and coming players showing good potential?
Tone: I've haven't been paying much attention to up and coming players, but some people like PTF, gum, curi, and Jmash324 to name a few. All of them are solid in their own right and can be really solid with good consistency.

TJ: Who are some of your favorite people on in the PU community?
Tone: This is a tough one since I don't really have anyone in the community I hate so in general I like everyone. I'll specify Megazard and 2xTheTap since they've been around as long as I have and helps keep the tier together.

TJ: Funniest PU user?
Tone: If it's not cringeworthy, I can count on LordST to provide some quality memes in the Discord chat. I'll also shout out Oathkeepre for laughing at literally everything I say in the call.
TJ: Lmao

TJ: Popeyes or KFC?
Tone: Love that chicken from Popeye's!

TJ: Favorite TV Show/ Movie?
Tone: I'm probably one of the few people around who will say they liked CSI: Miami but hey that's just me. Other than that, I'm a nerd so I liked stuff like The Big Bang Theory (sad series is over), in terms of movies, I liked stuff like The Avengers: Civil War and comedy movies like Rush Hour 1-3 and Pink Panther. Also like old school movies like The Lion King and Pixar movies in General
TJ: Law & Order SVU > CSI: Miami

TJ: Finally, could you give us a cool team and briefly explain it?
Tone:

Importable

Mesprit @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- U-turn
- Healing Wish

Gurdurr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Atk / 212 Def
Adamant Nature
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- Mach Punch

Skuntank @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Poison Jab
- Sucker Punch

Kabutops @ Rockium Z
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rain Dance
- Stone Edge
- Waterfall
- Aqua Jet

Silvally-Fairy @ Fairy Memory
Ability: RKS System
EVs: 228 HP / 28 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Defog
- Parting Shot
- Multi-Attack
- Flamethrower

Abomasnow @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Snow Warning
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Blizzard
- Giga Drain
- Focus Blast
- Earthquake

So I threw this together on a whim mainly look for an underrated set and my attention turned to Kabutops since some teams have Rain Dance Ludicolo as a wincon on non rain team so I figured why not Kabutops. Kabutops outspeeds Ludicolo in rain and I decided to just build the team in a way where either Kabutops or Gurdurr won late game with help from bulky Silvally-Fairy with Parting Shot support to set up easier and everything else is pretty much straightforward bar running Iapapa Berry over Colbur berry on Mesprit to better check Fighting-types and Scarf Abomasnow deals with stuff like Dodrio and Oricorio without having to risk Kabutops missing Stone Edge or burning the Z-move on said Flying-types.

TJ: Thanks for your time, Tone! As always, if you guys have your own questions, feel free to ask them below! ​

 

[Tack]

When are we recording another live of me and allstarapology playing battle factory for like an hour

 

[tondas]

do you like snickers

 

[Oathkeeper]

Speaking of snickers, do I really laugh at literally anything you say? lol

 

[ManOfMany]

Could you beat HJAD in math?

 

[HJAD]

Could you beat HJAD in math?

ill answer this one, yes
tone may or may not have carried me with my work sometimes

 

[ShuckleDeath]

I love you.

 

[Taskr]

What's it like managing the best team in pupl?

 

[MamboTND]

Do you miss me?

 

[Akir]

TONE will you ever address your people in this thread?


Lol

 

[MZ]

What's it feel like being nearabouts the oldest user who hangs around PU?
Any clue who's going to win open?

 

[TONE]

Sorry for not responding to these questions sooner, a lot happened in my personal life, but i'm here now and willing to answer these questions.

When are we recording another live of me and allstarapology playing battle factory for like an hour

whenever you're free friend.

Speaking of snickers, do I really laugh at literally anything you say? lol

like 99.99% of the time, the .01% is mainly just spent realizing that what you were laughing at wasn't as funny as you thought, but you laugh harder regardless to make me feel better and it's the thought that counts am i right?

Could you beat HJAD in math?

probably, although it's probably the closest i'll get to having a chance at beating him at something.

I love you.

I know you do. We all know you do.

What's it like managing the best team in pupl?

Couldn't ask for better people to manage ngl.

Do you miss me?

Damn right I do.

What's it feel like being nearabouts the oldest user who hangs around PU?
Any clue who's going to win open?

Never really thought about it from an age perspective, but considering I still play competitive Pokemon at 28 is a surprise although I can't say I mind being considered an OG in the community. In terms of PU Open, it's kinda tough to say. My bet's on Teddeh although I'm not gonna put any pressure on him by saying that.

 

[Oathkeeper]

like 99.99% of the time, the .01% is mainly just spent realizing that what you were laughing at wasn't as funny as you thought, but you laugh harder regardless to make me feel better and it's the thought that counts am i right?

Yeah, I'm always there to help out my friends. Real life or Pokemon friends! You're awesome man =)