The Last Bout for Blue Magic
49-54312-62775
This team and me go back a ways. It was first rendered as War Soap, and the subject of a warstory, then evolved into Blue Magic and became the subject of three warstories. Now it's survived long enough to appear in one last story before clearing the way for young blood. Let's give 'em hell, boys!
-> Sirk sent out Politoed and Ludicolo!
<-
-> Opponent sent out Archeops and Murkrow!
<-
-> It started to rain!
<-
I have a more or less favorable setup here. Murkrow and Archeops are both Ice-weak, and Ludicolo outspeeds both of them in the rain. Archeops would want to kill Ludicolo with Acrobatics, but probably fears a Life Orb Ice Beam KO from him. What he doesn't know won't hurt him, in this case, because I run Absorb Bulb on Ludicolo in tandem with Surf Politoed.
I suspect Murkrow wears a Focus Sash, so I'll be looking at a 2HKO whatever way I take this unless I Fake Out Murkrow then Surf. But I can't risk Acrobatics coming in to kill Ludicolo; I need both my boys to swim.
Turn 1
---------------
100%
100%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
100%
100%
-> Opponent returned Archeops!
<-
-> Ferrothorn was sent out!
<-
-> Ludicolo used Fake Out!
<-
-> Ferrothorn took 3% damage!
<-
-> It's not very effective...
<-
-> Ludicolo was hurt by Iron Barbs!
<-
-> Murkrow used Thunder Wave!
<-
-> Ludicolo was paralyzed! It may be unable to move!
<-
-> Politoed used Surf!
<-
-> The Water Gem boosted the attack's power!
<-
-> Ludicolo took 23% damage!
<-
-> It's not very effecive...
<-
-> The Absorb Bulb raised Ludicolo's Sp. Atk!
<-
-> Murkrow took 61% damage!
<-
-> Ferrothorn took 27% damage!
<-
-> It's not very effective...
<-
-> Ferrothorn restored some HP with its Leftovers!
<-
Okay, I'm certain now that Murkrow is not a Sash-wearer, since Water Gem, Drizzle-boosted Surf often OHKOs even genies. It survived with a healthy chunk left using its Eviolite, and with Fake Out spent it's liable to Thunder Wave again. I make a mental note of how effective priority Thunder Wave spam is. Probably nothing will come of that mental note, though.
Ferrothorn is one of those giants that is so eminent in Singles that whatever role it has in Doubles has to at least be mitigated. Except not, because here is the perpetual thorn in rain teams' collective side, kicking it in every battle mode. It is very difficult slash impossible to run an anti-Ferrothorn Pokemon in tandem with Politoed in the vanguard that is also useful in general situations. All my instincts told me Ferrothorn would appear but sheer lust for a clean sweep said "Aw hell, just bring in the usual two leads." Of course, had I had my Fighting-type Pokemon in the lead, I'd just have switched him out for the same reason I Fake Out'd the Pokemon that I did: fear of aviary gymnastics (which seems to defeat itself... most of the reason acrobats impress me is that they have to
work to beat gravity, not shit on it in contempt).
Speaking of my Fighting-type, now that the Defeatist is out of the fray, and Politoed
isn't, and a Vine-Whipe-on-steroids is a-coming, I'd better make use of the "switch" button, and maybe one other button will come into play...
Turn 2
---------------
76%
36%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
100%
65%
-> Politoed was returned!
<-
-> Go, Hitmontop!
<-
-> Hitmontop's Intimidate lowered the foe's Murkrow's Attack!
<-
-> Hitmontop's Intimidate lowered the foe's Ferrothorn's Attack!
<-
-> Murkrow used Thunder Wave! <-
-> Hitmontop was paralyzed! It may be unable to move!
<-
-> Ludicolo used Ice Beam!
<-
-> Murkrow took 36% damage!
<-
-> It's super effective!
<-
-> Murkrow fainted!
<-
-> Ferrothorn used Leech Seed!
<-
-> Hitmontop was seeded!
<-
-> Hitmontop's HP was drained!
<-
-> Ferrothorn restored some HP with its Leftovers!
<-
-> The opponent sent out Archeops!
<-
4-3
As soon as I saw T-Wave hit H-top, I should have known the Whip wasn't coming, or was going elsewhere. If I were in his sandals, I would have gone for Politoed, but maybe he sees more dimensions than I do. Anyway, the Eject Button loosely referenced earlier did not activate, which may be a blessing with its double-edgedness. My unseen fourth member isn't more qualified to handle Ferrothorn than Hitmontop, and I don't (and won't) need to renew rain, so it's better to keep Hitmontop's head firmly planted in the ground.
Murkrow's gone and, since Ferrothorn has Leech Seed, that means that the Thunder Wave-ing is probably done for today. My foe knows that nothing would be gained by more of it anyhow: Ferrothorn, as evidenced above, doesn't beat anything important out speed-wise, and Archeops is fast enough to hit anything that comes in hard with Acrobatics and/or KO either of the things that
are PRZ'd.
I can't afford wanton switching--my trump might be KO'd by Acrobatics, and then so would everything else Flying-weak. For the moment let's just get some damage in and let die who will die.
Turn 3
---------------
94%
100%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
88%
65%
-> Archeops used Protect!
<-
-> It protected itself!
<-
-> Ludicolo is paralyzed! It can't move!
<-
-> Hitmontop is paralyzed! It can't move!
<-
-> Ferrothorn used Bullet Seed
<-
-> Ludicolo took 11% damage!
<-
-> Ludicolo took 11% damage!
<-
-> Hitmontop's HP was drained!
<-
-> Ferrothorn restored some HP with Leftovers!
<-
That was much ado about jack crap. All this turn has given me is the certainty that 1) Archeops won't Protect again unless my opponent is more a gambler than he's let on, and that 2) Ferrothorn doesn't carry Power Whip. I've determined that Hitmontop is four times faster than Ferrothorn, too, but probably a crapload too weak to OHKO it with Close Combat.
At the moment I esteem Ludicolo higher than Hitmontop, so I'll save his ass and hopefully survive should Acrobatics choose his partner's now-occupied slot. HP-investment, don't fail me now!
Turn 4
---------------
100%
100%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
75%
43%
-> Ludicolo was returned!
<-
-> Go, Scizor!
<-
-> Archeops used Acrobatics!
<-
-> The Flying Gem boosted the attack's power!
<-
-> Scizor took 96% damage!
<-
-> Hitmontop used Close Combat!
<-
-> Ferrothorn took 85% damage!
<-
-> It's super effective!
<-
-> Hitmontop's Def fell!
<-
-> Hitmontop's SpD fell!
<-
-> Hitmontop was hurt by Iron Barbs!
<-
-> Ferrothorn used Bullet Seed!
<-
-> Hitmontop took 13% damage!
<-
-> Hitmontop took 13% damage!
<-
-> Hitmontop took 13% damage!
<-
-> Hitmontop took 13% damage!
<-
-> The Eject Button removed Hitmontop from battle!
<-
-> Go, Ludicolo!
<-
-> Ferrothorn restored HP from its Leftovers!
<-
Two sighs of relief were heard across the globe. Mine was bigger and better, though, because Scizor survived with less than Ferrothorn. Now the Eject Button was a blessing, because Hitmontop really didn't want to take another hit after -1 Def / -1 SpD.
Ludicolo's in with a healthy Fake Out ready to fire off like a mid-day skyrocket, but it isn't the best choice right now. Archeops has no priority moves, so Bullet Punch will KO it anyway, and Ferrothorn is slower than paralyzed Ludicolo, so, all things considered, Ice Beam is the weapon of choice this turn.
Turn 5
---------------
21%
100%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
43%
4%
-> Archeops used Protect!
<-
-> It protected itself!
<-
-> Scizor used Bullet Punch!
<-
-> Archeops protected itself!
<-
-> Ludicolo is paralyzed! It can't move!
<-
-> Ferrothorn used Gyro Ball!
<-
-> Scizor took 4% damage!
<-
-> It's not very effective...
<-
-> Scizor fainted!
<-
-> Go, Hitmontop!
<-
-> Hitmontop's Intimidate lowered Archeops' attack!
<-
-> Hitmontop's Intimidate lowered Ferrothorn's attack!
<-
-> Ferrothorn restored some HP from its Leftovers!
<-
3-3
I don't care if the rain lowered the temperature, Ferrothorn, that was not cool. It just wasn't, broheim. Just... get out of the room. Out. Out, before my impotent rage finds some Levitra.
Bad, bad jokes aside, I'm still running pretty strong. Ferrothorn has less Attack than ever and Archeops is going in that direction too. If he suspects (wrongly) that I have Sucker Punch on Hitmontop, he may retreat and reveal member #4. What I know for sure though is that Ferrothorn has neither the moves nor Attack stages to KO either of my Pokemon, and that Archeops, as has been spuriously concluded earlier, won't Protect.
Turn 6
---------------
27%
100%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
43%
7%
-> Hitmontop used Fake Out!
<-
-> Archeops took 11% damage!
<-
-> It's not very effective...
<-
-> Archeops flinched!
<-
-> Ludicolo used Ice Beam!
<-
-> Archeops took 89% damage!
<-
-> It's super effective!
<-
-> Archeops fainted!
<-
-> Ferrothorn used Bullet Seed!
<-
-> Ludicolo took 10% damage!
<-
-> Ludicolo took 10% damage!
<-
-> Ludicolo took 10% damage!
<-
-> Ferrothorn restored some HP with its Leftovers!
<-
-> Machamp was sent out!
<-
3-2
Things turned around pretty quicly. In spite of what a sharp-plantoid-object Ferro's been in my lower-backside, I'm starting to wonder what his purpose is. Sure, he frustrates rain teams, but he doesn't run up and kick them between the legs. Without Power Whip, he seems neutered.
It's 3-2 now and I could switch Hitmontop out one more time to ensure his two physical attackers aren't so fearsome via Intimidate, but the prospect of KOing Ferrothorn once and for all is too alluring.
Turn 7
---------------
33%
100%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
13%
7%
-> Ferrothorn used Protect!
<-
-> It protected itself!
<-
-> Machamp used DynamicPunch!
<-
-> Ludicolo took 13% damage!
<-
-> Ludicolo fainted!
<-
-> Hitmontop used Close Combat!
<-
-> Ferrothorn protected itself!
<-
-> Ferrothorn restored some HP from its Leftovers!
<-
-> Go, Politoed!
<-
2-2
The ol' circumventing. Painfully classic.
I'm faced with two 1v1 pairings here rather than a 2v2. Machamp will want to confuse/KO the healthy Politoed, who stands the biggest threat, instead of KOing the relatively minor Hitmontop that even poor Ferrothorn can KO now. Fortunately, a No Guard Machamp is a double-edged sword, and I'm going to kick it back in his face. Hitmontop will have to take one for the team when Iron Barbs activates, but he's never minded before (or at least never told me so). Possibly last turn, go!
Turn 8
---------------
40%
100%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Vs<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
100%
7%
-> Politoed used Hydro Pump!
<-
-> Machamp took 100% damage!
<-
-> Machamp fainted!
<-
-> Hitmontop used Close Combat!
<-
-> Ferrothorn took 40% damage!
<-
-> It's super effective!
<-
-> Ferrothorn fainted!
<-
-> Hitmontop was hurt by Iron Barbs!
<-
-> Hitmontop fainted!
<-
1-0
And yea, the gods did findeth me in their favour. Hydro Pump couldn't miss, and rolled the lucky dice to OHKO Machamp and come out on top. One healthy toad, three writhingly be-pained teammates, ready for another bout after some nursing and drugs. Oh N, who were you kidding about Pokemon suffering at the hands of trainers? Don't you feel ridiculous now?