Idea for Battle Hall

[chari930]

I'm debating what pokemon I'm going to try in Battle Hall. This is one of my ideas that I think could work really well. What do you think?

Starmie
Modest nature, EV's:4HP,252Sp.A,252SPD
Focus Sash
-Ice Beam
-Thunderbolt
-Surf
-Psychic

I know it slightly varies from standard Starmie's, but with 1v1. I think it could do some damage. Focus Sash is there because from my experience Modest Starmie 1-2HKO's just about everything, and Focus Sash ensures I get those 1-2 hits. I think as long as I don't see Cresselia or Blissey it could go far.

 

[freddie515]

A friend of mine did this and lost to a scyther. It used X-scissor while he surfed then it used quick attack
Maybe you'll have better luck though

Word of advice: battle bugs first time then ghosts. Hope you dont encounter a shedinja

 

[dukeburger]

You can try it, but even though Starmie is a great Pokemon... in my opinion, it is a bad choice for the Hall. It has too many type weaknesses that I don't think you'd be lucky enough to avoid all potential threats on the way to 170. Remember, anything with a dual typing that's threatening to Starmie can show up in your run of either type; for instance, Rock should be a breeze, but what about quick claw Tyranitar? And you absolutely must go through Dark and Ice first to avoid focus sash Weavile, whom I doubt you can beat. Grass is also going to be nasty, especially with Abomasnow, who can show up in that and ice - remember, snow warning will break your sash. Bugs and ghosts won't be nice either, especially because both of those can show up in other types (bugs mostly - you'll have to watch out for focus sash Scyther in bug AND flying, as already mentioned), and also as mentioned, you will be screwed by Shedinja (he only shows up in the earlier stages though). There's also focus sash Scizor with X-scissor and Bullet Punch, who you will also have to worry about in Steel (ouch).

Another thing about Starmie, is it has no reliable way of boosting its special attack (not that this is 100% vital... but trust me, it helps). This can be a huge problem against bulky stallers or special walls, like you mentioned (so now Normal is potentially a threat). Also, anything that is somewhat bulky and can 2HKO you that carries bright powder/lax incense could pose a threat; without stat boosting, you maximize the amount of turns you will have to use to hit the opponent, thus giving more chances that hax can kick in.

Btw, you should really run some damage calcs on this to see if I'm wrong on any potential threats. Also, here is the list of all potential Hall pokes, so take a look at it yourself and do calcs accordingly: http://members.shaw.ca/teamrocketelite/BattleHallPokemon.txt

If you want my advice... pick something fast, powerful, with minimal weaknesses, and go with focus sash. This is what I used to get the gold print:

Garchomp
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Spe
Item: Focus Sash

- Swords Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast (this was probably a dumb idea; it's now Fire Fang)

Outrage is an awesome attack, resisted by nothing but steels (and you should never have to worry about confusion kicking in - if you're worried, Swords Dance)... and that's what you have STAB Earthquake for. Swords Dance was seldom used, but I was grateful to have it when I needed it. Fire Blast was very rarely used, but again, same logic as Swords Dance. For Chompy, you absolutely must go through ice and dark first and hope for no Weavile. Next threats are Water (due to dual ice typing and a lot if ice moves), and Grass for Abomasnow (for the same reasons I gave as a threat to Starmie). Can't remember what I did after that, but Normals are good to get through, due to a lot having the elemental punches.

A lot of people like Salamence as well for this... as Garchomp's ability goes to waste, Intimidate can be handy. Personally I've tried it, and didn't like the extra weaknesses from the Flying type (and its general uselessness), and I'd rather Swords Dance over Dragon Dance. I've also heard of this being successfully done with Kingdra as well; the person used a physical one and a special one (so remember, you can use multiples of the same species... if you can find a way of taking that to your advantage with Starmie, all the more power to you).

 

[Wiilio]

I know it's there, so I know it'll be a problem.

Snorlax is going to kill you.

I find mixed sweepers to be best at Battle Hall.

 

[chari930]

Garchomp (that exact build too)was another of my ideas. I ran SpecsMence thinking it would do very well, it did but theres a Sharpedo that has a Focus Sash and Ice Fang that I ran into every time. Starmie is just one of my personal favorites, and does well in Battle Tower (even though its a slightly different build) and I have a shiny with decent IVs >.>

I might also try again with RestTalk Milotic, it faired me pretty well, but I had Ice Beam as a 2nd attack move instead of Dragon Pulse, bad idea. On the other hand I won a lot of struggle battls with other bulky waters/ice pokemon with healing moves ^.^

I might try the Starmie and see if I get lucky and avoid those Scary pokes like Scizor, Blissey, Dusknoir, Weavile, Zapdos and Raikou (if they're faster than me) TTar (I'm not 100% sure I'll OHKO him), Shedinja (which I never even thought about). Grass I don't fear too much: with the exception of very few, I outrun them, the ones I don't outrun (Sceptile prolly) I OHKO.

 

[dukeburger]

Oh believe me, Starmie has been my BFF since day one (day one for me anyway) of the Battle Tower in Diamond/Pearl, and I've since used her to get the gold prints in the Platinum Battle Tower and Castle... and now working on Arcade. I would love it if you could pull of the Hall with your Starmie... I'm just not optimistic for all the reasons I already gave.

Unless the AI is completely retarded, you will NOT survive against Weavile, Scizor, or Scyther, end of story. So that's four types already that you must take on first and make it through unscathed. You should be worried by Grass, because as I said: Abomasnow. You can't OHKO it, and it is without a doubt going to break your focus sash with its Snow Warning, and then OHKO you with Wood Hammer. So that's a total of five types to worry about, because you absolutely won't beat those Pokes if you run into them. And you still have Ghost and Electric to think about. I don't feel like running damage calcs to pick out everything that you will 100% without a doubt lose against (that's your job), but you're really at a disadvantage with Starmie it looks like.

And yeah, looking at it... as Wiil mentioned, Snorlax will without a doubt 1HKO you, unless for some reason he is dumb and doesn't use Crunch on you. And you already know you don't want to meet Blissey. So add Normal to that list. :/

I think people have done it, but I really, really wouldn't run anything on the dragons other than focus sash. As you've learned, a lot of things that can really screw you over carry focus sash.

I could see Milotic being a much more viable choice, especially if you mix it up and use a couple different ones. But... why would you even consider Dragon Pulse over Ice Beam? If you are that scared of Kingdra or something, then I would just run through Dragon/Water with it, then get back Ice Beam.

 

[Kiratwig]

A friend of mine did this and lost to a scyther. It used X-scissor while he surfed then it used quick attack
Maybe you'll have better luck though

Word of advice: battle bugs first time then ghosts. Hope you dont encounter a shedinja

This is a big chance if anything battle the bug type, ghost type and steel types first, if you can get threw those then it should be an easy breeze threw all the rest.

 

[chari930]

@dukeburger - the reason Dragon pulse goes over ice beam is because of type coverage. My RestTalk Milotic's move pool is Rest, Sleep Talk (duh), Surf and was Ice Beam. The problem with this is, now there are several pokemon that resist both of my attacking moves (all water types, some ice types.... ok I guess Ice Beam isn't a bad choice) but when I went through Battle Hall with this, I ran into several pokemon that carried healing moves that I couldn't keep damage on them. I ran into a dewgong that both my attacks 4HKO'd it, but it was running Rest, same with a Politoed, I just barely missed 2HKO'ing with Ice Beam and it just Rested off the damage. Had the same problem with an Articuno using Roost. I won all of these battles (and a few similar ones) but they came down to 20 min battles that ended in
my opponent and I using struggle. Then I lost to a Jynx (stupid Dream Eater). Knowing this I may carry Dragon Pulse through Ice, Water, and maybe Dragon. Then Ice Beam everything else.

 

[Mukubird]

Run Life Orb Flamethrower/Close Combat/Grass Knot/Stone Edge MixApe and dominate children's cockfighting games.

 

[Hector]

you could also roll with a physical Expert Belt Electivire.

 

[chari930]

@Mukubird - thats not a bad idea, but I wouldn't try it for 2 reasons 1) Personally I'm terrible with mixed sweepers, I never really liked them, and they never really liked me 2) There a few pokemon that you really have to worry about namely Gyrados, Gliscor, and any flying pokemon that Stone Edge misses or is faster than you (if any), a good chunk of the dragons could scare you, Wobuffet and Forretress (if you don't OHKO it) also scare you if they guess right >.>, to name few possible worries.

@Hide in Plain Sight - I actually have this built and its pretty awesome. Again it runs into problems with Focus Sash pokemon that carry Earthquake (especially later on) or anything faster than you that carries EQ. You'd have to get dragon and ground out right away for fear of Garchomp (and possibly Flygon)

EDIT: I think I simply need to quit trying Battle Hall, even with pokemon I know can beat I can't because I have absolutely terrible luck. I was using the suggested Garchomp. 5 out 7 times I've run into Focus sash Weavile. The other times times I've lost because Outrage missed. 99.8% accuracy and it friggin missed... twice. Even when I win battles some of them are far closer than they should be because of terrible luck. For instance, I was fighting a Dusknoir, I used Outrage, does over 50% damage next turn I win, it has Quick Claw attached, so it goes first, and uses rest. No big deal if Outrage hits 3 times, no it hits 2 times, I was confused for 4 turns, and hurt my self in confusion all 4 times, how I won that I don't know (I actually saved this battle video because of the load of BS it was).

EDIT: Never mind the above, I beat it with that Garchomp.