The Double Battle Metagame (GBU)

I just read on Serebii that Random Match-up rules will be updated on December 27, which involves banning the move Dark Void altogether!!! Man, I just cannot express how happy I am.
 

soul_survivor

VGCPL Champion
I just read on Serebii that Random Match-up rules will be updated on December 27, which involves banning the move Dark Void altogether!!! Man, I just cannot express how happy I am.
Nooo. 1st vgc, and now gbu. Smeargle's usability is now gonna decrease so much. Its sad that there going to do this. Its not even used much as is.



Now that I just found out Nintendo can update the GBU. Lets say vgc2013 or 14 become 2 ubers again, do you think gbu doubles will update to include ubers if this happens?
 

Jibaku

Who let marco in here????
is a Top Team Rater Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnusis a CAP Contributor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Two-Time Past SPL Champion
If I recall correctly, the Pokemon and item bans are stored in the game itself, so you couldn't even bring them into the GBU in the first place. If they decide to manage the bans online entirely on the next game(s), however, Ubers GBU would be possible, but it seems unlikely since they probably want to ensure compatibility between it and BW.

RIP Dark Void D:
 

Sprocket

P(n) = 1 - (1 - P(1))^n
Smeargle is still the fastest Spore user, at least.

Also apparently only legitimate movelists will be allowed after the 27th. So no more hacked movelists that aren't legal (or one can hope).
 
Yeah it is the fastest, but Smeargle has competition. It has Breloon for Tailwind/Goodstuff teams and Amoonguss or Parasect for Trick Room teams. Smeargle isn't bulky and is only fast.
 
Honestly, GBU Doubles is very useful for when I'm practicing for VGCs, or at least that's what I would've said if people weren't disconnecting just after the 2nd turn 58% of the time. It's great that Dark Void got the Ban Hammer. Now all I have to worry about is Breloom and Amoonguss as far as Sleep moves are concerned. As far as I'm concerned, Dark Void being banned is the only thing that keeps n00bs from abusing it with Smeargle. It's like that mess with Guard Split Shuckle and his partner, Chansey. High defenses + Minimize spam = n00b's victory.
 
Honestly, GBU Doubles is very useful for when I'm practicing for VGCs, or at least that's what I would've said if people weren't disconnecting just after the 2nd turn 58% of the time. It's great that Dark Void got the Ban Hammer. Now all I have to worry about is Breloom and Amoonguss as far as Sleep moves are concerned. As far as I'm concerned, Dark Void being banned is the only thing that keeps n00bs from abusing it with Smeargle. It's like that mess with Guard Split Shuckle and his partner, Chansey. High defenses + Minimize spam = n00b's victory.
Don't go throwing around n00b like the word is cool and that describes eveything that happens online. There have been less disconects recently (at least in my case, I finally get my wifi to do random matchup sucessfully and only have 2 dc's so far). There is nothing noobish about chansey + shuckle besides "IF" minimize is in play. It's a valid strategy otherwise.
 

soul_survivor

VGCPL Champion
Darn this thread died without Ashenlock. Well posting as I started gbuing again a few weeks back. I got a 1863 rating and I've been testing quite a lot. One thing I've been testing is snorlax. I didn't realize how good he was on goodstuff. He can easily tank dracometeors and can has some nice synergy with latios as far as switching. Just the otherday I battle a dual weather team of ninetales and politoed. It was quite odd but the he suprised me quite alot. He used ironball ninetales(it was slower than my toed) hp fire kingdra, Explosion Shiftry, and scarf terrakion that was way bulkier than usual.(might've been 212,252atk,44speed or something along those lines). Wish I saved the battle but I have a habit of tapping b after matches. Has anybody battled unique teams recently?
 
I can't believe I missed this thread.
I have been posting on groups that might have interest in GBU realted topics.
On the Random Matchup Battlers group we are doing a 2 week challenge and the first one is to create a GBU team that uses baton pass in any forum, including doubles, and see how effective it is.http://www.smogon.com/forums/group.php?groupid=1543
And you can use it just in free matches so if it does not work you won't mess up your rating.
Even if you don't want to do the challenge, please visit the site and drop by from tiem to time to tell us about double battles, post a team, or tell us an informal GBU war story.
But it would be really awesome if you can come up with a way to successfully use BP in a double team. I am going to try to integrate it into my triples trick room team, which is my favorite format.
Also I might always like to look in on threads and groups who explore the different battle modes that effect GBU. Doubles are probably my weakest.
Let us know if we can due anything for you or for this thread.
 
I'm gonna get back into battling. I'm gonna try to put together a sandstorm team that goes: T-tar, Waruival, Magnezone (HP fire), and Carracosta. Or a team that uses moves to heal and damage( Jellicent and another water type using surf.)

Also, why isn't there anyone on rating anymore?
 
Hey maybe after we are done with the baton pass challenge we can talk to chortler about a doubles challenge and maybe you guys can post a thread on the random matchup battlers to help people build doubles teams and know what we are doing?
(see post #284 for details)
Also Chortler is starting a group where groups can work together to try to generate interest in their threads
http://www.smogon.com/forums/group.php?groupid=1580
 
We need more life here in GBU! Let's start to try and get things going. What type of team is the best: goodmons, weather, or TR/Tailwind. I'd have to say goodmons. I love how diverse they can be, as well as the fact that unlike the others, you don't have to worry about getting your field effects and can just start battling. (this goes especially with TR)
 
As difficult as it is to name a best, I've got to say weather teams. Rain offense has tons of creative, synergistic options and is incredibly effective.
Something I enjoy in any GBU format (except Triple) is a half-specialized, half-goodmons team. This setup allows for much more versatility and makes it difficult for the opponent to choose their defense.
 

Sprocket

P(n) = 1 - (1 - P(1))^n
I battled a guy who's team was Rotom-F + Politoed lead, with Kingdra + Abomasnow as secondary. Rotom-F knew Thunder, and Politoed knew Blizzard.

Talk about a tough cookie to crack. I'm not sure how to counter a team like that without something silly like a Lickilicky or Ferrothorn.
 
We need to get some more discussion here. The new Ranking season's started :D!!! I love how it show's the amount of battles played as well as wins and losses.
 
For some reason I had to download a new ID when entering the international tournament, so for the second time I have lost all my ratings... Oh well.
 
How do people deal with Rain? I've got two teams I'm testing for the upcoming tourney. One has a Ferrothorn, Jellicent, and Paralysis support, the other is a Sand team and even has Gastrodon (Rindo + Mirror Coat to kill Ludicolo). Even though I can beat the standardest of Rain teams, there are so many variant strategies that I find myself getting thrashed by a Tornadus or Manectric or Cradily way too often.
 
I've been using Sableye as my answer to opposing weathers recently. Any Prankster that can use Sunny Day/Rain Dance/Hail/Sandstorm will work though.

Just try and predict when a weather abuser that summons weather you don't like, and change it with priority.

My Sableye is running Sunny Day, along side of Will-O-Wisp, Confuse Ray, and Detect. I considered Fake Out over Detect, but my set is running just fine for what I want it for right now.

Prioritize your weather, I say!
 

mattj

blatant Nintendo fanboy
How do people deal with Rain? I've got two teams I'm testing for the upcoming tourney. One has a Ferrothorn, Jellicent, and Paralysis support, the other is a Sand team and even has Gastrodon (Rindo + Mirror Coat to kill Ludicolo). Even though I can beat the standardest of Rain teams, there are so many variant strategies that I find myself getting thrashed by a Tornadus or Manectric or Cradily way too often.
Abomasnow
Snow Warning
Timid
4HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Blizzard, Ice Beam, Grass Knot, Icy Wind
Choice Scarf

Just switch him in to ruin their rain. He can take any Hydro Pump/Surf and hit back with Grass Knot (or Energy Ball if you wish, but GK does so freaking much damage to stuff like Kingdra and especially Tyranitar in the snow). He hits so much common stuff for Super Effective too, Genies, Latios, Zapdos, etc. His STAB Icy Wind can really turn around a match too, if you happen to be outsped. Oh, and Timid 31 IV 252 spd ties base 116s iirc, so you beat non boosted Genies/Lati@s/Azelf all those guys.
 
How do people deal with Rain? I've got two teams I'm testing for the upcoming tourney. One has a Ferrothorn, Jellicent, and Paralysis support, the other is a Sand team and even has Gastrodon (Rindo + Mirror Coat to kill Ludicolo). Even though I can beat the standardest of Rain teams, there are so many variant strategies that I find myself getting thrashed by a Tornadus or Manectric or Cradily way too often.
Regice can pretty much cockblock any rain special attacker if it's not packing Focus Blast. You will need to be weary of Rock Slides and Scizor's Bullet Punch.

Specially Defensive Togekiss can take a few Rain boosted Surfs and cripple with either Thunder Wave or support with Tailwind.

Abomasnow's good, as it gets rid of opposing weather and all.

I've been playing with Bisharp recently, and he's a true definition of a double-edged sword. If you can predict well and mess with the opponent's head, he can wreck shit up. Alternatively, if you make one wrong move it could cost the match.
 
How do people deal with Rain? I've got two teams I'm testing for the upcoming tourney. One has a Ferrothorn, Jellicent, and Paralysis support, the other is a Sand team and even has Gastrodon (Rindo + Mirror Coat to kill Ludicolo). Even though I can beat the standardest of Rain teams, there are so many variant strategies that I find myself getting thrashed by a Tornadus or Manectric or Cradily way too often.
trick room

jellicent learns tr, and you can probably work with surf+storm drain and i'm pretty sure ferrothorn will be nigh unstoppable under rain (toxicroak sucks)

edit: also has anyone had any success with sun teams? i can't get any to work but i have trouble with them from time to time
 
... has anyone had any success with sun teams? i can't get any to work but i have trouble with them from time to time
I've been using Sableye as my answer to opposing weathers recently. Any Prankster that can use Sunny Day/Rain Dance/Hail/Sandstorm will work though.

Just try and predict when a weather abuser that summons weather you don't like, and change it with priority.

My Sableye is running Sunny Day, along side of Will-O-Wisp, Confuse Ray, and Detect. I considered Fake Out over Detect, but my set is running just fine for what I want it for right now.

Prioritize your weather, I say!
Just reposting...My sun team is a little different. Darmanitan, Exeggutor, Weezing, Terrakion and Gastrodon, with Sableye as my Sun set up.

I find that outside of setting up auto-sun, Ninetails really doesn't do too much. Sableye can set up sun, and it doesn't need to switch in to force out other weather. In fact, if an opponent NEEDS their favored weather for their team to run, Sabeley will force a lot of switches.

On my team though, only Exeggutor NEEDS the Sun to function properly. If I'm not facing opposing weather, or I'm not facing anything that immediately threatens Sabaleye, Gastrodon, Darmanitan, or Weezing, I usually run without it. But it (the Sun) is there if I really want/need it. All of my team DOES benefit from the Sun, and my Sableye's Sunny Day + Heat Rock hold item.

*SIDE NOTE* Specially Defensive Weezing is a TANK!!! (just in case anyone is wondering why I would use it) I have plenty enough on my team to keep those nasty Psychic types at bay to run with it.
 
I had some success with sun a little while ago. I used sabaleye/heatran/venasaur/whimsicott/cresselia/ninetales. stuff among other things I used were heatran and max speed with scarf and sablye with sunny day and will-o-wisp. If ninetales can't get sun up due to politoed, I have sbalye use sunny day and venasuar sleep powder stuff or heatran use solarbeam/eruption.
 
Has anyone else noticed the influx of Japanese people playing recently? It seems like everyone's training for the Japanese Wi-fi tourny coming up.
 

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