[X] My Assistant

[Yamper]

Welcome to my revamped Battle Subway guide. Here, you will find tips on how to use the Battle Subway, how to use items effectively, what to use in a team and most importantly, how to win! Hopefully, you'll be able to smash those Achievements and rack up those wins!

Just before I start, I would like to reiterate what is written in the Help Page for the Battle Tower and Battle Subway. The same principles to the Battle Tower apply to the Battle Subway. Before reading the guide, please familiarise yourself with everything there. I do not wish to see any more "I think my Pokémon should have X attack like in the games!!". The general idea behind it all is to standardise it. Please familiarise yourself with the typings as-well. If you are confused, this thread is to serve as a help and is a guide.

I had previously made this thread in 2013 when the Battle Subway came about, as I had seen many people struggle to rack up wins. It is 2015 now, and I'm still seeing people struggle. This is extremely helpful in regards to the Arceus Exploration. Please note it takes time to find a good team so please consider everything within this guide before attempting to make a team. The guide will be fairly lengthy, so please used the little search functions I have provided next to the contents list. Good luck.

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Contents

1. Basic Introduction and Requirements [BIaR]
2. Item List [IL]
3. Pokémon and Pokédex Searching [PaPS]
4. IVs and Natures [IaN]
5. Pokémon Moves [PM]
6. Making a Team [MaT]
7. Mega Pokémon [MP]
8. Tips [TI]

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i. Basic Introduction and Requirements [BIaR]

The Battle Subway is a place where you can win battles against an endless supply of NPC's created by our own userbase. Each time you win a battle, your streak gets increased by 1. The higher your streak gets, the tougher your opponents will get. This is based on the scoring system, which you can look at if you have made yourself a team (explained below). After a certain number of battles you can win various prizes, all items. You do not win points in the Battle Subway. The more battles you win, the bigger your streak will be, and the more prizes you can win. I have detailed the items available within the next section of the post

In order to be able to use the Battle Subway, you must have as a minimum, 6 Pokémon of Level 76-100 in your Battle Tower Roster. To add a Pokémon to your roster, select it from its individual drop-down menu, or transfer them there via the PC (make sure you save your changes if transferring from the PC). Once you have 6 eligible Pokémon, you are able to send your team into battle with a randomly selected NPC. You can also preset your own team. This will be explained under Making a Team.

NPC's are generated based on a scoring system. The higher their score, generally the tougher they will be. Each win for the NPC increases their score by 10, and each loss decreases their score by 1. When you start off you'll have easier NPC's to battle but as your streak progresses, you will start to face more tougher trainers.

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ii. Item List [IL]

As previously mentioned, after a certain number of wins during your streak, you will win a prize. These prizes can be used within the Battle Tower and Battle Subway themselves, for selling and boosting IV's. You may receive the following items:

• Vitamins
• Hold Items (Type Gems / Choice Items / Quick Claw / Leftovers)
• Account Upgrades

Alternatively, there are other methods of obtaining these particular items. Within the Prize Shop you are able to purchase these for a number of Prize Points. Please do not ask how to get them, they can easily be found by searching or clicking the link I have so kindly given to you.
The Prize Shop rotates the same as the normal shop, each gem can be purchased for 5 Prize Points each, and each Choice Item/Leftovers/Quick Claw can be purchased for 10 Prize Points. Please note it is random to what gets rotated in, so some days you may have all gems and other days you may not.

Vitamins:

There are a total of 6 Vitamins on GPX+, taken from the games themselves. These Vitamins have the use of increasing the total IV's of a Pokémon by 1 point each time they are used, however, you may only give Pokémon a total of 6 Vitamins. Please note, you cannot increase the IV stat of a Pokémon, if it is at 31, as the maximum possibility is 186 total IVs, just like the games. These are what they are, and what they do:

Once you reach the streak of getting a Vitamin, it is entirely random as to which one you may get. If you would like to sell a Vitamin, they may be sold to the shop for 400 points each. You may also purchase a Vitamin from the Backroom, if someone has sold one (or more), for 600 points each. You cannot purchase these in the Prize Shop.

Hold Items - Type Gems:

Another item you can win, are Type Gems. There are a total of 17 different Type Gems, one for each type. These Type Gems are found in the games, however, they function differently in GPX+. These Type Gems grant your Pokémon the ability to use a move of a different type it wouldn't normally learn.
The available Type Gems and their functions are as follows:

You may also win these items at a certain streak, and it is random as to which gem you may receive. Gems may be sold to the shop for 3750 points each, and can be bought from the Backroom for 5625 points each, if a user sells 1 or more. When you win will be detailed further down the post.

Account Upgrades & Hold Items - Choice Items, Quick Claw and Leftovers:

There are some other hold items which you may win from the Battle Subway. There are 3 Choice Items, Quick Claw and Leftovers. The items here function the same as they do in-game. There are also some Account Upgrades you may win as-well. These are the EXP. All and Battle Expansions. You may win up to four Battle Expansions and only one EXP. All.

*A +1 boost indicated the stat is increased by 50%. This is half of what the stat boosting moves do, which will be mentioned in the section about moves.

You can obtain some of these items via Achievements:
- Random Type Gem: Double Dipper, Persistent, A Novel Approach, Expert Battler.
- Quick Claw: Novice Battler, Top Percentage.
- Choice Items: Cypress Battler, Cypress Smasher, Cypress Conqueror.
- Leftovers: It is a Mystery~.

You win Vitamins and Hold Items at the following win streaks:
Vitamins Win Streak:
2, 7, 13, 33, 48
After 48, you win one every 15 wins at: 63, 78, 93 etc.

Hold Items (Type Gems / Choice Items / Quick Claw / Leftovers) Win Streak:
10, 21, 42
After 42, you win one every 50 wins: 92, 142, 192 etc.
Once you have all of the Battle Expansions and EXP. All, you will receive a random Hold Item at 75 wins.
Long streak list of items:

Vitamins Win Streak: 2, 7, 13, 33, 48, 63, 78, 93, 108,123, 138, 153, 168, 183, 198, 213, 228, 243, 258, 273, 288, 303, 318, 333, 348, 363, 378, 393, 408, 423, 438, 453, 468, 483, 498, 513, 528, 543, 558, 573, 588, 603, 618, 633, 648, 663, 678, 693, 708, 723, 738, 753, 768, 783, 798, 813, 828, 843, 858, 873, 888, 903, 918, 933, 948, 963, 978, 993, 1008...

Hold Items Win Streak: 10, 21, 42, 75, 92, 142, 192, 242, 292, 342, 392, 442, 492, 542, 592, 642, 692, 742, 792, 842, 892, 942, 992, 1042..

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iii. Pokémon and Pokédex Searching [PaPS]

This is the important part. I would highly recommend looking over this section a lot, as it will help immensely. As stated in the Help Page, stats have been standardised. There is no benefit to using legendary Pokémon over regular bog standard Pokémon. In the Pokédex at the top I'm sure you will notice some search tools. This is what we'll be needing. The only bit that we will be focusing on is the Stat options.=, with the <= and >= signs.

>= means 'Greater than or equal to the value inputted'
<= means 'Less than or equal to the value inputted'

This, I will be honest, is where you guys aren't getting very far with your streaks. In order to achieve the big streaks you need to be using viable Pokémon. Personally I would recommend searching for Pokémon that have as close to Base 100 stats and above as possible. Don't forget these functions as it will filter everything out that you do not wish to see. Just make sure all the other settings are on default.

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iv. IVs and Natures [IaN]

Right, so we've all heard of IVs, yes? A Pokémon may have 186 Total IVs, 31 in each stat. Vitamins (as previously mentioned) will increase an IV by 1, but will not allow you to exceed 31 IVs in a stat.
Some may disagree, but sub-par IVs are essentially a disadvantage. Ideally you could go for a Pokémon which has 170 IVs to use. That's brilliant if you can obtain one, but it's not all that it seems. Natures play a pretty role in giving boosts to a desired stat, and it could be make or break. Study the Natures table hard. Use it to your advantage. You can find the Natures Table in the Help Page. Go look at it. Understand it. Learn it.

You need to play your Pokémon to its strengths. If you want an attacker, focus on its attack and speed. If you want a tank, focus on defence and HP. So focus on the beneficial stats mainly! (So, if you can vitamin, pump some vitamins into what's useful).
As somebody has pointed out, IVs aren't everything. Sometimes just having average IVs is good, if the Pokémon has some decent stats, so if you're stuck for Pass Orbs, just pick some stuff up from the Safari Zone when you're starting out, level them up and take it from there. Or, if you want to do it the expensive way, you can use Influence Power.

I have detailed below how to work out the Maximum Value of a particular stat on a particular Pokémon.

This is the formula for working out the Maximum Stat of a Pokémon with a Beneficial Nature/Non Beneficial Nature:

CODE

[(Base Stat*2)+5+IV of Stat]*Nature Increase/Nature Decrease

1.1 = Nature Increase
0.9 = Nature Decrease

So if I were to use a Luvdisc for example. I want to know the maximum Speed of two Luvdisc with different Speed IV's, but both with with a Speed boosting nature. One with 8 IV's in Speed and the other has 31 IV's in Speed. Luvdisc's Base Speed is 176. The first linked Luvdisc has 401 speed and the second linked Luvdisc has 426 speed. After working out, you must round down.

[(176*2)+5+8]*1.1=401.5
This would round down to 401. You can see that the first linked Luvdisc has 401 Speed.

[(176*2)+5+31]*1.1=426.8
This would round down to 426. You can see that the second linked Luvdisc has 426 Speed! (The one I linked has 427 only because of a dodgy Vitamin boost; I can assure you it does round down.)

For a non-beneficial nature, simply not do not include the 1.1
For a negative boosting nature, replace 1.1 with 0.9

To find out the maximum stat with a choice item it is the same formula as the beneficial nature formula.
Multiply the answers by 1.5 and you'll get the stat with a choice item effect. (Only works with Speed, Attack and Special Attack)

Note, if you want to find out the Maximum Stat of a Pokémon with a Nature which neither increases or decreases a Stat, then just leave off the 1.1 or 0.9. If you're going to Choice Item it, then include that 1.5 or you'll get an incorrect result.

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v. Pokémon Moves [PM]

In GPX+, Pokémon have either strong or weak moves. Single-Type Pokémon have both strong and weak moves of their type. Dual-Type Pokémon have weak moves of both typings. Once again it is up to you to decide on what you want most.

Use Pokémon moves effectively. Physical moves on Alakazam? Special moves on Machamp? If that thought passed your mind then please go back to square one and re-read everything. You'll need to use moves to play to a Pokémon's strength. To change the attacks of a Pokémon, or give it an item, you'll need to go to its individual drop down menu and select 'Attacks & hold items'.

The items you can win or purchase, such as the Gems, Choice Items, Leftovers and Quick Claw* can be applied this way. If you give your Pokémon a Gem, it will be able to use the moves I have stated next to the gems earlier on in the post. In order to equip the moves, you must click on one of the highlighted moves and click on the new type. However, you cannot equip a Pokémon with a Gem type that it is weak too. For example, you cannot equip a Gyarados with an Electric Gem as it is x4 weak to Electric type attacks. These gems can be used for sneaky attacks, against something that would normally resist the natural typing (note there is no STAB and Pokémon cannot change type). For example, myself and others have run an Electric Gem Dugtrio at one point. Wipe out those Water types that would normally decimate Dugtrio! Something else I run with is quite interesting is a Ground Gem Galvantula. Galvantula takes x1 damage from Ground instead of x2, as its Bug Typing allows it to resist Ground, so the gem may be equipped.

I relied heavily on Choice Items for my team in the past, I don't recommend this now. Albeit they're helpful, using other items is also beneficial as-well. Gems can surprise your opponent and take them out before they take you out.

*I wouldn't bother with Quick Claws. Yeah they're fun when they activate, but it is purely luck based and it's incredibly silly to rely heavily on them.

Something I had forgotten to mention in my last thread was the use of stat boosting/stat decreasing moves. On GPX+ there are a total of five stat boosting moves, and five stat decreasing moves. There are also other non-attacking moves.

Stat Increasing Moves:

• Swords Dance - Sharply raises the Attack.
• Iron Defence - Sharply raises the Defence.
• Nasty Plot - Sharply raises the Special Attack.
• Amnesia - Sharply raises the Special Defence.
• Agility - Sharply raises the Speed.

These give the Pokémon a +2, which is a multiplication of 2. If used again, which is +4, it is the new stat multiplied by 1.5. If used for a third time to +6, then this is the new stat approximately multiplied by 1.3. I say approximately as I got various digits when dividing the new stat by the old stat, on average it comes out to 1.3. You can only get a +6 in total.

Stat Decreasing Moves:

• Charm - Sharply lowers the Attack.
• Screech - Sharply lowers the Defence.
• Captivate - Sharply lowers the Special Attack.
• Fake Tears - Sharply lowers the Special Defence.
• Scary Face - Sharply lowers the Speed.

These give the Pokémon a -2, which is a multiplication of -2. If used again, which is -4, it is a the new stat multiplied by -1.5. if used for a third time to -6, then this is the new stat approximately multiplied by -1.3. I say approximately as I got various digits when dividing the new stat by the old stat, on average it comes out to -1.3. You can only get a -6 in total. You cannot have any negative values for attack or defence.

Other Moves:

• Focus Energy - Boosts the user's chances of landing critical hits.
• Haze - Negates all stat changes to both the user and the opponent
• Lucky Chant - Protects the user from critical hits
• Mean Look - Prevents the opponent from switching Pokémon. Cannot be used in Rotation battles.
• Protect - Shields the user from one attack. Always moves first.
• Psych Up - Copies the target's stat changes to the user.
• Recover - Restores 40% of the user's HP.
• Rest - Restores 80% the user's HP. Unable to act on the next turn.
• Roar - Forces the opponent to switch Pokémon. Cannot be used in Rotation battles. Always moves last.

When equipping moves you can not have more than two 'Strong' moves on your Pokémon. Each battle, a Pokémon may use a Strong move up to three times. Once you have used it three times, you cannot use a Strong move again until the next battle. There are two strong moves of each type, and only Single-Typed Pokémon have access to them. Every Pokémon has access to the lists of moves I have detailed, the only Strong moves listed are the ones underlined.

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vi. Making a Team [MaT]

Here's the fun part! Making a team. However this isn't the same as making a team under the 'Battle Subway' tab. That part is to create an NPC team for others to battle against (and where you start your streak).

This is where everything is down to you. There are lots of common Pokémon that appear in the Subway, most I've seen are Gardevoir, Ninetales, Gengar, Gyarados, Garchomp etc. Common supposedly powerful Pokémon and common favourites. I'd like to reiterate again, familiarise yourself with the typings. If your Pokémon is weak to the opponent's attacks, switch into something that will resist it.

Use the search functions and organise some Pokémon to use. Ideally you'll want some synergy going on. What's synergy you may ask? Synergy is when, usually 3, Pokémon function together to provide a strength and weakness for each other. Let's take Fire, Grass and Water. These three types are strong against one and weak against another and each cover for them all. Roughly two different synergies would be good. Have a look and see what works for you. Try and get at least 20 Pokémon you'll want to use, and have them in your roster. If something doesn't work, you can switch your team around then.

Don't be afraid to try out some item combinations. Throw in some different stuff, such as an Electric type with an Ice/Water gem. Most Electric types are faster than Ground/Fire/Flying etc, so you can take them out by surprise. Mega Manectric with an Ice Gem is pretty handy, it doesn't need that extra boost from Choice Items and it has the ability to switch.

The team I use (I ended my streak manually) consist of these:

This team comfortably gets my into fairly high streaks. However, as you may notice there are some Mega Pokémon on the team, which brings me to the next section.

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ii. Mega Pokémon [MP]

Mega Pokémon, introduced with Pokémon X and Y are essentially upgrades to a Pokémon. On GPX+ we have these Pokémon. They have a greater Base Stat Total of 650, putting them at a somewhat greater advantage in terms of stats.

How do I obtain these? First you obtain a Mega Ring, and wait for Mega Plus Days. Don't ask questions here, just read the thread if you are unaware of what they are.

Once you've obtained some Mega Pokémon, check their stats to see what helps them - I'd get some, if I were you. If set up correctly they can be very scary. For example, Agility-Plot Mega Charizard X is not something to be taken lightly. Set up Agility and Nasty Plot and you could take out a number of Pokémon fairly easily (obviously team dependent). As a tank, I find Mega Audino to be pretty damn good. Its Fairy type only give it 2 weaknesses and a resistance to Dragon type, which puts a stop to those pesky Choice Scarf Haxorus and Garchomp.

As an example for my team (I plan on doing it), I could replace Darmanitan and Haxorus for a Mega Charizard X. I'll still have the capabilities of both Dragon and Fire types, I'll lose power but it means I can incorporate another Pokémon into my team which could be of benefit to me and my team (Mega Swampert would be something I could also incorporate into the team, for example). It's a wide world out there, so hopefully this given you some insights.

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viii. Tips [TI]

Just a few tips. These will probably be edited now and then.

• Always try to counter your opponent. Don't sit there attacking with ineffective moves (unless you have to)
• Remember to use a combination of items
• Don't be afraid to switch out. If you can counter, then do it. Just bear in mind the defence stats and what you're switching to. If you can predict the move, then take that into account.
• Switch so you can power up. I do this with Galvantula. Once there is an Electric Type, I usually switch to Galvantula (if it isn't already out) Nasty Plot once or twice, and then use Mud Shot. Works like a charm.
• Don't be afraid to lose a Pokémon if its health is low and it has used most or all of its strong attacks already. The Pokémon you want to switch to might take a heavy hit. With the high speed - high attack pokemon, they don't have good defence. So something like a Dugtrio might be 1HKO'd by a stong fire move, but if you can switch it in after losing the previous Pokémon, it'll most likely attack first and 1HKO the fire pokemon very easily.
• Your opponent (the NPC) most likely uses super effective moves against you so it's vital to keep in mind your Pokemon's weaknesses in order to switch/minimise damages.
• You can easily check your Pokemon's weaknesses at Serebii.
• An easy way to browse through the list of 718 Pokemon is select the Pokemon's type you're looking and pick the Pokemon from the list. E.g. If I want to check Scizor's weaknesses, I'll click on Bug (or Steel) type then Ctrl+F to find Scizor on the list of Bug Pokemon.
• If you're looking for a Novelty which the official Pokedex doesn't have, look for a Pokemon that has similar typing with that Novelty. E.g. If I want to check Dracowymsy Charge's weaknesses, I'll look for Zekrom.
• At some point I will compile a list of Pokémon that are deemed usable in your own team to get you started off.

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Information cited from:
- GPX+ Wiki
- GPX+ Help Page; Battle Tower section
- Serebii

This post has been edited by x Sam: Dec 12 2016, 11:18 PM