[X] My Assistant

[RyanK]

Ok this is going to be a list thread of common misconceptions not only in DP but in pokemon in general so far I can only think of a few but if anyone can suggest any more of these or if you want to ask a question in this thread then I will try to answer it to the best of my ability.

ANYWAY now for the list I know it's a little empty now but as I go along I will add to it.

- Evolving something at a higher or lower level impacts stats.
The EVs and such even out as you go along so there is no difference whether you use that fire stone at level 5 or level 55. The only differences that occur are the moves you learn.

- Super Effective always = more damage.
Again not true. Now I'm not saying not to but using things like aerial ace on tyranitar to counter fighting types or something like that isnt always good because you should do STAB calculations (Same Type Attack Bonus gives a 1.5x boost to the base power of a move) and such to see how much you will do. Here's an example.

Why you shouldn't use Brick Break and Rock Slide on Slaking

I see a lot of newer players using Slaking, but many of them make the same common mistake over and over. They'll use moves like Brick Break or Rock Slide over Focus Punch. There is no reason for this. The moveset shown above (Return / Earthquake / Shadow Ball / Focus Punch) will deal with every single Pokémon in the game. If you predict them switching in something weak to Fighting, why would you need to Brick Break instead of Focus Punch? Predicting is a big part of Slaking, both when using it and playing against it, so expect lots of switches.

Let's take a look at Rock Slide first. What exactly do you need Rock Slide for? You have Return and Earthquake for Fire types, Return and Focus Punch for Ice types and finally Return alone will defeat all the Bug types in the game with an OHKO, save Shuckle, who will be defeated by multiple Returns or Earthquakes. You might think you need Rock Slide for Flying types, but what Flying types won't you be killing with Return anyways? Here are some damage calculations for Slaking's standard moves against Aerodactyl and Zapdos (typical flying types) as compared to the damage output by Rock Slide. These damage calculations are using a Slaking holding Choice Band.

Slaking's Return vs. Above Average Defense Zapdos
Minimum Damage: 323
Average Damage: 352
Maximum Damage: 380
Slaking's Rock Slide vs. Above Average Defense Zapdos
Minimum Damage: 318
Average Damage: 346
Maximum Damage: 373

In fact, Rock Slide does even less to the Zapdos by a few points than Return. There is no point to waste a needed move slot on Rock Slide in this case. Both Return and Rock Slide will kill the Zapdos in a single hit, though.
Slaking's Return vs. Standard Aerodactyl
Minimum Damage: 228
Average Damage: 248
Maximum Damage: 268
Slaking's Focus Punch vs. Standard Aerodactyl
Minimum Damage: 447
Average Damage: 486
Maximum Damage: 525
Slaking's Rock Slide vs. Standard Aerodactyl
Minimum Damage: 449
Average Damage: 488
Maximum Damage: 527

Even Return will take away an 82% average of Aerodactyl's HP. Both Rock Slide and Focus Punch are about equal in damage and easily kill Aerodactyl, but without Focus Punch you'll be lost against Pokémon like Skarmory. The only advantage of Rock Slide here is if you switch Slaking into Aerodactyl, and then need to OHKO it as it attacks. Aerodactyl is rare, and isn't the best switch in for Slaking, anyway, and as such there is no reason to use Rock Slide when Return and Focus Punch will take care of all flying types equally as well.

For Brick Break it's much of the same. People believe they need this to defeat Normals, Rocks and Steels when Slaking's existing moves will get the job done with the same efficiently and can cover even more Pokémon. Let's look at Snorlax right now and compare the damage done to it by Return and Brick Break.

Slaking's Return to Average Defense Snorlax
Minimum Damage: 379
Average Damage: 413
Maximum Damage: 446
Slaking's Brick Break to Average Defense Snorlax
Minimum Damage: 373
Average Damage: 406
Maximum Damage: 438

On average they will do about equal damage. Earthquake and Focus Punch will do more to Rock and Steel types than Brick Break will. It is common sense. The only advantage of Brick Break is to hit the extremely rare Cradily more than the three non-Focus Punch moves, but that is not worth it at all.

Newer players are obsessed with seeing the words "It's Super Effective" and don't bother looking at the damage powerful STAB moves will do, even at neutral damage. Against Skarmory, Focus Punch will do more damage than either Brick Break or Rock Slide mainly because of the Base Power. 150 as compared to 75 in both cases. Focus Punch will do double the damage in that case. When you are doing lots of damage, STAB means a lot more than "It's Super Effective" without STAB. Please don't use Brick Break or Rock Slide Slaking—it's not worth it.

- Countering a pokemon involves just hitting it with a super effective move or something that will kill it.
Countering a pokemon is being able to switch in on all or most of its attacks, or even just its main one and being able to get rid of it. Pidgeot isn't a heracross counter just because it's flying lol it can't take a hit for beans.

- Ubers and Legends are one and the same
Ubers are the pokemon like Kyogre, Soul Dew Latios/Latias, Mewtwo, etc. That are too powerful for the metagame or overcentralize it (sup wobbufett). Something most of them share is a 600+ BST (base stat total). Slaking has a 650 BST iirc but he isn;t uber since his ability holds him back and he doesnt overcentralize the metagame. Wobba is uber because it would cause everyone to need dugtrio, weavile, or spiritomb or something and has no counters really. Most legends, with the exception of Celebi, and Jirachi have 580 BST. For reference, Salamence, Tyranitar, Metagross, Garchomp, Dragonite all have 600 BST (as well as Celebi and Jirachi which are allowed in OU). Mew is banned because it can do anything well and is pretty much uncounterable except for being overpowered by something in the uber tier and Manaphy is banned because it requires people to have blissey and/or empoleon but even those are shaky counters at best.

- Legends are always better than non legendary counterparts.
Ok no lol. Stats aren't everything and some legends such as Entei, and articuno to a lesser extent well....suck lol. Entei has no movepool to speak of and articuno tries to be defensive with a shitty typing and double stealth rock weakness.

- Stats take precedence when choosing a pokemon.
Again with the legend example this isn't true. In addition to that the base power of a move tends to have more precedence over a stat advantage. Meaning Weavile will tend to do less damage than Infernape on average (ignoring type advantages and such) because while Weavile has 120 base attack, it's main moves of Ice Punch, Night Slash, etc. have lacking base power. (ice punch's bp is 75 * 1.5 = 112.5 rounded down = 112 bp is the strongest weavile can muster.

Infernape's 104 base attack is somewhat average but the high bp of its moves such as flare blitz, close combat and stone edge make up for it.

For example, I gave both Weavile and Infernape +Attack nature, Choice Band, 252 EVs in attack vs. 148 HP/252 Defense EVd Blissey with +Defense Nature

Infernape Flare Blitz

Defender HP: 688
Move Damage: 502 - 591
Damage: 72.97% - 85.90%

Weavile Ice Punch

Defender HP: 688
Move Damage: 347 - 409
Damage: 50.44% - 59.45%

Calculations done using Metalkid's Damage calculator, proven accurate and effective as he has done this for the other games as well and in addition the calculations are consistent to the game. (http://metalkid.info/Pokemon/OnlineProgram/Calculators/DamageDP.aspx)

- Skarmbliss is broken
Yes it's an annoyingly effective combination(especially blissey lol) But in DP it is definitely breakable you can use the powerful mixed sweepers this generation has introduced, such as Infernape, Mixed Salamence, Tyranitar, Lucario, etc. Or you can use magnezone and trap skarm and explode on bliss etc. Use your imagination but it's far from invincible in DP

Again if you have any questions or anything to add you can post in this thread but I am more accessible over AIM. My AIM s/n is: Sevenpiecesix.

Cheers.