Meursault vs Knuddeluff

[size=+2]Meursault vs Knuddeluff[/size]

Meursault said:

Format: 1 v 1 single
Style: Set??
DQ: 2 weeks
Damage Cap: 50%
Banned moves: Direct healing, chill, rest, any draining moves that would restore more than they cost (this does not count leech seed), super fang, attract, confusion (attract and confusion as secondary effects are removed).
Arena: Curious Ruin
Deep underground lies a most curious ruin. The central chamber, where the battle will be held, is square in shape with rounded corners, and extends up into a domed ceiling. The walls are made of yellow stone, extend 5 meters from floor to the base of the dome, and are adorned with beautiful mosaics of lapis lazuli and pearls. The chamber is flooded with seawater about 1 meter deep. Platforms of solid yellow stone rise about 2 meters above the floor and connect to the walls, with stairs going down to the floor away from its wall. Each wall bears an ornate door on its platform, but they are well and truly sealed off to all comers. One thick pillar rises from the center of the chamber up to the top of the dome, with a spiral staircase wrapping around it that stops suddenly when it reaches the base of the dome, leading to nowhere. Was it unfinished...? How did we get in here? How will we get out?

There is something definitely weird, definitely curious about this ruin. We should battle to find out. All weather will apply here except for sun. Pokémon's health and energy will be merged into a single Power stat, which begins at 150%. Anything that deducts or restores health or energy will instead deduct or restore power.
Additional Rules: Knuddeluff will be using his Tentacool, and I'll be using my Ralts.

Click to expand...

Meursault's active squad

Malmö the female Ralts <Synchronize> @ Lucky Egg
Bastet the female Meowth <Technician> @ Lucky Egg
Ruin the genderless Baltoy <Levitate> @ Sachet
Delve the female Gastly <Levitate> @ Petaya Berry
Usagi the female Cleffa <Magic Guard> @ Soothe Bell
Schwyz the female Swirlix <Unburden>
Errata the female Dwebble <Sturdy> @ Shell Bell
Myryam the female Ferroseed <Iron Barbs> @ Lucky Egg
Iñárritu the male Hawlucha <Unburden>
the new meta the genderless Ditto <Limber>


Knuddeluff's active squad

Womyn o' War the female Tentacool <Liquid Ooze>
Tutankhamen the male Yamask <Mummy>
uɐᴉɹq the female Inkay <Contrary>
Topsy the female Phanpy <Pickup>

We already know the pokémon, so Meursault will just lead with commands, then Knuddeluff.

Quick clarification: the arena description means that all weathers except sunny day are currently in effect, correct, not that any weather except sunny day may be used?

Woops, I meant it to mean that they can all be used, my bad. That's one hell of a thing to leave vague, sorry. Commands to come this evening.

Okay, command time Malmö! I'm going to send you out on a staircase coming down from one of the walls. First off, if you get toxic'd- wait a second you don't learn Heal Bell. Well don't that beat all. Okay then if Womyn does not go for a Toxic first action, lay down a Misty Terrain. If she does, respond with a Thunder Wave. Second and third actions, hit her with a Psychic, or Thunderbolt if she dives and that wouldn't work. If she's protecting, Calm Mind.

Thunder Wave/Misty Terrain ~ Psychic/Thunderbolt/Calm Mind x2

Woo first battle go!

I wonder if the energy consumed goes towards the damage cap, but, then again, I guess it's not actually damage.
Okay, we're going to go boring for our first ever round! Okay, let's start with Sludge Bomb, we only have a small window to try and poison Malmö without using Toxic. Then, I want you to use Acid Spray, so that we can gain some advantage. Finally, finish off with a Sludge Wave.

I don't normally like the brute force method, but it seems there's no other option.

Sludge Bomb ~ Acid Spray ~ Sludge Wave

The Curious Ruin is every inch the enigma its name implies and, true to form, a couple of trainers have shown up to investigate the only way they know how: by having a battle in it and most likely destroying the lot in the process.

Malmö the ralts, on the other hand, isn't in the mood for smashing at the moment. The psychic-type stares up at the great domed ceiling overhead, admiring the glittering mosaics that spread across every surface in the chamber. She barely registers her opponent, a surly-looking tentacool, instead drawing deep of the brine-smelling air, wondering whether this place might be a sunken treasure trove, or perhaps an ancient palace now sinking below the waves. In her absorbed state, it's no wonder the ralts manages to miss the referee's signal to start the match.


Meursault (O)

Malmö (F) <Synchronize>
Power: 150
Commands: Thunder Wave/Misty Terrain ~ Psychic/Thunderbolt/Calm Mind x2
- What is this place?

Knuddeluff (O)

Womyn o' War (F) <Liquid Ooze>
Power: 150
Commands: Sludge Bomb ~ Acid Spray ~ Sludge Wave
- Ye'd best be ready, matey!

Malmö's dreamy contemplation is brought to a rude end when a solid payload of slime splats down atop her head. The ralts shrieks in indignant surprise, pawing foul-smelling gunk off her face and sending droplets of sludge in all directions as she gives herself a vigorous shake. Once she's calmed down a little and gotten over the worst of her shivers, the ralts turns a cold eye on Womyn o' War. They've been brought to this fascinating, peaceful place, and all that lump of gelatin wants to do is slime it up? The ralts glares at her opponent, and Womyn o' War's beady eyes, just visible above the water, stare straight back.

Malmö's not about to stand for this kind of behavior. The ralts folds her hands and hums, the sound unusually hushed and thin in the large, quiet chamber. A pink mist starts to rise from the ralts' body, then spreads out in all directions, keeping low to the ground as it billows along. It puddles on the ancient stones, thick as smoke and smelling of cinnamon, then spills out over the water, until the chamber is filled from wall to wall with aromatic mist.

Womyn o' War narrows her eyes, slapping the surface of the water with her tentacles. Ugh, fairies. It hasn't even been five minutes, and the place has already gotten all glittery and crap. The tentacool makes her displeasure known by dousing Malmö in more slime. This time, though, it's acidic stuff that burns horribly as it soaks into Malmö's skin, pocking the mist around her with empty patches as it burns right through the fairy-fog. This time the ralts shows her displeasure more forcefully, her eyes flashing blue. Womyn o' War jerks back in the water like she's just been punched, shaking and swearing in her finest nautical tongue over the force of the psychic attack.

And with that, the gloves are off. Womyn o' War concentrates, relying on her natural connections to sea and sludge both, and the water around her stirs and ripples, stirred by some unseen hand. A tidal wave rises up, streaked through with nasty purple streamers and reeking even above the soothing aroma of Malmö's misty terrain. The ralts stands resolute as the sludge wave teeters over her a second, then comes crashing down, sweeping her clear across the platform and absolutely covering her in slime.

The ralts slowly gets back to her feet, head bowed beneath the weight of the sludge coating her hair and. The sludge wave dissipated the misty terrain for a moment, but already the fog is rolling back in, half obscuring Malmö as she crouches on the edge of the platform, stewing with anger and already cooking up a nasty spot of revenge. Womyn o' War is driven back again by another head-splitting psychic, one tha leaves behind a throbbing headache that the tentacool senses will linger on for a while.

Meursault (O)

Malmö (F) <Synchronize>
Power: 95
Used: Misty Terrain ~ Psychic x2
- Totally slimed. Special Defense -2

Knuddeluff (O)

Womyn o' War (F) <Liquid Ooze>
Power: 110
Used: Sludge Bomb ~ Acid Spray ~ Sludge Wave
- Ow. Special Defense -1

Terrain Notes
The stone platforms are slick with a coating of vile purple sludge. A dense mist hangs over the battlefield (3 more actions).

Final Notes
- It didn't affect this round, but I'd like to echo Knuddeluff's question about damage caps.
- Knuddeluff's up first next round.

Self-inflicted damage isn't normally affected by the cap, no? So I would say energy costs wouldn't be either.

I've probably got something wrong here, but looking at your calculations, Negrek, you've not realised that poison is supereffective against Ralts?

My bad; apparently I don't know my type chart. Should all be fixed.

Heh, that's okay! We all make mistakes and I always insist that poison is not very effective against psychic too.

Well, from some research, it seems Ralts can learn Torment. And three Sludge Waves would be limited by the damage cap anyway. So, let's repeat the same, boring moves from before (sorry Negrek!). Let's go with a Sludge Wave, then split up the uses of the move with another Acid Spray and finish off with, you guessed it, Hail with another Sludge Wave.

Sludge Wave ~ Acid Spray ~ Sludge Wave

This is gonna suck, but that Acid Spray is gonna suck even more- Encore that Sludge Wave. Follow up with a Calm Mind, and then Future Sight.

Encore ~ Calm Mind ~ Future Sight

Meursault (O)

Malmö (F) <Synchronize>
Power: 95
Commands: Encore ~ Calm Mind ~ Future Sight
- Totally slimed. Special Defense -2

Knuddeluff (O)

Womyn o' War (F) <Liquid Ooze>
Power: 110
Commands:
Sludge Wave ~ Acid Spray ~ Sludge Wave
- Ow. Special Defense -1

While Womyn o' War bubbles and curses to herself over the psychic's afteraffects, Malmö meticulously scrubs every last bit of sludge off her body, sending it flying in all directions with tiny bursts of psychic energy. Naturally, her fastidiousness is rendered moot around twenty seconds later, when Womyn o' War works up enough of a temper and enough energy to send another sludge wave roaring across the arena.

As the water drains away Malmö's left shaking with frustration--both over getting drenched by another payload of sludge and now having to praise her opponent for arranging it. Gritting her teeth, the ralts slowly brings her hands up and begins to clap. Wow, what an impressive attack! You disgusting, poisonous blob. I didn't realize a sludge wave could be that powerful! By which I mean "disgusting." I wish I could see it just one more time! But not as much as I wish I could see you out cold and defeated.

Womyn o' War is not convinced. She senses Malmö's praise is lacking just the faintest element of, hmm, enthusiasm. But if the sludge wave really made her so angry she couldn't pull off a proper encore, well, it looks like the tentacool just hit on the one attack Malmö simply can't stand. The tentacool twines her tentacles together in a private smirk. Perfect.

Besides, sludge wave is a way more exciting attack than acid spray any day. Womyn o' War gathers another one together and sends it slamming into Malmö's platform. This time the ralts doesn't even bother retaliating, just standing with her eyes closed--taking deep breaths and counting to ten, maybe? Womyn o' War's sure she'll crack eventually. Whatever the case, there's no reason to give her a chance to recover. The tentacool chuckles to herself as she crafts another slime-infused wall of water and sweeps it across the arena.

By now the whole chamber is slimed nearly halfway up its walls. Ribbons of sludge drip from stairways and bas-reliefs have disappeared beneath a film of muck. Malmö's hopelessly coated in a layer of stinking water, and worst than the stench is the stinging of the caustic sludge against her skin, the poison itching at her very elements. Malmö can't think about that now, though. She has to concentrate; she has to focus not on the now, but on the future, where the possibility of victory still exists. The ralts is quiet a moment, sifting through possible futures with meticulous care. At last she finds one she likes and, her eyes blazing blue, she raises her head and throws up her arms, releasing a powerful pulse of psychic energy through a rift in time, knowing that it will return just in time to strike Womyn o' War when she least expects it.

The tentacool herself isn't sure what to make of the ralts' little display. At first she braces for an attack, but when none is forthcoming, she watches in confusion as Malmö lets her head hang again, brushing some sludge out of her hair. It doesn't take long for the tentacool to cheer up, though. Whatever that attack was, it obviously did nothing. Even better, the swirling fairy mist shrouding the room is at last beginning to fade, a last few tendrils scudding across the water's surface. With the dissipation of the mist, the full extent of the damage done by Womyn o' War's sludge waves is revealed, and the tentacool can't help but be a bit proud of herself. She's in control of this match, that much is obvious, and at this point Malmö's hardly even putting up a fight. The tentacool blows a few satisfied bubbles, then stretches out her tentacles, stirring them slowly as she begins to summon another wave. Best get this over with before Malmö's attack turns out to be something nasty...

Meursault (O)

Malmö (F) <Synchronize>
Power: 34 (capped)
Used: Encore ~ Calm Mind ~ Future Sight
- Tired and waiting on her revenge. Future sight incoming. Special Attack +1, Special Defense -1

Knuddeluff (O)

Womyn o' War (F) <Liquid Ooze>
Power: 98
Used: Sludge Wave x3
- What was that all about? Encored into sludge wave (1 more action). Special Defense -1

Terrain Notes
Every solid surface is coated in a thick layer of slime, and a sheen of purplish scum mars the seawater at the base of the chamber. Without the misty terrain to mask the stench, the whole place reeks of raw sewage.

Final Notes
- Meursault first next round.

I hate to be that guy Negrek, but I think you left out the supereffectiveness of poison again. Unless I'm missing something obvious, and I probs am because I'm drunk, so if I am, pls ignore me. I think you also forgot Malmo's energy :x

Otherwise a great round of reffing! :D

Ugh, yes. Definitely c/p'd the wrong part, there. All fixed now.

Welp, this isn't looking good. Just Psychic all three actions- even if she protects, we can at least drive up its energy cost.

Psychic x3

Alright!

Sorry for another round of boring orders, but let's go

Sludge Wave until the end!

Sludge Wave x3

Meursault (O)

Malmö (F) <Synchronize>
Power: 34
Commands: Psychic x3
- Tired and waiting on her revenge. Future sight incoming. Special Attack +1, Special Defense -1

Knuddeluff (O)

Womyn o' War (F) <Liquid Ooze>
Power: 98
Commands: Sludge Wave x3
- What was that all about? Encored into sludge wave (1 more action). Special Defense -1

As Womyn o' War sends another tidal wave of goo sloshing across the arena, Malmö's finally had enough. The ralts is buried up to her waist in poisonous sludge, bowed under the weight of the goop caking her skin, and aching both from chemical burns and the effort of keeping up her concentration despite the stench. But now that she has the go-ahead to tear into Womyn o' War, she doesn't wait an instant. The dregs of the last sludge wave are only just draining away in a chorus of gloops and plopping noises as Malmö's eyes start glowing. Womyn o' War only has a second to figure out what's going on before her vision's eclipsed by a sheet of blue light and stabbing pain in her head. The tentacool flails around for a few seconds, disoriented and lashing out at random in an attempt to drive back an assailant that isn't there.

When the psychic energy finally ebbs away, Womyn o' War sags for a second, prodding at her bell with one of her stingers. Ugh, psychics. The tentacool's still got plenty of gas in the tank, though, and as she turns her attention back to her opponent, she can see Malmö's on her last legs. The ralts is panting with the effort of staying upright, barely able to keep her face above the level of the crusted sludge. Womyn o' War chuckles to herself as she stirs her arms through the water beneath her. Here, let me help you with that. In no time at all she's whipped up another sludge wave, her biggest one yet, and sent it roaring down on Malmö. The ralts disappears behind a wall of purplish water, and when the wave recedes, it's almost impossible to distinguish her from the grime-covered stones she's standing on, every inch of her dripping with sludge. The ralts remains bravely on her feet for a few more seconds, swaying but resolute, but ultimately the strain is just too much. Malmö collapses facedown with a splat, and the red beam of her pokéball engulfs her even as she starts to sink into the thick layer of sludge.

Meursault (X)

Malmö (F) <Synchronize>
Power: 0
Used: Psychic
- Knocked Out!

Knuddeluff (O)

Womyn o' War (F) <Liquid Ooze>
Power: 71
Used: Sludge Wave x2
- Victorious!

Meursault and Knuddeluff don't even bother with an end-of-match handshake--that would mean leaving the small clear spaces carved out by the defensive barriers trainers wear to protect themselves from stray attacks to venture out across the sludge-slick arena. A brief wave and a few shouted words will have to do for courtesy before they teleport out, only too happy to escape the close, stinking confines of the curious ruin. Its mysteries will have to wait for some other day--probably some other day far in the future, because surely no one's going to want to muck around here with sludge lying thick over everything. The ruin is left still and lonely again, the only sound the irregular patter of dripping effluent. A few minutes after the humans depart, however, there is a dazzling flare of blue light near the middle of the arena as Malmö's future sight finally comes into effect. For the briefest few seconds, while psychic energy glitters around the temporal instability at the center of the chamber, the ruin is transformed, shattered pillars made whole and patina scoured from gleaming inlays. Shadowy figures hurry to and fro on long-forgotten errands, and faint sounds of conversation, of voices in a long-forgotten tongue, echo through the emptiness. The vision is over as abruptly as it arrived, however, and the ruins sink back into their slumber, as steeped in mystery as ever--and quite a bit more steeped in sewage than before.

Knuddeluff takes $8 for winning, Meursault gets $4, and I get $5. Womyn o' War gets 2 EXP, and Malmö gets one. Good match, guys, and sorry for the late final round.

Woo! :D

Great battle Meursault! If the first round had gone differently this would've been a very different battle :>

Also, great reffing Negrek!