[15] Dazel vs Lord of the Fireflies (ref: Superbird)

[kyeugh]

Oh, what? I thought I responded already. Apologies.

Start out with a light screen to make those upcoming moves hurt just a little less. If you're paralysed by the next action, follow up with a façade; if not, go for a waterfall. Do the same next action.

Light screen ~ façade / waterfall x2

 

[Superbird]

Round 4

Dazel

Couch – Azumarill (♀)
Health: 61%
Energy: 58%
Type: Water / Fairy
Ability: Sap Sipper
Condition: Wary, but at the top of her game.
Status: Attack +2.
Commands: Light Screen ~ Façade / Waterfall x2

Lord of the Fireflies

Sofa – Wigglytuff (♀)
Health: 62%
Energy: 54%
Type: Normal / Fairy
Ability: Frisk
Condition: Feeling disgraceful.
Status: Defense +1. Special Attack +1. Enveloped by Aqua Ring.
Commands: Zap Cannon / Thunderbolt / Magic Coat x3​

Couch heard the words “Zap Cannon” from her opponent’s trainer’s mouth, and as any Water-Type knows, that meant bad news. And so she quickly took defensive action, thrusting her arms out to either side and concentrating to form a soft golden shield that enveloped her body. And just in time, too, as only a moment later Sofa finished charging up that Zap Cannon attack, and released it in a huge burst towards Couch. This time, the attack was perfectly accurate, but thanks to the Light Screen it didn’t hurt nearly as much as it would have. Couch still cringed from the pain and gritted her teeth as her muscles stiffened up.

But she wouldn’t let that get to her. She was doing really well in this battle against a foe who strove to exploit her weaknesses at any cost, and she wasn’t about to slow down anytime soon. She forced herself forward with a sharp cry, going through her paralysis, ignoring the pain. Sofa nervously stepped back, and in her defense shot another bolt of electricity at her opponent – which, to be fair, did stop the Azumarill for a moment, but only for that. Scarce seconds passed before Couch rammed into Sofa with considerable force, sending the Wigglytuff backwards into the wall.

And Couch didn’t let up – as soon as she finished her attack, she started once again, and once more Sofa frantically shot her opponent with a bolt of lightning, trying to do everything she could to slow her down. But it was no use. The Wigglytuff cowered in fear and pain as Couch made impact, the Azumarill driven by sheer force of will. And, though it didn’t break, a crack appeared in the wall.

As soon as Couch’s attack ended, though, the paralysis came back in full force, and Sofa expanded her body a little, forcing her blue opponent off of her. Couch rolled back for a while, letting her momentum carry her, and as she came to a stop she stiffly pushed herself to her feet. This match was pretty even, but she was confident she was going to win.

End of Round 4

Dazel

Couch – Azumarill (♀)
Health: 35%
Energy: 33%
Type: Water / Fairy
Ability: Sap Sipper
Condition: Gritting her teeth.
Status: Attack +2. Protected by Light Screen (2 more actions). Severely paralyzed.
Actions: Light Screen ~ Facade ~ Facade

Lord of the Fireflies

Sofa – Wigglytuff (♀)
Health: 35%
Energy: 36%
Type: Normal / Fairy
Ability: Frisk
Condition: Not feeling too well.
Status: Defense +1. Special Attack +1. Enveloped by Aqua Ring.
Actions: Zap Cannon ~ Thunderbolt ~ Thunderbolt​

Arena Notes
~Gravity is strengthened for three more actions.
~Map of Laverre Gym (The battle is currently in the Entrance Hall)
~There is a hole in the ceiling of the Entrance Hall, leading to the Dining Room. This hole is large enough for one of the combatants to jump through with a move like Bounce.
~The wall behind Sofa is cracked and could probably be broken without too much trouble.
~A Wacan Berry lies on the floor towards the wall behind Azumarill.
~A Babiri Berry lies on the floor towards the wall behind Sofa.

Referee Notes
~No critical hits, no misses, no paralysis failures. The RNG is going lightly on us this round.
~Dazel commands first next round.

Spoiler: Action Log

Action 1
~Couch uses Light Screen, for 2% energy
~Sofa uses Zap Cannon, dealing 12*1.5*1.16/2=10% damage for 8% energy
~Couch is severely paralyzed.
~Light Screen is active for 4 more actions (1% energy)
~Sofa restores 1% health from Aqua Ring.
Action 2
~Sofa uses Thunderbolt, dealing 9*1.5*1.16/2=8% damage for 5% energy
~Couch uses Facade, dealing 14*1.16-1=15% damage for 8+2=10% energy
~Light Screen is active for 3 more actions (1% energy)
~Sofa restores 1% health from Aqua Ring.
Action 3
~Sofa uses Thunderbolt, dealing 8% damage for 5% energy
~Couch uses Facade, dealing 15% damage for 10% energy
~Light Screen is active for 2 more actions (1% energy)
~Sofa restores 1% health from Aqua Ring

 

[Eifie]

Heehee! Looks like my record for the quickest tournament battle ever (that I know of) goes unchallenged! So sorry, Superbird.

 

[Superbird]

Eh, no matter. All my reffings were up within 8 hours of the commands anyway. If we break quickest battle because the competitors need time to make commands, I'm fine with that.

 

[kyeugh]

This battle is really close, though! This has never happened to me before.

Let's get some more façades in. Use protect the first time Sofa uses thunderbolt. If Sofa takes a turn to use a non-damaging move, use work up.

Façade / protect / work up x3

 

[Lord of the Fireflies]

Alright Sofa, this is a moment of truth. Begin with a Skull Bash to help us take that first Facade, then Disable it. Finish with a fuckin Hyper Beam cause why the fuck not. If Couch is fully paralysed on the first action, use Snatch to steal that Work Up on the second action instead. If on the second action you're too slow to Disable Facade before Couch uses anything else, use Sing. If Couch uses Protect on the last action because she has nothing else to do, drop Hyper Beam and just Chill.

Skull Bash (one-action) ~ Disable (Facade) / Snatch / Sing ~ Hyper Beam / Chill

 

[Superbird]

Round 5

Dazel

Couch – Azumarill (♀)
Health: 35%
Energy: 33%
Type: Water / Fairy
Ability: Sap Sipper
Condition: Gritting her teeth.
Status: Attack +2. Protected by Light Screen (2 more actions). Severely paralyzed.
Actions: Façade / Protect / Work up

Lord of the Fireflies

Sofa – Wigglytuff (♀)
Health: 35%
Energy: 36%
Type: Normal / Fairy
Ability: Frisk
Condition: Not feeling too well.
Status: Defense +1. Special Attack +1. Enveloped by Aqua Ring.
Actions: Skull Bash ~ Disable / Snatch / Sing ~ Hyper Beam / Chill​

Sofa tucked in her head as Couch ran towards her once again, fire in the Azumarill’s eyes. Sofa knew another Facade was coming, and this time she was prepared for the attack, curling up and bolstering her defensive strength. Though it wasn’t enough to keep her from flying back against the wall when Couch made contact, it was enough to weaken the attack just a tiny bit – and as soon as she hit the wall, Sofa sprang back away, uncurling herself and using her body as a spring to ram into Couch’s chest and send the Azumarill bouncing back the same way Sofa had been battered around by all the previous attacks.

It was satisfying, but Sofa didn’t stop there. As her paralyzed opponent struggled to pull herself up from the ground, the Wigglytuff’s eyes glowed a blank gray color, and Couch’s body soon began to take the same hue. Only briefly, of course, but for just a moment there was almost silence, and Couch cringed. Her willpower was lost – there was no way she was using that Facade again, she just didn’t have the willpower left for it. It had been taken from her. But she told herself she could still win. The paralysis was just a minor hindrance, and it was starting to get a tiny bit better anyway. She felt herself getting stronger as she worked herself up to her former confidence.

And then that new confidence started to melt away as she looked up at her opponent and saw the Wigglytuff slowly contracting her body, gathering energy. And immediately, she panicked – No way was she wanting to take whatever that attack was. Quickly, she threw up a familiar Protect shield, the one familiar attack that almost every pokémon knew how to use, and every pokémon knew how to recognize. Sofa took a glance up, and immediately registered the greenish shield. And in response, she began to expand her body again, releasing the energy she’d stored up slowly – after all, no point wasting it all on an opponent who wouldn’t take the damage. She had all next round for that.

End of Round 5

Dazel

Couch – Azumarill (♀)
Health: 19%
Energy: 18%
Type: Water / Fairy
Ability: Sap Sipper
Condition: Losing hope.
Status: Attack +3. Special Attack +1. Badly paralyzed. Facade disabled.
Actions: Facade ~ Work Up ~ Protect

Lord of the Fireflies

Sofa – Wigglytuff (♀)
Health: 25%
Energy: 21%
Type: Normal / Fairy
Ability: Frisk
Condition: Slowly gaining confidence.
Status: Defense +2. Special Attack +1. Enveloped by Aqua Ring.
Actions: Skull Bash ~ Disable ~ Nothing​

Referee Notes
~As she couldn’t use Facade on Action 3, Couch decided the wisest course of action was to Protect, since her opponent was charging up a Hyper Beam. Sofa, after cooling down on that, didn’t have time to Chill. Sofa did not lose any energy, though.
~Lord of the Fireflies commands first.

Spoiler: Action Log

Action 1
~Sofa tucks in her head
~Sofa’s Defense rises!
~Couch uses Facade, dealing 13% damage for 10% energy
~Sofa uses Skull Bash, dealing 16% damage for 11% energy
~Sofa’s Aqua Ring restores 1% health
~Couch is protected by Light Screen for one more action (1% energy)
Action 2
~Sofa uses Disable, for 4% energy
~Couch uses Work Up, for 2% energy
~Sofa’s Aqua Ring restores 1% health
~Couch’s Light Screen fades.
Action 3
~Sofa uses Protect, for 3% energy
~Couch chills, restoring 10% energy
~Sofa’s Aqua Ring restores 1% health

 

[Lord of the Fireflies]

Wait, so does Soda have a Hyper Beam all charged up and ready to go? It would make sense.

 

[Superbird]

No. There are charging attacks like Solarbeam, and then there are just powerful attacks like Hyper Beam and, for example, Thunderbolt. Which can't be used immediately, as they have brief periods in which the opposing pokémon is able to clearly see "oh, they're about to use a thunderbolt" and react.

You could consider that Sofa does have a hyper beam charged up - after all, nothing's stopping her from using it action 1 next round - but if she does use it she'll still need to recharge, and it wouldn't do any more damage than usual.

 

[Lord of the Fireflies]

Oh my god I completely forgot that Hyper Beam is hit / recharge and not charge / hit. This is very good news (everyone!) for us, as we'll be able to send a decisive Hyper Beam before anything else happens. Make it one-action anyway (except if it takes more time and Couch would be able to hit you with something before).

So, Hyperbeam, and aim it as true as you can. If you face a Protect, try some Working Up.

Second action and third action, Hyperbeam if you didn't already. Hyper Voice if she's still standing after the first Hyperbeam. Work Up if she Protects.

Hyperbeam / Work Up ~ Hyperbeam / Work Up / Hyper Voice x2

I'm pretty hyped for this round

 

[kyeugh]

This is a fairly dire situation and there is not a whole lot I can do, so I'm going to be pushing my luck a little here, but that's about my only option. Start off with a protect. Next, use encore, and try to do it quickly. I understand that you are paralysed but really all you have to do is fucking clap so hopefully it won't be incredibly difficult for you to do that before Sofa can charge an entire hyper beam. I don't care if you have to expend a little extra energy to make it work. WE ARE HINGING THIS BATTLE ON YOUR ABILITY TO CLAP. Assuming you are still alive by the next action, use superpower.
Protect ~ encore ~ superpower
e: FUCK I MISREAD NOOOOO BUT I'M NOT GOING TO CHANGE MY ACTIONS BECAUSE THAT'S CHEATING
e2: oh my god thank you guys i'm still going to die but w/e

 

[Eifie]

e: FUCK I MISREAD NOOOOO BUT I'M NOT GOING TO CHANGE MY ACTIONS BECAUSE THAT'S CHEATING

It's hardly cheating to delete and repost your commands a mere five minutes after posting them, really, especially when you're commanding second. :p

 

[Lord of the Fireflies]

yeah go ahead

 

[Superbird]

Huh, I've always been under the impression that changing commands is fine up until the next person to command does so, or until the ref posts the reffing.

In any case, if you do want to change, I'm not gonna be looking at this until later tonight, so

 

[Superbird]

Round 6

Dazel

Couch – Azumarill (♀)
Health: 19%
Energy: 18%
Type: Water / Fairy
Ability: Sap Sipper
Condition: Losing hope.
Status: Attack +3. Special Attack +1. Badly paralyzed. Facade disabled.
Commands: Protect ~ Encore ~ Superpower

Lord of the Fireflies

Sofa – Wigglytuff (♀)
Health: 25%
Energy: 21%
Type: Normal / Fairy
Ability: Frisk
Condition: Slowly gaining confidence.
Status: Defense +2. Special Attack +1. Enveloped by Aqua Ring.
Commands: Hyperbeam / Work Up ~ Hyperbeam / Work Up / Hyper Voice x2​

Immediately upon the beginning of the next round, Couch raised a new Protect shield, though with considerably more effort this time, staring intensely at her opponent. Sofa stared back, and shortly began hopping up and down to encourage herself. She had her opponent on the ropes, she could see it in Couch’s eyes. She could make this happen – she could win this battle!

Seeing her opponent using an attack that wasn’t Hyper Beam, Couch immediately let down her shield, and took a deep breath. And she began to clap, slowly at first and then with increasing frequency. But Sofa had already started charging her Hyper Beam – and before Couch could reach her opponent with her desperate attack, the Wigglytuff released the attack. A direct hit – Couch went flying back into the wall, crashing into the next room, and didn’t get up again. Sofa was panting – one more of those would have been too much for her. But she had managed to win! Dazel sighed, recalled the fallen Azumarill to its poké ball, and then shook hands with Lord of the Fireflies, who proceeded to high-five his tired Wigglytuff before recalling the pokémon. And so the first battle in the second Late Bracket ended, and Lord of the Fireflies advanced to the next round. The league Abra teleported everyone to the Tower of Mastery (save the referee, who preferred to use his Xatu) and Valerie was left to deal with the rest of the destructions by herself. Only a few holes in the wall were left from the battle, and she was somewhat dissatisfied. She would still need to get a demolition crew. Or maybe she could just call them back to blow the place down with Draco Meteors and stuff. That remained to be seen.

End of Round 6

Dazel

Couch – Azumarill (♀)
Health: 0%
Energy: 13%
Type: Water / Fairy
Ability: Sap Sipper
Condition: Unconscious.
Status: Knocked Out!
Actions: Protect

Lord of the Fireflies

Sofa – Wigglytuff (♀)
Health: 26%
Energy: 6%
Type: Normal / Fairy
Ability: Frisk
Condition: Slowly gaining confidence.
Status: Attack +1. Defense +2. Special Attack +2. Enveloped by Aqua Ring.
Actions: Work Up ~ Hyper Beam​

Referee Notes
~I set Couch’s chance to move first on action 2 to 61% (Couch’s speed divided by Sofa’s). The roll was 91 – which, even if I’d been more lenient with the percentage, would definitely have been over – so Sofa moved first. Dazel, feel free to blame the RNG for it.
~A +2 hyper beam was more than enough enough to knock out Couch completely.
~And thus Lord of the Fireflies narrowly wins the battle. It was very close – fantastic job to both parties, and I really enjoyed reffing it. I’ll let Eifie handle things from here, in closing the battle – I’m not sure I’m supposed to yet – but for reference, LotF should get $25, Dazel should get #13, and I get $22, I think.

 

[Eifie]

Close the battle without marking off any Pokémon as having participated; that should close it properly without awarding any prize money. (I'd appreciate it if you could make a note of all your account balances before doing so to check.) Then you can all claim the full prize amounts in the bank.

 

[Lord of the Fireflies]

Great battle Dazel! Really had me worrying in that last round.

 

[kyeugh]

Good game! Damn if I don't permanently hate hyper beam now, though. You played really well, I'm glad to have had the honour.

 

[Lord of the Fireflies]

dat STAB hyperbeam tho