[15] Music Dragon vs TruetoCheese (ref: Byrus)

[Eifie]

3 vs 3
Style: Set
DQ: 7 days
Damage Cap: 40%
Banned/Restricted Moves: OHKOs, direct healing, Pain Split, Perish Song, Super Fang, moves that KO the user. Trick Room does not affect command order.
Arena: Tower of Mastery

After a long spiraled climb around a humongous Mega Lucario statue, approved trainers will find the topmost location of the Tower of Mastery to be a large semicircular balcony with a lovely view of distant mountains, the sea, and awe-inspiring clear skies. It has been historically the place where chosen trainers are given Mega Rings, designated with the purpose of reminding those trainers to set their sights ever skyward.

For this round of the tournament, Battle Arena (or, as it were, Battle Korrina) rules will apply. Each pair of Pokémon sent out will only battle for up to three rounds before being recalled, at which point the sums of their remaining Health and Energy percentages will be compared to determine the winner of the bout, and the next two Pokémon are sent out thereafter. The first to win two bouts wins the match as a whole. Furthermore, while sending out Pokémon at the beginning of each bout, the trainers will also PM their assigned referee to pick one of the Masteries listed below, and the Masteries chosen that way will be publically announced in the battle thread before commands are issued (however, in the third and final bout, the masteries from the previous bout are applied, and no new ones are chosen). These two Masteries will be the only ones applicable in the current bout, and by fulfilling the conditions that they outline, players can have a score of 20 added to their final Health and Energy sum (up to a maximum of 40). More details are outlined in the tournament round post. The following are the masteries that can be chosen from:

• Movepool Master: Awarded to the Pokémon that used the highest amount of different moves during the bout.
• Elementalist: Awarded to the Pokémon that used moves of the highest amount of different types.
• Skill Striker: Awarded to the Pokémon that used the most moves with 70 or less Base Power (after accounting for effects that change a move's Base Power).
• Efficiency Expert: Awarded to the Pokémon that spent the least energy during the bout (restored energy, such as that gained by Chills or energy-targeting indirect recovery, does not contribute to this Mastery).
• Set-Up Specialist: Awarded to the Pokémon that had the highest net total of stat changes at the end of the bout (e.g., 6+ Attack and 2- Defense makes for a total of 4+).
• Plague Pawner: Awarded to the Pokémon that inflicted the most status conditions on the opponent.
• Daredevil: Awarded to the Pokémon that had the least Health remaining at the end of the bout.
• Own Worst Enemy: Awarded to the Pokémon that took the most self-inflicted damage during the round (only self-inflicted damage from regular sources like recoil and costs are counted; intentionally attacking oneself does not contribute to this Mastery).
• Obstinate Orders: Awarded to the trainer that used the least conditionals in their commands. Only the trainer who is issuing the first commands in the current bout can choose this Mastery.

Music Dragon's active squad

Pravus the male Steelix <Rock Head>
Doctor Proctor the male Exeggutor <Chlorophyll>
Goach the male Whiscash <Oblivious>
The Doctor's Posse the male Exeggcute <Chlorophyll>
Parfenova the female Spritzee <Aroma Veil>
King of Hearts the male Sigilyph <Magic Guard> @ Sticky Barb
Lillibeth the female Grumpig <Own Tempo>
Syzygy the female Carnivine <Levitate> @ Binding Band
Ant Heater the male Heatmor <Flash Fire> @ Smoke Ball
Corphoot the male Corphish <Hyper Cutter>


TruetoCheese's active squad

Gutterspout the male Gligar <Hyper Cutter> @ Razor Fang
No Brainer the female Psyduck <Cloud Nine>
Rathian the female Noibat <Infiltrator> @ Lucky Egg
Littlefoot the male Amaura <Refrigerate> @ Never-Melt Ice
FOXTROT OSCAR X-RAY the female Zoroark <Illusion>
Faraday the genderless Magnemite <Magnet Pull> @ Lucky Egg
Cutman the male Pawniard <Defiant> @ Lucky Egg
majestic banana mushroom drago the female Chikorita <Overgrow> @ Lucky Egg
Jerome the male Swablu <Natural Cure> @ Sachet
Aries "The Ram" Ram the female Cottonee <Prankster> @ Sun Stone

Up next:
1. Music Dragon sends out
2. TruetoCheese sends out
3. Kratos Aurion announces the chosen Masteries
4. TruetoCheese issues commands
5. Music Dragon issues commands

 

[Music Dragon]

Re: [15] Music Dragon vs TruetoCheese (ref: Kratos Aurion)

Hmm! Tricky arena, this one. I'll send out Doctor Proctor - the only eggs in the world with a PhD!

 

[TruetoCheese]

Re: [15] Music Dragon vs TruetoCheese (ref: Kratos Aurion)

We'll have to trim that overgrown plant, Cutman. Fight for everlasting tidy lawns!

 

[Phoenixsong]

Re: [15] Music Dragon vs TruetoCheese (ref: Kratos Aurion)

The masteries are in! We've got:

Set-Up Specialist: Awarded to the Pokémon that had the highest net total of stat changes at the end of the bout (e.g., 6+ Attack and 2- Defense makes for a total of 4+).

Plague Pawner: Awarded to the Pokémon that inflicted the most status conditions on the opponent.

TruetoCheese is up first with commands. Good luck to the both of you!

 

[Eifie]

Re: [15] Music Dragon vs TruetoCheese (ref: Kratos Aurion)

I can't edit the thread title right now from mobile, but Byrus will be taking over reffing for this match. Carry on!

 

[TruetoCheese]

Status, eh? Well then, we're going to open with a Taunt. Laugh at his PhD, it's probably garden grown. Not even an authentic official-looking one with signatures and stuff! Make some noise while you do so, the aggravating grating of steel. Laugh and jeer and jape. Where would an Exeggutor even acquire a doctorate! We should snip it in half, for good sport. In fact, we should snip all of him in half so such a travesty never occurs in Pokemon history ever again. X-Scissor right through Doctor Proctor, give him a wound he won't have the time to diagnose.

If the good Doctor's not accepting your tactical barrage of tauntsome counterpoints (because of a Protect, Detect, or he can't be hit by a Taunt), then just Substitute for 10% and Taunt on the next action.. If he's still not targetable, then just Swords Dance up and Taunt the next action (and same for the third, I guess?). He shouldn't be able to move your Substitute with any of his P(hD)sychic mumbo jumbo, since it should have your typing as well.

If you can't Swords Dance either, then just default to your attacking move.

Taunt/Substitute(10%) ~ Taunt/X-Scissor/Swords Dance ~ Taunt/X-Scissor/Swords Dance

 

[Music Dragon]

Hmm. This Cutman, he is a tricky one, yes? Still, if it's a whoopin' he's a-wantin', let's indulge him.

But first, some mental acrobatics for the good Doctor! If Cutman is about to Taunt you, immediately shut him out with Protect. However, if he starts creating a Substitute, you respond with Sunny Day, to get your chloroplasts going. In this way, we create a command loop: he'll be waiting to see what your move is, and you'll be waiting see what his move is! If we're lucky, your priority Protect will outsmart him; if not... well, that's a problem for later. One last thing: in case it all goes to hell and you end up Taunted anyway, fall back on Low Kick.

On your second action, we've got some options depending on the outcome of the previous action. If it's sunny and you're not taunted, you should be able to outspeed Cutman, so go with Gravity. That should make those Low Kicks hurt a bit more! Otherwise, use Infestation for some cheap damage.

On your last action: if Gravity isn't in effect and you didn't already use Infestation, use Infestation now. Otherwise, hit him with Low Kick.

Protect / Sunny Day / Low Kick ~ Gravity / Infestation ~ Infestation / Low Kick

 

[Byrus]

After a long trek up the seemingly endless stairs, both trainers and referee make their way past the looming Lucario statue and onto the wide-spread balcony. Their vantage point offers an amazing view, but neither trainer is much interested; all their concentration is focused on the important battle ahead. After brief words are exchanged over the chosen masteries for the bout, Music Dragon and TruetoCheese each throw a Pokéball of their choice.

In two bursts of light, Doctor Proctor the Exeggutor and Cutman the Pawniard materialize on the balcony. Each of them takes a moment to drink in the battlefield before sizing each other up. Cutman's blades flash in the sunlight, and Doctor Proctor decides he really does not want those things getting anywhere near his leaves. After that, commands are shouted out, and the two Pokémon attempt to puzzle out their first move.

Music Dragon [OOO]
[Doctor Proctor] (M) <Chlorophyll>
Health: 100%
Energy: 100%
Condition: A little wary of his opponent's blades.
Status: Stable

TruetoCheese [OOO]
[Cutman] (M) <Defiant> @Lucky egg
Health: 100%
Energy: 100%
Condition: Eager to do some hacking and slashing.
Status: Stable

Round one​

For a few moments, they simply stand there, tensely waiting for the other to act. Cutman taps his clawed feet, peering intently at the good Doctor's multiple heads, trying to discern what he's planning. Unfortunately, each of his heads are wearing entirely different expressions, including a particularly dopey looking one that keeps sticking its tongue out, which only adds to Cutman's growing impatience. He's starting to get downright jittery with nerves from this asinine staring contest. If only that stupid plant would make his move!

Finally, Cutman decides to break the silence with a few choice insults, mostly aimed at his opponent's clearly fraudulent PhD. Doctor Proctor reacts quickly, however, drawing up a translucent green shield to drown out Cutman's biting wit. He bobs idly from side to side as Cutman yells at him, straining his throat in a vain attempt to be heard over the barrier. But it's no good, and Cutman is forced to give up, for now at least. He gives a sharp cough and scowls as one of Doctor Proctor's heads snickers.

Cutman clangs his blades together and glares. Well, if his opponent thinks he can pull the same trick twice, he's got another thing coming. As soon as the green barrier fades, Cutman gets right back to dishing out the insults, his anger lending his jibes some added spite and menace. He even gives a few rude and threatening gestures, though his attempts are somewhat hindered by the fact that he has blades for hands.

This time, Doctor Proctor hears every word loud and clear, and Cutman's ignorance and foul language causes the expression on each of his heads to turn downright nasty. He stamps his feet and shakes his leaves vigorously, dislodging a buzzing cluster of tiny, unidentifiable insects. Cutman grimaces in disgust. Ugh, is that rotten palm tree crawling with bugs? Gross! He should have added that to his list of insults... But as it turns out, Cutman is to be the one crawling with bugs now, as the swarm makes its way towards him, surrounding him in a blinding, buzzing shroud. Cutman irritably swipes and slices at the pests, but they remain persistent, biting into his armoured skin with sharp mandibles.

Distracted by the stinging swarm, Cutman is caught off guard when Proctor rushes him, still fuming with rage. The swarm momentarily parts as Proctor lashes out with a sweeping kick from his heavy leg. Cutman gives a screech of pain as the brutal blow connects, denting his armour and leaving him winded. He doubles over, gasping, and struggles to catch sight of his foe through the whirring bugs. The pesky things cling to his body and dart in front of his eyes, clouding his vision and hampering his movement. No amount of slashing or stabbing seems to make a difference, and Cutman can feel himself growing desperate.

Resigning himself to being unable to get at his opponent right now, Cutman attempts to focus on a swords dance. The swarm makes his task maddeningly difficult, but he just about manages to get a decent rhythm going, loudly clanging his blades together as he completes his warrior dance. With that done, he can feel his frustration giving way to a more focused, zen-like state, despite the grief the bugs are still giving him.

End of round one

Music Dragon [OOO]
[Doctor Proctor] (M) <Chlorophyll>
Health: 100%
Energy: 94%
Condition: Still indignant.
Status: Taunted (1 more action)
Moves used: Protect ~ Infestation ~ Low Kick

TruetoCheese [OOO]
[Cutman] (M) <Defiant> @Lucky egg
Health: 89%
Energy: 87%
Condition: Trying to keep his cool.
Status: + 2 attack | Trapped by infestation (3 more actions)
Moves used: Taunt ~ Taunt ~ Swords Dance

Spoiler: calcs

Protect = 2% energy
Infestation = 2% initial damage + 1% damage per action / 2% energy
Low Kick = 8% damage / 2% energy

Taunt x2 = 4% energy each
Swords dance = 5% energy

Battle notes

- When two Pokémon are given circular commands, I generally have the faster one move first. Since both Pawniard and Exeggutor have very close base speeds, who moved first was randomized.
- Pawniard weighs 10.2 kg, so low kick had 40 base power.
- As it is a contact move, Cutman was unable to preform X-scissor due to being trapped by infestation.
- As he considered Doctor Proctor unable to be targeted, he opted for swords dance, which cost him 3% extra energy due to having his movement impaired by the swarm.
- Music Dragon attacks first.​

 

[Music Dragon]

Hoo! Well done, Doctor. That swarm of bugs should keep him occupied for at least one more action. We'll need it too, because you're still Taunted. Just go with Low Kick first, since it seems to be one of the few sensible offensive options we have at our disposal.

As soon as you're able to, increase the local Gravity! This should improve the accuracy of your spore moves and the power of Low Kick. Once Gravity's active, follow up with Sleep Powder; thanks to the accuracy boost, it should be guaranteed to hit. You might need to get in close though, since I doubt that powder will travel very far in a Gravity field...

If at any time you're unable to use the above moves (for example due to Substitutes or more Taunts), fall back on Low Kick.

Low Kick ~ Gravity / Low Kick ~ Gravity / Sleep Powder / Low Kick

 

[TruetoCheese]

Apologies for the great delay. And speaking of delays, we're going to do just that, but in a different way...

Start off with a Thunder Wave, you're just pulsing electricity off so the Infestation shouldn't hamper you. Follow that up with a Substitute for 10%. Then...I'm not sure if we'll be able to use an X-Scissor because of the infestation, but if you can, just do that. If not, just throw out a Dark Pulse. If you are in any way going to be vulnerable to a Sleep Powder if you use X-Scissor, use Dark Pulse instead.

Thunder Wave ~ Substitute (10%) ~ X-Scissor/Dark Pulse

 

[Byrus]

Music Dragon [OOO]
[Doctor Proctor] (M) <Chlorophyll>
Health: 100%
Energy: 94%
Condition: Still indignant.
Status: Taunted (1 more action)

TruetoCheese [OOO]
[Cutman] (M) <Defiant> @Lucky egg
Health: 89%
Energy: 87%
Condition: Trying to keep his cool.
Status: + 2 attack | Trapped by infestation (3 more actions)

Round two​

Still straining to see through the cloud of troublesome bugs, Cutman taps his blades together, generating a weak pulse of electricity. It doesn't take long for his enraged opponent to rush him again, lashing out with another brutal kick. The impact takes the breath out of Cutman, but he's more prepared this time, and Proctor finds himself getting a nasty shock as Cutman looses the crackling sparks. The current races through Proctor, seizing up his muscles and leaving him reeling.

Pleased, Cutman takes a moment to steady himself, before searching around for materials to sculpt with. He chips at the stone beneath him, drawing off some jagged shards, then roughly mashes them together. The creation is extremely unstable, but as soon as Cutman breathes some of his life force into it, the thing begins to take shape, forming the rough outline of a Pawniard. It's still not quite complete, so Cutman scoops out some bugs from the swarm, wincing a little as they nip at him, and jams the angry insects into the gaps on the substitute. There! Perfect. His substitute's hollow eyes light up, and the bugs immediately focus their attention on it, much to Cutman's relief. The constant stinging was getting on his nerves.

Doctor Proctor's leaves rustle as he shudders, trying to get control over his stiffened legs. His anger has faded now, leaving him feeling a bit foolish for being so reckless. He's also slightly alarmed to see another silhouette appear behind the bug curtain, but he decides to ignore it for now. His heads all close their eyes (apart from Dopey, who continues drooling) as they fall into deep concentration, and a pink glow surrounds the exeggutor's body. Soon enough, the air around him begins to ripple and distort as Doctor Proctor manipulates gravity with his psychic abilities. Cutman feels the effects almost immediately, and his shoulders slump as he gives a shudder, his whole body suddenly feeling like lead.

Cutman shakily takes a step forward, trying to get used to the new conditions. The air around him still looks strangely distorted from the psychic energy encasing the balcony, but the bugs are slowly starting to disperse, giving him a better view of his opponent. The rest of the swarm are still gnawing at his substitute, but it remains mostly intact, if a little nibbled looking. Doctor Proctor isn't having much trouble with the increased gravity, but his paralyzed muscles are a different matter. Cutman watches impatiently as the plant staggers about drunkenly, trying to work out the aching cramps in his legs.

The remains of the swarm are persistent, and continue to hinder his movement, while Proctor remains frustratingly far off. Cutman debates with himself over what to do, before ultimately deciding on a ranged attack this time. Glowering, he summons up all the most vile, repulsive thoughts he can muster, then unleashes them in a cold wave of dark energy. The blast of darkness rolls over Proctor, catching him off guard and chilling him to the bone. He cowers down, his heads all looking terrified. How could one little Pawniard be filled with such... hatred? And all those inappropriate thoughts? As Proctor is left quivering in horror, Cutman breathes a sigh of relief as the swarm finally decides to buzz off, having grown bored of bugging him.

End of round two

Music Dragon [OOO]
[Doctor Proctor] (M) <Chlorophyll>
Health: 85%
Energy: 88%
Condition: Fearful.
Status: Paralysed (Severe)
Moves used: Low Kick ~ Gravity ~ [Flinch]

TruetoCheese [OOO]
[Cutman] (M) <Defiant> @Lucky egg
Health: 70%
Energy: 75%
Condition: Glad to be able to move freely now.
Status: + 2 attack | Has a Substitute at 8% health
Moves used: Thunder Wave ~ Substitute (10%) ~ Dark Pulse

Spoiler: calcs

Low Kick = 8% Damage / 2% Energy
Gravity = 4% energy

Infestation = 1% damage per action (3% total, with 2% on the Substitute)

Thunder Wave = 4% Energy
Substitute = 5% energy
Dark Pulse = 15% Damage / 3% Energy

Battle notes

- Gravity is in effect (4 more actions)
- Cutman opted for Dark Pulse on the third action since the swarm was still in effect and Proctor wasn't in range. The Dark Pulse also rolled a flinch.
- I treated Gravity as effectively doubling the Pokémon's weight, but this isn't going to affect Low Kick's base power.
- TruetoCheese attacks first.​

 

[TruetoCheese]

Wait so why did the substitute take Infestation but Cutman did too? I'm not entirely sure, but I think Substitute's sort of "break" trapping moves? So the damage is redirected to them and not the primary 'mon. The alternative is that Cutman takes all the damage but the Sub is left untouched. But I'm pretty sure that they both wouldn't take the Infestation ticks (hehe ticks).

I don't think this would affect the X-Scissor over Dark Pulse choice, since Proctor wasn't in range and all that. Or if there was any chance of Sleep Powder working, Cutman would Dark Pulse.

 

[Byrus]

Cutman took infestation damage on the first turn, before he made his substitute. The sub took the chip damage the next two turns. I didn't have the infestation damage both of them.

 

[Eifie]

TruetoCheese has forfeited. Music Dragon advances on to the next round and gets $30. Byrus, this is treated as a DQ in the database.

 

[Zhorken]

Considering the circumstances TTC had to leave under, I'm giving him his prize too.