League Championship 2009

[Eta Carinae]

I'm signing up, though my failing is probably inevitable :)

Smeargle [Jutsu] (M)
Moveset: Lock-On, Spore, Substitute, Roost (assuming it can), Surf, Counter, Mirror Coat, Taunt, Fire Blast, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Hydro Pump, Ancient Power, Brick Break, Aqua Ring, Psych Up

 

[Comatoad]

Smeargle [Temporary Nickname: Meso] (F)
Moveset: Dynamic Punch, Drain Punch, Disable, Swords Dance, Spore, Nightmare, Bide, Taunt, Spite, Endeavor, Safeguard, Agility, Defense Curl, Odor Sleuth, Rapid Spin, Rollout

 

[Grass King]

Smeargle [Temporary Nickname: Picasso] (M)
Ability: Technician
Moveset: Drain Punch, Counter, Draco Meteor, Spore, PoisonPowder, Zap Cannon, Tri Attack, Dream Eater, Leech Seed, Magnitude, Transform, Wring Out, Ancientpower, Aqua Tail, Aqua Ring, Aura Sphere


I'm back in the game!

 

[Blastoise Fortooate]

Smeargle [Temporary Nickname: Emo van Gogh] (M)
Ability: Technician
Moveset: Sleep Talk, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Fire Punch, Mach Punch, Rolling Kick, Rapid Spin, Fly, Vacuum Wave, Focus Blast, Aura Sphere, Wake-Up Slap, Hypnosis, Thunder Wave, Smellingsalts, Sketch, Rest.

 

[Negrek]

This round of the tournament should hopefully be winding down soon, which means that it's time to gear up for round three. As before, I'll post the rules for the next round below so that you can get your team ready; the next round will then go up immediately after my battle against Chiropter finishes.

There will be five battles in the next round; I've been saving my reffing slots, so I shouldn't have any problem taking four of them. However, I do need someone to ref my battle, whoever it ends up being against.

Congratulations to those who have made it this far; here is the next round's information:

2vs2 Single
DQ: One Week
Damage Cap: 35%
Banned Moves: OHKO's, weather moves, defog. Direct healers limited to 1/pokémon and chills to 3/pokémon

Terrain: The Battle Pike

The Battle Pike's labyrinthine corridors are dim and quiet, partitioned by heavy red curtains and lined with golden statues. Only the bravest--and, of course, luckiest--trainers manage to wend their way through its treacherous depths to reach the final room, which is dominated by a large, marshy arena. Ordinarily, this is where they would face the might of Pike Queen Lucy in their battle for a Frontier Symbol.

Today, though, Lucy is off on vacation, and it is the TCoD ASB that has set up shop in the depths of the pike. The danger facing trainers is not one of the legendary Frontier Brains, but instead one of their fellow trainers and the swampy patch of ground that retains the Pike's fickle qualities despite the absence of its Brain.

The arena is composed of low islands of reed-edged land, surrounded by shallow (no more than a meter deep), brackish water. Dominating the center of the arena is one large island, about seven meters in diameter; it is here that the battlers will begin the match by default. Arrayed around this are many smaller patches of solid ground, most one to two meters wide and in a variety of shapes. There is also a margin of ground around the edge of the arena, although its width varies from no more than a narrow strip of land to large projections out towards the middle of the field. The ground is damp and covered in thick grass, plus a few wildflowers. Now and again dark shapes will glide beneath the water's surface or something will rustle in the tall reeds, but for the most part the arena is still and innocent-looking. Lucy has also left behind one of the Pike's aides, who would ordinarily provide guidance to trainers stumbling through the maze. Adept at reading the mood of the arena, she will make an observation at the end of each round that alludes to what is likely to happen in the near future. At the beginning of the next round a random effect will take place, based on which of the phrases, outlined below, the aide utters. There is an equal chance of her saying any one of the following:

1. "There is a sense of restlessness about this place..."

There is a 75% chance that a band of croagunk will rise out of the murky water and attack both pokémon, causing 10% damage to each.

There is a 25% chance of a few friendly yanma will take flight, carrying berries to both pokémon, which will be eaten immediately to restore each pokémon's health by 10%.

2. "I seem to have heard something... It may have been whispering..."

There is an 80% chance that nothing will happen.

There is a 20% chance that cricketot hidden in the long grass will begin to chirp a soothing melody, calming both pokémon to the point that they regain 10% energy.

3. "The distinct aroma of pokémon is wafting around the arena..."

There is a 75% chance that a few magikarp will leap pointlessly out of the water, but otherwise nothing will happen.

There is a 25% chance that happiny will emerge from the reeds and offer their eggs to both pokémon, which will be eaten immediately to restore each pokémon's health and energy by 10% each.

4. "Even the air feels like it's holding its breath..."

There is a 65% chance that the arena's built-in weather system will activate, artificially generating conditions of bright sunlight, rain, hail, sandstorm, or fog. There is an equal chance of each weather being selected, and whichever one is "turned on" will last indefinitely, up until the point that this effect triggers again and a new condition is picked.

There is a 35% chance that gastly will drift through the arena, casting a malicious spell on the combatants that steals 10% energy from each.

5. "A cold breeze is racing around the arena..."

There is a 45% chance that vileplume hidden among the grass will release noxious powders to inflict a random status effect on all battlers. Alternatively, duskull may rise up from the ground and use will-o-wisp or chilling ice to freeze or burn one of the pokémon on the field.

Each pokémon is targeted with a status condition according to the following list:

Poison: 35% chance
Freeze: 25% chance
Paralysis: 20% chance
Burn: 10% chance
Sleep: 10% chance

The status effect is determined independently for each pokémon, so one may become burned while the other is paralyzed, for example. If a pokémon is targeted by a status to which it is immune (e.g. the "poison" effect is rolled for a steel-type), then the effect fails and the pokémon escapes being statused. If the pokémon already has the status with which it is targeted, that status' severity will be increased.

There is a 55% chance that vileplume hidden among the grass will release an aromatherapy, removing all major status conditions from both battlers.

Additional Rules: If both pokémon would faint at the end of the last round such that a tie would occur, the winner will be determined as follows:

1. If the pokémon fainted due to perish song, the player whose pokémon used the attack loses. If the pokémon fainted due to a self-destruct move or destiny bond, the player whose pokémon used the attack loses.

2. If one pokémon knocked the other out, but then fainted due to recoil/energy loss/etc., its trainer is the winner.

3. If both pokémon succumb at the same time to some non-damage effect (e.g. both are damaged by hail, poison, whatever), each is restored to 20% health and energy. All terrain effects, status boosts, and status afflictions are cleared, and the pokémon again play until one is knocked out. Turn order proceeds as it ordinarily would have if the pokémon wouldn't have fainted in the "final round."

 

[blazheirio889]

Since second semester is just beginning for me, I should have more than enough time to ref a battle. If you'll have me, that is.

 

[Negrek]

Should be fine; thanks for offering.

However, I would like a backup, just in case I get paired against blazheirio889 next round.

 

[Chiropter]

Oh, right, "just in case" you advance, sure, that's a scenario still in question. ;)

In any event, I'll be available to ref as well, if you need it.

 

[Negrek]

Hey, you pulled off some great plays this match. It ain't over 'til it's over!

Thanks a lot for the offer. We'll see how things shake out in the end.

 

[Phoenixsong]

Will safeguard stop the Vileplume status effects? Do the battlers wake up after the Gastly attack or do they remain asleep as though it were normal hypnosis? Will safeguard/insomnia/vital spirit/early bird affect that as well?

 

[Negrek]

Safeguard would block status effects from vileplume. They're treated like normal statuses in every way, so you can also heal yourself from them retroactively and so on.

I meant to word it so that the gastly thing wasn't like normal sleep; I'll go back and change it. In any case, no, it's not "real sleep" and therefore goes away immediately after the energy drain and is unaffected by things that would ordinarily have to do with the sleep status. I just needed to come up with some kind of lame excuse to kick energy off the battlers.

 

[Negrek]

Third round pairings are now up. Threads will begin appearing momentarily.

I have made a couple of changes to the battle description: first to describe the layout of the arena a little more, and second to add a little bit about the handling of ties. (A summary: there shall be no ties.)

Best of luck to all trainers playing in the third round. Let's see some more excellent matches!

 

[Sylph]

Hey, if you find reffing a little heavy right now, I'm willing to take over a battle for you, or do what I did when you had limited Internet time.

If not for this round, I can ref the next round of Tourney battles when the winners of this round advance.

 

[Negrek]

That's all right; I'm fine with the three battles I have for this round. We'll see whether or not I need anyone to take a battle in the next round (there will only be two, after all)--it depends on whether or not I advance.

 

[Lars The Turtwig]

Well, uh, if you'll need a referee for the next round(probably not), I'd be happy to lend a hand.

Damn why didn't I become a referee sooner then it wouldn't be so hard to apply

 

[ThaosDM]

The Dragon Master is signing in!

[CloudStar] Swablu
[M]
Ability: Keen Eye
Move Mod: None
Body Mod: None

 

[Negrek]

Okay, so round three is finally over! Unfortunately, it's been a rather long time, and not everybody who's supposed to play in the next round does ASB anymore. I'm going to do my best to get in touch with them and see if they're still up for a fight; in a week, I'll see what responses I have/not gotten and determine how exactly the rest of the tournament is going to be structured.

We might actually finish this yet! Stay tuned...

 

[Negrek]

Okay, so I've rounded up everybody who should be playing in this round, with the exception of Involuntary Twitch, who has decided not to participate. Therefore, Kratos Aurion will be taking her place in this round of the tournament.

The pairings are as follows:

Kratos Aurion vs blazheirio889
Grass King vs Greaster Lala

I can take one of these battles, as one of the tournament ones I'm working on should be wrapping up shortly, but it would be nice if someone took the other. I can do both if need be.

After this point, you have one week to prepare your team for the battle. We'll start in on the next round just barely before we ring in 2012!

And here is the battle information:

3vs3 Doubles
DQ: 1 Week
Damage Cap: 35%
Banned Moves: OHKO's, Perish Song
Arena: The Battle Dome

After the exotic twists and turns of the Battle Pike, its fickle resident pokémon and swampy terrain, the Battle Dome is extremely straightforward. The arena is small and no-nonsesne, dwarfed by the tiers of seats that rise high on all sides. They lead right up to the base of the stadium's retractable roof, now open to its widest to admit the tropical Hoenn sunlight. And today, those seats are mostly filled; after all, the stadium will play host to the semifinals matches of TCoD's League Championship--an event the spectators feel they've been anticipating for years. While Dome Ace Tucker riles the crowd out on stage, the four remaining trainers are huddled in the hallway below the stadium, waiting for their names to be called so they can make their entrance. They're only two wins away from the title now, but their opponents are some of the best in the league; those two wins will come dear, if they come at all.

The Battle Dome is a straightforward arena, but it offers everything a battler could want, including a sunken pool that will be filled with water to accommodate aquatic pokémon or large-scale water-type attacks. Powerful energy barriers separate the stands from the stage, inviting the fighters to go all-out without running the risk of injuring their adoring fans.

When battle threads are posted, each trainer will choose four pokémon from their active squad and PM them to the referee. This will server as their active squad for the purpose of the battle. The referee will post the reduced squads, and the player to choose first will select all three of their pokémon for the match, including their order, at that point. The next player will then choose their three as well as give commands. From there, the battle will proceed as normal. Note that this is a doubles match, and the third pokémon will be brought in to replace the first to fall on a player's team.