Movesets
Choose Your Pokémon
Start by selecting the Pokémon you want to build based on your team’s needs, personal preference, or current metagame trends.
Visit Smogon
Go to Smogon and search for the Pokémon you want to build.
Review the Pokémon’s Analysis
Each Pokémon’s page on Smogon provides a detailed analysis that includes:
- Recommended Movesets: Different sets optimized for various roles (e.g., offensive, defensive, support).
Select a Moveset
Choose a moveset from the provided options. Each moveset typically includes:
- Primary Moves: The main attacks or support moves that are essential for the Pokémon's role.
- Secondary Moves: Additional moves that provide coverage or utility.
- STAB Moves: Moves that match the Pokémon’s type for increased damage.
- Coverage Moves: Moves that hit types the Pokémon is weak against.
Understand the Role of Each Move
- STAB Moves: These moves are crucial as they benefit from the Same Type Attack Bonus, making them stronger. For example, a Water-type Pokémon like Swampert would benefit from using moves like Waterfall or Hydro Pump.
- Coverage Moves: These moves help the Pokémon deal with opponents it would otherwise struggle against. For example, Garchomp might use Fire Blast to deal with Steel-type Pokémon.
- Support Moves: These moves can provide utility, such as setting up entry hazards (Stealth Rock) or inflicting status conditions (Toxic, Thunder Wave).
Fine-Tune the Moveset
After selecting the moveset, ensure it fits well with your overall team strategy and covers the roles you need. You may need to tweak the moves based on the specific needs of your team.
Example: Building a Moveset for Garchomp
- Select Garchomp.
- Visit Smogon: Look up Garchomp’s page.
- Review Analysis: Check the recommended sets.
- Choose a Moveset: Opt for the standard Choice Scarf set.
- Moves:
- Earthquake: Powerful STAB move.
- Outrage: Another STAB move for dealing heavy damage.
- Stone Edge: Coverage move to handle Flying-types.
- Fire Blast: Coverage move to deal with Steel-types.
- Moves:
Natures
| Nature | Increases | Decreases |
|---|---|---|
| Adamant | Attack | Sp. Atk |
| Bashful | Sp. Atk | Sp. Atk |
| Bold | Defense | Attack |
| Brave | Attack | Speed |
| Calm | Sp. Def | Attack |
| Careful | Sp. Def | Sp. Atk |
| Docile | Defense | Defense |
| Gentle | Sp. Def | Defense |
| Hardy | Attack | Sp. Atk |
| Hasty | Speed | Defense |
| Impish | Defense | Sp. Atk |
| Jolly | Speed | Sp. Atk |
| Lax | Defense | Sp. Def |
| Lonely | Attack | Defense |
| Mild | Sp. Atk | Defense |
| Modest | Sp. Atk | Attack |
| Naive | Speed | Sp. Def |
| Naughty | Attack | Sp. Def |
| Quiet | Sp. Atk | Speed |
| Quirky | Sp. Atk | Sp. Atk |
| Rash | Sp. Atk | Sp. Def |
| Relaxed | Defense | Speed |
| Sassy | Sp. Def | Speed |
| Serious | Speed | Speed |
| Timid | Speed | Attack |
Impact on Stats
- Boosted Stat: Every nature boosts one of the Pokémon's six base stats by 10%. These stats include HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed.
- Decreased Stat: In return, the same nature will decrease another stat by 10%.
Strategic Considerations:
- Choosing the Right Nature: Selecting the appropriate nature for a Pokémon can significantly enhance its performance in battle. For instance, physical attackers benefit from natures that boost Attack while decreasing a less crucial stat, whereas special attackers prefer a boost in Special Attack.
- Complementing Abilities and Moves: The chosen nature should complement the Pokémon's abilities and moveset. A nature that enhances a primary stat while diminishing a less important one can optimize the Pokémon's efficiency in battle.
- Defensive Strategies: For defensive Pokémon, natures that boost Defense or Special Defense while lowering stats like Speed (if it's not crucial) can be advantageous.
- Research and Resources: For detailed strategies and recommendations on the best natures for specific Pokémon, Smogon is an excellent resource. Smogon provides comprehensive guides and competitive analyses, helping trainers make informed decisions on nature selection to maximize their Pokémon's potential in battles.
Changing Nature Guide
There are two ways to change a Pokémon's nature in Project Polaro (Alpha):
- Nature Stones
from the PokéMart:
- You can purchase Nature Stones from the PokéMart for $2,500 Pokédollars. Using these stones, you may get lucky and roll the nature you are looking for.
- Tip: This method can be rather expensive if you're unlucky.
- Mad Scientist Method:
- For a more effective but potentially more costly method, head over to Elegant Valley. This requires you to have beaten the 8th gym.
- Talk to the scientist located on the 2nd floor of the Pokécenter in Elegant Valley. He will tell you he is a mad scientist working on something revolutionary: changing a Pokémon's personality.
- You can manually change your Pokémon's nature to whatever you want for $100,000 Pokédollars.
- To use this method, you must know the combination of increased and decreased stats associated with the desired nature. Simply input the increased and decreased stats, and verify on the right-hand side the nature that is being changed to your desired nature.
- Tip: Although this method is costly, it is potentially cheaper overall since you won't end up with the wrong nature.
EV Training
Effort Values (EVs) are hidden stat modifiers that enhance your Pokémon's stats, giving you a competitive edge in PVP battles. To start EV training, find your Pokémon's recommended EV build online. Use Nutrients from the Pokéshop to boost specific stats up to 200 EVs per stat, then manually train for the remaining EVs of up to 252 per stat with a total of 510 total distributed stats. Reset any random EVs using a "Stat Reset" item in the PokéMart if necessary. Engage in EV bot battles at Saffron City Lab to complete the training, utilizing EV boosts and "Power" items to maximize efficiency. For more detailed instructions, visit the full EV training guide.
IV Training
Individual Values (IVs) are hidden stat modifiers assigned randomly to every Pokémon. Achieving perfect IVs in regular Pokémon games is extremely difficult, requiring significant luck or effort. However, Andrei has simplified this process with the "Pokélmprove" item available in PokéShops. Each Pokémon has six IV stats. To maximize your Pokémon's IVs, purchase six Pokélmprove items and apply them to your Pokémon. For more detailed information, visit the full IV training page.
Abilities
Abilities are unique traits that provide Pokémon with special advantages during battles, significantly influencing their strategies and performance. Each Pokémon can have one or more possible abilities, which can enhance their strengths or mitigate their weaknesses. For example, some abilities might boost the power of specific moves, provide immunity to certain status conditions, or even affect the weather during a battle.
If you'd like to view a full list of every ability and their description, you can view the list here.
Common Abilities and Their Effects:
- Levitate: Grants immunity to Ground-type moves.
- Intimidate: Lowers the opponent's Attack stat when the Pokémon enters the battle.
- Swift Swim: Doubles the Pokémon's Speed stat in rain.
- Overgrow, Blaze, Torrent: Boosts the power of Grass, Fire, or Water-type moves when the Pokémon's HP is low.
Changing Abilities
If you wish to change your Pokémon's ability, you can do so for 50,000 Pokédollars. This service is offered by an NPC located in the log cabin at Elegant Valley. By visiting this NPC, you can freely switch your Pokémon's ability to better suit your battle strategy or team composition.
Tips for Optimizing Abilities
- Team Synergy: Choose abilities that complement your team’s overall strategy. For example, pairing a Pokémon with Swift Swim with another that can set up rain.
- Countering Opponents: Select abilities that counter your opponent’s strategies, such as using Intimidate to lower the Attack of physical attackers.
- Enhancing Strengths: Use abilities that boost your Pokémon’s natural strengths, like using Levitate on a Pokémon weak to Ground-type moves.
- Sources: For accurate information on building your Pokémon with the correct abilities, we recommend visiting a reliable source such as Smogon.
Held Items
Held items can significantly enhance your Pokémon's performance in battles. Here’s a quick guide on some commonly used held items and their typical uses:
- Choice Scarf: Increases the Pokémon’s Speed by 50% but locks it into using only the first move selected until it switches out. Ideal for fast attackers needing to outspeed opponents.
- Choice Band: Boosts the Pokémon’s Attack by 50% but locks it into one move. Perfect for physical attackers to maximize damage.
- Choice Specs: Boosts the Pokémon’s Special Attack by 50% but locks it into one move. Best for special attackers.
- Life Orb: Increases the power of the Pokémon’s moves by 30% at the cost of some HP with each attack. Good for all-out offensive strategies.
- Leftovers: Restores a small amount of HP at the end of each turn. Great for bulky or defensive Pokémon.
- Focus Sash: Allows the Pokémon to survive a hit that would otherwise knock it out, leaving it with 1 HP. Useful for frail Pokémon to guarantee they can execute their strategy.
- Assault Vest: Increases the Pokémon’s Special Defense by 50% but prevents the use of status moves. Suitable for tanky attackers.
Matching Held Items with Movesets
To get the most out of your Pokémon, it’s crucial to match the held item with the moveset and role you’ve chosen. For detailed advice on which held item is best for your specific Pokémon and moveset, visit Smogon.
Example
- Garchomp with Choice Scarf:
- Moves: Earthquake, Outrage, Stone Edge, Fire Blast
- Held Item: Choice Scarf to outspeed and hit hard with each move.
By pairing the right held item with your moveset, you can enhance your Pokémon's effectiveness in battle. Always refer to Smogon for the most up-to-date and detailed strategies.