TJ
Banned deucer.
Favorite Pokemon: Ledian
Most used Pokemon: Mesprit
Most known for: r/incel mod (rip), Tutor, Room Voice, QC, Ex ladder Hero, Bad at Name changes, Memes, Brit
Rwby: I'm doing alright thanks, just went to see a film with the family and have been doing uni work. Yourself?
TJ: Im doing good thanks for asking, Ive been playing Pokemon Ultra Moon and enjoying my Thanksgiving vacation.
TJ: How and when did you get into competitive battling?
Rwby: I've always been a competitive person, ever since I was young, playing games such as Halo and CoD to a high standard of skill. I've always been a fan of Pokemon but originally the competitive side never caught on with me because of how much effort was needed to create a viable in-game team. When a friend told me about Smogon in 2014 I decided to give it a look and try out Pokemon Showdown. I hopped around tiers for a while, eventually finding a place for myself in NU where I basically memed for an entire year without picking up any traction in the community. However, around July of 2016 I actually started to learn how to play properly and eventually got voice then driver in NU. When Sun and Moon dropped I decided to move to PU and here I am.
TJ: What are your thoughts on the Pokemon that got access to new moves in USM PU?
Rwby: Hmm, I feel like the wider spread of Pokemon that get Defog might shake up the metagame a bit, with Silvally, Oricorio, and Altaria being the most notable recievers. Togedemaru getting both Iron Head and Super Fang have made both the Choice Scarf and Pivot sets more viable. Palossand getting Stealth Rock was the buff it needed to go from good to great, being able to threaten a lot of setters along with Rapid Spin users. Endeavor Lycanroc also seems like quite a cool lead, finally competing with Archeops. I think people already know my stance on how over-hyped Passimian is.
TJ: Could you tell us more about yourself outside of Smogon? What are your hobbies and things you enjoy?
Rwby: I'm a 21 year old British male who lives in the North East of England, where it always rains, and I wear shorts exlusively. I play / do two sports competitively, those being Badminton and Crossfit, and I do a lot of others casually such as running, cycling, swimming and hiking. I'm also an Engineering Student.
TJ: What is your favorite playstyle and why?
Rwby: That's a hard question, because I've played every playstyle, bar weather, a decent amount. In terms of reliability I'd have to say Balance because it's the easiest to patch holes for and I also enjoy not having to manage the risks more offensive teams have to consider. Also Tangela + Type: Null is a broken core.
TJ: Who do you look up to / admire most as a player and as a person in the PU scene?
Rwby: I'd have to say both Teddeh and Galbia are people that I look up to. Teddeh is the person who introduced me to people such as HJAD and Dibs The Dreamer, along with overall helping me become a better player. galbia is a fantastic tier leader and I enjoy playing, and losing, to them in varying best of five random formats. Taskr and Dibs The Dreamer are also people I respect because of how far they've come recently and both of them being added to council was a joy to see. HJAD is a bad manager, but I also have a slight amount of respect for the worst Brit.
TJ: Can you name any up and coming players showing good potential?
Rwby: Certainly. drumstick is someone I've been keeping an eye on and they've managed to create pretty decent analyses recently, so I hope they continue with that; the same goes with jklioe. In terms of up and coming on the competitive side it'd be a tie between Dibs The Dreamer, Taskr, and LordST, who have shown recently, be it in PUPL or PU Open, how good they have become; LST is also a weeb so he has that going for him.
TJ: Do you have any advice for newer players in the tier?
Rwby: Get involved! PU is a friendly community and when I joined I felt welcomed by staff and normal users alike, without feeling like a hassle when I asked questions. Dive into discussions on either the forums or on Pokemon Showdown and don't be afraid to ask for help, along with using the resources available. I do recommend that when you're new to consider whether you want to post on something like the Viability Rankings, as you should aim for decent metagame knowledge before you do, but like I said before you can always ask questions. Also try to get involved with seasonals and other forum / room tours if you want to improve your skill, with tutoring also being an option.
TJ: Lastly, could you provide a team that reflects you and explain it?
Rwby:
Tangela @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 1 Atk
- Toxic
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Synthesis
Mesprit @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Def / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Healing Wish
- U-turn
- Psychic
Swanna @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Hydration
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Surf
- Brave Bird
- Hurricane
- Defog
Type: Null @ Eviolite
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 248 HP / 224 SpD / 36 Spe
Careful Nature
- Swords Dance
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Return
Dugtrio-Alola @ Leftovers
Ability: Tangling Hair
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Substitute
- Toxic
Weezing @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 244 HP / 224 Def / 40 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Sludge Bomb
- Toxic Spikes
- Will-O-Wisp
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 1 Atk
- Toxic
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Synthesis
Mesprit @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Def / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Healing Wish
- U-turn
- Psychic
Swanna @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Hydration
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Surf
- Brave Bird
- Hurricane
- Defog
Type: Null @ Eviolite
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 248 HP / 224 SpD / 36 Spe
Careful Nature
- Swords Dance
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Return
Dugtrio-Alola @ Leftovers
Ability: Tangling Hair
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Substitute
- Toxic
Weezing @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 244 HP / 224 Def / 40 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Sludge Bomb
- Toxic Spikes
- Will-O-Wisp
This is a team that directly reflects me as a player. It's a balance team featuring my current favourite core of Tangela + Type: Null, with Healing Wish Mesprit to offer hazard and pivot support. Substitute Alolan Dugtrio was something that I found really cool after seeing Teddeh use it, because it messes with both balance and offensive teams. Scarf Swanna has a great speed tier along with giving the team a decent way to beat Z Lovely Kiss Jynx and Quiver Dance Lilligant. Weezing is just the basic catch-all physical and Fighting-type check of the team.
Thanks for your time! As always, if you guys have any questions feel free to ask them!