Tips for Playing Monotype

By Kris. Art by asgdf.
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Introduction

Hello! Have you ever wandered around Pokémon Showdown! looking for some excitement while battling but couldn't seem to find it? Look no more, as I am here to tell you about Monotype and how to easily adapt to its ways, so stay tuned after our short commercial break to learn more!

How Monotype Works

Monotype is based around all of the Pokémon on a team sharing a typing, whether they share a primary typing, secondary typing, or one that is lost or gained due to an ability or Mega Evolution. While there are some challenges to overcome while playing this metagame, it is still great overall .

Creating a Team

3 Most Used Types in Monotype

  1. Flying
    • With it's vast range of selections of typings, stats, and movepools, common Flying-types include Pokémon such as Skarmory, Zapdos, and Togekiss.
  2. Steel
    • With high defenses and coverage against Fairy- and Rock-types, Steel-type Pokémon, such as Heatran, Skarmory, and Ferrothorn, come in handy.
  3. Psychic
    • With a lot of fast physical and special attackers, such as Mega Alakazam or Mega Gallade, and a ton of unique type combinations, there are a lot of chances to fool opponents with what kinds of Psychic-types are being used.

Whether or not you use one of these three types, be creative! Don't be afraid to show what you can do by yourself!

How to Prepare Against Offensive Threats

Greninja

Greninja is one of many threats that can very well demolish a team. There isn't really that much to do about a fast Pokémon like Greninja if he has moves that cover a team; however, a priority move, such as Mach Punch, that is super effective against one of his two original types or one of his more common moves, such as Ice Beam and Dark Pulse, can almost always guarantee an OHKO due to its frail defenses. Furthermore, there are always Pokémon with Prankster that can prevent Greninja's monstrous Speed from getting in the way, and if it has already changed types, it becomes easier to use a super effective move on Greninja!

Mega Gallade/Medicham

Adding to that pile of threats are Mega Gallade and Mega Medicham. Both of them get boosts to their Attack and Speed upon Mega Evolution, allowing them to become fast, intimidating attackers. Mega Gallade has a high base 165 Attack and beautiful 110 Speed stat along with access to priority moves such as Shadow Sneak, allowing it to become a high-powered, fast threat to various teams. One of the ways to stop this monster is with a fast or physically defensive Flying-, Ghost-, or Fairy-type. The same things apply for Mega Medicham, but if a Pokémon neither outspeeds Mega Medicham, nor has access to priority, it's 598 Attack with a Jolly nature can almost guarantee that it will be OHKOed.

Mega Lopunny

When talking about fast physical attackers, Mega Lopunny is a key competitor. With Scrappy, base 135 Speed, base 136 Attack, and access to High Jump Kick, this Pokémon becomes an immediate threat to any team. Luckily, it has meager base 65 HP, base 94 Defense, and base 96 Special Defense stats, so living a hit from this monster can grant a big opportunity to knock it out. However, it's wide range of moves, including High Jump Kick, Return, Fake Out, and Drain Punch, can allow it to get a good amount of damage off before being knocked out, and all the while still being able to restore some of its HP with Drain Punch.

Specific Typing Bans

Even though some Pokémon and items aren't banned from Monotype as a whole, they are still banned from certain teams because they can cause that type of team to be too overpowered.

Pokémon:

Aegislash and Genesect

Even though these Pokémon aren't globally banned, they are not usable on a Steel-type Monotype team. This means that Aegislash is usable on a mono Ghost-type team, and Genesect is still usable on a mono Bug-type team, just not on mono Steel.

Mega Gallade

As mentioned before, Mega Gallade is a stupendous threat. With an amazing base Attack, Speed, Special Defense, and an improved base Defense stat, Mega Gallade could 2HKO almost any type in the tier after one Swords Dance boost.

Recently Banned Pokémon

Kyurem-White

Kyurem-White isn't too powerful to stay banned, but it is powerful enough to be banished from mono Dragon-type teams, mainly because this, Kyurem-Black, and four other Dragon-types put together are unbelievably powerful.

Shaymin-Sky

Shaymin-Sky is a big threat when it comes to mono Flying-type teams. When it comes to mono Flying, combining it with Talonflame and another offensive Pokémon, such as Landorus-T, will allow them to cover each other's weaknesses.

Kyurem-White and Shaymin-Sky were once type-banned, but now completely banned due to promoting type matchup, naturally decreasing the competitive aspect of the game.

Items:

Damp Rock

This item isn't globally banned; however, it is banned on mono Water-type teams in order to prevent rain teams from having every Pokémon be unbelievably fast while also having their Water-type moves doing more damage.

List of Globally Banned Pokémon, Items, and Moves

There are plenty of threats from the Monotype metagame, but there were just some that were too overpowered, so they got (or stayed) banned.

Pokémon:

Items:

Moves:

Making Strategic Calls

Predicting Whether or Not the Opponent is Switching

Even though it might seem difficult to predict your opponent's switch, or lack thereof, it isn't! There are many ways to tell if they're going to switch. To start, there is forcing out. When your Pokémon forces out a foe, it threatens the opposing Pokémon, causing the opponent to switch the foe out. This can be used in many strategic ways, no matter what the circumstance.

Overcoming Overpredicting

You may not want to admit it, but you've overpredicted something at some time. Don't worry! There are plenty of ways to recover from doing so! To start off, say you thought the opponent was going to switch into Pokémon A, so you stay in; however, they do not switch Pokémon A in, and your Pokémon is knocked out. A handful of people get angry and forfeit when this happens, but don't do that! Instead, just switch in another Pokémon that can force the foe out into another member of their team.

Knowing When to Outpredict an Opponent

It's pretty simple to outpredict your opponent. To begin, you have to know your opponent's team and what they might do to counter yours. They might have a Pokémon that has a move that is super effective on one of yours, so they might switch that in. You can outpredict them by switching into a Pokémon that resists or is immune to that move.

Keeping a High Ladder Ranking

If you have a high rating on the ladder already, there are some good ways to keep it that way! To start off, you always want to focus on winning games, pretty simple. Besides that, there are always chances that you will go against someone who is higher on the ladder than you. When going against people like this, always try to win! Even if you get defeated, don't sweat it! It will bring down your ladder ranking, but luckily, you can always battle again!

How to Earn a High Ladder Ranking if You Don't Have One Already

Even if you don't already have a high ladder ranking, it's fine! It's pretty simple to get up there, so stay calm! To begin, you first need to create a team. Good thing I told you what is/isn't usable in Monotype! After doing that, you need to test your team. It doesn't matter if it's with a friend or on the ladder—just test it! While doing that, make sure to find flaws in your team and fix them to the best of your ability. After doing this, you should be set to slowly making your way up the ladder, hopefully to the top!

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