Elements Pokemon League - PokemonOnline Branch

[Jocko]

I'm going to join this later but its too late, so i'm posting to avoid forgetting about it ^^

[Drake_XIV]

Okay, after some deliberation, here are some changes.

1.  Gym Leaders do not get access to Wildcard Pokemon.  I have found it more challenging to stick with strict Monotypes, as the challenges themselves should not be restricted to the Challengers, but to the League staff as well.  I understand that it can be argued that the fact that Leaders are restricted to Monotypes that it is enough of a challenge, but I have found with [more than adept] Wildcard usage in other Leagues that it is near impossible to beat the entire Gym System, much less an entire League, when one is restricted to only 9 options.  And even then, it leads to lack of creativity in teams as everyone finds the lone set-up that can make it through.  It'd be like an Oracle FG deck.

2.  Gyms may be challenged out of order, as well as members of the Elite 4 whenever they get added again to the system.  That means that the Committee will now have a non-existent role as they will only be considered in Staff changes from Challengers to the Gyms, Gyms to the Elite, or the Elite to Champion.

3.  The Elite 4 will be removed until there are sufficient participants to take the positions.  The Champion position will be later decided when all Gym positions are filled and a competition will be held amongst the Gym Leaders.

4.  Since there is no direct order of challenging, there will be a different system for replacing a League Staff Member.  Note that the challenges for roles may not take place while Challengers are present in that tier.  Also, while the Elite 4 is temporarily removed, anything regarding the Elite 4 should be replaced with the Champion.
  a.  If a Gym Leader, or any staff member for that matter, is inactive in the League for two weeks, their spot immediately goes up for grabs.  Any Challengers that have won something from a now inactive Staff Member keep their awards.
  b.  A Challenger may only challenge a Gym Leader for their position if they have defeated at least one member of the Elite 4.
  c.  A Gym Leader may only challenge an Elite 4 for their position after all of the Elite 4 has been defeated
  d.  An Elite 4 Member may only challenge the Champion once they themselves have beaten the entire League.

5.  I will be instilling a ban list as opposed to restricting any and all Legendaries, considering that yes, there are many sub-par ones.  However, there will be some I will be banning regardless of tier, because, simply, it'd be nice to see some true variation in Challengers' teams.  Amongst these are Heatran, Deoxys [all formes], and Jirachi.  Keep in mind that this list will be amended according to out own "metagame."

[RavingRabbid]

=ç= I love pokemon online.

[n00b]

I'm going to join this later but its too late, so i'm posting to avoid forgetting about it ^^

This for moi as well...

[regen2k9]

In Pokemon Nationals (yes, they have nationals for pokemon battling), as well as regionals, etc., the only pokemon that are banned are Ubers (search the uber tier on smogon's site).  Like RootRanger stated, non-uber legendaries are allowed.  Just because a pokemon has high stat totals doesn't mean it's OP.  Sometimes, like in the case of Articuno, bad typing make it worse than MANY non-legendaries.  Likewise, non-legendary pokemon with high stat totals and good typing, such as metagross and hydreigon, excel over legendaries with less stat totals and worse typing.  For instance, compare Garchomp, dragon-ground, 600 BST, uber tier, with Regirock, rock, 580 BST, BL tier.  Thus, JUST BECAUSE A POKEMON IS A LEGENDARY DOES NOT MEAN IT IS MORE POWERFUL.

[RavingRabbid]

Garchomp would just be devastating. plznogarchomp.

[RootRanger]

Amongst these are Heatran, Deoxys [all formes], and Jirachi.  Keep in mind that this list will be amended according to out own "metagame."

On websites like Smogon, the tiers are determined by a tested and successful voting system involving opinions from the very best of the game, and only the best players.
Your ban list is determined by 1 person's opinion.
...

To point out an obvious example, banning Heatran and Jirachi causes the Dragon + Magnezone combo to pretty much get out of control. Most of the remaining steels that can take hits from dragons will be trapped and killed by Magnezone, and then the 2-3 dragons on the team will be able to cause huge damage with no steels stopping them. There are still counters and checks, like shed shell and ice shard, but this new rule causes an undesired metagame shift.

As for VGC Rules? VGC is pretty much a different metagame, and an arguably worse one. As RR said, Garchomp is definitely overpowered in OU, and pretty much every major site has agreed on this.

[regen2k9]

As RR said, Garchomp is definitely overpowered in OU, and pretty much every major site has agreed on this.

Yup.  Garchomp was moved back into OU for a brief stint about a year and a half ago.  It DOMINATED the metagame. 

Also, IMO smogon tiers (and thus, uber/ban lists) should be used.

[Silver]

I like Legendaries out for thematic reasons- how about we just use lower tiers where Legendaries aren't so important as checks? I started playing Friday and I have to say I like the RU and UU metagames a lot more than the OU metagame.

If people don't want to miss out on their favourite pokemon we could make it like 1 OU max. I would definitely miss my Vaporeon otherwise.

Also, I'm not quite clear on the rules, but isn't this Mono? In either case I didn't know it was so hardcore serious. Are people going to scour Smogon forums for 1337 teams and do 30 hours of calculations to get the EVs at perfect benchmarks and stuff?

[Drake_XIV]

Amongst these are Heatran, Deoxys [all formes], and Jirachi.  Keep in mind that this list will be amended according to out own "metagame."

On websites like Smogon, the tiers are determined by a tested and successful voting system involving opinions from the very best of the game, and only the best players.
Your ban list is determined by 1 person's opinion.
...

Currently, that is the case.  I apologize for not having asked for more input, but my schedule has unfortunately prohibited me from doing so for the time being.

If it would be better, I could take the Smogon banlists, although I do rather detest Smogon...

Regardless of the final outcome on banlists, Garchomp is getting the axe.

I like Legendaries out for thematic reasons- how about we just use lower tiers where Legendaries aren't so important as checks? I started playing Friday and I have to say I like the RU and UU metagames a lot more than the OU metagame.

If people don't want to miss out on their favourite pokemon we could make it like 1 OU max. I would definitely miss my Vaporeon otherwise.

Also, I'm not quite clear on the rules, but isn't this Mono? In either case I didn't know it was so hardcore serious. Are people going to scour Smogon forums for 1337 teams and do 30 hours of calculations to get the EVs at perfect benchmarks and stuff?

I disagree with having to force a tier usage on the challengers, mostly because I'd like to think that they will not all use more or less the same team.

The Mono restriction is only on Gym Leaders.

On a separate note, what are your views on Dream World Pokemon?  Ban them completely, allow only those that have been released in WiFi, or just allow all?

[einherjar145]

Wifi is my answer. Because those pokemon that can't be obtainable would be a bit too much unless you love fun things like a spamming Leaf Storm Contrary Serperior. ><.

[regen2k9]

I didn't know it was so hardcore serious. Are people going to scour Smogon forums for 1337 teams and do 30 hours of calculations to get the EVs at perfect benchmarks and stuff?

Honestly, 252, 252, 6 EVs make all the difference (or whatever EV spread you're using, so long as it benefits your pokemon).  Imo it's necessary for playing competitively.  Using BL or UU is a cool idea, but idk how it'll fit in with the concept of gym leaders.  We shouldn't count it out though - I like it.  However, even the inclusion of ONE OU pokemon in the BL and/or UU metagame will screw it up imo.