How this Pokemon Ruined Competitive Play

WolfeyVGC24 minutes read

Competitive Pokemon play is unexpectedly viable due to the strategic move "Protect," with Urshifu posing a significant challenge by bypassing Protect and delivering critical hits. Despite potential counters like Gastadon and Amongus, Urshifu's dominance in competitive battles remains strong, requiring strategic gameplay and specific Pokemon combinations to weaken its impact.

Insights

  • The move "Protect" plays a crucial role in competitive Pokemon battles, allowing strategic positioning and preservation of Pokemon, but can be bypassed by specific moves like Faint or Imprison.
  • The introduction of the Legendary Pokemon Urshifu with the ability Unseen Fist in Pokemon Sword and Shield has disrupted competitive play by enabling attacks to bypass Protect without drawbacks, making it a dominant force that necessitates strategic counterplay such as Type-changing mechanics and specific Pokemon combinations.

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Recent questions

  • How does the move "Protect" impact competitive Pokemon battles?

    The move "Protect" is crucial in competitive Pokemon battles, allowing players to strategically position their Pokemon and preserve them from incoming attacks. It is especially valuable in double battles, where players can use Protect to keep their Pokemon safe while planning their moves against opponents. Bypassing Protect is challenging and often requires significant resources or specific moves like Faint or Imprison, highlighting the importance of Protect in competitive play.

  • What is the significance of the Isle of Armor DLC in Pokemon Sword and Shield?

    The Isle of Armor DLC in Pokemon Sword and Shield introduced the Legendary Pokemon Urshifu, which possesses the ability Unseen Fist. This ability allows Urshifu's attacks to bypass Protect without any drawbacks, making it a formidable force in competitive play. The introduction of Urshifu through the DLC significantly impacted the competitive Pokemon scene, showcasing the importance of new content and mechanics in shaping the metagame.

  • How does Urshifu's ability to ignore Protect affect competitive battles?

    Urshifu's ability to ignore Protect and deliver critical hits with its signature moves makes it a game-breaking Pokemon in competitive play, operating outside the game's established rules. This unique trait gives Urshifu a significant advantage in battles, as it can bypass defensive strategies that rely on Protect. The dominance of Urshifu in competitive battles underscores the impact of specific Pokemon abilities on shaping the metagame.

  • What challenges do players face when countering Urshifu in competitive battles?

    Countering Urshifu in competitive battles poses several challenges for players, especially with its ability to ignore Protect and deliver critical hits with its signature moves. The introduction of Dynamax in Pokemon Sword and Shield provided some counterplay against Urshifu through Max Guard, but the Pokemon remained strong. Additionally, the new mechanic of Type-changing during battles in Generation 9 complicates countering strategies, as Dynamax is no longer available. Players must employ strategic moves like Tailwind, Trick Room, and specific Pokemon combinations to outmaneuver and weaken Urshifu's impact on battles.

  • How does Urshifu's pairing with other Pokemon enhance its competitive prowess?

    Urshifu's pairing with strong Pokemon like Tornadus and Chenow enhances its power and versatility in competitive battles. By strategically combining Urshifu with other Pokemon that complement its strengths and cover its weaknesses, players can create formidable teams that are challenging to counter. The synergy between Urshifu and its partners highlights the importance of team composition and strategic planning in competitive Pokemon battles.

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Summary

00:00

Urshifu: Game-breaking force in Pokemon battles

  • Pokemon as a competitive game seems improbable due to its complexity with over a thousand characters and intricate type charts.
  • The game's viability in competitive play is attributed to the move "Protect," which allows for strategic positioning and preservation.
  • Protect is crucial in double battles, enabling players to keep their Pokemon safe while strategizing against opponents.
  • Bypassing Protect is challenging and requires significant resources or specific moves like Faint or Imprison.
  • The introduction of paid DLC in Pokemon Sword and Shield brought about the Isle of Armor, which introduced the Legendary Pokemon Urshifu with the ability Unseen Fist.
  • Unseen Fist allows Urshifu's attacks to bypass Protect without any drawbacks, making it a formidable force in competitive play.
  • Urshifu's two forms, Rapid Strike and Single Strike, each possess signature moves that are powerful and always result in a critical hit.
  • The introduction of Dynamax in Pokemon Sword and Shield provided some counterplay against Urshifu through Max Guard, but the Pokemon remained strong.
  • In Generation 9, the new mechanic of Type-changing during battles poses a challenge for countering Urshifu, as Dynamax is no longer available.
  • Urshifu's ability to ignore Protect and deliver critical hits with its signature moves makes it a game-breaking Pokemon in competitive play, operating outside the game's established rules.

14:41

"U's Dominance in Competitive Battles"

  • U, when boosted with a tera or in the rain, can be challenging to outspeed in competitive play, often running a choice scarf or being paired with Tornadus.
  • U's Rapid Strike with Tera water eliminates over half of its weaknesses and boosts its damage output significantly.
  • U has won five out of six major events since its introduction, showcasing its dominance in competitive battles.
  • Despite potential counters like Gastadon, U remains difficult to stop due to its versatility and power, even against strong opponents.
  • Amongus, a potential counter to U, falls short due to U's adaptability and moves like Taunt that can counter specific threats.
  • U's pairing with Tornadus, Chenow, and other strong Pokémon enhances its power and versatility in battles.
  • Counterplay against U involves strategic moves like Tailwind, Trick Room, and specific Pokémon combinations to outmaneuver and weaken U's impact on battles.
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