User:Ssrprotege

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475.png This user identifies as male.
UnownQU.png This user is agnostic.
492.png This user is shy.
Spr 4h 250.png This user is an advocate of gay rights.
243 s.png This user comes from Korea.
480.png This user is intelligent.
Max Glasses.png This user wears glasses.
105.png This user is only skin and bones.
493.png This user is a trainer of all types.
Pokédex BW art.png This user strives to complete the Pokédex.
Spr 1y 025.png This user is a player of Pokémon Yellow Version.
Spr 4d 484.png This user is a player of Pokémon Pearl Version.
Spr 4p 487O.png This user is a player of Pokémon Platinum Version.
Spr BW Hilda.png This user is a Pokémon Trainer.
475 s.png ShinyIIStars.png This user has a Shiny Gallade. ShinyIIStars.png
004.png This user's first partner Pokémon is Charmander.
258.png This user's first partner Pokémon is Mudkip.
255.png This user's first partner Pokémon is Torchic.
393.png This user's first partner Pokémon is Piplup.
390.png This user's first partner Pokémon is Chimchar.

About Me

Just a few details about myself. I picked up on Pokemon when I was in elementary, when Pokemon was in boom. I used to watch every episode of Pokemon anime (Original Series, nothing beyond that), but I quickly got out of touch with it when the Pokemon fad started to die down in Korea (I am not sure how popular Pokemon is in Korea, since I have been living outside Korea for a while.). I somehow managed to connect my childhood late last year. I started off with Yellow, and then went on to Gen. III and IV games.

When I was playing Yellow when I was a kid, I used to rely on so-called "legendary uber" Pokemons, like Mewtwo, Zapdos, etc., just like my friends (though, I was slightly better since I insisted on using Pikachu, for the sake of storyline. :P). But when I re-ignited my interest in Pokemon, however, I realized that's an easy way out, so I am avoiding actively using Pokemons ranked in Uber (I follow Smogon's tier. The only exception is Gabite, which will evolve into Garchomp.).

On Pokemon and Team Creation

I am not a big fan of nicknaming Pokemon in general. Also, I do not like to give a new name to the trainer. I either follow Pokemon manga or anime standard, probably anime a bit more. I also avoid giving English name; since Pokemon is originally from Japan, I follow Japanese standard. In Yellow, I named my trainer "Red" or "Ash." At this point, I didn't know Ash's Japanese name was "Satoshi." When a gender choice is given, I mostly go for the character that has appeared in the anime, the only exception being Emerald. Needless to say, in Ruby, I named her "Haruka"; in Pearl and Platinum - you should've guessed now - "Hikari." Another exception is in FireRed, since I thought a girl should have an opportunity, since a male character had enough spotlight in Gen. I.

I try to have Pokemon with different types. I thus do not have any tags with "I am an ___-type trainer." I want to make my team's types as varied as possible. This has always been my philosophy, but I didn't realize making types of moves various is also important. As I will write on the next paragraph, I learned this lesson in FireRed. Anyhow, for me, the ideal situation would be to represent moves of ALL types in some way; but this is probably an unrealistic goal. For some reason, in my "type" roster, Poison-type has been neglected the most throughout the entire generations. Steel-types are not offensively good anyway, so I ruled that one out already.

I believe it took a long way for me to learn what I wrote in the previous paragraph. I made serious mistakes (I think) when it came to move-sets: I only put STAB moves with high power, and I didn't know much about nature and base stats. I thought Mewtwo will do its job in Gen. III as well. Darn, I was wrong. After the Sevii Island quest, I learned that I need to consider how to take advantage of its nature. I acknowledged the necessity of using types that do not necessarily receive STAB to cover their weaknesses - and to deal with opponents. I also learned non-damaging moves can create powerful effects as well. FireRed did teach me these lessons; thanks to these lessons, I did better in Emerald/Ruby (though I borrowed some Pokemon from FireRed), and even better in Platinum.

What I do want to note is that I have a particular preference in terms of type. I love Ice-type moves and I like it even more when it freezes the opponent. One good memory on Ice-type: Mewtwo got frozen by Articuno's Ice Beam (and it was the first shot!), and that helped me catch Mewtwo with relative ease - with two or three ultra balls, something like that. I love Psychic-type moves...it's characteristically beautiful, in my opinion. I used to look down on Fighting-types since I thought the moves are too physical in nature and, above all, not elegant enough. That view changed thanks to additions of moves like Aura Sphere, Close Combat (very physical in nature, but it works wonders!). I still do not find Poison-type moves useful; the only extent I consider a Poison-type move useful is Toxic.

I also believe that one's Pokemon team should reflect his/her own personality. Due to the elegance/beauty issue, I tend to prefer Special-type moves (this only applies in Gen. IV, when special/physical distinction is not merely based on type). Well, I am not really a macho male, and I am not a man of physical strength at all. Special moves have more philosophical, mental aspects in it (Take Focus Blast or Aura Sphere! Also, even though Psycho Cut is a physical move, it has a mental aspect in it. How cool is that!). I try to limit the number of Physical-oriented Pokemon in my team. I either try to balance the number of physical moves and special moves or raise another Pokemon that can do similar functions but use Sp. Atk more than Atk. I welcome a Pokemon with balanced Atk/Sp. Atk stat. In this case I give 2 physical/2 special or 1 physical/3 special, something like that. For this reason, my team will have a lot of variations.

On Starter Pokemon

As you saw in the tag, I almost never choose a Grass-type Pokemon. As far as my journey goes, I find Fire or Water type Pokemon useful. Water type for Surf (and a useful type with a few weaknesses and good resistance); also, Fire is a key offensive type. I find Grass to be susceptible to too many weaknesses. Though, I consider Treecko as my Starter Pokemon in Emerald due to its superior speed. It should be noted that I mostly prefer starters whose evolved forms have two types (Swampert has Water/Ground, one of my favourite type combo; Empoleon has Water/Steel, another great combo in my opinion). In Gen. IV, Torterra was a bit physically-oriented compared to the other two starters, so it was ruled out (add that to its low speed...).

On EV training and Competitive Battling

I learned of this EV thing when I was in the middle of Platinum. Also I heard there was such a thing as metagame during that time. I studied some EV distributions of certain Pokemon. I am re-playing Platinum just to do better and re-experience the Distortion World (coolest place ever, I think!). Here, I have been consciously choosing Pokemon based on their EV yields.

While I raise my Pokemon just like how most competitive battlers will raise theirs, I am not a competitive battler. I did the Shoddy Battle thing for a few times, but I wasn't quite engaged with its environment. Since I don't have Nintendo DS (I play Pokemon on computer), Wi-Fi battling is not an option. Even though I might get NDS and play Platinum on there, Wi-Fi battling is something I won't probably participate. Just an "enjoy-in-game-stuff" gamer, not an avid battler.

My Pokemon Team

Pokemon Platinum

My current team seems to contradict my claim that I prefer special attack, but it should be noted that this is still a work in progress. :)



Other Possibilities (to train post-National Dex)...

Alternatives for Garchomp (Two Dragons)/Staraptor (Togekiss)/Gallade (Lucario) & Other Pokemons of interest: