Pokémon Sword & Shield - Slash and Burn - Dec 8 19 A

Channel:

Overhazard

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Published on December 22, 2019 12:45:15 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAMOnHUWKKc

Game:

Pokémon Sword and Shield (2019)

Duration: 7:09

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16

The background music in this stage is the Battle Tower battle theme, which is unique to this game's soundtrack as it was composed by Toby Fox, best known as the one person behind Undertale. He managed to befriend some people ont he Game Freak music team, and it culminated in this (as well as him composing the entire Little Town Hero soundtrack, which will be the next single-player game I cover, barring anything that needs immediate coverage). So if this song sounds a little different than the usual fare in this game, this is why.


Also, this team now has its own YouTube Playlist!


Opponent: Migs (23)
Stadium: Circhester Stadium (Melony)
Music: Battle Tower
My Pokémon: Grimmsnarl, Noivern, Arctovish, Eldegoss
Opponent's Pokémon: Grimmsnarl, Aegislash, Charizard, Torkoal

This appears to be a team that, while it can battle without it, would prefer harsh sunlight; consequently, that's most likely Torkoal's role on this team, which is to provide that weather through Drought. Not used on this team where Gyarados and Excadrill, which I presume are reserve members so Migs would be able to fight rain and sandstorm teams, respectively.

Able to fight in any weather, however, is Aegislash. This was once a scourge of Pokémon battlers through Generations VI and VII due to its really good Ghost/Steel type and because it can switch back and forth between defensive and offensive stats when needed. Though it's not an easy Pokémon to use, as there are various ways to exploit it (more so in Generation VII than before), Aegislash was recognized as enough of a problem that it became the first Pokémon, along with its pre-evolution Doublade, to get a stat nerf: Attack and Special Attack for Blade Forme were reduced from 150 to 140, and same with Defense and Special Defense for Shield Forme. It's small enough that Aegislash is functionally the same Pokémon as before, and small enough that it's still a major threat whenever it appears.

I began with Grimmsnarl and Noivern in the last match, and I do the same in this one. Noivern's Frisk allows me to see what hold items the opponents have, allowing me to better use Trick. The text went by REAL fast though--did you catch it? Because of the information I got from Frisk, this time, I used Trick not to give a Pokémon a detrimental hold item, but to take away Aegislash's Weakness Policy and put it on my own Grimmsnarl. This seems to have created a profound psychological effect on my opponent, making them hesitant to attack Grimmsnarl with any super-effective moves and robbing Aegislash of the chance to contribute much to the battle. (Due to the way Stance Change works, Aegislash may actually benefit from that detrimental hold item.)

This is especially when I figured what they'll do with Aegislash, which is to play it safe by using King's Shield every other turn. Aegislash begins the battle with Shield Forme and assumes Blade Forme right before it attacks. When it uses King's Shield in Blade Forme, it switches back to Shield Forme. Migs's plan is to keep Aegislash's guard up for as long as possible, which becomes predictable. Someone who varies this up can really get a drop on other people, but if they see through it, Aegislash will be in its very vulnerable Blade Forme when attacked and will likely be knocked out in the process. It's this adherence to an alternating King's Shield that allowed me to take down that Gigantamax Charizard (which, as it seems has Solar Power, a Hidden Ability and thus is not Leon's gift to you in the psotgame, but something unearthed in a Max Raid Battle).

As for Eldegoss being able to take that Heat Wave from Torkoal under harsh sunlight like a champ? Remember that Eldegoss has a base 120 Special Defense. Just because it's used by Milo, the starter boss character, doesn't mean it's fragile.

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