Pokémon Stadium 2/Elite Four Class

Multiplied damage
This lesson introduces two new methods of multiplying attack power: weather conditions and held items. Weather conditions are caused moves like Sunny Day and Rain Dance. Sunny Day causes it to be especially bright out. In this situation, Fire-type moves will be multiplied by 1.5. Rain Dance causes it to rain. When it rains, Water-type moves are multiplied by 1.5. Some items can multiply the power of a certain type of move by 1.1 when they are held. A Miracle Seed, for example, can boost the power of Grass-type moves by 1.1 when they are held and Charcol can do so for Fire-type moves. Some items can only boost the power of certain types of Pokémon. For example, the Light Ball can double the power of special attacks when held by Pikachu.


 * "Which item doubles the physical attack power of CUBONE?"
 * -THICK CLUB

Support moves
There are two types of support moves: those that work regardless of type match-up and those that are affected by type match-up. Hypnosis, a Psychic-type move, is a move that is not effected by type match-up. Therefore, it could work against, say, a Dark-type Pokémon, where Psychic-type moves normally do not effect them. Thunder Wave, an Electric-type move, is a support move that is affected by type match-up. If it was used against a Ground-type Pokémon, it wouldn't work. Electric-type moves normally have no effect on Ground-type Pokémon, and that rules holds up in this scenario.


 * "THUNDER WAVE is ineffective against which type of POKéMON?"
 * -GROUND

Moves and tactics
In battle, the Pokémon with the higher speed will attack first. If your Pokémon is the slower, there are some strategies that can help you. If you use moves like Quick Attack, Mach Punch, or Extremespeed, you will attack first. Also, you can lower the opponent's speed with Scary Face or Icy Wind (10% chance of lowering speed.) You can paralyze the opposing Pokémon, which will drasticaly lower its speed.


 * "Which move increases SPEED?"
 * -AGILITY

Multi-type moves
Sometimes, it may be effective to teach a Pokémon a move it hates. For example, teaching Starmie the move Thunder, or teaching Earthquake to Arbok. Another very effective strategy is to aim for weak spots in the opposing Pokémon. For example, Water-type Pokémon are weak against Electric-type attacks; however, Electric-type Pokémon are weak against Ground-type attacks. What you could do is teach a Water-type Pokémon a Ground-type move, so that if it is pited against an Electric-type Pokémon, it can easily defeat it.


 * "If STARMIE is to be taught a move it hates, which of the following should be taught?"
 * -THUNDER

Move combos
To become an effective battler, you must learn to use combinations of moves effectivley. Using Endure against a very strong Pokémon's attack, just leaving you with 1 HP. Now, you can use a move that increases in power as HP falls, such as Reversal, Flail, or Pain Split. Also, use a move that would prompt the opponent to switch Pokémon, such as Perish Song or Sandstorm (these moves lose effect when the Pokémon swith out), and the use Pursuit against the Pokémon that just entered the battle. Pursuit does double damage against switched out Pokémon.


 * "What move's power is doubled if it is used after DEFENSE CURL?"
 * -ROLLOUT

Situational combos
To become a more effective battler, you should learn to use certain situations to your advantage. Weather changes are situations that bring numerous effects. If Sunny Day is used, then for the next five turns, the power of Water-type moves are cut in half, you don't need to charge energy to use Solarbeam, Thunder will only hit half of the time, and Pokémon can't be frozen. If Rain Danc eis used, then for the next five turn, the power of Fire-type moves are cut in half, Thunder will never miss, and Solarbeams power will be cut in half. Another example of a situational combo is having Togepi use Safeguard, switching to Mankey, and having it use Thrash. Mankey will not become confused because Safeguard is a move that prevents status problems for five turns.


 * "What move's power is doubled if used against a target that used MINIMIZE?"
 * -STOMP

Switching
This lesson introduces the concept of "offense-minded switching." An example would be Pikachu v.s. Cubone. Pikachu is an Electric-type Pokémon, so it is weak against Cubone's Ground-type attacks. One's first thought may be to send out a Pokémon that is not affected by Ground-type moves, like a Flying-type Pokémon. However, the type match-up between Flying-type moves and Ground-type Pokémon is neutral. It may be more effective to send out a Pokémon that is not easily hurt by Ground-type moves, but is strong aginast Ground-type Pokémon as well. Sunflora would be a perfect example. It is a Grass-type Pokémon, so Ground-type moves will not be very effective against it. Its Grass-type moves would also be "super effective" against Cubone.


 * "Switching POKéMON is very important. What is necesary for switching?"
 * -Various POKéMON

Reading the situation
It is important to examine stats and type match-up when deciding what to do in battle. For example, say a Tauros is fighting a Mantine. Tauros has been taught the Electric-type move Thunder (by TM.) This may seem like a good thing, as Thunder will be "super effecive" against Mantine's two types: Water and Flying. However, Tauros has a low special attack while Mantine has a high special defense. In this case, you may want to rely on a physical attack


 * "Which move is powered up 1.5 times if it is used by TAUROS?"
 * -DOUBLE-EDGE

Reading the foe's moves
This lessons talks about predicting the opponent's moves and using that information to your advantage. Say your Meganium, a Grass-type Pokémon, is fighting Azumarill, a Water-type Pokémon. Naturally, you would use a Grass-type move, like Razor Leaf, against Azumarill, but the opponent may switch out in this case. He or she may send out a Fire-type Pokémon to fight your Meganium, making the Razor Leaf "not very effective." Consider using a Normal-type move, like Body Slam, against the new Pokémon. Even if Azumarill doesn't switch out, Body Slam will do a pretty good amount of damage against it. Basically, ask yourself "What would my opponent do?," and find a way to counter it.


 * "Which NORMAL type move can be learned by MEGANIUM?"
 * -BODY SLAM

HOLDing an item
In Pokémon Gold and Silver, some Pokémon that you catch in the wild may already be holding an item. Also, traded Pokémon from the past three versions (Red, Blue and Yellow) may be holding an item when you get it. (Ex: A Tangela reciEved from a Red, Blue, or Yellow verison may be holing a Bitterberry.)


 * "A wild CLEFAIRY may be holding an item other than MYSTERBERRY. What item is it?"
 * -MOON STONE

Notes on EGGs
In the Day Care in Pokémon Gold and Silver, you can go into the yard in front of the house to check if your Pokémon will make an egg. If the phrases "Appears to care for (Pokémon)," "Is friendly with (Pokémon)," or "It shows interest in (Pokémon)" appear, then those Pokémon will make an egg. If the phrases "It has no interest in (Pokémon)," or "It's brimming with energy" appear, then the two Pokémon will not make an egg. The Pokémon will be friendlier if they were caught by different trainers. Sometimes, the baby Pokémon will learn a move that it can't learn by leveling up or TM. It is called an "Egg move", and it is passed down by the male Pokémon.


 * "It would be easy to find an EGG between the male and female of which kind of POKéMON?"
 * -Same POKéMON

Cooltrainer (Male) Connor
Cooltrainer Connor's favorite move is Hyper Beam. In order to defeat him, you will need to know how to use Pokémon and item combinations effectivley. All of your Pokémon are at level 50. All of Connor's Pokémon are at level 60, except for Gyrados and Magcargo (his dual-type Pokémon.) They are at level 80.

(*) - Use these Pokémon for battle.

Pikachu, the first Pokémon, possesses a Light Ball, an item that double's the amount of damage done by Pikachu's special attacks. Pkachu has the move Thunderbolt, an Electric-type attack; therefore, it is a special attack. It will do massive damage against Connor's Water-type Pokémon. (Assuming that there are no critical hits, it will do 6X as much damage against Remoraid, Seadra, and Kingler, and it will do 12X as much damage against Gyrados.) Use Pikachu for this battle and have it fight Connor's Water-type Pokémon. The next Pokémon, Raichu, uses the move Thunderbolt, like Pikachu; however, it does not possess the Light Ball. The Stick it holds will do nothing to benefit it. Do not use Raichu for this battle.

Sandslash, the third Pokémon, uses the move Earthquake. However, its item, Metal Powder, will do nothing to boost its attack power. Do not use Sandslash in this battle. The fourth Pokémon, Cubone, is holding a Thick Club. A Thick Club will double the damage done by Cubone an Marowak's physical attacks. Cubone's move, Earthquake (a Ground-type move), is a physical attack, so the Thick Club will be effective here. Assuming that there are no critical hits, it will do 6X as much damage against Muk, and it will do 12X as much damage against Magcargo. Use Cubone for this battle and have him fight Muk and Magcargo. Marowak, the next Pokémon, uses Earthquake as well, but it is holding a Lucky Punch. That item will not help Marowak in battle, so do not use Marowak in this battle.

The last Pokémon, Shuckle, plays an interesting role in this battle. It is essentially used as a decoy. When an enemy is about to use Hyper Beam, switch out your current with Shuckle. Shuckle's defense is so ridiculously high, that Hyper Beam will not cause much damage against it. Once Shuckle is hit by Hyper Beam, switch it out with the approriate Pokémon. You will use Shuckle as a decoy in this battle.

Cooltrainer (Female) Becky
Cooltrainer Becky's strategy is to increase attack power and then use Hyper Beam. By defeating her, you will have mastered the art of effectivley using combinations of moves to your advantage. All of your Pokémon are at level 50, while Becky's Pokémon are at level 55.

(*) - Use these Pokémon for battle.

Furret, the first Pokémon, uses the moves Endure, Reversal,and Focus Energy. The Endure/Reversal combo. will only work is your Pokémon goes first. (All of the opposing Pokémon are five levels higher than yours, and when an opposing Pokémon is at a higher level, assume that it has a higher speed as well.) Since Furret has no methods of increasing its speed, the combo. will not work, so do not use Furret in this battle. The second Pokémon, Scyther, has Endure, Reversal, and Agility. Agility sharply increases speed. Use Agility when the opponent is increaing attack power. With you going first, use Endure, and you will be left with 1 HP after the opponent uses Hyper Beam. Now use Reversal. It is a move that increases power as HP drops. You will use Scyther for this battle.

Raticate, the third Pokémon uses Endure, Reversal, and Icy Wind. Icy Wind is a move that has a possibility of lowering the opponent's speed in addition to damaging the opponent. Once the opponent's speed is lowered, you can use the Endure/Reversal combo. You will use Raticate in this battle but do not lead-off with it. Houndoom, the next Pokémon, only posseses the moves Endure and Reversal. You will be slower than the opposing Pokémon with no method of increasing your speed. The combo. will not work. Do not use Houndoom in this battle. Raichu, the fifth Pokémon, uses the same moves as Scyther, whom we have already established was well equiped for this battle, so you will use Raichu for this battle as well. Typhlosion, the last Pokémon, uses Endure, Reversal, and Foresight. Foresight will not increase speed, so do not Typhlosion in this battle.