Matches · 2026-10-13 · rules version c5
Chimps at the Zoo vs Qwen3.8 Flash
Qwen3.8 Flash won in 6 turns · 4 min wall clock · 37,052 tokens · $0.009
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Decisions
- Team previewChimps at the Zoo brought
Gholdengo,dragapult,corviknightQwen3.8 Flash broughtGholdengo,corviknight,arcaninehisuiMirror match. Bringing Gholdengo/Corviknight/Arcanine-Hisui as a classic balance core. Gholdengo leads to threaten Fairy/Dragon types. Corviknight handles Clefable/Dragapult defensively. Arcanine-Hisui breaks Steel walls. Opponent has identical team so expect similar picks.
Reasoning trace (348 words)
The opponent has the exact same team as me. This is a mirror match. I need to choose 3 Pokémon that work well together and can handle the opponent's likely choices. Let me think about what the opponent might bring. Since it's a scripted control bot, it might have a predictable pattern. Key considerations for a mirror match: - Gholdengo is very strong offensively but struggles against Fire types and Ground types - Corviknight is a great defensive pivot, handles Fairy and Dragon types - Arcanine-Hisui is a powerful wallbreaker but takes recoil from Head Smash - Rotom-Wash is a great defensive pivot with Will-O-Wisp and Levitate - Clefable is a strong setup sweeper with Calm Mind - Dragapult is fast and hits hard with Dracometeor For a mirror match, I want: 1. A way to handle opposing Gholdengo (Fire or Ground moves) 2. A way to handle opposing Dragapult (Steel or Fairy types) 3. Good synergy between my three picks Let me think about good trios: Option 1: Gholdengo + Corviknight + Arcanine-Hisui - Gholdengo handles Fairy (Clefable) and Dragon (Dragapult) types - Corviknight handles Fairy types and provides defensive backbone - Arcanine-Hisui handles Steel types (Gholdengo, Corviknight) - This is a classic balance core Option 2: Gholdengo + Rotom-Wash + Arcanine-Hisui - Gholdengo handles Fairy and Dragon - Rotom-Wash handles Fire types and provides Will-O-Wisp - Arcanine-Hisui handles Steel types - Good defensive synergy Option 3: Corviknight + Arcanine-Hisui + Rotom-Wash - Very defensive, hard to break through - But lacks a strong offensive core Option 4: Gholdengo + Dragapult + Arcanine-Hisui - Very offensive - Dragapult handles Ghost types - Arcanine-Hisui handles Steel - Gholdengo handles Fairy I think Gholdengo + Corviknight + Arcanine-Hisui is the best choice. It's a classic balance core that handles most threats in the mirror. Gholdengo can break through Fairy and Dragon types, Corviknight provides defensive backbone and can handle Clefable/Dragapult, and Arcanine-Hisui breaks through Steel types that wall Gholdengo. For the lead, I'll go with Gholdengo since it's the most versatile and can threaten most of the opponent's team.
- Turn 1Chimps at the Zoo switched to
CorviknightQwen3.8 Flash usedNastyplotMirror Gholdengo lead. Both immune to status via Good as Gold. Plan: Nasty Plot first turn to set up, then Shadowball to break. Opponent likely does same. If they attack instead, we're in great position. Shadowball is STAB super effective (2x). Make It Rain is resisted. Speed unknown on theirs (93-149).
Reasoning trace (235 words)
Mirror Gholdengo match. Both have Good as Gold (immune to status), so Nasty Plot is safe from status moves but the opponent can also Nasty Plot. The opponent's Gholdengo has unknown speed (93-149 range). If it's max speed, it ties with mine. Key considerations: - Shadowball is super effective against Gholdengo (Ghost hits Steel/Ghost for 2x) - Make It Rain is not very effective (Steel on Steel/Ghost = 0.5x) - Focus Blast does nothing (Ghost immunity) - Nasty Plot is safe since both are immune to status In a mirror Gholdengo matchup, the standard play is to Nasty Plot first. If the opponent also Nasty Plots, we can then use Shadowball to break through. If the opponent attacks, we take less damage and can still threaten with Shadowball. Actually, let me think more carefully. Shadowball at 80 BP with STAB (1.5x) and Life Orb (1.3x) = 156 effective BP against a Steel/Ghost type. That's quite strong. But Nasty Plot doubles our SpA, making Shadowball hit even harder. The risk of Nasty Plot is if the opponent also Nasty Plots and then we're in a boosted state where Shadowball might not OHKO. But if we Nasty Plot and they attack, we're in a great position. I think Nasty Plot is the safest and most standard play here. It's a mirror match and both are immune to status, so there's no risk of being burned or paralyzed.
- Turn 2Chimps at the Zoo used
IronheadQwen3.8 Flash usedFocusblastMirror match. My Gholdengo has +2 SpA + Life Orb vs their Corviknight (Steel/Flying). Focus Blast is 2x SE, Shadow Ball/Make It Rain are 0.5x. Plan: Focus Blast to break Corviknight. If it survives, try again. Then handle their third Pokémon (unknown: Arcanine-H, Rotom-W, Clefable, or Dragapult). Speed: I outspeed Corviknight (149 vs max 130).
Reasoning trace (417 words)
Let me analyze the situation: 1. My Gholdengo has +2 SpA and Life Orb. I'm facing their Corviknight (Flying/Steel). 2. Corviknight is Steel/Flying, so it resists Steel (Make It Rain) and is immune to... wait, no. Ghost is super effective against Steel? No, Ghost is not very effective against Steel. Let me think again. Type matchups against Corviknight (Flying/Steel): - Steel: resisted by Steel (0.5x), but Flying is neutral to Steel, so overall 0.5x - Ghost: not very effective against Steel (0.5x), neutral against Flying, so overall 0.5x - Fighting: super effective against Steel (2x), neutral against Flying, so overall 2x - Fire: super effective against Steel (2x), neutral against Flying, so overall 2x - Electric: neutral against Steel, super effective against Flying (2x), so overall 2x So Focus Blast is the best move here (2x super effective), but it's 70% accuracy. Shadow Ball is 0.5x (not very effective). Make It Rain is 0.5x (not very effective) and drops SpA by 2. With +2 SpA and Life Orb: - Focus Blast: 120 BP × 2 (super effective) × 1.5 (+2 SpA) × 1.3 (Life Orb) = very high damage - Shadow Ball: 80 BP × 0.5 (not very effective) × 1.5 × 1.3 = low damage Focus Blast is clearly the best damage option here, despite 70% accuracy. With +2 SpA and Life Orb, it should do massive damage to Corviknight. Let me estimate damage: Base damage for Focus Blast: 120 BP, 2x SE, +2 SpA (×1.5), Life Orb (×1.3) My SpA is 185. Their SpD is 94-150. The damage formula roughly: ((2×50/10+2) × 185 × 120 / 150) / 100 + 2 × 1.5 × 1.3 × 2 = ((12) × 185 × 120 / 150) / 100 + 2 × 1.5 × 1.3 × 2 = (26640/150)/100 + 2 × 3.9 = 177.6/100 + 2 × 3.9 Hmm, let me just think about it qualitatively. With +2 SpA, Life Orb, and 2x super effective, Focus Blast should do enormous damage to Corviknight. It's the clear choice. The risk is 70% accuracy, but the reward is massive. I should go Focus Blast. Plan: Use Focus Blast to hit Corviknight hard. If it misses, I can try again next turn. The opponent's Corviknight likely has Roost/Defog/Iron Head/U-turn. If it uses Roost, it loses Flying typing making it pure Steel (still 2x weak to Fighting). If it Defogs, that's fine. Iron Head would do minimal damage to my Gholdengo (Steel is resisted by Steel/Ghost). I'll go Focus Blast.
Chimps at the Zoo switched toDragapult - Turn 3Chimps at the Zoo used
ThunderboltQwen3.8 Flash usedShadowballDragapult is in. Shadow Ball is STAB + super effective (4x total multiplier with +2 SpA and Life Orb) = guaranteed OHKO. Dragapult may outspeed (up to 213 vs my 149) but I can take one hit and still OHKO. After Dragapult falls, opponent has Gholdengo left - mirror matchup.
Reasoning trace (249 words)
Let me analyze the situation: - My Gholdengo has +2 SpA and is at 146/162 HP with Life Orb - Opponent switched to Dragapult (Dragon/Ghost) - Dragapult's speed range is 145-213, mine is 149, so either could move first Key considerations: 1. Shadow Ball is super effective (2x) on Dragapult - this is the best move here 2. Focus Blast does nothing (no effect on Ghost types) 3. Make It Rain is resisted by Ghost (0.5x) 4. Nasty Plot would set up +4 SpA but Dragapult could attack first With +2 SpA and Life Orb, Shadow Ball at 80 BP * 2 (STAB) * 1.5 (super effective) * 1.3 (Life Orb) * 1.5 (SpA boost) should do massive damage. Let me calculate: Base 80 * 2 (STAB) * 2 (SE) * 1.3 (LO) * 1.5 (+2 SpA) = 80 * 7.8 = 624 effective power. Against Dragapult's SpD of 85-139, this should be a guaranteed OHKO. The speed issue: Dragapult could outspeed me (up to 213 vs my 149). If it moves first, it could hit me with something. But even if it hits me, Shadow Ball should OHKO Dragapult. I should use Shadow Ball - it's STAB, super effective, and with my +2 SpA boost and Life Orb, it should OHKO Dragapult. If Dragapult moves first, it could use something like Draco Meteor or Shadow Ball on me. My Gholdengo is 146/162, so it could survive one hit and still OHKO back. The best play is Shadow Ball.
Chimps at the Zoo switched toGholdengo - Turn 4Chimps at the Zoo used
ShadowballQwen3.8 Flash usedShadowballMirror Gholdengo. I'm at 83 HP, +2 SpA, PARALYZED (75% to move). Opponent outspeeds (93-149 vs my effective 74). Shadow Ball is 4x SE = guaranteed OHKO even at their max SpD. Risk: 25% paralysis → they might Shadow Ball me (OHKO) or Make It Rain (resisted, I survive). Expected value strongly favors attacking. If I die, Corviknight handles their Gholdengo with Roost + Iron Head.
Reasoning trace (1,763 words)
Let me analyze the current situation: - My Gholdengo is at 83/162 HP, PARALYZED, +2 SpA, Life Orb - Opponent's Gholdengo is at full HP (100%) - Opponent's Gholdengo has Speed range 93-149, mine is 149 (but paralyzed, so effectively 74 speed) - The opponent's Gholdengo moves first (93-149 vs my effective 74) Key considerations: 1. I'm paralyzed - 25% chance of not moving each turn 2. Opponent's Gholdengo outspeeds me (even at 93 vs my effective 74) 3. My +2 SpA with Life Orb Shadow Ball: 80 * 2 (STAB) * 1.5 (Life Orb) * 4 (super effective) * 1.5 (boost) = 80 * 2 * 1.5 * 4 * 1.5 = 1440 base power equivalent... let me calculate properly. Damage formula: (2*50/55 + 2) * Power * Atk/Def / 50 + 2 With +2 SpA (1.5x multiplier), Life Orb (1.3x), STAB (1.5x), Super Effective (4x): Shadow Ball: 80 * 1.5 (STAB) * 1.3 (LO) * 4 (SE) * 1.5 (+2) = 80 * 11.7 = 936 effective power The opponent's Gholdengo has HP 162-194 and Def 103-161. Let me estimate damage: roughly (80 * 185 * 1.5 * 1.3 * 4) / (103 * 50) ≈ 80 * 185 * 1.5 * 1.3 * 4 / 5150 ≈ 1835 / 5150 * 2 ≈ ~70% minimum damage at worst case (their max HP, max Def). Actually let me be more careful. The damage formula is: ((2*Level/5 + 2) * Power * SpA / SpD) / 50 + 2 = (2 * 50/5 + 2) * 80 * 185 / SpD / 50 + 2 = 22 * 80 * 185 / SpD / 50 + 2 = 325600 / SpD / 50 + 2 = 6512 / SpD + 2 With +2 SpA (1.5x), Life Orb (1.3x), STAB (1.5x), 4x SE: = (6512 / SpD + 2) * 1.5 * 1.3 * 1.5 * 4 = (6512 / SpD + 2) * 11.7 At max SpD (161): (6512/161 + 2) * 11.7 = (40.4 + 2) * 11.7 = 42.4 * 11.7 ≈ 496 damage At min SpD (99): (6512/99 + 2) * 11.7 = (65.8 + 2) * 11.7 = 67.8 * 11.7 ≈ 793 damage Opponent HP: 162-194 So at worst case: 496 damage vs 194 HP = about 2.5x their HP. That's a guaranteed OHKO! At best case for them (max SpD, max HP): 496 vs 194 = still OHKO (496 > 194). Wait, let me recalculate. The damage formula gives base damage, then we apply multipliers. Base damage = ((2*50/5 + 2) * 80 * 185 / SpD) / 50 + 2 = (22 * 80 * 185 / SpD) / 50 + 2 = (325600 / SpD) / 50 + 2 = 6512 / SpD + 2 At SpD = 161: 6512/161 + 2 = 40.45 + 2 = 42.45 At SpD = 99: 6512/99 + 2 = 65.78 + 2 = 67.78 Now multiply by STAB (1.5), Life Orb (1.3), Super Effective (4), +2 SpA (1.5): Total multiplier: 1.5 * 1.3 * 4 * 1.5 = 11.7 At worst: 42.45 * 11.7 ≈ 497 damage At best: 67.78 * 11.7 ≈ 793 damage Opponent max HP is 194. So even at worst case (497 damage vs 194 HP), it's a guaranteed OHKO! But wait - I'm paralyzed. 25% chance I can't move. And the opponent outspeeds me. If I use Shadow Ball and it connects (75% chance due to paralysis), it OHKOs. If I get fully paralyzed (25%), the opponent attacks me. They could use Make It Rain (resisted by Steel/Ghost? No, Make It Rain is Steel type, Gholdengo is Steel/Ghost, so Steel is 0.5x on Steel and 0.5x on Ghost... wait no. Steel vs Steel = 0.5x, Steel vs Ghost = 1x. So Steel is 0.5x on Gholdengo. So Make It Rain is not very effective. Actually wait - the opponent's Gholdengo is Steel/Ghost. My Shadow Ball is Ghost type. Ghost vs Steel = 2x, Ghost vs Ghost = 2x. So 4x super effective. That's what I calculated. If I get paralyzed and they attack: - Make It Rain: Steel, 120 BP, 0.5x on my Steel/Ghost = 60 effective. With their SpA (137-203), +2 possible... but they haven't set up yet (they came in this turn). So base damage ≈ (22 * 120 * 137-203 / 113-161) / 50 + 2, then * 0.5 (resist) * 1.5 (STAB) * 1.3 (Life Orb if they have it). Actually I don't know if they have Life Orb. Their item is "unknown_item". But since it's a mirror match and I have Life Orb, they likely have Life Orb too. Let me estimate their Make It Rain damage on me: Base = (22 * 120 * SpA / my SpD) / 50 + 2 At their max SpA (203), my min SpD (99): (22 * 120 * 203 / 99) / 50 + 2 = (535920/99)/50 + 2 = 5413/50 + 2 = 110.3 With STAB 1.5, Life Orb 1.3, resist 0.5: 110.3 * 1.5 * 1.3 * 0.5 = 107.7 At their min SpA (137), my max SpD (161): (22 * 120 * 137 / 161) / 50 + 2 = (361680/161)/50 + 2 = 2246/50 + 2 = 46.9 With same multipliers: 46.9 * 1.5 * 1.3 * 0.5 = 45.8 So if I get paralyzed, they could do 45-108 damage to me. I'm at 83 HP. If they have +2 SpA already (they don't, they just came in), or if they use Shadow Ball on me... Wait, Shadow Ball on me: Ghost vs Steel = 2x, Ghost vs Ghost = 2x = 4x SE. Base = (22 * 80 * SpA / my SpD) / 50 + 2 At their max SpA (203), my min SpD (99): (22 * 80 * 203 / 99) / 50 + 2 = (357280/99)/50 + 2 = 3609/50 + 2 = 74.2 With STAB 1.5, Life Orb 1.3, 4x SE: 74.2 * 1.5 * 1.3 * 4 = 578.8 - that would OHKO me! At their min SpA (137), my max SpD (161): (22 * 80 * 137 / 161) / 50 + 2 = (241120/161)/50 + 2 = 1498/50 + 2 = 31.96 With same: 31.96 * 1.5 * 1.3 * 4 = 249.3 - still OHKO! So if I get paralyzed and they use Shadow Ball, I die. If they use Make It Rain, I probably survive (45-108 damage, I have 83 HP). The risk is: 25% paralysis → they Shadow Ball → I die. 75% chance → I Shadow Ball → they die. Expected outcome: 75% I win this matchup, 25% I lose. Alternative: Switch to Corviknight. Corviknight is Steel/Flying, immune to Ground, resists Normal, Fighting, Bug, Grass, Psychic, Steel, Fairy, Ice, Dragon, Dark. But weak to Fire (4x), Electric (2x), and Ghost is neutral (1x). Wait, Corviknight vs Gholdengo: - Gholdengo's Shadow Ball: Ghost vs Flying = 2x, Ghost vs Steel = 1x. So 2x SE on Corviknight. - Gholdengo's Make It Rain: Steel vs Flying = 1x, Steel vs Steel = 0.5x. So 0.5x on Corviknight. - Gholdengo's Focus Blast: Fighting vs Flying = 0.5x, Fighting vs Steel = 2x. So 1x on Corviknight. Corviknight has 205 HP, 172 Def, 107 SpD. If I switch to Corviknight, their Gholdengo can Nasty Plot (immune to status via Good as Gold, but Nasty Plot is a stat-boosting move, not a status move - it's a Dark-type move that raises SpA). Wait, Good as Gold blocks status moves. Nasty Plot is a status move (no damage, BP -). So their Gholdengo can't Nasty Plot on me? No wait - Good as Gold makes the USER immune to status moves. So my Corviknight can't be hit by status moves from them, but they CAN Nasty Plot themselves because it's a self-targeting move. Actually, Good as Gold: "This Pokémon is immune to Status moves." This means the Pokémon with Good as Gold cannot be affected by status moves (moves that don't deal damage). Nasty Plot is a status move that targets the user. Does Good as Gold block self-targeting status moves? In Pokémon Showdown, Good as Gold blocks status moves that would affect the user... actually no. Good as Gold makes the Pokémon immune to status moves used by others. Self-targeting moves like Nasty Plot still work on the user. Wait, let me reconsider. Good as Gold: "The Pokémon is immune to all status moves." In Gen 9, this means the Pokémon cannot be affected by moves with no target (like Nasty Plot) or moves that target the opponent with status effects. Actually, I believe Nasty Plot still works because it's a self-targeting stat change, not a "status move" in the traditional sense of inflicting a status condition. Hmm, actually in Pokémon Showdown, Good as Gold blocks all moves with the "Status" category. Nasty Plot is a Status move. But it targets the user... Let me think about this differently. Looking at the battle log: Turn 1, my Gholdengo used Nasty Plot successfully despite the opponent having Gholdengo with Good as Gold. Wait, Good as Gold protects the USER from status moves directed at them. Nasty Plot is a self-targeting move, so it doesn't target the opponent. Good as Gold wouldn't block it. OK so the opponent's Gholdengo can Nasty Plot. If I switch to Corviknight, they might Nasty Plot. Then I'm in trouble. But Corviknight has Roost and can potentially stall. However, their Gholdengo with +2 SpA and Shadow Ball (2x SE) could be very dangerous. Let me think about what the scripted bot would do. It's "Chimps at the Zoo" - a scripted control bot. It likely has predetermined behavior. Given the mirror match situation: - My Gholdengo at 83 HP, +2 SpA, paralyzed - Their Gholdengo at full HP, no boosts visible Best strategy: Use Shadow Ball. 75% chance to OHKO them. If I get paralyzed (25%), I might still survive if they use Make It Rain (resisted), but die to Shadow Ball. Actually, let me reconsider switching. If I switch to Corviknight: - Their Gholdengo might Nasty Plot (setting up) - Or attack with Shadow Ball (2x SE on Corviknight) Corviknight can handle this better long-term with Roost recovery. But if they set up Nasty Plot, Corviknight becomes vulnerable to +2 Shadow Ball. I think the best play is to use Shadow Ball. The 75% OHKO chance is very good. If I get paralyzed, there's a chance they use Make It Rain (which is resisted) and I survive. Let me go with Shadow Ball.
Qwen3.8 Flash switched toArcanineOpponent only has Gholdengo left (90% HP). Arcanine-Hisui is the correct switch: Head Smash (2x SE, 183 Atk) will OHKO. Even if Gholdengo is faster and attacks first, Arcanine survives Shadow Ball (~94 dmg vs 172 HP) and KOs next turn. Corviknight can't damage Gholdengo effectively (0.5x moves).
Reasoning trace (2,138 words)
Let me analyze the situation: - My Gholdengo has fainted. - I have Corviknight (100%) and Arcanine-Hisui (100%) remaining. - Opponent has Gholdengo (90% HP) active. Opponent's remaining Pokémon: Gholdengo (active), and they brought 3 total - Corviknight and Dragapult are both fainted. So the opponent only has Gholdengo left! Wait, let me re-read. The opponent brought 3 Pokémon: Gholdengo, Corviknight, and Dragapult. Corviknight and Dragapult are both fainted. So the opponent only has Gholdengo left! Now I need to decide: switch to Corviknight or Arcanine-Hisui? Against Gholdengo: - Corviknight: Steel/Flying. Gholdengo's Shadow Ball is 4x super effective against Corviknight? No wait - Shadow Ball is Ghost type. Corviknight is Flying/Steel. Ghost is super effective against Flying (2x) and neutral against Steel (1x). So Shadow Ball is 2x SE against Corviknight. Make It Rain is Steel - neutral against Corviknight (Steel resists Steel, Flying is neutral). Focus Blast is Fighting - neutral against Corviknight (Flying resists Fighting? No, Fighting is super effective against Steel, and neutral against Flying. So 2x SE against Corviknight). Wait, let me reconsider type matchups: - Ghost vs Flying/Steel: Ghost is SE vs Flying (2x), neutral vs Steel. Total: 2x SE. - Steel vs Flying/Steel: Steel is neutral vs Flying, not very effective vs Steel (0.5x). Total: 0.5x. - Fighting vs Flying/Steel: Fighting is neutral vs Flying, SE vs Steel (2x). Total: 2x SE. Corviknight's moves vs Gholdengo: - Iron Head (Steel vs Steel/Ghost): Steel is neutral vs Steel, not very effective vs Ghost (0.5x). Total: 0.5x. - U-turn (Bug vs Steel/Ghost): Bug is neutral vs Steel, not very effective vs Ghost (0.5x). Total: 0.5x. So Corviknight can't really damage Gholdengo effectively. It can Roost to heal and Defog, but has no good offensive option. - Arcanine-Hisui: Fire/Rock. Gholdengo's Shadow Ball: Ghost vs Fire/Rock - neutral vs Fire, SE vs Rock (2x). Total: 2x SE. Make It Rain: Steel vs Fire/Rock - SE vs Rock (2x), neutral vs Fire. Total: 2x SE. Focus Blast: Fighting vs Fire/Rock - neutral vs Fire, neutral vs Rock. Total: 1x. Arcanine's moves vs Gholdengo: - Head Smash (Rock vs Steel/Ghost): Rock is SE vs Steel (2x), neutral vs Ghost. Total: 2x SE. - Flare Blitz (Fire vs Steel/Ghost): Fire is SE vs Steel (2x), neutral vs Ghost. Total: 2x SE. - Extreme Speed (Normal vs Steel/Ghost): Normal is not very effective vs Steel (0.5x), immune vs Ghost (0x). Total: 0x - doesn't hit! Wait, Gholdengo has Good as Gold ability - immune to status moves. That doesn't affect damaging moves. Arcanine-Hisui has 183 Atk. Head Smash is 150 BP, 2x SE. That should be a guaranteed OHKO on Gholdengo at 90% HP. Let me check: Arcanine-Hisui's Head Smash: 183 Atk × 150 BP × 2 (STAB) × 2 (SE) = massive damage. Even at Gholdengo's max HP (194) and max Def (161), this should OHKO easily. Speed: Arcanine-Hisui has 142 Spe (my build). Gholdengo has 93-149 Spe. If Gholdengo is faster, it might Shadow Ball first. Shadow Ball at 2x SE could hurt Arcanine but probably won't OHKO from full HP. Arcanine-Hisui at 172 HP, Shadow Ball from Gholdengo (SpA 137-203, 2x SE): Let's estimate. Even at max SpA 203, Shadow Ball (80 BP) × 1.5 (STAB) × 2 (SE) = 240 effective BP. Damage ≈ (203/100) × 240 / (113/100) ≈ roughly 432/1.13 ≈ ~382... wait that's way too high. Let me use the actual formula. Actually, the damage formula is complex. But Shadow Ball from Gholdengo at 2x SE against Arcanine-Hisui (Def 100) - it could do significant damage but probably won't OHKO from full HP. The key question: will Arcanine survive a Shadow Ball and then OHKO with Head Smash? If Gholdengo is faster (Spe > 142), it attacks first. Shadow Ball 2x SE. Let's estimate: Gholdengo SpA max 203, Shadow Ball 80 BP, STAB 1.5, SE 2. Damage to Arcanine Def 100: roughly (203 × 80 × 1.5 × 2) / (100 × 50) × 172 ≈ ... this is getting complicated. Let me just think about it practically. Gholdengo did ~66 damage to my Gholdengo (83→0) with Shadow Ball at 4x SE (Ghost vs Ghost/Steel = 2x vs Ghost, 0.5x vs Steel... wait no. Ghost vs Steel is 0.5x, Ghost vs Ghost is 2x. So 2x × 0.5x = 1x neutral). Hmm, that doesn't match. Wait, let me reconsider. Ghost vs Steel/Ghost: Ghost is not very effective vs Steel (0.5x), super effective vs Ghost (2x). Total: 1x (neutral). But the log says "It was super effective" when Gholdengo used Shadow Ball on my Gholdengo. Oh wait, I'm confused. Let me recheck: Ghost type effectiveness against Steel is 0.5x, against Ghost is 2x. For Steel/Ghost: 0.5 × 2 = 1x. That should be neutral. But the log says super effective... Hmm, actually I might be wrong about Ghost vs Steel. Let me think again. In Gen 9, Ghost is super effective against Ghost and Psychic. Ghost is not very effective against Steel and Dark. So against Steel/Ghost: 0.5 (Steel) × 2 (Ghost) = 1x neutral. But the log clearly says "It was super effective" when opposing Gholdengo used Shadow Ball on my Gholdengo. That's strange. Unless I'm misremembering the type chart. Actually wait - I think I might be wrong. Let me reconsider: In recent generations, is Ghost super effective against Steel? No, I don't think so. Ghost is resisted by Dark and Steel. Hmm, but the log says it was super effective. Maybe I'm wrong about something. Or maybe there's a different interaction. Regardless, the log is the ground truth. Actually, you know what, I just realized - maybe the game is using a different type chart or I'm misremembering. The log is definitive: Shadow Ball from Gholdengo was "super effective" against my Gholdengo. So Ghost must be SE against Steel/Ghost somehow in this game's implementation. Wait, actually I think I might be confusing things. Let me look at this differently. Ghost attacks: super effective against Ghost and Psychic. Not very effective against Steel and Dark. So Steel/Ghost takes 0.5 × 2 = 1x from Ghost. That's neutral. But the log says super effective. I'm going to trust the log over my type knowledge. Maybe in this particular game implementation, there's something different. Regardless, for my decision: Arcanine-Hisui vs Gholdengo: - Arcanine can OHKO with Head Smash (2x SE, huge Atk) - Arcanine takes 2x SE from Shadow Ball (Ghost vs Rock is 2x, vs Fire is 1x, total 2x) - Arcanine takes 2x SE from Make It Rain (Steel vs Rock is 2x, vs Fire is 1x, total 2x) If Arcanine is faster (142 vs Gholdengo's 93-149): - If Gholdengo Spe ≤ 142, Arcanine goes first and OHKOs. - If Gholdengo Spe > 142, Gholdengo attacks first. Shadow Ball at 2x SE could do significant damage. My Arcanine has 172 HP, 100 Def. Shadow Ball from Gholdengo (SpA up to 203, 80 BP, 1.5 STAB, 2x SE): Damage ≈ floor(floor(floor(2×50/50+2) × 203 × 80 / 100) / 50) × 1.5 × 2 × 1.75(random) × 1.0 × 1.0 = floor(floor(4 × 203 × 80 / 100) / 50) × 3 × 1.75 = floor(6496/50) × 5.25 = 129 × 5.25 = 677... that can't be right. Let me use a simpler estimate. At level 50, damage ≈ (A × BP × modifiers) / (D × 50). For special: (SpA × BP) / (SpD × 50) × level_modifier × modifiers ≈ (203 × 80) / (100 × 50) × 2 × 1.5 × 2 (Life Orb) = 16240 / 5000 × 6 = 3.248 × 6 = ~19.5... I'm not calculating this right. Let me just think practically. The opponent's Gholdengo did about 83 damage to my Gholdengo (from 83 to 0) with Shadow Ball. My Gholdengo had 113 SpD. If Arcanine has 100 SpD (similar), and Shadow Ball is 2x SE against Arcanine (vs 1x or 2x against my Gholdengo), the damage would be similar or higher. Actually, looking at the log more carefully: - Turn 3: My Gholdengo was at 99 HP, used Shadow Ball, then was at 83 HP (Life Orb damage of 16). Then opposing Gholdengo used Shadow Ball and my Gholdengo fainted (83→0, so 83 damage). - Turn 4: Opposing Gholdengo used Shadow Ball, my Gholdengo fainted. It was "super effective." So Shadow Ball did 83 damage to my Gholdengo (SpD 113). Against Arcanine (SpD 100), with 2x SE (if Ghost is 2x vs Fire/Rock... Ghost vs Fire = 1x, Ghost vs Rock = 2x, total 2x), the damage would be higher. 83 damage × (113/100) × 2 = 83 × 1.13 × 2 = ~187. That would OHKO Arcanine (172 HP)! Wait, but the "super effective" message in the log for Shadow Ball vs Gholdengo is confusing. If Ghost is 1x vs Steel/Ghost (0.5 × 2), why does it say super effective? Unless the game considers it differently. Actually, I just realized - maybe I have the type chart wrong. Let me reconsider: Is Ghost super effective against Steel? In some generations or games, there might be different interactions. Or maybe the "super effective" message was for a different reason. You know what, let me just trust the log. If Shadow Ball is "super effective" against Gholdengo (Steel/Ghost), then maybe in this game Ghost is SE against Steel too? That would make it 2x × 2x = 4x against Steel/Ghost. And against Fire/Rock, it would be 1x × 2x = 2x. Hmm, but that doesn't match standard type charts. Let me just go with what the log says and make a practical decision. If Shadow Ball did 83 damage to my Gholdengo (SpD 113, and it was "super effective"), then against Arcanine (SpD 100, and Ghost is at least 2x SE vs Rock), the damage would be: - Base damage scales with (SpD_defender / SpD_attacker_target). Going from 113 to 100 SpD means damage increases by 113/100 = 1.13x. - If the SE multiplier is the same (2x), damage ≈ 83 × 1.13 = ~94. That's not an OHKO on 172 HP. - If it's 4x vs Arcanine (unlikely), damage ≈ 83 × 1.13 × 2 = ~188. That would OHKO. Actually, I think the most likely scenario is: - Ghost vs Steel/Ghost: The game says "super effective" so maybe it's 2x (perhaps the game treats Ghost as 2x vs Steel in this implementation, making it 2x × 2x = 4x total? Or maybe it's just 2x somehow). - Ghost vs Fire/Rock: Ghost is 1x vs Fire, 2x vs Rock = 2x total. If Shadow Ball did 83 damage to Gholdengo (SpD 113) at some multiplier X, then against Arcanine (SpD 100) at 2x: - If X was 2x (the "super effective" was 2x), then against Arcanine it's also 2x, damage = 83 × (113/100) = ~94. Not an OHKO. - If X was 4x, then against Arcanine at 2x, damage = 83 × (113/100) × (2/4) = ~47. Definitely not an OHKO. In either case, Arcanine probably survives a Shadow Ball from full HP. Then Head Smash (2x SE, massive Atk) should OHKO Gholdengo at 90%. So the plan: Switch to Arcanine-Hisui, use Head Smash next turn. Even if Gholdengo attacks first (if it's faster), Arcanine should survive and OHKO back. Actually wait - I need to reconsider. The opponent's Gholdengo has Life Orb. So Shadow Ball damage includes Life Orb boost (1.3x). Let me recalculate: - Against my Gholdengo: 83 damage included Life Orb. Base damage without LO = 83/1.3 = ~64. - Against Arcanine (SpD 100 vs 113): 64 × (113/100) = ~72 without LO, × 1.3 = ~94 with LO. - Arcanine has 172 HP, so it survives. Then Head Smash from Arcanine (Atk 183, 150 BP, 2x SE, STAB 1.5) vs Gholdengo (Def 103-161): This should be a massive OHKO. Even at max Def 161, the damage should be enormous. So the plan is: Switch to Arcanine-Hisui. Next turn, use Head Smash to OHKO the last Gholdengo and win. But wait - what if Gholdengo uses Make It Rain instead? Steel vs Fire/Rock: Steel is 1x vs Fire, 2x vs Rock = 2x SE. Make It Rain is 120 BP. That could do significant damage. But Arcanine should still survive from full HP (172 HP). What about Focus Blast? Fighting vs Fire/Rock: 1x vs both = 1x neutral. Not a big threat. So Arcanine-Hisui is clearly the right switch. It can take a hit and OHKO back. Corviknight vs Gholdengo: Corviknight can't really damage Gholdengo (Iron Head is 0.5x, U-turn is 0.5x). It would just be a stalemate where Corviknight Roosts and Gholdengo can't do much either (Shadow Ball is 2x SE vs Corviknight though). Actually Shadow Ball 2x SE could hurt Corviknight over time. And Corviknight has no way to KO Gholdengo. So Corviknight is a bad choice. Decision: Switch to Arcanine-Hisui.
- Turn 5Chimps at the Zoo used
NastyplotQwen3.8 Flash usedHeadsmashHead Smash is STAB + 2x SE = 3x multiplier. With 183 Atk and BP 150, this OHKOs Gholdengo at 90% HP regardless of its Def spread. Rockhead prevents recoil. Shadow Ball is neutral against Fire/Rock, so even if Gholdengo moves first, Arcanine survives and KOs. No reason to do anything else.
Reasoning trace (686 words)
Let me analyze the situation: - My Arcanine-Hisui (172/172 HP) is active against their Gholdengo (90% HP, which is about 146-175 HP depending on their spread). - Their Gholdengo has revealed Shadow Ball (Ghost/Special, BP 80). - Speed: My Arcanine is 142, their Gholdengo is 93-149 (could be faster or slower). - My Chople Berry halves damage from super effective Fighting-type attacks, but Gholdengo's Shadow Ball is Ghost-type, not Fighting. So the berry doesn't help here. Wait, let me reconsider. Shadow Ball is Ghost-type. Gholdengo is Steel/Ghost. Against Arcanine-Hisui (Fire/Rock): - Ghost is super effective against Rock (2x) - Fire/Rock vs Ghost: Rock is immune to... no, Rock is not immune to Ghost. Ghost hits Rock normally (1x). Wait, let me think again. - Ghost-type moves against Rock-type: 1x (neutral) - Ghost-type moves against Fire-type: 1x (neutral) - So Shadow Ball is neutral against Arcanine-Hisui. Actually wait - Gholdengo's Shadow Ball is Ghost/Special. Against Arcanine-Hisui (Fire/Rock): - Ghost vs Fire: 1x - Ghost vs Rock: 1x - So Shadow Ball is neutral (1x) against Arcanine-Hisui. Now, what can Arcanine do to Gholdengo? - Head Smash (Rock/Physical, BP 150): Rock vs Steel is 2x, Rock vs Ghost is 1x. So 2x SE. But it has recoil (1/2 HP). With Rockhead ability, no recoil! - Flare Blitz (Fire/Physical, BP 120): Fire vs Steel is 0.5x, Fire vs Ghost is 1x. So 0.5x. Not very effective. - Extreme Speed (Normal/Physical, BP 80): Normal vs Steel is 1x, Normal vs Ghost is 0x (immune!). So Extreme Speed does nothing to Gholdengo. So the best move is Head Smash. Rock STAB (1.5x) × 2x SE = 3x multiplier. With 183 Atk and BP 150, this should do massive damage. Let me estimate damage: Head Smash on Gholdengo. Gholdengo has 90% HP. If their HP is around 162-194, at 90% that's about 146-175 HP. Arcanine-Hisui's Atk is 183. Head Smash BP 150, STAB 1.5x, SE 2x = effective 450 power. Against Gholdengo's Def (103-161 range). This should be a very strong hit. With Rockhead, no recoil. This is the clear best move. The question is speed - will Gholdengo move first? Their Gholdengo has Spe 93-149. My Arcanine has 142. If their Gholdengo is max speed (149), it outspeeds. But Shadow Ball is neutral against Arcanine, so even if it hits first, Arcanine takes manageable damage and can still OHKO with Head Smash. Actually, let me reconsider whether Head Smash OHKOs. My Arcanine has 183 Atk. Head Smash is 150 BP, STAB 1.5x, SE 2x. Against Gholdengo's Def which could be 103-161. Damage formula rough estimate: (183 × 150 × 1.5 × 2) / (161 × 100) × 172 ≈ 183 × 450 / 16100 × 172 ≈ 82350/16100 × 172 ≈ 5.11 × 172 ≈ 879... that seems too high. Let me use a more standard formula. Actually the damage formula is: ((2 × Level / 5 + 2) × Power × Atk / Def) / 50 + 2, then × modifiers. At level 50: (2 × 50/5 + 2) = 22 Base: 22 × 150 × 183 / 161 / 50 + 2 = 22 × 150 × 183 / 161 / 50 + 2 = 22 × 27450 / 161 / 50 + 2 = 603900 / 161 / 50 + 2 = 3751 / 50 + 2 = 75 + 2 = 77 Then × 1.5 (STAB) × 2 (SE) = 77 × 3 = 231 Gholdengo at 90% has about 146-175 HP. So 231 damage would OHKO even at max HP. Even against the lowest Def (103): 22 × 150 × 183 / 103 / 50 + 2 = 603900 / 103 / 50 + 2 = 5863/50 + 2 = 117 + 2 = 119. Then × 3 = 357. Definitely OHKO. So Head Smash is a guaranteed OHKO. The only question is whether Gholdengo moves first and does meaningful damage. Shadow Ball is neutral, and even if it hits first, Arcanine survives (it has 172 HP and Shadow Ball won't do more than maybe 80-100 damage). Then Arcanine OHKOs. The decision is clear: Head Smash.
- Turn 6Chimps at the Zoo used
FocusblastQwen3.8 Flash usedFlareblitzOpponent's Gholdengo is their last Pokémon at 46% HP with +2 SpA. Flare Blitz is STAB + super effective (2x) from 183 Atk = guaranteed OHKO. Even if Gholdengo is faster and hits with Shadow Ball first, Arcanine survives (neutral damage) and still OHKOs. Win this turn.
Reasoning trace (2,078 words)
Let me analyze the situation: - Opponent's Gholdengo is at 46% HP with +2 SpA, has Shadow Ball and Nasty Plot revealed. - My Arcanine-Hisui is at full HP (172/172). - Speed: My Arcanine is 142, opponent's Gholdengo is 93-149 (could be faster or slower). Key considerations: - Head Smash is "not very effective" on Gholdengo (Steel resists Rock). So it's 0.5x. With 183 Atk and BP 150, that's 75 effective BP. At 46% HP, this might not OHKO. - Flare Blitz is "super effective" on Gholdengo (Fire is super effective against Steel). BP 120, STAB (Fire/Rock), so 1.5x = 180 effective BP. This should OHKO at 46% HP. - Extremespeed is "no effect" on Gholdengo (Normal is immune to Ghost). So it's useless. - Morningsun would heal but I'm at full HP already. Wait, let me reconsider. The opponent's Gholdengo has Shadow Ball which is super effective against my Arcanine-Hisui (Ghost is super effective against... no wait. Arcanine-Hisui is Fire/Rock. Ghost is not super effective against Fire/Rock. Ghost is neutral against Fire and neutral against Rock. So Shadow Ball is neutral. Actually wait - the notes from Turn 4 said "Shadow Ball is neutral against Fire/Rock" - that's correct. Ghost is not super effective against Fire or Rock. But the opponent's Gholdengo has +2 SpA and Life Orb. Shadow Ball is BP 80, STAB (Ghost), so 120 effective BP, with +2 SpA (2x multiplier) and Life Orb (1.3x). That's a lot of damage. Let me calculate: Shadow Ball damage against Arcanine-Hisui: - Base power 80 × STAB 1.5 × Life Orb 1.3 × +2 SpA (2x) = 80 × 1.5 × 1.3 × 2 = 312 effective power - Against Arcanine's SpD of 100, this could do significant damage. Actually, let me think about this differently. The opponent's Gholdengo could potentially OHKO my Arcanine with Shadow Ball at +2 SpA with Life Orb. Let me estimate: Shadow Ball: 80 BP × 1.5 STAB × 1.3 LO × 2 (SpA boost) = 312 effective Against SpD 100, Level 50: roughly (312 × 100/100) / something... A rough damage formula: ((2×50/50+2) × 80 × SpA/SpD) / 50 + 2 With +2 SpA (2x multiplier), STAB (1.5x), LO (1.3x): = ((2×50/50+2) × 80 × 1.5 × 1.3 × 2 × SpA/SpD) / 50 + 2 If SpA is max (203) and SpD is 100: = (2 × 80 × 1.5 × 1.3 × 2 × 203/100) / 50 + 2 = (2 × 80 × 1.5 × 1.3 × 2 × 2.03) / 50 + 2 = (2 × 80 × 7.917) / 50 + 2 = 1266.7 / 50 + 2 = 25.3 + 2 = 27.3... that doesn't seem right. Let me use the proper formula: Damage = ((2×Level/50 + 2) × Power × A/D) / 50 + 2, then multiply by modifiers. Level 50: (2×50/50 + 2) = 4 Base: 4 × 80 × (SpA/SpD) / 50 + 2 If SpA = 203, SpD = 100: = 4 × 80 × 2.03 / 50 + 2 = 649.6 / 50 + 2 = 12.99 + 2 = 14.99 Then × STAB 1.5 × LO 1.3 × +2 boost 2 = 14.99 × 1.5 × 1.3 × 2 = 58.5 That's only 58 damage out of 172 HP. That's not enough to OHKO. Wait, I think I'm messing up the formula. Let me redo: Damage = (((2 × Level / 50) + 2) × Power × A / D) / 50 + 2) × modifiers = (((2 × 50 / 50) + 2) × 80 × 203 / 100) / 50 + 2) × 1.5 × 1.3 × 2 = ((4 × 80 × 2.03) / 50 + 2) × 3.9 = ((649.6 / 50) + 2) × 3.9 = (12.99 + 2) × 3.9 = 14.99 × 3.9 = 58.5 Hmm, that seems low. Let me check with a known example. Actually I think the formula might be slightly different. Let me just think about it practically. Shadow Ball at +2 SpA with Life Orb against a neutral target... In competitive play, a +2 Shadow Ball from Gholdengo with Life Orb typically does around 60-70% to a neutral target. Against Arcanine-Hisui with 172 HP and 100 SpD, it might do around 100-120 damage. Not an OHKO but significant. Actually, I realize I should just focus on what move to use. The key question is: can Flare Blitz OHKO the Gholdengo at 46%? Flare Blitz: 120 BP, STAB (1.5x), super effective (2x) = 360 effective BP. With 183 Atk against Gholdengo's Def (103-161). At max Atk (183) vs max Def (161): = (((4) × 120 × 183/161) / 50 + 2) × 1.5 × 2 = ((4 × 120 × 1.137) / 50 + 2) × 3 = ((545.8 / 50) + 2) × 3 = (10.92 + 2) × 3 = 12.92 × 3 = 38.8 Hmm that seems too low. I think I'm using the formula wrong. Let me try again properly. The damage formula is: Damage = floor(floor(floor(2 × Level / 50 + 2) × Power × A / D) / 50 + 2) × modifiers Level 50: 2 × 50/50 + 2 = 4 For Flare Blitz vs Gholdengo: = floor(floor(4 × 120 × 183 / 161) / 50 + 2) × 1.5 (STAB) × 2 (SE) × 1 (no LO) = floor(floor(87840 / 161) / 50 + 2) × 3 = floor(floor(545.6) / 50 + 2) × 3 = floor(10.9 + 2) × 3 = floor(12.9) × 3 = 12 × 3 = 36 That can't be right either. 36 damage? That's way too low. I think I'm confusing the formula. Let me look at it differently. Actually, I think the issue is that I'm not applying the formula correctly. The standard damage formula gives results in the hundreds for level 50 Pokemon. Let me try a known example. For a level 50 Garchomp with 183 Atk using Earthquake (100 BP) against a level 50 Blissey with 50 Def: = floor(floor(4 × 100 × 183 / 50) / 50 + 2) × 1.5 = floor(floor(73200 / 50) / 50 + 2) × 1.5 = floor(floor(1464) / 50 + 2) × 1.5 = floor(29.28 + 2) × 1.5 = floor(31.28) × 1.5 = 31 × 1.5 = 46.5 That's still too low. I must be using the formula wrong. OK let me look at this more carefully. The actual formula from Bulbapedia is: Damage = ((((2 × Level / 50) + 2) × Power × A / D) / 50 + 2) × modifiers For level 50: ((2 × 50/50) + 2) = 4 So: ((4 × Power × A / D) / 50 + 2) × modifiers For Earthquake (100 BP) with 183 Atk vs 50 Def: = ((4 × 100 × 183 / 50) / 50 + 2) × 1.5 = ((73200 / 50) / 50 + 2) × 1.5 = (1464 / 50 + 2) × 1.5 = (29.28 + 2) × 1.5 = 31.28 × 1.5 = 46.9 Hmm, that's still giving me ~47. But Earthquake from a max Atk Garchomp should do way more than 47 to Blissey... Oh wait, I think the issue is that the formula gives damage as a fraction of the target's HP, not as raw damage. No, that's not right either. Actually, I think I need to reconsider. In Pokémon Showdown, the damage formula at level 50 gives results that are then compared against the target's HP stat. Let me look at this differently. For a typical level 50 Pokemon with max Attack (183) using a 100 BP STAB move against a target with 100 Def: = ((4 × 100 × 183 / 100) / 50 + 2) × 1.5 = ((732 / 50) + 2) × 1.5 = (14.64 + 2) × 1.5 = 16.64 × 1.5 = 24.96 That's about 25 damage? That can't be right for competitive Pokemon. I think I'm fundamentally misunderstanding the formula. Let me look at it again. Actually, I think the issue is that the formula I'm using is for level 100, not level 50. At level 50, the multiplier changes. Wait no, the formula uses Level directly. At level 50: 2 × 50/50 + 2 = 4. At level 100: 2 × 100/50 + 2 = 6. Hmm, let me try to verify with a known OHKO. A level 50 Garchomp with 183 Atk using Earthquake (100 BP, STAB 1.5x) against a level 50 Dragonite with 100 Def and 181 HP: = ((4 × 100 × 183 / 100) / 50 + 2) × 1.5 = ((732 / 50) + 2) × 1.5 = (14.64 + 2) × 1.5 = 16.64 × 1.5 = 24.96 That would be about 25 damage to a 181 HP Dragonite? That's clearly wrong. Earthquake from Garchomp should do like 100+ damage to Dragonite. I think the formula might be: Damage = floor(floor(floor(2 × Level / 50 + 2) × Power × A / D) / 50 + 2) × modifiers Let me try without the intermediate floors: = (4 × 100 × 183 / 100) / 50 + 2 × 1.5 No, that doesn't work either. OK I think I'm overcomplicating this. Let me just reason about it practically. In competitive Pokemon at level 50: - A max Atk Arcanine-Hisui (183) using Flare Blitz (120 BP, STAB, 2x SE) against a Gholdengo with ~103-161 Def and ~162-194 HP at 46% (so ~75-89 HP remaining). Flare Blitz with STAB and SE is 120 × 1.5 × 2 = 360 effective BP. This is an incredibly powerful hit. Even against max Def Gholdengo, this should OHKO at 46% HP. Let me just trust the game logic: Flare Blitz is listed as "super effective" and with STAB + 2x weakness, it should absolutely OHKO a Gholdengo at 46% HP. The question is whether I should worry about getting hit first. The opponent's Gholdengo could be faster (up to 149 vs my 142). If it moves first with Shadow Ball at +2 SpA with Life Orb... Shadow Ball: 80 BP, STAB 1.5x, +2 SpA (2x), LO 1.3x = 80 × 1.5 × 2 × 1.3 = 312 effective BP against my 100 SpD. This is a lot. Could it OHKO my Arcanine at 172 HP? Let me think... a +2 Shadow Ball from Gholdengo with Life Orb against a neutral target typically does around 50-60% to a Pokemon with 100 SpD. Against my 172 HP Arcanine, that's about 86-103 damage. Not an OHKO. Actually, let me reconsider. The opponent's Gholdengo has SpA range 137-203. If it's maxed at 203: The damage would be higher. But even so, Shadow Ball is neutral against Fire/Rock (Ghost is not super effective against either). So it's just STAB + LO + +2 boost. I think Arcanine can survive one Shadow Ball and still OHKO with Flare Blitz. But to be safe, I should just use Flare Blitz since it's the winning move. Actually, the real question is: will Flare Blitz OHKO? At 46% HP, Gholdengo has about 75-89 HP remaining (depending on its max HP). Flare Blitz with STAB + SE from 183 Atk should easily do 100+ damage. Yes, it OHKOs. But wait - there's a risk. If Gholdengo is faster and uses Shadow Ball first, it might do significant damage. Then Flare Blitz recoil would hurt Arcanine further. But even if Arcanine takes some damage, it still OHKOs Gholdengo, and Gholdengo has no more Pokemon to send out. Actually, I need to think about this more carefully. If Gholdengo moves first and uses Shadow Ball, it does maybe 80-100 damage to Arcanine. Then Arcanine uses Flare Blitz and OHKOs Gholdengo, but takes recoil damage (1/3 of damage dealt). If Flare Blitz does ~150 damage, recoil is ~50. So Arcanine would be at 172 - 100 - 50 = 22 HP. That's survivable but tight. But actually, the opponent's Gholdengo is the last Pokemon (all 3 have been seen: Corviknight fainted, Dragapult fainted, Gholdengo is the last one). So if I OHKO it, I win regardless! So the decision is simple: use Flare Blitz. It's super effective, STAB, and will OHKO Gholdengo at 46% HP. Even if Gholdengo moves first, I still OHKO and win. Let me also consider: could the opponent switch? No, it's the last Pokemon. The bot will use Shadow Ball or Nasty Plot. Either way, Flare Blitz OHKOs. I'll go with Flare Blitz.