Matches · 2026-10-13 · rules version c5
Bonsai 2 27B vs Chimps at the Zoo
Bonsai 2 27B won in 7 turns · 6 min wall clock · 39,248 tokens
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Decisions
- Team previewChimps at the Zoo brought
Dragapult,gholdengo,toxapexBonsai 2 27B broughtDragapult,gholdengo,toxapexMirror match vs scripted control bot with identical team. Bringing Dragapult (Infiltrator bypasses screens, Light Clay physical boost, 213 Spe for tempo), Gholdengo (Good As Gold immune to status, Expert Belt STAB, Nasty Plot setup, 149 Spe), and Toxapex (wall: Toxic, Recover, Regenerator, Black Belt Gunkshot). Covers physical + special, resists control strategies.
Reasoning trace (1,100 words)
Let me analyze this battle setup carefully. Both teams have the same 6 Pokémon. I need to choose 3 of my 6 to bring into battle. The opponent is a scripted control bot that also brings 3 of its 6 (same species). My team: - Garchomp (Dragon/Ground) - Life Orb, Rough Skin, 183/183 HP, 107 Spe - Corviknight (Flying/Steel) - Leftovers, Mirror Armor, 87 Spe - Toxapex (Poison/Water) - Black Belt, Regenerator, 55 Spe - Gholdengo (Steel/Ghost) - Expert Belt, Good As Gold, 149 Spe - Dragapult (Dragon/Ghost) - Light Clay, Infiltrator, 213 Spe - Quaquaval (Water/Fighting) - Focus Sash, Moxie, 150 Spe Key considerations: 1. The opponent has the same team - this is a mirror match 2. Mega Evolution is available instead of Terastallization 3. I need to pick 3 that work well together and can handle whatever the opponent brings Let me think about what makes a good trio here: **Garchomp**: Great physical attacker, Dragon/Ground. Weak to Ice, Water, Fairy, Grass, Ground (double). With Life Orb, hits hard. Mega Garchomp would be even stronger. **Corviknight**: Flying/Steel - very defensive, resists a lot. Mirror Armor means it reflects status damage. Good for defogging and setting up screens. Weak to Electric, Fire, Fighting. **Toxapex**: Poison/Water - tanky, can Toxic, Recover, Gunkshot. Very slow (55 Spe). Black Belt boosts Gunkshot. Regenerator helps with switching. **Gholdengo**: Steel/Ghost - Good As Gold means it's immune to status moves! Expert Belt boosts STAB. 149 Spe. Flash Cannon, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Nasty Plot. Very versatile special attacker. **Dragapult**: Dragon/Ghost - Light Clay boosts physical attacks by 50%. Infiltrator lets moves bypass screens/substitutes. 213 Spe (fastest). Phantom Force, Dragondarts, Quick Attack, U-turn. Great sweeper. **Quaquaval**: Water/Fighting - Focus Sash guarantees it survives one hit. Moxie boosts ATK after hitting with a super effective move. Close Combat, Liquidation, Aqua Jet, Flip Turn. 150 Spe. For a mirror match, I want: - Speed advantage where possible - Good coverage - Ability to handle the opponent's likely picks Let me think about what the bot might bring. Since it's a "control bot," it might favor defensive options or setup. But since both teams are identical, the bot will just pick 3 from the same pool. Good trio options: 1. **Dragapult, Garchomp, Toxapex** - Dragapult sweeps fast, Garchomp hits hard physically, Toxapex tanks and sets up Toxic. This gives physical pressure + a tank. But both are Dragon-type... 2. **Dragapult, Gholdengo, Corviknight** - Dragapult for speed/physical, Gholdengo for special (Good As Gold is great), Corviknight for defense/defog. Good coverage. 3. **Garchomp, Gholdengo, Toxapex** - Physical + Special + Tank. Good balance. 4. **Dragapult, Quaquaval, Toxapex** - Two fast physical attackers + a tank. Moxie on Quaquaval is great. But both are Dragon... wait, Quaquaval is Water/Fighting, not Dragon. 5. **Garchomp, Gholdengo, Corviknight** - Physical + Special + Defensive. Good balance but no dedicated sweeper. Let me think about matchups: - Against Garchomp: Garchomp resists it (Dragon/Ground vs Dragon/Ground - neutral). But Toxapex is weak to Ground... wait, Toxapex is Poison/Water. Ground is super effective on Poison? No, Ground is not super effective on Poison. Water resists Ground. So Toxapex resists Garchomp's Earthquake! - Against Dragapult: Dragon/Ghost. Garchomp resists Ghost (Dragon resists Ghost). Corviknight resists Ghost (Steel resists Ghost) and resists Dragon? No, Steel is neutral to Dragon. Wait, let me check: Dragon vs Steel = neutral. Ghost vs Steel = immune! So Corviknight is immune to Dragapult's Phantom Force! - Against Gholdengo: Steel/Ghost. Garchomp resists Ghost. Toxapex... Poison/Water vs Steel/Ghost - Water resists Steel? No, Water is neutral to Steel. Actually let me reconsider. Actually, for a mirror match where both sides have the same team, I want to maximize my advantages: - Good As Gold on Gholdengo (immune to status) is very strong - Infiltrator on Dragapult bypasses screens - Mirror Armor on Corviknight reflects damage - Focus Sash + Moxie on Quaquaval I think the best trio is **Dragapult, Garchomp, Toxapex** or **Dragapult, Gholdengo, Toxapex**. Actually, let me reconsider. In a mirror match: - If opponent brings Garchomp, I want something that handles it well - If opponent brings Dragapult, Corviknight is immune to Ghost moves - If opponent brings Gholdengo, physical attackers handle it (it's weak to Ground, Fire, Fighting) I'll go with **Dragapult, Garchomp, Toxapex**: - Dragapult: Fastest, Light Clay boosts physical, Infiltrator. Can sweep. - Garchomp: Strong physical attacker, Life Orb. Mega potential. - Toxapex: Tank, Toxic, Recover, Gunkshot (Black Belt). Regenerator on switch. This gives me: - Two fast physical attackers (Dragapult 213 Spe, Garchomp 107 Spe) - A slow tank (Toxapex 55 Spe) - Good coverage between them - Toxapex can Toxic and recover - Dragapult's Infiltrator bypasses any screens Wait, but I'm missing special attack. Both Garchomp and Dragapult are physical. Toxapex has Gunkshot (physical) and Hex (special). Hmm. Actually, let me reconsider **Dragapult, Gholdengo, Toxapex**: - Dragapult: Fast physical sweeper - Gholdengo: Special attacker with Good As Gold (immune to status), Expert Belt boosts STAB - Toxapex: Tank, Toxic, Recover This gives better type coverage and both physical + special. But I lose the Mega potential of Garchomp. Or **Garchomp, Gholdengo, Toxapex**: - Garchomp: Physical (Mega potential) - Gholdengo: Special - Toxapex: Tank This is a balanced trio but lacks speed. Garchomp at 107 Spe and Gholdengo at 149 Spe are decently fast. I think I'll go with **Dragapult, Garchomp, Toxapex** for the following reasons: 1. Dragapult's 213 Spe is the fastest - it can force switches and pressure 2. Garchomp with Life Orb + Mega potential is devastating 3. Toxapex provides a wall, Toxic, and recovery 4. Together they cover most threats 5. In a mirror match, having the fastest Pokémon (Dragapult) gives me tempo control Actually wait - let me reconsider one more time. The opponent is a "control bot." Control bots tend to: - Set up screens/substitutes - Use status moves - Stall and wear down opponents Against a control bot: - Infiltrator on Dragapult is perfect (bypasses screens) - Good As Gold on Gholdengo is great (immune to status) - Mirror Armor on Corviknight reflects damage Hmm, maybe I should include Gholdengo for the Good As Gold immunity. Let me go with **Dragapult, Gholdengo, Toxapex**: 1. Dragapult: Infiltrator bypasses screens, Light Clay boosts physical, 213 Spe for pressure 2. Gholdengo: Good As Gold immune to status (great vs control bot), Expert Belt + Nasty Plot for big special hits, 149 Spe 3. Toxapex: Tank, Toxic, Recover, Regenerator - the ultimate wall This trio handles both physical and special threats, has speed pressure, and is very resistant to status/control strategies. Final answer: BRING: dragapult, gholdengo, toxapex
- Turn 1Chimps at the Zoo used
PhantomforceBonsai 2 27B usedDragondartsMirror match vs scripted control bot, identical team. Both leads are Dragapult. My Dragapult has Light Clay + Infiltrator, 213 Spe (opponent's range 145-213). Turn 1: use Dragondarts for immediate super-effective pressure (per game data), hits twice with Light Clay boost. Watch for their ability/item reveal. Plan: pressure lead, then switch to Gholdengo or Toxapex based on what they bring in.
Reasoning trace (1,409 words)
Let me analyze this situation carefully. We're in a mirror match - both sides have the same team (Toxapex, Gholdengo, Dragapult). Both leads are Dragapult. My Dragapult: 213 Spe, Light Clay item, Infiltrator ability Opponent's Dragapult: Unknown stats (Spe range 145-213), unknown item/ability Key considerations: - Both are Dragon/Ghost types - My Dragapult has Light Clay (boosts physical moves) and Infiltrator - Opponent's Dragapult could have any of the three abilities listed - Speed is uncertain - either could go first Moves available: 1. Dragondarts - 50 BP x2, Dragon/Physical, super effective on Ghost (wait, no - Dragon is not super effective on Ghost. Let me re-check. Actually, looking at the legal actions, it says "super effective on dragapult" - but wait, Dragon vs Dragon/Ghost... Dragon is neutral against Dragon and Ghost. Hmm, but the game says it's super effective. Let me just go with what the game tells me.) Wait, actually let me re-read: "dragondarts | Dragon, Physical, power 50, 100% accuracy, super effective on dragapult" - The game is telling me this is super effective. I'll trust the game's data. Actually wait - Dragon is NOT super effective against Ghost. And Dragon is neutral against Dragon. So Dragon vs Dragon/Ghost should be neutral (0.5 x 1 = 0.5, not very effective). But the game says "super effective on dragapult." Let me just trust what the game says since it's the authoritative source for this battle. Hmm, actually I think there might be a mistake in the game description, or maybe I'm wrong about type matchups. Let me just go with what the game states. Actually, re-reading: Dragon is super effective against Dragon? No, that's not right in standard Pokémon. But the game explicitly says "super effective on dragapult" for dragondarts. I'll trust the game. Wait, let me reconsider. In some versions or custom rules, type matchups might differ. The game is authoritative here. 2. Phantomforce - 90 BP, Ghost/Physical, super effective on Dragon/Ghost (Ghost is super effective on Ghost). This makes sense! 3. Quickattack - 40 BP, Normal/Physical, priority +1, "no effect on dragapult" - wait, it says no effect? That's odd. Maybe it means no STAB or something. Actually it just says "no effect on dragapult" which might mean it does normal damage (not super effective, not resisted). 4. Uturn - 70 BP, Bug/Physical, "not very effective on dragapult" (Bug is not very effective against Ghost) So the best offensive options: - Phantomforce: 90 BP, Ghost/Physical, super effective (2x), Light Clay boost (+50% physical) = effectively 135 BP equivalent. This is the strongest move. - Dragondarts: 50x2 = 100 total, Dragon/Physical, "super effective" per game (2x?), Light Clay boost Actually wait - if dragondarts is super effective AND hits twice, that's 50*2*2 = 200 equivalent damage. But phantomforce is 90*2 = 180 equivalent. So dragondarts might deal more total damage but has the risk of one hit being blocked or something. But actually, I need to think about what's strategic here. This is a mirror match against a scripted control bot. The opponent likely has: - Garchomp (Dragon/Ground) - physical attacker - Corviknight (Flying/Steel) - defensive - Toxapex (Poison/Water) - wall - Gholdengo (Steel/Ghost) - special attacker - Dragapult (Dragon/Ghost) - physical attacker (current lead) - Quaquaval (Water/Fighting) - mixed The bot is "scripted control" so it probably follows a set strategy. For turn 1, I should: - Use my best move to establish dominance or gather info - Phantomforce is super effective and high power with Light Clay boost - But Phantomforce disappears for one turn (hits next turn) - wait no, "Disappears turn 1. Hits turn 2." This means it's a charge-up move? That would be bad if the opponent switches or uses priority. Actually re-reading: "Disappears turn 1. Hits turn 2. Breaks protection." - This is like Phantom Force in Pokémon, which charges up and hits next turn. If the opponent switches, it still hits (it's a charge move). But if they use Protect or something... actually "Breaks protection" means it breaks through Protect/Reflect/etc. Hmm, but this is risky because: 1. I disappear for one turn (can't act) 2. The opponent could switch out and the phantom still hits their new Pokémon 3. The opponent could use priority moves to hit me while I'm "disappeared" Actually wait - in standard Pokémon, Phantom Force charges up and you can't do anything else that turn. If the opponent switches, the phantom still hits the new Pokémon. But if they use a priority move (like Quick Attack), they could hit you during your charge-up. Given the uncertainty about speed (either could go first), using Phantom Force is risky because: - If I go first: I charge up, opponent can use priority to hit me - If opponent goes first: They attack me, then I charge up Let me reconsider. Maybe I should use Dragondarts instead - it hits immediately, twice, and is super effective per the game. With Light Clay, that's a strong immediate threat. Or Quick Attack for priority? 40 BP with priority +1 guarantees I hit first. But "no effect on dragapult" might mean it does reduced damage or something weird. Actually, let me reconsider the strategic picture. This is turn 1 of a mirror match. The opponent is a scripted control bot. In a mirror match: - Both have the same team composition - The bot likely has a fixed strategy I think the best opening move is to use my strongest immediate attack. Dragondarts with Light Clay and "super effective" (per game) would deal significant damage immediately. It hits twice, so even if one hit misses or is blocked, I still get one. But wait - Phantom Force at 90 BP super effective with Light Clay = 135 equivalent. Dragondarts at 50x2 super effective with Light Clay = 150 equivalent (if both hits land). So Dragondarts deals more total damage but has the risk of one miss. Actually, I'll go with Phantom Force. Here's why: - It's a single hit of 90 BP super effective = very reliable - With Light Clay: ~135 effective power - Against a Dragon/Ghost at level 50, this should deal significant damage - The "disappears" mechanic means I can't be hit by normal attacks next turn (well, actually I think it means I'm in a vulnerable state) Hmm wait, let me reconsider. In Pokémon, when you use Phantom Force: - Turn 1: You charge up (you're still on the field but "disappeared") - Turn 2: The phantom hits During turn 1 (charge), you can still be hit by moves. If the opponent uses a priority move like Quick Attack, they could hit you during your charge. Actually, I think for a mirror match against a control bot, I should play more aggressively. Let me go with Dragondarts - immediate damage, hits twice, super effective per game, Light Clay boost. This establishes pressure immediately without the risk of Phantom Force's charge-up vulnerability. Wait, but actually thinking about it more - in a mirror match where both sides have identical teams, the key is to outmaneuver. The bot is "scripted control" which suggests it might: - Use status moves (Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, etc.) - Set up screens - Switch strategically Using Dragondarts immediately puts pressure on their lead and forces them to react. If they switch, I can follow up with my next Pokémon. I'll go with Dragondarts for immediate pressure. Actually, let me reconsider one more time. The game says dragondarts is "super effective on dragapult" - Dragon type vs Dragon/Ghost. In standard Pokémon: - Dragon vs Dragon: neutral (1x) - Dragon vs Ghost: neutral (1x) So Dragon vs Dragon/Ghost should be 1x (neutral), not super effective. But the game explicitly says "super effective on dragapult." I'll trust the game's description as it defines the rules for this battle. Similarly, Phantom Force is Ghost/Physical and "super effective on dragapult" - Ghost vs Ghost is indeed super effective (2x). This makes sense in standard Pokémon. So both are super effective per the game. Dragondarts hits twice at 50 each = 100 total x 2 (SE) = 200 equivalent. Phantom Force is 90 x 2 (SE) = 180 equivalent. With Light Clay (+50% physical): - Dragondarts: 200 * 1.5 = 300 equivalent - Phantom Force: 180 * 1.5 = 270 equivalent Dragondarts deals more damage but has the risk of one hit not landing (though it's 100% accuracy). I'll go with Dragondarts for maximum immediate damage. Final decision: MOVE: dragondarts
- Turn 2Chimps at the Zoo used
PhantomforceBonsai 2 27B usedDragondartsMirror match vs scripted control bot. Both Dragapults at full HP. My DD missed T1 (unclear why - maybe speed interaction). Light Clay only extends screens, NOT physical boost. Plan: keep pressing with Dragapult's super-effective Dragon Darts (75 BP × 2 hits), then switch to Gholdengo for Nasty Plot or Toxapex as wall. Watch opponent's ability reveal and what they bring in.
Reasoning trace (1,452 words)
Let me analyze the situation: Turn 2 - Both Dragapults are on field, both at full HP (163/163 and 100%). My Dragapult used Dragon Darts last turn but MISSED. The opponent's Dragapult used Phantom Force which hit for damage... wait, actually looking at the battle log: "Your Dragapult missed" - so my Dragon Darts missed. But the opponent's Phantom Force presumably hit. However, both are showing 100% HP now. Wait, let me re-read. Actually, looking more carefully at the battle log: - Opposing Dragapult used Phantom Force - Your Dragapult used Dragon Darts - Your Dragapult missed So my Dragon Darts missed (maybe accuracy issue or something). The opponent's Phantom Force hit. But both are at 100% HP? That's strange. Wait - maybe the damage from Phantom Force was minimal, or maybe I'm misreading. Let me check: both show 163/163 and 100.0% HP. Hmm, actually wait. The opponent's Dragapult is at "100.0% HP" in the opponent section. And my Dragapult is at "163/163 (100.0%)". So both are full HP. That means either: 1. Phantom Force didn't actually deal damage (maybe it was blocked somehow?) 2. Or the battle log is showing that my Dragon Darts missed, and perhaps the opponent's move also didn't land or dealt 0 damage Actually wait - looking at the turn order. Both are Dragapults. Speed: mine is 213, theirs is 145-213. If they're both at full HP, maybe neither landed a hit? But the log says "Your Dragapult missed" for Dragon Darts. It doesn't say the opponent's Phantom Force missed or was blocked. Actually, I think what happened is: - The opponent used Phantom Force (which hits on turn 2) - My Dragon Darts missed - So the opponent's Phantom Force might have hit but... both are at full HP? Wait, maybe I'm overthinking this. Let me just focus on what to do now. Current state: Both Dragapults at full HP. I need to decide my next move. Options: 1. Dragon Darts - super effective (Dragon on Ghost/Dragon), hits twice, 50 BP each. With Light Clay... wait, Light Clay boosts physical moves by 50%. So each hit would be 75 BP effectively. Super effective = 1.5x, so 112.5 BP per hit. That's significant damage. 2. Phantom Force - super effective (Ghost on Ghost/Dragon), 90 BP, hits next turn. With Light Clay: 135 BP. Super effective: 202.5 BP. But it disappears this turn and hits next turn. 3. Quick Attack - priority +1, 40 BP, Normal type. Not very effective on Dragon/Ghost? Actually Normal is neutral to both Dragon and Ghost. So 40 BP with Light Clay = 60 BP. Low damage but guaranteed to hit first. 4. Uturn - Bug, 70 BP, not very effective on Dragon/Ghost (Bug is not very effective against... wait, Bug vs Dragon: neutral. Bug vs Ghost: neutral. Actually let me think... Bug is super effective against Fighting, Rock, Bug. Not very effective against Fire, Flying, Poison, Steel, Dark. So Bug is neutral against both Dragon and Ghost. With Light Clay: 105 BP. But it switches me out. 5. Switch to Gholdengo 6. Switch to Toxapex Given that both are at full HP and this is a mirror match, I should probably continue pressure with my Dragapult. Dragon Darts hitting twice with super effectiveness seems like the best option for immediate damage. Let me calculate: Dragon Darts: 50 BP × 2 hits - Light Clay: +50% physical = 75 BP per hit - Super effective (Dragon on Dragon/Ghost): ×1.5 = 112.5 BP per hit - Against a Dragapult with HP 163-195, Def 85-139 Actually, let me reconsider. The opponent's Dragapult could have any of the abilities: clearbody, infiltrator, cursedbody. If it has Clear Body, stat drops don't affect it (not relevant here). If it has Infiltrator, same as mine. If Cursed Body, 30% chance my move gets disabled. Dragon Darts missed last turn - that's concerning. Maybe there was a speed issue or accuracy problem. But Dragon Darts is 100% accuracy normally. Why did it miss? Maybe the opponent had some kind of protection? Or maybe it just randomly missed (but it's 100% accuracy). Wait, actually in Pokémon Showdown, Dragon Darts has 100% accuracy. The only way it misses is if there's a substitute or something blocking it. But my Dragapult has Infiltrator which bypasses substitutes and screens. So why did it miss? Hmm, maybe the opponent had some kind of ability that causes moves to miss? Or maybe I'm misreading the log. Let me just proceed with the best option. Actually, I wonder if the "miss" was because both moved simultaneously and there was some interaction. In Showdown, when two Pokémon move at the same speed tier, they both act. Dragon Darts is a multi-hit move - maybe one of the hits missed? But it says "Your Dragapult missed" which usually means the whole move missed. Let me just go with Dragon Darts again for pressure. If it misses again, I'll switch. Actually, let me consider Phantom Force instead - it's 90 BP super effective (202.5 with Light Clay + STAB... wait no, Light Clay only boosts physical moves by 50%, and Phantom Force is physical. So 90 × 1.5 = 135 BP, then × 1.5 for super effective = 202.5 BP). That's a lot of damage but it hits next turn. Actually wait - Light Clay boosts the holder's use of Aurora Veil, Light Screen, or Reflect to last 8 turns instead of 5. It does NOT boost physical attack! Let me re-read: "lightclay: Holder's use of Aurora Veil, Light Screen, or Reflect lasts 8 turns instead of 5." Oh no, I was wrong about Light Clay boosting physical moves. That's a different item (Light Clay in some contexts? No...). Actually wait, let me reconsider. In the game data provided: "Item: lightclay" with description "Holder's use of Aurora Veil, Light Screen, or Reflect lasts 8 turns instead of 5." So Light Clay does NOT boost physical attack. I was confusing it with something else. So my damage calculations are wrong. Let me recalculate: - Dragon Darts: 50 BP × 2 hits, super effective (×1.5) = 75 BP per hit - Phantom Force: 90 BP, super effective (×1.5) = 135 BP, hits next turn - Quick Attack: 40 BP, neutral = 40 BP - Uturn: 70 BP, neutral = 70 BP Against a Dragapult with HP ~163-195 and Def ~85-139: - Dragon Darts per hit: roughly (2 × 75 × Atk) / (4 × Def + 5) ... this is getting complex. Let me just estimate. For a level 50 Pokémon with base stats, the damage formula gives roughly: - My Dragapult Atk: 172 - Opponent's Def: let's say ~110 (middle of range) - Dragon Darts per hit: (2 × 75 × 172) / (4 × 110 + 5) ≈ 25800 / 445 ≈ 58 HP per hit, so ~116 total for two hits That would be about 60-70% of the opponent's HP. Significant damage! Phantom Force: (2 × 135 × 172) / (4 × 110 + 5) ≈ 46440 / 445 ≈ 104 HP. That's about 60% of their HP in one hit next turn. Both are good options. Dragon Darts hits now, Phantom Force hits next turn but for more damage. Given that my Dragon Darts missed last turn (which is weird), maybe I should go with Phantom Force to ensure a big hit next turn? Or stick with Dragon Darts for immediate pressure? Actually, let me reconsider why Dragon Darts missed. In Showdown, if both Pokémon are at the same speed and both move, they both take their actions. The "miss" might have been because... hmm. Actually, I think in some cases with multi-hit moves, if the target is already fainted or something... but that doesn't apply here. You know what, let me just go with Dragon Darts for immediate pressure. If it misses again, I'll switch to Gholdengo which has 149 Spe and can use Nasty Plot or hit with Flash Cannon/Shadow Ball. Actually, wait. Let me reconsider the strategy. This is a mirror match. Both sides have identical teams. The opponent is a "scripted control bot." My plan from team preview was: pressure lead with Dragapult, then switch based on what they bring in. Since both are at full HP and it's turn 2, I should continue applying pressure. Dragon Darts for immediate super-effective damage seems right. Let me go with that. Actually, one more thought - the opponent's Phantom Force from last turn: if it hit, the opponent should have taken damage. But they're showing 100% HP. This is confusing. Maybe the battle log is incomplete or I'm misreading it. Regardless, both are at full HP now. I'll go with Dragon Darts for immediate pressure.
Bonsai 2 27B switched toGholdengoMirror match vs scripted bot. My Dragapult fainted after missing DD twice while their PF hit super effectively (unclear why - maybe stat boost or ability interaction). Their Dragapult is at 100% HP, Dragon/Ghost, unknown item/ability. Switching to Gholdengo: resists their Ghost STAB (0.5x), higher speed (149), Good As Gold immune to status, Expert Belt for STAB. Can Nasty Plot if they switch out. Watch what they bring in next.
Reasoning trace (617 words)
Let me analyze the situation: - My Dragapult fainted on Turn 2 after missing Dragon Darts twice (Turns 1 and 2) while the opponent's Dragapult hit with Phantom Force (super effective, Ghost > Dragon/Ghost... wait, actually Ghost is super effective against Dragon? No. Let me think again. Actually, looking at the battle log: - Turn 1: Opposing Dragapult used Phantom Force, My Dragapult used Dragon Darts, My Dragapult missed - Turn 2: My Dragapult used Dragon Darts (missed), Opposing Dragapult used Phantom Force (super effective), My Dragapult fainted Wait, why did my Dragapult miss twice? And why was Phantom Force super effective against my Dragapult? My Dragapult is Dragon/Ghost. Phantom Force is Ghost-type. Ghost vs Dragon/Ghost: Ghost is neutral to Dragon, and Ghost is immune to Ghost (Ghost resists Ghost). So it should be neutral or resisted... unless the opponent's ability is something that changes this. Wait, actually looking more carefully - "It was super effective" refers to Phantom Force being super effective against my Dragapult. But Ghost vs Dragon/Ghost should be: - Ghost vs Dragon: Neutral (1x) - Ghost vs Ghost: Resisted (0.5x) So it should be 0.5x, not super effective. Unless... the opponent's ability is something weird. Or maybe I'm wrong about the typing. Let me reconsider. Actually wait - in Pokémon Showdown, Dragon/Ghost takes: - Ghost attacks: resisted (Ghost resists Ghost) So it should be 0.5x. But the log says "super effective." This is confusing. Maybe there's a stat boost or something I'm not accounting for. Or maybe the opponent has an ability that makes their move super effective. Actually, looking at the possible abilities for the opponent's Dragapult: clearbody, infiltrator, cursedbody. None of these would make Ghost super effective against Dragon/Ghost. Hmm, but regardless - my Dragapult is fainted. I need to switch. Now, what should I bring in? - Gholdengo (Steel/Ghost): Good As Gold (immune to status), 149 Spe, Expert Belt (STAB boost). Can use Flash Cannon, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Nasty Plot. - Toxapex (Poison/Water): Regenerator, Black Belt (Gunkshot boosted), 55 Spe. The opponent's Dragapult is at 100% HP and has used Phantom Force. It's a Dragon/Ghost type. Against Gholdengo (Steel/Ghost): - Phantom Force (Ghost): Ghost vs Steel/Ghost = resisted (0.5x) - So Gholdengo resists their main attack. Against Toxapex (Poison/Water): - Phantom Force (Ghost): Ghost vs Poison/Water = neutral to both? Let me check: - Ghost vs Poison: Neutral - Ghost vs Water: Neutral - So it's neutral. Gholdengo seems better because: 1. It resists the opponent's Phantom Force (0.5x) 2. It has higher speed (149 vs 55 for Toxapex) 3. It can use Nasty Plot to set up 4. Expert Belt gives STAB boost on Flash Cannon/Shadow Ball The opponent's Dragapult is Dragon/Ghost. Gholdengo's Shadow Ball would be super effective (Ghost > Ghost? No, Ghost vs Ghost is resisted). Wait: - Shadow Ball (Ghost) vs Dragon/Ghost: Ghost resists Ghost, so 0.5x. Not great. - Flash Cannon (Steel) vs Dragon/Ghost: Steel vs Dragon = neutral, Steel vs Ghost = neutral. So 1x. - Thunderbolt (Electric) vs Dragon/Ghost: Electric vs Dragon = neutral, Electric vs Ghost = neutral. So 1x. Hmm, none of Gholdengo's moves are super effective against Dragon/Ghost. But at least it resists their Phantom Force. Actually wait - let me reconsider. The opponent's Dragapult could switch out to something else. They have garchomp, corviknight, toxapex, gholdengo, quaquaval still in the pool (minus whatever they brought). Given that my lead fainted and I'm facing a full HP Dragon/Ghost, Gholdengo is the better choice because: 1. It resists their Ghost-type attacks 2. Higher speed means it can act first 3. Can set up with Nasty Plot if needed 4. Good As Gold protects from status Let me go with Gholdengo.
- Turn 3Chimps at the Zoo used
QuickattackBonsai 2 27B usedNastyplotMirror match vs scripted bot. Gholdengo active at full HP, Good As Gold protects from status. Opponent's Dragapult at 100% HP, unknown ability/item. My Dragapult fainted turn 2 (missed DD twice). Setting up with Nasty Plot for +2 SpA boost; next turn Shadow Ball becomes devastatingly strong. If they switch, I follow up on their next Pokémon with boosted attack.
Reasoning trace (897 words)
Let me analyze the situation: - My Gholdengo is active at 162/162 HP (full health) - Opponent's Dragapult is active at 100% HP - I'm facing a mirror match against a scripted control bot with identical team - My Dragapult fainted on turn 2 after missing Dragon Darts twice while their Phantom Force hit super effectively Key considerations: - Gholdengo has Good As Gold (immune to status) and Expert Belt (1.2x on super effective moves) - Shadow Ball is super effective against Dragon/Ghost (Ghost vs Ghost = neutral, but wait... let me check) - Actually, Ghost vs Ghost is NEUTRAL, not super effective - Wait, the legal actions say "super effective on dragapult" for shadowball. Let me re-check. - Gholdengo is Steel/Ghost. Shadow Ball is Ghost type. Dragapult is Dragon/Ghost. - Ghost vs Ghost = neutral (1x) - But the game says it's super effective... Hmm, maybe I'm wrong about the typing interaction. Actually wait - let me reconsider. In Pokémon: - Ghost attacks on Ghost types: NEUTRAL (1x) - So Shadow Ball should be neutral against Dragapult (Dragon/Ghost) But the legal actions explicitly state "super effective on dragapult" for shadowball. I'll trust the game data over my own knowledge here. Maybe there's something about the specific matchup or I'm misremembering. Actually, wait. Let me re-read: "shadowball | Ghost, Special, power 80, 100% accuracy, super effective on dragapult" Hmm, this is what the game says. I'll go with it. But actually, in standard Pokémon typing, Ghost vs Ghost is neutral. Unless there's some other factor at play. Let me just trust the game data. Actually, I think I might be wrong. Let me reconsider: In some generations or specific contexts... No, Ghost vs Ghost is definitely neutral in all mainline games. But the game explicitly says it's super effective. I'll trust the game. - Flash Cannon: Steel type, not very effective on Dragon/Ghost (Steel resists Dragon? No... Steel vs Dragon = neutral, Steel vs Ghost = neutral). Actually wait - Steel attacks on Ghost types are NEUTRAL. So Flash Cannon would be neutral too. Hmm, but the game says Flash Cannon has "10% chance to lower the target's Sp. Def by 1" which is unusual for a standard move. - Thunderbolt: Electric type, not very effective on Dragon/Ghost (Electric vs Ghost = NEUTRAL actually... wait no). Let me think: - Electric vs Dragon: neutral - Electric vs Ghost: neutral - So it should be neutral, but the game says "not very effective" - Nasty Plot: Raises Sp. Atk by 2. This is a setup move. Strategy considerations: 1. The opponent's Dragapult is at full HP and I don't know its ability or item 2. My Gholdengo has Good As Gold (immune to status) so it can safely use Nasty Plot 3. If I use Nasty Plot, I set up for a stronger Shadow Ball next turn 4. If I use Shadow Ball now, I deal damage immediately but without the boost Given that: - The opponent's Dragapult is at full HP - My Gholdengo is also at full HP - Good As Gold means I can't be statused (paralyzed, etc.) - Nasty Plot gives +2 Sp. Atk which would make my next Shadow Ball much stronger But wait - the speed check: "your gholdengo 149 vs opposing dragapult 145-213 (possible range): either could move first" If the opponent's Dragapult is faster, it could hit me with Phantom Force before I can Nasty Plot. But if I'm faster, I get to set up. Actually, let me think about what's optimal: - If I use Shadow Ball now: deals 80 power (super effective per game data = 1.5x or 2x?), plus Expert Belt bonus of 1.2x on super effective moves - If I use Nasty Plot: sets up for a much stronger attack next turn, but risks the opponent switching out Given that this is a control bot and it's a mirror match, I think the safest play is to set up with Nasty Plot since Good As Gold protects me from status. The +2 Sp. Atk boost will make my Shadow Ball devastatingly strong. Even if they switch, I can follow up on their next Pokémon. Actually wait - let me reconsider. If the opponent's Dragapult is faster (up to 213 vs my 149), it could hit me with Phantom Force first. But Good As Gold only protects from STATUS moves, not physical attacks. So if they're faster, they'll hit me with PF before I can Nasty Plot. But if I use Shadow Ball and they're faster, they still get to hit me with PF. Either way, if they're faster, they get a free hit. The key question: should I try to set up or deal damage now? Given that: - Their Dragapult is at full HP - I'm at full HP - If I Nasty Plot and they switch, I can use the boost on their next Pokémon - If I Shadow Ball and it doesn't KO them, I still have a strong attacker - The bot is scripted, so it might follow predictable patterns I think Nasty Plot is the better play here. Good As Gold makes it safe (no status to interrupt), and +2 Sp. Atk will make my next attack much more threatening. Even if they switch out, I can use the boost on their next Pokémon. Let me go with Nasty Plot.
- Turn 4Chimps at the Zoo used
UturnBonsai 2 27B usedShadowballGholdengo at full HP with SpA +2 and Expert Belt (1.2x on SE). Opponent's Dragapult at 100% HP, Dragon/Ghost. Shadow Ball is super effective (Ghost vs Ghost = 2x) AND gets Expert Belt bonus. This should be a massive hit - likely KO or near-KO. If it KOs, I switch to Toxapex for bulk. If not, follow up next turn. Their remaining team: garchomp, corviknight, toxapex, gholdengo, quaquaval (3 of 6 at preview, 2 more unseen).
Reasoning trace (1,061 words)
Let me analyze the situation: - My Gholdengo is active at 162/162 HP, with SpA +2 boost (from Nasty Plot) - Opponent's Dragapult is active at 100% HP - I have Shadow Ball which is super effective on Dragon/Ghost (Ghost is super effective on Ghost? No wait - Ghost is not very effective against Ghost. Let me reconsider.) Wait, let me check type matchups: - Gholdengo is Steel/Ghost - Opponent's Dragapult is Dragon/Ghost Shadow Ball (Ghost) vs Dragon/Ghost: - Ghost vs Dragon: neutral (1x) - Ghost vs Ghost: not very effective (0.5x) - So Shadow Ball would be 0.5x against a Ghost-type... but wait, the battle log says "It was super effective" for Phantom Force on my Dragapult. Let me re-read. Actually wait - in Turn 2, it says "Opposing Dragapult used Phantom Force / It was super effective". My Dragapult is Dragon/Ghost. Phantom Force is Ghost. Ghost vs Dragon/Ghost: Ghost is not very effective against Ghost (0.5x), but neutral against Dragon (1x). So overall it should be 0.5x, not super effective. Hmm, but the log says "It was super effective." Maybe I'm wrong about the type chart. Let me reconsider... Actually wait - in Pokémon, Ghost is NOT very effective against Ghost types. But maybe the bot's stats or something made it hit differently? Or maybe I'm misremembering the type chart. Let me just go with what the log says. Actually, looking more carefully at the battle log: - Turn 2: "Opposing Dragapult used Phantom Force / It was super effective" - this was against my Dragapult (Dragon/Ghost) Hmm, but Ghost vs Ghost should be not very effective. Unless... wait, maybe I have the type chart wrong. Let me think again. Ghost is super effective against Poison and Ghost. Wait no! Ghost is NOT very effective against Ghost. Ghost is super effective against Poison and Ghost... Actually, let me reconsider. In Pokémon: - Ghost is super effective against: Poison, Ghost - Ghost is not very effective against: Dark, Steel - Ghost is neutral against: Normal, Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Ice, Fighting, Rock, Bug, Dragon Wait, I think I was wrong. Let me reconsider: - Ghost vs Ghost: NOT VERY EFFECTIVE (0.5x) So Phantom Force (Ghost) on my Dragapult (Dragon/Ghost) should be 0.5x overall (1x vs Dragon * 0.5x vs Ghost). But the log says "super effective." This is confusing. Maybe the bot has a different type chart, or maybe I'm wrong. Regardless, the log clearly states it was super effective. Let me just work with what's in front of me. Now for my turn: - Gholdengo (Steel/Ghost) with SpA +2 - Opponent Dragapult (Dragon/Ghost) at 100% HP Let me check Shadow Ball (Ghost) vs Dragon/Ghost: - If Ghost is not very effective against Ghost (0.5x), then Shadow Ball would be 0.5x - But if the log says PF was "super effective" on a Ghost type, maybe in this game's context it works differently Actually, I think I need to just trust the battle data. The legal actions say: - shadowball | Ghost, Special, power 80, 100% accuracy, super effective on dragapult So Shadow Ball IS super effective on Dragapult! That means in this game's type chart, Ghost is super effective against Dragon/Ghost. Maybe the bot uses a different type chart or I'm wrong about the standard one. Wait - actually, let me reconsider. In some contexts: - Ghost is super effective against Poison and Ghost types So if Dragapult is Dragon/Ghost, then Ghost moves would be: - vs Dragon: neutral (1x) - vs Ghost: super effective (2x) - Total: 2x = super effective! YES! That's it. I was wrong earlier. Ghost IS super effective against Ghost types in Pokémon. Let me correct my understanding: - Ghost is super effective against: Poison, Ghost - Ghost is not very effective against: Dark, Steel So Shadow Ball (Ghost) on Dragon/Ghost = 1x * 2x = 2x = SUPER EFFECTIVE. That matches the legal actions description! And Phantom Force (Ghost) on my Dragapult (Dragon/Ghost) = also super effective. That explains Turn 2! Great, so now: - Shadow Ball is super effective (2x) on opponent's Dragapult - With SpA +2 boost and Expert Belt (1.2x for super effective moves), the damage would be: - Base: 80 * 2 (SE) * 1.2 (Expert Belt) = 192 effective power - With SpA +2: Gholdengo's SpA is 185, with +2 it becomes 185 * 4 = 740... wait no, stat stages work differently. Actually for damage calculation: - SpA base: 185 - With +2 stage: 185 * (1 + 2/2) = 185 * 2 = 370 effective SpA - Power: 80 - SE multiplier: 2x - Expert Belt: 1.2x for super effective moves So effective power = 80 * 2 * 1.2 = 192 Damage roughly proportional to (SpA * power) / target's SpD The opponent's Dragapult has SpD in range 85-139. Let's say around 100-120. This should be a very strong hit. With the +2 boost and Expert Belt, Shadow Ball should deal massive damage to their Dragapult. Should I use Shadow Ball or switch? Options: 1. Shadow Ball - super effective, with +2 SpA and Expert Belt, this should do significant damage (possibly KO) 2. Switch to Toxapex - safe but gives up the momentum 3. Flash Cannon - Steel vs Dragon/Ghost: neutral vs Dragon, not very effective vs Ghost? Wait, Steel is not very effective against... Steel, Fire, Rock. Against Dragon it's neutral, against Ghost it's neutral. So Flash Cannon would be 1x. Not as good. 4. Thunderbolt - Electric vs Dragon/Ghost: neutral vs both. 1x. Not great. 5. Nasty Plot again - but I'm already at +2, going to +4 might be overkill and risky if they switch I think Shadow Ball is the best choice here. With SpA +2 and Expert Belt making it 1.2x on super effective moves, this should deal enormous damage. Let me estimate: Gholdengo's SpA at +2: The stat stage formula for special attack is (base * level/50 + 5) * (1 + stage/2). At level 50 with base 185... actually the exact formula doesn't matter much. The point is it's significantly boosted. With power 80, SE 2x, Expert Belt 1.2x, and SpA +2, this should be a very strong hit. Against a Dragon/Ghost with SpD in range 85-139, this could potentially KO or deal massive damage. I'll go with Shadow Ball to try to KO their Dragapult.
Chimps at the Zoo switched toToxapex - Turn 5Chimps at the Zoo used
ToxicBonsai 2 27B usedThunderboltGholdengo at 152/162 HP with SpA+2 and Expert Belt. Opponent's Toxapex at 24% HP. Thunderbolt is SE (2x) on Poison/Water AND gets Expert Belt bonus (1.2x), so ~2.7x more damage than the Shadow Ball that already dropped it to 24%. This will KO. After KO, switch to Toxapex for bulk against their remaining threats (Garchomp, Corviknight, Gholdengo, Quaquaval - one still unseen).
Reasoning trace (885 words)
Let me analyze the current situation: - My Gholdengo is active at 152/162 HP (93.8%), with SpA +2 boost and Expert Belt - Opponent's Toxapex is active at 24% HP - I move first (Gholdengo speed 149 vs Toxapex speed 49-95) My options: 1. Flash Cannon - Steel, not very effective on Toxapex (0.5x), 80 BP, 10% lower SpD 2. Shadow Ball - Ghost, super effective on Toxapex? Wait... Toxapex is Poison/Water. Ghost vs Poison/Water = neutral (Ghost is not super effective against Poison or Water). Actually wait - let me reconsider. Ghost is neutral against both Poison and Water. So Shadow Ball would be neutral, not super effective. Wait, but in Turn 4 the log says "Your Gholdengo used Shadow Ball" and "Opposing Toxapex is at 24%". Let me recalculate. With SpA +2 (1.5x multiplier) and Expert Belt... wait, Expert Belt only applies to super effective attacks. If Ghost vs Poison/Water is neutral, then Expert Belt doesn't apply. Actually, let me reconsider the type matchups: - Ghost vs Poison: neutral - Ghost vs Water: neutral So Shadow Ball would be neutral (1x). With SpA +2: 185 * 1.5 = 277.5 → 277 effective SpA Shadow Ball: 80 BP, neutral Damage = (277/127) * 80 / 2 ≈ 174... wait let me use the proper formula. Actually at level 50, damage formula is roughly: ((2*level+2)/5 + 2) * power * attacker_spA / defender_spd / 50 + 2 For Gholdengo SpA with +2 boost: base 185 * 1.5 = 277 (rounded down to 277) Toxapex SpD: let's say around 194 (from my team, but opponent's could be different, range 145-213) Damage ≈ ((2*50+2)/5 + 2) * 80 * 277 / SpD / 50 + 2 = (20.4 + 2) * 80 * 277 / SpD / 50 + 2 = 22.4 * 80 * 277 / SpD / 50 + 2 = 22.4 * 13.84 / SpD * ... Hmm, let me just think about it more simply. The opponent's Toxapex is at 24% HP after one Shadow Ball hit with SpA+2. So the damage was significant. Now for Turn 5: - Thunderbolt: Electric vs Poison/Water = super effective (2x). With Expert Belt, this gets 1.2x bonus on top of the 2x SE. So effective multiplier is 2 * 1.2 = 2.4x. Plus SpA +2 gives 1.5x. Total: 3.6x damage multiplier. - Shadow Ball: Ghost vs Poison/Water = neutral (1x). No Expert Belt bonus. Just SpA +2 for 1.5x. So Thunderbolt is clearly the better choice here! It's super effective AND gets the Expert Belt bonus. Let me calculate if it KOs: Toxapex at 24% HP. If max HP is around 127 (from my team) or in range 125-157, let's say ~140 average. 24% of 140 ≈ 34 HP remaining. Thunderbolt: 90 BP, SE (2x), Expert Belt (1.2x), SpA+2 (1.5x) Effective power = 90 * 2 * 1.2 * 1.5 = 324 effective power equivalent Gholdengo SpA with +2: 185 * 1.5 = 277 Toxapex SpD: let's estimate around 194 (similar to mine) or in range 145-213 Damage ≈ (277/194) * 324 / 50 + 2 ≈ 1.43 * 6.48 + 2 ≈ 9.27 + 2 ≈ 11.27... Hmm, that doesn't seem right. Let me use a different approach. Actually the standard damage formula at level 50: Damage = floor(floor(floor(2*50+2)/5 + 2) * power * SpA / SpD / 50) + 2 With SE and Expert Belt, the "power" is effectively multiplied. Base: (102/5 + 2) = 22.4 → floor to 22 22 * 90 * 277 / 194 / 50 + 2 = 22 * 90 * 277 / 9700 + 2 = 22 * 25.63 + 2 ≈ 564 + 2... Wait I'm confusing myself. Let me just think about it differently. The Shadow Ball already brought Toxapex to 24%. If Shadow Ball (neutral, no Expert Belt) did ~76% damage with SpA+2, then Thunderbolt (SE 2x, Expert Belt 1.2x, so 2.4x vs neutral) would do roughly 2.4/1 = 2.4 times as much damage... but wait, Shadow Ball is 80 BP and Thunderbolt is 90 BP. So ratio: (90 * 2 * 1.2) / (80 * 1) = 216/80 = 2.7x more damage than Shadow Ball. If Shadow Ball did ~76% damage, Thunderbolt would do ~76% * 2.7 ≈ 205%... which is way overkill. It will definitely KO. Wait, but Toxapex is at 24% HP. Even if it only does 100% of its max HP in damage, it KOs. And Thunderbolt with all those multipliers will easily do more than 100%. So the answer is clear: use Thunderbolt to KO the Toxapex. Actually wait - I should double check. Is Electric super effective against Poison/Water? - Electric vs Poison: neutral (Poison resists Electric? No... let me think) - Electric type matchups: Electric resists Electric, Flying; is weak to Ground, Rock - Poison type matchups: Poison resists Grass, Fighting, Bug, Fairy; is weak to Ground, Psychic - Water type matchups: Water resists Water, Fire, Ice, Steel; is weak to Electric, Grass So Electric vs Water = super effective (2x) Electric vs Poison = neutral Combined: 2x * 1x = 2x super effective. Yes! Thunderbolt is super effective on Toxapex. And the LEGAL ACTIONS confirm: "MOVE: thunderbolt | Electric, Special, power 90, 100% accuracy, super effective on toxapex" So I'll use Thunderbolt to KO the Toxapex.
Chimps at the Zoo switched toGholdengo - Turn 6Chimps at the Zoo switched to
DragapultBonsai 2 27B usedShadowballGholdengo at 152/162 HP with SpA+2 and Expert Belt facing full HP opposing Gholdengo (Steel/Ghost). Shadow Ball is SE (2x) on Ghost typing, plus Expert Belt (1.2x) and SpA+2 = massive damage, should be a guaranteed KO. After KO, assess next threat (likely Garchomp or Corviknight from their remaining team). Speed uncertain vs their Gholdengo but doesn't matter if it KOs.
Reasoning trace (745 words)
Let me analyze the situation: - My Gholdengo is active at 152/162 HP with SpA +2 and Expert Belt - Opponent's Gholdengo is active at 100% HP (Steel/Ghost) - Speed: my Gholdengo 149 vs opposing Gholdengo 93-149 (could go either way) My options: 1. Flash Cannon - not very effective on Steel/Ghost (Ghost resists Steel? No wait, Ghost is neutral to Steel. Actually, Steel is immune to... no. Let me think: Steel type resists Normal, Grass, Ice, Bug, Rock, Dragon, Fairy, Steel, Flying, Poison. Ghost is NOT in that list. So Flash Cannon would be NEUTRAL on Ghost, but not very effective on Steel (Steel resists Steel). So it's 0.5x.) 2. Shadow Ball - Ghost vs Ghost = neutral? Wait no. Ghost attacks are super effective against Ghost and Dark types. But the target is Steel/Ghost. Ghost move vs Ghost type = super effective (2x). But wait, does Steel resist Ghost? No, Steel doesn't resist Ghost. So Shadow Ball would be 2x on the Ghost typing. That's super effective. 3. Thunderbolt - Electric vs Steel/Ghost = not very effective (Steel resists Electric) AND immune to... no, Ghost isn't immune to Electric. So it's 0.5x. 4. Nasty Plot - raises SpA by 2 more (would make it +4) 5. Switch to Toxapex Wait, let me reconsider the type matchups: - Shadow Ball (Ghost) vs Steel/Ghost: Ghost is super effective against Ghost (2x), and neutral against Steel. So total = 2x. With Expert Belt (1.2x on SE) and SpA +2, this would be devastating. Actually wait - let me recheck. Ghost type moves are super effective against Ghost and Dark types. They are not very effective against... nothing? Actually, Ghost is neutral against most types except it's immune to Normal and Fighting. So vs Steel/Ghost: 2x (Ghost SE on Ghost) × 1 (neutral on Steel) = 2x total. With SpA +2 (4x base damage multiplier from boosts... wait no, SpA +2 means the stat is multiplied by 4? No! In Pokémon, each stage of boost multiplies the stat by a factor. Stage +1 = 1.5x, +2 = 2x, +3 = 2.5x, +4 = 3x, +5 = 3.5x, +6 = 4x. So SpA +2 means 2x the base SpA. So Shadow Ball: 80 BP × 2 (SE) × 1.2 (Expert Belt) × 2 (SpA+2) = effective power of 384. That's a massive hit on a full HP Gholdengo with ~162-194 HP and SpD 99-157. Let me estimate: At level 50, damage formula is roughly: Damage = ((2*Level/5 + 2) × BP × Atk × Def / (Def × target_def)) / 50 + 2 With SpA+2, my Gholdengo's effective SpA would be around 185 × 2 = 370. Target SpD: let's say ~111-157 range, let's use ~130 as midpoint. Damage ≈ ((2*50/5 + 2) × 80 × 370 / 130) / 50 + 2 = ((20+2) × 80 × 370 / 130) / 50 + 2 = (22 × 80 × 370 / 130) / 50 + 2 = (649,600 / 130) / 50 + 2 = 4996.9 / 50 + 2 = 99.9 + 2 = ~102 Wait, that doesn't account for the SE and Expert Belt properly. Let me redo: Actually the damage formula applies modifiers differently. The effective power would be BP × STAB × type effectiveness × item bonus. But in the formula, it's just BP × (type multiplier) × (item multiplier). Let me use a simpler approach. Base damage at level 50 with SpA 185 vs SpD ~130: Base = ((2*50/5 + 2) * 80 * 185 / 130) / 50 + 2 = (22 * 80 * 185 / 130) / 50 + 2 = (326,800 / 130) / 50 + 2 = 2513.8 / 50 + 2 = 50.3 + 2 = ~52 damage With SpA+2: multiply by 2 → ~104 With SE (2x): multiply by 2 → ~208 With Expert Belt (1.2x): multiply by 1.2 → ~250 That would definitely KO a Gholdengo with 162-194 HP! So Shadow Ball is the clear choice here. It's super effective, boosted, and should be a guaranteed KO. Actually wait - I need to double check: is Ghost super effective against Steel/Ghost? - Ghost vs Ghost = 2x (super effective) - Ghost vs Steel = 1x (neutral) Total multiplier = 2x × 1x = 2x. Yes, super effective. So my decision: MOVE: shadowball This should KO their Gholdengo. After that, I'll likely switch to Toxapex or keep Gholdengo up depending on what comes next.
Chimps at the Zoo switched toGholdengo - Turn 7Chimps at the Zoo used
FlashcannonBonsai 2 27B usedShadowballGholdengo (SpA+2, Expert Belt) vs full HP opposing Gholdengo. Shadow Ball: Ghost STAB 1.5x × SE 2x × Expert Belt 1.2x × SpA+2 ≈ guaranteed KO even at max SpD 157. After KO, switch to Toxapex for bulk. Opponent's remaining unseen: garchomp, corviknight, quaquaval (3 of 6 seen so far).
Reasoning trace (637 words)
Let me analyze the situation: - My Gholdengo is at 152/162 HP with SpA+2 and Expert Belt (1.2x on SE) - Opposing Gholdengo is at 100% HP, Steel/Ghost typing - Shadow Ball is super effective (Ghost vs Ghost = 2x), plus Expert Belt (1.2x), plus SpA+2 Let me calculate the damage: - Base power: 80 - STAB: Ghost on Steel/Ghost = 2x (super effective) - Expert Belt: 1.2x - SpA+2: ~2.5x multiplier for special attack - Critical hit chance: 3% The damage formula: ((2*Level/5 + 2) * Power * STAB * Type * Other / 50) + 2 With Level 50, base SpA of Gholdengo is 185 (my side), but opponent's could be in range 137-203. Let me use my stats since I know them: - My SpA: 185 * 2.5 (SpA+2) = ~462 effective - Opponent's SpD: 99-157, let's say around 111 (my Gholdengo's SpD is 111, theirs could be similar) Actually wait - the opponent's Gholdengo has stats in range [HP 162-194, Atk 72-123, Def 103-161, SpA 137-203, SpD 99-157, Spe 93-149]. So their SpD could be as low as 99 or as high as 157. Let me estimate damage with Shadow Ball: - Power: 80 - STAB: Ghost on Steel/Ghost = 2x (super effective) - Expert Belt: 1.2x - Type effectiveness: 2x (Ghost vs Ghost) - SpA+2: ~2.5x Damage ≈ ((2*50/5 + 2) * 80 * 2 * 1.2 / 50) * (my effective SpA / their SpD) Wait, let me use the standard formula more carefully: - Base damage = (2*Level/5 + 2) * Power * STAB * Type / 50 - = (2*50/5 + 2) * 80 * 1 * 2 / 50 - = (20 + 2) * 80 * 2 / 50 - = 22 * 160 / 50 - = 3520 / 50 - = 70.4 Then multiply by (Attacker's SpA / Defender's SpD): My effective SpA with +2: 185 * 2.5 ≈ 462 Their SpD: let's say around 111-157 range, maybe ~130 average So damage ≈ 70.4 * (462/130) ≈ 70.4 * 3.55 ≈ 250 Plus Expert Belt: 250 * 1.2 ≈ 300 Wait, I need to reconsider. The Expert Belt applies to super effective attacks. Shadow Ball is already super effective (Ghost vs Ghost). So the 1.2x applies on top of the 2x type effectiveness. Actually let me recalculate: - Base damage = (2*50/5 + 2) * Power / 50 = 22 * 80 / 50 = 35.2 - STAB: Ghost on Steel/Ghost = 1x (Ghost is a type of the attacker, so STAB applies) Wait, Gholdengo is Steel/Ghost. Shadow Ball is Ghost-type. So STAB = 1.5x (dual STAB? No, only one type matches). Actually for dual types, if the move matches one of the two types, it gets 1.5x STAB. So: - Base damage = 22 * 80 / 50 = 35.2 - STAB: 1.5x (Ghost matches) - Type effectiveness: 2x (Ghost vs Ghost on Steel/Ghost) - Expert Belt: 1.2x (applies because it's super effective) Total multiplier before SpA/SpD: 35.2 * 1.5 * 2 * 1.2 = 126.72 Then: 126.72 * (My effective SpA / Their SpD) = 126.72 * (462 / ~130) = 126.72 * 3.55 ≈ 450 That's way more than their HP of 162-194. So Shadow Ball will definitely KO. Even with their max SpD of 157: = 126.72 * (462 / 157) = 126.72 * 2.94 ≈ 372 Still way over 194 HP. Guaranteed KO. So I should use Shadow Ball to KO their Gholdengo. After that, I'll have Toxapex ready for the next switch. Actually wait - let me reconsider. The opponent's Gholdengo has SpD range of 99-157. Even at max 157, my damage is ~372 which exceeds their max HP of 194. So it's a guaranteed KO regardless of stat spread. I'll use Shadow Ball to KO their Gholdengo.