Soham W4 PRs

Yetii vs Python:

Yetii: Lead Conk put Python in some pressure, as he did not have any inherent Knock Off switch in. EQ on Conk was good bring, as it hit 4 out of 6 of Python's mons for super effective damage. The Iron Head flinch on Conk was certainly unfortunate, because if it weren't for it, Yetii could still preserve Conk for later in the game to clean up with Mach Punch, especially since Python had just one fighting type resist left at that point (well... assuming he was carrying Mach, that is). The Mega Blast dropping in one Thunderbolt to Regice was... shocking (okay, bad pun). Going into Lando and then doubling into Koko was a good play, as the Regice was obviously Specs at that point. Yache Berry Lando was good here, as the low roll on the HP Ice from Ape allowed it to get up rocks, which came in clutch later. An inexplicable series of plays from Python allowed Yetii to seal off the win without much hassle. Overall, a good performance from and a neat win for Yetii.

Python: ... well then this was bad. The first thing that struck me was the lack of a stronger Ghost STAB on the Aegi, although that did not matter too much because of the Iron Head flich on the Conk, and Regice being Specs (although tbh, if Aegi did have Shadow Claw/Ball it would have weakened the Mega Blast to the point where a non-Specs Tbolt would have taken it out, and Yetii could not have made the Lando-double-switch-into-Koko play as confidently as he did. Regice + Sash Ape temporarily brought him back into the game... but then he threw away the Lycanroc for some reason... even tho Ape was incapable of coming in on Rocks anymore. At that point it was practically Regice vs the world because the Xatu would not have been able to take on the Hydreigon anyway... and this is where you imagine what could have been if Python had not sacked the Lycanroc for no reason. Because, then depending on set, it might have been able to clean up late game after the Koko dropped. Oh well, shit happens,. Hopefully he'll be able to bounce back next week with a better showing.


Milli vs Jean:

Milli: That lead Archeops set was doing doing good damage. If it weren't for that annoying Leech Seed Bulu set, that thing would have incapacited both of Jean's fairy types, potentially giving Latias a free game. But that Archeops dropped, and then going into Incineroar seemed kinda unnecessary to me. Going straight into Incineroar was the better play imo. Regardless, a Knock Off and a well-predicted Volt Switch on to Bulu from Rotom later, Mega Mawile was in. Milli going for the Brick Break right off the bat was a great play, as that dissuaded Jean from hard switching into Tran, which was his most reliable switch in to that thing. Bulu took a heavy hit from the next Play Rough, but healed off most of it because of that annoying combination of Grassy Terrain + Lefties + Leech Seed. Going hard into Incineroar on the Klefki was a play that, to me at least, shows how much Milli has grown as a player ever since she's gone on her own. After this though, there wasn't really much else to say, because the Z-move debacle from Jean gave her the ff win. If Milli can keep on improving and keep on playing well, she will be very much in contention for playoffs, somthing that I'm sure not many people would have given her a chance of at the start of the season.

Jean: There wasn't a whole lot he could have done about the lead Arch set, stalling out with Bulu was his best option there. But imo, he should have just gone for a Wood Hammer on the Arch, because that thing is frail. Even without any offensive investment, it would have put Archeops into Defeatist range, if not outright killed it. Regardless, he dealt with the Archeops all the same. He had to constantly play on the backfoot because of how aggressive Milli was playing. One move he made that I disagreed with tho, was staying in on Mega Maw with Bulu, because even though it did take ahit, a better play would have been to sack the Klefki, and then go into Heatran, and get a Magma Storm off. By doing that, he would be inviting in the Rotom-Wash and, as ling as Magma Storm landed, weakened the Rotom-Wash, which could have made his Mega Pidgeot a possible win-con in the end game. But instead, what really happened in the endgame? Iron man died lmao.... okay, kidding. Him not realising that his Z-move user change not being active yet robbed us of a potentially delicious climax to that match, as the Barbaracle was ready to take some kills. Anyway, hopefully we'll get to see it do that very soon.


Le Nard vs Lowie:

Le Nard: Gravity Lando-T right put the gate really put Lenny boy on the backfoot. Weavile was a huge issue, making him sack off his Mega Lati, and nearly lost his Seismitoad as well, but got lucky with the Icicle Crash miss. From there on out, it was an issue of dealing with Mega Venu stall (an absolutely egregious thing, if you ask me) in an efficient manner, which his flying types did manage.. somewhat. Rain Dance Seismitoad was a good bring, but it was too low on health at that point to have swept on its own, and this is where he got lucky a second time, as Lowie clicked Icicle Crash instead of Ice Shard (rip). A misprediction with his Magneton cost him another mon, and then Lando claimed his Nidoking, which left his two flying types with the uphill task of dealing with Gravity lando. Thankfully tho, Lowie misplayed by going for Trick Room, which allowed Lenny's last two mons to be faster than the Lando, and that was game. A lot of luck helped Lenny overcome a steep matchup and some good teambuilding from Lowie. Keep a note on the "lot of luck" thing. Might come into play later ;)

Lowie: Boy. Oh. Boy. Did Lowie bring the tech in this match. Even though I disagree with him staying in on the Nidoking and not scouting for scarf, especially since he himself wasn't scarf, it worked out for him in the end, as Gravity Lando + Weavile put an immense offensive pressure on Le Nard's team right out of the gate. The Icicle Crash miss would end up being one of the most pivotal points of the match, later on, as him misclicking Crash over Shard meant that he lost Weavile to Rain Dance Toad. Weavile could have put in some more work against Lenny's remaining mons... as long as hit Crash that is :v  Mega Venu was a nuisance to Lenny throughout the game. Same cannot be said about the Dusclops tho :(  A totally unnecessary Trick Room in the end game ended up costing him a game which, if he had won, would have automatically been a match of the season candidate. Perhaps he should take this as a lesson that you should not always use the heat, even if you are packing it on your team. Overall, I am pleasantly surprised with the way that Lowie bounced back from his loss last week. Hopefully he'll keep on growing as a player.


Ion vs KZ:

Ion: Had to contend with a bad matchup. There's honestly not much he could have done differently... except maybe play his Kyurem more aggressively, and actually break past the Fini-Scizor core, although tbh, even that was not a way out, coz of Bullet Punch. The other mon that could have done it (Rotom-H) took a Draco to the face turn 1, and that was that. It was just a case of his offense not being able to break through KZ's defense, and his own defense not being able to deal with KZ's offense. Not a lot to be said about the way he played. The Amoonguss put in work, but was obviously not sufficient. Hopefully, Ion can jump back from this defeat, one that he couldn't have done too much about.\

KZ: This roster is fucking awesome. The synergy is just... *muuaaahhhh* This match was the latest example of that. Rarely do you see someone being this far ahead right from the matchup. KZ had matchup, and he made the most out of it. The Psychium Z at the end was the icing on top. Very well played game from KZ. Here's hoping he keeps it up.


TV vs Chris:

TV: Very safe start to the game from TV, by getting rocks up with Gliscor, scouting for Ice Beam... with a Tornadus... and Defogging away his own rocks... The highlight of the game was however, that Zard spread. Whatever it was, it kept TV in the game, and ultimately won it for him. I hated the mono attack Gliscor tho, coz it got hard walled by an air balloon Nihilego... you know, a mon that is quad weak to its STAB -_- . It was the offensive presence of the Zard, yet again, that helped him get back into the game. One play that I did like though, was bringing in the Zoroark, disguised as a Mienshao, to kill the Nihilego. That bait was very well pulled off. I honestly feel like TV was able to win this because of some weird prep on Chris's part, but still, a lot of signs of improvement here. Hope he carries on the improvement.

Chris: *sigh* I really feel like Chris tried a bit too hard to fit in unconventional sets when there wasn't much need for some of them. Biggest of them being the Nihilego set... like, it was cool and all... but utterly unnecessary. A simple Scarf, or a Charge Beam, speed boosting set could have been so much more effective in this matchup imo. I could have still supported the TR set, if it actually had a way to break past the Gliscor (namely, HP Ice :3 ). On the other hand tho, the Silvally set was a masterpiece, and would have won him the game if it weren't for the bulk investment on TV's Zard. I was a tad bit surprised to not see the Mamo, because I thought that it had a good matchup against TV's team... at least a better matchup than the Breloom, but hey it did get one kill, so there's that. I don't have a lot to say about Cheis's playing in this match, because he was effectively playing with a self-imposed handicap from his teambuilding... except for the part where he failed to identify the incoming Zoroark disguised as Gliscor... because if he had have done that, then any attack from the Regi would have broken the illusion, and helped him out later in the game. Again in the end game, had he locked his Victini into Fire Punch instead of Brick Break (I'll admit, the scarf was very well concealed on his part), he could have actually won the game (albeit it required a high roll on the Mienshao, but still).


Nedlio vs Ascendant:

Nedlio: That was one hell of a specially defensive Hippo, shrugging off supereffective attacks from Lapras like they were nothing. The freeze on the Mantine was unfortunate, as it could have otherwise slowly stalled out the Lapras. Sacking the Hippo to Serp before bringing out Aero was a masterstroke, as the SpDef boost from the Sandstorm allowed the Aero to live a +2 Leaf Storm from the Scarf Serp, a mon that could have otherwise swept through his entire team. His Cloyster sweep got neutered by a scarf Zeraora, but then Chople Berry Excadrill decimated the remaining of Ascendant's team, to give him a well deserved victory. This match really felt like the Nedlio that we knew from last season than the one we have been seeing so far this season.

Ascendant: Double Scarf on both Serp and Zera was a very good bring on Ascendant's part. But it was apretty amateurish mistake on his part that cost him the former: forgetting the SpDef boost that Sandstorm grants to Rock types. Had he preserved his Serp there, and gone out into the Donphan, which was carrying Stone Edge, he could have had another shot at cleaning up Ned's team later in the game. Another play that I could not understand was him being so impatient around the Mantine early game. Switching out the Lapras was unnecessary in the first place, and then risking the burn on the Bisharp was even more unnecessary. All that those series of turns accomplished were an extra 25% damage on the Lapras and a Burn on the Bisharp, in return for Mantine's item (*insert the Donald Trump worst trade deal meme*). But then the double Scarf really brought him back into the game, and it was only a Chople Berry on the Excadrill that kept him from potentially winning the game. Had he played a bit more carefully, I feel like this was a game that was in his reach.


Rankings:

1. Le Nard
2. Yetii
3. KZ
4. Chris
5. Ascendant
6. Milli
7. TV
8. Nedlio
9. Ion
10. Lowie
11. Jean
12. Python