Meta-PokéBase Q&A
21 votes
4,377 views


So, you want to be a good competitive battler? Well, one of our top notch battlers can help you! Be ready for some harsh training. Brush up... brush down...

This is how it works:

Apprentices:

If you want to be an apprentice, answer this thread. Say anything you want about yourself. Be sure to include what you are trying to learn. It can be more than just a tier, it can even be teambuilding. Be sure to include your Timezone, and include times available. If you want, include a preferred tutor. A recognized tutor on this thread might comment and accept you. You can accept anyone... but this thread will have the best.

You should try to meet with your tutor regularly. The longer the time spent, the better.
Do not include images. The page becomes insanely slow when everyone and their mother uses them.

Tutors (Applications Open)

Active Tutors: Sempiternus, Flafpert, Poke'slash, A Dragon's Roar, Sir Dan

To apply to be a tutor you must:
- Comment on this thread with the words "I would like to be a tutor."
- When you do comment, a Moderator, Editor or current tutor will background check you.
- You require the approval of 2 or more of the above
- If you are good enough, you get a pass. If you are an Expert once you get a pass go ahead and edit your tutor info in. If you have no editing powers, just ask someone who does.
- You may be asked to battle a member of the site to test your skills
- Provide a Ladder Rating or good Replays if possible (Ladder Rating requires screenshots)
- Don't lie, we can check
- If you aren't passed, be patient. If there is no response, you are being judged. Someone will get back to you ASAP
- Moderators and Editors need no backing
Your information should include: Your PS! Username, your timezone, and some general information about you, plus what you teach.


Current Apprentice and Tutors (Tutors in bold)

Cyrax and Sempiternus
Sir Terlor and Sempiternus
AegisDatSlash and A Dragon's Roar
Mr Gamaken and Sir Dan

by
edited by
To be honest if someone wants help they usually just ask in chat and someone helps them for like an hour, not a whole training.  I've done this before to learn new tiers like NU (Thanks Mudkip).
That replay is basically what I told you not to show. That guy had a gimmicky team and basically let you set up on him. Clearly an inexperienced player, and your failure to recognise that tells me a bit about your experience as a player as well. Beating that team doesn't mean much. Your account was also at the default ladder ranking, which doesn't prove anything about your skill. Checking it now you're 80 points higher, but that's still nothing to write home about.
Hate to be harsh, but at the moment, you're not really at the standard expected of tutors. Sorry.
Hey fizz, could you do me a favor and take my name (hawluchinations, my old username) of the current tutors and apprenticeships?

I finished the "training" about 4 months ago xD  I don't know if it needs to be on there for a different reason, but Semp isn't tutoring me anymore, unless just giving advice occasionally counts as tutoring.
I did it for you Parz ^.
Thanks PX

11 Answers

9 votes

List of Tutors:


Sempiternus
Timezone: GMT + 11 (GMT + 10 when out of Daylight Savings)
Availability: Varies, look for me on chat or tell me yours
PS Usernames: Sempiternus, Knightofdragon, Mazu

I teach Battling Strategy and Ubers . So ;

  • Basic Battling and Strategy
  • How to not press the super effective move immediately. Sorry I mean prediction.
  • Utilising the peanuts we call brains
  • More advanced Ubers.
  • Not complaining about Legendaries
  • NU Tier if in demand.

I'm a more hands-on guy so I'll be making you get a lot of experience rather than yell at you through chat (You'll also be constantly pitted against any other apprentices I may be teaching at this time). However that's pretty fun too. Anyway while I'm teaching overall battling things, I'm more than happy to brush up your skills in any tier. I'll also be doing Ubers and NU for people who want to get to a higher level in that tier specifically and are already at a decent/basic level for that.
Also, if you don't want to be tutored but just want some tips feel free to join in whenever I'm having session.

I expect from an apprentice;

  • Basic knowledge of teambuilding
  • Can be understood. ie. if you speak medieval Shakespere language, I reject you. That or I'll accept you and take you to hell...
  • Uses Pokemon Showdown

Note: I would much prefer tutees with a similar timezone (otherwise other means of contact including email will be required)


Flafpert
Timezone: CET (GMT +1)
Availability: Basically every day past 7 PM.
PS Usernames: Flafpert

Il be teaching Gen 6 RU Battling. This means you will be learning:
- How to survive in RU
- Basic RU battling where necessary (prediction, synergy, teambuilding).

So I'll be teaching Gen 6 RU. Everything about Gen 6 RU. All that you need to know to survive in this harsh, unforgiving wilderness. But if you just want to get into competitive battling, without prior knowledge, il happily take you in.

What I expect from a apprentice:
- Active
- Fairly available (corresponding timezone a plus)
- Uses Pokemon Showdown!


Poke'slash
Timezone: Arizona Mountain Time (GMT -7)
Availability: Usually 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Look for me on the DB Server.

I only use Pokemon Showdown!

I teach Basic Teambuilding, which includes:

  • How to build a balanced, synergized team
  • All weather except Hail
  • The basics of EV spreads, Natures, and IVs
  • Cores

If you're relatively new to competitive battling or feel like your teams are missing something, I'm your girl. I prefer to teach by making you learn, so expect to battle me a lot while I give you instructions in Private Message or the Battle Chat.
I'm willing to work with anyone with any style, provided they can listen. Once you've learned the basics and some of the most common sets, I'll introduce you to the wonder of creating your own, unique sets. My goal is to get you to a level where you are skilled enough to find your own style.
I can teach any tier, but my preferred ones are: Ubers, OU, UU, and NU.
Weather-wise, I can train you in anything except Hail. (If you really want to touch on Hail, I can give you some movesets, but otherwise, you're out of luck.)

What I expect from an apprentice:

  • Willingness to listen and learn
  • Understandable grammar
  • Creativity
  • Uses Pokemon Showdown!

A Dragon's Roar
Timezone: CET (GMT +1)
Availability: Every day past 8 PM.
PS Usernames: Leader Demon, AlphaDraconis

I will tutor Smogon Doubles and VGC

I can tutor Basic and Advanced Doubles and VGC. I'll teach how to stand your ground in this fastpaced metagame . I'll learn you sets and strategies commonly used in this format and also how to teambuild effectively. So wanna make it double? Join in!

Expectations from my apprentice:
- Basic knowledge of EVs and IVs and natures
- A certain basic idea of topthreats in Doubles (not required)


Sir Dan
Time zone: UK - GMT +1 (British Summer Time). Clocks go back 26th October 2014 so my time zone will be GMT after that.
Availability: Varies so tell me yours and we’ll work something out.
PS Username: Sir Dan :3

I can tutor OU, OU Monotype and Ubers. I can help users play at an intermediate level, if you don’t know what intermediate is think of it this way, the majority of games have a difficulty selection at the start of the game consisting of low, intermediate and high.

I will help you improve in these areas while battling in the above battle formats:

  • Strategy
  • Prediction
  • Teambuilding
  • Analysing an opponent’s Pokemon’s moveset/Scouting

What I expect from an apprentice:

  • Good Grammar
  • Uses Pokemon Showdown
  • The willingness to listen and learn.
  • Basic understanding of tiers and competitive play.
  • Basic knowledge of Pokemon Mechanics e.g. EV’s, IV’s and Natures.

I’ll be teaching through the PokeSchool chat room on the DB Server, through PiratePad and through Chat/Private Messaging.


Note: If you were a tutor removed due to inactivity, once you become active again please feel free to edit in your name once again

by
edited by
I need some practice in teambuilding, but my school days are really hectic this time of the year, so how long is this arrangement up?
Also, i dont think i would manage to bypass the grammar thing :P
I'm bad with timezones, can someone edit in the extra info on mine? Example: GMT +1
I have literally no idea what that means.
Doc or Kyron, your battle style is vaguely similar to mine, and you like all the tiers i like, and i end up seeing you often in chat or server. Could one of you bail me out please? we'll have lots of fun :D
@Slash
GMT+1 means one hour ahead of Grenwich (or however you spell it) Mean Time. So if it's 12:00 in Grenwich, then it's 13:00 there. The same with all +/- on GMT.
Nah I'm still alive. Still helping Kaname.
0 votes

Tutor: ???

I would like to get tutored.I know basic stuff but I'd like to know the following:

  • Advanced Predicting

  • Reading the enemy

  • Synergy

  • Strategy

  • Cores

  • Ubers
    The tutor who would work best with me would be Senpiternus
    Showdown Name:SethPokemon
    Timezone: British GMT+1

by
edited by
I'd like to help you out, I seem very good at what you need to learn, but I'm rusty as **** right now, so I'm not that suitable. I could give you some theory lessons though
@PX Ok what are your showdown names
Is there a tier you'd like to play in while learning the above or do you not mind?
Well, I would like to play ubers better while keeping them things in mind.
0 votes

I sak

I'm basically the worst competitive battler on the DB, so if anybody could help me in any of these three tiers, it would do me a huge favour!

  • OU Monotype
  • LC
  • Ubers

My timezone is GMT

by
reshown by
I can help you if you want. I used to play alot of LC and Ubers.
It'll depend on what online times you have though.
Thanks Sempiternus!
I can possibly help you out in OU Monotype and Ubers if you want since we have the same time zone, providing Semp isn't already tutoring you of course :3
0 votes

i need competitive help!

Its not that i suck at competitive is that i am pretty bad at making a team and in a middle of a battle i really dont know how to predict well. So it be great to get some advice on that!

Time zone: eastern

Available: i am availabe most of the time, you can uselly find me in the chat room.

Showdown username: Arcazeus
Thanks in advance! :D

by
edited by
0 votes

Tutor: Sempiternus


Stall halp

I made a decent (by my standards) OU stall team and i barely know how to use it, so some Stall turtoring would awesome
basically just teach me how to predict and what to switch to, based on the current meta.

Showdown name: Sir Terlor, variations of Terlor.
Timezone GMT + 3

by
edited by
just use toxic and wish
Danke, i got to #1 on the ladder thanks to that comment! You're the best Darude.
you got it man
0 votes

I have touched basics on OU battling, though I am quite outdated. I would like to learn how to play LC and NU.
Timezone: Idaho Mountain Time (GMT-7)
Availibility: Usually around 6-7 PM
PS Usernames: Probably ElegantlyEspeon

I think that the tutor that would work best with me is Poke'slash.

by
I can teach advanced LC, find me in LC room on PS!
You're here tazzie e-o? Okay then. Also, are your LC skills still up to scratch?
mm I'll also cover you if you can't get to tazzie. I used to main NU and LC so you should be alright.
Also I'm pretty sure taxxie is still up to scratch, he made it to #1 like 2 months ago .3.
You're gonna have a hard Time finding me, as I have little spare time. Semp should probably tutor you, but if you ever see me I'll give you a lesson.
Tazzie is good at LC, he really helped my team.
0 votes

Tutor: Sir Dan


Need help with Ubers. I NEVER win anything on PS on Ubers.
Showdown: ThyBlasty
Time Zone: GMT +1 (UK)

by
edited by
What times are you available?
Usually around 2-6 pm
I can help you if you want? We both live in the UK so our time zone is the same. Availability could be a potential problem though, as I don't get in from work until 5pm. Are you available from 6pm onwards? Weekend would be fine though.
Sir dan weekend is the best time
Okay no problem, well I can definitely tutor you on weekend's if you'd like? I can also probably tutor you on Friday's, as I finish work an hour early on Friday's, so I should get on the Server around 5pm.
Sir Dan shall be my tutor!
0 votes

I really need help with UU. I live in India and I'm usually on at about 9-10 pm. Sometimes on the server. (always on weekends)

Timezone: GMT + 5 hours 30 minutes

by
edited by
The timezone is GMT + 5 hours 30 minutes -.-
Ok then edit that in.
Edit it in yourself -.-;
Way too lazy T_T
0 votes

Greetings to all,

I am looking for a tutor for the Doubles OU metagame and the Ubers metagame on Pokemon Showdown. My goals are to improve at teambuilding and predictions as well as revisiting the basics, for I am uncertain if I have learned how to play competitive pokemon well. I believe that I have some skills and understanding of the metagames that I am interested, but I feel as if I have hit a wall and can no longer improve on my own through teaching myself. If needed I can post versions of some of teams that I have built for both metagames as well relevant replays to show my "aptitude" in these metagames. My timezone is EDT. I am usually available in the afternoon and all day on the weekends.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

-3RROR404

by
To be completely honest, this place isnt really a good place to go if you plan to get better competitively. I suggest actually visiting our Showdown server( http://pokemondatabase.psim.us ) and looking for any of these users:

Psychic X / Shining Yin: Known as Mike
Aeternis: Known as Jojo
Garden of Sinners: myself
Mewderator: known as Mew

I would say we are the most active AND competent people who play pokemon at a competitive level while keeping up with the metagame. Everyone on that list is either rusty as hell or doesnt play anymore.

A little side note; Aeternis may be your go-to guy for Ubers, but no one in this site plays Doubles OU as far as i know. I suggest going to http://smogon.com/forums for that, and looking for their Battle 101 tutor/apprentice system.
Check your wall
0 votes

Ok even though I may seem competent (nah not really)

I
am
horrible at competitive battling. I know the basics, but I dont know enough to win any battles. These are the tiers I would appreciate help with:

  • OU
  • Also I would like to learn how to do LC

Showdown Name: DA830
Time Zone: Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -4 hrs)

Available: Only on weekends, usually at like between 9 am and 5 pm at best. I will usually be on chat.

by
To be completely honest, this place isnt really a good place to go if you plan to get better competitively. I suggest actually visiting our Showdown server( http://pokemondatabase.psim.us ) and looking for any of these users:

Psychic X / Shining Yin: Known as Mike
Aeternis: Known as Jojo
Garden of Sinners: myself
Mewderator: known as Mew

I would say we are the most active AND competent people who play pokemon at a competitive level while somewhatkeeping up with the metagame. Everyone on that list is either rusty as hell or doesnt play anymore (or they suck lmao).

A little side note: Psychic X, Aeternis and I all are quite decently caught up with the OU metagame, but we too are not professionals by any means. Psychic X shares your time zone, Aerternis could probably obtain higher ladder rankings, and I probably can perform mid-high level predictions more consistently than either them, given the type of team I happen to be playing with. Mewderator is not really caught up in the OU metagame, but he just has strong fundamentals.

If neither of these users seems to be fit for you, you can always check out http://smogon.com/forums and look for the Battling 101 tab, where they have a tutor and apprentice program that is well run!
Thanks for the info. I will look for those users on on your showdown server. I appreciate the solid answer.
LeNub, wouldn't semp also be able to help? Or have they quit competitive battling?
Thanks Lusty :)
0 votes

Cerberus, I checked my wall and tried to post on your wall, but don't have permission to do so.
I am usually available on the weekdays after 5pm EDT. I am around most of the time on the weekends. I have a Skype if you would like to use that during sessions.

Thanks,

3RROR404

by
I'll post this to his wall for you.