Greetings from an old knucklehead!

[Melody]

Hello again guys, I'd like to say hello and really wanted to see how everyone is doing, what you guys have been up to, and more importantly...I'm sorry!

A lot of you tried to help me and I wouldn't listen, a lot of my problems were self-made and I alienated people. I didn't realize it until after I took a hiatus and then how everything just fell from under me. A lot of you guys are full of wisdom and I was too ignorant to take your advice on my own issues. I couldn't see the self-destructive damage I was causing myself and then pointing fingers at people, since it's easy to blame someone, but when it comes down to yourself. Well you just don't want to believe it. But onto...better news!

I'm getting a PS4, Microsoft officially blew it with the DRM on the Xbox One. So I'm moving away from them, I'll be throwing my money at Sony in hopes they learned their lesson from the PS3. Also....does anyone know any good MMO's BESIDES XI! To play? I've been sifting through games left and right and none of them kept my interest like XI did (unfortunately). So I'm wondering if the re-release for XIV is worth it still. I also honestly missed you guys, so....how's everyone been?

[Malacite]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

XIV Beta phase 3 starts tomorrow, and the game launches world-wide Aug 27th

Also, welcome back - glad to see another smart consumer siding against The Dark Side (XBONE).

[Melody]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

Fffff. I need to finish paying off my PS3 version of the game....I hope this new job interview goes over smoothly. X.x

Yeah. Xbox lost this year's console war at E3. Nintendo is amazing...and honestly Nintendo never tries to go for insane graphics, but they do pull shit out of their ass that makes Sony and Microsoft go "We should've thought of that."

[cidbahamut]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

I really don't think there are any MMOs on the market anymore with lasting appeal. SWTOR was decent for a few months, as was Guild Wars 2. Neverwinter is in open beta and has been pretty fun even if it is treading extremely familiar territory.

[Melody]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

I really don't think there are any MMOs on the market anymore with lasting appeal. SWTOR was decent for a few months, as was Guild Wars 2. Neverwinter is in open beta and has been pretty fun even if it is treading extremely familiar territory.

I tried Neverwinter, I wasn't all too impressed. It seems like the game is quest heavy, but that could just be me. SWTOR is dead to me, the bullshit they pulled for non-subs made me swear the game off for good.

[Firewind]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

First of all it's good to see you back and yes I did miss you. Also it's nice to see someone else coming to their senses and realising that the XBox One is nothing but death and doom.

I was going to second Neverwinter and SWTOR but if you didn't like them then I won't push them. Star Trek Online is one free MMO that I have been having a LOT of fun with. It's hard to explain why but the space combat is just so much fun, plus there's a good RP community there. I'm having fun with my Romulan Engineer. You can grab it for free from Steam easily enough.

The Secret World is a fun MMO too with some very good and well written quests and a solid RP community. You have to pay for the game but there are no sub fees so it's like Guild Wars in that regard.

FFXIV is in a Beta Phase but I keep forgetting which one.

I also play Pokemon via Pokemon Showdown a lot which might be worth looking in to if you are interested in Pokemon.

[Melody]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

First of all it's good to see you back and yes I did miss you. Also it's nice to see someone else coming to their senses and realising that the XBox One is nothing but death and doom.

I was going to second Neverwinter and SWTOR but if you didn't like them then I won't push them. Star Trek Online is one free MMO that I have been having a LOT of fun with. It's hard to explain why but the space combat is just so much fun, plus there's a good RP community there. I'm having fun with my Romulan Engineer. You can grab it for free from Steam easily enough.

The Secret World is a fun MMO too with some very good and well written quests and a solid RP community. You have to pay for the game but there are no sub fees so it's like Guild Wars in that regard.

FFXIV is in a Beta Phase but I keep forgetting which one.

I also play Pokemon via Pokemon Showdown a lot which might be worth looking in to if you are interested in Pokemon.

Pokemon Showdown, my friend played me cheaply with Stealth Rock, Spikes and Poison Spikes/Roar -_- I swore that off for awhile too. I might try it out again. I've recently been trying to dabble into the GBA again. Picked up Golden Sun back up again. The nostalgia bomb was nice though. I might try out Rift since it's now F2P with full access.

[Armando]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

Pokemon Showdown, my friend played me cheaply with Stealth Rock, Spikes and Poison Spikes/Roar -_- I swore that off for awhile too.

There's nothing cheap about Spikes and Roar, considering how much time they take to set up and the fact that Roar pretty much always goes last. Stealth Rock on the other hand is a real bitch. But nothing stops you from using it yourself, bringing a Rapid Spinner or choosing Pokemon that don't get torn to shreds by it.

[Melody]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

There's nothing cheap about Spikes and Roar, considering how much time they take to set up and the fact that Roar pretty much always goes last. Stealth Rock on the other hand is a real bitch. But nothing stops you from using it yourself, bringing a Rapid Spinner or choosing Pokemon that don't get torn to shreds by it.

To me it's just a cheap way to win. Granted I was no better. I used Politoad/Mismagius/Gardevoir. Perish Song > Mean Look > Hypnosis.

[Firewind]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

The main issue with Stealth Rock is that it over-centralises the metagame and it takes little thought or preparation to get it on the field. Spikes and Toxic Spikes need multiple turns of setup to be effective. Stealth Rock is learned by a lot of very fast pokemon and it also renders many great Pokemon with Rock Weaknesses such as Tornadus, Moltres, Zapdos and Volcorana unable to really get into a battle safely.

The easiest way to break down stall teams like the one you mentioned is to go on the offensive with faster Pokemon. The current metagame heavily favours Offence. There are fast and hard hitting Pokemon (Garchomp, Jolteon, Tornadus) or Pokemon that can use Priority Moves or a Choice Scarf/Band (Scizor, Salamence, Terrakion, Azumarril) that are known as "Wallbreakers" and are effective at taking down Pokemon meant to stall.

Entry Hazards like Stealth Rock and forcing switches via switching in massive offensive threats, and status effects like Toxic are also very effective against those strategies.

[Armando]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

To me it's just a cheap way to win.

You should give Sirlin's Playing to Win articles a chance. You might enjoy the game more afterwards.

I used Politoad/Mismagius/Gardevoir. Perish Song > Mean Look > Hypnosis.

With a strategy that specific, I'm not surprised you didn't have a team with enough offence left to stop his stalling.

The main issue with Stealth Rock is that it over-centralises the metagame and it takes little thought or preparation to get it on the field.

I agree that it's too good for how easy it is to use, and I'd prefer if it was weaker, but if you want to play the game then you have to deal with it. I also disagree on Volcarona - that thing will tear you three new ones if you give it a single turn to boost and Stealth Rock is the only thing keeping it in check. Zapdos is all right, he has Roost. Moltres is the one that gets fucked over good.

[Melody]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

You should give Sirlin's Playing to Win articles a chance. You might enjoy the game more afterwards.With a strategy that specific, I'm not surprised you didn't have a team with enough offence left to stop his stalling.I agree that it's too good for how easy it is to use, and I'd prefer if it was weaker, but if you want to play the game then you have to deal with it. I also disagree on Volcarona - that thing will tear you three new ones if you give it a single turn to boost and Stealth Rock is the only thing keeping it in check. Zapdos is all right, he has Roost. Moltres is the one that gets fucked over good.

I haven't had a chance to play the new generation of Pokemon, and with X/Y coming out, I feel like I'm losing my grasp on the Pokemon world. I should brush up on it. But I tried using an offensive freeze team and that worked out quite well. Piloswine, Jinx, Dewgong and Electrovire (Ice Punch). Mounted with Blizzard I had my friend frozen on every pass.

[Firewind]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

My main team has a Scarfed Salamence that scares a switch, or guaranteed a OHKO from Outrage if they keep the Volcorona in (this actually saved my arse in one game when the other guy Lead with Volcorona). Plus there are things like Keldeo, Heatran, Vaporeon, Gyarados, Dragonite and Jellicent that can switch in and set up or get a free attack in.

Don't get me wrong, I love Volcorona, it's an awesome Pokemon. It's just Fire types require a LOT of support to work well due to Stealth Rock being ubiquitous in Standard Play.

[Melody]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

My main team has a Scarfed Salamence that scares a switch, or guaranteed a OHKO from Outrage if they keep the Volcorona in (this actually saved my arse in one game when the other guy Lead with Volcorona). Plus there are things like Keldeo, Heatran, Vaporeon, Gyarados, Dragonite and Jellicent than can switch in and set up or get a free attack in.

Don't get me wrong, I love Volcorona, it's an awesome Pokemon. It's just Fire types require a LOT of support to work well due to Stealth Rock being ubiquitous in Standard Play.

Can Garchomp pull the bullshit OHKO with Dragon's Rage in this version like he could on the DS?

[cidbahamut]

Re: Greetings from an old knucklehead!

Not unless your Pokemon has 40 hp or less for some odd reason.