How to Become a Pokémon Master

1. How to Become a Pokémon Master By Jacob Lizewski

2. Why become a Pokémon master? • Being a Pokémon master is probably the coolest thing you can do with your free time. • Pokémonis one of the most popular video games of all time and it has a huge following and becoming a Pokémon master can help you enter that community. Figure 1: source: http://bmgf.bulbagarden.net/f275/alternate-version-pokemon-master-trainer-game-mew-66335/

3. What are Pokémon? • Pokémon are creatures from the video game series Pokémon.They are caught, collected, traded and battled between Pokémon trainers. • When a Pokémon wins a battle against another Pokémon, it gains experience point. When it has collected enough experience points, it will level up and when it levels up enough, it will evolve, as shown below. Figure 2: source: http://www.videogamesblogger.com/interstitial.html?return_url=http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2009/11/05/all-starter-pokemon-in-heart-gold-and-soul-silver-revealed-by-nintendo.htm

4. How is Pokémon played? • Pokémon is a turn-based strategy role playing game. Each turn, both players pick a move for their Pokémon to perform during the battle phase of that turn. Each player can have a maximum of six Pokémon that can be used in a single battle. In standard play, only one Pokémon from each player can be on the battle field at the same time.

5. What you will need • Pen and paper for note taking • A baseball cap • A Nintendo handheld video game console of your choice • Gameboy Classic, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advanced, Nintendo DS, or Nintendo 3DS • The respective Pokémon video game for the console • If Gameboy Classic – Pokémon Red/Blue/Yellow Version • If Gameboy Color – Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal Version • If Gameboy Advanced – Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald/Leaf Green/Fire Red Version • If Nintendo DS – Pokémon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum/Heart Gold/Soul Silver/White/Black/White 2/Black 2 Version • If Nintendo 3DS – Pokémon X/Y Version Figure 3: source: http://www.nonfictiongaming.com/news/news-save-your-pokemon-before-its-too-late-3531/

6. Warning! • Pokémon is extremely addictive. Prolonged exposure of Pokémon can lead to obsessive behaviors such as “gotta catch ‘em all” syndrome and wanting to be the very best, the best there ever was. Prolonged play sessions can cause eye strain so take breaks regularly.

7. Step #1 Choosing Your Team – Before Turning on Your Game Figure 4: source: http://www.sixprizes.com/2013/03/15/how-to-create-a-deck-in-6-easy-steps/

8. Before Turning on your game • Using an online source, such as www.bulbapedia.com, research the available Pokémon in the version you are going to play. Choose 5 Pokémon you want to battle with and write down where those Pokémon can be found in your game. The team of Pokémon you battle with is incredibly important, so you’re going to want a variety of Pokémon types so your team doesn’t have a singular weakness.

9. Pokémon Types • Pokémon have types. These types determine the primary types of attacks the Pokémon can learn and also what types of attacks the Pokémon is weak to. For instance, Pikachu is an electric type meaning that it is good against flying and water type Pokémon, but weak to ground type moves. • The next slide is a super effective chart showing what types of Pokémon are weak or good against what types of moves.

10. Figure 5: source: http://pokemondb.net/type

11. How to use the type chart • When you find a Pokémon you would like to use in your team, find that Pokémon's type on the top row. Move your finger down that type’s column. When you see a 2, it means that the type of attack associated with the row that the 2 is in will do double the standard damage to your Pokémon. When you see a ½, it means that the type of attack associated with the row that the ½ is in will do half the standard damage to your Pokémon. When you see a 0, it means that the type associated with the row that the 0 is in will do zero damage to your Pokémon. If the Pokémon has two types, do this for both of it type columns to find all of its weaknesses and strengths.

12. Step #2 Choosing Your Team – After Turning on Your Game Figure 6: source: http://www.3dstination.com/feature-ranking-the-best-starter-pokemon/

13. Turn on Your Game • Play your game up to the point where you are given the choice of your first Pokémon. Choose the water type Pokémon. Depending on the version of the game you are playing, it will be either Squirtle, Totodile, Mudkip, Piplup, Oshawott or Froakie. Starter water Pokémon are always the most balanced and most practical of the starting Pokémon choices. Figure 7: source: http://www.3dstination.com/feature-ranking-the-best-starter-pokemon/

14. Step #3 Obtaining Your Team Figure 8: source: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Party

15. Catching your team • The game will teach you how to catch a Pokémon in the first 10 minutes of play. To increase the chance of catching a Pokémon, lower the opposing Pokémon's health to the red zone and either put it to sleep or paralyze it before using a Poké Ball. • It may take a few hours to get to where you can catch your 5 desired Pokémon, so it is okay to catch other Pokémon to use as place holders. It does not matter what Pokémon these place holders are, but have no more than two of them in your Pokémon team at a time.

16. Use Poké Balls • Pokémon masters only keep their Pokémon in Poké Balls, not Great Balls or Ultra Balls. You have to keep your Pokémon in the original ball you caught them in, so use only Poké Balls when you attempt to catch your desired Pokémon. Poké Balls have a low catch chance so buy plenty when you find a Poké Mart.

17. Step #4 Move Sets Figure 9: source: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Party

18. Pokémon Move sets • After you have caught all your desired Pokémon, it’s time to embellish their move sets. A move set is a list of 4 moves a Pokémon can use in battle. Figure 10: source: http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2011/03/06/how-to-catch-and-where-to-find-victini-in-pokemon-black-and-white-ds.htm

19. Pokémon Moves • Just because a Pokémon is a certain type doesn’t mean it can only learn those types of moves. It is important that a Pokémon knows a variety of different move types so that they can be used efficiently against more than a few Pokémon types. Make sure that your Pokémon have three different types of physical moves and one status move in their move set. Physical moves do damage while status moves cause effects that change the progression of the battle.

20. TM’s and hm’s • Pokémon can be taught new moves through the use of TM’s and HM’s. TM stands for “teaching machine” and each contain a certain teachable move. Not every Pokémon can learn a certain move. Up until Pokémon Black and White, TM’s could only be used once so think carefully about what moves are assigned to what Pokémon. Stay away from teaching your Pokémon HM’s, or “hidden moves”, because they are gimmicky and offer little to combat.

21. Recommended TM’s • Ice Beam – This is a hard hitting ice type move that can leave your opponent frozen. Ice type move are very handy because they are good against some of the stronger types in the game. • Earthquake – This ground type move hits consistently and hard. • Aerial Ace – This move is guaranteed to hit no matter what and does a fair amount of damage. • Thunder Bolt – This electric type move hits hard and can leave your opponent paralyzed.

22. Exclusive Moves • Some moves can only be used by a few or even just one Pokémon. These moves are very powerful or have very useful effects. It’s good to have at least one Pokémon in your team that has one of these exclusive moves. You can go to www.bulbapedia.com to find what these exclusive moves are and what Pokémon learn them.

23. Step #5 Training Your Pokémon and Understanding Their Stats Figure 11: source: http://pokemondb.net/news/98/pokemon-roundtable-reveals-more-x-y-info

24. Training your Desired Team • Now that your Pokémon's move set is embellished, it’s time to train. Training your Pokémon basically means battling with them enough so that they level up and their stats increase. Battle using each member of your Pokémon team equally so that they all stay relatively the same level. You want to train as much as possible before a big fight so that your Pokémon's stats are as high as possible.

25. Pokémon Stats • Each Pokémon has stats associated with it. These stats are hit points, attack, special attack, defense, special defense and speed. Figure 12: source: http://pokemondb.net/news/98/pokemon-roundtable-reveals-more-x-y-info

26. Hit points and Speed Hit points – These points determine how much damage a Pokémon can take before it can no longer battle. Speed – The Pokémon with the higher speed stat in a battle will go first.

27. Attack and Defense Attack – These points determine how much damage a Pokémon can deal using a physical move. Moves that are normal, fighting, flying, ground, rock, bug, ghost, poison or steel type are all considered physical moves. Defense – These points determine how much damage a Pokémon receives when it is hit with a physical attack.

28. Special Attack and Defense • Special Attack – These points determine how much damage a Pokémon can deal with a special move. Moves that are water, grass, fire, ice, electric, psychic, dragon or dark type are all considered special moves. • Special Defense – These points determine how much damage a Pokémon receives when it is hit with a special attack.

29. Masters and their stats • A true Pokémon master always keeps these stats in the back of his/her mind so that best choice in Pokémon can be made in the heat of battle. There are such thing IV and EV training to further boost your Pokémon’s stats but I’m showing you how to be a Pokémon master not a Pokémon god. There are instructional videos online that can teach you how to train IVs and EVs, most of which will run about half an hour.

30. Step #6 Maximizing Your Battling Strategy Figure 13: source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gameplay_of_Pok%C3%A9mon

31. Battling • Now that you know all the basics of Pokémon, you are ready to get serious and start battling like a champion. Establish a battle routine is what separates trainers from masters. A battle routine is an established cycle of moves you use to maximize the damage that your Pokémon can output in the minimum amount of time.

32. Routines • If one of your Pokémon has a particularly high attack stat, start your cycle with a few medium damaging attacks that also lower the opponents defense, attack or speed stat than go in for the kill with a hard physical attack. • If one of your Pokémon has a particularly high defense stat, start your cycle with stat boosting moves that increase attack or defense. This will allow your Pokémon to resist your opponent’s attack while building up for a massive attack. • If one of your Pokémon has a particularly high speed stat, start your cycle with a move that immobilizes your opponent. While your opponent is recovering, pepper in as many hits as you can get it. Repeat this cycle if your opponent becomes mobilized.

33. Step #7 The Decorum Figure 14: source: http://supersmashbros.wikia.com/wiki/File:Pokemon_trainer.jpg

34. Etiquette • Before going into any battle, always have the bill of your baseball cape forward. When the battle begins and your first Pokémon comes out, scream “Go, (the name of your Pokémon)! I choose you!” as you quickly turn your hat around backwards. Doing this insures that your opponents knows you’re a Pokémon master. Figure 15: source: http://elderkheldonlsherwood.blogspot.com/2011/06/when-ash-ketchum-turns-his-hat-around.html

35. Step #8 Battling With You Friends

36. Playing with people • Warning!: Your Pokémon should be at least level 50 before starting this step. • How you play with others changes immensely depending on what version of Pokémon you are playing on. If you are playing on any of the Gameboy systems, you will need to use a link cable to attach your Gameboy to your opponents Gameboy. If you are playing on a Nintendo DS, you can play wirelessly with anyone in a close proximity of you. If you are playing on a Nintendo 3DS, you can play wirelessly on the internet with anyone around the world.

37. Competitive play • Pokémon's gameplay becomes incredibly tactical when playing against a person. Your routines need to be perfected at this point so you can quickly take down your opponent’s Pokémon. You will also need to be able to recognize your opponents routines so you can interrupt them and gain the upper hand.

38. Disruption • Moves like protect and detect can disrupt routines that favor building up to massive attacks, due to the fact that these moves nullify any damage your Pokémon takes for a turn. Moves that put a Pokémon to sleep or paralyze them can disrupt high attack stat blitzkrieg tactics because these moves stop your opponent from attacking. A high defense stat Pokémon is good at disrupting a high speed stat Pokémon's routine because your opponent will have to whale on your Pokémon for countless turn while you chip away at their health.

39. Pro Strategies • Most Pokémon championships are recorded so feel free to adopt pro level player’s strategies and use them in battle. You can find these video on YouTube. Copy other’s strategies until you can come up with your own identity in the Pokémon battle arena.

40. Conclusion

41. A Great pastime • You now know the ins and outs of Pokémon and are ready take on the world. Pokémon can be played over the internet or even just across a table. It can be played in a group or by yourself. It can be played on an airplane or just in your room. It’s fun and addicting and the best way on the planet to kill a couple hours.

42. The Pokémon universe • There is a huge population of people that play Pokémon. Knowing Pokémon can help you meet new people as you show off your Pokémon master skills. Meeting people is easy when you’re trading your hard trained Pokémon.