Typhlosion's AMA

[Typhlosion]

This is a thing people do. I like seeing what questions you guys ask me and I like the challenge of answering them. So, yeah, fire away.

Marriland rules apply, you can ask whatever the heck you want but I might not answer it if I don't want to, yada yada yada.

 

[Neb]

What got you into competitive battling?

What helped make Typlosion your favorite Pokémon?

 

[Biohazard]

top 5 typhlosion fanart

 

[Typhlosion]

What got you into competitive battling?

What helped make Typlosion your favorite Pokémon?

I got into competitive battling around the time of B2W2. I liked reading all of the Pokemon reviews Marriland wrote for his walkthrough, and those gave me an idea of how to battle with different kinds of Pokemon and what Pokemon were good for what. I threw together my idea of what a good team might look like with the intention of actually breeding and raising that team on cartridge, but I soon realized how unprepared and unwilling I was to do all that work. I poked around for an online battle simulator, which I'd heard existed, and quickly was led to Smogon. From there it was a long, slow process of self-education. I read every Smogon article I could find and gradually got better through trial and error. The first tier I ever battled seriously in was actually Monotype.

The very first Pokemon game I ever had was HeartGold, and I chose Cyndaquil as my starter. Being unfamiliar with Pokemon games, I fell victim to the widespread noob strategy of only training/using one Pokemon for a while, which was my starter Pokemon. That Cyndaquil eventually evolved into Typhlosion and, since it was so overleveled, it destroyed most everything in its path. And since then, nothing else has been able to come so near to my heart.

top 5 typhlosion fanart

Spoiler: Some of these are big

5. This kind of counts

4.

3.

2.

1.

 

[Dregran]

Hey Ben!

What do you think about domesticating reptiles?
If you had the chance to visit any other country in the world, free of charge, where would you go and why?
What do you find enjoyable about competitive battling?
Which battle in the Azurilland Draft League was the most memorable?
Do you think the other starter Pokemon will get Mega Evolutions or Z-moves?

 

[Typhlosion]

Hey Ben!

What do you think about domesticating reptiles?
If you had the chance to visit any other country in the world, free of charge, where would you go and why?
What do you find enjoyable about competitive battling?
Which battle in the Azurilland Draft League was the most memorable?
Do you think the other starter Pokemon will get Mega Evolutions or Z-moves?

1. I, uh, can't say I've thought much about this subject. They'd be more difficult to domesticate than mammals, just because they don't seem to have the same kind of intelligence. Also, anyone who tried would have to make sure to educate himself and stay within his means, so we don't have repeats of events like people releasing humongous snakes in Florida once the snakes outgrow their ability to be kept as pets.
2. I would say Japan. Their language and culture fascinates me, and I love their food. I'd really like to travel to Scotland as well, for the record, but the "free of charge" part makes me say Japan here because I feel like a trip to Scotland would be less expensive.
3. the power trip of dropping something 100% to 0% with a single attack It's hard to say. One thing I enjoy is its value as a brain exercise. It's calming and relaxing but at the same time helps me focus. I like being able to analyze a situation, formulate a plan, and then execute that plan with as much skill as I can muster.
4. Most memorable? The one with Moxie that went to 100 turns before someone forfeited. Not my favorite or the most exciting, but that takes the cake for most memorable.
5. No I don't. No Mega Evolutions were introduced outside of Gen VI, and I think the same thing will happen with Z-moves in Gen VII. The time has passed.

 

[Typhlosion]

Bumping is another thing people do.

 

[Moxie]

I blame Erick for that 100 turn game entirely

Asking questions is another another thing people do

1) In a hellish, fallout-esqe scenario where Typhlosion doesn't exist, what would be your back up theme pokemon?

2) Did you get really attached to a Pokemon from the draft league, which you weren't really a fan of at the time before then?

3) So if you had a choice between the two, would you rather sing audience requested songs for 10 minutes, or perform an entire act of Hamlet talking to himself to his ghost of a father, solo on stage

4) If you could pick out any supernatural ability for a week, what would you pick and why?

 

[Typhlosion]

1) Hmm. Scizor and Magenzone are my next two favorite Pokemon, and I feel Magnezone would fit that scenario better.

2) I wouldn't say that was particularly the case. I drafted Pokemon that I was already somewhat familiar with and/or comfortable using, because imo a draft league isn't the best place to learn to pick up new styles if you can help it. I will say that Kommo-o and to a lesser extent Tsareena stood out to me; I was impressed with what they could do and how much work they put in.

3) Definitely singing audience songs. Karaoke is fun. Things might get rough though, if they request songs I'm unfamiliar with!

4) Telekinesis. If the ability was strong or precise enough, you could turn that one broad power to a whole lot of uses encompassed by other powers.

 

[Typhlosion]

B U M P
U
M
P M U B

 

[Mystical]

1. Favorite and least favorite TM move
2. Favorite and least favorite HM move
3. FavoritePokémon that evolves by trading?
4. How did you feel about playing Maurice on the BatB azurilland play?

 

[Typhlosion]

1. Favorite and least favorite TM move
2. Favorite and least favorite HM move
3. FavoritePokémon that evolves by trading?
4. How did you feel about playing Maurice on the BatB azurilland play?

1. Favorite TM: There are a lot of different ways to measure "favorite." I'll just say False Swipe since it's one that's very handy to have, and I use it a lot because of that.
Least Favorite TM: Torment. I think it's dumb they waste a slot on this thing; who realistically uses it?
2. Favorite HM: Surf. Good in battle, one of the most useful, necessary, and sensible outside it.
Least Favorite HM: Flash. Defog is in a similar boat, but for one thing I only have to put up with it in 3 games total, and its in-battle effect is much more reliable and applicable.
3. Well that'd have to be Scizor. One of my top three in general.
4. I enjoyed it. I liked the size of the role, not too much but also not forgettable. It did feel a little strange to be playing an older man, though!

 

[gylfie]

any advice you'd give your 15 year old self?


what are three things you keep on your desk?

 

[Typhlosion]

any advice you'd give your 15 year old self?


what are three things you keep on your desk?

1. Hmm...15...I think I would advise myself to be more outgoing and to trust that being myself wouldn't be the end of the world. I wouldn't say I was anti-social, exactly, but 15 year old me really kind of kept his head down and let life sweep him along without doing much about it.

2. Huh, I've got loads of stuff on my desk. I keep my desk lamp and my water bottle close by, and way over in the corner, a stack of the big textbooks I don't carry around and don't look at.

 

[DeepSeaPrincess]

1. What tips do you have for someone newer to competitive?
2. Other than your namesake, what are some of your favorite pokemon?
3. Who's your favorite companion in the anime?
4. What's one food you've never had but would love to try?
6. If you could go to any time in history no consequences when and where would you go?

 

[Typhlosion]

1. What tips do you have for someone newer to competitive?
2. Other than your namesake, what are some of your favorite pokemon?
3. Who's your favorite companion in the anime?
4. What's one food you've never had but would love to try?
6. If you could go to any time in history no consequences when and where would you go?

1. Learn about your tools. You wouldn't expect someone to be much good at chemistry who was unfamiliar with which chemicals did what, eh? Showdown is nice and all because it has functions for you to look stuff up, but if you know what moves do, what Abilities do, what types all the Pokemon are, what sort of moves they can learn, what their stats are like, all in your head, you can integrate it. You have a good idea of what to expect when facing it and what you can get out of it for any Pokemon. Now I know that sounds tedious and hard, and it leads me to another thing, which is immersion. You can spectate all the battles you want. You can go on Smogon and find good preconstructed teams to practice with, which can give you a jumping-off point for building your own.
2. Mmph, I'm terrible at ranking things, or even narrowing it down. Scizor, Magnezone, Crobat, Darkrai, Heracross, Serperior, Dragonite...almost any Bug- or Steel-type is a good bet, really.
3. Can't beat Brock.
4. Authentic ramen. Probably not terribly hard to come by, but I haven't yet.
5. ...wait a minute...
6. Funnily enough, I was asked this question recently as an icebreaker. This might be too broad/unfeasible for a single bit of time travel, but I would want to investigate the origins of the Basque language, a pre-Indo-European language isolate in northern Spain.

 

[Typhlosion]

I would love to answer some more of your questions sometime!

 

[chidzz]

Have any pets? If not, would you like to?
Do you study/work/both? What do you do?

 

[Typhlosion]

Good evening, chidzz!

I do not have any pets. The apartment I'll be living in next year charges extra for them, and they're really not worth the expense/hassle right now in my life. My family used to have two cats, but they have both passed away after living to ripe old ages.

Mainly I study. I'm a university student working on a degree in biology with a secondary major in Spanish. During the summers I work; I have a seasonal position as a lifeguard at a local aquatics and fitness center.

 

[Neb]

Would you ever attend another Pokémon Worlds Tournament?

What is your opinion on camping?