The Art of Prediction!!!

[Jiggly]

One of the main things in today's meta game, is predicting what your opponent will do. This is a skill that cannot be developed with just one try, so expect some failures along the way!

Step 1: Write down what pokemon your opponent is using, this will be essential to predicting

Step 2: Think about your opponents strategy. Say they have a grass type out, you could easily go for the fire blast to kill them, by don't you think your partner is smarter than that? Go for the solar beam instead, predicting the switch into their water type.

Step 3: Know your opponent. If your opponent is new, than your not going to want to predict. If you know that your opponent predicts a lot, you need to predict there predictions and counter them.

Step 4: Don't over predict. Over predicting will lead to your downfall, use them wisely, and you can turn the tide of the battle!

Step 5: Practice! You need to learn obvious switches, and how to punish the opponent for using them.


More Detail:
One of my favorite things to do is switch a talonflame into a grass type. You know they are going to switch next turn because they don't want to take a brave bird to the face, so get up a free swords dance while they switch!

I like to use zapdos, and what I often do is switch it in on water types. They don't want to take t-bolt, so they switch to a ground type, I predict this and go for the HP ice.

Let's say you have a garchomp out against a fire type, they expect the EQ and switch to a flying while I switch to my zapdos to make them switch AGAIN!

These are some examples of some of the most common types of predictions. Set up during a switch, go for the unexpected move, switch when they switch.

Questions? Leave all below!!!

 

[Shooting_Quasar_Ditto]

Nice but can u explain what we can predict with with examples ?

 

[Jiggly]

One of my favorite things to do is switch a talonflame into a grass type. You know they are going to switch next turn because they don't want to take a brave bird to the face, so get up a free swords dance while they switch!

I like to use zapdos, and what I often do is switch it in on water types. They don't want to take t-bolt, so they switch to a ground type, I predict this and go for the HP ice.

Let's say you have a garchomp out against a fire type, they expect the EQ and switch to a flying while I switch to my zapdos to make them switch AGAIN!

These are some examples of some of the most common types of predictions. Set up during a switch, go for the unexpected move, switch when they switch.

 

[Shooting_Quasar_Ditto]

Should i predict on battle spot or not ?

 

[Jiggly]

Should i predict on battle spot or not ?

You should decide that after the first few turns. Are they good or not so good? You only want to predict on good players, because not so good/new players won't make obvious switches.

 

[doulie]

Good tutorial @shadowman101

I would like to add that it is important to know when to use predictions aswell.

Weight what you have to gain if your prediction is right vs what you will lose if it is wrong.
If the gain out weighs the cost then go for it.

 

[adge]

Good thread , predictions are key to winning games ^^

 

[Jiggly]

Good thread , predictions are key to winning games ^^

Thanks! ^_^

 

[Giovanni]

All I have to say is this. The Art of Predication is way more complicated than what Shadowman1o1 made it out to be. I know this is OU, but that doesn't change the fact. You want to go with the move that is least expected, or the game changing move. Predicting the opponent's switch is somewhat important due to the type of pokemon they could switch into. Mega Kanga could Fake Out a Smeargle, but the opponent could switch into Garchomp with Rough Skin and a Rocky Helmet. That takes away half of Mega Kanga's hp, and therefore making him easier to kill off and take care. Don't learn OU predicting, learn VGC predicating.

 

[Jiggly]

All I have to say is this. The Art of Predication is way more complicated than what Shadowman1o1 made it out to be. I know this is OU, but that doesn't change the fact. You want to go with the move that is least expected, or the game changing move. Predicting the opponent's switch is somewhat important due to the type of pokemon they could switch into. Mega Kanga could Fake Out a Smeargle, but the opponent could switch into Garchomp with Rough Skin and a Rocky Helmet. That takes away half of Mega Kanga's hp, and therefore making him easier to kill off and take care. Don't learn OU predicting, learn VGC predicating.

I was explaining OU predicting, but if you want to explain VGC predicting, go right ahead!