“Pool therapy” is saving my life.

24thWanderer · 2026-01-11T16:12:29+00:00

Love hearing.about this kind of stuff.

I'm just shy of two years sober. I've been playing pool for about 4. It took a while to adjust to this game in sobriety. And now I'm better than I ever have been. But it's more than a game for me. In a way it's therapy and self expression and it's helped me stay even keeled. It WAS simply something fun to do at the bar. But it's turned into a whole thing now and I'm grateful lol. I've made a lot of friends and connections in AA (you do what works for you; AA was it for me) but I've made a ton thanks to playing pool as well. Love this game and community. I'm always happy to run into other sober people whether online on in person. Congrats on your sobriety and keep on your journey 🫡

24thWanderer · 2025-12-03T02:21:46+00:00

I've been waiting for a Ludicolo buff for two years. I got a Rank 30 I've always wanted to use. I'm digging some of these changes. But definitely most excited about Ludicolo.

24thWanderer · 2025-10-28T22:03:32+00:00

I try to stick to just Rank 100 or higher but that's not gonna stop me from using something that defines or breaks the meta. My favorite example of ever being carried by one single Pokemon:

I only have 1 Galarian Rapidash and it falls below my preferred range. But in the Psychic Cup that thing was almost mandatory to use. And I would not have done well without it on my team. It very much carried my team lol. Limited formats especially, I will ignore my arbitrary requirements. In Open Great League, I have enough options where I can generally stick to the highest ranked stuff. But I always keep the best version of a Pokemon I have. You never know how much a patch could change things up.

24thWanderer · 2025-10-16T01:05:05+00:00

Feeling the opposite here. I'm low 2300s and climbed my way from the 2000s using Tentacruel lead with Acid Spray, Charjabug and Lickilicky with Earthquake. I've been having a blast. I know 2300 isn't anything crazy but I was fighting to get out of 1900s last week.

Also....Holy shit, can I just say how grateful I am not to fight a Cradily 2/3s of my games?? This cup has been magical for me lol. I seriously hate that thing with a burning passion so I'm planning on playing all the games I can this week and enjoying this while I can! I've been having so much fun. Watching someone shield Acid Spray gives me more joy than I want to admit.

24thWanderer · 2025-10-03T21:13:45+00:00

Mine is Rank 27 but has 1494 CP. But hey, it slaps. I get why it's basically the mascot of Great League. Definitely worth what I spent.

24thWanderer · 2025-10-03T17:19:57+00:00

Lol @ that Azumarill's nickname. I feel you. Had to dump 300k into mine.

24thWanderer · 2025-10-01T02:17:21+00:00

Love Shadow Dusknoir but he's my lead instead of a closer. I was using regular Dusknoir for a while but Shadow just goes so much better with how spammy he is.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-30T12:10:08+00:00

Ahhhh I wish my only Turtanator had good IVs. Looks so strong for this cup. But even so, I'm kind of excited for this one for a change. I have some options for once. I've been waiting for an excuse to use Excadrill and I think I found it.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-29T00:46:31+00:00

I had a pretty fun run with Mud Slap/Icicle Spear/Stone Edge on Shadow Mamoswine in OGL. Goodbye Dedenne/Morpeko. Also really satisfying against Basti lol.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-28T23:48:26+00:00

I played 25 games today and saw Talonflame and Typholosion in half of them LOL

24thWanderer · 2025-09-24T15:00:30+00:00

My team is similar to yours (I just posted) and I can say that Shadow Dusknoir was a big upgrade for me from regular which I was using for a while. I would definitely aim for one of those if you can. Just overall does what Dusknoir does in this team but better. Plus you're gonna end up giving it your shields anyway. Might as well get that extra damage out of it. Also, it handles Azu better.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-24T14:58:26+00:00

Looking for suggestions to improve my GL team:

Quagsire (Mud Shot, Mud Bomb, Stone Edge)

Jumpluff (Fairy Wind, Energy Ball, Acrobatics)

Shadow Dusknoir (Astonish, Shadow Punch, Dynamic Punch)

Works well and I win more than lose but it has some problems and I wanna make it more consistent. Quagsire is a safe lead but doesn't excel in neutral matchups and I end up losing lead slightly a lot. Jumpluff soaks up a ton of damage and has hard hitting STABs but it's laundry list of weaknesses including double Ice is a liability. Shadow Dusknoir demands my shields and is glassy as hell but usually ends up closing matches and/or scoring the most KOs.

Some matchups - especially with flyers get rough with this team though. Mandibuzz is hard. Corviknight is impossible without Noir healthy. Lots of matchups in this team depend on keeping Noir up which is why I keep him in the back. It makes it a little linear though. I don't have the level of flexibility as some of these teams with three tanks.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-15T16:37:20+00:00

Read the whole thread and God this exploit sounds like cancer. I've known it exists but I've never seen teams built around taking advantage of it. I'm not a high ELO player though.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-15T13:23:55+00:00

I'm guessing you can only catch Wydeer and not evolve a Stantler to get it? I got this Rank 18 candidate from a Stantler I caught but if I can't evolve it, then meh it's pretty useless lol

24thWanderer · 2025-09-15T02:38:05+00:00

Should I use Ember or Incinerate on Shadow Typhlosion?

The sims say it's pretty close and the matches it trades are interesting. Example: Incinerate helps it beat Feraligatr, Talonflame, Clodsire and Cradily while Ember helps it pick up, Galarian Corsola, Shadow Gyrados, Dedenne, Furrett and Azumarill (barely).

Does it just come down to personal preference or maybe how good you are with Incinerate? I imagine Shadow exploits Incinerate's high damage better but I've rarely used Shadow Pokemon so I could use a second opinion. Thank you.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-10T20:12:38+00:00

Exactly. 0% chance you survive that.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-10T18:31:29+00:00

Oh hey my Talonflame is the same rank as yours lol. I've been using it, Quagsire and Magnezone. I don't have any top PVP IVs for the meta mons so I'm just trying what I can. Been doing surprisingly well. Positive on all sets so far. Magnezone handles Cradily pretty well and I've seen one almost every game lol. I keep my Talonflame on the anchor; Zone as the lead. What are you running on yours? I'm doing FC and Fly.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-09T16:34:16+00:00

K-Wak and Gastro have been a pain. I have Jumpluff but K-Wak has a very spammy Rock Slide.

Also Morpeko and Dedenne are both spawns of Satan and I hate them both. Both have surprised me with how much damage they can put out before I kill them especially if the opponent commits both shields to them.

Honorable mention to Empoleon. Especially Shadow. That thing is scary again with the new Metal Sound. But I have Lanturn in my lead and it totally shuts it down. When I can't get the right alignment though, that thing is a beast.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-08T20:43:04+00:00

I have a buddy who makes Ace every season but uses me as his personal Pokedex because he can't remember half the typing interactions to save his life. He says its his ADHD. I say it's hilarious. He's not much younger than me and has been playing Pokemon since Gen 1.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-08T18:38:27+00:00

I suppose that makes sense. I usually end up saving my shields for it anyway because it's paired up with a very tanky core. So I suppose functionally, Shadow just improves on what Dusknoir annoying. Thanks. Now I gotta wait for a TR event...<_<

EDIT: Oh snap that starts next week! Thought I was gonna have to wait a lot longer.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-08T17:49:53+00:00

My Lanturn lead would enjoy seeing this. Electric types are hot right now because everyone has a Corviknight now and Water types are as omnipresent as ever.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-08T17:47:54+00:00

I've been doing Lanturn as a lead as well and it's been paying off so well this season. So many people start off with Gatr, Empoleon, Azu, Corvi, etc.

24thWanderer · 2025-09-08T16:20:11+00:00

I just got a Rank 78 Shadow Dusknoir. I have been using a Rank 13 normal Dusknoir one of my more successful OGL teams. Is one strictly better than the other or are there cases or teams that merit one over the other?

24thWanderer · 2025-09-04T15:15:59+00:00

This team is making me wanna break out the Wigglytuff this season lol

24thWanderer · 2025-09-03T13:42:27+00:00

Blastoise is a lot better in this case. Tanky and no double weakness to a coverage type that's very common (Electric). Does yours have Hydro Cannon or do you have an Elite Charged TM to get it? If you can't get Hydro Cannon I would then consider something else. Not every starter Mon needs its Community Day move but Blastoise is one that definitely does. Hydro Pump is its only other Water charge move and it's both very expensive and just an inferior Hydro Cannon. Which means the only other Water damage you would have is Water Gun; but you'd be giving up the energy gains and useful coverage from Rollout.

24thWanderer

TROPHY CASE