Apprentice Program - Round Thirty Three

[Blue Kirby]

Our fifth apprentice tournament, run concurrently with the normal tutoring term, is going to take place this round! The first 16 apprentices who indicate their desire to participate in their sign up post will be given a spot... just respond "yes" to the tournament participation question included in the format given below. If you're not interested in the tournament, you can still just sign up for tutoring, obviously.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to make the deadlines for this tournament; there will be no extensions of any kind. If you do not have the time to get assigned matches done promptly, it would be better for you to wait for a different round. All standard rules apply, check out the Tutoring Tournaments page on the site for rules information! Players that place first in their respective cohorts will be inducted into the Battling 101 Hall of Fame.

Havak will be administering the tournament, and it will be managed in this forum. Be sure to pay attention to updates here to stay current on the proceedings! If you have questions about the tournament itself, Havak is your contact this round. Please do not sign up for a tournament place if you were apart of the fourth Battling 101 tournament.

We are ready to begin Round Thirty Three of the tutoring program, which will focus SOLELY on Platinum OU standard battling; if you wish to get a tutor for this round all you have to do is post your profile in the format below. Tutors will be an excellent resource for you to learn Pokemon team building and battling strategies, as well as someone who can help "initiate" you into the Smogon Community. They are here for you...so take advantage!

This round will last for 3 weeks, until November 9, 2008

Shoddy Battle nick:
Age:
Time zone:
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!):
Do you want to play in the tournament: yes or no?
Experience level:
A little about myself:

*You don't have to be good...just willing to learn. So, don't be shy; Sign up now!

YOU MUST BE ABLE TO USE SHODDY BATTLE TO PARTICIPATE!

I will begin assigning all tutors to appropriate apprentices. If you are still looking for a tutor after all tutors have been assigned...you have the option of looking through the tutor roster and PM'ing a suitable person (one who is online during similar hours) to ask them if they will take you on as a second apprentice. It's as simple as that!!

If at any point during this round you encounter a problem (difficulty getting together with your tutor, etc.), let me know and we will work to resolve the issue.

Round Thirty Three Match-Ups

darkie - Rampardos101
Jackal - RB Golbat
Havak - Gandalay4
Blue Kirby - Thorns
.Baris. - newbioform
husk - LL Kratos LL
Articanus - Valantaro
Stathakis - fortunecookie
Great Sage - Colonel M
Arin - kangaraptor
jrrrrrrr - shanealt
moi - moot
Son of Thunder - TheFourthChaser
Sapientia - Shur.tugal
imperfectluck - GotengoXGodzilla
Max - Randomperson
JabbaTheGriffin - Taxie
LonelyNess - Wolfclaw
august - Acaso
Aeroblacktyl - Blue_Crimson
Kevin Garrett - TwiliteReflektion
TAY - stone_cold22
Calciphoce - ozg82889
KD24 - Goldfan
MS - Misaki-chi
Olie - RatchetDude099
DawnBringer - Nachos
Twist of Fate - Crinold
maddog - jimbo422
Bologo - Anti-Pop
Bass - Marowack

 

[Adam Blade]

Assigned to darkie

Shoddy Battle nick: Rampardos101
Age: 13
Time zone: GMT -7
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): Always
Do you want to play in the tournament: Yes
A little about myself: I go to Online School, so I'm always active. I like to play Football and thats all, I suppose. x)
Experience Level: On a scale 1-10 I would have to say an average 7.

Darkie said he would tutor me so may I request Darkie?

 

[RBG]

Assigned to Jackal

Shoddy Battle nick:RB Golbat
Age: 19
Time zone: EDT
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): Wed: 9:00 pm-12:00 Tue, Thr: 2:00pm-5:00, 7:30-12:00
Do you want to play in the tournament: im dont remember if i was part of the fourth tournament. (its started so long ago) If I was, then no, elsewise, yes
Experience level: Somewhat. Tutored by ipl once, but due to problmes with the both of us we only met once.
A little about myself: In college, looking for a job, almost have one, so that might effect times, Eagle Scout, like rock music, have been playing for about year, only seriously since january, been improving somewhat, but feel that a tutor would help me understand what I am doing wrong, how to improve (teambuilding, predicting, ect.)

 

[Gandalay4]

Assigned to Havak

Shoddy Battle nick: Gandalay or Gandalay4
Age: 13
Time zone: EST
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): All week noon-2/3am
Do you want to play in the tournament: yes or no? Yes I do.
Experience level: Decent, I've played pokemon for about a year but I feel I could learn a ton about team building and a little more about predicting from this.
A little about myself: I do online school so I have alot of time. I play wifi more then shoddy, but I would love to start getting into shoddy. I play on gamebattles.com and my team has done quite well for 3 straight seasons, but that isn't saying much.

Would love Havak, Bologo, Great Sage, Jrrrrrrrrr, zerowing, IPL, or anyone really.

 

[Thorns]

Assigned to Blue Kirby

Jeez, people respond quickly.

Shoddy Battle nick: Thorn
Age: 14
Time zone: GMT +10 (Sydney time!)
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): I don't know. In Australian time I'm usually on between 5 and 7 pm.
Do you want to play in the tournament: yes or no? Yeah, sure!
Experience level: I'd rate myself as average in DP, though I was pretty good at ADV. My prediction skills are above average, but I need help with team building and more advanced predicting.
A little about myself: I'm just another guy for who Pokemon is just one of many pastimes.

A side note: I'd like to be apprenticed to someone who lives in the same time zone, or near enough to me - it's really hard to get up in the middle of the night just to play Pokemon. HINTHINT Blue Kirby.

 

[newbioform]

Assigned to .Baris.

Shoddy Battle nick: newbioform

Age: 18

Time zone: +8 (Singapore)

Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): I'm not sure which Eastern are you talking about. It's 8-12pm in Singapore, 12-4pm in London and 8-12 am in New York, but I'm avaliable most other times too.

Do you want to play in the tournament: yes

Experience level: This is my second round. I think I have become better to the point where I can comfortably beat the bad players. When I go up against someone with good experience and skills though, I often find myself lacking. I especially want to learn to predict better, and make a better team if I can manage it since this metagame seems all about team building and my current one is falling behind.

A little about my self: I'm a uni student doing an actuarial studies honours degree. I am a devoted person and usually grasp things quickly.

Request: MS is an awesome tutor, no question about that. I will, however, not request him this round as I am open to learning new styles of play and strategical approaches. Just give me whoever is the most convenient. Thanks.

 

[LL Kratos LL]

Assigned to husk

Shoddy Battle nick: IRedxL
Age: 19
Time zone: EST
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): Um to be honest it changes because of work, :(
Do you want to play in the tournament: yes or no? Yes
Experience level: I am pretty well experienced. I used to play a lot and have a pretty good record on GB. I also played on gamefaqs and shoddy for a little bit now. I played pokemon ever sense it first came out. I have been playing diamond and pearl sense the first day it came out and pretty much almost everyday sense. I am good at prediction and determining what move sets the opponents usually has. The thing I lack on is team building. If I could just have help making and putting together a legit team than I would be golden.
A little about myself: I am 19 years old, I used to be a admin on gamebattles. I work at a pet store which I get 40 or more hours a week. I am going to college for a computer technician/ programmer. I am about to get a Pontiac grand am GT. Oh and I am a chill person :P

 

[Valantaro]

Assigned to Articanus

Shoddy Battle nick: Mr.T
Age: 13
Time zone: GMT- 5
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): Mon-Fri (4pm-8pm) Sat (all day) Sun (all day until 8pm)
Do you want to play in the tournament: Yes
Experience level: I'd say I'm pretty decent, although adapting to the Platinum changes is proving to be a little difficult.
A little about myself: Haven't been active on Smogon at all :< Still not in high school, so no big tests so I can dedicate more time to battling. I'm in SERIOUS trouble when it comes to building teams. Why? I don't know.

 

[fortunecookie]

Assigned to Stathakis

Shoddy Battle nick:fortunecookie
Age:17
Time zone:gmt-6
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): I'm usually on between 4:00-7:00pm central time, which is 5-8pm eastern.
Do you want to play in the tournament: yes or no? yes
Experience level: I'm not a bad player, and my prediction is quite good if my opponent isn't using weird movesets on their pokemon. I also could improve on my team building - I want to move away from using all OU pokemon. I also need to be able to build teams that are themed and have a strategy behind their win condition, because most of my current teams just contain a few tanks and sweepers that cover each others' weaknesses.
A little about myself: I go to high school - I'm a senior - applying to colleges sux. I live in minnesota. I'm asian - hence the username. I like playing starcraft (stereotypes0_0). I got into competetive pokemon battling about 8 months ago. I like playing SSBM.

 

[Colonel M]

Assigned to Great Sage

Shoddy Battle nick: Colonel M
Age: 17
Time zone: GMT -4
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): (Off the top of my head) 3:00 PM - 5:00PM, 8:00PM - 10:00PM
Do you want to play in the tournament: Yes
Experience level: Moderate, Moderate High
A little about myself: I'm not a horrible battler and have improved over the past few months. My main weaknesses are having a stable team and having control of it sometimes. I would like help with both of these weaknesses and hope to one day climb to the top with Pokemon thought of not even being useful in the environment. I also hope to one day become not only a tutor myself but to become more fluent in creating niche movesets that work well as well as being a better Team Rater.

 

[kangaraptor]

Assigned to Arin

Shoddy Battle nick: Amo_Necare
Age: 16
Time zone: Eastern
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): 4:30-8:00 PM
Do you want to play in the tournament: no
Experience level: I feel I do pretty well in battles; about average.
A little about myself: Although only recently discovering Shoddy, I learn quickly and I am eager to learn.

 

[shanealt]

Assigned to jrrrrrrr

Shoddy Battle nick: shanealt
Age: 20
Time zone: Eastern
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): 7:30-2; other hours as well
Do you want to play in the tournament: yes
Experience level: I've lurked and read up on it for a fair amount of time, but haven't put that much effort into actually...playing. I consider myself a fast learner, though!
A little about myself: I am a genius in the kitchen.

 

[moot]

Assigned to moi

YES I MADE IT
Shoddy Battle Nick: moot
Age: 16
Time Zone: PST (GMT-8 iirc, Pacific Standard (Seattle, Los Angeles))
Regular Online Hours: 6-12 PM on weekdays, 3 to 12 PM Saturday, not free Sundays unfortunately (EST times)
Do you want to play in the tournament: no
Experience level: I used to be an okay player but I was never any good at all at teambuilding and my only shining point was prediction. Unfortunately pretty much all my skills have deteriorated to the point of no return and I have absolutely no idea what is going on in the D/P metagame anymore.
A little about myself: I'm an IRC freak, I play bass, I fence, and I honestly don't know what else you want me to say here. :P

Max/Jackal/darkie/moi if at all possible. (: thanks very much!

 

[TheFourthChaser]

Assigned to Son of Thunder

I wasn't expecting this for two days

Shoddy Battle nick: TheFourthChaser
Age: 14
Time zone: Pacific(GMT -8)
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): This sounds weird in Eastern time but, 10PM-12PM weekdays and 5PM-3AM weekends.
Do you want to play in the tournament: Sure, I don't see why not
Experience level*: I've been on Shoddy with a few different teams and only a few have been ok, so I need some help with my team building skills. I also think I need some help with my prediction skills. I got 4th place in the JAA that was near me but I was in the Junior Division so thats a not really a big accomplishment.
A little about myself: I'm a freshman in high school and I've liked pokemon for as long as I can remember and thats why I'm signing up for this program, to be good at the game I like best.

Edit:I would prefer someone in my time zone, it makes setting up times easier

 

[Shur.tugal]

Assigned to Sapientia

Shoddy Battle nick: Fire Fox
Age: 13
Time zone: GMT +10
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): In GMT -5 hours I'm mostly online from 12:30am to 3:00am weekdays and anywhere between 7:00pm saturgay night to 6:00am sunday morning.
Do you want to play in the tournament: yes or no? Yes
Experience level: I've been playing for a few months and know the basics of the game.
A little about myself:I've been playing the "in-game" version of pokemon for many years and have just started playing competitve the past few months.

Would like to request either Blue Kirby, Taylor or Husk as a tutor if thats possible. Otherwise I'm happy with anybody.

EDIT: Please add 1 hour to all those times for Day Light Savings

 

[GotengoXGodzilla]

Assigned to imperfectluck

Dang, I thought it was going to start tomorrow. I may not get one now. :(

Shoddy Battle nick: GotengoXGodzilla
Age:18
Time zone: Pacific (GMT -8)
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): Weekdays: 9 pm-4 am, Weekends: 3 pm-4 am
Do you want to play in the tournament: yes or no? yes
Experience level: I play Shoddy Battle regularly, and do pretty well at it. I can make pretty good single pokemon movesets, but I have difficulty putting the right team together and getting it to work right.
A little about myself: I am currently going to college, and when I'm not at college (on the weekends), I'm not on Shoddy Battle, but I am online a bit. I like to play video games, and enjoy watching movies.

If it is possible, I would like to request Imperfectluck as my tutor, if it is all right with him and my times work for him. If not, I'm good with anybody.

 

[Randomperson]

Assigned to Max

If it isn't to late...:

Shoddy Battle nick: RandomPerson
Age: 13
Time zone: GMT - 5
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): I'm available for the most part, I have school on Weekdays, and don't get out til 3:15 and go to bed at 11. On weekends its a tad difficult to get on with my brother home, however this is an exception.
Do you want to play in the tournament: yes or no? Yes!!
Experience level: Sub Par.
A little about myself:I haven't played Pokemon in a few months, and wasn't very good when I did. I wish to improve my skills and get back into the game.

 

[Taxie]

Assigned to JabbaTheGriffin

Shoddy Battle nick: Denadence
Age: 14
Time zone: + 5:30
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): Weekends only, any time.
Do you want to play in the tournament: yes or no? Yes
Experience level*:A little about myself: I have Pokemon experience for about 5 years and I want to improve my team building skills.

 

[Wolfclaw]

Assigned to LonelyNess

Shoddy Battle nick: BstnTxnWulf
Age: 14
Time zone: Central
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): 4 PM - 9 PM
Do you want to play in the tournament: Yes
Experience level: For my experience level, I would have to say it is a bit below-average. I never got the hang of DP in the first place, and after my hiatus, I feel like I've lost some of my non-existant game. Also, I need help on team building, and a bit of long term thinking skills.
A little about myself: I've been playing competitive Pokemon since RSE, and I've faired decently in that. I was there at the start of DP, but I lost my interest in it due to how often I lost. I've always wanted to get back, so I figured out this is the right time. Also, I've been an avid lurker of Smogon for two years. So I guess I've been a very quiet stalker.

 

[Acaso]

Assigned to august

Shoddy Battle nick: Acaso
Age: 31
Time zone: GMT-3
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): Weekdays: 6 pm-10 pm, Weekends: Any time.
Do you want to play in the tournament: Yes.
Experience level: I am already ok with shoddy battle but I am still learning about the weaknesses and resistances of pokes. I couldn't assimilated them yet and have to look at a paper all the time... ^^
A little about myself: I am from Brazil and discovered Shoddy one month ago. Exploring Shoddy I discovered Smogon University and now I want to be a pokemon master. Thanks! ^^.

 

[Blue_Crimson]

Assigned to Aeroblacktyl

Shoddy Battle Nick: Rudra/Rudra -Testing-

Age: 18

Timezone: GMT -06:00 (Central America)
Regular online Hours: Depends, I have College on the weekdays except Wednesday, and I'm more likely to be on during the weekends.

Do you want to play in the Tournament?: No, I'll pass this time.

Experience level: Below Average-Average. I can't quite get my teams to function properly, and my prediction is a bit lacking... <=/

A little about myself: Well, when I'm not in college, I'm playing videogames such as SSBB, Pokemon, Digimon, whatever. I see myself as a steady learner (at videogames at least) so I should be able to handle this.

 

[TwiliteReflektion]

Assigned to Kevin Garrett

Shoddy Battle nick: TwiliteReflektion
Age: 15
Time zone: GMT -6 (Central)
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): Mon-Fri 3:00 - 5:00
Do you want to play in the tournament: yes or no? Yes
Experience level: I guess average. I think I could use more predicting and team-building skills.
A little about myself: I'm in 9th grade and I've been playing Pokemon for about 8 years. I started playing on the competitive level for about one year.

 

[Dave]

Assigned to TAY

Shoddy Battle nick: TU-Stone/Stone_Cold22
Age: 17
Time zone EST
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): 2:45 - 10:00 (I can get online between that time, but I am busy lots)
Do you want to play in the tournament: yes or no? Yes
Experience level: Uhm, not sure. Been playing for over a year.
A little about myself: From US, been around shoddy since July 07. Have achieved top 50 a few times. Would like to improve. Trying to calm down and just wanna get better.

 

[ozg82889]

Assigned to Calciphoce

Shoddy Battle nick: ozg82889
Age: 19
Time zone: pacific standard time(PST)
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): weekdays:3-7pm weekends: 5-9pm
Do you want to play in the tournament: yes or no? yes
Experience level: average
A little about myself: haven't been in shoddy for long, but i have been playing pokemon for a few years. i havn't achieved top 50 but i hope to do so one day. i don't post here actively but i lurk often reading threads and learning from them

 

[Imran]

Assigned to KD24

Shoddy Battle nick: Goldfan
Age: 17
Time zone: GMT
Regular Online Hours (Eastern only!): 7-10 Most evenings except for saturday, although alternative arrangements can also be made in advance
Do you want to play in the tournament: Indeed I do, and I am determined to do better this time
Experience level: Shoddy rating is quite good right now, but that is part of the problem, I want ot understand more why this current team is doing well, as compared to my previous lower ratings. I am OK with my theorymon, but I want to be able to compete at a higher level. So In short, I am not a random nub, but nowhere neat as goos as i want to be.
A little about myself: Not as big a geek as I could be I guess, the only RPG i play is pokemon but I play it waaaay to much. I also play cricket and occasionally golf in my spare time. Not much else to say, A-Level Maths and Physics Studant...

Requesting anyone but Havak, much as I love Havak I had him last time and I am interested on getting someone elses input into my game this time :D I don't nessecarily want to feel restricted to my timezone either. My timetable i reasonably flexible, I can make some time here and there. I'm not a great fan of requesting, but I don't want to be pushed to the "back of the queue" for not requesting. So please assign me who you think is best for me.

Last Round I was the 3rd or 4th Person to post and was assigned to Taylor, who had retired. Max said he'd promise me a place in the next round. Thankyou Max :D But I urge you to consider me for the tournament as well, seeing as I was there on time last time. I would really like to play in it. Thanks for your time.