A Guide to Your Normal Ranked Contest Opponents hints and tips for Pokemon Sapphire

A Guide to Your Normal Ranked Contest Opponents

I will tell you about the AI opponents of the Contests at the Normal Rank. It is recommended to use CTRL F so you can refer to some Pokemon for comarison or whatever.

Dots (Seedot)

This Seedot is the ONLY Pokemon that uses an Appeal Combo in all of the Normal Rank Contests! It usually features in Cool, Tough and Smart Contests. It's moves are:

Synthesis (I do not know exactly how it functions...) Smart Move

Growth (Gives Dots a Blue Star that adds one Appeal and decreases nervousness chance by 10%) Beauty Move 1 Appeal

Bullet Seed (Cuts opponents' Appeal in half, rounding down if an appeal is an odd number.) Cool Move 2 Appeal

Bide (The user cannot be startled, lose Blue Stars or be dazzled* for the whole round) Tough Move 1 Appeal

Combos: Growth-Bullet Seed

This combo works like this: Seedot uses Growth to up it's appeals and usually ends up at the last place of the round where the combo works best^. When it uses Bullet Seed, Dots not only gets 3 Appeal because of Growth, but gets an additional 2! Bullet Seed of course, cuts opponents' Appeal in half.

Dots also uses Bide to avoid negative Appeal (otherwise, why use it?) and usually never uses Synthesis without having at least one Blue Star. In any case Dots uses Synthesis it is usually done at the last round.

Ninda (Nincada)

Every contest has one AI Pokemon who's Primary Score is a star higher than the second highest AI Pokemon and Ninda is just that one! Ninda, to my knowledge only appears in Smart contests and boasts 2 stars for primary judging, contrary to the other AI's 1 star. And here are the moves!

Fury Swipes (Jams the other Pokemon's Appeal by 5 if they have the attention from the Judge#. Otherwise, 1) Tough Move 2 Appeal

Mindreader (Stops the Applause from rising and falling for 1 round) Smart Move 3 Appeal

False Swipe (Jams the other Pokemon Appeal by 3) Cool Move 1 Appeal

Leech Life (Jams the Pokemon directly in front by 3 Appeal) Smart Move 2 Appeal

Sometimes, Ninda really wants to tear his opponents and uses Fury Swipes a billion times. Or it might hate everyone and False Swipe them into oblivion. That really isn't anything to worry about. Bear in mind that Ninda will come first in the first round unless your Pokemon is more popular.

Whiris (Whismur)

I HATE Whismur and this THING comes along... The next few paragraphs are more than enough to prepare yourself against this evil pink ball of terror...

Screech (Read False Swipe...) Smart move 1 appeal

Astonish (Read Leech Life...) Smart move 2 appeal

Hyper Voice (Same as Screech) Cool move 1 appeal

Uproar (Randomises the order of next round)Cute move 3 appeal

This moveset doesn't usually cause Whiris to win, but seems to advantage others... And you'll see Whiris a LOT. He/she/it features in Cute, Cool and Smart contests... Generally speaking, it will Jam you to pieces and will infuriate you.

Slokth (Slakoth)

Slokth is mediocre if not easy to beat. It's moveset doesnt seem to hurt a lot unless you get unnerved. Slokth appears in Tough, Cute, Cool and for some odd reason, Beauty contests..........

Strength (Jams opponents by 5 appeal if they used a Tough move. Otherwise by 1) Tough move 2 appeal

Counter (Prevents being jammed, dazzled and loss of Blue Stars once one of those have been attempted. Afterwards, the user is exposed) Tough move 2 Appeal

Yawn (Attempts to unnerve Pokemon behind)

Encore (Same as yawn)

Slokth has a habit of consecutive Strength-ing, much like Ninda but worse for himself. This sloth is has TWO unnerving moves at the ready, so don't be surprised if the Judge doesn't care if you froze up...

Zigoon (Zigzagoon)

This raggy ball of fun literally APPEALS to trainers worldwide and now the Judge. This Zigzagoon has a higher-than-average chance of winning but we can put a stop to that can't we...

Covet (Appeal based on the Appeal of others. I'm not CERTAIN about it's effeciency) Cute Move At least 1 appeal

Tail Whip (Does 6 appeal (hehehe) when played at the end of the round, otherwise 2) Cute Appeal At least 2 appeal

Rest (Read Counter, Slokth)

Tackle (No effect) Tough Move 4 appeal

Being able to base it's appeal on others, shield itself from harm AND some high appeal moves, Zigoon is one Zigzagoon to look out for. But I've already warned you and beating Zigoon should be a piece of cake!

Zutzu (Zubat)

Another of my enemies, Zutzu has a somewhat, reasonable chance of winning a contest, but that, you should see for yourself. Zutzu enjoys the Smart and Beauty contests and he has two moves of each of those catergories.

Confuse Ray (Same as Uproar, look at Whiris) Smart Move 3 Appeal

Leech Life (Not any different to Ninda's Leech Life...) Smart Move 2 Appeal

Mean Look (An unnerving move...) Beauty Move, 2 Appeal

Haze (Just like in battles, your opponents' stats are normalized, in this case, Blue Stars are elliminated. Only, the opponents in front are affected and you aren't either!) Beauty Move 3 Appeal.

Zutzu has a range of moves to choose from (only four actually), each with it's own different effect. But when will Zutzu deploy them? In a Beauty Contest, if Zutzu is second or first, it usually appeals with Mean Look, although it may use Haze at second. Speaking of Haze, in a Beauty Contest, Haze has been seen in any place in the round! Zutzu will rarely use it's Smart moves in a Beauty Contest except when it feels like a chess master and makes the applause decline on purpose... In Smart Contests, however, Zutzu may use ALL it's moves. Maybe not in the same contest but still uses his all his moves. At least, more wiling to do so than in Beauty Contests. When second or first, Zutzu favours Confuse Ray but won't use a Leech Life when first, so you'll know when to deploy a move getting you the applause bonus (SIX APPEAL!) There was no pun intended...

Smish (Shroomish)

I hate Smish as much as Whiris because of it's Jamming appeals and he has Attract. I mean, SERIOUSLY! Attract... Who'd fall for something so... So UGLY!!! But you'll see what I mean... Smish shows off his giant dress at the Smart Contests. I've never seen him elsewhere.

Leech Seed (Jams the opponents by 2 appeal) Smart Move 2 Appeal

Stun Spore (Same as Bullet Seed... Just scroll to the top and look at Dots)Smart move 2 Appeal

Mega Drain (Jams the opponent directly in front by 4! Horrendous Maximus!!) Smart move 1 appeal

Attract (An unnerving move... How does it work with Smish anyhow?) Cute move, 2 Appeal

Smish is really annoying and I proved it by showing you that unstable move set. When first or second, Attract is his move of choice. At second or third, maybe a Mega Drain. At all places under second, Smish likes Stun Spore and Leech Seed.

Variation: I have seen Smish use Attract at third place...

Rikelec (Electrike)

I don't even think I spelt that right. But who cares? With a name like THAT! That kind of jumble name is only good for Electrode! Anyway, I want to comment that all of his moves are Cool... I guess he can't win a contest like that. And I've never seen him do it! Rikelec's favourite pastime is competing in Cool Contests! For some odd reason, he has a place secured in the Beauty Contest

Roar (Same as Uproar and Confuse Ray) 3 Appeal Needless to say this is a Cool move

Howl (Same as Growth... You can't forget little Dots can you?) 1 Appeal

Thunder (Cool version of Leech Seed) 2 Appeal

Spark (Cool version of Mega Drain) 1 Appeal

This Smish-wannabe uses Thunder and Spark where Smish would use Leech Seed and Mega Drain. Howl is used most anytime and Roar is usually used at the last round, usually already having used Howl twice.

Gulin (Gulpin)

As cute as Grimer, as round as Koffing, as green as... Apart from it's colour, a Gulpin is just like Grimer and Koffing's child. This Gulpin however, is cuter than Grimer and Koffing put together, and it doesn't get better than that! Gulin features as the Cutest in the land and has a fair shot at the Smart Contests.

Amnesia (It's like Howl and Growth except of course, cuter!) Cute move 1 appeal

Toxic (Like Haze, except the animation isn't so cool) Smart Move 3 appeal

Sludge (Like Spark and Mega Drain...) Tough move 1 appeal

Yawn (How is it POSSIBLE anyone would be bored to sleep by Gulin?! Maybe because Gulin has TALENT! Refer to Slokth) Cute Move 2 Appeal

Gulin can use Amnesia and Toxic like a combo consistently. Whenever Gulin feels it can't (how can artificial intellingence have feelings?), he, or she, will Yawn. Judging by this, Gulin is quite predicable, except for Sludge which Gulin almost never uses. Even if you are prepared, Gulin has a chance of winning. At least more than the other AI...

Poochy (Poochyena)

This puppy likes the Cool and Tough contests and it's moves will hardly differ in usage. He has a fair chance of winning but figuring out how to beat him won't be hard at all.

Howl (Haven't we seen this thing before? Refer to Rikelec) Cool Move 1 appeal

Take Down (On the round of usage, startling effects double. So Leech Seed does 4 jam, Screech does six, Mega Drain does 8 and Stun Spore takes Take Down out! And even a negative one for appeal to the user if the appeal resulted in and odd number!) Tough Move Six appeal (no pun intended either!)

Roar (Rikelec has Roar. Go bother HIM) Cool Move 3 Appeal

Bite (Like Screech and Hyper Voice, minus 3 appeal to those pesky opponents) Tough move 1 appeal

Poochy uses Howl and Take Down like a Combo. Howl gives you an extra appeal, and Take Down takes atvantage of that. Bite and Roar are usually used after Poochy uses Howl twice. I'm not sure which one is favoured...

Ronnar (Aron)

Ronnar is similar to Poochy in some ways. They star in the same contests and they both have Take Down. But Ronnar uses Iron Defense instead of Howl.

Iron Defense (Same as Bide, refer to Dots. Dots is getting popular now!) Tough move 1 appeal

Take Down (You just read the description while looking at Poochy. Unless you read backwards...) Tough move six appeal...

Metal Claw (No effect) Cool Move 4 appeal.

Headbutt (Just like Astonish. The Whiris section, if you please) Tough Move 2 appeal

Iron Defense and Take Down are like correlative conjunctions- you can't have one without the other. LITERALLY! Iron Defense is useless if you can push youreslf to victory and Take Down leaves you vulnerable and you can't get startled at the last place can't you? Headbutt and Metal Claw is just for tactical use.

Mahita (Makuhita)

Same as Ronnar and Poochy, Mahita likes Cool and Tough contests. Mahita can be a handful, but there's no worry!

Tackle (Zigoon knows this one) Tough move 4 appeal

Seismic Toss (Same as Slokth's Strength) Tough move 2 appeal

Vital Throw (Makes the user go into last place next round) Cool Move 3 appeal

Reversal (Like Zigoon's Tail Whip) Cool move 2 appeal.

Vital Throw and Reversal are, if you listen to Carpenters, closer than those 2 letters of the alphabet, A and B. Vital Throw MAKES Mahita go last and Reversal has six appeal (I keep typing that don't I?) when played last. Tackle and Seismic Toss are tactical...

That concludes my gigantic hint and now you are enlightened, go ahead and win all those Normal Ranked Contests!!!!!!

*Dazzled means the Judge looks away. This means if you tried to do a combo and you got dazzled, you won't get a bonus using your combo.

# Attention from the Judge means you can use an appeal combo and get the bonus. Attention can be lost when you are dazzled.

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