This thread is for those who already play Pokemon either competitively or casually just on the consoles/emulators, or even if you haven't played for years, or ever.

First of all the best (in my opinion anyway) battle simulator is Pokemon Online

download:
http://pokemon-online.eu/

For the game itself and how it works, I will post a couple of links that are optional to read, but reading and understanding them will help with a lot of things.

For the first of these, here are the type effectiveness and resistances, vital to play Pokemon well.


http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Status_ailment
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Priority
http://www.smogon.com/bw/tiers/
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/List_of_Pokemon_by_National_Pokedex_number


Another good way to understand how COMPETITIVE battling works is to watch videos of battles, some good youtubers who do these are:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Haydunn
http://www.youtube.com/user/kwandaoren66
http://www.youtube.com/user/shofu
http://www.youtube.com/user/emperorznb


For building your actual team on Pokemon online, or for the DS (using Pokegen [?] which I don't use as my DS brokeded.)

This a great video explaining the best ways on building a team, you don't need to follow it for a good team, but it's one way.

PokeMoshPit - Guide to Team Building for Competitive Pokemon by Faladran [Smogon Team Rater]

Some extra basics of Pokemon
Competitive Pokemon terminology explained + questions answered



Hopefully if enough people use this thread we could build up a collection of competitive and generally good teams.

-For reading how the Pokemon are designed use this:


Pokemon @ Item     EV's -   total of 508, max of 252 in one stat. putting 4 in a stat will raise the stats value by one.  E.G   starts with speed of 200. Putting 252 Ev's into speed will make the speed = to  263.    Nature gives a boost to one stat and lowers another. (or does nothing) E.G   Adamant is +Atk -Sp.Atk.    Ability (if choices)

Move 1
Move 2
Move 3
Possible Move 4 (i) / Possible Move 4 (ii)    -  if there are 2 plausible moves for the set

(ways that you use it here)   

For ideas on movesets etc for a specific pokemon, just Google   "Smogon -Pokemon name-" and click on the B/W link.

Here i'll put a team that I've recently made, and am struggling to improve, (I'm sure it can be improved)


Will add in tactics and such for those Pokes when I've tested out a bit more and stuff.

If anyone is struggling with the concept of Evs (Looking at you, Daggo)

This should help:

E.V. the Eevee Explains EV Training

Hate to toot my own horn, but I ganked both Trix Twice and All Lov3 Me.

P.S. use Smogon

I hate to toot my own horn but I beat Mct in a round of pokemon.

Terrakion @ Focus Sash
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge

Amoonguss (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 28 SAtk / 228 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Spore
- Clear Smog
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Tornadus (Tornadus-T) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Superpower
- Hurricane
- U-turn
- Taunt

Politoed (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Scald
- Toxic
- Protect
- Perish Song

Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Ice Punch
- U-turn
- Iron Head
- Trick

Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Surf

Mct and I found out something interesting on PO just now.

If you put an opponent to sleep, then they switch to something else. If they try and put you to sleep, but gets reflected off of an Espeon/Xatu's bounce, they'll go to sleep without breaking the Sleep Clause.