So what do I have to do/know to not be trash at competitive play?

>>30445882
EVs and IVs are a given.
What moves are good, what moves are bad, coverage.
Speed is king.
Most importantly, know your metagame.

>>30445882
I'm struggling with this as well. I've known about IVs and EVs since gen. 3 and finally tried making a competitive team in gen. 5. I got stuck and gave up and here I am again in gen. 7 trying to make this work. I have no idea where to start so I just watch other players on Showdown. Yesterday I finally created a team but I doubt it's really all that good.

>>30445882
Know the limits of "pokemon you want to use"

Right now we're still in an evolving meta, so experimentation is fruitful but can be misleading. Something you like that works now can suddenly find itself being checked by something way more popular.

Adapt.

>>30445969
>Yesterday I finally created a team but I doubt it's really all that good.
Have you played a lot with it?
Find out what beats your team, and work in something to beat it. Continue doing this until you go full circle, then give up and start crafting more teams.

>>30445969
Just curious, what's your team?

File: 1480220331611.png (596KB, 1600x900px) Image search: [Google]

596KB, 1600x900px

>>30446166

Here it is.

http://pastebin.com/GkSPuwC2

>>30446066

I guess I should take notes with Notepad then?

>>30445882
Watch battles, see what others do/use

Then use that knowlage to build an original set

It's common sense really

>>30446728
How long did you do that and how good of a player do you consider yourself?

>>30445882
>easy way
watch videos of what they do and how they play
>hard way
do the work and make teams, fail, change team, fail, keep trying till you make something that sticks

>>30446856
>>easy way
>watch videos of what they do and how they play

Hope I can memorize all that shit.

>>30446293
Absolutely everything shits on Excadrill right now.

>>30446970
not play by play but pick up things like
>team composition and roles
>type coverage
>when to switch
>when to gamble
>how to predict(this becomes easier as you remember how certain pokemon are always ran. stated and such)
>how to use opponites over prediction to your advantage