Pokemusings: Week 35

If you're uncomfortable with the limitations of the Choice items, there are several others that give your Pokemon an offensive boost without restricting versatility. Wise Glasses boosts Special Attack by 10 percent. Expert Belt gives a 20 percent boost to Super Effective moves. Life Orb gives a 30 percent boost to your Pokemon's moves, but at the expensive of 10 percent of your hit points per attack landed. All these items are vastly superior to items that boost a single type of attack. Having a variety of boosted offense is simply better than having one boosted move.

This sombrero-sporting amphibian was made to carry Leftovers.

Hold Items aren't just offensive either. Leftovers and Black Sludge are amazing restorative items that are every bit as valuable as their offensive counterparts. Leftovers heal a Pokemon by 1/16 of its hit points every turn. Defensive Pokemon like Blissey, Skarmory, and Shuckle are even more difficult to take out if they're holding Leftovers. Black Sludge works in the same manner, but only restores hit points for Poison Pokemon; this is a perfect item for a bulky Venusaur. Our favorite way to use this type of item is with Ludicolo. A Ludicolo with the Rain Dish ability (that restores hit points when it's raining), holding Leftovers, and using Leech Seed restores an insane amount of hit points every turn.

Even though we think sashes are incredibly prissy, we can't dismiss the usefulness of the Focus Sash. If a Pokemon has all its hit points and is wearing this wondrous item, it can survive a hit that would have otherwise knocked it out. While this only leaves it with one hit point, it also gives it another opportunity to act. Fragile Pokemon like Ninjask and Weavile are brilliant with Focus Sash. Ninjask can survive another hit while building up more Speed, which can then be Baton Passed to a slower Pokemon. Weavile can take a hit and continue to unleash more of its lethal moves.