Contest advice

[Guested]

Well, I'm trying to get the various achievements needed for a black Trainer Card on my Platinum game, and I distinctly remember repeatedly failing at the Master level contests in my Diamond game.

Even though I'm only half-way through the Battle Tower, I thought I'd try out the contests when the Tower starts becoming mundane.

Does anyone have any tips for getting through the Master rank? Like which division is easier or has better moveset possibilities?

And what IS a good moveset for the contests anyway?

Thanks for any input you can give me.

[Okami]

I would like to know as well.

[Deities]

Well for me it depended on the contest.

If was aiming for a Beauty I'd use my Milotic (since it was maxed out beauty, the people would adore it alot). Having a full moveset of the contest you're doing is essential aswell.

Now as you should know the moves all have certain things they do in a contest e.g. One move could be that if it is used last it'll give you a +3 bonus etc.

I liked to mix these up, I'd give give my pokemon two of normal ones that just give you three hearts and I'll give it one move that'll be good for when you go last and for when you go first.

This is what I did for Beauty, Cool and Toughness ranks and I won them all first time.

[mxp]

Milotic in the beauty contest is the easiest

Beauty Contest: Master Rank Winner: Milotic (female) Level 56: Item: Blue Scarf:

Blizzard: Earn +2 if the Pokemon performs first in the turn.

Surf: Earn +2 if the Pokemon performs first in the turn.

Hydro Pump: Earn +2 if the Pokemon performs first in the turn.

Aqua Ring: Increased Voltage is added to the performance score.

[HottSushiz]

Milotic is a perfect candidate for beauty. And any other Pokemon just spam it with berries. What i do is try and aim for the crowds excitement, when that hits full you get a large amount of points, sometimes i win even if someone else get's those points.

Technically if you win the dance, and dress up thing, and do decent at the last one. Your bound to win.

I remember in Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald, in the contest there was this cheap move, where you got a Pokemon that is able to learn the elemental punches you teach it something like Fire Punch, and Ice Punch. Then you do one of those 2 one, then the other. And you get something like Good Match, then you reel in the points. But unfortunately, it doesn't work on the 4th generation.

[Guested]

Well, I've made it to Master Rank and got my clock cleaned.

I'm doing cute with my Flareon. I've got it's cute level up to max, plus it has a Pink Scarf.

Moveset:

Return (2) +2 if first

Frustration (2) +2 if last

Mud-slap (3)

Snore (3)

I think I just don't have enough accessories. There are a LOT of slots for the dress-up bit. All the other contestants got over 7 hears each, and I got about 4 or 5. And I evidently suck at the dancing bit for Master Rank.

I'll try again later.

[Toffeuy]

I've got Gold Trainer Card, to get Black, you need full National Dex (excluding event) which is impossible for me cause I don't have wi-fi or Colosseum so I can't get the Johto Starters. The master rank isn't hard actually this is my combo:

Tough:

Garchomp

Stone Edge

Crunch

Dragon Claw

Earthquake

I gave it full tough by buying poffins and after full toughness I went to that guy who gives you the contest bands (I forgot where he was). During appearance and appeal stages my Garchomp rocked but in dance I was good though in the master rank I sucked. Master rank dance is different, you only take a move when you hear a specific 'Beat' in the music. Though I still got the chance to win.

After winning the master rank I went to Mr. Goods and he gave me the Tough Cup.

After tough I aimed for all trophies so I entered more contest and passed another 2 master ranks:

Beauty:

Weavile

Swords Dance

Ice Punch

Night Slash

Brick Break

Smart:

Dusknoir

(Sorry forgot it's moveset)

And I talked to Mr. Goods and he gave me the Smart and Beauty Cup.

About the Battle Tower bit, not VERY VERY VERY hard but not too easy. I managed to pass the 100 mark. I remember you telling me on the IRC that you had got 91 wins. So two more streaks and there you're on 105. I'm on 105 but then when I attempted for a further streak I lost to the first trainer T_T.

Tips on accessories:

Get them from the girl in veilstone city who massages your pokemon

Get them from man in Amity Square

Get them from talking to your pokemon in amity square

Different accessories take effect on different themes

[Guested]

Okay, so I just played through a Master Rank competition...

I did the best on the last section, but the WORST on the first two. Evidently I suck at dancing and making the accessories match the theme. The themes are already dang ambiguous in English, but I'm playing in Japanese...

[Toffeuy]

Check the internet I remember finding a guide of which accessories suit which themes on google. Also, dressing up doesn't matter that much. For eg. my Garchomp with full toughness with no accessories will get a score of 6-7 hearts. With the best suited accessories on it it will score an amount of 8-9 hearts. This means the maximum amount of hearts the accessories will help is only 2 hearts. But that's actually a lot compared to the other contestants...

[Guested]

So.... bad accessories hurt your heart score?

Cause I tend to get around 2 or 3 total.

It's a lie! No accessories got me no hearts!

Master Rank is obviously judged more harshly.

[Toffeuy]

What are your pokemon's contest stats then?

Take a picture with your camera/phone and upload it onto the computer.

I used a max tough Garchomp holding the item Yellow Scarf. Yellow Scarf boosts your toughness stat if held during Contests. I forgot where you get it. All I remember is you have to have a pokemon with a full contest stat in your party and you talk to someone and they will give you a coloured scarf depending on which stat.

[Guested]

I'm doing cute with my Flareon. I've got it's cute level up to max, plus it has a Pink Scarf.

Here ya go. Kinda already said it.

[Guested]

Okay, I did it.

I beat the Master rank and got my 5th Trainer Card Star.

It turns out that there was some missing information I wasn't getting. I had to refer to an official player's guide to get it. In addition to the main contest stat, there are two OTHER contest stats that have a minor effect in the first section of the contest. For example, for the Cute contest, Cute is the main stat, but Beauty and Smart have a minor boosting effect as well (I think it's those two). So, using this information, translating the theme, and using a theme/accessory guide, I was finally able to change my 4th place losing streak into a 1st place win!

Anyways, my Flareon has a crap-ton of ribbons now.