The Lava Pool

C is for Chaos

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 22:55:58 -0700

We're back again! This time we get ready for NAIC and dive into the handful of side events going on there. We also go over a bit about the pop-up shops, the lotteries, and answer some of your questions. Which host is learning Dutch? (Hint: Not the Dutch host)

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro
03:00 NAIC
24:45 Worlds
34:45 Reg D
47:45 Yokohama Open?
54:15 Grassroots check in
57:00 Questions

If you have questions for the show send them to podcast@lavapool.party

The Metagame Paradox

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 11:23:14 -0800

This week we take a surprisingly close look at the series 2 metagame as we get ready for OCIC and a nonstop barrage of VGC regionals. Then we go over the big news of day 2 event regionals and speculate over that lowered bar for TCG worlds.

Apologies for no timestamps and not editing this one super tight. But I (Samuel) had to rush it out before jumping on a plane to the Oceania International Championships.

If you have questions to topics you want covered next time email us at podcast@lavapool.party

One and Done

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 17:48:15 -0800

We're back from the one and only NA Series 1 regional! Samuel made a number of unforced errors, Temporal had to deal with other peoples unavoidable errors, and they both made sandwich errors.
We also go over the top preforming teams, and then dig into the upcoming format change.

00:30 Intro, Food
04:00 San Diego errors
13:00 The topcut teams
22:00 Disconnects
30:00 Series 2
50:00 Pokemon Home and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Updates
54:00 Grassroots roundup
59:00 Outro

If you have any questions about topics from the show or about Pokemon VGC in general, email us at podcast@lavapool.party

A Judge, a Commentator, and a World Champ walk into a CP Bar

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 15:29:48 -0800

Spirits of Lava Pools past Gabby Snyder and Toler Webb join our hosts to talk about the newly announced 2023 VGC CP Bar for worlds qualification. We also have tips for your first regionals, how to get food, and so much more!

0:00 Intro, Snowfall

2:45 CP Bar for Worlds Qualification

8:50 Plushes and Spheal

12:00 Locals

15:00 Regionals Tips

35:50 San Diego Tips

55:00 Random Pokemon in the Format

59:00 More Open Team Sheet Stuff

1:07:30 More Meta Things

1:13:15 OCIC Series 1

1:16:30 Grassroots Tours

1:23:00 Outro

If you have questions or topics you want to hear on the show send them in to podcast@lavapool.party

Not So Covert Cloak

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 23:54:40 -0800

We have a format! We have rules! We have a website! This week we go over the freshly released rules document, then dip into the early meta a bit. If you want more info on the things related to the podcast you can go to lavapool.party and if you have questions or topics you want to hear us cover on the show email us at podcast@lavapool.party

00:00 Intro, Sandwich
02:15 A series of serieses
10:30 Open Team Sheets
16:15 Rk9 Translations
23:20 Other micilanious rules
38:00 Still no CP info
40:45 Metagame snapshot
1:08:15 No home, no usage stats.
1:11:00 Events selling out fast
1:15:30 Fresno
1:20:00 USPA Signups
1:22:30 We have a website! lavapool.party

Touch Grassroots

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 09:05:56 -0800

After years away the original VGC podcast returns! Samuel (Dr Fidget) has been lured back by the inclusion of sandwiches in the upcoming Pokemon games. Alyssa (Temporal) joins as the new cohost. This week we get excited about the upcoming release of Scarlet and Violet, go over what is and isn't announced for the upcoming VGC season so far, and touch on the many, MANY, community run events and tournaments Allyssa is involved in.

0:00 Intro
3:30 Light SV talk
6:30 Tera types
13:10 Home
20:20 New season
30:00 Internats
37:00 Waiting on rules updates
46:00 Online Grassroots

How it Started, How it's Going

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 15:36:34 -0800

Some things never change. VGC is still canceled, quarantine is still in effect, and a hot new Lava Pool is about to get all up in your ears. This week is Fidget's 10 year anniversary with Team Magma and Chalkey, Gabby, and Josh are here to swap stories on how the journey started and where things are now.

0:00:30- Quarantine sandwiches
0:07:00 VGC still canceled
0:29:00 How did everyone join Magma
0:52:00 Bopper
0:54:00 What's up with Pokemon Go?
0:57:00 What are you doing without VGC?
1:15:00 Chalkeys Heartwarming worlds story

Black Hole Sun

Mon, 27 Feb 2017 14:45:50 -0800

Sam, Toler, and Oliver are back and getting ready to roll out to Indianapolis for another year. Then we take a closer look at where the metagame is and what gambles are worth taking while building.

00:20 Intro
05:20 US Nationals
13:25 World Championship dates
16:10 Metagame
33:25 NPA
49:30 Questions

There's a Moon in the Sky (Called the Moon)

Fri, 10 Feb 2017 22:50:36 -0800

Sam and Toler are back to talk about naked air-guitar, QR codes, and stipends. Sam also went to his first MSS and we check in on how our pre-season predictions have panned out so far. Sam and Toler can't actually hear each other most of the time, but hopefully you won't be able to tell! Yay editing!

00.20 Intro
03:45 Bank and QR codes.
08:25 Australia and stipends.
13:00 Fidgets first MSS
26:55 Revisiting our pre-season predictions.
34:55 Dhelmise

Blister in the Sun

Sun, 22 Jan 2017 21:17:47 -0800

We finally catch up to the metagame that won't slow down. This week Sam, Toler, Oliver, and Gabby try and process the vast array of teams from regionals, paying for online tournies and content, and if tiering Pokemon is even possible.

0:00:20 Intro, sandwiches.
0:05:40 Pokemon Bank.
0:08:10 Regional and metagame tangents.
0:13:00 Tiers.
0:24:00 AFK and more metagame stuff.
0:36:40 Melborne win a trip.
0:42:45 Oliver vs Sam in Dallas.
0:46:10 Question #1, Celesteela.
0:49:50 Q2, Underrated Pokemon and the next big thing.
0:57:30 Q3, Paid content.
1:01:20 Q4, Tapu Bulu.
1:03:30 Q5, Teambuilding

Fly Me to the Moon

Fri, 16 Dec 2016 16:06:13 -0800

No visit from Santa this year, but visits from Tman, Cybertron, and Dim more than make up for it. This week we go over our favorite holiday foods, talk about all of London's many suprises, team sheets, money, and which Tapus are sniffing around your daughter.

00:20 Holiday Foods
02:20 London
07:30 Trends
14:50 Europe Circuit
20:30 Timer
26:30 Team Sheets
34:49 $$$
37:55 Memento & Parting Shot
42:00 Questions

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Sat, 03 Dec 2016 20:50:15 -0800

The time for VGC17 has come. Or is it gone? Sam, Toler, and Tiffany have 3 turns to figure it out. In doing say they also cover new cores, bigest early suprises, and what is the cutest new Pokemon.

0:00:20 Intro
0:03:40 VGC17 Rules
0:05:30 Timer
0:18:35 2016
0:23:00 Smeargle in 17
0:24:00 17 Teams
0:34:50 Underachievers
0:39:20 Silvally Colors
0:42:00 Suprises
0:44:47 London
0:47:56 Corrections
0:49:46 Questions
0:55:50 Cutest Pokemon
1:02:42 Outro

Here Comes the Sun (Spoilers)

Mon, 21 Nov 2016 15:30:55 -0800

In this extra special spoilercast, DrFidget, JTK and Shiloh recount their trips through Alola. We go over our teams, evil teams, human and pokemon relationships, human and human relationships, human and cloathing relationships, etc. Did I mention there will be spoilers?

Bad Moon Rising

Fri, 18 Nov 2016 20:32:21 -0800

The days of VGC 2016 are coming to a close and a new format is begining. DrFidget welcomes back Dimsun, Bopper, and the cuss button to hit the ground running on this exciting new metagame. This episode is Sun/Moon spoiler free.

0:00:20 Intro

0:02:40 New Items

0:07:00 Z-moves

0:13:30 Best Rookie Pokemon

0:43:10 Best Returning Pokemon

1:00:25 Questions

Ninja Town

Thu, 13 Oct 2016 20:22:01 -0700

Sam, Toler, and Tiffany are back with timers, demos, rules, and new pokemon. We also revisit bow-tie vs bikini top on our way to ninja town and depression. So you can go ahead and call this one a banger.
00:20 Intro, Board Games 03:30 New Timer 05:10 Ladder Updates 06:32 Battle Teams 09:35 Triples and Free for All 10:25 WCS17 Rules 16:00 Sun & Moon Features 26:00 Demo 31:00 Fees and Lines 35:00 New Pokemon 44:00 VGC16 Metagame Changes

Werewolves of London

Sat, 24 Sep 2016 20:17:32 -0700

Take your hat off and get ready to rock, VGC 2017 is here! This week Sam, Toler, and Tiffany are breaking down Championship Points, Prize $$$, and format changes. There was also a bunch of Sun & Moon news with double doses of wolves, monkeys and unevolved Z-Moves.
00:20 Intro, Zog 02:30 CP Bar 14:30 Prize $ 19:00 Format change in December 22:05 Pokemon Bank 25:20 Dress up is back! 27:00 Grooming 30:20 New Z-Moves 36:50 Passimian 38:55 Oranguru 41:55 Lycanroc 46:35 Bronzong 50:25 Personal favorite pokemon in 2016

Sandcastle Nightmare

Sat, 17 Sep 2016 00:09:08 -0700

Apologies for the audio this week, I let the auto tools in audacity loose instead of doing everything myself. The end result is a rather manically paced episode with a number of sentences cut off. HOWEVER, the rest of the episode is so good it doesn't even matter.
Gabby and Tiffany hang out and talk about Sun and Moon, new pokemon, fashion, and photography. Then about 40 minutes in we start talking about VGC, kind of. Welcome to the off season!

Gumshoe

Wed, 03 Aug 2016 19:52:34 -0700

DrFidget has stolen Kyogre from the Pokemon World Championships. Gumbshoes, you need to fix your pokeradar, travel to Alola, and get Kyogre back. Then capture Carmen Sandiego!
The Loot is Gone and the chase is on, and one of these people could find her: Toler, Tiffany and Stephen.
0:00:20 Intro 0:04:46 Mewtwo 0:09:15 Pokemon GO 0:16:30 New Pokemon Forms 0:23:13 Z-Moves 0:30:20 New Pokemon 0:53:00 Aegislash 0:54:10 Must have moves 0:57:45 Double Primal 0:59:56 Improving as a player and moving on from a series of bad runs 1:04:00 Restricted pair that will win worlds 1:07:35 Worst restricted 1:11:20 The real answer is DrFidget himself 1:12:50 Outro

Unbounsweet

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 21:09:29 -0700

Toler and Sam switch roles to catch up on the VGC 16 metagame going into worlds. Turns out not much has changed since the last episode. So then we spend the rest of the episode breaking down the Pokemon game everyone is talking about right now: Pokemon Go! Just kidding, we spend 40 minutes on Sun and Moon. This is strictly a VGC and sandwich podcast after all.
VGC 00. Intro 13. Big 6 20. Japan 23. US Nats and Metagame 27. Questions! Venusaur and Safeguard
Sun and Moon 32. New Pokemon 39. Highest Priority 41. Snatch 43. Horse 47. Bounsweet 51. Mimikyu 55. Bear 1.00. Competitive changes 1.07. Outro

Hidden Power Stipend

Sat, 30 Apr 2016 08:55:13 -0700

This week Dim returns and friend of the show PBall0010 makes his Lava Pool debut. We talk about food, money, hair, and a surprising amount of pokémon.

00.20 Intro: Best breakfast food.
05.20 Hair Loss
07.25 Pokken
09.15 Stipends
18:30 HP Water Mons (Salamence doesn’t count, learns more water moves)
21:50 Dumbest “Big 6” counters
24.45 Gravity Kyurem & Groudon teams
27:30 Best wing sauce
29:55 Pokémon that understand sandwiches
31:28 Top underrated restricted pokémon
36:02 This years “Japan Sand”
38:30 Best of 3 practice
44:20 Should pokémon be esports?
48:30 Is the community to negitive?
52:15 NPA & Outro