Official rules for the UPE Spring 2020 Online Pokemon Showdown Tournament

UPE Spring 2020 Pokemon Showdown Tournament Rules

# UPE Spring 2020 Pokemon Showdown Tournament

## **Please make sure to read these rules in their entirety. Failure to read all rules may result in your inability to participate in the tournament.**

The tournament organizers (TOs) reserve the right to alter or amend these rules at any time.

## Registration & requirements
* Participants must be part of [the Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE) Discord server](discord.gg/upefiu) to sign up.
* Participants must create an account at [Pokemon Showdown.](https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/) 
    * This can be done for free, no email required, by clicking the "Choose name" button in the top right, creating a name, and then going into the top-right settings menu and clicking "Register".  
* **There are no other requirements for players to register.**
* Once these requirements are satisfied, players can sign up by supplying their Discord usernames and Pokemon Showdown usernames through the [tournament signup form](https://go.fiu.edu/upe-poke-tour-su).
* The tournament will be taking place online, **Saturday, April 18th, 2020, starting at 6:00 PM sharp**. 

## Format
* The Swiss system will be used for this tournament, both to more easily accomodate potentially large turnout where single elimination/best of 3 could take too long, and to ensure everyone gets to play multiple games. 
    * Essentially, this means no players are eliminated after each round, players gain points by winning matches, and the player with the most points by the end of the tournament wins.
* Ties will be broken by summing the scores of a player's opponents. In other words, players who beat more higher-scoring players will win in a tie.
* Brackets will be managed through Challonge.com. [Live scores and matchups can be found here.](INSERTLINKFORCHALLONGE) Each Swiss round will take roughly 30 minutes, with a 15 minute buffer in between to set up the next round.
* **Players are responsible for showing up to their matches on time.** Matchups will be announced on the UPE Discord server and displayed on Challonge.
    * If a player is **more than 10 minutes late to their match,** they will **forfeit** the match, and a bye (point-wise, equivalent to a match win) will be awarded to their opponent.
    * It is **players' responsibilities to report late players to the TOs in the UPE Discord using the #disputes channel.**
* At least one (preferably both) player(s) in each match must **report their scores in the UPE Discord using the #score-reporting channel** once their match has ended.
    * Use any format that makes it clear who won and who lost, or whether there was a tie.
    * If a round has ended and both players in a match fail to report their scores by the time the next round starts, they will **both be awarded losses for the round.**
* For more information on the Swiss system, [see this Challonge post.](https://challonge.blogspot.com/2013/01/swiss-tournaments.html)

## Gameplay
* Games will be played on the [Pokemon Showdown battle simulator](https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/), in the 6v6 singles format, using the Generation 8 Sword/Shield OU metagame with [standard Smogon OU rules.](https://www.smogon.com/dex/ss/formats/ou/)
    * Players should **save all replays of matches** to make solving potential disputes easier.
* For each match, players should challenge their opponent by **clicking the "Find a user" button** at the bottom right of the home page and inputting their opponent's Pokemon Showdown username.
    * From there, click the "Challenge" button. 
    * **Select the Sw/Sh Singles OU / [Gen 8] OU format.** Matches in **any** other format will not count for the tournament.
    * Lastly, select your team and challenge your opponent. Enjoy your battle!
* Random games in tournament will be streamed live at [the UPE Twitch channel.](htpts://twitch.tv/upefiu). Streamed games will have trainer names censored to protect players' team compositions.
    * If you'd prefer not to have your games streamed, **please let a TO know in the UPE Discord server.**

## Teams
* All teams should be created beforehand using the [Pokemon Showdown team builder.](https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/teambuilder) This builder will allow players to validate their teams against the Gen 8 OU ruleset.
    * Teams must be created for the **Sw/Sh Singles OU** meta, also known as [Gen 8] OU.
* Players **are allowed to prepare multiple teams** before the tournament and use different teams for different battles.

## Rules

### Non-gameplay rules
* All matches must follow the [Pokemon Showdown sitewide rules.](https://pokemonshowdown.com/rules) These include, but are not limited to:
    * **No abusive chat during the match**
    * **No cheating/bug exploiting**
    * **Just don't be a jerk, 'kay?**

### General rules
* **Species Clause**: A player cannot have two Pokemon with the same National Pokedex number on their team.
    * This includes different form and regional variants. A team with an Alolan Raticate and a regular Raticate would break this rule.
* **Sleep Clause**: If a player has already put an opponent's Pokemon to sleep, another one cannot be put to sleep.
* **Evasion Clause**: A Pokemon may not have either Double Team or Minimize in its moveset.
* **OHKO Clause**: A Pokemon may not have one-hit KO moves in its moveset (Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, Sheer Cold)
* **Moody Clause**: A team cannot have a Pokemon with the Moody ability.
* **Endless Battle Clause**: Players cannot force endless battles
* **Dynamax Clause**: Players cannot dynamax or gigantamax

### Banned abilities
* **Arena Trap** (found on Diglett line and Trapinch)
* **Moody** (found on Glalie and Octillery lines)
* **Shadow Tag** (found on Gothita and Wobuffet lines)

### Banned moves
* **Baton Pass**

### Banned Pokemon
* All Pokemon from Smogon's **Ubers** tier are **banned.** [The full list can be found here.](https://www.smogon.com/dex/ss/formats/uber/)

## Disputes
* In the event of a rule violation or a late player during the match, **it is the responsibility of the players to alert a TO.**
* To report a violation, players should alert a TO **in the #disputes channel of the UPE Discord Server** and supply the URL to their Pokemon Showdown room if their game is still in progress, or their replay link if the game has ended.
* Players found guilty of simple rule violations will be **given a loss for the round,** and their opponent will be **awarded a bye.**
    * For more serious rule violations, **TOs reserve the right to disqualify players entirely.**
    * Discretion between simple and serious rule violations lies solely with TOs.
* Disputes without any replay or live game room proof **will be discarded.**
* To reiterate, players **more than 10 minutes late to their matches** will **forfeit** the match, and a bye will be awarded to their opponent.

## Prizes
* The player with the most points **at the end of the fifth round** will be declared the winner and be awarded **any digital game of their choosing under $30.**
    * If, after five rounds, there is no clear winner, **additional rounds will be held** until a clear winner is decided, up to a maximum of **seven rounds.**