The Best of the Best Techniques

In the world of Pokemon Gold (and Silver), there are a whopping 250 Pokemon techniques (attacks), each different, and all good for different uses. unfortuantely, any given pokemon can only know 4 techniques at any given time. Therefore, it is essential, even vital, to know which techniques will deliver, and which ones are simply weak in most cases. That way, you can optimize each pokemon to their full potential by giving them useful techniques that work well with that specific Pokemon. So, I have comprised a list of the 15 techniques which I think seperate themselves from the rest and change the way pokemon is played the most.

Before i start, let me make three things clear: First off, I had a little help from the Pokemon Gold and Silver Strategy Guide from Versus Books. I highly recommend this Strategy Guide due to the great "walkthrough," but the fact that it doesn't have a list of pokemon and the techniques that they learn, their stats, etc. hurts it. Still, it's great. Secondly, this list reflects MY opinion, and the techniques all have their own uses and powers. They may not necessarily be THE best or EVERYONE'S favorites, but in my opinion, the following fifteen moves are truly "gamebreaking" (good enough to change the dynamics of the game)!!! Lastly, I assume you know about the battle systems, Pokemon techniques, and Pokemon in general when you read these strategies. And now, without further ado, let's cut to the chase!!!:

#15. Destiny Bond: This attack speaks for itself: if the attack's user faints that turn, then the opponent's Active Pokemon faints, too!!! While it only has 5 Power Points (PP), it will either make the opposing pokemon faint if it makes the Destiny Bond user faint (a fine trade!), or make them swap pokemon, in which you can scare them by possessing this attack and end up using an attack and gaining a one turn advantage!!!

#14. Extreme Speed: No matter who WAS supposed to atack first, the user of this attack will, so it's just like Quick Attack. This time around, though, the raw power is 80 instead of 40, and the accuracy is 100%!!! The 5 PP hurts, but a powerful Quick Attack is way too good to turn down!!!

#13 (tied). Softboiled: Chansey learns Softboiled naturally (thru level) this time, and it's "broken"!!! It is awesome as stalling as it recovers half of the user's HP in battle, and out of battle can heal another Pokemon (at the cost of hurting the user, but if it's Chansey, a small amount of HP is almost insignificant since it has so much). Use it in battle in conjunction with Toxic to keep yourself healthy while the poison saps the opponent's HP.

#13 (tied). Milk Drink: Same as Softboiled. However, Miltank is the main one who can learn it, and Miltank has good HP and great defense. Softboiled was always good and so is Milk Drink.

#12. Swagger: This is a very strnage attack: it has an awesome accuracy rate of 90 and confuses the opponent, but does no damage. The second part can be good or bad: it greatly increase the opponent's attack power. However, this will also increases the power of when the opponent attacks itself, and that attacking is always normal attack (the kind being affected), not Special Attack. Use it in conjunction with Double Team so you have a lower risk of getting hit with a huge attack, and you should have your opponent in a "lock".

#11. Double Team: And speaking of Double Team, it's too good. A few successful Double Teams and you will be almost impossible to hit (except if the opponent has an always-hit move like Swift or Faint Attack). plus, the target is your Pokemon, not the Defending one, so you keep the effect for the whole battle. While Double Team is annoying, it's also amazing.

#10. Hydro Pump: A raw power rating of 120 is amazing, and 80% accuracy is nothing to sneeze at. Using Rain Dance and then using hydro pump a few times will be tough to beat.

#9. Nightmare: Once the opponent is asleep, use Nightmare and the opponent will lose 1/4 of it's HP each turn until it wakes up. Even if the opponent uses an item to wake the Defending pokemon up, the Nightmare DOES NOT GO AWAY!!! This is great for catching Pokemon, as after 4 nightmares they will usually have 1-3 HP left. Also, it can be used to overcome level or type advantages if the Defending Pokemon doesn't wake up.

#8. False Swipe: Wonderful for catching pokemon because if it would faint a Pokemon, it leaves it at one HP. This makes the "victim" ludicrously easy to catch. It's amazing against, for example, the three Legendary Dogs or the two new Legendary Birds when you can't afford to blow it and faint the opposition.

#7 (tied). Lock-On: Your next attack will always hit! This is invaluable when your next attack has great power but a terrible chance at hitting, like Dynamic Punch, Zap Cannon, Fissure, Horn Drill, or Guillotine. It makes any attack amazing, and so this attack is just too good!!!

#7 (tied). Mind Reader: It's the same as Lock-On, but different pokemon learn it.

#6. Mirror Coat: Attacks 2nd, has 20 PP and an accuracy rating of 100, and attacks for 2X the special damage just received. Did you just get hit with Fire Blast, Solar Beam, or Hydro Pump? This sweet revenge should be enough consolation, and more. Even if you don't use it, it threatens the opponent not to use special attacks if you even possess it.

#5 (tied). Return: One of the most interesting attacks out there, Return does damage based on how loyal the user is to you (how good of a mood it's in). Since it isn't TOO hard to get Pokemon in a good mood, and this attack is available fairly early, Return is a soliod attack... actually, it's more than solid.

#5 (tied). Megahorn: A Bug-type attack is great against Psychic and Dark Pokemon, among others. And when that Bug-type attack has a base damage of 120 and an accuracy of 85, an amazingly dangerous new move is added to certain Pokemon's arsenal.

#4 (tied). Earthquake: 100 base damage and 100% accuracy. This is a killer move vs. electric and poison Pokemon, and while lacking any kind of special effects, it saves ground-types after Dig's ower got knocked down a little.

#4 (tied). Hyper Beam: 150 base damage is great, and 90% accuracy is just dandy. The unfortuante side effect is that you lose your next turn. This move is wonderful against a looming threat, and will most likely K.O. an opponent's final pokemon, in which the drawback will not happen.

#3 (tied). Fire Blast: An amazing attack with a Base Damage of 120 and an accuracy rating of 85. It also offers a 10% chance of burning the opponent, which is good. Fire Blast will make Chansey a decent attacker and Arcanine a real superstar. This is good as a lead off attack, or a desperation attack. Your choice.

#3 (tied). Sacred Fire: 95% accuracy and no down side make an attack with a power of 100 amazingly great. Plus, it offers a 50% chance at burning the Defending Pokemon. Your opponent will already be low on HP after 1-2 attacks with Sacred Fire, and using healing moves like Recover will let the burn take its toll while you stay healthy. Sacred Fire should be used by any pokemon that learns it. PERIOD.

#2 (tied). Thunder: The most powerful of the Electric type, Thunder will hit at an accuracy of 70 and a power of 120. It also offers a whopping 30% chance at paralyzing the Defending Pokemon. Paralysis gives Electric pokemon, who generally have low Defense Ratings, a chance to heal, or, better yet, improve the evade skill w/ Double Team. Then, even if the Def. Poke' does get through parallysis, it still probably won't hit you. Plus, the 10 PP is better than Hydro Pump, Blizzard, Fire Blast, Aeroblast, Sacred Fire, Explosion, or several others that only have 5PP.

#2 (tied). Blizzard: Amazing. That's the only word for it. It offers 120 power and 70% accuracy, and the ice-type can totally take down many types, including the insanely popular (and good) Scyther. Picture it: Articuno uses Blizzard against Scyther: 120 power times 400% for Scyther's Bug/ Flying type, times 125% because Artie is half Ice-type. That's like having a base power of 600. Plus, Artie has amazing Spec. Attack to start with. Also, Blizzard offers a 10% chance at freezing, which is the best status ailment of all: just avoid fire-type attacks and keep pounding away, w/o fear of retaliation.

#1. What could be better than Megahorn, Mirror Coat, Thunder, Blizzard, Sacred Fire, and all off the other 244 moves? If you said Ember, you're absolutely WRONG!!!!!!!!! The actual answer is AeroBlast. It has a Power of 100, an accuracy rating of 95, and is Flying-type. What else could you want? Did I hear you say, "a special effect?" Oh, O.K., I'll give it... a good chance at becoming a Critical hit, which will give it double damage!!! That's a good chance at making the base 200 damage instead of 100!!!!!!!!!! This is unparalleled save for SelfDestruction-type moves, and overall, AeroBlast has a power like no other techniques.

And now, for a few Special Awards!

Most useless move: Splash. No effect = Very few uses. 'Nuff said.

Most fun move: Metronome. Use any attack, at random, that your pokemon doesn't know. It could be AeroBlast, it could be Splash. Suspense and excitement fill the air.

"One-Night Stand" Move: Explosion. Your Pokemon faints, but the base damage is a whopping 250!!!! Yowsa'!!!!

Most Well-Suited name: Softboiled. It's a type of egg and is fairly healthy. The big egg Pokemon (Chansey) is known for Softboiled, and it restores health.

Most Ironic Attack: Frustration. This attack is based on how unhappy the user of it is. Ironically, you are using it in battle, and letting pokemon battle makes them happy.

If anyone has an idea for another attack that you think should have made a lost or special award but didn't, or vica versa, leave a comment and I will post it on my refrigirator. Oh, and I'll consider it, so don't worry. Remember to use both strong techniques, fun ones, and ones you like. That's the balance that makes Pokemon such a good game.

Since I need to leave a star rating, pros, and cons, they will be based on Pokemon Gold itself. It's a wonderful, enchanting, game, that encourages friendship, trading, and responsibility. It's a kind of RPG lite that leads to a great time. For a review of Gold and Silver, look for one of mine really soon under Pokemon Silver.