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Art by ium.
Welcome back to Smogon in a Nutshell! If you're an old reader, you'll probably remember Layell's iterations (2012 | 2013 | 2014 ) in which he was madly charming, witty, and handsome. I can only promise to be one of those things. Sorry—Smogon didn't get a gift receipt when I registered. Anyway, since it has been four years since the last Smogon in a Nutshell, newer readers should know that this is a recap of some of the biggest buzz from the last year. Smogon has gotten massive since the last go-round and so much more happens in a year now, so there are definitely things I missed and things that we can't cover. Guess what? 2019 is the year of realizing that people aren't perfect. Sew that on a pillow and give it to your grandma next Christmas, she'll love it.
Without further ado: Smogon 2018 in a Nutshell.
4. We kicked off 2018 with a Smogcast preemptively analyzing Smogon Premier League IX, featuring BKC, bro fist, blunder, reyscarface, and Tony.
22. The exterminator came and Durant was banned from RU. Also, we promoted a literal pig to Super Mod. We also tried fixing a representation issue. It didn't work too well, but stay tuned to see how we fixed it later.
5. Breloom was set free in UU. Let the Spore games commence.
20. Passimian was banned from PU, and Emboar's fire was extinguished in NU.
25. We put a no-tolerance policy for doxxing into effect. Stay smart.
26. [insert something really gay about throwing shade into the Super Mod role here]
3. Battling 101 accepted its first Monotype tutees since the latter became an Official Metagame.
5. Snorlax was put to eternal rest and banned in DOU.
17. Torchic was Speed Passed from LC to LC Ubers.
18. shade upheld The Fallen v's legacy by establishing a Firebot shopfront. We're mostly sure nothing illegal happens there. Also, Random Battles finally got the PS room it deserved.
21. Professor CTC Dumbledore released The Sorting Dex, reminding everyone for like a week that Smogon is technically still a University. Also, Mega Slowbro was unbanned in UU.
3. Finchinator was made a Super Mod... unfortunately April Fool's Day already passed.
4. Dugtrio was banned from BW OU.
6. The Wi-Fi Wolfpack beat the Team Raiders in a tiebreaker in Smogon Premier League IX. AWOO!
12. Hikari killed council reqs for suspect tests. He is still at large; authorities are working day and night to apprehend him for his heinous crimes.
20. Oglemi left a love note for Smogon's social media team. They deserved it. ♥
23. We finally provided several translations of the PS rules (pardon/lo siento/माफ़ कीजिये). Also, Magmortar was banned from PU.
24. The Tier Borderlines were made slightly less impossible to understand.
25. The Hindi room on PS came out of hiding.
27. Marty threatened to expose Smogon's collusion with Russia, so we gave him Super Mods.
7. Going into May, PU was quick to ban Archeops. RU, on the other hand, had mercy on Entei and unbanned it.
14. Hamhamhamham beat Catalystic to win the 3rd Other Metagames Grand Slam.
16. Mael beat out SoulWind to win the 14th Official Smogon Tournament! Check out their blood trail.
17. Venusaur was uprooted and banned from NU. Also, CAP 24 was unveiled: meet Jumbao, aka Smogon's resident Yggdrasil.
2. The World Cup of Pokémon XIII Smogcast broke down expectations for the season, featuring Lavos, McMeghan, Finchinator, Astamatitos, TDK, and z0mOG.
5. Lumari finished stealing Oglemi's identity by becoming an Administrator.
10. The Dueling Banjos received a PS room.
15. blunder beat SoulWind in the 25th Smogon Tour. Go thunderblunder!
21. ... aaand, Breloom unceremoniously lost the Spore games. It was re-banned from UU.
3. Gigalith was sentenced to an eternity working on the chain gang and was banned from NU.
6. We started writing analyses for OMs again.
8. LifeisDANK took full flight as a Super Moderator.
16. Lavos beat Ojama to win the 4th Smogon Classic! Also, Eien became Monotype's first official Tier Leader to become a Super Moderator.
17. Big Power in a Little Cup: OP evolved into SMOD!
20. US Northeast beat US West in a tiebreak in The World Cup of Pokémon 2018! I hear next year every state fights for itself. Good luck, Rhode Island.
23. We broke through the bedrock, and to our surprise the ZeroUsed room was on the other side.
25. Our Spanish and Portuguese friends (and later French, Italian, and German) can finally read our analyses.
30. RODAN opened the floodgates of Golem memes. Thank God Golem is weak to Water.
1. RU revoked its mercy card and re-banned Entei.
4. Hootie finally finished Mesprit's NU analysis, but not before...
6. In a bratty attempt to avenge itself for being banned in NU, Venusaur grabbed a Venusaurite and... consequently got banned from UU.
7. anto/ant/an/a—face it, she'll be a nameless account this rate—became a Super Mod again.
14. MajorBowman ascended to Super Moderator.
20. Second time's a charm: we fixed Ribbons. The rainbow effect was so last season. Also, Kingler was banned from PU.
28. We gave credit where credit was due and started putting analysis credits on the dex (DPP and SM are complete)!
3. Pyroar was muzzled and banned from PU.
19. LifeisDANK became a PS Administrator, proving that she can do more than just post birb memes. But not much more. CAW.
20. We released our designer version of Super Smash Brothers Ultimate.
24. The old guard Bisharp was reinstated in UU. We're hoping for 2 more years of loyal service to the Queen.
25. bumbadadabum earned a bigger wrench to hit users over the head with by becoming a PS Administrator.
1. Sand Rush was banned from BW OU.
4. Pearl beat Teddeh to become the Grand Slam VII champion; also, the Shinto Ruin Serpents snaked the Lanakila Nagas 6-4 in the 2nd Smogon Snake Draft! I'll take getting caught snaking over getting caught ghosting any day.
5. We put the literal pig in charge of Smogon tiering.
12. Gengarite was shattered into hundreds of not thousands of pieces and banned from DOU.
19. Pokémon Let's Go! Pikachu and Eevee OverUsed was added as a playable ladder on PS.
21. Kalalokki made what is indubitably the coolest teaser on the internet to commence Smogon Premier League X.
22. Wingull's wings were clipped and it was banned in LC.
26. CAP 25 unveiled! Meet Smokomodo, Snaelstrom, and Caribolt. Also, PU became a Core Metagame; you'll see PU's best in Smogon Grand Slam VIII.
27. A new Twinkie to chase reward was unveiled for contributors to Smogon's dex and on-site resources that go above and beyond: Mega Teardrop .
6. Mega Abomasnow really chilled out this year, so Abomasite was unbanned from NU. Also, Quote and Eternally earned their Super Mod badges and finally became Eagle Scouts.
7. z0mOG beat Finchinator to win Smogon Tour 26. FINCHTOUR27?
10. US Northeast beat US West (this seems familiar...) to win the inaugural Other Metagames World Cup. Rough year, West.
18. "Holiday at Smogon" forum style released to celebrate the season! Yes I am working on a dark mode stop asking.
19. antemortem and Hikari are Admins again, but unfortunately they never really left. Next.
21. Pohjis won the 2018 RU Tournament Circuit.
22. greilmercenary9 beat 11oyd and became the Battle Spot Circuit Tournament 2018 Champion; Also, Zracknel came back from the dead to drop some sick new (AFFORDABLE) threads for SPL's 10th Anniversary.
23. Pohjis won another ribbon by winning the 2018 NU Tournament Circuit. This guy’s collecting about as many souls as he is ribbons.
30. Latias was unbanned from DPP OU. Nevermind the last 10 years that it was banned.
31. Zygarde was banned from OU. Of course we had to get one last lick in, 2018.
Thank you all again for making 2018 such a memorable year. Without all of the people reading this (and even those that are too busy training on Mt. Silver to be The Very Best That No One Ever Was), Smogon would not be what it is today and will become tomorrow. If we forgot something that you remembered or were part of, please know that you are an invaluable piece of Smogon's community and history. May 2019 bring even bigger and better things to Smogon and competitive Pokémon in general!
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