There are three ways to do this. One is to get friends and link up. Two better ways are to go over the internet. There are two programs that allow you to do so. One is mIRC. Yes, mIRC. Download it from http://www.mirc.com and connect to the server irc.your-irc.net. Now you can join the channel #rsarena and start battling. Double click on the name @Darkbot and type help. This bot will tell you all the commands and everything. Things are pretty self-explanatory, so start building your team! Refer to this guide and the Advanced Concepts page to get started. The battle system is text based, so no pictures. Type !1 to use your first attack, !2 for your second, etc. If you wish to switch, type #, and then the pokemon you wish to switch to. I would suggest you keep a @Darkbot window open with viewteam typed, so you know which number to type.

The other way is Netbattle. Download it from http://www.netbattle.net. WARNING: It's posted on that site, and I'll post it here too. There are fake copies of netbattle going around. This is a virus. Do NOT download it from anywhere but the site I provided. Well, now that that's cleared up, Netbattle is much more user-friendly than mIRC. Building your team is much easier, as is battling. tvsian, the creator, even included a dex of data, which you can refer to while building your team. Once you've finished, click Start Battling and connect to a server. The Smogon Empire is the only people usually go to. No pokemon are banned there though, so you do see people with all legendary teams and Wobbuffets everywhere. Each server has its own rules. Some ban legendaries, some ban legedaries, Miltank, and Snorlax. If your team happens to be all UU (under-used: see list later), you can connect to some of the UU servers, which ban some of the overused pokemon. Double-click on a name to challenge them.

I would strongly suggest at least trying Netbattle if you want to become a serious trainer. There is no way that you can become a good trainer without learning by battling other trainers.

First of all, some terminology:

• n00b - Someone who thinks he's great at battling, won't take advice, and is, all in all, a total jerk.
• newb - Someone who isn't that great at the game yet, but is willing to learn
• metagame - The current state of the game (common pokemon, movesets, etc. the metagame is always changing)
• 00ber - A pokemon that is usually banned due to its would-be dominance in the metagame
  

  ex- Kyogre's base stats make it so powerful that the only way to counter one would be to have one on your team. In such a way, certain pokemon would take over the metagame. These are usually banned to keep diversity.

• OU - A pokemon that is overused. Similar to 00bers, but not strong enough to be banned. Metagross is overused, Blissey is way overused, etc. Some servers will ban certain OU pokes
• UU - A pokemon that is underused. There's constant debate and conflict over which pokemon are UU, but most pokemon are agreed upon. See list later.
• NU - A pokemon that is never used. Even less clear than UU, since every pokemon is techincally used. These are usually pokemon whose stats or movepools are so bad that it doesn't even warrant their use (Luvdisc, Flareon etc.)
• Clauses - rules agreed upon by battlers to make the game more fair:
  • Sleep Clause - This one is a must for any serious battling. No more than one pokemon per team can be asleep at a time. Self-inflicted sleep (Rest) does not apply to this rule. This is to prevent someone fast... like Breloom with Spore. Were it not for Sleep Clause, Breloom could Spore, use Focus Punch when they switch, and Spore again, etc.
  • Freeze Clause - Similar to sleep clause, but harder to enforce. No more than one pokemon on a team may be frozen. Since freezing is all about luck, Netbattle is programmed so that if one pokemon is already frozen, Ice Beam or any other freezing move will never freeze.
  • Self-KO Clause - The Self-KO Clause was put in place to prevent ties. If you are both on your last pokemon, then the use of Explosion, Self-Destruct, Destiny Bond, Perish Song will fail.
  • Battle Timeout - If one person in your battle does not take action for 5 minutes, he forfeits. Simple as that.
  • Item Clause - Each of your pokemon must have a different item (ie- no 6 leftovers). Not generally enforced due to lack of good items X)
• CB - Choice Band: the item that restricts your pokemon to one move, but multiplies physical attack power (the attack MUST be physical for the boost to take place) by 1.5. A very useful item, as it can help take out pokemon quick, especially on a pokemon with high attack and speed.
• 101 subs- a substitute that has 101 HP. Subpunchers like to have 404 HP so that they can get 101 subs, and therefore withstand two hits from s-toss Blissey, getting off two FPs.
• SkarmBliss- a team that has both Skarmory and Blissey. The concept is that Skarmory has extremely high defense (base 140), while Blissey has insane sp defense (base 135 along with base 255 HP). By switching between the two, you can absorb hits while getting in hits of your own. Easily countered by any pokemon with moves of both types. Claused by nubs who can't counter it.
• CMCune- a Suicune with Calm Mind and Rest. Usually also has Roar and an attacking move, and is subject of the phrase CM SUICUNE HAS NO WEAK. Water-types are weak to electric and grass types. After two Calm Minds, that weakness is nullified. After 6, nothing can touch it. Fast enough to out-roar phazers, strong enough to withstand hits from both physical and special attackers, and has the stats to sweep. A threat to most teams.
• (Tyrani)Boah- a Tyranitar set by Jumpman16 and chaos that has taken over the metagame. Thunderbolt/Crunch/Substitute/Focus Punch. Fast enough to outspeed a Weezing's Will-o-wisp. Almost nothing can switch in safely to it, except possibly for Swampert. It has 101 subs for Blissey as well.
• Joltwak/Jaskwak - the strategy involving a Jolteon passing speed to Marowak. Came from the GSC era, where Marowak reached the highest attack with its Thick Club and after getting passed, speed swept teams like nothing else. Jolteon also took out those water and grass types that Marowak feared with HP Ice and Thunderbolt. Then Ninjask came along with its Speed Boost and Swords Dance and people moved to the Jaskwak combo. As for today's metagame, it's predictable as hell and generally won't work and people will bring out their phazer and phaze you before you get a chance to pass. Which is why passing to Exploud or Octillery, or using Choicejask (Ninjask@CB) can often be so effective.
• Boltbeam- The combination of the moves Thunderbolt and Ice Beam. These two moves do neutral damage to every pokémon except for two: Magneton and Lanturn
• Sub/yawn/sporepunch- The use of Substitute/Yawn or Spore to pull off a Focus Punch. A substitute will take damage while focusing. Yawn and Spore force a switch, allowing you to pull a Focus Punch.

Pokémon Metagame Classifications:

The following lists show which pokémon are 00ber, Over-Used, Border-Line, Under-Used, or Never-Used

00ber-

(Celebi,) Deoxys [all forms], Groudon, Ho-oh, Kyogre, Soul Dew Lati@s, Lugia, (Mew,) Mewtwo, Rayquaza

OU-

Everything not in 00ber, UU or NU

UU-

Absol, Aggron, Altaria, Ampharos, Arbok, Azumarill, Banette, Blastoise, Camerupt, Clefable, Cradily, Dunsparce, Electabuzz, Electrode, Exploud, Fearow, Feraligatr, Furret, Girafarig, Gligar, Golduck, Golem, Gorebyss, Granbull, Grumpig, Hariyama, Hitmonlee, Hitmontop, Hypno, Jynx, Kabutops, Kangaskhan, Lanturn, Lapras, Linoone, Lunatone, Magmar, Manectric, Mantine, Meganium, Misdreavus, Mr. Mime, Muk, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Ninetales, Octillery, Omastar, Persian, Pinsir, Politoed, Poliwrath, Primeape, Quagsire, Qwilfish, Raichu, Rapidash, Sableye, Sandslash, Sharpedo, Shedinja, Shiftry, Shuckle, Slowking, Sneasel, Solrock, Stantler, Swalot, Tentacruel, Torkoal, Victreebel, Vileplume, Walrein, Xatu, Yanma.

BL-

Arcanine, Armaldo, Cloyster, Crobat, Exeggutor, Houndoom, Jumpluff, Machamp, Porygon2, Scizor, Slowbro, Steelix, Swellow, Typhlosion, Ursaring

NU-

Aipom, Ariados, Beautifly, Beedrill, Bellossom, Butterfree, Cacturne, Castform, Chimecho, Corsola, Crawdaunt, Delcatty, Delibird, Dewgong, Ditto, Dustox, Farfetch'd, Flareon, Glalie, Hitmonchan, Huntail, Illumise, Kecleon, Kingler, Ledian, Lickitung, Luvdisc, Magcargo, Masquerain, Mawile, Mightyena, Minun, Murkrow, Noctowl, Nosepass, Parasect, Pelliper, Pidgeot, Piloswine, Plusle, Raticate, Relicanth, Roselia, Seaking, Seviper, Spinda, Sudowoodo, Sunflora, Tangela, Togetic, Trapinch, Tropius, Unown, Venomoth, Volbeat, Wailord, Whiscash, Wigglytuff

Now for explanations for some of these. Only Soul Dew Lati@s is considered 00ber, but don't use it without. People won't know it doesn't have Soul Dew and they'll complain. Mew, Celebi and Jirachi were under debate for a long time, and still are. Mew has base 100 stats in everything. It also learns every TM/HM in all the games. This makes it the most unpredictable thing out there. Will is Swords Dance and physical sweep? Calm Mind up? Subpunchboltbeam? As of now, Mew is probably considered 00ber. Celebi just won't die. 100/100/100 in the defenses and Leech Seed/Recover/Calm Mind/Substitute/Heal Bell. The thing won't die to anything short of HP Bug from Dugtrio. It too is considered 00ber as of now. Jirachi doesn't have these advantages, however, and right now it is not considered 00ber.

Some pokémon are even between two of these. Rhydon is part BL as well as OU. Zangoose can be considered BL too. Bottom line is, there are no clear divisions since the metagame is always changing. Skarmory brought Magneton in, and now that Skarm isn't as rampant as it used to be, Magneton has sort of dropped out of use, being replaced by the far better Jolteon.

EV Distribution:

The first thing you need to do is to build your team and the first thing you need to know about that is not to make a team of 6 sweepers (unless it's a CB team). You'll quickly learn that you get owned by switching alone. Tanks and walls are always a nice addition. You'll definitely want a cleric and probably a phazer. Throw in a few sweepers. Also, if you're just starting out, pick types that cover each other. Making an all bug team (although fun), is not going to be very effective. A team with three pokemon weak to the same type is a big weakness you do not want. Also, if two pokemon are weak to one type, then try to have another that is either immune to it or resists it well.

S P E E D	About EV distribution... your build will depend on what job your pokemon is playing. Sweepers will want close to max of the attack and enough speed to outspeed certain pokemon. You have to know the metagame to know which pokemon yours has to outspeed. For instance, if you're going to run Tyraniboah, you'll want a Quiet nature, but also 68 speed EVs to outspeed Weezing. First, you have to know that the standard Weezing has no speed EVs, and you also have to know that Weezing is the pokemon you want to outspeed so you can get the Substitute up before he uses Will-o-wisp. On the other hand, if you were using a Weezing to counter Tyranitar, you might consider putting on 8 speed EVs to outspeed standard Tyranitar. This may lead to changing the EV spread of your Boah to 84 Speed (not generally a good idea) to counter those Weezings that do run 8 extra speed.
A T T A C K	Attack and sp attack and more complicated. Most just put as much as they can after looking after other stats. However, if you really need to KO a certain pokemon (Skarmory, maybe?) with a special attack, you can run damage calculations. The damage formula has a random aspect to it, so I would run the minimum value so you can be sure you'll KO a pokemon.
D E F E N S E	Defense and sp defense are the same way. You can give your Steelix defense EVs so it can survive three EQs from a Metagross, allowing you to 2HKO with Earthquake yourself.
H P	HP is slightly easier. If you're using Leftovers, you want your HP to be divisible by 16. Because Leftovers heals 1/16 of your HP, you'll get maximum HP recovery if you make it divisible by 16. If you're using Substitute to get your HP down to a certain level (like 25% for the pinch berries), your HP should be divisible by 4 and the berry will activate on the 3rd sub. If instead you want to substitute down to a low HP for Flail/Reversal, use an HP not divisible by 4. By the way, it doesn't matter whether you have 1HP or 3HP. Flail/Reversal will have the same power regardless. Pokemon with substitute, such as Tyraniboah, should aim for 404 HP if possible. Substitute takes one quarter of your max HP and forms a substitute that absorbs damage. If you have 404 HP, that substitute will have 101 HP, allowing it to withstand two Seismic Tosses (like Blissey).

Team Build:

So, now you know there are different jobs that different pokémon do. Some are sweepers, others are tanks, etc. Now the question is, how many sweepers do you put in? What other pokémon should you include?

Teams will definitely want one sweeper of each type (that is, physical or special). After that, a p/hazer is useful, and is almost a must in OU play. You'll probably want a cleric too. Now the final two. Make sure you have at least one pokémon that can withstand a hit from either side of the attack spectrum. If this pokémon happens to double as your cleric, that's fine. If you don't have one, put one in. Of course, it never hurts to have more than one that can withstand these hits. If you still have one more slot, another sweeper never hurts (usually physical is the one that's doubled). If you want a Baton Passer, add one, but adjust your team accordingly.

Let's have an example. I'll start with Umbreon to Trappass and hopefully take out one pokémon right off the bat. After that, I'll put in two sweepers Alakazam and Marowak. Now I'll add a cleric, Vileplume. Next is Steelix as a phazer. So now I have 5 pokémon and I'm thinking will my team get owned by one type of sweeper? I have Umbreon to take special hits, and Alakazam can handle himself pretty well. Steelix eats physical hits. I have a few options now... I could add another sweeper, preferably one with decent defense to support Steelix or I could pick another job. In this case, I'll take Suicune.

You also have to think about types while building a team. As a general rule, make sure three of your pokémon aren't weak to the same time. If two of yours are, you should try to have one pokémon that resists or is immune to that type. As you're thinking about your next pokémon think about what type you need to support your other pokémon as well. You'll see that the team I constructed above has a 3x bug weak, 2x fighting, 2x fire. I could add a ghost to remedy the fighting. Bug I'm not too worried about because the only real threatening bug moves are Megahorn on Rhydon and Heracross. I'll spread the EVs on my Alakazam to deal with them, and give it Ice Punch for Rhydon. After one Calm Mind, which he can get on the switch, he should have no problem with them with his speed. Suicune is more than enough for Fire, as is Umbreon.

You get the idea that building a team is more complicated than throwing together your favourite pokémon. One thing that can really help is battling and experimenting. If you build a team, play a few battles and see that your team is walled by Tyraniboah, try adding a Swampert to counter it.

Hidden Power:

Probably the single most used move in the metagame. It also gives pokémon with decent stats and typing but a crap movepool a chance to be used.

Hidden Power is a move that can be any type except Normal, and it can have any base power between 30 and 70. This type and power is determined by the pokémon's IVs. For example, a pokémon with IVs of all 0 will have a Hidden Power (often abbreviated to HP) type Fighting with base 30 power. If all IVs are 31, the HP will be Dark base power 70.

Hidden Power is used because it gives any pokémon (it can be learned by virtually everything) a decent move of whatever type you need. Jolteon is an example. Without Hidden Power, it would be limited to Thunderbolt and Bite to take advantage of that amazing speed and special attack. However, you can give it HP Ice or HP Grass. Now it can deal with ground types and dragons or Swampert. Tauros is another example. It's often used as a CBer, using Return and Earthquake. Unfortunately, that's really all it gets. That's why people usually stick on HP Ghost (hits Gengar) and then Iron Tail or something >_> (Tauros really suffers from a bad moveset).

Prediction:

Now you know the basics of building a team, we should get into actual battling now. Prediction a major thing that sets apart newbs and vets. It involves thorough knowledge of the metagame, and a lot of battling experience.

Prediction is exactly what it sounds like: thinking about what your opponent will do next and making the appropriate move. Let's take a simple example:

You have a Linoone out with Extremespeed and Shadow Ball. You start to attack with Extremespeed, but your opponent switches to Gengar. Of course, your Extremespeed does nothing, as Gengar is immune to Normal types. So, the battle continues, and some few turns later, your Linoone is out again against a Blissey. You could use Extremespeed, but think to yourself: "Last time, I used Extremespeed and he switched to Gengar to eat it..." You're pretty sure he'll switch to Gengar again, so use Shadow Ball even though he has Blissey out.

If you do this, it's called predicting... seeing your opponent's strategy and deviating from your own to counter it, essentially. However, you'll quickly learn that simple predicting like this will still make you lose. You have to know how good your opponent is. If he's new, then yes, you can predict like this. If he has experience he will start predicting your predictions. So instead of switching Gengar out again, he'll stick with Blissey because he's thinking "I know he'll use Shadow Ball because he thinks I'm going to switch to Gengar, so I'll keep Blissey in and get a free Thunder Wave".

An important note about prediction is never predict when you don't need to. In the beginning, if you're playing someone new, it's best not to predict and find out his skill level, then start adjusting your level of prediction. If you have a "safe way", do that - meaning if you have a move that won't get you anywhere, but at the same time won't seriously hurt one of your pokemon, go ahead. It'll help you establish the skill of your opponent.