ELO 1200 Level-What should I play for black against 1.e4?

You want to attack!  Defense is necessary of course since everyone values initiative and attack (so logically you won't be on attack always but if you can do it)

The important thing about an opening is learning an understanding.  Titled guys don't play a move because it's objectively best sometimes but because of a preperation.  Hence why they deviate from mainlines sometimes against specific opposition.  Us on the other hand best stick with mainlines and understand them!  Find two good books on 1...e5 as white.  I recommend these:

http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/1/2/beating_the_open_games_-_2nd_edition_by_mihail_marin/

I recommend the above for two reasons:

1.Not everyone is going to play the Ruy (I know!  Can you believe it? Scotch, Italian, and Evan's Gambit players exists too!)

2.There is a lot of text commentary

http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/products/1/5/a_spanish_repertoire_for_black_by_mihail_marin/

For the Ruy of course.  "4...Nf6 black takes the first opportunity to attack the enemy center"

so he's not leaving any stone unturned.  He explains things so you develop an understanding. 

Then of course you need something against the rest.  1...Nf6 2...e6 with an eventual ...c5 and sometimes ...b6 (and if Nc3 then ...Bb4 like a Nimzo-Indian) should serve you well. Move order is important in places so make sure in certain positions it's ...b6 and Bb7 first while on others you won't even need it. 

If 1.g4?! or 1.b4?! 1...e5! but then you're heading into the mainlines of those offbeat systems they likely know better than you would.  1...Nf6?! against 1.g4 and the knight gets bounced.  Even then it simply equalizes after 2.g5,Ng8! (I don't like moves back, but this pawn is overextended and therefore a target)

And not everyone who plays e4 plays 2.Nf3 in the Open game (I play 2. f4) there are vienna players etc.

I liked the pirc because there aren't any opening traps for white. It gives you time to think and keeps you in the game longer. It's also very solid in the middle game.

But the pirc isnt good at this level because most of the games will be decided by tactics. Black really has no chance for any of them. Also its not good because the resulting structures are very specific and you should first learn the basics.

Won't he learn the "basics" on the white side by playing the ruy Lopez and the Italian? In the long term you have to know how to play for small positional edges... So why not start learning that right away?

I'm sure you're absolutely right from a classical education standpoint. But in my opinion as Tsun Tszu says, you win first, then go to war.... So why rush headlong into the center, welcoming a tactical melee that you are not equipped to win?

In the meantime, keep studying tactical problems and doing the tactics trainer and other resources here until you are fully equipped to do battle... Did I just sum up the so called hypermodernist movement?

The Pirc is sound and solid but you have to know what you're really doing to play it.  It's like a King's Indian but easier to play against for white.  You have to learn what to do against the Austrian Attack and the standard Nf3 lines.  It's great if you can punch out of the cramp at the proper moment but not everyone is comfortable with such positions.  If one insists on it them My System, Chess Praxis, and Petrosian's Legacy are great reads. 

I love the Sun Tzu reference, Nicholas, but the great general also said, know thine enemy and you shall not loose in ten battles, know thyself and you shall not loose in 100.

this IMO means that if you are unprepared in one area, you should do one of two things, avoid battle in one area even if your opponent is weak, or you should study that weakness untill it is no longer one.

On to the point of why rush headlong into a tactical melee that you are not equipped to win, Slower more positional play is based off of the tactical melees, If you hope to succede in a positional game you must have a solid tactical background.

Your points are well received to be sure. Like I said, your recommendations are technically correct, but that's why we play chess. As Yasser says "it's a battle of ideas."

And more specifically you're right, not everyone will feel comfortable in a pirc setup. It requires a degree of keeping cool under fire, and seeds a good amount of space.

It's not about how comfortable the player is but whether they can actually play the positions. 

Something crazy like 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Be2 Bg7 5.h4 is probably a major advantage as Black will either castle into a dangerous attack, play 5...h5 and be open to tactics since castling has to be timed well if it's done at all or he'll play 5...c5 and end up in either a Benoni which isn't intuitive at all or some position with the queen running around and the king stuck in the center. 

Regardless of what Black chooses it won't be good enough to play 'natural' moves and castle. White on the other hand can simply develop normally and push a few kingside pawns at his leisure. This leads to positions in which Black is going to have a lot more tactical trouble than White. 

Technically Black may be fine playing any of those moves but the positions expect a lot more from Black than what the player might know or even need to know to get out of the opening.

You said "Italian and Evan's Gambit players exist too". You know what? I am one of them! Also, I generally like to play defencively as black. I try to first make the white weak by forcing me to attack me all the time, and then, just when his attacks have failed, counter attack him.

Also, please, if you want to recommend reading material, then it should be a site. Not a book you buy. Budget too low.

Guys, a lot of you suggested the Pirc. Can you first give some examples of you playing the Pirc and also, what about the 150 attack? Looks scary, I wouldn't love playing against it that much.

I enjoy c5 sicilian

This post is just in case you play (OTB) Over The Board tournament chess.  Or, you ever decide you want to play OTB tournament chess.

Eventually you will become reasonably proficient at your repertoire of openings.  What you will discover is that the Caro-Kann is an excellent drawing weapon.  Ex. You are playing in an OTB.  You have won your first 2 games.  In the 3rd round you are paired against the highest rated in your section.   You decide that if he plays 1.e4,1.d4,1.c4, or 1.Nf3 you will play the Caro-Kann.  It is very hard for any White player to resist the opportunity to establish a head pawn duo at d4, e4.  The Caro-Kann is so solid if you know all the variations.  As Black you can kill off play and go for the draw.  Yes it is only 1/2 point.  But, at 2 1/2 you will stay with the leaders on the standings board and in the hunt for the money and the trophy, not to mention gaining rating points for having drawn a higher rated player; and even more points if he gets frustrated and overplays his position and ends up losing to you.  In the 4th round you will be able to let your creative juices flow with an enterprising Sicilian Najdorf or King's Indian defense, if you have Black again.  And, if you have White, you can play 1.Nf3 and see what happens.  You can let your frustrations out for having had to play such a conservative game with the Caro-Kann in the previous round. 

Remember, think of the Car-Kann as your drawing weapon in your opening repertoire.  There will be alot of posters that may disagree with me.  This recommendation comes to you from someone who has many years of experience playing OTB tournament chess.  Also alot of tournament wins.

Or why not play the Petroff if you want the draw?  You'll get more piece play in and not be as cramped.  Of course cramped positions have their latent resources too and you could have a better ending if you trade down since white in the Caro typically makes a lot of pawn moves while black trades down. If you have a good understanding of strategic endgames you can even go ahead try going for the win. 

As white I prefer the exchange variation in the Caro and French because pieces, not pawns come to the fore.  Chess is all about piece play, the king is the director while the queen is the star, rooks and minors are backups while pawns are the extras. 

just play e5, im in 1700s (real life) and i play the most default openings.

Chesstempo.com.  You can practice tactics for free and you don't even need an account!  In fact I even advise against signing in unless you want the higher rated problems, which are a different animal from the lower rated pattern recognition building exercises they have on the guet page.  At higher levels you may need a quiet, defensive, and/or preperatory move and works calculation rather than pattern recognition. 

I like the Italian game myself too.  If 3...Nf6 then 4.d3 or 4.d4 are great choices.  You can try fooling them into taking the e-pawn, which gives white a strong initiative and more than enough compensation:

Thank you for posting games and sites. That is the most helpful thing to do.

This is a opening you can play against the Ruy Lopez. The Ruy Lopez is the opening you will have most of the times on the board after e4 e5.

The Marshall Gambit is a very instructive and sharp opening. It might be a bit theory to learn but at your level the games will always end by a mating attack by one side. And for this black has the better opportunities because of his aggressive and fast development. Hope you enjoy ;)   Till_98

Thanks Till 98, that was really helpful. Also, I am playing a correspondence game vs the Caro-Kann, so I might learn a couple of things by watching what my opponent tries to do with it.