CAP 20 - Part 1 - Concept Submissions

[nyttyn]

QC Sweep
Mega Buster - Totally impossible, way too many mega evolutions in the game, no mechanic exists to suppress or stop mega evolution as well.
No Speed, No Problem - Slow U-Turn is the only thing you can benefit from with a lack of speed outside of trick room, and both Scizor and Rotom-W have been doing this for generations.
Sitting Duck I really don't like this concept. You switch in pokemon against pokemon because you know for a fact that they either check or counter the mon - resultingly, the best you can do is just be really hard to switch into (hydriegon, mega gardevoir, gengar, etc).
Entrainment Train Enterainment is totally unviable, as you basically throw away a turn and a moveslot (in a gen notorious for 4MSS) for an effect that is minor at best, and at worst can be resolved simply by switching out.
Glorified Pool Noodle This is what literally every support is intended to accomplish in the first place. I don't see what distinguishes this from already existent supportive pokemon, whom already exist to minimize risk and reduce/remove pressure.

 

[mphallor]

Name: Use the Boost to Get Through!
General Description: A sweeper with several boosting options that result in completely different checks and counters. While each set should be viable in its own right, the unpredictability of this Pokemon should make it much better than any one set alone.
Justification: In the early days of Pokemon X and Y, we experienced the first Pokemon that could (viably) boost and sweep from either the physical or special side: Mega Lucario. While it was clear his unpredictability could have a devastating effect (having your Chansey eat a Close Combat, Will-O-Wisping on the Nasty Plot, etc.) the true extent to which this could make a Pokemon better was masked by the fact that Lucario's sets were both already amazing. The purpose of this concept would therefore be to explore the impact of unpredictability in sweepers by creating a Pokemon that can run several boosting sets, none of which are dominant in their own right, but that when combined can result in an extremely dangerous threat.
Questions To Be Answered:

• Is there a limit to how much unpredictability can make a Pokemon better? Can it make a decent Pokemon great? Or can it only make them usable?
• How does being unpredictable with boosting options compare to other forms of unpredictability (such as uncommon coverage moves or trying to speed creep certain threats)? Is unpredictability in sweepers inherently more dangerous because of how easily they can win a game?
• For a Pokemon that is already unpredictable, will we see the use of strange coverage moves (as many sweepers tend to run) or will it tend to stick to standard sets because it already has the element of surprise?
• Which boosting moves are distinct enough to completely change a Pokemon's checks/counters? Are Swords Dance, Nasty Plot, and Agility the only ones that can fit this concept? Or is there a way to incorporate moves such as Dragon Dance without giving the Pokemon "the best of both worlds".
• How effective will double boosting sets be on this Pokemon? Will the ability to "pick your counters" on a Pokemon already designed to bypass its counters be too good? Or can it be designed so that the loss of coverage will still leave it with several checks and counters on any set?
• To what extent will teams have to prepare for this Pokemon? Will they have to pack several checks/counters like for M-Lucario? Or will they be able to just use a standard team so long as they can identify the set early?

Explanation: One aspect of OU that seems to be omnipresent is unpredictability. And so it should come as no surprise that many of the proposed concepts (such as One Hit Wonder and Distribution Revolution by nyttyn and trc respectively) have tried to tackle this issue. The purpose of this concept is to take a slightly different angle and explore unpredictability in a sweeper specifically. What makes boosting sweepers unique from other Pokemon is that if you lose a specific check or give them one too many free turns, they can single-handedly win a game. My vision for this Pokemon is one that could be extremely deadly if mishandled, but that if you can identify its set early on, a standard team should be able to handle it. That way we could avoid some of the complications Lucario presented, and instead focus on how deadly unpredictable boosting really is.

 

[NumberCruncher]

Name: Use the Boost to Get Through!
General Description: A sweeper with several boosting options that result in completely different checks and counters. While each set should be viable in its own right, the unpredictability of this Pokemon should make it much better than any one set alone.

I'd be very careful about this concept. This has a ton of potential to be Auromoth all over again. I'm not saying that this couldn't work, but this is going to be incredibly difficult to balance.

 

[Ignus]

Name: Burst Mage

General Description: A Pokemon who maintains extreme offensive pressure for exactly one turn before having to 'reset' or cool down.

Justification: Attacking moves have always been - and may always be - one of the best ways to preserve offensive momentum in the game. The existence of moves like Draco Meteor have been a driving force towards more offensively oriented teams since all the way back in generation 3. The difference between a 1hko and a 2hko is massive, both of which are much bigger deals than a 3hko, especially when confronted with moves like recover. The idea of killing your opponent before they have time to react has always been present, but this isn't what makes this concept interesting.
While this concept is supposed to explore the idea of burst when it comes to offensive pressure, it's extremely important that we focus on the tail end of the burst just as much, if not more - we have to emphasize the negative repercussions of the burst archetype. All in all, the end result should look like a recoil move given physical form - extremely powerful with a obviously noticeable disadvantage post use.
Hopefully such a creation will introduce a new twist on the standard offensive pivot - and will be a good comparison point to discuss things that exist within the ORAS metagame already.

Questions To Be Answered:

• What creates the most offensive pressure for exactly one turn before falling off?
• How do we create the so called "cooldown" period of the burst assassin?
• What pokemon within the ORAS metagame already occupies such a niche? Where do they differ?
• How do we make the cooldown period important enough to allow for counter play against CAP?
• Who should the burst work against? fail against?

Explanation:
To further define what we should see from a healthy Burst Mage, we should see the CAP in three distinct stages over the course of the battle:

1. Pre-use: A stage of idle, where the CAP is both ready to blow its burst cooldown and exuding little to no direct threat of releasing said burst. Currently looking for chances to move to "Threat" Stage. Whether this chance just constitutes a free switch or something else is up to the process.
2. Threat: A stage of direct presence against the opponent, where the threat of blowing its load on the opponent is not only imminent but inevitable. This stage allows for the Opponent to make their response to the burst, whether it's switching or intercepting the burst in some other way.
3. Post-use: Burst has been successfully or unsuccessfully used, and CAP is in a state of vulnerability. This vulnerability is key to making the Assassin a healthy addition to the game. CAP is currently looking for a situation to reset itself.

If these three stages can be clearly seen within the CAP during a battle, then the concept was successfully completed. If the 1st outputs too much threat, the concept has been incorrectly executed. If the second consistently lacks the opponent's ability to respond, the concept has been incorrectly executed. If the third consistently lacks the vulnerability stage, the same.
On the flip side, if it can't assassinate anything, what's the point? CAP needs to have situations where it can do it's job effectively. It may be a good idea to choose VIPs early on as pre-defined assassination targets.

 

[Burt Racecar]

I'm sorry Ignus, but I really don't quite understand the depth of what you're trying to say in the Burst Mage concept.

Is it calling to create a Draco Meteor/Hyper Beam/Giga Impact user?
Or a super revenge killer that is liable to be revenge killed itself?
New version of Slaking?

The above don't sound that interesting create, but perhaps its just me that doesn't get it?

 

[Ignus]

That concept is less about making a "Draco Meteor User" and is more about fulfilling an archetype that's often seen in other games that isn't particularly seen in Pokemon nor the ORAS metagame.

The only thing that even comes remotely close to what the concept tries to create is choice specs Latios locked in to Meteors: instant, reliable, strong damage for a single turn before a drastic decrease in effectiveness. This might require moves like Overheat or (god I hope not) hyper beam, but the point of the concept is to take it to the next level: to create a Pokemon that embodies the benefits/drawbacks of such moves.
However, when I refer to 'burst', I'm not only referencing moves with upfront strength like those mentioned. Future Sight (while unviable and actually a terrible example) can be used with a second attacking move to create a situation where the opponent is hit twice on the same turn. This is an artificial increase in burst damage that could turn a potential 2hko in to a 1hko, 3hko in to 2, etc.

Slaking is a bad example, but if you want to draw comparisons to it, sure. It could be that too. The only requirements for the concept are as follows:

• Really Strong for one turn
• Stops being strong after that one turn until the Pokemon 'resets' itself, by switching or another action

That's all. We just have to figure out the best way to do that. If I mis-communicated that in any way I'll do my best to fix the write up.

 

[Jibaku]

Name: Demon Jester

General Description: A Pokemon that seeks an edge over its enemies not through force or raw bulk, but with a hefty number of "underhanded" tactics and psychological warfare. This mon is intended to leisurely toy with its prey and drive it to insanity with every last second of its dying breath.

Justification: A lot of Pokemon nowadays can be classified as fighters - they take hits, and they hit back. Because of this binary interaction, battling has become rather simplified - it's really just "I understand this mon's extent of damage and I'll respond with this and that" and whatever. By introducing this concept, I seek to explore mindgames over brute force. For instance, Zoroark's Illusion concept can do so, but players often prefer Pokemon with more straightforward approaches because they're much easier to calculate. But perhaps, it's time to try a Pokemon that makes both the user and the enemy think outside the box.

Questions to be answered:

• How does one teambuild around, with, and against a Pokemon so indefinite?
  
• How do we give this Pokemon numerous options and keep them all equally viable?
  
• How do we clearly create weaknesses for a Pokemon with so many options?
• A potential roadblock to the concept is Magic Bounce as it renders a lot of status moves ineffective, and a lot of indirect combat lies on those moves. There are two common Magic Bouncers in OU. Do we intend this to be a primary weakness, or will we find ways around it?

Explanation:
Let's all remember SwagPlay. Remember the frustrations that came along with it. That's kind of the stuff I'm talking about. Except something...less luck based. But it should still induce headaches and frustrations, yet somehow still fun to play as and against. Idk what kind of cheap tricks you guys want to pull off - there are many in the book. Unexpected trapping, random moves to take out certain mons, unexpected stalling, random Baton Pass, or something that just abruptly shifts the momentum of the game. It doesn't even have to be move-specific - things like Protean, Stance Change, and Illusion can sometimes force mind games if used correctly.

Why do I want something like that? Well let's just say I'm a twisted guy who likes watching other battlers suffer. And also I like seeing some creativity. Unfortunately, the game's biggest movepools are not quite capable of delivering what I want, mostly because the Pokemon's stats skew the selection of viable moves. I don't know exactly how we'll balance out this mon so it has a crazy number of surprises, but that's where the community can explore, right? One thing is clear, however. This Pokemon should be a highly opportunistic Pokemon.

Think about this mon as your trap card.

 

[Billy the Uncle]

Name: One Stat Pony

General Description: A Pokemon that can be successful despite standing out in only one of its base stats, thanks to a combination of its other traits.

Justification: many Pokemon that inhabit the higher tiers are gifted with good base stats, at least where it counts the most to them. Some are fast and powerful, some are defensive bastions thanks to their generous HP and defenses. Others have balanced attributes or are just stat-wise titans. Mega Evolution only furthered this, as it brought meaty base stats increases to many Pokemon. Of course the stat distribution of a Pokemon has a massive role in how good the Pokemon itself is, and consequently in its tier placement. Here, we try to create a Pokemon that goes against this general trend.

Questions to be answered:

- How can we make a Pokemon who excels at only one stat without making it underwhelming (see: Rampardos), overpowered (Deoxys-Speed), or excessively specialized?
- Can a Pokemon with this kind of stat distribution go toe to toe with its more gifted brethrens in the competitive scene?
- Which of the six stats is the most suited for our purpose?
- How high needs the selected stat to be to make CAP20 good enough?
- How low can CAP20's other stats can go without affecting its viability too much?
- How low is "too" low for a competitive Pokemon without being a dump stat? (I'm looking at you Chansey)
- How much can CAP20 teach us about the importance of its highest stat in the metagame?

Explanation: the first (competitively valid) Pokemon that comes to mind with this concept is Breloom. Aside from its solid base 130 Attack, its stats are nothing stunning, none of them going above 80 (and that's just its Defense). Despite this, the fighting mushroom has held its own in the OU environment ever since its introduction in ADV, thanks to its abilities (Poison Heal and Technician are both pretty awesome) and movepool (Spore above all). Other good examples are Skarmory, whose only decent non-Defense stat is a base 80 Attack (which doesn't see much use anyway) and Deoxys-S, whose namesake Speed (and massive attacking and support movepool) was enough to win it a one-way ticket to Uberland.

On the other hand, there are Pokemon sporting biased stat spreads that never got a chance to shine competitively. A prime example of this is the already mentioned Rampardos: its gargantuan Attack and good abilities were never enough to make up for its frailty, slowness, and bad typing. Honorable mentions go to Electrode for its Speed, Wailord and Wigglytuff for their HP, and (sigh) Ledian for its Special Defense. I would even go as far as saying such a stat distribution hinders a Pokemon more than benefiting it.

These few examples are the minority in the OU tier. Many of the prominent denizens there, as said, have stat spreads that are either highly specialized (Keldeo, Latios, and the recently banned Greninja for special attackers, Ferrothorn, Slowbro-Mega, and Venusaur-Mega for walls), well balanced (the all-100s pixies come to mind), or just beefy (Kyurem-B, Garchomp-Mega, Metagross-Mega). Our aim is to create a Pokemon that differentiates itself from these titans and works well with its single high base stat.

Of course, this concept puts a heavy bias on the stat distribution of CAP20: we alraedy know it will excel in a single stat while being mediocre at best in the others. And of course the "chosen" stat will determine its role in the metagame: a Pokemon with a good Special Defense and nothing else will never be a wallbreaker, for instance. Hopefully, this concept will help us devise a fun to create and to play CAP, without the "generically good" stat distribution and high BST that have characterized many of CAP's latest creations.

 

[mphallor]

Name: One Stat Pony

General Description: A Pokemon that can be successful despite standing out in only one of its base stats, thanks to a combination of its other traits.

Justification: many Pokemon that inhabit the higher tiers are gifted with good base stats, at least where it counts the most to them. Some are fast and powerful, some are defensive bastions thanks to their generous HP and defenses. Others have balanced attributes or are just stat-wise titans. Mega Evolution only furthered this, as it brought meaty base stats increases to many Pokemon. Of course the stat distribution of a Pokemon has a massive role in how good the Pokemon itself is, and consequently in its tier placement. Here, we try to create a Pokemon that goes against this general trend.

Questions to be answered:

- How can we make a Pokemon who excels at only one stat without making it underwhelming (see: Rampardos), overpowered (Deoxys-Speed), or excessively specialized?
- Can a Pokemon with this kind of stat distribution go toe to toe with its more gifted brethrens in the competitive scene?
- Which of the six stats is the most suited for our purpose?
- How high needs the selected stat to be to make CAP20 good enough?
- How low can CAP20's other stats can go without affecting its viability too much?
- How low is "too" low for a competitive Pokemon without being a dump stat? (I'm looking at you Chansey)
- How much can CAP20 teach us about the importance of its highest stat in the metagame?

Explanation: the first (competitively valid) Pokemon that comes to mind with this concept is Breloom. Aside from its solid base 130 Attack, its stats are nothing stunning, none of them going above 80 (and that's just its Defense). Despite this, the fighting mushroom has held its own in the OU environment ever since its introduction in ADV, thanks to its abilities (Poison Heal and Technician are both pretty awesome) and movepool (Spore above all). Other good examples are Skarmory, whose only decent non-Defense stat is a base 80 Attack (which doesn't see much use anyway) and Deoxys-S, whose namesake Speed (and massive attacking and support movepool) was enough to win it a one-way ticket to Uberland.

On the other hand, there are Pokemon sporting biased stat spreads that never got a chance to shine competitively. A prime example of this is the already mentioned Rampardos: its gargantuan Attack and good abilities were never enough to make up for its frailty, slowness, and bad typing. Honorable mentions go to Electrode for its Speed, Wailord and Wigglytuff for their HP, and (sigh) Ledian for its Special Defense. I would even go as far as saying such a stat distribution hinders a Pokemon more than benefiting it.

These few examples are the minority in the OU tier. Many of the prominent denizens there, as said, have stat spreads that are either highly specialized (Keldeo, Latios, and the recently banned Greninja for special attackers, Ferrothorn, Slowbro-Mega, and Venusaur-Mega for walls), well balanced (the all-100s pixies come to mind), or just beefy (Kyurem-B, Garchomp-Mega, Metagross-Mega). Our aim is to create a Pokemon that differentiates itself from these titans and works well with its single high base stat.

Of course, this concept puts a heavy bias on the stat distribution of CAP20: we alraedy know it will excel in a single stat while being mediocre at best in the others. And of course the "chosen" stat will determine its role in the metagame: a Pokemon with a good Special Defense and nothing else will never be a wallbreaker, for instance. Hopefully, this concept will help us devise a fun to create and to play CAP, without the "generically good" stat distribution and high BST that have characterized many of CAP's latest creations.

Breloom does this with attack, Skarmory with defense, Talonflame with speed. Last gen there was Reuniclus with SPa, and Wobbuffet with HP. We have examples of a Pokemon for every stat, so I don't think there would really be any challenge or learning outcome for this project.

 

[Swing dude]

Name: Stoplight
General Description: A Pokemon to completely screw Pokemon that rely on set-ups, entry hazards, and items, hence the name 'Stoplight.'

Justification: Quite a few teams rely on entry hazards to cripple a team late game. There are many great counters to this, but they are either Rapid Spinners (*cough* Excadrill) which already are sufficient, Pokemon that already have a place or are just too weak, or Mega Evolutions (Absol, Diancie, and Sableye). A Pokemon that could effectively stop leads and even turn the leads against their own team without sacrificing the all-important Mega space could benefit teams greatly. Also, bringing an anti-lead Pokemon in would force people to reconsider if they would send a Stealth Rocker in first.
Right now, people rely on the same strategies: a stall, a priority, a Mega, an attacker, and support. Adding this Pokemon in could force people to reconsider how they put their team together. This could bring new and unexpected Pokemon into the metagame, for as of now, we are stuck with these Mega Lopunnies and Sableyes flying around. This Pokemon should fit into the niche between Magic Bounce megas and Topsy-Turvy users.

To sum it up: This Pokemon screws up people by using moves that negate or steal items or abilities, which a lot of people depend on.

Also, if we use this Pokemon, we can learn about how much teams depend on set-up and Items.
Questions To Be Answered:

• Would a Pokemon that can target leads and supports change the metagame significantly?
• Would this Pokemon provoke people to think of way to counter this Pokemon?
• Would this Pokemon turn the metagame into a slap fight (this is one that I hope the answer is no)?
• How will this affect how teams get their momentum going?
• What are viable ways to break through leads like Skarmory or set-ups like Speed Boost Scolipede other than just using Magic Bounce?
• How much do teams rely on their items and abilities?
• Could this affect how abilities are chosen?
• How will people build around a Pokemon that effectively stops entry hazards?
• How much do players rely on their Pokemon's abilities and items?

Explanation: This concept is mainly about destroying leads. I got this idea from this realization: A strong lead defines a team. For example, a sweeper lead can utterly destroy Stealth Rock users and Pokemon that need setup. A Stealth Rock lead can do massive damage late-game, where it hurts most. A good example is Skarmory. Without a Rapid Spinner/Defogger, you are doomed. If you suppress that strong lead, which is what Stoplight is supposed to do, you can get a great foothold. A stall lead usually relies on status conditions to cripple your team, and that is usually only why they do. If you suppress or even reflect it, you can screw the other team over and stop them in their tracks. This could help us with learning about the metagame by seeing how people adjust to a new threat. Unlike new Mega Evolutions, where you know what is happening and how to counter it, this will force the metagame community to think about how to counter a Pokemon that opens up a hole that was non-existent before now. Sure, there were Gastro Acid users to suppress abilities and Knock Off users for knocking off items, but there is yet to be a non-mega viable Pokemon that can do that and get rid of entry hazards effectively. I plan for this Pokemon to do so.

The main point: This Pokemon will force players to reconsider how they will lead their team. It is an anti-lead with more than just Magic Bounce or Taunt.

 

[cbrevan]

Name: Stoplight
General Description: A Pokemon to completely screw Pokemon that rely on set-ups, entry hazards, and items, hence the name 'Stoplight.'

Justification: Quite a few teams rely on entry hazards to cripple a team late game. There are many great counters to this, but they are either Rapid Spinners (*cough* Excadrill) which already are sufficient, Pokemon that already have a place or are just too weak, or Mega Evolutions (Absol, Diancie, and Sableye). A Pokemon that could effectively stop leads without sacrificing the all-important Mega space could benefit teams greatly. Also, bringing an anti-lead Pokemon in would force people to reconsider if they would send a Stealth Rocker in first.
Right now, people rely on the same strategies: a stall, a priority, a Mega, an attacker, and support. Adding this Pokemon in could force people to reconsider how they put their team together. This could bring new and unexpected Pokemon into the metagame, for as of now, we are stuck with these Mega Lopunnies and Sableyes flying around. This Pokemon should fit into the niche between Magic Bounce megas and Topsy-Turvy users.

Also, if we use this Pokemon, we can learn about how much teams depend on set-up and Items.
Questions To Be Answered:

• Would a Pokemon that can target leads and supports change the metagame significantly?
• Would this Pokemon provoke people to think of way to counter this Pokemon?
• Would this Pokemon turn the metagame into a slap fight (this is one that I hope the answer is no)?
• How will this affect how teams get their momentum going?
• What are viable ways to break through leads like Skarmory or set-ups like Speed Boost Scolipede?
• How much do teams rely on their items and abilities?
• Could this affect how abilities are chosen?
• How will people build around a Pokemon that effectively stops entry hazards.

Explanation: A strong lead defines a team. For example, a sweeper lead can utterly destroy Stealth Rock users and Pokemon that need setup. A Stealth Rocker can do massive damage late-game, where it hurts most. A good example is Skarmory. Without a Rapid Spinner/Defogger, you are doomed. If you suppress that strong lead, you can get a great foothold, and that is exactly what this Pokemon does. A stall lead usually relies on status conditions to cripple your team, and that is usually only why they do. If you suppress or even reflect it, you can screw the other team over and stop them in their tracks. This could help us with learning about the metagame by seeing how people adjust to a new threat. Unlike new Mega Evolutions, where you know what is happening and how to counter it, this will force the metagame community to think about how to counter a Pokemon that opens up a hole that was non-existent before now.

Is this concept about leads, hazards, set-ups, or changing team roles? I really don't get what you're trying to do here. You first mention screwing up hazards, set-up, and items. Then you talk about hazard removers (which they are a bunch of), and stopping leads. You then fail to work screwing up set-up and items into your questions and explanation. In fact, I don't see any elaboration on what you mean by screwing up items. This concept just seems to go everywhere without giving itself a clear goal or explanation.

 

[Swing dude]

Is this concept about leads, hazards, set-ups, or changing team roles? I really don't get what you're trying to do here. You first mention screwing up hazards, set-up, and items. Then you talk about hazard removers (which they are a bunch of), and stopping leads. You then fail to work screwing up set-up and items into your questions and explanation. In fact, I don't see any elaboration on what you mean by screwing up items. This concept just seems to go everywhere without giving itself a clear goal or explanation.

The point of it is to do nothing but screw up people with moves like Gastro Acid, Snatch, and Thief and with an ability like Magic Bounce.
I tried to say it without saying the moves. I am sorry that I didn't make it clear.
It is edited with the main point.

EDIT: I see what you mean. This concept is not about setting the hazards or using setups. This Pokemon would be an effective check to teams which rely on their lead. A lot of teams do.

EDIT 2: Sorry about the confusing explanation. I was trying to get a good grabber. Sadly, it was confusing. I have fixed it now :)

 

[Phione]

The point of it is to do nothing but screw up people with moves like Gastro Acid, Snatch, and Thief and with an ability like Magic Bounce.
I tried to say it without saying the moves. I am sorry that I didn't make it clear.
It is edited with the main point.

EDIT: I see what you mean. This concept is not about setting the hazards or using setups. This Pokemon would be an effective check to teams which rely on their lead. A lot of teams do.

EDIT 2: Sorry about the confusing explanation. I was trying to get a good grabber. Sadly, it was confusing. I have fixed it now :)

So essentially, an anti-lead? Interesting. Although there are such mons in the tier, they're not too common, and it would be interesting to see how we could beat leads outside of simply Magic Bouncing stuff back (which is IMO a lazy solution). We could explore the viability of things like Snatch, and maybe even stuff like Brick Break to screw over dual screen setters. (Not saying we should do specifically these moves)

 

[Swing dude]

So essentially, an anti-lead? Interesting. Although there are such mons in the tier, they're not too common, and it would be interesting to see how we could beat leads outside of simply Magic Bouncing stuff back (which is IMO a lazy solution). We could explore the viability of things like Snatch, and maybe even stuff like Brick Break to screw over dual screen setters. (Not saying we should do specifically these moves)

Yes, it is an anti-lead. In addition, it would have its main use as anti-lead (as opposed to it being a secondary choice) and its moveset probably would reflect it.

 

[TordenOfItami]

Breloom does this with attack, Skarmory with defense, Talonflame with speed. Last gen there was Reuniclus with SPa, and Wobbuffet with HP. We have examples of a Pokemon for every stat, so I don't think there would really be any challenge or learning outcome for this project.

I disagree. While there may be previous examples, there is still a lot of versatility that can be displayed, and I would love to see the way this pans out.

 

[Billy the Uncle]

fat mphallor said:
Breloom does this with attack, Skarmory with defense, Talonflame with speed. Last gen there was Reuniclus with SPa, and Wobbuffet with HP. We have examples of a Pokemon for every stat, so I don't think there would really be any challenge or learning outcome for this project.

I disagree. While there may be previous examples, there is still a lot of versatility that can be displayed, and I would love to see the way this pans out.

CAP has done already existing roles in the past. An example is the "perfect mate" concept which could be said of Heatran and Celebi, or "Celetran". That said, I avoided mentioning Talonflame since its Speed isn't as important as it may be because of Gale Wings.

Also, while obviously important, the highest stat doesn't say everything about the Pokemon. A CAP with good Special Defense does not need to be a special wall: it can be a supporter or pivot, for instance.

 

[Burt Racecar]

Personally, I'm quite on board with one stat pony, it could be interesting. We've seen a lot of min-maxing from gamefreak this gen.

And clearly having one 'excellent' stat does not make a beast, as you provided good examples of both usable and unusable pokemon with fairly large numbers in one stat.

 

[BigWigs]

• Name - The Berserker
• Description - A Pokemon that becomes more and more powerful the less health it has
• Justification- The goal of Pokemon is pretty straightforward: You knock out all of the enemy's Pokemon before they do yours, using strategies varying from the raw force of hyper offense to a slow, sophisticated death from stall, and anything in between. The lower health the opposition has, the closer you are to the goal. However, never has a Pokemon used losing health to its advantage in OU. By creating this CAP, we can explore a brand new niche/playstyle that raises different thinking.
• Questions To Be Answered-
• How can this Pokemon make losing health a good/viable thing?
• How can this Pokemon be able to lose 'the right' amount of HP without fainting?
• In what way can a Pokemon that relies so heavily on being on constantly low HP not just be easily revenge killed?
• Why in the world not just play it like any other Pokemon and keep it healthy?
• Explanation - This CAP is meant to start a new strategy, and it might remind some of you of Plasmanta's concept, what with gaining an advantage by losing life. The main difference is this: Plasmanta was focused on the advantages of fainting, while 'Berserker' here is just the advantage of less HP, an obvious yet huge difference. This CAP will not leave a lasting impression and it's not meant to die, it should achieve more benefits the closer you are on the verge of death. We have to remember we do not want this thing to faint, we want it to use a huge risk/reward playstyle where the player must think smart about how to use this Pokemon to its full use, how to balance between 'too much' and 'too little' HP, and exactly when to send in this behemoth.

On note, this is only my second post, so I apologize if this seems too much 'novice-y'.

 

[Alfalfa]

• Name - The Berserker
• Description - A Pokemon that becomes more and more powerful the less health it has
• Justification- The goal of Pokemon is pretty straightforward: You knock out all of the enemy's Pokemon before they do yours, using strategies varying from the raw force of hyper offense to a slow, sophisticated death from stall, and anything in between. The lower health the opposition has, the closer you are to the goal. However, never has a Pokemon used losing health to its advantage in OU. By creating this CAP, we can explore a brand new niche/playstyle that raises different thinking.
• Questions To Be Answered-
• How can this Pokemon make losing health a good/viable thing?
• How can this Pokemon be able to lose 'the right' amount of HP without fainting?
• In what way can a Pokemon that relies so heavily on being on constantly low HP not just be easily revenge killed?
• Why in the world not just play it like any other Pokemon and keep it healthy?
• Explanation - This CAP is meant to start a new strategy, and it might remind some of you of Plasmanta's concept, what with gaining an advantage by losing life. The main difference is this: Plasmanta was focused on the advantages of fainting, while 'Berserker' here is just the advantage of less HP, an obvious yet huge difference. This CAP will not leave a lasting impression and it's not meant to die, it should achieve more benefits the closer you are on the verge of death. We have to remember we do not want this thing to faint, we want it to use a huge risk/reward playstyle where the player must think smart about how to use this Pokemon to its full use, how to balance between 'too much' and 'too little' HP, and exactly when to send in this behemoth.

On note, this is only my second post, so I apologize if this seems too much 'novice-y'.

Are you referring to a strategy like Overgrow / Blaze / Torrent, where you Grass / Fire / Water-type attacks become more powerful after you are down to like a third of your health, or a strategy like Metal Burst, Flail, or Reversal, in which the attacks become more powerful when your HP goes down? This strategy is going to have serious issues with priority, so maybe having priority like Extreme speed that bypasses other priority might assist this Pokemon in pulling this off.

 

[BigWigs]

Are you referring to a strategy like Overgrow / Blaze / Torrent, where you Grass / Fire / Water-type attacks become more powerful after you are down to like a third of your health, or a strategy like Metal Burst, Flail, or Reversal, in which the attacks become more powerful when your HP goes down? This strategy is going to have serious issues with priority, so maybe having priority like Extreme speed that bypasses other priority might assist this Pokemon in pulling this off.

I personally pictured something more like the former strategy (certain type attacks become stronger), I did some thinking on Flail/Reversal but the major focus was using those abilities alongside, say, a Life Orb or recoil moves like Wood Hammer in order to get to the spot where you can start REALLY sweeping.

 

[BlackSchwan]

Name: Demon Jester

General Description: A Pokemon that seeks an edge over its enemies not through force or raw bulk, but with a hefty number of "underhanded" tactics and psychological warfare. This mon is intended to leisurely toy with its prey and drive it to insanity with every last second of its dying breath.

Justification: A lot of Pokemon nowadays can be classified as fighters - they take hits, and they hit back. Because of this binary interaction, battling has become rather simplified - it's really just "I understand this mon's extent of damage and I'll respond with this and that" and whatever. By introducing this concept, I seek to explore mindgames over brute force. For instance, Zoroark's Illusion concept can do so, but players often prefer Pokemon with more straightforward approaches because they're much easier to calculate. But perhaps, it's time to try a Pokemon that makes both the user and the enemy think outside the box.

Questions to be answered:

• How does one teambuild around, with, and against a Pokemon so indefinite?
  
• How do we give this Pokemon numerous options and keep them all equally viable?
  
• How do we clearly create weaknesses for a Pokemon with so many options?
• A potential roadblock to the concept is Magic Bounce as it renders a lot of status moves ineffective, and a lot of indirect combat lies on those moves. There are two common Magic Bouncers in OU. Do we intend this to be a primary weakness, or will we find ways around it?

Explanation:
Let's all remember SwagPlay. Remember the frustrations that came along with it. That's kind of the stuff I'm talking about. Except something...less luck based. But it should still induce headaches and frustrations, yet somehow still fun to play as and against. Idk what kind of cheap tricks you guys want to pull off - there are many in the book. Unexpected trapping, random moves to take out certain mons, unexpected stalling, random Baton Pass, or something that just abruptly shifts the momentum of the game. It doesn't even have to be move-specific - things like Protean, Stance Change, and Illusion can sometimes force mind games if used correctly.

Why do I want something like that? Well let's just say I'm a twisted guy who likes watching other battlers suffer. And also I like seeing some creativity. Unfortunately, the game's biggest movepools are not quite capable of delivering what I want, mostly because the Pokemon's stats skew the selection of viable moves. I don't know exactly how we'll balance out this mon so it has a crazy number of surprises, but that's where the community can explore, right? One thing is clear, however. This Pokemon should be a highly opportunistic Pokemon.

Think about this mon as your trap card.

While there are a few differences between your concept and Sableye, Whimsicott and Klefki, I feel that they are all kind of on them same basis. From what you wrote as a general description I instantly thought of these 3 Pokemon, they are all annoying as hell, can toy with opponents fairly easily and drive insanity into everyones head until their last thankful breath. However these 3 Pokemon are fairly 1-Dimensional and are fairly easy to predict and the thing that makes your concept stand out was the fact that it can induce mindgames into any match.

While I hate all those 3 Pokemon from the very bottom of my heart and abhor being toyed with in battles I still think it could be interesting to see what would become of this concept

 

[HaxMiner]

Concept Name: Weatherman

Description: A Pokemon that can benefit from every type of weather.

Justification: There are many different weathers out there, ranging from hail to sun to rain. Weather was a huge factor in B/W, and with the recent nerfs to weather in Gen VI, it's fallen in popularity. However weather based teams are still a threat, and sometimes it is difficult building around them. This Pokemon can provide a core to build around when making a weather team, and making more diverse weather teams.

Questions to be Answered:

• How is it possible for a Pokemon to be put onto multiple types of weather teams and excel in all of them?
• What niche will this Pokemon play in the OU metagame for weather teams? Whether it be Weather setter, sweeper or supporter?
• Will this Pokemon make weather almost-broken like it was in B/W?
• Will the access to excelling under all weathers make this Pokemon more versatile? Or will people only choose one weather to run it under making it more predictable?

Explanation: Weather teams were an enormous part of the B/W Meta. They've fallen in popularity due to the Perma weather nerf, but they're still pretty powerful overall. Everyone was disappointed by Castform, the Pokemon designed to take advantage of all types of weather. While reading this, that was probably the first thing that popped into your head was "Castform!" But this could be considered either Mega Castform or Castform 2.0. I want a Pokemon that could turn a playstyle that is falling out of favor into one that is revitalized by this. I was thinking that this Pokemon could definitely have a typing of say Normal Ghost, but then change its Normal typing when a weather effect was in play. I think that it should get an ability somewhat like Forecast, but better in a sense that it keeps its ghost typing, but doesn't take damage from weather. What I have in mind is that it changes to either Ground (Sandstorm), Ice (Hail), Water (Rain), Fire (Sun). I also think that it should permanently extend the duration of the weather it is under, that way it can fully take advantage of it. But when it is switched out and the duration of the normal weather has happened, it ends. Also, in the case of Double Battles and Ubers/Mega Ray are allowed: Strong Winds = Flying Type, Heavy Rain = Water w/ no Ghost Typing, and Harsh Sunlight = Fire w/ no Ghost Typing.

 

[Steelixspark]

Name: New Typing Tank

General Description: A Pokemon that can take a beating while still being able to dish out some damage, all while confusing your opponent with a new type combination.

Justification: I have wanted a particular type match up for a long time, but it hasn't happened yet. Every time I go into battle, I have to face a "wall" or "tank" Pokemon. These are good but all follow the same concept of: Get Hit, Status Condition Your Face/OHKO, Stall, Repeat (*cough* Chansey *cough*). I always hated having to use the same Tank/Wall Pokemon as everybody else because only a certain few actually work.

Questions To Be Answered:

• Will adding a new type combination be easy to counter or be too strong/annoying?
• If it has a new type combination, how will that change the meta game?
• How will a new Tank Pokemon hold up against others?

Explanation: Tanks and Walls are a "staple" among the online and the competitive playing field, but what if a new typing was thrown in there? Everybody uses the same stall or sweeper Pokemon like Chansey or Garchomp, so I want to make a new one. The typing I had in my head was Dark and Electric, a combination that I thought would have gone to Zekrom but it never happened. I feel that having a combination like this will throw a curve ball to those in the meta game and I would like to see how something like this would do in the great wide world of competitive UO Pokemon play.

 

[Unsee]

Name: New Typing Tank

General Description: A Pokemon that can take a beating while still being able to dish out some damage, all while confusing your opponent with a new type combination.

Justification: I have wanted a particular type match up for a long time, but it hasn't happened yet. Every time I go into battle, I have to face a "wall" or "tank" Pokemon. These are good but all follow the same concept of: Get Hit, Status Condition Your Face/OHKO, Stall, Repeat (*cough* Chansey *cough*). I always hated having to use the same Tank/Wall Pokemon as everybody else because only a certain few actually work.

Questions To Be Answered:

• Will adding a new type combination be easy to counter or be too strong/annoying?
• If it has a new type combination, how will that change the meta game?
• How will a new Tank Pokemon hold up against others?

Explanation: Tanks and Walls are a "staple" among the online and the competitive playing field, but what if a new typing was thrown in there? Everybody uses the same stall or sweeper Pokemon like Chansey or Garchomp, so I want to make a new one. The typing I had in my head was Dark and Electric, a combination that I thought would have gone to Zekrom but it never happened. I feel that having a combination like this will throw a curve ball to those in the meta game and I would like to see how something like this would do in the great wide world of competitive UO Pokemon play.

Steelixspark, I really don't think introducing a new type combination is the equivalent of a curveball. How can a type combination "confuse" the opponent? To find out how a new type combo will affect the meta, all one has to do is figure out its type-based strengths and weaknesses. Is what your asking for yet another status wall or a sweeper? You have not specified either, so it is impossible to judge your concept.

A Dark/Electric Pokémon is weak to Ground, Fighting, Bug, and Fairy. He reason Chansey is effective is not only its bulk but its typing, with one weakness and one immunity. A new typing doesn't mean greatness! WHY will it be a curveball? An explanation is needed.

 

[azureleaf17]

Name: Elephant In the Room

General Description: A Pokemon that can utilize Magic Room and/or Wonder Room to massive effect.

Justification:
Magic Room and Wonder Room are both moves that are nearly unusable and unused (for the less informed, Magic Room makes items unusable, and Wonder Room swaps all Pokemons' defenses, both with a priority of 0 and both for five turns). This is because the effects of both are rather niche, and the users of it have much better things to do. But what if we could create a Pokemon that could use one or both to have a meaningful impact on the metagame? With effects that seem so inconsequential, is such a Pokemon even possible?

Questions To Be Answered:
- What would happen to the metagame if a single Pokemon with a strange, possibly game-changing niche was added? What kind of ripples would this one Pokemon cause, and to what extent would such a 'mon cause the metgame to warp around it? (I'm talking about unique Pokemon in general, and not specifically about the Pokemon proposed here.)
- Is it possible to create a Pokemon that can offset the negative or underpowered aspects of a unique, niche move and use it to great effect?
- How would such a Pokemon play? As a pivot, wall, sweeper, etc.?
- Is it possible to build a team around a Pokemon that has a niche nearly unseen in the metagame?
- If a Pokemon has a powerful niche that is unique to it, is it worth it to use other sets?
- What other moves out there are underutilized because there has never been a Pokemon made to abuse them?

Explanation:
There are moves that are designed for Pokemon, as seen in the massive amount of signature moves given to 'mons throughout the generations. However, I would like to see if it is possible to design a Pokemon for a move. I feel like there are many unexplored and underutilized moves, and currently using them is a horrid idea. But there is a possibility that the reason why they are so underused is because there has never been a Pokemon that could properly use them to their full effect, lacking one or more crucial elements that would make them viable. Magic Room and Wonder Room are two moves with completely unique effects that I would love to see used. Also, I would like to see the impact that the addition of a single Pokemon with such an unexplored and as-of-yet-unseen niche would cause ripples in the metagame, as well as the creativity that would sprout from molding a such a Pokemon. I have no idea if it is possible to balance or even create such a Pokemon. I have ideas, but a community effort would be great :)