Concept: The Great Pretender
Description: A pokemon that makes the most of the ability Illusion, and can be used in a number of different ways to outwit and outmaneuver the opponent.
Justification: Generation 5 introduced a lot of outlandish abilities, moves etc, and Illusion is one of the most unique traits yet. However, Zoroark is unfortunately a one-dimensional pokemon due to its severe frailty, lack of synergy with common playstyles and non-existant capacity for anything other than special sweeping. Team Preview only makes it harder for Zoroark to fool an opponent, and thus the Illusion ability doesn't have a chance to show its potential. If we designed a CAP around using the ability Illusion in creative and varied ways, it would allow us to explore how threatening it is on a defensive/support capacity, what combination of pokemon forms the best "cloak and dagger" core, and how the metagame would change if there was a possibility the "Scizor" ready to sweep in front of you could throw up entry hazards instead. I believe the introduction of a supporting Illusion pokemon would alter the way many people play the game, if it was viable enough on its own merits.
Questions to be answered:
Explanation: There's so many ways to use the ability Illusion that remain currently unexplored. If the pokemon had immunities to attacks that it could lure in under the disguise of a partner, it could use Encore to lock the opponent in useless and guarantee setup, recovery, or status spreading. Likewise, Mean Look could be used to destroy Choiced sweepers that think Tyranitar can easily be killed by Close Combat, when it turns out the "Tyranitar" is actually a Ghost type! Although in this case, it might be better to go without immunities, since it might become as centralising as Shadow Tag Chandelure, which may not be desirable. This pokemon could also make use of the confusion that Illusion provides by simply setting up entry hazards (or alternatively Rapid-Spinning them away), inducing a field effect as the opponent wastes their turn, or just using Recover / Pain Split. Trick is also another option to be explored, since the possibility of your Dragonite being Tricked an Iron Ball by Virizion could induce paranoia in many opponents. If this pokemon could pull off a number of different roles, it may be able to outmaneuver opponents despite Team Preview, since they won't know what to expect even if they figure out when and when the pokemon is masquerading.
The good thing about this concept is not only is it centered around the pokemon itself, it also hinges on the formation of new offensive and defensive cores that would allow the pokemon to make the most of Illusion. If this pokemon was sturdy enough and had a good enough support movepool, it could change the metagame as we know it in unpredictable ways. It's testing a completely new aspect of pokemon that's never really been touched on, and it was a lot of potential to produce a truly unique effect on competitive pokemon.
Description: A pokemon that makes the most of the ability Illusion, and can be used in a number of different ways to outwit and outmaneuver the opponent.
Justification: Generation 5 introduced a lot of outlandish abilities, moves etc, and Illusion is one of the most unique traits yet. However, Zoroark is unfortunately a one-dimensional pokemon due to its severe frailty, lack of synergy with common playstyles and non-existant capacity for anything other than special sweeping. Team Preview only makes it harder for Zoroark to fool an opponent, and thus the Illusion ability doesn't have a chance to show its potential. If we designed a CAP around using the ability Illusion in creative and varied ways, it would allow us to explore how threatening it is on a defensive/support capacity, what combination of pokemon forms the best "cloak and dagger" core, and how the metagame would change if there was a possibility the "Scizor" ready to sweep in front of you could throw up entry hazards instead. I believe the introduction of a supporting Illusion pokemon would alter the way many people play the game, if it was viable enough on its own merits.
Questions to be answered:
- Does the ability Illusion have potential for supporting and defensive roles? What are the best ways to manipulate the situations that Illusion provides?
- What qualities would a pokemon need to make the best use of Illusion, or to make the most convincing Illusion, in terms of typing, stats and movepool?
- Would playstyles change if a defensive pokemon could masquerade as an offensive one that threatens a sweep? Would this pokemon centralise the metagame around it or would it be the other way around?
- Would an Illusion-centered pokemon also be able to run a second ability viably? Would the possibility of a non-Illusion version of the pokemon make the Illusion version more convincing despite being shown on Team Preview?
- Would running Zoroark alongside this pokemon completely mindfuck people?
Explanation: There's so many ways to use the ability Illusion that remain currently unexplored. If the pokemon had immunities to attacks that it could lure in under the disguise of a partner, it could use Encore to lock the opponent in useless and guarantee setup, recovery, or status spreading. Likewise, Mean Look could be used to destroy Choiced sweepers that think Tyranitar can easily be killed by Close Combat, when it turns out the "Tyranitar" is actually a Ghost type! Although in this case, it might be better to go without immunities, since it might become as centralising as Shadow Tag Chandelure, which may not be desirable. This pokemon could also make use of the confusion that Illusion provides by simply setting up entry hazards (or alternatively Rapid-Spinning them away), inducing a field effect as the opponent wastes their turn, or just using Recover / Pain Split. Trick is also another option to be explored, since the possibility of your Dragonite being Tricked an Iron Ball by Virizion could induce paranoia in many opponents. If this pokemon could pull off a number of different roles, it may be able to outmaneuver opponents despite Team Preview, since they won't know what to expect even if they figure out when and when the pokemon is masquerading.
The good thing about this concept is not only is it centered around the pokemon itself, it also hinges on the formation of new offensive and defensive cores that would allow the pokemon to make the most of Illusion. If this pokemon was sturdy enough and had a good enough support movepool, it could change the metagame as we know it in unpredictable ways. It's testing a completely new aspect of pokemon that's never really been touched on, and it was a lot of potential to produce a truly unique effect on competitive pokemon.