Name: Leading the Charge
General Description: A Pokemon that is designed to work primarily in a lead position despite Team Preview.
Justification: Leads are dead, Team Preview saw to that at the dawning of Gen V. Now that we have more mutable options in terms of how we begin our games and can view the opposing player’s Pokemon, having a set lead is difficult. However if the concept functions properly and can reliably fulfill a lead role it would change how Team Preview is viewed and rearrange how we set-up our early game. The leads in Gen IV fulfilled a number of purposes, they would get up entry hazards early, throw up screens, get some early game damage in, etc. This is more difficult than ever before and will pose a difficult but interesting concept.
Questions to be Answered:- Does Cap V create a metagame in which a set lead counter is necessary?
- How do leads act differently from Gen IV to Gen V because of Team Preview?
- What are the most important roles for a lead to fulfill?
- How does the possibility of facing a Pokemon with Magic Bounce change how we build leads? Is the entry hazard lead still viable?
- Many leads are now weather starters, how does Cap V fair against these Pokemon?
Explanation: I remember when I was first getting into competitive Pokemon in early Gen IV and I loved using an Aerodactyl lead over WiFi. Leads used to be such an important part of the game because they were the absolute foundation of early game. Azelf, Metagross, Infernape, all these Pokemon that used to shine in a lead role have had that taken away from them, especially Azelf. I want this Cap to revitalize the lead metagame. It would help us explore a lot about how Team Preview affects our perceptions of the opponent. Having a dedicated lead Pokemon shows that we can have a strong early game despite the opponent, and if they don’t have a clear counter we’re at an immediate advantage. Having counters to Cap 5 will recreate the lead metagame because your dedicated counter is your lead, even if I don’t have Cap 5.