[DarkSlay]

Re-submitting my proposal from CAP4. Seems to fit the direction we want to go in for CAP5 very well.

Name: Utility Counter: Take Two

General Description: This Pokemon can be customized to fit the role of a counter to a specific Pokemon or a major hindrance to a specific strategy, but cannot be used to counter a wide variety of Pokemon/strategies.

Justification: This Pokemon would allow us to study the impact that a utility counter would have on the Generation V metagame. Threats in Generation V are now not only individual Pokemon (Keldeo, Scizor, and Salamence for example) but also strategies such as weather. This concept would allow us to build a Pokemon that has the ability to take on these various threats as best as it can, but not all at once.

Questions To Be Answered:

• How useful is defensive versatility in a metagame where there are many individual and strategic threats to take into account?
• Given the existence of a Pokemon that can hard counter only specific major threats, which threats will be prepared for the most?
• How would team building change if certain difficult-to-prepare-for threats became easier to prepare for?
• Which is more useful, a Pokemon that can somewhat handle a wide range of threats, or a Pokemon that can handle a few threats extremely well?
• How can a utility counter take on team strategies, such as Sun or Rain, without being able to counter multiple Pokemon all at once? Can this be accomplished?

Explanation: This concept was explored in Generation IV, but I feel that the idea of a Utility Counter being introduced into Generation V is an excellent idea, and would give us a better understanding of how one Pokemon could potentially impact one of a wide array of strategies. This concept is sound as is: how can a Pokemon be customized to fulfill any one distinct role for a team, but is prevented from carrying out a wide array of roles as a counter. If you’re looking for a concept where the creation of a Pokemon is the primary focus rather than the metagame around it, look no further than this concept. This concept focuses exclusively on the Pokemon’s limits and abilities, enabling us to learn about the metagame through this Pokemon rather than the opposite.

I do not envision this Pokemon being able to counter an entire team with one strategy, but rather be able to take on a threat on that team that would cripple the opponent’s chances of pulling off a successful strategy. Making it so that an entire strategy were null and void goes against the concept, since it would counter a wide variety of threats on one team. This concept, especially for this generation, is wide open. The closest Pokemon we have right now to a “Utility Counter” in the metagame is Imposter Ditto, and not only does it fail to actually be a true “Utility Counter”, it’s also not as effective in that kind of role. The ability, typing, and moveset potential of this Pokemon is really up to the community to decide: nothing is really pre-determined here, and the project can go a number of different ways.

Generation IV’s CAP10, Krilowatt, had an amazing process that was hindered by a lack of appropriate counter discussion (which has now been addressed) and the carelessness of the secondary ability process (also has been addressed). Those two mistakes pigeon-holed us into specific counters and unwanted potential rather than natural counters based off of the player’s decision and envisioned potential. A combination of variety in the Generation V metagame and a well defined CAP process will make this concept work to its fullest potential, and will answer a lot of questions we’ve asked ourselves for years.