CAP 2 - Playtest

[Rising_Dusk]

The Necturna playtest has begun!

The battle matched players Rising_Dusk and capefeather against each other in an epic duel. I chose capefeather for my opponent because he has been active throughout the process, has epitomized the kind of logic that has made Necturna so successful, and has been such a good community contributor that I feel he deserves this recognition. In a few days, he will also be leading CAP 2's pre-evo process, where we decide whether Necturna will have pre-evolutions, and if so, how many and what they're like!

The battle pit my offensive team against capefeather's defensive team, with totally different Necturna on both sides. My Choice Band Necturna got a solid KO against capefeather's Tentacruel, and did solid damage outside of that as well. Meanwhile, capefeather's Substitute + Quiver Dance Necturna threatened to sweep my whole team, but my trusty specially defensive Jirachi put a stop to that! The dying throes of the match were a near-stalemate between my Rotom-W and Jirachi against his Necturna and Jirachi. Fortunately for me, with appropriate maneuvering I put down his remaining two Pokemon and won the battle 3-0. GG capefeather! I couldn't have asked for a more worthy opponent and a more exciting match for this historical inaugural battle!

And with that done, the CAP 2 (Necturna) playtest has begun in earnest!

This means that you can hop on Pokemon Showdown!, make a team using Necturna, and battle on the 'CAP Necturna Playtest' ladder! Remember that the ladder leader at the end of this coming two week playtest period will be named the Playtest Champion and will go down in history for their work, so play strong! For reference, or if you're just walking into CAP for the first time now, you can learn more about what Necturna is and why it was created in this thread. You may, and are in-fact encouraged to, use this thread for discussion on the success of Necturna and what sets you find the coolest or the best.

Good luck and Godspeed, my friends!

[Birkal*]

What an excellent battle. Congrats to both Rising_Dusk and capefeather for creating a battle full of sparks and thrills. I hope to see both of you, and all others interested in CAP, on the playtest ladder within the next few weeks. Pokemon Showdown! is an excellent home for CAP's laddering process. Best of luck to all battlers! And good luck on the pre-evo portion, capefeather; you'll do great!

[Zarel*]

Here's a link to the replay:

http://pokemon.aesoft.org/replay-ps-...urna-inaugural

Right now, Necturna's sprites will not appear in the replay viewer. I plan to fix this soon.

[capefeather]

Yeah, it was a great battle. I just wish I hadn't gotten the idea of using both M Dragonite and QD Necturna on the same team :P That Jirachi walling two of my Pokémon was sadface for me.

[MikeDecIsHere]

Is Playtesting only available on Showdown? Or is it also on the server?

[Rising_Dusk]

It is only available on Pokemon Showdown. Down the road, Necturna may get implemented along with the other CAPs on the PO server, but the playtest will only be on PS!.

[Imanalt]

I'm confused, the OP says to play on the necturna play test ladder, but i can only see the normal cap ladder, and can only set format to necturna playtest when challenging an opponent

[tennisace]

So let's talk about the playtest!

Sand is everywhere, but that's because of Tyranitar. I think I'm the only person with a sun team? Or if there are more I just constantly miss them... Necturna is silly powerful, LO Blue Flare ko's forretress in rain apparently. Then again a lot of times I just don't have time to set up (Sub CM) since Heatran is rightfully everywhere.

Interestingly I've only seen 1 rain team, and it was a dogfight (but that's to be expected). Also ppl Sunny Day Ninetales is really cool right now since Tyranitar is everywhere and you can either nail it with Will-o-Wisp or change the weather and hit it with SolarBeam!

[Rising_Dusk]

I actually fought a lot of sun teams in my adventures today, but yesterday was mostly sand. I've been running rain and sand on different teams, and haven't yet tried sun, though I have some cool ideas for it. In the inaugural battle and beyond, I've been having a lot of success with Choice Band Necturna using the following set;

Necturna @ Choice Band
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly nature (+Spe, -SpA)
~ Power Whip
~ Shadow Sneak
~ Sacred Fire
~ Stone Edge

I run max Speed in order to get the jump on Dragonite, and everything else is self-explanatory. I've found that Power Whip does massive damage even to 2x resists (~30-40%), such as 252 HP Jirachi. It's a very potent wallbreaker, but has trouble getting by (go figure) Dragonite unless it lands a Stone Edge. I also had some fun experimenting with Shell Smash Necturna to see just how well it'd fare compared to other sets. I haven't tweaked the EVs as much as I'd like to score key KOs, but without any SpA investment, your Hidden Power at least KOs your intended target, so it's not that bad. With max Atk, Power Whip does enough to 2HKO Jirachi, so don't bother investing in SpA to beat it.

Necturna @ Life Orb
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Rash nature (+Atk, -Def)
~ Shell Smash
~ Power Whip
~ Shadow Claw
~ Hidden Power Ground / Hidden Power Fire

This set either has problems with Heatran or Skarmory depending on your Hidden Power type. While it's true that Stone Edge hits both, as I correctly predicted when I allowed Stone Edge in the first place, it does not do enough at +2 to KO either of them, and so is not really helping. Ground is preferred because it KOes Heatran at +2, while Fire KOes Skarmory at +2. Both hit Jirachi equally well. Fighting is an option to guarantee the KO on Hydreigon, since Power Whip maxes at 94.8%, though with a bit of prior damage on Hydreigon it's not really useful. Magnezone is a good partner for HPGround sets, because Skarm really doesn't stand a chance against a well-played Zone.

The set has been met with mild success. I don't think it's the very best thing that Necturna can be doing, but it's been a good set and at least workable. I tried it with White Herb, but it's actually really bad and misses so many KOs that it just sucks. Life Orb or bust here.

P.S. Scizor eats this set for breakfast:

252 Adamant Choice Band Scizor Bullet Punch vs. Rash Life Orb -1 Necturna: 90.3% - 106.3%

Also, for the record, Shift Gear is apparently bad on Necturna, but Coil is actually awesome (more on Coil later after more tests). Maybe Birkal will post his Shift Gear experiences, haha.

[DarkBlazeR]

Ah yeah I've used that CB set myself to great effect. Sacred Fire is just such a rapist move. :D I'm slightly disappointed that Necturna doesn't learn Leech Seed naturally since I had a really annoying Sub/Seed/Power Whip/Sacred Fire set planned.

Myself I've noticed a shift towards bulkier teams in general. I guess that's most likely due to the fact that Necturna acts as a very potent spinblocker, so it's a lot easier to keep your Spikes up that you'd be using to wear down your opponent on a balanced/stall team.

Here's a couple of sets I've been toying with. They're pretty gimmicky but have uses I guess. There's more but I won't reveal those until after the playtest is over. ;)

Necturna @ Leftovers
Trait: Forewarn
EVs: 68 HP / 252 SAtk / 188 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Quiver Dance / Calm Mind
- Will-O-Wisp
- Giga Drain / Seed Flare
- Hidden Power [Ground] / Hidden Power [Fire] / Shadow Ball

Although it may not look like it, Necturna does have advantages as a Quiver Dance sweeper over the more powerful Volcarona. This is mostly down to its typing; it has fewer crippling weaknesses and is bulkier overall and so can find it easier to set up several QDs. It may not be able to kill anything off the bat, but after getting 3/4 boosts you will be dealing out pain left and right. Will-o-Wisp is amazing on this set, as it allows you to exploit the SDef boosts by burning Physical attackers that may try to stop you such as Tyranitar and Scizor. Giga Drain is the most suitable STAB attack for this set the recovery is very appreciated. However, if you decide you don't need the speed and instead opt for using Calm Mind, you are free to use Seed Flare, which is probably the best Special Grass move in the game. The coverage move really depends on what floats your boat. HP [Ground] is probably the most useful as otherwise Heatran completely walls this set and won't care about your SDef boosts nor status. However, if your team has another way of dealing with Heatran then feel free to use HP [Fire] to stop Steels such as Skarmory/Forretress/Ferrothorn from having a field day, although none of them like being burned. If you aren't worried by Steels at all, you can run Shadow Ball as a secondary STAB move.

Necturna @ Focus Sash / Mental Herb / Lum Berry
Trait: Forewarn
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Spore
- Toxic Spikes
- Power Whip
- Shadow Sneak / Stone Edge

This is a dedicated lead Duckturna. It essentially plays the same role Roserade did in DPPt; sleep something, set up Toxic Spikes, die. Focus Sash is the ideal item as it guarantees you'll be able to get a Spore off, although Mental Herb could be used to deal with fast Taunt users, and Lum Berry to deal with faster status users. Thanks to its awesome Base 120 Attack you can do quite a lot of damage reliably with Power Whip before you bite the dust. Shadow Sneak provides useful priority for a lead. However, Stone Edge can be quite effective as it hits Ninetails/Abomasnow hard (assuming its 20 accuracy serves you well, of course. Yes, I meant 20, not 80.) Advantages over Roserade include a more reliable Sleep move, better offensive options and a niche shared only with Froslass: the ability to lay hazards whilst simultaneously blocking Rapid Spin. It's ability Forewarn even allows it to scout the opponent's lead to an extent.

Necturna @ Leftovers
Trait: Forewarn
EVs: 252 HP / 152 Def / 104 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Ingrain
- Calm Mind
- Giga Drain
- Baton Pass

Behold! An Ingrain passer who does not suck. Who would've thought?

[the dead mans oddysey]

I haven't had a chance to use necturna yet, but I think this set could work really well with necturna

Necturna @ leftovers
Quiver dance
Stored power
Substitute
Hidden power (ground)/ (ice)/ (electric)/ (fire)
Bold
200 hp/ 252 def/ 56 spE

Quiver dance+ stored power = mucho grande atk power.
This allows for great neutral coverage on most pokes (bar layout twins, jirachi, any dark or steel type), and gives a major speed boost.
Substitute allows for set up time, or to just block status.
Hidden power ground hits jirachi and heatran hard after 2 boosts, and it gives necturna enough bulk to take 1-2 fire blast.
Hp ice tackles dragons and ground types.
Hp electric tackles skarm, rain teams, etc. for neutral damage.
Hp fire takes care of scizor, skarm, and jirachi for super effective damage.

Evs allow necturna to take most atk moves and leave about 20-30% hp leftover, whilst still being able to set up.

[DTC]

Originally Posted by Fat the dead mans oddysey

Necturna @ leftovers
Quiver dance
Stored power
Substitute
Hidden power (ground)/ (ice)/ (electric)/ (fire)
Bold
200 hp/ 252 def/ 56 spE

That probably could work; unfortunately, both Quiver Dance and Stored Power have to be sketched, so you can't use both of them at the same time.

I've been seeing a ton of Heatran's so far. Nearly every team has a Heatran right now, which makes Necturna's life slightly harder. Heatran is actually an amazing Necturna partner - together they resist every type other than Rock. I've been using a core of Toxic Spikes Necturna / Specially defensive Heatran / Slowbro to great success.

Toxic Spikes Necturna is great. Personally I like using Recover on it rather than Rapid Spin unlike a few people, it makes it a lot easier on Necturna as it doesn't have to use the not-so-great Pain Split which could be very unreliable sometimes. Necturna seems to do great against some teams but others it just struggles to do much. Or at least, that is my experience with Toxic Spikes Necturna, I haven't used the other Necturna's much yet.

[DarkBlazeR]

I just swept with Belly Drum + Shadow Sneak xD
Total novelty of course, but it was funny to watch.

[Juicy]

I find myself more successful with a defensive Necturna.

Necturna @ Leftovers
Nature: Impish
252 HP
130 Defence
124 Sp Defence

Spore
Horn Leech
Toxic Spikes
Shadow Sneak/Substitute

[Deck Knight]

Originally Posted by Fat Juicy

I find myself more successful with a defensive Necturna.

Necturna @ Leftovers
Nature: Impish
252 HP
130 Defence
124 Sp Defence

Spore
Horn Leech
Toxic Spikes
Shadow Sneak/Substitute

Your EVs at the very least are very inefficient. You have 332/294/307 Defenses.

If your Necturna was Careful, you could achieve the same defenses (technically it's 332/294/308, which is higher) with 252 HP / 232 Def / 16 SpD, and have 8 EVs left over.

[DarkBlazeR]

Necturna @ Chesto Berry
Trait: Forewarn
EVs: 236 HP / 56 Def / 216 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Horn Leech
- Will-O-Wisp
- Spikes
- Rest

This is a set I've been having great fun with on a stall team. Necturna has some really awesome niches over Skarmory/Ferrothorn/Forretress as a Spiker, namely being able to block Rapin Spin whilst simultaneously laying Spikes, and being able to cripple stuff with Will-O-Wisp. Oh, and also not being trapped by Magnezone! The EVs are still a work in progress, but they've been serving well as of yet. I really wish this could learn Recover, but it doesn't so I've gone for the semi-reliable ChestoRest, which is limited but is still better than the very situational Pain Split to be honest. Horn Leech allows for some passive healing comparable to Leftovers when used correctly. Obviously this set can't touch Heatran at all, but every turn it comes in is just another opportunity to set up Spikes.

[Solstice]

The set I was running was this

Necturna @ Leftovers
Ability: Forewarn
EVs: 36 HP/252 Atk/220 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpAtk)
- Shift Gear
- Stone Edge
- Horn Leech
- Shadow Claw

I got to third on the ladder using this set, it works fairly well, the difficulty is getting that first set up. I found it was difficult finding an opening where I could switch in and get a solid boost. However when I did, it hit very well, Horn Leech kept her health up, Life Orb would be a solid alternative.

[Imanalt]

i woudl think that while runnign lefties, you would want power whip over horn leech, as horn leech's recovery wouldnt be as useful when you arent being damaged by LO

[Arcticblast]

I know Tomohawk is banned for the time being, but I think that it will one of the best counters and teammates for Necturna. Resisting its STAB and blasting it with a super effective Hurricane provides use as a counter (alongside Intimidate) while they both run well on Rain teams.

[Juicy]

Your EVs at the very least are very inefficient. You have 332/294/307 Defenses.

If your Necturna was Careful, you could achieve the same defenses (technically it's 332/294/308, which is higher) with 252 HP / 232 Def / 16 SpD, and have 8 EVs left over.

ah, thank you Deck Knight! Implemented and is very useful! Though you said "at the very least", therefore is there something else that is not up to standard maybe?

[yaysnivy34]

Necturna has turned out to be very efficient! I think we've done a great job! One thing that bothers me is its many weaknesses prevents from being a good wall or supporter. It is better as an offensive Pokemon. I have been using it on a rain team to great success, as its Fire weakness is removed. However, I haven't taken the physical route, the special route is far better. Here is the set I use:

Necturna-Forewarn
4 HP/252 Sp. Att./252 Speed
Nature: Modest Item: Life Orb
Quiver Dance
Giga Drain
Shadow Ball
Hidden Power Fighting

Necturna gets superb coverage with Shadow Ball and Hidden Power Fighting. The reason I chose Hidden Power Fighting is because this allows me to take on Scizor and Ferrothorn, top threats in today's metegame. I have literally 6-0'ed teams with this set.

[srk1214]

Shell Smash sets, like the one Dusk posted, work exceedingly well with Magnezone and/or Dugtrio support. I personally prefer running Shadow Sneak however, since opposing teams all have Necturna as well, and they may be running Shadow Sneak to pick of opposing Shell Smash Necturna.

[Scade]

Haven't tested this out at all, but I wonder if Necturna's unique access to Curse and an instant recovery move might be worth trying out?

Necturna @ Leftovers
Ability: Forewarn
EVs: 252 HP / 32 Def / 224 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Recover
- Curse
- Protect
- Substitute

EV'd to outpace Heatran (with the rest thrown into defense in an effort to mitigate damage from specially defensive Jirachi), the idea behind this set is to help Necturna push through some of her usual counters, at least the ones unfortunate enough to switch in on her Curse, and to rack up entry hazard damage through a lot of forced switches. The greatest challenge here isn't inflicting damage, of course, but maintaining Necturna's health. Magic Bounce support is therefore much appreciated, to keep hazards and taunt users at bay. And Wish support is also important, since there won't always be a good opportunity to hit the Recover button.

[shrang]

Anyone just trying out Necturna as a simple spinblocker? OU really lacks them, and Necturna is REALLY good at spinblocking (there isn't a single spinner that can kill her, apart from Necturna herself). I've just been using:

Necturna @ Leftovers
Ability: Forewarn
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD (probably better spreads out there)
Nature: Calm
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power Fighting / Giga Drain
- Recover

Simple and reliable. Starmie fails to 2HKO you with Ice Beam if SR isn't up, and even with it up, it's pretty hard to get that 2HKO. Meanwhile, you can set up on it or just straight up kill it. This thing is ridiculously bulky, SpD Heatran does like 35% when you get to +1. I'm also considering Circle Throw in the third slot to just troll other Calm Minders who try to Calm Mind on me, while stacking up entry hazard damage with Spikes.

Something I've brainstormed up and not tried, but looks ridiculously annoying:

Necturna @ Leftovers
Ability: Forewarn
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Nature: Careful
- Substitute
- Pain Split
- Will-O-Wisp
- Dragon Tail

Specifically used as a spin-blocker, and with a bunch of hazards up, you completely trash things. Substitute is to keep status off, while WoW cripples Tyranitar. Pain Split keeps you healthy. I got the Dragon Tail idea from the standard Giratina-O set, while abuses hazards while simultaneously spinblocking.

[Aerodactyl Legend]

Those spinblocking sets look annoying as hell. The Starmie fact is a good thing to note as well.