CAP 1 - Concept Poll 3

[reachzero]

This poll will definitively decide the concept for CAP 1. Like last round, this will be a Bold Vote. The details of how a bold vote works can be found here: http://www.smogon.com/cap/process/process_rules . Please vote for one, and only once, concept. The two remaining concepts are:

Originally Posted by Fat capefeather

Concept: Weather Slayer

Description: This Pokémon exploits weaknesses in a team built around any weather condition to pose a large threat to the opposing team as a whole, analogously to the way in which offensive lead Machamp was used to exploit the lead metagame in Generation IV.

Justification: Weather is probably the most controversial subject in this generation today. A Pokémon created with this concept could contribute to metagame diversity by making teams that don't necessarily exploit a weather condition more viable. As well, this concept could allow the community to explore how "weather teams" can be checked effectively, and how "weather teams" can adapt to a threat like CAP 1.

Questions To Be Answered:

• Will a "weather slayer" allow strategies not dependent on weather to be more effective?
• Which threats should a "weather slayer" concentrate on checking or countering directly?
• Which lesser-used Pokémon become more relevant and viable with a "weather slayer" in the metagame?
• Which OU Pokémon can best use the help of a "weather slayer" to their advantage?
• How effective is the "weather slayer" outside of checking opposing weather-based strategies?
• Can less common weather-based teams use the "weather slayer" to counter other weather-based teams to become more viable?
• Are all weather conditions worth "slaying"?

Originally Posted by Fat Admiral_Korski

Concept: Momentum

General Description: This will be a Pokemon that can be utilized to gain or regain momentum for a player's team at any point in the match as its primary function.

Justification: Gen. 5 is a very powerful metagame. As such, most battles are won by the smarter strategist who can best maneuver around his/her opponent's onslaught to gain even a single turn's advantage, potentially clinching them the match. This process of gaining and regaining momentum is most often the defining element that makes a winner and a loser out of a single Pokemon battle. Any top player in this metagame should agree that momentum is the most crucial element in any given match; however, "momentum" itself is a rather vaguely defined term that is never really explored in concrete terms. Is it keeping opposing teams on the defensive? Forcing switches? Good prediction? Spamming U-turn? These have all been approaches to achieving momentum, but they are also player-side and largely synonymous with "strategy," as opposed to Pokemon-side and regarding a Pokemon's role on the team. Certainly there are threats like Ferrothorn/Gliscor (defensive) and Scizor/Latios/Voltlos, etc., etc. (offensive) that can achieve momentum as we know it, but there is no current niche for a "momentum Pokemon" because the concept has been purely delegated to players and not to Pokemon.

Questions to be Answered:
-How do we define momentum in terms of competitive Pokemon? What factors make current Pokemon able to achieve momentum and how can we incorporate that information into a successful CAP?
-How do different styles of play (Weather-based offense, stall, bulky offense, etc.) use momentum to achieve their goals and how can our CAP play to those strategies in an effort to take their momentum away?
-What type of traditional role (sweeper, tank, wall, support) would a Pokemon like this most resemble? Would it have to be able to fit more than one of these roles to fit in a variety of teams?
-How will the different playstyles be affected by the addition of a Pokemon that can regain offensive/defensive momentum at any given point? Will offensive teams play more conservatively? Will defensive teams play more recklessly? Will everything simply adapt to a new threat and move on normally?

This poll will close in 24 hours. Choose wisely!

[bugmaniacbob]

Momentum

[DJXO9]

Momentum

[tennisace]

Momentum

weather slayer is either going to be too specific and try to counter just one type of weather while tacking on specific little tools to help against others, or too broad and try to counter every type of weather at once and not really being a cohesive mon.

[Xiom]

Weather Slayer

A though decition, I will go with weather slayer as i feel Momentum is a too broad concept. Momentum can be achived in many ways which makes it seem to me it will be some trouble in making a direction.

Main thing is that if the pokemons role itself is to gain moentum. Does that mean it should be able to gain momentum against every threat? Or would have have to tailor it to gain momentum against a few types of pokemon at a time. Or maybe it should only be able to gain momentum against some things.

I'll admit im not a pokemon expert, momentum is a thing I can't quite put my finger on what it is exactly. But to always get momentum against anything seem a little powerfull maybe. I'm unsure how it all would work. But reason why i chose weather slayer over momentum was that i feel that weather slayer is a finished concept. While Momentum doesn't have much of a direction and would probably need more clarification before it's put to practice.

But both are nice concepts.

Edit:I edited most of the post so you know. Incase it causes confusion

[CTNC]

Weather Slayer

[broodjekebab]

Weather Slayer

[Korski]

Momentum

Best of luck, capefeather, and congratulations on making such a fantastic concept! I'm sure whichever concept we move forward with will turn out a kick-ass CAP and start off gen. V on a great note!

And for clarification, "at any point in the match" meant that the CAP should be able to perform its role throughout the match (early, middle, late-game), not that it should be able to switch into any Pokemon and force it out. Yes, that second classification would probably make it uber, but that's not what I was going for (and I don't think there exists a Pokemon that can just switch into anything any time, nor could there be, imo).

[ShyGuy1221]

Aww, "Lead"-ing didn't make it.
Weather Slayer

[shuckles my hero]

Momentum

I think this will lead to a more interesting project and avoid a re-done piclowatt IMHO

[snowcone]

Weather Slayer

[PK Gaming]

Weather Slayer

[Plusle]

Momentum

[Umbreon Dan]

gomentum !!! i mean momentum !!!

[Oglemi*]

Weather Slayer

[Chubbs]

Momentum

[yoshinator879]

Still Weather slayer

[Jace the Mind Sculptor]

Momentum

[MofoAmbulance]

Weather Slayer

[Arcanite]

Momentum

[Marioaddict]

Momentum

[TerrickTerran]

Weather Slayer

[Onetwobanana]

Momentum

[Aerodactyl Legend]

Weather Slayer.

[barty the beetle]

Momentum!