First off...
Congratulations to
cyclonez_ for joining the council!
And now onto the balance changes!
Vipult: -Parting Shot, +U-Turn
Slight nerf to Vipult, as we belived that with the combination of Knock Off, Mortal Spin and Parting Shot, it was able to force too much progress, so we've decided to replace Parting Shot with U-Turn, and while U-Turn still deals chip damage, so it's still forcing some progress, it isn't as strong as Parting Shot being able to give a good position to the user almost always.
Eolikopter: -Transistor +Cloud Nine
We belive Eolikopter's STABs were way too powerful, and since it has an ability that straight up gives a Life Orb boost to one of them, we have decided to target it, and replace it by a weaker ability, without Transistor, its Electric-type STAB becomes weaker, making Thunderbolt, and more notably, Thunderclap, less strong.
Buffs:
Karmalice: +5 SpAtk, +Court Change, Electric Terrain, Taunt, Switcheroo.
Karmalice has both an Electric-type special attacker and an Ice-type special attacker outclassing it, so its in dire need of a glow up. It's gained a respectable spatk buff, as well as many utility options making use of it's speed, Court Change makes it the fastest hazard removal in the metagame, and it can use Taunt and Switcheroo effectively due to it's high speed stat.
Frostengu: +Drill Run
Not exactly a buff, but it was supposed to get Bone Club when released, Bone Club is dexited, so we gave it the next best option.
Craggon: +Earthquake, Rock Slide
Craggon has very few options on it's movepool, so we decided to give it some offensive ones, similar case as our Blobbiam buff last balance changes.
Jokerpent: +Knock Off, Toxic
Even as our only Unaware mon, Jokerpent recieved no usage on our last roomtour, so we decided to give it more options, as we belive it was lacking them, now it's able to make progress against the sweepers it's supposed to check more easily.
Arachnode: +10 SpD
Since we are lacking strong special walls, we belive that buffing them may be good for the meta. Arachnode isn't lacking in special bulk, but we belive that it could use some more, as to take on special attackers better.
Bulionage: +10 SpD, +Thermal Exchange
Again, same SpDef buff as Arachnode for the same reasons, but it's also getting Thermal Exchange now, as means for it to check Will-O-Wisp users, which it used to have trouble with.
Faeruin: +Poltergeist
Martorse outclasses it most of the time as a Prankster mon outside of using screens, where it is outclassed by Capricorrie, so we've decided to lean into it's Bulk Up sweeping aspects, and given it Poltergeist.
Massassin: +Trick Room, Victory Dance, Kowtow Cleave, Play Rough, Poison Jab, Close Combat
Bad typing, movepool, and an ehh ability and stats have immediately made Massassin one of our worst mons, it saw no usage on our last roomtour for a reason. With this buff we expect it to become a viable threat, as it's gained access to better STABs in Kowtow Cleave and Close Combat, boosting in Victory Dance, a way to use its low speed to it's advantage in Trick Room, and good coverage in Play Rough and Poison Jab. This should be enough to let it have a good niche on our metagame.
Goblantern: +10 HP, +17 Spe, +Copycat, Earth Power, Dragon Pulse
Martorse outclasses it as a Prankster mon, so similarly to what we did with Faeruin, we are leaning on it's sweeping aspects now, Prankster Copycat is a nice tool for it to still make use of Prankster while sweeping, and we saw it lacked coverage, so we gave it Earth Power and Dragon Pulse, two tools that cover most of the mons that resist it's moves.
Reworks:
Bugswarm: +5 Atk, +Bitter Blade, Howl -Work Up, -10 SpAtk
After being an absolute powerhouse on our slate 7 roomtours, and getting nerfed promptly after, Bugswarm recieved no usage on our last roomtour, we may have nerfed it too heavily, removing it's prime spamming tool in Bitter Blade and nerfed it's attack, just in case, then Parasike came in and overshadowed it as the best Bug-type in the meta. We are now giving it's both Bitter Blade, and half of it's original Atk back, but in exchange, we are removing its mixed potential, as on our slate 7 roomtours it was able to bypass its would-be checks by going mixed, and since Work Up boosted it's special attack too, then it was able to bypass physical walls attempting to force it out, it does get Howl now which is neat ig.
Arsenstorm: +10 HP, -20 Def, +30 SpD
There's many Ground-types in the meta, and while Arsenstorm is our only Neutralizing Gas user, that wasn't enough to make it worth considering over meta staples like Hippaint or Capricorrie, so we have decided to make it another special wall for the meta, since we are lacking on that front.
Yall have time to discuss these balance changes now!
