CAP 28 Part 14 - Post Play Lookback

Status
Not open for further replies.

snake

is a Community Leaderis a Top CAP Contributoris a Contributor to Smogon
CAP Co-Leader
I'm going to come right out and say it: Compound Eyes sucks. Mias' secondary ability is completely outclassed by it's primary. it's initial addition was to add to Miasmaw's repertoire, specifically giving it access to more powerful, yet normally less reliable coverage moves (Iron Tail, Thunder). However, it finds itself trading powerful coverage for the ability to perform it's role properly.

Without Ngas, Miasmaw becomes even more 4ms bloated than before, as it is no longer able to hit many things through their abilities. Physical Sets have to juggle Dragon Hammer, Iron Tail, Close Combat, EQ, and First Impression; whereas special sets now need to include Focus Blast and Thunder into it's already stuffy movepools.

It also just dead loses to mons that rely on their abilities. Levitators like Equil and the rotoms float over Earth Powers and EQs, and Regen mons are free to switch out. Even Intimidate Tomo can beat Physical CE Miasmaw 1v1 without bringing awkward coverage.

Furthermore, while special sets get arguably get more out of CE, after a Nasty plot, the move base power rarely matters.

+2 252 SpA Miasmaw Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Toxapex: 264-312 (86.8 - 102.6%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO

+2 252 SpA Miasmaw Aura Sphere vs. 252 HP / 120 SpD Equilibra: 250-296 (61.2 - 72.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO


As such, I think an interesting replacement that would still maintain viability in the face of Ngas, while still keeping true to it's concept is Flare Boost. Flare boost boosts the power of special attacks by 1.5x while burned. This gives Miasmaw's secondary ability a way of differentiating itself from Ngas. Unlike it's primary ability, Flare Boost would allow Mias to freely switch in to burn inducers like Pex, the Slows and a predicted Scorching Sands from Moltres.

Flare Boost' power increase would immediately increase Miasmaw's power, justifying it's use on special sets over Ngas; something CE has done none of.
I don't think that Flare Boost provides anything meaningful to Neutralizing Gas. If your opponent had to be terrified of burning Miasmaw because of Flare Boost, that would be one thing. However, I think there are some problems with this situation:

a) Neutralizing Gas announces itself, so when Miasmaw switches in the first time, a good opponent will realize that, if the Neutralizing Gas message displays, then burning Miasmaw is not an unsafe play. If the Neutralizing Gas message doesn't pop up, then the opponent should realize that it's actually Flare Boost, and thus, burning Miasmaw is always an unsafe play. Thus, this "should I burn Miasmaw" mindgame only extends through the first switch-in for Miasmaw. I don't think having that pressuring your opponent with this short-lived mindgame is worth giving up the pressure of Neutralizing Gas.


b) The only Guts user I've seen that doesn't run Flame Orb is bulky Colossoil, emphasis on bulky. Miasmaw is not bulky. Every other Guts user I've ever seen runs Flame Orb, and I don't think we can rule out that Flare Boost Miasmaw would probably just run Flame Orb most of the time. By running Flame Orb, Miasmaw is not only taking chip damage from hazards because it's not running Boots, but it also taking chip from burn damage, which adds up quickly. If we're to compare Flare Boost + Flame Orb sets vs. Neutralizing Gas + Choice Specs sets, I don't see the ability to switch moves as a good tradeoff for not having Neutralizing Gas.

If you're not running Flame Orb and are instead running Boots, though, you're essentially playing with no ability until your opponent burns you, which as stated in point a), a good opponent will realize that they should try not to burn you after you've switched in Miasmaw just one time once they see that Neutralizing Gas didn't display. Thus, I don't see why one should run Boots + Flame Orb over Boots + Neutralizing Gas.


c) 4 Atk burned Miasmaw Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Blissey: 204-240 (28.5 - 33.6%) -- 0.2% chance to 3HKO
+2 252 SpA Flare Boost Miasmaw Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Blissey: 450-529 (63 - 74%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252 SpA Flare Boost Miasmaw Bug Buzz vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Blissey: 312-367 (43.6 - 51.4%) -- 8.2% chance to 2HKO

Flare Boost tanks the Blissey matchup. If you were able to break Blissey with Flare Boost, maybe I could see some merit behind it. However, to have any shot at breaking Blissey, a Pokemon we specifically aimed to target with Miasmaw, you need to be running Nasty Plot and set it up effectively in the face of hazard and burn chip, not to mention Seismic Toss.

Overall, while I think Flare Boost is a cool ability in general, I don't see how replacing Compound Eyes with Flare Boost is any meaningful buff. In other words, Flare Boost is basically as useless as Compound Eyes as a secondary ability to Neutralizing Gas, and I'd rather not change elements of a CAP if it's unnecessary. An ability has to be really, really good to compete with Neutralizing Gas, and if we want to buff Miasmaw, I don't think the ability slot is the right way to go.
 
I don’t believe that flare boost fixes anything, as it makes us want to run flame orb, because relying on a burn chance of scad is just bad practice imo.
I want to say that we should acknowledge that CE Is a flavor ability at this point and a good one at that.
 
And time's up, here's how the final slate will look like

Major changes:
  • +7 Speed
  • +Gunk Shot
  • +Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb
  • No major changes
Minor Changes:
  • +3 Speed and +Aromatherapy
  • +3 Speed
  • +Aromatherapy
  • No Minor Changes
The only change to the slate I proposed earlier is adding an option for both Aromatherapy and +3 on minor changes, as I feel like those are minor enough that having an option to have both is absolutely valid. I've also considered including Flare Boost as a replacement for Compound Eyes but after discussing it with the rest of the TLT I don't think that has enough ICC to warrant an inclusion in the slate. Thanks to everyone who participated in our first Post Play Lookback! Expect the Major changes poll soon.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top