CAP 36 So Far

[spoo]

Topic Leadership Team:

Topic Leader: SHSP
Typing Leader: kenn
Ability Leader: earthflax
Stats Leader: Rabia
Movepool Leader: spoo

Framework:

Final Submission

Name: Meloetta-Style Forms

Description: This CAP can transform in battle after the use of a specific signature move, altering its typing and stats. The CAP will start in an "Original" form and revert to said form upon switching out.

Explanation:
Meloetta has, in my opinion, the most unique form change of any existing Pokemon with such a gimmick. Rather than dedicating an ability or item slot to the form, the form is locked onto a move, enabling a choice for the player to use either form without locking either out of a useful ability or item.

In concept, this is really interesting, but Meloetta fails in execution. Due to the sheer difference in playstyle, Meloetta-Pirouette is stuck with a dead move slot with Relic Song, and since the form reverts upon switching in, it requires a wasted turn of setup each time you want to bring in Meloetta-Pirouette, making it extremely difficult to invest in a physical set. Ultimately, this alternate form is rarely seen, with Meloetta-Aria being the main form used.

While Relic Song failed in practice, I don't believe the idea is an inherent failure. The ability to change typing and stats on the fly and keep space for both an item slot and ability is incredibly unique amongst every other form-changing mon, and as such would be incredibly interesting to see used on a viable CAP. To fit the new rules on custom elements, the move would likely have to be a clone of Relic Song that differs in typing, attack type, and/or secondary effect.

Concept:

Name - Help Yourself

Description - This defensive Pokémon sets the stage for its own cleaning later on.

Justification - We are exploring and trying to mesh two roles- defensive Pokémon and cleaner. "Cleaner" does not have a set definition on the Smogon Dictionary, but in this context we should consider it as an endgame Pokémon that can sweep a heavily weakened enemy team without using moveslots for boosting moves like Swords Dance. Examples include Iron Moth and Specs Dragapult. "Defensive" is a term that can cover a wider range of valid roles, as long as they work towards an advantageous endgame situation for the cleaner. Some examples include Ting-Lu and Moltres.

Questions to be answered -

• How will this mon handle the various crippling tools of the tier that defensive Pokémon are supposed to take in place of offensive mons, knowing that it needs to transform into an offensive form later?
• As a speedy mon, how will this Pokémon match up to dominant fast Pokémon like Dragapult and Hemogoblin? How will this matchup affect its viability?
• What type of support do cleaners from different team archetypes (balance, weather, etc) value most and how does it differ between archetypes?
• What are some mono-types that contain both strong offensive dual types and strong defensive dual types? Can we find a pair of typings (with a shared type) that both make the offensive version offensively strong and defensively weak, and the defensive version the opposite?
• How does the speed of the Relic Song user affect its awkwardness? Is it better to Relic Song before or after the opponent moves?

This is a Pokémon that must share its moveslots between two forms, and for that reason:

• What coverage moves would do best in the tier when it comes to cleaning with the fewest possible moves?
• What defensive tasks can be performed in the fewest possible moves?
• Are there attacks in the tier that could be used for both cleaning and incremental damage?
• How can this mon find a strong EV middle-ground between being capable defensively and also powerful and fast enough offensively?
• What abilities can help alleviate the lack of moveslots, acting as an additional move for the purpose of either defense or cleaning?
• Can Relic Song be made into a useful attack for one or both forms, rather than just a transformation tool?

Explanation - One of the most frivolous roles in modern Pokémon has been the "cleaner"- a very fast Pokémon that simply takes out the trash once the enemy team has been weakened enough, usually by outspeeding the remaining Pokémon and ohkoing them from their remaining HP percentage. Nowadays, this is a trait which is tacked onto other mons with more solid purposes for being added to a team. Examples include Iron Valiant- which provides either sweeping with CM or extremely solid anti-sweep with Encore, or Hemogoblin who is very capable of sweeping.
Its rare, however, for a mon to be able to be both a cleaner and defensive Pokémon. These two roles tend to sit at the far opposite ends of the spectrum in all ways- cleaners of the past are more likely to be single-use and aim for big hits, while defensive mons want to switch in and out all game and lean towards incremental damage that can stack up despite lack of investment, or performing other tasks to give their team an advantage. It'll be interesting to combine the two halves of the same strategy inside of one mon: the defensive mon "sets the stage" for the cleaner by crippling and chipping down the opposing team. It could also make the cleaner's job easier by enabling teammates such as wallbreakers to break down the opponent.
In CAP, we rarely explore the upper tier of speed- Hemogoblin being a rare exception, so a true cleaner in the ranks of Iron Val, Deoxys-Speed and Dragapult would be a new frontier for us.
Now, we have had all-rounders in the past- Cresceidon and arguably Kitsunoh could be called defensive mons that can clean- but these mons offer a very different playstyle thanks to their ability to attack and defend at once- Meloetta forms can be much more extreme in their offensive/defensive capabilities and also separate them from each other, resulting in the player needing to be more strategic. It should be a great way to explore the unique framework we find ourselves with.

Typing: Fire/Steel --> Fire/Ice

Ability: No Guard

Defining Moves:

Required: Inferno, CAP Song, Universally Assumed Moves
Choose At Least One: Thunder, Freeze Dry
Optional: Knock Off, Taunt, Encore, Psychic Noise

Universally Assumed Moves

Fire Fire Blast
Flare Blitz
Will-O-Wisp
Flamethrower
Overheat
Heat Wave Steel Flash Cannon
Iron Head
Steel Beam
Iron Defense Ice Ice Beam
Blizzard
Icicle Spear or Icicle Crash or Ice Punch
Avalanche
At least one of Icicle Crash or Ice Spinner Gen 9 Universal Moves Endure
Facade
Helping Hand
Protect
Rest
Sleep Talk
Substitute
Take Down
Tera Blast

Custom Transformation Move: Polar Flare (Fire-type clone of Relic Song)

• Base Power: 75
• Category: Special
• Secondary Effect: 10% chance to freeze the target
• Accuracy: 100%
• PP: 10 (Max 16)
• Target: All adjacent Pokemon

Stats (by dex):
110 HP / 63 Atk / 104 Def / 104 SpA / 134 SpD / 85 Spe (Base)
110 HP / 63 Atk / 85 Def / 134 SpA / 54 SpD / 154 Spe (Transformed)

Main Design (by EnderTrenton)

Name (by StarFalcon555)

Ramnarok

Ram + Ragnarök (Norse mythology's interpretation of the apocalypse)

Pronounced: RAM-nah-ROK

Forme Names (by Scepticskep)
Ramnarok-Dormant and Ramnarok-Radiant

V1.0 Movepool:
Custom Transformation Move, Inferno, Thunder, Freeze Dry, and Universally Assumed Moves

Universally Assumed Moves

Fire

Fire Blast
Flare Blitz
Fire Punch
Will-O-Wisp
Flamethrower
Lava Plume
Overheat
Heat Wave

Steel

Flash Cannon
Iron Head
Steel Beam
Iron Defense

Ice

Ice Beam
Blizzard
Icicle Spear
Avalanche
Icicle Crash

Gen 9 Universal Moves

Endure
Facade
Helping Hand
Protect
Rest
Sleep Talk
Substitute
Take Down
Tera Blast

Additional Data

• Height: 2.2m
• Weight: 250kg (base) / 182kg (transformed)
• Egg Group: Undiscovered
• Dex Color: Red (base) / White (transformed)
• Gender Ratio: Genderless
• Prevos: None