CAP 17 CAP 6 - Playtest

[MQJinx]

Cawmodore was definitely a formidable addition to hyper offensive teams. The only way to wall it was to use Quagsire, who isn't even that viable in OU. Scarfers like Heatran, Rotom-W, and Keldeo were all suitable checks at first. Then once we discovered a viable SubSalac set, those scarfers were eliminated before they could even do anything. The most trouble I've had on was dealing with sun teams as they can easily threaten to check Cawmodore and have Dugtrio for Heatran. Rain teams were tricky too, but they were more manageable for my team. Oddly enough, I've only encountered a few sand teams, and most of those I won against, and I've never faced a hail team. Anyway, here is the final version of my hyper offensive Cawmodore team:

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Cawmodore @ Salac Berry
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 24 SDef / 232 Spd
Jolly Nature
IVs: 30 HP
- Belly Drum
- Substitute
- Drain Punch
- Acrobatics

Smeargle @ Focus Sash
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 Spd / 4 HP / 252 Def
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Magic Coat
- Spikes
- Spore

Latios @ Light Clay
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Dragon Pulse
- Memento

Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 112 HP / 160 SAtk / 236 Spd
Modest Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Flamethrower

Gengar @ Black Sludge
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Disable
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Substitute

Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin

 

[PttP]

This is the team I ended up using for the playtest:

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Politoed @ Leftovers
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Protect
- Toxic
- Perish Song

Keldeo-Resolute @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Icy Wind
- Secret Sword
- Surf

Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 176 SDef / 80 Def
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Thunder
- Gyro Ball

Thundurus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 128 Spd / 252 SAtk / 128 HP
Modest Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Agility
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Cawmodore @ Flying Gem
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Acrobatics
- Belly Drum
- Bullet Punch
- Drain Punch

Breloom @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Spore
- Focus Punch
- Mach Punch
- Bullet Seed

The only thing out of place here is Thunder on Ferrothorn, but that was mainly just so Intimidate Cawmodore couldn't set up on me.

This was posted in the final product thread, but I'm gonna respond to it here:

This guy is just something else. It's probably the most complicated CAP Pokemon I've ever used due to the layers of mindgames and checks used to stop it from setting up and how hard it is to actually beat it once that happens. I still feel like I don't have a solid grasp on how to use Cawmodore properly despite religiously trying to sweep with it in every single ladder match I've used it in. If someone could figure out a perfect team tailored to Cawmodore with hazard support, tools for beating bulky counters, and solid defensive pivots, I feel like the Pokemon would pretty much be unstoppable. As it stands, I feel like on the whole while Gen 5 OU is capable of at least checking it, it's not very competent at it. Gen 6 CAP will at least give us the ability to wall Cawmodore consistently (with Cyclohm) but nerfs a lot of the older checks (like Keldeo and Sash Breloom).

Today I've come to the realization that WobbuDore makes an excellent partnership, with Wobbufett easily setting up opportunities for that Sub to come up thanks to Encore and Charm. It can even screw over many Scarf sets that switch into the Sitrus Berry variant, smashing them with Mirror Coat. I don't even have to lose a Pokemon like with my Trick Zoroark, but I still use both because Zoroark is able to cripple defensive counters like Vaporeon and Zapdos much more easily than Wobbufett can. Lesson learned is to always put Trick or U-turn on your Choice Scarfers, because otherwise they're gonna get wrecked.

From all your posts that I've read, I've come to believe that you think Cawmodore is near-broken. I cannot say that I agree with this because of the fact that it isn't nearly as good as you are making it out to be. You don't have a solid grasp on how to use Cawmodore properly BECAUSE of the fact that you are trying to sweep with it every single ladder match. No Pokemon can sweep every match, not Landorus, not Blaziken, and definitely not Cawmodore.

That was the biggest problem I saw from the ladder when I was playing, every single person tried sweeping with Cawmodore even when the timing wasn't right. They saw an opportunity to set up Cawmodore without realizing that an opportunity =/= the right time. They would see that I had a Keldeo on my team and still chose to Belly Drum. This is all partly due to the fact that most people tended to use Sitrus Berry, which is an item that I believe greatly limits Cawmodore in its early-mid game utility. Did I sweep with Cawmodore a good amount? Yes, but there were a good amount of times where I did not sweep with it, but it was still worth the team slot because it could fire off a Flying Gem-boosted Acrobatics without needing to set up Belly Drum.

SubSalac Cawmodore is a cool set, although like any other SubSalac set in the history of Pokemon, it is very dependent on getting rid of opposing priority. I always felt like it was easier in getting rid of threats such as Scarf Keldeo than it was priority users but that's just me.

Fun playtest n_n

 

[Elevator Music]

Hi guys.

Anyone who would like to write the Cawmodore analysis, please VM or PM me. As stated in the Analysis Process Guide, what I'm looking for in a writer is the following three attributes:

• Experience in the playtest- If you were active in the playtest and managed to do somewhat well, you're qualified.
• Competence in English- The more comfortable you feel about your writing skills the better. We do have GP for a reason though, so don't feel as though you need a degree to be qualified.
• Timeliness and Responsibility- Getting analyses onsite is important, so we want someone willing to dedicate time and not flake! The analysis writer should be willing to take responsibility for getting the analysis through the process to go onsite.

Please remember that I get the final say on who the analysis writer is.