CaP Prevos - Brattler Movepool Submission and Ability Update

[DHR-107]

Hey all!

A bit later than planned but lets also throw up a thread for Brattler's Movepool and ability discussion! Much like the other prevo updates, this one will be mostly about the additional Movepool gains that Malaconda received. There are only a few moves which were added in Malaconda's new movepool.

Malaconda - Complete - [Add Drought, Add Spiky Shield, Ice Fang, Thunder Fang] - CAP Updates: Malaconda Discussion

We will also have to discuss the conundrum of Brattler's Hidden ability. Malaconda was given access to Drought via its updates. However, the only other Drought user in LC, Vulpix, was banned due to the powerful nature of Sun giving Pokemon like Bulbasaur and Bellsprout free reign in the tier;

Vulpix is the only Pokemon in LC to have the ability Drought. With the abilities to auto set up sun, Vulpix provided excellent support to Chlorophyll Pokemon such as Bellsprout and Bulbasaur. Sun hindered teambuilding and the dual Chlorophyll teams became too much so it was banned.

I will be strongly leaning against giving Brattler access to Drought. If we want to be able to use it in CaP LC then we should not give it that ability. We already have one CaP Prevo banned by Gentleman's agreement, I do not want to be forced to make a "true" ban for the tier. However, I am leaving it up to you guys do determine which abilities we should take to Poll.

Brattler's Previous movepool was as follows:

Movepool:

Hide

Level Up

Level Move
1 - Vine Whip
1 - Pursuit
1 - Wrap
6 - Pursuit
12 - Wrap
18 - Grass Knot
25 - Sucker Punch
30 - Slam
34 - Leaf Blade
39 - Crunch
44 - Wring Out
50 - Power Whip
55 - Punishment

Tutor Moves

Bind
Dark Pulse
Foul Play
Giga Drain
Heal Bell
Iron Tail
Knock Off
Seed Bomb
Sleep Talk
Snore
Spite
Synthesis
Worry Seed

TM Moves

TM Move
TM05 - Roar
TM06 -  Toxic
TM10 -  Hidden Power
TM11 -  Sunny Day
TM12 -  Taunt
TM17 -  Protect
TM21 -  Frustration
TM22 -  SolarBeam
TM27 -  Return
TM32 -  Double Team
TM42 - Facade
TM44  - Rest
TM45 -  Attract
TM46 -  Thief
TM48 -  Round
TM53 -  Energy Ball
TM66 -  Payback
TM67 -  Retaliate
TM82 -  Dragon Tail
TM86 -  Grass Knot
TM87 -  Swagger
TM89 -  U-turn
TM90 -  Substitute
TM93 - Wild Charge
TM95 -  Snarl

HM01 -  Cut
HM04 -  Strength

EGG Moves

Aromatherapy
Beat Up
Glare
Haze
Night Slash
Poison Powder
Scary Face
Screech
Sweet Scent
Stun Spore

Malaconda's new movepool is as follows:

Level Up

- Follow Me (Heart Scale)
- Wrap
- Leer
Evolve: Rapid Spin
6 Vine Whip
10 Pursuit
15 Scary Face
20 Grass Knot
24 Sucker Punch
29 Slam
34 Leaf Blade
38 Glare
43 Crunch
48 Power Whip
52 Spiky Shield
57 Wring Out
62 Punishment
66 Solar Blade

Egg Moves (Grass/Dragon)

Aromatherapy
Beat Up
Feint
Haze
Ice Fang
Night Slash
Stun Spore
Poison Powder
Screech
Sweet Scent
Thunder Fang

Tutor Moves

Bind
Foul Play
Giga Drain
Heal Bell
Iron Tail
Knock Off
Recycle
Seed Bomb
Sleep Talk
Snore
Spite
Synthesis
Worry Seed

TM List

TM05 Roar
TM06 Toxic
TM10 Hidden Power
TM11 Sunny Day
TM12 Taunt
TM15 Hyper Beam
TM17 Protect
TM21 Frustration
TM22 Solar Beam
TM27 Return
TM32 Double Team
TM42 Façade
TM44 Rest
TM45 Attract
TM46 Thief
TM48 Round
TM53 Energy Ball
TM59 Brutal Swing
TM66 Payback
TM67 Retaliate
TM68 Giga Impact
TM82 Dragon Tail
TM86 Grass Knot
TM88 Sleep Talk
TM89 U-turn
TM90 Substitute
TM93 Wild Charge
TM95 Snarl
TM96 Nature Power
TM97 Dark Pulse
TM100 Confide

Transfer Only

Cut (Gen 5 / Gen 6 HM01)
Secret Power (ORAS TM94)
Strength (Gen 5 / Gen 6 HM04)

Let's remember this is a reductive process, please do not add moves that are not in Maladonda's original movepool.

Let's go!

 

[Frostbiyt]

I have nothing to add to the movepool discussion, but I do have a suggestion for an ability. This may be out of the question since it is a legendary exclusive ability, but I think that Desolate Land would actually be a good ability for Brattler as a weaker version of drought.

If we look at drought, the only benefits it gives Brattler itself is buffing synthesis and reducing damage from already resisted water moves. While it has solar beam and HP fire, it's special attack is so low that those moves are unlikely to be viable even in the sun. On the negative side, drought buffs one of the types that Brattler is weak to.

So the benefits of drought for Brattler itself barely outweigh the negatives. Like what was stated in the OP, the main issue with drought is that it makes other pokemon too powerful. This is what desolate land would fix. Brattler would keep the drawback that it would get from drought and removes the main issue which is the effect it has on other pokemon.

In addition, it would give it a few buffs that may make it actually worth using. It would functionally be immune to water, which isn't that huge but it's something. It could act as a weather resetter although I don't know how prevalent weather teams are in LC. It could also cancel opponent's weather and keep them from resetting it as long as Brattler's in play.

I don't know how useful it would actually be in LC as I am not familiar with that format, but I think it be a possible way to keep its ability in line with its evolution w/o the issues that were stated in the OP.
EDIT: Minor Text Fixes

 

[Mova]

In regards to Abilities, I'd say that we give Brattler Gluttony as a means of replacing Drought. Gluttony seems weaker in the standard meta, but Berries are pretty broken in LC due to Oran Berry healing a fixed 10 HP, and the average level-5 mon has up to 20 or so. Also, Gluttony was one of the options among Malaconda's original Flavor Ability Poll.

EDIT: Seems that Gluttony does not affect Berries eaten at 50% or more HP.

 

[Y Parahax]

For the abilities, if we are willing to give it a somewhat competitive ability, I would like to suggest Defiant as an option, which I think could work both for flavor, and possibly give it an alternate set to run in CAP LC. I think that Pickpocket could also work as a more flavorful ability, given its mischievous nature.

 

[G-Luke]

If we wanna tie into sun, seeing that I would doubt a mon would lose its ability for a weather setting one unless its related to the said weather, Leaf Guard, Chlorophyll and even Solar Power can be considered. But my favorite ability, even though its not a sunbased one, is Shed Skin. It just makes sense as a snekky snek to have Shed Skin.

 

[Frostbiyt]

In regards to Abilities, I'd say that we give Brattler Gluttony as a means of replacing Drought. Gluttony seems weaker in the standard meta, but Berries are pretty broken in LC due to Oran Berry healing a fixed 10 HP, and the average level-5 mon has up to 20 or so. Also, Gluttony was one of the options among Malaconda's original Flavor Ability Poll.

Gluttony only affects berries that would normally be eaten at 25% HP and instead makes them get eaten at 50%. Since the Oran Berry is eaten at 50% HP, it is unaffected by gluttony. The 5 berries that heal 50% HP at 25% health also wouldn't get any use as they would have the same effect with gluttony that berry juice already has without needing an ability. Gluttony could possibly make the stat boosting berries more viable, but I doubt it as that would require both an item slot and the ability slot to be taken up while only giving a +1 boost to one stat one time.

 

[LucarioOfLegends]

I think keeping the Sun flavor is actually a really good idea. Leaf Guard I think works best in this instance, since it makes sense that I would protect itself from those mischievous statuses, when it should be inflicting them itself. Otherwise, I like Shed Skin for a similar reasoning, since it would theorectically accomplish the same effect and could be used in trickery.

 

[G-Luke]

Final Submission

Level Up

- Glare
- Wrap
- Leer
5 Vine Whip
8 Pursuit
11 Scary Face
15 Grass Knot
18 Sucker Punch
22 Slam
26 Leaf Blade
31 Glare
35 Crunch
40 Spiky Shield
44 Power Whip
49 Wring Out
55 Punishment

Egg Moves

Aromatherapy
Beat Up
Feint
Haze
Ice Fang
Night Slash
Stun Spore
Poison Powder
Screech
Sweet Scent
Thunder Fang

TM/HM List

TM05 Roar
TM06 Toxic
TM10 Hidden Power
TM11 Sunny Day
TM12 Taunt
TM17 Protect
TM21 Frustration
TM22 Solar Beam
TM27 Return
TM32 Double Team
TM42 Façade
TM44 Rest
TM45 Attract
TM46 Thief
TM48 Round
TM53 Energy Ball
TM59 Brutal Swing
TM66 Payback
TM67 Retaliate
TM82 Dragon Tail
TM86 Grass Knot
TM88 Sleep Talk
TM89 U-turn
TM90 Substitute
TM93 Wild Charge
TM95 Snarl
TM96 Nature Power
TM97 Dark Pulse
TM100 Confide

Tutor Moves

Bind
Foul Play
Giga Drain
Heal Bell
Iron Tail
Knock Off
Recycle
Seed Bomb
Snore
Spite
Synthesis
Worry Seed

Transfers

Cut (Gen 5 / Gen 6 HM01)
Secret Power (ORAS TM94)
Strength (Gen 5 / Gen 6 HM04)

Um, O simply tidied up Brattler's movepool with its evolution's look and a gen 7 feel. Notably left out Solar Blade, as that was added to Malaconda as a Drought niche, something that Brattler lacks.

 

[Quanyails]

How about Rattled as an ability, for the pun? :P

 

[DHR-107]

I'm giving you guys about another 24 hours to get this all sorted!

Looks like the ability slate will be as follows:

Leaf Guard
Shed Skin

I do however like both Defiant and Rattled because of their flavourful inputs. Unless other posts/arguments come up soon I will likely stay with the two above however.

 

[Y Parahax]

Malaconda hasn't done very well in recent times, at least from what I've heard, and if Brattler plays anything like Malaconda in LC, I don't think that not giving the option of a competitive ability is going to be good for it. Even if Defiant does intrude on Pawniard a bit, it at least gives it an alternative option to run. Also fits with the flavorful aspect of it, as mentioned before. Also I don't think that Leaf Guard works very well flavorfully, as it only has the one leaf on its head, or have anything to do with leaves in terms of flavor. Also, as far as I know, it wouldn't work very well competitively either due to Sun not being very viable now without Vulpix. Also, considering we have already ruled out Leaf Guard as an ability for Jumbao and has more physical leaves than Brattler, I think its kind of inconsistent.

 

[Drew]

So right now in CAP LC I think that Brattler's in a pretty good spot, being a pretty good momentum conserving Abra/Gastly counter, although not fully ideal, since it's ability is no longer really necessary with Gastly not usually running Substitute anymore. So just to run through the proposed abilities, Leaf Guard isn't competitively viable and Defiant doesn't fit very well, as its main targets are Snubbull and Spritzee who both beat Brattler with or without Defiant. Shed Skin and Rattled are both interesting though. Gastly often runs Will-O-Wisp, Sludge Bomb, and Hypnosis, and giving snake_rattler jr. a way, to remove it passively would help. But, my favorite ability for Brattler is certainly Rattled. First of all, there is no viable user of Rattled in LC, although I've seen innovation master Jox use it on Snubbull once or twice, and due to Brattler's role as a momentum preserving Abra/Gastly check and special wall, I think Rattled is perfect, as if Gastly hits Brattler with a Shadow Ball or Hex, Brattler has many more options. Also I think I was supposed to mention flavor? Eh whatever DHR said they're fine flavor wise.

 

[snake]

Rattled sounds pretty cool. Even though it's 4x weak to U-turn, it resists Ghost- and Dark-types. Should be a fun twist for it.

 

[DHR-107]

Congrats G-Luke on subbing again for the Brattler movepool! A 4 way Ability poll will go up shortly!