CAP Updates: Syclant Discussion (Complete)

[snake]

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Syclant
Typing: Ice / Bug
Ability: Compound Eyes / Mountaineer
Stats: 70 / 116 / 70 / 114 / 64 / 121
​

Welcome to the Syclant Update thread! In this thread, we will be updating Syclant to Generation 7 standards.

Syclant was the first CAP Project, created in Generation 4. While Syclant has no formal concept, it was made to "counter" Garchomp (almost undeniably the strongest Pokemon in the DP Metagame until it got banned), but realistically it's actually a solid offensive check to Garchomp, not a counter. Since then, Syclant's solid offensive stats, amazing offensive typing (Ice is a very strong offensive type, and Bug grants STAB to U-turn), access to the custom ability Mountaineer, unique resistances coupled with deceptively decent bulk (for a frail Pokemon), and wide coverage and utility movepool have allowed it to remain a top tier threat in the CAP Metagame to this day. While Ice / Bug typing would normally carry a huge Stealth Rock weakness, Mountaineer allows Syclant to avoid Stealth Rock damage, as well as allowing a free switch-in to Rock-type moves such as Mega Crucibelle's Head Smash (you must be very brave to do this though!). Its resistance to Ground-type moves allows Syclant to, for example, switch into SubCoil Zygarde and force it out. Generation 7 brought some really useful tools for Syclant, including Z Crystals, which lets Syclant break through bulkier counters, and a buffed Leech Life, which improves the viability of a Swords Dance set a little. In general, Syclant runs in its item slot either Life Orb, Focus Sash, or a Z Crystal. Below are some sets that Syclant can run:

• A specially-biased Life Orb set of Ice Beam / Earth Power / Bug Buzz / (U-turn or Superpower) has always been most consistent.
• An offensive utility set that utilizes Ice Beam / U-turn / Taunt / Spikes is a great mix of utility and powerful pivoting.
• A mixed set utilizing Ice Shard / Ice Beam / (Earthquake or Spikes) / U-turn can check certain threats better like slower priority users or Choice Scarf Garchomp as well as surprised Mega Crucibelle, who could tank an Earth Power.
• A Tail Glow set that now utilizes Groundium Z Earth Power can break through Tapu Fini or, one that uses Icium Z Ice Beam can break through Celesteela. It generally runs Tail Glow / Ice Beam / Earth Power / (Bug Buzz or U-turn) .
  
• A Choice Scarf set can run Ice Beam / U-turn / Earthquake / Stone Edge and check certain boosted threats like +1 Volcarona and slower Scarfers.
• A Swords Dance set can pick of Haze Tomohawk with Ice Shard before it can reset stats and generally surprise its usual checks. It can run Swords Dance / Ice Shard / Earthquake / (Leech Life or U-turn).
• A Compound Eyes set that runs Blizzard / U-turn / Focus Blast / (Earth Power or Spikes or Taunt) can be an effective lead and breaker; however not running Mountaineer severely hinders its switch-in opportunities and puts much more pressure on hazard controlling teammates.
• While these are mentioned in a few places in the sets before, Syclant can also run a number of lure moves: Hidden Power [Fire] can pick off Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor; Stone Edge can pick off Mega Charizard Y and Volcarona; and Superpower can dent Chansey with a Life Orb.

Because of these traits, Syclant should get moves only that follow non-competitive flavor (a.k.a., design, dex entries, etc.) or follow trends suggested by typing or other move-to-move correlations. However, this discussion will take place later.

First, Syclant needs a Hidden Ability. While this ability can have competitive implications, they need to be extremely minor, especially on a Pokemon like Syclant. Syclant's new ability should be based off its design more than its competitive image. Here are a couple of guiding questions.

1. What flavor abilities would fit on Syclant by its design or typing?
2. Why does the ability from Question 1 hold little-to-no competitive value?

A poll will be up in 48 hours after discussion has taken place.

 

[ShunosaurusLii]

An obvious ability for all bug type pokemon that wouldn't hold much competitive value would be Swarm. As a staple ability for all things bug type, swarm would be an easy fit on syclant.

Another interesting ability to consider would be Slush Rush. Hail teams are not very popular in cap, and even though syclant would be made much faster and be able to abuse blizzard without compound eyes, it would need a hail setting partner to benefit it fully. The biggest drawback of running slush rush syclant would actually be having to get rid of mountaineer, and leaving syclant open to rocks.

Another interesting flavor ability would be Truant (ant puns... yay). Durant gets truant, so why shouldn't the other ant?

 

[Martin890]

Ice Body is probably the first ability comes in mind, it fits design wise and really, have Hail teams ever been popular ?

 

[G-Luke]

Ok hi all.

1. What flavor abilities would fit on Syclant by its design or typing?

Some abilities that rattle off the top of my head include: Ice Body, Swarm and Clear Body.

2. Why does the ability from Question 1 hold little-to-no competitive value?

Lol at Ice Body. Swarm and clones are generally known to be rather pathetic abilities in competitice battling, and its other abilities do it much more justice.

Clear Body is a special case however. It in itself isnt bad. But the cost of running Clear Body as compared to Mountaineer, or even Compound Eyes is rather high.

 

[LucarioOfLegends]

I'm mostly in support of Swarm and Ice Body.

Slush Rush, on the other hand, is a very very bad idea. Yes, Hail is not very common in CAP, since the only setter that is good is Ninetales. However, Slush Rush would definetely bring Hail's usage up, as it would have an incredible abuser. Syclant would not be able to shoot off perfect accuracy Blizzards in hail, but also is given the speed to outpace everything in the metagame, even scarfers. The only thing that hits it first now is priority. This would most certainly create a new set for Syclant in Hail, and most certainly has usage. Hard no. Very. Hard. No.

 

[Hesh Kadesh]

Clear Body to prevent Stat Drops. I can"t see a time when it would ever really be more useful than Mountaineer.

Also, I quite like Snow Cloak. It makes it a decent partner to Ninetales-A, since it that instance, it cannot take Hail under the Evasion Clause, and has more benefit more running alongside from A-Veil, and thus take Blizzard more offensively.

There is also Skill Link; which only really boosts Pin Missile as the Bug Move of Choice rather than Bug Buzz. Also affects Fury Attack and an obvious suggestion later in the move pool, though (Icicle Spear).

 

[Okamu]

*Humming and whistling*

Oh, what's this... the Syclant thread... and people suggested Swarm? Hmm... *thinks*

So... did anyone think about this, just wondering?

Syclant @ Focus Sash
Ability: Swarm
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Tail Glow
- Ice Beam/Blizzard
- Bug Buzz

I realize that hazards are still a thing, but with Spin/Defog support, this set can be quite effective. It's basically the same as the standard SashGlow combo on Syclant, but Swarm gives it extra potency in a few cases that can further augment its sweep, especially when combined with its other coverage moves. The following calcs represent some cases in which Syclant can gain new initiative via Swarm it could not have with Mountaineer, especially if rocks/spikes/other hazards remain present on the opponent's side of the field.

Calcs

+3 252 SpA Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 252 HP / 168 SpD Ferrothorn: 255-301 (72.4 - 85.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+3 252 SpA Swarm Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 252 HP / 168 SpD Ferrothorn: 382-450 (108.5 - 127.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO

+3 252 SpA Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 248 HP / 16+ SpD Tapu Fini: 120-141 (34.9 - 41.1%) -- 71.1% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
+3 252 SpA Swarm Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 248 HP / 16+ SpD Tapu Fini: 179-211 (52.1 - 61.5%) -- 97.7% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
(This one actually isn't particularly relevant, I just found the 11% damage boost against Fini a bit interesting.)

+3 252 SpA Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 248 HP / 228+ SpD Jirachi: 246-289 (61 - 71.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+3 252 SpA Swarm Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 248 HP / 228+ SpD Jirachi: 367-433 (91 - 107.4%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO

+3 252 SpA Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 252 HP / 16 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 220-259 (53.1 - 62.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+3 252 SpA Syclant Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 16 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 294-346 (71 - 83.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+3 252 SpA Swarm Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 252 HP / 16 SpD Assault Vest Muk-Alola: 330-388 (79.7 - 93.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

+3 252 SpA Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 252 HP / 144+ SpD Sableye-Mega: 238-282 (78.2 - 92.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+3 252 SpA Swarm Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 252 HP / 144+ SpD Sableye-Mega: 357-420 (117.4 - 138.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO

+3 252 SpA Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Tyranitar in Sand: 320-380 (79.4 - 94.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+3 252 SpA Swarm Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Tyranitar in Sand: 482-570 (119.6 - 141.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO

+3 252 SpA Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 232 HP / 80 SpD Venusaur-Mega: 267-315 (74.3 - 87.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+3 252 SpA Swarm Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 232 HP / 80 SpD Venusaur-Mega: 399-471 (111.1 - 131.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO

+3 252 SpA Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 240 HP / 212+ SpD Zygarde: 258-304 (61.8 - 72.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+3 252 SpA Swarm Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 240 HP / 212+ SpD Zygarde: 387-456 (92.8 - 109.3%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
(If Zygarde is already behind a Sub and for some reason lacking ESpeed, Swarm makes the difference between Zygarde's sweep and Syclant's reverse sweep)

+3 252 SpA Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Pyroak: 363-427 (81.9 - 96.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+3 252 SpA Swarm Syclant Bug Buzz vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Pyroak: 543-639 (122.5 - 144.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Due to a few key matchup shifts, such as with Pyroak and Ferrothorn, I would like to say that Swarm is more competitive than people realize, and should not be something people lightly consider.

 

[Garbagery]

We can always add Unerve and well, what world would that be truly useful. It reks malaconda with its bug stab and sitrus cawm already reks it with a bullet punch. Also some bugs have the ability unnerve, and... that bug looks oretty unnerving.

 

[G-Luke]

I can't stress enough that Ice Body is the perfect ability. I mean it would be the one of only Ice Type Pokemon ever ever to lack an Ice Type ability (Yes I am aware of the Jynx line). I would suggest Snow Cloak but Syclar, its pre evo, has that as its main ability and no one wants to put DHR-107 in more stress. So Ice Body is quite perfect for it. And screw Skill Link / Slush Rush. What are you all thinking?​

 

[Reapehify]

​

Syclant Dex Entries:

Dex Entry 2: "Wild SYCLANTs are very aggressive, so much so that they live alone. They train by breaking apart large glaciers."

Dex Entry 3: "Wild SYCLANT are fearsome predators. Even in harsh blizzards they can quickly chase down their prey with stunning agility. Should a DELIBIRD find itself near a colony, it would be swarmed almost immediately."

Potential Flavor Ability:

Everything about Syclant from its design to its dex entries' show offense. Pay special attention to his upper limbs, which are designed as ice cannons.

Sniper - Since Gen 6 it's been more reliable to use critical hits in a strategic manner with Sniper. Focus Energy + Scope Lens/High Critical gives you 100% chance at getting a critical hit. Syclant's only High Critical moves are Stone Edge and Slash. Critical Hit rates with sniper are 2.25x while Tail Glow are 2.5x. Essentially using Focus Energy/Scope Lens would be the roughly the same as using Tail Glow plus wasting an item slot where Life Orb*/Focus Sash would have likely been used. The competitive upside to this is that, if for some absurd reason your opponent allows you the time, you have the ability to essentially get the equivalent of 3 Tail Glow boosts (5.25x)--also shown below. The competitive downside to this allows for potential wallbreaking to the most absurd degree at the cost of an extra move slot and your hold item. It's not realistically viable to run such a set that uses both Tail Glow and Focus Energy to the point that its redundant. Also FocusCrit is inferior in individual use to standard Tail Glow sets. In practice Tail Glow/Sniper would only be used as a gimmick at best.

calcs

+3 252 SpA Syclant Ice Beam vs. 4 HP / 252 SpD Eviolite Chansey: 171-202 (26.6 - 31.4%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
252 SpA Sniper Syclant Ice Beam vs. 4 HP / 252 SpD Eviolite Chansey on a critical hit: 154-184 (23.9 - 28.6%) -- 97.7% chance to 4HKO
+3 252 SpA Sniper Syclant Ice Beam vs. 4 HP / 252 SpD Eviolite Chansey on a critical hit: 384-454 (59.8 - 70.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+6 252 SpA Sniper Syclant Ice Beam vs. 4 HP / 252 SpD Eviolite Chansey on a critical hit: 613-724 (95.4 - 112.7%) -- 75% chance to OHKO

*note that Tail Glow + Life Orb is 3x compared to Sniper set up's 2.25x; comparisons in bold

+3 252 SpA Life Orb Syclant Ice Beam vs. 4 HP / 252 SpD Eviolite Chansey: 222-263 (34.5 - 40.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

 

[Hesh Kadesh]

I can't stress enough that Ice Body is the perfect ability. I mean it would be the one of only Ice Type Pokemon ever ever to lack an Ice Type ability (Yes I am aware of the Jynx line). I would suggest Snow Cloak but Syclar, its pre evo, has that as its main ability and no one wants to put DHR-107 in more stress. So Ice Body is quite perfect for it. And screw Skill Link / Slush Rush. What are you all thinking?​

That Skill Link affects Fury Attack and Pin Missile only?, And you give up Stealth Rocks immunity for that one move? And that M-Heracross is hardly broken with it and an attack nearly 70pts higher, even in the trade off for speed?

We could however trade Snow Cloak to be a new primary ability, and compound eyes to be its Hidden if that's the issue.

 

[SunshineFuture]

Ice Body is our best choice. Clant is lacking an Ice ability. Compound Eyes is a Bug ability, and you have Mountanier. Ice Body rounds the type duo out.

Sniper is a bad idea, as we already gave it to Strat. We didn't give Cyclohm Minus for this reason, so I don't see the point of giving something that doesn't even look like it should be able to get this ability the option to run Sniper (however niche that may be).

 

[cbrevan]

Of all the abilities brought up so far, Ice Body is the one I like the most. It fits flavourwise and has no competitive implications on Syclant due to it's low bulk, and even on a set that for some reason wanted the passive recovery of Ice Body, Mountaineer would still be the optimal option due to Syclant's massive Stealth Rock weakness.

As for Slush Rush and Skill Link, I think both of these moves go beyond the scope of this update. In case people are not aware, Syclant is an A+ ranked Pokemon in the CAP Viability Ranking thread. Even if it so happened to drop down to A, it would remain one of the best and most viable CAP Pokemon in the metagame. We should not be giving already extremely viable Pokemon competitive buffs; they are simply unneeded on them. Slush Rush allows a Syclant under Hail to have both perfect accuracy Blizzards and a speed stat faster than the entire metagame, all at the cost of taking damage from Stealth Rock. Even if it does require a condition to work, it does turn Syclant into an incredibly threatening sweeper on an archetype that would no doubt raise in viability due to it's inclusion. Throw into the mix Syclant's ability to setup on both sides of the attacking spectrum and Auruo Veil from Ninetales-Alola, and we have a legitimate late game cleaner; the CAP version of Sand Rush Excadrill if you will. While it may not be as offensive as Slush Rush, Skill Link nevertheless raises the power level of Syclant by providing it the significantly more powerful variants of it's physical STAB moves. While Tail Glow is the preferred boosting set on Syclant, the introduction of this ability and it's relevant moves would undoubtedly boost the popularity of Sword Dance sets. Alternatively, we could opt to not give Syclant Icicle Spear and Pin Missile, and just have Skill Link as a flavour option, but at that point we might as well choose a more topical ability such as Ice Body.

Sniper and Swarm are a but less clear; both abilities are simply worse than Mountaineer in most cases, but can prove to be situationally useful in breaking through defensive cores with Syclant's current boosting options. I'd prefer that we air on the side if caution and not choose these abilities just because of how potent Syclant already is. We really don't need to give it more ways to get past defensive checks.

 

[DHR-107]

I can't stress enough that Ice Body is the perfect ability. I mean it would be the one of only Ice Type Pokemon ever ever to lack an Ice Type ability (Yes I am aware of the Jynx line). I would suggest Snow Cloak but Syclar, its pre evo, has that as its main ability and no one wants to put DHR-107 in more stress. So Ice Body is quite perfect for it. And screw Skill Link / Slush Rush. What are you all thinking?​

At the end of the day Syclant comes first, we'd just have to have a discussion and decide what to do if that is what people want. Either way, disregard the prevolutions in these discussions.

Also agree with some of the above posts. Swarm/Slush Rush are both incredibly potent competitive abilities. As Okamu pointed out earlier with a very in depth post, Swarm just messes with its checks/counters too easily. While Slush Rush would make hail more popular, it also turns Syclant into an amazing revenge killer with likely enough bulk to take Mach Punch/SE priority. It's amazing that people even think that these abilities would ever be considered for slating.

Syclant is an already exceptional Pokemon in the CaP Metagame, and he was voted for a Consistency update. He doesn't really need any new tools to still be an effective Pokemon. The "lesser" abilities mentioned here should be the ones people are discussing. Clear Body is probably borderline due to Tail Glow sets, but Syclant is still a glass cannon (or... Ice Cannon?). Ice Body gives it nothing "extra" to play with, whereas I think Snow Cloak could. Hyper Cutter would be cool as well, doubt it would see use over its other abilities, but allows it to block Intimidate users. Other than those, I'm pretty sure everyone has brought up enough options.

 

[snake]

I think for every update for Gen 4 CAPs, who all lack Hidden Abilities, we've always placed the new ability voted in into the Hidden Ability slot for Gen 4 CAPs. If Snow Cloak gets slated and wins the poll, Syclant's abilities will be Compound Eyes / Mountaineer / Snow Cloak, and Syclar will have Snow Cloak as a Hidden Ability as well, and it'll have to have a different secondary ability (Compound Eyes / new Secondary Ability / Snow Cloak). This was the situation we were prepared for in case Leaf Guard were to win on Pyroak. While there's really no issue on the coding side, it'd be better to remain consistent with what we've done with every update so far. This isn't anything against Snow Cloak; I'm just clarifying how Snow Cloak would be handled. It'd be the same for every other ability from the eventual poll, and Syclar would have to be the one to change.

Great discussion so far everyone! I'll be posting my opinions on certain abilities later on.

 

[Mova]

Ice Body gives Syclant access to an Ice-themed Ability without giving it anything it can actually use over Compound Eyes or Mountaineer, as hail is a bad weather to use without Aurora Veil or any offensive hail Abilities. Syclar already has Snow Cloak as a standard Ability, so Syclant doesn't need that once it evolves into this stage.

 

[Reapehify]

Ice Body gives Syclant access to an Ice-themed Ability without giving it anything it can actually use over Compound Eyes or Mountaineer, as hail is a bad weather to use without Aurora Veil or any offensive hail Abilities. Syclar already has Snow Cloak as a standard Ability, so Syclant doesn't need that once it evolves into this stage.

The obsession over an Ice-themed ability makes sense to some degree, but I'm seeing no real 'flavor' justifications for any of the abilities other than the rather dull excuse that Syclant is Ice type. What makes that ability meaningful for Syclant? If your ability doesn't come with an answer to that, how can you tell whether Snow Cloak or Ice Body is more appropriate for instance? The main question is why that particular ability means something personality-wise to Syclant. The little-to-no competitive value of the ability is the due diligence of making it fall in line with prior viability concerns.

When putting forth Sniper, I first explained exactly why specifically Syclant would in flavor use Sniper. It's dex entries describe it aggressive, agile, hunts down its prey, and its art is designed for it to principally attack through expulsion out of its limbs (i.e. It shoots things, with accurate Compoundeyes no less). After justifying the flavor, I then moved on to the second question and justified its little-to-no competitive value where necessary. I'd really like to see people do this, even if it comes down to an argument between Snow Cloak and Ice Body or whatever other ability you'd think of for Syclant.

 

[Drapionswing]

Doesn't Syclant literally have Ice on it's body? The Icicles on it's back and thorax?

 

[snake]

Alright since this thread has been pretty strong and hasn't really been all over the place, I'll be calling the 24 hour warning here. However, I will be blacklisting some abilities now:

Slush Rush has absolutely no place on Syclant. Think about Swift Swim Kingdra, and then think about Syclant. It has higher Special Attack and Speed stats, a STAB with a 30% chance to freeze and doesn't miss in the appropriate weather, a secondary STAB that doesn't drop Special Attack, a powerful pivot move, and better coverage options, all at the cost of some bulk and weaker defensive typing. The comparison isn't totally spot on since Hail teams are less viable than Rain teams, but I think this shows how Slush Rush is competitive and should not be considered for Syclant.

Skill Link is also another ability that's too competitive for Syclant, as it is an artificial buff for Syclant's Swords Dance set. While we could limit this ability to only Pin Missile (it already gets this one by Egg Move) and ban Icicle Spear from movepool additions, I don't really see the point. The ability is limiting the point of the update: the focus on flavor abilities and moves. The ability was also brought up purely by competitive reasoning, and there hasn't been a relevant argument for flavor reasoning; therefore it will be blacklisted.

Blacklist: Skill Link, Slush Rush

There are a couple abilities that I'm just a little hesitant on slating now:

Swarm, shown by Okamu's post, allows Syclant the potential of running a Swarm Tail Glow set to break through some of its defensive checks such as Ferrothorn and Pyroak without the use of Icium Z or Groundium Z. Granted, it can't switch into Rocks damage unharmed, but careful timing residual damage can drop Syclant below 33%. For example, asumming Syclant has an odd HP stat, a) 2 rounds of SR damage, b) one round of SR damage and 2 rounds of Life Orb damage, c) or activating Focus Sash all knock Syclant down below 33%.

Sniper, while justified to be inferior to Syclant's current abilities, has an edge over other flavorful abilities brought up in this thread that have basically no competitive impact.

Keep up the great discussion guys.

 

[emma]

Ice Body

Its body is made of ice.

 

[dwarfstar]

Reapehify There's precedent for ice mons with designs and Pokedex entries that don't emphasize ice powers or a glacial nature in the Spheal line, and there is actual ice on the body. Ice Body has a perfectly valid flavor justification.

 

[Reapehify]

Reapehify There's precedent for ice mons with designs and Pokedex entries that don't emphasize ice powers or a glacial nature in the Spheal line, and there is actual ice on the body. Ice Body has a perfectly valid flavor justification.

Well, you're mostly right. I decided not to include the Spheal line because they're also Water type, but I guess we can cross that bridge now. I'm just going to cover every Ice Body Pokemon for the sake of conclusive flavor evidence.

Ice Body as Primary Ability:
Vanilluxe: Each of its two heads has a brain, and when they are in agreement, it attacks its enemies by exhaling a violent blizzard. / Even if it loses one of its heads, it can live relatively problem-free. It makes snow clouds inside its body.

Ice Body as Secondary Ability:
Glalie: Its prey is instantaneously frozen stiff by the cold air it exhales from its huge mouth. While they’re in that frozen state, it gobbles them up. / Legend says a boulder on an icy mountain absorbed the distress and regrets of a stranded mountaineer, giving rise to Glalie.

Avalugg: Its ice-covered body is as hard as steel. Its cumbersome frame crushes anything that stands in its way.

Walrein: Walrein swims all over in frigid seawater while crushing icebergs with its grand, imposing tusks. Its thick layer of blubber makes enemy attacks bounce off harmlessly. / Walrein's two massively developed tusks can totally shatter blocks of ice weighing 10 tons with one blow. This Pokémon's thick coat of blubber insulates it from subzero temperatures.

Ice Body as Hidden Ability:
Regice: Regice cloaks itself with frigid air of -328 degrees Fahrenheit. Things will freeze solid just by going near this Pokémon. Its icy body is so cold, it will not melt even if it is immersed in magma.

Glaceon: It lowers its body heat to freeze its fur. The hairs then become like needles it can fire. / By controlling its body heat, it can freeze the atmosphere around it to make a diamond-dust flurry.

Dewgong: Dewgong loves to snooze on bitterly cold ice. The sight of this Pokémon sleeping on a glacier was mistakenly thought to be a mermaid by a mariner long ago. / Its body is covered with a pure white fur. The colder the weather, the more active it becomes.

Even after including Regice, Avalugg, Dewgong, Walrein the outcome is still the same. Your contention that the Spheal line isn't composed of ice is right. Your contention that the Spheal line doesn't accentuate thermal glacial nature is wrong. While it is assuredly the most convincing case in terms of arguing for Ice Body via actual Pokemon, it falls somewhat short. Walrein's body is the significant flavor option of Gamefreak and they chose to express its importance through subzero thermal resistance, stating its habitat as being frigid seawater (i.e. hail, in-game). As of note, it also helps to realize that The difference between Ice Body and Snow Cloak is the specification of thermal verse optic. For example, older dex entries for Dewgong describe it as being obscure to see ( B/W: In snow, the pure white coat covering its body obscures it from predators.) as opposed to loving the cold. The change in X/Y was clearly an appropriate one to justify its Hidden Ability in Ice Body. I could go on, but the dex entries largely speak for themselves. I'd like to note that I'm not saying Ice Body isn't a viable option, just that it is intellectually lazy and less flavorful specifically for Syclant whom is more in line with Snow Cloak as an Ice type ability.

 

[dwarfstar]

"There is a common pattern where upon the flavor text indicates why Ice Body matters. It consistently shows the ability of the Pokemon to be so frigid that it is capable of changing the temperature around it to the point of freezing." This is how you started off describing Ice Body and how it relates to ice-based powers; by your own definition cold resistance doesn't count for that. Either things like cold resistance or having actual ice on the body count just as much as flavor text around ice powers do, or you've broken a hole in your own flavor justification. Can't have it both ways. I also don't see how Snow Cloak necessarily makes more sense than Ice Body, as it's not that much better supported thematically (living in an icy environment doesn't necessarily imply crypsis in that environment, common though it may be). Finally, the whole "intellectually lazy" thing is blatantly false and a pointless insult. I don't care that much whether we end up with Ice Body or some other ability, but you're not making a convincing case for why that shouldn't be Syclant's HA.

 

[Reapehify]

Either things like cold resistance or having actual ice on the body count just as much as flavor text around ice powers do, or you've broken a hole in your own flavor justification. Can't have it both ways.

"It's conceptual design never focuses on its desire to maintain glaciality to survive or that it's a frigid Pokemon that has temporal abilities."

I said this prior to the quote you pulled. I'm fully capable of admitting that without context, that quote is contradictory to what I followed up with. However in conjunction they highlight the fuller thermal insistence I was attempting to highlight in the first place. In earnest, I had written 'bodily thermal or frigid temperature' but an accident with the keyboard had me type it over before a draft could be saved thus far into the post and I summarized. That aside, my overarching point is one that points to the body of Pokemon and their unnatural love for cold in a thermal manner, again often to the point of transforming their habitat (although not always). To skew what I said and take it out of context to attempt to argue from a vacuum is actually a perfect example of intellectual laziness. Instead of arguing from a case of charity you attempt to strawman what I said in an effort to dismiss the broader points. My initial statement however referred to the broader concept of people simply proposing Ice Body because it's easy. The argument of 'every Ice Pokemon gets Ice Body' or 'It's an Ice-type that has Ice parts' is shallow and frankly lazy. Even if Ice Body is the right ability, having more to justify it--comparable dex entries, its own dex entries, etc---would show a level of rigor that is currently missing from CAP discussion. I'm not entirely sure how you could misconstrue that as a "baseless insult" given it's a fact.

When you look at a dex entry of all the Ice Body Pokemon, it's still the case that body temperature or composition is the key trait of these Pokemon flavor-wise. Avalugg and Vanilluxe both lack descriptive glacial output in their dex entries but instead stress that they are in essence glacial composition (ice-covered iceberg and internal snow cloud ice cream, respectively). Dewgong and Walrein despite being blubber-heavy mammals heavily regulate their body temperature by acclimating themselves to icy weather, to the point of loving it. Glaceon, Regice and Glalie all freeze the atmosphere around them. Every single one 'maintains glaciality to survive' and accentuates temporal abilities--not just the sort that freeze but that relies on being frozen, too. If you hadn't strawman'd my argument to make a point you might have realized that I was accounting for everything and not just 'ice-based powers'.

I also don't see how Snow Cloak necessarily makes more sense than Ice Body, as it's not that much better supported thematically

Then I would say you haven't been reading and/or you're summarizing in the same manner I did condensing to "I don't see how". Regardless, I'll quote everything I've said about Snow Cloak because I've already said everything that can be said.

Diamond: SYCLAR typically live at the feet of tall, snow-capped mountains. From the day they hatch, they aspire to someday scale the tallest of peaks.
Pearl: SYCLAR celebrate the onset of winter by coming out of their summer burrows and using their small, sharp claws to skate on the fresh river ice.

Dex Entry 3: "Wild SYCLANT are fearsome predators. Even in harsh blizzards they can quickly chase down their prey with stunning agility. Should a DELIBIRD find itself near a colony, it would be swarmed almost immediately."

A flavor ability is supposed to enhance the flavor of Syclant. Ice Body is an applicable ability, but not one that really enhances Syclant's flavor profile in any meaningful way; and it's certainly not superior to Sniper (or Swarm). This is also why Snow Cloak is infinitely superior to Ice Body; due to Syclar/Syclant's dex entries commenting on its excitement for Winter and its environmental habitat being that of harsh blizzards and snowy mountain peeks. That is true thematic value.

As of note, it also helps to realize that the difference between Ice Body and Snow Cloak is the specification of thermal verse optic. For example, older dex entries for Dewgong describe it as being obscure to see ( B/W: In snow, the pure white coat covering its body obscures it from predators.) as opposed to loving the cold. The change in X/Y was clearly an appropriate one to justify its Hidden Ability in Ice Body.

TL;DR Syclar loves Winter and Syclant is a predator capable of seeing/hunting in the harshest Winter weather. The key is optic verse thermal. Unlike every other Ice Body Pokemon which focuses specifically on temperature and glaciality, Syclant does not. Which thematic plays out more consistently in Syclant's flavor profile? The obvious answer is optic, therefore Snow Cloak is the superior choice between the two.

 

[snake]

Alright I'm going to intervene for a second. Ice Body (as well as other suggested abilities of similar calibre like Clear Body, Snow Cloak, Hyper Cutter, and Unnerve) will be slated unless someone can make an argument that the 6.25% recovery gained during hail is too competitive for Syclant. The reason why Sniper and Swarm are up in the air for now is because of their potential competitive implications, as they have a slight edge over other competitively useless options suggested so far. Ultimately, trying to justify one flavor ability over the other is nonsensical because there is no "correct" flavor ability; there is only the Hidden Ability that the community prefers the most, and that is determined by a poll. There has been more than enough reasoning for Ice Body to be slated.