Hello, CAP! We haven't had a RMT in this forum lately (shame on all of you!), so I thought I would share the team I've been using for the All-CAP metagame to great success. Also, the CAP ladder has a nasty habit of producing these n00bish all-CAP teams, so I thought I'd post a successful team that utilizes only one CAP, Kitsunoh, to hopefully get the word out that OU still exists. As I post this, I have a 32-3 record with this team, and I'm not even a great battler, so it must be good, right? It's weatherless (gasp!), but that hasn't slowed me down much against the barrage of Rain teams that dominate the ladder and the rare Sun/Sand teams that fill in the gaps between the all-CAP teams (some of which I'll admit are okay and challenging to face).
To comment on the metagame for which this team was built and to give it some context, I want to emphasize that Rain and Fighting-types are everywhere. Tomohawk is the most-used CAP, easily, and many common CAPs are Fighting-types or otherwise weak to Psychic-type attacks. For that reason, Psychic attacks are really useful, especially with STAB. Stall is very hard to pull off, what with the addition of Tomohawk, Mollux, Necturna, and Fidgit into the mix of OU's standard, viable Rapid Spinners / Stall busters, making the metagame more rewarding for offensive teams. Aurumoth is an enormous offensive threat as well, and so hazard control is crucial to help smoke out its Illusions (SR and a layer of Spikes are more like scouting techniques with the added bonus of residual damage). Another major boosting threat is Revenankh, who is really tough to break through once it starts Bulking Up and ShedResting. You really have to be ready for all 10 or so high-OU CAPmons in addition to standard OU threats, so teambuilding should focus on executing a particular strategy, not countering reactively to incoming threats. This is another reason why Rain is so popular. I have seen a few well-built and well-played Sun teams, though, so it's out there.
The team is named after my Ghost duo, Gengar and Kitsunoh. They were the first two Pokes I selected when building the team, so you could say that the team is based on them. Their various immunities/resistances and shared 110 Spe stats give them means to concoct despicable schemes to scare little children and old ladies. Tricks are their trade, and they never seem to fade away. They are the things that go bump in the night.
As you can probably guess from the first Poke in the lineup, this is a "Deo-D" offensive team. That means it's fast and dangerous, and it's very first priority is setting up hazards and keeping them up for the sweepers. I count on Deoxys-D to help prevent opposing hazards, as well, instead of a Rapid Spinner, since the team doesn't really suffer from hazards so much: there are no SR weaknesses, 2/3 of the grounded Pokes have insta-recovery, and only two are affected by Toxic Spikes. It's not quite HO, but it is "offensive," so if you like the faster-paced style of play of Deo-D teams, this should still be a fun team to look at.
This team has the straightforward strategy of putting immediate pressure on opponents and holding momentum to set up a late-game Latios/Scizor sweep. Quick hazards, forcing switches, a couple easy switch-ins to Tomohawk, a couple solid Rain checks, a lot of Speed, and a consistent game plan make this team successful against the wild, untamed wilderness of the all-CAP metagame.
The All-CAP metagame is a great place for Deoxys-D. Not only does it stack layers on the normal stuff like in OU, it also has an incredible STAB Psychic attack to lay some big hurt on the likes of Tomohawk, Mollux, Fidgit, Arghonaut, and Revenankh. This is nine times out of ten my lead, especially with the preponderance of Aurumoths and the necessity of Stealth Rock AND Spikes for scouting purposes (primary to actual damage) in the Moth meta. And with both Gengar and Kitsunoh waiting in the wings to Spinblock, I can be reasonably sure that once those hazards go up, they'll stay up. This guy's insane bulk and stellar movepool make it more than just a suicide lead here, so I tend not to sack it in exchange for only an extra layer at the start of a match. If Team Preview shows a sustained need for a quick Taunt (Skarmory can cause this team trouble) or shows a variety of potential Rapid Spinners (Tomohawk, Mollux, Necturna, Fidgit, Forretress, etc.), I'll want to keep this Poke alive long enough to see them put down.
With most people turning to Tomohawk or Mollux for Rapid Spin, Psychic STAB is a huge (and often unexpected) advantage, and since Deo-D can only 2HKO the standard 252/0 Tomohawk with Psycho Boost (66.5% - 78.3%, 33% - 39.6% @ -2 SpA) and can't 2HKO max/max+ Mollux without Rocks (41.6% - 49.2%, 21.3% - 24.9% @ -2 SpA), I can at certain times allow them both to get their Rapid Spins off and activate Rocky Helmet for that last spot of damage to bring them down to sacking range or KO them outright. The 24 SpA EVs make sure this happens, while the drop in Speed affects very little except opposing Deo-D's. If I start seeing more Deo-D's around, I will probably switch over to Magic Coat in that third slot to bounce Taunts back, but until then, Taunt is a major way to screw over the like of defensive Politoed, Forretress, and Ferrothorn, in addition to Necturna, Kitsunoh, and Syclant switch-ins looking to set up.
Kitsunoh and Gengar make a pretty stellar offensive Spin-blocking duo, with Gengar switching into Ground moves aimed at Kit and Kit taking common Psychic attacks and Thunder Waves in return. They also each pressure the opponent to react to them immediately, which means momentum is in my favor most of the time when those Subs go up. Kitsunoh has the best defensive typing in the game, as well as one of the best offensive 2-move coverage sets (shared by Gengar) and one of the best singular STAB moves available in Shadowstrike (with its 50% Def drop). Kitsunoh is usually an easy response to defensive Tomohawk, resisting both its STABs and Rapid Spin, as well as Ferrothorn, Scizor, Jirachi, and Revenankh, all of whom hate Burns (and Shadowstrike, in Rev's case). It can handle anything, really, between Burn damage, entry hazard damage, and sheer determination spamming Shadowstrikes.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: this is the best CAP set of all time. Wispy Kit is so hard to deal with I damn near faint when I see opposing Kitsunoh in Team Preview. With incredible Speed, near-constant Def drops from Shadowstrike, and the SubWisp combination, opponents are most often forced to give in and consciously allow one or more of their Pokes to get Burned or KO'd, just to threaten Kit away from the battlefield. The EVs are from the analysis and help Kit make 5 Subs from full health, while the Leftovers help it heal up Sub damage over time.
And Gengar is the second half of my offensive Spin-blocking pair, synergizing well with Kitsunoh and the rest of the team while being an additional speedy threat for opposing teams to deal with. The SubDisable build is good for this team because it contributes a lot of switches, causing more hazard/status damage in the early-midgame to weaken opposing teams for Latios and Scizor. Gengar is a Sub abuser, just like Kit, and so its Leftovers keep it healthy throughout the match and able to come in time and time again. It also shares Kitsunoh's Ghost/Fighting coverage, which is amazing, even in all-CAP; it allows it to whittle down just about anything that comes its way.
Double Ghosts is a strategy that is pretty completely unavailable to standard OU. Its main advantage is obviously the increased ability to block Rapid Spin over time and keep the residual damage train rolling in the early-midgame. Deoxys-D's setup turns are almost never wasted, and both these sets are custom-designed to force switches, whittle away HP, and create setup opportunities for Latios and Scizor, who both utilize hazard damage and status to their full potential.
Gastrodon may look like the odd man out, but in many matches it's the MVP. Rain is a constant presence on the All-CAP ladder, and so having a dedicated Rain counter is a necessity for every good CAP team. Few OU Pokes do a better job handling Rain than Gastrodon, and nothing changes in CAP. It's better than Mollux because of its resistances and full immunity to Rain-boosted attacks (except Specs Hurricanes and such). In addition to tanking hits from Politoed, Thundurus-T, Jolteon, and Tornadus-T, Gastrodon is an immediate answer to Krilowatt, Cyclohm, and Mollux, all great CAP Rain abusers. It can tank QD Aurumoth for a while while Toxic wears it away and Recover HP in the face of Choiced U-turns and the like. It can't really touch Syclant, but it can tank a hit or two and chip off enough to break its Focus Sash, at which point Scizor can threaten it painlessly. Gastro is also a great Dragon check with Ice Beam and can keep Kitsunoh's Subs at bay with Earth Power, not really minding the Burn.
My third Substitute abuser and first late-game cleaner, CM Latios is a monster, blasting through everything, even weakened Steels, after a CM or two. Latios also acts as a backup Rain check for Gastrodon, with a more out-of-the-gate offensive presence than Latias, which I need from time to time. Many people expect Choice Latios, which is fair, but it contributes a lot to this set's efficacy, often netting me a free Sub or Calm Mind against defensive Politoed, Rotom-W, Mollux, and the like. Problems with faster Pokes like Syclant and Stratagem sometimes tempt me to switch over to the Scarf set, but then this thing goes out and slays things, and so I keep it.
I opt for Psyshock here because the team is pretty susceptible to SkarmBliss already, and Arghonaut/Tomohawk can't really do much to this guy. It's also better against unboosted Revenankh, who I need to get ahead of to keep under control (Bulk Up Rev is the second-best CAP set ever). I also use Leftovers for staying power, as I forego Roost in exchange for a second STAB.
The last member of the team is one of my personal favorites, SD Scizor. It checks Syclant and Stratagem in clutch situations, can Roost off damage after taking Choiced Draco Meteors for Kitsunoh/Gastrodon, or from LO+hazards, and it can sweep late-game with an enormous Attack stat and priority. Scizor is my second Steel, only Dark resist, and only LO attacker, and so it benefits enormously from late-game setup opportunities. The Speed EVs are for outrunning defensive Politoed and CB Scizor, while the rest goes into Atk and HP. Most of the time I try to keep Scizor off the field, as its priority is a precious, precious thing; I have to get the timing just right.
Okay, that's it. Everyone should play on the All-CAP ladder. The End.
To comment on the metagame for which this team was built and to give it some context, I want to emphasize that Rain and Fighting-types are everywhere. Tomohawk is the most-used CAP, easily, and many common CAPs are Fighting-types or otherwise weak to Psychic-type attacks. For that reason, Psychic attacks are really useful, especially with STAB. Stall is very hard to pull off, what with the addition of Tomohawk, Mollux, Necturna, and Fidgit into the mix of OU's standard, viable Rapid Spinners / Stall busters, making the metagame more rewarding for offensive teams. Aurumoth is an enormous offensive threat as well, and so hazard control is crucial to help smoke out its Illusions (SR and a layer of Spikes are more like scouting techniques with the added bonus of residual damage). Another major boosting threat is Revenankh, who is really tough to break through once it starts Bulking Up and ShedResting. You really have to be ready for all 10 or so high-OU CAPmons in addition to standard OU threats, so teambuilding should focus on executing a particular strategy, not countering reactively to incoming threats. This is another reason why Rain is so popular. I have seen a few well-built and well-played Sun teams, though, so it's out there.
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THEY GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT
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THEY GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT
The team is named after my Ghost duo, Gengar and Kitsunoh. They were the first two Pokes I selected when building the team, so you could say that the team is based on them. Their various immunities/resistances and shared 110 Spe stats give them means to concoct despicable schemes to scare little children and old ladies. Tricks are their trade, and they never seem to fade away. They are the things that go bump in the night.
As you can probably guess from the first Poke in the lineup, this is a "Deo-D" offensive team. That means it's fast and dangerous, and it's very first priority is setting up hazards and keeping them up for the sweepers. I count on Deoxys-D to help prevent opposing hazards, as well, instead of a Rapid Spinner, since the team doesn't really suffer from hazards so much: there are no SR weaknesses, 2/3 of the grounded Pokes have insta-recovery, and only two are affected by Toxic Spikes. It's not quite HO, but it is "offensive," so if you like the faster-paced style of play of Deo-D teams, this should still be a fun team to look at.
This team has the straightforward strategy of putting immediate pressure on opponents and holding momentum to set up a late-game Latios/Scizor sweep. Quick hazards, forcing switches, a couple easy switch-ins to Tomohawk, a couple solid Rain checks, a lot of Speed, and a consistent game plan make this team successful against the wild, untamed wilderness of the all-CAP metagame.
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Deoxys-D @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 HP / 24 SpA / 232 Spe (IVs: 0 Atk)
Stealth Rock
Spikes
Taunt / Magic Coat
Psycho Boost
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Deoxys-D @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 HP / 24 SpA / 232 Spe (IVs: 0 Atk)
Stealth Rock
Spikes
Taunt / Magic Coat
Psycho Boost
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The All-CAP metagame is a great place for Deoxys-D. Not only does it stack layers on the normal stuff like in OU, it also has an incredible STAB Psychic attack to lay some big hurt on the likes of Tomohawk, Mollux, Fidgit, Arghonaut, and Revenankh. This is nine times out of ten my lead, especially with the preponderance of Aurumoths and the necessity of Stealth Rock AND Spikes for scouting purposes (primary to actual damage) in the Moth meta. And with both Gengar and Kitsunoh waiting in the wings to Spinblock, I can be reasonably sure that once those hazards go up, they'll stay up. This guy's insane bulk and stellar movepool make it more than just a suicide lead here, so I tend not to sack it in exchange for only an extra layer at the start of a match. If Team Preview shows a sustained need for a quick Taunt (Skarmory can cause this team trouble) or shows a variety of potential Rapid Spinners (Tomohawk, Mollux, Necturna, Fidgit, Forretress, etc.), I'll want to keep this Poke alive long enough to see them put down.
With most people turning to Tomohawk or Mollux for Rapid Spin, Psychic STAB is a huge (and often unexpected) advantage, and since Deo-D can only 2HKO the standard 252/0 Tomohawk with Psycho Boost (66.5% - 78.3%, 33% - 39.6% @ -2 SpA) and can't 2HKO max/max+ Mollux without Rocks (41.6% - 49.2%, 21.3% - 24.9% @ -2 SpA), I can at certain times allow them both to get their Rapid Spins off and activate Rocky Helmet for that last spot of damage to bring them down to sacking range or KO them outright. The 24 SpA EVs make sure this happens, while the drop in Speed affects very little except opposing Deo-D's. If I start seeing more Deo-D's around, I will probably switch over to Magic Coat in that third slot to bounce Taunts back, but until then, Taunt is a major way to screw over the like of defensive Politoed, Forretress, and Ferrothorn, in addition to Necturna, Kitsunoh, and Syclant switch-ins looking to set up.
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Kitsunoh @ Leftovers
Ability: Limber
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 16 HP / 240 Atk / 252 Spe
Shadowstrike
Superpower
Substitute
Will-o-Wisp
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Kitsunoh @ Leftovers
Ability: Limber
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 16 HP / 240 Atk / 252 Spe
Shadowstrike
Superpower
Substitute
Will-o-Wisp
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Kitsunoh and Gengar make a pretty stellar offensive Spin-blocking duo, with Gengar switching into Ground moves aimed at Kit and Kit taking common Psychic attacks and Thunder Waves in return. They also each pressure the opponent to react to them immediately, which means momentum is in my favor most of the time when those Subs go up. Kitsunoh has the best defensive typing in the game, as well as one of the best offensive 2-move coverage sets (shared by Gengar) and one of the best singular STAB moves available in Shadowstrike (with its 50% Def drop). Kitsunoh is usually an easy response to defensive Tomohawk, resisting both its STABs and Rapid Spin, as well as Ferrothorn, Scizor, Jirachi, and Revenankh, all of whom hate Burns (and Shadowstrike, in Rev's case). It can handle anything, really, between Burn damage, entry hazard damage, and sheer determination spamming Shadowstrikes.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: this is the best CAP set of all time. Wispy Kit is so hard to deal with I damn near faint when I see opposing Kitsunoh in Team Preview. With incredible Speed, near-constant Def drops from Shadowstrike, and the SubWisp combination, opponents are most often forced to give in and consciously allow one or more of their Pokes to get Burned or KO'd, just to threaten Kit away from the battlefield. The EVs are from the analysis and help Kit make 5 Subs from full health, while the Leftovers help it heal up Sub damage over time.
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Gengar @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe (IVs: 0 Atk)
Shadow Ball
Focus Blast
Substitute
Disable
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Gengar @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe (IVs: 0 Atk)
Shadow Ball
Focus Blast
Substitute
Disable
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And Gengar is the second half of my offensive Spin-blocking pair, synergizing well with Kitsunoh and the rest of the team while being an additional speedy threat for opposing teams to deal with. The SubDisable build is good for this team because it contributes a lot of switches, causing more hazard/status damage in the early-midgame to weaken opposing teams for Latios and Scizor. Gengar is a Sub abuser, just like Kit, and so its Leftovers keep it healthy throughout the match and able to come in time and time again. It also shares Kitsunoh's Ghost/Fighting coverage, which is amazing, even in all-CAP; it allows it to whittle down just about anything that comes its way.
Double Ghosts is a strategy that is pretty completely unavailable to standard OU. Its main advantage is obviously the increased ability to block Rapid Spin over time and keep the residual damage train rolling in the early-midgame. Deoxys-D's setup turns are almost never wasted, and both these sets are custom-designed to force switches, whittle away HP, and create setup opportunities for Latios and Scizor, who both utilize hazard damage and status to their full potential.
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Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD (IVs: 0 Atk)
Earth Power
Ice Beam
Recover
Toxic
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Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD (IVs: 0 Atk)
Earth Power
Ice Beam
Recover
Toxic
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Gastrodon may look like the odd man out, but in many matches it's the MVP. Rain is a constant presence on the All-CAP ladder, and so having a dedicated Rain counter is a necessity for every good CAP team. Few OU Pokes do a better job handling Rain than Gastrodon, and nothing changes in CAP. It's better than Mollux because of its resistances and full immunity to Rain-boosted attacks (except Specs Hurricanes and such). In addition to tanking hits from Politoed, Thundurus-T, Jolteon, and Tornadus-T, Gastrodon is an immediate answer to Krilowatt, Cyclohm, and Mollux, all great CAP Rain abusers. It can tank QD Aurumoth for a while while Toxic wears it away and Recover HP in the face of Choiced U-turns and the like. It can't really touch Syclant, but it can tank a hit or two and chip off enough to break its Focus Sash, at which point Scizor can threaten it painlessly. Gastro is also a great Dragon check with Ice Beam and can keep Kitsunoh's Subs at bay with Earth Power, not really minding the Burn.
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Latios @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe (IVs: 0 Atk)
Dragon Pulse
Psyshock
Substitute
Calm Mind
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Latios @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe (IVs: 0 Atk)
Dragon Pulse
Psyshock
Substitute
Calm Mind
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My third Substitute abuser and first late-game cleaner, CM Latios is a monster, blasting through everything, even weakened Steels, after a CM or two. Latios also acts as a backup Rain check for Gastrodon, with a more out-of-the-gate offensive presence than Latias, which I need from time to time. Many people expect Choice Latios, which is fair, but it contributes a lot to this set's efficacy, often netting me a free Sub or Calm Mind against defensive Politoed, Rotom-W, Mollux, and the like. Problems with faster Pokes like Syclant and Stratagem sometimes tempt me to switch over to the Scarf set, but then this thing goes out and slays things, and so I keep it.
I opt for Psyshock here because the team is pretty susceptible to SkarmBliss already, and Arghonaut/Tomohawk can't really do much to this guy. It's also better against unboosted Revenankh, who I need to get ahead of to keep under control (Bulk Up Rev is the second-best CAP set ever). I also use Leftovers for staying power, as I forego Roost in exchange for a second STAB.
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Scizor @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 200 HP / 252 Atk / 56 Spe
Bullet Punch
Bug Bite
Swords Dance
Roost
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Scizor @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 200 HP / 252 Atk / 56 Spe
Bullet Punch
Bug Bite
Swords Dance
Roost
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The last member of the team is one of my personal favorites, SD Scizor. It checks Syclant and Stratagem in clutch situations, can Roost off damage after taking Choiced Draco Meteors for Kitsunoh/Gastrodon, or from LO+hazards, and it can sweep late-game with an enormous Attack stat and priority. Scizor is my second Steel, only Dark resist, and only LO attacker, and so it benefits enormously from late-game setup opportunities. The Speed EVs are for outrunning defensive Politoed and CB Scizor, while the rest goes into Atk and HP. Most of the time I try to keep Scizor off the field, as its priority is a precious, precious thing; I have to get the timing just right.
Okay, that's it. Everyone should play on the All-CAP ladder. The End.
