CAP 8 CAP 8 - Concept Assessment

[cyberzero]

The concept for CAP8 has been decided! We'll be going with this:

Name: Neglected Ability

Description: This pokemon will have an ability [or two] that is currently undervalued (but possibly very helpful) in the metagame but isn't used because the other pokemon with this ability don't have the stats or movepool to make it work.

Justification: This is probably one of the best ways to go about learning about the metagame. Seeing why certain abilities don't see much play and what we can do to make them more used is an easy way to learn about the metagame. There is also the possibility that this pokemon will have a beneficial effect on the metagame and/or will create a new niche in the metagame (or take the niche of an old pokemon that didn't see much play).

Explanation: There are plenty of abilities that we can base a concept around that don't see much play. I'm thinking things like Shield Dust (we all know how much I want a good pokemon to abuse this!), Shed Skin (though Rev has this covered imo), Simple, hell even things such as Solar Power or Forewarn. It would be silly of me to try and list out all the abilities we could use for this.

I like this concept because it doesn't restrict typing or stats or whatever. There are so many possible directions this could go in we aren't narrowing too much down, but at the same time I feel it provides just enough direction to keep the pokemon on track.

The process is not kind to the concept - the Ability won't be chosen for a little while. This is NOT the thread to discuss what a "Neglected Ability" is - use your own judgment. This thread is meant for discussion on possible neglected abilities that we can use. Do not preach for a specific ability. From this thread, a definitive list of Allowed and Unallowed abilities will be developed, which will change as we decide on typing and bias, similar to the current Movepool Discussion.

As the typing poll goes on, at the TL's discretion, along with the opinions of others, abilities can be moved from previously Allowed to Unallowed. The goal should be that by the time that the Ability Discussion rolls around, we have a good number of abilities to choose from, but not stretching to infinite, so that we'll be able to better focus our CAP based on previous decisions. Unallowed's primary purpose should be that people KNOW it's not going to be in there. The abilities will be moved based on the typing and bias that YOU choose.

If there is a defensive ability, such as Filter, on the Allowed list, but we choose an offensive bias and typing, Filter will be removed. If it's not on the Allowed list, it's not a candidate. Please don't continue preaching for your own preference if it's not Allowed. If you DO decide to argue, you better have a good argument.

This is how the process will go. Don't argue - it's been decided. No changes will be made to the actual order of events. Now, onto the discussion!



Allowed:
Aftermath
Air Lock/Cloud Nine
Anticipation
Chlorophyll
Color Change
Compoundeyes
Damp
Early Bird
Effect Spore
Flower Gift
Forewarn
Gluttony
Hustle
Iron Fist
Leaf Guard
Marvel Scale
Mold Breaker
Poison Point
Quick Feet
Reckless
Rock Head
Rough Skin
Shield Dust
Skill Link
Solar Power
Soundproof
Static
Suction Cups
Synchronize
Tangled Feet
Thick Fat
Trace
Unburden

Pending:

Unallowed:
Adaptibility
Battle Armor
Drizzle
Drought
Forecast
Frisk
Huge Power
Insomnia
Limber
Magic Guard
Magma Armor
Pure Power
Scrappy
Shadow Tag
Shed Skin
Shell Armor
Simple
Slow Start
Snow Warning
Stall
Tinted Lens
Vital Spirit
Wonder Guard

 

[Fuzznip]

I would think Skill Link, Reckless, and Stall are decent options as abilities as they are all neglected and the users with these abilities are horrible.

Skill Link is only used by Cloyster, and he is horrible at using it to its full potential. Rock Blast and Icicle Spear are perfect examples for this ability.

Reckless is only used by Hitmonlee and it doesn't have enough moves to use this ability to its full potential. So moves like Brave Bird and Head Smash would be dangerous.

Stall is only used by Sableye, and I don't even need to go there. Payback and Avalanche?

There's many, many more abilities out there, but I think these can be used and make them much more viable.

 

[umbreonleader]

Well, I guess I'll get the ball rolling by suggesting this ability:
ROUGH SKIN(bolded for fun)
Its not seen often at all in OU, and not even used to its full potential in UU because sharpedo has paper for defenses and wont survive worth shit anyway. This could go on any knid of tank or wall, either to discourage hitting a specially oriented wall's weak side, or to make the physical wall capable of doing some more passive damage. It's rare, neglected, and, well, it's an ability.
Leaves a lot of possibilities.

 

[RBG]

May I add that Stall is not programmed into Shoddy right now, so it can't be our ability

 

[Veedrock]

Adaptibility

Everyone knows how important good STAB moves are, and Adaptibility increases the usefulness of STAB. Adaptibility is only available on one Pokemon; it's a Normal Type which isn't "bad," though it's build is specially biased (so 204 Return isn't the best idea), and it has no coverage (however, neutral coverage is sufficient for this ability). Adaptibility will push the importance of STAB to a new level, though it will be difficult to assess just what STAB will be present with the order of events. If the typing is "bad" offensively (like Poison), Adaptibility will make the bad STAB viable; if it's a good offensive typing (like Dragon [oh god]), it becomes even more powerful (which we will likely have to limit in the movepool). To a degree, it's a better Tinted Lens as technically all resisted blows do neutral damage. This ability allows us to examine more than just an ability, which is important so we don't "waste our time."

 

[Gothic Togekiss]

This is NOT the thread to discuss what a "Neglected Ability" is - use your own judgment.

Erh...right. Since we can't discuss what makes a ability neglected or not I just say this "Any ability that are on an OU pokemon aren't considered neglected". This statement came from straight from EM's mouth and I don't see it as absurd. Now then they're about 36 abilities used within OU to date, leaving us with 87 other abilities to choose from.

Abilities used within OU aka Not Neglected abilities.
Pressure
Synchronize
Inner Focus
Levitate
Natural Cure
Serene Grace
Poison Heal
Studry
Arena Trap
Motor Drive
Intimidate
Snow Warning
Sand Stream
Hyper Cutter
Flash Fire
Guts
Volt Absorb
Swift Swim
No Guard
Magnet Pull
Clear Body
Speed Boost
Adaptibility
Soild Rock
Water Absorb
Technician
Thick Fat
Liquid Ooze
Snow Cloak
Shed Skin
Limber
Unaware
Vital Spirit
Frisk
Compoundeyes
Battle Armor

I would like to suggest Rock Head, Magic Guard.

Rock Head is a very good offensive ability what with the ability to abuse high powered move without fear of Recoil, but is sadly considered neglected because those who have either can't use it to the fullest (Aero) or those with lackluster typing/stats (Reliawhatever). I believe it wouldn't be so neglected if it was placed on a Pokemon that had the stat and movepool for it.

Magic Guard is an awesome ability with nearly endless options on what role a Pokemon could preform. Having the immunity to entry hazards, damaging weather, recoils (from recoil and Life Orb recoil), and status damage aids a pokemon in offense, defense, switching in/out you name it. The only problem is that it's on a Pokemon that isn't very good at the moment. If given onto a creature with better typing, stat, and movepool Magic Guard could shine like 1000 suns.

 

[Magmortified]

After a little tinkering, I think I've managed to figure out a list of abilities that, by EM's concept description, might be considered neglected. This is not a definitive list. This is merely intended to be a guideline.

-Aftermath
-Anger Point
-Anticipation
-Battle Armor
-Chlorophyll
-Color Change
-Cute Charm
-Damp
-Dry Skin
-Early Bird
-Filter
-Flame Body
-Flower Gift
-Forecast
-Gluttony
-Huge Power
-Hydration
-Ice Body
-Insomnia
-Iron Fist
-Keen Eye
-Klutz
-Leaf Guard
-Magic Guard
-Magma Armor
-Marvel Scale
-Mold Breaker
-Normalize
-Overgrow
-Shield Dust
-Snow Warning
-Poison Point
-Pure Power
-Quick Feet
-Rain Dish
-Reckless
-Rivalry
-Rough Skin
-Scrappy
-Shell Armor
-Shield Dust
-Simple
-Skill Link
-Slow Start
-Sniper
-Solar Power
-Soundproof
-Static
-Steadfast
-Sticky Hold
-Suction Cups
-Super Luck
-Tangled Feet
-Tinted Lens
-Truant
-Unburden
-Water Veil
-Wonder Guard

Please note that I haven't included any ability that's currently on an OU Pokemon. This might be up to debate, because there are quite a few abilities that are in the minority for usage altogether. This list was drawn up based on EM's concept definition, not on what might be considered "Neglected" as applied using the word. Abilities like Air Lock (Revenakh), Download (PorygonZ), etc. were left out because of this. Again, it is subject to change.

I am not currently aware of abilities that were not implemented on Shoddy (Stall, I know, was not). But the list will be updated if I hear anything on other abilities.

EDIT: Well, damn. GT kind of beat me to the punch... sort of.

 

[Solstice]

Shield Dust, Simple, and Tinted Lens. All are helpful abilities that fit the concept assessment, Simple and Tinted Lens being for sweepers, and Shield Dust can pretty much work with anything.

 

[Lord Alchemy]

Trace

Mainly because Pory2 and Gardevoir aren't enough. Trace is just bad ass. And it isn't like either sees that much use in OU anyways.

 

[Kaxtar]

Unburden.

For those who want an Anti-Stall pokemon, this could be your CAP. Any pokemon who has +2 of an attack stat (Nasty Plot, Swords Dance) and +1 speed (Unburden boost) can destroy stall, or at least damage most of the team before it goes down. It can also get a team that is down 4-1, for example, a fighting chance. So, basically it would most likely give us a new sweeper that can get boosts through a few common means (Sub+Pinch Berry, Focus Sash), or a defensive pokemon who likes speed.

 

[pit-fall]

A defensive Rough Skin user would be nuts.

 

[Tint]

My vote is for Tinted Lens. The users of this are too frail, and weak to SR. This is a great wall-breaking ability, and it doesn't even see use on the best pokemon that has it, Yanmega, who usually forgoes it in favor of Speed Boost.

Mold Breaker is a great ability too. Imagine Rotoms getting nailed by ground moves, firing off T-Bolts at Electivires, stating up on 'Naut, and hitting Heatran for neutral damage with Fire. I like.

Dry Skin is interesting, maybe to get rid of a Fire/Ground pokemon's major weakness to help it sweep. Idk, doesn't seem too great if we give it to a water-neutral pokemon.

 

[Umbreon Dan]

Scrappy is only available on Miltank and Kangaskhan, but it certainly has potential.

 

[Afti]

Defensive Color Change makes this an excellent Pokemon to switch in on Choice users, as many common types (Fire, Ice, Water, Grass, Poison, Electric, Psychic, Dark, Steel) are resistant to themselves. The ability to come in on the vast majority of Choice users and force them out in many cases would be quite useful. For example:

Scizor used Bullet Punch!
CAP8 swiches in!
CAP8 took 40% damage!
CAP8 became the Steel type!

All of a sudden CB Scizor has to switch out, because Bullet Punch is going to do crap to CAP8 now. Of course, this is far from the only time Color Change would be useful...

 

[Kaxtar]

Mold Breaker is a great ability too. Imagine Rotoms getting nailed by ground moves, firing off T-Bolts at Electivires, stating up on 'Naut, and hitting Heatran for neutral damage with Fire. I like.

Mold Breaker would be great. It would not allow you to set up on Argho though, because Mold Breaker only allows you to hit pokemon with moves that they wuld be normally immune to because of abilities. Unaware only negates stat boosts when Argho is involved in damage calculation.

 

[Huntofthelion]

Mold Breaker and Tinted Lens are pretty fun to use, and I'd love to see them on better pokemon.

 

[diinbong]

My preference depends on the type of Pokemon; defensively or offensively oriented. For each, I think the undeniably useful ones would be Filter, Shield Dust, Trace, Color Change, and Magic Guard (defensive), and Tinted Lens, Mold Breaker, Simple, and Quick Feet/Guts (offensive). I'm apprehensive to create anything with a status-abusing ability, however, as it's fairly popular through the tiers. I think the ability should have a constant effect on the Pokemon (ie: Filter) and not be implemented/usable only at the use of specific moves or situations (Stall, Reckless, Skill Link). Let's make it interesting!

Color Change is already usable in UU on Kecleon, though somewhat unknown. It completely rips up Choice items, besides Dragon-types, obviously. Unfortunately its use is a lot in the opponent's hands. It would probably encourage some items like Expert Belt, though, which would be fun! [bolded because I can!]

edit: oh, and who's going to bring up Magic Guard? Dark/Ghost type, anyone?

 

[Tint]

So to be sure I got this right, we make the pokemon, then the ability?

 

[Fuzznip]

My preference depends on the type of Pokemon; defensively or offensively oriented. For each, I think the undeniably useful ones would be Filter, Shield Dust, Trace, and Magic Guard (defensive), and Tinted Lens, Mold Breaker, Simple, and Quick Feet/Guts (offensive).[/B] I'm apprehensive to create anything with a status-abusing ability, however, as it's fairly popular through the tiers. I think the ability should have a constant effect on the Pokemon (ie: Filter) and not be implemented/usable only at the use of specific moves or situations (Stall, Reckless, Skill Link). Let's make it interesting!

I don't think Guts should be allowed. Heracross and Machamp are perfect examples at using this and they're very good.

 

[diinbong]

I don't think Guts should be allowed. Heracross and Machamp are perfect examples at using this and they're very good.

This is NOT the thread to discuss what a "Neglected Ability" is - use your own judgment.

 

[Ascalon]

I rather like the idea of Static and Flame Body. Having a sweeper burn or paralize itself on contact with an opponent could be very intersting for a tank. While these traits are found if you look hard enough, they are not in a position to be used for tanking (Raichu and Magcargo? Please), which is what they would be good for.

 

[Atlas]

If there is a defensive ability, such as Filter, on the Allowed list, but we choose an offensive bias and typing, Filter will be removed.

why would you remove it when filter is a positive thing for offensive pokemon, taking less damage is always a good thing. heck even the only pokemon with filter, mr. mime, is offensive based.

 

[Infiltrator]

- Mold Breaker
- Scrappy
- Shield Dust

I think the three abilities listed above has great potential and are so "Neglected".

Mold Breaker: Mold breaker is such a great ability but only 2 Pokémon carries this ability with them ( Rampardos and Pinsir) both of which are very fragile. This is able to hit Pokémon with the ability levitate, with ground type attacks, that normally want to come in and set up.

Scrappy: Being able to hit ghost types with normal and fighting moves is so useful, especially when using it on Kitsunoh and the almighty Rotom-A.

Shield Dust: Being able to cancel out secondary abilities from moves, like Iron Head(Flinch), Thunderbolt(paralyzed), flamethrower(burned) etc. Those move are some of the things that prevents Pokemon from sweeping or setting up. Canceling out those side effects would be very useful.

 

[Azacin]

Anyone remember Wonderguard? And, once again, I think that a weather based pokemon (Chlorophyl) would be great.

 

[cyberzero]

Wonder Guard is controversial, but I think that it can be allowed until the typing has been decided. If we pick something with very few or no weaknesses, it will be move to Unallowed but it will be Pending as of now.