Closed [CAP] Switch Initiative [QC Reject 2/2]

[Strawberries]

• Name: Switch Initiative Counter.

• Description of Concept: A Pokémon that allows us to efficiently stop/block Switch Initiative.

• Reason for Concept: Switch Initiative is common and a possible game changer in the OU meta. The main reason this is a problem is because it allows your opponent to switch in to a counter to the pokemon you have on the field. Meaning that we need a way to Successfully switch our Pokemon. While if you switch and your opponent uses a moves with Switch Initiative, your opponent sees what you bring out first and then switch into the counter to that. Sometimes, you can basically get trapped in a situation where if you stay in, your opponent will faint you, and if you switch out they can use Switch Initiative. Meaning that there's no way out. Switch Initiative can give your opponent a big lead in the battle. With a pokemon that can completely block Switch Initiative, we can Successfully switch out our pokemon.

Share your thoughts about Switch Initiative below. Feel free to share your ideas, and your thoughts.

 

[Loli-Shark]

Isn't the whole point in pokemon, a larger form or rock paper scissors, to be able to predict switches and counter them? More so, the moves such as u-turn and volt switch are common, and you can almost always assume which pokemon your opponent will come in to. That's the kinda thing with those moves, not so high risk and high reward, provided your opponent is silly and doesn't predict them. The issue comes when you don't predict. I do get where you're coming from, it just seems that it's easy enough as is to predict as of now. Besides, you see people in high tier battles just switching in and out, with the use of volt switch or u-turn or not

 

[Martin]

I'm not too sure about this one personally. It seems like it would be reliant on an ability which prevents voltturning or through another slow voltturner (of which we already have Rotom-W, defensive Landorus-T, Scizor, Pangoro and Lagging Tail Whimsicott - just listing the most notable ones). It seems like it is very limited in the ways that it could be implemented. While I agree that VoltTurning is a big, I feel like a Pokemon that completely shuts down a number of playstyles (HO VoltTurn, Defensive VoltTurn, Balanced VoltTurn and any other VoltTurn playstyle you can think of) would become limiting towards teambuilding. I'm not going to reject it for now because I want to see more discussion, but keep it in mind that I may. I'll give it to you that it would be a very influential niche tho, which is part of the aim of CAP, which is the main reason why I'm not rejecting it right away (and one which has failed with a lot of Smogon's CAPs, with them sitting to rot - unused in CAP OU)

 

[Matt_192]

I'm not too sure about this one personally. It seems like it would be reliant on an ability which prevents voltturning or through another slow voltturner (of which we already have Rotom-W, defensive Landorus-T, Scizor, Pangoro and Lagging Tail Whimsicott - just listing the most notable ones). It seems like it is very limited in the ways that it could be implemented. While I agree that VoltTurning is a big, I feel like a Pokemon that completely shuts down a number of playstyles (HO VoltTurn, Defensive VoltTurn, Balanced VoltTurn and any other VoltTurn playstyle you can think of) would become limiting towards teambuilding. I'm not going to reject it for now because I want to see more discussion, but keep it in mind that I may. I'll give it to you that it would be a very influential niche tho, which is part of the aim of CAP, which is the main reason why I'm not rejecting it right away (and one which has failed with a lot of Smogon's CAPs, with them sitting to rot - unused in CAP OU)

I have to disagree with this to be honest. The amount of actually slow, tanky U-turners and Volt Switchers in the tier is actually very low - your examples of Defensive Lando-T and Rotom-W are still too fast at base 91 and base 87 respectively, and Pangoro does not warrant enough use for it to be recognised fully as an example, despite Parting Shot being a relatively good abuser of a Switch Initiative strategy. Even when Pangoro is used, it tends to run a lot of speed to outspeed threats up to uninvested base 87s, which is quite key for the role it performs.

Lagging Tail Whimsicott and Scizor are the only notable examples, but this is reliant on either running a support Pokemon or running CB/taking up your mega slot, seeing as most other variants of Scizor are kinda ass. Either way, there is no reliable specially attacking switch initiative Pokemon, nor is there one that resists Talonflame.

 

[Martin]

I have to disagree with this to be honest. The amount of actually slow, tanky U-turners and Volt Switchers in the tier is actually very low - your examples of Defensive Lando-T and Rotom-W are still too fast at base 91 and base 87 respectively, and Pangoro does not warrant enough use for it to be recognised fully as an example, despite Parting Shot being a relatively good abuser of a Switch Initiative strategy. Even when Pangoro is used, it tends to run a lot of speed to outspeed threats up to uninvested base 87s, which is quite key for the role it performs.

Lagging Tail Whimsicott and Scizor are the only notable examples, but this is reliant on either running a support Pokemon or running CB/taking up your mega slot, seeing as most other variants of Scizor are kinda ass. Either way, there is no reliable specially attacking switch initiative Pokemon, nor is there one that resists Talonflame.

Commenting on the Scizor one: the thing about Scizor is that its mega stone can very easily be subbed out with any of Life Orb, Leftovers or Iron Plate if your team needs to use another mega. It is one of the great things about Scizor, and it can fit onto a far wider range of teams because of this. Also, when compared to the majority of the OU metagame's VoltTurners, defensive Lando-T and Rotom-W are slow, meaning that they already fill the 'slow voltturner' role rather well. The main way that I could see this working would be through the use of an ability that negates the switching effect of Volt Switch, U-Turn and Parting Shot or negates the tertiary effects of all moves used by Pokemon on the field (switching, fainting, recoil etc.). I actually like the concept behind the latter, as it would give a completely unique niche to it - allowing it to repeatedly use things like Memento, Explosion and Flare Blitz without drawbacks, while also allowing things on the opposite side of the field to do the same (so that it isn't completely broken), but the only problem that I have with this version of the concept being that it is completely reliant on the ability (which is a shame).

What do you feel would be the best course of action for this kind of concept @Strawberries?

 

[Strawberries]

After Thinking it through this is what I came up with.

TBH, I don't think Switch Initiative is that big of an issue in the OU meta ATM, although I do think that overtime it will become more of an issue. It may become more of an issue after our first CAP/ if something such as Empoleon moved up to OU. But for now, I think it's just best to leave this idea alone for the time being. We may come back to it in the future, But probably not right now from the looks of it. -@Marigi174, -@Matt_192

 

[Matt_192]

Because of your comment, I think it's safe for me to QC Reject 1/2.

Although I actually think this could have worked :/

 

[Martin]

QC Reject 2/2
@Matt_192