Pokebattle - a points-based metagame

[Lord Kyuubi]

I've recently learned about a new online metagame, and decided Bulbagarden might like it, in case no-one's aware of it already. The website is www.pokebattle.com, for those of you who just want to get started rather than reading my excessive rambling. But for those of you who don't, here's some important information. (I may have mentioned this in passing somewhere else, actually. Hmmm...)

The most important thing is that Pokebattle, while following most essential Smogon rules, is very different in its approach to teambuilding. Rather than providing tiers, each pokemon is assigned a points value, and you're limited to 1000 points per team. For example, mega charizard Y is worth 215 points, garchomp is worth 175, flareon is worth 115 and magikarp is worth 5. The idea is that while it is technically possible to run some OP pokemon, it means you have to run weak ones to compensate. It's a system which still needs a lot of refining, I think, but definitely an interesting one.

To quickly run through some pros and cons:

Pros:
-Encourages more varied teams.
-Allows some pokemon banned by Smogon, but still restricts their use with high costs.
-Most ridiculous pokemon are still banned. (note 'most')
-Some pokemon who are normally never used now see some use.
-It's quite a novel system.

Cons:
-The points system is too lenient - most standard OU teams would probably make it.
-Some of the points values are crazily out of proportion. (Goodra costs 145 points - that's the same as regular mawile)
-Sticky web is OP - you can get a cheap webber very easily.
-Mega kangaskhan is allowed. Really, Pokebattle? (It costs 320 points, though)

Hmmm, yes it does need improving a bit, definitely. But I won't deny that it shows promise. The main improvements I think would be to raise the points cost of most pokemon, and to ban mega kangaskhan. I honestly feel under more pressure to use all of my points than to stay under the limit.

So, yes, Pokebattle! A new metagame, which may be of interest to someone here other than me! Let the discussions and fights to the death begin!

EDIT: This is still in its beta phases, by the way, so nothing is finalised.

 

[Stofen]

Oh Arceus, you got your Warhammer in my Pokemon!

However, I still don't see this working if for no reason that there are too many pokemon that are flat out better than others. Tiers will still form out of this since people will now have a point system to more easily compare pokes, "well gee all these 150 point pokes are so much better than the 50 point pokes, maybe I'll call them the Don't Use pokemon".

 

[Lord Kyuubi]

Oh Arceus, you got your Warhammer in my Pokemon!

Pretty much my first thought, too! Except Arceus isn't my deity of choice, by ah well...

However, I still don't see this working if for no reason that there are too many pokemon that are flat out better than others. Tiers will still form out of this since people will now have a point system to more easily compare pokes, "well gee all these 150 point pokes are so much better than the 50 point pokes, maybe I'll call them the Don't Use pokemon".

Effectively, yes, that is going to be an issue. I think the main issue, though, is there's not enough variation in costs (and you're allowed to spend too many anyway) for lower things to get that much use anyway. To quote the eeveelutions, off the top of my head, vaporeon costs 140, sylveon and espeon cost 135, jolteon and umbreon cost 125, flareon costs 115, leafeon costs 110 and glaceon costs 100. And eevee costs 50, if you're really interested. There's a world of difference between the viable ones and the non-viable ones, but only 40 points difference between highest and lowest. Out of a 1000 point limit, that's just ridiculous.

Most OU pokemon are somewhere in the 150-200 range, I think, which gives you plenty of freedom. Too much, and nothing limiting you to the lower down pokemon.

Here's the full pokedex, if you're interested

 

[TerraTF]

The fact that you can have both Speed Boost Blaziken and M-Kangahskan on the same team just seem insane to me. It would just be so broken.

 

[Lord Kyuubi]

The fact that you can have both Speed Boost Blaziken and M-Kangahskan on the same team just seem insane to me. It would just be so broken.

Seconded. And it leaves you enough points for some sort of defensive core, sticky web, and some sort of filler. More work needs to be done, namely, banning mega kangaskhan, for a start.

Just as a test, I managed to fit those two on a team with skarmory, sylveon, surskit for sticky web and a random furret for no other reason than it filled up my points. In practice, it's more a team of four than anything, but your point about it being broken remains.

 

[TerraTF]

The fact that you can have both Speed Boost Blaziken and M-Kangahskan on the same team just seem insane to me. It would just be so broken.

Seconded. And it leaves you enough points for some sort of defensive core, sticky web, and some sort of filler. More work needs to be done, namely, banning mega kangaskhan, for a start.

Just as a test, I managed to fit those two on a team with skarmory, sylveon, surskit for sticky web and a random furret for no other reason than it filled up my points. In practice, it's more a team of four than anything, but your point about it being broken remains.

You don't need any Pokemon outside of Speed Boost Blaziken and M-Kanga. Get Blaziken to +2/+2 and pass it off and every team is done for.

 

[Lord Kyuubi]

You don't need any Pokemon outside of Speed Boost Blaziken and M-Kanga. Get Blaziken to +2/+2 and pass it off and every team is done for.

While I agree with you, it is pretty easy to phaze blaziken out before it can set up that much. Particularly on the turn it passes to kangaskhan. Assuming someone's just going to let you set up right at the start of a battle is absurd. Even if you do, kangaskhan's still not invincible, although it's admittedly very unlikely to be stopped by anything. I imagine it will get banned at some point though, because a lot of people are complaining about it.