This seems potentially fun, and my computer has
finally stopped exploding, so I'll give it a try. I'll see if I can get Keen Eye idea finished in the next 20 minutes or so and edit it into here. (
EDIT: Make that 40 minutes since I both changed my original, likely either broken or unfun idea--sorry, Lycanroc-Midnight--and then couldn't--and still can't--think of a good, fitting name for the idea. Also decided to add Teleport to Oranguru because I apparently hate everyone.)
Pokémon: Drapion
Ability Modified: Keen Eye
New Ability Name: Lean Eye
New Ability Effect: This Pokémon's Poison, Bug, and Dark attacks do 1.3x in Sandstorm; this Pokémon is to Sandstorm. {a.k.a. type-shifted Sand Force}
Typing: Poison/Dark {unchanged}
Stats: 075 HP / 100 Atk / 110 Def / 060 SpA / 075 SpD / 100 Spe = 520 BST {+05 HP, +10 Atk, and +05 Spe = +20 BST}
Movepool Changes: gains Crush Claw, First Impression, Gunk Shot, Metal Claw, Sandstorm, Scorching Sands, Sucker Punch, and U-Turn.
Competitive Role: I hate adding so many moves at once, but at least half of these are moves it should arguably already have and at least three of them are moves it will never use and thus more for flavor than anything. That said, it does need more threatening physical Poison STAB to make the best of its new ability given it already has Knock Off, and First Impression, Sucker Punch,
and U-Turn legitimately make sense for a mon that's known for sandy ambushes. Speaking of which, I hate more that for all Drapion's potential and lore, it's mostly ended up as an Acupressure meme as well as a desert mon that somehow takes damage from Sand; even Cacturne is spared that indignity, meaning it bugs me a lot. So giving Drapion an ability that at least gives it a potential niche on Sand teams as a form of decently strong Speed control that now naturally outpaces
and has STAB to blow up both Tapu Lele
and Tapu Fini is at least
something more concrete it has going for it beyond the slight buff to its stats and its many new moves. It's probably doubtless still a lesser mon than Excadrill in that sense, who also still destroys it in Sand, but it at least gives Sand teams more type diversity despite unfortunately sharing the typical weakness to Ground. Still, it at least isn't weak to Water or Ice or Fighting, though it doesn't resist any of those either, and it outright resists Grass, which at least helps it cover its esteemed enemy Hippowdon some. Yay?
Pokémon: Regirock
Ability Modified: Clear Body
New Ability Name: Sheer Body {"Sheer" as in "sheer cliff"}
New Ability Effect: This Pokémon's Psychic power is 2x; it can't be burned; Water power against it is halved. {a.k.a. an erosion-themed Water Bubble that boosts Psychic attacks rather than Rock or Ground so as to be actually be balanced.}
Typing: Rock {unchanged}
Stats: 080 HP / 100 Atk / 200 Def / 050 SpA / 100 SpD / 050 Spe = 580 BST {unchanged}
Movepool Changes: gains Power Gem, Psycho Cut, Stored Power, and Zen Headbutt
Competitive Role: A ("pure") Rock type that is not only actually good without needing automatic Sandstorm, a Mega form, an exclusive Z-Stone move, Tough Claws, and/or being part Fighting, but that also isn't weak to Water (without being named Cradily), quad weak to anything, or lacking an actual resistance to Flying. Furthermore, it's the rare physical mon that doesn't have to worry about random Scald burns or even Burn in general from actual Fire moves, which finally gives it parity with its initial Regi-brethen along the lines of status immunity given Regice is immune to Freeze and Registeel is immune to Poison (and Regigigas is immune to Being Used). While definitely weird, super pseudo-STAB Psychic--ultimately based on its lack of a heart and other organs but obvious consciousness despite that--also enables it to potentially 2HKO Toxapex as well as explode most Fighting types that try to aggressively switch in on it. It also makes Stored Power potentially hilariously strong despite its abysmal SpA via its various boosting moves, though that takes a while and it's thankfully still slow as molasses (without Rock Polish) and still has four other weaknesses even if it can't be Burned now. So that basically should help still keep this in check given I have refrained from giving it Shore Up even as thematic as giving it Shore Up would otherwise be for it--please no. Finally, it makes an interesting abuser of Psychic Terrain given the only real overlap it has with Psychic mons is being weak to Steel like Tapu Lele is.
Pokémon: Oranguru
Ability Modified: Inner Focus
New Ability Name: Center Focus
New Ability Effect: This Pokémon draws Dark moves to itself to raise its Special Attack by 1; it is immune to Dark moves. {a.k.a. like Storm Drain for
chocolate Dark}
Typing: Normal/Psychic {unchanged}
Stats: 090 HP / 057 Atk / 100 Def / 108 SpA / 100 SpD / 060 Spe = 515 BST {-03 Atk, +20 Def, +18 SpA, and -10 SpD = +25 BST}
Movepool Changes: gains Defog, Hurricane, Hyper Voice, Recover, and Teleport; loses Nasty Plot {since I don't want to think about it interacts with its new ability
and it makes even less sense flavor-wise now}
Competitive Role: "Shining with an easy enlightenment, Oranguru now leads by example! It shields others from temptation, drawing Darkness (within Darkness) towards itself before showing and Instructing others how to better themselves!" By way of its new ability, it already has several niches, the chiefest of which being that it becomes the only mon to be outright immune to Knock Off. It's not "doesn't lose its item and takes less damage" pseudo-immune but totally immune. That already would be pretty big, but given that it was previously weak to Dark as well, it outright loses a weakness too, now only weak to Bug, which is slightly less of an issue on physical defensive side despite all the U-Turn due to its base Defense getting boosted by 25%. Being immune to Dark also means it's immune to Pursuit, to Taunt, and, amusingly, to Switcheroo, meaning that Trick is literally the only way to remove its item forcibly without bypassing its ability somewhat. Between all its gained move-wise and already having Calm Mind and Knock Off, it should actually be worth using in Singles now at least as either a Calm Mind cleaner or Supportive mon, especially since its recovery is now more reliable than I was considering giving it. As recompense, however, I decided to make it slightly more vulnerable on the SpD side just so it's not as bulky as it might otherwise be, especially with only one weakness, even given Normal/Psychic's lack of resists; R.I.P. Sableye(-Mega) though. (Also, it might be somewhat obnoxious in Doubles now given how Center Focus would work, but in an inverse of Game Freak's current policy, I couldn't really care much less about Doubles unless I would adding something
obviously broken. I'm sure there are still (far) more busted strategies anyway, especially since it's now ironically vulnerable to Fake Out, basically
the Doubles move.)
)
