In-game/Console Little Cup Rules

[CPU]

(As a disclaimer before I get started: I haven't really played Little Cup, so a lot of this stuff is simply from my own observations as an observer.)

The point in making this thread is to come up with some general ideas about what Little Cup's "official" rules would be in Game Freak ever added it as a Battle Facility (like the Tower or Hall).

It has always seemed to me as though Little Cup would be the hardest competitive area to make rules for. Some are fairly reasonable; a ban on the moves Sonicboom and Dragon Rage for being extremely overpowered, and the Item Berry Juice for restoring an absurd amount of HP for an item. However, defining which Pokémon would be banned seems like it would be a far sticker problem. I'll get into that now.

1. BST

BST is actually a fairly simple way of deciding which Pokémon should be banned. Out of all the 1st-stage Pokémon, there are only 8 which have a BST over 400:

-Scyther
-Misdreavus
-Tangela
-Gligar
-Sneasel
-Ponyta
-Murkrow
-Archen (by 1 point, haha)

Of these, 6 are banned by the community, and I remember seeing a note that Ponyta was banned in the Japanese Little Cup scene (in Gen 4, at least). Archen was just added, and its Ability keeps it from becoming overpowered (just as it does to its big brother).

2. Ability

While BST is certainly a fairly nice way of creating banlists, it's no guarantee, especially when Abilities are involved. Unlike Nintendo/Game Freak (for the most part, anyway), Smogon takes note of a Pokémon as a whole, with Stats, Typing, Moveset, and Ability. As such, let's take a look at the current Little Cup Banlist:

Scyther:    500
Misdreavus: 435
Tangela:    435
Gligar:     430
Sneasel:    430
Murkrow:    405
Yanma:      390
Carvanha:   305
Vulpix:     299
Meditite:   280 (170 attack)

The first six on that list have already been covered under BST. Yanma, while it doesn't have a BST over 400, is close, and its Ability Speed Boost definitely pushes it over the edge. The last 3 can really only be explained through their Abilities.

-Carvanha has some considerable power at its disposal, but it's absurdly frail and doesn't have a particularly good Speed stat. Speed Boost remedied that exceptionally well.

-Vulpix by itself isn't a very imposing Pokémon, but when it's bringing infinite, scorching sun with it into battle, it becomes a grand team player.

-Meditite's Attack is normally not very impressive, but its ability--Pure Power--essentially gives it an Attack stat of 170, bumping its BST to 410.

I can definitely see the first six on the list being banned on an "official" list, but that last four are debatable. Abilities are usually only taken into consideration if they're hindering (see Slaking, Archeops, and Regigigas). If there ever was a Little Cup tournament that was... well, officially sponsored, those four would likely be legal--and abused.


Basically, I'm asking if there is any merit to battling using a "Nintendo-type" banlist?

 

[Jibaku]

Closing this on the premise that this thread aims to speculate on a metagame that's also a speculation. The closest thing to a Nintendo LC ruleset is:

Generation IV

The following restrictions are implied in the Little Cup:

• All Pokémon must be at Level 5, without exception.
• Pokémon must be of the lowest stage in their evolutionary line and must be able evolve.
  • This rule varies with generation: for example, in Generation II, Tangela, which evolves into Tangrowth only in Generation IV, cannot be entered as it was the only Pokémon in its evolutionary line at the time. However, Marill can be entered, as Azurill was not introduced until Generation III.
• Set-damage moves like Dragon Rage or SonicBoom will have no effect.
  • These moves do damage that is usually greater than the HP of most Level 5 Pokémon, and are thus not allowed.

In Generation IV, the following also applies:

• Only three Pokémon may be chosen.
• "Special Pokémon" may not be entered. This includes "Banned Pokémon".
• No two Pokémon in any one team may have the same National Pokédex number.
• No two Pokémon in any one team may be holding the same item.

, and your speculated rules are well-off the actual ones they imposed last gen.

(PS: Vader sucks)