CAP 2 Prevo - Part 2 - Ability Discussion

[capefeather]

So I hear abilities are pretty cool. Since Necturna has a regular ability and a hidden ability, its pre-evolution will also follow that pattern. However, you may suggest a single ability (precedent with Starly), since that would be inserted as Foo / Foo. Necturna's ability process was a long and arduous one, but with the pre-evolution, we're going to be discussing combos of both ability slots. Feel free to suggest combos or discuss combos that others have suggested.

Keep in mind that order does matter somewhat. The regular ability will evolve into Forewarn, and the hidden ability will evolve into Telepathy. The status quo combo of Forewarn / Telepathy will automatically be on the poll. While we shouldn't get too outlandish with the alternatives, this is an entirely flavor-based consideration, so if you have one whopper of a suggestion that fits, try it and see what happens! It's worth mentioning that Necturna's abilities are negligibly competitive. Arena Trap, Drizzle, Drought, Huge Power, Imposter, Magic Bounce, Magic Guard, Multitype, Pure Power, Shadow Tag, Tinted Lens, Unaware, Wonder Guard, and Zen Mode are banned.

This discussion will be open for at least 24 hours, and when I close it, I will slate combinations that are convincing and have significant community support for the polls. The CAP 2 final product can be seen here.



(Click on the egg for the art thread!)

 

[Mario With Lasers]

While I'm talking about an exception here, a single ability would be possible, as Starly has only one (Keen Eye), and may evolve into Intimidate or Reckless Staravia. So, if someone suggests a single ability so that it seems plausible it could "evolve" into Forewarn and Telepathy, then I guess we could accept it.

 

[tennisace]

It needs to have some secondary ability from the Dream World, one ability can't evolve into Standard + Dream World.

edit: misread. Still, that would be presented as Keen Eye/Keen Eye

 

[AOPSUser]

Or Keen Eye/Telepathy, since everything else with Telepathy as a DW ability starts with Telepathy as a DW ability.

 

[Mafeking]

While I'm perfectly fine with keeping the Forewarn / Telepathy combination, I'd like to propose Effect Spore as a possible alternative. People in the typing discussion were making points about the Ghost typing of Necturna overshadowing its Grass typing. I feel that Effect Spore on mini-Necturna would potentially solve this issue, though the change from Effect Spore to Forewarn is rather dramatic and would've been more indicative of a mono-Grass typing.

That said, I feel like Effect Spore is our best choice if we want to change anything up about the abilities this Pokemon will have. However, I feel like options such as Infiltrator (seen on Whimsicott, for a Grass-type parallel) and Shed Skin (would be indicative of a more malignant Pokemon; we could potentially flavor this pre-evolution as something that constantly replaces the leaves around it, covering up its Ghost(ly) appearance) would probably work as well.

EDIT: Also, Unnerve, I guess, if we want to stick to rather non-competitive abilities. But meh.

DOUBLE EDIT: Rattled is pretty useless, but would theoretically make sense. Necturna, and by extension this pre-evolution, is weak to both Dark and Ghost attacks thanks to its own Ghost typing, and though she's neutral to Bug for the same reason, Bug is still super effective against Grass-types, giving it some sort of viability.

Additionally, I'm not sold on giving mini-Necturna any of the abilities that revolve around the sun, as it seems unlikely that a pretty malevolent Ghost-type spirit would draw power from the sun, but I see the merits of those abilities enhancing the relationship with the Grass-type.

 

[Temperantia]

Depending on how we go, flavorwise, I could see the standard Grass Chlorophyll or Leaf Guard as filler or perhaps if we want to go less sun-oriented, Effect Spore, Poison Point or Poison Touch work also.

I may have just mentioned Grass filler, but I would much prefer these or really anything else (within limits) to keeping the abilities the same. I believe that with CAPrevo2's abilities we can show a more light-hearted side to Necturna and reinforce the Grass typing that isn't necessarily obvious.

 

[Asylum_Rhapsody]

Pretty much all of these suggestions sound too competitively viable, even Unnerve and Rattled. I remember because I suggested Rattled originally for Necturna, and it got shot down pretty quickly. As for Unnerve, it made it to the voting, but I don't see why it shouldn't get shot down for this Pokemon if it got shot down for Necturna.

I really don't see the point in making this Pokemon's abilities different from Necturna's. Like giving it different typing, it seems like trying to be different just for the sake of trying to be different. What exactly would be the point if making its abilities different?

At best, I could maybe see its abilities being Telepathy/Telepathy. I say that because Forewarn sounds like an "upgraded" version of Telepathy, so it seems plausible that a Pokemon could evolve from Telepathy to Forewarn and that the Dreamworld ability would actually be the ability to retain Telepathy.

 

[bugmaniacbob]

Cute Charm for the win (self-explanatory)

Or if not, Anticipation may be a nice alternative as "evolving" into Forewarn since it's almost like a less controlled, less useful version - or, to put it more simply, it's as though Miniturna hasn't yet learn't to control its future-seeing powers, so all it can do is occasionally get involuntary shudders when it's in danger, rather than alerting itself to the opposing Pokemon's moveset automatically

Telepathy shouldn't be changed, in my opinion. It's fine as it is.

If none of the above, it should probably stay the same. There aren't really many other glaringly obvious abilities that also relate it to Necturna in the same way.

Thus:

Cute Charm / Telepathy
Anticipation / Telepathy
Forewarn / Telepathy

Pick and mix.

 

[Kyuzeth]

I agree on BMB's points; Cute Charm would fit for a cute Pokémon like Miniturna will likely be, but Anticipation would very well fit as a step toward Forewarn.

 

[milo v3]

I'd say bugmaniacbob's Anticipation / Telepathy fits the best.
This is because its a weaker version of the evolved forms ability, and the pre-evo is a weaker version of the evolved form so....

 

[Spork]

Well since we haven't done artwork yet, we're in the position of having ability dictate design, rather than the other way around (how we did it with Necturna), which makes it kinda difficult to suggest anything that's a little more outlandish, as there's really no basis for doing so.

We could have a kind of more bestial, primitive ability palete evolve into Necturna's enlightened, psychic abilities, like Anticipation/Frisk into Forewarn/Telepathy (or perhaps something like Unaware into Forewarn/Telepathy?).

We could stick with the same abilities, which I think is definitely the right path.

Or we could try and anticipate artwork with Cute Charm or something, but I think that's a really bad idea.

 

[Bughouse]

I think we can give a more offensively oriented and competitive ability to the Prevo, as we can choose to give the Prevo very mediocre attacking stats to offset that. The fact of the matter is that in LC base stats matter a ton. And as long as we keep down the Prevo's speed offensively boosting sets will not be overly dominant as grass/ghost has many weaknesses.

 

[chuckeroo777]

negligibly competitive?
How about illuminate/run away?
illuminate forewarns you to monsters in the dark, telephathy runs away from ally attacks.

 

[Gemini Taurus]

I would like to suggest Friend Guard and either Pickpocket or Prankster. The pre-evo is likely to be a really cute and happy one and Friend Guard is given to cute first stage pokemon (cleffa, igglybuff). Also if Necturna can trust spirits, her baby form should be friends with them!

As for the other two, I would perceive the Necturna baby to be quite mischievous and cunning as it is a ghost type and Necturna herself looks fairly cunning. Pickpocket would be a way to show just how sly she is, taking advantage of those who think her to be cute. Prankster would show that she can cause quite a bit of mischief a way, again, to take advantage of those who overlook her potential.

So Friend Guard/Pickpocket
or Friend Guard/Prankster

 

[Tortferngatr]

I'd say bugmaniacbob's Anticipation / Telepathy fits the best.
This is because its a weaker version of the evolved forms ability, and the pre-evo is a weaker version of the evolved form so....

This.

 

[Destiny Warrior]

I support Forewarn/Telepathy, because in this case I feel it would be better to stick to what Necturna has, as I think they're good enough.

 

[jas61292]

I don't see much need for a change here. Many traits are carried through entire evolutionary families, and I see no reason why this can't be one of them. However, I if we do want to change something, I think bugmaniacbob has a good idea with Anticipation/Telepathy. It is really the only change I could see fitting in any possible design that it could get.

 

[uwnim]

Either keep the abilities the same or go with Anticipation/Telepathy. We don't have a design yet and picking a flavor ability that requires a certain type of design would really limit what the artists can submit. Cute Charm can be okay, but Effect Spore is pretty much a Mushroom ability.

 

[Rising_Dusk]

We should probably stick with what Necturna has for simplicity. There's really no reason to change what works, and quite frankly I think Forewarn / Telepathy will work perfectly well for CAP 2's pre-evolution flavor-wise and else-wise. The other consideration I have is for Anticipation / Telepathy, as the case for it being a 'weaker' variant of Forewarn is definitely there.

There is one other thing that I thought might be really cool, however, and that's Levitate / Levitate. This exists in both Flygon and Giratina-O in-game already, and there's precedent for Ghost-types having Levitate in early stages and evolving out of Levitate in Duskull > Dusclops. I think this would be very interesting because of how it enables the pre-evolution to be a floaty spirit-like Grass Pokemon before it settles down into the more shrine maiden design of Necturna.

 

[bugmaniacbob]

There is one other thing that I thought might be really cool, however, and that's Levitate / Levitate. This exists in both Flygon and Giratina-O in-game already, and there's precedent for Ghost-types having Levitate in early stages and evolving out of Levitate in Duskull > Dusclops. I think this would be very interesting because of how it enables the pre-evolution to be a floaty spirit-like Grass Pokemon before it settles down into the more shrine maiden design of Necturna.

I thought of this as well, but rejected it on the grounds that it's unnecessarily limiting from an art perspective. Of the three art concepts currently posted, two are grounded. It doesn't really seem right to invalidate perfectly good art concepts simply because they disagree with what is at heart one other arbitrary flavour choice.

 

[Rising_Dusk]

That's why the art goes well through abilities and stats so people can adjust their concepts. Many artists intentionally choose to wait on posting their concepts for this reason.

 

[capefeather]

I would personally like in general to have an ability combo that is explained with a strong precedent or makes sense as a combo that can be evolved into Necturna's combo. I don't think that the suggestions of Effect Spore et al. or Pickpocket or Prankster have done that. Levitate is an interesting one, though. I'd like to see more thoughts on this possibility because it wouldn't feel right slating something that only one user showed vocal support for.

 

[DHR-107]

I'm with BmB on Anticipation. Seems like a really good shout. Telepathy can stay the same. It genuinely makes sense with it being not as controlled as Forewarn.

Also; I don't a lot about Little Cup, but I'm pretty sure "Babyturna" is NOT about making an LC viable Pokemon.

 

[The Truth]

Anticipation makes a lot of sense to me, for the reasons people have already put forth, it is (or, it sounds like) a weaker version of Necturna's Forewarn.

DW can stay the same as Necturna's ability.

 

[Agent Gibbs]

I'm going to have to agree that Anticipation seems like a perfect predecessor to Forewarn. Both abilities work very similarly, with Anticipation being much more vague and less useful. It would make since that as the pre-evo evolves, it hones its psychic-ish prowess, causing its Anticipation to be upgraded to Forewarn.

Telepathy, on the other hand, I believe should remain the same to maintain a certain level of consistency between Necturna and its pre-evo.