Project National Dex Monotype Core Laddering Challenge (On Break! Suggestions appreciated :3c)

Neko

When you live for love, how precious life can be
is a Site Content Manageris an official Team Rateris a Social Media Contributoris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Contributor
Congratulations to Illecent Excaliburn for finishing with Gold on the Electric challenge

Cycle 1, Slate 8: Partners in Crime

For the eight slate we propose cores that utilize each other's defensive profile to cover for each others' shortcomings.


:ss/camerupt-mega: :ss/landorus-therian:

Example Tag: CCGd1 Neko
Mega Camerupt is a fearsome Special wallbreaker for Ground-teams, destroying annoyances like Celesteela, Ferrothorn, and Slowbro for Ground teams. Furthermore, its tying grants useful resistances against threats like Volcarona, Weavile, and Rillaboom. However, its speed and bulk are lackluster, so it needs pivots and a good defensive core to fall back on. Landorus-T helps in this regard, checking faster but frailer threats like Nidoking and Excadrill, while also providing support in the form of pivoting and entry hazards.


:ss/tyranitar-mega: :ss/drapion:
Example tag: CCDr1 Style
Mega Tyranitar is a versatile Pokemon for Dark teams, performing as a bulky setup sweeper, an entry hazards support, or a specially defensive wall. However, all sets have trouble dealing with Fighting-type coverage from the likes of Tapu Bulu and Zeraora, and Dragon Dance sets usually fall short of OHKOing physical walls such as Porygon2. Drapion alleviates this vulnerability by outspeeding and removing threats like Tapu Bulu, and setting Toxic Spikes to wear down opposing walls for Tyranitar.

Bronze: 1300 ELO
Silver: 1400 ELO
Gold: 1500 ELO
Platinum: 80% GXE

This challenge will end at: March 25, 2022 at 9 PM (GMT +8). Please submit your requirements on or before the deadline
 

Neko

When you live for love, how precious life can be
is a Site Content Manageris an official Team Rateris a Social Media Contributoris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Contributor
Slate 6 and 7 results have been compiled.

:tapu-bulu: Grass Core Results :decidueye:
UserRankingTeammates
Gold
:venusaur-mega: :ferrothorn: :cradily: :zarude:
Ida
Silver
:venusaur-mega: :ferrothorn: :cradily: :zarude:
Bronze
:sceptile-mega: :ferrothorn: :cradily: :serperior:

:linoone: Normal Core Results :smeargle:
UserRankingTeammates
Gold
:pidgeot-mega: :staraptor: :blissey: :diggersby:
Gold
:lopunny-mega: :swellow: :porygon-z: :ditto:
Silver
:lopunny-mega: :staraptor: :blissey: :diggersby:

:zeraora: Electric Core Results :thundurus:
UserRankingTeammates
Gold
:tapu-koko: :regieleki: :golem-alola: :morpeko:

:lycanroc-dusk:Rock Core Results :tyranitar:
UserRankingTeammates
Silver
:diancie-mega: :shuckle: :omastar: :terrakion:
Bronze
:aerodactyl-mega: :nihilego: :coalossal: :terrakion:
Ida
Bronze
:diancie-mega: :cradily: :coalossal: :terrakion:
 

Neko

When you live for love, how precious life can be
is a Site Content Manageris an official Team Rateris a Social Media Contributoris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Contributor
Congratulations to Illecent Excaliburn for finishing with Silver on the Dark challenge

Cycle 1, Slate 9: Immunity

For the ninth slate we propose cores that provide useful immunities for their respective types.


:ss/marowak-alola: :ss/volcanion:

Example Tag: CCFi1 Neko
Alolan Marowak provides an Electric immunity for Fire teams, checking threats like Tapu Koko and Thundurus-T, while also being an extremely strong wallbreaker that can take on walls such as Toxapex and Mantine that Fire teams struggle with. The Bone-wielding guardian will be paired with Volcanion, which provides a Water immunity for Fire teams, which allows it to check threats like Azumarill and Mega Swampert with the correct item.


:ss/hawlucha: :ss/toxicroak:
Example tag: CCFg1 Style
Unburden Hawlucha is a dangerous late-game wincon for Fighting teams, tearing through Psychic, Electric, Flying, and Water teams once checks such as Slowbro, Rotom-W, Mantine, and Toxapex have been dealt with. Toxicroak greatly helps in this endeavor, functioning as a wallbreaker that can shrug off Scald and remove the aforementioned Pokemon, while also being able to bait an opponent into using a Ground move, giving Hawlucha an opening to sweep.

Bronze: 1300 ELO
Silver: 1400 ELO
Gold: 1500 ELO
Platinum: 80% GXE

This challenge will end at: April 1, 2022 at 9 PM (GMT +8). Please submit your requirements on or before the deadline
 

Neko

When you live for love, how precious life can be
is a Site Content Manageris an official Team Rateris a Social Media Contributoris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Contributor
Congratulations to Illecent Excaliburn for finishing with Platinum on the Fire challenge (Alolan Marowak was so tanky :D)

Cycle 1, Slate 10: Broken

For this slate we propose Pokemon so broken that they do not need to be in a core to shine.

Example Tag: CCTr1 Style
Ground teams greatly struggle against pesky Grass-types like Rillaboom and Zarude, as they tend to act first before Ground teams can retaliate. And when you do have a counter like Mega Garchomp or Excadrill in sand? They escape to their reliable walls in Ferrothorn and Mandibuzz. Enter Trapinch. Not only does this anteater OHKO these annoyances, but it also traps them, confirming their demise.



Example tag: CCSi1 Neko
The Fighting team experience is pretty much Close Combat the opposition before your beefy partners falter, so Ghost-types such as Mega Sableye and Aegislash are very annoying. Also, due to lack of Electric immunities and viable Pokemon faster than Choice Scarf Latias, playing against Electric and Dragon can be infuriating. Enter Sirfetch'd. With Scrappy, it can do what Fighting-types were meant to do: Spam Close Combat, enabling it to OHKO both Mega Sableye and Aegislash unboosted. Access to priority in First Impression means that it can remove fast Psychic-types such as Latias and Alolan Raichu. And the best thing? It crits 50% of the time, allowing it to OHKO even the bulkiest walls* when paired with Swords Dance!

*+2 252+ Atk Sirfetch’d Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro on a critical hit: 484-570 (122.8 - 144.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
*+2 252+ Atk Sirfetch’d Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex on a critical hit: 237-279 (77.9 - 91.7%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

Bronze: 1800
Silver: 1900
Gold: 2000
Platinum: 100% GXE
Bronze: 1300 ELO
Silver: 1400 ELO
Gold: 1500 ELO
Platinum: 80% GXE

This challenge will end at: April 8, 2022 at 9 PM (GMT +8). Please submit your requirements on or before the deadline
 
MonkweyGwoose

Alt: CCTr1 Monkwey -- t̶r̶a̶p̶i̶n̶c̶h̶ ̶i̶s̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶a̶n̶ ̶a̶n̶t̶e̶a̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶i̶t̶'̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶ ̶a̶n̶t̶l̶i̶o̶n̶,̶ ̶w̶h̶i̶c̶h̶ ̶t̶u̶r̶n̶s̶ ̶i̶n̶t̶o̶ ̶a̶ ̶d̶r̶a̶g̶o̶n̶f̶l̶y̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶t̶l̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ ̶d̶o
Bronze
Silver

Alt: CCSi1 Monkwey
Bronze (15-1 W/L ratio... was 12-0 but only 1297 ELO)
 
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Neko

When you live for love, how precious life can be
is a Site Content Manageris an official Team Rateris a Social Media Contributoris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Contributor
Congratulations to MonkweyGwoose for taking Trapinch to Silver!

Slate 1 has ended, and before we move on to the next slate, we would like to hear from you. Suggestions and thoughts about this project are welcome in this thread, while suggestions for future cores should be sent to me or style.css DMs. We would also like to know your favorite cores in this slate and if the length of each slate (10 weeks) is good.

The final results and will be compiled and posted on April 18, 2022. Thank you for making Slate 1 of Core Laddering Challenge successful!

Also
I despise whoever decided this was a legitimate challenge
:trapinch: :trapinch: :trapinch: :trapinch: :trapinch: :trapinch:
Maybe NFEs would work next time....


t̶r̶a̶p̶i̶n̶c̶h̶ ̶i̶s̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶a̶n̶ ̶a̶n̶t̶e̶a̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶i̶t̶'̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶ ̶a̶n̶t̶l̶i̶o̶n̶,̶ ̶w̶h̶i̶c̶h̶ ̶t̶u̶r̶n̶s̶ ̶i̶n̶t̶o̶ ̶a̶ ̶d̶r̶a̶g̶o̶n̶f̶l̶y̶ ̶a̶s̶ ̶a̶n̶t̶l̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ ̶d̶o
I-
Yea, I forgot dragonflies come from Antlions, I thought they came from anteaters, sorry about that :blobnom:
 

Neko

When you live for love, how precious life can be
is a Site Content Manageris an official Team Rateris a Social Media Contributoris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Contributor
Final Results for Slate 1 of Nat Dex Monotype Core Ladder Challenge have been compiled. Congratulations to Illecent Excaliburn for getting the most points this slate.
User​
Points
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Platinum
32​
4​
6​
2​
2​
30​
0​
0​
10​
0​
27​
0​
1​
5​
2​
14​
0​
0​
3​
1​
11​
1​
1​
1​
1​
10​
2​
1​
2​
0​
Neko
10​
0​
0​
0​
2​
9​
0​
2​
0​
1​
8​
0​
0​
0​
1​
8​
3​
1​
1​
0​
Snak
6​
1​
1​
1​
0​
5​
0​
1​
1​
0​
Ida
5​
1​
2​
0​
0​
4​
1​
0​
1​
0​
4​
0​
2​
0​
0​
4​
2​
1​
0​
0​
3​
0​
0​
1​
0​
3​
0​
0​
1​
0​
3​
0​
0​
1​
0​
2​
0​
1​
0​
0​
2​
0​
1​
0​
0​
1​
1​
0​
0​
0​

style.css will have an announcement to make on CLC and its possible changes to make it better, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, the NatDex Monotype staff have prepared Pokemon of the Week, which features very cool Pokemon to use in your laddering sessions! Check it out in the NatDex Monotype room :blobnom:

Once again, thank you for your support!

EDIT: Illecent Excaliburn received room prize winner rank for winning CLC. Congratulations! :blobnom:
 
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NDM's Core Ladder Challenge will be on an indefinite hiatus but don't lose hope. We've added a new feature in the room that will provide a new set spotlight to try out on ladder. Keep an eye out for Officer Jenny's posts!

While we are on hiatus we would love to hear feedback from you on how you felt about the Cycle 1. Was it fun? Was it too hard/easy? Was there enough variety? If you have suggestions for cores please post them here as well. We'll take them all into consideration for when Cycle 2 happens.
 
I'll say after slate 5 things kind of got a little wonky, with cores that had Pokémon that were much less out of the curve of usefulness and bordered much more on gimmicks or all and all were very, very outside the box. I understand how hard it is to keep the cores somewhat consistent in terms of.. well, consistency while still allowing the challenge to be fun and interesting, but there were times where I fully thought the core or a specific mon on a core outright held a type back. All i really ask for is that the mons within their respective cores at least be somewhat viable or compatible with the type they will be assigned too. That, or the challenge fully embodies having Pokémon that should under regular circumstances never see the light of day and really challenge people to build teams around them.

As for core suggestions, off the top of my head I can think of a few that might be fun to try.

Morpeko + Raichu-Alola
Mega Heracross + Orbeetle/Shuckle
Mega Sceptile + Ferrothorn
Mega Sharpedo + Krookodile
Minior + Landorus-I
Piloswine + Darmanitan-Galar
Slowbro-Galar+ Latias
Zygarde-10% + Dragonite
Incineroar + Charizard-mega-X
Stakataka + Magnezone
Infernape + Keldeo
Ribombee + Mega gardevior
Gyarados + Manaphy
Mega Steelix + Nidoking
Skuntank + Gengar
Hoopa/Golurk + Mega Sableye
Bouffalant + Blissey

Omniboosters:
Gourgeist/Trevanant + Jellicent
Falinks + Cobalion

just stuff I threw together at 2 am thinking what are cool things I don't see that could in theory work pretty well. I would be suprised to see some of these become cores later if they do lol.
 
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Neko

When you live for love, how precious life can be
is a Site Content Manageris an official Team Rateris a Social Media Contributoris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Contributor
:jirachi: We're back in business :slowking-galar:

Changes from Cycle 1:
  • There will only be five Slates per cycle.
  • Winner of the entire Cycle gets Room Prize Winner, to be kept until the start of the next Cycle
The challenge will begin on June 10, 2022 so stay tuned.
Screenshot_324.png
 
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Neko

When you live for love, how precious life can be
is a Site Content Manageris an official Team Rateris a Social Media Contributoris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Top Contributor
Cycle 1: Alternative

For the First Cycle we would like to highlight two mega evolutions often overlooked due to various reasons. These Mega evolutions are paired with a teammate that can cover for their flaws.

:ss/latios-mega: :ss/zygarde-10%:
Example Tag: CCDr2 Neko
Mega Latios sports an excellent offensive profile due to its nice speedtier and colorful coverage options to deal with teams such as Flying and Poison. However, it struggles to deal with Steel-types especially if not running the correct coverage move. Zygarde-10% is able to deal with these threats, and appreciates Mega Latios' ability to wear down the opposing team, allowing it to clean teams late-game.


:ss/pidgeot-mega: :ss/bewear:
Example tag: CCNo2 Style
Mega Pidgeot is a great special attacker for Normal teams, notably being able to heavily pressure Fighting- and Grass-types such as Urshifu-R, Choice Band Galarian Zapdos, and Mega Venusaur. However, its shallow movepool leaves it unable to dent Steel- and Rock-types such as Heatran and Tyranitar, which is where Bewear comes in. Bewear also appreciates Mega Pidgeot's ability to bring it in on the aforementioned threats safely with U-turn.

Bronze: 1300 ELO
Silver: 1400 ELO
Gold: 1500 ELO
Platinum: 80% GXE

This challenge will end at: June 17, 2022 at 9 PM (GMT +8). Please submit your requirements on or before the deadline
 
Finally a new Cycle, yay!
MonkweyGwoose

Alt: CCDr2 Monkwey
Bronze <-- I absolutely cannot have asked for a better game to showcase the shenanigans I came up with. (also t-punch is 100% para rate now)
Silver

Alt: CCNo2 Monkwey
Bronze
Silver
 
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