I promised some Calc's for
Stamina, and here are some.
The problem with Mala is that they are defensively poor - one of the worst typings in the meta for defense; 4x Bug, and 2x Fairy, Fighting, Fire, Flying, Ice and Poison, (all very popular) and resistances against Dark, Electric, Ghost, Grass, Ground and Water (less so, and even Mon of those types have coverage elsewhere in one of the aforementioned). Bug is very popular, mostly due to the prevalence of U-Turn; a BP70 Move that hits for 4x damage, against Defence, which is absolutely horrific on Mala, as are Fairy, Poison and Fire because of aforementioned Fairy's, Fighting (special mention to Buzzwole for both), with Flying and Ice working into a trifecta and prevalence due to the presence of mon's like Syclant.
Look at Fidgit. This is possibly the least offensive pokemon in the game. I'm not using it as an example of what may happen in game - neither mon can do anything to the other, but I'm merely using Mr. Gadget as an example - it's a utility Pokemon using U-Turn as a variable switch move, not to deal damage. I've also put up a theoretical 252/252 split for Mala, to show what it would look like if it invested in defence and HP to the detriment of its Attack or SpD.
0- Atk Fidgit U-turn vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Malaconda: 220-260 (50.6 - 59.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0- Atk Fidgit U-turn vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 156-188 (35.9 - 43.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
Obviously, U-Turn is a move which is 4x SE vs Mala, but even non-STAB U-Turn on an uninvested Fidgit puts Mala in dangerous territory, and gives it only one option; heal, or switch, because U-Turn almost certainly puts someone on the field who puts Mala out of action.
Even on a Mirror Match, Malaconda gets taken out - using both uninvested.
0 Atk Malaconda U-turn vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Malaconda: 304-360 (70 - 82.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
4 Atk Malaconda U-turn vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 220-260 (50.6 - 59.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
I suggest
Stamina because it doesn't affect its match ups as a SpD heavy mon. It was designed to have those SpD stats, and had that typing specifically, with all the weakness and limitations that brings, and I think we should continue to make use of those.
Regenerator flat out invalidates Harvest as an ability, when you consider that it's primarily going to be making use of its healing abilities - either Rest/Lum while in Sun, or straight up Sitrus. It's literally free healing, letting Mala take a free item and have more flexibility with its movesets. I don't endorse this.
Chlorophyll is a nice idea, but that makes it less of a defensive pivot, and still requires Sun, which is entirely shut down down by anything bringing any sort of weather that's not Sun, and makes it even weaker to fast physical offense types; best case Scenario of 458 Speed Tier leaves it below a +1 Mega-Charizard X, +1 Mega Crucibelle, etc; and without Drought, you're burning a Move Slot and a turn, while taking
Drought means it can't make use of that speed boost from Chlorophyll or its increased damage unless it gets Solar Blade, which I'm not sure I can even suggest for flavour reasons.Let's talk the theory of what Malaconda currently does - it switches/free switches into a match, with something like U-Turn, Volt Switch, or previously Baton Pass (Dry or otherwise), and takes a special hit it resists, or doesn't come in at all, because it's slow speed means that all someone needs to do is switch into any mon with U-Turn, or a SE Physical Attack, and Mala has to switch out again, or die, completely removing any momentum gains you may want to get out of it.
With Stamina, Mala can switch into an attack that they resist, which increases the team dynamic with a fast Volt Switch or U-Turn, and take a resisted hit, like a Choice'd Surf/Hydro Pump/Power Gem from Volkraken (236 SpD or better forces such a Specs Volkraken to only 5HKO with Gem/Hydro). This gives Mala a +1, and a choice of whether to heal up on the free switch, or whether to deal damage to the incoming mon.
Lets use Colossoil here - as a Ground type, it should be prime meat for Mala, but it needs to seriously invest in its attack power, or have some sort of boosting move added to it later on in the process to be able to do so.
0 Atk Malaconda Power Whip vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Colossoil: 338-398 (83 - 97.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after burn damage
192 Atk Malaconda Power Whip vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Colossoil: 408-480 (100.2 - 117.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 0 Atk Malaconda Power Whip vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Colossoil: 506-596 (124.3 - 146.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Colossoil currently just clicks U-Turn, and Malaconda dies.
252+ Atk Guts Colossoil U-turn vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Malaconda: 724-856 (166.8 - 197.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Guts Colossoil U-turn vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 520-612 (119.8 - 141%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Guts Colossoil U-turn vs. +1 252 HP / 0 Def Malaconda: 484-572 (111.5 - 131.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Guts Colossoil U-turn vs. +1 252 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 348-412 (80.1 - 94.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Guts Colossoil U-turn vs. +1 168 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 348-412 (84.2 - 99.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
As you can see, a Malaconda here needs to have both the +1 and at least 420 EV's invested into HP and Def to make them capable of withstanding a single U-Turn, meaning that to be able to take a U-Turn, they not only need to be at full health, but still cannot guarantee OHKO Colossoil if it clicked Power Whip on the switch (88 Atk Malaconda Power Whip vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Colossoil: 368-434 (90.4 - 106.6%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO).
If Mala were to be at +2, from the move that many are obviously going to be requesting in a later addition, or say, for some chance, that it has taken 2 hits inexplicably,
252+ Atk Guts Colossoil U-turn vs. +2 168 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 260-308 (62.9 - 74.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Guts Colossoil U-turn vs. +2 252 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 260-308 (59.9 - 70.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Mala still needs to be at full health to stand a chance of withstanding it.
Lets use another one of the best counters to Malaconda in the game, and see how high we can push it - Buzzwole. I typically use it Banded.
252 Atk Choice Band Buzzwole Superpower vs. +1 252 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 444-524 (102.3 - 120.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Choice Band Buzzwole Leech Life vs. +1 252 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 592-700 (136.4 - 161.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Buzzwole just needs to switch in, and Mala can have been in as long enough to get +3, and unless Mala is at full health and with a full investment into HP/Def, it's going to die to a Buzzwoles Leech Life.
252 Atk Choice Band Buzzwole Leech Life vs. +3 252 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 360-424 (82.9 - 97.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Buzzwole Leech Life vs. +3 168 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 360-424 (87.1 - 102.6%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO
Mala can't do anything in return
88 Atk Malaconda Power Whip vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Buzzwole: 53-63 (14.9 - 17.7%) -- possible 6HKO
Cawmadore Calcs
88 Atk Malaconda Knock Off vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Cawmodore: 61-73 (25.2 - 30.1%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
0 Atk Malaconda Knock Off vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Cawmodore: 57-67 (23.5 - 27.6%) -- 76.5% chance to 4HKO
+6 252 Atk Cawmodore Acrobatics (55 BP) vs. +1 168 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 408-482 (98.7 - 116.7%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO
+6 252 Atk Cawmodore Drain Punch vs. +1 168 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 372-438 (90 - 106%) -- 37.5% chance to OHKO
+6 252 Atk Cawmodore Acrobatics (55 BP) vs. +1 252 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 408-482 (94 - 111%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO
+6 252 Atk Cawmodore Drain Punch vs. +1 252 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 372-438 (85.7 - 100.9%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
Mega Charizard-X Calcs
252 Atk Tough Claws Charizard-Mega-X Flare Blitz vs. +1 252 HP / 252 Def Malaconda: 368-434 (84.7 - 100%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
The only thing that I have found which may prove broken is its interaction with Icicle Spear which normally would beat it - but given that Icicle Spear is pretty much limited to Mamoswine and Cloyster in CAP, and maybe added to something like Syclant later on, but Syclant and Mamoswine have much better Ice type attacks, the only one who really loses out is Cloyster, getting slapped hard by Power Whip and being unable to 2HKO IIRC. Also, without Moonlight, Revenankh would struggle unless it already had some Bulk Ups in place - Mala still cannot switch into a Drain Punch without the +1 already.
And despite all of the above, there are quite a few options for (p)hazers in CAP; Tomohawk, Toxapex, Mirror Malaconda, Dragonite, Goodra, Mega Steelix, Incineroar, Skarmory, Mandibuzz, Cyclohm etc, all of which can reasonably resist Malaconda, and either Haze, Phase, or just straight up attack its special, such as Tomohawk being able to 2HKO it with Hurricane.
TL;DR - Mala needs to be at full health to make use of Stamina, because its defenses are that poor that even at +1, the majority of its counters can 2HKO.
Edit - Had this WIP before your post last night, cbrevan, will update later today to address questions
- What do we want Malaconda's role to be?
- With Malaconda's special defense value, it serves as an okay special wall, but it lacks the ability to properly pressure the opponent in the way that Jellicent, or Goodra can. With M-Venusaur, Tangrowth and Ferrothorn able to wall much better, often with better sustain and offense to pressure certain actions, Malaconda just cannot. Even as a defensive pivot, Malaconda suffers from having the opponent being able to switch to a pokemon with as ubiquitous-a-move as U-Turn, and just flat out hurt it, and badly, losing any momentum you may have from the switch.
- What effect does your proposed ability have on Malaconda's set, matchups, roles, and viability?
- I believe I have gone in depth above. I am more than happy to do some more calcs based on any questions you may have. In short, Mala cannot really abuse the defense without an opponent messing up. It turns utility moves used to freely switch into something that may improve Malaconda unless they have adequately invested into the offense. It makes Mala less of a liability, at the risk of Skill-link and other Multi-hit move users (especially Cloyster) not being able to just freely click attack.
- How much of an impact do you believe your ability has overall? Why do you believe that level of impact is health for Malaconda?
- I believe that this ability gives Malaconda another option for an opponent to consider when they see it on the team. Is it the same old Special wall with Harvest Healing (through Sitrus/ChestoResto) which can be got rid of by simply throwing out a mon with U-Turn, or is it something which may be more difficult later on? I certainly believe this to be healthy. Mala is really in no way, shape or form able to appropriately operate in the current game without the inevitable wish that you'd taken something more like Tangrowth, or M-Venusaur which are more versatile.
- Does your ability overshadow Harvest or otherwise redefine some aspect of Malaconda's usage? If it does, why do you believe that is acceptable?
- A bit of yes, and a bit of no. I certainly believe that this ability is something that's going to encourage Malaconda to be taken whereas it's not already, but being able to buff yourself after taking damage on such an already vulnerable mon does not make it a more viable option for someone who wants a highly sustainable Special Wall.
- Does your ability have a noticeable effect on Malaconda? If it does not, why do you believe Malaconda should receive such a low impact ability?
- I believe it has a high enough impact to make it a competitive, but not overshadowing option.
- If you do not believe Malaconda needs a new competitive ability, please state you reasoning for us. NCA will be an option on the poll, so don't dismiss your apprehension just because of how eager everyone else is.
- The mechanics join together nicely, but they are missing something, that came from the core Gen V game mechanics, which cannot be fixed by simply upgrading its movepool.