Ghost-types in the CAP Metagame

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Introduction

Ghost-type Pokémon are primarily offensive Pokémon thanks to Ghost's outstanding offensive capabilities as a typing. Over the years, the CAP process has created multiple Ghost-types, and some of our unique Ghost-types are considered some of the best Pokémon in the CAP Metagame, which the CAP Metagame has had a hard time adapting to. In this article, we will take a look at the Ghost-types that were created during the CAP process and how they fare in the current metagame.

Necturna

• HP64
• ATK120
• DEF100
• SPA85
• SPD120
• SPE81

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Necturna's concept was of a rather simple but profound nature, a Pokémon that has access to Sketch only once.

Necturna has a very solid dual STAB in Ghost / Grass backed up by excellent stats and high-Base Power moves, which give it ample setup opportunities and make it very hard to deal with both offensively and defensively.

Access to a one-time Sketch makes Necturna very unpredictable, as it can run a variety of different moves, most notably Shell Smash, Shift Gear, V-create, and Dragon Ascent; this sheer unpredictability makes it very hard to deal with defensively. This is what makes Necturna unique and incomparable to any other Ghost-types, and one of the best Pokémon in the metagame.

Shell Smash is Necturna's best set and makes for a very devastating sweeper. With +2 Attack and Speed, Necturna is nearly impossible to revenge kill or effectively wall. Necturna only needs 2 STAB moves to effectively break Pokémon, which opens up a slot for Substitute, providing ample setup opportunities and allowing Necturna to play mind games with Sucker Punch users like Colossoil and dodge status moves like Toxic and Will-O-Wisp. Other sets such as Shift Gear and Choice Band are designed to lure the little defensive counterplay that there is available to Shell Smash sets, notably Tomohawk. Necturna can also act as a suicide lead for hyper offensive teams that revolve around Sticky Web to support their sweepers, and its ability to pressure Defoggers like Tapu Koko effectively allows it to keep up hazards. Additionally, thanks to its Ghost-typing, it also blocks Rapid Spin.

Tomohawk is the best defensive counterplay available to Shell Smash sets thanks to its access to Prankster Haze and reliable recovery in Roost. It is, however, beaten by Shift Gear and Choice Band sets. While it may seem odd that Tomohawk can beat Shell Smash sets, but not seemingly weaker Shift Gear sets, Tomohawk does too little damage with Air Slash, while Leech Seed + the extra chip it gets with the free turn from Phantom Force apply enough pressure to the point where Tomohawk will crumble. Choice Scarf users that are faster than +2 Speed Necturna like Kitsunoh and Greninja are solid ways to revenge kill Necturna, though the fact that they have to lock theirselves into Shadow Strike or Ice Beam, respectively, to successfully revenge kill Necturna can easily be exploited.

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Pajantom

• HP84
• ATK133
• DEF71
• SPA51
• SPD111
• SPE101

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Pajantom's concept was inspired by the Arena Trap suspect test OU was doing at the time. The concept was about creating a trapper that does not rely on an ability to do so—this is why Pajantom has access to Spirit Shackle.

Pajantom possesses a great typing, both offensively and defensively, and has good stats to complement its typing and movepool in wallbreaking and walling other Pokémon.

Pajantom can harass just about any wall with its access to Spirit Shackle and Heal Block and a variety of other good moves like Ice Punch, Earthquake, Outrage, and Iron Tail, making it nearly impossible to check defensively. Pajantom can also run a specially defensive set, which attempts to trap passive Pokémon and wear them down over time with Toxic, Heal Block, and Protect and is a reliable check to Pokémon like Volkraken, Tomohawk, and non-Steelium Z Heatran. Its only ability, Comatose, makes it immune to status, which lets it take advantage of Pokémon like Heatran and Toxapex, which would otherwise cripple it with Lava Plume, Scald, or Toxic.

Pajantom's greatest weakness is its susceptibility to Pursuit. Notable Pursuit trappers that trouble Pajantom are Weavile, which is faster than Pajantom and can easily force it out, Mega Tyranitar, which has enough bulk to take even a Devastating Drake or Earthquake and can retaliate with a strong Dark-type STAB move, and Colossoil, which forces mind games with Pajantom between Pursuit and Sucker Punch. Pajantom is also prone to getting worn down fast if not played carefully. Specially defensive sets are also overly reliant on Leftovers to effectively function, so losing it heavily cripples Pajantom.

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Kitsunoh

• HP80
• ATK103
• DEF85
• SPA55
• SPD80
• SPE110

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Kitsunoh was created in DPP as a scout, where there was no Team Preview, which made this role actually really important.

Kitsunoh has a decent typing offensively and defensively; unfortunately, its stats are slightly underwhelming. Despite this, its base 110 Speed and large movepool give it the tools to carve a niche in the metagame.

Until the latest CAP Team Tour, Kitsunoh saw little to no usage and was considered very underwhelming. However, during this tournament, it saw a surge in usage as a Choice Scarf user, mainly for its ability to revenge kill the aforementioned +2 Speed Shell Smash Necturna, which saw a lot of usage. Aside from revenge KOing Necturna, Kitsunoh also has access to many utility moves like U-turn, Defog, Will-O-Wisp, and Trick, which can bring a lot of utility to the table for a team utilizing Kitsunoh. Its signature move, Shadow Strike, has a 50% chance to drop Defense, which enables Kitsunoh function as a late-game cleaner with well-timed Defense drops. Outside of Kitsunoh's role as a Choice Scarf user, it can be used as a wallbreaker with a Choice Band, which takes advantage of Kitsunoh's decent offensive typing and good movepool, or as a Wish passer, which makes use of its decent defensive typing and various utility moves. However, these sets are often set back due to Kitsunoh's overall mediocre stats and their inability to revenge kill Shell Smash Necturna.

Kitsunoh struggles to deal with physical walls like Tomohawk, Cyclohm, and Pyroak, though none of them want to get crippled by Trick. Fire-types like Volkraken, Heatran, and Volcarona can easily OHKO Kitsunoh with their STAB attacks but aren't comfortable switching into Kitsunoh due to its access to Earthquake and Shadow Strike. Ground-types like Landorus-T, Zygarde, and Gliscor are good offensive checks but struggle to switch in comfortably, as they fear Ice Punch and generally do not want to get crippled by Trick. Strong Pokémon like Tapu Lele and Mega Crucibelle are good at pressuring Kitsunoh despite its resistance to their STAB moves due to its underwhelming bulk.

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Revenankh

• HP90
• ATK105
• DEF90
• SPA65
• SPD110
• SPE65

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As the 2nd Create-A-Pokémon created, Revenankh's concept was rather simple. Revenankh's concept was to make a good Bulk Up user, because these were very hard to come by and Calm Mind users were usually better in DPP.

Revenankh has an unresisted typing in Fighting / Ghost, but what really sets it apart from other Pokémon is its decent typing defensively backed up by good defensive stats and access to priority healing thanks to Triage, which makes it very annoying to KO.

Access to Triage, Drain Punch, and Moonlight makes Revenankh a unique Pokémon that can fill a niche that no other viable Pokémon really can. Thanks to its solid priority recovery options, Revenankh serves as a consistent answer to Ash-Greninja and Mega Crucibelle, some of the most threatening Pokémon in the metagame. Revenankh also has access to various status-inflicting moves, namely Glare, Will-O-Wisp, and Toxic, which makes it punishing to switch into. Access to Bulk Up, Shadow Sneak, and priority Drain Punch also make Revenankh a decent late-game sweeper against offensive teams, though it struggles to break through bulkier builds that utilize Haze users like Tomohawk and Toxapex. Offensive Bulk Up sets can also be used if Revenankh's outstanding defensive capabilities aren't desired but are usually still worse, because Pokémon that can consistently check Ash-Greninja and Mega Crucibelle are really hard to come by.

Tapu Lele in particular is a massive roadblock to Revenankh, because, thanks to its ability to set up Psychic Terrain , it is immune to both Drain Punch and Shadow Sneak, preventing Bulk Up sets from doing any damage to it. Tapu Lele is bothered by Glare and Toxic, however. Snaelstrom is also a massive road block for Revenankh, being capable of completely walling dual status sets, and not caring much in particular about Bulk Up sets either. Haze users such as Tomohawk and Toxapex easily put a stop to Bulk Up Revenankh boosting and sweeping late-game, though they're annoyed by Revenankh's status moves. Defensive Fairy-types such as Clefable and Jumbao take little damage from any of Revenankh's attacks and can retaliate with a strong Moonblast. Thanks to Magic Guard, Clefable is also immune to Toxic poison damage. Tornadus-T resists Revenankh's Drain Punch and threatens it with Hurricane, but it doesn't like getting crippled by Glare or Toxic.

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Conclusion

Now that you know what the Ghost-types in the CAP metagame do, you should go and give these unique Pokémon a try, and make sure to check out our Discord server and Pokémon Showdown! room.

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