What is Clubmons? At the beginning of my Pet Mod career, I hosted a server called Clubmons, which was essentially a format where I arbitrarily edited Pokemon to create a metagame for me and my friends to enjoy and feel unpressured to learn a metagame. It was extremely hectic, but it's one of my more fond memories regarding Pokemon Showdown-based activities and has always stuck with me even after I couldn't run the server anymore.
Fast forward to about 3 years later, and I join the council of Megas for All and become close to two Pet Mod users I have utmost respect for and look up to in Hematite and inkbug. A little bit later, I'm invited to their Evolution Project, and with it I experienced the most fun I had ever had in building teams, playing with my friends, and designing Pokemon. Evolution Project's metagame had made me realize something very interesting about the way in which people "immerse" into metagames, in the sense that metagames often have a great deal of centralization and thus have polarized viabilities across the available Pokemon. Evolution Project is a genuine masterpiece to me, in the sense that it manages to propel numerous bizarre strategies to the forefront. Before I saw it in action, I wouldn't have believed you if you had told me Liquid Ooze of all things was an incredible ability to have, and on top of that, bizarre options like Echoed Voice and fucking Normalize were not just niche, but genuinely good. You see, Evolution Project also looped in canon Pokemon, which ended up rounding off the creative subs that the project often saw to create for a bizarrely diverse and incredibly well balanced format. Understanding what made it tick has been a really interesting thought experiment for me, and that is what has inspired me to finally make my own solomod and to revitalize the spirit of my old coding server.
The idea of this project is to build a highly balanced micromod, with an emphasis on enabling concentrated teambuilder freedom, minimizing teambuilder stress, and making innovation not just viable, but the lifeblood of the format. I want to build a metagame that builders and casual battlers can just jump into, without needing to learn or conform to a gigantic range of overwhelmingly powerful options. Think of it like this: you should be able to open up the teambuilder for the first time, see what's there, and immediately be able to build a viable team without having to do much other research. That is the initiative of this project, and the philosophy in which all balance decisions and additions are made upon.
Items:
Nothing is safe from the chopping block, and some things I evaluated were items. Although a great range of items are viable, there are a lot that have a lot of unique potential but fall just short. In order to both encourage their dynamics and also provide reinforcement into potent offensive-types like Water or Ice, I wanted to experiment a bit.
: No longer consumable.
This one is a simple, but effective change that lets Pokemon autonomously add a way to punish potent offensive types throughout the game but in a way that isn't too overbearing. Absorb Bulb is the most interesting to me, as it provides a rare opportunity to punish one of the most spammable moves in the game: Scald.
: Now heals 1/8 of the user's max HP every time they are hit under 50%.
Some changes are a bit more nuanced. Berry Juice now becomes a blend between Sitrus Berry and Leftovers, providing more burst healing, which can be a useful substitute for offensive Pokemon that want a bit more leeway in setting up.
: No longer disrupted by Protect, missing, or Substitute.
Some changes are a bit simpler. This was how it worked on Showdown back in early Gen 8 before it was discovered that it was actually leagues worse than we thought. This is a reversion that brings back the sauced Metronome we thought it was.
Pokemon:
+Encore, Solar Blade, Taunt, U-turn
Overcoat -> Technician
Big changes to canon Pokemon are a bit uncommon, but Leavanny is a different story to me, as a Pokemon that really wants the help but has some fundamental tools that give it an established niche. This provides Leavanny a more outlined niche for Sticky Web structures, while letting it operate as a bit of an offensive pivot and a more threatening Chlorophyll user.
+ Pain Split
+20 HP
Most changes look something like this, where Pokemon receive just one or two tools to round off their kit. I'm keeping most of these changes to a minimum because I want these Pokemon to maintain their identity and core attributes. Runerigus having Pain Split feels like a hole being filled, as it has the base HP to really make use of it, and a deluxe typing/toolkit in this metagame. Escavalier is already perfect, but having the extra base HP lets it defy power creep a bit and become more of the splashable utilitarian tank that it was designed to be.
+ Stealth Rock
- Focus Blast
- Stored Power
In rare situations, some Pokemon actually lose some options in order to expand options, if that makes sense. In the case of Iron Crown, the bulk of its design in canon is immensely interesting and its movepool is full of potential to make for a highly flexible and creatively rewarding Pokemon. However, Focus Blast and Stored Power both are so centralizing to its kit that most variants tend to make use of them in an OU context, and in earlier patches, did so even with just Stored Power removed. With Stealth Rock to make up for it and play into its defensive utility, Iron Crown becomes much more of a dynamic attacker and pivot which contributes positively to the format.
Abilities:
Shell Armor: Now boosts Defense by 1 stage when hit directly under 50% HP.
Heatproof: Now provides a Fire-type and burn immunity.
Some abilities in the format that feel a bit tenuous have been altered to become more practical. Shell Armor and Heatproof are the two primary changes as of right now. Shell Armor's rework lets Escavalier and Lapras become more splashable tanks, while Heatproof lets Bronzong sport an interesting Ability dichotomy that rewards good building, and also rewards players able to sense trends in their opponents' teams.
Rewind: Consumed items are restored on switch-out.
Custom abilities are also a thing! This is a custom ability that has been distributed to all Paradox Pokemon in the format, as well as some time adjacent Pokemon like Celebi. This ability has the potential to be extremely strong with the right mindset, but can also be a splashable choice to play into a Pokemon's defensive qualities or ability to force switches.
Nothing is safe from the chopping block, and some things I evaluated were items. Although a great range of items are viable, there are a lot that have a lot of unique potential but fall just short. In order to both encourage their dynamics and also provide reinforcement into potent offensive-types like Water or Ice, I wanted to experiment a bit.
: No longer consumable.This one is a simple, but effective change that lets Pokemon autonomously add a way to punish potent offensive types throughout the game but in a way that isn't too overbearing. Absorb Bulb is the most interesting to me, as it provides a rare opportunity to punish one of the most spammable moves in the game: Scald.
: Now heals 1/8 of the user's max HP every time they are hit under 50%.Some changes are a bit more nuanced. Berry Juice now becomes a blend between Sitrus Berry and Leftovers, providing more burst healing, which can be a useful substitute for offensive Pokemon that want a bit more leeway in setting up.
: No longer disrupted by Protect, missing, or Substitute.Some changes are a bit simpler. This was how it worked on Showdown back in early Gen 8 before it was discovered that it was actually leagues worse than we thought. This is a reversion that brings back the sauced Metronome we thought it was.
Pokemon:
+Encore, Solar Blade, Taunt, U-turn
Overcoat -> Technician
Big changes to canon Pokemon are a bit uncommon, but Leavanny is a different story to me, as a Pokemon that really wants the help but has some fundamental tools that give it an established niche. This provides Leavanny a more outlined niche for Sticky Web structures, while letting it operate as a bit of an offensive pivot and a more threatening Chlorophyll user.
+ Pain Split
+20 HP
Most changes look something like this, where Pokemon receive just one or two tools to round off their kit. I'm keeping most of these changes to a minimum because I want these Pokemon to maintain their identity and core attributes. Runerigus having Pain Split feels like a hole being filled, as it has the base HP to really make use of it, and a deluxe typing/toolkit in this metagame. Escavalier is already perfect, but having the extra base HP lets it defy power creep a bit and become more of the splashable utilitarian tank that it was designed to be.
+ Stealth Rock
- Focus Blast
- Stored Power
In rare situations, some Pokemon actually lose some options in order to expand options, if that makes sense. In the case of Iron Crown, the bulk of its design in canon is immensely interesting and its movepool is full of potential to make for a highly flexible and creatively rewarding Pokemon. However, Focus Blast and Stored Power both are so centralizing to its kit that most variants tend to make use of them in an OU context, and in earlier patches, did so even with just Stored Power removed. With Stealth Rock to make up for it and play into its defensive utility, Iron Crown becomes much more of a dynamic attacker and pivot which contributes positively to the format.
Abilities:
Shell Armor: Now boosts Defense by 1 stage when hit directly under 50% HP.
Heatproof: Now provides a Fire-type and burn immunity.
Some abilities in the format that feel a bit tenuous have been altered to become more practical. Shell Armor and Heatproof are the two primary changes as of right now. Shell Armor's rework lets Escavalier and Lapras become more splashable tanks, while Heatproof lets Bronzong sport an interesting Ability dichotomy that rewards good building, and also rewards players able to sense trends in their opponents' teams.
Rewind: Consumed items are restored on switch-out.
Custom abilities are also a thing! This is a custom ability that has been distributed to all Paradox Pokemon in the format, as well as some time adjacent Pokemon like Celebi. This ability has the potential to be extremely strong with the right mindset, but can also be a splashable choice to play into a Pokemon's defensive qualities or ability to force switches.
Pokemon available in the format were chosen very deliberately; there are tons to go through so I won't talk about them here, but here are a few of the highlights, especially with some changes they received.
Shiftry is both a sun Pokemon and an offensive Defog user thanks to the change to both Wind Rider and Defog being counted as a wind move (as it should be). It lacks any overly polarizing traits, with a crispy offensive profile and very exploitable weaknesses that limit how easily it gets in, and rewards good play. Also fascinatingly, Shiftry is the format's only Defog absorber thanks to Defog's change, which makes it a high risk high reward option for non-Sun structures.
Escavalier is the tank to end all tanks. Although it lacks auto recovery, it makes up for it with an elite defensive typing, great offense, and buffed defensive stats. It is filled to the brim with useful options, such as Pursuit and Knock Off.
Hydrapple is a badass and provides the format with its one of two Regenerator options (alongside Cyclizar). Because of its x4 Ice weakness and large spread of weaknesses in general, it can be overwhelmed easily, but still provide an excellent wall/wallbreaker for teams that can make use of its talents. With the new move Compost, sets such as Eject Pack are boosted in efficiency.
Rotom and the Rotom appliances are available, and while the Rotom appliances have been untouched, base Rotom has been given a significant stat boost to mirror the appliances in BST. It provides the format with its fastest Electric-type, as well as a solid offensive Ground-type immunity/Ghost-type.
On top of canon additions, there will be some regional variants/evolutions and custom Pokemon entirely entering the mix. These will be a bit more sparse, but I think sometimes you have to realize that there may be a Pokemon you want to fill a given role, but the set of traits you need would tear away its identity. You may recognize some from Evolution Project, as I believe some of these fit the objective of the project perfectly. There are then some custom examples like Stormulex and Iron Convector which fill very unique offensive niches that would not be feasibly replicated by a canon Pokemon without major identity-warping revisions.
If you want to know everything that's available, check out the Available Pokemon tab in the document, or just open up the builder and see for yourself!
Shiftry is both a sun Pokemon and an offensive Defog user thanks to the change to both Wind Rider and Defog being counted as a wind move (as it should be). It lacks any overly polarizing traits, with a crispy offensive profile and very exploitable weaknesses that limit how easily it gets in, and rewards good play. Also fascinatingly, Shiftry is the format's only Defog absorber thanks to Defog's change, which makes it a high risk high reward option for non-Sun structures.
Escavalier is the tank to end all tanks. Although it lacks auto recovery, it makes up for it with an elite defensive typing, great offense, and buffed defensive stats. It is filled to the brim with useful options, such as Pursuit and Knock Off.
Hydrapple is a badass and provides the format with its one of two Regenerator options (alongside Cyclizar). Because of its x4 Ice weakness and large spread of weaknesses in general, it can be overwhelmed easily, but still provide an excellent wall/wallbreaker for teams that can make use of its talents. With the new move Compost, sets such as Eject Pack are boosted in efficiency.
Rotom and the Rotom appliances are available, and while the Rotom appliances have been untouched, base Rotom has been given a significant stat boost to mirror the appliances in BST. It provides the format with its fastest Electric-type, as well as a solid offensive Ground-type immunity/Ghost-type.
On top of canon additions, there will be some regional variants/evolutions and custom Pokemon entirely entering the mix. These will be a bit more sparse, but I think sometimes you have to realize that there may be a Pokemon you want to fill a given role, but the set of traits you need would tear away its identity. You may recognize some from Evolution Project, as I believe some of these fit the objective of the project perfectly. There are then some custom examples like Stormulex and Iron Convector which fill very unique offensive niches that would not be feasibly replicated by a canon Pokemon without major identity-warping revisions.
If you want to know everything that's available, check out the Available Pokemon tab in the document, or just open up the builder and see for yourself!
Ruleset & Banlist Clauses:
Mechanics Clause: Terastalization, Z-Moves, and Dynamax are banned.
Species Clause: Limit one of each Pokémon
OHKO Clause: OHKO moves are banned
Evasion Items Clause: Evasion items are banned
Evasion Moves Clause: Evasion moves are banned
Endless Battle Clause: Forcing endless battles is banned
Sleep Clause: Pokemon can only put 1 opposing Pokemon to sleep at a time.
Move Bans:
- Last Respects
- Shed Tail
- Hidden Power
Ability Bans
- Sand Veil
- Snow Cloak
Item Bans
- King's Rock
- Quick Claw
- Razor Fang
- Absolite
- Sablenite
Resources: Discord Server
Main Document
Suggestion Form
A big thank you to the following people for their support/help:
Hematite
abismal
inkbug
jazzmat
Violettes
BlueRay
Magmajudis
lydian
cyclonez_
@Colossi_Productions
ESkywarrior99
@zumplewumpy
Hematite
abismal
inkbug
jazzmat
Violettes
BlueRay
Magmajudis
lydian
cyclonez_
@Colossi_Productions
ESkywarrior99
@zumplewumpy
Noivern
Reuniclus-Neural
Stormulex
Araquanid
Aurorus
Avalange
Bombirdier
Celebi
Cobalion
Cyclizar
Delphox
Heliolisk
Krickoncerto
Krookodile
Manectric-Mega
Ninetales
Noivern-Variant
Overqwil
Pelipper
Politoed
Starmie
Sylveon
Tapu Bulu
Torterra-Unidentified
Absol
Accelgor
Bronzong
Chesnaught
Clawitzer
Claydol
Decidueye-Hisui
Empoleon
Espeon
Flapple
Glaceon
Golduck
Grafaiai
Hippowdon
Honchkrow
Kleavor
Porygon-Z
Rotom-Wash
Sandslash
Sandslash-Alola
Sandy Shocks
Seismitoad
Quilladin
Tinkaton
Vaporeon
Vileplume
Weezing-Galar
Appletun
Arcanine
Bellibrr
Brute Bonnet
Crobat
Cyclonimbus
Dodrio-Cyarian
Falinks
Flareon
Flygon
Iron Convector
Incineroar
Klawf
Lapras
Leafeon
Ludicolo
Spidops
Squawkabilly
Talonflame
Umbreon
Bellossom
Braixen
Gothitelle-Allira
Scyther
Sudowoodo
Tentacruel
Wugtrio
Abomasnow
Abomasnow-Mega
Avalugg
Avalugg-Alpine
Avalugg-Hisui
Bellibolt
Decidueye
Dragalge
Froslass
Glalie
Glalie-Mega
Goodra
Malamar
Oinkologne
Oinkologne-F
Persian
Persian-Alola
Poliwrath
Porygon2
Porygreen2
Primeape
Qwilfish
Qwilfish-Hisui
Rotom-Heat
Rotom-Fan
Rotom-Frost
Rotom-Mow
Sableye
Sneezibia
Uxie
Weezing