It doesn't take much to understand that with a new month, the themed cup of a Silph Arena season changes to challenge old and new Trainers alike. What may be hard to understand are the particulars of that themed cup, even if it may already be familiar to a number of people. It then just becomes a matter of getting everyone on board, including those who are already familiar. Such is the case with this month's themed cup, which might require that extra step of understanding by Trainers.
This month's themed cup is "Arcana". It ties into the above introduction in one way because... like Ember four months back, it is one of the Battlefields of the current Cycle of Factions, so those who play (like me now) should already get a leg up. Another way that it ties to the above is that the word "arcana", like the word "arcane", besides being spiritual, refers to something that not many people might understand and in doing so may need some special knowledge. It's appropriate since the format is now transitioning from the specialized realm of Factions into the more general SA competitive realm.
While I've already detailed it previously, it helps to reiterate the restrictions for the themed cup or format and explain them in greater detail. As before, the types of Grass, Rock, Ghost, and Psychic are allowed, along with five extra species (which are Scyther, Gyarados, Pelipper, Vespiquen, and Honchkrow). On the flip side, the types of Normal, Electric, Ice, and Fairy are not allowed, as are seven other species (which are Sableye, Tropius, Regirock, Bastiodon, Probopass, Trevenant, and Galarian Articuno). Over 200 species qualify to be used in this themed cup or format, but as always, a few show their dominance and prevalence over others, especially as has been proven in the past few weeks in Factions.
Notably, if one possesses the resources, Tyrunt can be made as a viable species for this themed cup or format; its prevalence is as such that some have taken to call this the "Tyrunt Cup" for that reason. Meanwhile, based on Factions usage, of the five "curated" species, Pelipper is extremely dominant in many rosters; the rest are made up of a mix of species that among others includes Cofagrigus, Jumpluff, Shiftry, Aggron, Crustle, Malamar, and Mew. Aside from slight differences in team compositions, selections from the mix appear strikingly similar throughout the teams that have been used.
Like the earlier Factions-to-individual competition convert, this themed cup or format is simplistic in relative comparison to its Factions companion (in this case, Catacomb). Its main types have dynamics that are simple to relate, and if this Cycle of Factions has been an indication, its rosters can work well even with minimal changes, indicating that the Trainers who play in the competition have a certain understanding of what works and can apply that understanding in the battles against others.
Simple may not necessarily lead to understanding (at least right away), but in the current case, Trainers who are engaged in the Silph Arena individual competition now have the full month to wrap their heads around what they may or may not have experienced earlier (if they're part of Factions). At least, that may be what's happening, now that the arcana that is Arcana (ahem) becomes opened for broader understanding by them.
One year ago: Quickies: Feeling Embittered
Two years ago: On Pokémon Submarines
Three years ago: Be Strong
Four years ago: Cosplay: Bunkasai 2019 -Tanabata Matsuri-, Day 1
Five years ago: Evolutionary Items and Their Limits
Six years ago: 3D, 2D, and Everything in Between
No comments:
Post a Comment
Hi folks! Feel free to comment, but know that I'll be selecting only the most appropriate and relevant comments to appear. Think before you post.