Job Application: Pokemon Balancer

[Shadowfred]

Hi, I'm Shadowfred, I'm 18 and I live in Australia.

I want to join the balance team to help as I feel that the current balance in pokemon is... unbalanced, I suppose. Very few pokemon in the higher tiers of competitive battling feels quite bland to me, especially when there are so many other pokemon out there.

I know alot about competative Gen IV and I am currently updating my knowlege about the new Gen V pokemon, moves and changes. I have good math skills and I know how to use the tools listed in the application form; Smogon, Bulbapedia and Damage Calculators. I have used Shoddy Battle before and more recently have been using Pokemon Online to try out Gen V strategies.

Active in our IRC channel - Can do.
Minimum age is 18 years - I am 18 (almost 19)
Living in European timezone - No (Australia), although I am pretty much online while I am awake.
A "can-do" and "get-it-done" mentality - Yes
Good Pokémon knowledge (including, stats and moves) - Yes

Here is the pokemon I have decided to balance.

Pokemon: Electrode
Type: Electric
Current Tier: NU
Reasons for this placement: The reason Electrode is in NU is, despite it's extremely high base speed, it has a lacklustre movepool containing a majority of physical attacks and poor type coverage. It is also weak to ground moves, making it difficult to defend against many pokemon.
Stealth Rock Removal: Removing stealth rock will not affect Electrode.

Buff or Nerf? Buff
Explain the Change: It is both a change to stats and a change to moveset.

Old Stats:
HP: 60
Atk: 50
Def: 70
SpA: 80
SpD: 80
Spe: 140

Stat Related Damage Calculations:

Proposed Stats:
HP: 60 (0)
Atk: 100 (+50)
Def: 80 (+10)
SpA: 70 (-10)
SpD: 50 (-30)
Spe: 140

Reasons for Stat Changes:
HP: I was considering buffing HP by 10 to allow for better use of static, but I decided that the Def increase was enough.
Atk: As Electrode has a majority of physical attacks in it's movepool, increased emphasis on attack allows for better use of Electrode's moves, this gives a good buff to explosion, sucker punch and other moves that were not viable before.
Def: A slight increase to def allows for a little extra protection against physical moves, which also allows for Static to be more effective as more hits can be taken.
SpA: There is only a slight decrease in SpAtk because although Electrode is now a more physical attacker, it will still be able to use moves like signal beam and thunder(bolt) to some effect.
SpD: As Electrode is now more oriented towards the physical side of things, it reinforces the idea that it is meant to attack first and avoid taking damage from special attackers.
Spe: -

Stat Related Damage Calculations:

Movepool Changes + Reasons

+Thunderpunch - To give Electrode a better STAB'ed physical move than Spark and an alternative to the recoil damage from Wild Charge, assuming Wild Charge is being added for gen V.
+Iron Head - This is to give a little extra type variety in Electrode's movepool as Gyro Ball is not a viable move for Electrode, who will still have 284 speed minimum.

Ability Changes + Reasons
-

[Level5Pidgey]

So you finally gave in and decided to apply XP
(For everyone else, I've been asking this guy to join for months...)

Anyway, I know this guy IRL and he's a great friend of mine. He has enthusiasm that beats mine hands down, and he knows his stuff.
I personally would have dropped Electrode's SpD a little less, else he seems Alakazam-like, but, everything you suggested was 100% in the right direction, and you backed it up perfectly.

This is a thumbs up from me, I guess we just have to wait for more input from the GameOp team, and Mr_Dark and Urmel. In the meantime, GET ON IRC.

EDIT: Just realised you were already on...

[Gammal]

Aproved

[Level5Pidgey]

Well, if Mr_Dark and Urmel are on board, you're in!
I'll harass them on IRC

EDIT: YOU'RE IN BUDDY OLE PAL.

[Raikt]

Agreed, though his improved attack scares me. Then again, Explosion no longer halves defense, so it seems like a respectable change. (100 base attack behind that explosion would even chansey up some steels, lol.)

Anyway, welcome aboard!

[Shadowfred]

Yeah, the Explosion change is why I felt I could give it such a boost to Attack.

Also, Thanks.

[Kamaran]

Ye.... Locked.

See you on the chat/IRC.