Season 3 Draft Results

I saw Mav's draft write-up and I was like "shit, I kinda wanna do one too!"

The Squad:
1) Manaphy
2) Kyurem-B
3) Excadrill
4) Hippowdon
5) Clefable
6) Reuniclus
7) Scolipede
8) Chandelure
9) Snorlax
10) Tornadus-Therian
11) Mega Scizor

Manaphy
Poseidon is back for a second season!  After not getting ONE single scald burn in season 2, Poseidon has promised that the water is going to burn hot with redemption for season 3.  He enjoyed his time in LA and is honored to be back despite under performing and after talking with him and hearing his desire to make things right, I knew he had to be the first pick.  He can fill many roles for this team and has that game-ending potential and I'm inclined to believe him when he says he'll stand out on the roster this year.

Kyurem-B
Frosty approached me in the off-season because I tried to initiate a trade for him last year.  He was flattered by my interest and was very open to coming to LA to join the prestigious Kingler organization.  He felt that under my leadership he could grow into the wintry lord of destruction he was meant to be, breaking down all the walls that stand between him and greatness.

Excadrill
Guacamole is our second returning member and she is as excited as ever.  She was able to fill a number of defensive roles for the Kinglers last year but without an automatic sand setter, her dream of becoming MVP was made much more challenging.  We talked at length about what season 3 could hold and she felt that, with proper support, she could lead an offensive front that would propel the Kinglers back into the playoffs.  I knew then who our next pick must be...

Hippowdon
Big Mamapotomus returns to LA after briefly visiting Canada last season.  While she had a good relationship with her previous coach, she knew she was most at home in LA and the return of Guacamole meant she could complete the Sand Sister duo.  Her resilience was something the team was lacking and she's excited for the opportunity to support Guacamole and the rest of the Kingler team to make another run at playoffs.

Clefable
Lil Cletus needs no introduction, she regularly basks in infamy after earning season 1 MVP honors with the Kinglers.  Lil Cletus was the most dangerous Pokemon in the CIL until another coach who shall not be named sniped her early in the draft, preventing her from battling under my leadership.  This proved to be nothing short of disastrous for Lil Cletus who greatly under-performed in season 2, an experience that was immensely frustrating to her and she regularly expressed interest in returning to LA behind her coach's back.  I know Cletus.  I know her passion...her determination.  She will want to reach for the MVP crown again but in a new meta with new Pokemon, it's going to be harder than ever.  Luckily, she's back with her favorite coach and primed to show that she's still got it.

Reuniclus
Big Fetus claims he knew he would be a Kingler this season--the extend of what Big Fetus knows is a mystery to me, but his capabilities are not.  Teams even slightly under-prepared for this powerhouse are going to find themselves praying to the hax gods because once this train gets rolling, they're gonna need some divine intervention to stop him.

Scolipede
Absolem showed many flashes of greatness in season 2 and he expected it would translate to an even better draft in season 3, but the introduction of many other new bugs cast him out of the limelight.  Fortunately for us both, his qualities still shone through to me.  Absolem's speed is just what the roster needed and he's blessed with the giving spirit and willingness to share it with his teammates to show everyone who's the big bug on the block!

Chandelure
Sia was a Pokemon I've worked with extensively in the past but never in the CIL.  For a ghostly lantern, she tends to avoid the spotlight but brings the heat to the Kingler's offense.  Her speed fits perfectly with both our fast mode and our trick room mode so Sia is looking poised to be the ghost with the most in season 3 and we're excited to have her.

Snorlax
Beef Jones.  What can be said about this guy that hasn't been said already?  A legend from the north known for waging many intense battles since the onset of Pokemon, Mr. Jones was high on my list from the get-go.  The power, the bulk, the coverage--Beef Jones is bulky offense personified and synergizes well with the squad and although he could go anywhere, he decided LA was where he wanted to be.  He has yet to make a big impact on the CIL but don't be surprised to see him pulverizing the competition this season.

Tornadus-T
Ziz is still in shock from being drafted so late in the game for season 3.  His anger was so intense, he started a hurricane that would have been category SEVEN in an attempt to exact his vengeance, but after talking with me, we were able to refocus this anger to the opposition.  I pity the team that forgets the threat staring them down when Ziz hits the field.  He's informed us he's excited to play for the Kinglers and I'm just excited to have him on the team.

Mega Scizor
The most used mega in generation six nearly went undrafted but with the last overall pick in the draft, we were able to add Iron Mantis to the Kingler team.  Much like the eponymous movie which I believe to be named after our mega, Fury has been through some of the most trying battles of any Pokemon there is.  His grit and experience is virtually unparalleled and we'll need him at his very best if the Kinglers are going to prevail against the threats of the new generation.


A common theme runs through our team in that many of our Pokemon feel overlooked by this year's draft.  This unites the team; they, the now outcast are hungry for redemption and seek the season 3 title to hold up in the realization of this goal.  Too, as coach, I would like to see the title stay here in the great city of Los Angeles, but I know it won't be easy with many dangerous Pokemon and brilliant coaches looking to take it as well.  In spite of the formidable opposition that stands in our way, I believe we have the team, the desire, and the heart to make this dream a reality and become the CIL Champions!  Let's go Kinglers!

CIL Season 3 Rules

No league is complete without rules.  I will do my best to keep this simple and brief as possible without compromising clarity.

Team Rosters  

I. Pokemon on each team's roster must be static except under the following conditions:

• Each team is allowed five (5) total roster transactions to alter their team between weeks 2-6.  Week two is the first week transactions may occur and no transactions can be completed once week six has ended.
• Trades: Each team is allowed to use any number of their allotted transactions on trades with any team in the CIL.
• Trades must be submitted to @CIL_Official or @KevinVGC on Twitter to be approved by the Kevmissioner (simply to check that all these conditions are met).
• Free Agents: Each team is allowed to use any number of their allotted transactions on free-agent acquisitions per season.
• Once a Pokemon has been dropped from a team's roster, any coach may acquire that Pokemon provided he or she has not already used his or her one free-agent acquisition.
• Free agency moves must be submitted to @CIL_Official or @KevinVGC on Twitter to be approved by the Kevmissioner (simply to check that all these conditions are met).
• A dropped Pokemon will not be considered to be available in free agency until it has been approved (to avoid timing discrepancies).
• An acquired Pokemon will not be considered on a team's roster until it has been approved as well.
• Roster changes do not take effect immediately.  Approved changes will be visible on the draft board spreadsheet and available the subsequent week as described on the spreadsheet.

II. All roster change requests will be processed in the order they are received through the Twitter account.

III. Some Pokemon with multiple forms are eligible for a multi-pick in the draft: Silvally (all types), Lycanroc (both forms), Rotom (all forms), Oricorio (all forms), Gourgeist (all sizes), Meowstic (both genders), and Wormadam (all forms) count as one pick.  However, teams with these Pokemon must declare which type and form they will use at the beginning of each new week.  Failure to declare with a minimum of 3 days notice prior to the match will render that Pokemon ineligible for the week.

• If coaches bring the wrong declared form to the battle, they will be drawn an quartered publicly in the CIL Town Square to be made an example of for all to see.
• In the event that we cannot get to the coach to exact medieval justice on him or her, a -1 differential penalty will applied to the match.
• Consistent with other differential penalties, the result will not be a differential that puts the offender in the negative, so if they lose the match 4-0, they will not have a -5 differential, only -4.

IV. Banned Pokemon: Refer to the GBA's ban list for a list of Pokemon and items not eligible for draft in the CIL.  These Pokemon will not be present on the CIL draft board spreadsheet.

UPDATE: With one exception: Pheromosa will be allowed for season 3.  All other banned Pokemon or items will not be permitted.

V. Before a new season, teams will enter a lottery like that used in the NBA to determine draft-order for the next season.  Also like the NBA, playoff teams are exempt from the lottery and placed in reverse-seeding order at the end of the draft.  New teams will be placed at the top of seeding in the lottery.

VI. Z-Crystals:

• Each week, every team will have access to one Z-Crystal that has been randomly selected and only they will have access to their particular crystal for that week. For instance, if the Whirlwinds have Flynium Z in week 1, only they will be able to use it that week. They may be able to get it again in later weeks, but it is random.
• It may be used on any Pokemon on that team's roster at the coach's discretion. 
• Coaches with Pokemon that have specialized Z-Crystals (such as Incinum Z for Incineroar) will have access to them as an alternative to the crystal they have been assigned.  These coaches must specify to their opponent at the beginning of the week so that the spreadsheet can be updated to accurately reflect which Z-Crystal they have access to for that week.
• Bans and Restrictions
• All omni-boosting moves like Z-Conversion, Z-Celebrate, etc, are banned, consistent with the GBA.  
• All evasion Z-moves like Z-Magnet Rise, Z-Kineses, etc are banned consistent with both the GBA and the Evasion Clause of Smogon.  
• Mewnium Z is banned, consistent with the GBA ban.

VII. Verifying multi forms/ types/ crystals

• As aforementioned, coaches are expected to inform opponent when they have variable Pokemon or Z-Crystals.
• Coaches who are being informed are also expected to confirm once being notified that they are aware of which form/ type/ crystal is being declared for that week.  
• Coaches are not required to use a Z-Crystal or a certain Pokemon just because it has multiple forms/ types, but must specifically declare it at the onset of the week regardless.  This is to allow for the utility of multi-form Pokemon in a single draft pick without having an unfair advantage against an opponent who doesn't know which Silvally is going to come that week, for instance.
• As a suggestion, an appropriate time to have this dialogue might be when scheduling the match.

Battles 

I. Players have two weeks to complete their matches, constituting one CIL "week" unless extenuating circumstances prevent a match from happening.  In this case, an extension will be granted to both teams if the request is submitted to @CIL_Official on Twitter with 24 hours notice prior to the conclusion of that week.  No notice results in a -3 differential loss for each team.

II. All battles will take place on Pokemon Showdown in either OU or Anything Goes (important for teams with Torrent Greninja, Blaze Blaziken, etc) at an agreed-upon time by both coaches.  If there are any problems finding time, contact your nearest Kevmissioner for help.

III. Rules will follow standard Smogon rules with one exception: all Mega Pokemon must evolve on their first full turn on the field.  If switching out immediately, the Mega Pokemon is not required to Mega Evolve, but if a move is being selected, it must also Mega Evolve.

• To review general rules: http://www.smogon.com/dex/xy/formats/ou/
• To review Smogon-wide clauses: http://www.smogon.com/xy/articles/clauses

IV. The timer should always be turned on except in the event of a disconnection. If a player should accidentally disconnect during a battle, the connected coach should turn off the timer to allow the other coach time to return to the battle.  

• Should the disconnected coach be unable to resume, the connected coach may turn on the timer and temporarily claim victory so that he or she may use the replay to send to the disconnected coach so that they may recreate the battle as it was to that point.  If new hax (such as a Critical Hit or status ailment) that did not take place in the original play transpires in the recreation of the battle, coaches are expected to start over in recreating the battle.
• Variable damage rolls are acceptable in the event that it does not lead to a knockout that it did not obtain in the original battle (i.e. if Gliscor survives with 1% in the original battle and get's KO'd by a higher damage roll in the re-creation, coaches are expected to start over in re-creating the battle).
• The disconnecting coach should also utilize his or her phone to contact their opponent on Twitter immediately to inform them of the disconnect.

V. No forfeits will be permitted.  Having accurate measures of differential is important for determining end-of-season standings.  Forfeiting will result in a 6-0 loss for the forfeiting team.

VI. No shows: if someone does not show up within 15 minutes after a previously agreed-upon match time without providing advanced notice, they will be considered to be no show.  A no show results in a differential of -3 added to that coach's score regardless of the outcome of the match whenever it does take place.  Any disputes on the matter should be resolved with screenshots.

• In the event that one of the coaches commits two no-shows for a single opponent, the offender will take a 6-0 loss and -6 differential with no opportunity to make it up.  The other coach will play their match against the sub to assess the proper differential to be awarded to them.
• Coaches who have to play against the sub after their original opponent no-showed twice will automatically be awarded a win for the week even if they lose against the sub.
• A loss by any margin will result in +0 differential.  Wins will assess differential as normal.
• If any coach commits three no-shows in a season, they will be removed from the CIL. 
• If matches from two previous C-weeks do not take place, each coach will be automatically subbed in for by designated CIL subs (most likely the Kevmissioner and the Chasemissioner).  For instance, if a week 1 match has not taken place yet, the day week 3 begins, the subs will be in control of that game.
• If one of these coaches has been showing a consistent effort to get the match scheduled, only the non-responsive coach will be subbed in.
• This substitution will be treated just as the no-show, with the coach who made the efforts getting an automatic win, but differential determined exactly the same as the no-show method.
• If coaches are non-responsive and do not complete two consecutive matches, they will be removed from the CIL.

VII. Substitutions: any coach may have anyone of their choosing substitute a match in the event that they would be unable to complete a battle even with a reasonable time extension.

The Season 

I. The regular season takes place over eight CIL-weeks (or 16 real weeks)

II. Playoffs - At the conclusion of the regular season, standings will be evaluated to determine playoff seeding.

• The top two teams from each conference will receive a playoff seed and first round bye.  The second place teams from each conference will also be awarded a playoff spot in which they will play against wildcard seeds determined by ranking.  Two wildcard seeds will be selected regardless of division and based on record making a total of six (6) playoff teams.
• In the event of a tie in records, differential will be used to determine which team gets a playoff seed.
• In the event of a tie in differential and record, we will hold a playoff match between the two teams and the winner will receive the remaining playoff seed for his or her conference.
• The number one seed in each conference automatically advances to the semi-finals while the two and three seeds play a quarterfinal match.

IV. Championship - Players going undefeated in their conference playoff-rounds will have the opportunity to play for the CIL Championship.  If I had a belt, I would totally give it to the winner, but I don't.  Sorry yall.  I would also really like to hold this on stream and pretend it's a televised event (maybe have the Pro Bowl as an opening event?) because I think that would be fun.  It will depend on schedules.  We'll cross that bridge when we get there.

I think that's it.  Let me know if I missed anything.