Improving Pokemon: New Moves & Abilities Challenge - Ice Type

In my continued efforts to offer improvements to the current Pokemon types while avoiding touching the type chart, I decided today to tackle the Ice-type. I think it can go without saying that this is the one type most Pokemon fans want to see receive a buff. This is probably because the Ice-type only resists itself and has a weakness to a whopping 4 types (Fire, Steel, Fighting, and Rock) -- all of which are very common attacking types. Offensively, however, Ice-type actually performs excellently and has all of the tools it needs to deal reliable damage. Ice-type holds the honor of being one of the few super-effective weaknesses for Dragon-types (the other two weaknesses being Fairy and Dragon itself), while also being able to hit Flying, Grass, and Ground for super-effective damage. It also helps that many, many popular or powerful Pokemon just so happen to be 4x weak to Ice-type, including the likes of Salamance, Landorus, and Dragonite. This means the move Ice Beam is incredibly common on many Pokemon teams, even being carried by Pokemon that aren't Ice-type, as it delivers dependable, solid, no frills damage on so many Pokemon. Ice-type moves have always been common in the meta, to be honest: Blizzard was a solid go-to during Gen I (back when it had 90% accuracy), Icicle Drop and Ice Shard (introduced in Gen IV) offer great physical options, and Ice-types have had their own weather (and related abilities) since Gen III.

In many respects, you could make the case for Ice being the "glass cannon" of Pokemon types -- a type that can dish out damage, but never take it. The problem with this design philosophy, however, is that it leads to players wanting to focus their attention toward using the Ice-type moves rather than the Ice-type Pokemon themselves. Many Ice-type attacks are better used by other Pokemon with more resistances and less weaknesses, like Water-types, which can nearly all learn Ice Beam. It also speaks volumes that Hail, the Ice-type weather, was not nearly as viable as the other weathers until Gen VII, when the two-screens-in-one move Aurora Veil was introduced. Also, most Ice-type Pokemon tend not to be built with offensive stats in mind; instead, many are slow and defensively oriented. So, as you can probably imagine, most of them never get the chance to take full advantage of the offensive pressure their typing offers.

Ice-types themselves have so many of the tools they need to be successful, but they get shorted on their stats, abilities, and move options in such a way that using their moves on other Pokemon becomes the more attractive option. What I am going to propose are both abilities and moves that, in my mind, would enhance survivability and provide some new strategies for Ice-types that would make them better choices over other Pokemon.

 Abilities

• Frost Heave: During Hail, the power of Ice-type moves increases by 30%. Also makes you immune to Hail damage. 
• Give it to: Bulky Ice-types who can hit back, like Mamoswine and Walrein. Some offensive Ice-types like Beartic and Vanilluxe. Some oddball non-Ice Pokemon too.
• Rationale: Sand Force for Hail. Having 30% more damage on an Ice Shard or Blizzard makes a world of difference. 

• Permafrost: Effectively doubles the Defense stat of this Pokemon. The effects go away during sunny weather.
• Give it to: Avalugg, Regice, Aurorus, Alolan Sandslash (though it would never use it)
• Rationale: Makes the bulky Ice-types even bulkier. Make their high Defense mean something. This also gives Aurorus and Alolan Sandslash more survivability. The foe will be forced to attack their weaker defense or use indirect damage. Also, this pretty much breaks Regice now that I think about it.

• Absolute Zero: The user is so cold that it slows down other Pokemon. As long as this Pokemon is in play, no other Pokemon can raise its Speed.
• Give it to: Cryogonal, Articuno
• Rationale: Cryogonal is actually surprisingly fast and would appreciate being able to outpace other Pokemon without threat of them catching up. Articuno, similarly, would appreciate this option (though it's not nearly as fast, it can learn Agility). Couple this with a move like Icy Wind and you have a good chance to outspeed your opponents without needing to boost your own Speed.

• Freezing Point: If this Pokemon is hit with a Water-type move, it will negate the damage and boost its Defense +1.
• Give it to: Any Ice-type. Makes most sense on Articuno, Dewgong, Avalugg and Cryogonal.
• Rationale: Gives these Pokemon a much needed immunity, since Ice-type lacks any and only has one resistance. The Defense boost is also handy, especially on the aforementioned Pokemon who already have average or above average Defense/SpDef.

 Moves

• Hoarfrost (Status)
• Description: The user creates up to 3 layers of frost beneath the opposing team. All grounded Pokemon that switch in have a 10% chance of freezing. Each layer added increases the chance of freezing by 5%. Removed by Defog, Rapid Spin, sunny weather, Fire-types, and Ice-types. Cannot be removed by Fire-types during Hail.
  
• Distribution: Makes most sense on Snorunt line, Cryogonal, Avalugg, Articuno, Delibird, Cloyster, Aurorus, and Abomasnow.
• Rationale: Giving Ice-types an entry hazard feels like it's long overdue. Few Ice-types can use hazards as it is, so this helps. A chance of freezing on entry seems cheap, but it's avoided by Pokemon that are off the ground, removed by weather, and removed by two different types. Plus it's only a 1-in-5 chance at its highest level of layers. This would be useful for laying down a threat and giving Ice-types some breathing room while the opponent tries to shuffle their team and deal with the hazard.

• Shatter (Physical, 60bp, 100% acc)
• Description: Strikes the target with an ice-hardened fist. If the target is frozen, the damage dealt doubles and this move cures them of their frozen status.
• Distribution: Any physical Ice-type, like Weavile, Crabominable, Cloyster or Beartic. Also learned by a handful of other non-Ice Pokemon, like some Fighting, Rock, and Steel-types.
• Rationale: Essentially the Wake-Up Slap for the frozen status condition. This is something that just made sense, and gives more rationale for wanting to freeze your opponent (and take advantage of it).

• Shiver (Status)
• Description: The user shivers and then gives the target a cold chill. On the next turn, the target will also shiver and miss their attack. After this move is used, the user loses 1/16 max HP. This move can't target the same opponent two turns in a row. Has no effect on Pokemon with Oblivious or Own Tempo, but the user still attempts the move and takes damage if the target has these abilities.
• Distribution: Similar to Yawn and Astonish, this would be a widespread Ice-type move. Many Pokemon, including Ice-types, would get it.
  
• Rationale: I always felt a move like Yawn but not Yawn would be cool. Could force your foe to switch out the next turn, giving you some breathing room, because either way they are going to have to switch out or stay in and waste a turn. Sort of like an inverse Protect or a delayed Fake Out, in a way. Diminishing returns and self-damage prevents cheaply forcing a target to shiver while they wrack up Toxic damage and you sit there like a punk, but you can feasibly use it in Double Battles to effectively force your opponent's Pokemon to lose their turns in alternating order.

• Cool Off (Special, 70bp, 100% acc)
• Description: The user blasts cool air at the target, dropping their body temperature rapidly. Has a 10% chance of freezing. Deals double damage to Fire-types and bypasses their freezing immunity.
• Distribution: All the same Pokemon that get Freeze-Dry. Also Jynx, Abomasnow, and Glaceon
• Rationale: This gives Ice-types an effective STAB to use on Fire-type Pokemon -- one of their biggest threats. Similar to Freeze-Dry, this opens up the options for what Ice-types can hit immensely and could mean the difference between staying in on a weakened opponent or switching out. It's also interesting that this move would technically deal neutral damage to Heatran and 4x super-effective damage on Pokemon like Moltres, Talonflame, Camerupt, all Charizard formes, and Primal Groudon (!!). Also, being able to freeze Fire-types is a major buff.

• Cold Snap (Status)
• Description: Cools the air on the field rapidly, lowering the temperature for 3 turns. The power of all Grass, Ground, Flying, and Dragon-type moves is halved.
• Distribution: Aurorus, Regice, Articuno, Vanilluxe, Castform, Kyurem
• Rationale: A silly status move on paper, but when you think about it the move means a lot of interesting things can happen. First, it weakens the power of all the types weak to Ice-type, effectively giving Ice-type 4 more resistances for 3 turns. Of the Pokemon above, Kyurem is no longer weak to Dragon, Articuno can 4x resist Grass, Aurorus loses two of its weaknesses, and Regice is even scarier than usual. Secondly, this move benefits all Pokemon on the field, not just the one that used it. Use this on a Double Battle team with Mega Swampert in the rain or pair it with something like Tapu Koko when you know the opponent has Earthquake. This creates a lot of fun synergy on your team if used correctly.

• Ice Wall (Status)
• Description: The user drops a block of ice behind the target, preventing escape.
• Distribution: Crabominal, Aurorus, Abomasnow, Mamoswine, Walrein, Avalugg, Regice
• Rationale: This move is just a re-typed Block or Mean Look. However, Ice-types don't have access to this move usually. Having the option to trap their target would help a lot, especially if used against a foe that can't do much to your Ice-type.

•  Frostbite (Physical, 30bp, 100% acc)
• Description: The user nips at the target with a weak attack. Has a 30% chance of freezing.
• Distribution: Weavile, Glalie, Froslass, Cryogonal
• Rationale: I'm sure this could appear on other Ice-types, but the three above would take the most advantage of it I think. Similar to Chip Away or Astonish, this move deals little damage but its effect can build over time. The more times you hit the opponent, the more chances you have to hit that sweet 1-in-3 chance of freezing. Pairs well with Shatter.

• Toboggan (Status
• Description: The user slicks up their body in wet ice and changes position to slide on their belly. Raises Speed +2. Speed increase is +3 during Hail.
• Distribution: Beartic, Dewgong, Walrein, Lapras, and Delibird. Some non-Ice types, like Empoleon, also make sense.
• Rationale: An Agility for Pokemon that don't get it. All of the above named Pokemon would benefit hugely from a +2 Speed boost, while the +3 in Hail is icing on the cake (no pun intended). This makes Beartic, Lapras and Empoleon, in particular, huge threats. The others could appreciate the buff as well (and I just love the idea of a Delibird racing on its belly).