How do I make a CAP team?

You can make a CAP team straight from the teambuilder, just as you would with any other metagame. The CAP Pokemon are, by default, listed at the very bottom of the list of selectable Pokemon in their own separate category. You can read about the CAP Pokemon and some recommended movesets in their appropriate Smogon articles, which are linked to here.

How should I make a CAP team?

There's no one proper answer to this, just like there isn't for OU. But I'm going to give a stab at it anyways, which is going to be the main topic of this thread.

CAP Pokemon tend to facilitate a lot of diversity on teams rather than one or two predominant strategies, so you may find it to your advantage to have as many options and tools at your disposal as possible in order to adapt and respond to whatever the other player is using. I call this the “bag of tricks” approach as it's designed to try to deal with threats through smart prediction and team synergy rather than directly through simple type coverage. There's pretty much no limit to how you can build teams if you have enough tools necessary to handle potential threats as well as win you the match.

A word of warning- everything in CAP is counterable, but not everything can be countered (or even easily checked) on a single team. For this reason, stall teams (which depend on continual switches) can be deadly but require a great deal of knowledge of the tier and excellent prediction to be used with any degree of consistent success. I do not recommend them for beginners, but if you are determined to use one you should ask around in the CAP chat for advice. Chansey/Clefable/Tomohawk/Cyclohm is a good starting point for pure stall and with proper prediction/setup will wall everything in the meta that isn't a dedicated stallbreaker (like mixed Landorus or Tail Glow Aurumoth), which can easily be dealt with through revenge killers and specialized defensive pivots.

What I do recommend if you're totally new to CAP and don't know where to start is to first try building a team following this model, where each member of fits into one of six loosely defined roles:

Core A
Core B
Revenge Killer
Specially Bulky Pivot
Sweeper
Wildcard

I'm going to be covering each of these roles in detail.

The Core:

A core, by definition, is any sort of set of combination of Pokemon which compliment each other well enough to serve as the primary source of defensive or offensive momentum for a team. Every gen and metagame has some sort of commonly used defensive core which can hold the rest of the team together, fills many utility roles, and can check or counter a number of common offensive threats relatively effectively.

In Gen II we had Skarmory/Blissey, in Gen V we had Jellicent/Ferrothorn, and in Gen VI CAP we have Tomohawk/Cyclohm. Chansey can also be considered part of this core on stall-based CAP teams, and offensive pairings such as Colossoil/Kitsunoh and Talonflame/Krilowatt are often effective cores on more offensive CAP teams. However, Cyclohm/Tomohawk is extremely effective at increasing the survivability of CAP teams against the multitudes of physical threats which exist in the tier, so it’s primarily what I’m going to focus on here.

Here are the sets I suggest using for beginners:
[hide]Cyclohm @ Leftovers
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 SDef
Calm Nature
- Slack Off
- Whirlwind
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower

Cyclohm is a specially offensive physical wall with the same defensive stats as Hippowdon, but has the typing and movepool to check many threats that Hippowdon cannot. These include Cawmodore, Talonflame, Keldeo, Gyarados, Infernape, and Arghonaut, among others. Countering Belly Drum Cawmodore is especially important, so keep this Pokemon healthy if you see your opponent using one. This set is bulky enough that even many super effective moves like Choice Band Azumarill's Play Rough fail to OHKO it. Just send it out whenever you need to phaze something, threaten a bulky physical attacker, or abuse one of its many useful resists and you'll find that it serves your team wonderfully.

Tomohawk (F) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 96 SDef / 160 Def / 252 HP
Bold Nature
- Air Slash
- Earth Power
- Reflect
- Roost

Tomohawk is an excellent mixed wall and utility Pokemon which is great at checking or countering common threats like Heatran, Terrakion, Tyranitar, Lucario, Colossoil, Revenankh, Pyroak, Necturna, Malaconda, Stratagem, and many others. Prankster Reflect allows Tomohawk to check even super effective physical attackers such as Mega Medicham, who cannot 2HKO it by any means and will gradually die to Rocky Helmet damage and Air Slash. Its spot as the number one Pokemon used in the CAP meta since its creation is well deserved, so don't be afraid to throw it out whenever you need a bulky damage dealer or a quick stop to an opposing team's momentum.[/hide]
The Revenge Killer:

Most good teams should have a strong general purpose Choice Scarf user, capable of threatening all of the usual sweepers in OU as well as many of the bulky attackers in CAP. This is especially important in the CAP meta because many offensive CAP Pokemon are very fast but have weak priority or no priority at all. U-turn is highly recommended on them to scout out potential Illusion Aurumoth leads, as they can be very hard to stop after a Quiver Dance. I'm not going to put down specific EV spreads for these Pokemon but it shouldn't be hard to customize them sensibly based on your team needs.

Here are some common revenge killers I either personally recommend or have seen other players use very successfully:
[hide]Kitsunoh
Key Moves- Shadow Strike, U-turn, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Will-O-Wisp, Trick
Summary- Speed and an excellent Ghost-type STAB move in Shadow Strike allows Kitsunoh to easily threaten many common offensive types in the tier such as Revenankh, Aurumoth, and Necturna. Trick is a good tool to cripple defensive switchins and can lead to a late game sweep if you predict the right moves. The unusual Ghost/Steel typing (also found on Aegislash) means it can resist psychic/fighting and flying/fighting offensive typings that are relatively common in the CAP tier, adding to its utility.

Stratagem
Key Moves- Paleo Wave, Earth Power, Fire Blast, Energy Ball, Stealth Rock, Hidden Power Fairy
Summary- Fast, hard hitting rock types are uncommon enough, but Stratagem manages to increase its niche even more with of the hardest hitting special rock attack in the game. Access to moves like Fire Blast and Energy Ball means that even usual resists like Arghonaut and Kitsunoh can’t come in safely. 130 base speed and resistance to flying type moves are its biggest selling points, allowing it to easily revenge kill Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, Kyurem B, and Syclant among others. Unfortunately, it’s painfully weak to priority and still gets walled by tanks like Chansey and Revenankh.

Talonflame
Key Moves- Brave Bird, Flare Blitz, Roost, Tailwind, U-turn
Summary- Unusual as a revenge killer in that it's not used a scarfer, but that incredible priority from Gale Wings means it's still just as dangerous as one. There's very little it can switch into, but in addition to what it usually beats in OU it can easily outspeed and OHKO the likes of Necturna, Tomohawk, Aurumoth, Syclant, Voodoom, and Pyroak no matter what set they're running or how many boosts they have. Priority Tailwind can be a useful option in CAP and can help prevent your team from being wiped out or help set up a Pokemon of your own for a sweep.

Aegislash
Key Moves- Shadow Ball, Kings Shield, Shadow Sneak, Sacred Sword
Summary- Aegislash is like a very bulky version of Kitsunoh, trading that enormous speed stat for more bulk and the ability to hit mixed. Kings Shield + Shadow Ball can take on any Cawmodore set lacking Knock Off, and has the sheer power and typing to revenge kill bulkier sweepers like Revenankh and Kyurem-B. Using Aegislash in CAP isn’t much different than in OU, but has to watch out for Mollux, who easily counters the standard mixed set.

Keldeo
Key Moves- Hydro Pump, Secret Sword, Icy Wind, HP Electric, Surf
Keldeo may not be the monster it was in Gen V, but being able to hit hard on both the physical and special sides is still very useful and can force an opponent into sacking a Pokemon if they make the wrong switch. Keldeo is also really good at threatening Ice types like Weavile, Mamoswine and Cloyster which could otherwise severely threaten the Cyclohm/Tomohawk core.[/hide]
The Specially Bulky Pivot:

Your mix of Tomohawk/Cylcohm and a revenge killer should already threaten the majority of Pokemon in the meta, but there are inevitably going to be “holes” where your coverage needs some some support. This utility mon should not only have a lot of special bulk and some decent attack moves but should serve other utility tasks, such as laying hazards or using Heal Bell or Wish. If you're having trouble against bulky electric/water types like Wash-Rotom or Krilowatt, for instance, you might try throwing in a Necturna- but also give it the ability to put down hazards or use Spore. There are a lot of great CAPmon to choose from for this role so you have plenty of options.

Examples typically used in CAP include:
[hide]Necturna- That base 120 Sp Def makes it a fantastic special wall or even an Assault Vest user, and access to Sketch means it can use pretty much any support move in the book (including the infamous Sticky Web). It also means that it can have coverage on whatever the hell you need it to- setup sweepers like Cawmodore appreciate Parting Shot hits, and the fastest Spore in the game can be used to shut down opposing threats.

Wash-Rotom- Easily switches into and takes on Tomohawk, which is quite a feat in itself, but also counters the infamous Mega Pinsir and supports Cyclohm in walling all the hard hitting fire and flying type threats in the meta.

Arghonaut – Think of it as a supercharged version of Quagsire with massive special bulk. It hard counters Syclant and Cloyster, two potentially dangerous Pokemon who can be effectively removed as threats to your team. Thanks to Unaware, it's amazing at stopping almost any special attacker that it isn't weak to and can set up on them with Bulk Up. Mega Charizard X and Gyarados don’t stand a chance against it, and the physically bulky set can phase out threats like Cawmodore and Swords Dance Talonflame in a pinch.

Heatran – That steel typing and great bulk allows it to take on a number of powerful special threats in the tier, such as Latias, Necturna, and even Aurumoth. While seemingly outclassed by Mollux in the utility role, being able to use Roar is something Mollux lacks and should be standard on the bulky set. Heatran also is a pretty good check to a lot of Psychic and Fairy type threats that cause Tomohawk problems, such as Clefable and Sylveon, as they generally don't have the power to beat down Heatran's excellent defenses.

Mollux – The fire snail is a powerful alternative to Heatran, trading a fire type immunity and a few resistances for an awesome immunity to Water type moves and resistance to Fighting attacks. This Pokemon is fantastically effective against Fairy types, especially Azumarill, which is incapable of breaking through it even with a Belly Drum set. Anything lacking a Rock, Ground or Psychic type move is going to have a hell of a time getting through this monster, as it can either stall them out with Toxic or attempt to sweep with a surprisingly dangerous Calm Mind set. It can even put down Toxic Spikes/Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin if you need more hazard support.

Malaconda – As a specially bulky Grass Pokemon with good Attack, Malaconda functions similarly to Necturna as a special wall. What it loses out in terms of versatility compared to Necturna it makes up for in access to Sucker Punch and the ability to stall opponents to death with a dangerous Leech Seed/Harvest/Substitute set. Glare is an excellent option that can cripple switchins like Cawmodore and Charizard. Knock Off got a huge buff this gen and works wonderfully on Malaconda, so consider using it on every set.

Chansey/Blissey – The blobs may not have the offensive power characteristic of the bulky CAPmons, but there's no denying that they tank special hits better than anything else. Dangerous special sweepers like Psyshock Tail Glow Aurumoth can still punch through them, but even landing a Toxic on them before that happens can win you games.

Krilowatt – This bugger can take on opposing Cyclohm/Tomohawk cores better than anything else, and is a good answer to many rain teams. It also is excellent at tanking hits from the likes of Choice Specs Politoed and Tentacruel. Magic Guard is pretty nice too, granting it immunity to hazards and status. Assault Vest and Life Orb are both viable sets, depending on whether you value bulk or slightly more offensive power.[/hide]
The Sweeper:

You will want something that is bulky enough to switch in and can propose an immediate and overwhelming threat that once specific counters are removed. Luckily, CAP provides plenty of options. I'm only going to cover the most common CAP sweepers here, but remember that powerful OU sweepers like Greninja, Dragonite or Aegislash are still effective if you are prepared for some of the incredibly bulky CAP checks which can make them difficult to sweep with.
[hide]Aurumoth – A metagame shaping force which can often set up on Pokemon who threaten it thanks to its amazing ability, Illusion. When Aurumoth was created it singlehandedly forced people to start using Choice Scarf U-turners and Heatran on practically every team, because after a Quiver Dance it outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame and threatens to OHKO all but bulky special walls, who have a hard time preventing it from just setting up more boosts. If that was all it could do it would be more than enough, but it can also run surprise Dragon Dance and Tail Glow sets and has an extremely versatile attack movepool to match.

One of the few arguments AGAINST using Aurumoth is that priority moves which hit it super effectively are much more common in Gen 6, as is its number one check, Talonflame. If you do use it, try to partner it up with a Pokemon that can bait out attacks it can set up on while maintaining high health. Heatran is a great example, typically luring in Fighting and Ground type moves that Aurumoth easily resists.

Revenankh – Infamous for being incredibly hard to take down as it gradually accrues Bulk Up boosts, Revenankh is reminiscent of Curselax in Gen II. Gen VI Revenankh is much more dangerous than its original CAP incarnation thanks to an upgraded Drain Punch and the general nerf to special attacks. Tomohawk and bulky Fairy types give it problems, but most other checks which are actually capable of denting it get hit extremely hard by Shadow Sneak.

Have a plan to keep out or take down the few Pokemon which reliably check Revenankh and you can have an awesome offensive sweeper which is nearly impossible to stop. Anti-Tomohawk Pokemon like Wash Rotom and Krilowatt make good partners for this reason.

Cawmodore – Hard to set up, but absurdly powerful when it happens. Belly Drum gives Cawmodore incredible hitting power and Acrobatics + Drain Punch has nearly perfect coverage. The Salac Berry set is almost impossible to take down barring priority, while the Sitrus berry switches in more easily and has access to Bullet Punch. If it weren't for Cyclohm walling it and a handful of other pokemon being able to actually tank a hit it would probably dominate the entire tier.

Necturna – Necturna is not only a dangerous specially defensive pivot but a deadly sweeper. Offensive sets are difficult for opponents to counter because of how unpredictable it is. Sketch means it can use any sweeping move, and it can viably run both special and physical sweeping sets. Shell Smash is probably the most popular, as a +2 Power Whip coming off a 120 base attack hits everything that doesn't resist it incredibly hard. Oddly, Necturna can learn Stone Edge even without Sketch, so slapping that on along with Shadow Sneak gives you pretty scary coverage. Shadow Claw is also an option if you want to overpower Heatran, but it's really not worth losing that awesome priority move.

Syclant – The original CAP Pokemon is not quite as deadly as the above four, but since people rarely specifically prepare for it, it can catch a lot of teams off-guard. 121 base speed is still pretty good in Gen 6 and the ability to run powerful Tail Glow and Swords Dance sets makes it very difficult to consistently switch into. Tail Glow with Ice Beam, Bug Buzz and Earth Power is probably the most popular set, as it can easily punch through Tomohawk/Cyclohm cores while hitting almost everything else hard with its STAB moves. Mountaineer should be the ability of choice, as it's incredibly easy to abuse a one turn immunity to Stealth Rock/rock type attacks when paired with a Pokemon like Talonflame who appreciates having those bulky counters removed. For instance, you can have Syclant switch into a predicted Stone Edge from Tyranitar and wipe it out with Focus Blast or Superpower.

Mega Pinsir – Skarmory and Wash-Rotom are not nearly as common in CAP as they are in OU, making this Pokemon much more difficult to wall. If it can manage to get a Swords Dance up- usually against a Pokemon like Colossoil or Fidgit- it can often sweep an opponent’s team due to the sheer number of Pokemon weak to flying types present in the tier. A +2 Earthquake can’t quite kill bulky Cyclohm but can do the job if Earthquake is up, usually forcing the opponent to resort to checks like Talonflame to stop it from sweeping.[/hide]
The Wildcard:

As the name implies, your last Pokemon should be designed to fill as many utility roles as possible. Whether it's giving more hazard support, setting up for a sweep, or filling defensive gaps in a team, this Pokemon should be able to support your team in a way which allows the rest of your Pokemon to succeed. Common OU Pokemon which fit this role include Klefki, Deoxys-D, Espeon, Forretress, and Dugtrio. Many CAP Pokemon go above and beyond what typical OU utility Pokemon are capable of, however, fitting a number of specialized roles while remaining a powerful offensive threat. Some examples from CAP include:
[hide]Colossoil: One of the most dangerous and unpredictable supporters in existence, possessing the ability to switch into status moves and deal immense damage thanks to Guts while also being able to screw over hazard users with Rebound. A hard hitting Knock Off is a great way to cripple even usual switch-ins like Tomohawk while practically 2HKOing everything in the game that doesn’t resist the move. Colossoil is also one of the best Rapid Spinners in existence, being able to threaten practically every Ghost type with either Knock Off or Sucker Punch. If you want a solid tool to shut down hazard/status users while performing double duty as an offensive threat, this is the Pokemon for you.

Fidgit: The ultimate hazard supporter, being able to Rapid spin, shut down every other common hazard user with a very fast Taunt, and place every entry hazard under the sun bar Sticky Web. Its typing and ability means it's either immune to or doesn't care about any status condition used on it and can cripple them with Encore while proceeding to lay more hazards. It can support other Pokemon directly with fast screens or bulky Wishes. Finally, its good bulk and typing make it a decent check to almost every Fairy Pokemon. If you're looking for a Pokemon capable of filling any of these roles, Fidgit may be for you. Note that Persistent is currently broken in Showdown, but if it ever gets fixed moves like Trick Room and Gravity might start looking a lot more viable.

Pyroak: A fantastic Pokemon for shutting down other Grass Pokemon thanks to its typing, excellent bulk, and access to a recoil-free Flare Blitz. Pyroak is best saved as a late game cleaner or a tool to halt an opponent’s momentum, especially after potential checks like Stratagem and Tomohawk are removed. Pyorak generally should be throwing down Leech Seed as soon as it comes out, and proceeding to either set up with Bulk Up or stall the opponent out with Sub+Protect.

Voodoom: A bit of an oddball who has an unusual 4x resistance to Dark type attacks and ability to support teammates weak to electric type moves. Choiced sets are usually the best as they are unpredictable and give Voodoom the edge to make the most of its decidedly average stat pool. Unfortunately, it's totally shut down by Fairy Pokemon, but supporters like Scizor or Mollux can make this a non-issue.

Clefable: Clefable’s Unaware and typing allows it to serve as an effective answer to most of the Dragon and Fighting type threats in the tier, at which it can either hit back with Moonblast or attempt to set up with Cosmic Power. It’s usually best reserved as a check rather than an outright counter because its bulk isn’t quite enough to survive being 2HKO from many hard hitting attackers such as Colossoil and Syclant, but once it does set up it can easily turn around a match.

Landorus: Specially offensive Landorus is one of the best anti-stall tools in the meta, easily blasting through Chansey/Tomohawk/Cyclohm cores with Knock Off, Superpower, Earth Power, and Psychic. CAP Pokemon in general have a very rough time switching into Landorus, though the likes of Kitsunoh and Syclant, among others, can easily revenge kill it.

Kyurem-B: Singlehandedly responsible for the dramatic increase of Fairy type usage in the tier, Kyurem-B is a monster to wall and can punch through defensive cores with little effort. Mold Breaker allows Kyurem to OHKO Cawmodore switchins, and it has access to Iron Head to prevent even bulky Clefable from being a consistent counter. Unfortunately it has several new threats in Gen 6 such as Aegislash and Mega Mawile that it has a very difficult time breaking through, and faster attackers such as Mega Charizard X can revenge kill it easily.

[/hide]
Another perfectly valid alternative to the options above is just use another sweeper or revenge killer or the like as your wildcard in order to lean your team heavily in that direction. Note that status moves and utility are extremely important in CAP, so giving that up can make it more difficult to consistently win games.

One last note- you don't HAVE to follow this template to make a good CAP team. I've just found it to be a solid starting point, especially for players new to the meta. Hopefully this will eventually inspire you to branch out and make your own variations on a functioning and competitive team.

As a final example, here's a team I came up with just using the template described above:
[hide]Cyclohm @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature
- Slack Off
- Whirlwind
- Thunderbolt
- Fire Blast

The first member of the TomoClohm core and pretty much fits the standard defensive role it should have on most teams. If I see Talonflame or Cawmodore on the other team, it's a major priority to keep this Pokemon in one piece. Fire Blast is a slightly risky way to guarantee a KO on Cawmodore if it tries to Drain Punch, whereas Flamethrower doesn’t quite do 100% damage. If Fire Blast misses, you can simply spam Slack Off until Cawmodore gets paralyzed from Static and then either attempt again or phase it out. Shuca Berry is used instead of Leftovers on this set is as a way for Cyclohm to counter Mega Pinsir much more easily as well as possibly take down a weakened Landorus or Colossoil who think they can force Cyclohm out. Ice Beam can be an alternative over Whirlwind for that end if you don’t mind the lack of a phazing move.

Tomohawk @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 160 Def / 252 HP / 96 SDef
Bold Nature
- Air Slash
- Taunt
- Rapid Spin
- Roost

Taunt-a-hawk screws over Chansey switchins and makes predicted fairy switchins much easier to deal with at the expense of some movepool versatility. Rapid Spin is used over Reflect because this team badly needs to keep Stealth Rock off the field. As the second member of the defensive core, Tomohawk is used to wall most physical threats Cyclohm doesn't cover and several specially offensive ones.

Kitsunoh @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Frisk
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Shadow Strike
- Ice Punch
- Trick

Kitsunoh’s typing and good speed makes it a useful revenge killer and U-turn supporter. Always pay attention to Frisk, as it can give you a clear heads up as to whether you’re dealing with offensive or defensive sets and what you should be switching into. Trick is a good way to cripple opposing Tomohawk and potential switchins such as Mollux or Cyclohm who really hate being locked into one move.

Mollux @ Black Sludge
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 152 SDef / 252 HP / 104 Def
Calm Nature
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Sludge Bomb
- Stealth Rock

This Mollux set acts like a pseudo Heatran but has the advantage of a water immunity and reliable recovery. Its main job is get up Stealth Rock and stop a significant chunk of special attackers in the meta from being a threat to this team. It also has the very important ability to counter dangerous sweepers like Aegislash, Azumarill and Mega Mawile. Try to cripple opposing teams with this as much as you can through poison and burns before attempting a sweep.

Aurumoth @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Illusion
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Tail Glow
- Psyshock
- Bug Buzz
- Overheat

Aurumoth is your main sweeper, and one hell of a scary Pokemon if it manages to set up. After a Tail Glow it’s practically impossible to wall, and Psyshock allows it to easily 2HKO Chansey after a single boost. Mollux is usually the best Illusion target, as it often baits in Ground and Psychic type moves that Aurumoth resists. Aurumoth is surprisingly bulky on the physical side and can usually survive any one super effective priority hit- a Leftovers Adamant Talonflame's Brave Bird, for instance, cannot OHKO Aurumoth at full health. Because of this, it's in your best interest to try to keep Aurumoth at as high of a health as possible while setting up, or at least take out the obvious priority using checks before attempting a sweep. Focus Sash is used to here to allow Auromoth to set up more easily and serve as an emergency revenge killer against Pokemon such as Choice Band Kyurem B and Syclant as long as hazards are off the field.

Colossoil @ Life Orb
Ability: Rebound
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Toxic
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Earthquake

This set is a hybrid between the offensive Life Orb set and the defensive Rebound set, and tries to bring the best of both worlds. STAB Sucker Punch off of that massive attack stat is incredibly useful and can save this team from a sweep in a pinch. Toxic seems like an odd choice but is an easy way to cripple predicted Tomohawk switchins and maintain offensive momentum.[/hide]