Removing this one move would fix half of Pokemon's problems.

>>57903808 (OP)
>t.seething jealous rockuck/eletrikek with no reliable physical move

>>57903840
The problem is that Close Combat is too reliable. It's not like a 90 BP Body Slam clone. It's a 120 BP nuke that can be thrown out endlessly if you're fast enough and is on literally everything because even birds can learn Close Combat. This is enough to cause problems like...
>Psyspam due to a lack of Dark-types.
>Calyrex spam due to a lack of Normal-types
>Sneasler
>Bunch of bullshit Fairy-types because offensive Steel-types can't handle Close Combat

>>57903808 (OP)
Making it a tm was a problem. Same with stealth rock.

>>57903849
Yeah. In gens 4 and 5 it was obviously good, but was limited in its distribution. It being given to everything is its problem.
Stealth rock was always a TM though. In gen 4 nothing learned it naturally.

>>57903808 (OP)
No it wouldn’t. Close Combat being a widespread coverage move is great actually.

Reduce Toxic, but make everyone get Close Combat. Great design, Game Freak...

Make it a two-phase move while keeping it single-turn, the defense drop has high priority and applies to both the user and the target, and only for one turn, reduce the damage to 90. This way it stays valuable to fast mons while getting fucked by even faster mons and priority moves.

The general idea is that the close part of Close Combat comes first and you can get fucked on entry if not fast enough

Add a similar move called Clinch that raises defense in the first phase as a sort of feint to Close Combat

>>57904045
Oh, and both moves would prevent escape, maybe even drop the power even more and make it an actual trapping move