[Interest Check] SoA: In God's Shadow

[Commander]

Trust me Strat will be fine. After all he's gone through my bullshit a few times I'm pretty sure he can handle anyone at this rate LOL>

Bad Huk, don't provoke the older RPers to give Strat a hard time. We do that enough as it is.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Bad Huk, don't provoke the older RPers to give Strat a hard time. We do that enough as it is.

If he can survive the nightmare that is me, he can survive anything lol.~

[Jory]

I'm in. I've been busy with work, but I'm resolved to get back to bidaily posts at their least frequent in my own RP. This sounds awesome.

[Sutoratosu]

Alright, I'm almost done with the new mechanics being introduced here (Such as signature moves and Levels beyond 100... both of which were mentioned in the original SoA, but never had time to be expanded on much). You guys can expect to see the OOC for this coming up within the next week or so.

Quick question though: which would you all prefer-That I make the Signatures something that you all start off having and become able to make stronger/give better effects to as you grow and develop, or just hold it off until a certain point in the story and let you have it at once we cross that bridge?

Either one is doable since I've rigged the system to work off of an allotted point value that can be used to "buy" features for your Move and pimp it out. If we go the development route, I would just chop the max point value (30) into thirds and give the chunks to you as we go along (So while you're weak, you have 10 points to spend, when you're moderate, I give you another 10 to spend, and another once in the Powerful category)

Of course, this would lead to an imbalance of power between those who choose basic/low level stages and those who chose more developed ones... but I've already accounted for that...

[GotWala]

I like the idea of starting with the signature move that develops as we grow, although it might become annoying for you to keep track of. However, you did say you have it taken care of, so I guess there's no worries in that respect, haha.

[Aurorix]

It makes more sense (in my opinion) for the characters' technique to grow over time rather then this sudden realization of this powerful move they could use. It also gives a sense of steady character progression and not just this huge jump in power. So I would prefer we all start with some sort of signature move but it gets more powerful as the PC becomes more powerful.

[IntSys]

I prefer having a signature move that slowly grows, personally.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Thing is... the improvement of a move is... very unrealistic in Pokemon... tot he point it makes no sense. Also, I don't really think it's that out of the blue to get a move rnadomly or to learnit in a more spontanouis way. Pokemon do this... all, the time. ((get to new level in game, BOOM new move!, Move Tutor? BOOM new move.))

Honestly them discovering their hidden potinal can also be a very big important character moment that could be robbed of us if we jsut start with one. I suppose there could be smaller incremental ones along the way but... I like the ability to have a big meaningful swing... akin to evolution. ((further proof that if you are an unevolved mon you already are going to jsut rnadomly become more powerful. It's Pokemon in a nut shell really, jsut unlocking latent potinal.))

Personally, I think it's within the spirit of what Pokemon is ((as a series in all of it's forms.)) that a Signature move would be discovered later during paly and not grow in play. But that's imo. Jsut to me, Pokemon is very much about discovery learning. It feels like a missed oppertunity for a chance to discover soemthing about one's character being a bog standard thing we jsut have. That's... in all honesty very boring. ((once again imo.)) Personally I'd rather it be discovered later.

[Aurorix]

Honestly both routes have their ups and downs.

Slowly Growing Sig.

+ Sense of Progression

+ Everyone starts with some sort of Sig. move no matter how strong

- Lack/less of an impact when moves progresses

- Makes having a Sig. move less special (If everyone, even less experienced pokemon, have these types of moves it makes them seem less of what they are

This video helps explains)

All At Once Sig.

+ The move is nice and powerful at the beginning

+ Gives a sense of strength between PC's and NPC's (Less strong pokes won't have one and strong ones will)

+ Makes obtaining a sig. move more special

- Large power gaps. (It's like a tackle vs. a giga impact.)

(Feel free to add to the list if I've missed something or post any conflicting thoughts)

Honestly, thinking about it more I feel that going the, for a lack of a better term, "All at once Sig." method is the better choice

[Sutoratosu]

Well, tbh, it's not really as sudden as the All at Once would make it seem. Rather, it's more of an epiphany type of deal... and I can't reveal much more without spoiling, but it has it's own special slot and costs 1/4 of your current stamina just to call if forth into the world and use it in battle for a reason... The process wouldn't be so much of "Oh, look at that, I can do this cool thing now" as much it is something that comes as the reward waiting at the end of a long and arduous road that all builds up to that final moment of truth.

As for what Hukuna said, we really be doing much of the "OH, got a new move, well, time to wreck shit" either. Since the Leveling system is only going to be taken loosely as a point of reference and not as an absolute mechanic, it really doesn't make sense to restrict move sets by sudden acquisition via "Level up" like in the games. Rather, in order to learn a new one, This RP will take a page from Surge Story and require some type of developing pathology. You will have to put in a little bit of practice and familiarizing yourself before you can replace an old move with a new, better one. I mean, hell we never see "leveling up" in the anime, and even there there are several occasions where a mon had to actually work and practice at a move before they could use it anywhere near reliably- point in case being Ash's Gible with Draco Meteor and it's initial horrible accuracy.

Of course though, this is something already taken care of in the story... because the best practice there is, is in the heat of actual combat.

But yeah... there will be nothing like suddenly learning Earthquake, and knowing how to use it absolutely perfectly despite having no experience with any move like it (such as Bulldoze) before... because that's always been one of the more asspullish things in pokemon to me, when the chips are down and all of sudden, either the fighter evolves or gets a new move that happens to be the perfect thing for their situation. Of course, I'll go over the process by which moves are acquired more during the RP...

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

As for what Hukuna said, we really be doing much of the "OH, got a new move, well, time to wreck shit" either. Since the Leveling system is only going to be taken loosely as a point of reference and not as an absolute mechanic, it really doesn't make sense to restrict move sets by sudden acquisition via "Level up" like in the games. Rather, in order to learn a new one, This RP will take a page from Surge Story and require some type of developing pathology. You will have to put in a little bit of practice and familiarizing yourself before you can replace an old move with a new, better one. I mean, hell we never see "leveling up" in the anime, and even there there are several occasions where a mon had to actually work and practice at a move before they could use it anywhere near reliably- point in case being Ash's Gible with Draco Meteor and it's initial horrible accuracy.

I more meant that this is something known to Pokemon already. When you discover you can use soemthing... and you use it the first time... yous till don't really know how to use it. Of course you'd have to learn. I wasn't strictly using the level system as a strigant thing, but that it's philsopy is that you discover and grow as you develope. In an RP, you can jsut choose what your mon decides to spend their time developing, so to speak.

[Commander]

The signature move is kind of hard for me to answer since I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that. In a way, it could mean a mons strongest attack which in quite a number of RPGs is learned over time, not by level up. I could probably link a video or two showing ultimate attacks that often combine techniques they learned over time since that's the point they hit their max potential in which they can't grow that much stronger. They often had to practice with other attacks to the point they understand how it all works and can use their signature/strongest attack.

Though the other thing that needs to be addressed is how experience are the players in terms of their character. If they've been training for many years, I could see them just starting to sprout onto having a powerful attack that slowly develops, but a somewhat noob mon it wouldn't make so much sense. So ultimately, acquiring the attack after a certain point outweighs any benefits of having it learned over time since well both are the same in a way. It's also a much safer option if you ask me because who knows what kind of mess could be created if you add too much new things from the get go.

[Sutoratosu]

The signature move is kind of hard for me to answer since I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that. In a way, it could mean a mons strongest attack which in quite a number of RPGs is learned over time, not by level up. I could probably link a video or two showing ultimate attacks that often combine techniques they learned over time since that's the point they hit their max potential in which they can't grow that much stronger. They often had to practice with other attacks to the point they understand how it all works and can use their signature/strongest attack.

Though the other thing that needs to be addressed is how experience are the players in terms of their character. If they've been training for many years, I could see them just starting to sprout onto having a powerful attack that slowly develops, but a somewhat noob mon it wouldn't make so much sense. So ultimately, acquiring the attack after a certain point outweighs any benefits of having it learned over time since well both are the same in a way. It's also a much safer option if you ask me because who knows what kind of mess could be created if you add too much new things from the get go.

However experienced the PC is is up to the player running them. I'll be allowing people to run from Weak to Formidable (specifically from lvl 10 as the absolute lowest to 55 as the absolute highest) from the start. Those who start at higher levels or in more advanced evolutionary forms will obviously grow at a slower rate in power than weaker players, so eventually, it should more or less even out after a certain point.

As for the mess, it really shouldn't become that big. The 30sp limit is there to force some type of balance to stop entirely OP Ubers level shit from happening, but still be lenient enough to let folks piece together some cool effects. Plus I alone have the final say on all Final Signature builds, so that's another layer of checks in place as well. Oh, and Damage and Accuracy rates also cost SP for the signature, btw... so that's also something to be taken into consideration when building one.

[K_H]

I, personally, prefer the "Weak at first, but slowly grows over time and obtained early" option, but I'm willing to go with the "You don't get it until later on, but you get it all at once and it's strong" option if necessary.

[starkidcosmo]

Personally I prefer the "get it later" because it's Cooler that way, but I'll take whatever.

[Sutoratosu]

Alright, after hearing what you all have to say and thinking over both paths a bit more, I've come to my decision... We'll reserve signatures for later on in the plot and restrict them to having certain parameters that have to be met to develop one rather than them being common from the start. Plus this way melds better with the lore that was originally planned in SoA

[K_H]

Adding on to the Azoth-related stuff and the Signature Move, it seems that Gamefreak have included some kind of form of this themselves in Sun and Moon with the "Synchro Move" and "Bond Gem".

Edited July 13, 2016 by K_H

[Azeria]

Considering the mystery dungeon based setting, do mons have all of their abilities like they do in the mystery dungeon games themselves, or is it locked to the single ability they normally have in the main games?

[Sutoratosu]

Considering the mystery dungeon based setting, do mons have all of their abilities like they do in the mystery dungeon games themselves, or is it locked to the single ability they normally have in the main games?

Seeing as how unlike the last PMDRP, this world was not originally built with those mechanics, it functions the same as the game and anime just as SoA p1 did.

In other words- One Mon, One Ability. Everybody gets one, no more, no less.

[Azeria]

Seeing as how unlike the last PMDRP, this world was not originally built with those mechanics, it functions the same as the game and anime just as SoA p1 did.

In other words- One Mon, One Ability. Everybody gets one, no more, no less.

Got it. Just needed that clarified.

Now to figure out which of the scorpions to pick......

[K_H]

Choosing a Species already, are we? What a coincidence.

Quick question, Suto: Are we able to use 'Mons that are from GenVII? If so, I might consider using popplio or one of its' Evolutions as my PC.

Edited July 14, 2016 by K_H

[Sutoratosu]

Choosing a Species already, are we? What a coincidence.

Quick question, Suto: Are we able to use 'Mons that are from GenVII?

Hell no.

There currently exists no concrete statistical data on any of them, and seeing as how the games won't be out till november, and it usually takes a few months after a release before the tech wizards have torn apart every nock and cranny of the game's code and update all the mon resource sites with it...

You can see why I'm not allowing Gen VII. Infact, I had this stance in SoA too, Gen VII is as yet non-canon in this verse. Until I have solid information, I'm not adding any of it into this world. Because it's easier to write it into the setting all at once rather than stringing bits and pieces of rumors and teasers one at a time.

[K_H]

Good to know.

[Noir]

It's honestly dependent on the overall approach one desires to take with characters when it comes to the timing of acquisition of signatures. My personal inclinations point to an "acquired early and developing" signature system as it accentuates both physical/mental and character development (working hard/dedication for the signature and all) in the writing, but given the fact that a later acquisition coincides with your originally devised plot, I guess that's fine too. I guess it's more of a "checkpoint/level" thing rather than something that steadily grows, which can flesh out the aforementioned aspects in some ways.

On another note, since I've posted here, my need to improve/maintain my stagnant writing in this currently somewhat stagnant RP section has been itching me for some while now, so if the seeds of this RP are to bear fruit soon, I'd like a spot in.

[Sutoratosu]

The OOC is up.

http://www.pokemonreborn.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=21491

so, uh, yeah guys... stop gawking at this and go fill out a sheet if you're still game