Community Post #141 - Natural 20, your Psyduck causes heads to explode with it's sneeze alone

Community Post #140​

So, I figured I'd ramble on about something I've been reading up on for a while. So, here goes:

Did you know there are Pokemon RPGs?

Of course you did. You live on Planet Earth and use the internet. One Google search for 'Pikachu' nets results in such variety and quantity, it's enough to suggest there's a cult that worships them. Even try...to become one!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!​

Now, did you know that a select number of the billions that play these games have spent countless hours creating a Tabletop version?

A Tabletop version of Pokemon. TABLETOP! To me, that's pretty much all my Christmas' at once. I didn't feel that elated since I found that Artemis Starship Bridge Simulator had an Android port.

It's a game about having this guy's job! How is that not awesome enough to turn brains to milkshake?
​

So, because I'm a huge dork, I figured I'd share a few big features of the Tabletop version that the RPG's don't let you have. So, as best as I know, this is a little overview of Pokemon Tabletop United!

Each Trainer is no longer tied to one type of class, allowing for a variety of approaches and styles

In the RPG's, you were allowed to be a 10 year old, a 10 year old in another country or a Pokemon Ranger, I guess? Like, that's a thing, I guess? There are games where you play as the Pokemon directly, which is pretty decent an idea, but otherwise this is a weirdly bland part of playing Pokemon.

All your opponents are varied. Well, they have different sprites, at least.

The Tabletop version has classes for almost every type of trainer. You want to be the very best, like no one ever was? Is catching them your real test? To train them; is that your cause? Will you travel across the land, searching far and wide?

Good, you can be an Ace Trainer. Or! Maybe, you'd like to specialise in keeping your Pokemon well cared for. Or breeding them. Some classes focus on being able to heal and support their other party members while some can pick up the ability to make Pokeballs from acorns.

You can even be a colossal pillock to your Pokemon and drive them with aggression. Heck! Wanted to play as a Hex Maniac or a Psychic? You can. In fact, that even allows you special powers based on those classes such as communicating with Ghost Pokemon or Telekinesis.

Both might come in handy because guess what?

Pokemon Trainer characters all have their own set of stats, abilities and moves they can pull off

In this system, a Trainer can fight. Granted, a Pokemon will always be more powerful than a Trainer. The standard level cap for a Trainer is 50 while a Pokemon can level up all the way to 100. So, yes: you can go through most of the game without a single Pokemon and just deck things with your fists but only so far.

This does mean you can fight along side a Pokemon, however. Maybe you can get a really neat partnership with a Riolu or something? Heck, there's even equipment and weapons available to help a player defend themselves without Pokemon.

You could try a gun but it wouldn't get you out of all situations because...

Your in a Tabletop system so killing everything is only one, narrow path to follow

There's a nice variety of abilities and things that make the Tabletop system that much deeper than the RPG's.

You can't exactly blame them though, right? I mean, it's a tad hard to program in anything other than a mute weirdo kid that seems to communicate just by waggling his eyebrows.

PTU on the other hand, you can attempt anything a normal Tabletop system allows. Caught in a battle? Maybe you can shout your way out of it? Maybe you could flirt? Or even throw a strop?

Heck! Even in battle, this applies because now you have terrain to consider. Some areas will be hazardous, like pits of lava, for example. Or even trees. A Pokemon could strike where you least expect it, making battles far larger than they ever were before.

And Pokemon care is more important than ever before because now...

Mechanics surrounding Pokemon from the RPG's have been fiddled with in big ways

Pokemon loyalty is now a huge thing! If you screw up too often or strike your Pokemon in anger, then the loyalty of the Pokemon drops. This can cause said Pokemon to disobey, do whatever it wants, sleep or even run away.

But becoming friends actually makes the opposite happen. Heck, the Core Manual explains that Pokemon might even jump in the way of dangerous objects about to hit their favourites trainer in the whole, wide world if they're loyal enough.

Which is cute in concept but would a highly loyal Slowpoke or Psyduck manage something like that?

"...I will leap into act...They're already dead. Aww..."​

On top of this, Pokemon now learn 6 moves instead of just 4. The Core Book warns that the moves are fiddled around with a bit but 6 instead of 4 still sounds pretty sweet.

Heck! If your DM is feeling vindictive, it's possible for Pokemon to die, if you want.

Oh wow...A Tabletop version of a Nuzlock challenge would be brutal.

Weapons are available. Heck! You can use Pokemon has a weapon if you want. Or even as a Mount!

There are actually rulings on how to use Honedge as a weapon. A Pokemon that is literally a sword and your allowed to swing it around. Heck! It can even gain experience as you go! You can become a powerful Pokemon Knight as you look at the conventions of Pokemon Training and go:

"Sod that! I'm going to go more Ratchet And Clank meets Skyrim on this one!".

And yes, you can use Pokemon as mounts. Like, I dunno, a Rapidash could be your noble steed. Or an Arcanine. Basically, anything likely to take the weight of a human.

So, don't expect to go riding around on a Shuckle or something...

Maybe if it hid in it's shell, you could slide down a snowy hillside.
​

Type Shifting or Run out of ideas for Pokemon? Make up your own stuff! Why not? Just screw around! It's a free Tabletop system from the internet, of course you can do whatever you want with it!

Type Shifting is described as a method of tweaking both Pokemon and moves until they had slightly different effects. For example, how about a form of Thunderbolt that a ghost-type Pokemon could use? Then, the system would allow a Game Master to fiddle with the mechanics of Thunderbolt to allow a special Ghost version.

A Spirit Charge or something so you can get some Paranormal Electrical Activity.

This does extend to Pokemon. It's dependent on the setting but it's possible for a Pokemon to either be 'altered' or decide to 'evolve' into a new variant on the species. This means you can get special Electric Pidgeys or Ghost Dragonites or something. Whatever you think might make them a little more special to the players that battle or capture them.

Neat huh? It seems interesting. I'm putting together a campaign already. I'll let you know how it goes if your interested.

- Recommended Reading

The Onion but Superhero Themed. Do I need to say more?

And Morphin Brony tortures himself a little more. Both with recounting the worst cartoons he can think of and a review of a particular Teen Titans Go! episode. Which begs the question: what the hell is Teen Titans Go!?

There. Not much this week. Get on that, folks!

(I'll get the next Fan Fic bit sorted soon.)

 

I updated.

And I altered that too.

 

Unlikely right now. Maybe we'll look into it later but the site is already Mobile Friendly. So Tapatalk feels needless if it's just because you found the last site hard to navigate on a phone or something. We'll look into it but it's low priority.