The Indigo League (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
indigo_league) wrote2018-03-11 03:01 am
indigo_league) wrote2018-03-11 03:01 am
Training 101
To catch them is my real test, to train them is my cause...
Human beings have been training Pokemon as long as anyone in this world can remember. Battling, breeding, coordinating, even crime... it all comes down to the ancient, oft-considered-sacred bond between man and 'mon. Hopeful children dream of the day when they'll receive (or even better, catch themselves!) their first Pokemon. Successful battlers can go from not being known from Adam to becoming minor local celebrities, to having the entire world's eyes on them while they rise through the ranks of the Pokemon League. While working with these wonderful creatures has branched off over time into a few more specialized categories, the most common, tried-and-true category that folks fall into is simply... Trainer.
TRAINER BASICS MY CHARACTER'S A TRAINER! WHAT SHOULD THEY... DO?
While battle tends to be its primary focus, the "Trainer" class is incredibly versatile-- there's as many ways to be a trainer as there are species of Pokemon!
Those devoted to following the path of the Pokemon League may find themselves focusing on creating a perfect balance of types to be ready for any situation (Champion Red, anyone?), while others may fall in love with one specific type and decide to train nothing but that (how do you think most of the Gym Leaders wound up where they are?). Or maybe competitive battling isn't for you at all, and your one true desire is to catch as many different kinds of Pokemon as possible and fill up your PokeDex!
There is no one set path, and nobody expects a brand new trainer at the beginning of their adventure to have it all figured out in a day.
That said, being a Pokemon trainer is traditionally associated with battle and competition, so regardless of your own personal style and goals, travelling trainers are generally expected to be game for challenges at the drop of a hat! If that sounds unappealing... well, you might be happier as a Breeder, but the good news is that even as a Trainer, you really don't need to get competitive if you don't want to. As stated above, there are other paths to follow! In the event that someone just isn't digging their Badge Quest, the perks associated with the Trainer class should still help them out on their journey!
OOH... PERKS, YOU SAY?
A guaranteed discount in PokeMarts, shops, and restaurants. Travelling Trainers drive the economy here, and most establishments want to reward that! All Trainers start out with 15% off, which increases by 1% for each new badge they earn (ie, earning the Zephyrbadge will increase the discount to 16%, the Hivebadge to 17%, etc). Completing an entire region's Gym series will net you an extra 5% on top of the other increases you've earned, bringing your final total to a whopping 41% off by the time you've earned all 16 badges from both Johto and Kanto! Hot damn! Increased earnings from winning Gym Battles. Registered Trainers will receive 30% more cold hard cash than the standard prize amount that Gym Leaders give out when defeated. (Ex: Gym Leader Pryce's standard cash prize is P22,000. A registered Trainer who wins will instead receive P28,600) Pokemon raised by Trainers will grow faster than Pokemon raised by other classes: instead of gaining a maximum of 5 levels per week, they may gain up to 8 levels a week instead. Gee, Billy! How come the Pokemon League lets you have TWO Mega Stones?! Upon gaining their 16th badge, Trainers may request a second Mega Stone in addition to the one they already received. Last but not least... very lucky Trainers have a chance of encountering shinies in the wild. Click here for more information!
WHAT EXACTLY IS MEANT BY 'CHALLENGES AT THE DROP OF A HAT'?
Now, not everybody is enough of an eager beaver to just whip out their Pokemon the second they meet you, and technically you could just book it the second somebody looks at you with that old battle glint in their eye (probably with shouts of "OH COME ON, DON'T BE A WEEDLE!" behind you), but refusing on the regular is considered rude and could net reluctant Trainers the reputation of being "lame" and "probably having weak Pokemon".
Anyone travelling with a Pokemon is susceptible to these sorts of challenges, including Breeders, but Trainers in particular can expect it the most, as anyone with Pokemon League badges at all visible on their person (as they are commonly worn on shirt-collars, sleeves, headbands, etc as a means of showing them off) is marked instantly to others as a battle contender.
The deeper you get into the wilderness, the less likely you'll be running into other trainers on a regular basis, but the most commonly-tread routes and paths will frequently be home to local trainers who spend their day staking out spots to meet and battle new people as they come past. Anyone who settles down in one area for any prolonged amount of time may even choose to get acquainted with the local battle "scene" themselves, as it can become an easy way to make cash for talented competitive trainers who don't feel like working menial jobs at PokeMarts or Pokemon Centers.
YOU MENTIONED THE POKEMON LEAGUE. WHAT IS THAT, EXACTLY?
Kanto and Johto's branches of the Pokemon League are combined into one, with headquarters located on the Indigo Plateau, a natural landmark on the westernmost border of Kanto. Accordingly, this 'double-branch' is referred to as the Indigo League.
The Indigo League Challenge consists of challenging Gyms (large training facilities led by a League-picked Leader, usually a seasoned trainer who specializes in a specific type of Pokemon) and obtaining badges (special metal pins handed out by Leaders as proof of victory in battle). There are sixteen gyms in total, with eight spread across each region, one in every major town or city. Each badge earned (in addition to being an excellent bragging point) will grant special privileges to the Trainer who earned them, such as access to HM Moves like Surf and Fly for quicker travelling, an increased discount in shops and restaurants, and even greater authority over strong Pokemon who might otherwise have been unruly.
HOW CAN MY CHARACTER EARN BADGES?
The form for requesting a badge, as well as information on each Gym, its leader, and the prizes/benefits attached to each badge can be found on the Badge Request page!
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MY CHARACTER EARNS ALL 16 BADGES?
But for those whose taste for victory has only been whetted rather than satisfied, there is another challenge remaining.
Only trainers who have earned all sixteen badges, thereby officially completing the Indigo League Gym Challenge, are admitted past the Pokemon League gates into a stretch of territory referred to as Victory Road-- the path to the Indigo Plateau, where the Pokemon League reigns.
Widely considered the ultimate test of strength and determination, Victory Road is an arduous trek across plains, forest, and mountains with the goal of challenging the most powerful trainers in the entire Johto-Kanto continent: the Elite Four.
... AND IF THEY DEFEAT THE ELITE FOUR?
2. Since the Indigo League has nothing more to offer them, they are now eligible to join a very unique, brand-new League of their very own... the Aurora League.
THAT'S COOL AND ALL, BUT... DOES MY TRAINER CHARACTER HAVE TO DO THE POKEMON LEAGUE CHALLENGE?
CAN MY TRAINER CHARACTER'S POKEMON STILL BREED EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT A BREEDER?
CAN MY TRAINER CHARACTER COMMIT A CRIME EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT A ROCKET?
There are plenty of shady Trainers out there with no affiliation to Team Rocket whatsoever-- thieves, delinquents, and thugs galore! Feel free to stick it to the man and shoplift from the PokeMart-- just know that the Jennies will still come after you for breaking the law whether or not you wear the big red 'R'!
BUT WAIT! THERE'S STILL SO MUCH I DON'T KNOW!
BATTLING 101 
Everybody's gonna wind up in a battle at some point, even the most staunchly-pacifist Pokemon Breeder. Whether a feral Zigzagoon decides to attack you for your sandwich or you just couldn't avoid the eye of that overzealous Ace Trainer by the Mart, battling in general is a fairly unavoidable aspect of Victory Road. Even if their battles consist more of just letting their trusty Pokemon defend them from unwanted threats than actively challenging others, every character should wind up with at least a passing knowledge of what battling consists of!
So without further ado, it's time to learn some Battle Basics!
WHAT, EXACTLY, IS A POKEMON BATTLE?
1. An encounter with a wild Pokemon! The trainer will send out their own Pokemon to confront the wild one. The battle will end when the wild Pokemon is caught, knocked out, or runs away/is chased off.
2. An encounter with another trainer! Both trainers will send out their Pokemon to spar with the other. Rules for the battle (number of Pokemon, what counts as 'knocked out', amount of prize money, etc) can vary depending on what the trainers agree to (or don't-- lookin' at you, Team Rocket muggers), but generally the Pokemon will knock each other out until one trainer is out of usable Pokemon.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE WIN A POKEMON BATTLE? OR LOSE ONE?
Because a K.O.'d Pokemon cannot battle at all and might leave a trainer unable to defend themselves after a fight, some trainers will forfeit the round and/or match before their Pokemon actually faints if things are looking grim-- this is perfectly kosher (if sometimes scoffed at by rougher trainers), but still counts as a defeat, even if their Pokemon are still technically battle-capable.
Win or lose, however, all participating Pokemon gain valuable experience that counts towards increasing their level! They'll gain more if they won, of course...
HOW ARE BATTLES CARRIED OUT AND DECIDED IN-GAME? DO WE HAVE TO THREAD OUT EVERY BATTLE?
As with many other aspects of Victory Road, battling is sort of a fusion between the video games and the anime. Mechanically, most of the information you need as a player can be found by looking up things from the games (Pokemon Abilities, movesets, held items, etc). The spirit, on the other hand, can be attributed to the cartoon! While obviously there are rules to adhere to, this is a freeform text-based roleplaying game and therefore battle scenes between characters will ultimately depend more on creativity, player cooperation, and 'rule of fun' than on who has the best IVs or the most lvl 100's.
Go ahead and let your Tropius try to trip up its opponent by dropping banana peels all over the arena! Have your Scrafty's weird skin pants fall down in the middle of a battle right when it was about to land the finishing blow! Make your Arcanine panic because the wild Murkrow you were fighting unexpectedly started mimicking vacuum cleaner noises! Go wild! Get messy!
Just keep it fair and realistic-- powergaming is the opposite of fun!
As for threading out your battles, nope! You are free to thread out as many battles as you choose, but handwaving is perfectly acceptable. Most characters' day-to-day Pokemon training happens off-screen! Even battles with other players may be handwaved if both all parties are fine with it.
WHAT'S THE POLICY ON REALISM WHEN IT COMES TO INJURIES AND VIOLENCE? CAN POKEMON DIE IN A BATTLE?
Ultimately, Pokemon are just sturdy and very hard to get rid of! Death happens, but it isn't and shouldn't be the focus of the game.
For nonlethal wounds, both Pokemon and people are more than susceptible to bumps, bruises, cuts, broken bones, etc, and it's fine to play these things out. Just keep it more or less PG-13 and warn for common triggers if a more severe injury occurs.
WHAT IF THE OTHER PLAYER AND I CAN'T AGREE ON WHO WINS A BATTLE?
Now, onto the more technical stuff...
WHAT ARE LEVELS?
But most importantly, the only way to raise a Pokemon's level is by training them in battle, and how much a Pokemon will gain depends entirely on how dedicated their trainer is to training them. A Pokemon who participates in rigorous battling daily may gain up to 5 levels per week. Meanwhile, someone with a more laid-back battle schedule may get 3-4, and someone who doesn't travel much and only battles wild Pokemon for self-defense every so often can expect something more along the lines of 1-2 levels per week for their participating mons. A treasured lap-Pokemon who never battles probably won't be gaining any levels at all!
Registered Trainers also have a distinct advantage when it comes to leveling up Pokemon, as stated above in the perks section! Their maximum level cap per week is 8 rather than 5, meaning Pokemon raised by Trainers will grow more quickly on average. However, this is still dependent on how frequently and rigorously the individual Trainer trains their Pokemon. It is entirely possible for a dedicated Breeder to level their Pokemon more quickly at 5 per week than a Trainer who slacks off and only battles a few times a week!
That said, Trainers do need to be careful with how much they train some of their team members. While Pokemon that they caught themselves will usually be fine, Pokemon received in a trade or gift from someone else may be inclined to disobedience. The stronger that Pokemon is, the more likely they are to not listen to their new trainer. Earning badges is sometimes the only way to gain a high-level traded Pokemon's respect-- proving one's mettle is important to Pokemon too, apparently! Of course, an exceptionally good-natured and affable Pokemon may go ahead and humor a Trainer below the badge threshold anyway out of the goodness of their hearts... but if push comes to shove, if you don't have the badge, a level 100 Pokemon who didn't belong to you to begin with isn't actually under any obligation to listen. So if you want that high-leveled Walrein your friend traded you to stop glancing at your badges and sniffing disdainfully whenever you tell it to do something, go earn some more!
Keeping track of levels is entirely up to individual players, and is not something that the mods will scrutinize unless someone is being truly outrageous. Keep it realistic and within the general boundaries listed above, and you'll be fine!
THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN THAT THOUGH, RIGHT?
If you're in this game, chances are you know a lot of this-- but just for reference's sake, we're going to summarize a few major points, using the bulldog Pokemon Snubbull as an example!
Even an overleveled Pokemon might be toppled by the right combination of factors from a well-picked lower-leveled Pokemon! For more in-depth information on any one Pokemon species, we recommend visiting Serebii or Bulbapedia!TYPE: A Pokemon can have up to two elemental Types. This Type determines what the Pokemon is strong against, and weak against. When a Pokemon uses a move whose Type matches up with theirs, the attack will be even stronger. Pokemon with two Types have more strengths than a Pokemon with one, but also more weaknesses! To learn more about type matchups, visit Bulbapedia's Type Chart, or just look up the Pokemon you're curious about. There are 18 Types in total. Example: Snubbull's Type is "Fairy". The "Fairy" type is strong against "Fighting", "Dragon", and "Dark". It's weak against "Poison", "Steel", and "Fire". MOVES: Moves are what a Pokemon uses to fight in battle. Some are straightforward offensive attacks, others are sneakier and cause status effects. Every Pokemon has a set of moves they can learn naturally (via leveling), as well as a set of moves that they can learn if their trainer chooses to teach them (via TM or Move Tutor). Each move corresponds to one of the Types that a Pokemon can have, although Pokemon can frequently learn moves of different Types than their own. For more information about how Moves work in Victory Road, head down to the Moves Section! Example: Snubbull learns many Fairy-type moves, but can also learn Dark-type moves like "Bite" and "Crunch". ABILITY: An Ability is a unique talent belonging to each Pokemon that does something special in battle. Unlike moves, they will activate automatically without using up a turn, usually at the start of a battle or when certain conditions are met. Most species have several potential Abilities, although an individual Pokemon will only have one. Example: Snubbulls may have the ability "Intimidate", which lowers the enemy Pokemon's attack at the beginning of battle, OR "Run Away", which allows Snubbull to escape a battle without fail. HELD ITEM: Pokemon can be given items to hold during battle which provide a special effect or boost to the Pokemon. Only one item per Pokemon is allowed. For information about obtaining held battle items, check out the Item Availability Page! Example: A trainer decided to give their Snubbull a piece of Charcoal in order to boost the power of its Fire-type moves, like "Fire Fang".
WHAT ARE STATUS EFFECTS?
BURNS: A Pokemon that is burnt will lose a portion of health with every turn, and will find that both its attack strength and ability to fend off other attacks has been weakened! PARALYSIS: A Pokemon that is paralyzed will find its body seizing up unpredictably, potentially preventing it from being able to take its turn in battle! POISON: A Pokemon that is poisoned will lose a portion of health with every turn, as well as after the battle is over! While burned Pokemon will usually be stable after they've returned to their Pokeball, a poisoned Pokemon might faint if you don't make it to the Pokemon Center fast enough! SLEEP: A Pokemon that has fallen asleep won't be able to do anything in battle until it wakes up, even if it's being attacked! However, it may wake up on its own without medical attention! FREEZING: A Pokemon that has been frozen solid won't be able to move, even if it's being attacked! However, it may thaw out quicker if the weather is hot, or if it's hit by a Fire-type attack. CONFUSION: A Pokemon that is confused will become disoriented and frazzled, and may wind up hurting itself instead of its opponent! Returning it to its Pokeball will snap it out of confusion, although it may snap out by itself if given time. Ending the battle will also usually snap them out of it. ATTRACTION: A Pokemon who is Attracted to a foe of the opposite sex will be reluctant to fight them, and may refuse to attack or move at all on some turns! Attraction will usually fade at the end of a battle. FAINTING/KNOCKED OUT: When a Pokemon's health drops to zero, it will faint and be unable to battle! If a Pokemon Center (or appropriate medicinal item) is unavailable, the only way a Pokemon can recover from fainting is a full day/night's rest. A Trainer whose entire team has fainted MUST either rush to a Center or make camp immediately, as they are unable to battle and therefore extremely vulnerable to attack.
HOW DOES THE WEATHER AFFECT BATTLE?
Obviously, outdoor battles are affected by the weather the most, but Pokemon are very sensitive to the environment, so even indoor battles may be affected to a slightly lesser degree.RAINY WEATHER: Fire-type Pokemon and attacks will be 50% weaker, while Water-type Pokemon and attacks will be 50% stronger. Fire-type Pokemon may be fussy and reluctant to battle, while Water-types will be restless and full of energy! CLOUDY, HUMID WEATHER: Water-type Pokemon and attacks will be 20% stronger. Grass-type Pokemon may be sluggish due to having difficulties with their photosynthesis. WARM, CLEAR WEATHER: Fire-type Pokemon and atacks will be 20% stronger. HOT, SUNNY WEATHER: Fire-type Pokemon and attacks will be 50% stronger, while Water and Ice-type Pokemon/attacks will be 50% weaker. Water and Ice-type Pokemon may be fussy and reluctant to battle, while Fire-types will be restless and full of energy! The move "Solar Beam" may be used in one turn instead of two. WINDY WEATHER: Flying-type Pokemon and attacks will be 30% stronger. Flying-type Pokemon will also experience a boost in speed. COLD WINTER WEATHER: Ice-type Pokemon and attacks will be 20% stronger. Ice-type Pokemon will be frisky and full of energy! SNOW AND/OR HAIL: Ice-type Pokemon and attacks will be 50% stronger-- all other types except for Steel will be at a 30% disadvantage. Hail will cause all Pokemon types except Ice and Steel to take a small amount of damage every turn. SANDSTORM: Visibility/accuracy is severely reduced for all trainers and Pokemon without protective eyewear/headgear. All types except for Rock, Ground, and Steel will take a small amount of damage every turn.
CAN BATTLES TAKE PLACE WHILE FLYING IN THE AIR OR RIDING A POKEMON ACROSS WATER?
However, unlike battles on the ground (where even aquatic Pokemon, though sometimes a little awkward out of the water, can usually still battle just fine), trainers need to be a little more careful about who they choose to send out in aerial or water battles.
Pokemon sent out while high in the sky MUST be able to float or fly, and Pokemon sent out in deep water should be capable of either swimming or staying airborne above the water without sinking or hurting themselves. A well-coordinated team can pull this off by working together (winning a sky battle with a Pikachu riding a Swellow? So epic), but your Pokemon had better be really good.
Please don't make Nurse Joy cry by having to explain to her that your Graveler is now traumatized forever because you sent it out in the middle of the Lake of Rage and it immediately sank like... well, a rock.
MEGA EVOLUTION 
WHAT ARE MEGA STONES?
HOW IS MEGA EVOLUTION DIFFERENT FROM REGULAR EVOLUTION?
HOW CAN MY CHARACTER OBTAIN A MEGA STONE?
As stated in the "Perks" section above, registered Trainers are also eligible to receive a second Mega Stone upon winning eight subsequent badges.
CAN ALL POKEMON MEGA EVOLVE?
Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Alakazam, Gengar, Kangaskhan, Pinsir, Gyarados, Aerodactyl, Ampharos, Scizor, Heracross, Houndoom, Tyranitar, Gardevoir, Mawile, Aggron, Medicham, Manectric, Banette, Absol, Garchomp, Lucario, Abomasnow, Beedrill, Pidgeot, Slowbro, Steelix, Sceptile, Blaziken, Swampert, Sableye, Sharpedo, Camerupt, Altaria, Glalie, Salamence, Metagross, Lopunny, Gallade, and Audino.
Should Nintendo ever answer our prayers and introduce more Mega forms, the list will be updated accordingly!
ARE WE ALLOWED TO MEGA EVOLVE OUR POKEMON ANY TIME WE WANT?
While it's technically legal to stomp a Gym's "regular" team with massively overleveled Pokemon, a line has to be drawn somewhere and the Pokemon League would rather those with the privilege of Mega Evolution use it against foes that stand a fighting chance rather than the lower-leveled, "regular" Gym teams intended to test the strength of less experienced trainers.
Other than that... yeah, do it whenever you want! It's up to individual characters, be they other PCs or just NPCs on the road, to decide whether or not they want to include Megas in their battle. Go ahead, go wow all those Youngsters on Route 30 with your Mega Tyranitar! Just remember that you're gonna be heckin' tired afterwards.
WHAT IF I WANT MY CHARACTER TO HAVE A DIFFERENT MEGA STONE THAN THE ONE I ORIGINALLY PICKED?
MOVE MINUTIAE HOW MANY MOVES CAN MY CHARACTER'S POKEMON LEARN?
WHAT GENERATION'S MOVESETS DOES VICTORY ROAD FOLLOW?
The reason for this is that Victory Road and its predecessor, Route 29, have been around for quite some time and seen many Pokemon generations come and go! At this point, it makes more sense to grandfather in moves from previous gens than make everyone completely overhaul their roster's movesets every couple of years.
That said, if a Pokemon cannot learn a move naturally or by a TM/Move Tutor from any generation, they can't learn the move in Victory Road. Your pyromaniac Pikachu will have to settle for emulating "Flamethrower" the old fashioned way, with a lighter and some hairspray.
WHAT ARE TMS? AND HMS? CAN THEY BE USED MORE THAN ONCE?
Unlike in the most recent games, however, TMs in Victory Road can still only be used once unless otherwise stated. Re-usable TMs can sometimes be obtained from events, but not too often, so choose wisely when they do!
Also bending the Gen 7 rules a little bit are HMs ('Hidden Machines'). In Johto and Kanto, these are special TMs obtained by defeating Gym Leaders, and are prized primarily for their usefulness in terms of travel. These ones are re-usable by default, and will make it much easier for your character to get around the map by Surfing or Flying on their Pokemon!
WHAT ARE MOVE TUTORS AND HOW DOES MY CHARACTER FIND THEM?
Meeting them can be handwaved and is up to each player's discretion-- so long as your character doesn't take encounter all of them at once having a picnic, you are free to assume that they encounter a Tutor every so often and get to give their Pokemon a crash course in some cool new moves!
However, it's worth noting that some of them may only be willing to teach Pokemon that look loved and well-cared-for. So put your best foot forward!
WHAT ABOUT Z-MOVES?
HOW DO CERTAIN MOVES WORK IN AN RP CONTEXT, IN OR OUT OF BATTLE?
ATTRACT: Despite some weirder rumors floating around, 'Attract' generally does not work on humans. Only on other Pokemon! HEADBUTT: A popular move that is commonly used on tree-trunks in hopes of shaking unsuspecting wild Pokemon out of their hiding spots! Humans can try headbutting trees too, but might not get much for their trouble. (Pokemon that are often found in trees and easy to startle out via Headbutt include Pineco, Heracross, Aipom, Caterpie, Weedle, Spearow, Venonat, Exeggcute, Hoothoot, Noctowl, Ledyba and Spinarak.) HIDDEN POWER: This move's type changes depending entirely on the individual Pokemon using it. In the games, the Pokemon's Hidden Power type is randomized. In Victory Road, the player can choose it themselves! Example: A trainer teaches their Absol, a Dark-type, the move "Hidden Power". For reasons known only to the trainer's player and Arceus itself, the move's type is Water when used by that Absol. LAST RESORT: This move will do minimal damage (think "Tackle") unless performed at an absolutely critical moment when the attacking Pokemon is on the brink of defeat-- then it becomes quite powerful! PAYDAY: Ah, Payday! The broke trainer's savior. Only Meowth/Persian can learn it, but each use produces real shiny coins out of nowhere! The amount of money produced per use is P100 multiplied by the cat's level. Example: Carmen has a level 50 Persian with Pay Day. Pay Day has a PP of 20 (meaning it can be used 20 times before Persian needs to take a long break!). 50 x P100 x 20 = P100,000 if Pay Day is completely maxed out. Cha-ching! TELEPORT: Pokemon who know Teleport can instantaneously warp themselves (and their trainers) short distances at will. For travel further than different spots in your immediate area, however, Teleport can be only be used to blip to the last Pokemon Center or major landmark you visited. Like using the Warp Pads, Teleportation can cause vertigo and nausea. TRUMP CARD: Trump Card starts as a weak attack that becomes more powerful the more the Pokemon uses it during a single battle!
「 NAVIGATION 」