[CLOSED] [PTU] [Skype] PMD: A Storm is Coming
Jan 18, 2016 12:02:13 GMT
Seya, kiritsumitsu, and 2 more like this
Post by Llyarden on Jan 18, 2016 12:02:13 GMT
Once upon a time, the Global Explorer's Guild made the headlines on a weekly basis. New settlements, new dungeons, and even entire new lands were uncovered and dutifully recorded in the Guild Library in Celeste City. Becoming an Explorer was the dream of almost every young Pokemon, and Explorers were the heroes of every other story you could lay your paws on.
How times have changed.
The issue with exploring every inch of the world? In time, you run out of world to explore. In modern times, the Explorers don't have anything like the respect they once did. The Guild Library sits undisturbed but for scholars looking to back up their theories with evidence discovered years ago, entire shelves of knowledge long since forgotten. Stories of heroic explorers, once enjoyed precisely because they could be reality, are nothing more than fairy tales. The Guild itself functions as closer to a mercenary company than anything else.
Even the mystery dungeons that once held allure, danger and riches in equal measure have begun disappearing, either forgotten by those that once knew where they were or, perhaps, physically translocated through their own mysterious means. Those that remain are only very marginally more dangerous than the lands around them, that frisson of danger making them a common place for young Pokemon to dare each other to venture into despite the protestations of their elders.
In short, Mystery Dungeons and the Explorer's Guild that once catalogued them are relics.
Many Guildhouses stand abandoned, their Explorers having departed for more profitable occupations. One that does not is the Guildhouse of Sandy Bay; a town that has retained its profitability by dint of a powerful Totem - rare objects constructed by some former civilisation and the only known way to achieve evolution - standing in its town square. Despite a Mystery Dungeon sitting outside its gates, Sandy Bay has faced few trials and dangers over the course of its history.
Unfortunately for its inhabitants, that is about to change.
How times have changed.
The issue with exploring every inch of the world? In time, you run out of world to explore. In modern times, the Explorers don't have anything like the respect they once did. The Guild Library sits undisturbed but for scholars looking to back up their theories with evidence discovered years ago, entire shelves of knowledge long since forgotten. Stories of heroic explorers, once enjoyed precisely because they could be reality, are nothing more than fairy tales. The Guild itself functions as closer to a mercenary company than anything else.
Even the mystery dungeons that once held allure, danger and riches in equal measure have begun disappearing, either forgotten by those that once knew where they were or, perhaps, physically translocated through their own mysterious means. Those that remain are only very marginally more dangerous than the lands around them, that frisson of danger making them a common place for young Pokemon to dare each other to venture into despite the protestations of their elders.
In short, Mystery Dungeons and the Explorer's Guild that once catalogued them are relics.
Many Guildhouses stand abandoned, their Explorers having departed for more profitable occupations. One that does not is the Guildhouse of Sandy Bay; a town that has retained its profitability by dint of a powerful Totem - rare objects constructed by some former civilisation and the only known way to achieve evolution - standing in its town square. Despite a Mystery Dungeon sitting outside its gates, Sandy Bay has faced few trials and dangers over the course of its history.
Unfortunately for its inhabitants, that is about to change.
---
As the title of the thread might suggest, this is a game set in the style of the Mystery Dungeon games. You will, as Pokemon, be exploring Mystery Dungeons across the world, while also helping to rebuild the fame and prosperity of the Global Explorer's Guild. There will be an overarching plot, but the game will be of a somewhat episodic nature.
Houserules
As you might expect for a game where you're playing Pokemon, these are quite extensive. Most of these rules come from a PMD game I played in real life, which I have further modified. As such there may be things that turn out to be broken or just convoluted, and I will alter them on the fly as needed. I am honestly unsure if these rules originally came from the PMD homebrew that Theta made. From looking at them in comparison to the homebrew, I think they might have done (and I know I added a couple of bits that are from the homebrew), but in the interest of avoiding confusion I'm going to list out the rules I'm using.
Essentially, you will play as both a Trainer and a Pokemon, like a normal PTU game. Unlike a normal PTU game, both the Trainer and the Pokemon are the same character. Any Trainer ability that targets 'your Pokemon' can instead target you or your cohorts (see below). This ignores the usual restriction that you cannot target yourself with [Orders], and you can use [Orders] on yourself as a Swift action. While you technically still get a Pokemon turn (or however you want to call what used to be called Command Actions) you cannot use it on sentient Pokemon, essentially restricting its use to Pokebots.
Statistics that both Trainers and Pokemon possess are resolved as follows:
Evolution, as is briefly mentioned in the blurb, is a plot point. As such, you cannot evolve unless you find a Totem of an appropriate kind; Totems are scattered throughout the land. Any Pokemon that evolves purely by evolutionary item (such as Eevee) must now be at least level 20 to evolve as well.
The Glitch Type exists, and functions as described on P39 of DPDoM. Note that while Glitch Bender is accessible to PCs at the game's start, Glitch powers are obviously eldritch and unnatural, and will likely unnerve or frighten onlookers.
Equipment functions normally, with the exception of Pokeballs, which do not exist. If you pick up equipment in a dungeon, it may be designed to fit a specific body type and thus not fit you, however the Guild has a tailoring service which refits such items for free.
Over time, you may acquire the friendship of various NPC Pokemon who are willing to aid you in your adventures - cohorts. Due to the limits imposed by Mystery Dungeons, however, you cannot simply bring all such Pokemon along with you in a dungeon. What you can do, however, is form them into teams of their own to explore dungeons and complete requests on your behalf. Of course, the NPC team will take some of the reward for themselves – even your most loyal friends are unlikely to work entirely for free – so it’s more efficient to go personally rather than sitting back and letting your allies do all the work, but if you’re tight on time, or need to be in two places at once, they can be very useful. Cohorts will always be 'recruited' by a specific PC, and subsequently (if accepted to join the PC) count as a member of that PC's team for the purposes of effects that target 'your Pokemon.'
With the exception of the Playtest Cheerleader, and the revised capturing mechanics (which don't apply anyway), the September and March playtest packets are in full effect.
Essentially, you will play as both a Trainer and a Pokemon, like a normal PTU game. Unlike a normal PTU game, both the Trainer and the Pokemon are the same character. Any Trainer ability that targets 'your Pokemon' can instead target you or your cohorts (see below). This ignores the usual restriction that you cannot target yourself with [Orders], and you can use [Orders] on yourself as a Swift action. While you technically still get a Pokemon turn (or however you want to call what used to be called Command Actions) you cannot use it on sentient Pokemon, essentially restricting its use to Pokebots.
Statistics that both Trainers and Pokemon possess are resolved as follows:
- Base Stats are determined by your Pokemon levels only. With the exception of Features such as Stat Ace whose entire purpose is to add to base stats, your Trainer levels never affect your stats.
- Hitpoints are determined by your Pokemon levels (and your HP stat, of course), but calculated as if those levels were Trainer levels. That is, your hitpoints are calculated as follows: Pokemon Level x 2 + (HP x 3) + 10.
- Skills are determined solely by your Trainer Features and Edges.
- Power is calculated as per the rules on P16 of the Core Book, but using your species default Power as the base instead of 4.
- Movement Capabilities are determined by your species, but then further modified as if you were a Trainer, based off the rules on P16 of the Core Book. As such, all of your speeds aside from Swim and Teleport are calculated as follows: [(Athletics + Acrobatics)/2] - 2 + the species default speed. Your Swim is [(Athletics + Acrobatics)/4] - 1 + the species default speed. Your Teleport speed is not affected by skill ranks. Your Long Jump is [Acrobatics/2] - 1 + the species default Long Jump. Your High Jump is calculated as per the rules on P16 of the Core Book, but using your species default High Jump as the base instead of 0. (Features and Edges that modify your movement capabilities have their usual effects.) No capability can end up below 0.
- Moves are tracked separately and under their usual restrictions. You cannot know the same move twice, even if you would have it once on each move list. You do not get STAB for moves from your Trainer levels without Type Expertise.
- Abilities are tracked on a single list, since there are no restrictions for either. You cannot have the same Ability twice.
Evolution, as is briefly mentioned in the blurb, is a plot point. As such, you cannot evolve unless you find a Totem of an appropriate kind; Totems are scattered throughout the land. Any Pokemon that evolves purely by evolutionary item (such as Eevee) must now be at least level 20 to evolve as well.
The Glitch Type exists, and functions as described on P39 of DPDoM. Note that while Glitch Bender is accessible to PCs at the game's start, Glitch powers are obviously eldritch and unnatural, and will likely unnerve or frighten onlookers.
Equipment functions normally, with the exception of Pokeballs, which do not exist. If you pick up equipment in a dungeon, it may be designed to fit a specific body type and thus not fit you, however the Guild has a tailoring service which refits such items for free.
Over time, you may acquire the friendship of various NPC Pokemon who are willing to aid you in your adventures - cohorts. Due to the limits imposed by Mystery Dungeons, however, you cannot simply bring all such Pokemon along with you in a dungeon. What you can do, however, is form them into teams of their own to explore dungeons and complete requests on your behalf. Of course, the NPC team will take some of the reward for themselves – even your most loyal friends are unlikely to work entirely for free – so it’s more efficient to go personally rather than sitting back and letting your allies do all the work, but if you’re tight on time, or need to be in two places at once, they can be very useful. Cohorts will always be 'recruited' by a specific PC, and subsequently (if accepted to join the PC) count as a member of that PC's team for the purposes of effects that target 'your Pokemon.'
With the exception of the Playtest Cheerleader, and the revised capturing mechanics (which don't apply anyway), the September and March playtest packets are in full effect.
World Lore
Etymology
Pokemon are formally referred in public to by their species. All Pokemon have a personal or 'pet' name, which is reserved for family members, close friends or trusted allies and used in private. It's considered something of a social faux pas to use someone's personal name in public.
The Explorer's Guild
The Global Explorer's Guild is an organisation that has been around as long as anyone can remember. Explorers are expected to uphold the three tenets of the guild: Explore, Report and Cooperate. Guild members gain access to the Explorer's Guild Guildhouses; Guildhouses at a bare minimum must be able to provide room and board to visiting Explorers, and must have a Guildmaster - an Explorer who has been proposed for the position by at least three other Explorers and subsequently had the position confirmed by the Guild Council - and an official Guild Scribe, who transcribes the discoveries of the Guild into journals that are subsequently sent to the Guild Library in Celeste City. Most Guildhouses also have various Explorers or ex-Explorers who provide various services either for free or at discounted rates.
Joining the Guild is quite simple. A prospective Explorer must have their application approved by a Regional Guildmaster - Guildmasters have the prerogative to demand the would-be Explorer completes further trials at their discretion - and are then officially Explorers. The only true requirement is a modicum of skill at combat, though given that this requirement is judged by the Guildmaster exactly what 'a modicum of skill' means varies between Guildmasters.
As noted above, Explorers gain access to any Explorer's Guild they happen to stumble across in their travels. They also are provided with an Exploration Gadget; a device which has a number of useful properties. Amongst other abilities, it can access the Explorer's Network, where requests for help are uploaded (though actually accepting one requires being at a Guildhouse), and can transport a willing Pokemon out of a Mystery Dungeon with some restrictions, allowing lost Pokemon to be rescued.
Totems
Powerful objects constructed by some ancient, former civilisation, Totems have the ability to instigate metamorphosis amongst Pokemon when certain conditions are met. In ancient times, travelling to a Totem (often located in a dangerous dungeon) to evolve was something of a pilgrimage - a kind of 'coming of age' ceremony. It should be noted that no one Totem will help any given Pokemon evolve but there is a pattern to them; a Totem that evolves a Charmander will be able to evolve any other Charmander, for instance. Extremely powerful Totems which have the properties of two Totems in one are called Dual Totems, and it is usually around these that settlements are constructed, meaning that nowadays the only danger inherent in travelling to evolve is being robbed on the road by bandits. (Even more powerful Totems have been theorised about but never discovered in practice.)
Sandy Bay
Sandy Bay is a rather small town which, like many such settlements, has shrunk in size rather over time. Nowadays, there are scarcely any residents beyond those that work at either the Guildhouse or the Farfetch'd Inn. Nonetheless, due to the presence of a powerful Dual Totem, around which the village was constructed, and the fact that the Sandy Bay Guildhouse is home to a Regional Guildmaster, the town still sees a not inconsiderable amount of custom from travellers. The Summer Festival, an annual celebration held in the town square, further increases this traffic.
The Guild suffered something of a setback six months ago, when part of the Guildhouse roof collapsed. No-one was injured, but it was something of an embarrassment to the Guild. The reconstruction of the Guildhouse has just concluded, and it is scheduled to be opened at noon on the first day of the Summer Festival.
Celeste City
One of the largest known cities, Celeste was constructed around not one but three separate Totems, and is home to the Head Guildhouse of the Explorer's Guild, where the Guild Council meets. It is also where the Guild Library is situated, though the latter is rarely used nowadays.
Pokemon are formally referred in public to by their species. All Pokemon have a personal or 'pet' name, which is reserved for family members, close friends or trusted allies and used in private. It's considered something of a social faux pas to use someone's personal name in public.
The Explorer's Guild
The Global Explorer's Guild is an organisation that has been around as long as anyone can remember. Explorers are expected to uphold the three tenets of the guild: Explore, Report and Cooperate. Guild members gain access to the Explorer's Guild Guildhouses; Guildhouses at a bare minimum must be able to provide room and board to visiting Explorers, and must have a Guildmaster - an Explorer who has been proposed for the position by at least three other Explorers and subsequently had the position confirmed by the Guild Council - and an official Guild Scribe, who transcribes the discoveries of the Guild into journals that are subsequently sent to the Guild Library in Celeste City. Most Guildhouses also have various Explorers or ex-Explorers who provide various services either for free or at discounted rates.
Joining the Guild is quite simple. A prospective Explorer must have their application approved by a Regional Guildmaster - Guildmasters have the prerogative to demand the would-be Explorer completes further trials at their discretion - and are then officially Explorers. The only true requirement is a modicum of skill at combat, though given that this requirement is judged by the Guildmaster exactly what 'a modicum of skill' means varies between Guildmasters.
As noted above, Explorers gain access to any Explorer's Guild they happen to stumble across in their travels. They also are provided with an Exploration Gadget; a device which has a number of useful properties. Amongst other abilities, it can access the Explorer's Network, where requests for help are uploaded (though actually accepting one requires being at a Guildhouse), and can transport a willing Pokemon out of a Mystery Dungeon with some restrictions, allowing lost Pokemon to be rescued.
Totems
Powerful objects constructed by some ancient, former civilisation, Totems have the ability to instigate metamorphosis amongst Pokemon when certain conditions are met. In ancient times, travelling to a Totem (often located in a dangerous dungeon) to evolve was something of a pilgrimage - a kind of 'coming of age' ceremony. It should be noted that no one Totem will help any given Pokemon evolve but there is a pattern to them; a Totem that evolves a Charmander will be able to evolve any other Charmander, for instance. Extremely powerful Totems which have the properties of two Totems in one are called Dual Totems, and it is usually around these that settlements are constructed, meaning that nowadays the only danger inherent in travelling to evolve is being robbed on the road by bandits. (Even more powerful Totems have been theorised about but never discovered in practice.)
Sandy Bay
Sandy Bay is a rather small town which, like many such settlements, has shrunk in size rather over time. Nowadays, there are scarcely any residents beyond those that work at either the Guildhouse or the Farfetch'd Inn. Nonetheless, due to the presence of a powerful Dual Totem, around which the village was constructed, and the fact that the Sandy Bay Guildhouse is home to a Regional Guildmaster, the town still sees a not inconsiderable amount of custom from travellers. The Summer Festival, an annual celebration held in the town square, further increases this traffic.
The Guild suffered something of a setback six months ago, when part of the Guildhouse roof collapsed. No-one was injured, but it was something of an embarrassment to the Guild. The reconstruction of the Guildhouse has just concluded, and it is scheduled to be opened at noon on the first day of the Summer Festival.
Celeste City
One of the largest known cities, Celeste was constructed around not one but three separate Totems, and is home to the Head Guildhouse of the Explorer's Guild, where the Guild Council meets. It is also where the Guild Library is situated, though the latter is rarely used nowadays.
Characters
Characters should be members of the Explorer's Guild. How long you have been a member is entirely up to you. You have arrived in the town of Sandy Bay in time for the annual Summer Festival, a popular celebration. This Summer Festival is particularly anticipated as it coincides with the Grand Reopening of the Sandy Bay Guildhouse. As to your background, feel free to invent settlements and the like; I've very deliberately not put up a map for the world. Mentally speaking, characters should be 16 or so as a minimum.
Character Crunch
Trainer Level 1 (please note the list of banned and altered Features and Edges below, but beyond that all books are fine) and Pokemon Level 10. You must be an Underdog. No Ghost-types, Legendaries or Psuedo-Legendaries. You may begin with one Egg move subject to the Playtest rules. You will start with 5000 Poke (the currency of the Mystery Dungeon world) as well as an Exploration Gadget. Pre-crafting is a go. No buying TMs. For the purposes of DPDoM, we are in the Modern Age unless you can specifically craft things outside of it.
OOC Requirements/Notes
I'm looking for 5 players; yes, it's kind of a lot for a PTU game, but there won't be the usual issues with action economy since each player will only ever be playing one character. There will be a Skype chat, which interested players must join, and then a second Skype chat for when the game actually starts. Please ask to be added to the Skype chat so I don't lose track of who everyone is. I would like one post per two days at a minimum; I'd prefer one post per day. Obviously, exceptions for holidays, hospital visits and so on are perfectly fine. If a player repeatedly fails to meet this deadline, they will be removed from the game and replaced. We will be using block initiative, and maps will be done either with Google Docs or as images on these forums.
One last thing I would like to note: this is a PbP game. This means it is played in text format. As such, I expect posts to be made with a solid grasp of English; correct capitalisation, spelling and so on.
Banned & Altered Features & Edges
It should be noted that while I have not banned certain Edges or Features, they are extremely unlikely to be useful given the setting. Paleontologist and Cap Spec are the main two I'm looking at here.
Banned / Altered Edges
Banned / Altered General Features
Banned / Altered Class Features
Banned / Altered Pokeedges
Banned / Altered Edges
- Breeder: Banned. That’s just weird in this setting.
- Basic Balls: Banned as Pokeballs don’t exist.
- Apricorn Balls: Banned as Pokeballs don’t exist.
- Poke Ball Repair: Banned as Pokeballs don’t exist.
- Beast Master: Only affects EXP training of cohorts.
- Groomer: Only affects EXP training of cohorts.
- Pokebot Training: As well as its conventional abilities, Pokebot Training allows you to use a Pokebot you have bought or crafted as a Cohort for dungeon exploration missions. When so doing, you can control a number of Pokebots equal to your Technology Education rank – 2.
- Quick Case: Banned as Pokeballs and Cases don’t exist.
Banned / Altered General Features
- Command Versatility: Banned. See Fighter’s Versatility.
- Type Sync: Banned. Like evolution, Type Syncing is a plot point.
- Quick Switch: Banned as Pokeballs don’t exist.
- Press: Functions only on yourself and is a Swift action to use.
- Ravager Orders: The standard action that Strike Again! gives you occurs on your own turn.
- Commander’s Voice: Does nothing to affect the speed at which you can target yourself with [Orders].
- Focused Command: Banned as it’s useless in this setting.
- Multitasking: Frequency reduced to Scene.
- Type Expertise: Only affects and requires moves from your Trainer movelist.
- Poke Ball Crafter: Banned as Pokeballs don’t exist.
Banned / Altered Class Features
- Channeler: You can only Channel sentient Pokemon if they are willing, and they do not have to let you see their memories. Otherwise functions as normal.
- Glitch Bender: No longer has Occult Edu as an associated skill to bring it in line with the other Elementalists.
- Jailbreaker: Banned as Pokeballs and Cases don’t exist.
- Type Ace: Prerequisites change to be either: 1 Pokemon of the chosen type, Type-linked Skill at Novice or: Elemental Connection (of the chosen type), Type-linked Skill at Novice.
- Stat Ace: Prerequisites change to: 1 Pokemon with the chosen stat at 15 or more, Novice Command or Focus.
- Move Sync: Banned like Type Sync.
- Rune Master: Banned because it’d more or less entirely need rewriting.
Banned / Altered Pokeedges
- Skill Improvement: Banned.
- Capability Training: Banned.
So I kinda lost a large chunk of this while I was writing it up because I was a derp and forgot to save, so I may have missed something out somewhere. As always, feel free to ask questions.