Robot's Deconstruction Hour: Capture Specialist
Feb 18, 2016 14:00:53 GMT
Seya, anonyman, and 3 more like this
Post by Robot on Feb 18, 2016 14:00:53 GMT
Overview: Capture Specialist is the second of the Introductory classes for PTU's 1.05 Edition. It focuses on filling out your team and then later collecting favorites or theme Pokemon to complete your character's overall feel. The class itself operates passively for the most part, but has a few strong daily features. It slightly leans into Combat trainer territory.
Strengths
Skill Variety: Capture Specialist requires three of a set of skills at Expert in order to cap out, meaning your capstone access comes somewhere around level 11, barring selection of bonus edge features. Thankfully, Cap Spec does actually get one of those inherent, so Hobbyist needn't camp your builds involving this class. All of the skills in it's selection are viable, campaign willing, so ultimately nothing is wasted here.
Fighting RNGesus: Class focuses on correcting your mistakes, then buys you dinner afterwards so that you can have that parent/child discussion about what you did wrong and how you can improve. Capturing is extremely easy at low levels, and becomes progressively more difficult as the game moves on. Saves you pokeballs and action economy in the long run, and prevents you from KOing your target wanted Pokemon with an accidental critical. I can think of a few times that would've come in handy in the video games.
Unrivaled At What It Does: Barring the odd general feature that might sub in for some of Capture Specialists' static bonuses, and Juggler's range increase in Bounce Shot, there really isn't anything else in the system right now that touches on capturing.
Self-Sustaining: With Captured Momentum, provided you don't ruin a capture roll (which is harder with this class) you receive the free AP to continue to Fast Pitch to your heart's content. In large wild battles, like swarms, this can be a power source for other AP spenders instead. Dangerous wilds battles have been uncommon in the games I've played, but mileage will vary from GM to GM.
Speed Tag: Speed particularly is nice, since it allows you to begin the slow creep towards Multi-tasking. Also keeps you from needing to constantly burn AP on Fast Pitch.
Weaknesses
Skill Cost High: Without Command, General Edu, or Pokemon Edu in it's list of skill thirsts, you're grabbing and leveling a fourth skill in order to keep towards the top of the party's experience curve, if pushing deep into Capture Specialist. The other skills it requires aren't bad choices, with Perception being the most used in the game.
Inventory Dependent: Nets, Glue Cannons, Pokeballs, Bait, Fishing Rods. Most of it consumable or destructible.
Class Easily Replaced: With an understanding of how the capture algorithm works in the tabletop, and a Pokemon or two designed around managing captures, this class can be completely ignored. It might cost you a few extra PYen in the long run, but a capture specialist should be rolling in balls regardless. One or two broken along the way isn't anything to cry about till your last one breaks and you needed it to not. Then you end up beating the poor thing unconscious, dragging it to a mart to restock, then a center. Your GM has it mysteriously escape into the night and you shed a single tear in loss.
Synergies
Skill reliant builds. Capture specialist pairs well with almost anything as fluff, and has some small degree of connection with classes that lean on struggle attacks to perform some of their duties (such as Roughneck). Very little true synergy occurs with this class. It is good for players that desire a lot of different Pokemon.
Base Feature: Most of Capture Specialist's features (5/7) provide you with access to new Capture Techniques. This Feature is required, as is at least Rank 3 of Advanced Capture Techniques to reach the remainder of the class. Provides two Capture Techniques. I will detail the individual techniques below.
Advanced Capture Techniques: As with the Base Feature, Advanced Cap Techs also provides two Capture Techniques. With the way this is laid out, it makes Capture Specialist a very modular class. If you meet the skill requisites outside of it, it also allows you to jump to the best techniques in the set and ignore the rest.
Capture Technique Selections
*Capture Skills: Effectively trade half of a feature for a Skill Edge applied to one of Capture Specialist's skills. These being Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth, Survival, Guile and Perception, there is a wide range of builds and class combinations that this could support for a dip. Excellent for Skill Stunts as well. Timing with the selection of this Feature is literally everything.
*Curve Ball: Allows your Pokeball throws to deal struggle damage. With GM Permission for you to treat Pokeballs as weapons, makes for an interesting combination with other classes that can make use of short range weapons for their attacks. Similarly, builds off hilariously with classes like Athlete or Marksman to make a character that breaks ribs or noses with a pitch. Other then the novelty of it, not a great investment. It does add a small bit of chip damage (barring a stacked attack trainer) that isn't at a high risk of fainting the target while also allowing the capture check.
*Devitalizing Throw: As an effect that relies on failure to function, I generally turn my nose up at this sort of selection in the first place. That said, the perma-slow is the best effect in the set. Losing a CS or dropping a save by three are only useful occasionally.
*Fast Pitch: Priority Ball Toss for 1 AP. Not a bad expenditure. Feels like it would see less use because of the speed tags that Capture Specialist has, but if you're ever in a capture competition, or there is a dispute between players about who gets what, you have first crack at it. This feature has the potential to end more friendships then anything else the class gets.
*Snare: Take it or leave it, another -10 to your capture rolls that no one else can have isn't bad. It continues to lean on Capture Specialist's item dependency being that it's situational. Bait is probably the easiest way to achieve this bonus given your other features. Least expensive as well. Pick up Chef to cut your overhead costs on the side.
*Tools of the Trade: Pairs great with Snare, gives +2 accuracy with Pokeballs which is a really strong choice anyway, and improves your bait. Not sure if the +4 stacks with the edge associated with the Alluring capability for the purposes of bait rolls, though that does read 'Your Pokemon may act as a bait item.'
*Catch Combo: A once a day shot at catching something you already screwed the pooch on, pairing it with False Strike you're sitting on two chances to get out of screw-ups free. One of the better reasons to take Cap Spec.
*False Strike: Instead of fainting something, you don't faint it, twice a scene. Probably a better pick initially then Catch Combo. This sets your odds at their highest value for capture with whatever other setup you have going on in a given moment. Between this, and Fast Pitch, you can set a Pokemon low and then immediately go for the catch.
*Relentless Pursuit: Has some interesting pairings with Hunter, and thematically works well with Vigilante style builds. Expensive at 2 AP, but allows you to stay on top of something without hurting it too badly, continuing to hobble it as it flees. As far as capturing goes, somewhat situational. Average Trainer movement, paired with Pokeball throw ranges, you don't generally have to worry about something escaping for several rounds unless it's sprinting unhindered. Even then, why didn't you paralyze it in the first place? -2 Overland, 30% Chance to lose actions?
Captured Momentum: +2 Accuracy on the next Pokeball Toss (+4 with Tools of the Trade, +6 with Instinctive Aptitude and an AP), or another -6 (Master Skill) from your next Capture Check, or a Temporary AP after capturing something. Useful in wilds battles, like everything else in Capture Specialist. Not so much in anything else save some really weird scenarios where you're dueling someone and a Pokemon you want just happens to waddle into the clearing.
Gotta Catch'em All: Lets you flip a roll result on your capture check three times a day as a swift action. By far the strongest thing in Capture Specialist, but it really only saves you time and Pokeballs in the long run. Even with that, it's all about how the dice fall. You have about a 50/50 chance of this really making the difference between a catch and a fail, as the ones digit is the value that matters, and anything over a 6 on a harder catch won't merit a burning of this ability.
Strengths
Skill Variety: Capture Specialist requires three of a set of skills at Expert in order to cap out, meaning your capstone access comes somewhere around level 11, barring selection of bonus edge features. Thankfully, Cap Spec does actually get one of those inherent, so Hobbyist needn't camp your builds involving this class. All of the skills in it's selection are viable, campaign willing, so ultimately nothing is wasted here.
Fighting RNGesus: Class focuses on correcting your mistakes, then buys you dinner afterwards so that you can have that parent/child discussion about what you did wrong and how you can improve. Capturing is extremely easy at low levels, and becomes progressively more difficult as the game moves on. Saves you pokeballs and action economy in the long run, and prevents you from KOing your target wanted Pokemon with an accidental critical. I can think of a few times that would've come in handy in the video games.
Unrivaled At What It Does: Barring the odd general feature that might sub in for some of Capture Specialists' static bonuses, and Juggler's range increase in Bounce Shot, there really isn't anything else in the system right now that touches on capturing.
Self-Sustaining: With Captured Momentum, provided you don't ruin a capture roll (which is harder with this class) you receive the free AP to continue to Fast Pitch to your heart's content. In large wild battles, like swarms, this can be a power source for other AP spenders instead. Dangerous wilds battles have been uncommon in the games I've played, but mileage will vary from GM to GM.
Speed Tag: Speed particularly is nice, since it allows you to begin the slow creep towards Multi-tasking. Also keeps you from needing to constantly burn AP on Fast Pitch.
Weaknesses
Skill Cost High: Without Command, General Edu, or Pokemon Edu in it's list of skill thirsts, you're grabbing and leveling a fourth skill in order to keep towards the top of the party's experience curve, if pushing deep into Capture Specialist. The other skills it requires aren't bad choices, with Perception being the most used in the game.
Inventory Dependent: Nets, Glue Cannons, Pokeballs, Bait, Fishing Rods. Most of it consumable or destructible.
Class Easily Replaced: With an understanding of how the capture algorithm works in the tabletop, and a Pokemon or two designed around managing captures, this class can be completely ignored. It might cost you a few extra PYen in the long run, but a capture specialist should be rolling in balls regardless. One or two broken along the way isn't anything to cry about till your last one breaks and you needed it to not. Then you end up beating the poor thing unconscious, dragging it to a mart to restock, then a center. Your GM has it mysteriously escape into the night and you shed a single tear in loss.
Synergies
Skill reliant builds. Capture specialist pairs well with almost anything as fluff, and has some small degree of connection with classes that lean on struggle attacks to perform some of their duties (such as Roughneck). Very little true synergy occurs with this class. It is good for players that desire a lot of different Pokemon.
Base Feature: Most of Capture Specialist's features (5/7) provide you with access to new Capture Techniques. This Feature is required, as is at least Rank 3 of Advanced Capture Techniques to reach the remainder of the class. Provides two Capture Techniques. I will detail the individual techniques below.
Advanced Capture Techniques: As with the Base Feature, Advanced Cap Techs also provides two Capture Techniques. With the way this is laid out, it makes Capture Specialist a very modular class. If you meet the skill requisites outside of it, it also allows you to jump to the best techniques in the set and ignore the rest.
Capture Technique Selections
*Capture Skills: Effectively trade half of a feature for a Skill Edge applied to one of Capture Specialist's skills. These being Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth, Survival, Guile and Perception, there is a wide range of builds and class combinations that this could support for a dip. Excellent for Skill Stunts as well. Timing with the selection of this Feature is literally everything.
*Curve Ball: Allows your Pokeball throws to deal struggle damage. With GM Permission for you to treat Pokeballs as weapons, makes for an interesting combination with other classes that can make use of short range weapons for their attacks. Similarly, builds off hilariously with classes like Athlete or Marksman to make a character that breaks ribs or noses with a pitch. Other then the novelty of it, not a great investment. It does add a small bit of chip damage (barring a stacked attack trainer) that isn't at a high risk of fainting the target while also allowing the capture check.
*Devitalizing Throw: As an effect that relies on failure to function, I generally turn my nose up at this sort of selection in the first place. That said, the perma-slow is the best effect in the set. Losing a CS or dropping a save by three are only useful occasionally.
*Fast Pitch: Priority Ball Toss for 1 AP. Not a bad expenditure. Feels like it would see less use because of the speed tags that Capture Specialist has, but if you're ever in a capture competition, or there is a dispute between players about who gets what, you have first crack at it. This feature has the potential to end more friendships then anything else the class gets.
*Snare: Take it or leave it, another -10 to your capture rolls that no one else can have isn't bad. It continues to lean on Capture Specialist's item dependency being that it's situational. Bait is probably the easiest way to achieve this bonus given your other features. Least expensive as well. Pick up Chef to cut your overhead costs on the side.
*Tools of the Trade: Pairs great with Snare, gives +2 accuracy with Pokeballs which is a really strong choice anyway, and improves your bait. Not sure if the +4 stacks with the edge associated with the Alluring capability for the purposes of bait rolls, though that does read 'Your Pokemon may act as a bait item.'
*Catch Combo: A once a day shot at catching something you already screwed the pooch on, pairing it with False Strike you're sitting on two chances to get out of screw-ups free. One of the better reasons to take Cap Spec.
*False Strike: Instead of fainting something, you don't faint it, twice a scene. Probably a better pick initially then Catch Combo. This sets your odds at their highest value for capture with whatever other setup you have going on in a given moment. Between this, and Fast Pitch, you can set a Pokemon low and then immediately go for the catch.
*Relentless Pursuit: Has some interesting pairings with Hunter, and thematically works well with Vigilante style builds. Expensive at 2 AP, but allows you to stay on top of something without hurting it too badly, continuing to hobble it as it flees. As far as capturing goes, somewhat situational. Average Trainer movement, paired with Pokeball throw ranges, you don't generally have to worry about something escaping for several rounds unless it's sprinting unhindered. Even then, why didn't you paralyze it in the first place? -2 Overland, 30% Chance to lose actions?
Captured Momentum: +2 Accuracy on the next Pokeball Toss (+4 with Tools of the Trade, +6 with Instinctive Aptitude and an AP), or another -6 (Master Skill) from your next Capture Check, or a Temporary AP after capturing something. Useful in wilds battles, like everything else in Capture Specialist. Not so much in anything else save some really weird scenarios where you're dueling someone and a Pokemon you want just happens to waddle into the clearing.
Gotta Catch'em All: Lets you flip a roll result on your capture check three times a day as a swift action. By far the strongest thing in Capture Specialist, but it really only saves you time and Pokeballs in the long run. Even with that, it's all about how the dice fall. You have about a 50/50 chance of this really making the difference between a catch and a fail, as the ones digit is the value that matters, and anything over a 6 on a harder catch won't merit a burning of this ability.