[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

Rock Smash
Dex + Fight + Brawl
Str + 4
Roll 5 chance dice to reduce foe's Defense

Can be learned by any Pokemon on this extensive list, either by leveling up or by TM/HM.

Instantly destroys stone or ice less than 500 cubic feet. Deals its (supereffective) damage to rocks greater than 500 cubic feet. (That's roughly 15 cubic meters, or four cubic Blastoise).

The HM simply straps on to the Pokemon in a few locations, rumbles a bit, and they learn the move!

Alright!  So, here's who we have on hand that can learn it!

- Solomon (I bet he's gonna LOVE this)
- Shiva's Furret
- Raphael
- Azu
- Mamo
- Yena
- Michael
- Tropius
- Calam and Dizzy
- Rose
- Koa
- Viktor
- Theo
- Turiel (now she can be even better at digging!)
- Yule (though he's KOed right now, so that might have to wait a little bit)

If you don't want one of your pokemon to learn Rock Smash, simply say so!

I decided to also list on some of my paper notes all of our other pokemon that can learn it when we return to the surface, but that can wait until we get there.  However, I will note one thing for @Nylon: Haunter would need to evolve into Gengar first before he could learn the move.  Up to you if you want to evolve him, though!

(You forgot in add Viktor. Trevenants can learn Rock Smash too.)

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

Solomon does love Rock Smash! He goes around smashing nuggets of ice. He also uses his Hidden Power on one of the rocks he's Smashed: instead of creating Unown letters, it creates a unique Unown you've never seen before. It seems to specifically depict Rock Smash - it's a crude fist shape with a half-closed eye. Still angular in the style of the Elder.

+1 Happiness for Slowking

Dizzy and Calam confer privately. Calam will learn the move, but Dizzy will not.

(How Rose, Koa and Viktor react to that new move Iron?)

[Dragonstrike]

Solomon does love Rock Smash! He goes around smashing nuggets of ice. He also uses his Hidden Power on one of the rocks he's Smashed: instead of creating Unown letters, it creates a unique Unown you've never seen before. It seems to specifically depict Rock Smash - it's a crude fist shape with a half-closed eye. Still angular in the style of the Elder.

+1 Happiness for Slowking

Dizzy and Calam confer privately. Calam will learn the move, but Dizzy will not.

Interesting.  Veeerrry interesting...Nathan has a lot of notes he'll be taking later, that's for sure...it's great to see Solomon is enjoying his newfound power, too.  The move is as strong as his boosted Power Gem, so it's definitely one he expects Solomon to be using every so often.

When Dizzy decides to NOT learn Rock Smash, Nathan's definitely surprised.  He respects the decision, though.  One Rock Smash for Michael, then Calam, coming right up!

As for other pokemon that weren't on the list I made of the group's pokemon...Nathan will offer to let Mr. Finder's Growlithe learn it too.  (It wouldn't be fair to leave him out, and the boost should be really helpful for him both now and in the future)  And if Geodude and Raticate are around, they have a chance to learn it too if they wish!

Welp, let's see who else wants to learn the move next!

[Iron]

Trevenant is using the move like an Ent. He puts his roots on a boulder and it crumbles away under his slow pressure. Koa is using it in a show of strength, while Rose's move is more sophisticated, like a true martial artist.

[Iron]

Geodude shows up, looking hesitantly around to see if the ghosts and mists are gone. He's attracted to the HM, and is pleased to learn Rock Smash!

Mr. Finder will have Raticate and Growlithe learn it too.

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

Rock Smash
Dex + Fight + Brawl
Str + 4
Roll 5 chance dice to reduce foe's Defense

Can be learned by any Pokemon on this extensive list, either by leveling up or by TM/HM.

Instantly destroys stone or ice less than 500 cubic feet. Deals its (supereffective) damage to rocks greater than 500 cubic feet. (That's roughly 15 cubic meters, or four cubic Blastoise).

The HM simply straps on to the Pokemon in a few locations, rumbles a bit, and they learn the move!

Spoiler

Alright!  So, here's who we have on hand that can learn it!

- Solomon (I bet he's gonna LOVE this)
- Shiva's Furret
- Raphael
- Azu
- Mamo
- Yena
- Michael
- Tropius
- Calam and Dizzy
- Rose
- Koa
- Viktor
- Theo
- Turiel (now she can be even better at digging!)
- Yule (though he's KOed right now, so that might have to wait a little bit)

If you don't want one of your pokemon to learn Rock Smash, simply say so!

I decided to also list on some of my paper notes all of our other pokemon that can learn it when we return to the surface, but that can wait until we get there.  However, I will note one thing for @Nylon: Haunter would need to evolve into Gengar first before he could learn the move.  Up to you if you want to evolve him, though!

In that case, all of Ventus Pokémon that are capable of learning Rock Smash will do so, since in his opinion the more that know the move, the merrier! Couple questions concerning the move, though:

- First, Ven's Pokémon reaction to learning the Move, and how they use it? I know that Michael will be absolutely thrilled, but what about Raphael and Turiel?
- Second, how does Rock Smash and Dig compare to each other, in terms of excavation? It the later is clearly superior, is their certain situations where using Dig would be more viable than RS? Otherwise, that moves is getting relegated to the sidelines forevermore utility wise, though in battle applications it still quite useful.

Ven is ready to move on after his Pokémon learn and demonstrate the Legendary HM Move, but I'd like to wait until I write up a response to Shedinja joing his family before then, so as not to intrusively bring that up! Also, Shiva and Valder still needs to select which of their Pokémon learn the Rock Smash, if any!

[Dragonstrike]

Oh yeah, here's another reaction I want to see: Ralts's.  He was fascinated with the mock Surf, but what about with the actual Rock Smash?  (Particularly since he'll be able to learn it as soon as he's a Gallade, unlike Surf)

[Iron]

Raphael is neutral about the move. It might be useful in fighting some Dark types, and he likes that it's ancient. Turiel is very pragmatic, and it will help her dig through tough spots.

Dig is much faster at excavating. Rock Smash doesn't really work on mountains, since they are above the cubic foot cutoff. So you'd just be rolling damage against a big chunk of soil that probably has 15+ hp. BUT Dig can't dig through SOLID stone, and Rock Smash eventually could. They work best in tandem.

[Iron]

Oh yeah, here's another reaction I want to see: Ralts's.  He was fascinated with the mock Surf, but what about with the actual Rock Smash?  (Particularly since he'll be able to learn it as soon as he's a Gallade)

Ralts was both fascinated and a little wary of the faux Surf machine. The same applies to Rock Smash. He'd like to have it, but he is made really really nervous by all those straps and wires and the little helmet thing it has.

[Dragonstrike]

Ralts was both fascinated and a little wary of the faux Surf machine. The same applies to Rock Smash. He'd like to have it, but he is made really really nervous by all those straps and wires and the little helmet thing it has.

Understandable.  Hopefully using it enough times on everyone else (we have around 40 pokemon that can learn it if we assume they're all fully evolved!) will help him cope with maybe using it himself later.  Nathan will definitely keep this in mind for later.