[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

Heart's Earthpower: (5)(5)(1)(6)(6)(2) (6)(6)

Heart and Moltres burn through one more thread, but Shiva's knife has no effect at all on the cord even when she optimizes her connection to Earthpower.

The Egg's light is fading a little, so you'll definitely have to give Moltres a nice pyre if you get out of this alive.

Even if Gallade rolls a 1, he's still faster than the Scims thanks to Sticky Web. So the crate goes shut right away!
(2)(1)(1)(6)(2)(5) (1)(5) The crate catches on a Scimitar and runs right over his toes. He hops away, swearing, as the stairs close. You can hear one commanding male voice in the back shouting for a crew of Scims to push it back into its proper position, but the rest of the Scims seem to be newer initiates. They're ignoring your bold statements, since they didn't really expect you to surrender now that they know who it is.

I'm just going to hit the highlights for this fight since it's all about how many Scims get through.

Electroweb 1
(3)(1)(3)(2)(3)(6) (4)(6)(4)(5) Buffed Critical.

Swords Dance 1
(6)(1)(3)(4)(6)(3) (1)

Sucker Punch 1
(2)(2)(2)(5)(1)(2) (3)
(6)(6)(5)(6)

Razor Leaf 1
(6)(4)(6)(3)(2)(3) (5) Critical hit.

Every Scimitar that makes it through the trapdoor is felled. They don't seem to have particularly powerful Pokemon loaded into their gauntlets - those leaders will come in the next wave.

The trapdoor opens up again...
(1)(3)(3)(5)(6)(6) (1)
And Gallade slams it shut!

A horde of Scimitars pushes it open again...
(3)(3)(1)(5)(4)(3)
And Gallade slams it shut!

"Stand aside, idiots," says the commanding voice again.
(3)(5)(4)(1)(6)(5) A tremendous rent instantly appears in the ceiling, laying bare the room! A few slow Scimitars fall in and are picked off by Muddy Water and Razor Leaf.

As the last attacks of the round fade, a hush goes over the Scimitars above.

There's a whir and a spark of electricity, then a face Nathan and Shiva have briefly seen before begins lowering itself into the rent through thin air. It's the same man responsible for the instant swamp from the early days of your adventure. You heard his compatriots refer to him as Cosh.

and WHAM! He's smacked with a Future Sight falling right where he ended up. He holds his Gauntlet up at the last minute to fend off the attack, but it's a buffed critical.
6* Str + 5 power +2 crit -6* vit
(6)(3)(4)(4)(4)(4) (5) -1 dmg = 5 dmg anyway! Cosh sputters as the psychic energy fills his space. He also takes the effects of Sticky Web.

Gallade: (4) + 11 = 15
Cosh: (5) + 4* Dex + 5 Survival = 14
Porygon: (2) + 11 = 13
Tropius: (6) + 7 = 13
Gothitelle: (4) + 7 = 11
Kecleon: (3) + 8 = 11
Scimitar mob: (5) + 3* + 3 = 11
Heart: (2) + 8 = 10
Gustav: (1) + 8 = 9
More Scimitars, leaping in from above, now that they no longer have to mess with the crate. They're leaping straight for trainers and Pokemon, Gauntlets solidifying and expanding for blunt attacks. There are twenty grunts able to attack you right now.

Oscar has run behind Gallade, completely terrified. He's a little amazed at how Nathan is handling this. Keni is still calm and has now gathered up just about all his materials, though a Scimitar has landed near him and grabbed his ankle.

Heart needs most of the round to burn through the final thread. The cord's ability to hold Keni doesn't seem much diminished despite the lost of most of its thickness.

...and immediately, Gallade's hatred for this man in particular is incredibly apparent to everyone.  You don't have to be an empath to be able to tell that Gallade despises that man, possibly far, far more than everyone else in the group.  If Shiva's anger is a howling Blizzard, Gallade's ire for this man is a raging Inferno that's been left to smolder and burn until it's consumed almost everything around it and is barely being contained.

"...I had a feeling we would meet again.  I don't know what the hell you did to my friend to earn his ire, but know this: you will not get away with mistreating pokemon in horrible, horrible ways.  You will not get away with destroying people's lives just to further your own goals.  You will face justice.  You picked the wrong people and pokemon to pick on, Scimitars."

Gallade gets into a combat ready stance, his blades immediately extended.  This time, he will not falter.  Today, Justified revenge will be his.  Cosh is his opponent, and he shall show him exactly how much stronger he's become!!

"Gallade, crush his defenses!!  Cover us Porygon-Z!"

For Justice!: Ultra Solgaleo Fanmade Theme by Emdasche

Gallade's Ability changes to Justified for 20 exp, increasing his Strength by 1 in the face of the man who's done so much that Gallade considers unjust!  He.  Will not.  Hold back!!

Nathan's Brawl also increases to 4 for 18 exp!

ROCK SMASH 1-5
Acc: 14 - 5/6/7/8/9 = 9/8/7/6/5 D6
Dmg: 4 Pow + 5* Str + STAB - 6* + SE? = 4 D6 + 1 damage?
Eff: -1 Def (5)

If he's taken damage, though, he'll use Drain Punch instead!  Same accuracy, one less damage die, heals HP instead of lowering Defense!  And if using Fighting moves proves ineffective, Gallade has a few (preferably non-Lethal) Night Slashes with Cosh's name on 'em!  (Nathan probably won't complain if Gallade were to decide that Lethal force is warranted, however)



More Electrowebs from Porygon-Z!  This can hit up to 6 targets now, right?

Electroweb 1-5 (targeting Cosh and as many of the grunts as Porygon-Z can hit!)
Acc: 15 - 1 - 5/6/7/8/9 = 9/8/7/6/5 D6
Dmg: 7* + 2 + STAB = 10 D6 base
Eff: -1 Dex to any targets not currently affected by Sticky Web
Reminder: Porygon-Z's Agility gives him an initiative of 15, so he's first in the order, not third!

If targeting Cosh with Electric moves proves ineffective, then Porygon-Z will just focus on taking out as many of the grunts as it can instead of attacking Cosh and the grunts.

Nathan has two Super Potions prepared, ready to use them if either Porygon-Z or Gallade reach -2 Pain (or if they accumulate more than 1 Lethal damage).

And of course, if any attacks that might send characters to Sideways happen, try to dodge them!  Evade: 13 base

And if things start to get a little dicey (Heart getting KOed, Lethal attacks are used by the Scims and they might kill someone with them...stuff like that)...then it might be time for Nathan to hit the panic button and use the Red Chain in that case. This is a dire situation, so if it looks like it's going badly, Nathan's ready to pull out the Ace hidden in his sleeve.

And of course, Nathan also has that Finished Cress City Card ready to use if and when Keni is freed!