Following my backstory, the Ultimate Weapon is in the Middle East near the Black Sea, built on the spot where three tectonic plates meet since fault lines are where the energy is coming through. I didn't know that about mega stones though (I haven't played a canon game since HGSS), but it does seem to fit! I figured the evolutionary stones would be crystals that were impregnated with energy at some point.
Also, one of the big mechanical shifts I was talking about is replacing "happiness" with a bond system. I think happiness is far too simplistic for all the things it's supposed to do and represent so there would be different bond levels, and the way you'd improve your bond with a pokemon would change at different levels. As a short version:
Hostile: The lowest level. A hostile pokemon won't obey commands and may not fight at all. In double battles, they may turn on their partner. They may also attempt to flee, which forces a switch and makes the next pokemon lose an attacking turn.
Mistrusting: The lowest level you'll find a pokemon at in the wild. A mistrusting pokemon will frequently disobey and won't gain much experience.
Uncertain: This is the level newly caught pokemon will normally be at. Uncertain pokemon will occasionally disobey (though not often) and won't participate in non-battle exercises (i.e. super training, contests, etc). They'll also lose attack power ('confidence') if they take a critical or supereffective hit.
Willing: A willing pokemon will fight and do everything normally.
Trusting: A trusting pokemon gets a slight speed advantage (+5% or so).
Loyal: A loyal pokemon gets the speed bonus as well as a defensive bonus. Friendship evolutions would also unlock somewhere around here.
Special: This is the final level, hard to reach but worth it. Reaching a special bond with a pokemon allows mega evolution and/or Z-Moves and adds an attack bonus. They'll also occasionally survive KO attacks, as if they'd used Endure. Finally, a pokemon with a 'special' bond will be able to unlock their hidden ability (rather than it being a breeding thing), usually at a special place in the game.
As I said, there are different ways to improve a bond, but not all of them will work at all levels. For example, going to a massage/spa treatment won't improve your bond with a hostile or mistrusting pokemon. Keeping them from getting knocked out in battle will, but at higher levels that won't make as much difference. Getting a pokemon up to loyal or special level bond would require regularly using them in battle and would be negatively affected by things like leaving them at the daycare.
Also, one of the big mechanical shifts I was talking about is replacing "happiness" with a bond system. I think happiness is far too simplistic for all the things it's supposed to do and represent so there would be different bond levels, and the way you'd improve your bond with a pokemon would change at different levels. As a short version:
Hostile: The lowest level. A hostile pokemon won't obey commands and may not fight at all. In double battles, they may turn on their partner. They may also attempt to flee, which forces a switch and makes the next pokemon lose an attacking turn.
Mistrusting: The lowest level you'll find a pokemon at in the wild. A mistrusting pokemon will frequently disobey and won't gain much experience.
Uncertain: This is the level newly caught pokemon will normally be at. Uncertain pokemon will occasionally disobey (though not often) and won't participate in non-battle exercises (i.e. super training, contests, etc). They'll also lose attack power ('confidence') if they take a critical or supereffective hit.
Willing: A willing pokemon will fight and do everything normally.
Trusting: A trusting pokemon gets a slight speed advantage (+5% or so).
Loyal: A loyal pokemon gets the speed bonus as well as a defensive bonus. Friendship evolutions would also unlock somewhere around here.
Special: This is the final level, hard to reach but worth it. Reaching a special bond with a pokemon allows mega evolution and/or Z-Moves and adds an attack bonus. They'll also occasionally survive KO attacks, as if they'd used Endure. Finally, a pokemon with a 'special' bond will be able to unlock their hidden ability (rather than it being a breeding thing), usually at a special place in the game.
As I said, there are different ways to improve a bond, but not all of them will work at all levels. For example, going to a massage/spa treatment won't improve your bond with a hostile or mistrusting pokemon. Keeping them from getting knocked out in battle will, but at higher levels that won't make as much difference. Getting a pokemon up to loyal or special level bond would require regularly using them in battle and would be negatively affected by things like leaving them at the daycare.
