[Meta thread] Iron's PokeRole Adventure: The Skull Ruins

[Spiritmon]

Yeaaaaaahhh truth I forgot that thing about nasty effects so I want to get another encounter if possible. Snivy or Ferrothorn would be good.

[Lord Windos]

From what it sounds like, If Ven tries to gather Roots for medicine making later on, he's going to end up facing off against Gardener Snivy, which sound be rather.....expediently handled, so maybe you should handle the Ferroseeds?

[Iron]

Ach, mushie Pokémon. Lotsa mushie Pokémon. Since the Sleep debuff hasn't gone into effect and I don't want Ven's family or himself snoozed and subsequently ganked by a swarm of Paras/Parasect, I'm not touching that Encounter at ALL. Maybe I'll take the Amoogus Encounter, depending on the outcome of a couple of questions I have: are the restorative that those Roots made benefit both Pokémon and humans mechanically wise (like restore HP or something), and if so could Ventus spend an Encounter gathering some of them to brew stuff at a later day (Like after he gains another point in Medicine?)

Yes, they are said to 'cure fatigue' which translates to HP cure. And you can definitely spend an Encounter to gather 'em. 
If you also fight Snivy, that would take two Encounters. You could have someone else distract Snivy for you, or cut vines when you're farther down the tunnel - those roots look like they keep on going. Or just accept the inevitable exhaustion later. 



And you know your nerf is justified when your players won't even take on an encounter that involves Sleep ^_^

[Dragonstrike]

Gigantic Post!

Well, like I learned from administration, numbers hold mean and power. When we talking about duality between legendary pokemon, it is to represent opositive forces crashing against each other. Groundon and Kyogre is the representative forces of Sea and Earth, Water and Earth/Fire. Reshiram and Zekrom? Truth and Duty. Palkia and Dialga? Space and Time. Xerneas and Yveltal? Life and Death. There is a need about duality forces to maintain the balance. Like Light and Darkness, Good and Evil, Ying and Yang. 

But sometimes a third force is necessary, something who have equal power as those two forces, but it is neither one or another, its noth either black or white, but "grey". Its here where a third power of Legendary is necessary, something to counter balance in cases of dual legendaries. This is the of Rayquaza to counter Balance Groundon and Kyogre, Kyurem to counter balance Reshiram and Zekrom, Giratina to counter balance Palkia and Dialga, and finally Zygarde to counter balance Xerneas and Yveltal. At least it is my vision of the mean. And indeed I must admit, in concept of Legendary pokemon, Gen 6 and 7 dont impress very much. Magearna per example its the most uniterest legendary pokemon I ever see. In therms of Lore I mean. As a pokemon with desigh, ability, moves and even typing its something interesting, but in therms of "Legendary Lore" I dont think so. Legendary Pokemon should be consider almost god like beings, capable about change the very ecossystem of the pokemon world, such Entei each time he roar, a new vulcano in the world born. Now THATS a Legendary to be fear.

About Legendary pokemon from other dimensions looks something...interesting to say at least, but thats come a question: In what way that pokemon should be interesting? In what way that thing affect the world or have a mean/goal to even exist? Thats a important question when you make the Lore of very much important beings, such as Legendary Pokemon or not (I know Ultra Beasts dont exactly count as Legendary Pokemon, but since they have a "core role", the Lore behind them its one of the most critical points to be consider). Thats is my point of view in the matter.

Returning to the main topic, I look in the map too of Skull Ruins campaigh and its indeed something interesting the location of each one of the Lake Trio and with Mt. Sentry in the middle of these locations. I don't know what is the reason behind that. Maybe Saminarok somehow imprison a Legendary Pokemon before his downfall? Maybe? Or he act similar to Giovanni and try to create his own War Machine like a artificial pokemon? Mewtwo was not even the first artificial pokemon to be made. Even in ancient times, people used to made artificial pokemon, like Golett who is a golem who bring to life or Claydoll who is the name itself say, its a clay doll create by the ancient. I wouldnt be surprise if by chance we find some of the creation of Saminarok there, or even more a guardian. Something like the final boss from a dungeon. At least thats what I think.

Whoosh! That post took a while. I someway inspire today I guess.

Lore Talk

That's easy to see, yes.  Sea, Land, and Sky.  Yin, Yang, and the absence of both.  Time, Space, and the antithesis of both.  Life, Death, and Order.  Sun, Moon, and Light in its purest form.  But then there's other trios and duos.  Knowledge, Emotion, and Willpower.  Dreams and Nightmares (and the Full and New Moons).  Conflict, Life, Abundance, Hope, and the lack of each.  Lightning, Fire, and Rain.  Day and Night.  Blizzards, Thunderstorms, and Eruptions.  Even with fewer or more pokeman representing things coexisting or opposing, it's still possible to create interesting stories.

Even with single pokemon.  That mostly comes down to the Mythicals, though.  I do agree that Magearna isn't completely interesting at first glance, but its lore is more interesting when you look at what came after its creation (which is mostly explained in the Volcanion/Magearna movie).  Magearna is a life form with an artificial soul, known as the Soul-Heart.  An impressive feat for humanity no doubt.  But as with all artificial Legends and Myths, someone set out to abuse it and try to turn it into an ultra powerful weapon.  In this case: by literally breaking Magearna's heart to turn it into a literally soulless killing machine, as the pokemon itself is the soul in this case, not the body.  Sometimes, the pokedex by itself isn't a very good representation of a pokemon's lore.  Older pokemon have an advantage there, though, since they've had longer to develop new and old lore alike.  You don't fear Magearna because of what it will do.  You fear it because of what humans can do to it and use it for.  A lot of mythical pokemon don't have a huge impact on the entire world and mostly just mind their own business in their basic lore.  I could say Manaphy is completely uninteresting as a Mythical, were it not for its deep connection to the Ranger series.

On the note of UBs: Solgaleo, Lunala, and Necrozma are actually the only Legends among them.  The rest are just all ultra-powerful, everyday pokemon in the world they hail from (with varying rarities, and excluding Cosmog and Cosmoem.  Nihilego are really common, but Guzzlord are incredibly rare).  That's what primarily makes them interesting.  Poipole is even weak/tame enough to be a Starter in that universe.

Back on topic...

Sarimanok already did create war machine pokemon.  He created his Genesect Army, after all.  However, I don't think Atheneum is Sarimanok specific, as it is faaarrr older than the Last King if its stores of knowledge assisted with setting up the First Kingdom.  

[Lord Windos]

Ach, mushie Pokémon. Lotsa mushie Pokémon. Since the Sleep debuff hasn't gone into effect and I don't want Ven's family or himself snoozed and subsequently ganked by a swarm of Paras/Parasect, I'm not touching that Encounter at ALL. Maybe I'll take the Amoogus Encounter, depending on the outcome of a couple of questions I have: are the restorative that those Roots made benefit both Pokémon and humans mechanically wise (like restore HP or something), and if so could Ventus spend an Encounter gathering some of them to brew stuff at a later day (Like after he gains another point in Medicine?)

Yes, they are said to 'cure fatigue' which translates to HP cure. And you can definitely spend an Encounter to gather 'em. 
If you also fight Snivy, that would take two Encounters. You could have someone else distract Snivy for you, or cut vines when you're farther down the tunnel - those roots look like they keep on going. Or just accept the inevitable exhaustion later. 



And you know your nerf is justified when your players won't even take on an encounter that involves Sleep ^_^

In that case, I'll spend an Encounter gathering Roots for medicine, and have another character distract the Snivy if at all possible. If not, I'll just fight the dang grasserpine and tank the exhaustion penalty later on. With Lucifer's Tailwind, I can soldier on for quite awhile if I wanted, so its not like I will be at THAT much of a hinderance by double dipping her.

In actuality, I have plenty of Chestos and a Awakening to deal with Sleep, and Ven's high Insight means that bar bad dice luck all his Pokémon would awaken within 2-3 Round, or 1 if he was REALLY lucky. No, I just don't want to burn those resources against a swarm that could reapply that Status pronto, or worse if they use Poison Powder and Stun Spore in conjuction to REALLY make life hard for whomever challenges them a right nightmare. Couple with the HP drain moves they could have, and its just a grinning recipie for disaster for most Pokémon to fight them, save Grass types and Pokémon with Sleep Immunity. Much rather invest in medicine later down the line then be required to use medicine to patch up my Pokémon from a nasty Encounter, don't cha know!

Still, you have more of a point with those nerfs now, Iron, so I guess they wont be all THAT bad....

Amoogus, on the other hand, is just one Pokémon that can inflict Sleep and can therefore be focused down with EXTREME prejudice, especially if Ven opted to use Michael on them, as they'd be screwed Status inflicting wise. Poison type attacks would hurt, but so would Façade or Mind Reader Stone Edge, so it balances out!

[Dragonstrike]

And you know your nerf is justified when your players won't even take on an encounter that involves Sleep ^_^

No kidding.  If I had Othros and/or Masq, though...ah well, just wishful thinking at this point, unfortunately.

I don't think any of us want to touch a horde of mushroom pokemon with a 39.5 foot pole, though.  That's just asking to be inflicted with aaallll the statuses through various moves and/or Effect Spore.

[Lord Windos]

Yeaaaaaahhh truth I forgot that thing about nasty effects so I want to get another encounter if possible. Snivy or Ferrothorn would be good.

Technically speaking you actually could take on the Shroomish and Paras swarm with minimum harm, if you used Abaddon in it. With Safeguard in place, they can't really do ANYTHING to you status wise, though you still have to watch out for Bug type STABs and HP drain shenanigans. Same goes for Amoogus too, and it be even easier for Abaddon to take down since its only one Pokémon they have to deal with!

I recommend that if you are going to take that Swarm Encounter, you take someone else along with you, like Nathan or Shiva, then have Abaddon cast Safeguard on all the Pokémon sent out against them. Four Status immune Pokémon vs a lot of smaller ones makes things pretty even, in my books, so why not try it out?

[Lord Windos]

And you know your nerf is justified when your players won't even take on an encounter that involves Sleep ^_^

No kidding.  If I had Othros and/or Masq, though...ah well, just wishful thinking at this point, unfortunately.

I don't think any of us want to touch a horde of mushroom pokemon with a 39.5 foot pole, though.  That's just asking to be inflicted with aaallll the statuses through various moves and/or Effect Spore.

Might not be the case if Abaddon can get Safeguard up in time, which could be done almost garenteed if they were handed off to Nathan since with + 8 Initiative it be VERY unlikely they'd outspeed the Blue Demon. Just a thought, though, so if you or Spiritmon don't want to touch that Encounter, I don't blame you at ALL!

[Spiritmon]

Hmm yeah you right. Abbadon indeed have Safeguard to protect against Status moves. It might be useful. @PhantomUnderYourDesk, do Shiva interested in joining Heart against the swarm of Paras and Swromish? Heart might need some help against those nasty foes. And I quite sure need some XP like Heart.

[Dragonstrike]

Might not be the case if Abaddon can get Safeguard up in time, which could be done almost garenteed if they were handed off to Nathan since with + 8 Initiative it be VERY unlikely they'd outspeed the Blue Demon. Just a thought, though, so if you or Spiritmon don't want to touch that Encounter, I don't blame you at ALL!

Well, that's why the move exists, after all (not that we care that it's a thing in the actual games because of how uncommonly useful status immunity is).

No love for my reference? :/  Ah well...

I'm actually semi-interested in that Snivy myself, tbh. Yule is my 'main' Grass type for now, but having a snake pokemon isn't usually a bad thing...though I imagine Snivy would also need a lot of work before it's fully fleshed out. Would also be nice to have all three Pledge moves available to the party, and Nathan's probably the least adversely affected by a -1 Dex effect.