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

[Lord Windos]

Hitmonlee can also be challenged to noncombat challenges, if you can think of one you think might catch his attention. It has to be something dangerous or it doesn't count.

Problem with that is any sort of challenge like that would also put my own character and/or his Pokemon in danger too, since those types are likely competition based between individuals. That, and trying to come up to creative solutions to any given scenario is hard, more so than ever if their a tangible reward/failure hinging on it, like a carrot or anvil over a doorway. And since this a Coup Counter, any creative challenges proposed is going to be leaning more heavily towards the anvil of horrific failure and bad/no rewards than not for Terra and co, due to the inherent Danger. There's also the factor that any sort of challenge I make other than battle could also blow up on me spectacularly by him winning at it, leaving me the overall loser, Terra humilated and/or seriously injured, and the both of us feeling like crap for trying to be clever.

No, if I'm going to engage Hitmonlee, its going to be in a straight up battle, as Terra and his Pokemon are highly specced for Fights, and I know how to stack advantages moderately well in them. At the very least I'm better prepared to lose in a battle, and their is some honor/enjoyment in losing to a worthy opponent if you have the mind for it.

[Dragonstrike]

@Lord Windos

Okay, so with the info on which side is Sarimanok's in mind...if you want to delay some of Sarimanok's plans to conquer Creshire, go after the Eastern General (Nathan will probably say something to everyone about whose who IC, and timeline wise it would probably be just before the two sides clash).  However, regardless of the outcome of that, Sarimanok will likely expand his influence towards the west eventually.  It's only a question of how long, really.  Losing a single battle doesn't always mean you've lost the war, after all.

Engaging the Eastern General might also be a good way to get yourself noticed by Sarimanok if said general survives the battle and remembers your face and/or which notable, rare pokemon you used to beat him, which is another thing to keep in mind.

[Lord Windos]

@Lord Windos

Okay, so with the info on which side is Sarimanok's in mind...if you want to delay some of Sarimanok's plans to conquer Creshire, go after the Eastern General (Nathan will probably say something to everyone about whose who IC, and timeline wise it would probably be just before the two sides clash).  However, regardless of the outcome of that, Sarimanok will likely expand his influence towards the west eventually.  It's only a question of how long, really.  Losing a single battle doesn't always mean you've lost the war, after all.

Engaging the Eastern General might also be a good way to get yourself noticed by Sarimanok if said general survives the battle and remembers your face and/or which notable, rare pokemon you used to beat him, which is another thing to keep in mind.

....Which means that taking on the Eastern Leader or any of the Eastern Sun army is a straight up bad idea, unless one of our characters promptly murders them afterwards to prevent him from escaping and tattling on us to Sarimanok, or finds a clever way of disguising their indentity before engaging them. And while Ventus would be open to the idea of Murder is the Best Solution, I don't think Terra or anyone else shares that lack of moral fiber/possesses brutal pragmatism. I like a Tough Challenge, but not at the expense of severe, long lasting consequence such as making an enemy of one of the most notorious and powerful figures in Cheshire's known history.

So that limits me to either Hitmonlee, Fighting on Horseback against the Western Army, picking up Supplies, going after Supplies + Random Danger, or rescuing a tasty ducky from become duck pattee. Unless I want to burn 1 or more Will Point to go over and fight the Western Leader, and soggy donuts to that! Dice Luck will always get ya when you need it most to benefit you, and exhausting my character to pick a dangerous fight is the ver definition of a Bad Idea.

With that in mind.....leaning towards fighting Hitmonlee if someone helps me out with them, or otherwise going after the Supplies if no one want to help me take on the true kick boxing champ.

[Dragonstrike]

And as a note to everyone, you don't have to take any of these encounters if you don't want to be in the middle of a battlefield. You can get the heck out of dodge if you'd rather be out of immediate danger. However, you need to get 2+ successes on a Dex check to do so. Since everyone except Terra has 4+ Dex, that isn't a super tall order for the most part, but consider spending a Will point if you REALLY don't want to be caught in this battle/don't want to risk your neck to help Terra get through this/save Farfetch'd.

[Dragonstrike]

So that limits me to either Hitmonlee, Fighting on Horseback against the Western Army, picking up Supplies, going after Supplies + Random Danger, or rescuing a tasty ducky from become duck pattee. Unless I want to burn 1 or more Will Point to go over and fight the Western Leader, and soggy donuts to that! Dice Luck will always get ya when you need it most to benefit you, and exhausting my character to pick a dangerous fight is the ver definition of a Bad Idea.

You could also spend that Will point on fleeing the battlefield and not choosing an encounter.  Only need 2+ successes to get away from the immediate danger (which with 1 Will Point adding 1 success, would be a 75% chance of success with 2 dice).  Up to you in the end, of course.

[Lord Windos]

You could also spend that Will point on fleeing the battlefield and not choosing an encounter.  Only need 2+ successes to get away from the immediate danger (which with 1 Will Point adding 1 success, would be a 75% chance of success with 2 dice).  Up to you in the end, of course.

I would rather not pass up the opportunity to gain good XP/resources for my character, even if it puts him in danger, and spending Will Points without it enhancing the odds of victory or getting something out of them is....well, not a good use of them, imo. At least, not in this situation, since Terra's tough enough to survive in a war zone, while that's more or less debatable for everyone else in the group.

So.....is Nathan going to help the Farfetch'd, go after the A-Marowak, or pick a fight with Hitmonlee? Or just go 'Sod this!' and escape the whole conflict?

[Dragonstrike]

So.....is Nathan going to help the Farfetch'd, go after the A-Marowak, or pick a fight with Hitmonlee? Or just go 'Sod this!' and escape the whole conflict?

Still thinking about it, but I'm kinda leaning towards Farfetch'd atm tbh because Gallade would almost certainly pick up that frantic panic from it.  Though I'm ALSO leaning towards A-Marowak because it's incredibly rare and a rare type combination that's desirable for a number of reasons.  (I'll be really disappointed if it can't learn Shadow Bone, though, tbh.)

(I'd also be kinda disappointed if A-Exeggutor couldn't learn Dragon Hammer. A-Raticate, A-Dugtrio, A-Grimer, A-Meowth, A-Ninetales, A-Sandslash, and A-Geodude can all get away with not having their cool 'signature' stuff for the most part, but A-Exeggutor and A-Marowak would really miss their signature moves. And for that matter, A-Raichu would really miss having its signature [and only] Ability, too)

[Lord Windos]

Still thinking about it, but I'm kinda leaning towards Farfetch'd atm tbh because Gallade would almost certainly pick up that frantic panic from it.  Though I'm ALSO leaning towards A-Marowak because it's incredibly rare and a rare type combination that's desirable for a number of reasons.  (I'll be really disappointed if it can't learn Shadow Bone, though, tbh)

Well, I can take the Farfetch'd Encounter and free you up for A-Marowak, if you're interested. I like the idea of getting supplies or a good fight, but going with a heroic duck rescue would be a nice thing to do too, and it would help you out OOC too. Plus, not taking the Hitmonlee fight would leave it open for Spirit and/or Spira, and since they have Ghost Pokemon that can prevent the spring footed being from using its devastating Fighting STABs, they're more suited to battling it than anyone else in the group. It would also be more in character for Terra to risk life and limb helping the fowl friend out, than mid-battle looting or picking a battle in a harrowing situation, so that's good enough IC reason to do it!

[Dragonstrike]

Well, I can take the Farfetch'd Encounter and free you up for A-Marowak, if you're interested. I like the idea of getting supplies or a good fight, but going with a heroic duck rescue would be a nice thing to do too, and it would help you out OOC too. Plus, not taking the Hitmonlee fight would leave it open for Spirit and/or Spira, and since they have Ghost Pokemon that can prevent the spring footed being from using its devastating Fighting STABs, they're more suited to battling it than anyone else in the group. It would also be more in character for Terra to risk life and limb helping the fowl friend out, than mid-battle looting or picking a battle in a harrowing situation, so that's good enough IC reason to do it!

Hitmonlee could also be packing Blaze Kick, which is definitely not a move you want to be on the receiving end of if you can help it.  3 power, chance of Burn 2, and high crit is quite dangerous, more than making up for the lack of STAB and/or Reckless.  Still probably a lot better than taking a potentially Reckless boosted JK/HJK to the face, though.  +2 Power for a 4/5 power move is...ow.  (assuming Iron lets the Ability apply to those moves because it does in the games instead of not because the move doesn't have the Recoil symbol in the book like the Ability's wording requires.  Otherwise, the Ability isn't very useful on Hitmonlee at all)

I could maybe go for taking A-Marowak while you go for the duck, but I'm also kinda curious to see what Heart, Spira, and Shiva do as well.  Lots of opportunities for rare and/or powerful pokemon here, and I'm not sure anyone wants to get directly involved in this battle IC.  We might be splitting ourselves among the 3 pokemon, maybe the items, and maybe getting out of dodge.

Part of the reason I'm interested in the duck is A) Stick stuff is fun B) Rare pokemon with some nice, strong moves (though it's a shame Leaf Blade, Air Cutter, Slash, and Night Slash don't benefit from the Stick in Pokerole) with a strong Ability that complements them well (Keen Eye) C) It can potentially have Feather Dance. I've already said why I'd be interested in A-Marowak. And Hitmonlee is just a good, strong pokemon all around.

[Iron]

I don't really want to deal with Gen VII moves, but he'll have at least a rare ? move.