Armored's Arsenal: RP Stories Galore

[Astral Harmony]

So I'm burnin' to GM something, and I have almost too many ideas for a good story. So I've dusted myself off and I'm here to present some ideas I had for stories that I'd like to do.

Empire of Maniacs: Aristagalde's Folly

A darker retelling of the Empire of Maniacs of old. For those who don't remember it, it was the most successful (meaning it took a long time and the most threads to die) one I had done here. The story revolves around the Aristagalde Empire and the havoc its immense armies and advanced war machines are wreaking on its neighboring countries. Successfully blending an unyielding offense with an impenetrable defense, Aristagalde was poised to conquer all of Ragnathain Continent by storm.

...Until something happened. The empire was going to begin a new wave of terror with a large, mysterious cannon mounted directly on Aristagalde's capital, Pharmountyne. The cannon fired, and fired...and fired, but the shells exploded within Aristagalde's own borders. And now the empire is silent. Dead silent. And it's difficult to investigate, due to not only the weakened militaries of its enemy nations and the massive, high defensive wall that runs along Aristagalde's entire border, but also the bizarre fog that has completely obscured the land. Teams were sent in to investigate, but only few have returned alive, and all they talk of are monsters not recorded in any beastiary and a strange hymn that was impossible to block out. What does it all mean? Still, this is an opportunity to crush the empire before it can recollect itself and swarm the nations again. The nations seek strong, powerful warriors of a high caliber to push through to the capital and kill the considerable bounties that have been placed on Emperor Pharmounte and his deadly generals.

Pokémon Umbral

This ain't no kid's Pokémon adventure. I guess you could say it's an unwritten fanfiction that's been on my mind for some time. Anyways, the story: the advances of science and technology have changed the world of Pokémon as we know it: nowadays there are illegal weapons designed to kill Pokémon specifically, Pokémon-based criminal activities are on the rise, and gene recombination techniques allow people to bear some of the resemblance (and possess some of the powers) of their favorite Pokémon. Too bad that too many of those "Pokébrids" are using their newfound powers for nefarious purposes.

To combat the rise in criminal activity that standard police cannot combat, special task forces have been assembled that can defuse most dangerous situations before somebody (or some Pokémon) gets killed. In the Honmyr region is where our story takes place, and where it ends could reveal the origin of Pokémon that every professor who studied the creatures wanted to know about, but would wish they remained ignorant.

Genocide Games

The Intergalactic Control Sovereignty (ICS) has an iron grip over just about every star system in the cosmos. Their primary focus is the prompt and inexcusable extermination of all life that those bastards believe possesses no quality.

But at least they know how to have fun with it.

With various lovely star systems that they have no particular interest in, they've made a game of killing off countless innocents from numerous worlds. These games are called the Genocide Games. The rules are simple: win at the games and you can live out the rest of your worthless life in peace and harmony on your very own paradise planet. If you lose, well, you die. And if you try to escape, well, you die. They've made sure of that with the small explosive collar around your neck which they "promise" to safely remove upon your hard-won victory. Fortunately, you're pretty damn good at not dying no matter how shitty the situation is. God knows it's probably what some of you people have been doing all your life.

-----

That's basically all I'm going to type up tonight. It's pretty late here in Guam and I'm just gonna lay down and play PSP until I peace out. Feel free to overload me with questions and whatnot. I'll be more than happy to answer them all when I find the time, which will be quite often.

[Geminex]

And I've been burning to RP a little!
My personal ranking would be
1) Umbral (I reserve the right to a character that's a mix between Horatio Caine and Alakazam and act as the group's sniper)
2) Empire of Maniacs (Dystopian countryside! Infested with monsters! And I'm sure there'd be an opportunity to take over the enormous superpower.)
3) Genocide games.

In Umbral, would we be more investigators, or more like SWAT?

[CABAL49]

These all sound really awesome. I am first and foremost a space geek so Genocidal games has my vote, but I wouldn't mind doing any of these. I am still pretty noobish when it comes to RP but I do my best!

[Arcanum]

In Umbral, would we be more investigators, or more like SWAT?

Knowing AB it'll probably have more of an emphasis on combat than sleuthing.


Also I vote for Poké Umbral. Pokemon + realism +extra fantasy/sci-fi elements = super win. Second Place vote goes to Aristagalde simply because the Aristagalde theme fights back in Trauma Spike were pretty damn cool.

[Bard The 5th LW]

I have to vote for Aristigalde first and Umbral second, because Umbral is likely to twist my childhood memories somewhat.

[Astral Harmony]

@ Geminex: It'll be more like SWAT. After all, Pokémon was always about the battling, and this shouldn't be any different. Though, since there are times when you'll be sent in first, investigating will happen. Just be ready when the investigations turn sour and you'll have to rely on your weapons, Pokémon, or both just to survive.

@ CABAL49: If you've ever played or seen games like Total Carnage and Smash TV, Genocide Games will be something like that, but since it's in space, it gives me leeway to create a whole bunch of different things for you to kill and/or destroy.

[Dauntasa]

I totally and completely vote for Umbral. And I guess the other two would be cool too. Am I right in assuming that Umbral would be a mix of Pokémon battles and shooting things?

[Astral Harmony]

I totally and completely vote for Umbral. And I guess the other two would be cool too. Am I right in assuming that Umbral would be a mix of Pokémon battles and shooting things?

There'll be a class system like in most RPGs, which will give the choice of how you want to fight. For example, the Slayer class will use personal weaponry to fight, Trainers will use Pokémon, Pokébrids will use Pokémon-based powers, and there should be two more classes given a little more thinkey time. I'm planning to create a Snagger class that can temporarily use an enemy's own Pokémon against them.

[Premmy]

Going for Umbral, Cause I want to be a Hitmonlee/Scyther Duo Trainer.

[Astral Harmony]

I guess I'll go ahead and do Pokémon Umbral. Gimme a couple of days to fine-tune my thinking and create some of the special Pokémon I'm working on which will be much like the Shadow Pokémon from the Gamecube games, except far more messed up. In the meantime, you should maybe think up of a name for your task force and, if you're going to be a Trainer class, consider which few Pokémon you'll want in your party. Remember, you're badasses, so think of three Pokémon at around levels 60-70 in terms of moves and evolutionary form. No legendaries though, so don't expect to get by with a party consisting of Giratina, Rayquaza and Lugia. Freakin' h4x. As for the task force's name, I was thinking of giving it a legendary name like Task Force Darkrai, but I suppose if you all wanted to try and be funny, you could name it something like Task Force Bidoof. Doesn't really strike fear into the hearts of your enemies, does it? And imagine how gay you'll feel with a patch showcasing Bidoof's stupid-looking face on your uniform. Although I have read that Bidoof and by consequence it's evolved form Bibarel can become one helluva fighter.

If I feel particularly motivated or I can get my mind together in just a few hours, then maybe the sign up will be up before I go to bed tonight (it's 4:19 pm where I am right now).

[Naqel]

Sounds like major fun. Count me in too.

[Menarker]

For said pokemon trainers, are we stuck to the 4 move limit or can we be a bit more diverse in our techniques/tactics (or even invent a few plausible techniques/combinations? Are TMs/HMs also included for said diversity? (You would be suprised how many pokemon can learn Teleport. Hell, even Electrode could learn it. :3

Also, dibs on Electrode, Butterfree and Snorlax in the meantime...

[Astral Harmony]

For said pokemon trainers, are we stuck to the 4 move limit or can we be a bit more diverse in our techniques/tactics (or even invent a few plausible techniques/combinations? Are TMs/HMs also included for said diversity? (You would be suprised how many pokemon can learn Teleport. Hell, even Electrode could learn it. :3

Also, dibs on Electrode, Butterfree and Snorlax in the meantime...

Pokébrids will have access to all the moves of the Pokémon DNA that was combined with them, including TMs and HMs. A Trainer's Pokémon are restricted to the four move limit, but they will have free access to the HMs that they can use. For example, suppose you have a Fearow or Togekiss or Drifblim or something else and its move set is already filled. Don't worry about having one of the move slots occupied by Fly, because it'll know that without having to use a slot for it. Wouldn't make a whole lot of since if a flying Pokémon that can airlift you somewhere can't just because it doesn't know the move, right?

Additionally, you can also decide which Ability the Pokémon has, if it could have had one or the other.

Finally, think hard about your Pokémon's moves as the enemy will usually have a means of countering at least some of your strategy. Keep teleporting around and eventually you'll be faced down by an enemy's Crobat with Mean Look and his Sudowoodo with Block. Then where ya goin'?

[Wizardcat]

Got my laptop working again, and I see this. Awesome.

I call dibs on an Espeon pokébrid.

[Astral Harmony]

I call dibs on an Espeon pokébrid.

Of course you do. Because it's in your avatar.

And Menarker's got a Pokémon avatar, too. And Premonitions. And Geminex! Ye gods, what hath I wrought!?

[Menarker]

Pokébrids will have access to all the moves of the Pokémon DNA that was combined with them, including TMs and HMs. A Trainer's Pokémon are restricted to the four move limit, but they will have free access to the HMs that they can use. For example, suppose you have a Fearow or Togekiss or Drifblim or something else and its move set is already filled. Don't worry about having one of the move slots occupied by Fly, because it'll know that without having to use a slot for it. Wouldn't make a whole lot of since if a flying Pokémon that can airlift you somewhere can't just because it doesn't know the move, right?

Additionally, you can also decide which Ability the Pokémon has, if it could have had one or the other.

Finally, think hard about your Pokémon's moves as the enemy will usually have a means of countering at least some of your strategy. Keep teleporting around and eventually you'll be faced down by an enemy's Crobat with Mean Look and his Sudowoodo with Block. Then where ya goin'?

Does this mean that the effects of the moves are more or less determined by their effects in the video games? (Like Teleport being used in the game only for escape while we all know the other benefits that teleport can be used for during combat. Quite a distinction between the anime/manga and the games at any rate.)

^^; Before the 4 move limit thing was mentioned, I was thinking of building a totally "annoying" Electrode based on screech, sonicboom, supersonic and all sorts of LOUD high-pitched sounds, while slinging Thunderwaves and using Rollout. (The audience will suffer just as much as the opposing pokemon!)

I might have to make a pokebrid to make that possible though. (Although my character would be oddly lacking in being able to use rollout... I mean... a ball shaped human/pokemon?)

But yeah, just thinking that 4 moves is a little limiting because pokebrids would have access to ALL the moves of that one pokemon and their TM/HM, which is a shitload (more than 12) for some pokemon, including psychic and normal types. Also since the players will be up against criminals, they might be the target of attacks themselves, with little manner of defence aside from their own pokemon.

Can we get a table of all the perceived advantages and disadvantages of each class?

Also, can I assume that unless it is an official duel/battle, that sending all 3 pokemon at a time is a valid tactic? (Just make sure not to have earthquake with electric pokemon allies.)

Also, does the poke-dex data have any truth to this setting? Alakazam's IQ of 5000 and Houndoom's uncurable burns makes me shudder.

[Bard The 5th LW]

I'll join in because I really like the idea of having an all dog team. I even have names already picked out for them.

[Menarker]

As far as I immediately recall, the dog pokemons tend to either be fire types like Growlithe or dark types like Poocheyena... or both like Houndour...

[Astral Harmony]

I'm about to go onto duty, which is useful because it's a near-full day of time to think about your questions and work on a balance, and work out the other two classes. Some ideas come to mind right now, like a "Privileged" Pokémon for the Trainer that can will have more slots available than the others. Or perhaps increasing total Pokémon from three to four. Or doing both.

I want moves to behave the way they do in the game just because it's simpler, but considering the interesting ways that moves can do other things and because I like players to use creative strategies, I think we can do it the way you want to, Menarker.

[Bard The 5th LW]

I consider Manetric (http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Manectric_(Pok%C3%A9mon)) to be a dog.

Whether or not I include a Mightyena in my team is dependant on how many pokemon I'm allowed to have.

[Naqel]

Gawd...

My Pokemanz knowledge is so seriously lacking...

Gods bless Bulbapedia.

---

As an afterthought, how are you going to handle/balance different evolutionary stages?

I mean this in general for both trainers and Pokébrids.

[Dauntasa]

Someone has to be a Ditto Pokébrid. Just think about the possibilities! But not me, because I'm being a Slayer, or maybe a trainer.

[rapter200]

Ok this sound really interesting, I am stuck between being a Metagross, Scizor, or Tyranitar pokebird. I am heavily leaning toward Metagross so I will go with that. Of course that would be a very awkward combination.

[Astral Harmony]

As an afterthought, how are you going to handle/balance different evolutionary stages?

I mean this in general for both trainers and Pokébrids.

For the most part, it shouldn't really be an issue. The vast majority of your enemies will be using evolved Pokémon and for anyone who decides to have an unevolved Pokémon, we'll just collectively pretend that it's a higher level than the evolved ones so that it covers for the stat boost that comes with evolution.

When it comes to evolution, all one really needs concern themselves with are the type changes and certain things like TM availability and Ability changes.

At any rate, expect the signups to come up within a few hours. I've got Hawaiian Punch and I've got Methods of Mayhem and that's all I need to sit at this laptop and brainstorm and type until the signups are ready to accept players.