Pokemon Umbral Theatre 10: Pictures I Don't Think You Want Explained

[Menarker]

Some thoughts that came up in favor of Lola (Since Drac said I would need better arguments).
1) Pokebrid moves have increased supportive functions compared to items. Moves like Heal Bell and Safeguard act like AOE Full Heals or duplicate Rachel's ability for instance. In addition, if we wanted to help ensure her safety, for the cost of one of her item actions, she can cast Protect once every two turns, helping her live a lot longer by ensuring that once every two turns, she's invincible.

2) Her poke-sync techniques are very particularly supportive. All foes go to sleep and get a -1 stat drop? Party wide Helping Hand? Good stuff.

Thus, knowing when to use her respective abilities is key, but her combination of moves and techniques make her a viable choice.

Of course, I'm not saying that Chizuru is a bad option at all. She has techs of her own too, but they seem more limited short term support or offensive.

AB, are the Kimonos that are with Pierce going to stick around when the rest of the groups rejoin (and thus we have to kick out a shock trooper and a medic)? Or do they leave during that time for plot important matters? Or will they be allowed as additional characters in the formation so Pierce can have his characters but not kick off a bunch of other characters?

[Dracorion]

1) Remember that Protect's chance of success decreases by 50% every time you use it. You could use it effectively once, maybe twice if you get lucky. Lola would get all of two turns of invincibility.

Chizuru's ability duplicates the effect of Heal Bell. Rachel's ability does Safeguard for free.

Besides, I wouldn't be surprised if Gransranx can bypass Safeguard, because he's a dick. Also because five-turn status immunity for at most four people per turn? You might as well chop off his penis, and I don't think AB wouldn't like that.

Still, the Safeguard argument is one bonus for Lola.

2) Party-wide Helping Hand? Dude, read the latest document. Lola's Sexy Party only affects three allies. Her Chimecho SyncTech also only affects 3 allies. Her Altaria SyncTech only affects three foes, and it's just sleep, no stat decrease.

I could also make the argument that Chizuru's Flash Feast is damned useful. Except, like all of Lola's techs, it costs 100 RPs. And seriously, chances are Chizuru's never going to get there.

And besides, Chizuru's more likely to reach 100 RPs before Lola. Y'know who's more likely than either of them? Rachel.

By the way, what are we going to do with NPC SyncTechs? I know that before we decided to customize our upgrades, we said that Pokebrids could use SyncTechs outside of Paradigm Shift, with a bonus for using them in Paradigm Shift. Are we still doing this?

AB, can you explain to me how Heal Block works? According to Bulbapedia, it only stops pokemon moves from recovering HP. Are we assuming for the purposes of the RP that it would also keep, say, a HoA Healer from restoring the HP of one of their allies? For that matter, are we assuming that Heal Bell cures status effects like Apathy, Exhaustion, Berserk, Plasmaburn and Deep Freeze?

[Geminex]

I think we should do the synctech thing. Only for PCs, though, and important NPCs. Not possible to take care of everyone.

Like I said, if Drac wants Chizuru and Shizuka in the final battle, give him Chizuru and Shizuka. It's his sidequest, if it comes down to a vote I'm gonna have to take his side. Sorry, Menarker. If he doesn't... We'll see. Lola has her uses, but so does Angelo, and I'd quite honestly prefer the latter. I think Shizuka might be a pretty good choice for Battle Master, regardless of whether Drac wants her or not... though Mika's also atractive...

Eh, still not sure. You guys discuss this, I'll read what you come up with tomorrow. We can decide then.
Menarker, you'll also get your response, then.

[Menarker]

No, that is NOT how Protect works.

It is 100% effective the first time, and if you use it the next turn, then it becomes 50%. If it is used successfully that time, it still becomes 50% if it is used the very next turn. If it fails or if Protect wasn't used two times in a row, then it goes back to 100% for the next time it is used.

So basically, Turn 1: Protect 100% chance. Turn 2: Don't use Protect. Turn 3: Protect for 100% chance. Repeat...

It's in Bulbapedia and I used Protect ingame a lot. It can be used several times. It just can't be used with 100% chance of success twice in a row.

Otherwise, it's like this. Turn 1: Protect 100% chance. Turn 2: Protect at 50% chance. Turn 3: If turn 2's Protect was successful, the chance of success is 50%. If turn 2's Protect failed, success rate is now 100%.


And Lola has way more support options via her forms. I was just giving examples. There are more moves that Lola can do depending on which of her forms you use. Heck, she can use Altaria's Tailwind to give 3 allies doubled speed for 3 turns. That's a huge boost for crit and avoiding being crit. Baton Pass Dragon Dance. I'm sure there are a few other options. But just saying, she has a good deal of support options.

I'm still waiting for a response from AB regarding my question. But I won't raise a fuss if I don't get Lola in the end, since it IS his RP. Drac was the one who invited a stronger argument, and I'm giving it, but I'm not against Chizuru in the first place. Just have a personal preference for wanting Lola if the option was there.


As for Lola's techs, I admit I goofed there. I had memorized her old techs, so I didn't notice they were altered in the new database of characters.


EDIT: The only character at the moment who can get Sync Tech is Matthias and the NPCs, since Renny is not high enough level of Pokebrid (and never will be) and no other PC is pokebrid.

[Dracorion]

Mika's pretty cool. But to be honest, I'd rather Shizuka because her stats are just as good, if not better than Mika's, and she has two pokemon.

Point granted on Protect.

But uh, Tailwind affecting three allies, Menarker? You sure about that?

Also, I'm fairly certain Baton Pass isn't going to work on Lola. If only because Baton Pass was the other issue in our Psych Up clusterfuck way back when, remember?

[Menarker]

As for Baton Pass, right I forgot about that. I'm still tired from work. Baton Pass won't work for Lola.

And yes, Tailwind is quoted as below by Bulbapedia

"Tailwind doubles the Speed stat of the user and all other Pokémon in the player's party for three turns."

So, taken that way, Tailwind if used as a support move similar to Safeguard which is also AOE support, would affect 3 allies. Although, since it says "user", it might be forced to target only Lola and the 2 beside her.

[Dracorion]

Three allies?

[Geminex]

Aaah, good old days. As long as you don't combo with it, it should work, though. I mean, it's one thing to balance the RP and prevent abuse. Another to eliminate a move entirely. I think baton pass lola should work, rules-wise, just wouldn't be that efficient. Two-three turns at least, for a stats boost that's not all that significant. Our medic is important, for the sake of healing. That's the main function, and we're sure as hell gonna need it. Secondary stuff is just that - secondary. Who heals most effectively and reliably?
And I think that that's Angelo. Status effects are important, and he heals them for free. Lola gives extra HP healing, but that's not all that necessary. Rachel would be nice, but we've used her already, let's go for someone different. Chizuru would be quite effective, if Drac wants her, but more vulnerable as well. I think that Chizuru's riskier, but with greater potential rewards.

Question is, do we want a risk in our medic?

Edit:
And I think tailwind should affect 2 allies at most. Bit unbalanced otherwise.

[Dracorion]

I don't...

Menarker, you...

GRAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHRHRHRHGR

My mind. It is broken.

[Menarker]

Originally Posted by Geminex

Edit:
And I think tailwind should affect 2 allies at most. Bit unbalanced otherwise.

How so? I'm just treating it a bit like Safeguard or Heal Bell or any other AOE support move. 3 side by side allies.

And Angelo is fine and would be a good choice for the next or a future mission. But like I said, I'm pretty damn insistent on having Lola in my group for this mission. She and my enforcer Whitney are the ones I really want during the first part of the sidequest since way back during the middle of the previous mission.