I guess I should first mention that I'm aware of the Pokémon Tabletop Adventures game. But my idea is not to exactly replicate the pokémon games but to create a setting based on the idea that there are few (or no) "normal" animals but instead a world filled with magical beasts (which could include mobile plants).
Another part of the idea is that the setting is post-apocalyptic in nature (but not really dystopian - I find that overdone). Settlements are spaced far apart (something like a Points of Light setting). People have green technology (or magitech) but the humanoid population remains low. I'm not sure where non-human races fit in overall yet and whether or not there are the more typical battle aspects or not.
Any suggestions? Things you'd like to see? Things you'd like avoided?
Well, the first thing to know is that, basically, attacks work like this:
Accuracy = (Attack %) + (modifier... modifier starts a +0%)
Damage = ((Base damage x (level)%) + (Defining Stat) - (Opponent's Defining Def)) x (Type Bonus) x (effectiveness modifier 1) x (effectiveness modifier 2)
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So, for instance, a lv100 Pikachu uses Thunderbolt against a lv100 Gyarados (both have max IVs and 0 EVs).
Thunderbolt has an Accuracy of 90%, meaning on a d20, a hit would be simply anything but a 1 or 2.
Thunderbolt is a Special Attack that has a base damage of 100.
Since Pikachu is lv100, the Thunderbolt's base damage is 100% of 100.
A baseline high-IV Pikachu of lv100 has a SpAtk of 81. A baseline high-IV lv100 Gyarados has 126 HP and SpDef of 131.
Pikachu is an Electric Type using an Electric attack; Gyarados is a Water/Flying type.
So the calculation for damage is:
((100 x 100%) + 81 - 131 ) x 1.5 x 2 x 2 = 300 damage.
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Now, as of Generation IV, there was a variation added to the equation, in the form of a random +/- value, so that not every single attack is the exact same value as all others of the same name - one Thunerbolt could do 278, for example, while another does 312 (that's not the possible values, just an example).
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So, basically, what this means is that you're getting into a very, VERY different game than Pathfinder, even with something as simple as attacking and blocking.
A Pokemon-based game would, then, be radically different than a normal Pathfinder game.
If you just want to go on the "capture & summon monsters" thing, you can simulate aspects of that, although it really changes some dynamics of the game.
You probably will want to keep most classes limited to 6/9 spellcasters at the most, or even just 4/9 spellcasters. You may even want to limit players to NPC classes, or find other ways to make the Summoned monsters the center focus (maybe use Beastmaster or Packmaster as a template)
If you plan to have monsters level, they should probably level almost solely in Martial Classes to make things balanced - Fighter being the most common, but other classes like Barbarian or Slayer. Cavalier could also be a possibility, depending on whether you plan to have the monster fights be 1v1 (like Eidolons), or 2v2.
Have monsters level at very-slow rates, probably twice the Slow progression in regards to XP, or even just 1/2 of your XP, with their racial HD obviously counting as part of their Character Level.
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Either way, a Pokeball can be created, effectively, by replicating Trap the Soul in a single-use, use-activated item that can only affect Magical Beasts, Dragons, Undead, or Outsiders, and allowing for both SR and the base Will Save (also requiring a Ranged Touch Attack on order to Activate):
lv8 x CL15 x 50 - 30% = 4200gp (Poke Ball)
lv8 x CL20 x 50 - 30% = 5600gp (Great Ball)
lv9 x CL25 x 50 - 30% = 7875gp (Ultra Ball)
Obviously, you may want to decrease the value if you want them to be more common, but they'd be extremely powerful regardless.
You'd probably want to make the "summon" value equal to only about 3/day or so.
Thanks for replying chbgraphicarts! I was more thinking that there are magical beasts like pokémon in the world (that could become familiars or animal companions) than actually changing any of the basic rules of Pathfinder at this point. I'm partly inspired be a Deviant Artist's realistic pokémon as well as some breath-taking landscapes. I'm just curious what folks here would think of such a setting and how they might go about creating it. I'm less interested in the "gotta catch 'em all" and battling aspects than the world itself and how the creatures and races might interact and what sort of adventures and classes might be appropriate.
The central idea behind the Pokemon setting lies with the easy domestication of magical beasts. So people need something that will enable them to do so, such as a special type of magic or technology. The Pokemon anime mentions that ancient pokeballs were basically magical artifacts.
I guess what I'm saying is: figure out how pokeballs exist in the setting, and then go from there.
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One of the things people are sorta forgetting is the generally innocuous nature of wild Pokemon.
Firstly, just like wild animals, most Pokemon don't really mess around with humans. Trainers are the ones who instigate wild Battles in an attempt to either capture or defeat the wild Pokemon.
Secondly, the vast majority of wild Pokemon aren't very strong. It's practically unheard of for wild Pokemon to reach lv50 or higher, and areas where those Pokemon can be encountered (Mt. Silver or Ceruclean Cave) are deemed so dangerous that only the elite of the elite trainers are allowed entrance.
Just like in real life, as well, the "Alpha Predator" Pokemon almost always tend to be extraordinarily rare. Tyranitars and Garchomps just basically don't exist in the wild, since they're the top predators; instead, the majority of Pokemon encountered are younger or weaker Pokemon - for every 1 Garchomp, there are 10,000,000 Bidoofs (and they must ALL be exterminated...), so say nothing of Zubats. Also, Normal is the most-common type of Pokemon, with Flying following fairly close thereafter, to give an idea that
Thirdly, Legendary Pokemon are supposed to be unique. Just like the whole "alpha predator" thing above, Legendaries are, for all intents and purposes, GODS, and generally keep entirely to themselves. It IS scary to think that deities walking around could cause mass chaos, but this is supposedly extremely rare, with most just sorta going about their daily business.
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I don't think there's any gigantic difference between how Pokemon would operate in the world compared to how magical creatures already operate in Pathfinder, especially a high-magic world like Golarion.
In the series, non Pokemon exist. The plants are a good example. When they were making Poke blocks out of berries you never heard of, most, if not all, of these berries did not come from plant Pokemon. There are probably "normal" chickens, pigs, and cows. Probably the chickens are all blue, even the male cows have udders, and the pigs have an extra set of legs. When the characters go fishing for Pokemon, they use special bait. Otherwise, they'll just catch glowing rainbow trout or something.
Pokeballs- Basically a familiar pocket. You can have them be pouches that attach to the belt, have a command word to suck in a defeated monster, and another word to bring them out.
Classes- It's a group of modified classes. A coordinator is a bard with handle "animal" and knowledge nature as class skills. They also can have 6 "animal" companions at a time. Every class has these modifications. Ash is a fighter. He trains with his Pokemon. He jumps onto vehicles to rescue Pokemon. In your game they can probably have Charisma bonus + 1 per 5 levels trained monsters. The monsters gain additional tricks as they go up levels.
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stuff
The Pokemon anime can go to hell.
It's resemblance to the games ends at the name and character designs of the mons.
Dragonball Evolution was more accurate to Dragonball than the Pokemon anime is accurate to the games. Also, better-written; seriously, post-Johto (maybe even post Orange Islands, which was by far the best arc), the series became utter repetitive crap.
Pokemon Special (Pokemon Adventures in the US) is, by word-of-God statements from the creator of the games, THE best and most-accurate adaptation of the games.
In Special, like the games, extremely-rare pokemon are rare, and while a handful of Pokemon are shown to be extraordinarily powerful (like Mewtwo, obviously, and the Three Birds/Beasts), the majority of Pokemon, including Pseudo-Legendaries like Dragonite or Tyranitar, are capable of causing large amounts of damage, but nothing ridiculous.
One Tyranitar alone cannot destroy a city - probably seriously mess up a city block, sure; but not destroy a whole city by any stretch of the imagination.
I'd think low level Pokemon (up to level 10) would be roughly as dangerous as a dog or wolf. After that, many of them start getting deadly abilities and then around the 20s and 30s, they get dangerous supernatural abilities.
stuffThe Pokemon anime can go to hell.
It's resemblance to the games ends at the name and character designs of the mons.
Dragonball Evolution was more accurate to Dragonball than the Pokemon anime is accurate to the games. Also, better-written; seriously, post-Johto (maybe even post Orange Islands, which was by far the best arc), the series became utter repetitive crap.
As much as I enjoy tearing down the Pokemon anime, I could totally debate you on the accuracy of Dragon Ball Evolution. However, both are "special" in that they take pride in getting some details right, but completely screwing up major points. Like including goku's spiky hair and great ape heritage, but making him an awkward school boy that only cares about getting a date with a high school crush. Or spouting off game mechanic trivia about Solar Beam during sunny days, but then show a Steel-type get one-shot by a Poison-type move that they should have been immune to it...all in the same episode.
But I digress.
Minor Quibble:
Also, Normal is the most-common type of Pokemon, with Flying following fairly close thereafter, to give an idea that
Water has them both beat. 124 Water types versus 97 Normal and 93 Flying, as of Gen VI, and that's not a recent development, Water's had the lead since Red/Blue.
As much as I enjoy tearing down the Pokemon anime, I could totally debate you on the accuracy of Dragon Ball Evolution. However, both are "special" in that they take pride in getting some details right, but completely screwing up major points. Like including goku's spiky hair and great ape heritage, but making him an awkward school boy that only cares about getting a date with a high school crush. Or spouting off game mechanic trivia about Solar Beam during sunny days, but then show a Steel-type get one-shot by a Poison-type move that they should have been immune to it...all in the same episode.
But I digress.
Oh, don't get me wrong - I'm not saying DBE was good or even remotely accurate. They're both s*** stains that are nothing like what they're based on.
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Anyway, to the OP, One of the biggest factors of Pokemon is the shear number of Pokemon that trainers can capture.
In the games, most people who have Pokemon only have one to a handful, usually 2-4.
Main characters have significantly more, as dictated by the needs of the game, after all.
But you likely can't have characters running about with arse-tons of creatures, given how quickly that could lead to players swarming enemies with disposable critters.
You may want to look at things like Figurines of Wondrous Power for an idea of how to create Summonable things.
Another, cheaper option would be to make common objects which can summon one specific monster a few times per day, using Summon Monster as the template:
Monster I Ball - 840gp (summons specific monster, 3/day, CL1, use)
Monster II - 5040gp (CL3)
Monster III - 12,600gp (CL5)
Monster IV - 23,520gp (CL7)
Monster V - 37,800gp (CL9)
Monster VI - 55,400gp (CL11)
Monster VII - 76,440gp (CL13)
Monster VIII - 100,800gp (CL15)
Monster IX - 128,520gp (CL17)
If the goal is to remain somewhat near pathfinder rpg rule, what if all trainers were an archetype of the summoner, probably akin to the master summoner? The eidolon representing their 'primary' pokemon, and summons representing the managerie carried around in pokeballs?
Then you only need to create the templates for the various pokemon and figure out what level of summon they need to be. And also how powerful you want to make the primary pokemon (eidolon).
My intial thought is:
1. Remove all casting besides the summon spell like ability (trainers dont have spells, and to be honest, they dont really do anything on their own).
2. Create an eidolon template that has a fixed progression of evolutions for each of the potential primary pokemon (the one you pick when you first start the game). Each type of starter pokemon is represented by a fixed progression of evolutions (possibly with some selection for specific attacks) to make it resemble a pokemon type.
3. Create a new summon list and fit different pokemon into the Summon 1-9 and gate list.
4. Trainers must encounter and defeat a type of pokemon to access it in the summon list (possibly everyone starts with one option at each level automatically).
Obviously this creates the issue of the primary pokemon being dramatically stronger then any summon, but if you cut out all the summoners spellcasting, and you keep the limit of 1 at a time (either eidolon, or a summon) then you can probably make the available summons more powerful then those normally summoned by the spell as written.
Basically all this new Trainer archetype can do is Call his Starter Pokemon (eidolon), or summon a specific list of more powerful creatures via the spell like ability. With a little tweaking I think that could work.
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Monster Summoner
"My eidolon can be any monster, as needed.”
As a monster summoner, you gain the following class features.
Summoned Eidolon (Su): Whenever you use a summon monster spell or spell-like ability to summon a single creature, that creature gains the advanced simple template and counts as your eidolon for the purpose of your summoner class features.
This replaces eidolon.
Summon Monster I (Sp): You can use this ability (or any improved version of this ability which you have) a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier + one-half your level.
This modifies summon monster I and all improved versions of that ability.
I really, really like this idea!
At least, I like this idea as I'm picturing it. And it sounds like almost everyone has a different idea of how "Pokemon-based Pathfinder setting" would play out. Let me see if I can clarify this with a question:
Which part(s) of Pokemon would you put into Pathfinder?
-Is it the combat mechanics? (Fighting mainly with familiars and summoned creatures, possibly with a "capturing" mechanic)
-Is it the ecology/natural world? (Very few "normal" animals, mostly magical beasts/outsiders/elementals, each with at least one supernatural ability)
-Is it the society/cities? (Few cities, spaced far apart, separated by terrain that is difficult to traverse, monster-infested, or usually both, yet still maintain vibrant and thriving economies)
-Is it some mix of the above?
There are a lot of parts to Pokemon, and a lot of parts to Pathfinder. Which parts do you want to replace with which?
I really, really like this idea!
At least, I like this idea as I'm picturing it. And it sounds like almost everyone has a different idea of how "Pokemon-based Pathfinder setting" would play out. Let me see if I can clarify this with a question:
Which part(s) of Pokemon would you put into Pathfinder?
-Is it the combat mechanics? (Fighting mainly with familiars and summoned creatures, possibly with a "capturing" mechanic)
-Is it the ecology/natural world? (Very few "normal" animals, mostly magical beasts/outsiders/elementals, each with at least one supernatural ability)
-Is it the society/cities? (Few cities, spaced far apart, separated by terrain that is difficult to traverse, monster-infested, or usually both, yet still maintain vibrant and thriving economies)
-Is it some mix of the above?
There are a lot of parts to Pokemon, and a lot of parts to Pathfinder. Which parts do you want to replace with which?
Thanks! Mostly I'm looking for the ecology/natural world and society/cities aspects of it rather than the combat mechanics. But I'm very impressed by all the ideas presented here! I'm really grateful for all the help thus far. It seems to me that there could be a lot of interesting things done with a setting where there are a lot of magical beasts and a wide setting with few cities spread far apart.
I really, really like this idea!
At least, I like this idea as I'm picturing it. And it sounds like almost everyone has a different idea of how "Pokemon-based Pathfinder setting" would play out. Let me see if I can clarify this with a question:
Which part(s) of Pokemon would you put into Pathfinder?
-Is it the combat mechanics? (Fighting mainly with familiars and summoned creatures, possibly with a "capturing" mechanic)
-Is it the ecology/natural world? (Very few "normal" animals, mostly magical beasts/outsiders/elementals, each with at least one supernatural ability)
-Is it the society/cities? (Few cities, spaced far apart, separated by terrain that is difficult to traverse, monster-infested, or usually both, yet still maintain vibrant and thriving economies)
-Is it some mix of the above?
There are a lot of parts to Pokemon, and a lot of parts to Pathfinder. Which parts do you want to replace with which?
Bear in mind that the majority of Pokemon are Water and/or Normal and/or Flying.
Normal types, especially pure-Normal or Normal/Flying, basically represent your mundane animals - dogs, cats, cows, ostriches, falcons, beavers (f#@#ing beavers!), etc.
Water types obviously represent aquatic animals, and largely are extremely mundane themselves - even things like Water/Poison make sense because they're Jellyfish-Squid things.
Fighting, another extremely-common type, is also far, far down on the "mundane vs fantastical" scale, as the vast majority of Fighting types are generally humanoid and physical.
I feel there still should be Animals of every make and type.
HOWEVER, they shouldn't be pure Animals as they are presented - they're either Celestial, Fiendish, or Fey, in order to justify "magical" qualities given that simulate the weird & wonderful abilities of Pokemon.
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To give an idea of how the Elements of Pokemon stack up in the Mundane vs Fantastic end of things:
Tier 1 (mostly mundane): Normal, Flying, Bug, Fighting, Water, Ground, Poison
Tier 2 (half-fantastic/half-mundane): Fire, Electric, Grass, Rock, Steel, Ice
Tier 3 (mostly fantastical): Dragon, Psychic, Fairy, Dark, Ghost
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So, seeing that, I'd suggest something like this, in regards to the commonality of creatures in such a world:
Tier 1 (mostly mundane): Animals & Vermin (Celestial, Fiendish, Fey templates), Magical Beasts, Monstrous Humanoids, Fey.
Tier 2 (semi-fantastical): Abberations, Plants, Oozes, Constructs, Outsider (Native)
Tier 3 (highly-magical): Dragons, Undead, Outsiders (Extraplanar)
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Well, you could have the same base class for everyone, something that you give all the summon spells that fit your idea of pokemon to fit how the pokeballs would work, but use the Eidolon evolutions to build the creatures, use the other spells to help form attacks or simulate the special abilities, such as most of the Ghost types can go invisible or use a form of Fear effect. Hm, place team limits to something small, like three or four rather than six +, and easy for you as the GM to control and your players can spend more focus evolving how they'd like to fit the theme and flavor of their particular flavor, instead of worrying about Way too many options and if they have enough to fit everything.
Your idea is awesome, it has a lot of potential, really.
Well, you could have the same base class for everyone, something that you give all the summon spells that fit your idea of pokemon to fit how the pokeballs would work, but use the Eidolon evolutions to build the creatures, use the other spells to help form attacks or simulate the special abilities, such as most of the Ghost types can go invisible or use a form of Fear effect. Hm, place team limits to something small, like three or four rather than six +, and easy for you as the GM to control and your players can spend more focus evolving how they'd like to fit the theme and flavor of their particular flavor, instead of worrying about Way too many options and if they have enough to fit everything.
Your idea is awesome, it has a lot of potential, really.
So everyone is a trainer, but Pokemon Masters have different feats and skills from a police officer, nurse, coordinator, or researcher.
Maybe, I'm misreading this, but I got the impression that the OP is less interested in replicating the Pokemon battle, leveling and capture mechanics, and is instead looking to populate his world with these creatures to replace the regular monsters, keeping them within Pathfinder mechanics, being more interested in how the world would function (IMO, it shouldn't be any worse for humanity than in a usual RPG setting, which also generally has dangerous monsters at every corner, just as long as you keep the more powerful ones to be just as rare as something like krakens or balors would be in your standard D&D/Pathfinder world). So maybe instead of the shocker lizard, basilisk or dragon, you have Pikachu, Arbok or Salamence in your world. Basically, he seems to be looking more for the monsters for the sake of flavor, not to emulate the games. He's more interested in how the world would work with Pokemon around instead of regular animals, and their interactions with humans in a post-apocalyptic setting.
Personally, if I were adding Pokemon to a Pathfinder setting, I would keep it to the standard fantasy setting with the typical level of tech, the typical standard classes and races, and would just add the monsters as replacements or additions to regular encounters. For more modern-ish PokeMon like Magneton or Electrode, I'd make them from a similar place as something like the Modrons, with some modifications to the design to make them a bit more believable as living creatures. Blastoise's "cannons" would instead just be hollow bone growing out of its shell. Only a few creatures like Mewtwo, Porygon and Genesect would be difficult to justify in it without either getting into advanced tech or changing them so drastically that they'd barely resemble what they're supposed to (though the old "aliens did it" excuse could suffice). I'd also get rid of the whole evolution thing and just keep the fully evolved ones. I'd retain a few regular animals just for simplicity's sake.
Each monster would come at a standard level depending on the species and would come with a standard moveset (around 3 or 4 of their most iconic attacks as special abilities or attacks, as well as standard attacks that would suit them). You could, of course occasionally find advanced versions, like you would find an advanced owlbear in regular Pathfinder. What CR they are would be determined mostly based on flavor, how common they are, what level they're first found at in game, and base stats. Powerful moves like hyper beam and earthquake will be reserved for Pokemon generally regarded as top tier or adjusted if said powerful move is a signature move of a weak Pokemon. There's no reason that a Venusaur and a Sunflora should create the same strength of solar beams, after all. So, a Gyrados may get hyper beam, but a Beedrill wouldn't even it can learn it in the actual game. Similarly, a Pidgeot will use whirlwind, but not a Farfetch'd (or if it did, it wouldn't be anywhere near as strong). This way, you wouldn't be encountering "weak" Pokemon with powerful moves. Something like a Raticate would be a CR 3 or 4 (comparing it with a basic brown bear which is CR 5) encounter with a standard bite attack and a slightly more powerful "hyper fang" special attack, for example, while a Tyranitar would be around CR 18, with legendaries going a bit higher.
Pokemon would be given alignments, based on flavor instead of just treating them all as always neutral just to make it more interesting, since it's difficult to imagine creatures like Alakazam and Hitmonlee as nothing more than animals with special abilities. Maybe some of them would be non-player races. Something like Gengar could easily be considered evil, for example. I realize this is absolutely nothing like how the Pokemon games work, but it retains the aesthetics and typical abilities of the creatures (which is what I'm most interested in), and enough of their basic lore and is a simple way to have "Pokemon in Pathfinder". Plus trying to stat them up as typical Pathfinder monsters and determining what moves they should have can make for an interesting discussion, as would trying to expand their lore to fit into the setting (like how they factor into the world's religion, what locations they're found, which ones are domesticated or trained as mounts and warbeats, what races favor what Pokemon, etc).
Can't seem to edit posts, but the example I used for solarbeam is a bad one because both Pokemon have a similar special attack stat, but just replace one of them with a Bellsprout or something.
That kind of explains why no one can make more magnamites.
Really, you need to look at concepts like the Cavalier and Druid, mixed in with some summoner stuff.
The idea is to tame magical beasts, and use them in combat rather than fighting them yourself. Most characters would be spellcasters and controllers having a bond of sorts with these beasts, who would gain abilities based on their level.
Essentially, you would all be playing druids/summoners, and the monsters would do the fighting.
Pokeballs work just like familiar pockets, they are called pocket monsters.
The biggest hurdle is diversifying the monsters enough to have a decent game, since all the variety comes from them. Sure, there are different trainer archetypes, like Breeders, Coordinators, Rangers, and plain old trainers, so that should be the basis for your classes.
Give everyone a free Druid or Summoner VCM, but otherwise keep it mechanically the same?
Focus the game on animal options. Go with, and develop, the druid, summoner, ranger, hunter, wizard, sorcerer and cavalier. Add a few other classes, like barbarian and rogue (gotta have those). Empower the animal options and weaken others. Find a way to tie these together and modify the animal options, such as they are all using certain magic for their link with the animals. Either add in clerics or find another solution for healing. Remove much of magic that doesn't revolve around animals, such as all magical weapons and armour, to make the animals powerful and necessary. When doing the world, have every culture and daily life revolve around different animals.
You don't want to bury yourself in recreating Pokemon, I'd say, but find a way to fit the themes of it into Pathfinder.
Well you guys can homebrew some more monster trainers, or you could check out Mystical: Kingdom of Monsters a Pathfinder-ruleset PDF, Monster Trainer class and six archetypes included and with over 150 Pokemon-inspired monsters.
Read the review.
Maybe, I'm misreading this, but I got the impression that the OP is less interested in replicating the Pokemon battle, leveling and capture mechanics, and is instead looking to populate his world with these creatures to replace the regular monsters, keeping them within Pathfinder mechanics, being more interested in how the world would function (IMO, it shouldn't be any worse for humanity than in a usual RPG setting, which also generally has dangerous monsters at every corner, just as long as you keep the more powerful ones to be just as rare as something like krakens or balors would be in your standard D&D/Pathfinder world). So maybe instead of the shocker lizard, basilisk or dragon, you have Pikachu, Arbok or Salamence in your world. Basically, he seems to be looking more for the monsters for the sake of flavor, not to emulate the games. He's more interested in how the world would work with Pokemon around instead of regular animals, and their interactions with humans in a post-apocalyptic setting.
Yes, that's exactly what I am looking for. I really appreciate everyone else's responses but I'm not really looking to replicate the games. I was looking for the flavor of it, especially since I see there being a lot of possibilities.
Personally, if I were adding Pokemon to a Pathfinder setting, I would keep it to the standard fantasy setting with the typical level of tech, the typical standard classes and races, and would just add the monsters as replacements or additions to regular encounters. For more modern-ish PokeMon like Magneton or Electrode, I'd make them from a similar place as something like the Modrons, with some modifications to the design to make them a bit more believable as living creatures. Blastoise's "cannons" would instead just be hollow bone growing out of its shell.
This makes sense to me. I'm not going to limit the possibility of other dimensions if they're needed. There's already at least three established dimensions adjacent to the pokemon world and there could be more.
Only a few creatures like Mewtwo, Porygon and Genesect would be difficult to justify in it without either getting into advanced tech or changing them so drastically that they'd barely resemble what they're supposed to (though the old "aliens did it" excuse could suffice). I'd also get rid of the whole evolution thing and just keep the fully evolved ones. I'd retain a few regular animals just for simplicity's sake.
Well, this is part of the reason I wanted it post-apocalyptic in nature. I figured it would be much easier to explain things like Mewtwo, Porygon, and Genesect if they'd been created before the previous civilization collapsed.
Each monster would come at a standard level depending on the species and would come with a standard moveset (around 3 or 4 of their most iconic attacks as special abilities or attacks, as well as standard attacks that would suit them). You could, of course occasionally find advanced versions, like you would find an advanced owlbear in regular Pathfinder. What CR they are would be determined mostly based on flavor, how common they are, what level they're first found at in game, and base stats. Powerful moves like hyper beam and earthquake will be reserved for Pokemon generally regarded as top tier or adjusted if said powerful move is a signature move of a weak Pokemon. There's no reason that a Venusaur and a Sunflora should create the same strength of solar beams, after all. So, a Gyrados may get hyper beam, but a Beedrill wouldn't even it can learn it in the actual game. Similarly, a Pidgeot will use whirlwind, but not a Farfetch'd (or if it did, it wouldn't be anywhere near as strong). This way, you wouldn't be encountering "weak" Pokemon with powerful moves. Something like a Raticate would be a CR 3 or 4 (comparing it with a basic brown bear which is CR 5) encounter with a standard bite attack and a slightly more powerful "hyper fang" special attack, for example, while a Tyranitar would be around CR 18, with legendaries going a bit higher.
*nods* This is what I keep thinking. It's fine for the games to say a move does such and such, but it's not very realistic.
Pokemon would be given alignments, based on flavor instead of just treating them all as always neutral just to make it more interesting, since it's difficult to imagine creatures like Alakazam and Hitmonlee as nothing more than animals with special abilities. Maybe some of them would be non-player races. Something like Gengar could easily be considered evil, for example. I realize this is absolutely nothing like how the Pokemon games work, but it retains the aesthetics and typical abilities of the creatures (which is what I'm most interested in), and enough of their basic lore and is a simple way to have "Pokemon in Pathfinder". Plus trying to stat them up as typical Pathfinder monsters and determining what moves they should have can make for an interesting discussion, as would trying to expand their lore to fit into the setting (like how they factor into the world's religion, what locations they're found, which ones are domesticated or trained as mounts and warbeats, what races favor what Pokemon, etc).
Not to mention if the Druid can wildshape into one. I might go for alignments, but I don't want them too strongly aligned otherwise you end up with always evil houndooms or similar. I really don't like 'always evil' things or 'always good' either. There are lots of pokemon that are certainly intelligent enough to be NPCs. As far as that goes, most pokemon probably have at least an Intelligence around 8 and some (particularly the Psychic types) would be much higher.
Design Manager
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I guess I should first mention that I'm aware of the Pokémon Tabletop Adventures game. But my idea is not to exactly replicate the pokémon games but to create a setting based on the idea that there are few (or no) "normal" animals but instead a world filled with magical beasts (which could include mobile plants).
Another part of the idea is that the setting is post-apocalyptic in nature (but not really dystopian - I find that overdone). Settlements are spaced far apart (something like a Points of Light setting). People have green technology (or magitech) but the humanoid population remains low. I'm not sure where non-human races fit in overall yet and whether or not there are the more typical battle aspects or not.
Any suggestions? Things you'd like to see? Things you'd like avoided?
You should look at Mystical: Kingdom of Monsters. M:KoM is
a Pokémon themed rule set and setting, including a Monster Trainer class and scores of new monsters or variations on existing critters.
I might go for alignments, but I don't want them too strongly aligned otherwise you end up with always evil houndooms or similar. I really don't like 'always evil' things or 'always good' either.
I agree that most Pokemon should not be strictly bound to any alignments, but I think the "Pokemon are never bad unless their trainer is bad" thing isn't a very interesting approach here. Instead of, say, primeapes being always completely unaligned, there could be a "neutral" group that only attack adventurers who approach their territory, a "good" group that act as guardians of a village and a "bad" group that actively raid and attack human settlements in a jungle. There are definitely Pokemon that I can see as mostly good (clefable, blissey, lucario, etc.) and mostly evil (houndoom, spiritomb, banette, etc.), even some of them are only "evil" in the same way an imp is evil. But mostly, I'd keep alignments because Pathfinder mechanics use them.
At the very least, even a lot of the less intelligent, more animalistic Pokemon should still attack on sight when encountered like a dire animal, cockatrice or an owlbear would (in the same way wild Pokemon do in the games, really), just to keep with the idea that they are, first and foremost, monsters. Tentacruels would probably lean "neutral", but they should still be seen by sailors in the same way dire sharks would be in regular Pathfinder. Something like a lapras would be more docile, attacking only when threatened.
@Ssalarn - already linked it a few posts before yours. I even tacitly told people to read the (your) review. ;)
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You consider looking at some of the Codex Alera posts since Codex Alera would fall under a pokemon inspired setting, might be something useful for you there.
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@Ssalarn - already linked it a few posts before yours. I even tacitly told people to read the (your) review. ;)
Well, whoops. It's still really good ;P
The Monster Trainer class also has the interesting aura class feature dealing with blending the alignments of hison steroids with his own, somewhat relevant to the topic at hand.