Had an idea for a PMD-like fanfic recently, but no idea where to start.

This idea came to be because I've been playing SMD a lot since it came out last Friday. I've been looking at PMD fanfics but still no idea where to start. One thing I do know is that I do not want to do a typical storyline with a human turning into a Pokemon and all that. My idea is the following; A Salamence that is an outlaw/bounty hunter on behalf of a local sheriff in a mountainous area. Doesn't have a set plot yet, but already I have my doubts about this idea as Salamence might be too OP for a main protagonist unless I figure out a way to change that. Perhaps I could use Bagon or something and start there? Not sure. Really not sure. As for the plot, no idea where to begin with this either. Don't want to copy the PMD games, but I have no idea what to do.

EDIT: Forgot about dungeons. Trying to write explorations and all that seems pretty tough.

The PMD series always makes me want to create fan content! I've been itching to draw my Fennekin and Chikorita from PSMD, lately...

Anyway, from what I can gather from what you do/don't want, it sounds like you're wanting to write something that's just from a Pokémon perspective, not necessarily PMD-related. You could of course use the PMD universe to expand on by including canonical characters and settings like the Expedition Society, Lively Town, etc. as well as characters like Ampharos, Dedenne, the Kecleon shopkeeper and so on.

You don't have to follow the PMD story at all, you can take your own liberties while using the PMD universe as your setting. I like the idea of a Bagon (maybe even Shelgon?) protagonist working with Magnezone as a bounty hunter to clear his own charges of dirty deeds. It reminds me very much of the game Red Dead Redemption, lol.

What you want to do is start putting together ideas for the end goal for the story, and the motives of your different characters. Why is Bagon/Shelgon/Salamence an outlaw? What did they do? Did they have multiple crimes, and thus have to capture multiple outlaws for Magnezone? Does Magnezone even really trust them, or are they under constant surveillance from Magnemite/Magneton? Do they ever try to give them the slip if they are under supervision? I like your idea a lot as far as the characters go, and I feel you could definitely make it a character driven story as Bagon/Shelgon/Salamence strives for redemption, but it's good to have at least an underlying plot.

Oops, I actually meant outlaw hunter/bounty hunter, not outlaw. Sorry about that. I definitely could think of some background, though. Might take place in a new area, though.

And yeah, it's sorta PMD related but not in the sense that people think of when people think PMD.

Oh, I gotcha! If you're going for the more direct approach of just a bounty hunter, you can work with more traditional tropes like perhaps the pursuit of one elusive bounty in particular or something even more sinister. I think with bounty hunters being more vigilante, maybe they could conflict with Magnezone as Magnezone feels like your protagonist is meddling in affairs, since he/she's not affiliated with the Exploration Society or anything. It's up to you how you want to spin it, I'm just trying to come up with ideas for conflict ahah.