First of all, there are some Pokemon, which might occur as weak in the games, but when used creativly and with no limitations of the programming, would do a lot better than many. As I noted above (pretty much high above actually), every Pokemon is worth it's base stat total in points when creating a character. Some will be more expensive than the others, as listed below:
- Ditto - 500 points. This little fellow is more of a curiosity than real power in the games, but as of the fact, that this RPG is all about spying, an ability to change form into close to anything is a kind of overpower. I know, Ditto had to see the target to change its form in the games, but here, it doesn't. Let's just say he needs to be trained for various forms. Having a ditto would mean having a lot of other Pokemon. What's the con? He can't remember every command. Though flexible in form, his training will have to be very specific. He could have a set of Pokemon he would change to depending on whether you want him to fight defensively or offensively. This trait is not measurable, but let's just stick to common sense.
- Any legendaties - priceless. I mentioned it prevously, one can't have any legendary Pokemon at start, but nothing stands on the way of finding yourself a pal like that. Let's just agree, that legendaries are very rare Pokemon which are listed as genderless only because they've been seen in so few numbers, they could not be tested anyhow.
- Unown - 200 + 50 for every Unown owned (so 1500 for five Unowns). In games this Pokemon was highly underpowered. It was said as semi-legendary, with power above imagining in the animes. When caught in Pokemon Gold it would only throw some balls at the enemy and do second to nothing to him. Here, we'll make it far more practical and powerful. I'm thinking of making Unown a Pokemon which fights in groups. Let's face it, in this RPG there will be no rules for fights but for 'You lose, you die' rule, so using all your Pokemon at once is logical. Unowns will have a power to join with the others and make almost everything come true. It will only depend on their letters. One can form a word with them, which will cause some effect. For example, Unowns 'F', 'I', 'R' and 'E' can form a word 'fire' and set something aflame. Or magically breath fire. Or what you want it to be. That is - it all depends on training. Still, Unown will be a kind of legendary Pokemon, hence will rarely be seen as someone's partner.
- Wobbuffet - 650. His particular skills involve an ability to rebound attacks and... well, nothing else. Still, it is powerful, as it will rebound it ALL while taking no damage itself. It will, of course, require proper training, as weaker Wobbuffets will lack the power required to absorb whole strikes.
- Smeargle - 450. Apart from painting nicely, let's agree that he can mistycally copycat every move he sees and also remember some of them. Breathing fire? No problem!
- Kecleon - 470. We are the spies and he can be almost invisible.
- Gastly's family, Misdreavus' family, Shuppet's family, Spiritomb, Sableye (did I miss anyone?) - +50. They too can be invisible (but completely in this case).
- Wailmer/Wailord - +0. I'd just like to point out that... well... they are big. No, they are ENORMOUS. I'm not banning them, if you find any use for them, be my guest.
- Scizor - +30. Let's agree his defense is lower, but speed is like Scyther's. So it's just Scyther with Steel type next to his basic two (as Pokemon an have more types here, I said so below), more Attack and Defense.
Any other changes would be posted later.
Other thing to note, so it would be vivid and clear - moves. As I mentioned, you may say there are none in particular. A Pokemon with big jaws can bite hard, fire Pokemon can breath fire, water Pokemon can spit tons of water. But here one has to note, that water itself does nothing to, for an example, a snake. So Squirtle would more likely bite an Ekans than 'water him gun'. Water will make fire, ground or rock Pokemon wet, which they hate and it harms them in a way; water will make flying Pokemon's wings wet, which makes them unable to fly.
Of course I'm not saying there are no Ice Beams and such. Some Pokemon will be able to learn them. Ice Pokemon should do without a problem, but training a Blastoise in an icy cave for some time would make him develop such skill due to him being a Pokemon - a magical creature. What I'm saying is Pokemon won't have many 'unnatural' (for them, I mean) abilities (like Solarbeam for an Arcanine), but they CAN have them (yet it requires much training). Naturally Pokemon would have around two or three moves, that is: physical (involving using their body to attack, punches, jaws, claws, etc.) and special (breathing fire, 'dragonfire', spitting water or so). I know, this all is pretty complex, but I believe it's not that hard to imagine after giving it some thinking.
Now, I'd like to add some reference about a few Pokemon and/or their abilities:
- Selfdestruct/Explosion - these two being fused into one will not mean Pokemon's death. It would only make your partner faint while releashing all its energy. So, if a Koffing would still be eager to fight and suddenly explode, it will hurt, but one close to dying wouldn't do a thing. Additionaly, a Pokemon exploding in such state would propably die too (fainting while being severly damaged doesn't end well).
- Voltorb/Electrode - well, there are no Pokeballs here, so they seem to have to rights to be, right? On the countrary. Let's agree that these two are simply some sort of electrical beings who came to life because of electricity itself. They won't have to be shaped like orbs, but mostly will.
- Dragon type - this type is pretty much illogical. Let's just agree that it is a fusion of water, fire and electric types (so quite powerful indeed), but dragon's breath, despite being fire, would harm everybody equally bad (as it's flame of mystical dragons, come on!). Dragon's vulnerability to their type will be erased (as there is no dragon type anymore), but a dragon vs dragon would have more chances than a puddle of slime (i mean a Muk) against a dragon.
- Pokemon abilities and types - the games had a con of max two types and one ability. But there's much sense in Flygon being a flying type and not levitating, right? Also, Pokemon who have two abilities, will have them both (unless they are senseless, but I can't think of any now). The given Flygon won't have it's Levitate, but it will create Sandstorms above sand (as it's said in Pokedex) and vanish in it (as it is too said in the Pokedex). Additionally, Pokemon with Intimidate won't always do so. A small Growlithe can't scare a Tyranitar, right? I'm an engineering student, I love logic, that's why I want it to be here ^^
- Poison, paralyze, 'state stuff' - poison will likely mean death, paralyzed Pokemon won't move at all, sleeping Pokemon will count as defeated too. This facts will make you thing twice before attacking some foes, but it will also give you more ways to beat them off.
- Telepathy and intelligence in overall - Pokemon are intelligent in games, they just lack the possibility to communicate with us. Some (in this RPG's case, almost every psychic Pokemon and most of those able to learn TM29 in games [I mean Psychic, of course]) will be able to communicate telepathicaly while also being able to be an interpreter for human-Pokemon relations.
- Partnership doesn't equal slavery - being bad to your Pokemon means it can leave you or kill you (or both) if it chooses to. I know, the later is much less likely, but just remember it while playing.
- Training takes tame - a LOT of time. Remember it.
- Giving life - Pokemon hatch from eggs in games. Here, not every of them does. There are a lot mammal Pokemon. Mammals come to life... well, you all know how. All I want to say is that breeding will be more complex than having two Pokemon and waiting for the eggs.
- Pokemon with black glasses bite harder - no, they don't. Items exist, of course, but having your Pidgey have some sharp beak given to you by a lady with a strange name won't make it fly faster.
- 'I always wanted to fly!' - you can use Pokemon as mounts, but once again, logic. Pidgey won't serve well as a flying mount, Pidgeot might. But you must remember about the importance of saddles. If you think they are useless, try riding a horse without it and them we'll talk. Of course, Ponita with leather saddle will propably burn it. Will it? Nope. It states in the Pokedex, Ponitas can control their fire. BAZIN!
- Darvinism - evolution in my RPG won't be as shiny as it is in the anime, nor it will look as it does in the games. It will more likely be like normal aging, sometimes speed up by training. Pokemon like Pikachu or Vulpix will evolve normally, no stone required, but the item will make them do so faster. I don't mean touching them will magically change them, but a long exposure will make them evolve much (times ten to the tenth) faster. Eevee will NEED the stones to evolve (we'll make Shiny stone evolve it to Espeon, Dusk Stone to Umbreon, Leaf Stone to Leafeon and some Icy Stone to Glaceon), but this also means a requirement of lengthly exposure. The evolutionary stones will be some scientific creations made after long DNA tests. Any other forms of evolution (by trading, leveling up with some move or so) will be downgraded to simple evolution.
But, there is something we have to ask here:
- Slowpoke - Shellder IS required. It will later change it's appearance, but not so rapidly.
- Beldum and his family - two Beldums = Metang; 2 Metangs = Metagross. Pokedex is clear about it.
- Magnemite - similar to the above example
- Kadabra - he needs another spoon! (meh, just joking)
- Execcute - let's agree the eggs will plant themselves and then grow as a palmtree. Well... legit...
- Porygon - only Pokemon which would evolve instantly when upgraded by given code discs.
- Clamperl - he will sometimes evolve (slowly, as everyone but Porygon) into Huntail and sometimes into Gorebyss. That depends on the Pokemon's DNA (you can somehow manipulate it, I leave it to you)
- Pokemon evolving into more than one - like in the games, Gloom turns into Bellossom with Sun Stone, normally (on the countrary to how it's in games) it would turn into Vileplume. Same is with Poliwhirl.
- Scyther -> Scizor - let's agree that Scizor is better than Scyther (as mentioned high above)
- Baltoy -> Claydol - I don't see logic behind such change, but let's just agree, that if it comes to such time, Baltoy will bury itself in clay and come up as a Claydol. So, that will be a second quick evolution.
- Digglet and Dugtrio - let's agree it's 'bottom' side is of the mole's and Dugrio is a three-headed mole.
- Delibird - his 'presents' will be some junk found in various places. No healing powers, just snowballs and small rocks. He will, of course, be able to fight normally (with wings, beak or magically controlling snow).
- Pupitar -it's a pupa. A fighting pupa. So it will be kinda slow, but still powerful as it is.
- Masquerain - Bug/Flying/Water, because I say so. Types are less relevant in this RPG, so three of them isn't anyhow close to owerpowering.
- Rotom - it will be able to change form at will. If it sees a lawn mower, it can... well, 'embody' it. Thus, it will change his Ghost type into a new one, just like in games.
