Replacing DVs for pseudo-abilities

[TriAttackDev]

I'm making a crystal hack that adds some new mechanics and largely rebalances all pokémon, and I'm thinking of adding something to replace DVs

DVs are pretty one note. They say "it's to make each pokémon unique" but since it's a number, the pokémon is either objectively better or worse based on the DVs. Finding an Abra with 15 ATK DVs and 0 SPCL DVs just means you got a worse Abra

My idea is what I will be calling "traits". They are similar to abilities, but the effect is very small and it's nothing game changing. Their impact should be similar to DVs

Each pokémon will have 4 possible traits it can spawn with. So for example, a Bulbasaur could appear with one of these:
- Sunshine lasts one more turn
- Raises SP.DEF (+1) during sunshine
- Take less damage (15%) from Ice
- Halves chance of getting flinched

Some of this is already implemented, but I'd like to know if anyone has any insight on it or ideas that are similar

 

[qwertyioup195]

I like the concept. Would they mostly be type-specific (i.e. only Grass types can have these traits)?

 

[TriAttackDev]

I like the concept. Would they mostly be type-specific (i.e. only Grass types can have these traits)?

It would be based on the pokemon. Traits would add another layer of customization that differentiates similar pokémon. Bulbasaur being part Poison could have some Poison-related traits, while Chikorita might have healing/defensive traits

 

[TriAttackDev]

I've added 133 Traits so far, and have around 30 more planned. How much is too much?

This is the list so far (the formatting got a little weird, sorry)

Spoiler:

Name		In-Game Description		Extra info
Flame Body	May cause Burn on contact	20% when you hit or get hit with a contact move
Shock Body	May cause Paralysis on contact	20% when you hit or get hit with a contact move
Toxic Body	May cause Poison on contact	20% when you hit or get hit with a contact move
Stun Body	May Flinch foe on contact	20% when you hit or get hit with a contact move
High Tempo	May Confuse foe on contact	20% when you hit or get hit with a contact move
Cute Charm	May Infatuate foe on contact	20% when you hit or get hit with a contact move
Keep Going	Regain PP when a foe faints	Recover 1 PP for the last move used when a foe faints
Iron Fist	Powers Punching moves	Boosts damage dealt by 16%
Weave	        Lowers damage from Punching moves	Reduces damage taken by 16%
Vocal Power	Powers Sound moves	Boosts damage dealt by 16%
Soundproof	Lowers damage from Sound moves	Reduces damage taken by 16%
Iron Jaws	Powers Biting moves	Boosts damage dealt by 16%
Bone Plate	Lowers damage from Biting moves	Reduces damage taken by 16%
Iron Claws	Powers Slashing moves	Boosts damage dealt by 16%
Shell Polish	Lowers damage from Slashing moves	Reduces damage taken by 16%
Focus Beam	Powers Beam moves	Boosts damage dealt by 16%
Dispersal	Lowers damage from Beam moves	Reduces damage taken by 16%
Power Drill	Powers Perfurating moves	Boosts damage dealt by 16%
Steel Cover	Lowers damage from Perfurating moves	Reduces damage taken by 16%
Rock Head	Halves damage taken from recoil	Take half damage from your move's recoil
Battle Armor	Lowers damage from critical hits	Reduces crit damage taken by 25%
Drain Surge	Ups life drain under half health	Increases healing from drain moves by 25% if under half health
Skill Link	Ups frequency of multi-hit moves	If it rolls 2 hits, hits 3; if it rolls 3, hits 4
Chain Clip	Multi-hit moves hit less, but harder	Multi-hit moves will always hit 2 times and gain 50% power
Monsoon		Rain lasts one extra turn	When started by you
Drizzle	        Changes weather to rainy (4 turns)	Changes weather when sent out
Blue Sky	Sunshine lasts one extra turn	When started by you
Drought	        Changes weather to sunny (4 turns)	Changes weather when sent out
Tempest 	Sandstorm lasts one extra turn	When started by you
Dust Devil	Begins a sandstorm (4 turns)	Changes weather when sent out
Reckless	Powers moves with recoil	Moves with recoil deal 15% more damage
Deviant	        Lowers damage from moves with recoil	Reduces damage taken from a foe's moves with recoil by 15%
Rainy Boon 1	Raises ATK during rain	Stat is +1 (no text)
Rainy Boon 2	Raises DEF during rain	Stat is +1 (no text)
Rainy Boon 3	Raises SPD during rain	Stat is +1 (no text)
Rainy Boon 4	Raises SP.ATK during rain	Stat is +1 (no text)
Rainy Boon 5	Raises SP.DEF during rain	Stat is +1 (no text)
Rainy Boon 6	Raises ACCURACY during rain	Stat is +1 (no text)
Rainy Boon 7	Raises EVASION during rain	Stat is +1 (no text)
Hydration	Heals status during rain	Heals a status at the end of your turn
Sunny Boon 1	Raises ATK during sunshine	Stat is +1 (no text)
Sunny Boon 2	Raises DEF during sunshine	Stat is +1 (no text)
Sunny Boon 3	Raises SPD during sunshine	Stat is +1 (no text)
Sunny Boon 4	Raises SP.ATK during sunshine	Stat is +1 (no text)
Sunny Boon 5	Raises SP.DEF during sunshine	Stat is +1 (no text)
Sunny Boon 6	Raises ACCURACY during sunshine	Stat is +1 (no text)
Sunny Boon 7	Raises EVASION during sunshine	Stat is +1 (no text)
Leaf Guard	Heals status during sunshine	Heals a status at the end of your turn
Storm Boon 1	Raises ATK during sandstorm	Stat is +1 (no text)
Storm Boon 2	Raises DEF during sandstorm	Stat is +1 (no text)
Storm Boon 3	Raises SPD during sandstorm	Stat is +1 (no text)
Storm Boon 4	Raises SP.ATK during sandstorm	Stat is +1 (no text)
Storm Boon 5	Raises SP.DEF during sandstorm	Stat is +1 (no text)
Storm Boon 6	Raises ACCURACY during sandstorm	Stat is +1 (no text)
Storm Boon 7	Raises EVASION during sandstorm	Stat is +1 (no text)
Sand Filter	Heals status during sandstorm	Heals a status at the end of your turn
Water Veil	Immunity to being BURNED	Foe's BRN chance for moves is 0%
Burn Resist	Reduces chance of being BURNED	Foe's BRN chance for moves halved
Heat Up		Raises the chance of BURNING	Adds 5% to your BRN chance with moves
Antivenom	Immunity to being POISONED	Foe's PSN chance for moves is 0%
Venom Resist	Reduces chance of being POISONED	Foe's PSN chance for moves halved
Pure Toxin	Raises the chance of POISONING	Adds 5% to your PSN chance with moves
Twitch		Immunity to being PARALYZED	Foe's PRZ chance for moves is 0%
Limber		Reduces chance of being PARALYZED	Foe's PRZ chance for moves halved
Conduit		Raises the chance of PARALYZING	Adds 5% to your PRZ chance with moves
Inner Focus	Immunity to FLINCHING	Foe's FLINCH chance for moves is 0%
Attention	Reduces chance of getting FLINCHED	Foe's FLINCH chance for moves halved
Presence	Raises the chance of FLINCHING	Adds 5% to your FLINCH chance with moves
Own Tempo	Immunity to getting CONFUSED	Foe's CONFUSE chance for moves is 0%
Oblivion	Reduces chance of getting CONFUSED	Foe's CONFUSE chance for moves halved
Metronome	Raises the chance of CONFUSING	Adds 5% to your CONFUSE chance with moves
Oblivious	Immunity to getting INFATUATED	Foe's INFATUATE chance for moves is 0%
Insomnia	Immunity to falling ASLEEP	Foe's SLP chance for moves is 0%
Alert		Reduces chance of falling ASLEEP	Foe's SLP chance for moves halved
Inner Flame	Immunity to being FROZEN	Foe's FRZ chance for moves is 0%
Wonder Skin	Lowers the chance of STATUS moves	Foe's STATUS moves chance lowered by 25%
Serene Grace	Raises the chance of STATUS moves	Adds 5% to your STATUS moves chance
Shield Dust	Lowers the chance of ADDED effects	Foe's added effects chance lowered by 25%
Vicious Form	Raises the chance of ADDED effects	Adds 5% to the added effects chance of damaging moves
Prismality	Powers Non-STAB moves	Raises damage dealt by 20%
Mastery		Lowers damage from Non-STAB moves	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Free Shot	Don't use PP on your first turn	Don't spend PP during the turn when a pokemon enters battle
Keen Focus	Boosts move ACC on your first turn	Accuracy * 1.5 during the first turn when a pokemon enters battle
Berserk		Raises ATK under one third health	Stat is +1 (no text) when under 33% health
Solidify	Raises DEF under one third health	Stat is +1 (no text) when under 33% health
Scamper 	Raises SPD under one third health	Stat is +1 (no text) when under 33% health
Poise		Raises SP.ATK under one third health	Stat is +1 (no text) when under 33% health
Gold Guard	Raises SP.DEF under one third health	Stat is +1 (no text) when under 33% health
Take Aim	Raises ACC under one third health	Stat is +1 (no text) when under 33% health
Danger Sense	Raises EVASION under one third health	Stat is +1 (no text) when under 33% health
All Out		Raises CRITICAL under one third health	Stat is +1 (no text) when under 33% health
Permafrost	BRN and FIRE are weakened	Lowers BRN chance by 25% and FIRE damage by 10%
Ground Wire	PRZ and ELECTRIC are weakened	Lowers PRZ chance by 25% and ELECTRIC damage by 10%
Steel Wings	FLINCH and ROCK are weakened	Lowers FLINCH chance by 25% and ROCK damage by 10%
Perseverance	SLP and DARK are weakened	Lowers SLP chance by 25% and DARK damage by 10%
Survival	PSN and BUG are weakened	Lowers PSN chance by 25% and BUG damage by 10%
Ice Shedding	FRZ and ICE are weakened	Lowers FRZ chance by 25% and ICE damage by 10%
Mind Block	CONFUSION and PSYCHIC are weakened	Lowers CONFUSE chance by 25% and PSYCHIC damage by 10%
Stone Skin	Reduces NORMAL damage taken	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Steel Skin	Lowers NORMAL under half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp
Fade		Reduces the ACC of NORMAL moves	Moves with lower acc are lowered more, from 5% to 12%
Hit Breaker	Reduces FIGHTING damage taken	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Hit Blocker	Lowers FIGHTING under half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp
Carapace	Reduces FLYING damage taken	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Iron Shell	Lowers FLYING under half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp
Flight Rush	Speed disparity boosts FLYING	Difference between your SPD and the foe's boosts your FLYING damage
Shock Absorb	Reduces GROUND damage taken	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Dissipate	Lowers GROUND under half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp
Shape Cast	Reduces ROCK damage taken	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Shape Mold	Lowers ROCK under half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp
Iron Coat	DEFENSE disparity boosts ROCK	Difference between your DEF and the foe's boosts your ROCK damage
Golden Coat	SP.DEFENSE disparity boosts ROCK	Difference between your SP.DEF and the foe's boosts your ROCK damage
Fume Coat	Reduces BUG damage taken	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Ash Coat	Lowers BUG under half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp
Heatproof	Reduces FIRE damage taken	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Fireproof	Lowers FIRE under half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp
Waterproof	Reduces WATER damage taken	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Water Repel	Lowers WATER under half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp
Hard Water	DEFENSE disparity boosts WATER	Difference between your DEF and the foe's boost your WATER damage
Water Surge	Missing health boosts WATER	Lower health % boosts your WATER damage
Arid Touch	Reduces GRASS damage taken	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Arid Shield	Lowers GRASS under half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp
Ion Field	Reduces ELECTRIC damage taken	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Ionize Air	Lowers ELECTRIC under half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp
Zap Rush	SPEED disparity boosts ELECTRIC	Difference between your SPD and the foe's boost your ELECTRIC damage
Forewarn	Reduces PSYCHIC damage taken	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Prediction	Lowers PSYCHIC under half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp
Thick Coat	Reduces ICE damage taken	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Hibernate	Lowers ICE under half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp
Shadow Being	Reduces DARK damage taken	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Brawl		Lowers DARK under half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp
Prism Armor	Take less SUPER-EFFECTIVE damage	Lowers damage taken by 15%
Prism Plate	Resist S.EFFECTIVE damage at half HP	Lowers damage taken by 30% under half hp

Some of these can be easily expanded, for example "Flight Rush" (Speed disparity boosts FLYING), can be made into any stat that boosts any type

Now that I have some more of these, here's another example:
A Hitmonchan would spawn with any one of these:
- Iron Fist - Powers Punching moves
- Keep Going - Regain PP when a foe faints
- Mind Block - CONFUSION and PSYCHIC are weakened
- Prismality - Powers Non-STAB moves

Although I'm not sure how this would work as far as evolutions go. The traits are picked when a pokemon is found, so when it evolves, it keeps the same trait. I might add a special case where branching evolutions reroll the trait, if I can implement that. This would be specially useful for Eevee

And a screenshot of the trait being displayed in the stats screen:

 

[mgriffin]

I really love this. Can't wait to play your game!