@GreenTyr I've started down that road.

My attempt at this is still in its infancy however this is how I am approaching it:

I started out with a with a standard array based on a Pokemon's evolution type: Single Stage, Two-Stage, Three-Stage, Baby, Legendary, and Mythical (like Mew or Celebi. They're legendary but not necessarily powerful), as well as giving it a base XP value to buy up those stats or get extra attacks upon catching of the pokemon. I distribute the characteristics of the assigned array based on the pokemon.

Essentially, each of the examples above are an archetype.

It's been a side project, so I haven't done much but I eventually plan to make a full list of attacks and give them various qualities and stats, and even give an XP cost so players can spend XP for a pokemon to learn them. I will even plan on allowing evolution to be an XP cost.

So I've been working on a Pokémon game for a long time (first in a custom system and then moved to Genesys when it came out) and what I've been thinking is:

- characteristics for Pokémon are the stats from the game instead of RAW Genesys.

- to allow for modular thinking, let a player treat Pokémon type skills like magic skills.

- each type is it's own skill, and can be used with either attack or special attack depending on what the player is trying to have their Pokémon do.

- Normal is divided into different skills like coordination, athletics, brawl, etc. so that there can be some diversity in what a normal Pokémon can do.

- Pokémon can also learn Moves, which are just talents using specific skills with specific modifications. These are less difficult than if you did a modified version of the skill on the fly.

- there will be a list of talents for players focusing on things like gathering, breeding, cooking, catching, and training. I have not started these talents yet.

- Experience can be spent on characteristics throughout the game, all costs are the same as for the player. Player's still follow normal character creation for themselves and so cannot spend experience after character creation on characteristics.

- when a Pokémon defeats another one, half of the gained experience will be awarded to that specific Pokémon. The other half will go towards the player, who can spend it on themselves or on an of their Pokémon.

- to evolve a Pokémon, you must spend a certain amount of experience on them, and can choose not to evolve them right away (not sure why you would do this mechanically, but I understand flavor wise if you just want to have that Pikachu)

- Pokémon gain a wealth of bonuses when they evolve. (characteristic upgrades, additional career skills, skill ranks)

- by full evolution a Pokémon should have 7-8 career skills that they can spend experience on. I think allowing for a total of 10 skill per Pokémon is more than enough, and I may limit it to the specified career skills.

I'm still working on transferring stuff from my previous setup, but this is kind of the framework that I have so far!

On 6/14/2019 at 3:20 AM, GreatCatWizard said:

- characteristics for Pokémon are the stats from the game instead of RAW Genesys. 

Why? I feel like you'd need a really good reason to make such a huge change to the system, and the Pokemon videogame stats don't seem like a spectacularly good fit for a narrative RPG.

On ‎6‎/‎21‎/‎2019 at 10:23 AM, Tom Cruise said:

Why? I feel like you'd need a really good reason to make such a huge change to the system, and the Pokemon videogame stats don't seem like a spectacularly good fit for a narrative RPG.

Because it holds the flavor, I tried with the regular characteristics but it just didn't feel right. Using the 6 stats from the game for the Pokémon helped with linking skills as well. Maybe I will switch it back but so far it's making more sense to do it this way.