Project Pokemon Design Thread: VENUSAUR!

[mac122]

The way Lock On is worded, is fine, IMO. Basically, Magnemite uses its attack phase in one round to charge up for the next. I guess you could have a Lock On marker to place on an opponents card, but with all the status effect markers we'll have, I'd rather not go down that road, not to mention the extra wording. Leave Lock On the way it is. Keep it simple.

[Kaiyu]

Originally Posted by Warlord Alpha's Magnemite, v1.0

Thundershock Special Attack
Electric. Range 5. Attack 3.
If this Magnemite inflicts one or more wounds with Thundershock Special Attack, roll the 20-sided die. On a roll of 18-20, place a Paralysis Status Marker on the affected figure. After revealing an order marker on a figure with a Paralysis Status Marker, the card's owner(?) must roll the 20-sided die. On a roll of 1-5, the figure’s turn ends immediately. On a roll of 6-18, the figure’s move value is reduced by 1 for the remainder of the turn. On a roll of 19-20, remove the Paralysis Status Marker.

Pikachu's special attack has the same name, but a effect too the ability, should we name it something else?

Originally Posted by Warlord Alpha's Magnemite, v1.0

Lock-On
If this Magnemite does not attack this turn, on the next turn if this Magnemite attacks with its Thundershock Special Attack it may add one automatic skull to whatever is rolled.

I think Magnemite should have to at least specify a target to hold to the move's theme (and name.) This sounds more like what an ability like 'Focus Energy' would do.

Originally Posted by Warlord Alpha's Magnemite, v1.0

Levitate 1
Magnemite may ignore elevation changes of 1, may pass over water without stopping, and adds 1 to its height when climbing.

Fine the way it is, except worded like this: "When counting spaces for Magnemite's move, ignore elevation changes of 1. Magnemite may Levitate over water without stopping and when moving up or down levels of terrain it may add 1 to its Height."

Also, is Magnemite going to be electric/steel? If so, do normal attacks count as 'Normal Type' or will normal type Poke'mon have special attacks that will be 'Normal Type?' This would make more sense otherwise steel Poke'mon would have a HUGE advantage.

[fiddlerjones]

I love the feel of Lock on but I agree, it works better as "If Magnemite did not move this turn, it adds one automatic skull to its Thundershock attack" or something like that.

My second concern is Thundershock and how it works entirely differently from the Pikachu ability of the same name. A different name would be preferable to prevent confusion.

Otherwise, great start. Magnemite promises to be a very solid pokemon.

[Warlord Alpha]

About my decision to call the attack Thundershock, read this post. It should change your minds.

Also, I am willing to change Lock-On over to the "if you didn't move" thing. But if magnemite's survivability plummets, we're going to have to find another solution.

As such,

Originally Posted by Warlord Alpha's Magnemite, v1.1

Magnemite

v1.1 version notes:

Changed wording on Levitate 1, changed Lock-On (Lock-On bonus applies if Magnemite doesn't move on its turn rather than not attacking on the previous turn)


Stat Box Information:

Life: 4
Move: 6
Range: 1
Attack: 3
Defense: 3
Point Cost: Preferably around 60-70.


Left Box Information:

Unit Type: Uncommon Hero
Class: Magnet
Personality: Precise
Size: Small 2

Special Abilities/Attacks:

Thundershock Special Attack
Electric. Range 5. Attack 3.
If this Magnemite inflicts one or more wounds with Thundershock Special Attack, roll the 20-sided die. On a roll of 18-20, place a Paralysis Status Marker on the affected figure. After revealing an order marker on a figure with a Paralysis Status Marker, the card's owner(?) must roll the 20-sided die. On a roll of 1-5, the figure’s turn ends immediately. On a roll of 6-18, the figure’s move value is reduced by 1 for the remainder of the turn. On a roll of 19-20, remove the Paralysis Status Marker.


Lock-On
If this Magnemite does not move this turn, if this Magnemite attacks with its Thundershock Special Attack this turn it may add one automatic skull to whatever is rolled.


Levitate 1
Magnemite does not have to count the first level when moving up or down levels of elevation, may pass over water without stopping, and adds 1 to its height when moving up or down levels of elevation.


______________________________________________________________


Pokémon's Role:

Spoiler Alert!

Magnemite sees. Magnemite attacks.

More specifically, I envision Magnemite being played in one of two ways. The first is very simple - fly (ok, Levitate) out and attack. It would probably work pretty well.

The second, which I think is superior, is a bit more complicated. Magnemite could be used very effectively as a run-and-gun unit, especially at the end of the game. Theoretically, it is a two-step process. Using Levitate and its move of 6, Magnemite has a lot of options for moving around the battlefield. On the first turn, you would move just out of enemy threat range and get the lock-on bonus. On the next turn, you would inch forward and use a lock-on boosted Thundershock to attack the target. On the next turn, you would either use your superior move to escape and repeat the process, or you would attack again and hopefully finish it off.

So, theoretically, all of its powers would combine to make it a very effective endgame run-and-gun unit, while still potentially allowing several of them to form a mid or early game offensive threat.

[Kaiyu]

Originally Posted by Warlord Alpha

About my decision to call the attack Thundershock, read this post. It should change your minds.

That only answers having the attack value of the ability be different, my concern was Pikachu attacking twice while Magnemite can paralyze. I really don't think coming up with a new name for either Poke'mon's attack will be an issue. There are a lot of attacks in Poke'mon. Discharge for example would be good for Magnemite and the paralyzing effect. Expecially since Thundershock in the game is 10% chance vs a 30% chance from discharge.

If there's still an issue, we can do what the trading card game does and make up ability names. The show does that too.

[Xn F M]

Originally Posted by kaiyu0707

That only answers having the attack value of the ability be different, my concern was Pikachu attacking twice while Magnemite can paralyze. I really don't think coming up with a new name for either Poke'mon's attack will be an issue. There are a lot of attacks in Poke'mon. Discharge for example would be good for Magnemite and the paralyzing effect. Expecially since Thundershock in the game is 10% chance vs a 30% chance from discharge.

If there's still an issue, we can do what the trading card game does and make up ability names. The show does that too.

*cough* Discharge is an AOE attack. *cough*

I for one don't have a problem with two different abilities having the same name.

[Warlord Alpha]

Originally Posted by kaiyu0707

That only answers having the attack value of the ability be different, my concern was Pikachu attacking twice while Magnemite can paralyze. I really don't think coming up with a new name for either Poke'mon's attack will be an issue. There are a lot of attacks in Poke'mon. Discharge for example would be good for Magnemite and the paralyzing effect. Expecially since Thundershock in the game is 10% chance vs a 30% chance from discharge.

Look to this post, then. There are only so many attacks. We can't screw people over in the future.

[White Knight]

There are only 165 Abilities and Attacks total in Pokemon Red/Blue version.

I don't have a problem using the same name with different effects, but if it's an issue we could always add some type of suffix such as: THUNDERSHOCK PAR SPECIAL ATTACK or THUNDERSHOCK EX SPECIAL ATTACK. Or we can make it: MAGNEMITE'S THUNDERSHOCK SPECIAL ATTACK.

I don't know which version of Lock On I like better--I guess we'll see how the new version playtests.

[flameslayer93]

Originally Posted by White Knight

There are only 165 Abilities and Attacks total in Pokemon Red/Blue version.

I don't have a problem using the same name with different effects, but if it's an issue we could always add some type of suffix such as: THUNDERSHOCK PAR SPECIAL ATTACK or THUNDERSHOCK EX SPECIAL ATTACK. Or we can make it: MAGNEMITE'S THUNDERSHOCK SPECIAL ATTACK.

I don't know which version of Lock On I like better--I guess we'll see how the new version playtests.

I'm not in this thread group but I think it is not a bad idea to leave it as it was before with just THUNDERSHOCK SPECIAL ATTACK. In the games, as PokeMon leveled up they would get stronger. So it's fine.

[Xn F M]

There are ~491 moves in Heartgold and Soulsilver (assuming I didn't miscount) and there are currently 493 pokemon. Yes, there are bound to be some shared moves, and there are probably enough moves to go around (technically) a bit of variance won't hurt.

I can see where you're coming from though White Knight. If everyone's abilities do the same things then everything will be easier to keep track of, and there will be more overall cohesion between different pokemon. However, I think we really need to think more about making each pokemon its own, rather than conforming them to the molds that have been established before them

Heck, I'd even argue that thundershock is pikachu's signature attack, and it makes sense for it do be able to do something out of the ordinary with it just to make pikachu more pikachu.

[wulfhunter667]

Originally Posted by Warlord Alpha

About my decision to call the attack Thundershock, read this post. It should change your minds.

Also, I am willing to change Lock-On over to the "if you didn't move" thing. But if magnemite's survivability plummets, we're going to have to find another solution.

As such,

Well... Where to start.
I am not sure I agree with using Thundershock for the Paralysis marker. Didn't we have this argument earlier with Pikachu? I recommend you alter TS to Pikachu's version, drop Lock-On and add Thunderwave for the Paralysis effect as an "after moving and before attacking" power. Or, keep Lock-On and up the points.
Levitate is nice, but you are going to have to define in the power whether Magnemite is or is not affected by lava or not.
The stats look good.
Just my .

[Warlord Alpha]

Originally Posted by wulfhunter667

I am not sure I agree with using Thundershock for the Paralysis marker. Didn't we have this argument earlier with Pikachu? I recommend you alter TS to Pikachu's version, drop Lock-On and add Thunderwave for the Paralysis effect as an "after moving and before attacking" power.

No. We did not have that argument. I shut it down before we had a chance to argue about it. I absolutely refuse to make my idea for thundershock conform to Mac's idea for thundershock. That is unfair to me and YOU GUYS ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE. Seriously, Wulf, I am borderline insulted here. I don't think you even read my post - the one that I linked to half a page up from this post! I literally said (to paraphrase) "and if I end up having to make my thundershock conform to Mac's precedent, I will have to change my entire design." And guess what you just did? You said "Hey, Mac got to thundershock first, so shut up, make your thundershock look like his, and re-do half your design."

That is not fair to me and it is not fair to anyone who may wish to use whatever attack I would replace it with in the future. Thundershock stays, end of story.

Levitate is nice, but you are going to have to define in the power whether Magnemite is or is affected by lava or not.

No, I won't have to. Look on any card that has flying. Does it say anything about lava? Levitate is basically Fly with a height restriction.