I know that they're quite a few Pokemon group settings; I've visited at least 3. But I can't help but to dream of another, grandiose, scene! With overarching shadow-pokemon plots, and pokemon gyms, and pokemon contests, pokemon catching, and friendly and not-so-friendly pokemon battles. I secretly want it all, but the only problem is my only source are pokemon rpg books. And they are 500+ pages of fat words and complicated dice rolls. The balancing issue is very visible and real and it would be quite the task to simplify -everything-.
But if I could, I think it would be a super fun group. Maybe make more experienced players gym leaders, and invite poke-villains. And contest judges and maybe standardized npcs such as Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. This is such a large task and I may be more than a little sun-burnt, but I want to start this wild idea somewhere. Now, it's likely that this will include small numbers and dice rolls, just as a fair warning, for very specific reasons. There isn't a difference between trainers, otherwise, except for age. And age means very little when the top of the Pokemon league was Professor Oak's grandson! True story. And the other reason is for character growth, which is going to be a very interesting task to handle.
But if I could, I think it would be a super fun group. Maybe make more experienced players gym leaders, and invite poke-villains. And contest judges and maybe standardized npcs such as Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. This is such a large task and I may be more than a little sun-burnt, but I want to start this wild idea somewhere. Now, it's likely that this will include small numbers and dice rolls, just as a fair warning, for very specific reasons. There isn't a difference between trainers, otherwise, except for age. And age means very little when the top of the Pokemon league was Professor Oak's grandson! True story. And the other reason is for character growth, which is going to be a very interesting task to handle.
First, let's talk about characters. I'm not going to talk about limiting character choices, as this book does include base requirements. So those are out! I like the sample backgrounds, so those are in! Each will give a small bonus to two skills and a small minus to three skills. Skills will be discussed in another post, most likely after this one.
Here is a list of the samples and there are options for creating new ones, so if something doesn't stand out, the formula is very easy.
Here is a list of the samples and there are options for creating new ones, so if something doesn't stand out, the formula is very easy.
- At Least He's Pretty
Looks aren't everything...but they're butter than nothing, right?
+1 to Charm and Command or Intuition
-1 to Combat, Intimidate, and Perception - Book Worm
Why go outside? Everything you need to know is right here on Bulbapedia!
+1 to two different Education Skills
-1 to Atheltics, Acrobatics, and Combat - Hermit
You don't like people, and they tend to not like you.
+1 to any Education Skill, and Perception
-1 to Charm, Guile, and Intuition. - Fitness Training
Maybe you're a career soldier; maybe you're just a fitness nut. Either way, check out that body.
+1 to Athletics, Acrobatics
-1 to Guile, Intuition, Focus - Old Timer
Age comes with wisdom and experience, and bad hips.
+1 to Focus, and Intuition or Perception.
-1 to Acrobatics, Combat, Tech Education - Quick and Small
You're kind of skinny and weak, but smart and quick.
+1 to Acrobatics and Guile
-1 to Athletics, Intimidate, Command - Rough
You're the kind of guy that's likely to end up with a nickname like "Knuckles" or "Spike".
+1 to Combat, Intimidate
-1 to Charm, Guile, Perception - Silver Tongued
You always know just what to say, but it's best no one asks you to get sweaty.
+1 to Guile, and Charm or Intimidate
-1 to Athletics, Combat, Survival - Street Rattata
Growing up on the street is rough. Well, for all those other suckers.
+1 to Guile, and Perception or Stealth
-1 to Focus, General Education, Survival - Super Nerd
You're smart and cunning, but your social skills...
+1 to Tech Education, Guile
-1 to Charm, Intimidate, Intuition - Wild Child
Maybe you were raised by Mightyenas. Or maybe you just had lousy parents.
+1 to Survival, and Athletics or Stealth
-1 to General, Tech, and Medicine Education
Now, for a brief explanation on skills. These are nice to read, just in case others needed a deeper understanding of what these small bonuses pertain to. Though its mostly going to be a freeform/dice-rolling adventure, with the -smallest- bonuses and minimal things to keep track of.
Copy paste powers, go!
Copy paste powers, go!
- Acrobatics
Acrobatics is a Body Skill that represents how well a character can jump, keep their balance, and in general conduct themselves physically with swiftness and grace. Characters with a high Acrobatics Rank tend to be highly agile and well-coordinated, and it reflects in their activities. Gymnasts, parkour practitioners, circus performers, and dancers would all have a high Acrobatics.
Some situations where you might roll Acrobatics include keeping your balance as you shimmy across a perilous ledge, jumping across slippery stones in a river, and dodging out of the way of falling debris from a cave-in or an earthquake.
- Athletics
Athletics is a Body Skill that represents physical training and endurance developed through sports and exercise. Characters with a high Athletics Rank tend to be very active and either spend time training their physique or have physically strenuous occupations.
Some situations where you might make use of the Athletics Skill are when climbing a tree or the side of a cliff in the wilds and when trying to keep yourself afloat in the ocean during a storm.
- Combat
Combat is a Body Skill that represents training in physical fighting and specialized battle techniques. Combat can represent formal schooling in unarmed martial arts, weapons training, or simply very good street fighting and brawling.
That isn’t to say Combat has no use outside of battles. Opposed Combat Checks can be used for two characters grabbing at the same item or trying to push each other around without trying to seriously injure one another. One can also make use of the Combat Skill in martial arts performances or to break down obstacles with brute force.
- Intimidate
Intimidate is a Body Skill that governs the use of scare tactics and coercion to force others to act in one’s favor. It is a Skill that is lacking in subtlety compared to the other socially oriented Skills, but it can often compel results from otherwise unwilling parties where the others would fail. Expect to burn bridges and make no friends this way, however.
Common uses of Intimidate include scaring off wild Pokémon, bullying a guard into letting you through, and warding off potential muggers and pickpockets when walking through the shadier parts of town. Despite the often unsavory uses of the Skill, Intimidate is also often used to avoid violence and getting into a fight when it would be disadvantageous.
- Stealth
Stealth is a Body Skill that represents a character’s ability to hide, sneak, and generally move and act undetected. Stealth is often associated with less than legal occupations, such as thieves and assassins, but characters with high Stealth Ranks could also easily act on the side of law enforcement or as field researchers studying reclusive or violent Pokémon.
While the most common usage of Stealth is to move around unseen and unheard, the Skill also covers sleight of hand tricks and larceny, meaning it is tested when a character attempts to pickpocket someone or pick a lock. Acts of escape artistry and sleight of hand tricks also fall under the purview of Stealth; for example, characters may make use of the Skill to free themselves from bindings or slip out of a trap.
- Survival
Survival is a Body Skill that governs all sorts of wilderness activities, from starting a fire, to building shelter, to making a trail through heavy brush and shrubbery. Characters with a high Survival Rank spend a lot of time outdoors. Pokémon Rangers and Trainers concerned with conservation efforts and Safari Zones tend to have high Survival Ranks.
Survival can be used in almost any situation in the outdoors, whether it be navigating a snowstorm, foraging for food, or simply setting up camp for the night. It can be used to identify mushrooms that can be picked in the wild as well.
- General Education
General Education is a Mind Skill that covers well rounded academic learning. The universal coursework covered through mandatory schooling along with a liberal arts education are most representative of the General Education Skill.
Characters with a high General Education Rank tend to be masters of trivia and local or regional knowledge, though they often have specializations in more narrow fields such as literature, history, and philosophy. It’s a good idea to think about a field of expertise or two to give the Skill more personal flavor
- Medicine Education
Medicine Education is a Mind Skill that covers the science of healing and mending. It covers a wide range of situations, from performing first aid in the field to growing organs and limbs in a lab. Characters with a high Medicine Education Rank usually spend a significant amount of time studying Pokémon and human biology alike in order to effectively treat patients of all different species.
Beyond simply treating the wounds of battle, characters with training in Medicine Education are also useful when it comes to diagnosing diseases such as Pokérus or perhaps ailments stemming from malformed Evolutionary Stones and the dangerous radiation they might give off.
- Occult Education
Occult Education is a Mind Skill that governs knowledge of all types of supernatural lore and phenomena. Characters with a high Occult Education Rank can have incredibly varied interests and areas of expertise, and this is often dependent on the specific campaign.
Some situations where Occult Education might be tested include studying magical ancient ruins such as the Ruins of Alph, researching lore about long-forgotten Legendary Pokémon, or studying a strange Psychic phenomenon or malformed Aura in a location.
- Pokemon Education
Pokémon Education is a Mind Skill that governs one’s knowledge about Pokémon. This ranges from simple practical knowledge such as the diets and caretaking needs of various species to more specialized scientific topics such as Pokémon Evolution and the biology of unusual Pokémon species.
In a world where many institutions are entirely built around the use of Pokémon, it makes sense that they are the focus of much academic research. Pokémon Education is immensely useful in the field when encountering wild Pokémon, of course, and it can be used to understand their behavior patterns, needs, and their means of attack and weaknesses. Being well-versed in Pokémon Education can mean the difference between recognizing the signs of an Ursaring’s marked territory and stumbling into the cave of an angry bear.
- Technology Education
Technology Education is a Mind Skill that governs the creation and use of machines and technology, ranging from the ubiquitous Poké Ball to computers and vehicles. Characters with a high Technology Education Rank tend to have many gadgets and can easily find their way around a factory, engineering workshop, or chemistry lab.
Some situations that call for Technology Education include repairing a vehicle or piece of machinery, cracking electronic locks or hacking into computer databases, and building a custom piece of equipment such as an octopus arm backpack. The world of Pokémon also includes specialty pieces of technology such as Snag Machines and Dream Machines which would require Technology Education to maintain.
- Guile
Guile is a Mind Skill that governs lying, manipulation, and general deception and subterfuge. Characters with a high Guile Rank think quickly on their feet and are usually clever and witty in conversation.
Aside from the obvious application, Guile also covers a range of acting skills, from faking emotions to pretending to be someone else entirely. Someone armed with a high Guile Rank and a spare Team Rocket uniform could probably bluff their way into a secret hideout or learn the secrets of the criminal organization. This application of Guile goes beyond blunt deception into subtle manipulation as well, allowing a smooth talker to use carefully worded half-truths and targeted prods at a victim’s beliefs and passions to get what they want.
- Perception
Perception is a Mind Skill that represents a character’s awareness of their environment and attention to detail. Characters with a high Perception Rank have not only honed senses but a trained mind that knows where to look for details others would normally miss.
Perception is tested whenever your character is faced with a situation where they could miss a crucial detail in their surroundings. Some examples of this include finding a carefully laid trap in Team Rocket’s hideout, spotting a Stunfisk buried in the mud, and turning up bloody Pokémon fur and feathers in the corner of a crime scene.
- Charm
Charm is a Spirit Skill that represents how persuasive a character is and how likable they can make themselves seem to others. Characters with a high Charm Rank are charismatic and warm, always knowing what to say to draw people closer to them.
Making people agree with and like you obviously has many uses. Charm can get you into places that would otherwise bar you entry, help you haggle down prices, and aid in cutting beneficial deals for you and your companions. Charm is the Skill of diplomacy and forging positive and constructive relationships.
- Command
Command is a Spirit Skill representing a character’s ability to lead and inspire. Command is about having presence and being seen and listened to. Characters with a high Command Rank can become the center of attention in a room with a few well-chosen words.
Outside of Pokémon-related applications, Command has a number of uses. Command is tested when trying to disperse a riot or when directing a panicking crowd to safety in the aftermath of a Team Rocket terrorist attack. For Pokémon Rangers and other members of law enforcement, Command may be necessary to keep subordinates in line, especially rebellious elements, similar to low Loyalty Pokémon.
- Focus
Focus is a Spirit Skill that represents a character’s ability to concentrate on difficult or complex tasks or to work under pain and stress. It can be thought of as analogous to willpower, and characters with a high Focus Rank are often intensely driven and ambitious, or at the least unshakable once they’ve dedicated themselves to a task.
The most common uses of Focus come into play when it’s rolled alongside a use of another Skill to test how well you can concentrate on the other task. For example, it may be a Stealth Check to pick a lock, but if a character was suffering from the painful venomous bite of a Seviper on their hand, they might also need to test Focus to keep steady and concentrated on the task. A complicated maneuver such as jumping into the air, throwing a knife to hit a specific target, then teleporting to a platform mid-air and pulling a lever at an exact timing when landing would also call for a Focus Check in addition to the Acrobatics Check that would be invoked.
- Intuition
Intuition is a Spirit Skill that represents one’s reliability when making decisions from the gut or gaining insights into a situation through instinct. Intuition can often be thought of as encompassing common sense, and characters with a high Intuition Rank will often find themselves making the right decision on a hunch without necessarily understanding why.
In addition, Intuition governs empathy and reading emotions, the interpretation of body language, and other unspoken social cues. Intuition is tested when attempting to discern someone’s emotional state or tell whether or not they are lying or being deceitful. This makes Intuition crucial for Trainers with aspirations of joining law enforcement or getting involved in politics.
You mean this is pokemon tabletop?
It -is- Pokemon tabletop! I'm trying to find a way to make it a bit different from the prior group that used it and keep it very, very simple.
There are a lot of classes, with lots of complicated bonuses to doing certain things. But we'll keep it simple and see where that ends. Each class will have skill bonuses, small numbers to dice rolls when performing certain actions. And! Each class will have one unique bonus that will be mostly translated into something easy by me! So exciting. The first group are Introductory classes, classes best for new Pokemon trainers.
- Ace Trainer
+4 to Command. Unique Bonus: Able to train Pokemon to gain +1 to 1 type of rolls. Resets on rests.
Ace Trainers aim to be the very best at Pokémon Battles – and they’re willing to work hard to gain the skills to back up this ambition.
More than any other trainer, Ace Trainers are characterized by their dedication and hard working natures. Not content to coast by on whatever natural talents they and their Pokémon may develop, Ace Trainers tend to study strategy and technique, and train their Pokémon daily to ensure they are prepared for any coming battles.
Many people may find an Ace Trainer’s dedication bordering on fanatical, and their dedication to training to be cruel to their Pokémon. There may be some truth to this; callous and power-hungry Ace Trainers often overwork their Pokémon in their quest to be the best. But many Ace Trainers are able to reach understandings with their Pokémon, and working within this partnership, they actually become closer to their Pokémon than many other types of trainers.
And regardless of an Ace Trainer’s personal bond with their Pokémon, their constant training is of course effective. Other Types of Trainers may be better at pushing Pokémon towards specific goals, but Ace Trainers are experts at drawing out a Pokémon’s innate potential.
Ace Trainers are likely to be highly interested in obtaining Gym Badges and competing in Tournaments. Some may even be interested in competing in other events such as Contests or Pokéathlons, to help train their Pokémon
- Capture Specialist
+1 to Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth, Survival, Perception, Guile. Unique Bonus: +10 to capture rolls
Unafraid to brave the dangers of the wilderness in their quest, Capture Specialists are unparalleled in skill when using Poké Balls, nets, and other devices to capture Pokémon. Many Capture Specialists are on a quest to “Catch ‘Em All”, while others are only interested in catching strong and rare Pokémon, and others still may have their own specific criteria, such as only capturing Bug Pokémon.
Capture Specialists are motivated for multiple reasons; some may simply be trying to find the strongest Pokémon they can for use in their own personal journey. Others may simply like the challenge. Some Capture Pokémon to trade and sell; this kind of Capture Specialists tend to be cold-hearted poachers, who capture endangered Pokémon, or devastate entire wild communities in their search for profit. Whatever their reasons, no one can deny Capture Specialists are good at what they do.
- Commander
+4 to Command. Unique Bonus: During combat, +2 to one stat for one active Pokemon or +1 to one stat for two active Pokemon.
Commanders are authoritative trainers that focus on Pokémon battling. Commanders prefer to stand in the back lines, and direct their allies through battle, like a conductor leading a grand orchestra. Their versatility is their greatest strength, and one they are often eager and proud to use.
Commanders tend to be fond of complex plans and tactical set-ups; as such, they make more effective and efficient use of the Orders Features that are available to all Trainers through General Features and synergize well with other Classes that have their own Orders too. They are experts at organizing deadly and wellcoordinated assaults.
- Coordinator
+1 to Charm, Command, Guile, Intimidate, Intuition. Unique Bonus: Reroll 1 Contest Roll or Damage Roll once per Contest and once per Pokemon per Scene otherwise.
Coordinators specialize not in Pokémon Battles, but in Pokémon Contests. In Pokémon Contests, Pokémon compete not to hurt each other, but to use their attacks and abilities to impress the contest judges and the watching crowds. The world of Pokémon Contests is just as competitive as the Pokémon Battling scene, and so it’s not enough to merely groom a Pokémon’s physical appearance.
Coordinators must learn to guide their Pokémon to act with grace and charm, and innovate so they can stand out from the crowds. In facing these challenges, Coordinators naturally acquire an ability for guidance and leadership, and this talent for directing others can even be exploited to their benefit in battle; here they can distract and disrupt enemies, or bolster their allies with encouragement or opportunities.
Although many Coordinators shun Pokémon Battles, ironically their training improves the Battle abilities of their Pokémon too. Their Pokémon learn to stay calm under pressure and give it their all, whether on the stage or the arena. And like Ace Trainers, the sheer amount of dedication Coordinators have towards their Pokémon lends itself to making strong bonds with their partners. And this willingness on the part of their Pokémon to do their best can make all the difference.
Coordinators are rare in settings without Pokémon Contests, but that’s not to say they cannot be used there. Coordinators can represent trainers who train their Pokémon with poise and polish, and value cohesion and dependency over risky maneuvers.
- Hobbyist
+2 to General Education and Perception . Unique Bonus: Select up to 3 skills and gain up to a +3 bonus between them.
Not all Trainers walk down the path of a narrow specialty. Some Trainers choose to dabble in a variety of skills, choosing to learn what’s useful for their immediate journey and then moving on instead of dedicating their life to one art. These Hobbyists are fast learners, picking up practical skills easily without necessarily having the background or training usually required.
Trainers who become Hobbyists are usually those who truly do travel across the land, searching far and wide. They meet many different Trainers on their journey and can learn from watching them practice their skills.
Fitting their eclectic skillset, Hobbyists rarely display a theme or pattern to the Pokémon they catch, choosing to catch whatever is around as they travel. A Hobbyist pairs well with most classes, filling in the holes that the more specialized classes have in their skillsets
- Mentor
+1 to Charm, Intimidate, Intuition, Pokemon Education . Unique Bonus: Able to teach Pokemon Tutor moves or level-up moves equal-to or lower level than Pokemon. These moves count as naturally learned.
Not all Pokémon are created equal. Some are naturally better off due to Species, pedigree, or even just their Type or disposition. On the flip side, many of those on the stronger end of the spectrum are aware of it and might have attitude issues with most Trainers. How do people get around these issues?
Some people just show a natural gift for dealing with these troublesome ones. They have the nurturing touch to bring out the best in a Sewaddle and show a Charizard how its arrogance holds it back. These Mentors don’t really seek out problem cases, but when confronted with them have the knowledge and skills to handle them appropriately.
Their guidance is not lost on Pokémon in the middle of this spectrum either, as they can help unlock anyone’s true potential.
Mentor is a highly flexible Support Class for dealing with Pokémon with odd Abilities, Natures, and Move Lists. They allow Pokémon to learn moves earlier than they normally would, learn more Moves, and change a Pokémon’s very nature. Most noticeable, however, is they can become Move Tutors with time and practice.
What times would you be doing this roughly? I'm interested.
I believe I will make it into a group forum, so it will be at all times. And once I have translated the information (all the classes and some basic rules) I think it'll be ready. I will see how much I am able to complete this weekend; I'd check again on Monday.
Alright sign me up then and let me know when you are ready.
I will do that!
After some thought, I think I will implement two percentile rolls for catching Pokemon. One d100 will be the target number that must be met or exceeded, and the other will be the deciding number. An example will be shown below! And today I will place more classes into the list.
Note that these simplified rules don't include status effects on the target Pokemon or the use of stronger Pokeballs, or the health of the target pokemon. Those are rules that could be used, but aren't necessary. But should the players wish for a more in-depth capturing system, I know where to find one.
Note that these simplified rules don't include status effects on the target Pokemon or the use of stronger Pokeballs, or the health of the target pokemon. Those are rules that could be used, but aren't necessary. But should the players wish for a more in-depth capturing system, I know where to find one.
rolled 1d100 and got 49
This roll is the capture
And another die roll. Pokemon secured.
But maybe the Pokemon will gain a +5 bonus to resist capture for each hit it still has left. If Pokemon each have 10 hits available to them, that is a maximum of +50 to attempt to capture a Pokemon at full strength. And perhaps a +10 to capturing it, if its subjected to a status effect such as sleep or poison.
Hitting Pokemon will use Heimdall's dice, a d20 roll, where 1-5 is a miss, 6-10 is a glancing blow, 11-15 is a normal blow and 16-20 is a powerful hit. (critical attacks are a full on 20). Damage is a d10 for all moves, or a d4 for status effect moves. Defense against moves is also a d10. If the attack or status effect is a glancing blow, there is a -1 to the final result. In case of status effects, this is a -1 to the length of the effect, while a powerful hit is a +1 to the length. The d4 is how long the effect will last.
Game mechanics are a work in progress!
But maybe the Pokemon will gain a +5 bonus to resist capture for each hit it still has left. If Pokemon each have 10 hits available to them, that is a maximum of +50 to attempt to capture a Pokemon at full strength. And perhaps a +10 to capturing it, if its subjected to a status effect such as sleep or poison.
Hitting Pokemon will use Heimdall's dice, a d20 roll, where 1-5 is a miss, 6-10 is a glancing blow, 11-15 is a normal blow and 16-20 is a powerful hit. (critical attacks are a full on 20). Damage is a d10 for all moves, or a d4 for status effect moves. Defense against moves is also a d10. If the attack or status effect is a glancing blow, there is a -1 to the final result. In case of status effects, this is a -1 to the length of the effect, while a powerful hit is a +1 to the length. The d4 is how long the effect will last.
Game mechanics are a work in progress!
rolled 1d100 and got 27
This roll is the target
To hasten the process of character classes, I may skip over the fluff of classes (for now). I will list the classes and their unique bonuses! And their skills too. This group is the Fighting Style classes. Each represents a different method of combat. And now the fluff.
Cheerleader
+4 to Charm
Unique bonus: May cheer, excite, or motivate Pokemon or allies. Cheered Pokemon or Trainers can reroll a skill check 1/cheer. Excited Pokemon or Trainers may gain a +5 to defense roll 1/excite. Pokemon or Trainers may increase a lowered stat back to default 1/motivate. All three effects can be done 1/encounter.
For some Trainers, the path to victory isn’t paved with complicated strategy or incredibly harsh training. Instead, they believe in their Pokémon and try to motivate them to battle to their best, even in the face of overwhelming odds. True to their name, Cheerleaders cheer on their Pokémon and drive them to greater heights of battle with their optimistic attitudes.
Cheerleaders bring shine and happiness to traveling groups of Trainers, their words of motivation keeping their allies going even after devastating attacks. This doesn’t mean they’re all about blind optimism with no substance, however. Cheerleaders need leadership skills, and under their guidance, allies can find their second wind or push themselves to act quicker in battle.
Teamed up with cheery and motivating Pokémon, a Cheerleader can keep a traveling party in high spirits and fighting at their best all the time
Duelist
+4 to Focus
Unique Bonus: Duelist tags target (Pokemon or Trainer) and their Pokemon gain bonuses to accuracy and dodging equal to half their momentum. Pokemon begin with 0 momentum, at the end of each round and whenever your Pokemon hits a tagged foe, they gain +1 momentum. Your Pokemon has a maximum of 6 momentum. All momentum is lost when your Pokemon faints, is recalled, or combat ends.
Duelists mark their foes and then let their Pokémon tear them apart with ruthless efficiency. Even in the midst of a crowded battlefield, they are able to pinpoint priority targets and ensure their Pokémon have the focus to take them down without distraction. Unlike Jugglers, who prefer to rotate through their entire roster of Pokémon quickly in a battle, Duelists battle with one Pokémon at a time, building up momentum and pushing their advantage further and further.
Trainers with primarily passive Pokémon support options can take advantage of Duelist’s unique and powerful Orders, filling their Standard Actions. This makes Duelist a good counterpart to Classes such as Ace Trainer and Stat Ace
Enduring Soul
+2 to Athletics, Focus
Unique Bonus: Each Enduring Soul's Pokemon gains +5 hitpoints, increasing their max to 15.
Enduring Souls understand the value of sheer tenacity. Where others would throw in the towel, they keep going. Through impressive stamina and focus, they will themselves to victory. It’s just this endurance and tenacity that can lead an Enduring Soul’s Pokémon to persevere through Critical Hits and Status Afflictions that would cripple lesser Pokémon.
Enduring Soul is a good fit for any trainer that wants to push the endurance of their Pokémon in battle, and thus it’s a path most taken by Ace Trainers, Tough Experts, or other classes that specialize in training Pokémon, but is also a good fit with classes such as Athlete or Martial Artist that enhance the endurance of the Trainer; this way both Pokémon and Trainer can become tougher together. Psychics specializing in Focus may find this class an attractive way to enhance their Pokémon as well.
Juggler
+2 to Acrobatics and Guile
Unique Bonus: Pokemon may act on the turn they are swapped in, and the swapped Pokemon gains a +1 to dodging defense rolls.
Jugglers are quick, clever, and exceptionally dexterous.
In truth, the “Juggler” Class doesn’t need to represent just jugglers, but anyone that’s skilled and quick enough to handle Poké Balls with grace and precision. Jugglers can put their natural talents toward combat or even contests, but they truly shine in Pokémon Battles, especially when there are no restrictions on switching. Jugglers have mastered techniques that help their Pokémon emulate the effects of Pokémon Moves such as U-Turn or Baton Pass.
Jugglers pair best with clever and subtle classes that focus on Pokémon Battling; Masterminds and Smart Experts are natural fits. Due to their physical inclinations they also pair well with Ninjas, Rogues, or other physically oriented trainers that don’t mind raising their Acrobatics.
Rider
+2 to Acrobatics and Athletics
Unique Bonus: When an adjacent foe hits your mount with an attack, you may make an attack against the foe.
In the world of Pokémon, it’s pretty commonplace for Trainers to use their Pokémon to get from place to place. Anyone can, with a little practice and maybe a saddle, learn to ride their Rapidash to expedite those trips into town or surf on their Lapras to get to faraway islands. Riders elevate this practice into a finely tuned combat art, guiding their Pokémon with skill and finesse to outmaneuver their opponents and strike with blinding speed.
Becoming a Rider requires not only coordination and physical training; a good Rider has a strong grasp of leadership skills and commands their Pokémon with great spirit. Under the guidance of a skilled Rider, a Pokémon delivers devastating charges that can bring down several foes at once or zips across the battlefield while leaving a swath of destruction in their wake.
Direct combat Classes like Martial Artist or Ninja are common complements to a Rider because it’s hard to avoid being in the midst of battle when you’re riding on your Pokémon!
Taskmaster
+4 to Intimidate
Unique Bonus: Trainer may apply Brutal Training to a Pokemon, applying three injuries. If your Pokemon has at least one injury, it becomes Hardened. Hardened gain +1 Critical Hit and Effect Range (crits on 19-20, status effect attacks last 1 round longer) when they have 1 or more injuries. They gain +1 to evasion defense rolls if they have 3 or more injuries. They gain +5 to non-evasion defense rolls if they have 5 or more injuries. If they have 7 or more injuries, they are immune to further loss of hitpoints due to status effects. If they have 9 or more injuries, they gain another +5 to non-evasion defense rolls.
Taskmasters are known for their brutal and demanding style, pushing their Pokémon harder in training than most other Trainers would dare. Many assume that Taskmasters rule their Pokémon through threats and abuse, but some Taskmasters have a deeper understanding with their Pokémon, who accept and embrace their grueling training regimes. However, the sad truth is others do indeed mistreat their Pokémon and rule through fear, instilling in them an overwhelming need to achieve victory in order to avoid harsh consequences.
Regardless of their methods, it can’t be denied that the results are effective. Their brutal training produces brutal Pokémon that can better fight through the pain of battle and use cruel techniques on their opponents with devastating effect.
Many Taskmasters are Ace Trainers, but they can come from all walks of life; Rogues, Roughnecks, and Tough Experts are especially apt to become Taskmasters.
Trickster
+4 to Guile
Unique Bonus: After hitting with a status effect move, the Trickster's Pokemon may immediately retreat from the target.
Tricksters scorn the direct approach to battle, preferring clever use of Status Afflictions and Hazards over pummeling their opponents with overwhelming force. While many Tricksters prefer to turn fights into battles of attrition, slowly wearing down their foes with Burn, Poison, and similar effects, others use their expertise with Status-Class Moves as part of a versatile arsenal, setting up their opponents for well-timed and devastating attacks.
One needs not do it all when building a Trickster character – in fact, it’s usually to your advantage to focus and cherry-pick your Features as this Class covers a wider range of Status-Class Moves than most Trainers will regularly use. Combined with an Enduring Soul, a Trickster may rely on Hazards and damage over time to outlast their foes. Combined with a Rogue, Pokémon and Trainer can team up to give their enemies a double-whammy of disorientation and confusion
Cheerleader
+4 to Charm
Unique bonus: May cheer, excite, or motivate Pokemon or allies. Cheered Pokemon or Trainers can reroll a skill check 1/cheer. Excited Pokemon or Trainers may gain a +5 to defense roll 1/excite. Pokemon or Trainers may increase a lowered stat back to default 1/motivate. All three effects can be done 1/encounter.
For some Trainers, the path to victory isn’t paved with complicated strategy or incredibly harsh training. Instead, they believe in their Pokémon and try to motivate them to battle to their best, even in the face of overwhelming odds. True to their name, Cheerleaders cheer on their Pokémon and drive them to greater heights of battle with their optimistic attitudes.
Cheerleaders bring shine and happiness to traveling groups of Trainers, their words of motivation keeping their allies going even after devastating attacks. This doesn’t mean they’re all about blind optimism with no substance, however. Cheerleaders need leadership skills, and under their guidance, allies can find their second wind or push themselves to act quicker in battle.
Teamed up with cheery and motivating Pokémon, a Cheerleader can keep a traveling party in high spirits and fighting at their best all the time
Duelist
+4 to Focus
Unique Bonus: Duelist tags target (Pokemon or Trainer) and their Pokemon gain bonuses to accuracy and dodging equal to half their momentum. Pokemon begin with 0 momentum, at the end of each round and whenever your Pokemon hits a tagged foe, they gain +1 momentum. Your Pokemon has a maximum of 6 momentum. All momentum is lost when your Pokemon faints, is recalled, or combat ends.
Duelists mark their foes and then let their Pokémon tear them apart with ruthless efficiency. Even in the midst of a crowded battlefield, they are able to pinpoint priority targets and ensure their Pokémon have the focus to take them down without distraction. Unlike Jugglers, who prefer to rotate through their entire roster of Pokémon quickly in a battle, Duelists battle with one Pokémon at a time, building up momentum and pushing their advantage further and further.
Trainers with primarily passive Pokémon support options can take advantage of Duelist’s unique and powerful Orders, filling their Standard Actions. This makes Duelist a good counterpart to Classes such as Ace Trainer and Stat Ace
Enduring Soul
+2 to Athletics, Focus
Unique Bonus: Each Enduring Soul's Pokemon gains +5 hitpoints, increasing their max to 15.
Enduring Souls understand the value of sheer tenacity. Where others would throw in the towel, they keep going. Through impressive stamina and focus, they will themselves to victory. It’s just this endurance and tenacity that can lead an Enduring Soul’s Pokémon to persevere through Critical Hits and Status Afflictions that would cripple lesser Pokémon.
Enduring Soul is a good fit for any trainer that wants to push the endurance of their Pokémon in battle, and thus it’s a path most taken by Ace Trainers, Tough Experts, or other classes that specialize in training Pokémon, but is also a good fit with classes such as Athlete or Martial Artist that enhance the endurance of the Trainer; this way both Pokémon and Trainer can become tougher together. Psychics specializing in Focus may find this class an attractive way to enhance their Pokémon as well.
Juggler
+2 to Acrobatics and Guile
Unique Bonus: Pokemon may act on the turn they are swapped in, and the swapped Pokemon gains a +1 to dodging defense rolls.
Jugglers are quick, clever, and exceptionally dexterous.
In truth, the “Juggler” Class doesn’t need to represent just jugglers, but anyone that’s skilled and quick enough to handle Poké Balls with grace and precision. Jugglers can put their natural talents toward combat or even contests, but they truly shine in Pokémon Battles, especially when there are no restrictions on switching. Jugglers have mastered techniques that help their Pokémon emulate the effects of Pokémon Moves such as U-Turn or Baton Pass.
Jugglers pair best with clever and subtle classes that focus on Pokémon Battling; Masterminds and Smart Experts are natural fits. Due to their physical inclinations they also pair well with Ninjas, Rogues, or other physically oriented trainers that don’t mind raising their Acrobatics.
Rider
+2 to Acrobatics and Athletics
Unique Bonus: When an adjacent foe hits your mount with an attack, you may make an attack against the foe.
In the world of Pokémon, it’s pretty commonplace for Trainers to use their Pokémon to get from place to place. Anyone can, with a little practice and maybe a saddle, learn to ride their Rapidash to expedite those trips into town or surf on their Lapras to get to faraway islands. Riders elevate this practice into a finely tuned combat art, guiding their Pokémon with skill and finesse to outmaneuver their opponents and strike with blinding speed.
Becoming a Rider requires not only coordination and physical training; a good Rider has a strong grasp of leadership skills and commands their Pokémon with great spirit. Under the guidance of a skilled Rider, a Pokémon delivers devastating charges that can bring down several foes at once or zips across the battlefield while leaving a swath of destruction in their wake.
Direct combat Classes like Martial Artist or Ninja are common complements to a Rider because it’s hard to avoid being in the midst of battle when you’re riding on your Pokémon!
Taskmaster
+4 to Intimidate
Unique Bonus: Trainer may apply Brutal Training to a Pokemon, applying three injuries. If your Pokemon has at least one injury, it becomes Hardened. Hardened gain +1 Critical Hit and Effect Range (crits on 19-20, status effect attacks last 1 round longer) when they have 1 or more injuries. They gain +1 to evasion defense rolls if they have 3 or more injuries. They gain +5 to non-evasion defense rolls if they have 5 or more injuries. If they have 7 or more injuries, they are immune to further loss of hitpoints due to status effects. If they have 9 or more injuries, they gain another +5 to non-evasion defense rolls.
Taskmasters are known for their brutal and demanding style, pushing their Pokémon harder in training than most other Trainers would dare. Many assume that Taskmasters rule their Pokémon through threats and abuse, but some Taskmasters have a deeper understanding with their Pokémon, who accept and embrace their grueling training regimes. However, the sad truth is others do indeed mistreat their Pokémon and rule through fear, instilling in them an overwhelming need to achieve victory in order to avoid harsh consequences.
Regardless of their methods, it can’t be denied that the results are effective. Their brutal training produces brutal Pokémon that can better fight through the pain of battle and use cruel techniques on their opponents with devastating effect.
Many Taskmasters are Ace Trainers, but they can come from all walks of life; Rogues, Roughnecks, and Tough Experts are especially apt to become Taskmasters.
Trickster
+4 to Guile
Unique Bonus: After hitting with a status effect move, the Trickster's Pokemon may immediately retreat from the target.
Tricksters scorn the direct approach to battle, preferring clever use of Status Afflictions and Hazards over pummeling their opponents with overwhelming force. While many Tricksters prefer to turn fights into battles of attrition, slowly wearing down their foes with Burn, Poison, and similar effects, others use their expertise with Status-Class Moves as part of a versatile arsenal, setting up their opponents for well-timed and devastating attacks.
One needs not do it all when building a Trickster character – in fact, it’s usually to your advantage to focus and cherry-pick your Features as this Class covers a wider range of Status-Class Moves than most Trainers will regularly use. Combined with an Enduring Soul, a Trickster may rely on Hazards and damage over time to outlast their foes. Combined with a Rogue, Pokémon and Trainer can team up to give their enemies a double-whammy of disorientation and confusion
This group are called Branching Classes. They are off-shoots of other classes and can only be selected after certain milestones are completed (ie. Winning 4 gym badges or winning 4 Pokemon Contests). These classes offer additional skills, if the base class didn't have them already, and additional abilities!
Stat Ace
+2 to Command and Focus. Requires 4 Gym Badges.
Unique Bonus: +2 to Attack, Defense, Speed, Sp. Attack, or Sp. Defense rolls. The chosen stat is then given to each Pokemon the Stat Ace controls.
Stat Aces hold loyalties only to ability. They find Pokémon who are the fastest, or the strongest, or the smartest and then, the Stat Ace further improves those abilities. No other Trainer can make a Slowbro act with the Speed of a Ninjask. This focus makes them extremely effective in their element, but might also come with the risk of opening themselves up to weaknesses a more well rounded trainer wouldn’t have as much issue with. However, it doesn’t take many blows from an Attack or Special Attack Ace to knock out a foe, not many can wear down a Defense or Special Defense Ace, and it’s hard to get a leg up on a Speed Ace.
Stat Ace, as a Class, allows you to customize Pokémon in ways you typically wouldn’t be able to. By allowing you to bypass Base Stat Relations for a stat, you can raise Pokémon in rather interesting ways, such as having a Gengar focused on physical attacks and taking advantage of its awesome physical movepool. It also allows you to further improve Pokémon who are already specialized in a given stat with innate Combat Stage bonuses, extra Abilities and bonus stats.
Style Ace
+1 to Intuition, Command, Charm, Guile, Intimidate. Requires 4 Contests won.
Unique Bonus: Choose from Beauty, Cool, Cute, Smart, or Tough. Gain +2 to these contest rolls.
Contest competition is stiff. Participants have to be prepared to both strut their stuff and know when to show their best moves. Those who delve deep into this practice and develop a particular style are known as Style Experts. Much like Stat Aces hone in on a particular trait among Pokémon, Style Experts focus on one particular Contest Style – Beauty, Cool, Cute, Smart, or Tough – and strive to embody this ideal, and help their Pokémon do so too. In Battle, Contests, and in life, you can count on Style Experts to act with a certain flavor of flair.
The Style Expert Class is much like Stat Ace in that it focuses on a particular Stat – only from the Contest perspective. This isn’t to say they have no applications outside of Contests, however. Where Stat Ace is all about teaching Pokémon to battle with an emphasis on their Combat Stat, the Style Expert teaches their Pokémon to embody their chosen Contest Stat in ways that can be similarly useful both in and out of battle. It’s certainly a similar Class, but with a very different flair.
Type Ace
Skills vary by Type. Requires 4 Gym Badges and at least 2 Pokemon of the same type.
Unique Bonus: Choose Type Strategist or Last Chance (Type). Type Strategist gains +5 to defense rolls when they use a move of the type. +10 when at 1/3 of their max hitpoints. Last Chance (Type) gains +5 to damage rolls when using attacks of that Type. +10 when under 1/3 of their maximum hit points.
In a world where most Gyms are based on a particular Type of Pokémon, Type Aces are by far the most common of these specialists. The Type Ace feels a deep bond to a particular Type of Pokémon, and excels on raising them. This tie is so deep that they can with time change the very type of their Pokémon’s Moves, or teach a Pokémon to use a Move in a way they normally wouldn’t be able to. While their weaknesses are more pronounced than those of Stat Aces and Style Experts, their strengths are as well.
Type Ace is one of the most popular Classes for its thematic importance to the world of Pokémon. The ability to change the Type of a Move is also highly valuable to someone who wishes to specialize in a rare Type while retaining some versatility on their teams; they can train their off-Type Pokémon to take advantage of their specialty Type. Furthermore, Type Aces learn a variety of techniques to better wield their Type in battle and often more than make up for any inherent weaknesses of their chosen Type.
Stat Ace
+2 to Command and Focus. Requires 4 Gym Badges.
Unique Bonus: +2 to Attack, Defense, Speed, Sp. Attack, or Sp. Defense rolls. The chosen stat is then given to each Pokemon the Stat Ace controls.
Stat Aces hold loyalties only to ability. They find Pokémon who are the fastest, or the strongest, or the smartest and then, the Stat Ace further improves those abilities. No other Trainer can make a Slowbro act with the Speed of a Ninjask. This focus makes them extremely effective in their element, but might also come with the risk of opening themselves up to weaknesses a more well rounded trainer wouldn’t have as much issue with. However, it doesn’t take many blows from an Attack or Special Attack Ace to knock out a foe, not many can wear down a Defense or Special Defense Ace, and it’s hard to get a leg up on a Speed Ace.
Stat Ace, as a Class, allows you to customize Pokémon in ways you typically wouldn’t be able to. By allowing you to bypass Base Stat Relations for a stat, you can raise Pokémon in rather interesting ways, such as having a Gengar focused on physical attacks and taking advantage of its awesome physical movepool. It also allows you to further improve Pokémon who are already specialized in a given stat with innate Combat Stage bonuses, extra Abilities and bonus stats.
Style Ace
+1 to Intuition, Command, Charm, Guile, Intimidate. Requires 4 Contests won.
Unique Bonus: Choose from Beauty, Cool, Cute, Smart, or Tough. Gain +2 to these contest rolls.
Contest competition is stiff. Participants have to be prepared to both strut their stuff and know when to show their best moves. Those who delve deep into this practice and develop a particular style are known as Style Experts. Much like Stat Aces hone in on a particular trait among Pokémon, Style Experts focus on one particular Contest Style – Beauty, Cool, Cute, Smart, or Tough – and strive to embody this ideal, and help their Pokémon do so too. In Battle, Contests, and in life, you can count on Style Experts to act with a certain flavor of flair.
The Style Expert Class is much like Stat Ace in that it focuses on a particular Stat – only from the Contest perspective. This isn’t to say they have no applications outside of Contests, however. Where Stat Ace is all about teaching Pokémon to battle with an emphasis on their Combat Stat, the Style Expert teaches their Pokémon to embody their chosen Contest Stat in ways that can be similarly useful both in and out of battle. It’s certainly a similar Class, but with a very different flair.
Type Ace
Skills vary by Type. Requires 4 Gym Badges and at least 2 Pokemon of the same type.
Unique Bonus: Choose Type Strategist or Last Chance (Type). Type Strategist gains +5 to defense rolls when they use a move of the type. +10 when at 1/3 of their max hitpoints. Last Chance (Type) gains +5 to damage rolls when using attacks of that Type. +10 when under 1/3 of their maximum hit points.
In a world where most Gyms are based on a particular Type of Pokémon, Type Aces are by far the most common of these specialists. The Type Ace feels a deep bond to a particular Type of Pokémon, and excels on raising them. This tie is so deep that they can with time change the very type of their Pokémon’s Moves, or teach a Pokémon to use a Move in a way they normally wouldn’t be able to. While their weaknesses are more pronounced than those of Stat Aces and Style Experts, their strengths are as well.
Type Ace is one of the most popular Classes for its thematic importance to the world of Pokémon. The ability to change the Type of a Move is also highly valuable to someone who wishes to specialize in a rare Type while retaining some versatility on their teams; they can train their off-Type Pokémon to take advantage of their specialty Type. Furthermore, Type Aces learn a variety of techniques to better wield their Type in battle and often more than make up for any inherent weaknesses of their chosen Type.
Here are the Professional Classes, classes that focus on a profession, rather than Pokemon trainer/battling. But they provide interesting abilities to both.
Chef
+4 to Intuition
Unique Bonus: Able to create food items.
Anyone that puts a little effort into it can whip up a snack, but Chefs are true culinary masters. Chefs love to collect recipes and make food for themselves and their allies. Their choice of recipes dictates their utility; they can cook up anything from Bait to Vitamins. Whatever Chefs choose to specialize in, they are sure to leave their allies satisfied.
Many Chefs don’t travel, preferring to find gainful employment at a restaurant or other establishment; the best chefs can gain quite a lot of fame and even good money this way. Other Chefs take up the profession precisely because they’re always on the road, and learning to cook yourself cuts down on costs.
Chronicler
+4 Perception
Unique Bonus:
Profile Archive:Take a turn to place Pokemon or Trainer into a Profile Archive. Gain a +2 to Charm, Guile, Command, Intimidate, and Intuition rolls targeting Pokemon or Trainers in your Profile Archive.
Technique Archive: Take a turn to add observed moves to your Technique Archive. You and your Pokemon gain +2 evasion against moves in your Technique Archives.
Travel Archive: You may place Records of Locations in your Travel Archive. While in a location a location in your Travel Archive, you have +2 to Perception to notice the environment.
Past experience and examples are both great tools for learning. Even in the realm of Pokémon combat this is true; having witnessed a Move and being able to study its dynamics is an extremely useful thing. And what better way to do this than to have it recorded?
Chroniclers capitalize on this concept, getting close to the fray and capturing the finest details on how a Move is executed, whether through photography, artistic appreciation that later becomes a painting or other work of art, or analysis that goes into a journal. From this they can learn how to best avoid it in the future, and potentially even teach their Pokémon to use it.
The Chronicler Class introduces bonuses for keeping Records of Moves and Environments, but its main draw is an alternative tutoring method using these Records. These Features allow you to take the Moves you commonly see and turn them against your foes. Additionally, its low entry requirements and reliance on universally useful Skill make it a nice class for Trainers who don’t specialize in Trainer Combat
Fashionista
+1 Charm, Command, Guile, Intimidate, Intuition.
Unique Bonus: Able to create fashion items.
Clothes don’t make the man, but they can make the man look great. They’re also unexpectedly influential when it comes to raising and battling Pokémon. Held Items can easily turn the tide of battle, and a Fashionista is an expert at not only crafting Held Items and outfitting their Pokémon with just the right items for the job but giving them and their allies makeovers to fill in where fashion items are lacking.
A Fashionista’s Pokémon shows off stylish Held Items with pizzazz and panache that average Pokémon only wish they had. They’ll quickly rotate through a wardrobe of accessories suitable for any situation, waft helpful fragrances across the battlefield with their incense, and more
Researcher
+1 to each Education Skills and Survival.
Unique Bonus: Varies depending on field of study. Fields of study include Apothecary, Artificer, Botany, Chemistry, Climatology, Occultism, Paleontology, Pokemon Caretaking.
The world is a vast place with many complex subjects. It’s simply not possible for someone to know everything about everything, but delving deep into a handful of topics can reap many benefits. While most trainers aim to be the best, Researchers aim to know the most. Researchers become experts on the subjects that interest them. They learn how to apply this information to conflicts off and on the battlefield alike.
The Researcher Class is perhaps one of the most difficult and subtle classes to play, but extremely versatile in its scope; knowledge is power, after all. Researchers all must choose carefully how to proceed with their Features, as their choice of specialization will make a large impact on how they are able to apply their skills. Researcher is all about having the knowledge to make the most of any situation or challenge.
When you choose to take the Researcher Class, you will advance in Fields of Study that represent more narrow topics of research. Two characters with the Researcher Class can play very differently as a result!
Survivalist
+4 to Survival
Unique Bonus: Choose a terrain that you have spent at least three nights in. You gain +2 to Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, Perception, and Survival checks in that terrain. This bonus resets when you leave the terrain. The terrains are Grassland, Forest, Wetlands, Ocean, Tundra, Mountain, Cave, Urban, and Desert
Pokémon Trainers often have to travel across the land, searching far and wide to capture new Pokémon or find Gyms to challenge. Their journeys bring them through all sorts of exotic environments, from frozen tundras to steamy rainforests. Not everyone is cut out for such a harsh journey, but the Survivalist is most at home trailblazing through the wilderness.
However, even the most seasoned traveler can’t master all the different terrains and environments of the world. It takes a concerted effort for a Survivalist to truly understand a type of geography and how best to navigate through it, so each Survivalist will pick up the skills that are most appropriate to their favored terrains. Their expertise lets them create improvised traps, fight with the environment, and help their allies acclimate to their surroundings in battle
Chef
+4 to Intuition
Unique Bonus: Able to create food items.
Anyone that puts a little effort into it can whip up a snack, but Chefs are true culinary masters. Chefs love to collect recipes and make food for themselves and their allies. Their choice of recipes dictates their utility; they can cook up anything from Bait to Vitamins. Whatever Chefs choose to specialize in, they are sure to leave their allies satisfied.
Many Chefs don’t travel, preferring to find gainful employment at a restaurant or other establishment; the best chefs can gain quite a lot of fame and even good money this way. Other Chefs take up the profession precisely because they’re always on the road, and learning to cook yourself cuts down on costs.
Chronicler
+4 Perception
Unique Bonus:
Profile Archive:Take a turn to place Pokemon or Trainer into a Profile Archive. Gain a +2 to Charm, Guile, Command, Intimidate, and Intuition rolls targeting Pokemon or Trainers in your Profile Archive.
Technique Archive: Take a turn to add observed moves to your Technique Archive. You and your Pokemon gain +2 evasion against moves in your Technique Archives.
Travel Archive: You may place Records of Locations in your Travel Archive. While in a location a location in your Travel Archive, you have +2 to Perception to notice the environment.
Past experience and examples are both great tools for learning. Even in the realm of Pokémon combat this is true; having witnessed a Move and being able to study its dynamics is an extremely useful thing. And what better way to do this than to have it recorded?
Chroniclers capitalize on this concept, getting close to the fray and capturing the finest details on how a Move is executed, whether through photography, artistic appreciation that later becomes a painting or other work of art, or analysis that goes into a journal. From this they can learn how to best avoid it in the future, and potentially even teach their Pokémon to use it.
The Chronicler Class introduces bonuses for keeping Records of Moves and Environments, but its main draw is an alternative tutoring method using these Records. These Features allow you to take the Moves you commonly see and turn them against your foes. Additionally, its low entry requirements and reliance on universally useful Skill make it a nice class for Trainers who don’t specialize in Trainer Combat
Fashionista
+1 Charm, Command, Guile, Intimidate, Intuition.
Unique Bonus: Able to create fashion items.
Clothes don’t make the man, but they can make the man look great. They’re also unexpectedly influential when it comes to raising and battling Pokémon. Held Items can easily turn the tide of battle, and a Fashionista is an expert at not only crafting Held Items and outfitting their Pokémon with just the right items for the job but giving them and their allies makeovers to fill in where fashion items are lacking.
A Fashionista’s Pokémon shows off stylish Held Items with pizzazz and panache that average Pokémon only wish they had. They’ll quickly rotate through a wardrobe of accessories suitable for any situation, waft helpful fragrances across the battlefield with their incense, and more
Researcher
+1 to each Education Skills and Survival.
Unique Bonus: Varies depending on field of study. Fields of study include Apothecary, Artificer, Botany, Chemistry, Climatology, Occultism, Paleontology, Pokemon Caretaking.
The world is a vast place with many complex subjects. It’s simply not possible for someone to know everything about everything, but delving deep into a handful of topics can reap many benefits. While most trainers aim to be the best, Researchers aim to know the most. Researchers become experts on the subjects that interest them. They learn how to apply this information to conflicts off and on the battlefield alike.
The Researcher Class is perhaps one of the most difficult and subtle classes to play, but extremely versatile in its scope; knowledge is power, after all. Researchers all must choose carefully how to proceed with their Features, as their choice of specialization will make a large impact on how they are able to apply their skills. Researcher is all about having the knowledge to make the most of any situation or challenge.
When you choose to take the Researcher Class, you will advance in Fields of Study that represent more narrow topics of research. Two characters with the Researcher Class can play very differently as a result!
Survivalist
+4 to Survival
Unique Bonus: Choose a terrain that you have spent at least three nights in. You gain +2 to Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth, Perception, and Survival checks in that terrain. This bonus resets when you leave the terrain. The terrains are Grassland, Forest, Wetlands, Ocean, Tundra, Mountain, Cave, Urban, and Desert
Pokémon Trainers often have to travel across the land, searching far and wide to capture new Pokémon or find Gyms to challenge. Their journeys bring them through all sorts of exotic environments, from frozen tundras to steamy rainforests. Not everyone is cut out for such a harsh journey, but the Survivalist is most at home trailblazing through the wilderness.
However, even the most seasoned traveler can’t master all the different terrains and environments of the world. It takes a concerted effort for a Survivalist to truly understand a type of geography and how best to navigate through it, so each Survivalist will pick up the skills that are most appropriate to their favored terrains. Their expertise lets them create improvised traps, fight with the environment, and help their allies acclimate to their surroundings in battle
Now for some Fighter Classes. These classes partake in combat along with their Pokemon. Which isn't legal in gym battles or other sanctioned fights, but when your in the wild...
Athlete
+4 to Athletics
Unique Bonus: After an hour of exercise, an Athlete may choose two stats and gain a +1 bonus to those rolls. The default state of the stats are +1 instead of 0.
Athletes understand that the body is a tool that will go to rust if not taken care of. They endeavor to push the limits of their bodies and become better fighters for it.
Many Athletes tend to not only get plenty of exercise, but often tend to eat healthy and be aware of fitness concepts. Others come into the practice through an occupation – dedicated hikers, sport coaches, or even Rangers. Dedicated Martial Artists come easily into the Athlete lifestyle.
Dancer
+2 to Acrobatics, and +1 to Athletics and Charm
Unique Bonus: Create a dance move and name it whatever you wish. This dance, while in effect, gain a +2 bonus to one stat or a +1 bonus to two stats. These bonuses cannot be changed once chosen. This move can also be used in contests, with Cool associated with Attack, Tough is associated with Defense, Beauty is associated with Special Attack, Smart is associated with Special Defense, and Cute is associated with Speed.
Dances have been important parts of celebrations and rituals since the birth of civilization. Whether used for simple entertainment or for significant religious ceremonies and practices, dance has been passed down through the ages just like music, storytelling, and other artistic traditions. No one can say exactly when dance became an integral part of human culture, but it’s clear from observing Pokémon such as Spinda and Maractus that it has been an important part of life for many living things since before the time of man.
A Dancer has learned to apply the art of dance to life as a Pokémon Trainer in a variety of ways, ranging from teaching their Pokémon elegance and tempo to augment their fighting capabilities to applying the acrobatic maneuvers of dance to their own battle techniques. This makes the Dancer a flexible Class that can appeal to many different Trainers. Martial Artists may use the Class to supplement their offensive Moves while Ace Trainers and other more passive Classes may use Dancer Features to play a more active support role in battles.
Hunter
+2 Survival and Stealth
Unique Bonus: When you make an attack that doesn't anticipate an attack or is adjacent to your Pokemon, make two attack rolls and use the better result to finalize the attack. If both attacks would be a normal hit or better, the target is flinched.
The Hunter works in concert with their Pokémon to bring even the most nimble and impressive of opponents to their knees. To them, their foes are like prey, and they are experts at using teamwork and pack hunting techniques to ensure that no one can escape them. Hunters do not excel at directly attacking their enemies and dealing a lot of damage. Instead, much like Capture Specialists, they make use of a variety of tools, such as Weighted Nets and Glue Cannons, in order to further limit their enemies’ mobility.
While Hunters certainly can function very well on their own with just their Pokémon at their side, they excel in larger parties too where their allies’ Pokémon can help them surround and trap their foes. Therefore, Hunters who prefer to emphasize the Pokémon Support aspects of the Class would do well to pick up Classes such as Commander. Hunters who prefer to mix their debilitating tactics with direct assaults might choose the Roughneck, Athlete, or Martial Artist Class.
Martial Artist
+4 to Combat
Unique Bonus: Choose Guts (Hitpoints), Inner Focus (Speed), Iron Fist (Defense), Limber (Speed), Reckless (Attack), or Technician (Speed). Gain +1 to combat style's stat and choose two combat moves to learn based on combat style.
Acupressure, requires Limber
Arm Thrust, requires Technician
Double Kick, requires Any
Focus Energy, requires Any
Karate Chop, requires Inner Focus
Low Sweep, requires Any
Mach Punch, requires Iron Fist
Rolling Kick, requires Reckless
Vital Throw, requires Guts
Martial Artists strive to learn the arts of physical combat, admiring the power of Fighting-Type Pokémon. Some may practice Martial Arts as a sport; others out of necessity and survival. Whatever the motivation, these trainers hone their bodies into powerful weapons through practice and dedication, and can show Pokémon how to do the same.
There are many different styles of Martial Arts, and many emulate various Pokémon. Some trainers learn to punch like a Hitmonchan; others to kick like a Hitmonlee. And while the forms and variations are many, they all turn Martial Artists into powerful opponents to be feared and respected.
Musician
+2 to Charm and Focus
Unique Bonus: May trigger Songs, which always effect the user. Songs can be triggered in four ways:
1. When the move Sonic Boom or other Sonic moves are performed nearby. Song may be activated immediately.
2. When a dance move (ie. Swords Dance, Dragon Dance) is performed nearby. Song may be activated immediately.
3. Using an action to activate a song. This still allows movement.
4. Using an action to activate two songs. This doesn't allow movement and takes focus to continue.
Song of Courage: All allies in area that can hear song gain +2 to skill rolls until end of Musician's next turn.
Song of Life: All allies in area that can hear song gain +5 to defense rolls until the end of the Musician's next turn
Song of Might: All allies in area that can hear gain +5 to damage rolls until the end of the Musician's next turn.
Music and art are simply a part of life. It’s something Pokémon and humans alike find joy in, and many have devoted their lives and talents to it. As such the gift of music is found almost everywhere in the world – in busy city streets, in a packed arena, at a campfire in the wilderness. Even in places no humans dwell, Pokémon themselves may sing.
With time and practice, many have found ways to use their art to help their allies and cripple their foes. Sounds can be distracting or painful, or can help lift one’s spirits and get the blood flowing. As such it’s not uncommon to see practiced singers and instrumentalists in both the arenas and the wilds.
The Musician class has an array of sound-based Moves at its disposal, making it quite flexible. It can weaken foes, empower allies, and has a few powerful damaging attacks in its arsenal as well. Its relatively low entry requirements make it easily accessible to most character concepts, allowing you to really make it what you want. A guitar wielding rocker, a pop starlet, or the world’s most awesome sax player? Whatever way you take it, your adventuring companions will appreciate what you bring to the table.
Provocateur
+2 Charm and +1 to Guile and Intimidate
Unique Bonus: A Provocateur learns the moves Sweet Kiss and Taunt.
Striking someone through the heart doesn’t need a weapon. They often say the pen is mightier than the sword, but the mouth is just as effective. A few choice words can easily make your foes lose their minds, whether through rage, befuddlement, or despair. Who needs to get your hands dirty when your words can do all the work for you?
Provocateur is a useful Class for all sorts of builds. Pokemon support builds can use it to soften up foes for their pokemon or allies to finish off more quickly, and combat builds can use it to make their foes more vulnerable to their attacks. Of particular note is the breadth of effects one can get from combining this class with Hex Maniac or Roughneck.
Rogue
+2 to Acrobatics, and +1 to Athletics and Stealth
Unique Bonus: You learn the moves Feint Attack and Thief
The streets are a dangerous and eclectic place, where shady lurkers like the Rogue look to make a living off of others. Why work an honest job when you can line your pockets with the wealth of others? The Rogue knows how to hit his enemies when and where they least expect it, to punish them for getting too cocky, to kick them while they’re down.
Of course, you can’t always win a straight fight, even when fighting dirty, so ambushing them so they don’t have a chance to fight back can always work. The Rogue class is suited for front-line combatants, and pairs up well with other physical classes like Martial Artist and Roughneck. A Rogue who wants to use his mouth as another weapon would likely want to take Provocateur, and of course, Ninjas fit the thief archetype nicely.
Roughneck
+4 to Intimidate
Unique Bonus: Whenever you hit with an attack, the target loses 1 in a stat of your choice. This loss is temporary and returns to normal after combat.
Fear is a powerful tool in battles, and Roughnecks understand that well. As a Roughneck beats down their opponents, they also demoralize them and make it harder for their foe to fight back the longer the fight goes on and the more scare tactics they can apply. To make matters even worse for their opponents, Roughnecks know how to outlast their enemies in a fight, and they will shrug off blows that would knock out lesser fighters.
Roughneck makes a good counterpart to other Trainer Combat Classes such as Martial Artist or Athlete, Provocateur also makes an obvious pairing for Roughneck, especially with the synergy between Roughneck’s Social Moves and Provocateur’s Push Buttons and Quick Wit Features. Roughneck can also be used to give a little extra versatility to Classes focused on Pokémon Support such as Taskmaster or Tough Expert.
Tumbler
+4 to Acrobatics
Unique Bonus: You gain the Run Away ability and may use it during Trainer battles.
Tumblers, much like Athletes, put great emphasis on keeping their bodies in shape and pushing their limits. Where the two differ is that Tumblers put much more focus on their physical finesse and dexterity than they do on power or speed. They also don’t go to the same lengths to coach their Pokémon to do the same. Tumblers don’t like being tied down or staying in one place too long, and not even their own Pokémon are going to hold them back!
Acrobatics isn’t just for the circus. The high mobility and speed gained from a life of practiced jumps and gives Tumblers an edge in battle that lets them outmaneuver burlier foes. The Tumbler class provides a Trainer with a few additional offensive outlets, but its big draw is mobility; Tumbler is all about jumping, moving, and rolling with the punches. This class provides you a lot of tools to get around a battlefield quickly, and ensure that nothing will slow or hold you down
Athlete
+4 to Athletics
Unique Bonus: After an hour of exercise, an Athlete may choose two stats and gain a +1 bonus to those rolls. The default state of the stats are +1 instead of 0.
Athletes understand that the body is a tool that will go to rust if not taken care of. They endeavor to push the limits of their bodies and become better fighters for it.
Many Athletes tend to not only get plenty of exercise, but often tend to eat healthy and be aware of fitness concepts. Others come into the practice through an occupation – dedicated hikers, sport coaches, or even Rangers. Dedicated Martial Artists come easily into the Athlete lifestyle.
Dancer
+2 to Acrobatics, and +1 to Athletics and Charm
Unique Bonus: Create a dance move and name it whatever you wish. This dance, while in effect, gain a +2 bonus to one stat or a +1 bonus to two stats. These bonuses cannot be changed once chosen. This move can also be used in contests, with Cool associated with Attack, Tough is associated with Defense, Beauty is associated with Special Attack, Smart is associated with Special Defense, and Cute is associated with Speed.
Dances have been important parts of celebrations and rituals since the birth of civilization. Whether used for simple entertainment or for significant religious ceremonies and practices, dance has been passed down through the ages just like music, storytelling, and other artistic traditions. No one can say exactly when dance became an integral part of human culture, but it’s clear from observing Pokémon such as Spinda and Maractus that it has been an important part of life for many living things since before the time of man.
A Dancer has learned to apply the art of dance to life as a Pokémon Trainer in a variety of ways, ranging from teaching their Pokémon elegance and tempo to augment their fighting capabilities to applying the acrobatic maneuvers of dance to their own battle techniques. This makes the Dancer a flexible Class that can appeal to many different Trainers. Martial Artists may use the Class to supplement their offensive Moves while Ace Trainers and other more passive Classes may use Dancer Features to play a more active support role in battles.
Hunter
+2 Survival and Stealth
Unique Bonus: When you make an attack that doesn't anticipate an attack or is adjacent to your Pokemon, make two attack rolls and use the better result to finalize the attack. If both attacks would be a normal hit or better, the target is flinched.
The Hunter works in concert with their Pokémon to bring even the most nimble and impressive of opponents to their knees. To them, their foes are like prey, and they are experts at using teamwork and pack hunting techniques to ensure that no one can escape them. Hunters do not excel at directly attacking their enemies and dealing a lot of damage. Instead, much like Capture Specialists, they make use of a variety of tools, such as Weighted Nets and Glue Cannons, in order to further limit their enemies’ mobility.
While Hunters certainly can function very well on their own with just their Pokémon at their side, they excel in larger parties too where their allies’ Pokémon can help them surround and trap their foes. Therefore, Hunters who prefer to emphasize the Pokémon Support aspects of the Class would do well to pick up Classes such as Commander. Hunters who prefer to mix their debilitating tactics with direct assaults might choose the Roughneck, Athlete, or Martial Artist Class.
Martial Artist
+4 to Combat
Unique Bonus: Choose Guts (Hitpoints), Inner Focus (Speed), Iron Fist (Defense), Limber (Speed), Reckless (Attack), or Technician (Speed). Gain +1 to combat style's stat and choose two combat moves to learn based on combat style.
Acupressure, requires Limber
Arm Thrust, requires Technician
Double Kick, requires Any
Focus Energy, requires Any
Karate Chop, requires Inner Focus
Low Sweep, requires Any
Mach Punch, requires Iron Fist
Rolling Kick, requires Reckless
Vital Throw, requires Guts
Martial Artists strive to learn the arts of physical combat, admiring the power of Fighting-Type Pokémon. Some may practice Martial Arts as a sport; others out of necessity and survival. Whatever the motivation, these trainers hone their bodies into powerful weapons through practice and dedication, and can show Pokémon how to do the same.
There are many different styles of Martial Arts, and many emulate various Pokémon. Some trainers learn to punch like a Hitmonchan; others to kick like a Hitmonlee. And while the forms and variations are many, they all turn Martial Artists into powerful opponents to be feared and respected.
Musician
+2 to Charm and Focus
Unique Bonus: May trigger Songs, which always effect the user. Songs can be triggered in four ways:
1. When the move Sonic Boom or other Sonic moves are performed nearby. Song may be activated immediately.
2. When a dance move (ie. Swords Dance, Dragon Dance) is performed nearby. Song may be activated immediately.
3. Using an action to activate a song. This still allows movement.
4. Using an action to activate two songs. This doesn't allow movement and takes focus to continue.
Song of Courage: All allies in area that can hear song gain +2 to skill rolls until end of Musician's next turn.
Song of Life: All allies in area that can hear song gain +5 to defense rolls until the end of the Musician's next turn
Song of Might: All allies in area that can hear gain +5 to damage rolls until the end of the Musician's next turn.
Music and art are simply a part of life. It’s something Pokémon and humans alike find joy in, and many have devoted their lives and talents to it. As such the gift of music is found almost everywhere in the world – in busy city streets, in a packed arena, at a campfire in the wilderness. Even in places no humans dwell, Pokémon themselves may sing.
With time and practice, many have found ways to use their art to help their allies and cripple their foes. Sounds can be distracting or painful, or can help lift one’s spirits and get the blood flowing. As such it’s not uncommon to see practiced singers and instrumentalists in both the arenas and the wilds.
The Musician class has an array of sound-based Moves at its disposal, making it quite flexible. It can weaken foes, empower allies, and has a few powerful damaging attacks in its arsenal as well. Its relatively low entry requirements make it easily accessible to most character concepts, allowing you to really make it what you want. A guitar wielding rocker, a pop starlet, or the world’s most awesome sax player? Whatever way you take it, your adventuring companions will appreciate what you bring to the table.
Provocateur
+2 Charm and +1 to Guile and Intimidate
Unique Bonus: A Provocateur learns the moves Sweet Kiss and Taunt.
Striking someone through the heart doesn’t need a weapon. They often say the pen is mightier than the sword, but the mouth is just as effective. A few choice words can easily make your foes lose their minds, whether through rage, befuddlement, or despair. Who needs to get your hands dirty when your words can do all the work for you?
Provocateur is a useful Class for all sorts of builds. Pokemon support builds can use it to soften up foes for their pokemon or allies to finish off more quickly, and combat builds can use it to make their foes more vulnerable to their attacks. Of particular note is the breadth of effects one can get from combining this class with Hex Maniac or Roughneck.
Rogue
+2 to Acrobatics, and +1 to Athletics and Stealth
Unique Bonus: You learn the moves Feint Attack and Thief
The streets are a dangerous and eclectic place, where shady lurkers like the Rogue look to make a living off of others. Why work an honest job when you can line your pockets with the wealth of others? The Rogue knows how to hit his enemies when and where they least expect it, to punish them for getting too cocky, to kick them while they’re down.
Of course, you can’t always win a straight fight, even when fighting dirty, so ambushing them so they don’t have a chance to fight back can always work. The Rogue class is suited for front-line combatants, and pairs up well with other physical classes like Martial Artist and Roughneck. A Rogue who wants to use his mouth as another weapon would likely want to take Provocateur, and of course, Ninjas fit the thief archetype nicely.
Roughneck
+4 to Intimidate
Unique Bonus: Whenever you hit with an attack, the target loses 1 in a stat of your choice. This loss is temporary and returns to normal after combat.
Fear is a powerful tool in battles, and Roughnecks understand that well. As a Roughneck beats down their opponents, they also demoralize them and make it harder for their foe to fight back the longer the fight goes on and the more scare tactics they can apply. To make matters even worse for their opponents, Roughnecks know how to outlast their enemies in a fight, and they will shrug off blows that would knock out lesser fighters.
Roughneck makes a good counterpart to other Trainer Combat Classes such as Martial Artist or Athlete, Provocateur also makes an obvious pairing for Roughneck, especially with the synergy between Roughneck’s Social Moves and Provocateur’s Push Buttons and Quick Wit Features. Roughneck can also be used to give a little extra versatility to Classes focused on Pokémon Support such as Taskmaster or Tough Expert.
Tumbler
+4 to Acrobatics
Unique Bonus: You gain the Run Away ability and may use it during Trainer battles.
Tumblers, much like Athletes, put great emphasis on keeping their bodies in shape and pushing their limits. Where the two differ is that Tumblers put much more focus on their physical finesse and dexterity than they do on power or speed. They also don’t go to the same lengths to coach their Pokémon to do the same. Tumblers don’t like being tied down or staying in one place too long, and not even their own Pokémon are going to hold them back!
Acrobatics isn’t just for the circus. The high mobility and speed gained from a life of practiced jumps and gives Tumblers an edge in battle that lets them outmaneuver burlier foes. The Tumbler class provides a Trainer with a few additional offensive outlets, but its big draw is mobility; Tumbler is all about jumping, moving, and rolling with the punches. This class provides you a lot of tools to get around a battlefield quickly, and ensure that nothing will slow or hold you down
Finally, the last of the few classes, those that have supernatural powers. Empaths and aura readers unite with their pokemon to do great things! These classes are much like combining other animes into Pokemon, but they are still very neat.
Aura Guardian
+4 to Intuition
Unique Bonus: Choose two from Detect, Vacuum Wave, or Force Palm. You learn the chosen moves.
Aura Guardians have the rare ability to perceive and manipulate Aura, or the spiritual essence of all living things. At the most basic level, Aura Guardians can know the intentions and emotions of others at a glance simply by viewing their Aura. Aura Guardians can also project their own thoughts to others.
These abilities alone make Aura Guardians a boon to any traveling party, whether for the sake of watching out for shady characters on their journey or even for pinpointing other living beings while traveling in the dark.
However, with training, Aura Guardians can do even more, projecting and manipulating their Aura to take the form of devastating attacks. While similar to the abilities of psionics, the manipulation of Aura is fundamentally different in that it uses raw spiritual energy instead of being a product of honed mental focus.
Aura Guardians tend to be most at home with Pokémon that can read Auras, though their abilities allow them to easily befriend a variety of species.
Channeler
+4 to Intuition
Unique Bonus: You can channel target Pokemon. If you attempt to channel a hostile Pokemon, you must roll a 15 total Intuition check. You may stop channeling a Pokemon at any time and may have a number of channeled Pokemon equal to your Intuition bonus. If the channeled Pokemon moves more than 20 meters from you, they stop being Channeled.
While channeling a Pokémon, it may communicate its intentions, emotions, and motivations to you and you may communicate similarly with them; neither party may be deceitful in this exchange. You also become aware of all of its Moves, Abilities, and Capabilities. Allied Channeled Pokémon may always attempt to take hits for each other, regardless of Loyalty. If you are Fainted, you stop channeling all Pokémon. Whenever you channel a Pokémon, you have a vague knowledge of what has happened in the Pokémon’s past hour as if they were your own memories.
Hex Maniac
+4 Occult Education
Unique Bonus: Choose Cursed Body or Omen. You gain the chosen ability.
Hex Maniacs are masters of occult practices associated with Ghost-Type Pokémon, and they are capable of replicating many of the debilitating Moves that those Pokémon use to cripple their foes. While many people would assume that those learning these dark arts are in it for power or petty vengeance, that doesn’t have to be the case. The caretakers of Pokémon tombs often turn their expertise in the occult into the Hex Maniac’s combat techniques as a matter of practicality. Malicious Ghost-Type Pokémon, grave robbers, and those seeking to pilfer powerful artifacts from the sacred sites that are often found near where Ghost-Types gather are all good reasons to learn hexes and curses for self-defense.
Most other Trainer Combat Classes can make good use of a Hex Maniac’s arsenal, even if they aren’t invested enough in Special Attack to make Hex effective.
Ninja
+2 to Stealth and Combat
Unique Bonus: Choose Ninja Training or Ninja's Arsenal. You may gain the other ability through advancement.
Ninja Training: You learn the moves Double Team and Poison Powder.
Ninja's Arsenal: You may craft an Antidote, Smoke Ball, Caltrops, or Toxic Caltrops for 100 yen.
Practitioners of the ancient art of ninjutsu, Ninjas are deadly and feared warriors that excel at using eadly poisons and clever subterfuge. Being a Ninja means first and foremost having a versatile set of options at hand, and thus Ninjas require a broad skillset – they must not only be practiced fighters but also masters of stealth.
A skilled Ninja goes into battle with tools prepared that can be handed off to allies to produce hazards for their opponents or countermeasures to the toxins they study. A Ninja’s deceptive arsenal also includes poisoned weapons and illusionary clones.
As might be expected, Ninjas tend toward using Poison Type Pokémon or those of a stealthy and subtle disposition, but this is not always the case. Sometimes a larger, flashy Pokémon can be the perfect distraction for a Ninja trying to sneak by and deliver a decisive blow elsewhere.
Oracle
+2 to Intuition and Perception.
Unique Bonus: Divination: You may perform an Augury or Scrying.
Augury: The user has a vision, dream, or similar event that may depict past, present, or future events. The clarity of the vision may vary, as well as the user's ability to remember it.
Scrying: You see visions of what has happened to the item you are touching, or your current location, over the last 24 hours. The images may be jumbled or unclear.
Oracles have trained their mystic abilities to a mastery over past and future. With a few minutes of concentration, an Oracle can glean the recent events surrounding an area or object, and their intuitive nature often guides them to draw conclusions or find objects that elude the grasp of others.
This is not to say that Oracles cannot also apply their powers to battle - it turns out that peering into the future is quite an advantage in battle. Oracles can use their abilities to more readily assure that their attacks and those of their allies strike true or to avoid the attacks of others. Illusions mean nothing to them, and they can warn their allies of such supernatural attempts at misdirection.
Sage
+4 to Occult Education.
Unique Bonus: An ally gains a shield bonus equal to your Occult Education bonus doubled for one round. This shield prevents damage up to the amount on the target. This ability can be used 1/combat.
If one side of a coin had a Hex Maniac on it, the other side would have a Sage. These occultists are experts on the various protective Blessings that Pokémon are capable of bestowing on their allies, and can replicate these effects themselves to protect their allies and selves from harm. Sages are often the guardians of sacred sites, such as shrines dedicated to Legendary Pokémon or historical monuments, and utilize these arts to help shield these sites from vandals and criminals. While they can’t pack a punch themselves, their allies will be well guarded enough to do that for them.
Much like Hex Maniac, Sage doesn’t require much combat investment to get great use out of. It makes an excellent option for a character that focuses on Pokemon Support and wants something defensive to use their Standard Actions on. Healing in combat is scarce in Pokémon Tabletop United, making Sage’s ability to shield allies from damage a very valuable asset to a group of traveling trainers.
Telekinetic
+4 to Focus
Unique Bonus: You gain the Telekinetic Capability
Telekinetic Pokemon and Trainers can move objects with their mind, using their Focus instead of Athletics. They can target objects 8 meters away. Count the combined weight of all weight of all objects when determine whether they can lift all of them, straining the weight limit creates discoverable Psychic residue. Additionally, the user can use struggle attacks at a range of X meters, where X is the user's Focus bonus. The user may have this attack be Special Attack instead of a Attack. The user may attempt to disarm, trip, or push at the range of their Telekinesis and use their Focus bonus for all opposed rolls. When the push is used this way, the target is pushed a number of meters equal to half their Focus bonus.
Masters of one of the most classic supernatural powers, telekinesis, these skilled psionics can manipulate and move objects with nothing more than a simple thought. As their powers grow, they become able to lift themselves off the ground or even incapacitate a foe by levitating them.
With a more honed technique, Telekinetics can wield their weapons at a great distance and even summon up pure kinetic energy to send their foes flying. Those who find themselves fighting a Telekinetic are often stymied by their defensive capabilities, as psionic barriers rise up to block their path and subtle distortions in the air divert their attacks.
Teamed up with Psychic Type Pokémon, Telekinetics can easily keep enemies at bay with a continual application of telekinetic pushing or barriers, but their powers are just as well suited toward augmenting the fighting ability of any other type of Pokémon.
Telepath
+2 to Focus and Intuition
Unique Bonus: Gain Telepathy for the rest of the scene.
Telepathy: A Telepathic Pokemon or Trainer can read the surface thoughts of people and other Pokemon X meters away where X is their Focus bonus doubled. Trainers with Telepathy can project their thoughts to the minds of other Trainers or Pokemon equal to their Focus bonus, but can only read one target at a time. Telepathy may be used to read minds with or without making the target aware, but unwilling targets and targets unaware automatically resist. A resisting target and the Telepathy user must roll opposed Focus tests. A failure imposes a cumulative -2 penalty on using Telepathy on that target for the next 24 hours and leaves discoverable Psychic residue.
It’s hard to keep a secret from a Telepath. They are psionics with a mastery of the mind, both their own and others’. With a thought, they can hone their own minds to better focus in a fight, and they can learn to easily avoid being caught in friendly fire.
However, their most iconic ability, and that which gives them their reputation, is the ability to read the surface thoughts of others. With training, they can even plant thoughts in others’ heads, guiding them toward lines of thinking that better allow their mind reading to get at secrets that aren’t often on someone’s mind, or guiding them toward a particular action without them being aware at all of the manipulation.
Telepaths who dedicate themselves to the combat arts find themselves with the advantage of being able to lock onto someone’s movements through their thoughts, ensuring their attacks hit. They can also telepathically warn their allies of their next move, ensuring they never cause a casualty through friendly fire.
Warper
+2 to Focus and Guile
Unique Bonus: Gain Probability Control.
Probability Control: The user may reroll any roll, or have any ally reroll that has been made. The second roll must be accepted and can't be rerolled, even if it's worse. This ability can't be used on Pokemon. This ability leaves discoverable Psychic residue.
These psionics command only a subtle power over time and space, but that is more than enough to make them formidable opponents and useful allies in their own right. The subtlety of their effects can often make their presence go unknown, even as they apply little twists and nudges to reality to allow their allies to strike true or make difficult athletic maneuvers.
For players who want to play a psychic who has little control over their powers or is even unaware of them, both the base Warper feature and Reality Bender are good representations of subtle changes to reality that someone may be completely unaware that they’re doing.
These subtle manipulations are only some of the effects in a Warper’s arsenal, however. They are masters of teleportation, often using their powers to narrowly avoid devastating attacks or cross great distances with ease. With concentration, they can alter the laws of reality itself over a field of battle, sending Flying Types crashing to the ground or freezing a foe’s wounds in time and preventing them from healing.
Aura Guardian
+4 to Intuition
Unique Bonus: Choose two from Detect, Vacuum Wave, or Force Palm. You learn the chosen moves.
Aura Guardians have the rare ability to perceive and manipulate Aura, or the spiritual essence of all living things. At the most basic level, Aura Guardians can know the intentions and emotions of others at a glance simply by viewing their Aura. Aura Guardians can also project their own thoughts to others.
These abilities alone make Aura Guardians a boon to any traveling party, whether for the sake of watching out for shady characters on their journey or even for pinpointing other living beings while traveling in the dark.
However, with training, Aura Guardians can do even more, projecting and manipulating their Aura to take the form of devastating attacks. While similar to the abilities of psionics, the manipulation of Aura is fundamentally different in that it uses raw spiritual energy instead of being a product of honed mental focus.
Aura Guardians tend to be most at home with Pokémon that can read Auras, though their abilities allow them to easily befriend a variety of species.
Channeler
+4 to Intuition
Unique Bonus: You can channel target Pokemon. If you attempt to channel a hostile Pokemon, you must roll a 15 total Intuition check. You may stop channeling a Pokemon at any time and may have a number of channeled Pokemon equal to your Intuition bonus. If the channeled Pokemon moves more than 20 meters from you, they stop being Channeled.
While channeling a Pokémon, it may communicate its intentions, emotions, and motivations to you and you may communicate similarly with them; neither party may be deceitful in this exchange. You also become aware of all of its Moves, Abilities, and Capabilities. Allied Channeled Pokémon may always attempt to take hits for each other, regardless of Loyalty. If you are Fainted, you stop channeling all Pokémon. Whenever you channel a Pokémon, you have a vague knowledge of what has happened in the Pokémon’s past hour as if they were your own memories.
Hex Maniac
+4 Occult Education
Unique Bonus: Choose Cursed Body or Omen. You gain the chosen ability.
Hex Maniacs are masters of occult practices associated with Ghost-Type Pokémon, and they are capable of replicating many of the debilitating Moves that those Pokémon use to cripple their foes. While many people would assume that those learning these dark arts are in it for power or petty vengeance, that doesn’t have to be the case. The caretakers of Pokémon tombs often turn their expertise in the occult into the Hex Maniac’s combat techniques as a matter of practicality. Malicious Ghost-Type Pokémon, grave robbers, and those seeking to pilfer powerful artifacts from the sacred sites that are often found near where Ghost-Types gather are all good reasons to learn hexes and curses for self-defense.
Most other Trainer Combat Classes can make good use of a Hex Maniac’s arsenal, even if they aren’t invested enough in Special Attack to make Hex effective.
Ninja
+2 to Stealth and Combat
Unique Bonus: Choose Ninja Training or Ninja's Arsenal. You may gain the other ability through advancement.
Ninja Training: You learn the moves Double Team and Poison Powder.
Ninja's Arsenal: You may craft an Antidote, Smoke Ball, Caltrops, or Toxic Caltrops for 100 yen.
Practitioners of the ancient art of ninjutsu, Ninjas are deadly and feared warriors that excel at using eadly poisons and clever subterfuge. Being a Ninja means first and foremost having a versatile set of options at hand, and thus Ninjas require a broad skillset – they must not only be practiced fighters but also masters of stealth.
A skilled Ninja goes into battle with tools prepared that can be handed off to allies to produce hazards for their opponents or countermeasures to the toxins they study. A Ninja’s deceptive arsenal also includes poisoned weapons and illusionary clones.
As might be expected, Ninjas tend toward using Poison Type Pokémon or those of a stealthy and subtle disposition, but this is not always the case. Sometimes a larger, flashy Pokémon can be the perfect distraction for a Ninja trying to sneak by and deliver a decisive blow elsewhere.
Oracle
+2 to Intuition and Perception.
Unique Bonus: Divination: You may perform an Augury or Scrying.
Augury: The user has a vision, dream, or similar event that may depict past, present, or future events. The clarity of the vision may vary, as well as the user's ability to remember it.
Scrying: You see visions of what has happened to the item you are touching, or your current location, over the last 24 hours. The images may be jumbled or unclear.
Oracles have trained their mystic abilities to a mastery over past and future. With a few minutes of concentration, an Oracle can glean the recent events surrounding an area or object, and their intuitive nature often guides them to draw conclusions or find objects that elude the grasp of others.
This is not to say that Oracles cannot also apply their powers to battle - it turns out that peering into the future is quite an advantage in battle. Oracles can use their abilities to more readily assure that their attacks and those of their allies strike true or to avoid the attacks of others. Illusions mean nothing to them, and they can warn their allies of such supernatural attempts at misdirection.
Sage
+4 to Occult Education.
Unique Bonus: An ally gains a shield bonus equal to your Occult Education bonus doubled for one round. This shield prevents damage up to the amount on the target. This ability can be used 1/combat.
If one side of a coin had a Hex Maniac on it, the other side would have a Sage. These occultists are experts on the various protective Blessings that Pokémon are capable of bestowing on their allies, and can replicate these effects themselves to protect their allies and selves from harm. Sages are often the guardians of sacred sites, such as shrines dedicated to Legendary Pokémon or historical monuments, and utilize these arts to help shield these sites from vandals and criminals. While they can’t pack a punch themselves, their allies will be well guarded enough to do that for them.
Much like Hex Maniac, Sage doesn’t require much combat investment to get great use out of. It makes an excellent option for a character that focuses on Pokemon Support and wants something defensive to use their Standard Actions on. Healing in combat is scarce in Pokémon Tabletop United, making Sage’s ability to shield allies from damage a very valuable asset to a group of traveling trainers.
Telekinetic
+4 to Focus
Unique Bonus: You gain the Telekinetic Capability
Telekinetic Pokemon and Trainers can move objects with their mind, using their Focus instead of Athletics. They can target objects 8 meters away. Count the combined weight of all weight of all objects when determine whether they can lift all of them, straining the weight limit creates discoverable Psychic residue. Additionally, the user can use struggle attacks at a range of X meters, where X is the user's Focus bonus. The user may have this attack be Special Attack instead of a Attack. The user may attempt to disarm, trip, or push at the range of their Telekinesis and use their Focus bonus for all opposed rolls. When the push is used this way, the target is pushed a number of meters equal to half their Focus bonus.
Masters of one of the most classic supernatural powers, telekinesis, these skilled psionics can manipulate and move objects with nothing more than a simple thought. As their powers grow, they become able to lift themselves off the ground or even incapacitate a foe by levitating them.
With a more honed technique, Telekinetics can wield their weapons at a great distance and even summon up pure kinetic energy to send their foes flying. Those who find themselves fighting a Telekinetic are often stymied by their defensive capabilities, as psionic barriers rise up to block their path and subtle distortions in the air divert their attacks.
Teamed up with Psychic Type Pokémon, Telekinetics can easily keep enemies at bay with a continual application of telekinetic pushing or barriers, but their powers are just as well suited toward augmenting the fighting ability of any other type of Pokémon.
Telepath
+2 to Focus and Intuition
Unique Bonus: Gain Telepathy for the rest of the scene.
Telepathy: A Telepathic Pokemon or Trainer can read the surface thoughts of people and other Pokemon X meters away where X is their Focus bonus doubled. Trainers with Telepathy can project their thoughts to the minds of other Trainers or Pokemon equal to their Focus bonus, but can only read one target at a time. Telepathy may be used to read minds with or without making the target aware, but unwilling targets and targets unaware automatically resist. A resisting target and the Telepathy user must roll opposed Focus tests. A failure imposes a cumulative -2 penalty on using Telepathy on that target for the next 24 hours and leaves discoverable Psychic residue.
It’s hard to keep a secret from a Telepath. They are psionics with a mastery of the mind, both their own and others’. With a thought, they can hone their own minds to better focus in a fight, and they can learn to easily avoid being caught in friendly fire.
However, their most iconic ability, and that which gives them their reputation, is the ability to read the surface thoughts of others. With training, they can even plant thoughts in others’ heads, guiding them toward lines of thinking that better allow their mind reading to get at secrets that aren’t often on someone’s mind, or guiding them toward a particular action without them being aware at all of the manipulation.
Telepaths who dedicate themselves to the combat arts find themselves with the advantage of being able to lock onto someone’s movements through their thoughts, ensuring their attacks hit. They can also telepathically warn their allies of their next move, ensuring they never cause a casualty through friendly fire.
Warper
+2 to Focus and Guile
Unique Bonus: Gain Probability Control.
Probability Control: The user may reroll any roll, or have any ally reroll that has been made. The second roll must be accepted and can't be rerolled, even if it's worse. This ability can't be used on Pokemon. This ability leaves discoverable Psychic residue.
These psionics command only a subtle power over time and space, but that is more than enough to make them formidable opponents and useful allies in their own right. The subtlety of their effects can often make their presence go unknown, even as they apply little twists and nudges to reality to allow their allies to strike true or make difficult athletic maneuvers.
For players who want to play a psychic who has little control over their powers or is even unaware of them, both the base Warper feature and Reality Bender are good representations of subtle changes to reality that someone may be completely unaware that they’re doing.
These subtle manipulations are only some of the effects in a Warper’s arsenal, however. They are masters of teleportation, often using their powers to narrowly avoid devastating attacks or cross great distances with ease. With concentration, they can alter the laws of reality itself over a field of battle, sending Flying Types crashing to the ground or freezing a foe’s wounds in time and preventing them from healing.
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