Battle Royale!
The 2001 Japanese cult classic is one of my all-time favorite movies. It's chilling, has great characters, and sports a message that I can relate to. But mostly, it just tickles my fancy as a game designer. While I may never be able to replicate the emotional impact of such a situation in game form, I've tried in many different ways to turn Battle Royale into a game. Now, different forums have different resources to draw from, but when I thought about how I could apply BR to Smogon a stroke of brilliance hit me.
Shoddy Battle Royale
Battle Royale games are played with 32 players, starting in 16 spaces in a 4x4 grid. At the start of each round, the announcer will warn all combatants that at the end of the round one space will become a permanent dead zone. The game ends when only one player is left standing, or it ends at the end of round 16 with no winners.
Set-Up
When signing up for the game, players will also PM the host a Character Creation. Each player has an ability score between 1 and 5 in four different categories, and each player gets 10 points in total.
Battle
This determines the amount of EVs each Pokemon the player uses gets.
Intelligence
This determines the player's ability to create new items, find berries in the wild, and set traps.
Stealth
This determines the player's ability to stay hidden, scout out enemy teams, and steal from the opponent.
Charisma
Should roleplay fail, this gives the player the ability to talk their way out of a fight, or even force subordination at higher levels. This ability is less practical than Battle, and less Ubiquitous than Intelligence or Stealth, but it is powerful. However, if you force someone to follow you, you will not be notified when the effect wears off.
When the players are chosen and the game starts, each player will secretly receive 10 Pokemon (3 OU, 1 BL, 3 UU, and 3 NU). These Pokemon will be somewhat randomized, but will not be totally unbalanced (I'll rerandomize any groups with 5 fire types, for instance). Out of these Pokemon you choose 6 to play with. Each player will also start with 3 items (none of them will be useless, but if you want a choice item or leftovers your best bet is to put 5 points into Intelligence).
Yes, some starting teams will be better than others. If this was a true BR sim, one unlucky player would get a team of Luvdiscs, so be thankful for whatever you get.
Each player will then send me their finished teams, with no more EVs than their Battle ability allows and only the items they received. Players may use any legal moveset.
Rounds and Actions
I will then message each player with their starting position, and whether they encounter another player or not. I will also make a general post stating which area will be a dead zone at the end of the round (if you're in it, you'd better move).
Each player can take two actions per round. These are;
Rest
Restores one feinted Pokemon to full health. You choose which Pokemon to bring back.
Build Item
The player attempts to create a new item. The higher the player's Intelligence, the better the item.
Find Berries
The player searches for berries. The higher the player's Intelligence, the more berries they will find and the better they will be. (Berries are single use, if used in battle you lose it forever).
Set Traps
The player sets a trap that has a chance of successfully activating against enemy that enters the same space. The higher the player's Intelligence, the more likely the trap is to feint an enemy Pokemon.
Search for Others
The player tries to find other players. The higher the player's Stealth, the more likely this will work without exposing the player to others.
Hide
The player reduces their likelihood of being encountered for this round. The higher the player's Stealth, the better this move is.
The next three moves only work if you have encountered another player. They do not need to know that you have seen them for these to work.
Scout
Gain information on another player's team. Higher Stealth increases info and reduces chance of being caught.
Steal
Steal an item from another player. Higher Stealth increases selection when stealing and reduces chance of being caught.
Movement
In addition to two actions, each player may either move 1 space or stay out each round.
Encounters and Roleplay
When one player finds another, they may contact the other player to start a roleplay, but they may do nothing.
When two players see each other however, they should roleplay over IRC. I will create a room for this purpose.
How you roleplay is up to you, but it can conclude in several ways.
Battle
Both players choose a time to get on Shoddy Battle, then PM me the time. I will try to show up for the fight, but if I do not send me a log of it. If either player wants to fight, then they must fight, unless one player uses a Charisma power. Battle Rules can be found further down.
Walk Away
Both players may agree to simply part ways without violence.
Bribe
One player may bribe another to leave them alone for the rest of the round, or to join forces. They may give items or even Pokemon (see battle rules for info regarding acquiring more than 6 Pokemon). Whatever the players decide, a bribe must be upheld. If another player bribes you, you must uphold your end of the agreement.
Join Forces
Up to four players may be in a group at a time. There is strength in numbers. More eyes means less Stealth players sneaking up on you, and any one player would be reluctant to attack a large group on their own. However, trusting other players could leave you open to being stabbed in the back.
Back Stab
When two or more players are in a group, any member may PM me and announce that they would like to back stab another. By back stabbing them, you can knock out one Pokemon of your choice before fighting them. If you don't know what Pokemon your teammate has, the feinted Pokemon is random. Other members of your group may know what you did, or they might not, but they'll certainly wonder why one of them suddenly died.
Charismatic Flee
If your opponent wants to fight you, you may use your Charisma ability to flee from the fight. PM me, based on your Charisma ability and a die I will determine whether you succeed or not.
Force Subordination
You may force another player to follow your orders for an indeterminate number of rounds. PM me, and depending on your Charisma ability I will roll to see whether this works. I will not tell you the result, I will tell your opponent. You will not know when this wears off. Another player may not back stab you while Force Subordination is active.
Battle and Rewards
The following rules are active during battle, Sleep Clause, OHKO Clause, and Evasion Clause.
If a Berry is used during battle, it is used forever and must be removed from your team after the battle unless you have another one.
If Trick is used, or any other item changing ability, this change in item ownership is permanent.
At the end of the battle, if any of your Pokemon are KO'd you must use Rest until you can use them again. If you get into a fight before your team is fully rested, replace your Knocked Out Pokemon with a Level 1 Magikarp and do not switch to it. Any Pokemon that isn't knocked out is returned to full health after each battle, due to Shoddy Battle limitations.
After winning a fight, you get to pilfer 1 Item and 1 Pokemon from your opponent. If you have more than 6 Pokemon, 1 must be permanently discarded. You may not change the moveset or nature of your opponent's Pokemon, but you may change its item. Depending on your Battle ability, you may have to add or subtract EVs from your new Pokemon. You may only add or subtract, you may not redistribute. Whenever obtaining a new Pokemon, always send me your new team.
And thats it. Rounds will ideally be 48 hours long, but will take longer due to individual Pokemon battles. Battle Royale is always a fun and intriguing game to play, and Shoddy Battle will only make it better. I need at least 8 People to express interest in the game, so please post your thoughts.