Custom Evolution & Training Brew

Training the starts the same way as it does in the base game. When you player goes to train, ask them what they’re doing to train with their pokemon. Encourage them to flourish and make it feel like a moment in the anime.

Next, the GM will decide which Attribute is relevant to the type of training being done. For example, an obstacle course might use Dexterity, but planning out attack plans would be Clever. The GM will also decide which Skill is most relevant to the training at hand, or simply choose Lore (which I affectionately call the Pokedex skill).

The trainer will roll whatever dice pool the GM assigns them and get a number of successes. Those successes with count as Training EXP. Those can then be assigned to your current Training Goal. These two terms are what expand on the existing structure.

Training your Pokemon comes with a goal in mind. Each Goal has a required amount of Training EXP before you and your Pokemon can achieve it.

After a training session, you can choose one Goal and put the Training EXP you earned towards it. You can only do so much in one training session though, so all points earned from a single training session must go to the same Goal.

When you achieve certain Training Goals, you’ll have to reset the Training EXP you’ve put towards other goals. When your Pokemon Ranks Up or Evolves, any points in Retraining and Overranking goals are reset.

Required EXP: Varies by Pokemon Rank

On Rank Up: Reset Retraining and Overranking Goals.

If you are a rank above the Pokemon you’re training, you can dedicate Training EXP towards the required successes a Pokemon needs to advance in Rank. This is the same as the core game mechanic and you can check the book for more information.

Required EXP: 3

On Retraining: Nothing is reset.

After reach the required Training EXP of 3, a trainer may modify their pokemon’s sheet in the following ways. This mechanic is also from the core book, see it for more information.

• Redistribute all Attributes and Social Attributes awarded by Rank.
• Redistribute all Skill Points awarded by Rank. Assign all Skill Points from a Rank, before assigning all Skill Points from the next Rank.
• Pokémon may forget Moves and learn new Moves from available Ranks. Forgotten Moves exclusive to previous Evolutions are lost forever.

Required EXP: Varies by Pokemon Rank

On Overranking: Nothing is reset.

Overranking is an existing mechanic in the Pokerole core book, however we’re slightly modifying it. Instead of requiring Victories in battle to Overrank, learning an Overranked move can be done with Training EXP.

A Pokemon can learn a move from the Rank above it’s current rank by achieving the amount of Training EXP it would need to rank up to that Rank.

For Example, an Absol can learn Slash at Amateur Rank. For an Absol at Beginner rank to learn Slash via Overranking, the Absol would need 6 Training EXP. (The move learned is not declared as part of the goal; the move learned is chosen when the goal is reached.)

Required EXP: Varies by Pokemon Species

On Evolution: Reset Retraining and Overranking.

In base Pokerole, typical evolution is achieved via Victories in battle. Here, Evolution is included as a Training Goal, which means you can put your Training EXP towards evolution. However, Evolution is a special Training Goal in that Victories in battle count towards them, much like the base game. Battle Victories ONLY count towards Evolution, not any other Training Goal.

This only impacts Evolutions that have an evolution speed. Special evolutions like evolving via a stone, location, or happiness cannot be achieved through this variant. A trainer must complete the special conditions for the evolution per normal.

Author’s Note: While this mechanic has been presented, I’m a stark believer in if there’s an amazing moment that evolves (pun unintentional) from the narrative, allow for that evolution!