Pokemon: The Tabletop RPG?

If Nintendo/Game Freak were to publish a Tabletop RPG of Pokemon, I would...

  • Purchase the Game with excitement.

    Votes: 28 51.9%

  • Purchase the Game without much enthusiasm.

    Votes: 3 5.6%

  • Wait to see what others thought before purchasing the Game.

    Votes: 21 38.9%

  • Not purchase the game. Period.

    Votes: 2 3.7%
  • Total voters
    54
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Kalylia

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So, this was really the only place I could think to put this, as it IS labeled Tabletop Games. So, if that's the case...

As of right now, Nintendo/Game Freak does not have a hold of the market tabletop role play game market. So, as a fan who's currently working on a completely fan-based (and please note, not for profit, period) prototype of what could be done in a tabletop roleplaying setting with the Pokemon world, I'm just curious to see what other Pokemon enthusiasts would think if such a thing were to hit the market.

Would you buy?

What would you want to see done with the game?
 
I think it'd be pretty darn cool if done right, but I would want to wait to see what others think, as there's no point playing a tabletop RPG alone, is there?
 
I have enough money to spare at the moment, so I'd prolly buy it. Sounds cool. BTW, thanks for posting.
 
As of now, I'm looking at creating 4 base classes for humans -- Trainer, Coordinator, Breeder, and Ranger. And each of those classes would eventually have "prestige classes" as they're known in DND.

I'm coming up on the alpha test for the Pokemon battle system here in about a week. I hope THAT goes well. *laughs*
 
I can safely say that the alpha battle system runs fairly smoothly... for the base mechanics at least, however, that was just in a one on one battle with one pokemon.

How everything works when moving into the beta testing, I'm excited to see.

*loves being on the inside of this*
 
I would definitely buy a Pokemon Tabletop RPG...once again though, assuming I could find others with whom I could play...as that's always my problem.

If you don't mind me asking, how exactly would those classes differ in a tabletop setting?
 
Well, each class focuses on different things and this gets different "bonuses." I haven't worked out what the Bonuses are yet, but I have got a basic idea for each class.

(Up to this point, I've been mostly focusing on the Battle system.)

A Trainer focuses on battle and winning those battles. They desire a mastery over battle, and thus needs to know how to work with each Pokemon. Thus the ever popular gotta catch 'em all phrase.

A Coordinator deals with contests and contest battles, which are more about making a Pokemon look good as opposed to straight-out winning.

A Breeder wants to be able to raise the healthiest, happiest Pokemon.

And a Ranger desires to protect Pokemon in the wild that don't have a human companion to stand up for them.
 
There was a fanmade tabletop RPG in Japan a while back, using the TRPG system, but all I managed to find for it were a few books with stats for Pokéon, and that was in 2004.

We did also have a small effort to make a tabletop RPG here a few years back, which was using the open-source Tri-stat system (a lot simpler than D20), but that also didn't get far off the ground.
 
What I'm working on has already made it pretty far. It's a little complicated to explain in a few short sentences, but stats are basically based on D6 progressions, and the battle system is a D% based system. I'm sort of mashing things together in ways that fit the Pokemon world easily.
 
I would SO buy it! Now what system would you use? A standard D20 system like D&D, or go like 7th Sea with exploding D10's? Oh! Or Amber dies less?!

And then the character sheet, I understand the trainer will have a condensed sheet like 4ED D&D. And then for each pokemon the trainer owns, will it act like a summoned creature for casters? I can imagine the 'Pokemon monster manual' being really similar to the D&D monster manual. I'm sure 4ED would be perfect to model it after, since it's so heavy in the battling side of it vs. 3.5 that was very 'role playing' heavy.

Sorry! I am so showing my nerdy colors here. Both my husband and I are huge role players. My husband more than I but I've had my experiences. D&D 3.5 and 4th ED, 7TH seas, Star Wars, and some White Wolf. I would be awesome if it were real!
 
elgera said:
I would SO buy it! Now what system would you use? A standard D20 system like D&D, or go like 7th Sea with exploding D10's? Oh! Or Amber dies less?!

And then the character sheet, I understand the trainer will have a condensed sheet like 4ED D&D. And then for each pokemon the trainer owns, will it act like a summoned creature for casters? I can imagine the 'Pokemon monster manual' being really similar to the D&D monster manual. I'm sure 4ED would be perfect to model it after, since it's so heavy in the battling side of it vs. 3.5 that was very 'role playing' heavy.

Sorry! I am so showing my nerdy colors here. Both my husband and I are huge role players. My husband more than I but I've had my experiences. D&D 3.5 and 4th ED, 7TH seas, Star Wars, and some White Wolf. I would be awesome if it were real!
Click to expand...

To help Kalylia out a bit here, there is no existing system that this really fits well into. The stats for pokemon, as well as pokemon battles is all based on percentile, with stat progressions running on a dice based point buy progression.

Both of us have been thinking about the system to fully model the human side of it. I don't believe that DND 4th Ed would work, and the only d20 iteration that I could possibly see working would be Saga edition (which was basically DND version 3.75).

We'll most likely have to build something from the ground up. Lucky for her she's engaged to someone big into game design, lol.
 
Cyril said:
Lucky for her she's engaged to someone big into game design, lol.
Click to expand...

Don't let him fool you. I'm designing the system. He's my muse, of course. And he's been instrumental in helping me. :p

I'm totally into game design to, you jerk. =D Love jooo!

Anywho, he's right. The system I'm working with is completely unique. It's sort of a mash of things that I'm putting together as they fit with the established Pokemon world.
 
Double Post. I is sowwy. But I have an update! A letter has been sent to Pokemon USA Inc about my project, though I have yet to receive a response. (Though I assume they won't even be getting the letter I wrote until Monday at the earliest anyway.)

AND!

I completed the alpha test of the battle system yesterday at my community's local Convention. While I only had three playtesters, they were all very pleased with what I've done. Some of the comments thrown around were that it was really fun to play, it had a lot of potential, and was pretty easy to get a handle on.

The playtest also showed me the flaws in my current design for the battle system. Luckily, these flaws were mostly oversights on my part as opposed to flaws for the actual system I've created. With a little editing and a few additions, the battle system will be almost completely seamless.
 
Wow, Kalylia! It seems you practically have this all wrapped up! Now, you just need to concentrate on the other aspects of the game!
 
Could you do us a favor and post the system? I've been playing a homebrew (read: crappy) system for the past month and I've been looking for something new to replace it.

But I'm wondering something. The one aspect that really put me off as a GM was during certain RP scenes (mainly battling and catching, tbh) one character would be doing the most (battling a trainer or catching a pokemon) and the other guys would sit there twiddling their thumbs. I encouraged the non-participants to RP, but there's only so many times you can cheer. :\ I tried remedying the system by having all the trainers go after the wild pokemon (GREAT visuals, btw) but that was a little crazy.

Also, you should set up a community online for all this. :) Maybe an online RP counterpart?
 
As of right now, I'm not willing to put up anything up online. I still dont' have a copyright or patent on the system, and to be honest, I don't trust the information just floating around online. Once I've got everything completed and a copyright on the system, there will be two different options. Either Nintendo/Game Freak/Pokemon Inc will buy the product and begin marketing it, or I will put the system up online as a free pdf download.
 
I really should learn to branch out more. I've been working on a d20 Pokemon game for about 2 years now. It's a heavily modded system but my play testers have greatly enjoyed it. I'm really interested in seeing someone elses take on the concept, and see where maybe my system could improve. We've tried to solve the absolutely ridiculous number crunching once pokemon get near max level, but it's no picnic.

As far as classes though, I went with a system based on in-game trainers, and prestige's based on the Pokedex holders from the Special Manga. I've had to tone down the Healer twice, but the battler, trainer, and evolver work very well. Like Psychic trainers get a bonus to trainer checks, obedience checks, empathy checks, catch rolls and damage with pokemon that have one of their types listed as psychic. For the prestiges the battler gets stuff like bonus damage, better ac, attack type focus (works like weapon focus), improved criticals etc. Trainer gets bonus experiance, improved loyalty, teamwork bonuses in doubles battles...

I could write all day here on my system, if you're ever interested in some of my notes, I need an excuse to finally get it all out of the spiral notebook and onto my computer.

Really looking forward to getting some fresh looks on things I'm missing in my game. Good Luck!
 
Sounds like a good idea. I'd buy it if it came out. But try to keep it from growing into a monster like D&D.

EDIT: I would also like to develop this game.
 
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