Six Pokemon limit

[matt0044]

In my fic, my main protagonist has a team of Pokemon but decides to stick to the team of six limit because that's as much as she can handle. This is also because I can't handle a team of twenty and keep things consistent. ESPECIALLY when each Pokemon on the team has their own character.

My question: is it okay? I'm scared that I'll be chewed out for being... lazy.

 

[Dorothy LaRouge]

I always imagined the six-Pokemon limit to be a League regulation to ensure official matches are fair, even, and uniform. Basically, one of the "rules" of the sport. That's how I've always portrayed it (except in Bulbagarden! where the limit is seven).

 

[CrystaI]

I adapted the explanation from Pokemon Special manga, and added a bit of extra further details on that issue.

In Pokemon Special manga, it was said that there is actually no limitation about how many pokemon a trainer may carry around at one time. But there is a fear that trainer cannot equally split the care and love among each pokemon within his/her team. Therefore Pokemon Association set a rule (or more correctly speaking the Code of Ethics for pokemon trainers) saying that pokemon trainers should at most carry 6 pokemon each time. Carrying more than such number will be deemed as irregular and will be despise by the community. Official pokemon battles also adapting this moral rules, so pokemon battles under the official regulations is limited to using maximum of 6 pokemons only.

On top of that, I added some extra part that was not mentioned in Pokemon Special manga.
Other than the fear of love from trainer is being split, that is also a general concern of whether trainer has the ability to take care of so many pokemons, and the possible quarrel occurring between the pokemons within one team of one trainer. Hence the 6 pokemon carrying limit is not only the official limit, but also the rule of thumb from ability-wise viewpoint. Whether one is a trainer or not, or whether one possess pokemon for fighting purpose or even just for pet, should follow this code of ethics.



Though, due to the crossover nature of my fic, three of my five main characters carry total of 7 for half of the story.

 

[matt0044]

In the case of evil teams, I write that they have a two Pokemon limit due to the grunts not being good enough to look after more that even three AND because the bosses are cautious of giving the goons power that can be used against them.

 

[Misfit Angel]

Caitlin and I had limited ourselves to five for Storm Island for ease of writing. A proper, in universe explanation for that was never given. I don't think it would be a league regulation, just something that has happened over time as people found that "sweet spot" when it comes to taking care of and training their teams.

Besides, I can't think of many trainers in the games who had more than five besides the player, Red, and that guy who wasted your time with six Magikarps.

 

[Life]

Though I haven't mentioned it yet in my story, there is no limit to the amount of Pokémon a trainer may carry. There are, however, league rules that specify only six Pokémon at maximum can be used in a battle, which is considered a full battle by the association.

I suppose it could get a bit messy having the main character have more than six partners, but I think there's an advantage to it as it allows more diversity and side-stories to occur.

 

[SerenaKetchum]

Wouldn't it be hard to juggle the characters of like 10 Pokemon?

 

[Life]

Wouldn't it be hard to juggle the characters of like 10 Pokemon?

My view is that it wouldn't be. Most fics I've read have at least two protagonists, both of whom usually have full teams of six, which adds up to twelve, hence why I believe it's alright to go over six Pokémon, granted there is only one protagonist. Though I definitely think there is a limit as to how many should be given to him/her.

 

[Drakon]

I think the six pokémon limit is a league rule for league competitions only.

Informal matches like between friends or maybe casual matches between people on the road are not subject to the limit. But the number of pokémon used is previously agreed on before the match. The League has no jurisdiction on the specific rules of the fight. However, the law limits what you can do in the fight.

Villainous teams tend not to follow the law. Or for that matter, the League rules. When trainers fight them, they are not obligates to obey League rules — and to a limited extent, they may ignore the law (self-defense). Thus ganging up on the villain's team, using weapons and depending on the severity of the situation, killing the opposing trainer and their pokémon is acceptable.

Put it this way, UFC requires that male fighters be shirtless, barefoot and wearing athletic trunks. But if you and your friends wanted to do a MMA fight for fun, if you both agree to fight in clown wigs and wetsuits, the UFC can't stop you. But the cops may take a different opinion if you decide to include weapons in the MMA fight.

 

[matt0044]

Of course, evil team leaders would restrict how many Pokemon the grunts used. Wouldn't want them to have too MUCH power...

 

[TrainerRyan]

In the Anime, when ever Ash capture a Pokemon and already have 6 on him, the Pokemon automatically is sent to Oak's Lab. Would be interesting to know some more details about this system. Anyhow, for any Trainer, unless if he or she can somehow Hack this system, they probably can't carry more than 6 Pokemon

 

[The Dude]

Having it be a Pokemon League regulation is the only logical solution if you're keeping the limit in your story. It's in the official Trainer Rulebook.

 

[KrspaceT]

In my story it is regulation as well, though with some backstory behind it involving a criminal known as '20 Gyarados Bill' or something like that.

 

[League]

My question: is it okay? I'm scared that I'll be chewed out for being... lazy.

Oh you are so very lazy!

But no, there's nothing that states that having such a large roster of pokemon is necessary or even ideal in a pokemon fanfiction.

If I were to explain the 6-pokemon possession limit, I'd explain it as a prevailing stigma, one that even the most villainous Team leaders individually feel or otherwise recognize (as do the Teams under them). There is half the societal pressure to interact significantly with each pokemon travelling with you (especially as there are individuals adept at seeing and sensing the feelings of carried pokemon, some being so adept that they don't even need to see these pokemon out of their pokeballs), and there is half the societal pressure to not appear underhanded.

 

[matt0044]

If I were to explain the 6-pokemon possession limit, I'd explain it as a prevailing stigma, one that even the most villainous Team leaders individually feel or otherwise recognize (as do the Teams under them). There is half the societal pressure to interact significantly with each pokemon travelling with you (especially as there are individuals adept at seeing and sensing the feelings of carried pokemon, some being so adept that they don't even need to see these pokemon out of their pokeballs), and there is half the societal pressure to not appear underhanded.

That is a good idea. Not to mention how Team Plasma might be on social media online to spread the word.

 

[Flaze]

To echo what everyone's said, for my fic made it so that it'd be optional for a trainer to Box any Pokemon they get after they have 6 but that in actual competitions a Trainer would have to pick 6 Pokemon to fight, this was later applied to any competition. Still the majority of trainers prefer to carry just 6 because it's easier to handle 6 Pokemon but there are Trainers that have opted for carrying more, though they haven't appeared in my fic yet.

 

[diamondpearl876]

I keep the six pokemon limit for fairness reasons. My favorite pokemon fic author, though, allows people to carry more than six pokemon with a breeder's license. And that's what I'll be going with for my next fic.

 

[Persephone]

I never address why, but I would certainly never go with more than six at a time. I treat Pokemon as their own individual characters with personalities, motivations, and character development. Trying to handle seven+ Pokemon and a trainer at the same time would be a nightmare that I just don't want to deal with. But, if you're going for a dark fic where it's kill or be killed or the goal is to catch them all and you want to give everything at least a little screentime, it might be necessary to go with more than six.

Either way, I view it more as an issue of the author's convenience. You can handwave it either way if you really need to.

 

[polmpolm]

I think the most I actually got to writing was having 5 on hand so far. I never really thought how I could handle writing 7 or more personalities for a Pokemon per character or a certain backstory that may end up being similar unintentionally :0
Thought I like the fact of the six Pokemon limit, it makes it easier to walk around places without having your bag being dragged behind you with nearly 200 pokemon after you complete a national pokedex xD Can you imaging if the games were like skyrim and how fast you could walk or run depends on the amount of weight you were carrying and there was no limit xD

 

[AetherX]

I just figure that the League arbitrarily set a "full battle" as six. Consequently, belts and other pokeball carrying devices were only made with six slots so most trainers just stick to six for the sake of convenience. That's the reasoning in my stories at least, and I think it makes sense. Having more than six would be hard to deal with while traveling (whereas breeders staying in one place could obviously handle more). My protagonist is currently carrying seven, and even when he had less he had a habit of neglecting one.

Given that most writers (myself included) are kind of bad at giving even a few Pokemon good characterization, throwing in more is probably not a good idea.