Writing battles

[matt0044]

I've been draft my fanfic for sometime and I'm wondering how others write battles. I basically write out the four attacks for the Pokemon about to battle and I, well, make it up as I go along based on them as well as the characters of the human Trainer too. There's a general plan but I try to be flexible if an idea occurs to me.

Anybody else?

 

[jackatlasred]

I just really remember the four attacks in my mind. I also open up the pages of the pokemon in bulbapedia, so I can make it real, have an image of them in my mind. Then I just go with my general idea of how it would go.

 

[Lord Kyuubi]

I wrote a fair bit about this a while back. It was technically more like advice than anything else, but never mind that. Anyway...

I doubt I have anything hugely insightful or valuable to contribute, but...

A point worth raising is that it's important to avoid the trap of 'listing attacks'. A written action scene is obviously very different to an ingame battle. Describing what a pokemon is doing is a lot more important than slapping a label on it. Writing, for example, 'the zigzagoon rushed forwards and pounced, slamming against the patrat and knocking him down' obviously reads more dramatically and descriptively than 'zigzagoon attacked patrat with a powerful Take Down', even if the latter was still a little more than just stating the move.

This may be more my own approach, and I'm not sure how many other people write like this, but I don't think it matters if you can't label explicitly what move a pokemon is using, as long as you can describe what they're doing. I try to avoid naming moves, except for specific things like a Shadow Ball, where there's nothing else you can really call it. Even if a pokemon can't usually learn Take Down in-game, that doesn't mean they're incapable of hitting the enemy and knocking them to the ground.

Another thing to bear in mind is that fights will typically be too fast for the trainers to keep track of everything. They won't be reasonably able to keep out a constant stream of orders and directions, so pokemon to an extent need to be taught in advance about fighting and strategies and things, and then the trainers can try to give whatever remaining advice, including specific commands and finer points, as necessary in battle. You may want to have them work out specific techniques or sequences of actions for situations in advance, so a trainer could call out something like 'standard attacking set', and their zigzagoon would know that meant to feint a pounce, dodge around them and bite the enemy pokemon's backside, or something.

Well, that turned out longer than I'd expected. Hopefully something of use came out here, and not totally inane rambling. Probably the latter, though.

Actually, something I forgot to mention originally is that the move names can be useful as short-hand for a trainer giving instructions to their pokemon, but it doesn't really make so much sense for the pokemon themselves to refer to them as such. A trainer may shout out 'Use Bite', and the pokemon would know to bite the enemy, but from the pokemon's point of view, it'd make more sense to think something along the lines of 'I bit into the other pokemon' rather than 'I used Bite on the other pokemon.'

I don't know, it's an old habit of mine to ignore any game mechanics that make no sense, and still prioritise logic over the ones which do. Sticking to a four-move limit only makes sense for game balance, but as actions cannot be so distinctly categorised into specific 'moves' in reality, it doesn't really translate over. Might just be my take on things, but if I were looking for a report of a pokemon battle as they're shown in-game, I'd go to Youtube. Writing need not be so restricted - come up with anything plausible for the pokemon to be able to do, and it should work, whether it fits a move they can learn or not.

I'm moderately aware that my point of view on this goes rather extremely towards realism over game mechanics. But each to their own. Anyway, I've said my piece.

 

[CronusNuzlocker]

I tend to see my battles as little action videos in my mind before I write them out. I know the general moves a pokemon should know and then work from how the animal would behave.

I will say something about the four move limit though. I have a mute protagonist, as in he cannot actually form words, so he gives his pokemonorders by clicking his fingers. Clicking his pointer finger against his thumb makes a different sound from his middle finger and thumb. This method means he only has 4 different trigger sounds and thus 4 different attacks.

In my experience, battles are one of the two things I'm actually good at writing.

 

[Beth Pavell]

My immediate reaction is to say "throw away the game rulebook". Which taken literally is a bit extreme, but a trap some authors fall into is failing to think outside the box and writing every battle like it's something they came across in the competitive circuit.

A battle should be seen first as an action scene and second as a pokémon battle. In the games - and often in the anime, despite the animation - the action is necessarily abstract. The written word gives you the pokémon's whole body to play with, as well as the environment of the field itself. Just as you don't tell a foot chase by volleying actions back and forth, you don't tell a battle by listing attacks and damage.

A battle is also a narrative in itself. The way it plays out will affect the tone of the rest of the chapter - is it a friendly bout? Crushing defeat? Tense stalemate? It's not just the result that matters, but how it unfolds. This is why I choreograph my battles in detail. Others may have different methods, but it does help to know where the major events of the battle are going to be and how much time you intend to spend on them

 

[Kyuuketsuki]

First of all, I disregard anything technical, such as levels of the Pokémon and the four move limitation. Any move usable by the Pokémon and its pre-evolutions is fair game to me, whether by breeding, TM, HM, or move tutor... etc. This of course, has certain self-imposed limitations.

For example, Maylene's Lucario uses no special fighting moves in the games (its most well-known attack in the canon being Aura Sphere), in any of his appearances, so I made it a plot point that Maylene wanted to become an Aura Master, but found out she lacked the ability. To make her feel bad less bad about herself, Riolu started sealing away his powers, and with evolution, he too lost the ability. Thus, Lucario cannot use any special fighting type moves due to his character arc.

Moreover, even though I don't adhere to levels, I do keep in mind that the Pokémon is a new-born one, or still training, and it shouldn't know such an advanced move.

For the battles themselves, i take all the limitations into account as well as the size and weight (subject to my own interpretation) and habitat of the Pokémon (Crasher Wake's Gyarados is barely seen outside water). I have the two trainers scream out an attack, and both Pokémon clash doing it, usually with one of them failing to do so. In non-trainer battles, there are no demands, and the Pokémon clash without any attack being named.

Of course, this is just the technical aspect of battling, but I feel like the other posters did a great job of summing up how to write them in terms of "Show Don't Tell", the trainer and how the Pokémon understands them, and the status/heaviness of a battle.

 

[matt0044]

I choose to use the Four Move Limitation since, well, it's easier for me to when there's just four. Plus, it's not exactly unrealistic when it comes to Pokemon.

 

[Natu? Natu!]

Whichever choice you make regarding the four moves rule or whether Pokémon can use move they cannot learn in the games, et cetera, I think that consistency is important. If you write about your Pokémon forgetting moves in order to learn new moves, you can't suddenly decide to change that in the middle of the story. However, if you're clear from the beginning that your Pokémon don't forget moves, then you may let them use more moves, as long as it's consistent and fair (ie if the protagonist's Pokémon can use moves they cannot use in the games or moves that they 'should' have forgotten, then that should hold for the opponents and wild Pokémon as well).
I think of the in-game battles or tournament battles as a sort of simplified representation of something real. Comparing a 'real' Pokémon battle to an in-game battle, I think would probably be like comparing real-world football to a rather simple football game on the computer. Due to the limitations of the computer and the programming of the game, there is only a limited number of ways you can play football in the game. A real football match has much more strategies you can use or things that you can choose to do in a given situation. In the same way, I think that the battles in the game only represents a limited and simplified version of what Pokémon battling would really be like, if they took place in real life. Fanfiction or the anime aren't as bound by the limitations that limit what can happen in the games, and they don't need to be. For example, when Pikachu manages to set off the sprinkler system by using an electric attack, thereby weakening Brock's Onix in the anime. That can't happen in the games, but it could happen in a fanfic.
Generally, when writing battles, I try to stay away from merely having trainers calling out attacks. I usually try to focus on certain turning points, moments when a Pokémon uses a move in a creative or unexpected way, or moments that have some sort of special significance. My basic rule to decide what can happen in a battle is that it can happen if I can make it believable.

 

[0bs1d1an_kn1ght]

I, too, just write as I go along with my fights. Though I do write down each (important) character's moveset for reference, I only use moves that are necessary; having said that, a battle where a Pokemon uses all 4 of their moves is rare in my fics for various reasons.

 

[Legacy]

I agree with what has been stated above about not simply explaining the a Pokèmon used "tackle," for example. It's an action scene.

My battles aren't even typical Pokèmon-anime like battles where each trainer gets to take their turn calling out attack. I treat battles as an actual fight, where its a fluid situation.

In a real fight, you wouldn't throw a punch, then wait for the other guy to throw his punch before punching again. I try to limit the trainer involvement. I do have them call out instruction, like when to use a well-timed special attack, but i don't follow the turn-based format.

I also find that you can move the battles along faster by doing the following:

"... As the two beasts continued to wage war on the battlefield, trading brutal strikes back and forth, Red waited patiently for his moment to strike... "

Basically, you are able to lengthen the battle without having to bore the reader with every little detail of every attack.

 

[matt0044]

Basically, you are able to lengthen the battle without having to bore the reader with every little detail of every attack.

I prefer to detail the battle but make sure that it's in a way that's exciting to read all the same. Like show how the characters struggle in the fight.

Plus, I want to make sure that the Trainers are the ones mostly in the driving seat and taking charge in being the coach while Pokémon can make their own maneuvers when the moments calls for it such as dodging on reflex. Otherwise, what is the point of them?

 

[CrystaI]

My approach is basically the "realistic approach" as described by most of the poster above me had already mentioned, which summarized to "throw away the systematical game rule books and think of it in a realistically dynamical action movie-like manner". I don't think I'll repeat my words in here.

But, on top of just focusing on the pokemons, there is another thing I would like to add, which is the involvement of the trainer him/herself during the battle.

In my opinion, and also my ways of portraying Pokemon Battle within my fanfic. Trainers are not just a static commander standing at the safe rear end, watching the battle like a spectator and giving out instructions like someone at of superior position. No. Trainer is at the exact equal ground just like his/her pokemons going out to the battlefront during the battle, he/she is exposed to on-the-spot attacks and may receive injuries. It is only that the trainer took a very special role during the battle, where he/she is the "signalizer" (I won't even call it commander) trying to notify his/her handheld pokemons about the surrounding situation, if needed indicate some actional suggestion in the form of tactics and strategies and/or usage of specific attack. Also at time to time trainer is the "supporter", trying to increase the battle efficiency of one's pokemon not only through instant strategic enlightenment, but helps the pokemons through usages of items and decisions of withdrawal/switching.

On the other hand, pokemons during battle are not subordinates of the trainer. Yeah, they are the true main star, they possess the free will to decide how to perform during a fight. And of course, they possess the free will to decide should they listen to the "suggestions" of their trainers or not during the battles. If they trust the trainer, then of course they tended to listen, and will perform in the manner as indicated by their trainer. If not, then they shall play their own way, turning deaf ear to such instructions. Or at the worst, turn against their very own trainer.

Also as I had mentioned previously, the trainer is not "static", where I mean it physically as well. Trainer is not just standing at one fixed position watching and commanding, they can run around within the battlefield freely just like their pokemons. One can choose to standing side by side with his/her pokemons, becoming one at the frontline where one may then have a better grasp of the situation thus could provide better strategical suggestion; or choose to move to the safe side free from danger of stray shots, looking at the whole picture and suggest battle ideas from a spectator perspective. Of course, there is both pros and cons for doing so, that will all be the freedom of decision of the on-the-spot trainer during the battle.


Very seldom, I see any writer cares much about the actional performance of trainers during the battle other than the verbal instructions. I think of and imagine Pokemon Battle in a very different manner, hence I overhaul many things within my fic, where that includes the canonical portrayal of battle itself too.

 

[Flaze]

Very seldom, I see any writer cares much about the actional performance of trainers during the battle other than the verbal instructions. I think of and imagine Pokemon Battle in a very different manner, hence I overhaul many things within my fic, where that includes the canonical portrayal of battle itself too.

That does make me wonder what society in the world of your fic feels towards trainers putting each other in danger even competitive battling xD

 

[CrystaI]

That does make me wonder what society in the world of your fic feels towards trainers putting each other in danger even competitive battling xD

The traditional J-RPG game like adventurous tone and serious atmosphere which generally categorized as Cero-B, like many of those with the stereotypical sword and magic setting, but just instead of sword and magic, it is replaced by pokemons.

Think of this way. What I'm trying to write is a character-focused fantasy fiction set in a non-Real-Life imaginary world but with contemporary technology level equivalent or little bit advance than ours, and on top of that, with the existence of monster creature called "pokemon". Before this fic is being a Pokemon fiction, it is at first being a fantasy fiction.

Many Pokemon fanfic writers always fall into a mentality trap which is thinking of I shall start writing a "Pokemon journey fic" instead of I shall start writing a "fantasy adventure fanfic". Please, before Pokemon fanfic community produced its own genre called journey fic, it is supposed to be originally part of the broad fantasy and/or adventure genre.

No one ever says Pokemon World must be a very safe place where any child can go out to the wild without much concern, and no one ever says Pokemon Battle is a fun sportive activity. Anime and game canon portray it as one, but never state it explicitly as one. How one define such world is all up to the liberty of the writer.
BTW, if one have to cite one canon as reference, then rather take the Pokemon Adventure manga. If you knew this manga series, then I think you should knew already how I wanted the Pokemon Battle to be.

 

[Flaze]

@クリスタル

This make sme really wanna read your fic like seriously xD

And yeah I do know the manga's cited as the most realistic portrayal of what was envisioned of Pokemon. And it is true that the trainers get involved in the fights, at least the non competitive ones, cause like in gyms and tournaments trainers are still limited to staying on their side, otherwise it's fair game. Heck one of my favorite fights of the whole manga is Red vs Giovanni and Ruby vs Norman xD

As for how I write battles, well I actually isnpire myself in the manga in how they work essentially. However, since my fic is an academy fic and the characters are always in a school setting they tend to rely on the competitive way of fighting most of the time. When things do go bad and action does happen do I rely on the manga's way of doing things, having the trainers involve as well. Otherwise battles tend to be kind of like normal sports for me, Pokemon are players that go in with a basic strategy on how to deal with a certain opponent, their trainer still gives orders but it's up to them to listen to them or not (it also depends on how much they trust their trainer's capabilities as a leader) and usually the trainers just give suggestions about a move they can use to turn the tide and let them sort of work out the rest.

 

[CrystaI]

And yeah I do know the manga's cited as the most realistic portrayal of what was envisioned of Pokemon. And it is true that the trainers get involved in the fights, at least the non competitive ones, cause like in gyms and tournaments trainers are still limited to staying on their side, otherwise it's fair game. Heck one of my favorite fights of the whole manga is Red vs Giovanni and Ruby vs Norman xD

Not really only limited to non-competitive battles. Within the Adventure manga many of the competitive ones where trainer fighting fair and square still being involved directly in the physical meaning.

I remembered in the Kanto-Johto gym leaders exhibition matches in GSC chapter, Green fought side-by-side with his Rhydon against Chuck's Hitmontop, acknowledged by his components and spectators that doing so will have the danger of trainer getting injured as well.
Also mind may I just asked that favourite battle of yours of Red VS Giovanni is within which chapter? The one in FrLg chapter (aka Mewtwo VS Deoxys) is having the trainer being much more actional and directly involved than in the RGB chapter of Viridian Gym battle. That epic signature battle in FrLg chapter is my favourite.
Also, I recalled in the BW chapter, where in the Driftveil Gym challenge of Black's Costa VS Clay's Krokorok, Black dare to become the decoy in order to provide a chance for his Costa to defeat the opponent. That is really the boldest action I'd ever seen for all the trainer within the history of sportive Pokemon Battle history.


Within my fic, I portrayed pokemon battles to be something equivalent to sword fight commonly seen in fantasy fiction. What is sword fight? A kind of fighting skill one in the fantasy universe commonly needed for self-protection. Is sword fight dangerous? Yes it is, because one can get seriously injured within the combat, and don't forget, sword is a dangerous weapon. Does one need to learn how to fight with a sword? If your situation and/or position urges you to. Or else, why bother to learn it? It is not an obligation, but just an option. Is sword fight a kind of sport? Difficult to say if one have to compare it in terms of "professional sport" having scientific rules and regulation like the Real-Life sports, but nonetheless, there are many sword fight tournaments available within many RPG universe, where such tournaments are equivalent to sport events. Can swordsman utilized their fighting skills for something else? Why not? Hunting, bodyguarding, performance art, or simply, just being a kind of daily physical exercise. But then, that is no more sword fight, but just some other skills that is related to sword fight skills.

Replace all the above self-imposed questions with the words "Pokemon" and "Pokemon Battles", it still works finely like any other fantasy fictions.

 

[Flaze]

Oh you're right, I had forgotten about the GSC arc's gymleader interbattles (I don't know what to call it) they did get involved in those too xD and I liked both of Red's and Giovanni's battles, they were just so intense. I still need to read BW though :c

And yeah that does make sense.