Battle System

Battles are central to the Pokémon universe, and this system was designed to keep it clean and fun. Please keep in mind that this is a system designed specifically for roleplay. Strategies that might work in the games might not work on this site and vice versa.

ITEMS
Only held items are allowed in battle. Others, such as Potions, Revives, or Full Heals will not be available.

Items can be purchased in the school commissary or rewarded as a prize in various school events. A Pokémon can only ever hold one item at a time. Berries and other one-use items will not be replenished after a battle and will have to be re-purchased to be used again.

Credits are earned through winning battles, and can also be earned as a bonus in school events. Losing battles will not lose you credits. You gain a small amount of credits every day, and earn some for every post and new topic you make in RP areas.

Credits won in battles are automatically collected by posting in the Winnings forum. It's also to easy to make money by taking jobs, bounties, and missions listed at the Bulletin Board. If you're a gambling type, betting on high-profile battles might be worth the risk! Credits earned this way are collected by posting in Earnings. You can even request a loan from Team Dusk, but be careful...

The Prince or Princess of Lawicke gains credits for every week they possess Lawicke's Amulet. Taking the amulet and becoming the new Prince or Princess will also earn you a significant bonus (three times as much as a normal battle). Team Dusk members also get a small bonus at the end of every month.

TIERS
Instead of levels, trainers are divided into broad categories known as tiers. These tiers indicate your skill level as a trainer and the strength of your Pokémon. The higher your tier, the stronger you are. Tiers both decide the HP of your Pokémon and the amount of damage they deal with each attack.

First Tier = levels 1-15
Second Tier = levels 16-30
Third Tier = levels 31-45
Fourth Tier = levels 46-60
Fifth Tier = levels 61-100

Tiers also define which moves a Pokémon can learn. First Tier, for example, is equivalent to levels 1-15. A First Tier Pokémon can know any move a level 15 Pokémon can learn.

Pokémon evolve at certain tiers depending on their stages. If they have three stages of evolution, they will evolve into their second stage at Second Tier and third stage at Third Tier. If they have two stages of evolution, they will evolve into their final stage at Third Tier. This system of evolution applies to all Pokémon no matter how they evolve in the games.

If you fulfill a certain set of criteria, you can rank up a tier by completing a trial set by the school. This might mean beating a specially trained wild Pokémon, accomplishing a task, or beating another trainer.

HIT POINTS
First Tier = 80 HP
Second Tier = 110 HP
Third Tier = 140 HP
Fourth Tier = 170 HP
Fifth Tier = 200 HP

There are two other tiers, Boss Tier (300 HP) and Legend Tier (500 HP). Both tiers are effectively Fifth Tier Pokémon with higher HP. These tiers are for special Pokémon only.

DAMAGE
Attacks do damage that deduct an opponent's HP. When a Pokémon's HP is brought down to 0, they are no longer able to battle until healed. Each attack has a base power ascribed to it, which translates to damage. Use a resource such as PokémonDB to find a move's base power.

First Tier damage
10p - 2 HP
15p - 4 HP
20p - 6 HP
25p - 8 HP
30p - 10 HP
35p - 12 HP
40p - 14 HP
45p - 16 HP
50p - 18 HP
55p - 20 HP
60p - 22 HP
65p - 24 HP
70p - 26 HP
75p - 28 HP
80p - 30 HP
85p - 32 HP
90p - 34 HP
95p - 36 HP
100p - 38 HP
Anything higher - 42 HP
Z-Moves - 48 HP
Self-Destruct/Explosion - 56 HP

Second Tier damage
10p - 4 HP
15p - 6 HP
20p - 8 HP
25p - 10 HP
30p - 12 HP
35p - 14 HP
40p - 16 HP
45p - 18 HP
50p - 20 HP
55p - 22 HP
60p - 24 HP
65p - 26 HP
70p - 28 HP
75p - 30 HP
80p - 32 HP
85p - 34 HP
90p - 36 HP
95p - 38 HP
100p - 40 HP
Anything higher - 44 HP
Z-Moves - 50 HP
Self-Destruct/Explosion - 58 HP

Third Tier damage
10p - 6 HP
15p - 8 HP
20p - 10 HP
25p - 12 HP
30p - 14 HP
35p - 16 HP
40p - 18 HP
45p - 20 HP
50p - 22 HP
55p - 24 HP
60p - 26 HP
65p - 28 HP
70p - 30 HP
75p - 32 HP
80p - 34 HP
85p - 36 HP
90p - 38 HP
95p - 40 HP
100p - 42 HP
Anything higher - 46 HP
Z-Moves - 52 HP
Self-Destruct/Explosion - 60 HP

Fourth Tier damage
10p - 8 HP
15p - 10 HP
20p - 12 HP
25p - 14 HP
30p - 16 HP
35p - 18 HP
40p - 20 HP
45p - 22 HP
50p - 24 HP
55p - 26 HP
60p - 28 HP
65p - 30 HP
70p - 32 HP
75p - 34 HP
80p - 36 HP
85p - 38 HP
90p - 40 HP
95p - 42 HP
100p - 44 HP
Anything higher - 48 HP
Z-Moves - 54 HP
Self-Destruct/Explosion - 62 HP

Fifth Tier damage
10p - 10 HP
15p - 12 HP
20p - 14 HP
25p - 16 HP
30p - 18 HP
35p - 20 HP
40p - 22 HP
45p - 24 HP
50p - 26 HP
55p - 28 HP
60p - 30 HP
65p - 32 HP
70p - 34 HP
75p - 36 HP
80p - 38 HP
85p - 40 HP
90p - 42 HP
95p - 44 HP
100p - 46 HP
Anything higher - 42 HP
Z-Moves - 56 HP
Self-Destruct/Explosion - 64 HP

Keep in mind that some moves have special effects (such as recoil or priority). Make sure to include these in your calculations.

TYPE EFFECTIVENESS
Each type has its weaknesses, strengths, and even immunities. This works much how you'd expect.

0x effectiveness = no damage
4x resistance = divide damage by four.
2x resistance = divide damage by two.
2x effectiveness = multiply damage by two.
4x effectiveness = multiply damage by four.

Just simple multiplication. Round to the nearest whole number.

STATUS EFFECTS
Certain moves and abilities can inflict negative conditions on an opponent.

Burn: Every turn, 10 HP is deducted. Power of attacks is not reduced.
Sleep: Roll the Status Dice. If you roll a 1 or 2, you stay asleep. If you roll a 3, you wake up. After 3 turns, if a Pokémon is still asleep, it automatically wakes up.
Paralysis: Roll the Status Dice. If you roll a 1, you are immobilized and cannot attack that turn. If you roll a 2 or 3, you attack. The speed of paralyzed Pokémon is cut in half. Paralysis disappears after 4 turns automatically.
Confusion: Roll the Status Dice. If you roll a 1, you inflict half of the damage of your intended attack on yourself. If you roll a 2 or 3, attack. Switching out will erase this ailment. Confusion disappears after 4 turns automatically.
Poison: Every turn, 10 HP is deducted.
Bad Poison: Every turn, 1/8 of max HP is deducted.
Infatuation: Roll the Status Dice. If you roll a 1 or 2, you are overcome with attraction and cannot attack that turn. If you roll a 3, attack. Fades if one of either Pokémon is switched out.
Frozen: Roll the Status Dice. If you roll a 1, you remain frozen. If you roll a 2 or 3, you are thawed out. Fire-type attacks used by another Pokémon will remove this status. After 3 turns, if a Pokémon is still frozen, it automatically thaws out.

If you use a move that has a chance of inflicting a status condition, roll the Chance Dice. If you roll a 1-5, nothing happens. If you roll a 6, they are inflicted with the status.

HEALING MOVES
Heal 1/8 the user's max health: Absorb, Mega Drain, Giga Drain, Horn Leech, Drain Punch, Leech Life, Swallow (one Stockpile)
Heals 1/8 the user's max health per turn: Aqua Ring, Ingrain, Leech Seed
Heals 1/2 the user's max health: Roost, Slack Off, Synthesis, Recover, Softboiled, Milk Drink, Softboiled, Morning Sun, Heal Order, Swallow (two Stockpile)
Heals 1/2 an ally's max health: Heal Pulse, Present
KOs user, heals switch-in 100%: Lunar Dance, Healing Wish
Heals 3/4 the user's max health: Wish, Moonlight (in sunny weather), Synthesis (in sunny weather), Morning Sun (in sunny weather)
Heals users 100%: Rest, Swallow (three Stockpile)

MULTI-STRIKE MOVES
For multi-strike moves, such as Bullet Seed or Tail Slap, roll the Chance Dice. If you roll a 1-2, you will hit twice. If you roll a 3-4, you will hit three times. If you roll a 5, you will hit four times. If you roll a 6, you will hit five times.

ACCURACY
If an attack has less than 85 base accuracy, it may not hit.

If a move has 80-85 accuracy, roll the Chance Dice. If you roll a 1-2, it will miss. If you roll a 3-6, it will hit.
If a move has less than 80 accuracy, roll the Chance Dice. If you roll a 1-4, it will miss. If you roll a 5-6, it will hit.

OHKO moves, such as Fissure or Guillotine, have their own OHKO Dice. If you roll a 1-9, it will miss. If you roll a 10, it will hit.

STAT CHANGES
Certain moves can be used to boost or lower stats. Stat changes are removed upon switching out. Certain moves are categorized as Physical and some are Special; keep this in mind in regard to stat changes (e.g. a Physical move won't be affected by Special Attack raises and vice versa).

Attack & Special Attack
You can not lower attack any lower than 4 stages.
-4 stages - -90% damage
-3 stages - -60% damage
-2 stages - -30% damage
-1 stage - -10% damage
Basic Attack - +0% damage
1 stage - +10% damage
2 stages - +30% damage
3 stages - +60% damage
4 stages - +90% damage
5 stages - +120% damage
You cannot raise attack any higher than 5 stages.

Defense & Special Defense
You cannot lower defense any lower than 5 stages.
-5 stages - +120% damage done by opponent
-4 stages - +90% damage done by opponent
-3 stages - +60% damage done by opponent
-2 stages - +30% damage done by opponent
-1 stage - +10% damage done by opponent
Basic Defense - -0% damage done by opponent
1 stage - -10% damage done by opponent.
2 stages - -30% damage done by opponent.
3 stages - -60% damage done by opponent.
4 stages - -90% damage done by opponent.
You cannot raise defense any higher than 4 stages.

Speed
The Pokémon with the higher base speed always moves first (except in special cases).

You cannot lower speed any lower than 3 stages.
-3 stages - lowers a Pokémon's base speed by 150%.
-2 stages - lowers a Pokémon's base speed by 100%.
-1 stage - lowers a Pokémon's base speed by 50%.
Basic Speed - +0% speed
1 stage - boosts a Pokemon's base speed by 50%.
2 stages - boosts a Pokemon's base speed by 100%.
3 stages - boosts a Pokemon's base speed by 150%.
You cannot raise speed any higher than 3 stages.

Accuracy & Evasion
Evasion or accuracy lowering moves don't work the same as other stat changing moves. You can only lower evasion or accuracy by one stage.

With evasion lowering moves, moves with 80-85 accuracy are now sure to hit.
For moves with less than 80 accuracy, use the Chance Dice. If you roll a 1-2, it will miss. If you roll a 3-6, it will hit.

With accuracy lowering moves, roll the Chance Dice.
If a move has over 85 accuracy, if you roll a 1-2, it will miss. If you roll a 3-6, it will hit.
If a move has 80-85 accuracy, if you roll a 1-3, it will miss. If you roll a 4-6, it will hit.
If a move has less than 80 accuracy, if you roll a 1-5, it will miss. If you roll a 6, it will hit.

WEATHER
Weather can make a significant impact on a battle, activating abilities, powering up moves, among other effects. These effects are the same as in the game, with just a few tweaks.

Hail will deduct 10 HP per turn from all non-Ice-type Pokémon.
Sandstorms will deduct 10 HP per turn from all non-Rock, non-Ground, and non-Steel-type Pokémon.

Make sure to implement the RP thread's weather into the battle.

ENTRY HAZARDS
Entry hazards are moves that cause a battlefield effect for all opposing Pokémon leaving their Pokéball to enter the match.

Spikes will deduct 10 HP in damage to grounded Pokémon entering the battle. Additional layers (up to 3 total) will stack on an additional 5 HP in damage.
Stealth Rock will deduct 10 HP in damage by default to Pokémon entering the battle. Pokémon that resist or are weak to Rock-type will receive different damage accordingly.
Sticky Web will lower the speed of grounded Pokémon entering the battle by one stage.
Toxic Spikes will poison grounded Pokémon entering the battle. An additional layer will badly poison them. If a grounded Poison-type switches in, the hazard will be absorbed and its effect will be removed. Steel-types are immune.

FLINCHING & CRITICAL HITS
Critical hits, in this battle system, can only be induced by a few certain moves (e.g. Storm Throw). If a move is listed with a high critical hit ratio, roll the Chance Dice when attacking. If you roll a 1-4, it will do normal damage. If you roll a 5-6, you will land a critical hit. Multiply normal damage by 1.5 to get damage for critical hits.

Some moves have a small probability of causing the opponent to flinch. Roll the Chance Dice. If you roll a 1-5, the target won't flinch. If you roll a 6, the target will flinch. Other moves (such as Fake Out) will guarantee a flinch, unless negated by an ability. These don't require the Chance Dice.

MEGA EVOLUTION & Z-MOVES
A Pokémon holding a Mega Stone can Mega Evolve, if a trainer has a Key Stone. Pokémon can Mega Evolve and attack in the same turn. Mega Evolving will boost a Pokémon's damage and speed.

+65% damage
+50% less damage from opponents
+20 points Speed

Z-Moves can be performed once per battle by a Pokémon holding a Z-Crystal, if a trainer has a Z-Ring. Z-Crystals only work with specific moves. See the damage chart above.

RESOURCES
PokémonDB is an excellent resource that I personally recommend, with all the information you need on Pokémon, moves, abilities, types, and more.

Credit and props to Jay for creating the original core battle system that this is built around. This wouldn't have come together without his hard work and ingenuity.