Pokemon Roleplay

[DMBlackhart]

I don't know if this is the place for this, but I want to get a group going for some PokeRPGing. However, I know there's like... a TON of systems out there for the same thing, and I can't find nearly all of them.

Does anyone have an exhaustive or very detailed list of all existing Poke-Tabletop RPGs out there? I'd like to review multiple systems before I make a choice.

This isn't to debate which is best/better/worse/worst. This is simply a list of systems, I can find them on my own and intend to buy whichever system (if it isn't free to download) should I pick it.


Thank you for your time.

[Red Fel]

I seem to recall BESM had an expansion called "Cute and Fuzzy Seizure Monsters." You can guess to what that was a reference. It's not Poke specifically, but that's the intent.

Then again, BESM wasn't known for amazing balance, so mileage, and all that.

[Kid Jake]

I used Mutants and Masterminds when my group ran a Pokemon campaign, turned out fairly well. 3e even has an SRD.

[Solaris]

An all-summoner Pathfinder game might well do a fairly credible interpretation of a mon-type game. It'd be more Digimon than Pokemon, though.

There's also a Pokemon Tabletop game out there. I've never played it, but it is available for free download. I'd hook you up with a link, but my computer has apparently declared vendetta against the search engines.

[DMBlackhart]

I appreciate all these suggestions but I KNOW there's like three or for systems SPECIFICALLY for poke-play.

Mostly I am hoping a well versed playgrounder will stop in and give me a list of the ones specifically built for this.

These alternative system suggestions are great though. If I can't find what I am looking for I will consider one of these. All great contributions, thanks guys.

[Regitnui]

This looks promising. (http://forums.pokemontabletop.com/forum/3848682/) I hadn't heard of this up until now, and I'm a bit of a collector of interesting RP systems. I'm downloading it now, so don't have any thoughts. Yet.

[Solaris]

This looks promising. (http://forums.pokemontabletop.com/forum/3848682/) I hadn't heard of this up until now, and I'm a bit of a collector of interesting RP systems. I'm downloading it now, so don't have any thoughts. Yet.

That would be the one I was talking about, but couldn't make my computer pull its head out its ascii long enough to find a link for.
There's also an earlier version without the 'United'. It has different mechanics for trainer stats and Pokemon stats, if I recall correctly; the synchronization of the two is why the newer version is called 'United'.

[GloatingSwine]

I seem to recall BESM had an expansion called "Cute and Fuzzy Seizure Monsters." You can guess to what that was a reference. It's not Poke specifically, but that's the intent.

Then again, BESM wasn't known for amazing balance, so mileage, and all that.

BESM in its original incarnation was deliberately very mechanics light, so balance is probably something you'd have to do to it yourself.

[ComaVision]

Pathfinder also has a third party class called Monster Trainer (it's on the pfsrd) and it captures the Pokemon feel really well while utilizing the well developed Pathfinder system.

[Fri]

I know it's not exactly what you're asking, but mutant and mastermind second edition book "mecha and manga" has a third of the book specifically about mon games.

[Morbis Meh]

Well hello good sir I have more of what you're looking for....

The systems you are probably thinking of are: Pokemon Tabletop United (http://forums.pokemontabletop.com/forum/3848682/) or it's predecessor Pokemon Tabletop Adventures (http://pokemontabletop.wikidot.com/)

I do not have experience with either but as far as I know these are the two major ones...

Hope this helps!

[Regitnui]

Well hello good sir I have more of what you're looking for....

The systems you are probably thinking of are: Pokemon Tabletop United (http://forums.pokemontabletop.com/forum/3848682/) or it's predecessor Pokemon Tabletop Adventures (http://pokemontabletop.wikidot.com/)

I do not have experience with either but as far as I know these are the two major ones...

Hope this helps!

PTU is interesting so far... Looks like player characters (trainers) can learn Pokémon moves. High Combat gives you Rock Smash, high Intimidate gets you Leer. I will continue to report as I read.

[Enixon]

I've had some good fun with PTU. But it's wroth noting that the game has a good amount of book keeping tied up in it, which is probably understandable since every player basically has 2-7 character (their trainer and up to six Pokemon with them) So my group basically started and ended each session with 10-20 minuets of book work, updating leveled up or freshly caught pokemon, going over new moves, etc. It sounds like a lot, and sometimes kinda was, but after that the game ran pretty dang smoothly, pretty much everything they needed to know was right there on the sheet to the point when the party would do friendly sparring matches among themselves I, as GM, didn't really need to do anything except answer any questions that did crop up, usually about status effects or how much stat moves like growl or swords dance made things go up or down.

Another thing is that the game tried pretty hard to emulate the video game's gameplay in table top RPG form, which tends to lead to things being kind of Rocket Tagy as like in the game boy games a fight between two even leveled pokwmon generally only lasted 2-3 hits unless one is particularly tanky.

So depending on how close to the video game stats you want things it's either PTU is either great or a giant book keeping nightmare.

One last thing, this is less about PTU and more about Pokemon games in general, but you want to make sure that everyone's on the same page when it comes to tone. For example, PTU has rules for serious injury and death but also points out that you're free to ignore that if you want a more light-hearted game. Also it has a good amount of stuff for making combat trainers that fight along side their pokemon, but having the group going around drop kicking Oddishes and hitting Spearrows with baseball bats, let alone real weapons like swords or guns. might not be something you want. Same goes for the players doing "smart" things like ignoring the Team Rocket grunt's Ratatta and just clobbering the grunt himself.

[goto124]

May be related. (http://pre08.deviantart.net/aaaf/th/pre/f/2014/291/a/e/use_strength__by_gabasonian-d83cdoi.jpg)

Alternative: Pick up the man, put him aside, and quickly run into the cave.

[GrayGriffin]

You do know that PTU fans have been regularly working on a google docs sheet that can accomplish most of the bookkeeping for you, right? Not to mention that the 1.05 version has reduced SE damage to 1.5x and DSE damage to 2x, all for the sake of reducing those "rocket tag" moments. As a matter of fact, the only real "rocket tag" moments I've had have involved poor type matchups.

[Regitnui]

You do know that PTU fans have been regularly working on a google docs sheet that can accomplish most of the bookkeeping for you, right? Not to mention that the 1.05 version has reduced SE damage to 1.5x and DSE damage to 2x, all for the sake of reducing those "rocket tag" moments. As a matter of fact, the only real "rocket tag" moments I've had have involved poor type matchups.

I'd like to see that, if you don't mind. I have enough Pokemon fans for friends that I might be called on to run one.

[cobaltstarfire]

I think I have a version of the pokemon sheet, though I'd have to dig for it and it's probably out of date.

That said, I find that even with the help of a sheet that does a lot of the calculating and bookkeeping, it's a hard system, I still am not really clear on how to make a trainer or pokemon without nagging at someone else for help.

I wish there was a simpler system out there other than PTU personally.

[Regitnui]

I wish there was a simpler system out there other than PTU personally.

The Pokémon games are fairly complex on their own. I can see why the game is complex as it is, simply because of the established setting and mechanics. Also, 3.5 was horribly complex as well. Even 5e hasn't simplified much. PTU isn't too bad by the standards of hobbyist RPGs.

[GrayGriffin]

I'd like to see that, if you don't mind. I have enough Pokemon fans for friends that I might be called on to run one.

Here's the version for the most recent update. (http://forums.pokemontabletop.com/topic/10272995/1/)

And really, character creation is super-simple. I'm not sure how it's harder than character creation for any other roleplaying game.