PTA & PTU(Pokemon Tabletop Adventues/United) Differences

[Vknight]

Pokemon Tabletop Adventures/United

I don't really see all that much of a difference between the two systems.

PTA has from what I've seen a better trainer class system and trainer growth

Well PTU provides slightly easier class requirements and more pokemon points per level.
Couldn't one just take the increased point values of PTU and apply them to PTA?

Basic question being what is the difference between the two. When will we see an update for 6th gen pokemon. And why do people prefer one or the other

[Knaight]

Just so you know, PTA and PTU aren't hugely known acronyms - plus, PTA is more associated with Prime Time Adventures in the first place. It might be worth spelling them out.

[SiuiS]

Pokemon tabletop adventures and... Pokemon topless umbrellas?

[erikun]

Powered Tuba Unicycles!

[AuraTwilight]

Pokemon Tabletop United.

Which, by the way, already has 6th gen Pokemon in it; have you seen the latest update for it?

[The Glyphstone]

Perfectly Trimmed Azaleas.

vs

Potatoes and Tubers Underground.

I like potatoes better.

[SiuiS]

Perfectly Trimmed Azaleas.

vs

Potatoes and Tubers Underground.

I like potatoes better.

Word.


How does one find these Pokemon systems? What kinda of games would one run with Pokemon?

[Vknight]

Pokemon Tabletop United.

Which, by the way, already has 6th gen Pokemon in it; have you seen the latest update for it?

...The only helpful answer.

And no I don't have the latest updates why I was asking about them

And also the difference between the two.
And were I could find the latest updates

[SiuiS]

You get out of questions what you out into them. Throwing acronyms at a forum blind and walking away for a day won't do you any good.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=269337

http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Tabletop_United

http://pokemontabletop.wikidot.com/

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=200481


That's all I could find with a minute of google. Hope it helps get you rollin'~!

Back to work I suppose.

[Vknight]

...I could make that acronym thing a commentary on the stuff that goes on in the D&D forums for anyone who doesn't know them.

Also I was away for a day sleeping.

And it seems like they have diversified the two games in the stat department but what about the pokemon?
Classes? The actual make up for Trainers?

-Edit-

I have read LoneStarNorths campaign journal... I hate everything about it.
And I could rant on all the things I find wrong with it

[Knaight]

...I could make that acronym thing a commentary on the stuff that goes on in the D&D forums for anyone who doesn't know them.

Sure, but it's reasonable to expect the people in the D&D forums to know the D&D acronyms to some extent. It's also reasonable to expect everybody here to recognize the acronym D&D, as it's the game dominating the market. PTA & PTU aren't as recognizable, and PTA suffers the additional complication of being an acronym for two things, with Pokemon Tabletop Adventures the less known of the two. It's the same way I wouldn't just mention LoA vs. DF vs. DtS magic systems, or FAE vs. SoF vs. FC - except on a Fate forum, where I would fully expect all of those to be recognized.

As for the systems, they look pretty much the same. There's a few subtle differences, but they don't amount to much, and they certainly look basically compatible.

[Vknight]

Sure, but it's reasonable to expect the people in the D&D forums to know the D&D acronyms to some extent. It's also reasonable to expect everybody here to recognize the acronym D&D, as it's the game dominating the market. PTA & PTU aren't as recognizable, and PTA suffers the additional complication of being an acronym for two things, with Pokemon Tabletop Adventures the less known of the two.

As for the systems, they look pretty much the same. There's a few subtle differences, but they don't amount to much, and they certainly look basically compatible.

Its kind of a joke Knaight. Also it does point out a valid fact someone looking for advice or someone who hasn't memorized this stuff won't immediately recognize it. Just like the PTA & PTU, unless you know it you won't get it


System differences I have found
3 Stats for trainers in PTU, instead of the classic 6 stat structure used in PTA.
The various prestige classes are spread around the source pdf's when it comes to PTU.
PTA put all the trainer information in one book
PTU has some interesting ideas and some horrible ideas for campaign suggestions. Same for custom pokemon
The pokemon universe is a kitchen sink of sci-fi + fantasy. PTA embraces this. PTU tries to separate things and classify all the details trying too keep an order to these things

Neither game has pokemon stats beyond 5th generation pokemon

Yeah the only differences are the points awarded too pokemon.

[Knaight]

System differences I have found
3 Stats for trainers in PTU, instead of the classic 6 stat structure used in PTA.
The various prestige classes are spread around the source pdf's when it comes to PTU.
PTA put all the trainer information in one book
PTU has some interesting ideas and some horrible ideas for campaign suggestions. Same for custom pokemon
The pokemon universe is a kitchen sink of sci-fi + fantasy. PTA embraces this. PTU tries to separate things and classify all the details trying too keep an order to these things.

These are pretty minor - the core systems are close enough that you might even be able to use PTU and PTA trainers in the same game, though it would slow things down a bit. As for organization, they're both kind of a mess, but that's par for the course with RPGs in general, and I've seen much worse than PTU (which I'd consider the worse of the two) in published games.

[squiggit]

The main thing PTU does is create uniform stats between humans and Pokemon to try to make interaction between them easier. Determining, for instance, what happens if a Pokemon tries to sneak past a human or if a Pokemon attacks a human doesn't really have clear rules in PTA because the systems they use are completely different (not sure if the newest version of PTA deals with that or not).

This does however lead to some things like being able to build a human who can fight Pokemon directly rather than have his own team, which may or may not be a good or bad thing depending on your perspective.

PTU also tends to be more disassociated from the actual Pokemon because of their custom stat system.

PTU also claims to have gone from the ground up to fix class imbalances from PTA, but again that's a YMMV issue. I haven't played either more than a coupe times so I can't comment.

[Vknight]

The main thing PTU does is create uniform stats between humans and Pokemon to try to make interaction between them easier. Determining, for instance, what happens if a Pokemon tries to sneak past a human or if a Pokemon attacks a human doesn't really have clear rules in PTA because the systems they use are completely different (not sure if the newest version of PTA deals with that or not).

This does however lead to some things like being able to build a human who can fight Pokemon directly rather than have his own team, which may or may not be a good or bad thing depending on your perspective.

PTU also tends to be more disassociated from the actual Pokemon because of their custom stat system.

PTU also claims to have gone from the ground up to fix class imbalances from PTA, but again that's a YMMV issue. I haven't played either more than a coupe times so I can't comment.

PTU's uniform rules are a mess though and terrible at that job.

Just take a pokemons speed to determine how stealthy it can be + a bonus for any qualities
They mention which stats a trainer uses in PTA to act like the equivalent stat for a pokemon
So they provide two distinct stat setups and make them work together despite being different. Rather then trying to hammer them together

Fighting pokemon directly has always been apart of the series. And PTA makes it work. PTU from what I've read does not

PTU has nothing in it that I think fixes any inherent problems with the classes. Sure PTA has problems buy PTU doesn't fix them and in others it just ruins the point of the class


All in all I suggest sticking too PTA, using things from PTU when you want. But avoiding using plain PTU unless you want headaches for a supposed fix

[squiggit]

I wouldn't say terrible, I've never had a problem working with them. Might be a system experience issue.

It definitely is a lot less polished though. Admittedly I stopped using PTU for completely unrelated reasons to gameplay though. (the developers' attitude really).

[AuraTwilight]

Neither game has pokemon stats beyond 5th generation pokemon

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=331762

Yes it does.

[Vknight]

Correction they do have them. But the PTU people couldn't keep the continuous organization of it being

All the starters

All the X pokemon and so on

Instead it goes like that until it starts counting off with the 6th gen pokemon... Meaning its a mess and you would have every right not to notice it

-

Some things can be complicated but once you get them easy to do
Some things can be complicated and a tad tiresome and things
and finally
Some things are fantasy heart breakers

[AuraTwilight]

Correction they do have them. But the PTU people couldn't keep the continuous organization of it being

All the starters

All the X pokemon and so on

Instead it goes like that until it starts counting off with the 6th gen pokemon... Meaning its a mess and you would have every right not to notice it

Uh...? there's a table of contents. You realize this, right?

Some things can be complicated but once you get them easy to do
Some things can be complicated and a tad tiresome and things
and finally
Some things are fantasy heart breakers

I don't think Fantasy Heartbreaker really applies to anything Pokemon related.

I'm not sure exactly what your problems with PTU are? Your posts are hard to follow for me, and I admit I've never played PTA but PTU seems more elegant and integrated from reading both of them.

[Vknight]

Uh...? there's a table of contents. You realize this, right?


I don't think Fantasy Heartbreaker really applies to anything Pokemon related.

I'm not sure exactly what your problems with PTU are? Your posts are hard to follow for me, and I admit I've never played PTA but PTU seems more elegant and integrated from reading both of them.

Said table of contents not including 6th generation pokemon on it...
Again why I didn't even know they were in it initially because the table of contents does not include them. A table of contents is only an aid when it provides the information in question

I never said fantasy heart breaker applied too PTU. I said that some systems are fantasy heart breakers, others hard to learn but easy once you get it, and finally some are complicated with little reward too actually knowing it

PTU is integrated, when did that become a good thing? Answer me that when did it become good for it too be that I can look at two different sheets and go huh which is your pokemons and which is your stats?

[AuraTwilight]

Said table of contents not including 6th generation pokemon on it...

It is on mine. And incase I miss it, there's also a note in the introduction saying the newest Pokemon are in an appendix at the back. Dunno what's wrong with your copy.

PTU is integrated, when did that become a good thing? Answer me that when did it become good for it too be that I can look at two different sheets and go huh which is your pokemons and which is your stats?

Well, first of all, the character sheets divide the Trainer and the Pokemon up pretty clearly; each in-game entity has it's own sheet.

And....what? You're asking why it's a good thing for things to be integrated? You're the same person complaining that PTA had rules for Pokemon and Trainers interacting but PTU didn't, right? Well that gripe is solved by the fact that Trainers and Pokemon function the same in the game rules and thus don't need a special rules patch to interact with each other.

It's the same as how, in D&D 3.5, PCs, NPCs, and Monsters are effectively all built using the same rules and mechanics with only a few caveats.

[Knaight]

PTU is integrated, when did that become a good thing? Answer me that when did it become good for it too be that I can look at two different sheets and go huh which is your pokemons and which is your stats?

Why is this somehow a bad thing? Take attribute systems - you can generally stat up a whole bunch of different things with them. GURPS uses Strength, Dexterity, Health, and Intelligence, and you could easily apply these to a human, an elephant, or even a robot - which allows it to model multiple things, which is a good thing. You can even apply this to the skill system, and you can nicely have them interacting, whether it's the Lion applying some variety of a "maul your face off skill" against some variety of a "beat it with a sharp object" skill or the Lion applying some sort of perception skill (probably at a nice high level) against some sort of relevant hiding skill (which probably isn't exactly great, as hiding from smells is rather niche).

Basically, it lets the humans and pokemon interact directly, and it lets them interact with the environment in the same sort of way. If you use something like D&D stats for humans, you can model them climbing with a Strength + Climb check. This then runs into problems with pokemon if they are using the pokemon stats - special attack isn't exactly relevant here.

[The Glyphstone]

PTU is integrated, when did that become a good thing? Answer me that when did it become good for it too be that I can look at two different sheets and go huh which is your pokemons and which is your stats?

Most of us do stuff like use names and labels. And as mentioned, the character sheets are neatly divided up.


We get that you like PTA better than PTU. But your 'objections' to it aren't making any sense past They Changed It Now It Sucks.

[Knaight]

Most of us do stuff like use names and labels. And as mentioned, the character sheets are neatly divided up.

And even if you don't, the instant you see something like "Thunderbolt" or "Leech Life" on the sheet somewhere it's pretty clear you're dealing with a pokemon sheet.

[Mewtarthio]

Most of us do stuff like use names and labels.

"'Ash Ketchum'? What sort of Pokemon is an 'Ash Ketchum'? I'm sorry, I just can't let you play this; you need to pick something else for Pikachu's starter."

[Sith_Happens]

"'Ash Ketchum'? What sort of Pokemon is an 'Ash Ketchum'? I'm sorry, I just can't let you play this; you need to pick something else for Pikachu's starter."

Considering that Ash was the one tanking most of the hits for the first few episodes...

[Yuki Akuma]

And even if you don't, the instant you see something like "Thunderbolt" or "Leech Life" on the sheet somewhere it's pretty clear you're dealing with a pokemon sheet.

Well... Trainers can learn Moves in PTU.

But Trainer and Pokemon character sheets look completely different. So you'd have to be half blind to actually get them confused.

[Vknight]

Most of us do stuff like use names and labels. And as mentioned, the character sheets are neatly divided up.


We get that you like PTA better than PTU. But your 'objections' to it aren't making any sense past They Changed It Now It Sucks.

In an attempt too make the system more uniform they made it lose a distinction between trainer and pokemon that I think needs too exist for it to be a pokemon game.
Their is already a game with a monster you command that uses similar rules too you and its called Monsters & Other Childish Things, which in the case of monsters it works because they use the same rules but in very distinct and different ways.
Trainers and Pokemon do not

[Darkweave31]

Pokemon Tabletop United has better balance and a good skills system, so I like it more. When psychics and like classes in PTU use moves they use them with the same frequency as pokemon. The trainers have stats that can be directly compared to pokemon so battles that involve trainers are a bit more balanced and easy to conduct. Also I like the class system more when someone wants to play a medic or botanist, but not be a breeder (only one example of a much more fluid class system).

Pokemon Tabletop Adventures has a better capture system if memory serves.

Other than that they are largely the same. I see PTU as an upgrade to Adventures, but they both serve well as pokemon systems and parts actually go between the systems quite well.

[Vknight]

Pokemon Tabletop United has better balance and a good skills system, so I like it more. When psychics and like classes in PTU use moves they use them with the same frequency as pokemon. The trainers have stats that can be directly compared to pokemon so battles that involve trainers are a bit more balanced and easy to conduct. Also I like the class system more when someone wants to play a medic or botanist, but not be a breeder (only one example of a much more fluid class system).

Pokemon Tabletop Adventures has a better capture system if memory serves.

Other than that they are largely the same. I see PTU as an upgrade to Adventures, but they both serve well as pokemon systems and parts actually go between the systems quite well.

They can do all those things in PTA as well, with equal frequency, or a health cost

PTA notes special requirements to get the various prestige classes without being the base class in question. Its got each class being a focus and then you can get into prestige classes by meeting requirements. A cook can be anyone but breeders gravitate to it

I will say my copy does not note that anywhere in the first pages, nor do the 6th gen pokemon show up in the table of contents.