Pokemon Umbral Theatre 11: Things That Make You Go Wuh?

[Menarker]

Keep in mind that it only becomes helping hands for Fire types during Sunny Day and Water types during Rain Dance which means that either there are a bunch of pokemons of the same type on the field, slayer users, or the pokemons/brids using the moves are using the moves without gaining STAB. This means a lot of pokemons of the same type are being open to the same type of attacks such as an AOE element of that type. A boss using an AOE rock type attack against a bunch of fire types side by side for example. Also, the foe could attack with the same elements right back for helping hand benefits (unless it got dispelled before they got their turn).

Besides, AB could easily build a group that focuses on the weather conditions and use it against us. Maybe instead of us always ambushing the foes and getting the first strike, the evoliths will have precast a weather condition (they are like sentries) before we have arrived and thus the evolith's allies could try to take advantage of the benefits.
IE: When battle starts, some conditions are already preset as a result of foes tinkering with the battlefield. Maybe there are Stealth Rocks already placed. Spikes. Weather of different types being applied. That sort of stuff. AB could easily make things more balanced just by having the things that were our benefits now become the foe's benefits.

And I still don't know how you can possibly come up with a plausible way to effect weathers because they all operate differently. Hail doesn't have the same helping hand effect and neither does Sandstorm.

I think the best thing to do might be to just limit the number of turns that weather lasts in general. Unless the pokemons have an ability to improve the weather (like Abomasnow, Tyranitar, Groudon and Kyogure who can all summon their own respective weather), someone equipping an item that increases the length of the weather, or if someone like Matthias who might specialize in weather control gains buffs in some way like this, make it so weather only lasts 2 maybe 3 turns at most instead of the standard 5.

But I don't feel the weathers are unbalanced otherwise. AB just hasn't made them a huge focus in his battle plans just yet.

[Astral Harmony]

Honestly, I thought of using logic to determine when certain weather and moves weren't possible, but I decided against it. There are times when logic never worked in the Pokemon world (Apricorns into special Pokeballs? Seriously?) but it'd get really stupid to enforce certain bits of logic in Pokemon Umbral.

Here's a list of logical things that apply to Pokemon Umbral:

- You wouldn't be able to use certain weather under certain conditions. For example, Hail would fail when you're inside a smoking volcano. It's just too hot.
- These temperature and environmental extremes also effect Pokemon. Water type Pokemon would suffer Exhaustion and Apathy a lot faster in a dry, parched desert. Fire Pokemon would not leave Pokeballs when submerged in water. Ice Pokemon would not leave Pokeballs when in a volcano or in a desert. Legendary Pokemon would be exempt. In fact, I have some ideas where if you need Water Pokemon, have Jeanette deploy Kyogre to make the environment a lot less hellish to Water types.
- These conditions can also affect Pokemon in positive ways. Poison Pokemon love fighting in toxic areas like garbage dumps and polluted marshlands. Water Pokemon love underwater combat. Fire Pokemon are right at home in the desert and volcanos. Make sure to take your Ice types into the mountains. Bring the Flying types with you when you hit some really high altitudes. Electric types love thunderstorms and Rock types feel strong inside caverns.
- Environmental conditions will also affect your characters. Drawn out combat can inflict Exhaustion after a good number of turns, and foul weather, like being out in a hot, dry desert will tire you out more quickly and can also affect morale. Bitter cold and the deep seas are similar in their ability to wear out people who don't stay in those kinds of environments for very long. Be mindful when engaging the Water Ruin General. That'll be your first real battle where the surrounded environment is just as detrimental as the general itself.

And here's a list of logical things that do not apply to Pokemon Umbral out of sheer ridiculousness:

- You wouldn't be able to use Sunny Day, Rain Dance, or Hail when indoors. After all, where's the sun for sunshine or the clouds for rain or hail?
- If the floor was really solid or really thin with dangerous areas beneath, Dig would be impossible.
- If there's no water nearby, you cannot use Dive.
- If there's no water nearby, you cannot deploy certain Water Pokemon, particularly fish that are not Flying types as well such as Seaking, Lumineon, or Sharpedo.
- If there's a low ceiling, your Pokemon can still be targeted during their preparation turns for moves like Bounce and Fly. I mean, with a ceiling in the way, they wouldn't be going really high up, would they? Hell, those moves would probably suffer power penalties as well.
- Environmental conditions lockdown certain moves. For example, if there's no sand or rocks to break down into sand, you couldn't use Sand Attack and Sandstorm wouldn't be available.
- Weather effects are not available in outer space. In fact, a huge amount of moves would not be available in outer space, like Gust. How can you use Gust when there's no air to create it?

Anyways, don't ask about logical effects that do not follow standard Pokemon rules. I'll warn you about them as they come so that you're well prepared for them ahead of time.

[Dracorion]

We're going in outer space?

Dibs, fucking dibs, on the "why are you upside down?" line.