Pokémon Battle System Concept

WHAT IS THIS?
I've made my fair share of Pokémon roleplays, as have others. The eternal search for a better, simpler, more balanced battle system is core to the process in building these forums. At the time of writing, I know other users are building yet another Pokémon RP, and if that one bites the dust like the others, then I'm sure the cycle will repeat again and again and again.

So without wasting your time, what is this?

A new system, free for use, for the good of all WCC-kind. Hopefully it works. If it doesn't, hopefully it can be tweaked by others and improved. If it can't, then at least we didn't build a whole forum around it.

THE DIE IS CAST
This is primarily a d10 system, meaning most rolls will utilize 10-sided die.

BASE STATS & MODIFIERS
Every Pokémon has base stats which can be found through resources such as PokémonDB. These are HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. These base stats will affect a Pokémon's modifiers, which will be used during battle.

Throughout this guide, I will be using Raichu as an example. For reference, these are Raichu's base stats:

HP - 60
ATK - 90
DEF - 55
SP. ATK - 90
SP. DEF - 80
SPE - 110

HIT POINTS
Calculate a Pokémon's base stats using the following formula:

HP Modifier + Pokémon's Level + 10

BASE VALUE	—	HP MODIFIER
1-9		0
10-19		1
20-29		2
30-39		3
40-49		4
50-59		5
60-69		6
70-79		7
80-89		8
90-99		9
100-109		10
110-119		11
120-129		12
130-139		13
140-149		14
150-159		15
160-169		16
170-179		17
180-189		18
190-199		19
200-209		20
210-219		21
220-229		22
230-239		23
240-249		24
250+		25

This means a LVL 5 Pikachu would have 18 HP (3 + 5 + 10) and a LVL 30 Raichu would have 46 HP (6 + 30 + 10).

PHASES OF BATTLE
The Pokémon with the higher base speed goes first. If both Pokémon have the same speed, the challenger that initiated the battle will get the first move.

There are two parts of a turn: the Accuracy Roll and the Damage Roll.

ACCURACY ROLL
Your Accuracy Roll will determine if your Pokémon's move hits. Every move has a base accuracy, which determines the type of die used. Roll the die and compare to the target's DEF or SP. DEF modifier, depending on the type of move. Status moves will use SP. DEF.

BASE VALUE	—	ACCURACY DIE
49 & under		1d3
50-59		1d5 + 2
60-69		1d6 + 2
70-79		1d7 + 3
80-89		1d8 + 3
90-99		1d9 + 3
100+		1d10 + 3

If your Accuracy Roll is higher than your opponent's DEF or SP. DEF modifier, then you inflict damage. If not, then you miss or your attack otherwise has no effect.

BASE VALUE	—	DEF / SP. DEF MODIFIER
1-19		1
20-39		2
40-59		3
60-79		4
80-99		5
100-199		6
200+		7

Example: Raichu targets Ariados with Thunderbolt. Ariados has a SP. DEF modifier of 4. Raichu rolls 1d9 and gets a 6. Thunderbolt connects and Raichu inflicts damage.

DAMAGE ROLL
Assuming your Accuracy Roll is successful, your attack will inflict damage. When a Pokémon's HP hits 0, they faint and are no longer able to battle. Every move has a base power, which determines the type of die used. Then add a Pokémon's ATK or SP. ATK modifier to determine the amount of damage dealt.

BASE VALUE	—	DAMAGE DIE
1-19		1
20-29		1d2
30-39		1d3
40-49		1d4
50-59		1d5
60-69		1d6
70-79		1d7
80-89		1d8
90-99		1d9
100+		1d10

The formula used then is:

Damage Dice + ATK or SP. ATK modifier

BASE VALUE	—	ATK / SP. ATK MODIFIER
1-19		1
20-39		2
40-59		3
60-79		4
80-99		5
100+		6

Raichu's Thunderbolt strikes the Ariados. Raichu rolls 1d9 and gets a 2. Raichu adds their SP. ATK modifier of 5 for a final damage of 7.

Many moves have special secondary effects, such as priority and recoil. Make sure to keep these in mind.

TYPE EFFECTIVENESS
Every type has its weaknesses and resistances. For super effective attacks, add more dice for your Damage Rolls. For not very effective attacks, you'll have damage points taken away.

0x effectiveness = no damage
4x resistance = -4 damage
2x resistance = -2 damage
2x effectiveness = 2d damage
4x effectiveness = 4d damage

This means Raichu's Thunderbolt would use 4d9 on a Damage Roll against Gyarados, or suffer a penalty of -2 against Ivysaur.

CRITICAL HITS
If your Accuracy Rolls and Damage Rolls match numbers (e.g. you roll 8 on both rolls), this results in a critical hit. Critical hits are damage-and-a-half. For example, if you roll a critical 8, then you add an additional 4 damage, along with your other modifiers.

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

Burn: Every turn, 2 HP is deducted. Power of attacks is not reduced.
Sleep: Roll 1d3. If you roll 1-2, you stay asleep. If you roll 3, you wake up. After 3 turns, if a Pokémon is still asleep, it automatically wakes up.
Paralysis: Roll 1d3. If you roll 1, you are immobilized and cannot attack that turn. If you roll 2-3, you attack. The speed of paralyzed Pokémon is cut in half. Paralysis disappears after 4 turns automatically.
Confusion: Roll 1d3. If you roll 1, you inflict half of the damage of your intended attack on yourself. If you roll 2-3, attack. Switching out will erase this ailment. Confusion disappears after 4 turns automatically.
Poison: Every turn, 2 HP is deducted.
Bad Poison: Every turn, 1/8 of max HP is deducted.
Infatuation: Roll 1d3. If you roll 1-2, you are overcome with attraction and cannot attack that turn. If you roll 3, attack. Fades if one of either Pokémon is switched out.
Frozen: Roll 1d3. If you roll 1, you remain frozen. If you roll 2-3, 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 1d10. If you roll 1-7, nothing happens. If you roll 8-10, 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
Heals 3/4 the user's max health: Wish, Moonlight (in sunny weather), Synthesis (in sunny weather), Morning Sun (in sunny weather)
KOs user, heals switch-in 100%: Lunar Dance, Healing Wish
Heals users 100%: Rest, Swallow (three Stockpile)

MULTI-STRIKE MOVES
For multi-strike moves, such as Bullet Seed, roll 1d5 for the Accuracy Die, regardless of base accuracy. This number will determine how many times you hit (e.g. rolling a 2 will mean you hit twice, etc.).

With moves such as Bonemerang or Double Hit, roll 2d for the Damage Roll, and do your Accuracy Roll normally.

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).

For every stage raised or lowered, treat this as an additional multiplier. For example, Charge raises the user's SP. DEF by one stage. Raichu's SP. DEF becomes 5 + 1 after using Charge.

Another example is Double Team, which bumps Evasion by one stage. This gives Raichu a +1 modifier to DEF or SP. DEF on enemy Accuracy Rolls.

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 2 HP per turn from all non-Ice-type Pokémon.
Sandstorms will deduct 2 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 create a battlefield effect for all opposing Pokémon leaving their Pokéball to enter the match.

Spikes will deduct 5 HP in damage to grounded Pokémon entering the battle. Additional layers (up to 3 total) will stack on an additional 1 HP in damage.
Stealth Rock will deduct 5 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.

EXPERIENCE & LEVELING UP
Your Pokémon will grow and develop as it overcomes challenges and acquires experience. Most Pokémon evolve at least once, which will change that Pokémon's base stats. Every turn your Pokémon spends in battle, the closer they get to leveling up.

Levels 1-10 - Take 3 posts to level up
Levels 11-20 - Take 6 posts to level up
Levels 21-30 - Take 9 posts to level up
Levels 31-40 - Take 12 posts to level up
Levels 41-50 - Take 15 posts to level up
Levels 51-60 - Take 18 posts to level up
Levels 61-70 - Take 21 posts to level up
Levels 71-80 - Take 24 posts to level up
Levels 81-90 - Take 27 posts to level up
Levels 91-100 - Take 30 posts to level up

Pokémon receive an XP bonus for successfully beating another trainer's Pokémon (the finishing post will count as 3 posts).