[ti]sticky[/ti] Arena Rules

ARENA RULES

practice battles and compete with other players in our virtual arena!

ARENA (PVP)

Pokemon will only battle other players' Pokemon in this special, competition-driven mode. By battling in the Arena, players can earn Arena Points to exchange for bytes, TMs, mods, and even Legendary DNA!

The Arena can be accessed from any location in the game and takes place in a separate, shared virtual space. There are many different battlefields to choose from, from real-world environments to more unusual, abstract landscapes.

The Arena has two subcategories: MECHANICAL and FREEFORM.

MECHANICAL BATTLES use the standard Class Skill Trees and involve rolling dice, adding bonuses, and doing damage to other players' Pokemon. This is a great way to practice site battle mechanics before a big dungeon or raid and test out your strategy!

FREEFORM BATTLES are a way to practice writing creative Pokemon battles with no other strings attached. There is no dice rolling or math involved, though you are asked to conform to the level-up moves your Pokemon can know within their class skill tree. This style of battle is ideal for developing your creativity, action writing, or just enjoying a lowkey match between friends.

The following rules apply to all Arena Battles:

• Matchups are always equal. 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, etc.
• You may choose single, double, or triple battle. We strongly recommend double or triple battles so that you can practice team strategy (for example, bringing one tank, one sweeper, and one support).
  
• For Mechanical battles, if a Pokemon is a higher tier than its opponent, its moves and attacks will be scaled down to its opponent's highest tier. In a double/triple battle, all Pokemon in the battle will be scaled down to the weakest Pokemon's highest tier.
  

Gaining Arena Points

Once you've decided what type of battle you want to do, it's time to fulfill some battle prompts for Arena Points! We have divided the list into 6 distinct "Battle Styles" a given Pokemon might favor: Quick, Careful, Sneaky, Flashy, Forceful, and Clever. You do not have to stick to a single style, but you may find it helpful when characterizing a particular Pokemon's actions in combat.

SPOILER: Click to show

{BATTLE PROMPTS}
Quick
- take an action on reflex
- start your move before your opponent's lands
- ricochet a move off something
- get a running start
- make a hasty decision
- make a sloppy mistake
- leave skid marks
- act without orders
- use a speed-raising move
- use a priority move

Careful
- observe your environment carefully
- bide your time
- wait until you're in position
- carefully line up a precision shot
- anticipate a move before it hits
- take a hit on a non-essential part of your body
- find cover
- use a healing/draining move
- use a defense/sp.def-raising move
- use an evasion-raising move

Sneaky
- use a teammate to cover your attack
- attempt to conceal yourself
- engage in distracting banter
- attack from behind your opponent
- try to blind your opponent
- fake an injury
- lay a trap
- create a distraction
- use a dark or poison-type move
- use an attack/sp.atk lowering move
- use a status-afflicting move

Flashy
- describe a visually dazzling move
- say a one-liner as you attack
- make yourself the center of attention
- give a speech
- make a last stand
- combine two or more moves for additional effect
- create a loud sound
- pull off an unbelievable stunt
- use a fire or electric-type move
- use a pokemon's 'signature move'

Forceful
- fight through the pain
- try to crush your opponent
- try to strangle your opponent
- get blood in your eyes
- break something in the arena
- take damage from falling
- get hurt to protect a teammate
- turn the power up to 11
- use a move with recoil
- use a move with over 100 base power
- use an attack/sp.atk-raising move

Clever
- create an environmental effect
- use a weather move
- use a field hazard/terrain move
- use a battle item
- use a Pokemon with a Refresh bonus
- calculate likelihood/statistics/probability
- note an exploitable behavior
- consult external data
- reference tactics or strategy
- make a logical deduction

For easy reference, the Battle Prompts will be visible at the bottom of the page in all Arena Battle threads.

Each of your battling Pokemon may use one prompt per post. You may not repeat prompts. Each prompt used awards +2 Arena Points at the end of the battle. For example, in a Triple Battle, you could use a total of 3 prompts in your post (awarding 6 AP), but in a Single Battle you could only use 1.

These prompts are intended for your Pokemon to use in battle, but depending on the situation it may make more sense for your trainer to complete the relevant action instead.

At the end of the thread, you and your opponent may post in General Mod Requests to collect your Arena Points.

How to Start an Arena Battle

- Copy the Mechanical or Freeform Template
- Choose a Battlefield (Forest, Desert, Sinking Ship, etc. You can be creative!)
- Decide on the number of Pokemon (1v1, 3v3, 6v6, etc)
- Decide on Single, Double, or Triple Battle
- Declare any extra rules (example: wordcap, time limit, etc.)
- Don't forget to keep track of your completed prompts each post!