The Humans have pushed you, stressed you.
Tested you, modified you.
Trained you, toughened you with violence.
The purpose is their amusement.
The result is your death.
It's your first day in the Colosseum. You are filled with energy, ready for the fight in mind and body. All of the days building yourself with mock battles against other gladiator Pokemon, all of the tests your masters ran and used to make you perform at your absolute best, all of the mental preparation to remove fear from your soul. It all boils down to this. The energy cage you're held in finally leaves the colosseum entrance tunnel, but you don't blink in the light of the sun, and you don't flinch under the roar of a crowd filled with bloodlust. The Humans are cheering and shouting for you and at you, waiting to see the violence they came for, waiting to win or lose the bets they placed on you, waiting, sometimes, to make a profit as a parasite living off the energy of the crowd. But your eyes fix on the Pokemon at the other end of the arena. They are a gladiator, just like you. They've been through everything you have since you were sent to the Colosseum- The Grand Masters often put two new Pokemon in the arena together. The energy cage comes to a halt, and you gaze at the other Pokemon. The countdown begins. The energy cage begins to wane. The crowds scream. But your heart slows down it's beating as you stare into the eyes of your opponent, and they stare back. You recognise them. You know them. You fought them in the training arena, you were with them when the Humans tested you, you heard the commands their master gave them to prepare them. You're not going to be attempting to defeat an enemy- You are going to be striving to murder a friend.
The countdown ends. The cages vanish. You rush forward with a cry of violence, and the bloodshed begins.
In an alternate reality, unreachable from the Pokemon universes we know, there is a world that began much as it's better-known sister did. Divided into regions like the icy land of Sinnoh and the firey archipelago of Hoenn, it was a planet of spectacular terrain, varied and colourful Human culture, and amazing biodiversity in the creatures known as Pokemon. What went differently in this world was at first a subtle mental shift of the people, but one that reverberated through the ages until the manner of mankind in this world was far, far seperated from that of the one we know.
The difference is simple. In this reality, humans see Pokemon not as companions, but as resources.
Pokemon are in this world seen as mere animals. There is no sentiment against exploitation and potential abuse- Ethics apply to Humans, but Pokemon are not held in the perspective of being intelligent enough to deserve more than a few basic rights. Pokemon power generators, construct cities, function as biological supercomputers, supply the natural resources from their bodies, protect their owners and entertain the masses. Though the technology of this realm is equal to that of the one we know, with recovery devices, containment capsules, teleporters, energy barriers and advanced combat-enhancement technologies for Pokemon all in widespread use, their usage is different, based around harnessing the powers of Pokemon instead of befriending them. The biodiversity of the planet is not gazed upon with wonder but eyed with greed, and habitats are destroyed whenever they become unprofitable.
The Pokemon of the world, however, are not unintelligent. Their minds are simply constructed differently by nature. The many species are specialised by nature emotionally, intellectually, and physically, each to their own specific niche. A Houndoom has a cunning and manipulative mind, a malevolent nature and a predatory form, while a Beeheeyem is analytical, adaptive, observant and otherwordly. A Torterra is social, peaceful and defensive, while a Lucario is solitary, meditative and warriorlike. All, however, have evolved over the many millions of years to be able to communicate with each other, interpreting the crys and calls of others with a specialised section of their brain. The Human tongue, however, is uniform and complex, and Pokemon require training to follow orders in this language. Though they may kill for food, mates or territory, Pokemon learn fast of the cycle of life, and know the need of predators to feed or producers to live. Deep within the subconsious of every species is a genetic memory of reincarnation, assuring their minds that even if they depart the living, they will return to a new body one day, and Psychic and Ghost Pokemon recall this information much better than others.
There are places in this world, however, where Pokemon are forced to use their powers against others, with no regard for their own right to live. Of these amphitheatres and arenas, one dominates the entire world. It is known as the Colosseum Pokemonis. It is a grand complex built on the region-neutral Faraway Island, where the capabilities of Gladiator Pokemon are maximised through scientific practice and specialised training, and they are taught to clash with each other for the entertainment of thousands.
We are the Pokemon of the Colosseum. Around me and you lies a vast and strange world of Human civilisation.
What do you do?
The Colosseum as a whole is located on Faraway Island, far off the coast of Hoenn. Once a small paradise, a grassy, flowery island surrounded by sea cliffs, the little forest has long since been cleared away, the flowers are now held only in a botanic garden for tourists, the cliffs have been reconstructed and new land has been added to make way for the growing settlement around the Colosseum. The only original denizen of the island, Mew, has been captured and its body preserved in a coma-like state at the Colosseum Laboratories for research. Cloning attempts have succeeded in using its DNA to clone a Pokemon called Mewtwo, but unfortunately for the researchers, the savage result of this experiment escaped and is now in hiding.
The Colosseum is divided into four parts- The Laboratories, the Control Center, the Tourism Hub and the Arena. The Laboratories and Control Center together take up most of the north end of the island. The Control Center stretches along the northeast coast and borders both the Laboratories, the Tourism Hub and the Arena itself, while the Laboratories are mainly self-contained and occupy the northwest. The south is home to the Tourism hub, thus dividing the island into thirds, although the Hub holds the lions share and the Control Center the smallest area. The Arena sits at the center, crowning the island.
The Tourism Hub is a small town-like settlement. As the name suggests, it is where spectators stay in the days before and during the Arena matches. It is highly organised in design, but is constantly bustling with activity as merchants of many types attempt to parasitise off the wealth of the incoming tourists. Gladiator Pokemon are sometimes taken on a victory parade through the streets after a tournament. Bodyguard Pokemon are unnecessary due to the strict crime control of the Control Center (The irony burns), however, many owners bring pet and trophy Pokemon with them to show off their wealth or imitate the Trainers in the Arena. Pokemon are also used for a large variety of services in the Hub, which helps to get the crowds excited for the upcoming violence.
The Colosseum Laboratories are exactly what their name implies. They are a group of buildings dedicated to scientific research and the production and use of incredibly advanced technology. The buildings spare little time for aesthetics, adopting the sterile white hospital look all over. Inside, there is a medical bay for repairing and preparing Gladiator Pokemon, a wing for Pokemon research, where samples of genes from almost every species of Pokemon in the known world is held and the captive body of Mew is kept, a technology lab, which hosts the massive nuclear generator which powers the island (With Pokemon to do the main work, of course, as humans can often prove too fragile against the radiation) as well as a great variety of weapon, biochemical, transport, power, and utility technologies in development. This part of the island is most closely linked to the subterrainean Arena complex, although it is also easily accessible from the Control Center. Tourist access is very heavily restricted.
The Control Center is where the Grand Masters of the Colosseum reside. They remain anonymous, but mansions overlooking the last remaining fully intact sea cliff speaks of their staggering wealth. The Center is where all activity in all parts of the island is monitored and controlled, including that of the Arena itself, meaning that the grand structure can be almost entirely devoted to the Gladiator Pokemon and the tourist's convenience. A structure called simply the Tower gazes endlessly out over the island, seeing all. The Tower controls aircraft landings and boat trips as well as the climate of the island, which is easily altered by the amazing Pokemon-dependant technology of the Laboratories. It is also the brain of the Colosseum, where the Grand Masters meet and scheme, planning out future games, distributing funds, and always making subtle adjustments to the island to near it ever closer to perfection.
The Arena is, of course, the crowning glory of the Colosseum complex. It is the largest and grandest structure in the Pokemon world. It has been described as the most architecturally beautiful thing mankind will produce in a thousand years. Modelled on a royal crown, it bears a perfect fourth order of rotational symmetry, with four towers imbedded in the circular amphitheatre. The construction is made entirely of a gleaming, highly durable, stainless alloy, the colour, texture and luminosity of which can all be controlled with signals from the Control Center. At night, the Arena can be made to light itself in many thousands of different ways, illuminating the entire island, a beacon clearly visible to aeroplanes many kilometres away. There are two domes in the construction. The largest is a massive hemispherical assortment of 48 perfectly spaced rays, covering the top of the amphitheatre, which can resist almost any natural calamity. The rays are the only solid part of the outer dome, but the gaps between can be filled with a variety of energy waves to close like a bubble over the structure. The smaller dome only covers the fighting ground of the Arena itself, and is made of a (in it's normal state) perfectly transparent glass-like substance. This substance, although very thin, resists and repels any destructive powers coming from within, and can be altered to subtly change the view of the audience- Being used as a lens to make battles between smaller Pokemon appear larger, making some Pokemon look more noticable and others less so, and blurring out any unwanted details inside. The seats are equipped with a rail system to bring the spectators whatever refreshments they like, and screens for close-up, slowed-down and recorded views of the action. The particles making up the dust of the battle zone floor are, surprisingly, some of the cleverest pieces of technology in the Colosseum- They are made of certain nanomaterials that, depending on signals from the Control Center, can change their position, texture and state. This keeps unwanted dust clouds to a minimum, gives the battlers a terrain that does not favor any particular Pokemon (unless the Grand Masters want one specificly to win) or help set up a Terrain Battle, and can change into a water-like liquid for adding extra depth in aquatic battles.
The second half of the Arena is underground, and is much less glamorous. Gladiator Pokemon are held here, in solitary confinement cells, a central 'common room' where all activity is monitorred, conflict being restricted but interaction being entirely possible between Gladiators, a chamber for elite Trainers to get their Pokemon into perfect fighting form, and an area which monitors the health of all the Pokemon and deals out the appropriate medications and nourishments. Pokemon are undergo harsh training in this place, with shock collars, whips and punishments for fear in regular use, as well as multiple medical tests to give their Trainers the information needed maximise their power. In the common training room, where the Pokemon are given free reign to do as they please, collars and implants deal with any fights that break out by inducing pain in any Pokemon who attacks another.
The only unmentioned part of the Colosseum is the runway, a long, thin islet where planes can touch down briefly, unload passengers or cargo, and fly off. Short-distance boats and ferries carry spectators and supplies to an airport, customs unit and processing bay in the Tourism Hub.
There are nine main types of Pokemon Battle in the Arena. Pokemon are ranked depending on how well they perform in the fights, with '1' being the very best ranking a Gladiator can achieve. Training battles are never ranked. Pokemon that are past the prime of their battling days, or of no further use to the Grand Masters, are killed off in a Death Match. Only Death Matches kill any competitor, but in all battles Gladiators can be severly and painfully injured. Wounds which in the wild would permanently put an end to a Pokemon's fighting can all be healed through various methods in the Laboratories, even severed limbs.
Tournament
In the Tournament, a multitude of different Pokemon are matched with another of similar combat ranking. The winners of the one-on-one matches progress to the next round, and fight other winners. If a loser was judged to have fought well enough, it is sometimes voted by spectators to be sent into a secondary tournament, with the matches chosen by voters. Trainers accompany their Pokemon in Tournaments, unlike in most battles, and the event lasts for a week or more. The Tournament is the most viewed type of battle, and the most prestigious to win. There are sometimes variations of tournaments based on other types of battles, like team Tournaments.
Duel
When two Pokemon are of almost equal rank and the Grand Masters have difficulty in deciding their ranking, then they are made to fight a no-rules, no-trainer one-on-one battle until one is the clear winner. These are among the few matches fought mainly for utility instead of the entertainment of the masses, but they still prove popular.
Power Duel
The Power Duel is a very variable type of match. It is essentially a 'tweaked' Duel, where the Gladiators are advantaged in multiple ways, but the match itself is still equal. A Power Duel can be fought between multiple Pokemon, with several of lower rank fighting one or two of higher. Sometimes a high-ranked Gladiator faces a low-ranked Pokemon that is given technological advantages, such as a weapon, some type of defensive aid like a weak force field, or an item which allows them to maximise the damage they deal with through their own devices. Sometimes both Pokemon are advantaged in different ways, and the result depends on how well they can use their advantage. All Power Duels have two things in common- There are never more than two sides, and no Pokemon is ever disadvantaged. Power Duels are very popular but of little ranking or research use for the Colosseum.
Disability Duel
The Disability Duel is the opposite of the Power Duel. As the name implies, two Pokemon or small teams are weakened or disabled through some method, and then made to fight each other, although the disabilities are given equally. The disadvantage may be restraining bonds, something physical like exhaustion, an item which decreases the Gladiator's ability to defend themselves or deal out damage, or incompatible Pokemon being partnered. These duels aren't quite as popular as others, but are very useful to the Grand Masters. Disability Duels can be analysed to find out how specific Pokemon deal with hinderances and helps the Laboratories maximise the potential of a Gladiator.
Free-for-all
The Free-for-all is the most basic of the battles fought in the Arena. A group of Pokemon is put in the Arena, and the last one standing is declared the victor. There are no teams, however, Gladiators often gang up to defeat weaker or stronger combatants in the early moments of the match. These battles can be arranged by the Game Masters at a moments notice, and are thus often used as substitutes in the rare event that a scheduled battle cannot take place due to complications.
Terrain Battle
Terrain Battles require more planning than most of the matches of the Colosseum, but are among the most popular. Teams of Pokemon are made to fight after the Arena is modified to resemble a certain type of terrain, be it mountainous, jungle, or a flooded water battle. The teams are carefully selected and rules are sometimes made, and often Trainers are requested to accompany their Pokemon. Teams are often made and informed days or weeks beforehand, and are usually designed to suit the terrain they're fighting in (Although matches between a larger, more powerful team and a smaller but better adapted one are not unheard of). These battles are expensive to run and careful preparations must be made by the Grand Masters to ensure maximum profit.
Team Battle
Two to six teams of at least two Pokemon fight in this match, almost always accompanied by their Trainers and occasionally with rules in place. Unlike in the Free-for-all, teams are set, permanent and equal, and strategies are devised by the Trainers beforehand. Equality is achieved not through advantages or disadvantages as with the altered duels, but through the ranking of the Pokemon in the teams. These matches are fairly easy to organise by the Game Masters, but require time for the Trainers and Pokemon to prepare.
Death Match
Death Matches are wildly popular but rare conflicts. They can take many forms, but the central concept common to all is that the first team or Pokemon to die is the loser. Only small teams are ever used for Death Matches, as Gladiators are valuable, but these fights are often subtly rigged to make sure that the right team is killed. Advantages and disadvantages are only applied in these matches when the result is too easily predicted by the spectators. Death Matches can be used as punishment for uncooperative Trainers or a way of destroying a rebellious Pokemon. Trainers are allowed to accompany their Pokemon to the Death Match and direct their actions, but rules and restrictions are rarely made.
Elimination Match
The Elimination Match is the most expensive, most popular, most bloodthirsty and least seen single battle fought in the Arena. Two or three Pokemon, unaccompanied by Trainers and all on the death row, are given a time limit. If, when time runs out, there has yet to be one clear winner and survivor, all of the combatants are killed. The mechanism of death can be anything from the shrinking walls of the Arena to a platform lowering into a caustic substance to steadily increasing radiation in the air of the battleground. The battles in Elimination Matches are fought between desperate Pokemon with nothing to lose, and as such are the most violent of all. Although the Humans of this world do not generally apply ethics or humane treatment laws to Pokemon, even here there are many whose taste for bloodshed is not great enough for the Elimination Match. There are still crowds, however, who are eager to spectate- and willing to pay.
1. Yo gotta show da baws some respect brah, he be head gangsta here, yo listen?
2. Try to stay respectful of other players and their opinions. Sometimes people have different ideas and misunderstandings may occur; if they do, try to sort it out yourselves, but I'll be happy to clear things up.
3. Keep most out-of-character banter to this thread, but small notes and clarifications can be put into an in-character post. Make sure it's seperated from your *character actions by {something} or other.
4. Your characters can and are meant to fight each other as hard as they can in the Arena, but you need another player's permission to kill their character in some way.
5. Do not overpower your characters, not even subtly. Yes, they are elite, but no, they are not perfect. The roleplay is a competition between characters, not players, so while your character might not easily accept defeat, you should have the maturity to accept or arrange a loss.
6. The only Legendary or Mythical Pokemon allowed is Shaymin, because from various sources of information there are populations of it and not just one or two specimens. For the purposes of this roleplay, though, Rotom, Phione, Spiritomb and the Zoroark line are not considered legendary even though their canon status has been disputed, and pseudo-legendary Pokemon like Salamence or Hydreigon are allowed.
7. Fully-evolved Pokemon are recommended, especially for Gladiator characters, but if you feel you can pull of an NFE Pokemon, go for it.
8. Two paragraphs of three lines minimum, no exceptions (unless I'm feeling really, REALLY nice, which I doubt will happen). Everyone makes a typo every now and again, but make sure your grammar and spelling is up to scratch.
9. As you probably guessed, there will be mature themes in this roleplay, violence especially. Try not to overdo it though. As for graphic romance... This is Pokemon and the characters are probably all different species, that shouldn't even be happening, although I've got no problems with some minor romantic themes.
And then there's the One Rule. The One Rule to rule them all, the One Rule to find them, the One Rule to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them.
10. If you plan on leaving, either permanently or just for a while, I NEED TO KNOW. I'm fine with things coming up and interrupting your roleplaying. It happens. But if you don't have a reason or care to inform me, you'll become disruptive, and I'll probably have to kill off your character(s).
Given Name: (This is the name your character was given by their owner. Remember that it is a name a human gave to a Pokemon, and as such is probably human in nature.)Code:
Original Name: (Optional)
Gender:
Species:
Age:
Owner:
Appearance:
Personality:
Bio: (Optional)
Occupation: (Optional)
Stats: (Optional)
Item: (Optional)
Primary Moveset:
Secondary Moveset:
Combat style: (Optional)
Quote: (Optional)
Theme Song: (Optional)
Original Name (Optional): (If your Pokemon was originally wild you can fill this in. Because there's such a great level of variation between species, this can follow any format you want.)
Gender: (Male, Female, or Asexual but with a gendered personality.)
Species: (Specify form where applicable, and if shiny. If a species or it's evolution has already been used, try to choose another. Branched evolutions are perfectly fine though.)
Age: (Remember that Pokemon mature at different speeds due to their species and lifestyle. A Beedrill or Vileplume might only make it to it's twenties, a Lucario or Slaking will probably have a human-like lifespan, a Bastiodon or Maractus will likely live to one or two hundred, and certain mineral Pokemon like Bronzong or Cofagrigus are immortal until slain and could be thousands of years old.)
Owner/Trainer: (This is a requirement. If they're a Gladiator, then they have their own specific trainer to see them through all their battles [Having a bond with this trainer is highly unlikely though], and even if they're a pet or working Pokemon they still need owners and supervisors.)
Appearance: (A somewhat detailed physical description. Pokemon may look alike to Humans, but they do have differences in form and coloration like we do depending on induvidual. I prefer text for this, but if you want to use an image/text combination, that's fine.)
Personality: (Yeah... You probably don't need me for this.)
Bio (Optional): (Not necessary but recommended. Keep it fairly brief.)
Occupation (Optional): (Just for non-Gladiator Pokemon, really. Give a few details.)
Statistics (Optional): (If you have a knowledge of Pokemon statistics and feel that this will help people understand your character, this is useful. If not, just ignore.)
Item (Optional): (Small accessories like an eyepatch don't count. This is mainly for Gladiator Pokemon equipped with combat items.)
Primary Moveset: (This is the basic moveset. 3-5 moves is recommended. If you choose to have less moves, more of the Pokemon's effort and concentration can be devoted to them, and they can be used more skillfully. If you choose to have more, your Pokemon will be more adaptable, but less powerful. 4 is average, as in the games. The power variations aren't too great, though. If you want, you can put in a brief description of the induvidual moves in use, but only if you really want to.)
Secondary Moveset: (These are moves your Pokemon has learned or used in the past. They can be practiced and remastered to become part of the primary moveset again, or used in a time of stress when all else fails, but if used like this, they will be inperfect and not particularly powerful. This is probably necessary even for non-Gladiator Pokemon, as no matter what your character's standing they'll probably have to fight at some stage. These moves you can go crazy with in terms of number, but try not to include useless or repetitive moves [Stone Edge and Rock Slide, for instance.] Remember that though you may have a perfectly situational move in your secondary list, even with perfect circumstances they'll be weaker than normal moves, so if you intend to one very much it's better to add it to your main list.)
Combat style (Optional): (If you have a Gladiator Pokemon, this is highly recommended. How do they fight? Brute strength? Wearing out the opponent with defenses? Defeating the enemy with tricks like poison and paralysis? Physical? Special? How do they wield their moves?)
Quote (Optional): (Something that they've said or may have said in the past. Make it suit them personality-wise.)
Theme Song (Optional): (Be it Bangarang, Black Star, Legions of Doom, Zombies, or Thriller, something has to play when they enter the room like a boss. ;D)
Given Name: Phoebe, a name given by her Trainer because of it's link to 'Phobia' (the nickname she earned in the Arena), unaware that the name also means 'Bright'.
Original Name: Mina, a simple name she still prefers.
Gender: Female.
Species: Eelecktross.
Age: 27, 19 years of which was spent as a larvae Tynamo and 5 as an Eelektrik. Mina was evolved through use of a synthesised Thunderstone shortly after being captured for the Colosseum four years ago.
Owner: A male trainer named Albus. Albus is fairly new to the Colosseum, but not to Pokemon battling, having once been an adventurer who rounded up and terminated feral Pokemon. His inexperience in dealing with other highly trained Pokemon can be seen in his training schemes and decisions, however, his experience in predicting the actions of other Pokemon also shows. Albus is not a particularly easy trainer to work with, becoming frustrated when things don't go his way, but can be a very clever instructor when circumstances allow. Mina tolerates him, grateful that she isn't under the ownership of the more abusive trainers, but isn't at all fond of his personality and condescending manner.
Appearance: For a leech Pokemon, Mina is surprisingly graceful. Her tail and dorsal fin are both slightly less eel-like than her relatives, and her fins and arms are stronger, giving her more resemblance to a shark or fish than a lamprey in motion as she 'swims' through the air with Levitate. Her skin, just slightly lighter and greyer than other Eelektross, is fairly thick and hard to pierce, but also clammy and chilling to touch, besides the obvious danger of electrocution. Her claws have been sharpened and honed as part of her training, and through specialised exercise, the rays in her lower fins are tough enough to use as rudimentary feet. The parasitic apparatus in her jawless mouth is usually hidden to avoid being seen as disturbing by Humans, and her electrical organs, which form distinctive bands instead of the usual circles, tend to spark and glow more than entirely necessary. A thin, straight scar along the top of her head, fully healed but still discoloured due to the nature of her skin, marks where her monitoring and controlling implants were applied.
Personality: Mina/Phoebe is a fairly agreeable, but not restful, soul. Having spent so much of her life as a larvae, small and weak but free to do as she pleased and surrounded by others like herself, she didn't take well to the containment of the Colosseum. Mina is willing enough to stay on good terms with other Pokemon and even Humans when not fighting them, but isn't particularly patient or collected. When not in action in the training zones or in the Arena, she tends to become anxious and irritable to others, although not completely hostile. Her attempts at being hospitable or helpful rarely succeed due to her personality, even though her intents are good-natured. Combat, even when she's forced into it, gives her something to channel her all of her mind and strength into, releasing frustration and stress on an opponent. Mina often feels much calmer and more friendly after a fight, unless, of course, she was forced into a deathmatch. Despite her frustration with the world and thorny exterior, she tries to keep up the hope that she'll escape the Arena one day, and refuses adamantly to be corrupted by the violence.
Bio: Mina led a very peaceful life in the Chargestone Caves for most of her years. A single part of a large Tynamo shoal, she had no notable traits whatsoever. The part of the cavern system in which she lived was preserved as a tourist attraction for Unova even while the rest of the caves were emptied and mined. Upon evolution, however, her nature changed greatly. Once a larvae with little protection except safety in numbers, she was now a fairly capable predator eager to test the limits of her abilities. Though a perfectly natural part of the cave ecosystem at first, and a slightly tame tourist attraction for the eager Humans she was used to, she later took to seeing the Humans as potential prey, being among the largest and weakest species in the caves. Shortly after becoming a danger to visitors, a certain Pokemon trainer by the name of Albus was recruited to put an end to her spree of minor attacks. Mina put up much more of a fight than expected, and Albus, whose adventuring days were nearly past and was planning to retire from the work anyway, seized his chance and kept the Eelektrik for himself, applying and being accepted as an official Colosseum trainer.
Occupation: Gladiator, no description needed.
Stats: Natural stats are 85 Health, 115 Attack, 80 Defense, 105 Special Attack, 80 Special Defense, and 50 Speed. Effort values number 252 in Health, 192 in Attack, and 64 in Special Attack. Brave nature (+Attack, -Speed).
Item: Mina wears a specially made Zoom Lens over her left eye, which allows her to strike much more accurately with Zap Cannon when the opponent strikes first and gives her an opportunity. This happens very often against offensive opponents, as Mina knows she's far too slow to match most other Gladiators.
Primary Moveset:
- Coil-Poison-Auxiliary Mina coils hagfish-like into a compact and defensive position, biding her time. If the opponent strikes after Phoebe prepares herself like this, she can much more easily take a blow and launch a powerful retaliation. (+1 Accuracy, +1 Defense, +1 Attack)
- Acid Spray-Poison-Special Mina spits a jet of a corrosive and burning solution at an opponent at close range. The damage caused directly by the acidic venom can be shrugged off without too much difficulty by a tough Pokemon, but the lingering acid eats away at a rivalling gladiator's skin and can cause internal damage by entering the bloodstream, leaving them highly vulnerable to further Special bombardment. (40 base power, 100% chance of lowering Special Defense by 2)
- Crush Claw-Normal-Physical Mina grabs the opponent with her powerful claws and jawless fangs. The natural suction of her arms and parasitic face prevent the opponent from escaping, allowing Mina to freely put her formidable body strength into breaking as many of the opponent's bones as she can before she's forced to let go. A squeezed opponent is often easier to deal with physically after the move. (75 base power, 5% miss chance, 50% chance of lowering Defense by 1)
- Wild Charge-Electric-Physical Mina charges the foe with powerful claws and fangs, discharging all of the electricity in her body upon impact. Though her body strength and ability to hold on to a struck opponent makes this a powerful technique, the sudden loss of power combined with the physical punishment of collision with another body inflicts painful recoil. (90 base power, 25% damage recoil)
- Zap Cannon-Electric-Special Mina gathers her electrical powers into a single point and condenses the lightning into a self-contained sphere that explodes into a small lightning storm upon meeting an electrical conductor, like the body of another Pokemon. The sphere does both very impressive damage and stuns the target, but is very difficult to aim under unfavourable circumstances. After a use of Coil and Acid Spray, though, very little can withstand the technique. (120 base power, 50% miss chance, 100% chance of paralysis)
Secondary Moveset:
- Flamethrower
- Dragon Claw
- Acrobatics
- Crunch
- Drain Punch
- Aqua Tail
- Gastro Acid
- Grass Knot
- Discharge
- U-Turn
Combat style: It took Albus and Mina over a year of trial and error to find a suitable strategy. Though the moves available to Eelektross in the wild are limited, their primitive genes and the near-limitless resources of the Colosseum can unlock a strangely large variety of moves for them, hence the enormous secondary moveset. After trials with specially offensive, physical brute, hit-and-run and even stall strategies, Albus found that the best method of taking down opponents was to use a combination of bulk and auxiliary moves to give Phoebe the upper edge in the early battle, then hitting home with a combination of both Physical and Special power depending on the opponent. Though the strategy is powerful and difficult to work around due to Mina's lack of elemental weaknesses, her main tactic is almost entirely useless against Steel-types, which are immune to Acid Spray and resist her other main offensive moves, forcing her to rely on poorly-remembered secondary moves and preventing an overwise formidable Pokemon from reaching top spot.
Quote: "Humans are dominant by virtue of their technology. When one day the machines are gone, though, then we'll see who's the apex predator."
Theme Song: Not exactly classical, but with a warlike sound and a fitting dose of electric music.
Given Name: Identification number CP-S542-SU12 (Colosseum Pokemonis, Species #542 Leavanny, surgeon number 12). Laboratory workers have (not affectionately) given him nicknames like 'Jack the Ripper', 'Edward Scissorhands', and most popularly, 'Dr. Knives'.
Gender: Male, although he has very little interest in romance or gender except from a medical point of view.
Species: Leavanny.
Age: 4 years, but already fully mature due to his Bug-type nature and accelerated growth. Leavanny lifespans are fairly long compared to some other Bug-types, though, and he will probably make it into his teens without intervention.
Owner: A Colosseum Laboratory scientist named Professor Twitch cloned Dr. Knives for surgery work. Twitch views Knives as a tool to be used until discarded, and believes that ethics of treatment only apply to humans. Although not cruel or abusive by nature, Professor Twitch cares nothing for Knives and treats him as he would an inferior or slave, although the demented psychology of the Leavanny means that he requires no punishment or pressure to make him do what he's meant to. Dr. Knives follows Twitch's orders, but due to the nature of his 'employment', he is often given free rein on operations, so long as he accomplishes his goal. Knives treats Twitch with the same dull indifference as he treats most other beings.
Appearance: For a Leavanny, Dr. Knives is slightly taller than most, and fairly strong. Genetically he is a perfect physical specimen of his species, with no deformities in his exoskeleton, good eyesight and limb coordination, perfect balance, an agile form and no minor variations other than his height. In terms of usual appearance, though, he is a strange and frightening Pokemon. The leaves that adorn his body are slightly yellowed and dried from the lack of sunlight and long amounts of time spent in the laboratories, where the air is sterile but strange chemicals still leak out into the air vents. He sometimes wears human-like white surgeon's garb, if only for the purpose of blending in, and is commonly seen wearing a face-mask to cover his mouth. Dr. Knives is often seen with evidence of blood on his blade-like hands, and he usually folds these mantis-like into his forearms, his stance giving the false impression that he is about to lash out. He looks at others with an analysing stare, looking at them as living bodies instead of people/Pokemon.
Personality: Dr. Knives is a twisted and intimidating parody of what a Leavanny would usually be. He looks at the world with a subdued universal hatred of everything, and has never been seen showing the emotion of love to anyone. He is not emotionless, however, and does love one thing- His task as a surgeon. Dr. Knives isn't deliberately cruel or sadistic, but enjoys the complex and very subtle work involved in opening up other Pokemon, patching them up and sewing them together again. He fears very little and has no concept of self-preservation, knowing deep down that death would be a blessing to a freak of nature as perverse as him, but he also follows Human orders blindly, and has been instructed and trained to defend himself in the case of danger. However, he will only follow direct commands and will do as he likes outside of them. He cares nothing for what other Pokemon think of him. The conditions of his creation traumatised him deeply, and though he remembers little of it, he is plagued by night terrors and his mental stability is slowly degrading.
Bio: CP-S542-SU12 is the result of one damaging Human decision after the next. He was cloned, not born, created out of carefully selected Sewaddle genes. The immediate lack of social contact with other Pokemon after creation left Dr. Knives highly vulnerable, as his type of Pokemon is by nature a highly social keystone species. After creation he was forced into a growth-acceleration program, and though it transformed him from a vulnerable newborn to a physically healthy and strong Swadloon, it turned his larvaehood into a confused and terrified nightmare. The evolution to a Leavanny was more complicated, though, as Swadloon normally leave their chrysalis stage when their brains have produced enough of a hormone only produced when they are safe, well-nourished and around companions*, to ensure that they evolve in plentiful conditions. The researchers instead synthesised this hormone and injected Dr. Knives with a solution. Though he evolved without trouble, he had done so without going through the mental growth he would have underwent naturally. He was trained and conditioned as a Leavanny for almost two years after his traumatic evolutions, turning him into the Dr. Knives alive today, but not doing anything to heal his damaged mind.
Occupation: After a few early years, the Colosseum began to realise that it had a problem in repairing damaged gladiators. Some of the Arena Pokemon often did not respond very well to mechanical and Human healing, and Gladiators could lash out in pain. Healing through the moves of Pokemon like Audino and Blissey was possible, but could conflict with the alterations and plans of the Game Masters, as the move itself only provides energy and material for the casualty's body to repair itself naturally. Regeneration via sending Pokemon into a pure-energy storage state held it's own risks. The Colosseum needed to be able to perform various operations through old-fashioned surgery, and certain species of Pokemon were chosen for the task, as they could communicate with their patients and the Gladiator bodies reacted much better to their influence. Dr. Knives is the most successful of a line of such Pokemon, and was cloned and trained specifically for the task. He is often allowed to wander the complex under the Arena to observe potential patients and for the Gladiators to get used to his presence, although mutual trust is very unlikely.
Primary Moveset:
- String Shot-Bug-Auxiliary
- Electroweb-Electric-Special
- False Swipe-Normal-Physical
- GrassWhistle-Grass-Auxiliary
Secondary Moveset:
- Leaf Blade
- X-Scissor
- Frustration
- Swords Dance
- Agility
- Baton Pass
- Helping Hand
Combat style: Although combat isn't his specialty, and probably never will be, Dr. Knives certainly isn't useless in combat. Though his primary moveset is filled with utility moves for his occupation, his secondary list of techniques are all for offensive purposes. His speed, grace and lethal blades can let him dance in and out of an opponent's reach, striking them with slashing moves and increasing his capabilities between blows. His knowledge of Pokemon anatomy lets him target vital organs and muscles and destroy them efficiently with a well-timed slash or kick. Several of his combat moves, however, are moves to aid other, more skilled fighters. Using Helping Hand and Baton Pass to allow other combatants to deal much higher amounts of damage, he can when necessary be a much better supporter than a fighter.
Quote: "Don't struggle. It makes it harder to operate."
Theme Song: Melancholy and slightly creepy.
*In-game Happiness.
Slicer/Hyraeos (Sakura Kyouko)
Cinder/Shanala (Leo99)
Ferdinand/Harka (Dsnake1)
Zack/Crimson (Hueyblade)
Accepted characters will be linked here as they are submitted.
Feel free to submit questions here.
Q. Antarctic Termite, can I call you Termite or AT?
A. Sure fine whatever.
Q. AT, how do KO's work in this roleplay?
A. In the games, sleeping and being unconscious are apparently very different things, but this roleplay maintains a measure of realism. While sleep is sleep, being 'knocked out' in this roleplay means that a Pokemon is in a restorative coma. Pokemon here, after taking too much damage to keep fighting, lose complete consciousness and go into a coma-like state, where their bodies focus all their energy into fast recovery and do not awaken naturally until they are in a better condition. They can, obviously, be killed while in this state, so the Arena is designed to remove defeated Pokemon from the battleground.
Q. AT, can I make up my own non-canon Pokemon/Moves/Abilities/Items/Anything else?
A. No. Staying to canon stuff keeps things fairly simple, and prevents players from giving their characters traits which are too well adapted to them. Imagine, for instance, a Regigigas with a Power/Skill Swap varient, or a Wobuffet with a safe recovery move. If a Pokemon doesn't recieve a canon move despite it's nature dying to have one, though, I am fairly lenient. Feel free to give your Flareon Flare Blitz or your Gardevoir Extrasensory, although you have to give me acceptable reasons.
Q. AT, what if something pops up unexpectedly and I really can't give you a heads-up before I leave for a while?
A. Please try to find out about these things beforehand. If that's really not possible, give me a good enough excuse or explanation and I'll be forgiving.
Q. AT, can I play as a human or a gijinka?
A. Sorry, but no. This roleplay is designed for Pokemon characters.
Q. AT, does this roleplay have a storyline?
A. Yes. The good news is, however, that I'm going to shape the story around the actions of the characters, so while the roleplay probably will have a fairly well-defined start, middle and end, the story is player-driven, and will evolve according to what the players decide to do.
