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Trouble with Grimer
Topic Started: Jul 28 2015, 11:32 PM (1,678 Views)
Shirokiba
Pokémon Trainer
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Okay, so I am running a game soon one of the rivals to the player has a grimer but until later levels, the grimer only knows pound for physical moves and the rest are either status or special attacks until level 40 when it gets Gunk Shot. Outside of giving them special bred pokemon or access to moves the players have yet to access, is there anyway to make Grimer work as a physical attacker early on? Pound just feels so lackluster.

There are probably a few other pokemon that have this issue, as well, I just likely have not gotten to them.
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BatiroAtrain
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Pyramid King
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You've already stated the best solution: special-bred moves! As awell-learned trainer, maybe the rival already knows that Pound isn't the best physically offensive option, and when your PCs fight him for the first time, his Grimer will suddenly throw a Shadow Punch or pelt them with Rock Tomb! Or maybe have a different strategy, and build the poison glob as a wall with Taunt and Curse, or a staller with Toxic and Disable?

That's the real beauty of NPC Trainers; they don't have to follow the same rules your players do. If you give an NPC Trainer a run-of-the-mill team of common Pokemon and your players are gearing up to steamroll them, it's perfectly okay to decide that this NPC's Pokemon have a few Egg Moves or Tutor Moves, as long as it's in the name of balance and fun. These kinds of tweaks can also make fun wham moments for your players! Believe it or not, your players will generally have a better time getting super-effectively Licked or Ice Punched by a seemingly-normal Grimer than they would shrugging off another 15 Pound attacks. It's always hilarious and memorable when you subvert your players' expectations.
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Marhatus
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Avid Lurker
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If it takes Attack Conflict: Attack, it should be fine, but it will likely still need a special-attack boosting nature or vitamin if they want to have an offensive stat higher than its defensive stats.

EDIT: Whoops, thought this was for a PC. Maybe I shouldn't stay up so late. >>;
Edited by Marhatus, Jul 28 2015, 11:56 PM.
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Shirokiba
Pokémon Trainer
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BatiroAtrain
Jul 28 2015, 11:54 PM
You've already stated the best solution: special-bred moves! As awell-learned trainer, maybe the rival already knows that Pound isn't the best physically offensive option, and when your PCs fight him for the first time, his Grimer will suddenly throw a Shadow Punch or pelt them with Rock Tomb! Or maybe have a different strategy, and build the poison glob as a wall with Taunt and Curse, or a staller with Toxic and Disable?

That's the real beauty of NPC Trainers; they don't have to follow the same rules your players do. If you give an NPC Trainer a run-of-the-mill team of common Pokemon and your players are gearing up to steamroll them, it's perfectly okay to decide that this NPC's Pokemon have a few Egg Moves or Tutor Moves, as long as it's in the name of balance and fun. These kinds of tweaks can also make fun wham moments for your players! Believe it or not, your players will generally have a better time getting super-effectively Licked or Ice Punched by a seemingly-normal Grimer than they would shrugging off another 15 Pound attacks. It's always hilarious and memorable when you subvert your players' expectations.
I was hoping to avoid going that route with it, Guess it can't be helped, though. At least the rest of the team wont be so hard, Venonat, Nidoran M and Oshawott (Yeah, I know, random but it's there for that wow factor)
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Doxy
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The PTU Guy
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I don't think giving enemy Pokemon Egg Moves is out of line.

Also, there's always TMs - Grimer learns lots of TM Moves that could be appropriate for low levels.
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Glitterbomber
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Yea rivals and such should be 'special' like PCs, nothing wrong with saying they have access to egg moves or TMs, in reasonable amounts.
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Grand Silver
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2 kewl 4 u!
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In my one game I specifically made one Rival super rich to explain her and the others having access to stuff.
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Shirokiba
Pokémon Trainer
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Mille-Feuille
Jul 29 2015, 08:29 AM
I don't think giving enemy Pokemon Egg Moves is out of line.

Also, there's always TMs - Grimer learns lots of TM Moves that could be appropriate for low levels.
I'm not too good with balance, which TM moves are okay to use early on? The PC whose gonna be the rival of this character will have level 16 pokemon around the time they run into this one.
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kingsin
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the sinner of poffins
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ya but only a single one and make it around damage base 8-10 ish to be fair
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Domo
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Kawaii Detective
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Shirokiba
Jul 31 2015, 07:37 AM
I'm not too good with balance, which TM moves are okay to use early on? The PC whose gonna be the rival of this character will have level 16 pokemon around the time they run into this one.
Look at the Moves your PCs have access to and then don't pick anything with a significantly larger damage base - unless you want the fight to be difficult.

Usually at a low level like 16, most Pokemon are still working on fairly low DB Moves (6 or less) at AW frequency for damage, and probably limited access to STAB. I wouldn't, therefore, give this Grimer something like Poison Jab, which could realistically threaten to knock someone's teeth in, but a weaker move like Shadow Sneak, Power Up Punch, or Rock Tomb would all be feasible.
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