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Memorable Pokemon Tabletop Campaign Moments?
Topic Started: Jul 25 2012, 10:51 PM (62,308 Views)
Elemental Knight
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Knight of the Spread Sheet
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Quote:
 
[12:40:16 AM] Rob: GMs can post in the awesome moments if its not something they preordained.
[12:40:31 AM] Rob: If it was 100% PC off the wall initiative then it's A-OK
[12:40:51 AM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): i think this session qualifies
[12:40:52 AM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): don't you?
[12:41:24 AM] Rob: It was all the GM reacting to our initiative.

Yeah, it did. This is from my Tohoku session last night. If you're curious, you can find the whole log here. I'm still gonna tell the story though, as a kind of TLDR version.

I say "kind of" because this post is incredibly long. This is an entire session that is an awesome, memorable moment, and it requires a bit of knowledge about the rest of the campaign. I'm also putting in relevant snippets from the log of said session. If you don't like words, my apologies - just hit the "END" key and be done with it, then.

***
First, some background:

In the previous session, two members of the party - the Ace Trainer / Water Ace, Virgil, and the Researcher / Professor / Petrologist, Saya - finally got around to reviving a strange fossil that Saya had found many moons ago. It was an Odd Amber, having both Aerodactyl and Yanmega DNA in it. I told Saya that rolling a Natural 1 would result in, and I quote from my notes, "Oh no, Gojira is loose!". He decided to use his Chosen One feat to force the Natural 1, I let him, and Gojira - a humungous (6x6!) Genesect was made, and immediately began tearing up the town.

The two players got to work stopping it, and it was a short, intense fight. Virgil's Seadra was KO'd in one hit. Saya's Machoke, named Jackie, fought the giant Genesect head-on, using Low Kick and the like to leverage its greatest advantage - size - against it. But just before the Genesect fell, it let loose a Signal Beam at Jackie at point-blank range, using Download to power it up against the Machoke's poor SpDef.

It was enough to send Jackie from "conscious but not in good health" to "-109% HP". He failed is death saving throw. A nearby emergency teleportation system failed its throw. Saya failed his "emergency fossilization" throw. The dice had spoken: Jackie was dead.

Virgil finished off the Genesect, but by then, Saya was a wreck. He went off to bury his comrade.

***
And now for today's session:

Shortly after that session, Saya's player came to me, and said, "Jackie shouldn't be dead. We both forgot that Signal Beam's Bug-type damage should only be half as effective against Jackie's Fighting-type". We talked it over, and agreed that, because the death had such great dramatic impact on the game, we'd let it stay for now - but that at some point in the future, Jackie would be able to make a return.

When the time for the session arrived, I wasn't sure what I'd have the players do. There was talk of them trying to muck up some bad-guy plans, but nothing definite. Thus, the session got off to a slow, lazy start, with people rolling out of bed and the town starting to rebuild. But when the other characters found out about Jackie's death, they immediately went to find Saya and comfort him.

And it was in the middle of comforting him that a plan was hatched. In short: While Saya's own emergency fossilization had failed, there's no reason someone else, someone better at it, couldn't try it. It just had to happen within 24 hours of the death, and that time limit hadn't yet expired.

They quickly worked to get Saya back on his feet and sensible again - he had spent the night sleeping near the new grave he had dug - and one player, Celes, the Ace Trainer / Ice Ace, even had to back up another player (Tulip, the Breeder / Botanist) by using a Chosen One (with the player's permission), all just to get Saya out of his mourning and into action.

Quote:
 
Saya: "I was the one that brought the monster that killed him to life. And if more of my friends die just so I can work towards my goals and dreams....That would be too selfish of me."
Tulip: "But he doesn't HAVE to die!"
Tulip: "You're just goint to leave him there without giving your all to save him? Is that the kind of friend you are? Is Jackie worth giving up on even when you have a chance no matter how slim?!"
Saya: "I KILLED HIM! I have no right to call him my friend anymore...."
Tulip: "Saya, Jackie died. For YOU. He died for YOU. You owe it to him to break every bone in your body trying to bring him back. You only give up when your body refuses to move forward."
Celes: "Saya, I wanted to stay neutral and let you decide... but if you don't act now, you WILL regret it. Trust me... I know."

They quickly dig Jackie back up, while one team member, Celes, the Ace Trainer / Ice Ace, sets to getting them transportation back to Inspiration City - a mecca of science and technology, where Saya learned to be a Petrologist in the first place. (They've already been there, several sessions ago, and had many adventures there.)

A few sessions ago, Virgil, the Water Ace mentioned above, had given some of his Pokemon to four Sailors who had recently docked in town on the cargo ship Sufferin' Surskit. They had been very grateful, and excited over the possibilities. But when Celes came to cash that in for them (Virgil's player, unfortunately, had to leave the session very early this night), they weren't able to make themselves force the issue onto their Captain.

Quote:
 
Captain Alberta: * From the docks, the man in white uniform is marching towards you all, swagger in his step, mustache bristling. "Oi! What's all this about usin' the Sufferin' Surskit for a funerary?"
* Celes walks out from behind the trees, looking at the captain. "Not a funerary. A rescue attempt. The pokemon that died saving Haybox yesterday can still be saved, if we act quickly."

Thankfully, the Captain, Alberta, comes out and is immediately on-board (so to speak) with the idea. He orders everyone around and gets people moving with the haste this situation deserves.

With everyone finally on the ship, including Jackie, they go full-speed ahead to Inspiration. The city is landlocked, but Captain Alberta can get them close - close enough that, even without the Fly HM, the team's one and only Legendary Pokemon, a Moltres name Ma-Qian-Xi, can fly Saya and Jackie's remains the rest of the way. Celes' Froslass, Morana, freezes Jackie carefully with Saya's guidance, to further preserve the remains.

Meanwhile, Tulip's Togekiss spots trouble on the horizon - great water-spouts, dead ahead! A bunch of Tentacruel are battling a pair of Gyarados for territory, it seems. It's too late to change course, so the team gets on deck to battle through it.

Quote:
 
Mike: * The ship gets caught in the current surrounding the waterspouts, and finds itself in the middle of a Water-type fued - huge Gyarados, facing off against a flotilla of Tentacruel!
Saya: "You dare stand in our way? We will show you our wrath and our power as we blow past you towards our goal! We will keep moving with all our strength!"
Saya: (Can that serve as an opening Morale Rally?)
Mike: (I'll allow it.)
Saya: (+11 Sp. attack to all allied Pokemon)
Mike:* While Saia is encouraging everyone, the ship rocks, hit by a burst of Draconic Rage from the nearest Gyarados, who *meant* to hit the Tentacruel before this big ugly metal THING got in the way.
Captain Alberta: * The ship quickly comes under control, and the Captain speaks over the intercom. "We ain't gonna be able to take too many hits like that! It just eats past our hull!"

The team then basically wipes the floor with the oceanic Pokemon, OHKOing the two Gyarados with a well-aimed Thunder, and making a Tentacruel explode with that same hit (it did more than 200% HP damage). Though the fight drags for a bit with statuses, they get through relatively unscathed - though the ship isn't so lucky. A strong Water Pulse Confused the ship's systems, and it begins tearing itself apart, having already suffered plenty of damage from the fight itself. It takes the team going into the engine room and helping to get the Sufferin' Surskit moving again. (Around this time, Tulip's player had to duck out for family shenanigans - leaving only two players left, Saya's and Celes'.)

Finally, they get to the appointed place. Saya loads Jackie onto Ma-Qian-Xi, and Morana tags along to keep the remains chilled. Saya himself hops onto the Togekiss (being quite the lightweight). The team doesn't have any other Flying-type Pokemon, so they stick with the ship while it putters into nearby Liliac City's harbor for repairs.

Saya, Ma-Qian-Xi, the Togekiss (Tagger) and Morana the Froslass land in Inspiration, and immediately see the local Gym Leader, Alan. Saya hops off and quickly explains the situation.

Quote:
 
Mike: * The flight to Inspiration is short, but bittersweet. It's a wonderful view, seeing the Daycare below, and the rustling fields of now-autumnal trees and grasses. Way off to the west, you can just barely make out Umbra Town... But Inspiration is coming up fast.
Mike: * The Pokemon land at the most obvious landmark - to them, anyway: the Pokemon Center.
Saya: "Alan! I need your help and fast!"
Tagger: * Tagger flops to the ground with exaustion after the flight.
Alan (Inspiration Gym Leader): * Alan happens to be on the road nearby when you land. "Oh! I didn't know you guys had Fly!" He looks around, and is about to say something, but when Saia speaks, he nods, mood changing instantly. "Tell me what you need."
Saya: "Is there anyone in the city who has the tools or knowledge to flash fossilize a Pokemon?"
Alan (Inspiration Gym Leader):"Doctor Ostlund would. He's an expert in the field."
Saya: "Where is he? I am in dire need of his help right now."
Alan (Inspiration Gym Leader): "He's in the Museum right now, probably. Does this have anything to do with the reports of that Genesect in Haybox?"
* Morana floats over to them and points to Jackie to get Alan to move faster.
Saya: "Yes actually. The news travelled this far?"
* Morana then returns to being a cryogenic unit
Ma-Qian-Zi: Ma-Qian lifts him on her back and carries slowly, with Morana in tow.
Alan (Inspiration Gym Leader): "News of a giant-sized prehistoric technologically-enhanced Pokemon that's supposed to be classified to pretty much everyone? Yes."
Alan (Inspiration Gym Leader): "Right, let's move."

The two scientists, and the attendant Pokemon - minus Ma-Qian-Xi, who's too large and has served her purpose - head to the Museum. There, Doctor Ostlund - who some of the players have met before, if only briefly - quickly takes stock of the situation.

Quote:
 
Saya: "A Pokemon and dear friend of mine died in the Genesect attack on Haybox. I was hoping you could help me flash fossilize him."
Museum Curator Ostlund: "Mm. An interesting challenge. Alan, I presume you vouch for zis man?"
Alan (Inspiration Gym Leader): "...He might be the reason I'm alive right now. And he won my badge. So yes, I do."
Museum Curator Ostlund: "Very well. To ze lab!"

(A note: Alan is correct; Saya's Natu was able to teleport Alan to safety after his leg was broken and pinned under rubble during an earthquake in Inspiration. It's a long story, but that's all you need to know for this.)

With Ostlund's help, success at flash-fossilization is near-certain. Even so...

Quote:
 
Museum Curator Ostlund: * A beam of brown, rocky energy shoots from the apparatus over Jackie's frozen form...
Museum Curator Ostlund: (Saya, since you threw the switch, you can have the roll. It's the standard OMG FOSSILIZE roll, with a modifier of Ostlund's INTmod - 15 - plus another 5 for you and Alan's help. So, d20+20.)
Saya: « 1d20+20 = 2 + 20 = 22 »
Saya: .....
Mike: ...
Saya: (Choosen One)
Museum Curator Ostlund: * The device seems to falter for just a moment, but then returns to full power. You're not sure if something clicked into place accidentally, or if it was... destiny.
Muscular Amber: * Regardless, the ice around Jackie now turns a golden-orange hue, transforming into a kind of amber. As the device shuts down, the Machoke is now preserved in a huge, tomb-like chunk of ancient tree-sap substitute.

That's one step down, but reviving from a fossil tends to create new life from the DNA sample, rather than a clone of the original Pokemon...

Quote:
 
Saya: "Would it be possible to ressurect him as opposed to making a new Machop egg from his DNA?"
Museum Curator Ostlund: "Mm. Possible, ja. Difficult to do, however - all ze reported cases of it happening have been accidental, vith nearly unreproducable circumstances."
Alan (Inspiration Gym Leader): "You sound like you're giving up, Doctor."
Museum Curator Ostlund: "Not at all! Merely stating how impressive it vould be if we accomplished it on purpose."
Museum Curator Ostlund: "But zere is risk involved, as vith any revivification of a fossil."
Museum Curator Ostlund: "Are you villing to attempt it, Doctor Saya?"
Morana: ("Three of the greatest minds in the country ought to be able to do something.")
Saya: "I am. Jackie died for me. So I will take any chance however slim to bring him back."

With that, another plan is quickly hatched - mixing science with mysticism. Saya runs to the Pokemon Center, and retrieves his Shedinja, Osiris - a Pokemon whose life he and Virgil had saved a few sessions ago, though there is no accompanying Ninjask (long story). With the Shedinja, the plan can commence.

Quote:
 
Morana: « 1d20+4+11 = 18 + 4 + 11 = 33 » spirit manipulation.
Mike: * Morana's Ghost-type touch into the spirit world gets things rolling. She successfully places one (metaphorical) foot in the other world.
Saia: « 1d20+4+11 = 8 + 4 + 11 = 23 »
Saia: (For Osiris)
Mike: We have one success. Morana's started the soul's return... and Osiris gives it a homing beacon, a natural gravity towards which to fall.
Saya: « 1d20+11 = 6 + 11 = 17 »
Mike: * Saia, believing in the Pokemon that believes in him, gives it a reason to return.
Alan (Inspiration Gym Leader): « d20+13 = 19 + 13 = 32 »
Alan (Inspiration Gym Leader): * Alan, working the machines, provides the materials, to rebuild the body from the fossilized amber.
Museum Curator Ostlund: « d20+15 = 14 + 15 = 29 »
Museum Curator Ostlund: * Ostlund, manning the computers, maintains, and provides stability for, a delicate process.
Mike: * Together, everything is in place. The room is full of mystical energy, and electrifying science.
Mike: * Now it comes down to destiny, unalterable and unknowable. Saia... What happens next? Roll the die, without any bonuses, and if it's above a 5 - thanks to everyone's help - you shall have your joy back.
Saya: « 1d20 = 12 »
Muscular Amber: * The amber glows, first a bright yellow-orange, and then white - but it exudes no heat. The outer coating of the amber begins to disintegrate...
Jackie: * ...And in its place, you see the familiar form of Jackie, the Machoke, Hero of Haybox, now untouched by rigor mortis, his body stiff with power, not death. His eyes open, his whole body weak...
* Saya runs forward hugging the Pokemon. "Jackie...I missed you so much....I'm sorry....I'm so glad to have you back."


***
After that, our OOC chatroom in Skype explodes - with the players that are left, at least.

Quote:
 
[10/27/2012 11:37:31 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): YAY!
[10/27/2012 11:37:33 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): YES!
[10/27/2012 11:37:39 PM] Mike: Oh thank goodness.
[10/27/2012 11:37:46 PM] Saia: Fate has finally smiled on Jackie
[10/27/2012 11:38:10 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): all the effort... all the work and imagination and off-the-walls, seat-of-our-pants scheming has paid off!
[10/27/2012 11:38:14 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): WE HAVE BROUGHT BACK JACKIE
[10/27/2012 11:38:21 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): CONGRATULATIONS, MEN
[10/27/2012 11:38:37 PM] Saia: NOT EVEN DEATH CAN KEEP US FROM OUR FRIENDS

...

[10/27/2012 11:54:31 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): everything, EVERYTHING went into this.
[10/27/2012 11:55:05 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): both LMHYWTers, a couple Chosen Ones, a Satoshi, every application of pokemon traits we could think of, a whole lot of luck...
[10/27/2012 11:55:22 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): a favor we all forgot got called in
[10/27/2012 11:55:27 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): EVERYTHING
[10/27/2012 11:55:35 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): EVERYTHING went into this, and it paid off
[10/27/2012 11:56:03 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): this is going to be a special moment. practically a freaking miracle.
[10/27/2012 11:56:10 PM] Saia: Not to mention the other favor we called in
[10/27/2012 11:56:17 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): yeah
[10/27/2012 11:56:33 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): and now Jackie's going to be a symbol to haybox. moreso than usual.
[10/27/2012 11:56:40 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): a symbol of overcoming adversity.
[10/27/2012 11:56:50 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): of surviving against ALL odds
[10/27/2012 11:56:57 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): and coming back from the brink of ruin
[10/27/2012 11:57:19 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): ... a fighting type is the symbol and hero of a normal town overrun by ghosts
[10/27/2012 11:57:22 PM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): who'd have guessed?
[12:00:02 AM] Mike: I get the idea that you all enjoyed today's session.
[12:00:12 AM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): Naaaaaaah, really?
[12:00:12 AM] Saia: Immensely
[12:00:18 AM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): and here i thought we were being so subtle


***
...Which, in the end, brings me back to the very first quote in this post: why I think this deserves to be called a "most memorable moment", not just from the Player's point of view, but also from mine:

Quote:
 
[12:40:16 AM] Rob: GMs can post in the awesome moments if its not something they preordained.
[12:40:31 AM] Rob: If it was 100% PC off the wall initiative then it's A-OK
[12:40:51 AM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): i think this session qualifies
[12:40:52 AM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): don't you?
[12:41:24 AM] Rob: It was all the GM reacting to our initiative.
[12:41:34 AM] Mike: So much reaction.
[12:41:36 AM] Rob: Which is a complement to both his skill and worldbuilding
[12:42:02 AM] Rob: When you think about it, all they did was take advantage of aspects of your world
[12:42:11 AM] Mike: That's true. I hadn't thought of that!
[12:43:22 AM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): and... yeah. tulip provided the initiative, we used all resources you planted. the museum, the sailors, ma-qian-xi, the fact that you allow us to pull things off if we can justify it and roll well enough
[12:43:54 AM] Avara Sheridan (Ken-Zara): it was all very interesting and exciting and YAY

Everything that happened that night was a result of two things: The players, and my previous work on the campaign. I hadn't planned for any of this session. It was all off-the-cuff, reacting to the players, and putting just the right amount of difficulty between them and their goal. In short: This was "most memorable" for me, because it was the most exciting, riskiest, craziest bit of GMing I've done in years, capping off a week or two or incredible play, all centered around this one little farming town.
Edited by Elemental Knight, Oct 28 2012, 09:15 AM.
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Zdude
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Wow. Definitely a highlight. I just love the cartoon-like, yet movie-esque lines that came from that session. And the awesome Table Top buzz.

aka

Mike: * The ship gets caught in the current surrounding the waterspouts, and finds itself in the middle of a Water-type fued - huge Gyarados, facing off against a flotilla of Tentacruel!
Saya: "You dare stand in our way? We will show you our wrath and our power as we blow past you towards our goal! We will keep moving with all our strength!"
Saya: (Can that serve as an opening Morale Rally?)
Mike: (I'll allow it.)
Saya: (+11 Sp. attack to all allied Pokemon)
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The Black Glove
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...Okay. Time to be honest with you.

Reading that story, I literally started CRYING with joy when you brought Jackie back, and I wasn't even there for the campaign. This is, hands-down, the BEST story anyone has posted on here so far.
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DNA
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The Black Glove
Oct 28 2012, 11:47 PM
...Okay. Time to be honest with you.

Reading that story, I literally started CRYING with joy when you brought Jackie back, and I wasn't even there for the campaign. This is, hands-down, the BEST story anyone has posted on here so far.
Indeed it is. Even I am moved enough to applaud you all.
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Marhatus
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Wow. I wish I could GM that well.
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passinglurker
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here is a little gem from planswalker's Apokelypse chat pad

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How to motivate your pc's and punk them at the same time:
Have one of their hard-caught pokemon balls float away and end up in a baby mantyke's mouth.
When they discuss just letting it have it to keep from upsetting the parents, mention that the mantyke has an egg move.
After they quickly get into "LOOT!" mode and attack the baby, have the parents show up and get pissed.
When they successfully resolve that without dying and get their 'mon back and catch the baby, reveal the egg move was splash.


you can probably piece together what had transpired in our recent session so I won't bother with the wall-o-text
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The Black Glove
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@passinglurker: You, sir, are a man after my own heart.

Last session, my players decided to split the party. 2 of the players are about to enter a boss fight planned for six people. I will likely have a story to post here later after today's session.
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passinglurker
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The Black Glove
Nov 4 2012, 01:23 PM
@passinglurker: You, sir, are a man after my own heart.
just to clarify that was planswalker that was DMing this and it was Blueeclipse and Mintyninja for gitp forums that went and punched babies this all happened just after I went to bed and I woke up to us about to be curbstomped by 3 lvl 20+ mantines. Ironically after all that I was the one who wound up capturing the baby.
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planswalker
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sometimes it's the soft touch that wins out.
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Zdude
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There is a lesson here: bullies never prosper when punching babies.
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