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 Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 7:22 am
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Although this is Team Rocket Headquarters, you're not required to RP a Team Rocket member. If you prefer, your character can be a normal trainer. However, you cannot declare your character to be a gym leader, a top coordinator, an acclaimed professor, etc.
Cosplay characters are allowed under certain conditions:
No existing Pokémon universe characters, such as Ash or Cynthia. These characters may only be used by staff for plot purposes.
The character must be a Pokémon universe version of themselves that fits into and has always lived in this world.
You must have an ID of the character you wish to play. This is only required for cosplay characters.
The character must not already belong to someone else. Check the list in the Character ID thread to see if a character is taken or not.
Psychic and ghost characters, though prominent in both the Pokémon TV show and games, aren't allowed in TRHQ. You're welcome to make a psychic- or ghost-type trainer instead!
The minimum age for joining Team Rocket or Special Ops is 16, and the minimum age for owning a trainer's license is 10. Outside of this, there are no limits on your character's age. However, keep in mind that time passes in RP at roughly the same rate as it passes in real life. If you create a five-year-old character, you'll need to wait five years until that character can legally own and train Pokémon.
Your character cannot be a current member of other existing teams such as Team Magma or Team Plasma. Former members are allowed, but Team Galactic has had a significant impact on the shop's story, so please speak to an RP mod if you intend to create a former member of Galactic.
If you've ordered a custom Pokémon or ID or won one in an event and all transactions are complete, you can begin to play it immediately regardless of whether or not the cert has been dropped off.
UNDERSTANDING POKÉMON
Any character that currently lives in Kodo and has been in at least five different RPs is eligible to gain the ability to understand all Pokémon of a certain type. For example, if a character becomes able to understand fire-type Pokémon, they would be able to comprehend anything said by any fire-type Pokémon as easily and precisely as if it had been said in their native human language.
If a Pokémon evolves into a different type, the character would no longer be able to understand it unless the pair had developed a strong bond, in which case the words would be less clear and explicit but still generally understandable. If the character's bond with the Pokémon is strong enough to enable Mega Evolution (if the Pokémon could theoretically Mega Evolve), they will still be able to communicate.
Characters with this ability are able to understand half types just as easily as pure types. For example, a dragon-typed character can understand Dratini (pure dragon) and Altaria (dragon / flying) equally well.
This ability is caused by longterm exposure to the object known as the Egg of Arceus that exists a short ways off the coast of Camphoreon. Characters who are developing their ability will experience a mild, persistent headache for about a week ICly before the ability fully emerges. The Egg of Arceus impacts different individuals at different rates, and so even a character who has lived in Kodo for the entirety of their life will not develop the power of understanding until their RP requirement is fulfilled.
In order to discover your character's communication type, you must visit and post in the Pokémon Communication Types thread. Staff will review your application and assign a type to your character. Your character's typing is permanent and non-negotiable, but if you don't like the type they receive, you're not required to use it and can assume in-character that the character did not develop the ability. |
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 7:24 am
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Any Pokémon that you own can be played as its own character; it does not need to be owned by a human.
Pokémon can befriend and battle other Pokémon, but they can't capture or own other Pokémon or hold a trainer's license.
Pokémon cannot be members of Team Rocket.
Pokémon can only speak to other Pokémon, not to humans. A Pokémon can only communicate with humans if it's a psychic-type legendary that was able to speak in the TV show or in a movie, such as Mewtwo, Jirachi, and Lugia.
WILD POKÉMON
Occasionally, a staff member may post the appearance of a wild Pokémon in your RP. When this happens, your character can battle and try to catch it or ignore it. If the Pokémon is caught, it will be certed to you for no cost.
You may play wild Pokémon that you do not own as plot devices in your RPs, but only Pokémon posted by staff can be caught by your character. You can use any wild non-legendary Pokémon you like, but be realistic about what kinds of Pokémon would appear in what environments.
LEGENDARY POKÉMON
Legendary Pokémon in the shop are clones created by Team Rocket. When a new legendary is drawn at TRHQ, that means Team Rocket has finally obtained a DNA sample and can create clones. However, replicating a legendary Pokémon’s original power level is beyond Team Rocket's abilities. Thus, legendary clones fall into one of two power groups, Trainer and Rocket legendaries:
Team Rocket draws most of its income by selling clones for civilian ownership on the black market. These are referred to as trainer legendaries and are less powerful than Rocket legendaries. Their strength is on par with upper-tier Pokémon competitively referred to as pseudolegendaries.
Rocket legendaries, however, are used as Rocket weapons and are roughly 50% stronger than trainer legendaries. In an otherwise even match, Rocket legendaries have the upper hand.
Real legendaries may only be played by staff for plot purposes. They are far more powerful than Team Rocket's clones and are incredibly dangerous.
You can obtain a legendary whenever you like. Trainers and Rockets can obtain a trainer legendary at any time, but a Rocket must be ranked Agent or higher before they can be assigned a Rocket legendary Pokémon.
A character can have up to two legendary Pokémon.
Legendary Pokémon are naturally stronger than regular Pokémon, but obtaining a legendary doesn't immediately give your character a super powerful Pokémon. Legendaries, like any Pokémon, need to be trained before they become strong.
DARK POKÉMON
Dark Pokémon are created by using a dark ball on a Pokémon. Dark balls can be used on both wild Pokémon or Pokémon that have already been captured by another trainer.
The process of being captured by a dark ball essentially destroys a Pokémon's personality. Any loyalty or attachment it had to anyone, human or Pokémon, is wiped out. The Pokémon becomes angry, impulsive, and violent and is rendered incapable of being affectionate, even towards its trainer.
Although dark Pokémon don't form bonds, they can still Mega Evolve if they're able to develop an excellent compatibility with their trainer, i.e. mutual respect and/or superb teamwork.
Dark balls boost a Pokémon's overall potential, making it naturally somewhat stronger than its peers.
MEGA EVOLUTION
You must obtain a Pokémon’s Mega Form OOCly before it can Mega Evolve in RP.
If you have won or bought a Mega Evolved Pokémon, you do not have to wait for the cert to be dropped off to play it.
Mega Evolution is not permanent. The Pokémon can remain in this form for five of your own consecutive posts or for 15 in-character minutes, whichever comes first.
When Mega Evolution ends, no other Pokémon owned by the trainer can Mega Evolve again for 1 in-character hour. Only one Pokémon can Mega Evolve at a time.
In order to Mega Evolve, a Pokémon must have a strong bond or high compatibility with its human partner and the Pokémon and human must be near one another.
Legendary clones do not have the ability to Mega Evolve.
In-character, there are two kinds of Mega Stones: the one held by the trainer (this kind is fairly common and cheaply bought) and the one one held by the Pokémon (these are much more rare and expensive to obtain):
The League sometimes offers Pokémon Mega Stones for sale at relatively high prices or as prizes for tournaments and other events.
Team Rocket is capable of manufacturing Mega Stones in their labs, but because of the cost of materials and the complexity of the procedure, the cost is still high.
Mega Stones can also sometimes fall into the hands of third party sellers.
With luck and tenacity, naturally-occurring Mega Stones can be found in the Kalos region. |
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 7:25 am
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INTANGIBILITY
All ghost-type Pokémon are capable of becoming intangible, meaning that they pass through physical objects.
Intangibility is linked with invisibility. While intangible, a ghost-type Pokémon is also invisible and vice versa. Because of this, it cannot touch or hold objects while invisible.
Intangibility does not grant invincibility. Intangible Pokémon can still be hit by Pokémon moves.
It's common throughout the world, especially in regions with an active trainer population, for buildings to be treated with a substance that repels ghost Pokémon, making it impossible for them to intrude using intangibility. This treatment has been applied to Team Rocket's base and outposts as well as all League buildings. Consider double-checking with an RP mod before having your Pokémon use intangibility to invade someplace.
TELEPORT
A Pokémon that uses Teleport can instantaneously move itself to a place that it can currently and clearly see with its own eyes.
Teleport cannot be used to pass through physical barriers like walls or windows.
The distance a Pokémon can successfully teleport increases with the Pokémon's overall experience and mastery of the move.
Through physical contact, a Pokémon using Teleport can bring non-living items with it, including occupied Pokéballs. However, larger objects are more difficult to teleport and may end up left behind by less experienced Pokémon.
Teleport's maximum distance decreases inversely with the size of the accompanying object, i.e. a teleporting Pokémon with a larger burden can travel a shorter distance than if it were unencumbered.
TRANSFORM
A Pokémon using Transform can only transform into other Pokémon. They cannot transform into humans or objects.
They must be looking at the Pokémon they transform into.
If the Pokémon wishes to transform into something different, it must first turn back into its original form unless the Pokémon it transformed into also knows the move Transform.
Transforming Pokémon keep their coloring. A normal-colored Ditto will transform into a normal-colored Pokémon, a shiny Ditto will transform into shiny Pokémon, and a unique-colored Ditto will retain its unique colors and markings even while transformed.
ILLUSION
Zorua's Illusion ability can change only its own appearance. It can make itself look like a Pidgey, but it cannot conjure the image of a Pidgey sitting beside it. Zorua can make themselves look like humans whose appearances they know, but the human image will have a Zorua's tail.
Zoroark's Illusions are more flexible:
It has the power to create images, sounds, and even sensations that aren't really there by fooling the brains of nearby humans. Though the ability can be refined and improved through experience and practice, the illusions themselves are based on the Zoroark's memory and imagination. For example, a Zoroark that's seen a video of fire could create an image of flame, but only a Zoroark that's been burned before could produce an illusion that feels like it burns when touched.
Illusions that affect multiple senses are more difficult to create and take more skill to make believable. Image and sound are the easiest to produce simultaneously, but it takes practice to make them sync.
It takes a lot of compatibility between trainer and Pokémon for a Zoroark to be able to disguise its trainer convincingly. It's easy to flub the synchronization, especially the lip-synching, if the two parties aren't on the same page.
Illusions do not augment or alter the Pokémon's abilities in any way. A Zorua that disguises itself as a Metagross will not gain Metagross's strength, size, or additional arms.
Zorua's and Zoroark's illusions will disappear if the Pokémon is struck.
JIRACHI
Cloned Jirachi cannot grant wishes. Team Rocket is not able to replicate that power in their Jirachi clones.
Like in the movie, Jirachi have the ability to teleport, but they can teleport only small, light objects and themselves. It cannot teleport other people or Pokémon, unless the Pokémon are in Poké Balls.
After teleporting a few things, Jirachi’s strength will be depleted, and it will involuntarily fall asleep to regain its energy. |
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 7:26 am
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 Moderation and realism are very important to battling. Please carefully read the following information if you plan to battle in RP or discuss the strength of your Pokémon or trainers.
Pokémon can only have four attacks, and they can only be attacks that they can learn in the games, whether naturally or through TM/HM. Your Pokémon can learn egg moves, but it must have always known that move, and if you replace the move with something else, it cannot learn it again. Consider logging your Pokémon's attacks in your journal.
Keep move PP in mind. You don't have to count, but know that moves with fewer PP will tire a Pokémon out more quickly.
You are free to battle how you like. It's up to you to determine how badly a Pokémon is hurt by an attack or if the attack even lands at all. Likewise, do not state that your Pokémon's attack hit its opponent. For example, "Bulbasaur knocked Squirtle off its feet with a powerful Take Down" is not okay, but "Bulbasaur threw itself at Squirtle with a powerful Take Down" gives your partner the chance to react.
Pokémon can and do faint. Just because you can say that your Pokémon dodged doesn't mean it should dodge every attack. It also isn't likely to withstand many super-effective attacks or hits from a stronger opponent. Keep a level head about battling, and be willing to recognize and play your disadvantage.
POKÉMON LEVELS
TRHQ does not have a system for levels. Levels aren't required in journals nor used by staff to measure anything. However, we do have some rough guidelines to help you determine your Pokémon's strength:
Any new Pokémon added to your character's team will start at a fairly low level and gradually become stronger as they gain battle experience in RP. This goes for all Pokémon, including fully-evolved Pokémon, legendaries, and even Pokémon whose histories include prior training.
It's not necessary to play every training session for your Pokémon to become stronger, but any Pokémon that is new OOCly or ICly should start on the weak side and grow stronger relative to how much time its trainer would realistically spend training. A character with little interest or time for training is not likely to raise strong Pokémon even after a whole year.
Levels are not a factor in evolution. As long as the Pokémon's evolved form has been certed, it can evolve in RP whenever you like. However, this doesn't mean that your low-level Charizard is immediately a powerhouse just because it's a third-stage Pokémon, and a Charizard that evolved quickly in RP would likely be weaker than a Charmander that's been training diligently for months.
Similarly, moves aren't attached to levels. However, the moves a Pokémon can control best are the ones that are around its level range. A low-level Charmander would be an expert at Fire Fang, but Flamethrower might be more iffy, and Inferno would be more likely to hurt itself than its opponent.
TMs tie into this as well. Cheaper or more common TMs are in the low or mid level ranges, and expensive moves, rare moves, and moves the Pokémon naturally learns at higher levels would behave like high-level moves.
As a related note, TMs that were discontinued in a certain generation, such as Gen 1's Fissure and Teleport, are no longer available for regular sale. They're extremely rare collector's items that most trainers will never get the chance to see, let alone use.
TRAINER SKILL
Because Pokémon raised by human trainers are stronger than wild or newly-caught Pokémon, trainers improve most when battling other trainers, and Pokémon grow strong faster by fighting other trained Pokémon.
Measuring trainer ability is an exercise in relativity. A trainer's skill can be approximated by two factors: amount of time in RP and attitude about training. The longer a character has been active in RP and the more diligent they are about training, the stronger a trainer they are.
For example, a character who has been active in RP for two years but has never put any time into battling would be considered less skilled than a character who has been active for six months and maintains a strict daily training regimen. |
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 7:27 am
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 The following information didn't fit neatly in any of the above sections, but it is no less important.
INTRODUCING LEGENDARIES TO RP
You are free to choose how your legendary is introduced to RP. Within Team Rocket, the common route is for a legendary to be assigned to an Agent as a pat on the back. It's a bit trickier for trainers to obtain legendaries, however. As an example, legendary clones are often illegally sold as trophy pets to the ridiculously wealthy, and more willful Pokémon may escape their new trainers' control.
If you're having trouble thinking of a way to introduce your legendary clone or aren't sure whether or not your idea would be plausible, you're welcome to discuss it with an RP mod.
NEW GAME RELEASE
If a new game is released in which a new region is revealed, no characters may have firsthand experience with the new region until the game is released in North America. You also may not amend a character who existed prior to the game's release so that they were previously involved with the new region. TRHQ treats these new regions as closed ports that aren't possible for characters to visit. When the North American release date is announced, it can be assumed ICly that the new region and Kodo have made plans to open port to one another. By browsing the internet, characters interested in learning about the new region can discover information that has been confirmed OOCly, such as Pokémon and towns.
ALTERNATE UNIVERSE ROLEPLAYS
TRHQ does not condone AU RPs of any kind and will not endorse them as a part of the shop. If you wish to play an AU, please keep it private and do not advertise it to other players. If you're not sure if an RP idea would be considered an AU or not, you can discuss it with an RP mod.
OUTSIDE ROLEPLAY
Your characters are your own, and naturally you are free to use them as you like outside of the shop. However, RPs that are done outside of the guild and are not transferred into the guild do not qualify as canon. Please do not establish major character or plot developments privately. RP is one big, collaborative story, and it isn't fair to your partners for you to make significant changes behind the scenes.
Relatedly, please do not play outside of TRHQ using the shop's setting as a way to get around not having the Pokémon or ID you need for your character. Such RPs should not be transferred into the guild and will not count as canon. We consider this loophole abuse and will treat it as a bannable offense. |
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Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2014 8:26 pm
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