Pokemon Gyms of the Viggif Region: BEGIN! (p5)

[Marilink]

Hey guys! Over in the “Most Played Games” thread, our new cultis—I mean, member @pepsibetsy talked about a Pokemon Gym Challenge that she and her old friends at GamesRadar had organized. A bunch of us thought it sounded cool, so I’m gonna do our own little version of it.

My idea involves using Pokemon Showdown (a very easy-to-use Pokemon battle simulator online), and splitting us up into Gym Leaders, Gym Trainers, and Challengers.

Gym Leaders are exactly what they sound like—they’re the boss of each Gym, and the final trainer to beat. The Leaders’ responsibilities will be to select a Gym Type, incorpórate a signature move for their party, decide what your badge is, and be the mastermind behind what their Gym Trainers will pack in their parties. I am going to say that each Gym needs a specific type (monotype-style, for you smogon-heads), and each Gym Leader needs a signature move for their whole party. Get creative.

Gym Trainers are the Gym Leader’s underlings. They’ll communicate with their Gym Leader via PM or social media to bring the Gym’s vision together. The biggest stipulation on being a Gym Trainer is that you must be inferior to the Gym Leader in some fashion—using pre-evolved Pokemon forms, worse EV’s, or slightly weaker moves (e.g. Ember instead of Flame Wheel). The stronger your Leader is as a battler/planner, the stronger you can become.

Challengers are the champs-in-the-making. You’re the ones who can take whatever Pokemon you want into the gyms to take on the Leaders and Trainers. We need lots of these to make this stuff fun.

Since our community is smaller and more tight-knit, I think everyone can simultaneously be a Leader, Trainer, and Challenger, but not everyone has to be all three if they don’t want to be. We’ll work out those logistics later, but I think it’s doable.

—

First of all, I need one thing from you: expressed interest. Please tell me if you want to participate, and then say additionally if you want to be a Gym Leader or Gym Trainer (Or both!)

1. Marilink - Both
2. RU - Leader
3. AJ - Trainer
4. IRHP - Leader
5. Dux - Both
6...

[Marilink]

Tagging those who expressed interest: @smol Kat @I REALLY HATE POKEMON! @Apollo the Just @Random User

Also people who like Pokemon @Scarecrow @March @glux @spooky scary bearatons @Heroine of the Dragon

Also random people for the heck of it @Calamity Panfan @DarkZero @Red @Dux is not you @I am nobody

[Random User]

I'll sign up for a spot as a Gym Leader.

[Apollo the Just]

I wanna be a garbage water type gym trainer whose team is just 6 feebas

...but if that doesn't work I wanna be a gym trainer regardless.

[I am nobody]

I love me some Pokemon, but I'm not much into the competitive meta. I'll pass.

[Apollo the Just]

^ same which is why I'm only down with being a gym trainer. They're supposed to suck.

[Marilink]

I should have said this up front, but I don’t really envision this as a competitive meta event. Even if the Gym Leaders know what they’re doing in terms of EV’s and stuff, they’re still hamstrung by the need to use a signature move and all one type.

We could even so far as to ban held items for Gym Leaders, to stay extra-true to the game and make things even more accessible for Challengers.

Anyway, I think anyone will be able to challenge whenever without having to sign up in advance, so just keep us in mind, IAN.

[Marilink]

I just edited the sign-up to be Either Trainer or Leader. Anyone can challenge at any time, so there’s no need to sign up for that.

[Dux is not you]

I'll be like Jasmine from Gold/Silver, the one gym leader who has no underlings.

And then I can be one of those random Cooltrainers or Bird Keepers or Blackbelts that blocks your way to the leader in someone else's gym.

[Heroine of the Dragon]

I'm the Fairy Gym Faerie. I'm handing out the Fairy Badge free to everyone who can name all the Fairy Mons.

Truly... I'd love to join but I can't dedicate any time for a couple of months as I'll be without internet for a week or so very soon, and a few more times again after that in the next few months (travelling). Thank you for the offer, though, ML!!

[I REALLY HATE POKEMON!]

Ghost Type Gym Leader sounds fun.

[Marilink]

I'm the Fairy Gym Faerie. I'm handing out the Fairy Badge free to everyone who can name all the Fairy Mons.

Truly... I'd love to join but I can't dedicate any time for a couple of months as I'll be without internet for a week or so very soon, and a few more times again after that in the next few months (travelling). Thank you for the offer, though, ML!!

Come and challenge anytime!

[glux]

I'm assuming I'd have to be pretty active to do this?

[Marilink]

To be a leader/Trainer you wouldn’t have to necessarily be active, but it would be necessary to be available.

Or you could just challenge the Gyms at a later time with very little commitment.

[smol Kat]

I'm down for whatever slot(s) is(are) needed. No preferences here!

[Random User]

Oop, if we're picking our types in the thread too, I'll put myself down for poison.

[March]

I should be able to do this, assuming we don't start this week as I'm out of town. Could do leader or trainer.

[Booyakasha]

...I feel like I'd be some rando bug kid, at best. 'Hey, check out this rad Pokeyman I just caught!' Then we fight, and you kick the everlovin out of my sad little Weedle and Metapod. I give you all my money and go 'Oh no! I can't believe it! It turns out my Metapod wasn't the world-crushing god-tier juggernaut I thought it was! Fie! Fie! Curse the cruel gods that made this dark day!' or some such. My bug-catchin net droops with unimaginable sorrow as I gather my beaten monsters and trudge sombrely to the nearest PKMN Center. I cry lots.

[I REALLY HATE POKEMON!]

Boo would be a fun trainer to battle against just to see his post-battle dialogue.

[Booyakasha]

brother and sister together we'll make it through
someday a spirit will lift you and take you there
i know you've been hurting but ive been there waitin to be there for you
and ill be there just helpin you out whenever i can

cause every butterfreeee to feel good
every butterfreeeeee to feel good

(*techno spasm*)