The goal of Underdogs is to create a metagame that is far more varied and unpredictable, with as small a change as possible. Preferably, the change should be easy to understand and explain. My proposed change is the addition of a series of nearly identical items: Underdog Medals.
Underdog Medals provide stat boosts when the holder enters battle against a pokemon with a higher Base Stat Total. The timing and effect is similar to the Download ability. Specifically each medal has a primary associated stat and a secondary associated stat. When a pokemon holding a medal enters battle against a pokemon with a BST that is between 50 and 124 points higher than it, the primary stat is boosted by 1 stage. When a medal holder enters battle against an opponent with a BST at least 125 points higher than it, then the primary stat is boosted by 2 stages, and the secondary stat is boosted by 1 stage. That is the extent of the items effect.
The tooltip for each medal would indicate the associated stat. E.G. - Silver Medal: Gives an underdog increased speed, and occassionally increased attack.
So for example, take the pokemon Garbodor. Garbodor is an NU pokemon with an unfortunate spread of stats and a mediocre movepool. However, if it comes in against a pokemon with a 600 BST while holding a silver medal, it suddenly gains an effective ~150 speed and ~142 attack. Suddenly, it can outspeed and OHKO offensive Garchomp with Explosion.
I understand that some pokemon need more than stat boosts, but I know I can't fix every pokemon at once with a simple change. What I would like advice on is whether the the stat boosts are too much or too little, whether you think my stated goal of a very different pokemon metagame would be achieved, and which pokemon you think might be outliers in newfound power. My hope is that making a BST dependent item would create a shifting metagame where lower BST pokemon are more popular not only for their practical usage, but also to deny the benefits of other medal users. Essentially, adding another rock-paper-scissors element to pokemon, where teams with a mix of Medal holders and standardly good pokemon have an advantage over current teams, while teams that restrict themselves from certain high BST pokemon while foregoing Medal holders beat teams abusing Medals but with the risk of disadvantage against current teams. Of course, the outcome would be more complex. Ideally, medals would be strong enough to be slightly preferred, maybe even to the point of potentially causing a trend downwards to even lower BST pokemon to counter the Medal counter teams.
SO... Thoughts?
Underdog Medals provide stat boosts when the holder enters battle against a pokemon with a higher Base Stat Total. The timing and effect is similar to the Download ability. Specifically each medal has a primary associated stat and a secondary associated stat. When a pokemon holding a medal enters battle against a pokemon with a BST that is between 50 and 124 points higher than it, the primary stat is boosted by 1 stage. When a medal holder enters battle against an opponent with a BST at least 125 points higher than it, then the primary stat is boosted by 2 stages, and the secondary stat is boosted by 1 stage. That is the extent of the items effect.
The tooltip for each medal would indicate the associated stat. E.G. - Silver Medal: Gives an underdog increased speed, and occassionally increased attack.
So for example, take the pokemon Garbodor. Garbodor is an NU pokemon with an unfortunate spread of stats and a mediocre movepool. However, if it comes in against a pokemon with a 600 BST while holding a silver medal, it suddenly gains an effective ~150 speed and ~142 attack. Suddenly, it can outspeed and OHKO offensive Garchomp with Explosion.
I understand that some pokemon need more than stat boosts, but I know I can't fix every pokemon at once with a simple change. What I would like advice on is whether the the stat boosts are too much or too little, whether you think my stated goal of a very different pokemon metagame would be achieved, and which pokemon you think might be outliers in newfound power. My hope is that making a BST dependent item would create a shifting metagame where lower BST pokemon are more popular not only for their practical usage, but also to deny the benefits of other medal users. Essentially, adding another rock-paper-scissors element to pokemon, where teams with a mix of Medal holders and standardly good pokemon have an advantage over current teams, while teams that restrict themselves from certain high BST pokemon while foregoing Medal holders beat teams abusing Medals but with the risk of disadvantage against current teams. Of course, the outcome would be more complex. Ideally, medals would be strong enough to be slightly preferred, maybe even to the point of potentially causing a trend downwards to even lower BST pokemon to counter the Medal counter teams.
SO... Thoughts?
