Gym Leaders Discussion - All ideas here please

[RaZoR LeAf]

OK, here's what I've come up with for Gym Leader basics. This isn't in any sort of simple to rad style, it's just done as I was categorising stuff. Anyway, onwards:

Gym Leaders Require:

A Gym Leader Arena: This may be as complex or simple as they wish. It is their personal arena, and cannot be used by anyone other than themselves. They may use it outside of Gym Battles, but it must be used for any Gym Battles.

A Gym Badge: Though it grants the owner no special abilities, moves or treasures, it is a representation of the Gym Leader. It can be anything within reason.

A Gym Leader Team: The difficult part. Gym Leaders are permitted to choose up to four pokemon from their current team to be promoted to Gym Leader pokemon. These pokemon cannot be used in other battles other than Gym Battles. Evolving requires the same amount of points and experience. When catching a pokemon, or buying an egg, they are expected to decide which team this pokemon will join. Their regular battle team, or their Gym Leader Team.

Gym Leader Privileges:

Battle Slots: A Gym Leader can only have one Gym Battle happening at any time, but it counts outside the maximum allowed battles. Their rival must count it within their maximum allowed battles.

Rules: The Gym Leader sets the rules of the battle and has final say on what moves are allowed and what moves are banned.

Privileges: Any Gy, Leader privileges such as cheaper evolutions etc. have yet to be considered.


Winning at Gym:

Winnings: Winning a Gym Leader battle will result in the same amount of points as you would normally receive, but also a free Catch or Evolution.

Gym Badge: A Gym Badge is an icon of you winning the match. The Gym Leaders Tower will be updated with a list of winners and which badges they have collected.


Becoming a Gym Leader:

Currently: For the moment, the Gym Leaders will be chosen on experience. Those who have been at the ASB long enough, with the experience to battle at the standard a Gym Leader is expected to be at.

In the Future: Challengers must collect all the Gym badges before they can try out for a position. When they have collected all the Badges, they can either challenge an existing Leader for a title match. If the Gym Leader wins, they can choose to take their badge back. If the Gym Leader looses, the winner can replace them as a Gym Leader.

Returning Leaders: If a Gym Leader has been replaced, they can choose to re-battle the person who took their place. If they are successful, they get their place back, but the defeated keeps all their badges. If the Ex-leader loses, then they loose their chance, and must collect Gym Badges like any normal member would.

[Chris 2.1]

Like I said, I'm 100% behind this.

[Knight of Time]

Hmm, this sounds sorta interesting, but for the choosing of Gym Leaders, is it strictly for vets who used to be in the old ASB but are here now (some examples of vets besides myself are Dark Dragonite, RaZoR LeAf I believe, The_Missing_Link, etc. They are the ones I'm certain are vets, I can't really think of anyone else, but I guess you could be considered a vet, wouldn't that make sense Chris 2.0?)?

I'm really curious.

[Chris 2.1]

No the current 'candidates' we have thought of for refs are not all vets. Some are new but have shown invaluable expirience and good knowledge of the ASB. Expirience is, of course, quite useful.

[Everoy]

I love this idea whole-heartedly. It would give more purpose to battling (not that I'm saying that ASB is pointless, I loves me some battling and strategy) and some more healthy competition, plus it would set goals to achieve (just call me Captain Obvious). When someone gets a Gym Leader position via challenging, to what extent would they be able to redesign the gym, and would they have to use their own pokemon or would they just create a team? Also, would there be an order of gyms in which the battles get tougher, such as in the anime, or would all gyms be around the same level? Would the gyms be limited to a type theme?

[Vermillion]

The return of GL's would be most awesome, got my vote. Your idea is very solid and makes me wanna become one as we speak...^_^

[The Blue Avenger]

I really like the way this sounds. It really seems to me that you've thought of, well, pretty much everything. I like in particular the system of badges - that way, it's assured that only skilled trainers get into a leader spot and not just ones who luck out.

Personally, I don't think that the Gym Leaders should get any of the special privileges like cheaper evolutions unless it's limited to the Gym Pokemon. Otherwise it'd be rather unfair for everyone else, heh.

[Knight of Time]

Something else I forgot to mention.

Would it be possible for two Gym Leaders to battle each other in a real gym battle, meaning either of their badges would be on the line?

[Green Lanturn]

I can remember when we had gym leaders before, It did make ASB quite a bit more fun.

As such, I agree that gym leaders would be a good addition to ASB, and its good that you arent just making it all the, for lack of a better term, oldies.....

I do wonder however, if this will bring in the topic of signature moves, seeing as it used to be each gym had a special TM attached with it...dont know if you guys had given that any thought, but just a throw out.

~GL

[Metallixs Girl]

[color=mediumpurple]That sounds like a lot of fun, and I'll deffinately want to participate. Would it be possible to use Abilities inside gyms, with the leaders deciding whether to have them in a battle or not? It might add some difficulty on both sides and if there was ever a way to impliment Abilities, this sounds like it could work...^_^

[Dark Dragonite]

I love this, and say let's go for it asap!!

I do have 4 questions:

1) Out of the up to 4 from your regular team, do they have to stick to types, like a fire GL taking his squirtle?
2)How many pokemon does a GL start with?
3)Can the GL pick his starting 4 or however many pokes?
4)Can the newly booted GL take 1 poke of his choice for his regular battle team?

[Spike]

Having gym leaders again would be great. Back before I left ASB, I remember gym battles were fun and exciting, though I think I never finished one. Also, I remember leaders having very powerful TMs, sig moves and their special arena that gave them a little advantage in battle. If you won a gym battle you could teach that TM move only to one of your pokémon, right? Anyway, leaders made ASB more ASBish.

*Hopes this gets approved to battle a leader*

[Chris 2.1]

DD:

1) No type Gyms. You pick 4 Pokemon from your team. If you want to pick 4 of a same type, theme or catagory then that's up to you.
2) 4. Then when you get a new Pokemon you must state whether or not it is for your Gym Team or your ASB Team.
3) Yes, 4 from your current team
4) I don't know. Dan can answer that.


Allegedly some feel we're copying ASBRPG in having Gym Leaders XD I'll direct anyone who thinks like that to our archive where we had Gym Leaders started before ASBRPG even existed. Let's show those guys what proper Gym Leaders are like guys

[The_Missing_Link]

Ok, I like the whole idea but I hate the gym leader team thing and here's why

1) If you are only restricted to four Pokemon and everyone knows what Pokemon they are, then they can build a team to counter it
2) It's stupid to restrict a Pokemon to gym battles alone. I don't want to own two Charizards just because I can't use one in regular battles
3) We were allowed to use any Pokemon for gym battles in the past and no one had a problem with it. Besides, it keeps everyone guessing as to which Pokemon you're going to use

[Knight of Time]

Ok, I like the whole idea but I hate the gym leader team thing and here's why

1) If you are only restricted to four Pokemon and everyone knows what Pokemon they are, then they can build a team to counter it
2) It's stupid to restrict a Pokemon to gym battles alone. I don't want to own two Charizards just because I can't use one in regular battles
3) We were allowed to use any Pokemon for gym battles in the past and no one had a problem with it. Besides, it keeps everyone guessing as to which Pokemon you're going to use

I have to agree with The_Missing_Link on the points she made, especially the second one, after all, I do like using certain Pokemon on my team that have only one or two weaknesses, but attack advantages over many other types thanks to their versatile movesets. For example, three of the Pokemon I like using a lot in battle are my Absol, Zangoose and Blissey. Besides that, for a gym match, the gym leader should be able to have any Pokemon they have that they want to use, as Rebecca said, knowing what a certain gym leader has here, and the challenger always being prepared with Pokemon with type advantages isn't exactly a good thing, as I'm pretty certain a gym leader wouldn't want to easily lose a gym battle, am I right or wrong?

[Ace64]

Yeah, I can agree with that. Taking four Pokemon from your team eliminates the theme-team arguement, but why not leave it open to all Pokemon? It's not like people here will feel the need to pit their Charizard against some poor Pikachu. I think we should be able to use all Pokemon- some teams are too big already.

[The Blue Avenger]

Actually, yeah, I just realized that if I ever made it to gym leader, I wouldn't like having to section off (and possibly give up) some of my team. That would also be needlessly biased against skilled people who could make GL, but have small teams.

[+conspiracy+]

I think that GLs should have a restricted set of pokemon that they can use for Gym battles, but I believe that these pokes should also be allowed outside of gym battles as well... As for the number of "gym leader pokes" I dont get if you only start out with four, or you only have four the whole time =/

and also to those of you who believe it will bring back sig moves.. it wont, a free catch/evolution is already an added bonus to points and the badge and powerful TMs (sig tms/moves whatever) should never be permitted in my honest opinion.

[Dragonis]

Maybe there could be 'Gym Pokemon'. Pokemon that stay with the gym, even if the leader changes. They could be the thyme for the gym, and maybe even have a sig. I would say two 'Gym Pokemon' max and that the leader could use up to four of his/her own pokemon that would have to be registered, but still be used elsewhere.

[Dark Dragonite]

GYM IDEA...

Ok, I as well dislike thinking my fav pokes like KKhan will never battle outside a gym...what if I lose my spot, do I lose MY pokes I started with or bought, or worse, received as a GIFT?

There could be a SET of GYM USE ONLY pokes...they should start with 4 new pokes at the approval tower, like you do when you start ASB...just my feelings, anyone want to back me on this?

[Everoy]

There could be a SET of GYM USE ONLY pokes...they should start with 4 new pokes at the approval tower, like you do when you start ASB...just my feelings, anyone want to back me on this?

*backs DD up on this*

I agree. That makes a lot more sense.

[Andrew]

Well I still think Gyms should be type based... All of Ash's leagues (Barring the delightful Orange Islands and their 4 minigyms or rather tasks such as ice rafting or racing or target practices) have been type gyms. Why would that change? It is ANIME style battling!

Better idea, give the starting gym 12 points to do with whatever they please. If they want to get 5 basic pokemon, go for it, but they have to be of the certain type, OR evolve into it. But make it so that the pokemon that reside with the gym stay with the gym. If any of the leader's Pokemon are of that certain type, then they can use it in gym battles, but it stays with them.

I'm going to use Misty as an example because we've seen it so often.

The Cerulean Gym has a variety of different Pokemon. Goldeen, Shellder, Seaking, Luvdisc ect.

Misty has her own personal Pokemon - Staryu, Starmie ect.

Now, when she went travelling, she caught a Corsola. She uses that Corsola in Gym Battles as shown in the anime. BUT She keeps the Corsola with her.

Now, Dewgong, it stayed with the gym, and Misty has ordered it around in the gym in battle. BUT it stays with the gym as a gym Pokemon.

I think that when you leave the gym, you'll get to take 1 or two Pokemon from that gym with you.

Not to mention, when it opens... with those hypothetical 12 points I'll give an example.

I'm opening a Rock Gym, I'll catch a Geodude for 2 points, and a Onix for 2 points, and a Kabuto for 2 points and then spend 3 points evolving it. So then the gym has spent 9 out of 12 of its points. But only for the opening of the gym, allow Exp free evolutions for Gym Pokemon only.

[Ace64]

First, I have a question about the winnings- you recieve the same amount of points, along with a free evolu/catch. But is that for the Leader or the Challenger?

Also, I'm going to go into the lack of types for certain Gyms (Dark, Electric) but the way I see it- you could either let any Pokemon you own be used in a Gym Match as Leader, or set aside a certain amount of Pokes that STAY with the Gym, win or lose and can't be used outside the gym. If I get a Charizard, then lose the Gym title, then Char belongs to the new leader. That way, you don't have to section off your team, and because each Leader has different strategies and different favorites for their battles, the Gyms won't be exactly the same. You shouldn't be able to take Pokemon from the Gym with you if you lose, because you're taking away from the team the new Gym Leader 'inherits.'

[Everoy]

How about just a general theme? Example, in Dark Sage's "Pokemonese" fanfiction, the gyms have a general non-type theme, such as reptile-esque Pokemon or all-female pokemon.

[The_Missing_Link]

Well I still think Gyms should be type based... All of Ash's leagues (Barring the delightful Orange Islands and their 4 minigyms or rather tasks such as ice rafting or racing or target practices) have been type gyms. Why would that change? It is ANIME style battling!

Better idea, give the starting gym 12 points to do with whatever they please. If they want to get 5 basic pokemon, go for it, but they have to be of the certain type, OR evolve into it. But make it so that the pokemon that reside with the gym stay with the gym. If any of the leader's Pokemon are of that certain type, then they can use it in gym battles, but it stays with them.

I'm going to use Misty as an example because we've seen it so often.

The Cerulean Gym has a variety of different Pokemon. Goldeen, Shellder, Seaking, Luvdisc ect.

Misty has her own personal Pokemon - Staryu, Starmie ect.

Now, when she went travelling, she caught a Corsola. She uses that Corsola in Gym Battles as shown in the anime. BUT She keeps the Corsola with her.

Now, Dewgong, it stayed with the gym, and Misty has ordered it around in the gym in battle. BUT it stays with the gym as a gym Pokemon.

I think that when you leave the gym, you'll get to take 1 or two Pokemon from that gym with you.

Not to mention, when it opens... with those hypothetical 12 points I'll give an example.

I'm opening a Rock Gym, I'll catch a Geodude for 2 points, and a Onix for 2 points, and a Kabuto for 2 points and then spend 3 points evolving it. So then the gym has spent 9 out of 12 of its points. But only for the opening of the gym, allow Exp free evolutions for Gym Pokemon only.

I think the 12 point thing is unncessary because it's confusing and it would expand teams beyond points that most people want to go. I wouldn't want to get so many Pokemon

And I say yes to themes only if we want to. I didn't have a theme in the past so if I was a gym leader again, I would want to have the choice of having a theme or not

[Everoy]

And I say yes to themes only if we want to. I didn't have a theme in the past so if I was a gym leader again, I would want to have the choice of having a theme or not

Theme of complete randomness!

[Spike]

How about just a general theme? Example, in Dark Sage's "Pokemonese" fanfiction, the gyms have a general non-type theme, such as reptile-esque Pokemon or all-female pokemon.

While reading the posts I also thought about something like that. Gyms' pokemon could depend on climate, humanoid or animal form, pokemon size, mythology or even personality or other stereotypes, I don't know.

On the other hand, I do believe they should have a TM that differs them from everyone else. After all, they are gym leaders right? TMs previously approved in the tower of course.

[+conspiracy+]

In the Anime... you dont get TMs, and going back to Chris's point earlier that having TMs would make this ASBRPGish... and it would just be another thing to keep track of

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

I'm with Consipiracy on this one. You have to select pokemon from your team, so that way they're locked, so opponents know which pokemon you'll use, BUT you can use them in other matches aswell. And that's a big factor.

[Silencer]

My thoughts:

- Select 4 pokémon from your current team everytime a gym battle starts.
- Seperate topic for gym leaders, where they'll need to get their choises approved. (only access by mods and leaders if possible)
- The 4 pokémon can't be in a battle outside the gym and cannot be used outside the gym aslong as the match is going.
- A new leader changes the gym. (New arena, new badge, blablabla)

Comments on topics so far
- Starting a seperate account (getting 4 pokémon approved again) for the GL would be bad. The gym leaders would have their first fight with basic pokémon while challengers send out thier charizards, dragonites, salamences and what not.
- Different point for the leaders would get the same result
- A theme would be nice but that would put the leaders in a disadvantage again unless you have an arena like a volcano for your fire pokémon.

That's all I got...

[Everoy]

- A theme would be nice but that would put the leaders in a disadvantage again unless you have an arena like a volcano for your fire pokémon.

I think it would be great if gym leaders could create their own arenas. As it is, when I challenge I use a custom arena.

[Andrew]

Kevvaelli - Actually EBTV had theme gyms long before Pokemonese existed!

TML - The 12 starting points are for the gym's pokemon and the gym pokemon's evolution, to be spent however the gym leader pleases. It's not complicated, the gym just gets it's own bank account.

Also, backing up the type gyms OF THE ANIME, Gym Leaders often have an arena which is benificial to the Pokemon of their type. Blaine's Volcano making Squirtle's water attacks less effective and helping Ninetales Firepower. Misty's pool for her water Pokemanz. Brock's rock arena with rocks around for a nice rock slide. Ect ect ect. So we should be having Type gyms. This foppish theme crap may sound good, but just wait till we have people going "Oh yea, lols, I'm adding Dragonite to my rainbow team because it's a colour of the rainbow." Unless you type out a fucking page of justification for the reasoning and logic behind your team and then a further page to why each Pokemon falls under the theme banner, it's absolutely ridiculous because you'll have people making up shitty reasons and it'll be a free-for-all.

How shitty would that be. Honestly. TYPES FOR ASB GYM LEADERS.

[Ace64]

You don't need to make a type gym to make a beneficial arena. It would make things easier, but...not really necessary. If you've got a lot of flyers, make an arena with very small platforms and other goodies. If you've got agile Pokemon, create a gym with a lot of hazards to mess slower ones up. But really, personally, forget forcing everyone to go with type or theme- just leave it up to the individual Gym Leader. If you wanna catch six Fire types to make a fire type gym, and throw it in a volcano, go for it. If you wanna catch six 'shiny' dragons and create a shiny theme gym, go nuts. But use your own points.

Just use your own Pokes for the team, personally. If you're good enough using them, stick with them, instead of buying new ones to fit a certain purpose.

[Dark Dragonite]

How shitty would it be for someone who hasn't evolved their pokes to have to go up sgainst fully evolved Gls?

Ok, I'm facing Aggron, Dragonite, Charizard, Tyranitar, Steelix, and Venusaur...I'll send out my Rattata?...shit...

[+conspiracy+]

Well, it only takes maybe 3 or 4 battles for a new ASBer (depending on # of pokes of course) for them to acquire at least 2 or 3 fully evolved pokes assuming they haven't started with one, so that gives them time to fully acquaint themselves with the ASB system and battling and what not... so its good that GLs use fully evolved pokes, then that limits challengers to people who will at least put up a decent fight...

[Dark Dragonite]

hey, I've completed 5 battles...winning 4...my points have gone elsewhere...I have one fully evolved poke, the only evolved poke I have, Quagsire...that Drew gave me...granted I have 5 non evolvers on my team, but not everyone is in a rush to evolve here...I'm not, I'd rather get the pokes I need, then evolve...

[Silencer]

Also, I don't want to face the same team over and over. Just in other arenas...

I can say that most gyms will probably consist of dragonite, tyranitar, snorlax, salamence, the starters, metagross, milotic or something else big and deadly...

So that are 15 pokémon that will most likely be chosen for gyms. There has to be some sort of restrictiong (type and theme have been said before) so that people won't have 8 almost identical fights.

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

Yeah well that's not true. Not everyone wants those 15 pokemon. For example if I were Gymleader I'd have a whole other team then those pokemon, since frankly I hate those pokemon. I'd rather have a nice UU gym, then using those dimwitted pokemon.

EDIT: In all crazyness, I am in favor of Type gyms.

[Spike]

What if gym leaders get to choose one of their pokemon as their main pokemon for the gym? Everything else, gym related, could depend on that choice. Wouldn't it work if it were one different pokemon per gym as the main one?

[Dark Dragonite]

<LG, you may want to route for themed Gyms...as far as type, the most you have of 1 type is 3 water pokemon