WAAPT FAQ

⚠ Warning! You have now left the WAAPT Multiverse! ⚠

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This page deals with an out of universe or otherwise meta aspect of the RP.

A list of common questions and answers regarding the workings of the RP, primarily consisting of things too small to make their own articles out of. While the FAQ is not required reading prior to signing up in the same vein as the Content or Tone Essays, going through it can help prospective and even current players get a better understanding of the RP's world.

General

• How do I join WAAPT?

See here.

• How do I format posts?

See here.

• How do I upload files to the wiki?

See here.

• What games are canon to the WAAPTverse?

WAAPT directly follows the events of FRLG, Emerald, Platinum, and HeartGold. Due to the lack of a definitive third version for main series games from Gen V onward, it's left purposely ambiguous which of them are followed by WAAPT, though their events did happen in some capacity. Alola in particular mostly follows the events of the original Sun and Moon, while the AU follows Ultra Sun and Moon. The Pokèmon Ranger and Orre games are considered canon, as are the Mystery Dungeon games within PMD-A. It's ambiguous how canon the events and most of the characters of Pokémon Conquest are, but Ransei itself is canon and central to the Conquest Arc, though its status in the present is currently intentionally ambiguous.

• What about other media like the anime or PokeSpe?

Some things like locations (for example, nearly every animeverse-exclusive location exists, to the point the Orange Islands got their own arc) and a fair few minor characters from them (ex. Sir Aaron and Sird have been co-opted by certain players, and many others have appeared or been mentioned - mostly during the Gold Conference Arc but also elsewhere - and generally are subject to the same rules as most NPCs drawn from game canon) are canon, but likely not protagonists or storylines (ex. Ash and Co. and the Pokédex holders are right out, and their adventures are explicitly non-canon. Most of them exist as their gameverse selves somehow; it's unknown if Yellow (Special), Emerald (Special), and Max exist at all, and as for Ash it's intentionally left ambiguous whether or not he simply doesn't exist or is merely a perfectly normal trainer that never went far from his hometown and lives a much more low-key life than he does in his home canon). If you're unsure about a specific thing, ask. (Though as both a general guideline for doing so and a tl;dr of everything prior; if you wanted to incorporate a location like Odyssey Village or a character like Conway or Blaise into a plot or something you'll likely be fine given you've been in the RP long enough and with proper discussion. The aforementioned protagonists... Not so much.)

• What calendar does the WAAPTverse use?

Gregorian for ease of use.

• How does the timeline work?

See here. The RP proper started in 2011 both in and out of universe.

• How does time progress?

One day IRL generally equates to one day in the RP's Universe, so most events written on a given day that aren't under Time Shenanigans are taking place on that given day.

• What does TSing/Time Shenanigans mean?

When events that are taking place a previous day are being written on a later one. Sometimes this takes the form of an event being explicitly stated to be on the date it started and other times as events that get stretched out and are ambiguous exactly when given events took place other than being between the time it started and when it ended. The former is more common with smaller interaction, while the latter is more common with longer plots removed from the main action of the RP.

• What can I put on Current events?

Anything that you think is important, though major plot events, Gym challenges, catching a new member, hatchings, and evolutions are inherently worthy of addition.

• How is Current events sorted?

By Eastern Standard Time or UTC-5, as that's the time zone shared by the largest amount of players.

• When did X take place?

For events taking place before the RP, see the timeline. For events taking place during the RP, see the Archive section in Current events in tandem with the timeline.

• How long do I need to go without posting to be considered retired in absentia?

In lieu of an official statement of hiatus or retirement, without a statement to the contrary, going more than one year without making a post would mark you as effectively retired. Depending on time or morale, players can go for months without making a post, so this was deemed the most fair way to do it.

• I've been away from the RP for a while and would like to come back, is that OK?

Sure, unless you've somehow been banned, even if the RP is doing a joining hiatus. You may create new characters for a fresh start if you wish without going through Signup procedures.

• How does education work in X region?

Basically the same as it does in said region's IRL counterpart, though trainers often take a GED or equivalent test instead of completing a standard education and online classes are far more robust.

• What is the canon relationship between WAAPT and the TVT Pokédex Extended Fanon Edition?

PEFE articles are considered semi-canon unless decided otherwise. That is, PEFE articles are useful for worldbuilding and characterization, but in no way are people beholden to follow them unless they're explicitly referenced in-story.

• How do laws work?

Unless otherwise noted, it can be assumed that the law in a given region conforms to that of its RL analogue. (ie. Unova follows American law, Kalos French, etc.)

• Firearms?

While firearms are a thing that exist in the WAAPTverse, they are heavily restricted and mostly in the hands of law enforcement or organized crime ie. Teams and syndicates such as Neo-Flare or Cipher.

• Do fruits outside of Berries exist?

Yes, though most of the time attention isn't brought to them save for comedic purposes.

Player Characters

• What is the difference between a player character (PC) and a non-player character (NPC)?

While at times the difference can be nebulous past an official statement one way or another, generally the main difference is that while an NPC generally exists for a specific purpose or isn't meant to be played more than a few times, a PC serves as a player's primary means of interaction with the RP's world and exists outside of any specific purpose past their character arc. While NPCs can have multiple players if needed, a PC normally only has one player controlling them. NPCs can include both canon characters and OCs, but PCs can only be original characters for the most part, with the exceptions most often being characters originally from non-Pokémon universes.

However, usage of such characters for PCs, as mentioned in the Tone Essay, is considered the purview of experienced players and aren't for new players.

• Can I use another person's PC without involving their player?

Unless they've given you their express permission, no.

• Is there a list of all Player Characters in the RP?

The List of Active Players doubles as a list of all active primary PCs, but a full list can be seen at Category:Player Characters.

• What is the difference between primary and secondary player characters?

A primary player character is generally the first PC introduced by a player, while secondary player characters are any PCs created afterwards. However, the title is not necessarily a designation of importance, as some players may actually use their secondary PC(s) more than their primary, or shift narrative focus depending on the arc in question.

• Do I need to go to the Signup thread and do the Signup test again when announcing a new PC?

No, you can just post them in the Discussion thread (Using the same format as a Signup application) without having to go through any tests or stating specific phrases.

• Is there a limit to how many PCs you can make?

No, though much like how too many Pokémon on-hand can prove unwieldy for a player, the same can prove true for PCs.

• Can I give my PC a Trainer Title?

Yes, it can be either a canon one (ie. Beauty, Black Belt, etc) or a custom one.

• Can an NPC eventually become a PC?

Sure, if you decide that's the case, especially if an NPC makes enough appearances and gains enough characterization to start having a character arc of their own.

• What should my character(s) already know in-universe?

See here.

• Do they need to worry about getting money for supplies?

No, except if you want them to for entertainment/drama.

• Do they need to have a defined amount of supplies?

See above.

• Can my character(s) have a Snag Machine?

It requires out of universe clearance, and in most cases should only be until the plot involving them has concluded.

• What if I want to make my character(s) Aura Sensitive?

See here.

• Where can I post images made of my character(s) on the wiki?

Mainly on their character pages, but also at the WAAPT Art Museum.

Attributes

• Does my PC have to have an Attribute?

No, it's completely okay for your Trainer to not have an Attribute. They don't have to have special powers to be awesome.

• How do I have my character find out they have an Attribute?

In-universe generally it's the result of a Legendary affiliated with their Attribute telling them, following out-of-universe approval of how that happens in the Discussion thread.

This doesn't mean that you can have a Legendary pop out of nowhere and tell your character that they have X Attribute, and your character instantly and completely understands exactly what the Legendary means and exactly how to use it in an overpowered way, the process must still make some sort of sense in-universe.

• Can my character have more than one Attribute?

No.

Arcs

• How do story arcs work?

See here.

• How many major arcs has WAAPT done?

See here.

• What are Sagas and Acts?

A Saga is a group of arcs that happen to have a theme or overarching greater plot in common. Acts encapsulate an entire era of the RP, with the final arcs marking a major paradigm shift for how the RP works going forward, with the first few Arcs often directly dealing with the aftermath of said Arc. Often the last arc of an Act takes place right before the first arc of a new Generation, but this is not particularly necessary. (ie. Orre before Kalos and Re: Glitch before Alola)

• What does postgame refer to?

The time period between when the main plot of one arc concludes and another begins, often used for wrapping up loose ends and sowing the seeds for new arcs.

• What does WAAPT do for arcs if there are no new games out?

Sometimes original stuff, other times something based on another franchise, ie. Media Arcs.

Getting Around the World

Locations and Geography

• How similar is the geography to RL Earth?

We tend to assume a mostly 1:1 to Earth geography plus some WAAPT-unique islands with no RL island unless shown otherwise. (ie. Kanto and Alola are the same distance from each other as RL!Tokyo and Hawaii are)

• What are the demonyms for people and Pokémon from each region?
  • By region:
    • Kanto: Kantonese/Kantonian
    • Johto: Johtoan/Johtonian
    • Hoenn: Hoennese/Hoennian
    • Sinnoh: Sinn/Sinnohan
    • Unova: Unovan
    • Kalos: Kalosian
    • Alola: Alolan
    • Galar: Galarian
    • Orange Islands: Orange Islander
    • DeColore Islands: DeColorean
    • Orre: Orren/Orrean
    • Fiore: Fioran
    • Almia: Almian
    • Oblivia: Oblivian
    • Ferrum: Ferrumite/Ferrumese
    • Holon: Holonian* / Horonjin (ホロン人)* / Holonos/Holonas*
    • Angela: Angelan

• Why are there bracketed real-life locations (ex. [Japan], [Orlando]?)

They're used to designate the fact that they're the analogues of real life locations, and also as future-proofing in case they become parts of future canon regions. The brackets also happen to often be used for analogues of things that have not yet appeared on the Brand Names page, or for RL languages that don't have a Pokéverse analogue.

• How big are the cities compared to their in-game counterparts?

Since the games follow the Law of Conservation of Detail, IRP they're much more comparable in size to their IRL counterparts, ie. Lumiose being as large as RL!Paris, or Castelia being as large as Lower Manhattan. Similarly, routes are also much longer, though the same speed of plot rules still apply for getting through them.

• Game Corners?

The Mauville Game Corner is permanently closed.

• How do seasons work?

The same way as their IRL counterparts ie. A region based on somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere would follow the seasonal patterns of its IRL counterpart, and vice-versa for a hypothetical region based on somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere. (Ex. July in Unova is in summer, whereas July in a New Zealand analogue would be winter.)

• So Unova still follows its seasonal changes?

Yes, though stuff like daily events aren't really strictly applied to except for plot purposes, and the seasons don't change with every passing month.

• How do the version-exclusive areas in Unova work?

They both exist. For instance, Opelucid is separated into modern (Black) and historical (White) districts, while Black City and White Forest are adjacent to each other (With the WAAPT-unique Grey Ruins in-between), and Route 4 is a mixture of both versions that appear in BW2.

• Lake/Altar of the Sunne/Moon in Alola?

They're known as the Lake/Altar of the Sunne and Moone.

• Do anime-exclusive locations exist in WAAPT?

Yes, save for those that would directly contradict the games.

• What about those Poké Walker trails?

Yes.

Traveling and Transportation

• How do people get between regions?

Boats, planes, airships, teleportation, and if their mons are strong enough, using Fly. Mirroring the Hokkaido extension of the Shinkansen train lines, the Magnet Train also services Sinnoh through Jubilife Station, and Almia through Pueltown Station.

• The SS Aqua is implied to go to Sinnoh canonically, even if it doesn't in-game, can my character use it to go to Sinnoh?

Yes.

• Can my character(s) use the non-Anville Battle Subway lines like a regular subway?

Yes.

• Do I have to have them move from place to place in a realistic amount of time?

No, transportation works at the speed of plot, so take as much or as little time as you need getting somewhere.

• Where do people sleep while on a journey when not on the Stormchaser?

Depending on personal income or preference, either at a Pokémon Center for free, or at a hotel or inn. Otherwise, they're probably camping.

Dream World

• How does a human access the Dream World?

Save for extenuating circumstances such as the Dreamstalk, a human must be transfigured into a Pokémon and woken up within the Dream World as a Pokémon in order to access it in either form.

• What happens if someone's dream self dies?

They just wake up.

Languages

Human Languages

• What languages do people speak in each region?

They can be assumed to speak whatever the majority language used in the RL place their region is based on is. ie. People in the Japanese-based regions speak [Japanese]; Orreans, Unovans, Alolans, and Galarians speak Galarian (read: English); Kalosians speak Kalosian (read: French), etc.

• What languages can my character be automatically assumed to speak or comprehend?

Unless explicitly stated otherwise (Whether metawise or in-universe), at minimum your character should be capable of understanding if not speaking Galarian and [Japanese] since they tend to be the majority languages amongst the PCs. In-universe being bi- if not outright multilingual is fairly common amongst trainers, especially those who travel outside their home region a lot.

• Since the RP is primarily written in English, does that mean every conversation that uses English is actually being spoken (Or texted) in English in-universe?

Unless explicitly noted otherwise in-universe, we keep whatever language people may be speaking in a given conversation ambiguous, whether that one or all parties are speaking Galarian, or if they're speaking another language that is being rendered as English due to Translation Convention.

• Do I need to have my character(s) deal with a language barrier if they go somewhere whose primary language they don't speak?

No, they can be assumed to be lucky enough to meet people who can speak their language, unless you want them to for plot purposes.

Monese

• How well do humans understand Pokémon without formally learning Monese?

Trainers and others who have been around Pokémon enough can get a general understanding of what they're trying to say, though specific information might be a bit difficult.

• How well do Pokémon understand humans?

Like they were another Pokémon, though this may not necessarily hold true for Pokémon who have had little to no human contact.

• What does Monese sound like to someone who can't understand it?

A combination of animal cries, in-game cries, and anime-style species name repeating, depending on the individual species.

• How do I get my human character(s) to understand Monese?

Either through a Psychic-type interpreter, translator program, or by transforming into their Pokéform, after which they understand even after transforming back. It can also be formally taught. People who learn Monese through a transformation item hear it as their mother tongue, whereas people who learn it in more mundane ways will be able to interpret their cries as proper words.

• Does that mean Pokémon who transformed into human form talk like humans after changing back?

No. Save a few cases, humans speak like humans and Pokémon speak like Pokémon.

• What about Ultra Beasts?

Depending on the Ultra Beast, they speak <normal Monese> or {UBese}, the latter of which will take some getting used to in character, both for understanding those speaking it and those speaking it to understand those who aren't.

Pokémon Bio and Culture

• How sapient are Pokémon?

Despite the fact that in-universe humans may view it differently, any given Pokémon is about as sapient as a human is, and while they may view the world differently than a human does, that has no bearing on their intelligence, even in species considered "dumb" such as Slowpoke and the Cranidos Line.

• What do Pokémon eggs look like?

We go by the anime and Gen II Sugimori art depiction of Pokémon eggs looking different depending on species.

• What do Pokémon eat?

At minimum, apart from Berries/Poffins/Poké Puffs/Poké Beans/etc, food mentioned in Dex entries, PEFE articles (If applicable), and whatever their RL analogues eat. Though for carnivorous mons, plant-based food is mostly more treat than nutritious.

• Can Pokémon eat human foods that would be poisonous to their RL counterparts (Ex. Things with caffeine and/or theobromine)?

It varies from species to species (Save for Steel-types due to their poison immunity), but while they do have a higher resistance to it than their RL counterparts, feeding them such things long-term is ill-advised.

• How literate are Pokémon generally?

Literacy tends to be common to varying degrees amongst trained mons, ranging from being able to read simple signs to advanced texts. Official starter mons (As in the ones you get from a professor) tend to be near-universally literate to some degree, whereas mons that live far from civilization by contrast tend to be near-universally illiterate.

• Are Ghostmons in WAAPT born ghosts or are they all dead humans or Pokémon?

They can be either, regardless of individual species.

• How long does it take for Pokémon to mature, and how long do they live?

Generally most Pokémon are on par with a human 18 year old at roughly 3-5 years with variations thereof, and live more or less as long as humans do, give or take a couple decades. Some reptilian Pokémon such as the Turtwig line can live for a couple centuries, Volcarona can live for at least a millennium, and Pokémon such as Metagross are functionally immortal save for an unnatural death, such as through violence or disease. Most Ghost-types are much the same.

Catching and Training Pokémon

Catching Pokémon

• What Pokémon can my character(s) catch?

Whatever you want as long as they're non-legendary and a canon species (ie. Not an outright fakemon), including canon starter Pokémon such as Bulbasaur, Cyndaquil, and Mudkip. (Phione for these purposes counts as non-legendary despite being the result of breeding Manaphy.)

• Why do some characters have legendary Pokémon on their teams then?

The characters who still have them as official team members (As opposed to just befriending them without the Pokémon in question officially joining their team) are under a Grandfather Clause.

• What about all those Lati@s?

Most of them were introduced as part of something for Hoenn-2 and are staying where they're from unless they had a reason to leave. Regardless, while they do have Trainers they spend time with, they are not a part of their official teams.

• Those Partner Pikachu and Eevee from Let's Go?

You can catch them, but they can't evolve.

• What about Type: Null and Silvally?

While their SwSH Dex entries show that it is possible to reverse engineer Type: Null, having a character obtain one requires out of universe approval in the Discussion thread, and are only for more experienced players.

• What about Ultra Beasts?

Yes, but they require both in-universe and out-of universe approval to get the required Beast Balls, and only one per team apart from members of the Poipole Line. (ie. Your character can have, for instance, both a Naganadel and Buzzwole, but not a Buzzwole and Celesteela.) Ultra Beasts are also forbidden for use in League battles.

• Totem Pokémon?

Off limits.

• Shadow Pokémon?

Requires prior approval.

• Can my character(s) catch shinies?

Yes, apart from the glint they're no better or worse than a non-shiny mon, though some may cry foul if your character has an unusually large amount of shinies.

• Can I catch aesthetic variant Pokémon that aren't Shiny?

If they're purely aesthetic, sure.

• Beta Pokémon?

Beta Pokémon cannot be caught or even appear save for one-off jokes and references.

• What about Delta Pokémon or other Pokémon with different types than usual that aren't canon variants?

Yes, but it'll require outside approval due to the possibility of a mon gaining a type combination that combined with its stats would make it particularly gamebreaky.

• Can I catch fake regional variants?

No, though certain ones can appear in plots with special approval.

• Fake Mega and Gigantamax forms?

No.

• Battle Bond?

Having a non-Greninja Pokémon with the Battle Bond Ability is allowed for more experienced players following approval, but one drawback is that they're incapable of Mega Evolution if they happen to belong to a species with a corresponding Mega Stone.

• Albino/Leucistic/Melanistic Pokémon?

Yes.

• Fusions?

Artificially induced partial hybrids with minor aesthetic and sometimes movepool differences are allowed with experience and discussion but if it looks like something out of a Pokefusion generator and has the movepool to match then no.

• Can I catch a Pokémon from a game that has yet to be released?

No. See the Future Games section for more info.

Training Pokémon

• What about those Training Classifications?

They're only relevant if you want them to be.

• Do I have to catch Pokémon in the same spots as they appear in the games?

Generally yes, unless there's a good in-universe reason to explain their presence.

• Can I catch the evolutions or preevolutions of a Pokémon in the same place where only one form shows up in the games?

Yes, though they're a lot rarer to encounter in-universe.

• Can my Pokémon have the same name as someone else?

Yes, as long as they're of different species.

• Who controls the mon that you're trying to catch?

Save for special circumstances, normally the player in question.

• What is the Vow and how does it work?

See here.

• What does it look like inside a Poké Ball?

The Pokémon creates a mentally-generated world inside the Ball, with slight variations depending on the type of Ball.

• Do I have to keep my extra Pokémon in Boxes or Box equivalents?

No, though having more than six mons on hand at once can become very hard to manage metawise.

• Can you catch a Pokémon that has already been caught?

No, unless they've been officially released the Ball will simply bounce off of them and refuse to work.

• How important are Natures?

While nothing stops you from giving a Pokémon a canon Nature, they have no bearing on strength and/or weakness in WAAPT, and only serve as flavor text.

• Are there any limits on Abilities?

Generally, whatever Pokémon you have should only have their canon Abilities. It should be kept in mind that while you can have more than one Pokémon with their Hidden Abilities, it would be considered rather unusual in-universe.

• Do Pokémon from PMD-A have both non-Hidden Abilities like in the pre-Gates to Infinity games?

No.

• Does WAAPT use levels?

They exist, but we don't really use them to officially measure Pokémon strength past going "X mon is the equivalent of a lv. Y mon in-game", but that doesn't mean your freshly hatched Mareep could necessarily use Thunder without the TM, for instance. (And even if extenuating circumstances are involved, such as both parents knowing the move and passing it down, that doesn't necessarily mean it can use them well.) The pace of evolving a Pokémon by level-up is generally done at a player's discretion.

Generally, it can be assumed that a team equivalent to a trainer with 8 Badges/Four Passport Stamps would be at least in the 40-50 range, whereas a Champion level team that has beaten at least one League's Champion would be at minimum in the 60-70 range.

• Can a Pokémon evolve mid-battle?

Yes.

Pokémon Moves

• What moves can my character's Pokémon use?

Anything they can get legally, whether through level up, TMs/TRs, HMs, tutoring, or egg moves.

• What about Delta Pokémon?

Same, though since they can also learn moves of the types they've acquired and get STAB from them, some might require approval for brokeness.

• Shadow Pokémon?

The one purification move they get is your choice.

• Is there a four move limit?

See Battle Mechanics.

• What counts as a move tutor?

Aside from canon move tutors, there's other PCs, human NPCs, or even other Pokémon.

• Do they need to be paid in Shards/BP/Watts/whatever?

If you want, though we tend to make the assumption that you chose to gloss over that portion.

• How can my character(s) get TMs, TRs, and HMs outside of Gym Battles?

You can buy them from Poké Marts or the like, or just find them while exploring like in the games.

• What are Legacy TMs?

Infinite-use TMs based on the Gen I and II TM list.

• Are there any attacks unique to the RP?

See here.

• Can wild Pokémon know TM/TR and egg moves?

It's possible, though rare in-universe, if more common in areas closer to human settlements where there's easier access to TM/TRs and trained mons.

• How does teleportation work?

While teleportation works closer to Fly when it comes to getting around, the maximum distance capable depends on the individual strength of the teleporter. Xatu for instance is good enough at teleportation that he can easily teleport between locations as far away as Kanto and Unova without having to make mini jumps and can take large amounts of beings at once. Whereas at the other extreme the equivalent of a level 10 Abra or Natu probably can't teleport further away than the next town over at most, and only then with strain, and couldn't take something all that big with them.

Evolving Pokémon

• What forms can my character's Vivillon evolve into?

Your choice, WAAPT doesn't limit it to RL location.

• How does Crabrawler evolve outside of Alola?

Leveling up a Crabrawler on Mt. Coronet in Sinnoh, Mt. Silver in Kanjoh, Twist Mountain in Unova, or the Frost Cavern in Kalos should work. Hoenn's evolution spot is still being determined.

• How would Eevee evolve into Leafeon or Glaceon in Kanjoh, since HGSS didn't introduce Mossy and Ice Rocks there?

We've ruled there are Mossy Rocks in the Viridian and Ilex Forests, and Ice Rocks within Seafoam Cavern and the Ice Path. Otherwise, due to SwSh's retcon they can be evolved with Ice and Leaf Stones respectively.

• Pokémon that require a special magnetic field?

The area around the Power Plant in Kanto, and Routes 38 and 39 in Johto because of an offscreen power plant. They can also be evolved at the Sinjoh Ruins, if your character has some way of getting there. Otherwise, due to SwSh's retcon you can just use a Thunder Stone.

• How is evolution done in PMD-A?

Same as in the OU, though you can also evolve Pokémon using the PMD evolution items. Ex. Frozen Rock, Beauty Scarf, Coronet Rock, etc.

• How do trade evolutions work?

Like in the games, though like the PEFE articles and some canon Dex entries Pokémon can evolve without trading, but for the most part only over impractical periods of time (Ex. The century it normally takes for Onix to accumulate enough iron to evolve into Steelix), hard to replicate natural conditions (Ex. The pressure to turn a Boldore into a Gigalith) or happening to be one in a million in terms of the genetic jackpot and/or being exposed to electromagnetic radiation over time (Ex. Machoke into Machamp).

• How are evolutionary items obtained?

They can be found while journeying, or bought from anywhere that sells evolutionary items.

• Do you need to trade with an Upgrade or Dubious Disc to get a Porygon-line member to evolve like in the games?

No, having a working computer capable of supporting them will work just as well.

• How is Inkay's evolution to Malamar handled?

They turn upside down to evolve upon gaining enough experience.

• Do I need to give a Toxel a canon Nature to have it evolve into an Amped or Low Key Toxtricity?

No.

Pokémon League and Battle Facilities

Gym Leaders, Trial Captains, and Kahuna

• Will my character(s) have to fight the Gym Leaders/Totem Pokémon/Kahunas in game order?

No, unless you want to, though most people probably will, save for cases where you canonically require a certain amount of plot coupons to battle them. An exception to this rule is the Galar League due to having an official League order.

• Can they use their rematch teams?

Yes.

• Do they need to have their canon teams?

No, though apart from a few exceptions they should keep the typing theme, and should be limited to canon non-legendaries like for PCs. ie. They should be the specialist's type, or in the case of those exceptions, should be capable of using moves of that type, though it's still strongly preferred that the type should match.

• Do they scale by amount of Badges/Passport Stamps/Plot Coupons?

Yes. For instance, a trainer fighting Falkner with no badges and weaker Pokémon would likely end up fighting his first in-game team, whereas someone with 7 badges would be fighting something more akin to his HGSS rematch team.

• What TMs do Gym Leaders give?

Whatever they give in the most recent generation their home region appeared in at the time of reading.

• Do I need to have my character(s) battle the Gym trainers onscreen?

No, unless you want to, though it's assumed that you did either way.

• Are people allowed to have their characters use healing items in Gym matches?

Yes, though many choose not to for drama purposes.

• In Unova can you get badges from B/W only Gym Leaders if your character became a trainer during or after B/W 2?

Unless there's a Gen V remake (Which going by previous patterns will be during 2023 or 2024 at the earliest), for the time being no. Your trainer would need to have done the Unova Gym challenge sometime between 2011-2012 at the latest to obtain those badges.

• How does the Verdant Cavern trial work?

Your character can battle either Totem Raticate, Totem Gumshoos, or both if two PCs happen to be taking the trial at the same time.

• Do my character(s) need to be directly endorsed for the Galar Gym Challenge?

They can either be endorsed by someone, or they can take one of the free spots the Galar League has for non-endorsed challengers.

• Who can do Galar League endorsements?

You can get an endorsement from just about any character and/or organization of great influence, such as Gym Leaders and Champions, even if they're not from the Galar region. However, obtaining an endorsement should be done in a way that wouldn't seem out of character for the endorser.

As the J-Team is a loose collective it is non-viable as a source of endorsements, though individual members may be capable of doing endorsements if they happen to be people of renown.

• Do my characters have to wear the default uniform for the Galar Gym challenges?

You can wear the default uniform, or one of the type-themed uniforms. Depending on the sponsor, or discretion of the player, a custom uniform can be made as well.

• Who would my character(s) battle at the Stow-on-Side and Circester Stadiums?

Your choice of Bea/Alister and Gordie/Melony respectively.

• Are Bede and Marnie doing Gym Leader duties?

Yes.

Elite Four and Champions

• Do my character(s) have to battle the canon Champion? What about the Elite Four?

In most cases, yes, though experienced players can have have the occasional non-standard opponent. In the case of a specific region's Elite Four, you battle them as they were in the most recent game they appeared in. For instance, someone taking on the Indigo League regardless of starting in Kanto or Johto would battle the Gen II/IV Elite Four and Champion instead of the Gen I/III ones. Someone challenging the Unova League would be taking on Iris as Champion as of 2013.

• Do they need to keep their canon teams?

See the same question for Gym Leaders above. However, for more experienced players, a Champion using a minor legendary they've befriended can be a battle option.

• Typing theme?

Same.

• Healing items?

Same.

• Who would my character(s) battle in Hoenn as Champion?

Either Steven or Wallace, depending, though most of the time it's Steven.

• Who do I battle in Alola since the protagonist canonically becomes Champion?

IRP, the Alola League is heavily contested, so who's sitting on the Champion's throne can easily change from one day to the next. In practice, you can battle just about anyone you fight in Title Defense at minimum.

• Galar?

While who you face for the Champion match is your choice, since there isn't a literal Elite Four like in other regions, you can make a spiritual Elite Four out of the results of the Challenger Tournament. They can include but are not limited to Gym Leaders, the 16 type-themed challengers, and even other PCs doing the League Challenge, as long as they're able to legally compete in the Galar League.

• What happens if they win?

IRP, people who defeat the current Champion can either become Champion themselves or become what is known as a League-recognized trainer for having their name in a region's Hall of Fame. (ie. Being recognized as a Champion-level trainer without the responsibilities of actually being Champion of a region) However, for balancing purposes PCs are not allowed to immediately take the former option.

Battle Facilities

• Can I battle post-Gen V Gym Leaders and Champions at the Pokémon World Tournament?

Yes.

• Can the Frontier Brains/Battle Chatelaines/etc use minor (ie. non-box) legendaries?

It may require prior discussion.

Pokémon Contests

• Do contests work closer to the games or more like in the anime?

They lean more towards the anime style of an appeal and then battle section, though the more gamey style does exist.

• Is there only one Contest Hall per region like in the games or multiple like in the anime?

Multiple.

• Which regions are known to have a Contest circuit?

At minimum Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova.

• Do they require a Contest Pass to participate?

Yes.

Transformations and other Abilities

Pokéforms

• What causes Pokéform transformations?

There are many ways, but the most common are either wearing a human to Pokémon Armband (Or similar transformation item), or taking a visit to either PMD-A or PMD-B.

• What can your character transform into?

Pretty much any non-legendary canon Pokémon is fair game, though we strongly encourage that they start as a base morph if they're evolution capable, especially if it's a pseudo-legendary. As an addendum, you can indeed evolve your Pokéform as if it were a natural-born mon.

• But Sandy, Levi, and Vyvyan can become a Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza trio!

They were special cases subjected to painful experimentation, and it's their default forms as well. Not to mention that out-of-universe it was due to a non-retconnable plot derail and is subject to the Grandfather Clause.

• What about the Type: Null Line?

Since they've been confirmed to be Legendary, they're off limits as a Pokéform as well.

• Ultra Beasts?

While theoretically someone could have an Ultra Beast mon form, in practice they're off-limits save for Ultra Recon Squad characters having Poipole mon forms.

• Do Mystery Dungeon-style quizzes for mon forms exist?

Yes, but normally people don't remember doing them afterwards.

• Can I change my character's Pokéform?

Unless there's an extenuating circumstance, as they're meant to be an innermost reflection of the character in question, they're meant to be more or less permanent. For example, being transformed via April Fools doesn't necessarily mean the form would be permanent, but an Armband transformation or PMD trip would be save for said extenuating circumstances.

• Does a Pokéform have to be static across universes?

No, a version of your (N)PC from another universe can have a different mon form if you so desire.

• Is a human in Pokéform different from a Pokémon of the same species?

Besides the fact that one has a human mind, no. They're the same physically, though they may keep physical traits in common with their human forms, such as DS' Espeon form having green eyes and Tagg's Swampert form sharing his mole on the left side of his face).

• Can my character's Pokéform be the evolution of a base form Pokémon?

Starting out as a Base form is once again strongly encouraged, but there have been exceptions.

• Can their Pokéform be shiny?

Yes, though much like catching shinies people might cry foul if you have too many characters who happen to have a shiny Pokéform.

• Can Pokéforms be Fossil Pokémon?

Yes, we even have a few characters with such forms already.

• Is my character allowed to have the same mon form as someone else?

Yes.

• Can their Pokéform have Egg Moves?

Probably not.

• What about Hidden Abilites?

Yes, though keep in mind it'd be rarer than standard abilities.

• What happens if their Pokéform happens to be a Nincada and it evolves? Will a Shedinja appear too?

It's subject to the same rules regarding the creation of Shedinja as in the main series games.

Mega Evolution

• How would my character(s) get a Key Stone or Mega Stones?

While there's no rule preventing your character from getting a Key and/or Mega Stone(s) once you're established enough, it should be earned in some fashion that's formally approved by the rest of the playerbase.

• Do I have to use a Mega Ring or Mega Bracelet in particular for my character's Key Stone?

No, you can use whatever you want for a Key Stone holder, or even go without. For examples, see here.

• Can my character's Key Stone do Mega Stone detection?

Only if your character has had contact with Xerneas or Yveltal and touches the Anistar Sundial with it, like in X and Y.

• What exactly goes into Mega Evolution?

It requires a strong bond to make possible, but both trainer and Pokémon must be in sync for it to work without the mon going berserk.

• How do we reconcile the Gen VI and Gen VII depictions of Mega Evolution?

The (U)SM Dex entries are mostly examples of what happens if Mega Evolution is performed incorrectly, ie. without both parties being in sync.

• Can Pokémon with the Battle Bond Ability that have Mega Evolutions Mega Evolve?

No.

Z-Rings and Crystals

• How can my character(s) get a Z-Ring?

In most cases, by completing a Grand Trial and making a request to the island's Kahuna to get a Sparkling Stone refined.

• Would they get a regular Z-Ring or Z-Power Ring?

As of Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, the Kahunas are giving out Z-Power Rings.

• What Z-Crystals can they get?

All except for the legendary-specific crystals, save for special cases.

• Do I need to have my character(s) do the Island Challenge to get the Z-Crystals only obtainable through a trial in-game?

Most of the time, yes.

Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing

• How can my character(s) obtain a Dynamax Band?

Generally, they're handed out as part of the Galar Gym Challenge upon registration. Another method is managing to come across a Wishing Star randomly like in the games and managing to get in contact with someone who can add it to a Dynamax Band.

• Can they only obtain a mon capable of Gigantamaxing through a Max Raid?

No, they can be found randomly in the wild as well, though it may be percieved as odd if your character happens to have a lot of mons capable of Gigantamaxing.

• Can a Mega Evolved Pokémon be Dynamaxed?

Unless displayed otherwise, we're assuming no.

Burst Hearts

• How do Burst Hearts work?

Like in the ReBURST manga, Burst Hearts are pocket-sized jewels containing Pokémon inside that allow their wielders to fuse with the Pokémon in question into a hybrid form akin to the Scythermen, gaining their strengths and weaknesses. Training is required to use the form properly without risking death, and akin to Mega Evolution, both user and Pokémon must be in sync for the fusion to work properly without side effects.

• How are Burst Hearts made?

The exact method of creating a true Burst Heart is unknown. However, artificial Burst Hearts exist that have an addictive effect on their users.

• How would my character(s) get a Burst Heart?

Burst Hearts are considered the purview of more experienced players, and therefore introducing them for your characters can only start being discussed once you've been part of the RP for at least three months. In-universe they are naturally rare, and so obtaining them must be done in a method approved by the playerbase, as they're akin to a dungeon prize.

(ie. It can't just be a scenario akin to "X was just skipping down the street one day and randomly tripped over a Burst Heart")

• Can they have more than one Burst Heart to use?

No.

• Can they use those artificial Burst Hearts?

The artificial Hearts are forbidden for characters who are not Burst Heart using villains.

• What Pokémon can there be Burst Hearts of?

For the vast majority of cases, (N)PCs can only obtain Burst Hearts containing non-legendary Pokémon.

• Is the Pokémon inside the Burst Heart capable of evolving?

Over time the Pokémon inside the Burst Heart gains strength just like a regular mon, so yes.

• Is it possible to free a Pokémon from a Burst Heart?

In-uinverse yes, but as of the time of writing, the exact method has not been determined out-of-universe, and therefore it's not an option for PCs as of yet.

• Do they give the ability to understand Monese while not transformed like other transformation items (ie. Armbands and the like)?

Not inherently, but through use of a Burst Heart over time there is a chance of a character gaining the ability to understand Monese that way.

Hasslemon

• What's this Homestuck Crap?

It's a chat system that can be installed in Poke Balls in order to allow for conversations between teams.

• Would my character(s) have to use it?

Nah, it's opt-in, but it can be a fun backdrop for Pokemon conversations.

• How do the Usernames work?

With Two Words or phrases, first lowercase second Uppercase, sometimes abbreviated as two uppercase letters. Examples being avisGutter, midnightSun [MS], and cyprinidClog [CC]. Numbers and such are usually left off unless they create meaning, such as buy1Get1 [BG].

• Where do I find all the usernames?

Under the List of Hasselmon Users page. If you can't find the handle of a specific character, ask the character's player.

• How does formatting work?

Someone contacts someone else with a phrase such as "avisGutter [AG] began hassling midnightSun [MS]". Messages are often sent with the user's abbreviated handle but need not be. Conversation is ended with a phrase like "avisGutter [AG] ceased hassling midnightSun [MS]".

• What about group conversations?

You can do those as well! They are often written with memos.

• Is it possible to use Hasslemon to communicate with phones?

Hasslemon is not available on anything but Poke Balls, but there is a patch that can allow users of Hasslemon to send and receive texts like a phone to allow for easier communications between human and Pokemon characters. This is likewise opt-in.

• Are there any variants of it?

There's a similar thing called Clustermind which was used for hiveminds such as those made by Charizard 'M, but it is ambiguous whether the software literally exists or is merely a metaphor for the hivemind.

Upcoming Games and DLC

• Can my character(s) catch a Pokémon from a game or DLC that has yet to be released?

No. Wait until the games come out because we may not know the full details yet.

• What about an egg of such a Pokémon?

That's fine, if it doesn't hatch until at least one month (Or two weeks in the case of DLC) after the games come out and its species, if a spoiler, isn't acknowledged until then.

• What about new moves, Abilities, items, Megas, Gigantamaxes, etc?

New moves, items, and Megas are okay once the game is released. No to new Abilities for existing mon characters. Exceptions to this would be if the new ability is a normal one and the Pokemon changes to it via evolution, or is changed from an old one by using an Ability Capsule or Patch.

• If my character's Pokémon has an Ability that gets retconned out in a future game, do I have to change it?

No, in cases like that it can be grandfathered in, but going forward any Pokémon of that species introduced afterwards can only get Abilities from the updated Ability pool. For instance, a Gengar character introduced pre-Gen VII can still have Levitate as its Ability, but any Gengar characters introduced from Gen VII onwards can only have Cursed Body as an Ability unless it gets reintroduced at some point.

• What about gags/cameos?

One-off gags and cameos are fine as long as they aren't too frequent' and they're marked as per spoilerblock rules. Starters in their base morphs, for instance, are fair game but their evolutions aren't if they're not part of official pre-release materials, and box legends are also fair game.

• Even if we know most of the stuff already via some form of game hacking?

Yeah, better to save it for when the games come out.

• Am I allowed to have my characters mention a new region before release date?

Yes, though talking about specific locations may be considered spoilers prior to release date and the spoiler unblocking.

• Can I have my character visit a new region before the arc involving them comes out?

No, your character can go at the same time everyone else does.

Meta Stuff

Mon Census

• What are the basic rules for the Mon Census?

The rules include:

• Don't add characters that are not your own, unless specifically requested, to avoid confusion.
• Count mons for whom any of the following applies:
  • They appear in an average or more than average percentage of your posts.
  • They are/were integral to any arc, plot, or subplot since your entry into the RP.
  • They are planned to be or are currently part of some sort of event/appearance in the RP.
  • They are important enough to your character(s) that they warrant notice and representation of the species as a whole.

(For the most part, any PC or significant NPC owned mon would likely count toward one of these, these criteria are more to say 'don't add every NPC you've ever played' than anything)

The final tally will be compiled on the Census page for the given year (ie. Mon Census 2019 for the Census done for the 2019-2020 period from January 2019 to August 2021), and categorized by species and morph. Pokémon Lines that are Predominantly Male or Female are only counted if a species has at least two representatives whose gender is noted in the census.

• How long is the Census open?

Once announced, all active players have until two weeks from the announcement date to add their Pokémon to the Spreadsheet until it's locked.

• How do I fill out the Mon Census?

Filling out a Mon Census follows this template on Google Sheets:

Name [Current Morph]Gender (Player; PC or NPC, N/A if without a Trainer)

For instance Muddy would be:

Muddy [Swampert]♂ (Tagg; RP!Tagg)

Yes, even if the mon's still at base morph at the time of the census, that morph should be listed. An exception would be if the mon is part of a single stage line, but the rest should still be listed.

If the Pokémon in question doesn't have a nickname you can do something such as:

[X's Mon Species]Gender (Player, since the trainer's in the name adding them again would be redundant)

Or if they happen to not belong to a Trainer:

Mon SpeciesGender (Player; N/A)

• Where should I put my Pokémon if it has branching evolutions but I'm not sure what form I'll have them evolve to?

Place them in the earliest introduced evolution variant for the time being. For instance, a Kirlia whose evolution is undecided for the moment would go in the first Ralts section.

• A Pokémon that evolves into a regional variant?

If directly from the region in question (ie. a Pikachu from Alola), they would be in the section reserved for their regional variant (ie. "Pichu [Alolan Raichu]"). If not, it would depend on whether they have heritage from a regional variant or not.

Chatroom

• Why do people go "ping pong"?

It's a test to make sure they're online/the chat isn't lagging.

• Why do people say "post" or derivatives thereof?

To signify that they've posted in a thread, in order to cut down on having to constantly check the forum watchlist or repeatedly refreshing the thread. Specific examples include "D!Post" to refer to posts made in the Discussion thread, and "Signup!Post" for posts in the Signup thread.

• Can we talk about future games in creative/j-team-hq or social before they release?

Any official pre-release info is fine, but after the game comes out, there is to be no plot talk outside of spoilers until at least one month after the game's release.

• DLC of existing games?

In the case of DLC, the buffer is lowered to two weeks following release.

• Remakes?

Since they're remaking games that are ten or more years old, you can talk about them as much as you like before and after they release, save for all new post-release stuff, which would be subject to the one month buffer.

Other Helpful Pages

• Content Essay
• Battle Mechanics
• Background Lore Index
• Tone Essay
• Disciplinary Policy
• WAAPT Lexicon
• Arc Handling
• How To Improv

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