Howdy howdy! It may seem like this is a project that emerged out of the blue, and it kind of is! A few of us internally randomly got to talking about our distaste for Weather in PTR, and how the Climatology Field of Research is a bit of a wet noodle and only works if the rest of the party follows their specific weather gimmicks.
So in a flurry of inspiration over the last couple of months, this is the Playtest of our proposal for the overhaul of Weather mechanics.
Our general design objective for this project is as follows:
Please be aware that while our goal is to fully automate the Weather Rework; for our initial release in 4.2.0 some of the weather effects won't be automated, more automation will follow in future updates!
Please leave any feedback over in the discord's #ptr-feedback-and-ideas forum, where we'll have a thread specifically for this Overhaul.
Weather in Pokémon is integral to the series' core identity: mechanically and thematically. Weather in TTRPGs has the potential to incredibly potent in terms of influencing tactics and combat potential.
However, PTR's initial implementation didn't really get Weather to feel as substantial as it is in the games, nor how it could be in a TTRPG system, especially one that can be automated. To solve both the issues of Weather coming off fairly limp and mostly a nuisance, Weathers are now split into Tiers, numbered from 1 to 3.
Tier 1 Weather is much more passive in nature and effects. Sure, the Weather is still provoked by technology, magic, or some other power, but the actual effects are more background in their nature (think increases/decreases in Type damage, and other small changes).
Tier 1 Weathers provide minor buffs and debuffs, and are cast by the Weather Moves (Sunny Day, Rain Dance, etc.).
Tier 2 Weather is where the proverbial gauntlet is thrown. These are much more active and where the whole "take damage at the end of your turn" mechanic comes into play for a number of Weathers.
Tier 2 Weathers provide major buffs/debuffs (including improvements over the Tier 1 effects) and are where your "damage over time" effects start to happen. The weather-setting Abilities (Drought, Drizzle, etc.) are updated to facilitate setting the Tier 1 Weather, and to allow the setting of Tier 2 Weathers.
Tier 3 Weather is truly substantial - they can shut down a group of enemies with little effort, and one could even say they're "biblical" in their effects (think of Primal Groudon's Desolate Land and Primal Kyogre's Primordial Sea).
Tier 3 Weathers are colossal "table flips", and are restricted for good reason. These are tied to the Hoenn Weather Trio's Mega/Mega-equivalent Evolutions, and Abilities that they receive from them.
The "Weather" keyword has been adjusted, to list of all the new mechanics of Weather Conditions and :
Weather: Moves, Abilities, and other effects with the Weather keyword affect an area, changing the rules of the battle. Weather Conditions normally last 5 rounds, though certain effects can extend or reduce this timeframe. In general, only two Weather Conditions may be active at once.
When a third Weather Condition is created, the earliest-created Weather Condition of the third Weather Condition's Tier or lower is deactivated. So if a Tier 1 Weather Condition is activated while two Tier 2 Weathers are in place, the Tier 1 Weather Condition fails to active.
Tier 3 Weathers may only be set by their specific Abilties or Primal Weather Legendary Auras. The removal of a Pokémon with a Tier 3 Weather Ability or Primal Weather Aura from battle, the activation of another Tier 3 Weather Ability or Primal Weather Aura, or the cancellation of the Primal Weather Aura via another Aura are the only ways that Tier 3 Weathers may be removed.
Note that despite their names, Weather Conditions are not usually found as natural occurrences. A bright and sunny day does not count as a Sun Weather Condition, nor does rain count as a Rain Weather Condition. However, particularly severe examples of the corresponding weather can count. For example, a tropical rainstorm could count as Rainy or Thunderstorm.
We have taken the liberty of adding a suite of Moves and Abilities, while also updating the existing ones, to reflect the added Weather Conditions and expanded Weather mechanics.
As a simple rule of thumb, we've added these Weather-setting Moves to the TM List of Pokémon that possess the following Types and Capabilities:
Version 4.2.0 will not have this added yet by base but will be updated in either 4.2.1 or 4.2.2, meanwhile please consider the list above for deciding whether a mon should be able to learn these moves!
As for Abilities, the listed Abilities were distributed to the following Pokémon (and their evolutionary lines):
Dev notes: These are not hard restrictions or recommendations. If you feel that certain Pokémon should or shouldn't have an Ability or Move, GMs are more than welcome to adjust their TM/Tutor lists and Ability lists in their games as desired.
In fact, we recommend it! Many of the Tier 3 Weather Abilities are currently unassigned! We felt that, beyond the Hoenn Weather Trio, it would be best to leave the distribution of the other Tier 3 Weathers to GM discretion, as there really aren't any other "Primal" entities for the other Weather types. They're probably best on custom-made Mega Evoluition/Primal Reversions for existing or homebrewed Legendaries, of course.
During the Class Rework process, we preemptively provided the new Weather-setting Moves to the appropriate Elementalists.
The Weather Overhaul consists of ten distinct weather types. Each has its own specific mechanics and focuses. Bolded portion of text indicate new/changed effects at each Tier.
Clear is the general absence of special Weathers. It confers no effects, and exists only at Tier 1.
Note: Discussion continues as to whether or not to develop Tier 2/3 versions of Clear Weather, tentatively titled "Controlled" and "Sterile".
Ah, the sun! Good for the plants, a day at the beach... and cooking eggs on asphalt. Sun benefits Fire-Types first and foremost, and gets brighter and more oppressive as it gets more intense.
Arceus bless the rains down in Poké-Africa! Well, maybe not. Thunderstorms are a bit of a hazard. But, at least the pooling water allows for swimmers to flex their muscles! Like in the VGs, Rain benefits Water-Types primarily, but has extra utility besides.
Hail (well, now Snow, as of Scarlet and Violet) is a fun time. A winter wonderland of fun! Just make sure you brought your jacket (and maybe some Ice-Types of your own). Like Sun, Hail also affects the Types and effects of other Moves and Effects.
The original "weather war," all the way back in Ruby and Sapphire. Here, Sand is a bit changed up (Steel no longer directly benefits, as it now receives small benefits from other Weathers). Like in the Dune series, Sand is cruel and harsh, but a powerful shield for those that have mastered it.
A new Weather of our invention, Fog exists to provide more Types a niche in Weather (plus, it's dumb that's not a settable Weather in the games). Fog benefits Bug-Types primarily, and acts as a more general method to discourage ranged combat.
Again, why is this not a more general Weather in the video games? Wind is basically an extrapolation of Mega Rayquaza's Delta Stream Ability and the "strong winds" it creates. Facilitates flier, floaters, Flying-Types, and users of "Wind" attacks. Just be careful to stand your ground, if you're knock off your feet in high winds, you might go flying!
Made known through the fangame Pokémon Insurgence, New Moon represents the supernatural connotations of night and darkness, the oppressiveness, and the spookiness. Which also means "Witching Hour" shenanigans! Dark-, Ghost-, and Fairy-Types will have a good time in the New Moon; banes, curses, hexes, and lamentations abound!
Utilized in the Pokémon Sage fangame, Acid Rain is the Poison-Type's favorite Weather, allowing the dishing out of Poison and debuffs more readily. It's quite debilitating, if allowed to fester!
Originally introduced in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, and initially implemented in our Shadow Supplement, Shadow Sky is now fleshed out and a force to be reckoned with. Not a weather for the faint of heart, but really good for those that have theirs closed off! It allows Shadow Pokémon to do their "hyperaggression" thing more capably.
One of the unique aspects introduced in Pokémon Uranium, Fallout is similarly debilitating to Acid Rain and Shadow Sky. Like the Nuclear Type itself, Fallout is very good at unilaterally eroding defenses, as creatures are weakened by the excessive radiation.
Prerequisites: Novice Survival
At-Will – Extended Action
Effect: You may craft one of the Weather Rocks for $1000, or one of the following combos of Shards:
Bonus: You are immune to negative effects of Weathers created by you or your allies.
Cost: $3,000
Effect: When the user creates a Sun Weather Condition, its duration is increased by 3 turns.
Bonus: The user is immune to the detrimental effects of Sun Weather Conditions.
Cost: $3,000
Effect: When the user creates a Rain Weather Condition, its duration is increased by 3 turns.
Bonus: The user is immune to the detrimental effects of Rain Weather Conditions.
Cost: $3,000
Effect: When the user creates a Hail Weather Condition, its duration is increased by 3 turns.
Bonus: The user is immune to the detrimental effects of Hail Weather Conditions.
Cost: $3,000
Effect: When the user creates a Sand Weather Condition, its duration is increased by 3 turns.
Bonus: The user is immune to the detrimental effects of Sand Weather Conditions.
Cost: $3,000
Effect: When the user creates a Fog Weather Condition, its duration is increased by 3 turns.
Bonus: The user is immune to the detrimental effects of Fog Weather Conditions.
Cost: $3,000
Effect: When the user creates a Wind Weather Condition, its duration is increased by 3 turns.
Bonus: The user is immune to the detrimental effects of Wind Weather Conditions.
Cost: $3,000
Effect: When the user creates a New Moon Weather Condition, its duration is increased by 3 turns.
Bonus: The user is immune to the detrimental effects of New Moon Weather Conditions.
Cost: $3,000
Effect: When the user creates an Acid Weather Condition, its duration is increased by 3 turns.
Bonus: The user is immune to the detrimental effects of Acid Weather Conditions.
Cost: $3,000
Effect: When the user creates a Shadow Sky Weather Condition, its duration is increased by 3 turns.
Bonus: The user is immune to the detrimental effects of Shadow Sky Weather Conditions.
Cost: $3,000
Effect: When the user creates a Fallout Weather Condition, its duration is increased by 3 turns.
Bonus: The user is immune to the detrimental effects of Fallout Weather Conditions.
Prerequisites: Climatology
Static
Effect: You learn the Move Weather Ball, and may use it as though it was either Physical or Special.
Prerequisites: Climatology, Expert Survival
At-Will – Extended Action
Target: Your Pokemon with at least 1 Tutor Point
Effect: Your Pokemon loses 1 Tutor Points, and learns your choice of a Weather creation move. The target must be able to learn the chosen Move through Level-Up, TM, or Tutor Moves. If the target has the chosen Move in their Level-Up List, Weather Systems costs no Tutor Points.
Bonus: Whenever you use a Weather Move, you may create the Weather at Tier 2 by spending 2 AP as a Free Action.
Prerequisites: Climate Control, Master Survival
X AP – Free Action, Interrupt
Trigger: A Weather Condition created by you or an ally would be dissipated by a means other than Tier 3 Weather.
Effect: You may spend X AP, where X is equal to the Tier of the Weather that would be dissipated. The Weather Condition doesn't dissipate and gains up to 3 additional rounds of duration to a maximum of the starting value of the weather. If the triggering condition was due to another Tier 1 or Tier 2 Weather Condition being created, the Weather Condition instead attempts to overwrite the triggering Weather Condition. The Weather Condition is dissipated if it fails to overwrite the triggering Weather Condition in this way.
A bit confused? Check this explanation copy pasted from the discord:
Discord Clarification on Perpetual Storm
Weather lasts a certain amount of turns (5 or 8) depending on the circumstances of which it is summoned. Besides this, there may only ever be 2 weathers active at a given time, if a 3rd weather would be created, the oldest weather of the same rank or lower disappears.Those are the 2 ways that matter for this feature of 'ending a weather'.
Whenever either of those 2 triggers occur, you can activate Perpetual Storm, spending the appropriate AP, to instead of ending, give the weather back (up to) 3 turns of duration, and failing whatever effect caused it to dissipate. So all the possible cases:
- Weather effect duration is over -> Spend AP, instead of ending, the weather still has 3 turns of duration
- A 3rd weather gets created that would remove this weather -> Spend AP, instead of ending this one, try to end the other weather -> then trigger 2.1. or 2.2, finally resolve 2.3.
2.1. If the other weather was ended this way, effect is resolved, the 3rd weather has replaced the 2nd weather.
2.2. If the other weather can't be ended (for example, through the activation of this same feature, or because it's a tier 2 weather, while the 3rd weather created is a tier 1 weather) -> the 3rd weather fails to be created completely.
2.3. The duration of the original (1st) weather gets extended by up to 3 turns (this can't make it go above it's maximum duration of 5 or 8, depending on how it was created)
okay lets make this even clearer, the following weathers are active, for simplicity sake, both created by the same Climatologist.
- Weather A: Rainy (3 turns left) (tier 1)
- Weather B: Hailstorm (5 turns left) (tier 2)
An opponent tries to create the following weather:
- Weather C: Dusty (tier 1)
Weather C (Dusty) would replace weather A (Rainy) as A is the oldest active weather, and of the same tier or lower as the incoming weather C.
The climatologist activates the effect, paying 1 AP, making it so that weather A (Rainy) is not removed by C.
C then still attempts to replace weather B.
B however is not a valid target for C to overwrite; therefore the creation of weather C Fails.
Lets imagine for a moment, that instead of Hailstorm (tier 2), weather B was just Snowy (tier 1)
Then weather C would instead overwrite weather B, at which point since they're both made by the same Climatologist, they could spend another AP to also make it so that weather B doesn't get replaced; after which weather C has nothing left to replace, and therefore Fails.
The below Feature replaces "Trapper" from our rework of Survivalist. The reason for this is to 1) make Weathers more integrated into the core systems of PTR and 2) remove the most commonly ignored Feature of Survivalist, as Hazards are just not very good and troublesome to actually utilize.
[+HP]
Prerequisites: Survivalist (CR), Adept Survival
Free Action - Drain 1 AP
Trigger: A Weather Condition is created.
Effect: You are considered to the beneficial Type(s) for the triggering Weather, benefitting from it and not suffering any detrimental effect from it. This effect ends when the weather ends. At Master Survival, you may Drain additional AP to extend this effect to other creatures, draining 1 AP per additional creature.
Finally, the below Poke Edge has been added. It costs 1 Tutor Slot like any other (or 2 Tutor Points if using the old system)
Prerequisites: Level 30, User knows a Weather Move
Effect: Choose a Weather Move the target knows. That Move no longer counts takes up a Move Slot for the user. Once a day, when the user uses the selected Weather Move, the Move instead sets the Tier 2 variant of its associated Weather. This Edge may be taken multiple times, each time selecting a different Weather Move.