Brave New World Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bravenewmods) wrote2013-12-07 04:34 pm
bravenewmods) wrote2013-12-07 04:34 pm
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The Enlightened
Legend has it that the Enlightened are descendants of the great hero who struck a deal with the gods and saved the human race. Whether or not this is true, what is known is that many people in Union share a number of unique gifts. The gifts appear to have a genetic component as most people who have an Enlightened parent will be Enlightened themselves. However, it is possible for it to occur in families who have no discernible lineage as an Enlightened as well.
Whatever the reason, Enlightened are truly the closest link between man and Pokémon. They share the elemental typing that Pokémon possess and can utilize powers normally only found in Pokémon. As with Pokémon, they can even evolve as they grow in experience and skill. Additionally, each Enlightened has a specialization that helps define their unique talents and brings them closer to Pokémon.
It is said in ancient days that Pokémon were captured by balls that would brainwash them into serving whoever bested them in combat. In modern times, such a method is unthinkably taboo. If a Pokémon is to join a human, it is as a companion, friend, or partner. It is difficult, however, to always reach such an agreement, just as it is difficult to travel with them all at your side. Thus, Enlightened and any ordinary humans who have the capacity to do so utilize a device called a Warp Band. Up to 5 Pokémon can be attuned to the band. It allows the trainer to summon their Pokémon from their home base and into battle.
The Warp Band also replaces the barbaric Pokéballs of ancient times. Instead, if a Pokémon is aligned within range, the band can be activated, releasing five prongs in a star-like pattern around the arm. While active, it can cause a direct link between the wielder and a Pokémon. This allows the two to communicate through thought and emotion. In this way, the supplicant can attempt to forge an allegiance with the Pokémon. Additionally, if they are battling with a Pokémon that is already their ally, they can activate the band to sync up and meld minds with the Pokémon, allowing them to move and act as one.
One does not have to be Enlightened to travel with Pokémon, nor do Enlightened have to travel with Pokémon. No matter the reason, those who choose the journey take up an old, somewhat archaic tradition and title. They are known as Trainers.
Enlightened Mechanics in the Game:
As Brave New World is an AU game, characters will not retain their original abilities when apped. Instead, the player may select up to two types for their character. These types define the way the character's supernatural abilities manifest. Typically, a character should have types that reflect their personal style in their canon, although players are encouraged to be creative with their picks. Enlightened are also not restricted to just attacks Pokémon are capable of in the games. By building their personal typing combinations, Enlightened may utilize any number of abilities they have in their personal canon. Pokémon that share a type with their Trainer will perform better than Pokémon that do not - trainers inherently favor their personal type. Additionally, characters may pick one of the abilities listed below:
Mastery of Battle: The Trainer is skilled at leading their Pokémon to victory in battle, utilizing daring strategies in combat. Masters of Battle can utilize unique strategies that can break through typing strengths and immunities and enhance their own typing advantages. While, for example, an Electric Pokémon facing a Ground Pokémon is considered next to impossible, the Battle Master knows how to make it happen while understanding the sheer difficulty of the task. Additionally, any attacks that would be super effective are even more powerful in the hands of a Master of Battle. In terms of efficacy, if an enemy is normally immune in a type match-up, it becomes not very effective. If it is normally not very effective, it becomes neutral. If a Pokémon is weak to a certain type, using that type against it becomes 1.5 times as powerful as it might otherwise be.
Mastery of Training: The Trainer is skilled at training and disciplining their Pokémon. Be it through stern discipline or a kind hand, they have the ability to draw out a Pokémon's true potential. The Master of Training is more efficient in leveling up their Pokémon and may distribute 4 additional levels each week (for a total of 16 a week, or 32 with an Intensive Training session). When using the Simplified Leveling System, the Master of Training may gain 1 extra week every 3 weeks. Additionally, due to their extensive knowledge of Pokémon, Masters of Training may teach a single Pokémon one Tutor Move or relearn one move a week.
Mastery of Evolution: The Trainer is inherently gifted in the mysteries of Pokémon evolution. The Pokémon they travel with are prone to evolving sooner and don't require any special factors such as stones or being traded. The trainer's presence is enough to cause them to evolve. All Pokémon that evolve via level will reach their first form 5 levels faster, and their second form 10 levels faster (example: Dratini normally evolves at levels 30 and 55. A Dratini under a Master of Evolution will instead evolve at levels 25 and 45). Pokémon that require a factor such as a stone or being traded may instead evolve at either level 30 or at 15 levels after their first evolution (example: Geodude evolves into Graveler at level 25. Since Golem requires a trade to evolve, it will instead evolve at level 40). For Pokémon that require 2 factors, such as being traded with a special item, the Master of Evolution may ignore one of those factors but not both.
Finally, Pokémon that evolve by stone and lose access to the attacks they learn in their lower form will retain the ability to learn these attacks in their evolved form. However, they will be learned 5 levels later (example: Vulpix evolves through the use of the Fire Stone, but cannot learn its original moves as a Ninetales. Under a Master of Evolution, it evolves at level 30 and can learn all of its attacks as normal, but five levels later, so Payback at level 36, Fire Spin at level 39, and so on).
When using the Simplified Leveling System, 5 levels = 2.5 weeks.
Egg Mastery: The Trainer is inherently gifted at raising Pokémon from eggs. Any egg hatched by an Egg Master will always yield the youngest infant stage of a Pokémon, and all eggs carried by an Egg Master hatch in one week, not two. Finally, Egg Masters may teach a single Pokémon an Egg Move once a week.
Mastery of Trading: The Trainer is skilled at working with Pokémon that were not originally theirs. A Master of Trading can re-attune their Warp Band with that of an ally, allowing them to trade Pokémon in the middle of battle. Additionally, any Pokémon that must be traded with special items to evolve can ignore the item requirement and will evolve once traded by the Master of Trading. This applies to both Pokémon involved in the trade. Masters of Trading are also better at working with Pokémon originally bonded to others, making it far less likely for traded Pokémon to disobey them. Masters of Trading do not need to revisit Union to change their team lineup. So long as they have an hour of uninterrupted time, they can change the alignment of their Warp Band remotely and swap out their current team if desired for a completely new one, so long as they remain in signal range.
Finally, Masters of Trading may temporarily swap abilities amongst their Pokémon and amongst their allies' Pokémon during battle to gain a tactical advantage. This will last for the duration of a single battle before the abilities revert. No abilities that cannot be Skill Swapped can be traded, however, which include Wonder Guard, Multitype, Illusion, and Stance Change. Unique abilities that cause appearance changes like Zen Mode, Forecast, Flower Gift, and Imposter can be swapped, but will have no effect.
Kindred Soul: The Trainer is seen by Pokémon as a true friend and an ally, not so much human as a fellow Pokémon. Kindred Souls can understand the speech of Pokémon to a degree and do not need to use their Warp Band to connect to Pokémon. They have the ability to attract and befriend many Pokémon, and can bond with one additional Pokémon companion every week. Additionally, the maximum number of Pokémon companions they may have is increased by 10.
Engineer: The Trainer is a master of crafting and utilizing items in combat. Engineers have the ability to, with the right components, craft a special item once a week (special items can include the specific Pokémon-based items such as Metal Coats, Water Stones or Charcoal, or they can be special equipment for Enlightened, such as a gun that shoots fire bullets). Additionally, items in the hands of their Pokémon are more potent; engineers gain two uses of single use items. If an Engineer is involved with a trade that would normally consume a single-use item such as trading an Onix with a Metal Coat, this ability applies no matter what side of the trade the Engineer is on.
A list of currently available special items for Engineers may be found here.
Analyst: The Trainer has an eye for detail. Many trainers possessing this ability have a razor sharp mind, able to pick up the smallest, most insignificant details in a situation and possessing a superb memory. They can, at a glance, tell what a Pokémon or Enlightened's strengths and weaknesses are. They can additionally discern all of the attacks available to a Pokémon or the capabilities of an Enlightened, as well as their level and physical capabilities (if a Pokémon or Enlightened is physically powerful or weak, etc). Additionally, Analysts can look at a Warp Band or Pokéball and discern what Pokémon are contained within it. They cannot, however, analyze the Pokémon's full abilities until it is released or summoned.
Child of the Verdant Forest: The Trainer is blessed by the green forest of myth, where Pokémon flourish at one with nature. A Child of the Verdant Forest can communicate on a deeper level with all Pokémon, sensing their thoughts, feelings, and emotions and communicating on a deeply empathic level without using a Warp Band. They also have the ability to transfer their own vitality and lifeforce to heal Pokémon, even in the heat of battle. Child of the Verdant Forest is unique to Union natives.
Child of Unyielding Steel: The Trainer is blessed by the great fiery mountain, where flame tempers unbreakable steel. A Child of Unyielding Steel has heightened defensive abilities, and are further resistant to elemental attacks. Any attacks that would normally be Super Effective are reduced in efficacy (x1.5 damage instead of x2 damage). Any attacks that would normally be not very effective are additionally reduced (x0.33 damage instead of x0.5 damage). This applies to stacked resistances or weaknesses as well. If an attack would be doubly Super Effective its damage is likewise reduced (x2 instead of x4). If the attack would be doubly Not Very Effective, the Trainer is instead immune. If the trainer is naturally immune to the element, they instead absorb it, regaining a small amount of health and vitality when they are targeted by it. Child of Unyielding Steel is unique to Caldera natives.
Child of the Howling Gale: The Trainer is blessed by the raging winds, swift and deadly. A Child of the Howling Gale has heightened speed and agility, far surpassing that of any other enlightened. Additionally, they have a natural control over and affinity for the wind. They can utilize attacks that generally employ the wind even if they lack the Flying typing as if it were one of their personal types. If they do possess the Flying typing, their wind-based attacks are that much stronger. When using wind-based attacks, they can use them with exceptional speed, and any such attacks that require time to set up (such as Razor Wind) do not require this when used by a Child of the Howling Gale. A Child of the Howling Gale can fly at faster speeds than normal if they possess the Flying typing, and can achieve limited flight through manipulation of the wind if they do not. Child of the Howling Gale is unique to Citadel natives.
Child of the Shifting Earth: The trainer is blessed by the earth itself that rumbles and roars beneath the feet of mankind. A Child of the Shifting Earth can sense motion and movement on the ground, so long as part of their body is touching it. Additionally, they have a natural control over and affinity to the earth, and can generally utilize attacks that employ the shifting or moving earth even if they lack the Ground typing as if it were one of their personal types. If they do possess the Ground typing, their earth-based attacks are that much stronger. Children of the Shifting Earth do not need to be touching or moving to manipulate the earth; if they are within a few feet, they can bend it through sheer force of will. Child of the Shifting Earth is unique to Refuge natives.
Child of Knowledge Unbound: The Child of Knowledge Unbound is a special class of Enlightened that is more commonplace than normal Enlightened within the city of Sanctuary. Unlike normal Enlightened, they don’t have access to a specialized ability set appropriate for their type, but are instead capable of learning moves from just about any typing in the form of 'spells'. Children of Knowledge Unbound select up to two types as normal and can master three specific moves within those types that they may use at will. These moves must be narrowly defined, be present in the initial app, have a very specific effect and are attained at levels 1, 30, and 55. However, to use moves beyond their base set of three, a character must memorize special spells. There is no limit to the amount of spells that a character may master, and a character may learn a new spell at a rate of once a week; requests for spells may be made on the Engineering Post. Any Pokemon attack that is not a Legendary signature move may be automatically approved as a spell, but all custom spells must be approved by the moderators when proposed. While there is no limit to the number of spells a character may learn, Children of Knowledge Unbound are restricted by the number of spells they may use in each scene or log. Initially, a character may memorize 2 spells in addition to their three base moves. 1 additional spell can be memorized at levels 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100, for a maximum of 12. Spells of any type can be memorized, but spells of your character’s typing will be more powerful. Memorized spells can be used once per scene or log, and are expended for the rest of that scene or log. Children of Knowledge Unbound may select a secondary ability that is not Far from Ordinary, Child of the Verdant Forest, Child of Unyielding Steel, Child of the Howling Gale, or Child of the Shifting Earth.
Child of Ever-Changing Skies: The trainer is blessed by the skies and the weather above. A Child of Ever-Changing Skies can select two weather effects that they can initiate as a free action in battle (meaning it does not count toward the two-action limit in any logs). A normal Pokemon's attack cannot override the weather of a Child of Ever-Changing Skies, only weather initiated by another Enlightened or a creature of immense power such as a god can change it. If the chosen weather has any adverse effects, the Child of Ever-Changing Skies is immune to the effect. Additionally, they can select a single stat to receive a major boost in that weather, choosing from Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, or Speed. The stat that is boosted can be different depending on the weather. A Child of Ever-Changing Skies can change or reassert their weather as a free action.
Homunculus: A Homunculus (plural: Homunculi) is a living being that has been mutated with magical and alchemical means. Often fettered to the mage that created them and having their own will crushed, some Homunculi retain memories and personalities from their human selves. Homunculi gain an increase in one of their type damage from 1.5x to 1.75x. In exchange, the character has some degree of physical impediment, such as claws instead of hands that make it difficult for them to interact with people without harming them, or an oversized arm that lacks full functionally. If desired, they may instead have a mental instability, typically having some kind of trigger that will set them off, a propensity to losing control, or other similar issues. Trainers who are Homunculi can access a secondary ability, but cannot select Child of the Verdant Forest, Child of the Howling Gale, Child of the Shifting Earth or Kindred Soul for their second ability.
Enhanced: The Trainer is an artificial Enlightened created by highly experimental Gigan technology. Enhanced may increase their resistance to a single typing by 1 step (super effective becomes neutral, neutral becomes not very effective, not very effective becomes immune). In exchange, the character has some degree of mental instability, typically having some kind of trigger that will set them off, a propensity to losing control, or other similar issues. Instead, they may have some degree of physical impediment, such as claws instead of hands that make it difficult for them to interact with people without harming them, or an oversized arm that lacks full functionally. Trainers who are Enhanced cannot select Child of the Verdant Forest, Child of the Howling Gale, Child of the Shifting Earth or Kindred Soul for their second ability.
Note: It is possible to have an Enhanced character ICly without having the mechanical disadvantages. In this case, the Enhanced does not gain the bonus resistance, but does not suffer the mental instability associated with the ability. They function as normal Enlightened for all intents and purposes.
God of War: The Trainer is exceptionally powerful in their own right. The trainer may select an additional type (for a maximum of 3), and is generally considered to be much stronger than any other Enlightened in personal combat. However, they may only hold 3 Pokémon in their Warp Band at a time. Additionally, Gods of War receive a +5 effective level bonus when adventuring in a dangerous area. Please see the map and exploration post for further details.
Shifter: The Trainer is one of two things - a Pokémon that gained the ability to become human, or a human that gained the ability to become a Pokémon. For mysterious reasons that seem to be connected to the Lake Shrine, some humans and Pokémon have gained the ability to cross over, transforming and becoming a being truly split between two worlds. Shifters have a Pokémon form that they can transform to and from. No matter the form, they can utilize all of their attacks and don't forget any attacks they might learn as a Pokémon. Additionally, they gain access to all available Egg Moves and Tutor Moves and may learn them at a rate of one every two weeks (TM moves are still learned via TM as normal). Shifters may pick any ability they want, even hidden abilities. As a human, their appearance tends to be closely linked to that of their Pokémon form, and many Shifters have "shiny" coloration. Shifters also retain the ability to speak to humans in either form and can speak to other Pokémon as easily as they would in their Pokémon form. Shifters are typically stronger than an average Pokémon of their breed, but no stronger than a standard Enlightened. Shifters must have only the types that their Pokémon form has and cannot have any other types.
Shifters will evolve the same way their Pokémon forms do. Evolution by items will still require the items to evolve while evolution by trade or affection will require attaining Level 30 for two-stage Pokémon or attaining 15 levels after the first evolution for three-stage Pokémon. Evolution with trade and an item will simply requiring attaining the item. Shifter cannot be combined with any other ability that allows multiple abilities.
Far from Ordinary: The Trainer is not Enlightened and are, for all intents and purposes, a normal human. However, they may carry up to 7 Pokémon in their Warp Band and may select another trainer ability. Trainers who are Far from Ordinary cannot select Child of the Verdant Forest, Child of Unyielding Steel, Child of the Howling Gale, Shifter, or God of War for their second ability. Finally, trainers who are Far From Ordinary may select a single type to specialize in; however, they will not personally have any aspects from that type. Pokémon they train that fall under that type, however, will perform better. Trainers who are Far From Ordinary do not gain levels themselves, but may distribute an additional 2 levels among their Pokémon every week. Far From Ordinary trainers may also have two starters from the starter list and one more from a list of common Pokemon.
Far From Ordinary may awaken Enlightened abilities after some time in the game if they wish. The procedure is outlined here.
Enlightened, Evolution and leveling up:
As of June 14, 2014, all characters may begin at up to level 12, or 12 weeks using the Simplified Leveling System. Enlightened grow in power and ability like any Pokémon. As they grow in power, like their Pokémon allies, they might evolve into a more powerful version of themselves, gaining powerful and otherworldly abilities. For those that are manually tracking levels, all Enlightened gain levels at half the speed of a normal Pokémon. Enlightened typically evolve at levels 30 and 55.
For canon characters, at the start of the game they will typically have access to their lower tier, less impact abilities. As they progress in power, they will start gaining access to their higher level powers. Characters who have particularly potent abilities on the level of gods in their own canon will be restricted even at high levels in Brave New World. While high-level Enlightened can cause widespread devastation, warping reality or leveling entire landscapes will remain forever out of reach.
Enlightened Type Abilities:
While Enlightened might appear to be human, they are anything but. As they progress in ability, they become more in tune with the elemental types they possess within them, and many cease to truly resemble humans at all. For example, a Fire Enlightened may eventually be capable of bathing in magma, a Flying Enlightened might acquire the ability to fly and even grow wings, or a Water Enlightened will gain the ability to breathe underwater and grow fins to swim faster. These changes are by no means required, but in addition to being able to wield the powers their typing possesses in combat Enlightened can expect to have their typing affect their bodies in dramatic ways.
Enlightened that possess the Normal type typically will not have dramatic physical changes, so while a Water/Normal Enlightened might breathe underwater, they are far less likely to show physical signs of the ability.
Whatever the reason, Enlightened are truly the closest link between man and Pokémon. They share the elemental typing that Pokémon possess and can utilize powers normally only found in Pokémon. As with Pokémon, they can even evolve as they grow in experience and skill. Additionally, each Enlightened has a specialization that helps define their unique talents and brings them closer to Pokémon.
It is said in ancient days that Pokémon were captured by balls that would brainwash them into serving whoever bested them in combat. In modern times, such a method is unthinkably taboo. If a Pokémon is to join a human, it is as a companion, friend, or partner. It is difficult, however, to always reach such an agreement, just as it is difficult to travel with them all at your side. Thus, Enlightened and any ordinary humans who have the capacity to do so utilize a device called a Warp Band. Up to 5 Pokémon can be attuned to the band. It allows the trainer to summon their Pokémon from their home base and into battle.
The Warp Band also replaces the barbaric Pokéballs of ancient times. Instead, if a Pokémon is aligned within range, the band can be activated, releasing five prongs in a star-like pattern around the arm. While active, it can cause a direct link between the wielder and a Pokémon. This allows the two to communicate through thought and emotion. In this way, the supplicant can attempt to forge an allegiance with the Pokémon. Additionally, if they are battling with a Pokémon that is already their ally, they can activate the band to sync up and meld minds with the Pokémon, allowing them to move and act as one.
One does not have to be Enlightened to travel with Pokémon, nor do Enlightened have to travel with Pokémon. No matter the reason, those who choose the journey take up an old, somewhat archaic tradition and title. They are known as Trainers.
Enlightened Mechanics in the Game:
As Brave New World is an AU game, characters will not retain their original abilities when apped. Instead, the player may select up to two types for their character. These types define the way the character's supernatural abilities manifest. Typically, a character should have types that reflect their personal style in their canon, although players are encouraged to be creative with their picks. Enlightened are also not restricted to just attacks Pokémon are capable of in the games. By building their personal typing combinations, Enlightened may utilize any number of abilities they have in their personal canon. Pokémon that share a type with their Trainer will perform better than Pokémon that do not - trainers inherently favor their personal type. Additionally, characters may pick one of the abilities listed below:
Mastery of Battle: The Trainer is skilled at leading their Pokémon to victory in battle, utilizing daring strategies in combat. Masters of Battle can utilize unique strategies that can break through typing strengths and immunities and enhance their own typing advantages. While, for example, an Electric Pokémon facing a Ground Pokémon is considered next to impossible, the Battle Master knows how to make it happen while understanding the sheer difficulty of the task. Additionally, any attacks that would be super effective are even more powerful in the hands of a Master of Battle. In terms of efficacy, if an enemy is normally immune in a type match-up, it becomes not very effective. If it is normally not very effective, it becomes neutral. If a Pokémon is weak to a certain type, using that type against it becomes 1.5 times as powerful as it might otherwise be.
Mastery of Training: The Trainer is skilled at training and disciplining their Pokémon. Be it through stern discipline or a kind hand, they have the ability to draw out a Pokémon's true potential. The Master of Training is more efficient in leveling up their Pokémon and may distribute 4 additional levels each week (for a total of 16 a week, or 32 with an Intensive Training session). When using the Simplified Leveling System, the Master of Training may gain 1 extra week every 3 weeks. Additionally, due to their extensive knowledge of Pokémon, Masters of Training may teach a single Pokémon one Tutor Move or relearn one move a week.
Mastery of Evolution: The Trainer is inherently gifted in the mysteries of Pokémon evolution. The Pokémon they travel with are prone to evolving sooner and don't require any special factors such as stones or being traded. The trainer's presence is enough to cause them to evolve. All Pokémon that evolve via level will reach their first form 5 levels faster, and their second form 10 levels faster (example: Dratini normally evolves at levels 30 and 55. A Dratini under a Master of Evolution will instead evolve at levels 25 and 45). Pokémon that require a factor such as a stone or being traded may instead evolve at either level 30 or at 15 levels after their first evolution (example: Geodude evolves into Graveler at level 25. Since Golem requires a trade to evolve, it will instead evolve at level 40). For Pokémon that require 2 factors, such as being traded with a special item, the Master of Evolution may ignore one of those factors but not both.
Finally, Pokémon that evolve by stone and lose access to the attacks they learn in their lower form will retain the ability to learn these attacks in their evolved form. However, they will be learned 5 levels later (example: Vulpix evolves through the use of the Fire Stone, but cannot learn its original moves as a Ninetales. Under a Master of Evolution, it evolves at level 30 and can learn all of its attacks as normal, but five levels later, so Payback at level 36, Fire Spin at level 39, and so on).
When using the Simplified Leveling System, 5 levels = 2.5 weeks.
Egg Mastery: The Trainer is inherently gifted at raising Pokémon from eggs. Any egg hatched by an Egg Master will always yield the youngest infant stage of a Pokémon, and all eggs carried by an Egg Master hatch in one week, not two. Finally, Egg Masters may teach a single Pokémon an Egg Move once a week.
Mastery of Trading: The Trainer is skilled at working with Pokémon that were not originally theirs. A Master of Trading can re-attune their Warp Band with that of an ally, allowing them to trade Pokémon in the middle of battle. Additionally, any Pokémon that must be traded with special items to evolve can ignore the item requirement and will evolve once traded by the Master of Trading. This applies to both Pokémon involved in the trade. Masters of Trading are also better at working with Pokémon originally bonded to others, making it far less likely for traded Pokémon to disobey them. Masters of Trading do not need to revisit Union to change their team lineup. So long as they have an hour of uninterrupted time, they can change the alignment of their Warp Band remotely and swap out their current team if desired for a completely new one, so long as they remain in signal range.
Finally, Masters of Trading may temporarily swap abilities amongst their Pokémon and amongst their allies' Pokémon during battle to gain a tactical advantage. This will last for the duration of a single battle before the abilities revert. No abilities that cannot be Skill Swapped can be traded, however, which include Wonder Guard, Multitype, Illusion, and Stance Change. Unique abilities that cause appearance changes like Zen Mode, Forecast, Flower Gift, and Imposter can be swapped, but will have no effect.
Kindred Soul: The Trainer is seen by Pokémon as a true friend and an ally, not so much human as a fellow Pokémon. Kindred Souls can understand the speech of Pokémon to a degree and do not need to use their Warp Band to connect to Pokémon. They have the ability to attract and befriend many Pokémon, and can bond with one additional Pokémon companion every week. Additionally, the maximum number of Pokémon companions they may have is increased by 10.
Engineer: The Trainer is a master of crafting and utilizing items in combat. Engineers have the ability to, with the right components, craft a special item once a week (special items can include the specific Pokémon-based items such as Metal Coats, Water Stones or Charcoal, or they can be special equipment for Enlightened, such as a gun that shoots fire bullets). Additionally, items in the hands of their Pokémon are more potent; engineers gain two uses of single use items. If an Engineer is involved with a trade that would normally consume a single-use item such as trading an Onix with a Metal Coat, this ability applies no matter what side of the trade the Engineer is on.
A list of currently available special items for Engineers may be found here.
Analyst: The Trainer has an eye for detail. Many trainers possessing this ability have a razor sharp mind, able to pick up the smallest, most insignificant details in a situation and possessing a superb memory. They can, at a glance, tell what a Pokémon or Enlightened's strengths and weaknesses are. They can additionally discern all of the attacks available to a Pokémon or the capabilities of an Enlightened, as well as their level and physical capabilities (if a Pokémon or Enlightened is physically powerful or weak, etc). Additionally, Analysts can look at a Warp Band or Pokéball and discern what Pokémon are contained within it. They cannot, however, analyze the Pokémon's full abilities until it is released or summoned.
Child of the Verdant Forest: The Trainer is blessed by the green forest of myth, where Pokémon flourish at one with nature. A Child of the Verdant Forest can communicate on a deeper level with all Pokémon, sensing their thoughts, feelings, and emotions and communicating on a deeply empathic level without using a Warp Band. They also have the ability to transfer their own vitality and lifeforce to heal Pokémon, even in the heat of battle. Child of the Verdant Forest is unique to Union natives.
Child of Unyielding Steel: The Trainer is blessed by the great fiery mountain, where flame tempers unbreakable steel. A Child of Unyielding Steel has heightened defensive abilities, and are further resistant to elemental attacks. Any attacks that would normally be Super Effective are reduced in efficacy (x1.5 damage instead of x2 damage). Any attacks that would normally be not very effective are additionally reduced (x0.33 damage instead of x0.5 damage). This applies to stacked resistances or weaknesses as well. If an attack would be doubly Super Effective its damage is likewise reduced (x2 instead of x4). If the attack would be doubly Not Very Effective, the Trainer is instead immune. If the trainer is naturally immune to the element, they instead absorb it, regaining a small amount of health and vitality when they are targeted by it. Child of Unyielding Steel is unique to Caldera natives.
Child of the Howling Gale: The Trainer is blessed by the raging winds, swift and deadly. A Child of the Howling Gale has heightened speed and agility, far surpassing that of any other enlightened. Additionally, they have a natural control over and affinity for the wind. They can utilize attacks that generally employ the wind even if they lack the Flying typing as if it were one of their personal types. If they do possess the Flying typing, their wind-based attacks are that much stronger. When using wind-based attacks, they can use them with exceptional speed, and any such attacks that require time to set up (such as Razor Wind) do not require this when used by a Child of the Howling Gale. A Child of the Howling Gale can fly at faster speeds than normal if they possess the Flying typing, and can achieve limited flight through manipulation of the wind if they do not. Child of the Howling Gale is unique to Citadel natives.
Child of the Shifting Earth: The trainer is blessed by the earth itself that rumbles and roars beneath the feet of mankind. A Child of the Shifting Earth can sense motion and movement on the ground, so long as part of their body is touching it. Additionally, they have a natural control over and affinity to the earth, and can generally utilize attacks that employ the shifting or moving earth even if they lack the Ground typing as if it were one of their personal types. If they do possess the Ground typing, their earth-based attacks are that much stronger. Children of the Shifting Earth do not need to be touching or moving to manipulate the earth; if they are within a few feet, they can bend it through sheer force of will. Child of the Shifting Earth is unique to Refuge natives.
Child of Knowledge Unbound: The Child of Knowledge Unbound is a special class of Enlightened that is more commonplace than normal Enlightened within the city of Sanctuary. Unlike normal Enlightened, they don’t have access to a specialized ability set appropriate for their type, but are instead capable of learning moves from just about any typing in the form of 'spells'. Children of Knowledge Unbound select up to two types as normal and can master three specific moves within those types that they may use at will. These moves must be narrowly defined, be present in the initial app, have a very specific effect and are attained at levels 1, 30, and 55. However, to use moves beyond their base set of three, a character must memorize special spells. There is no limit to the amount of spells that a character may master, and a character may learn a new spell at a rate of once a week; requests for spells may be made on the Engineering Post. Any Pokemon attack that is not a Legendary signature move may be automatically approved as a spell, but all custom spells must be approved by the moderators when proposed. While there is no limit to the number of spells a character may learn, Children of Knowledge Unbound are restricted by the number of spells they may use in each scene or log. Initially, a character may memorize 2 spells in addition to their three base moves. 1 additional spell can be memorized at levels 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100, for a maximum of 12. Spells of any type can be memorized, but spells of your character’s typing will be more powerful. Memorized spells can be used once per scene or log, and are expended for the rest of that scene or log. Children of Knowledge Unbound may select a secondary ability that is not Far from Ordinary, Child of the Verdant Forest, Child of Unyielding Steel, Child of the Howling Gale, or Child of the Shifting Earth.
Child of Ever-Changing Skies: The trainer is blessed by the skies and the weather above. A Child of Ever-Changing Skies can select two weather effects that they can initiate as a free action in battle (meaning it does not count toward the two-action limit in any logs). A normal Pokemon's attack cannot override the weather of a Child of Ever-Changing Skies, only weather initiated by another Enlightened or a creature of immense power such as a god can change it. If the chosen weather has any adverse effects, the Child of Ever-Changing Skies is immune to the effect. Additionally, they can select a single stat to receive a major boost in that weather, choosing from Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, or Speed. The stat that is boosted can be different depending on the weather. A Child of Ever-Changing Skies can change or reassert their weather as a free action.
Homunculus: A Homunculus (plural: Homunculi) is a living being that has been mutated with magical and alchemical means. Often fettered to the mage that created them and having their own will crushed, some Homunculi retain memories and personalities from their human selves. Homunculi gain an increase in one of their type damage from 1.5x to 1.75x. In exchange, the character has some degree of physical impediment, such as claws instead of hands that make it difficult for them to interact with people without harming them, or an oversized arm that lacks full functionally. If desired, they may instead have a mental instability, typically having some kind of trigger that will set them off, a propensity to losing control, or other similar issues. Trainers who are Homunculi can access a secondary ability, but cannot select Child of the Verdant Forest, Child of the Howling Gale, Child of the Shifting Earth or Kindred Soul for their second ability.
Enhanced: The Trainer is an artificial Enlightened created by highly experimental Gigan technology. Enhanced may increase their resistance to a single typing by 1 step (super effective becomes neutral, neutral becomes not very effective, not very effective becomes immune). In exchange, the character has some degree of mental instability, typically having some kind of trigger that will set them off, a propensity to losing control, or other similar issues. Instead, they may have some degree of physical impediment, such as claws instead of hands that make it difficult for them to interact with people without harming them, or an oversized arm that lacks full functionally. Trainers who are Enhanced cannot select Child of the Verdant Forest, Child of the Howling Gale, Child of the Shifting Earth or Kindred Soul for their second ability.
Note: It is possible to have an Enhanced character ICly without having the mechanical disadvantages. In this case, the Enhanced does not gain the bonus resistance, but does not suffer the mental instability associated with the ability. They function as normal Enlightened for all intents and purposes.
God of War: The Trainer is exceptionally powerful in their own right. The trainer may select an additional type (for a maximum of 3), and is generally considered to be much stronger than any other Enlightened in personal combat. However, they may only hold 3 Pokémon in their Warp Band at a time. Additionally, Gods of War receive a +5 effective level bonus when adventuring in a dangerous area. Please see the map and exploration post for further details.
Shifter: The Trainer is one of two things - a Pokémon that gained the ability to become human, or a human that gained the ability to become a Pokémon. For mysterious reasons that seem to be connected to the Lake Shrine, some humans and Pokémon have gained the ability to cross over, transforming and becoming a being truly split between two worlds. Shifters have a Pokémon form that they can transform to and from. No matter the form, they can utilize all of their attacks and don't forget any attacks they might learn as a Pokémon. Additionally, they gain access to all available Egg Moves and Tutor Moves and may learn them at a rate of one every two weeks (TM moves are still learned via TM as normal). Shifters may pick any ability they want, even hidden abilities. As a human, their appearance tends to be closely linked to that of their Pokémon form, and many Shifters have "shiny" coloration. Shifters also retain the ability to speak to humans in either form and can speak to other Pokémon as easily as they would in their Pokémon form. Shifters are typically stronger than an average Pokémon of their breed, but no stronger than a standard Enlightened. Shifters must have only the types that their Pokémon form has and cannot have any other types.
Shifters will evolve the same way their Pokémon forms do. Evolution by items will still require the items to evolve while evolution by trade or affection will require attaining Level 30 for two-stage Pokémon or attaining 15 levels after the first evolution for three-stage Pokémon. Evolution with trade and an item will simply requiring attaining the item. Shifter cannot be combined with any other ability that allows multiple abilities.
Far from Ordinary: The Trainer is not Enlightened and are, for all intents and purposes, a normal human. However, they may carry up to 7 Pokémon in their Warp Band and may select another trainer ability. Trainers who are Far from Ordinary cannot select Child of the Verdant Forest, Child of Unyielding Steel, Child of the Howling Gale, Shifter, or God of War for their second ability. Finally, trainers who are Far From Ordinary may select a single type to specialize in; however, they will not personally have any aspects from that type. Pokémon they train that fall under that type, however, will perform better. Trainers who are Far From Ordinary do not gain levels themselves, but may distribute an additional 2 levels among their Pokémon every week. Far From Ordinary trainers may also have two starters from the starter list and one more from a list of common Pokemon.
Far From Ordinary may awaken Enlightened abilities after some time in the game if they wish. The procedure is outlined here.
Enlightened, Evolution and leveling up:
As of June 14, 2014, all characters may begin at up to level 12, or 12 weeks using the Simplified Leveling System. Enlightened grow in power and ability like any Pokémon. As they grow in power, like their Pokémon allies, they might evolve into a more powerful version of themselves, gaining powerful and otherworldly abilities. For those that are manually tracking levels, all Enlightened gain levels at half the speed of a normal Pokémon. Enlightened typically evolve at levels 30 and 55.
For canon characters, at the start of the game they will typically have access to their lower tier, less impact abilities. As they progress in power, they will start gaining access to their higher level powers. Characters who have particularly potent abilities on the level of gods in their own canon will be restricted even at high levels in Brave New World. While high-level Enlightened can cause widespread devastation, warping reality or leveling entire landscapes will remain forever out of reach.
Enlightened Type Abilities:
While Enlightened might appear to be human, they are anything but. As they progress in ability, they become more in tune with the elemental types they possess within them, and many cease to truly resemble humans at all. For example, a Fire Enlightened may eventually be capable of bathing in magma, a Flying Enlightened might acquire the ability to fly and even grow wings, or a Water Enlightened will gain the ability to breathe underwater and grow fins to swim faster. These changes are by no means required, but in addition to being able to wield the powers their typing possesses in combat Enlightened can expect to have their typing affect their bodies in dramatic ways.
Enlightened that possess the Normal type typically will not have dramatic physical changes, so while a Water/Normal Enlightened might breathe underwater, they are far less likely to show physical signs of the ability.