#“The world is full of wondrous creatures called Pokemon”

[pokemonfrommemory]

What if a rodent was also a feather duster?

[theresattrpgforthat]

THEME: Pokemon

Today's recommendations focuses on Pokemon-inspired tabletop games, or games about catching/befriending creatures!

Pokemon Essence, by KingBim

Pokémon’s tone is Noble and Bright. Noble means that the player character’s actions can have a lasting positive impact. Bright means that most characters in the setting are good people, and that the institutions and norms of the society have a positive impact on everybody’s lives.

This is a game that is looking to replicate the themes of the Pokemon anime, as well as the battle style. You look to your humans to determine their personality, goal, and aesthetic. Meanwhile, moves, types and abilities are in the realm of your Pokemon, who will be used in both combat and non-combat challenges.

Pokemon Essence mainly relies on a d6 to resolve actions. There is an energy mechanic that determines your Pokemon's ability to use certain moves, and evolution is treated as a form of character advancement. All in all, there's some cool-looking systems at play here, without the heavy detail of a much crunchier system.

Ligmàmon RPG, by NeonoN.

Welcome to a bustling world full of wondrous creatures known as LIGMÀMON. Here, where every problem and dispute can and should be resolved through a LIGMÀMON battle, together with your friends you will seek adventures in ancient ruins, discover rare LIGMÀMON species, train to become a LIGMÀ League champion, or maybe even stop a shady criminal organization in their tracks!

This game comes with a special little program called LigmàBoy, which requires Adobe Reader to run. It will generate different kinds of Ligmàmon for you to battle or catch. If you can't use the LigmàBoy, you can still generate new Ligmàmon using roll tables on the PDF! On the GM side of things, there's a quick evil team generator that you can use to give your players some antagonists to foil time and time again.

All of the rules you need to play Ligmàmon fits onto one brochure. So print off a copy for each player and you are good to go!

MONS, by benji t.

“Hello there! My name is Ginkgo! People call me the Etymon Prof! This world is inhabited by creatures called etymons! For some people, etymons are companions. Others treat them as peers. Myself... I study etymon as a profession. First, what is your name?”

MONS is a pretty stripped-down version of a Pokemon game, using the 24XX system. You choose a character trope, and build three etymon using a roll table. You can only keep three etymons at a time, and there are mechanics for saying goodby to etymons once you have trained them up.

What I like about this system is the focus on adventuring with a creature companion, and away from battling with them. Etymons are helpers in discovering new information, unraveling mysteries, and interacting with other Etymon trainers. If you're interested in the idea of bonding with Pokemon more than you are with the Pokemon battles, and if you like a stripped-down, easy-to-start rules system, this is the game for you.

Shatterkin, by Scribbles and Dice.

Shatterkin is a tabletop role-playing game about kids with evolving monster pets. Each player takes on the role of two different characters — a small-town kid and a strange evolving monster (known as shatterkin), who have formed a bond to help each other learn and grow.

Defend your small town from dangers — wild shatterkin, agents of the secretive Syndicates, or the mysterious power known as the Malice. When the situation is dire, your shatterkin can evolve to new levels of power, to face ever-greater foes. Be careful not to put too much strain on your shatterkin — you don't want to break their trust!

Shatterkin is Forged in the Dark, and each player gets two sheets: one for their character, and one for their Shatterkin companion. You don't collect beasts in this game - you focus on bonding with a single companion, whose well-being depends on the trust they have in you as their gemheart.

This is a great option if you are interested in games that focus on a single, fragile bond, rather than collecting various creatures. It's also good for improv and action resolution in-media res, as is the standard for Forged in the Dark.

ForeverDex by World Champ Game.Co.

If you received this page in the mail, congratulations! You’ve been brought on to discover and archive a new creature!

Players will use the zip code of the person who sent them the ForeverDex to randomly determine aspects of the creature they witnessed, like Type, Look, Disposition, and Power Level. Then, you draw the creature and write briefly about your imagined encounter. Finally, you'll pass the page along to another person who will continue the cycle.

This game is only 2 pages long and is excellent for folks who may live in different time zones and find it difficult to game together. You can choose how closely your creature catalogue resembles Pokemon, so it might also be a good fit for friend groups who have slightly different interests. It's not just good for Pokemon trainers - it's also good for monster hunters, folklorists, and people with an interest in biology or zoology!

Pokemon Tabletop United, by Paradox. Pokémon Tabletop United is designed to handle a variety of different ideas for Pokémon tabletop RPG campaigns. You can use the system for a traditional game where the players take the role of young Trainers receiving their first Pokémon from a Professor as they prepare to leave town for the first time and conquer the Pokémon League. Or you could play a campaign about Pokémon in Space or a Wild West frontier exploration game. If you like a lot of stats, number crunching and note-taking, this might be the game for you. With a number of source books for different kinds of campaigns and themes, as well as consistently updated splats for newly released Pokemon, this fan project is immensely dedicated to giving you the tools to create the Pokemon game of your dreams. Pick through the supplements, put together your first Pokemon, and enjoy all of the free content put together by some die-hard fans.