Pokemon Trainer
"Pikachu use Thundershock!"
Since this is about a bunch of people talking about pokemon classes and I've been asked about my opinions, I will describe the design decisions I've made in this class.
1) The Pokemon Trainer is a valid target, but has good defenses. They also can't really hide very well because of the rules on controlling pokemon.
2) The Trainer uses their actions to control the pokemon, so they never have additional wand actions, or move actions to push animal pokemon (because animals aren't pokemon).
3) They have to catch pokemon with the Pokeballs, so they mostly have an incentive to try to catch everything they come across. They can store an infinite amount as well. But can only have the 6 subbed out. This is also a combat action that costs against pokemon actions like in the games, and is likely to fail against most enemies, but theoretically possible.
4) Changing Out Pokemon costs combat actions, so while you don't want to let them die, you aren't quite 6 consecutive fights. And also enemies can attack the trainer so they can end it sooner.
5) It doesn't allow true Monster Advancement, just gives a stopgap leveling until you catch or evolve a better pokemon.
6) It gives DMs an explicit say in the evolution process, but doesn't otherwise stop Monster Manual Dumpster Diving. If you play the Monster Manual Dumpster Diving class, you probably want to be able to Monster Manual Dumpster Dive. This is just to prevent the worst possible abuses of like Hook Horrors or whatever.
7) Undead and animals aren't pokemon. Animals because "Rat into Rat Demon" is too easy an evolution argument, repeated for every possible monster (I don't want pokemasters to always be going around collecting random animals to transform into the cool monsters, want them to collect cool monsters to transform) and undead partially because Necromancer is different from Pokemaster and should have their own role, and also to avoid Allips or Shadows, despite that Ghastly exists.
Hit Die: d12
Base Attack Bonus: Full
Good Saving Throws: All Good Saves
Skill Points: 6+Int
Class Skills: Whatever
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| 1: | Pokeballs, The Team, Return, Pokecenter
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| 2: | Badges
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| 3: | Leveling Up
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| 6: | Evolution
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| 20: | Masterball
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Proficiencies: A Pokemaster is proficient with all melee weapons including improvised melee weapons and all Armors.
Pokeballs (Su): A Pokemaster can as a standard action throw a Pokeball. This is a ranged touch attack to hit. If the Pokeball hits a Pokemon then the Pokemon makes a will save, a fort save, and a reflex save. If it fails all three, it is caught inside the Pokeball. Unconscious Pokemon are willing and fail all the saves.
If a Pokemaster has more than 6 Pokemon inside Pokeballs on their person, then they must immediately choose one or more to send to "The Box" which is an extradimensional pocket they store Pokemon in.
"Pokemon" are any Aberration, Dragon, Elemental, Magical Beast, Ooze, Outsider, Plant, or Vermin which advances by "Hit Dice" rather than "By Character Class."
The Team (Ex): A Pokemaster has a Team which is any Pokemon they have on them in Pokeballs at the time which are CR 1/2 or lower. As a Standard Action a Pokemaster can throw a Pokeball containing a Pokemon to unleash them.
An Unleashed Pokemon is magically controlled by the Trainer. As a Standard Action the Pokemaster can cause them to take a full round of actions for one round including Attacks of Opportunity and Immediate Actions until the Pokemasters next turn, usually by shouting a specific fighting move, but that's optional. Otherwise the Pokemon stands still doing nothing. The Pokemon must be able to either see or hear the Pokemaster for this to work.
Return (Su): A Pokemaster can Return their Pokemon to the Pokeball as an immediate action.
Pokecenter (Ex): A Pokemaster can heal all their Pokemon to full health and replenish their daily abilities once per day either by resting per eight hours. If they don't do this, their Pokemon in Pokeballs don't heal naturally or regain daily abilities.
At the end of this rest they can put any Pokemon they have on them into The Box and withdraw from The Box any Pokemon they have in there so that they have a new Team.
Badges (Ex): At every level past one of Pokemaster the Pokemaster gains a new badge, this can have any name, but the Pokemaster must come up with the name themselves. Each Badge expands the CR of a Pokemon that can be on the Team to CR equal to the Pokemaster level of the Badge minus one.
Leveling Up (Ex): At level 3 a Pokemaster can level up their Pokemon via training. Given 24 hours of training a Pokemon can be leveled up. This grants bonus HD of the Pokemons type. Each HD a Pokemon gains this way increases it's CR by 1. Yes, this means Pokemon CR is way worse than regular monster CR for leveled Pokemon.
Evolution (Ex): At level 6 a Pokemasters Pokemon can evolve. Evolving Pokemon require a week of training and can turn into anything your DM will let you argue is like, totally a cool evolution that makes sense. So you can probably turn your Flaming Horse into a cooler flaming horse, or your demon into a cooler demon, but probably not a demon into an angel or a flaming horse into a seahorse. Although you can always look up specific weird pokemon to argue that your trash monster should be able to turn into a candlestick or whatever.
Masterball (Su): One of the Pokemasters Pokeballs becomes a Masterball, which gives no saving throw. Once it has caught a Pokemon it is used, but the Pokemaster can release the Pokemon inside the Masterball and have the Masterball back and use it on another Pokemon.
