Items: Unique character skills that involve the use of items are legal for that character. However, they will have a limited supply of items (generally, no more than 10 of each, less so for more rare items, and non-replenishable items are illegal, unless they are unique to the character). If it is a battle system quirk that only one character (the main) has access to items, it does not make items 'unique' to him/her.
Think it's a good policy, but Storebought = 99 Items. If a particular character (or small subset, see semi-unique) is/are the only one to use particular items via the item-command, (i.e. FF5 Chemist Items,) said items are legal for those charas. The above Battle-System-Quirk Limitation applies.
Item-Casts are limited to active equipment that are non-consumable. Item-casts that consume equipment are illegal.
Limit Meters: I would start them at 0, but would consider carrying them over between matches in the same Season. (i.e. if Yuffie had won against Geshp, whatever level her Limit meter would be at at the end of that fight she would start with in the Quarters.)
Statuses are Attacker Definition, but the Weakness/Resist Tests are based on the Defender. As for Elements: If an attacker's element can incorperate multiple elements in the Defender's system, the most logical element based on animation (or flavor text) will be chosen. Conversely, if an attacker's element is a subset of a defender's element, the target will hit the defender's element.
Examples:
Both Blastoise's Hydro Cannon and Articuno's Blizzard would hit CT's Water Element as both types of attacks are specified as "Water". However, if they hit FF1 Knight, Dragon Armor would resist Blizzard (r-Ice) but not Hydro Cannon (no "Water" element in FF1)
Conversely, Blaziken resists Marle's Ice2, but is (still) weak against Frog's Water2
Which begs the question: Could Nightshade-Gau's "Charm" be considered to be interpreted as "Attract" in Pokemon? If so, then the gender tests would apply there. (Most games don't have gender-tests for status, however, so Gau is still hot. He just wouldn't be able to use Charm on any ranked Pokemon except Latias. And even then, he usually has better rages that could exploit elemental weaknesses.)
Status-blocking for bosses: If a <duelist> can simultaneously block all statuses from their home game, ... they can block any status effect.
*This only applies to statuses that could be blocked in the status' home game.
I exclude Instant Death from the above, as most Status-blocking Equipment does not, as a general rule, block ID. Or Stat nerfs either. I consider those to be 3 separate domains. Hence, Pokemon's Haze blocks all Stat Buffs/Nerfs but does nothing for Statuses or ID.
Consideration: If a Duelist can at least Resist all elements in his/her game, I'm leaning towards making that mean he/she can resist all elements not in their game. (If so, then Weak to all Elements in game = Weak to all Elements period; Null-all in-game means Null-All, but Absorb-All in-game still means Null-All outside of Game. The multiplier closest to 1 among all elemental multipliers would govern un-accounted for elements.) Note that this would not affect "Non-elemental" attacks.
BTW, Steel-Type Pokemon, while not "normal to" anything, would be "normal to" Holy/Light since that's not a Pokemon Element. Also, see quoted Counter-Example below.
Specific elemental-typing nonsense:
If a game has no defense</evade> stat, that means everyone is average in that stat and I default attacks to hitting <average> defense </unmodified evade>. ITD/ITE is rare, it makes far more sense to say "Everyone has average evade/defense" than to say "All attacks in this game are ITD"
Counter-example: PS2 has no elements or elemental resistance, therefore all elements hit PS2's version of physical/magical RES. PS2 'elemental' attacks are, likewise non-elemental.
Agreed. Notes added in <carrots> because brackets induce code.
Haven't played FE yet (just bought 8), but I would tentatively allow counters, with the following caveat: If a game's characters gain this ability due to the
Game Battle-System (FE Series, I'm staring at you...), and the opponents can gain this ability through the use of equipment that gives no other bonuses, and that item is either Storebought (i.e. FF6 Black Belt) or at least semi-common (50% of party membership), then the accessory is allowed
for such instances only! If it allowed by DL-Legal Armor (i.e. Swordsedge in DQ4) I'm on the fence, may depend on the degree of uniqueness. If it's allowed as an innate skill of the
character, tough cookies.
I'm not much into ARPGs and SRPGs, but that might change eventually. In the meantime, this seems the right place to consider Turn-Based Speed in an Active-Time Environment:
The FF5 ATB Formula is somewhat deceptive. Each character has a listed speed/agility which gives an initial charge to ATB. Once ATB reaches 255, a turn can be taken. The Stat Topic lists reasonable integer values, but, for Reference, a FF5 Thief has 1.184 Turns to Avg, while a Berserker has .859 turns to average. I would propose a similar mechanic for Turn-Based Syatems vs Active-Time Opponents, ultimately converting the FF5 System to a FF6+ ATB Equivalent (255/(255-Agi')=ATB Charge Speed. In FF5, 1 Standard Deviation is +8%/-7% and 2 Standard Deviations (near Sample Max/Min) are +18%/-13.5% of average speed. Outliers shouldn't be more than 130% or less than 81% (values of 3rd StD). I'll have to test with other Turn-Based Systems to make sure... But I do have 1 Outlier: Alena (DW4), who has 3.8 Standard Deviations above the Rest-of-Cast Average, has a 7:5 Turnsplit to Average on this formula.
I see initiative as "Starting with a Maxed-Out ATB". In most ATB games I've played, the bar seems to start at a random position, unless Initiative (i.e. "Preemptive", or Anti-Initiative, i.e. "Surprised/Ambushed") is in play
As for Turn-based attacks that "go first", i.e. Quick Attack, I see those as interrupts, of sorts. However, there doesn't seem to be a good way of dealing with these "First Strikes".
Against foes with no Speed Stat, the other system applies, with exactly average characters losing initiative to the "no Speed" Chara.
Player Skill: Usually depends on the degree of "skill" or "timing" required. As people are usually constrained to vote on game's they've spent a great deal of time with, I use my general experience, and implore you to do likewise.
SMRPG: Timed Attack from PCs always hits, Skill boots of Specials is as Stat Topic. Timed Defense, however, only when the attack's timing is obvious. I take it as a function of opponent's accuracy. (So Pokemon 1HKO Attacks are always blocked by TD, kind of like SMRPG's 1HKOs; and seeing as how they're at 30%, just outside of a Standard Deviation, accuracy could be scaled from there.)
BTW, I haven't reached 30 on Mario's Ultra Jump, but I have reached the 20's. So I'd allow the Attack Scarf, but not the 100-Jump Bonus-Item.
Guarding: I'm leaning towards permitting "Prefect Defend" if it's not a standard option for the majority of PCs. Likewise, games where the Defend Command is "semi-unique" I would also consider.
Since FF7 uses Distance (flying enemies can go out of range, in fact most pre-FF7 FFs have "back row" enemies have the same advantages as "back row" allies, if they're targetable at all,) I carry this concept over. In fact, I'm thinking about interpreting the common "Defend" command as moving out of "Contact" range where movement squares is applicable. Then again, the "ref" needs to make sure this isn't spammed. Specialized version (i.e. FF5 "Protect") are utilized as in-game and I see as legal.
Not sure where I stand on Equip-Breaking, largely because I'm not sure how I stand on Reequipping. I think I could allow Equip-Break and if the opponent can change that equipment slot in battle, they may then reequip and Defend (moving out of "Contact" range to Reequip)
Percentage-based RNG skills/crits: For the first turn, I use 68% as my benchmark, as that's the baseline of a standard deviation. After the 1st turn, percentage becomes cumulative, rolling over at 100%. If it's 98% accurate after evasion is factored in, it "always hits" (98% is 2 StD) Same with Status accuracy.
Damage scaling lower limit: As Attack. If standard attack in the attacker's game can yield 0 HP damage, Defender gets this advantage. If standard attack is
guaranteed 1 damage by attacker's formula, that 1 HP damage carries. Note that I said 1 HP, not 1%. Also, Formulas used to determine damage assume Attacker for properties of Attack and Defender for properties of Defense. Minimum Cap I determine as a property of the Attack. Maximum Cap I'm thiunking Defender, but I'm not sure.
BTW: Rolling HP in Earthbound I'm now thinking as a method of allowing Counter(HP=0) for EB PCs, much like some Bosses get a Counter at HP=0. The Pokemon DPP ability "Aftermath" (in Not Ranked) I may treat also as Counter(HP=0). Actually... we need to redo the Earthbound Stats Topic, so as I could try to ascertain Guts values...
Also, I do not allow Sacrificial moves in duels (i.e. Exploder). Good old "Selfdestruct" clause.
For Unranked Forms, I would allow direct sequels/prequels regardless of rating, if the preponderence of evidence is in favor of the two characters being one and the same. (e.g. GS/GS:TLA). It's how upgrades are made after all...
Cameo Appearances... I would allow forms of a person's
Division or lower at the time of the battle. i.e. I would allow "Heavy", "Middle" or "Light" forms of Cloud or Squall, regardless of rating, but not "Godlike" forms, as they are in "Heavy".
