Pokémon battle (Masters)
These are the Pokémon battles in Pokémon Masters EX.
Gameplay
Battles in Pokémon Masters EX are primarily three-on-three battles. Unlike the main games, they take place in real-time instead of being turn-based. As a result, the outcome can be largely affected by how fast a Trainer can issue their commands to their team.
Before a battle, a team of three sync pairs can be created or chosen through preset teams. A score is given for each team's strength, which can be compared to the battle's score; the higher a sync pair's level is, the higher the score will be. Each battle will indicate a recommended type that is super effective against the sync pairs in the upcoming battle, and choosing a Trainer with a type advantage will further increase the team strength score.
During battle, the player is able to select moves for a Pokémon to use. Each move used by a Pokémon typically uses up a certain amount of energy from the move gauge. Generally, the more damaging a move is, the more energy is used up from the move gauge. The gauge initially maxes out at 4 units, but this can be increased to 6 by purchasing additional move gauge slots at the shop. The speed at which the gauge fills up depends on sum of the Speed stat of the sync pairs in the player's team. The player is also able to choose the opponent to be targeted. The player's sync pair will, by default, always target the opponent's center sync pair; however, the target can be changed by tapping on the sync pair the player wants to target.
The player is also able to select items and trainer moves. Each item and trainer moves have a limited number of uses per battle (or use MP), which is almost always two with strong moves instead having one. These moves improve the player's stats, their whole team's stats, or restores HP. Also, each trainer move is unique to each sync pair. Some item and trainer moves target any ally, and that ally must be chosen by tapping on the allied sync pair the player wants to target, but the player can cancel this choice to perform another action instead.
The opponent will always first target the sync pair with the highest bulk, and will continue to do so until the player distracts them or the sync pair's Pokémon faints. Additionally, the target order can be changed by the player from the Tactics menu.
Sync moves are powerful moves that a sync pair can unleash once the sync move countdown reaches 0. The player's countdown begins at 9, while the opponent's countdown starts at 6. When a move is used, the countdown goes down by one. Once a sync move is used, the countdown resets to the original maximum value.
The battle is won when all sync pairs on a team have been eliminated. If the player wins, the sync pairs will gain experience and obtain items as rewards.
Besides the real time mechanics and the typing that works without predetermined immunities and resistances and a single type weakness per pair rather than the usual type effectiveness, the battle system borrows the core mechanics from Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, with various differences:
- Flinch is now a status change that makes the Pokémon in the pair unable to perform any move for a few seconds instead of just one move. While flinching, the move gauge also fills more slowly. To get out of the status change, the pair can use a sync move, switch out, or wait a few seconds.
- The random factor in the damage formula goes from 0.9 to 1, still using integer percentage steps of 0.01.
- Stage multipliers for statistics no longer work with a base fraction of 2/2, resulting in a +6 multiplier which is around 1.8.
- The critical-hit rate is now a stat that caps at 3. The critical-hit rates for attacks at the -1, 0, +1, +2, and +3 stages are 0%, 12.5%, 50%, 80%, and 100%, respectively; damage-dealing sync moves have base critical-hit rates of -1 stage and are the only attacks able to reach that stage; all other attacks have base critical-hit rates of 0 stage. Each attack that "[lands] critical hits more easily" passively has a critical-hit rate at +1 stage higher than normal.
- Some Pokémon moves cost move gauge energy to use, some use MP, and a few cost both move gauge energy and MP.
- Using a sync move increases the stage of the sync buff, whose only observed influence so far is increasing the damage dealt for allied or opposing teams each by applying a multiplier that starts at 1 and increases by 0.5 per stage. Using each 6★EX support sync pair's sync move for the first time per battle instead increases the sync buff stage by 2 for the allied team.
- Moves that affect both allies and all foes in the main series games (such as Earthquake) instead only affect all the foes. However, field moves such as weather-based moves will still affect the entire field.
- Hidden Power is always a Psychic-type move.
- Priority does not exist, and all moves with priority in the main games (such as King's Shield) instead use MP.
- Two-turn moves with invincibility periods (such as Fly) only use MP and bring their users into states in which they are still unable to perform any other action but are now immune to their all opponents' Pokémon moves for set periods of time. Gust, Twister, Hurricane, Thunder, and Smack Down are able to hit opponents during the Fly state, although Smack Down, unlike in main games, does not cancel that state. Opponents' sync moves cancel these states before the user gets a chance to attack. Allies' trainers, items, Pokémon, and sync moves can still affect the user in this state. After set periods of time end, the user leaves this state and attacks. Each use of these moves only decrease the user's team's sync move countdown by one, like every other Pokémon move, and only when the user enters the invincibility state.
- Without harsh sunlight, Solar Beam instead brings its user into an attacking posture in which the user cannot perform any action except select Solar Beam again to attack. Each use of this move only decreases the user's teams' sync move countdown by one, like every other Pokémon move, and only when the user enters this posture.
- Attack moves with negative priority in the main series games (such as Beak Blast) and status moves with positive priority the main series games (such as Wide Guard) instead bring its users into a defense posture in which the user cannot perform any action except select the move again to leave that posture. The user will also leave this posture if certain attack moves hit them, and then the move's other effects activate, including attacking if applicable.
- Same-type attack bonus is not applied.
- Rain and harsh sunlight do not decrease the damage of Fire- and Water-type attack/sync moves, respectively.
- Hailstorms and sandstorms damage all Pokémon without skills such as Snow Shelter and Sand Shelter regardless of typing, respectively.
- Electric Terrain does not awaken any Pokémon who were asleep prior to its activation. However, it still prevents all from falling asleep while it is active.
- Grassy Terrain only heals Pokémon who use Grass-type moves and does not decrease the damage of Earthquake or Bulldoze.
Each sync pair can also know up to three passive skills. Similar to Abilities, these provide passive effects in battle, such as preventing stats from being lowered. They may also similarly learn a lucky skill, which requires Lucky Scrolls to unlock.
Co-op battle mechanics
In co-op battles, three players team up to battle the opponent. Each player brings a team of three sync pairs, but only has one sync pair out on the field at a time, with each player's team having their own move gauge. Each player is able to switch between sync pairs, although switching takes one turn. Once the player completes the "Switch-In Moves!" tutorial in the training area, the player will be able to choose a move during the same turn as switching. Switching has the same effect it has in the core series, in that all the alterations to statistics are reset and passive skills that are triggered at the beginning of the battle, such as Endure and Terrify, are triggered when the Pokémon is switched in.
Unity attacks are moves unique to co-op battles. These are powerful attacks that are unleashed by all three allied sync pairs combined and target all opponents. To use a unity attack, the team must fill the unity gauge. The unity gauge is filled by using certain moves. When the Pokémon of two different players attack before an opponent's offensive move, a chain is created that will last until the opponent attacks the team. Any Pokémon moves (not Trainer moves) used during a chain will fill the unity gauge by an amount of units equal to the number of move gauge slots required to use the move, with moves that do not require any move gauge slot filling the gauge by one unit. Critical hits will fill the unity gauge by an extra +1. If the Pokémon of all three players manage to attack before the opponent attacks, the team will obtain a unity bonus for a short period of time. When the unity bonus is in effect, the attacks of the opponents won't stop the chain and moves will do more damage to opponents. The duration of the bonus can be increased by using super effective moves. Once the unity gauge is charged, the team will unleash a unity attack. The move's type is a combination of all allied sync pair's types. Each player can choose one of their sync pairs to partake in the unity attack and to be used on the field afterwards, allowing the player to choose a type that would be advantageous against the opponent. Choosing a different Pokémon from the currently active one is considered a switch, resetting the alterations to statistics. Furthermore, during the attack animation, it is possible to choose an action (either a move, a switch, or a switch-in move) that will be performed immediately after the attack, before the opponent's move.
From version 1.8.0, the player is able to play co-op battles solo using a team of 9 sync pairs. The battle uses the same rules as a regular co-op battle. Only the sync pair in the center can be controlled and will gain experience after the battle. Despite the earlier introduction of solo mode, EX Challenges could only be played in solo mode after they were moved to the EX Plaza with update 1.12.0.
Prior to update 1.12.0, players were required to complete "Co-op Pokémon Battles!" and "Co-op Unity Attacks!" tutorials in the training area to unlock co-op mode. These tutorials become available after the player cleared Interlude 1: Brock's Grit.
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