Name: Holder of the Dice
General Description: This Pokemon allows a player to better control the luck involved in Pokemon.
Justification: Pokemon is a game filled with luck, most commonly referred to as "hax." The player who best manages their luck has the upper hand no matter what other circumstances might be occurring at the time. From this Pokemon, we as a community would learn how we can control the unpredictable; to be the one who holds the dice, per se.
Questions To Be Answered: - What is "hax"?
- How do you control this "hax"?
- How is it possible to control luck without using it?
- What tools are available to control luck?
- What type of luck can be controlled?
Explanation: Well, as already explained, Pokemon is filled with luck. However, not much is done to address this. Might I just state that the goal of this concept is not to eliminate luck, nor to mess with the mechanics of luck; but simply to figure out ways of managing luck. Luck is the supreme mindgame; should you risk the inaccurate move or use the more reliable one? Balancing risk and reward is a pretty big part of this concept. It tests a player to manage luck, to use their mind, but what if, just what if, there was a Pokemon that made this easier? This Pokemon would have attributes that allow it to seize control of the luck game. It would, ideally, require some skill to use. The challenge here is in defining what exactly this Pokemon is supposed to be doing without using luck itself. We're not looking for Jirachi 2.0, we're looking for one that can reduce probabilities and eliminate anomalies, but only for the user. Everyone seems to have their own definition of hax, while this concept must create one definition to succeed. The problem Risky Business had was the lack of a central definition of risk, so hax must be defined early on should this concept be selected. While putting the finishing touches on this concept, I remembered
this Smog article, which introduces some scenarios and concepts that kind of show where I'm coming from.
What this Pokemon needs to do is employ strategies that reduce hax. Many such strategies already exist; think about Scald for a second. A Water Absorb Pokemon can manage quite well against Scald. So could the theoretical viable Water Veil Pokemon. Critical hits can be blocked with various methods as well. To put it in a more metagame-relevant perspective, think of a situation where you are facing aTerrakion. You have two choices: lose a Pokemon or go for the Hydro Pump with Starmie. Let's say you bring in Gliscor. Terrakion gets a critical hit with Stone Edge. The worst-case scenario just happened, and Terrakion has dented your only buffer against your opponent's physical attackers. All due to that 6.25% probability. This Pokemon should be able to achieve a similar concept. Another example would be playing against a Body Slam + Iron Head Jirachi; should you risk getting paralyzed to bring in the faster Pokemon? For one last example, perhaps you are facing a different Jirachi. You don't know the set, but it looks to be SubCM. Should you stay in and phaze it out with your 50% Skarmory or risk getting KOed with Thunder and getting steamrolled by your opponent's Double Dance Landorus-T. These are ways Pokemon can effect luck management in battles. Ideally, this Pokemon would not affect luck management like the Jirachi in question, but rather, it would affect hax like the Terrakion. It would have options that allow the player to force the opponent to manage their luck properly and can in turn reduce your opponent's luck. Luck is a many-faced beast, one that cannot be removed but simply tamed.