Triple post! We've been asked to sound off in the usual venues, so sound off I shall. Another long, semi-coherent, semi-organized post incoming.
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Cool
I often use the word cool to describe aspects of the game, and will probably use it a lot throughout this post. While I feel like people already get the intent of what I'm saying when I use it, I'd like to start by elaborating a bit on "coolness" in BBP.
To me, cool means pretty much any mon, move, ability, item, strategy, etc. that embodies what a player hopes to get out of a game. When people want to do cool things, they want to do things that align with their vision. For example, I'm known for a more straightforward and aggressive playstyle than some others might be, but simply sending out something like, say, Garganacl and typing Rock Slide x3 to do 15 damage a step while my opponent can only do 10 back isn't exactly cool to me. What's cool to me is Pokemon who's moves, stats, ability, and item come together to deal crazy damage per step, enough to knock out an opponent in three steps. The highlight of the game for me is when I can take an opponent from 100% HP to 0% in one round. Often it leaves my own mon clingling for life just to get picked off my their target's replacement on the next step, but I still do it, because that's what I find cool. This is also why I dislike Dragonite (Multiscale specifically), for example, as it directly interferes with that. In other words, fighting against Dragonite will almost never be cool to me.
Of course, coolness is completely subjective, so by no means am I suggesting that the game be balanced around my fantasy of a one-shot-fest. In fact, I wouldn't even want that either, because if every round was a ORKO, then it would make them less special. On the flip side, if ORKOs were made to be never possible, then I would feel dejected.
Level 1's Place
To me, it feels like Level 1 in its current iteration doesn't really know what it wants to be. In some ways, it feels like it's supposed to be an extension of the tutorial Level 0, with a focus on simpler (and weaker) moves compared to the upper levels (after all, you only ever have to do one battle at Level 0). In other ways, it feels like it wants to stand equal to Levels 2-4 in terms of the content that opens up at each level, having a suite of facilities designed around its gameplay the same as those levels do. To be honest, I don't feel like it's doing either of these roles successfully.
I think there are goals that are currently way more vital than refactoring BBP to have one less level. I'd argue that getting facilities open, reevaluating DQ, and accommodating the upcoming Scarlet & Violet DLC releases are more important. What I think could stand to happen is a critical evaluation of the goal of Level 1. What is it meant to provide the game?
If it's meant to align with levels 2-4 as a true part of the leveling system, that is, if it's meant to be part of the "meat and potatoes" of the game, then I think it needs more spice in the available moves. In the next category I'll talk more about some moves that are, in my opinion, candidates for demotion.
If it's meant to be more of a "beginner level", an extension of the "tutorial" that is the single Level 0 battle we put people through, then I think that should be committed to. Retool the movepool at that level to be just enough to give people to get a sense of the intricates of playing, and retool the facilities at that level to focus on learning. This is the way that takes quite a bit more work of course, and could almost be seen as equivalent to wiping the level entirely due to the amount of retooling that would have to be done. However, I think I'd prefer something like this to just wiping the level entirely. Of course, the experienced players wouldn't want or need to go through this level just to raise mons, so some sort of fast track would be needed. That's a whole other can of worms that I'm not sure the mods want opened, but I still think the overall idea is worth a mention.
Move Demotions
Next I'll talk about some moves that I think could stand to be demoted.
First, there are a couple moves that are essentially Level 0 moves stuck at Level 3, like Power Gem and Zing Zap.
Next, since Weathers are already level 1, I don't see why Terrains couldn't be as well. Terrain Pulse might be a bit too much BAP for the level, though. Maybe some terrain counterplay such as Ice Spinner could drop alongside them, too.
But now for the real hot take. Personally, I think we should take a look at one or two of the overall "move suites" and move shift it down. By "move suite", I mean stuff like "all the moves that have good BAP and raise/lower a stat are level 3", "all pivoting moves are level 3", etc.
My pick for this is the Speed control suite of moves, for a couple reasons. Firstly, Speed control is already present a bit at Level 1, with Paralysis and moves like Rapid Spin and Dragon Dance. (Most) priority moves are also present at this level, so the idea of moving first is definitely highlighted. Second, I don't think the concept of "if I'm faster, then I can get the jump on my opponent" is too complex for what we're looking for at the early levels. I feel like this suite of moves would do a lot to inject some spice into the gameplay, and also not tread too hard on the other things Level 3 would offer (it would still vitally offer staples like Pivoting, D/E, Knock Off, the damaging Stat changing moves, and so on).
(And even if you demote no other moves, please demote Power Gem lol)
Facilities
I want to touch on the recently released tests for facilities.
I'll start with the Raid Frontier since I have nicer things to say about it. I really like the core of this facility. I think giving mons a unique job in the quest to take down a big boss is awesome and also helps mons who may struggle in the more traditional battles (we know who I'm talking about

) a place to actually do something. I personally hope there aren't many changes to the "core" gameplay of this facility, individual balancing of raids aside. Can't wait for this one to release, definitely gonna be spamming it!
I know I haven't given it an official test yet, but Safari looks less appealing on paper to me. I feel like it's asking for mons with rather specific skillsets (match up well against the habitat's mons, be able to meet the unique capture method, be able to reduce a mon to 50% (or to 30% to use great balls), be able to apply major status, and all within 3-6 steps). I've wanted to give the Level 1 habitat a test but I'm struggling to come up with mons who I'd feel comfortable relying on to do all of that. Getting 10 EXP for 1 mon seems doable enough, but I'm not confident in the process of getting more than that.
Difficulty as a General Concept
While this has direct ties to facilities, I wanted to talk about the philosophy of content difficulty more generally.
While I do think some level of like, actually using one's brain should be present at every level, I think those who crave challenge should look for it in Competitive PvP, Pinnacle Facility Runs, using the upcoming Boast system, or simply challenging themselves to use bad mons for things. In other words, base (i.e. no boasts, and with a generally solid team) early level content is not where the challenge should be.
(For the record, I'm not criticizing any current early level content for this, but I just wanted to get it out there while more facilities are being tested and balanced.)
Follow-Up Speed
I don't think you need to wait any particular amount of time after releasing follow-up work on work recently released. If you have an epiphany on how to tackle something on the radar a day after making the radar post, or find a new facility raid/habitat/etc. to be comically over or underpowered, then go for it, for example.
Handling the DLC
I personally know I'd hate it of new DLC content was held hostage to be tied to a BBP content update. Obviously I know it's not gonna be ready on release day, but if a content update is causing significant delays with getting the DLC stuff out in BBP, then I'd elect to separate them and get the DLC stuff out. In particular, if a potential move level update is holding back DLC content, then I'd maybe look to do the update with the second wave of DLC rather than the first.
Community Help
I know we are essentially operating on 1.5 mods right now. I implore the mods to not be afraid of seeking help from the community where there are opportunities for us to do anything. The worst case scenario would be our remaining mod force burning out and leaving us with nothing. I promise we can occasionally do things other than complain.
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I hope these posts are like, good to be making. They're good for me, as it helps to get thoughts out of my head and onto the page, but I hope they're providing value to the community and to the mods in particular. I'd like to reiterate that all of this is just what I think of things.