Drumroll, please!
First things first: please don't forget that the new Eevee distribution system is now in place! If you've been hankering to app a character and wanted an Eevee starter, both the Starters list and the app have been updated!
And on to the second part...
You've been waiting for a while, we know. We hope the wait is worth it-we've really tried to work in a total revamp. None of the changes outlined here will come into effect immediately, and they're not retroactive, so just let us know if you have any concerns.
Our goals:
1. Make being a Rocket both more difficult and more rewarding.
2. Make Team Rocket a legitimate threat, both to non-members and members.
To do this? First of all, Team Rocket will phase in a new code of conduct.
NEW RULES
1. Rockets will be required to wear their uniform at all times while on Rocket business, including domino mask. Members with long hair should wear their hair up and under their regulation cap to provide less visibility. On plainclothes missions, members will be required to remember a series of keywords that will identify fellow teammates, if unable to identify them on sight.
2. Rocket grunts will be required to provide* one (1) pokemon of uncommon rarity or high level (30+) to the organization each week in order to secure their continued employment. Grunts who fail to do so twice (consecutively or otherwise)** will be cut from the team and their name reported to the police.
*In this case, 'provide' implies theft, but if a wild pokemon can be obtained at level 30+ it would be acceptable. Uncommon/rare pokemon only, please, no Pidgeys, Hoppips or anything else commonly found. Chances are, if it's available in the wild, they already have it, or have no interest in it. Ilex Forest starters (Bulbasaur, Chikorita, Turtwig, Treecko) are fair game, for instance. Uncommon evolutions are also acceptable.
** A grunt is exempt from this if they are on TR business for 2+ weeks, on a special mission, or hunting a rare pokemon.
3. Rockets will be divided into 3-4 member squads (oocly randomized) and positioned across Johto; a special signal from the Radio Tower will connect with Rocket pokegears (and ONLY Rocket pokegears) will keep these grunts informed and updated. Note that this does not count as 'special missions', but only regular work, and these grunts would be required to obey the 1-per-week rule. Working together is highly encouraged.
4. Squads will be required to submit a weekly report (handwaveable!) to their superiors informing them of any updates (or not) to the situation in their current location: new arrivals, economic changes, a surge in the number of wild pokemon, etc.
5. Rocket members should not mention being members of the Team on public venues such as over unsecure lines on the pokegear.
ROCKET STARTERS
Microchips
In the future, Rocket starters will come with a microchip implant; this allows the Team to keep track of its members' positions and correct them as necessary. Grunts who wish to remain in the organization must submit to having their starter implanted with the chip. The microchips can be removed by Nurse Joy, but asking for it...would amount to turning yourself in to the cops.
Starter Loyalty and Levels (!!!)
Rocket starters are pre-trained Rocket employees. Their personalities will still be as varied as any player can imagine, with a caveat: they will be loyal to the Team. Think of it as having a really enthusiastic coworker: if their trainer slacks off, they'll be gently (or not-so-gently, depending on the individual pokemon) reminded to get to work. This is tied with the microchip; removing it causes this behaviour to disappear.
Furthermore, Rocket starters will now begin their careers at level 15*. We feel this is more appropriate for an organization that takes itself seriously and provides only the best for its deserving members, while keeping most under their first evolution.
*This is not a free pass to getting a level 15 pokemon, then quitting TR and getting it de-chipped within 24 hours. If we see abuse, they'll go back to level 5 like the regular trainer starters.
Along with their starter, each Rocket grunt will recieve one (1) free of: Ekans, Koffing, Rattata, Grimer or Magikarp (without tackle, since it isn't a starter) at level 5.
Rocket Starter Availability I AM IMPORTANT, READ ME!!
Team Rocket is a criminal organization. As such, they have something of an...image to uphold. We, the mods, would like to limit potential Rocket Starters. Before we do that, though, we want your opinions.
Here are the starters we would like to remove:
Bonsly, Budew, Caterpie, Chinchou, Cleffa, Corsola, Dunsparce, Feebas, Happiny, Hoppip, Igglybuff, Ledyba, Mantyke, Miltank, Mime Jr., Pichu, Pidgey, Shuckle, Skitty, Smeargle, Smoochum, Sunkern, Surskit, Swablu, Togepi, Wingull, and Wooper.
Cute things, essentially. Rocket members might still obtain these through regular channels, like eggs or in the wild.
What do you think, Johto?
Poll Rocket Starters
The new Rocket Base!
As most of you were already suspecting, the base in Mahogany is moving. (IT HASN'T MOVED COMPLETELY YET.) All assets are to be transferred to the new base, in the basement of the Radio Tower. (What, you thought they left it alone? LOLNOPE. But moving a whole base is hard work!)
All new Rocket Grunts will materialize from the Base in Goldenrod from now on. They will spend an obligatory two weeks there, learning the ins and outs of the business under the eye of the Executives. (NPCs, unless PC execs would like to volunteer.) This will keep the organization more centralized and provide ripe terrain for Grunts to learn the ropes.
If your character can handle staying in Team Rocket: You don't have to do anything. Their starter will be microchipped, they'll be participating in the re-intro plot, and further instructions will come in time.
If you want your character OUT of Team Rocket: Easy! If they're a current member, they refuse to report for microchipping and get cut. They'll have to serve a two-week jail sentence, but that's about it! Team Rocket doesn't want freeloaders. :|b
Rocket re-intro plot! You want DEETS?
Sorry, not yet! We're going to wait until opinions regarding rocket starters start rolling in. Expect it next week! But it might have something to do with that magnet railway they're renovating between Goldenrod and...where was it again?
/trollface.jpg
And on to the second part...
You've been waiting for a while, we know. We hope the wait is worth it-we've really tried to work in a total revamp. None of the changes outlined here will come into effect immediately, and they're not retroactive, so just let us know if you have any concerns.
Our goals:
1. Make being a Rocket both more difficult and more rewarding.
2. Make Team Rocket a legitimate threat, both to non-members and members.
To do this? First of all, Team Rocket will phase in a new code of conduct.
NEW RULES
1. Rockets will be required to wear their uniform at all times while on Rocket business, including domino mask. Members with long hair should wear their hair up and under their regulation cap to provide less visibility. On plainclothes missions, members will be required to remember a series of keywords that will identify fellow teammates, if unable to identify them on sight.
2. Rocket grunts will be required to provide* one (1) pokemon of uncommon rarity or high level (30+) to the organization each week in order to secure their continued employment. Grunts who fail to do so twice (consecutively or otherwise)** will be cut from the team and their name reported to the police.
*In this case, 'provide' implies theft, but if a wild pokemon can be obtained at level 30+ it would be acceptable. Uncommon/rare pokemon only, please, no Pidgeys, Hoppips or anything else commonly found. Chances are, if it's available in the wild, they already have it, or have no interest in it. Ilex Forest starters (Bulbasaur, Chikorita, Turtwig, Treecko) are fair game, for instance. Uncommon evolutions are also acceptable.
** A grunt is exempt from this if they are on TR business for 2+ weeks, on a special mission, or hunting a rare pokemon.
3. Rockets will be divided into 3-4 member squads (oocly randomized) and positioned across Johto; a special signal from the Radio Tower will connect with Rocket pokegears (and ONLY Rocket pokegears) will keep these grunts informed and updated. Note that this does not count as 'special missions', but only regular work, and these grunts would be required to obey the 1-per-week rule. Working together is highly encouraged.
4. Squads will be required to submit a weekly report (handwaveable!) to their superiors informing them of any updates (or not) to the situation in their current location: new arrivals, economic changes, a surge in the number of wild pokemon, etc.
5. Rocket members should not mention being members of the Team on public venues such as over unsecure lines on the pokegear.
ROCKET STARTERS
Microchips
In the future, Rocket starters will come with a microchip implant; this allows the Team to keep track of its members' positions and correct them as necessary. Grunts who wish to remain in the organization must submit to having their starter implanted with the chip. The microchips can be removed by Nurse Joy, but asking for it...would amount to turning yourself in to the cops.
Starter Loyalty and Levels (!!!)
Rocket starters are pre-trained Rocket employees. Their personalities will still be as varied as any player can imagine, with a caveat: they will be loyal to the Team. Think of it as having a really enthusiastic coworker: if their trainer slacks off, they'll be gently (or not-so-gently, depending on the individual pokemon) reminded to get to work. This is tied with the microchip; removing it causes this behaviour to disappear.
Furthermore, Rocket starters will now begin their careers at level 15*. We feel this is more appropriate for an organization that takes itself seriously and provides only the best for its deserving members, while keeping most under their first evolution.
*This is not a free pass to getting a level 15 pokemon, then quitting TR and getting it de-chipped within 24 hours. If we see abuse, they'll go back to level 5 like the regular trainer starters.
Along with their starter, each Rocket grunt will recieve one (1) free of: Ekans, Koffing, Rattata, Grimer or Magikarp (without tackle, since it isn't a starter) at level 5.
Rocket Starter Availability I AM IMPORTANT, READ ME!!
Team Rocket is a criminal organization. As such, they have something of an...image to uphold. We, the mods, would like to limit potential Rocket Starters. Before we do that, though, we want your opinions.
Here are the starters we would like to remove:
Bonsly, Budew, Caterpie, Chinchou, Cleffa, Corsola, Dunsparce, Feebas, Happiny, Hoppip, Igglybuff, Ledyba, Mantyke, Miltank, Mime Jr., Pichu, Pidgey, Shuckle, Skitty, Smeargle, Smoochum, Sunkern, Surskit, Swablu, Togepi, Wingull, and Wooper.
Cute things, essentially. Rocket members might still obtain these through regular channels, like eggs or in the wild.
What do you think, Johto?
Poll Rocket Starters
The new Rocket Base!
As most of you were already suspecting, the base in Mahogany is moving. (IT HASN'T MOVED COMPLETELY YET.) All assets are to be transferred to the new base, in the basement of the Radio Tower. (What, you thought they left it alone? LOLNOPE. But moving a whole base is hard work!)
All new Rocket Grunts will materialize from the Base in Goldenrod from now on. They will spend an obligatory two weeks there, learning the ins and outs of the business under the eye of the Executives. (NPCs, unless PC execs would like to volunteer.) This will keep the organization more centralized and provide ripe terrain for Grunts to learn the ropes.
If your character can handle staying in Team Rocket: You don't have to do anything. Their starter will be microchipped, they'll be participating in the re-intro plot, and further instructions will come in time.
If you want your character OUT of Team Rocket: Easy! If they're a current member, they refuse to report for microchipping and get cut. They'll have to serve a two-week jail sentence, but that's about it! Team Rocket doesn't want freeloaders. :|b
Rocket re-intro plot! You want DEETS?
Sorry, not yet! We're going to wait until opinions regarding rocket starters start rolling in. Expect it next week! But it might have something to do with that magnet railway they're renovating between Goldenrod and...where was it again?
/trollface.jpg