Idea: Pokemon Team Rocket Version

[Lord_Brand]

This idea was inspired by the interest some here have expressed in a Pokemon game that lets you join the villain team or otherwise play the bad guys. Though I don't think a mainline title will be a good fit for such a concept, a spin off "villain version" could be perfect for exploring such an idea.

Thus, I propose starting with the originals themselves, Team Rocket. In Pokemon Team Rocket Version, you are a new recruit in Team Rocket, operating in Kanto and Johto. You carry out missions for Giovanni and his admins under the guidance of a senior grunt who shows you the ropes. You are provided one of three starting Pokemon to serve as your partner in crime (and no, these three are not Grass, Fire, or Water-type). As a way of testing your mettle, you're tasked with choosing your starter by undertaking a simple challenge that tests your skills as a criminal. Do you favor brute force, agility, or cunning? All three are useful to Team Rocket. There are three fellow recruits who each favor one of these three traits and choose their starter accordingly.

The gameplay goes beyond that of your standard Pokemon game. Your Rocket Trainer has the ability to sneak around and use gadgets in addition to deploying their Pokemon. You can use destructive force to get the job done, or exercise more finesse. Robbing a museum to get fossils? You can smash in through the window and defeat the guards in battle, take what you want, and leave, or you can disable the security systems, slip in, grab the goods, and slip out without being noticed. If all your Pokemon are KO'd, you'll be in danger of getting arrested by law enforcement or injured by wild Pokemon, but one of your fellow grunts will bail you out (in exchange for half your money on hand as payment).

The game presents the player with some moral choices, such as whether to steal only what is asked of you or to go beyond that and either please or offend your superiors (yes, even Rocket Admins draw the line somewhere, and if you cross it, you'll cross them). The game features a kind of alignment chart that tracks your actions, and your performance will affect your standing amongst your fellow Rocket Grunts. For example, the Rocket Mart only sells its better goods to Grunts who prove their worth, and some Grunts may befriend you if you prove a valuable ally (they may be criminals, but not all of them are pure evil). Some members are traitors (either villains worse than Rocket themselves, or antiheroes who feel Rocket goes too far), and you can choose either to weed them out or to join them. If your reputation reaches a high enough level, you may be offered a chance to become an Admin under the boss himself, at which point you will gain the ability to command squads of Grunts on Admin missions. Of course, your actions will also affect your notoriety among law enforcement; the more notorious you are, the stronger the officers who come looking to stop and arrest you. If your notoriety reaches a high enough level, they'll even start sending bounty hunters after you.

Other Teams (including some never before seen in the series) will try to muscle in on Rocket's territory, leading to you facing their grunts and admins in battle. Of course, you can also attempt diplomacy with some of these Teams to secure goods and Pokemon not commonly found in the Kanto region. There are also dissident Admins seeking to reform Team Rocket according to their vision, some for the better, others for worse. You can likewise choose to join or oppose these dissidents.

Eventually, Giovanni will step down from his position following his defeat at the hands of one certain trainer, and at that point you have a new choice to make: do you join your fellow Giovanni loyalists in trying to rebuild the Rocket that was, do you join the separatist admins who intend to build their own Team Rocket without Giovanni, do you take your loyal followers and build a new Team Rocket with yourself as the new boss, or do you leave Team Rocket behind altogether and turn over a new leaf?

Edited May 10 by Lord_Brand

[lenticular]

15 minutes ago, Lord_Brand said:

You are provided one of three starting Pokemon to serve as your partner in crime (and no, these three are not Grass, Fire, or Water-type).

I'm now imagining a table with three pokéballs on it, and you're told to pick your starter from the three pokémon that are offered. You look in the first ball and it's a zubat. Well, that's not a great start, but let's see which pokémon are in the other two. You look in the second and it's also a zubat. The third: another zubat. Welcome to Team Rocket.

[Lord_Brand]

I was considering species like Machop, Drowzee, Sandshrew, Rattata, and yes, Zubat, but...what if the Rocket Starters were brand new? Brand new Pokemon, perhaps bred by Team Rocket themselves? They could be unique variants of existing species, or all-new species with typings built around their respective traits.

The brute force starter would obviously be a Fighting-type, perhaps with Rock or Ground mixed in.

The agility starter could be a combination of Dark, Poison, and/or Flying.

The cunning starter would be Psychic or Dark (if agility isn't Dark) and maybe Steel or Electric.

Thinking about the kinds of species the other Teams can provide you, perhaps in exchange for trades. (List WIP)

Spoiler

Some of these Teams are new to this game, as their counterparts from the games set in their home region would have dubious reasons or means to be traveling to Kanto or Johto, let alone dealing with Team Rocket.

Aqua

• Poochyena - Rattata
• Ralts - Abra
• Lotad - Bellsprout
• Carvanha - Horsea
• Bagon - Dratini

Magma

• Poochyena - Rattata
• Ralts - Abra
• Seedot - Oddish
• Numel - Ponyta
• Beldum - Larvitar

Galactic

• Bidoof - Poochyena
• Glameow - Meowth
• Stunky - Zubat
• Croagunk - Mankey

Plasma

• Blitzle - Ponyta
• Woobat - Zubat
• Drilbur - Diglett
• Tympole - Poliwag
• Sewaddle - Caterpie
• Venipede - Weedle
• Sandile - Sandshrew
• Dwebble - Paras
• Scraggy - Mankey
• Zorua - Ditto
• Frillish - Tentacool
• Joltik - Spinarak
• Ferroseed - Magnemite
• Litwick - Gastly
• Stunfisk - Dunsparce
• Deino - Dratini

Flare

• Bunnelby - 
• Fletchling - Pidgey
• Litleo - Growlithe
• Pancham - Teddiursa
• Honedge - Gastly
• Noibat - Zubat

Eclipse - An Alolan Team that works for the Aether Foundation. While Team Skull handles the Foundation's domestic affairs, Team Eclipse serves them beyond Alola.

• Alolan Rattata - Rattata
• Alolan Sandshrew - Sandshrew
• Alolan Vulpix - Vulpix
• Alolan Diglett - Diglett
• Alolan Meowth - Meowth
• Alolan Geodude - Geodude
• Alolan Grimer - Grimer
• Grubbin - Weedle
• Cutiefly - Ledyba
• Rockruff - Houndour
• Salandit - Ekans
• Wimpod - Paras

Crown - A Galarian Team that seeks to restore Galar's "rightful" rulers to power.

• Galarian Meowth - Meowth
• Galarian Ponyta - Ponyta
• Galarian Slowpoke - Slowpoke
• Galarian Farfetch'd - Farfetch'd
• Galarian Weezing - Weezing
• Galarian Mr. Mime - Mr. Mime
• Galarian Corsola - Corsola
• Blipbug - Caterpie
• Skwovet - Rattata
• Rookidee - Pidgey
• Hatenna - Abra
• Impidimp - 
• Snom - Venonat
• Dreepy - Dratini

Primal - One of two Paldean Teams. Team Primal believes Pokemon and humans were stronger in the past and seek to reawaken that strength. They have an interest in Professor Sada's research, and are rivals with Team Techno.

• Pawmi - Pikachu
• Bramblin - Paras
• Scream Tail - Jigglypuff
• Great Tusk - Donphan
• Flutter Mane - Misdreavus

Cyber - One of two Paldean Teams. Team Cyber believes that technology is the future of evolution and study cybernetics. They have an interest in Professor Turo's research, and are rivals with Team Primal.

• Wattrel - Spearow
• Tinkatink - Clefairy
• Varoom - Magnemite
• Iron Treads - 
• Iron Bundle - 
• Iron Thorns - Larvitar

 

Edited May 11 by Lord_Brand

[Zapp Branniglenn]

it's funny, the very first pokemon rom hack I tried out some fifteen years ago was a Pokemon Red hack that swaps Red's sprite with a Team Rocket sprite. And they changed a bit of the dialogue to imply that you're training to be the world's greatest criminal, and you're stealing your starter pokemon rather than being offered it. Gameplay wise it was identical to Pokemon Red. I understand there's a lot more impressive hacks since that are expanding on the idea though. People wanna play as Team Rocket

[Lord_Brand]

A tricky thing about all this of course is that the player wouldn't be allowed to commit the worst kinds of crimes that a group like Team Rocket would in theory be capable of. Killing Pokemon is right out, and I could see the Rocket who comitted that deed against the Marowak actually being kicked out of Team Rocket due to digusting Giovanni (not to mention earning Team Rocket a seriously bad rap with the public and law enforcement), unless it's presented as an accident (and even then, there's still the resulting fallout). The range of crimes that can be comitted against humans will also be limited. Really, it would probably be mostly theft. Grand Theft Auto: Pokemon Edition, this would not be. And even then, I imagine the game would open with a big disclaimer that it is not trying to promote or glorify criminal activities, as a precaution. Most likely, the main reason we haven't seen such a game by now is the concern that it could damage the brand if they're not careful.

But, I think with the right structure they could make a game where you work for Team Rocket (and possibly end up making Team Rocket work for you) interesting. I'd look at it as a kind of "dark twin" of the mainline formula; instead of Gym Leaders, you face Admins from other Teams, and instead of the Elite Four and Champion, you maybe come up against the Rocket Admins and Gio himself. Kinda the Wario Land of the Pokemon series, you know?

Edited May 11 by Lord_Brand

[Shanty Pete's 1st Mate]

Yeah, this would be cool to see.

4 hours ago, Zapp Branniglenn said:

it's funny, the very first pokemon rom hack I tried out some fifteen years ago was a Pokemon Red hack that swaps Red's sprite with a Team Rocket sprite. And they changed a bit of the dialogue to imply that you're training to be the world's greatest criminal, and you're stealing your starter pokemon rather than being offered it. Gameplay wise it was identical to Pokemon Red. I understand there's a lot more impressive hacks since that are expanding on the idea though. People wanna play as Team Rocket

Never gonna happen officially, so it's up to the fans to create. Pokemon might just have the biggest and best fangame scene out there. ...Having the biggest fanbase in the world probably helps.

4 hours ago, Lord_Brand said:

Flare

• Scatterbug - Trade for
• Bunnelby - Trade for
• Fletchling - Pidgey

I assume these first two were supposed to be Caterpie and Rattata?

Although if we're feeling spicy, the list could become Venonat, Sandshrew, and Farfetch'd.

A few more proposed trades:

Spoiler

Aqua: Bagon for Dratini

Magma: Trapinch for Larvitar

Plasma: Woobat for Zubat

Flare: Amaura for Omanyte, Tyrunt for Kabuto

 

4 hours ago, Lord_Brand said:

Crown (A Galarian Team, taking the place of Yell)

Jeez, I know ypu didn't care for 'em, but this is brutal.

4 hours ago, lenticular said:

I'm now imagining a table with three pokéballs on it, and you're told to pick your starter from the three pokémon that are offered. You look in the first ball and it's a zubat. Well, that's not a great start, but let's see which pokémon are in the other two. You look in the second and it's also a zubat. The third: another zubat. Welcome to Team Rocket.

The true Team Rocket experience. Have fun with your first Rival battle! It's a mirror match where Leech Life and Supersonic are the only moves.

4 hours ago, Lord_Brand said:

You are provided one of three starting Pokemon to serve as your partner in crime (and no, these three are not Grass, Fire, or Water-type).

...I may be fond of this aspect.

4 hours ago, Lord_Brand said:

You can use destructive force to get the job done, or exercise more finesse. Robbing a museum to get fossils? You can smash in through the window and defeat the guards in battle, take what you want, and leave, or you can disable the security systems, slip in, grab the goods, and slip out without being noticed.

Definitely a fan of giving the player more options, with implications down the road! The "more destructive" route could offer more EXP...but in turn, you don't get paid as much for the mission. Since your supervisors have to "pay off" some of the damages, to avoid a legal battle.

4 hours ago, Lord_Brand said:

Eventually, Giovanni will step down from his position following his defeat at the hands of one certain trainer, and at that point you have a new choice to make: do you join your fellow Giovanni loyalists in trying to rebuild the Rocket that was,

Wait, didn't Giovanni attempt to disband Team Rocket? After Red beat the Eighth Kanto Gym, at least. "Following him" would mean, presumably, trying to go legit. Per the HGSS secret event, he later contemplates rejoining the reformed organization, but never acts upon it.

That said, I do like the idea of different endings, influenced by the player's choices.

4 hours ago, Lord_Brand said:

Some members are traitors (either villains worse than Rocket themselves, or antiheroes who feel Rocket goes too far), and you can choose either to weed them out or to join them.

I like this! Perhaps you could also do an "Old Guard" versus "New Guard" conflict? The former are committed to tried-and-true blackmail and thuggery, while the latter are more interested in cybercrimes. Stuff like stealimg trainers' Pokemon right out of the PC. Get an Old_Rod.exe, and go on a phishing expedition! Depending on the player's choices, Team Rocket's direction - and leadership - could change drastically.

One more note: would love to see Jessie and James appear, in some form. Whether it's a cameo on how they keep failimg to catch that twerp's Pikachu, or a more involved appearance where they play a part in the story. And their white outfits should definitely be an option for the player, even if they have to earn it.

[Lord_Brand]

6 hours ago, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said:

I assume these first two were supposed to be Caterpie and Rattata?

Although if we're feeling spicy, the list could become Venonat, Sandshrew, and Farfetch'd.

A few more proposed trades:

Funnily enough, I added the Bagon and Woobat trades while you were typing up the reply. Trapinch is a good idea, I'll add that. Fossil trades make sense on paper, but fossils are rare enough and require more hoop-jumping to actually get, which makes them less ideal for trading.

6 hours ago, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said:

Jeez, I know ypu didn't care for 'em, but this is brutal.

I mean, I don't hate them, I just think they pale in comparison to previous Teams. But, my reason for introducing a new Galarian Team here is for the context of the story; though I'm sure the writers could handwave a reason for Team Yell to be in Kanto of all places, it'd be more dubious that they're having dealings with Team Rocket, as they aren't a crime syndicate so much as an overenthusiastic band of fans. So, I came up with a bona fide villain Team that could have been operating in Galar at one point, before some nameless kid ousted them. Same for Eclipse and the Paldean Teams. Honestly, Primal and Cyber work so well for SV's past-future duality that I'm astounded they didn't go for those instead.

As an aside, I come to realize that Skull, Yell, and Star would all probably get along decently well with each other due to that "down on their luck" trend they have in common. To reiterate, I don't hate them, I just don't think the latter two in particular did a great job as Teams per se. They honestly would have worked better as their own concept. Team Crown, Team Primal, and Team Cyber all would be much more in line with the classic evil Team archetype, and Primal and Cyber would give us another proper Team rivalry to boot.

6 hours ago, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said:

...I may be fond of this aspect.

I had a feeling you would be. ;) And I think this would be a good place to test the waters for alternative starter trios.

6 hours ago, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said:

Definitely a fan of giving the player more options, with implications down the road! The "more destructive" route could offer more EXP...but in turn, you don't get paid as much for the mission. Since your supervisors have to "pay off" some of the damages, to avoid a legal battle.

That's one way to look at it. The sneakier approach also raises your notoriety a lot less, making subsequent missions easier since you don't have as much heat after you.

6 hours ago, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said:

Wait, didn't Giovanni attempt to disband Team Rocket? After Red beat the Eighth Kanto Gym, at least. "Following him" would mean, presumably, trying to go legit. Per the HGSS secret event, he later contemplates rejoining the reformed organization, but never acts upon it.

That said, I do like the idea of different endings, influenced by the player's choices.

To be fair, the exact words were "follow Giovanni's loyalists", meaning the Admins who lead the organization in GS and HGSS. That said, I like the idea that Giovanni himself can choose to battle the player if they decide to start their own Team Rocket, as a way of proving who is strongest between them, and if the player wins, Giovanni gives them his blessing to take charge as the new boss - while also letting them know that he'll keep getting stronger and will be back for a rematch, so they'd better keep on their toes. For that matter, it could also be possible to face Red himself and, provided the player hasn't already disavowed Team Rocket, avenge Giovanni and Team Rocket as a whole by besting Red.

6 hours ago, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said:

I like this! Perhaps you could also do an "Old Guard" versus "New Guard" conflict? The former are committed to tried-and-true blackmail and thuggery, while the latter are more interested in cybercrimes. Stuff like stealimg trainers' Pokemon right out of the PC. Get an Old_Rod.exe, and go on a phishing expedition! Depending on the player's choices, Team Rocket's direction - and leadership - could change drastically.

One more note: would love to see Jessie and James appear, in some form. Whether it's a cameo on how they keep failimg to catch that twerp's Pikachu, or a more involved appearance where they play a part in the story. And their white outfits should definitely be an option for the player, even if they have to earn it.

Sounds a bit like the Team Plasma factions, but that makes sense. I like the idea of there being maybe four Admins who are not as loyal to Giovanni, any one of whom will gladly accept your followship should you choose them. Of course, if you decide to take charge yourself, they'll stand in your way, but might agree to join you if you defeat them. Hmm...could be that they basically split Team Rocket into several factions following Giovanni's defeat, and on paths where you remain part of the Team, your objective is to reunite them, by force if necessary.

They appeared in LGPE, so there's always a possibility. Perhaps the player has the option of befriending them and thus earning said outfit? Now I'm picturing them taking a selfie with the player as a way of commemorating their friendship.

Edited May 11 by Lord_Brand

[Imuabicus der Fertige]

19 hours ago, Lord_Brand said:

Your Rocket Trainer has the ability to sneak around and use gadgets in addition to deploying their Pokemon.

I advocate for Gun.

And Machamp quadruple wielding M249s.

[Lord_Brand]

Hmm...what about weapons based on the Pokemon types? Say, a String Shooter that can bind a Pokemon in silk to slow it down, or Sleep Powder that lulls the target to sleep? The idea being that you still need Pokemon to win fights, but you can tilt the odds in your favor with status-inducing gadgets. Maybe an assortment of Balls that function like grenades, such as Sleep Balls, Stun Balls, and Freeze Balls?

I could see the whip from the old sprites being reimagined as a multi-purpose Rocket Whip, able to grab or hit objects from a distance, bind targets, pull lightweight objects or targets to you, and enable you to swing across gaps.

[Fabulously Olivier]

Grand Theft Kanto