ASB News [December 2016]

[papabopp]

i am SO glad c~dub showed me this. i havnt cheked this thread in a long time lol im gonna save that evo for a bit

[DarkestLight]

State of the ASB Address

I'm going to get into it, 'cause as always, there's alot to cover.

Reffing

REF! ASSEMBLE!! Hell attendance assemble, people have been down and out. Can't blame ya, its February! Schools restarted-and weather is acting all sorts of weird. Slow is slow. But lemme just wet yer palate with a few happenings, so when everyone comes back, you all will be ahead of the game.

Celebrations

Why are we celebrating? Because the Contests are back. Its heading into round two, and it's getting really creative. The Tournament is move at a great clip too, as the Semi finals are coming up! . We already know three of the 4 competitors, who will be the fourth!

We also have a few new members since the last NL. ambasaur, RODAN and jelibean man all get 2 points for starting out in our ASB! (If I missed anyone, don't hate me, I'm a little slow on the uptake...)


Gyms

Well the Gyms have seen some movement. We got an average of two Gym Battles a month-which is good, considering the downturn before the uprising which is almost here! Good luck to Mike Mysterio and chaos_redefined!

Black/White News!!

Well, saved the best for last. There are a few B/W changes to ASB that you-the public-should know about. This is to prepare you and us for the new onslaught that will undoubtedly encapsulate us.

First off. There has been a meteor shower that has covered the entirety of the Safari Zone. (I've openly stated it in my quests. You don't have to, just know it has occurred.). This shower has had a few shards land here and there in the Zone.

These shards can be White in color. Or Black...or Black and white. That's all.

Second off, we are now introducing Tokens. Tokens are small coin shaped emblems that can be purchased from us for a price. 15 points, to be exact. Now, why would you pay 15 points for a Token?

Because anyone that buys a Token can get
1) a B/W Pokemon (first form)
2) evolve their B/W Pokemon once
3) Change any Pokemon's ability once!

Tokens do not go on sale until March-and they won't be on sale long either. So you may want to finish up those battles you may have left hanging.

Misc

Hrm. Let me quell a few rumors and smaller events I've been meaning to discuss-and a few changes.

1) Yes. New Abilities are compiled. For the most part, most are not broken at all.

1a) Yes, Stall is still being worked on. Sorry for the wait. Stall breaks a bunch of shizzle.

2) Yes. Moves are completed-and some are even added to the movelist already. As B/W has not come out yet, these moves are not to be used. They are all subject to change as the games come out, but we feel we've done them a great deal of justice.

3) For SZ refs-I want to know if you have made any progress at all in the type/s you've chosen for the Zone. Also want to remind you all that not all Pokemon are attainable in the Zone.

4) A new quirk for B/W. Sleep Talk is NOT a TM anymore. Therefore, since that can horribly harm a B/W exclusive Pokemon, we've decided that all B/W Pokemon know Sleep Talk instinctively. If by some change a Move Tutor list comes out with Sleep Talk being able to be learned by them all, this clause will then be removed!

That's all for now. I heard something about E4 changes....but that may have to wait until B/W comes out. Later~

[papabopp]

so are tokens the only way of obtaining B/W pokemon??

[DarkestLight]

No. Tokens are the only way of obtaining B/W pokemon for free-and they won't be around long.

[papabopp]

uhh it seems to me like a token is equivelant to 15 points wich doesnt seem free to me. what am I not getting?

[chaos_redefined]

Also, will tokens be the only way to change our pokemon's abilities to the new ones when black/white comes out?

[Blademaster]

Can the Token do any of the 3 things listed? Or all of them?

Because I ain't paying 15 points for something I can catch in the Safari Zone and evolve myself for a fifth of the price.

[Charles Legend]

what just a freaking second Darkest dose that mean there is not going to be a Black and White Giveaway, or are the tokens smiler to the Diamonds and Pearls from the Diamond and Pearl Giveaway?

some clarification would be nice to know Darkest one.

~Charles Legend

[DarkestLight]

In order

papa: If you get a Token (a la win one, earn one or obtain one by some other means)..then its free, right? What I'm saying is that B/W Pokemon arent only going to be available via Token; its just an option.

chaos: yes.

Blade: One of the three. And yes, you can catch them in the Zone for 1/5th the price, just like how you can evolve your Pokemon for super cheap via battling, but the option of evolving them via stones is available for those that may utilize it. Also, they aren't going to be standard issue, they will be gone relatively quickly.

Charles: Where does it say anywhere about there not being a giveaway? But yes, the Tokens are similar to the Diamonds and Pearls of DP fame.

[Ayeun]

Wait a minute... Does that mean if say, for example, I wanted to change the abilities of some of my team, that I am going to have to fork out 15 points for EACH of them? That's highway robbery. Even if there is a give away, say I wanted to change 4 pokemon's abilities over... That's 60 points. I make that in a year! Why should I have to get new pokemon copies to get the alternative abilities?

[DarkestLight]

Aye: Yeap.

This is not something to be taken lightly. We really had to think about this. You all picked your abilities from the available pool at the time, and knew it was non negotiable deal. Now with the onset of new ones, we know that there are going to be a few that have ridiculously new and powerful ones. (who the HELL gave Ninetales Drought needs to be shot) At the same time, we did not want to renig our stance on keeping the specifics on Pokemon obtaining as they were.

This way we figured, yeah its a high amount, but at the same time, you can change it as long as you have a Token, since this changes a fundamental aspect of your Pokemon quote unquote, forever. More will be explained in the giveaway, and it may not be as expensive as it seems.

[Charles Legend]

who the HELL gave Ninetales Drought needs to be shot.

You over looked the fact that Politoed get's Drizzle which is which I'm holding off evolving Misty into one, granted at the moment she still a Poliwag but still that's my plan.

It's kind of funny thought because Slowpokes were said to have ended a Drought if I'm not mistaken. also specking of Drought perhaps I'll look into getting a Vulpix with it...

but yeah why do you think they need to be shot, also are are you talking about only Game Freak or any one in the ASB that dose? calls out my entire team, including Irvin Ooze my my Grimer and tells him to power up it's Stench ability to the max to ward off any insanity Pichu welding a gun... -_-

~Charles Legend

[papabopp]

so you just buy them like you'd buy anything else? How else can you get them? you can win them? where? the tourney?

[Greyfox]

You can win won in the tourney, it seems, or you can find them in the Safari Zone. Referees, for now, are supposed to be able to earn them as ref rewards as well, but I haven't gotten around to updating the tower yet. D:

[Blademaster]

Is there a limit of one token per customer?

[DarkestLight]

There will be a preset number of days Tokens can be bought. Yes you will be able to buy more than one.

[Greyfox]

October 2011
ASB Newsletter

Hello everyone, I am your newest mod, Greyfox, here to detail the dull current and exciting future events for ASB! As of right now, I know everyone's feeling a little burned out because of school projects and, as a result, the activity of our little forum is dwindling. I ask you, however, to please be patient and vigilant because activity should spike soon.

During this time, we are asking (not telling) you all to please consider limiting the number of battles you partake in from four to three, so that our already-overworked referees don't get even more burnt out.

Promotions

As you all know, we lost a very dear Gym Leader: Weasel Overlord. While she'll be very missed here, we've been needing someone to fill her shoes. That person is Oslo, who has managed to be the first person to acquire the requisite amount of badges. He will be asked to battle either Darkly or myself for a preliminary battle in his arena!

Cleaning Up the Clutter

As you may've noticed, the Mod Team has been doing a bit of (late) spring cleaning with our beloved forum. Most of the threads from years past have been archived in, well, the archives. I'd like to say that we'll keep doing this for battles that've already been completed.

Safari Zone

As Darkly said before, the fact that we have legendary pokémon in our Safari Zone roaming around hasn't managed to burn down our league. However, there is something I'd like to address to the Safari Zone referees, and that's this:

When someone catches a legendary pokémon, no one else will be able to find that pokémon in the zone for about six months. Once someone finds and captures, say, Articuno, then no one else can see it again until Moltres and Zapdos are also captured. As of right now, the following legendary pokémon are off-limits:

Articuno, Zapdos, Celebi, Regice, Groudon, Heatran, Cresselia, Darkrai, and Giratina.

And speaking of the Safari Zone, the mod team is fast at work making some interesting changes to the zone. Keep your eyes peeled during the coming months!

Move Tutors

The Gym Leader/Elite 4 move tutors are certainly nice, but should we really be limiting the move tutors to them? On November 1st, we will unveil a Move Tutor shop that'll allow you to teach your pokemon moves that they should've already been able to learn! Isn't that exciting?

Newbies

It's been a long time since our last newsletter, so anyone who has joined after 5/23 will be awarded 2 points! This includes Classtoise, Cynder, Ryoto, mymyilikepie, and Pichu Luver. Link your bank posts to this thread to claim your points.

___ of the Summer

And now the moment you've all been waiting for, the coveted Member and Ref of the Season awards. The Ref of the Season is our newest gym leader, Oslo. Meanwhile, the Member of the Season is Cynder! Congrats to you both, you get 5 points and a free catch/evolution. Remember to link to this post when claiming these awards!

[Greyfox]

December 2011
ASB Newsletter

Hey everyone, it's me again. This one's not going to be a big newsletter, but there are a few interesting things to highlight.For starters, the Move Tutor Shop has been updated to include a pair of new moves for your pokémon, so check that out whenever you can. In addition, we are still trying to get newest gym leader Oslo to battle us for a preliminary bout.In Safari Zone-related news, the ban on certain legendary pokémon has been removed, leaving only a few on the 'can't be seen' list. Those pokémon are:

Articuno, Zapdos, Celebi, Regice, Groudon, and Giratina.

Finally, newcomers 5illy, Uraziel, and Venomous Pidgey are being awarded 2 points just for being new! Be sure to link to this thread in the Financial Tower to claim your coin!

To everyone else, I please ask you to update your Vs. Seekers ASAP, because something festive is coming 'round the corner!

[Dogfish44]

Will I be able to purchase B/W mon after, and change abilities after?

This confuses me...

[papabopp]

If tokens are available only for a while, I think we should be able to get them during the Summer and Winter Trees even if theres a limit of them then.

[chaos_redefined]

From what I understand.....

Yes, you can buy/evolve B/W pokemon afterwards. At normal prices, even. No, you cannot change abilities afterwards.

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

Changing abilities of old pokemon into new ones should cost A LOT. It's not like you can change your haircolor at will aswell. New pokemon can get the new abilities as easy as gingerbread, but old pokemon are 'set'. Changes can be made, but'll cost ya.

Also, looking forward to B/W. Pity I have no time, though

[Ayeun]

I understand the costing a lot phase of this plan, but if I wanted to change my main battlers team (and there is almost 20 of them) to new abilities, I am out 300 points.

in reflection, to replace them with clones of them selves, and basically say 'Screw you all the good memories that I have had' would cost me about 100 points. So you are saying that emotional attachment and memories mean nothing?

[chaos_redefined]

No. They mean 200 points. You can pay an extra 200 points to keep those memories.

On a completely unrelated note, I know some people get upset by the idea of gift pokemon being discarded, but I will not be upset with anyone buying a clone of a gift I got them and giving away the old one, if this is the only financially feasible way for you to change the abilities of it.

Also... for MLG's metaphor... While I can't do it regularly, hair dye does exist. We are not saying that we should dye our hair every day, but you guys are saying that hair dye should cost more than a cloning machine.

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

Yeah, that's great that you wanna change your abilities. But it's not because you want, that you can. So if you want to, you'll need the cash

And emotional value and memories are all personal. If the new abilities are that important to you that you buy new versions of your pokemon, that's your own choice.

[Dogfish44]

You know, this is the first time I've felt that something's being done unfairly. 15 points is excessive, 5 points wouldn't be nearly as steep.

I couldn't possibly clone my mons, I've actually had good memories with some (GRUMPYpig, Ectabat, Venn).

I personally think there should be a week of change - Where you can change abilities for free. Then after that, they get relocked.

[DarkestLight]

Note: I was expecting this severe backlash. I've prepared a statement to prove this is not highway robbery.

Ex 1.) I look back to my cartridges. I can't transfer my Whipper (Venusaur) from the Original Red to Fire Red. If there was way, it would be a shitton of money to buy/create a converter that allowed transfers from Oldred to FireRed.

EX 2.) You're telling me its cheap to get a new heart? Assistance limb? Hell even dentures cost a ton of cash. These are fundamental parts of you. The same goes for your Pokemon. These abilities (though introduced in Gen 3) have stuck with your crew since.

EX 3: MLG is right. I am in agreeance that 15 points is a harsh contrast to everything we've tried to make affordable to everyone, but at the same time, these Pokemon have been with you guys forever. You've battled with them in so many facets, but as soon as something new comes out, you wanna switch them at the drop of a hat?

I couldn't change Muddy at all (Dunsparce). No way no how. Dun care if he got some super ability that let his prowess double upon being hit

(Holy shit. No I'm dead serous he really gets that, didn't even know. I got curious and looked up 'Sparce and he gets Self Conscious, funny XD). No way. Muddy is Muddy and he's awesome the way he is.

Stones cost 6 to 8 points, and this helps evolve Pokemon that don't even USE stones to evolve. Yes, their bodies were gonna change anyway, you just accelerated it. But this is something that doesn't/shouldn't change, and yer upset 'cause you have to pay double to do so?

Hell even when you played Diamond or Pearl, and sent your Pokemon over to Pal Park you only had a ~50% chance of having your Pokemon pop out with a second Ability. (Took me like 22 tries before I got a Magic Guard Clefable w/Softboiled-ugh the drama.)

This immediate backlash doesn't sound like you actually care about them at all up to the point of sticking by your choices that you made years before this new ability sweep came through. I want you all to think about that. You're only seeing the immediate cost of this to "better" yourself and using the "close bond" issue as a defense. That is not sound because you're changing a fundamental aspect of them-changing them to fit your needs instead of treating them as they are despite the new changes.

My honest advice:

Take! your! time! Yes, 300 points is alot to change 20 Pokemon. Try switching 45. 60. hell, try 100. Yeah its alot of cash. Yeah I seem jaded because I hoard points like a madman and can actually buy a shitton of tokens-but at the same time, I really don't think its fair to switch abilities at all just because new ones came out.

But at the same time, we're going to make sure that over time, you WILL be able to eventually get what you feel you need to keep up with the times.

Like I said. Over the next few months, there will be a series of events that will help you all gain chances to change abilities. Some'll be cheaper than others. This is the most expensive-and its also one that is not going to be around very long.

Secondly, its also a way for us to foster activity -.-. You want this badly, you work on it. You don't get better at anything just by buying the best things, 'cause people still defeat you with older methods and you're then left sitting there wondering how you still lost when you have all this brand new shiny stuff!

Trust us, this is not as bad as it seems. You all gave everything a chance before, give us a shot to show you this won't be as bad as it sounds. We haven't let you down yet,and I positive we won't start now.

[Blademaster]

I ain't changing a damn one of my Pokemon. But 15 points... I'm just curious why that number? Ten sounds fair.

I don't even know any new Abilities my team can learn. Not worried about it since the games aren't even out yet.

[DarkestLight]

O.o. Muggles can answer that better than I.

[chaos_redefined]

That is not sound because you're changing a fundamental aspect of them-changing them to fit your needs instead of treating them as they are despite the new changes.

This would be valid, but the only change I really want to make is to Nightstalker, my Sableye, which you will be changing anyway. i.e. You guys are changing a fundamental aspect of my pokemon. Now, I'm not getting up you for doing so, since Stall breaks things in weird places. But, on the other hand, this was my oppurtunity to make Nightstalker my Sableye again, and you guys attach a 15 point price tag on it.

[DarkestLight]

o.o. Stall was fundamentally borked, yes and I've really tried to make it more than fair now. In the same vein, some other abilities are changing their function a bit (Sturdy comes to mind), so primary Abilities that get a bit of a tweak are not as deeply changed as switching to an all new ability (ie. Plastic surgery for a scar on your face versus a new arm).

Were you thinking of switching to Teasing Heart with Nightstalker?

[chaos_redefined]

Veekun called it mischeivous heart, but yeah.

As I said, I'm not getting up you for making it more fair, but it is an aspect that you are changing, and I would prefer to be able to switch to something else instead if I so desired. Old stall vs new stall is a rather notable change, in all versions you have presented so far. As I said, I'm not complaining that you are making that change, though. I recognize that old stall is a bit much.

While I am unaware of your other planned changes, the change in stall does not fall under your comparison to plastic surgery vs prosthetic limbs. The things they affect are fundamentally different. Old stall affects posting order while new stall affects stats. It's as close as a comparison as between Ninjask and Shedinja. Sure, they both are somewhat related (name in case of stall, Nincada and the bug type in the case of Ninjask/Shedinja), but that's about it.

You're already giving me a prosthetic leg. I'm asking for a different one. That's what my case comes down to.

[DarkestLight]

the change in stall does not fall under your comparison to plastic surgery vs prosthetic limbs.

Yeah Ima hafta point out that Ninjask and Shedinja both come from the same evolutionary line which makes them super related, not somewhat. Thats like saying Jolteons and Flareons are not related even though they come from the same base form :/ Shenaaaanigans.

Anyway, here's a better desc. of Stall now with legs as the parallel

Old Stall: Old leg. Works a little too well, gives you unfair advantage in running. Had a disclaimer that it would be fixed as soon as a replacement came along.

New Stall: New version of older leg, more equal in maneuverability than old one-course old one seems better, it was borked in the first place.

Altogether different ARM: Does something unlike the legs, cause its an ARM. Stall both old and new, deal with movement speed wise within the battle-whether always going last or equaling out so no one has an advantage.

Thieving/Mischievous heart changes so that all non attack moves get to be priority-thereby doing something completely different. It gives you a weird advantage somewhat in situations, rather than complete a) trumping or b) negating (both of which are similar because they both completly do something to give Sableye as a being some help speed wise, not just affect its moves..) Therefore, its neither a nor b, making it a complete different scenario altogether that doesn't fit with either (in as such it only work for non attacking moves, making it work with only *half*(rough guess) of Sableye's moves, making it hugely situational in every round rather than a noted effect upon bringing it in.

That sounds convoluted, I realize. Just had to get it out of my head so I can look at it in digitized form.


All of this is pure talk however, because-as stated before- there will be a crapton more ways to get new Abilities to your Pokemon. At least 3 come to mind. All with varying degrees of prices and time durations. When the Giveaway is fully explained in what, 11 days, (gawd that soon?), things can all be squared away.

There will be more opportunities. This wouldnt be ASB if there weren't.

[Greyfox]

Those of you who don't like the pricey cost of the Tokens can always check out the reffing tower for the promotion there.

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

I think they're just to much whining. Seriously.

Also, the reason we boosted it up from 10 to 15 is because it should be that expensive. If you want bigger boobs, you'll need a lot of cash for a surgery. You can't change your boobs for 2dollar just because they might suit you better.

Also, it's not like we're getting something out of the 15 points, we just want you to play and work hard

[RaZoR LeAf]

You can buy a pokemon for 2 points and give it a new ability. 3 points to evolve it once, 4 points to evolve it again. 7 points less than a token.

Not objecting, just sayin'

[Blademaster]

Like I said, I have no complaints. But awesome PR right there, to claim your customers are whining too much.

[chaos_redefined]

To be fair, RL, that's been covered with the cloning comments. As I said, if anyone has received a gift from me and wishes that it had a new ability, I will not be offended if you switch it with a clone and pretend the clone is the one I gave you.

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

I'm not out to sell anything, DL is the nice guy

You guys just whine a lot, but that counts for the entire internet so don't stress.

[Ayeun]

11 days? But the game is released in: 8 days, 23 hours, 0 minutes, and 4 seconds (at time of post.)

Funny clock which is counting down.