Pokémon Donjon Mystère: le jeu de rôles (édition bilingue!!)
de Groudon Jr

Pokémon: Mystery Dungeon
The Role-Playing Game

What is this?

You surely know the video game Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, or at least the pokémon universe, with its fantastic creatures with unique abilities. This is a purely informal role-playing game based on the dungeon-crawling video game. You'll incarnate either one of the inhabitants of this world, or the all-mighty Dungeon Master, or DM (mostly known as the Game Master or GM in other role playing games) who will create the scenario and incarnate all the foes and allies players can or will encounter. These pages will teach you all the present rules, confirmed and tested, of the very first Pokemon Mystery Dungeon RPG.

/!\ This is not an official RPG! I didn't ask for the rights to the pokémon company, so if you want to share it to your friends, remember it isn't and never will be buy-able. It'll always stay free in respect of the tremendous work the Nintendo employees gave to bring us their all-time classics games. /!\

Thanks a lot, but what is exactly a role-playing game?

If you already know what a RPG is, you needn't read this paragraph. But be careful not to confuse with a RPG video game or a MMORPG. You don't need a computer nor a TV to play this kind of role-playing game. If you want to compare with things you already know, imagine a mix between drama, board games and a roleplay gamebook. Like in drama, you will play the role of a character, in this one, a pokémon. You will have to tell what (s)he'll tell, what (s)he'll do, how (s)he'll react etc... By the only mean of your speech, you will create a story starred by your own character (and perhaps those of your friends). If you compare with drama, you could say it's like improvisation, because you don't know the scenario nor how your character is supposed to react. You only know the way your character is bound to react or to feel, which leads us to the gamebook point. In a gamebook, you have several choices of what you can do in a same scenario, which is already written. According to your reactions, the story will change, unlike in a great many video games. And, finally, it looks like a board game. No, you needn't any board to play. What I mean is that there are rules you have to follow and dice you'll have to roll to know if you have succeeded in your actions or not. Similarly to a board game, you'll also need other players to play this game and have fun, for role-playing games aren't interesting if other players aren't there to help you or, in the contrary, to try and stop you from doing anything stupid or with bad consequences for them. But RPGs have also proper stuff, unique stuff you don't find in the three higher activities. Most of the time, RPGs are competitions between the players -usually in the same team- and the Dungeon or Game Master. This player will be alone in his (or her) own team. But fear him: the GM has loads of powers (sorry ladies, but to be faster and clearer, I will consider the DM's a man. Apologies) . First of all, he wrote the scenario, or at least prepared it. He's the one who will play all the opponents, allies, and other characters that are not played by the players. It can be both important, friendly characters as it can be violent and strong foes you'll only see once and don't even have a name. The role of the players are, well, to have fun first of all, since it is the very aim of all games, but then they will also have to fulfill their own goals. These can be to have the more money they can, or to catch troublemakers, to help others, or simply to live unforgettable adventures. The DM's goal isn't to stop or to defeat the players. His difficult role is to make his players have fun and enjoy their adventures. This doesn't mean he has to help them all the time, but remember all great adventures, in video games, books or movies, are always mixes of black and white; of happy events with less happy events. You see what I mean. The players' adventures won't be easy, but they have to be interesting enough for them to enjoy and have fun. The average role playing game session lasts from 2 to 3 hours and a half, but it can also be a very short scenario of roughly an hour, or a very long scenario which can be longer, but for long scenarios there are also campaigns which are a bit like seasons of TV series, scenarios which are in link with each other but which are played during different sessions.

OK, so let's go!

Wait a minute! There are loads of things you have to know before playing. First -it could seam obvious but be careful because it's not that simple- you have to find players. One of them will have to be the DM. Then, this player will have to prepare a scenario for his players to live. Later on I will explain you how to create a scenario and what you have to put in it. You can also use an already made scenario. Secondly, players will have to read or to know the rules. All players mustn't read them, but the DM shall at least read them in order to explain them to his players. Thirdly, all players must have their own character sheets.

Their what?!

Character sheets. I told you that you would incarnate characters. But to state how they are, how good they are in certain things and how bad they are in others, you will have to fill the blanks of your character sheet. The figures and the words you will write on it will help you and the other players understand easily your strong and weak points and will be of great help during the game. You have two possibilities: you can either create your own character sheet which will represent your very own character, or take one which has already been filled. You can ask for your Game Master to do it, or use one you've found somewhere else, on the net for instance.

Well, somebody will have to create this character in a way or another. How to?

That's easy, but maybe a bit long to read, so be prepared. Don't worry, filling your character sheet won't take more than a half to a full hour. First of all you need to print it or to copy it (I made a character sheet, so feel free to use it at will, its design is to be used). If you decide to print, print it blank and then fill it, since you will need to be able to write, erase, and rewrite information all over the paper. Get ready? Now, you have to imagine what your character will be. In this RPG, you will take on the role of pokémons, and only of pokémons, as in the game it is based upon. Decide what will be his job (explorer, cop, gangster, treasure or bounty hunter...), his specie, you will also need to think about his strong and weak points and his global past life. Even if all these details aren't asked in the character sheet, your having thought of it will make the character more alive and will help you incarnate him. You should talk about your character with your DM for him to decide if you can use that concept or not. For instance, it is not advised for players to take on the roles of legendary (Kyurem, Mewtwo) or semi-legendary (Regirock, Latias) pokémons. It is advised that you just start playing incarnating non-evolved characters, but if your DM allows you for a special scenario, feel free. When it'll be done, follow these instructions:

1. Who is your character? At the top of the page, in the middle space, write your name, your character's name, and a resume of who he is. Is he a male or a female? What pokémon is he? What's his job and daily attitude? Don't write too much; the square's not that big.
2. Now go left, in the square topped “attributes” and “species bonus”. You have six qualities. Each of them are there to describe how your character is physically, mentally etc... For each of them, you'll have to give a number from 5 to 0. You can't put a number twice, each of them has to correspond to an attribute. 5 is the best you can have at the beginning of your character creation, and 0 the lowest. As each of these attributes has a significance, you have to know the meaning of each to give them values: Strength represents his mere force, how strong he is, how painful his punches are... If your character often carries giant boulders for exercise, he'll need Strength. Constitution represents his stamina and his being able-bodied, more or less. If your character is a long-time runner or able to endure violent sandstorms, he'll need Constitution. Intelligence represents his global knowledge, his ability to think, deduce, etc... If your character can call Sherlock Holmes stupid, he is either stupid himself and ignorant, or he has lots of Intelligence points. Charisma represents his being good-looking, his presence and how much people respect him. If your character charms everyone with his stunning look, that means he has some Charisma points. Dexterity represents his being dexterous and agile as well as his rapidity and his easiness to dodge or jump. If your character goes to work every morning by jumping from tree to tree, well that means he has quite a lot of Dexterity points. And, finally, Will represents his force of will, his courage, resolution, etc... Not to be easily convinced or mentally controlled, you will need Will points.
3. According to the specie of pokémon you took, your DM will give you one or more special species bonus attributes points. These are points you gain from being this particular pokémon. For example, an Alakazam will grant Intelligence points whereas a Nosepass will have more Constitution for being tough as rock. Usually, you should have species bonus points equal to your evolution level: a base pokémon such as Pikachu will have one point, another point when it evolves, and thrice evolved pokémons three points. But if you or your DM feels you have not enough points, you can have as many additional bonuses as added negative points. For instance, if you are playing a Graveler, you may gain in Force and Constitution since he is a big, physical pokémon. But as he is heavy, you could allow yourself more Force and Constitution points by subtracting Dexterity points to your starting level. These points shouldn't exceed two or three, don't give too many bonuses or negative points, or the points you previously assigned on stage 2 won't be of any meaning. Remember points granted in phase 2 are proper to your own character and that stage 3's are proper to the specie in itself.
4. Ask your DM the level of your pokémon. It will represent only his fighting experience, and it will be useful for knowing when you will learn new attacks. The DM should give you points according to the level of your allies and opponents but also by referring to the level in which your character gains new aptitudes. Write your level in the middle left box of the character sheet.
5. Now that you have your aptitudes points and your level, you will get your combat figures. In the upper left box, you can see six different combat skills, from maximum Health Points (HP max) to Special Defense. Below each of them you have an addition of attributes. With a pencil or another writing device you will be able to erase, make the corresponding additions. You get your level 0 combat skills. Then, you will see the importance of the level previously asked: double your level. With these points, you will upgrade your fighting values. As for aptitudes, each of them as a different meaning: HP max is the total of injuries you can take before being Knocked Out. Attack and Special Attack is your precision for the two different types of attacks, how sure you can be to hit your foe. Defense and Special Defense are your dodging values for both types of attacks. Contrary to the video game's values, defense and special defense aren't subtracted from the injury level of the attack you receive: if your defense or special defense is high enough, you won't get any damage. Finally, Save is a special defense for several special effects such as dodging a rock you hadn't seen fall or resist against poison. After adding all your level x 2 points to your basic combat skills, you will obtain your basic combat skills, the ones you will use while starting the game. You could want to be kind of balanced, or in the contrary to be very weak in some skills and very strong in others, it depends on how you want your character to be.
6. According to your level, see the moves your pokémon could have learned. Select as much moves as you and your DM want (not more than 4! as in the games, no pokémon can learn more than 4 moves) in this list, and convert the video game data in role playing data. This is not very difficult: the name and type remain the same; the power is 1D6 for moves of 10 to 50 of power, 2D6 for moves of 60 to 90, 3D6 for moves of 100 to 120 and 4D6 for upper power. If it is a special move, it'll be XD6 + Int, and if it is a physical move, it'll be XD6 + Str; your DM will tell you what the effects are according to the way he sees it is produced. It can be information as “paralysis” or “poison”, but it can also be “downgrade defense” or “upgrade save” or even “contact move”, “distance move”, etc...
7. According to the job you've chosen for your character, your DM will grant you a special treasure bag's size. In fact, jobs like treasure hunter, robber or explorer will require a far larger treasure bag than cops or bounty hunters. A middle sized bag is 14; a tiny bag's size is 9 and a great sized bag is 18. This size will be upgraded later on in the game and your DM can decide to give you a different size. Be careful not to have a too tiny or too large bag. In the first case, you will be forced to put items in your own very hands, which will tricky when fighting, and in the second most of the room in your bag won't be used, so it'll useless too.
8. Choose your defects and qualities. These will define the being of your character, roughly. It can be impulsive, kindhearted, born to be a leader, easily frightened... Choose at least one quality and one defect, and do not exceed two or three of both. It should be balanced, and not a defect facing five qualities. These qualities and defects will grant you more story points if you play your character consequently or make you lose them if you forgive to play your character this way.
9. Add five to your Intelligence amount -which can be negative if you had a basic 0 and a minus for specie bonus. You will obtain your amount of skills. Skills are specific situations in which you are stronger. During the game, you will often use them. They are an addition of two basic attributes with your personal experience in the subject. Choose as many skills as your intelligence plus five in which your character will be strong at: they will be your starting skills. In the base column, write the addition of the two attributes under brackets, in bonus put a one and in the total column put the addition of the previous two. If you feel your character doesn't need to have that many skills, you can decide to add a +1 in bonus for one of the skills you've already chosen instead of learning a new skill.
10. Dance a little bit, for your character sheet creation is over!

Hurray! That was quite long.

Don't worry. If all goes well, you will use the same characters in many scenarios, so this sheet won't have to be written whenever you want to play the role-playing game.

But doesn't the Game Master need to have his own character sheet?

Yes and no. He won't play a single character, but all the other pokémons the players will encounter. He doesn't need a specific character sheet for himself, but he will need one for each of the specific character he thinks he has to make a character sheet for. This will be explain more precisely in another section. Now, we will talk about the game in itself.

Good idea! So, how do we play?

Provided you have a Dungeon Master, one or more players, character sheets for each of them, six-sided dice (called D6) and twenty-sided dice (called D20), you can start to play. You could also want a folding screen for the DM to hide his precious information to the players, pencils and blank sheets of paper to write information, notes, dungeon maps... If you have Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky, I advise you to use the sky jukebox to play with the video game's music. It has proved very interesting and helping to be in the mood of the game. If not, you can use other sources of music which are linked with the scenario, but I do prefer the pokémon game's music.
Once you have all you need to play, and that you have enough time (usually from 2 to 4 hours) to play, you can start. The role playing game is often kind of a discussion between DM and players, players and DM and players with other players. Remember that players will only take on the roles of their own characters whereas the DM will play all the other characters players will encounter. So, I told you this will be a discussion between players and DM. Below is an example of an extract of a game. It'll take place in the pokémon town, and then in a dungeon, for they are the main places you will play in:

DM: OK, let's play Mystery Dungeon!
Axel: Hurray!!
Sandra: I will play my explorer Squirtle.
Axel: And me my Gabite bounty hunter! Yeah!
Phil: As for me, I will play my wonderful cop Metang!
DM: Cool! Let's get started: You wake up for another day of exploration. The sun is shining brightly and the merchants have already opened their shops. You all go to the town squaez, and then the sheriff Magnezone calls for a public announce. “BZZT! Be careful you all, BZZT! We have learned that a mighty outlaw, Bisharp, has been seen in the Emerald Cave and that he is prone to attack any team which goes there. BZZT! Since he is very dangerous, the bounty for his capture will be high enough, BZZT! Thanks for your attention.” Then, all inhabitants of the town go back to their occupations.
Sandra: Yeah! An all new dungeon to explore! I must go there!
Phil: Wait a minute! Bisharp must be a very powerful foe! If you confront him, he may knock you out! Someone should go and protect you.
Axel: And that would be me!
Phil: (sigh) Don't be silly; the only thing you want is the bounty for his capture.
Axel: Absolutely!
Sandra: Boys...
Phil: OK, I think I shall go with you two to be sure all is going right.
Sandra: Thank you guys! Let's go!

In this extract, we can see the very beginning of the game. Obviously, the game will be axed upon the exploration of the Emerald Cave and the capture of Bisharp. We can also see that though the three jobs of the players are different, they are able to cooperate and to go together to the same dungeon. It is advised for the DM to try and gather the player in the same dungeon, even if not in the same team. If you play the role playing game with all the players in different dungeons, there won't be much interaction. If the players had decided not to go together, the DM would have probably found a way to gather them. For instance, he would have sent Bisharp or another outlaw stealing Sandra's treasure bag or Magnezone would have sent his officer, Metang, to try and catch Bisharp before there is more trouble. As you may have seen, the DM says much more than the players. He has to set the atmosphere with descriptions, but also incarnating characters like sheriff Magnezone with their proper ways of talking “BZZT!”. All this is very important and makes a session of role playing alive and interesting. A role playing session shan't be a series of dice rolls, players should entertain themselves, and this is the difficult role of the DM. Now let's look at another extract:

DM: Now you are just outside the Emerald Cave. The dark entrance contrasts with the light green crystals which make the very walls. They should be very expensive, but they are so struck in the rock that it seems almost impossible to remove them. So, what do you do?
Axel: Well, if we do not enter, nothing will happen.
Sandra: Let's come in!
DM: The dark cave is enlightened by the friendly gleaming of the crystals of the walls. There seems to be no living soul in there, but the howling wind does not reassure you at all. You are walking in the crystal corridor, but three different passages open to your view.
Phil: Where shall we go?
Sandra: Aren't there any traces of someone who has taken this way?
DM: Make a Tracking roll.
Axel: Me too!

Ah ah! First dice roll! Here, the dungeon master asked Sandra to make a Tracking roll. That means she has to roll the D20 and to add to the result her amount of Tracking, if her character has this skill. If she hasn't, she looks at the attributes of the skill and takes the bonus of the higher level. She has to make the higher roll as possible. The DM has fixed a difficulty, hidden or not, that Sandra has to beat to make her roll a success. The difficulty depends on the conditions of the test. If it is in bright daylight, with items that helps tracking, the difficulty will be low. In the contrary, if it is in the dark, with a clever outlaw who knows how to erase traces of passage, it'll be a higher difficulty. Now, we consider that there is just enough light to see, and that Bisharp is experienced enough to hide his footprints. The test is difficult, which corresponds to a 15 difficulty. If the addition of the D20 plus Sandra's tracking skill is equal or higher to the difficulty (here 15), then she will find enough traces to consider this is the way Bisharp took. If not, she hasn't found enough traces, or she is not sure whether it is a passage way or another the outlaw took. But then there are critical results. If, before adding the skill bonus, the result on the die is a 1, it is a critical failure. In addition of failure in finding traces, she has made things worse. For instance, she can be sure of the passage she takes while in fact she is going in the direction of a magma pit, or she could have made too much noise and that could have brought wild pokémons to them which attack the group. On the other hand, if there is a natural 20 on the die, it is a critical hit. She has found the right corridor and something else, for example where he is now, how far he is, if he is alone etc... After the resolve of all the rolls, the players should choose their passage. In case of a critical failure, and if the DM chose that the character is sure about a wrong answer, the player must take the passage. Let's consider the roll is a success and that all players take the same passage -which isn't always what the players do. Always remember players are prone to annoy the DM and to choose the less releasable solution.

DM: You are walking for quite a while when, suddenly, you arrive in a room. There are four pillars in this room, but it seems it is a dead end
Sandra: Isn't there another passage?
DM: Search roll, difficulty 12.
Sandra: Success!
DM: OK then! At the other hand of the room, there is a heavy Boldore which prevents you to pass. There is a corridor behind him, but it seems he doesn't want to let you through.
Phil: Is he awake?
DM: Now, yes, and he would have surely liked a longer nap. He stares at you with a crossed look.
Phil: I try and calm him!
DM: Diplomacy roll of 25.
Axel: Ouch! Prepare to fight, Phil!
Phil: ...Argh! Failure!
DM: Well make a defense roll then, to dodge a Rock Slide
Axel: Ah ha! Waited too long for a good fight! What's then, Phil?
Phil: Made a roll of 13
DM: Sorry, but it's a hit. Close, but not enough.
Phil: Damages?
DM: Two D6 plus Strength... Ten damages.
Phil: Metang's a steel pokémon, I only take five.
Axel: Revenge attack! Dragon Claw!
DM: Ok so he makes...
Axel: No need to roll, I've made a 1...
Sandra: Not very lucky today, guys?
DM: OK so you walked towards him but you stumbled and fell at its feet. Take 2 damages.
Axel: Ouch! I stand up and attack again!
Sandra: Wait a minute! My turn! Bubblebeam!
DM: He's made a fifteen, and you?
Sandra: Ah ah! Watch this! Twenty-two!
DM: Well done! Damages?
Sandra: 8! But he is a rock pokémon, so...
DM: Knock-out! Showered, he falls, still dazed. He won't rise again for long.
Sandra: Yeah!
DM: You got 20 experience points.
Sandra: That's enough to get my new level!
Axel: That's not fair! I would have upped too if I hadn't rolled this damned one!
Sandra: I added a point in defense and health points.
DM: Good! Now, let's continue...

You previously had an example of fight. After a failed test of diplomacy, the fight begins. Combats are considered as opposition tests, which is to say that the difficulty of the test is the result of the opponent. The one who makes the higher roll succeeds. With a one, the attack has failed and you undergo a penalty whereas you immediately brilliantly succeed if you roll a 20. But this is if you are the attacker, since you can be the target of an attack too. With a roll of 1, it's a critical hit against you. But with a result of twenty, not only you dodged the attack, but you have the opportunity to attack your opponent. There are four types of attack. If you do not use a move, the attacker uses attack and the defender uses defense. If the attack hits, the attacker chooses either to make damages equal to its strength level or to roll a die for damages without any bonus. If the attacker uses a physical move, you use the same combat skills. In case of success, add the result of one or several dices to your basic strength. When you don't use a move, don't count weakness nor resilience, but when using a move, don't forget the type of the attack for your damages: double (water versus a fire pokémon) or multiply by four (grass versus a rock and ground pokémon) if the attack is strong against the opponent, and divide it by two (fire against a water pokémon) or by four (water versus a dragon and grass pokémon) if resilient, or even lower it to 0 if it doesn't have any effect (thunder versus a ground pokémon). If the attacker uses a special move, he uses Spe. Attack while his target uses Spe. Defense. To get damages, add your basic intelligence to one or several dice. For each of these three types of attack, a natural 20 means that you have made a critical hit. If so, double up the damages. Finally, there are status moves which don't make damages. Most of them hit immediately, but if your DM decides that you have to make a roll, he'll tell you what combat skill to use while your opponent will have to use his save value. These attacks don't make damages. Instead, they lower opponent's stats, give bonus points to allies or create special effects such as poison, speed etc... Most of the time, the aim of a battle is to knock out your opponent by attacking him. When he has much or more damages than his HP max value, he is K.O. and you have won the fight. Otherwise, the fight continues. The example's fight was very short because Boldore was a weak enemy. You usually encounter several of these pokémons in dungeons, pokémons that are not very powerful and easily defeated. There are enemies that are so weak that the first successful attack knocks them out, and they often are accompanied or in a swarm. But you can also encounter stronger enemies, called nemesis. These enemies have much more combat skills, and the fight will be longer. This will obviously be the case when fighting Bisharp in the example. When you are in a long battle, it is important to keep track of who must play after who. The character -is he played by a player or by the DM- with the higher initiative value starts first, then the second etc. If tied, the pokémon with the higher dexterity starts, and if tied again, roll a die for each pokémon involved in the second tie. When the character with the lowest dexterity has played, another turn starts with the pokémons with the higher initiative. The fight continues as long as there are opponents, or as long as there is enmity between the characters. You can, as Phil wanted, try to resolve a fight peacefully. But the more pokémons will take damages, the less they will be prone to cooperate or, in the contrary, if they are to lose their last HPs, they could want to save themselves by finding an alternative to the fight. For players can be knocked out too: if they're out of HPs, they fall unconscious. If the K.O. player has a resurrect seed, this player recovers all his HPs and is ready and well again. If all players are unconscious, wicked things can happen, but most of the time your DM will have you warped back to town, maybe with a few items left behind. But remember that despite of the risk the great advantage of a fight is the experience you gain after successfully finishing it. The DM decides what the amount of experience gained will be according to the powerfulness of the beaten opponent, and dispatches it among the players. If a player is the only one to have taken part in the fight, he'll be the only one to gain experience, such as in the example. In the contrary, if all players have taken part in the battle, the DM will have to dispatch Xp. Those who didn't make any damages nor made anything for the players to win the fight don't get any experience point. All this is decided by the DM. No matter at which level players are, they always level up whenever they have a hundred or more experience points, hence your considering them as a percentage. This also means that when players will grow from experience, they will gain less and less Xp from their first enemies. Combat is the only way to get combat experience, and therefore the same way to gain new points in combat skills, new moves and for most of the pokémons to evolve. When a character crosses the hundred Xp barrier, he must lose 100 Xp, gain a level, add one point in two different combat skills, and eventually learn a new move and/or evolve. To check at which level you learn moves or evolve, I recommend you to see on pokémon websites since I do the same. Remember that, as in the video game, you can't have more than four moves. If you have less than four, just add your new move's information to your grid at the bottom of your character sheet. If not, you will have either to erase one of your former moves or not to learn the new one. As for evolution, you have to choose immediately if evolving or not. If you choose not, you won't be able to go back. When evolving, get all your HP back, lose all bad status effects and get immediately your additional specie bonus in the aptitude your DM chooses. When evolving, don't forget to add points in skills and combat skills in which this specific aptitude is involved. To conclude, don't forget that there is this very useful square in your character sheet to help you keeping track of the temporary loss of combat skills, HPs or even your status, instead of scribbling directly on your combat skills. That is the reason why it is absolutely compulsory to use pencils and erasers when you play -well, not compulsory, but at least very much advised. Now, let's say that Phil, Alex and Sandra have almost finished their scenario for the last extract:

DM: End of the fight! Phil's Dynamic Punch is a success and knocked the evil Bisharp out. He makes three steps backward, and finally falls, out of consciousness. You won.
Sandra: Yeah!
Axel: I knew we could make it!
DM: 90 experience points everyone!
Sandra: Level up!
Axel: Me too!
Phil: While the two others grow from experience, I walk forward the unconscious outlaw, grab my police badge, and say “In the name of justice, you're under arrest!”
DM: Well that was a good one! Two story points Phil! Bisharp disappears in a column of light. He has been warped into jail where Magnezone must be very proud of you three. Time to go back home, isn't it?
Axel: I do think so.
Phil: Well, we have found the treasure in here, defeated our arch enemy... What could be happening next?
Sandra: Just get back home.
DM: OK, so, back in town, Magnezone is, indeed, very happy: “BZZT! Says he, Bravo for your arresting this dangerous criminal! You must have what you deserve: money! (you all get 2 000 pokédollars)
Axel: We're rich! We're rich!.. We should have asked more!
Phil: Wait a minute... Magnezone promised more money. Something wrong is happening, isn't it?
DM: I think you have the psychology skill?
Phil: Yep. Made a sixteen.
DM: Magnezone looks indeed worried. Noticing you saw it, he adds “But I have another mission for you three. You surely know the renowned robber, Druddigon, the only criminal to have escaped our prison.
Sandra: Yes, why?
Axel: You don't mean..?
DM: Yes indeed. He has helped his friend Bisharp out of jail. These two must be catched before they make trouble again.
Axel: That's the kind of job I like! Ready for another adventure?
Sandra and Phil: Always!!

That was the final extract! Don't be too sorry not to see the three explorers again, soon you and your mates will have far more interesting adventures. But let's go back to the rules. A good ending makes a better start for the next scenario. Most of the time, at the end of a scenario involving a great fight, players receive loads of Xp, but also money and items from the police or Wigglytuff depending on the type of mission you chose. As I said before, a good end of a game makes the players want to have another session, so you might be using an opening to a next scenario or a cliffhanger, especially if in a campaign. At the end of the extract, two things are possible: the four players can either give up playing for this time and continue another day, or they can go for another adventure if they have time to. If they decide to finish their session, they will have their rewards. At the end of each game session, players shall receive Story Points which will grant them new skills, skill bonus and aptitude points. Usually, at the end of a scenario, all players should gain from 7 to 10 story points for ending the scenario, plus personal story points for personal achievements. The DM gives points to the players who made courageous or heroic actions, found intelligent solutions to problems, tried to help the other players, played with their qualities and defects etc... This amount can also be reduced by the DM if players have been playing selfishly, found very bad solutions which made things worse, ran away from all the fights and ignored qualities and defects. These story points are kind of experience points too, but they're interpretation points whereas XP are considered as fighting experience points. But maybe you would like to know how to use them? That's pretty easy. First, it has to be at the end of a playing session. Then you decide how much points you want to spend. With ten story points, you can buy new skill points. Add as many bonus points as your halved Intelligence in whatever skills you want. You can add several bonus to a same skill. For a spent amount of 30 story points, you can buy new skills. Buy up to your halved Intelligence new skills. As during your character creation, you make the addition between the two aptitudes and then you add always a bonus of one, more if you decide to buy less skills. Finally, you can decide to level up your aptitudes. If you spend 50 story points, you can add a point in any aptitude. Don't forget to add a point in all skills and combat skills which involve this aptitude. But there is another way of using story points which is during the game. While rolling a D20 for a test, if the result is too low, you can decide to spend a story point to re-roll. You can re-roll as many times as you want by spending a point each time you re-roll, but remember that a natural roll of 1 cannot be re-rolled. It can only be done on your own rolls. You can't spend a story point to make an ally or an opponent, is he played by the DM or a player, re-roll their own rolls. It can be useful if, for example, your opponent beat you because you've done a small roll, and if you could have beaten him if you have made a few points more. But if you failed because he had a very high roll and very high skills, it may not be useful to spend your story points. You would better keep them for experience or for another roll. It is unlikely that a single roll makes you lose a whole game, so don't be discouraged if out of story points or if they aren't efficient. Keep also in mind that these points help you growing for experience, so it can be useful not to spend them and keep them for really critical situations or even the end of the game. It is absolutely necessary for the DM to give -or to take back- story points during the game to encourage players to play their characters according to the way they were initially designed but also to fill again their stocks. This is the end of the examples!

Now that was for players. But could you give us tips for Dungeon Masters?

Sure. The Dungeon Master should be the more experienced of the players, and he must have read the complete rules, even if the one to have done so. He must be imaginative enough to create whole scenarios, and he should be able to visualize and to take on the roles of several characters. His job is particularly difficult, but with training it's more and more easy, and it is an error not to think it can be funny too. But what should the DM exactly do? I'm here to tell you:
The DM is here to tell a story. He is the Shakespeare and his players are the actors. Even if they are prone not to follow the path you would have thought they would and to go their own ways, the main story is created by the DM. He must be able to change the story according to how his players behave. He must be the less imperative as possible in order to make the players feel they're not forced to follow a scenario. But you should have enough authority and influence both on your players and on your story to lead them back in the main story when they have to, which leads us to the second point;
The DM is a referee. He knows the rules and is here for the players to follow them. He must both help the players understand them, make them remember some details of the rules -especially concerning story points- and advise them, but he has also to keep the players straight in following the rules. You mustn't be too severe, for you are not here to blame your players all the time. Be soft, and if you think the rules undermine the playing pleasure, feel free to change them at will. You can even cheat to help your players get out of not very funny situations, since you are the keeper of the rules. But don't forget either that you command.
For the DM is also a player. Even if he has more powers than the other players, he is here to have fun. When he writes his scenario, he creates situations that are interesting both for his players and for himself. He must have fun taking on the roles of very different characters, using funny voices, creating tricky or stupid situations.
Eventually, the DM is an unique human being, and he has therefore his own point of view upon the subject of role-playing. If he dislikes some rules, if he has better ideas, he should feel free to make it as he wants to. If he wants to make very serious sagas or in the contrary a burlesque show, he should feel free still.

Now, how to play your scenarios? First, you must find one interesting enough for you to use it. You can use scenarios you've found on the net or even create your very own scenarios (tips for writing scenarios later on), but be careful that these scenarios will match with the way your players' characters incarnate them. For example, if your players' group have taken pacifists or weak pokemons, playing a scenario which involve numerous fights won't be a good thing for your players. You must think of the fun you and your players are likely to have while playing it before choosing/writing your scenario. In a scenario, you have the main story, you have main -and secondary- characters, and you have locations. These three points must always be kept secret from your players: secrets about characters shouldn't be known, they shouldn't know what is going to happen, and dungeon maps shouldn't be known either. The main story is the path your players are the most likely to follow. It has to be full of cliffhangers, and it should also be coherent enough for your players to follow. Remember that your players might use very different ways, so you should be prepared to change your scenario according to how your players behave. As for characters, you should divide them into two categories: important and nothings. Important characters are likely to be seen in other scenarios; they have their own way of thinking and of acting, and will often interact with players. Nothings are characters you see when you cross the street. You see them, sometimes you have a piece of talking with them or you fight them, but you forget them as soon as you don't see them anymore, and then they cease to exist. Well yes, sometimes your players get interested in nothings, and then they become important characters, but it's not that likely to happen. Usually, important characters have much better character sheets than nothings. For, of course, you should write character sheets for your characters, at least for important ones. These sheets can be simplified; you don't have to follow the whole process to create them. If you judge they won't use certain abilities, you shouldn't give them to these characters (example: you create a pokémon whose only aim is to fight players; if he hasn't any special move, no need to give him Spe. attack). You don't have to make the additions either: you choose by yourself every figure matching with as many skills as you want. Be careful however that they aren't too strong for your characters or in the contrary too weak, even though it can be your aim to create very weak characters if they are to be in large groups of opponents. If you create important characters in order to be strong foes of end of scenarios, it'd be wise to allow them a large number of Health Points. Eventually, you have locations. A great many of locations in the mystery dungeon role-playing game are -surprise surprise- dungeons. You have also other locations, such as the city, but the great part of the action will be in dungeons. In the city, there will be the player(s)'s house(s) and the numerous stores and services. Major stores that should almost compulsorily appear are the bank, where players can stock money between dungeons, a storeroom in which players can keep their surplus items, a signpost where players can sign in for missions (in a guild for example) and the kecleon shop, where they can buy common items (apples, berries, rocks etc...). These are the basic places there should be, but they are plenty of other places you can add in the town, both in-game locations and ones that you'd have created. Keep in mind that your scenarios will often start there, so there should be life enough for you to make it realistic and living. Imagine before starting the game which pokémons live in the city, even if the players aren't to meet them, so you won't be too startled when your players will want to talk with inhabitants. Giving a name to the city in which the characters live is a way to make it more realistic. Dungeons are a little more complicated, mostly because because they are very different from the ones you find in the video game. Often, they will be of only one floor, which will be much more easy to manage with, and their appearance will never change. If players go back to a dungeon in which they had been previously, it'll remain the same. Personally, I prefer to draw maps of the dungeons in which the players will go. With this method, it is easy to keep track of where the characters are, what they encounter, what treasures they find etc... but it is not at all compulsory. If you want it to be easier, you could also improvise or have your map in your own head, that's not a problem provided you can manage. When creating a dungeon, you should ask yourself several questions: What does it look like? Where is it? Why will the characters explore it? What kind of pokémons will they encounter? All of the information about it shouldn't be known by the players but they will rather discover it while exploring. The appearance of the dungeon and its cartography should be known only for the rooms in which they enter. They will know the pokémons who inhabit it only if they meet them. Don't make the dungeons too big, if you do players are likely to get lost and never to find what you've hidden in it. It is also important that there isn't only one way to get to the objective. Dungeons are like labyrinths, even if not that difficult labyrinths. Treasures should also be hidden in, above all if you have treasure hunters in your players' group. You don't have to make them big, expensive treasures, but rather well hidden and useful gifts you would make to the players, even if huge amounts of gold and chests could be the aim of their exploration. The challenge is to make dungeons that are different from room to room furthermore than being different from a dungeon to another. You should have a list of all the pokémons that the players are likely to encounter, even if not using all of them, for it'll be easier to improvise.
When you are a DM, you have to handle these three aspects of the scenario, even if it's not yours. You have to be capable of playing all your characters, of describing every single detail of a landscape and of seeing the whole of the storyline. A few notes and maps for dungeons can be enough, but since you are an unique player, you should use the way of ruling the game that fits the most to your own way of playing. Now ruling the game isn't that difficult, once your scenario is ready. You just have to follow your notes and the objectives of the DM, and it should be perfect. Meanwhile, being a DM requires a little bit of talent, for interpreting characters as well as for creating stories and locations, but like characters who gain Xp you will gain experience yourself by playing again and again. Someone has to be the DM, and even if it seems a bit freaky at the beginning, with self-confidence it'll become great fun.
Now, tips for writing your own scenarios. First, you must decide if it's going to be a one-shot, a stand-alone, in two words a story that is independent from the other scenarios, or an element of a campaign, which will have incidence on the rest of the big story you and your players will be writing. A story is founded on a launching point which makes the action starts. Will a gangster kidnap a friend of the players'? Will a rumor about a daydream treasure be heard in town? Will aliens arrive in your world and spread darkness on their ways (yes, it is possible, even in the pokémon world!)? It is your choice; as long as you know whether it'll be possible to make a story of that, do whatever you want. Thus, scenarios are also founded on major places, often dungeons. It can be that players will explore this dungeon or that they will travel in an all-new region and will go from a corner to the other of this area during the game. You must make opponents character sheets that will match with your players' present level. If you are writing your own scenarios this is easy, for you are to decide what figures to give to your characters. But if you are using someone else's scenario, adjust the values so that opponents are just a little stronger than players, or weaker if they're just ordinary foes in a dungeon. When writing scenario, you will have to foresee what players are going to do, and this has to do with experience too. You will have to predict what their strategy will be and how many experience points they will grant. Finally, you must think of the link between the scenario you are writing and the one you will use for the next session. Has the gangster escaped? Has the players found a map for an all-new dungeon? It is yours to decide, but as your players are likely to use their characters for many sessions, it'll be better to make them feel as if each scenario is linked to the next.

Could you give us an example of a scenario we could use?

I will, but in another document. Even if you don't want to use it, the DM'd better read it -and only the DM! If he decides to use it, it'll be less fun if players already know the story- to understand how a scenario is written, for I may not have been clear enough for you to understand in the rules.

You talked of items several times, but could you be a little more precise?

Items can be bought in a shop, such as kecleon's, or found in dungeons. People you helped in missions can also give you items as a reward. There are different kind of items. All of them take a place of 1 in your treasure bag, which is to say that you can have as many items, no matter how big they are, as your treasure bag's big. Money doesn't take room in your treasure bag. As in the video game, we consider that you have another bag for money that is bottomless. As I said before, players can find items in dungeons, but it shouldn't be as frequent as in the video game, for the challenge in this role playing game is not to resemble too much to the video game, because if so, I don't see the point of not playing the video game itself -except that you are several players, and that you are almost entirely free to decide what to do and what is happening. This is a sample of the items you can find in dungeons. This isn't a thorough list; some items don't appear because it wouldn't have an end otherwise. You should put in this list all the items you need. During the game, you can decide that your character takes an item from his bag and holds it. If it's for long, you should put the item in the “left/right hand” box on your character sheet. This is useful for items such as weapons which need to be held for you to benefit of its effect.

Name of the item
Price in the Kecleon's shop
Effects
Resurrect seed
800
Gives you all your HP back and basic status when K.O.'d
Red Gummi
800
Makes you gain one point in a combat skill (decided by DM); double effect if of fire type
Cheri Berry
200
Cancel paralysis effects when eaten
Graveler
10
Throwing object; use Throwing skill. If hit, 5 damages + Strength
Stick
10
Close combat weapon; can burn or break; add 1D6 to basic strength when using no move
Heal Ribbon
3500
Makes the holder recover 1D3 HPs per turn
Insomniscope
3000
Prevents holder from sleeping
TM
depends
Makes you learn a given move
Heal seed
200
Heals all status problems when eaten
Oran Berry
100
Makes you recover up to 20 HPs when eaten
Hunger seed
150
Throw at an opponent; when eaten, the target starves. Each turn, he must make a Save roll of 15 to act; Canceled if the target eats something else afterwards
Warp Seed
250
Throwing item; the target is warped somewhere else in the dungeon by random
Joy seed
500
When eaten, grants the pokémon a level up. This pokémon must lose all its Combat XP
Ginseng
700
When drunk, choose a move; you have a +2 to hit whenever you use this move and you make 1D3 (halved result of a D6) damage more than usual
Water Stone
2000
Makes some pokémons evolve. Disappears when used
Swimmint Berry
1000
Artifact; If the pokémon who's eaten it is only of one type, he gains the water type for 10 to 15 turns. He also gains +10 in swimming and can breathe underwater
Sting
priceless
Artifact/weapon; a katana whose guard resembles a bug; adds 1D6 to basic Strength when using no move; bonus upped to 2D6+Int when used by a bug pokémon
Shape-shift orb
700
Change temporarily the specie of a pokémon.
Ice Shield
3500
Artifact; Grants user +6 armor; no effect against fire moves; can be used as a weapon by ice pokémons which grants +1D6 +Int to basic strength when using no move and freezes on 4 or more on the roll of a D6.

In this chart, I have described a specific type of item: weapons. In the video game, the only weapons you can use were missiles, such as sticks or gravelers. But in the role-playing game, you can also use close-combat weapons or shields. These weapons give you a bonus when not using a move. Most of the time, it is a damage bonus, but it can grant you more than that. A few weapons are linked to a specific type; when of your pokémon's type is the matching one, you receive an additional bonus. As I said before, this chart isn't complete. Feel free to create your own items, especially if they don't exist in the game (I have put examples of home-made items that you can use in your own scenarios at the bottom of the list). I haven't put apples in this list, for they are useless with the current rules, and their only effect is to prevent you from starving. Another item doesn't appear in this list: chests. In the video game, they are very common, and you can find them almost wherever you go. I personally think they should only be put in particular places in your dungeons, and that you should decide what they contain before it is opened by your players (you needn't give them to Xatu for you to open them. If the DM wants to, you'll need a key, but that's all).
As for gummies, their main effect is to make you gain combat skill's points, but I think they would be better used in Spinda's Café.

Are you talking of adding new shops in the game?

Yes I am. As you may have noticed, Spinda's Café is proper to the Explorers of Sky episode of Mystery Dungeon. This shop, like others, can be added to your town if you desire to do so. I will give you details on how to transfer shops in the video game into the role playing game.

Spinda's café: A place where your dreams come true! The perfect place for explorers. Several activities are possible in the Café. First, the Spinda's Juice bar can convert your plain gummies into power giving beverages. When giving a gummi to Spinda, roll a D6: with a result of 1 or 2, gain one point in a combat skill. With a result of 3, 4 or 5, you gain one point in two different combat skills. And with a 6, you gain 3 combat skill points for different combat skills. The effect is still doubled if you are of the matching type. Secondly, there is the Stock Exchange, ruled by Wynaut and Wobbuffet, where you can give props to receive another type of item. For example, you can give 2 Escape Balls to get a resurrect seed, or six items to get a silver lottery ticket. For there are indeed lottery tickets you can get by exchanging. Most of the time, the prize is a TM, but it is up to the DM to decide what you get. Eventually, Spinda's café is a place where explorers and clients take a rest, so you should feel free to make adventures start in Spinda's Café, for example, a peculiar pokémon appears in the Café and asks for help, or an expedition is launched by Spinda in which you'll explore a new dungeon.

Marowak's Dojo: Marowak has created midst the city a complex plenty of dungeons in which you can train. Basically, you can explore single-type dungeons called Mazes in his complex. There should be a Maze matching with each type, but you can also create special Mazes such as the Ultimate Maze. Unlike in dungeons, there will never be missions in a traditional maze. Most of the time, it'll be a small labyrinth in which you have to resolve an enigma (find the three parts of a key for example) in order to get through the dungeon and fight the boss. Yes, it is very video game-like, but as it is only a place of training, that's not a problem. When drawing the map of your maze, be careful that it should be themed according to its type. For instance, there will be pools of magma and fire-type pokémons in a fire maze, whereas it'll be a grave or a spooky tower in which walls appear and disappear for the ghost maze. The “boss” of the dungeon should be a strong pokémon, for example the last of an evolution cycle of a pokémon whose type matches with the maze.

Chansey's Nursery: In case of your having a pokémon egg, you'd probably hand it to Chansey so that she can look after it. When the egg hatches, Chansey calls for you and you get the new-born pokémon. Receiving an egg and later on the pokémon which it contains can be the starting point of an adventure.

Electivire's Link's Stand: There are two services Electivire can provide: First, he can make you learn a move you could have learned at a lower level. Secondly, you can link moves. When moves are linked, you can use them faster, which means that you can use the two moves with only one action. But linked moves have a weak point. Since there aren't PP in the role-playing game, you can use your moves as many times as wanted, but it'll be tiring. Each time you use linked moves, you must make a Save roll, difficulty 15 for a two moves link, 20 for a three moves link, and 25 for a four moves link. There is no special effect if you succeed, whereas in case of failure you are dazed. You won't be able to make your following action and you'll have a -5 to all rolls you will make during other character's turn. Hence the possibility of detaching moves at Electivire's shop. You have to pay a fix price of 200 pokédollars for all your transactions, whatever they are.

These are the shops you can find in the video game. I have given precise species of pokemon for each shop, but you can change them if you want. You should also feel free to create your own shops and locations to your town. This is an example of location you could add:

Nidoking's Castle: When humans were still living in this world, they had built great strongholds and discovered many techniques. But they were also bellicose and waged war against every thing and every one. This age was called the Medieval Pokémon Era. Now, humans have disappeared for a now forgotten reason, but remains of their existence stand still, such as weapons and castle. Nidoking, dubbing himself the Pokémon King, has always been fascinated by this time period. He lives in this castle with his queen Nidoqueen and his court. Known as the richer and more powerful pokémon ever, he has his own army which he uses to protect pokémons, put evil pokémons in jail and discover new regions. What he doesn't know is that it is exactly what an explorer is supposed to do. Even if his army is in majority composed of Accelgors and Escavaliers, he recruits other species of pokemon, including what he calls “mercenaries”, who are in fact explorers. It can be the major place of a scenario or a campaign, and players could work for the court or in the army too.

Not to resemble too much to the video game, you should keep in mind that shoppers are themselves characters that can take part in your scenarios, and not only machines you can use to get items or to store money. The more you have shops in your city, the more choice your players have to choose their job. In fact, your players could work for each and every merchant of your city: supplier for the Keckleons, nurse for Chansey, soldier for Nidoking etc...

You talked of move effects previously. You could you tell us more about it?

There are numerous effects you can assign to moves, and their role is to be easy to understand for your players. As for items and locations, you may create as many move effects as wanted.

Name
In-Game Meaning
Move using this effect
Contact
Means you have to be in close combat to use this move
Dragon Claw, Lick, Thief...
Distance
Means you don't have to be at close range to use this move
Thunder, BubbleBeam, Mind reader, Twister...
Armour +X
User gets the Armour status (physical damages are reduced by X); Exists in special
Defense Curl, Harden, Acid Armor...
Poison
The target is now poisoned. He gets 1D3 damages each turn. If 50%, only hits on 4 or more on the roll of a D6
Poison gas, Toxic Spikes, Poison powder...
Momentum X
The user needs a certain distance to attack. Strength times X added to damages
Aqua Jet, Take Down, Flare Blitz...
Defense -X
The target loses temporarily X in defense
Rock Tomb, Sweet Scent, Miracle Eye...
Zone
The effect (damages included) affect pokémon in certain area
Smog, Whirlpool, Earthquake...
Heals sleep
If the target was asleep, now it isn't
Wake-up Slap, Heal bell...
X hands
Requires X hands holding no item to use the move
Shadow claw, Scratch, Sky Uppercut...
Breaks protection
Cancel effects of moves such as Barrier, Iron Defense, Light Screen...
Brick break, Shadow Force...
Drain
User recovers half of damages inflicted
Drain Punch, Leech Life, Mega Drain...
Deadly 50%
The move can kill the opponent instead of just knocking him out. Roll a D6; the target is killed on a 4 or more
Horn drill, Guillotine, Sheer Cold...
Spe. Armour -X
The target gets the status Spe. Armour -X (Special move's damages are increased by X when hitting this pokémon)
Close Combat, Acid Spray, Psychic...
Blunt
The target is dazed (cannot act during his following turn; gets a -5 to all his rolls)
Wood hammer, Hammer Arm, Head Smash...

Finally, do you have anything to add?

These are additional rules you can decide or not to comply with:

Recruitment: In the video game, some pokémons decide to join your team when you knock them out, but it's not realistic enough for a role-playing game. In order to recruit pokémons, you must ask them to join your team (diplomacy) or threaten them (Intimidation), or any way your DM approves. You do not need friend areas, they just join your team. They can also decide to join your team by themselves, but they mustn't be K.O.'d. , and this isn't as simple as in the video game.

Light Source: Pokémons are made to evolve whenever they fulfill the right conditions, is it level or a specific item. In these rules, I decided that you were to evolve that way, but if your DM prefers that you go to a Light Source to evolve, he must tell his players before playing.

Treasure Bag: In the video game, all items needs a room in your bag for you to take it. This is a very simple way of representing your bag, but you could prefer to visualize it better. Therefore, make a grid with as many spaces as your treasure bag's size. When you buy or collect an item, put the corresponding image in your bag. Some items will need much room, whereas some will be much smaller. Hence your taking it in your own hands.

Is that all?

I'm afraid yes. If all goes well, I'll create a website in which to share rules, supplements, scenarios, campaigns etc... Thank you for reading and have nice games!!