Z-Power

Section 7.D

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This plugin builds upon the Deluxe Battle Kit to add the Z-Power battle mechanics introduced in Pokemon Sun & Moon. This includes both Z-Moves and Ultra Burst. All functionality for these mechanics have been replicated in this plugin, and will work along side other battle gimmicks such as Mega Evolution without issue. In the following subsections, I'll go over specific areas of this plugin in more detail. Below, I'll go over general plugin functionality.

Z-Power Availability

Once this plugin is installed, all Z-Power mechanics will be available to use right out of the gate. However, there are some criteria that must be met in order for the option to use them to appear in battle. Below I'll go over all the factors for Z-Move and Ultra Burst eligibility, how to disable their availability, and various other settings related to its use.

General

Z-Moves

Z-Moves are available by default after installation. However, if you would like to disable the Z-Move mechanic entirely at any point, you may do so by using a game switch.

In the plugin settings, there is a setting named NO_ZMOVE which stores the switch number used for disabling Z-Moves. This is saved as switch number 64 by default, but please renumber this if this conflicts with an existing game switch that you use.

If this switch is turned on, then Z-Moves will be disabled for all trainers and Pokemon until the switch is turned back off. If you're playing in debug mode, you can easily toggle this switch on and off by going into the debug menu and opening the "Deluxe plugin settings..." menu, and then selecting "Toggle Z-Moves."

Ultra Burst

Ultra Burst is available by default after installation. However, if you would like to disable the Ultra Burst mechanic entirely at any point, you may do so by using a game switch.

In the plugin settings, there is a setting named NO_ULTRA_BURST which stores the switch number used for disabling Z-Moves. This is saved as switch number 65 by default, but please renumber this if this conflicts with an existing game switch that you use.

If this switch is turned on, then Ultra Burst will be disabled for all trainers and Pokemon until the switch is turned back off. If you're playing in debug mode, you can easily toggle this switch on and off by going into the debug menu and opening the "Deluxe plugin settings..." menu, and then selecting "Toggle Ultra Burst."

Debug Battle Options

While playing in debug mode, you can manually edit the Z-Move or Ultra Burst options for trainers. To do so, open the debug menu while in battle (F9), and navigate to "Trainer options..." where you'll find options to toggle the availability for Z-Moves and Ultra Burst for each trainer.

Player

Z-Ring

To use a Z-Power mechanic yourself, you'll first need to have an item in your inventory that unlocks the ability to use it. Any item given the ZRing flag in its PBS data will be considered a Z-Ring, which will allow you to use Z-Power. By default, this plugin adds the Z-Ring introduced in Pokemon Sun & Moon, as well as the Z-Power Ring introduced in Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon. Feel free to create your own custom Z-Ring items, too. Having any one of these items in your inventory will allow you to use both Z-Moves and Ultra Burst.

In addition, while playing in debug mode you may also hold CTRL while opening the Fight menu to force the Z-Move or Ultra Burst button to appear even if you have already used either mechanic already during this battle.

Held Item

In addition to the trainer's Z-Ring, the specific Pokemon that wants to use Z-Power must also be holding a compatible item, like how Mega Evolution works. For Z-Moves, the Pokemon must be holding a compatible Z-Crystal which will upgrade one or more of the moves in their moveset into a Z-Move. More on this is covered in the "Z-Moves" subsection.

For Ultra Burst, the Pokemon must be holding a specific item which allows for Ultra Burst. The specific item can vary from species to species. By default, the only item that allows for Ultra Burst is Ultranecrozium Z, which also doubles as a Z-Crystal to be used by Necrozma. More on this is covered in the "Ultra Burst" subsection.

Z-Booster

This plugin introduces a completely custom item not found in the original Pokemon Sun & Moon called the Z-Booster. This is a unique item that may replenish your Z-Ring during battle, allowing you to use Z-Moves an additional time during the same battle. Using this item in battle uses up the player's entire turn in order to try and keep it (sorta) balanced, so this will use up the turn for all of your Pokemon even if you have more than one Pokemon to issue commands to.

This is intended to be a "just for fun" item, and not to be used seriously, but it's there if you'd like to make use of it. Note this only replenishes the ability to use Z-Moves, not Ultra Burst.

NPC Trainers

Trainer Requirements

Other trainers may utilize Z-Power too, whether they're opponents or partners. The requirements for this are the same as for the player, they are simply set up differently. Like with the player, the NPC trainer must be given an eligible Z-Ring in their inventory, and the Pokemon who you would like them to use a Z-Power mechanic with must be holding the appropriate compatible item.

If the conditions are met, then the trainer will be able to utilize Z-Power. For Ultra Burst, this will simply happen as soon as the trainer is capable of using it. For Z-Moves however, the trainer will decide to use a Z-Move using the same AI as they would use to decide to use any other move. For example, if a Z-Move would have no effect or deal less damage or be less beneficial than one of their regular moves, the AI is unlikely to select it.

Wild Pokemon

Z-Power may also be utilized by wild Pokemon, without the need of a trainer or a Z-Ring. These wild battles work a little differently than a standard wild battle.

Z-Powered Battles

When encountered, a wild Z-Powered Pokemon will immediately gain an aura boost at the start of battle, before any commands can even be entered. This grants the Pokemon +1 in each of its main stats, and grant it the ability to use Z-Moves. When this happens, the Pokemon will become uncatchable until you remove their aura by lowering their HP to a certain threshold (1/6th of their max HP). Any damage dealt by direct attacks cannot exceed this threshold until the wild Pokemon's Z-Powered aura is removed.

While this aura is active, the wild Pokemon will be able to use Z-Powered moves as it pleases. Each time it does so, there will be a two turn cooldown before its aura regenerates and its ability to use Z-Moves will be replenished again. This will happen continuously until the Pokemon reaches its damage threshold and its aura fades.

Once this aura is removed however, the Pokemon's raised stats will return to normal and it will become catchable again like a regular wild Pokemon. To set up battles against wild Z-Powered Pokemon, you may do so by using the "wildZMoves" Battle Rule.

Ultra Battles

When encountered, the wild Pokemon will immediately Ultra Burst at the start of battle, before any commands can even be entered. Doing so will also grant them an aura boost, granting them +1 to all of their main stats. When this happens, the Pokemon will become uncatchable until you force them to exit their Ultra Burst form by lowering their HP to a certain threshold (1/6th of their max HP). Any damage dealt by direct attacks cannot exceed this threshold until the wild Pokemon reverts to its original form. If so, the Pokemon's raised stats will return to normal and it will become catchable again like a regular wild Pokemon. To set up battles against wild Ultra Pokemon, you may do so by using the "wildUltraBurst" Battle Rule.

If the wild Pokemon is ineligible to use the intended Z-Power mechanic for some reason, nothing will happen and the battle will just be a standard wild battle.

Z-Power Counts

Essentials internally keeps track of a variety of the player's game statistics. One of those statistics is how many times the player has used Mega Evolution. To keep Z-Power in line with this, I've added trackers which will keep count of various statistics related to Z-Moves and Ultra Burst, too.

Below are all of the new statistics tracked by this plugin, and how to call them.

  • Named Z-Move count This plugin keeps count of how many times the player has used a generic or exclusive Z-Move. This can be called with the script $stats.named_zmove_count.

  • Z-Powered status move count This plugin keeps count of how many times the player has used the Z-Powered version of a status move. This can be called with the script $stats.status_zmove_count.

  • Total Z-Move count This plugin keeps count of how many times the player has used any type of Z-Move, whether it be a generic Z-Move, an exclusive one, or a Z-Powered status move. This can be called with the script $stats.total_zmove_count.

  • Wild Z-Power battles won This plugin keeps count of how many battles the player has won against wild Z-Powered Pokemon. A "win" counts as either defeating or capturing the Pokemon to end the battle. This can be called with the script $stats.wild_zpower_battles_won.

  • Ultra Burst count This plugin keeps count of how many times the player has used Ultra Burst. This can be called with the script $stats.ultra_burst_count.

  • Wild Ultra battles won This plugin keeps count of how many battles the player has won against wild Ultra Pokemon. A "win" counts as either defeating or capturing the Pokemon to end the battle. This can be called with the script $stats.wild_ultra_battles_won.

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