[center][h1][b][color=fff200]Pokemon Masters:
World Cup[/color][/b][/h1]
[color=fff79a][h2][b]Player Manual[/b][/h2][/color][/center]
[color=fff79a][h3][b]Posting Rules:[/b][/h3][/color]
[b]Rule 1: Behavior:[/b] Abide by all Role Player Guild rules. Basically, don't be a butt face. 

[b]Rule 2: Posting Speed:[/b] Never post twice in a row. Wait for at least one other person. Also, don't post more than twice per day. I don't want a small group of people volleying posts back and forth in rapid fire succession, effectively spamming the RP with your personal story arc. 

[b]Rule 3: Posting Length:[/b] Please keep posts between one and three paragraphs. This RP is in the casual category for a reason. 

[b]Rule 4: Proper Formatting:[/b] Your IC posts should be titled with the [b]name of your character[/b] and their general [b]location[/b]. Then you will write the body of your post. At the bottom of your post, you should tag every user with a character that was directly or indirectly mentioned in your post.

[center][color=fff79a][h3][b]How to start a battle:[/b][/h3][/color]
[i]Simply, challenge your opponent via IC posting and begin your battle as a posting back and forth battle. Then (through PMs or the OOC section) set a time when you can both be online for a [b]Pokemon Showdown[/b] battle. The winner of the battle will be responsible for linking the battle replay to their IC post where they will also describe how they won the battle. [u][b]NOTE:[/b][/u] You do not have to mention everything (or even ANYTHING) that happened in the [b]Showdown[/b] battle. Showdown is only used to determine an end result.

The above paragraph describes the process for battles between a MAIN character and another MAIN character OR a MAIN character and a SIDE character. But to save time, if two SIDE characters battle, there is also the option to roll a 2 sided dice (AKA coin flip) for a winner.[/i][/center]

[color=fff79a][h3][b]Pokemon Showdown Rules:[/b][/h3][/color]
[b]Rule 1: Correct Format:[/b] Always build your teams under the '[b]Anything Goes[/b]' format. 

[b]Rule 2: Pokemon Levels:[/b] The Pokemon for your [color=c4df9b]MAIN characters should be set at level 100[/color]. The Pokemon for your [color=c4df9b]SIDE characters should be set at level 90[/color]. 

[b]Rule 3: Pokemon Customization:[/b] You may freely set your Pokemon's gender, happiness level, shiny status, ability, move set, item, nature, and IVs. [b]BUT DO NOT[/b] use the same item on two different Pokemon. [b]ALSO[/b], z-crystals and Mega Stones are temporarily banned; they will be allowed later in the tournament. 

[b]Rule 4: Mega Evolutions and Z-crystals:[/b] As mentioned above, Mega Stones and Z-crystals will be allowed later in the tournament. Specifically, Z-crystals will be allowed in [b]Phase 2[/b], and Mega Stones will be allowed in [b]Phase 3[/b]. Trainers cannot start off with their Pokemon already Mega-evolved; that must be done  in-battle, via Mega Stone. 

[center][color=fff79a][h3][b]Choosing Your Pokemon:[/b][/h3][/color]
[i]As a highly experienced trainer, your character should have access to a wide variety of Pokemon, but they are not allowed to bring their entire collection with them. They are only allowed to bring [b]TEN[/b]. Six of these Pokemon must be revealed as the party you register for the tournament. The other four are reserve Pokemon that can be used later in the tournament (i.e. Pokemon that you don't choose right now).[/i] [/center]

[color=fff79a][h3][b]Pokemon Party Rules:[/b][/h3][/color]
[b]Rule 1: Base Stats:[/b] To be accepted into the tournament, you must register a party of [b]six[/b] that has a cumulative base stat less than or equal to [b]3000[/b]. This limit will increase in later rounds. Also, [i]Pokemon with a mega stone[/i] are considered to have a base stat equal to the [b]average of their Mega form and their pre-mega form[/b]

[b]Rule 2: Tier Restriction:[/b] You [b]may not[/b] use Pokemon from the [b]Uber[/b] or [b]OU[/b] tier. This restriction will loosen later in the tournament. 

[b]Rule 3: Multiple Pokemon:[/b] You [b]may not[/b] use two Pokemon from the same species in your party. For example, you cannot have two Pikachu, but you can have a Pikachu and a Raichu. 

[b]Rule 4: Legendary / Mythicals:[/b] Because Legendary and Mythical Pokemon are so rare outside the Nishi region, I don't want any two trainers to have the same Legendary or Mythical Pokemon. So once someone claims one of these Pokemon, that Pokemon becomes off limits to everyone else. I say "once someone claims one of these Pokemon" because they could reveal a Legendary or Mythical as one of their four reserve Pokemon later in the tournament. 

[center][color=fff79a][h3][b]The Nishi Region:[/b][/h3][/color][hider=Nishi Region Map][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/64c5d0b3-01f4-41ae-ab4c-c235743b0295.jpg[/img][/hider]

[i]High speed rails connect towns and cities in the Nishi Region, thus making it easy to navigate. Trainers may also go off the beaten path to explore less frequently visited areas and unmarked locations. Speaking with locals is a good way to figure out where to go and how to get there.[/i][/center]

[color=fff79a][h3][b]The Tournament:[/b][/h3][/color][i]The Nishi Region's "Wold Cup" tournament, is played out in three distinct phases:[/i]

[b]Phase 1: The Free-for-All Round:[/b] Fifty trainers have been invited to compete. This round is designed to weed them out and find the best of the best. Trainers may not challenge someone that has less wins [u][b]AND[/b][/u] more losses than their self. To move forward, trainers must win three battles. [i]Everyone is given a Nishi region Pokedex upon arrival that also serves as a way to communicate with other participants, thus enabling you to challenge someone far away and arrange a meet-up.[/i]

[b]Phase 2: The Group Stages:[/b] Only 16 trainers will make it to [b]Phase 2[/b]. Here everyone will be put into groups of four. Trainers will battle everyone in their group once. A win is worth 10 points, and you gain one bonus point for every Pokemon in your party that didn't faint. The top two trainers from each group will make it to [b]Phase 3[/b]. 

[b]Phase 3: The Knockout Rounds:[/b] The remaining 8 trainers will battle it out in a single elimination tournament to determine our grand prize winner. Trainers will have to choose their teams BEFORE knowing who their opponent will be, because contestants will be shuffled before each knockout round.