I don't think most people pay much attention to the little things in each vote, so here's some quick things I'd like to point out.
[] Elise: Following your Field Exercise and after returning to the Academy, Elise has thrown herself not just into training but also in furthering her skills as a swordswoman. As such she's invited you to spar with her. You've never seen a practitioner of the Eight Leaves One Blade School before, so this should be a learning experience. Improved Bond with Elise. 2/5 to Bond 3.
Elise is noted to be training not just her Pokemon, but also her own personal sword skills. However;
[] You Can't Run from a Battle Between Trainers: Apparently, the school has a dueling arena, not for Pokemon, but for Humans, where the students can pick up wooden spears and sticks to beat each other over with. You might be simplifying things, but it'll be a way to keep yourself fit and sharp. -1 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Astrid, ???, Eri
- Roll 1d20+PROW DC 20, 24
- Gain 300-500 PROW XP
- Elise Bond 2: Gain +100 PROW XP (Final PROW XP WILL BE 400-600 PROW XP)
- Interacting with Nobles
Elise is
not an available social encounter within Mesagoza's dueling arena this week. This is actually quite notable; Elise has almost always been an available social encounter in that dueling arena. The only week she's skipped so far was the same week she and Mariana undertook that mission with the Rangers to find a stick for Theodora's Braixen; every other week she's been there practicing her swordsmanship.
If Elise is throwing herself into training, including a
specific note about her swordsmanship, but she isn't to be found at the school's dueling arena, then where is she?
This is doubly notable, because;
[] Advanced BATTLE: A Pokemon Journey is a multi-year long process. Most Trainers get one badge and then struggle for years getting a second. Half of all Paldean Trainers quit around the third Gym. Only a tenth make it to the seventh. There are no shortages of Trainers with only one or two Badges hanging around in Mesagoza. Many of them go to Battle Arenas in Mesagoza proper to prepare themselves for the League Circuit opening up in August. You can challenge them, and you're absolutely going to lose, but there's no better way to reveal your weaknesses than having them ruthlessly exploited. -1 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Nemona, Manuel, Elise
- Gain 400-600 SKLL XP
- Gain 400-600 Pokemon XP (Renne not included)
- All Pokemon Moves Gain 1 MXP (Renne not included)
- Lose Money no matter what
[] West Mesagoza Little Cup: With the year's Circuit in full swing, a number of local tournaments and competitions have begun to crop up across the city. Normally hosting and planning tournaments such as these are the responsibility of a Gym Trainer, Mesagoza doesn't have one. As such the responsibility falls to either the Champion (Erika says they're technically the Gym Leader of Mesagoza) or to the local mayor.
The West Mesagoza Little Cup is one of these tournaments, made and organized to help provide entertainment and to support up-coming beginner trainers with funds, items and even TMs depending on their performance. It'll be a good experience for you, not just in terms of battling but also stage presence. -1 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Manuel , Elise, ???
- Roll 1d20+SKLL DC 15/20/25/30
- Gain Cumulative Rewards depending on roll (1st Place Prize Reward: TM for Thunder Wave, 25,000 Pokedollars)
- Gain 400/500/600/750 Poke XP
- Can only be taken once a month. Cannot be taken at the same time as East Mesagoza Little Cup
Elise
is throwing herself into high-end challenging battles on her end. She's taken two of the three most challenging training options this week, only choosing to skip out on the East Mesagoza Little Cup in favour of the West Mesagoza Little Cup. We can only guess as to why- my honest guess is that she's probably just tied up in that side of the city already, and doesn't have the time to travel halfway across the city to fight in a different tournament if there's one available.
People have expressed a lot of concern about Mariana, but we can see Elise is doing exactly what everyone's worried about Mariana doing here and throwing herself into training to make up for her poor performance in general during the Field Exercise. This is a little bit of a theme you can see here; the class's two best trainers beside Mariana in Elise and Nemona are both dedicating themselves to training and only seeking socializing in that context.
Something to keep an eye on. I'd suggest probably jumping on an Elise interaction sooner than later.
[] Theodora: Theodora seems exhausted, even more so than usual. You've spent enough time with her in the past week that there's something…different with it. While you're not sure if Theodora considers you a friend, it's still your duty as Class President to check up on her. Improved Bond with Theodora. 1/5 to Bond 3. Theodora will not be available next week as a Bonding Event even if this is not taken.
This is carried through as well.
[] I Work Out at the Library: Mesagoza Academy has two Libraries, the one in Rodrigo Hall and the dedicated Library building in Maria Hall. Maybe spend a couple of hours a day studying in your free time so you aren't completely lost during class. -1 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Erika, Jacinto, Theodora
- Gain 300 KNOW XP (Increases to 660 KNOW XP with traits)
- Erika Bond 2: Gain +100 KNOW XP (Final KNOW XP gain increases to 880 KNOW XP)
- Theodora Bond 2: Gain +100 CHRM XP
This is Theodora's only appearance outside of her bond event appearance this week.
The text notes that she's even more exhausted than usual this week. Whatever is draining her so, it's eating up so much of her time that Theodora appears to have pretty much no time to herself outside of her study time.
Maybe this has something to do with Elise, maybe not. There's not quite enough information for me to draw a conclusion on here. But this is eating up a
serious amount of Theodora's time. The only other person who's struggling so much with time right now is...
[] Ostia: It's been some time since you and Ostia spent some time hanging around in Mesagoza together. Perhaps wanting to rectify this (and also wanting to take both of your minds off the events of Friday), Ostia invited you for another trip to eat around the City. Though you did make it a bit awkward when the topic of family came up. Apparently Ostia has or had a brother. Improved Bond with Ostia. 3/5 to Bond 3
What is Ostia up to this week?
[] Pokemon and Me: The Academy has a vast collection of Pokemon under its care and employ, not even counting student and trainer Pokemon. Such a large menagerie necessitates a small army just to take care of them and their needs. Time to check out the enlistment center. -1 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Ostia, Arven, Mela
- Gain 300 PROW XP.
- Gain 500 League Points
- Gain random Pokemon Material
- ???
- Theodora Bond 2: Gain +100 CHRM XP
This is all Ostia has happening this week.
This actually isn't that unusual; Ostia regularly only has one or two availabilities through the week. The first week of Month 1, they only took this action; every week after that, they took this action and an action to personally train with this action.
There's not enough data points to know if they didn't take the training action this week because they have a standing obligation the first week of every month, or if it's just a coincidence, but this is definitely a pattern. Obviously, we as the audience know that Ostia is tied up into the criminal conspiracy here- but Ostia is effectively not being allowed to join in the social circle of Mesagoza outside of their direct friendship with Mariana. They're not being allowed to battle with others, they're not going to the library with others to study, they're not joining other little friend groups.
Again. Something to keep an eye on.
But hey. What's Atticus up to?
[] You Can't Run from a Trainer Battle: The battling Arenas at Rodrigo Hall are both numerous and massive. Since it's still early in the school year, the gap between the various students in the same year isn't quite big yet. That is how things normally are, however you have a Badge now. And apparently your performance during the Gym Battle has scared a decent number of potential challengers. -1 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Nemona, Atticus, Manuel
- Roll 1d20+SKLL DC 20, 24
- Gain 100-300 SKLL XP
- Gain 100-300 Pokemon XP (Renne not included)
- All Pokemon Moves Gain 1 MXP (Renne not included)
- Benefits from this action have decreased since you've reached 2nd Badge Level. Benefits will return if you remain 2nd Badge Level by Month 3
[] To Train Them is Your Cause: While live battle is useful in sharpening moves, nothing beats good old practice; Experimentation, Building Muscle Memory, or just plain old Mastery. Right now early on, while your Pokemon aren't that strong yet, it's still safe to use the Training Fields of the Academy. But as you get stronger, you'll have to look for more isolated places. You can't let people find out what you're cooking up, after all. That, and something about collateral damage from moves getting worse.
While your old method of training Roland was effective in getting him and his moves up to shape, you're really not sure how to handle training more than one Pokemon. There's only so many hours in the day, after all. No matter how you handle it, you could always just spend more time training your Pokemon at the cost of other activities if you're willing. -1/-2/-3 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Jacinto, Atticus, Manuel
- Roll 1d20+SKLL DC 24
- Gain 100-200 SKLL XP
- Chosen Pokemon gain 100-200 Pokemon XP
- AP Expenditure depends on how many Training Options are chosen. Current Trainable Pokemon is 2, as such choosing more than 2 options will increase AP Cost to 2. Taking more than 4 will increase AP Cost to 3.
[] Grade 8 Ranger Work: Following the 'Restoration of Order' in Porto Marinada, both the World Rangers Association and Interpol denounced the Paldean government. In retaliation, Paldea began to undermine Ranger Associations throughout the region. In Mesagoza proper, many of the responsibilities of Rangers fell to either the newly created and League-backed Trainer Associations or the Railway Military Police in the case of Mesagoza's environs. The effectiveness of the handover is questionable at best in some areas of the city, but this presents an opportunity for you to make some hard-earned cash via jobs that are too below the notice of the League to tackle.
- Potential Social Encounters: Jacinto, Atticus
- Ranger Work is accomplished via a 1d20+STAT with DC thresholds for rewards (Cash and STAT XP)
- What kind of Ranger Work you'll tackle will be decided by a vote in the next update.
- There are four kinds of Ranger Work. Maintenance Work, Research Work, Community Work and Suppression Work. Each correspond with PROW, KNOW, CHRM and SKLL respectively
Sorry, these aren't worrisome, I just noticed that Atticus is plugging away and I wanted to pat him on the head for being so dutiful. He's not throwing himself right into the deep end, but he's really consistently plugging away just working and training his Pokemon. He's the ideal above-average trainer right now.
I'm eyeing off Atticus working for the Rangers a little, though. Maybe we should see if he keeps going in that direction, because I'm unsure exactly how he's going to be drawn into Team Star just yet.
Let's see, who else- oh! Jacinto. He struggled really badly during the Gym Battle during the FE. What's he up to right now?
[] I Work Out at the Library: Mesagoza Academy has two Libraries, the one in Rodrigo Hall and the dedicated Library building in Maria Hall. Maybe spend a couple of hours a day studying in your free time so you aren't completely lost during class. -1 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Erika, Jacinto, Theodora
- Gain 300 KNOW XP (Increases to 660 KNOW XP with traits)
- Erika Bond 2: Gain +100 KNOW XP (Final KNOW XP gain increases to 880 KNOW XP)
- Theodora Bond 2: Gain +100 CHRM XP
[] To Train Them is Your Cause: While live battle is useful in sharpening moves, nothing beats good old practice; Experimentation, Building Muscle Memory, or just plain old Mastery. Right now early on, while your Pokemon aren't that strong yet, it's still safe to use the Training Fields of the Academy. But as you get stronger, you'll have to look for more isolated places. You can't let people find out what you're cooking up, after all. That, and something about collateral damage from moves getting worse.
While your old method of training Roland was effective in getting him and his moves up to shape, you're really not sure how to handle training more than one Pokemon. There's only so many hours in the day, after all. No matter how you handle it, you could always just spend more time training your Pokemon at the cost of other activities if you're willing. -1/-2/-3 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Jacinto, Atticus, Manuel
- Roll 1d20+SKLL DC 24
- Gain 100-200 SKLL XP
- Chosen Pokemon gain 100-200 Pokemon XP
- AP Expenditure depends on how many Training Options are chosen. Current Trainable Pokemon is 2, as such choosing more than 2 options will increase AP Cost to 2. Taking more than 4 will increase AP Cost to 3.
[] Grade 8 Ranger Work: Following the 'Restoration of Order' in Porto Marinada, both the World Rangers Association and Interpol denounced the Paldean government. In retaliation, Paldea began to undermine Ranger Associations throughout the region. In Mesagoza proper, many of the responsibilities of Rangers fell to either the newly created and League-backed Trainer Associations or the Railway Military Police in the case of Mesagoza's environs. The effectiveness of the handover is questionable at best in some areas of the city, but this presents an opportunity for you to make some hard-earned cash via jobs that are too below the notice of the League to tackle.
- Potential Social Encounters: Jacinto, Atticus
- Ranger Work is accomplished via a 1d20+STAT with DC thresholds for rewards (Cash and STAT XP)
- What kind of Ranger Work you'll tackle will be decided by a vote in the next update.
- There are four kinds of Ranger Work. Maintenance Work, Research Work, Community Work and Suppression Work. Each correspond with PROW, KNOW, CHRM and SKLL respectively
Oh, okay. Just like Atticus, he's pretty much just plugging away at things, although unlike Atticus he's focusing a bit more on his schoolwork as well. That's reasonable.
Surely Manuel is doing the same as his fellow boys, right?
[] You Can't Run from a Trainer Battle: The battling Arenas at Rodrigo Hall are both numerous and massive. Since it's still early in the school year, the gap between the various students in the same year isn't quite big yet. That is how things normally are, however you have a Badge now. And apparently your performance during the Gym Battle has scared a decent number of potential challengers. -1 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Nemona, Atticus, Manuel
- Roll 1d20+SKLL DC 20, 24
- Gain 100-300 SKLL XP
- Gain 100-300 Pokemon XP (Renne not included)
- All Pokemon Moves Gain 1 MXP (Renne not included)
- Benefits from this action have decreased since you've reached 2nd Badge Level. Benefits will return if you remain 2nd Badge Level by Month 3
[] Advanced BATTLE: A Pokemon Journey is a multi-year long process. Most Trainers get one badge and then struggle for years getting a second. Half of all Paldean Trainers quit around the third Gym. Only a tenth make it to the seventh. There are no shortages of Trainers with only one or two Badges hanging around in Mesagoza. Many of them go to Battle Arenas in Mesagoza proper to prepare themselves for the League Circuit opening up in August. You can challenge them, and you're absolutely going to lose, but there's no better way to reveal your weaknesses than having them ruthlessly exploited. -1 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Nemona, Manuel, Elise
- Gain 400-600 SKLL XP
- Gain 400-600 Pokemon XP (Renne not included)
- All Pokemon Moves Gain 1 MXP (Renne not included)
- Lose Money no matter what
[] To Train Them is Your Cause: While live battle is useful in sharpening moves, nothing beats good old practice; Experimentation, Building Muscle Memory, or just plain old Mastery. Right now early on, while your Pokemon aren't that strong yet, it's still safe to use the Training Fields of the Academy. But as you get stronger, you'll have to look for more isolated places. You can't let people find out what you're cooking up, after all. That, and something about collateral damage from moves getting worse.
While your old method of training Roland was effective in getting him and his moves up to shape, you're really not sure how to handle training more than one Pokemon. There's only so many hours in the day, after all. No matter how you handle it, you could always just spend more time training your Pokemon at the cost of other activities if you're willing. -1/-2/-3 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Jacinto, Atticus, Manuel
- Roll 1d20+SKLL DC 24
- Gain 100-200 SKLL XP
- Chosen Pokemon gain 100-200 Pokemon XP
- AP Expenditure depends on how many Training Options are chosen. Current Trainable Pokemon is 2, as such choosing more than 2 options will increase AP Cost to 2. Taking more than 4 will increase AP Cost to 3.
That's one of the heaviest training regimes here, matching Elise and Nemona this week.
Manuel isn't
normally this devoted to training. He usually sticks one or two actions a week to it, sometimes choosing to train his own combat capabilities instead of his own Pokemon.
I'm unsure if this is meant to say something about how the Field Exercise affected Manuel or not, because frankly we have no idea how it affected him. It's worth keeping an eye on this, though- if he keeps this up week 2, then it's definitely a sign that the Field Exercise affected him worse than he's letting on. Which
would make sense, given that Manuel has such ties to the plot they went through.
Mostly, I'm really concerned about Elise and Theodora. Ostia's just got their normal level of concerning stuff going on right now, and Manuel's just a maybe, but both Elise and Theodora are sending up big red flags right now.
An additional note on top of this;
[] West Mesagoza Little Cup: With the year's Circuit in full swing, a number of local tournaments and competitions have begun to crop up across the city. Normally hosting and planning tournaments such as these are the responsibility of a Gym Trainer, Mesagoza doesn't have one. As such the responsibility falls to either the Champion (Erika says they're technically the Gym Leader of Mesagoza) or to the local mayor.
The West Mesagoza Little Cup is one of these tournaments, made and organized to help provide entertainment and to support up-coming beginner trainers with funds, items and even TMs depending on their performance. It'll be a good experience for you, not just in terms of battling but also stage presence. -1 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Manuel , Elise, ???
- Roll 1d20+SKLL DC 15/20/25/30
- Gain Cumulative Rewards depending on roll (1st Place Prize Reward: TM for Thunder Wave, 25,000 Pokedollars)
- Gain 400/500/600/750 Poke XP
- Can only be taken once a month. Cannot be taken at the same time as East Mesagoza Little Cup
[] East Mesagoza Little Cup: With the year's Circuit in full swing, a number of local tournaments and competitions have begun to crop up across the city. Normally hosting and planning tournaments such as these are the responsibility of a Gym Trainer, Mesagoza doesn't have one. As such the responsibility falls to either the Champion (Erika says they're technically the Gym Leader of Mesagoza) or to the local mayor.
Aside from the obvious difference in location and geography, the East Mesagoza tournament has a bit of a reputation for being more popular with the lower classes. Both as a spectacle and as a challenge. The cash prize is also much larger compared to the tournaments held in the west of the capital. But that doesn't really concern you all that—Is that Nemona? -1 AP
- Potential Social Encounters: Astrid, Erika, Nemona
- Roll 1d20+SKLL DC 15/20/25/35
- Gain Cumulative Rewards depending on roll (1st Place Prize Reward: TR for Aerial Ace, 50,000 Pokedollars)
- Gain 600/750/900/1000 Poke XP
- TR Prize will change next week
- Can only be taken once a month. Cannot be taken at the same week as West Mesagoza Little Cup
If Mary is going to join a tournament (which she should), the East Mesagoza Cup is objectively the better and more rewarding tournament to join.
Mariana effectively can't fail the first tier of each tournament- she'd need to roll a 1 to fail to place high enough for a reward at
all. At each tier, though, the East Cup offers a full 50% better XP rewards than the West Cup does. She also has a solid 40% chance at placing what is probably second in this tournament with a DC25 SKLL Check; this is an outright win in the West Cup, but is still a more rewarding loss in the East Cup. I rather doubt that the East Cup will be this rewarding in terms of XP once all the stronger challengers have tackled it week 1 and walked away, so this one shouldn't be put off in favour of the West Cup.
As is the concept with Advanced Battle; it's better experience to punch up at people better than you than it is to try and hang around people your level or weaker.
We
should be able to count on passing at least the second skill check of each tournament. That's 750xp, and the training actions for Dreepy and Drilbur are another minimum 100 xp each. That, in and of itself, is enough to get Dreepy to 3rd badge level, and leaves Drilbur only 1,350xp shy.
If we then take the West Cup action weeks 2 or 3, that's another 500xp we can reasonably count on getting. That means that over the course of weeks 2, 3 and 4, we'd only need to get 850 more Poke XP in order to get Drilbur up to badge 3 as well. I also think that if the training option for A Certain Terastal Railgun is chosen, Drilbur will master both Hone Claws and Rapid Spin, which is an
extremely significant boost in strength.
It's extremely likely that Drilbur and Dreepy will be in a position to take on Levincia 2-3 again. Focusing on training during this month will leave both of them around the third-badge level with
significant increases to their moveset's strength (including an automatic Hone Claws for Drilbur and the unlocking of Swords Dance, that's
wild), and they'll be facing the Gym they're most advantaged against for the lowest AP cost it's possible to get for a Gym mid-month.
