Making a Challenge

To make a challenge for a battle or to see what open challenges are available check the Open Challenges thread in the forum. To post a challenge in this thread, it MUST be of this format:

X-on-X
Double Battle (optional)
Hidden Squad (optional)
Equilevel/Equiall
Y HR DQ
Realistic / Slapstick Rules
Return = OK / KO

X is the number of Pokémon that will battle on each players side.

If you want the match to be a Double Battle, then put Double Battle in the challenge.

If you want the Pokémon squads hidden from the competitors, place Hidden Squad in the challenge. In a Hidden Squad match, both trainers' will PM their squad team of 6 Pokémon to the Referee before the battle commences.

For equilevel and equiall, a trainer level must be specified. In equilevel, all Pokémon are considered at that level (so in equilevel 3, all Pokémon are considered level 3). In equiall, all Pokémon can battle as the evolutionary stage they would be at that level (so in equiall 5, a level 1 Ralts can battle as a level 5 Gardevoir). Note that you cannot have equilevel/equiall at a trainer level higher than either of the trainers battling. Also, uplevel are stll considered one level above other Pokémon (so level 4 in equi 3).

DQ is the amount of time that a trainer has to post a battle move, usually in hours. This can be up to 96 hours If it is a trainer's turn and they do not post their Pokémon attack in the allotted time, their opponent can DQ them. When DQing, you can post a new set of orders for a free round - if you can KO your opponent that round, you can get credit for that KO too. For a trainer to earn victory in a DQ match, the match has to go at least 5 rounds.

In Realistic matches, there is a possible chance that a Pokémon in battle may suffer a serious injury (broken bones, sprained knees, torn muscles, etc.) that will cause that Pokémon to have to sit out a certain number of Trainer matches in the Pokémon Center. In Slapstick Matches, a Pokémon although hurt badly, there will be no need for a Pokémon Center, that Pokémon will be able to fight in its next match.

Return = OK means that switching is allowed during a Pokémon match. Return = KO, on the other hand, prevents the Pokémon that was returned from re-entering the same match (unless the Pokémon was recalled by use of U-turn, Baton Pass, or similar switching move). Pokémon who can still return to the field will recover a small amount of energy each round they rest in their pokeball. Full switching rules are as follows;

1) Conventional switching is never a move, but takes a few seconds. No three movers allowed when switching.

2) When switching going second, the opponent gets a complete re-order which may not include his own switch (with the exception of switching moves). So the battling order switches.

3) Volt Switch/U-turn/Baton Pass counts as one move, and the round ends immediately after the new Pokémon is sent out if the user is ordering second (obviously use some common sense here if the opponent is mid way through charging something). No re-orders.

A Trainer may make more than one challenge at a time, and you may participate in more than one active battle. However, the total number of those challenges and current battles that a Trainer is involved with must not exceed four, and if a trainer has more than three active battles taking place, they must have at least two battles on either forum. However, each trainer gets two additional special slots that can only be used under circumstances. One is used only for tournament matches, and the other is used only when challenging a gym (trainers can only battle one gym at a time). In addition, Gym Leaders get two extra slots to be used to defend their gym, and Gym Trainers get one extra slot for the same purpose. All trainers at Trainer Level 2 or above also currently have one slot to be used for testing Exhibition matches until the test period ends.

Responding to a Challenge

To respond to a challenge made, reply to that post saying that you accept the battle and then post the challenge in the Referee Queue. In the post you will make in the Referee's Queue, it has to be of this format:

Challenger vs. Opponent
Battle Options

Where Opponent is you (one who replied to the challenge) and Challenger is the person who initially made the challenge. The Battle Options will be the rules of the match set forth by the Challenger. All you have to do then is wait for a referee to pick up your match. Once a referee picks up your match and the battle thread is posted for your upcoming battle, you can delete your post in the Referee Queue. Note that in a Gym Match, the Gym Leader takes the spot of the Challenger in this case, and the trainer they are defending their Gym from is the Opponent.

Posting a Battle Thread

Referees when you see a battle in the Referee Queue you want to officiate over, reply to that post saying you'll pick that match up. After that you must create a thread with the following title:

(UPN/SPP) PASBL: Challenger vs. Opponent: X-on-X (Double Battle, Realistic)

Where UPN or SPP (Serebii.net) is the forum the battle takes place, and Double Battle and Realistic must be displayed if the battle to take place has those options in it.

Your first post will need to have the battle rules and the arena where the battle will take place in it. There is a gigantic list of Arenas available to choose from in the Arenas section.

Trainers, make sure you have 6 Pokémon in your squad when you go to battle.

The order of attacks is as follows:

- Challenger displays his/her squad of 6 Pokémon and states their Trainer Level
- Opponent displays his/her squad of 6 Pokémon, states their Trainer Level, and sends out a Pokémon
- Challenger sends out a Pokémon and orders an attack
- Opponent orders an attack
- Referee refs the battle, and then battle order switches
- Opponent orders an attack
- Opponent orders an attack
- Referee refs
and so on.

For 1 vs 1's, 2 vs 2 Doubles, and Hidden Squad matches however, the order is a little different. In this case, both trainers PM their Pokémon and first round attacks to the referee. Battle order then continues with the Challenger ordering first after the first round has been reffed

If a Trainer's Pokémon gets KO'ed after a reffing then:

- That Trainer sends out another Pokémon and orders an attack
- The other Trainer orders an attack
- Referee refs
and so on.
- Note that the round ends immediately when any Pokémon is KO'd - even in doubles matches where both trainers still have at least one Pokémon on the field. The only exception to this is in doubles, the round will continue if the trainer whose Pokémon faints has no more Pokémon to replace them with.

If both Trainer's Pokémon are KO'ed in the same reffing round then:

- The last trainer who attacked (Trainer A) sends out another Pokémon
- The other trainer (Trainer B) sends out another Pokémon and orders an attack
- Trainer A orders an attack
- Referee refs
and so on.

Attack Commands

As a Trainer, you are allowed 1- and 2- attack combos during your turn to battle. You are also allowed one or two 3-attack combos during the battle, depending on the size of the match. You are allowed only 1 3-attack combo in a 1-on-1, 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 match and you are allowed 2 3-attack combos in 4-on-4, 5-on-5 and 6-on-6 matches.

Conclusion of Battle

Once a trainer is out of Pokémon to battle with, the match is over. Both trainers should show sportsmanship on the battle that took place and to thank the referee that officiated the match. Referees, what I need for you to do is to post the results of the battle in the Battle Results thread in the Statistics forum. Provide a link to the match in your post as well as the Battle Rules, and the Trainer Level of both trainers. If there was a DQ or a tie, state that in your post along with the number of KO's for the winning/tying trainer(s).