Terastallization

[frutescens]

Cool mechanic, but clunky in implementation (in my personal opinion).
What can be done to make it a useful + interesting mechanic?

Link to Tera Conversation on Miro

https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVL8vSHHE=/?moveToWidget=3458764609636183530&cot=14

[Tempo-anon]

Make shards rarer
Make shards permanent for the run

Simple and easy

[Snailman11]

If the Tera Orb could be put in a Shop as a relatively expensive item, and Tera-Type could be immediately chosen, then that could satisfy a Player's means of obtaining the item while also allowing them to use it meaningfully.

• Upon obtaining a Tera Orb, the Player is given the chance to change a Pokemon in their Party's Tera Type. That Pokemon then gains the Ability to Terastallize into that Type.

Base Improvements:

• Removal of individual Tera Shards
• Allow infinite use of Tera
• Allow Tera to be toggled ON during Battle, but only once.
• Limit Terastallization to a Single Pokemon per Battle. (This adds Strategy to its usage)
• Disallow the reapplication of similar Tera-Types upon gaining the item.
• Fix Stellar to have parity with Mainline. (Link soon)

[innerthunder]

I mostly agree with this, but I think Tera Shards should still be offered in some way (albeit much more rare/expensive) after obtaining the Tera Orb to allow for other party members to change their Tera Type:

• Upon obtaining a Tera Orb, the Player is given the chance to change a Pokemon's Tera Type as above.
• Every X4/X9 shop encounter after that offers a random Tera Shard as one of its basic shop items (alongside potions, memory mushroom, etc); say it costs around 2x the price of a Revive.
• Tera Shards are immediately consumed on purchase (i.e. the Player can't save a bunch of shards in their Bag for the right moment)

[frutescens]

Would we want to give Terastalized Pokemon a different look than before? Right now, I believe a tint mask is applied to a Tera-ed pokemon.

[innerthunder]

I think it's fine as is; the tint is easy to manage (minimal alterations to the sprite itself), and it communicates the Pokemon's Tera status and type effectively.

Obviously we would need an animation (tweens?) for Terastallization as an action if we go that route, though.

[frutescens]

Adding these thoughts, I feel like the possession of X Key Item should lead to trainers possessing other X Key Items (like Megas, G-Maxxed Pokemon, Tera-ed Pokemon). I also think that players should be able to choose what tera type their starters should start with if they were able to unlock the Pokemon with the tera type in the first place a la natures.

[Snailman11]

How would you acquire tera types on a Pokemon?

Are you suggesting that Pokemon should be able to Tera immediately?

Would you have the Tera Orb be an item that unlocks the option of Terastallization, and that they be restricted in choosing a type?

[frutescens]

You would catch them.

No, I think the player should have the Tera Orb. I would say yes, the Tera Orb unlocks the option of Terastallization and the Pokemon is restricted to whatever Tera type it has. Shards could be used like mints instead and change/unlock the Pokemon's tera type. I feel like that way, it'll be the most similar to mainline