[Balance] Discuss evil bosses

[Tempo-anon]

ref: https://github.com/Despair-Games/poketernity/blob/beta/src/data/balance/trainer-configs/evil-boss-trainer-configs.ts

1. What do the evil bosses do well?
2. What do the evil bosses do poorly?
3. Which specific choices strike you as bad or not fitting?

Also for some more context and background information, the evil teams/bosses were conceived for two main reasons:

• The first was that obviously more recognizable characters from the Pokemon canon would be welcomed by players and
• One of the primary complaints was that the midgame was too boring and each run was too samey with having to prepare for the same threat (Mega Rayquaza). By giving players a random difficult opponent through the run that they could plan ahead for, this added an extra element of strategizing and planning.

Evil bosses were the first time opponents had fully crafted themed teams without any randomness so when making them I tried to actually have some cohesive strategy in mind. This can probably be seen in the first few (Giovanni, Archie, Maxie) who all have the semblance of a weather team. When designing the teams the main tenets that I wanted to focus on were:

• The first fight should more accurately represent their canon in-game battle
• Having variety/variations between slots is good
• Each one should have a powerful legendary
• Just by sheer coincidence it seems that nearly all of them have a mega/gmax able Pokemon. Being able to showcase these (as they would never show up in the wild)
• I tried to subtly add in some storytelling through the team compositions (Ghetsis getting rid of his Hydreigon for a Iron Jugulis) but it seems like this is one of the things that didn't quite land

Anyway, here are my thoughts:

Giovanni

1. First fight is mostly fine but maybe the alolan variations for Persian/Dugtrio are too much? In one of the earlier drafts I even had options like Wugtrio and Marrowak/Alolan Marrowak
2. Iron thorns is definitely a miss in the rematch. I thought it would be cool for the awe factor but Iron Thorns is worse than Tyranitar and also doesn't showoff gen 2 as much

Maxie

1. I don't know if I agree with the Magmortar/Torkoal slot instead of just Torkoal but I think overall this team has a lot of variation and is pretty accurate
2. Maxie's rematch team is a sun based team that I'm quite satisfied with. There's 3 sun setters, a chlorophyll Pokemon, and I think Great Tusk fits pretty well thematically and to go with the sun. I think a Donphan in the first fight would make it even better though.

Archie

1. Like Maxie 1, I am pretty satisfied overall with this. Good variety and also sticks pretty on theme with Archie's team
2. Archie 2 has the same idea as Maxie 2, with 3 rain setters and powerful swift swimmers at its core. It's a bit more weather dependent but should showcase off a proper team working in synergy.

Cyrus

1. Cyrus's first team is pretty standard to his in game fights. Since it was decided that he would be getting Darkrai, he also got the pixies to get some more variation and hopefully make up for the lack of a true cover legend. He also uses a Houndoom so that got a Mega slot
2. Trying to find Pokemon Cyrus actually used or are fitting is actually pretty hard. He uses Salamence in bdsp's battle tower and Electrode is one of his tcg Pokemon and both of them have variations. While I do think Weavile having a variation in Sneasler is good, I think Weavile is still too iconic to have it have the chance to not show up in the rematch.

Ghetsis

1. First team is mostly fine. If I had to make any changes I might remove the Galvantula and Volcarona and instead use a Durant
2. I originally envisioned an ice team for Ghetsis 2 based on BW2 and Kyurem, but there's not that many good Pokemon for an ice based team. I also don't really agree with the addition of Genesect on Ghetsis's team. I can also see that Iron Jugulis doesn't work as it's just much worse than Hydreigon.

Lysandre

1. No complaints with the first fight
2. The Scream Tail/Flutter Mane slot is a big L and I acknowledge that. There is just way too large of a gap in power level between the two even if the theme of that slot was on vanity and beauty.

Lusamine

1. Aesthetics and theme definitely play a large part of Lusamine's first fight. Mega Lopunny is also an option for a Mega but that might overlap too much with Bewear which should be highlighted
2. I feel like Lusamine does not need to carry over 3 Pokemon (Nihilego, Milotic/Primarina, Clefable). I also don't think Necrozma really fits on her and she should instead lean more into the UBs. Since she uses a Mismagius, Flutter Mane here would not be too much of a stretch

Guzma

1. Not too much to complain about here
2. I don't have too many complaints about the team but it's clear that this team needs some improvements when it's agreed upon that he's the easiest evil boss.

Rose

1. Not sure about Sirfetch'd/Mr Rime but they're both from gen 8 and add some type variety so I think it's fine. One thing that Guzma and Rose have in common is that their teams are based too much on one type while most evil bosses have a bit more variety in their team typing. I liked Empoleon here since it provided somewhat of a counter for fire.
2. I think Melmetal makes way more sense as a boss. Other than that I feel like a lot of the other team slot selection are stretches (Galar birds, Galar fossils)

Penny

1. I think Penny 1 is fine with Eeveelutions from each generation.
2. This is probably the most controversial evil boss fight. The problem with Eeveelutions is that for the most part they're not good competitively, but also stacking her team with sublegends, paradoxes, and custom megas probably isn't the solution either.

[Snailman11]

They provided the player with a clear obstacle; something the Player could plan their run around.
Having the knowledge of which one you'd fight actually let the Player make specific teambuilding decisions.

[CodeTappert]

Cant we give rose ethernatus? Of course not stupidly OP as a boss. Just a normal non-boosted one.? this could replace the galar birds

[CodeTappert]

For penny we decided in discord for:
sylveon, [johto dog], eveee (gmax),[iron sword of justive], [ruin legend]

starmobil as 6th? (either recycled one or new one). So either one of the admins we didnt see or we create a custom variant

So she was a full team.

Sylveon first pokemon, evee as ace.