How to Apply for a Balance Position.

[Level5Pidgey]

Cool.
The balance team needs more members from time to time... but, in order to be accepted for the job, you need to show that you're competent in balancing Pokemon, getting along with the team, and being creative with skills that can be given to Pokemon in their skill trees.

You need the following skills:
Good Mathematical skills.
Great Knowledge of Pokemon Game Mechanics (such as IVs, EVs)
Good Knowledge of Competitive Pokemon

You need to know how to use the following tools:
http://smogon.com
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/
http://users.smogon.com/X-Act/BaseStatsRatings.html
Damage Calculators. We can provide a Variable Base Stat Damage Calc for your application.

So, as a step by step process:
1. Join IRC.
2. Talk a bit. Get to know Raikt and myself a bit. As Kamaran has been helping us quite a lot lately, knowing him is also helpful. Let us know that you're interested in balance.
3. We often have balance discussions right in the main chat - one of the many bonuses of being active in IRC.
4. If you do see a balance discussion, just look at how we operate and justify what changes we make.
5. When you think you're ready, or when Raikt, Kamaran or I suggest it, make a thread.

Now, in this thread you have to show that you can balance a Pokemon, and give it creative skills.

Pick a Pokemon. Any Pokemon that you feel like you know fairly well.
Study it pretty hard, work out what tier it is in competitive play. Should it go up or down?
The PU team currently tries to balance for high UU tier.

Work out the issues surrounding your Pokemon. Is it too easily countered? Is it too fast? Is it very limited in the roles it can perform? Are its Base Stats terrible?
Work out a solution.

Fill out the following form:

Code: [Select]

[b]Pokemon: [/b] Pokemon Name
[b]Type: [/b] Pokemon Type
[b]Current Tier: [/b] Where the Pokemon currently places in competitive play.
[b]Reasons for this placement: [/b] Tell us why the Pokemon is where it is, in a few short sentences - like "Infernape is in OU for its Mixed Wallbreaking abilities, with its high Speed, Attack and SpA stats. Its ability to OHKO a Blissey and many Steel Walls with Close Combat is a high sought-after ability.
[b]Stealth Rock Removal: [/b] How much is this Pokemon affected by the removal of Stealth Rock from Pokemon Universe? Stealth Rock has been the most important move in the game so far, and so, as we are removing it, you need to factor this into your balance. For example, Charizard is NU because he loses 1/2 his health if he switches into SR. Removing it makes him OU, you he doesn't need buffs.

[b]Buff or Nerf? [/b] Tell us whether you plan to buff or nerf the Pokemon. Single word.
[b]Explain the Change: [/b] Is it a change to stats? To abilities? To Movesets? Explain it in a sentence or two.

[b]Old Stats:[/b]
[b]HP: [/b]
[b]Atk: [/b]
[b]Def: [/b]
[b]SpA: [/b]
[b]SpD: [/b]
[b]Spe: [/b]

[b]Stat Related Damage Calculations:[/b]
Yes, you need these.
For an attacker, show what damage it currently does to common walls such as Slowbro, Weezing, Milotic, Chansey etc. with its most common attacks.
For a wall, show how much damage your average attacker like Blaziken, Nidoking, Venusaur, Ambipom, etc. will do to it.
Only test meaningful attacks, for example, no-one cares how much damage Charizard's Flamethrower does against Blastoise, as he will likely use Thunderpunch or HP Electric/Grass, or, another neutral move against it.

[b]Proposed Stats:[/b]
[b]HP: [/b] Also add the difference in, as in,
[b]Atk: [/b] if you have Charizard's Base 100 Speed
[b]Def: [/b] and you want to give him 105, make it
[b]SpA: [/b] 105 (+5)
[b]SpD: [/b] Likewise, if you had Blaziken's Base 80 Speed, and you subtracted 20,
[b]Spe: [/b] 60 (-20)

[b]Reasons for Stat Changes:[/b]
[b]HP: [/b] Here you explain why exactly you changed the stats, in specific terms.
[b]Atk: [/b]
[b]Def: [/b]
[b]SpA: [/b]
[b]SpD: [/b]
[b]Spe: [/b]

[b]Stat Related Damage Calculations:[/b]
Yes, you need these too.
With the Pokemon that you tested against above, show what has changed with your new stats.

[b]Movepool Changes + Reasons[/b]
If you changed the movepool, explain why here. For example, for Flareon:
+ Flare Blitz: Flareon has great attack, but a terrible Special-Oriented movepool that cannot take advantage of it at all. I added Flare Blitz to replace Fire Fang as its Primary Attack Move.

Or, in the case of removing abilities - for Machamp:
- Vacuum Wave: Machamp us designed to be a slower powerhouse - and so this move makes him extremely difficult to counter as even if you do outspeed his 100% Accuracy Dynamic Punches, he can easily use this move to threaten and deal high damage to you.

[b]Ability Changes + Reasons[/b]
Does the Pokemon have an ability that is purely detrimental? Or perhaps an ability would synergise extremely well with a Pokemon, but it does not have it? In Pokemon Universe, Pokemon can have 3 abilities to choose from. If you think your Pokemon needs a different ability, post it here. For example, for Muk:

Water Absorb: I feel that Muk is a great Special Wall, but, it would be even better and more usable with a way to effectively heal itself, and check Bulky Waters in the process.

[b]5 Interesting Skills that could be given to the Pokemon[/b]
I'm not sure if everyone is aware, but in PU Pokemon get skill trees like in World or Warcraft, or Borderlands.
An example is here:
http://pokemon-universe.com/index.php/topic,14.msg15353.html#msg15353

Skills can be applied to the Pokemon in general, or its moves, its abilities, etc.
To show how creative you can be, we want 5 Skills that are interesting, and could be applied to the Pokemon you are balancing.
These skills must be balanced and must work with the Pokemon to create a refreshing, strong and unique playstyle.

Fill this out for your application, we'll judge it, and hopefully it'll all check out!

Good luck!

[Raikt]

I thoroughly approve of this.

/thumbs up