I'm developing my own sandbox-esque program in Python that, at the very moment is unfinished and really crude, but it was more of a proof-of-concept thing to me as I've been programming on and off for a couple years (school, jobs, volunteering gets in the way frequently). I've wanted to develop a simple format so, when I actually do get to finish it and it works, I can have a couple set's worth of Pidgeys with 30HP and Gust attacks that do 10 for 1 in my game if I reeeeaallllyyy wanted to, but I haven't worked on attacks, effects or abilities yet.
First idea: making a format where everything is around Base Set-Neo levels of power in terms of attacks, effects and HP. For example, something like Charmander would have 40HP as opposed to 60HP or 70HP. The game would feature Pokemon-EX and Pokemon-GX, with +10-30 more HP than usual, as well as Supporter cards as well. This was because things are a lot more complex now and things are a lot harder to kill.
In this format, Pokemon-EX and Pokemon-GX coexist. Almost always, Basic Pokemon will be Pokemon-EX, and almost always Evolved Pokemon will be Pokemon-GX. There may be some set-defining card that's a Basic that deserves a GX card but for the most part it'll stick to that rule.
Rewording common phrases to save space. Most changes are self-explanatory and since this wouldn't be geared towards the 7 year olds PTCG markets to, you can be a little more lax with the verbage. For example:
GX Abilities in addition to GX Attacks. Why not have one-shot Abilities instead of Attacks? Imagine a Greninja GX with a GX Ability that discards an Energy and places 12 damage counters on your opponent's Pokemon in any way you like? In this format, that's a little bit too much power, but while we don't have Supporters like Professor Oak, Juniper or Sycamore, this is one of the GX Abilities I've come up with.
Exploud-GX
I also thought that it'd be cool to get rid of Dragon's Weakness to Fairy by restoring its Weakness to itself. Fairies lose their Resistance to Darkness but Darkness types all have Weakness to Fairy now. This was tossed around by some guy here on these Forums but I can't remember who it was.
A very minor change to Rarities: instead of EX Rares or RAs or whatever type of Rare it is now, all RA prints of Pokemon-EX and Pokemon-GX are X Rares. URs and SRs retain their status and stuff.
First idea: making a format where everything is around Base Set-Neo levels of power in terms of attacks, effects and HP. For example, something like Charmander would have 40HP as opposed to 60HP or 70HP. The game would feature Pokemon-EX and Pokemon-GX, with +10-30 more HP than usual, as well as Supporter cards as well. This was because things are a lot more complex now and things are a lot harder to kill.
In this format, Pokemon-EX and Pokemon-GX coexist. Almost always, Basic Pokemon will be Pokemon-EX, and almost always Evolved Pokemon will be Pokemon-GX. There may be some set-defining card that's a Basic that deserves a GX card but for the most part it'll stick to that rule.
Rewording common phrases to save space. Most changes are self-explanatory and since this wouldn't be geared towards the 7 year olds PTCG markets to, you can be a little more lax with the verbage. For example:
-(Don't apply Weakness or Resistance for Benched Pokemon.) is implied, so it's skipped. If you want to apply W/R to Benched Pokemon, just write "(Apply Weakness and Resistance.)"
-Instead of writing "Discard 2 cards from the top of your/your opponent's Deck.", write "Mill 2 cards from the top of you/your opponent's Deck." People know what milling is.
-On Abilities, instead of writing "Once during your turn (before your attack), [effect].", write "Once during your turn, [effect]." Again, this is implied. If you have an Ability that triggers when a Pokemon is attacked or during your opponent's turn or some other odd circumstance, make sure you write when it occurs.
-On card effects that look at the top X cards and put them back in any order (like Gallade's Premonition Ability), instead of writing "Look at the top 5 cards of your deck and put them back on top of your deck in any order.", write "Rearrange the top 5 cards of your deck in any order."
-Instead of writing "Discard 2 cards from the top of your/your opponent's Deck.", write "Mill 2 cards from the top of you/your opponent's Deck." People know what milling is.
-On Abilities, instead of writing "Once during your turn (before your attack), [effect].", write "Once during your turn, [effect]." Again, this is implied. If you have an Ability that triggers when a Pokemon is attacked or during your opponent's turn or some other odd circumstance, make sure you write when it occurs.
-On card effects that look at the top X cards and put them back in any order (like Gallade's Premonition Ability), instead of writing "Look at the top 5 cards of your deck and put them back on top of your deck in any order.", write "Rearrange the top 5 cards of your deck in any order."
GX Abilities in addition to GX Attacks. Why not have one-shot Abilities instead of Attacks? Imagine a Greninja GX with a GX Ability that discards an Energy and places 12 damage counters on your opponent's Pokemon in any way you like? In this format, that's a little bit too much power, but while we don't have Supporters like Professor Oak, Juniper or Sycamore, this is one of the GX Abilities I've come up with.
Exploud-GX
Exploud-GX - Colorless - 110HP
Stage 2 - Evolves from Loudred
Rarity: X Rare
Expansion: The Visitors
[C][C] Derail 20
Discard a Special Energy attached to the Defending Pokemon.
[C][C][C][C] Boomburst
This attack does 30 damage to each of your opponent's Pokemon.
Ability: Card Destruction GX
Once during your turn, you may discard your hand and draw 8 cards. (You can't use more than 1 GX attack or GX Ability in a game.)
Weakness: Fighting x2
Resistance: None
Retreat Cost: 3
-------------------------------------------
Stage 2 - Evolves from Loudred
Rarity: X Rare
Expansion: The Visitors
[C][C] Derail 20
Discard a Special Energy attached to the Defending Pokemon.
[C][C][C][C] Boomburst
This attack does 30 damage to each of your opponent's Pokemon.
Ability: Card Destruction GX
Once during your turn, you may discard your hand and draw 8 cards. (You can't use more than 1 GX attack or GX Ability in a game.)
Weakness: Fighting x2
Resistance: None
Retreat Cost: 3
-------------------------------------------
I also thought that it'd be cool to get rid of Dragon's Weakness to Fairy by restoring its Weakness to itself. Fairies lose their Resistance to Darkness but Darkness types all have Weakness to Fairy now. This was tossed around by some guy here on these Forums but I can't remember who it was.
A very minor change to Rarities: instead of EX Rares or RAs or whatever type of Rare it is now, all RA prints of Pokemon-EX and Pokemon-GX are X Rares. URs and SRs retain their status and stuff.
