Art by Joshua Dunlop.
PIKACHU
Role: Electric Animal, Cutest Thing Ever
PL 6 (98)- Minion Rank 6, Sidekick Rank 17
Normal Version: PL 4-5
STRENGTH -3 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 6 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -3 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -2
Skills:
Athletics 11 (+8)
Expertise (Survival) 6 (+6)
Intimidation 6 (+2 Size)
Perception 5 (+5)
Stealth 0 (+7 Size)
Advantages:
Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Evasion, Improved Aim, Improved Critical (Thunderbolt), Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 5, Uncanny Dodge
Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Acute & Extended Scent, Low-Light Vision) [3]
"Electric Type Magical Creature"
Immunity 10 (Electrical Effects) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) [5]
"Static" Affliction 4 (Fort; Dazed/Stunned/Paralyzed) (Extras: Reacion +3) (Flaws: Unreliable- 30% chance) [12]
"Thundershock" Blast 7 Linked to Affliction 6 (Fort; Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated) (Flaws: Unreliable -2- 25% Chance) (15.5) -- [18.5]
- AE: "Thunder Storm" Damage 6 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Cone) (12)
- AE: "Thunder Wave" Affliction 7 (Fort; Dazed/Stunned/Paralyzed) (Extras: Ranged) (14)
- AE: "Iron Tail" Damage 3 (3)
(-1 Strength, +2 Dodge/Parry, +4 Stealth, -2 Intimidation)
Offense:
Unarmed +6 (-3 Damage, DC 12)
Iron Tail +6 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Thundershock +7 (+5 Ranged Damage, DC 20)
Thunder Wave +6 Area (+6 Damage, DC 21)
Initiative +7
Defenses:
Dodge +9 (DC 19), Parry +9 (DC 19), Toughness +2 (+3 D.Roll), Fortitude +4, Will +4
Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Pikachu cannot speak to humans, nor use their paws to easily manipulate objects.
Weakness (Ground Damage)- Pikachu's creature type leaves it vulnerable to certain types of attack.
Total: Abilities: 10 / Skills: 31--15.5 / Advantages: 14 / Powers: 47.5 / Defenses: 11 (98)
Era: Fantasy Realms
Range: Forests.
Colouring: Yellow with red markings, later brown with yellow.
Size: Up to 3 feet long (7-25 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Large groups.
Diet: Berries.
Tactics: Avoid & flee if necessary, shocking with electricity.
-Pikachu are adorable, curious rodents that are nonetheless known for their temper, and ability to violently shock people who stray too close or take liberties with their personal space. Gathering in forests in large numbers, they are primarily berry-eaters that climb trees. They possess tremendous electrical power for a creature so small- most are capable of killing a human being with either a single bolt of electricity or a powerful bolt that covers a wide area. This effect is magical in nature- the creatures appear attuned to lightning storms and yet may generate electricity naturally, recharging their power cells overnight. but they always possess great electrical power, owing to proximity to powerful Ley Lines that breach the fundamental forces of the universe- many Electrical-Type animals draw power from the same source.
-Pikachu age into slightly-larger creatures with darker fur (called "Raichu" at first, but Animologists eventually discovered the two were the same species at different ages)- other variants are a lighter tan color and have blue or red eartips and dots on their cheeks. The animals live in groups and forge for berries, which they often roast using their powers. They are popular companions for Druids and Rangers, as despite their lack of stealth (they have bright coloring and typically very chatty), they are very powerful, quick and mobile- people who fight using Animal Companions point out that they can be trained to produce truly gigantic amounts of energy- far greater than any other creature of such small size.
-Pikachu are famous for their apperance- big black eyes, happy expressions, long jagged tails (resembling the lightning bolts they themselves produce), pointed ears that react in key with their emotions, etc. This is even more pronounced in their young, which have ears nearly as long as the rest of the creature. This is so popular that many deride the darker appearance of the older morphs- the "Raichu" are far less popular if one is hoping for the cutest possible pet. Some strange individuals will pay good money to an alchemist or Druid who can "lock" the creature into its original form while maintaining its aging process- this is pretty simple as biological alterations are concerned (given some of these chemists can alter humans into dinosaur-people and the like), but considered wasteful by others.
Jab's Notes: The Pokemon mascot himself- Ash's Pikachu should be like PL 15 with all the fights he's had, but most of the creatures should probably be around this level- dangerous and powerful for starter heroes, but not THAT great. It's bizarre that this was all I had written about the character before- I was a LOT more succinct back in the day.
-Pikachu, interestingly, was chosen as the game's mascot despite the Starters all being different- early Pokemon art featurerd a Rhydon as a regular beast, but I guess someone noticed just HOW friggin' cute this guy was and insisted he be the main Pokemon in the show. And the billions and billions of dollars the franchise has made seems to imply that whoever that was made the correct decision. Pikachu is so adorable, with his big black eyes, chipmunk cheeks and curious nature, that it seemed inevitable he'd be huge. He was so popular that the later Raichu is actually derided as shitty by contrast, which I always felt was unfair- Raichu looks plenty cool, and rather powerful compared to his more adorable younger self... but people want cuteness. It's stuff like that that leaves a lot of dogs sent to shelters because they're not cute anymore.
-Pikachu proved so overwhelmingly popular so quickly that "Pokemon Yellow" (where a Pikachu would follow you around as in the TV show) was soon released for Game Boy. This was a pretty good move, as it's effectively a cheat to let you have a Pikachu right away (unfortunately, in-game you don't get one for quite a while as I recall), AND get all three Starters, while also being more like the mega-smash anime! And Pikachu's success led to another version quickly- I'm willing to bet the existence of "Baby Pokemon" was because they wanted another, even CUTER Pikachu- the tiny, huge-eared Pichu. The third generation even went out of its way to mimic Pikachu with Plusle & Minun, two nearly-identical Pikachu rip-offs with similar silhouettes.