SOS Battles - A New Competitive Mechanic?

[Garren]

So, in today's trailer we saw that the Totem Pokemon you can fight---Gumshoos and Lurantis being two of them---can summon ally Pokemon to assist them. I assume for example Lurantis will probably summon Fomantis who can help it out with Leaf Guard, or it might summon a partner to use Sunny Day so that it can use its solar-powered moves faster.

One thing the site adds is that these are specifically called "SOS Battles", and claims that other Pokemon are also capable of doing such an action. Furthermore it also mentions SOS Battles open up "sophisticated combos", which possibly hints that it could be a new battle mechanic that the player themselves can use, possibly in the competitive scene even.

Thoughts on this? This seems like a bigger possible shake-up than Z Moves to me.

 

[godiego]

i think this is only going to be an in-game mechanic reserved for wild pokemon. doesn't quite seem sensible for trainers to so explicitly "cheat" in battle, whereas it does seem to make sense that a wild Pokemon could call on its pack/friends/whatever for help.

 

[Zeta]

It's based on a mechanic started in Dragon Quest named "Call For Help" where monsters call for relatives to join a fight mid-battle. It creates very tense moments in turn-based RPGs.

 

[Silktree]

I don't see how it would work in competitive battles. It seems likely for legendary encounters, though.

 

[Garren]

I could definitely see the Box Legendaries calling on Minior.

Like perhaps they could shield them, and you'd have to fight through the Minior first?

 

[PurplePopplio]

This makes the games even more challenging. People have been wanting difficulty levels and this is at least a step.

 

[The Outrage]

Thoughts on this? This seems like a bigger possible shake-up than Z Moves to me.

It sounds like an extension to Horde Battles--in Kalos, we meet up with a group of Pokemon. In this scenario, you only meet up with one wild Pokemon but they can call for back-up from their packs, rather than start off as a full horde.

I think this would remain an in-game mechanic. I can also see SOS battles being used by the evil team members calling for back up.

 

[Team Gaara]

I couldn't really see it for trainer battles~ Realistically, that would just be a double battle (or triple, etc.), not really calling for help like a wild animal could do to other Pokemon in the area.

I STRONGLY doubt it would be in competitive~

 

[Lone_Garurumon]

I'm really only seeing this happen for wild encounters, it just doesn't seem right to throw in another Pokemon just because you feel like it.

Spoiler: Pokemon League rules say only one at a time

 

[Zeb]

I wonder if the number of allies called will increase as the Totem Pokemon "difficulty" does/we progress into later trials. We did have 5vs1 with hordes, but they were much weaker than your level and 2vs1 is going to be kinda tough when one of them is a powered up Totem already.

 

[phineas81707]

My first thought when I first saw the message 'Totem Gumshoos called for help!':

"...This is just going to be beautiful."

Well, add another check-mark for 'RPG Staples that Pokemon plays lip-service to', right between 'enemy heals itself' and 'random drops'.