Rules and Guidelines

These are the rules and guidelines for Rival Gates. We ask that you please read through these thoroughly before contributing to the group, as you will only receive one warning* for breaking any of the following rules, and any further misconduct will result in punishment.
_{*Depending on how badly a rule has been broken, you may not receive a warning at all, even if it is your first offense.}

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1. No mini-modding
Please do not take it upon yourself to suddenly fill the role of a moderator for the group. If someone is asking a group related question, if their drawn/written application has an issue in it that needs to be revised, or if you believe they may be breaking the rules of the group, please leave it for the administrators to handle. That is their job, not yours.

It is fine to bring these things to the attention of the admins if they have not been dealt with, but do not take action on your own.

2. No harassment
Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated in the group. It does not matter what any of the context was, we will take any form of harassment towards a member of Rival Gates seriously.

If you feel like another member is harassing you, please bring it up with an admin and we will try to resolve the matter.

3. No theft of others art or writing

Rival-Gates will put a large emphasis on one's ability to tell a story but we will not tolerate those who use stolen art or writing in their entries to do so. This includes the use of tracing in your work. Using references to aid in the visuals of your presentation is encouraged but if we notice any clear acts of theft in your art or writing, we will remove it from the gallery and ask that you fix any problems with your entry before it can be judged or counted toward rewards.

Please refrain from using any outside commissioned work, sprites, and other official art from Nintendo in your entries. Be sure to clearly label when your are participating in a collaboration of any kind to avoid confusion with these matters.

4. Keep NSFW content to a minimum

While we would like to give you as much freedom as you would need to write your story the way you would like it’s important to note that we would like to keep the general presentation of this group at a what you would typically see of something rated PG-13. It would be fine to hint at certain actions or activities within your own story but if your work is blatantly NSFW we might ask you to tone it down a bit, to refrain for submitting more work like this, or put a clear mature label on work you submit to the group. If you receive a request to change something and ignore it we retain the right to remove you from the group.

5. Do not harass admins about a score received during a judgment phase. All scores are final

After every round of judging we will present the member of the group with a score sheet clearly labeling what score your team received. We know receiving a lower score can feel discouraging but there will be many reasons for why we decided to give you that score and will not change it. In order to keep up the pace and allow admins to deliver content that keeps up the progression of Rival-Gates, we will not give feedback on the sheet. If you truly wish to understand why we gave you the score we did, privately note the group with a link to your entry and the admin who judged your entry will give you proper feedback.

If you harass and admin over your score or any constructive criticism you receive, there is a possibility we will kick you from the group. We will not tolerate harassment of any kind aimed at members as well over scores. We will be honest with all scores we give and will not show favoritism towards certain teams or guild. If a team continually gets high scores, that means they are well adept at storytelling and could serve as an example of what to work for in your own entries.

While placeholders can be considered complete entries when it comes to rewards and aiding in the final score, we highly discourage their use for the judgement phase of a job, as it will be hard to tell an interesting story with the uses of a placeholder and will usually result in a lower score, lowering your guild’s total score as well..

6. No Advertisement/Self Promotion

We’d like to keep all art and writing submitted to our galleries related to the activities going on within the group. We will remove any deviations that do not belong such as unrelated comics or writing and any advertisements or self promotion that do not pertain to this group. There are some exceptions, however. We will allow announcements such as ones made for tumblrs, Rival-Gates related livestreams, cameo/collab requests, related memes, and special commission offers based on Rival-Gates. Please place any of these items in the General Things Folder

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Frequently Asked Questions

Basics/General Info

What’s this group about?
-Rival Gates is a group that focuses on competitive storytelling in a fantastical setting based on the pokemon mystery dungeon games. In this group, you will join one of two guilds who compete with each other to unlock the mysteries of the world.

How can I participate?
-The first step is to join the group. You can join at any time, and it does not require admin approval.
-Once you’re in, you’ll need to provide either an art application or a written application using the provided templates. Fill out whichever suits your preferences, and then you can submit their stories freely.
-Applications do not require admin approval, but an admin or mod may comment on them to point out discrepancies. If they are not corrected within a week, the application will be removed and will require resubmission.
-For more details, please read the New Member’s Guide.

If I use the art application for my team, can I still make written submissions?
-Yes. Whether you have applied as a Writer or an Artist, you can submit anything to the group for your team through either medium. Filling out both applications is optional
-Do note that if you do choose to fill out both applications for your team, please keep your group rank consistent. The rank is more a reflection of your ability to tell a story in any medium, rather than whether or not you are better at drawing or writing.

Can I get kicked from the group for inactivity?
-No, members will never be removed for inactivity.

Is mature content allowed in the group?
-Keep in mind that we would like to keep this group PG-13, so certain bloody scenes are fine, but please refrain from submitting anything NSFW in the group as stated in our rules and guidelines.

Someone has copied my team/has been harassing me. What do I do about it?
-If another group member is stealing your work or constantly harassing you, report it to the admins. We’ll do our best to deal with it.

Team Details

What Pokemon can I choose for my starting team?
-You are free to choose from any Baby/Basic Pokemon that you want, and you are also allowed to use one first stage Pokemon in your team if you wish.  Any additional team members after the first two must be a Baby/Basic stage Pokemon, or an egg.
-Eggs are allowed to be used in a team as long as there is another Pokemon in the team to care for it.
-The only Pokemon that is officially recognized as a First Stage Pokemon but that we will allow as a Basic Hire is "Shedinja", as that species is technically a second body that was created when a Nincada sheds their old shell. However, if you choose to have your character be a Nincada that failed to evolve properly and became a Shedinja instead of a Ninjask, it will be treated as a Stage 1 Evolved Pokemon.
-As of the events of the Job 5 / Dream State Disaster Task Board event, four cybernetic organisms: Genescect, Type:Null, Silvally and Magearna become available for use as team members. However, these characters would have to follow stricter guidelines than average Pokemon. Please see the information in the "WORLDBUILDING" tab for details.

How does evolution work with friendship-based Pokemon / Pokemon that need special element stones?
-The only thing the guild in-universe needs to confirm an evolution is the Evolution Evaluation Form - we don't have any special item to pay for which allows evolution to occur. Characters that need a stone to evolve can find one or buy one from a made-up shop as they adventure in the world, however you choose to do it! Those that need to be at a certain level of "friendship" or need to be in a specific area (such as Leafeon's Mossy Rock) can evolve in their own way as well, as long as it's plausible for the universe.

Can I use a Legendary Pokemon in my team?
-Not apart from the "man-made" Pokemon listed in the special Job 5 / Dream State Disaster Task Board event - Genescect, Type:Null, Silvally, and Magearna. Legendaries based in myth and folklore, creators and mythical creatures are not available to be added to teams. Sometimes special cases will be made. You can check out journals that drop per newly released game to see if a Pokémon is available to use by members. When in doubt, feel free to contact a mod to ask.

Can I import teams from other PMD related media?
-Yes. But if you do, make sure they have no memories or knowledge that extends outside of the group. Any stories they might have had previously should be left behind or retconned to fit into the world of Rival Gates.
-Additionally, any team you use must be one of your own creation. Please don’t steal.

Could I collaborate with a friend to make a team?
-Yes, though how you manage the creation of content for your team is up to you and your partner.

Could I collaborate with another team?
-Yes, and if they are a member of the opposing guild, you may collaborate with them so long as both guilds are on the same job.

Can I deviate from the original Pokemon design?
-Yes, but please do so within reason. If we can’t recognize the pokemon you’re drawing, nobody else will either. As long as the design retains the pokemon’s official colors, body type, and is recognizable, it should be fine. This means no albinism/melanism etc. will be allowed, however if you want to alternate colors (a Pokemon with part shiny colors and part normal colors) that is allowed. Nothing too anthropomorphic please.

What about Pokemon that can change their appearance?
-Pokemon with abilities to change their appearance have special circumstances surrounding them. Here is a brief list:
  Zorua and Zoroark can change how others see them, but their bodies cannot actually change (they could make others think they're looking at a certain other Pokemon or that the Zoroark has special markings, but if someone attacks the space where the real Zorua/Zoroark is standing then the illusion will be broken).
  Kecleon can change colors based on the type they have, however the color of the stripe around their waist cannot change.
  Any Pokemon with Protean as their ability cannot change colors. The effect of the ability will not be visible on the character's body, but you can choose to have their moves look different when Protean triggers if you like.

Can I have more than two members in my team?

-Yes, but you may only start with up to Two Pokemon in a new team. Rewards are available to increase the amount of pokemon you have in your team up to a maximum of 10. You can use as many of your team members as you like in your entry or leave some on standby. It’s up to you. 

-This is better explained in the Housing System journal.

What happens when a character leaves the team? Can we hire replacements?
-Strictly speaking, circumstances where a character quits or is lost from their team during your stories won't affect whether or not they can hire new members - each new member still needs to pay for a Hiring Form so that their name and face can be on Wren/Tiva's records after all. However, we will allow one free pass for an Evolution Evaluation form when hiring replacements for a departed team member. For example, you will be allowed to hire a Raichu to a team with only a Hiring Form, instead of both a Hiring Form and an Evolution Evaluation Form.
-Please keep in mind that this rule DOES NOT extend to members of the guild who "stay home", meaning they don't participate in one or two events but are still technically part of the team. In order to have this bonus to hiring, the original character(s) have to be completely gone from your team and have no plans to return.

Can the Pokemon in my team be shiny?
-Yes. Just keep in mind that shiny pokemon are typically a rarer sight and should be treated as such.

Am I limited on what clothing or accessories my characters can have?
-There is no real limit to clothing or accessories, but we encourage you to keep such items within reason. However, when your Pokemon is doing a guild related activity, they must be wearing their designated uniform accessory.

What kinds of moves and abilities are allowed?
-Hidden abilities are allowed, and you can have any combination of Egg moves and Level Up moves, but you cannot start with a TM or Tutor Move.
-You can change a Pokemon’s moveset at any time as they grow stronger, but you cannot add any more egg moves and you must use a TM voucher to learn a TM or Tutor Move.

I have a Smeargle on my team. What moves do I start with?
-Smeargle is a special case, since it only really has access to Sketch. In this case, Smeargle is allowed to start with 2 pre-sketched moves with the rest of its moveset filled with Sketch. They will need to post that they've used a sketch to learn a move from that point forward. Once all 4 slots are filled, if they want to change their moves they will need to see a special npc (not yet revealed) who can reset a move back to Sketch to repeat the process.

-A Smeargle may also be allowed to sketch ONE of three signature moves: Techno Blast, Fleur Cannon, or Multi-Attack (from Genescect, Magearna or Silvally, respectively). However, keep in mind that since these man-made Pokemon are mechanical in nature, if a Smeargle has sketched their move then there will need to be a reasonable way to implement it. Some ideas might be to use the move with a weaker charge that more resembles a natural Pokemon moveset, or using a mystical item similar to the Guild Flags to channel the attack through.

Will my Pokemon be able to recall moves they’ve lost?
-No, they will not be able to recall old moves on their own. However, there will be a service available where they can relearn any moves they have had previously.

What are the guilds to choose from?
-There are two feuding guilds which are available, the Ardent Cinders and the Roaring Icebergs.

What are guild rankings and stamps?
-Stamps are a special icon awarded after each mission. By completing missions and collecting stamps, teams can level up their rank within the guild. As a team goes up in rank, they gain an upgrade to their uniform as well as a raise in pay.

Can my team swap between guilds?
-No. Once a team is assigned to a guild, they cannot change it for any reason. Guild traitors are thrown into a pit and left for dead.

Can I have more than one team in the group?
-Yes, you may have multiple teams in Rival Gates, as long as they all follow the rules of the group.

How many Meobans does my team start with?
-New teams do not start with any Meobans but can quickly earn them by participating in jobs and missions.

Could I still get rewards after missing the deadline for a Job/Mission?
-If you miss the deadline for a job or a mission, you will not have access to the exclusive/bonus items for that particular objective. If you complete an objective after the deadline, you will still receive the non-exclusive rewards, and if you complete a mission after the deadline you will receive a slowpoke stamp which still counts towards your rank. One Slowpoke stamp is the equivalent of half of a normal stamp. Receiving two slowpoke stamps counts as a full stamp and counts towards your rank up.

Can I use commissioned or gift artwork for my team?
-Any artwork that you submit to the group MUST be your own. However, if you wish to provide said artwork such as references of your written team, place a link in the description to the original work.

Can we create personal NPCs?
-Yes. You can have as many personal NPCs as you need, but they cannot act as another member of your team during jobs or missions.

Are we allowed to use the NPC app the admins use for our NPCs?
-No. We'd like to keep the group's NPC apps distinct from member NPCs to avoid any potential confusion. You are free to make your own template or use what other's members have shared as long as they do not resemble too closely the apps used by admins.

Can my team members use manufactured weapons or other materials?
-Only if said item was obtained as a job/mission reward.

World Details

What is the history of the world?
-First off, this world is called Huana. You can decide if your characters are educated on the history or not, but here is a summary for anyone who might need it for their work.

-The Dark Ages took place before Huana had an official history, so it goes back for a long time through many, many generations. At the time there wasn't a word for it; just standard Pokemon life. The world was a disaster zone, with many patches of land suffering from quakes, flooding and sinkholes. Any Pokemon that lived at the time were forced to live self-serving lives. Those that lived on the move were almost wild animals; thieves and bandits that might even eat other Pokemon if they were hungry enough.

-Areas that were safe enough to build up stable towns and cities quickly became taken over by cruel leaders, as Verana did in Neve Town. Half a century before the start of Chapter 1, Shamus and his friends, including the other future guild leaders Barrik, Fjord, Euca and Camila took it into their own hands to put a stop to a surge of violence from ghost Pokemon appearing across the land (an event that became known as the Ghost Wars), and after that went on to throw out corrupt leaders and organize groups, which eventually became their guilds, to help protect, defend and organize their homelands.

-There is still a majority of land that has either not been settled by Pokemon, or is secluded from others - and history as it stands has only been kept by the five major settlements in Huana. For members who want to create their own settlements, these places would have to be able to stand on their own, or be in contact with at least one of the five major locales of Huana.

-After Shamus's passing a year before the events of Chapter 1, the Rift Wardens were disbanded when Nuri and Jay couldn't agree on how to lead them. Currently, Izel is working with the two rivaling leaders to properly serve Rift City and their alliance with the other settlements while still being cautious not to ignore the visions she has been having about something very important looming in their future.

Have humans ever existed, and could my character have been a human previously/known a human?

-If you're committed to it, we'd like you to contact us with your idea for a ghost-human and that way you can know for sure that your idea is allowed and won't make it hard to tell your story later on as the group's story is unlocked!

-As for the relationship that the four cyborg Pokemon from Job 5 / Dream State Disaster - Genescect, Type:Null, Silvally, and Magearna have to "the Ancients", this information can be approached in a variety of ways.
1) Your Pokemon can be a copy of an original version of the Pokemon, which was formed when a Ditto touched the cyborg Pokemon and its cells transformed into a brand-new being. This character would not have the memories of the original, or the memories would be vague and/or in bits and pieces.
2) Your Pokemon can be one that was made by the Ancients, making them thousands of years old. If they were already free, they would have been traveling underground, trapped inside of enclosed complexes that were sealed long ago. They would more than likely be patchworked from various parts that they picked up over the many long years of their old parts becoming rusted or damaged, maybe even needing serious repair.
    a) Their minds could have deteriorated over the many long years, and some memories of the Ancients would be lost in that process.
    b) The Pokemon would have most of their memory intact. These Pokemon would not be able to share any information about the Ancients due to having the memories "restricted" in a similar way to Glitch's memory recall program, or they have some sort of programming that prevents them from ever revealing it - either to other characters, or to ourselves (the readers). This would help to prevent making mistakes that would be disproven later on as the group's story progresses.


Are there any creatures besides Pokemon?
-Yes, small fish and simple insects exist, but the world is primarily dominated by Pokemon.

Can we use Legendary Pokemon in our stories?
-Not apart from Genescect, Type:Null, Silvally, and Magearna (starting in Job 5 of the storyline). Legendary Pokemon that would be considered "gods" or "creative forces" are still a myth, and any mention of them should be left very vague.

Are Pokemon able to mega evolve in this universe?
-Yes, however it is extremely rare and most Pokemon are currently unable to mega evolve at this time. However, Mega evolution is now available to members if they are fully evolved and gain access to a stone. Please see this journal for more info.

 Mega Evolution and Gigantamax Submissions

Your personal NPC characters are free to have a history using the stones.

If a Pokémon’s parents are different species, can the child take after the father?
-Yes, but keep in mind that it is an uncommon occurrence and that most of the time, the child is the same species as the mother.

Can Beta Pokemon Designs be used?
-Since the Beta designs are unofficial - have no information on Abilities, Movesets and more - and many of them are Pokemon designs that are very different from the official versions or were used for future games instead, we can't accept Beta concepts as official character designs.
If you really like some features in the leaked Betas then you are welcome to include elements of them in your character's design - but please be sure to send a note to the group with a rough sketch or description of your concept so that we can confirm it. We wouldn't want you to post a completed app and then have to redesign the character you created!

Can a Pokemon identify as a different gender than their sex?
-Yes, they can have any gender identity they wish regardless of their sex and species.

Do things like alcohol and drugs exist?
-Yes there is alcohol, but there are no drugs.

How advanced is the technology in this world?
-Technology exists from the modern era, however it is mostly rusted, rotten and deteriorated from very very long years of being left unused and exposed to the elements. Pokemon either have no need for it or have repurposed such artifacts entirely. There is little need to recreate a lot of the old technology, so for the most part what they find is what they get. Take, for instance, the aerial tramways to Iclyn Mountain: Pokemon can't forge new parts for them, but they have somewhat figured out how to operate the trams and repair damages with scraps that they can find elsewhere (though, as you may have noticed, the repairs aren't perfect and the trams do not operate as quickly or efficiently as they would in our modern world). This is how all of the technology Pokemon can use is treated.

Does magic exist in this world?
-No.  They’re inherently magical to an extent, so things like wizardry and witchcraft are not concepts in this world. Characters may have a magical flavor to them and can use their moves and abilities in creative ways, but they can’t do anything beyond what their species can do naturally.

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Have any questions or concerns? Leave a comment below and we will answer it as soon as we can.