Let’s Play D&D With Pokémon
We’re gunna be the very best, like no one ever was when we add some of our favorite Pokémon to the next D&D session.
Remember Pokémon? Of course, you do, it’s still around! But remember OG Pokémon? When days were simple and our biggest concern was how sketchy the guy at the mall you were buying your metallic Charizard card from was? Good times. Let’s spend a moment sitting in the nostalgia together, pretend we’re Ash Ketchum, pick our starter, and invite them to join our adventurer in some D&D goodness.
#001: Bulbasaur
We’re starting at the very beginning (a very good place to start) with the first entry in your Pokédex: Bulbasaur. This is my starter of choice and one still one of my top two Pokémon to this day.
With just barely the most hit points, and a few attacks that have the potential to be terrifying, Bulbasaur isn’t a monster you want to mess with. Vine Whip and Leech Seed are both distance attacks, but Leech Seed will steal your HP for Bulbasaur to use for themselves like an adorable grass type vampire. Of course, one good Fireball would really mess a Bulbasaur up. And I know how many of you have Fireball in the rotation.
#004: Charmander
Charmander is probably the most popular first-gen starter for a reason. He’s a literal ball of fire who’s almost endless potential. Sure this Pokémon is small, not terribly strong on his own (just yet), and has a huge weakness in his tail flame. But he’s quick. And for a starter monster, he has very decent attacks. One bad roll could mean an adventure is temporarily paralyzed? Good luck if your dice are acting up that day!
Charmander may a little weak right now, but we all know he’s going to grow up to be a literal dragon. And in the world of D&D, that means a lot.
#007: Squirtle
Squirtle is a little tougher than Charmander (y’know, because he has a shell), but not quite as fast or charismatic. Remember the Squirtle Squad? They were cool, but sort of jerks.
His Water Gun attack has the potential to do a lot of damage to lower level adventurers, but be sure not to ignore his Tackle or you may find yourself grappled for a turn or two. Like the other two, Squirtle doesn’t have a ton of hit points. But he’s still a baby and it’s easy to see how devastating these attack will get with levels and maybe an evolution or two.
Because of the nature of Pokémon, ideally, I’d like these guys to have the ability to be your characters’ familiar or animal companion. Sure, you leave home to start fighting your animal companion against other kids’ animal companions, but at the end of the day Pokémon is always about friendship and bonds. So if we’re introducing Pokémon to our D&D sessions, I want our characters to have new best friends.
How would you make Pokémon for D&D? Which was your favorite? Should we make their evolutions in the future? What movie, show, comic, or game would you like to see sheets from next time? Let us know in he comments!
Happy Adventuring!
