Pokemon Conquest (aka Pokemon Tactics, or Pokemon + Nobunaga's Ambition)

[Skyblade]

I know there is a general Pokemon thread right now, but I think this game deserves its own.

How the heck they got Nintendo to agree to the plot for this game is kind of beyond me. I mean, the plot is, quite simply: You are a warlord. Gather an army of Pokemon trainers and take over the world. Just to summon the god Pokemon who created the world, so that you can claim its powers. While the first kingdom you invade had just tried to invade you, for the second one, you are literally told "the other two countries near us don't look like they are intrested in attacking other countries right now. This makes it the perfect time to make our move". I mean, WTF?! It's like we're actually playing as one of the bad guys! And I love it!

The combat is a huge derivative from usual Pokemon play. While the Pokemon, some of their abilities, and their attacks will all be familiar, that's about it. The only other thing that stayed is the thing that made the series great. Combat that is extremely simple and easy to pick up, yet has a staggering amount of depth hidden behind the surface.

The recruitment features behind how you pick up new Warriors for your Army is fun. Basically it's a spin on the usual "win in X turns, win without taking damage, etcetera" sort of challenges you get, except that it is a voluntary challenge with really worthwhile rewards. If you beat a Warrior's Pokemon in less than 4 turns, they offer to join you once you win the battle. Thus, if there's a Pokemon or Warrior you really want, focusing all out to down them early will ensure them join you later.

However, some, especially the other Warlords, have more trying requirements. I just conquered the Kingdom of Violight, home of the electric masters (and, yeah, 17 kingdoms, 17 Pokemon types, I saw what you did there, Conquest), and found that both the leader and her majordomo can be recruited if you not only beat them quickly, but also deal the finishing blows with your own personal Eevee.

I really, really like this game so far. I'm a bit worried about length, due to the whole "only 17 kingdoms" thing, since I already control 5, but I have heard that there is a lot to do even after, and I keep getting introduced to new mechanics, so we'll just have to see!

[Jiro]

This sounds ridiculously stupid and therefore awesome. I don't understand why but whatever I need to find it and play it!

[Fynn]

Damn you America! And Australia, too! Why don't re get this game, it's so unfair...

[Roto13]

I get the impression that about 90% of the game is outside of the main campaign, so I guess don't worry too much about running out of things to do so quickly.

I'm going to try to pick this up today, if I can find it. (I'm visiting my parents. :P)

[Roto13]

So I bought this the other day and I'm enjoying it a lot. The main story is pretty easy so far, except for the Psychic kingdom where the leader had a completely broken Gallade that was basically impossible to KO if he was standing on a flag (which regenerates HP every turn) because of its high evasion rate and its Parry skill and apparently high defense too.

Pokemon only have one attack command, but they each have several other abilities that happen in certain situations or randomly. Like Oichi's Jigglypuff only attacks with Doubleslap, but can randomly put all enemy Pokemon in a two or three square radius to sleep with Lullaby.

Anyway, I'm having fun with it. I've conquered 7 kingdoms so far, so 10 more to go. Then a million hours of sidequests.

[Laddy]

So I bought this the other day and I'm enjoying it a lot. The main story is pretty easy so far, except for the Psychic kingdom where the leader had a completely broken Gallade that was basically impossible to KO if he was standing on a flag (which regenerates HP every turn) because of its high evasion rate and its Parry skill and apparently high defense too.

Pokemon only have one attack command, but they each have several other abilities that happen in certain situations or randomly. Like Oichi's Jigglypuff only attacks with Doubleslap, but can randomly put all enemy Pokemon in a two or three square radius to sleep with Lullaby.

Anyway, I'm having fun with it. I've conquered 7 kingdoms so far, so 10 more to go. Then a million hours of sidequests.

This post exists.

[Freya]

It looks like a tactics game. I suck at tactics games. I've been calling it "Pokemon Tactics: Nobunaga Edition." Which has seemed to be fitting so far. But it's good?

[Skyblade]

So I bought this the other day and I'm enjoying it a lot. The main story is pretty easy so far, except for the Psychic kingdom where the leader had a completely broken Gallade that was basically impossible to KO if he was standing on a flag (which regenerates HP every turn) because of its high evasion rate and its Parry skill and apparently high defense too.

Yeah, his Gallade sucks. Not only is it so damned cheap, but the layout of the Psychic map pretty much ensures that you can't get your whole party there to fight it. The place is a mess of floating platforms, moving rocks, and teleporters. The problems with this? Well, the moving rocks don't move unless a Pokemon is on them, so once you take them across to a new platform, you can't send it back for another Pokemon. And the teleporters seem to realign randomly. They stay in the same spot, but change their destinations. So getting your entire team over to the Gallade to whoop up on his butt (which is pretty much your only option if you want to get past his cheap dodge and healing from the flag), means taking a long time.

Actually, patience is a good thing on that map as a whole. Rather than playing offensively, play defensively. My team was all Warlords (gold Warriors with unique avatars), so I was playing with Myself, Oichi, Motochika with Dewott, Motonari with Servine (don't miss the DLC, guys, those two Warlords are awesome!), Ginchiyo with Luxio (who evolved to Luxray after the battle, woot!), and Yoshimoto with his Pineco.

Strategy was really fairly simple. The teleporters seem to change randomly (or, actually, from my experience, they change based on the movements of Pokemon through teleporters and across floating rocks, which may as well be random), but they start in set positions. There are four corners of the map, each with a banner, and each with three Pokemon, effectively splitting your team into two teams at the start. Send Pineco through the teleporter immediately (step onto the teleporter and choose "wait"). This teleports him to the opponent's side and lets him wail on whatever is left behind to cap the flag, while the other opposing forces will attack your flag. If you are lucky and the enemy is extremely stupid, they'll attack your flag with that team's Drillbur, leaving Pineco with just a Ralts and a Kirlia to attack, each of which he can basically one hit KO, and it sticks Drillbur right next to Servine, which is not healthy for Drillbur. However, if Drillbur is left behind, don't worry, Pineco can still down him fairly quickly, as long as you attack from behind (and, yes, even though you can't choose facing, it still matters in this game).

The real key though, is to get the enemy Pokemon into a position from which they cannot retreat. If they attack you while standing on a floating rock or a teleporter, at the end of their turn, they will float away or teleport, and be out of your range. Lure them onto the simple terrain, and wail on them. It takes a little luck, but you can down all his buddies within the turn limit to recruit them.

Then you get the fun part, whooping on Gallade. Group your team up, head for the teleporters, and send them through. Since they usually pop up in Gallade's attack range, move them immediately on their next turn, and wait till you have all or at least most of them there. Then, move up and wail on him. One attacker won't do it. In addition to his high evade, he will wield attacks that have high critical ratio (Psycho Cutter) to whoop your behind. I'd say at least three, preferably five. Fortunately, you don't have to beat him in the time limit, he is a part of the story. Just whoop his butt, take the flag, and win.

And then the story gives you another Kingdom without a battle, and you begin to fight Nobunaga's territories.

[Roto13]

Apparently you can just fight Shingen in the Ground kingdom and never have to fight that terrible Gallade at all. That's something I learned after I'd finished the main story. :P

[Skyblade]

Apparently you can just fight Shingen in the Ground kingdom and never have to fight that terrible Gallade at all. That's something I learned after I'd finished the main story. :P

Yeah, it's a one-or-the-other fight. Both join you either way. But, c'mon, why wouldn't you do the Psychic land first? I mean, their army has the lower Strength rating. >.>

Just remember to hunt down the two Warlords serving with whichever leader you don't fight. While the main warlord of the city will join you, his two majordomos will start wandering the other cities.

[Skyblade]

The second DLC event is up.

The first one is a main story event where you get joined by the Warlords of Fontaine and Greenleaf (who run away after their battle).

The second one is another story event, only accessible after you complete the main story, which I have not yet (I restarted due to wanting to go over with everything I'd learned since the beginning).

[Skyblade]

Third sequential post, for which I apologize, but c'mon guys, grab this game, it's awesome!

Ok, I finally figured out what the requirements for recruiting Warlords are. Normal Warriors are recruited by killing them in less than 3 turns, killing them without taking damage, or killing them with a super-effective move.

Warlords have the same requirements, with the added one that the killing blow must come from another Warlord.

I like running a mostly Warlord team anyway. Unique portraits and personalities, and solid starter Pokemon. Since killing with super-effective attacks is the best way to recruit, the key then is to figure out which ones to take to which battle.


During the main story, you only get a handful at first. Your main character and Oichi to start out. The DLC event gives you two more, Grass and Water. You can grab another two from Violight, and this is probably the hardest recruitment of them all, since the only Pokemon you can get before that point that is supereffective against Electric Pokemon is Quagsire, and that takes a lot of grinding. But with a fast moving team, and taking advantage of Eevee's awesomeness (move again after killing something + extra range from your leader's ability), and you can get there.

At that point, things become a lot easier. Level up the Starly you got from Muneshige until it becomes Staravia. Congratulations, you have everything you need for Chrysalia and Pugilis. Staravia completely dominates those fights, especially Pugilis, since everything they have is weak to Flying, letting you recruit your Fighting and Bug Warlords with little trouble.

Things change a bit depending on which of the two areas you attack next. Illusio is the harder of the two (due to the stupid map), but I just love Psychic Pokemon so much that I go for it anyway (also, having Eevee do anything in Illusio while its Link is 70% or higher levels it into Espeon!). In which case, Pineco is your best friend (and, honestly, I find Pineco better than its evolution, Forretress, which has a really, really poor attack ability). Take your Fighting Warlord with you, just to give you a Warlord who can super-effective Aya's Ice type Cubchoo (in case you can't kill it in the recruitment turn limit), and either Dewott or Servile can thrash the Gound type on the team in probably one hit. Pineco cleans up the rest, and then you can eliminate Gallade at your leisure.


Just remember, Shingen joins after you beat Illusio, but his two follower Warlords become random encounters, so hunt them down and recruit them too (which, since they are on their own, will be simplicity itself).