Gameplay Structure
The Adventuring Loop
Pokémon Odyssey structures a campaign, or extended multi-session game in the system, with a standard adventuring loop made up of three phases:
- Planning and preparation
- Adventure!
- Downtime and rest
In the planning and downtime phases, the players and GM have certain procedures they follow, but the adventuring phase is much more open-ended and makes up the bulk of a campaign.
Planning and Preparation
After the players decide what kind of adventure they want to embark on next, their Trainers gain a fresh set of Travel Basics, refresh their stock of Pokéballs to 5, and restock any Travel Items they gain from their Calling if applicable.
Travel Basics include the following: Phone, Backpack, Sleeping Bag and Shelter, Towel, Weather-Appropriate Clothing, Flashlight, Lighter, Compass, Water + Filter, Rations.
Pokéball: Allows the capture of a defeated Pokemon outside of combat.
Additionally, GMs decide on the length of the adventure coming up and give the players a number of Potions; Supply Points, or SP, to spend on additional Travel Items for the adventure; and a number of Camp Supplies they share as a party. One unit of Camp Supplies must be expended when taking a Long Rest at camp in order for the party to gain any recovery benefits.
The allocation of Potions, Supply Points, and Camp Supplies are both a transparency mechanic to let the players know the planned length of their upcoming adventure and an attrition mechanic to challenge them and prevent them from coasting through by simply resting to recover after every single battle, or by using an overwhelming hoard of healing items to brute force through encounters. Here are some recommendations for how many Supply Points and Camp Supplies to hand out.
Short Adventure: 1-2 sessions long. Up to 3 normal battles or 1 normal battle and 1 boss battle.
- 2 Potions per player
- 2 Supply Points per player
- 1 Camp Supply for the party
Medium Adventure: 3-4 sessions long. 3 normal battles and 1 boss encounter or 1 normal battle and 2 boss battles.
- 4 Potions
- 4 Supply Points
- 2 Camp Supplies
Long Adventure: 5+ sessions long. 5 normal battles and 1 boss encounter or 3 normal battles and 2 boss battles.
- 6 Potions
- 6 Supply Points
- 3 Camp Supplies
Adventure!
The adventure phase is the most unstructured in Pokémon Odyssey and also occupies the most play time. This is when the party explores the wilds, infiltrates a criminal team's base, solves a murder mystery, or otherwise has, well, an adventure!
Scenes
A Scene is a discrete unit of narrative time that's often referenced in Pokémon Odyssey. Many effects are usable a set number of times per Scene, or they last until the end of the current Scene. If you cut to a new location or decide the primary conflict in a given situation is resolved and you want to move on to something else, that’s generally the end of the Scene. Sometimes Scenes are short, like a social meeting between a Gym Leader and the PCs at a Pokémon Center, but sometimes they can be lengthy, such as an extended infiltration of a criminal Team base. During these extended sequences, it is still a good idea to find stopping points for new Scenes. Any time the players can stop for a breather and take time to collect themselves before moving forward can qualify.
