Type Affinity
When a Pycotroph contains a high concentration of particular Pyco Energy type this is known as a Type Affinity. Most Pycotrophs have one or two natural Type Affinities but this is not a hard limit. Most humans are born with a Type Affinity of Void which will naturally become Basic with age.
Biology[edit]
In most species of Pycotrophs, the Type Affinity will be the same for the entire species. A Pycotroph with a non-standard Type Affinity is classified as a Variant of the primary species. Pycotroph Eggs exposed to powerful ambient Pyco Energy will occasionally take on the ambient energy and make it their own. If a group becomes isolated geographically in an area with powerful ambient energy, enough of their offspring may take on the new type to move beyond the Variant classification and become a defined Subspecies. Subspecies often take on some characteristics related to their new affinity but Variants typically only exhibit minor coloration changes.
Mechanics[edit]
Type Affinities are primarily related to how much damage is dealt and received in battle. Pycotrophs will receive a 50% Type Affinity Bonus (TAB) to the damage they deal when using a move that matches their Type Affinity. In addition, when receiving damage the Type Effectiveness of their affinities will modify the damage taken. Pycotrophs can also have their Type Affinities temporarily modified throughout the course of a battle.
Outside of battle, Type Affinities play a role in Pycotroph Breeding. Sharing one or more Type Affinities will greatly increase the chance of a viable Pycotroph Egg being produced.