Gameplay ideas for a potential Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam sequel

In this thread I will be posting ideas for a crossover between Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario, similar to Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam but with more of a focus on combining elements from both series (particularly the earlier Paper Mario titles before Sticker Star) and adapting them into a modern Mario & Luigi format. Feel free to contribute your own ideas

*As a personal challenge (and since most of you probably already know my stance on this), I will not be dwelling on story and character related topics. Instead I'll discuss potential gameplay combinations not seen in Paper Jam.*

So, to start things off, the general battle system would adapt more mechanics from the first two Paper Mario games into the base Mario & Luigi system.

• Paper Mario now acts as a partner to Mario and Luigi. Instead of BP, he has FP, which is on a much lower scale than Bros. Points. Likewise, Paper Mario's HP is on a lower scale and, along with FP, are two (of a total 3) stats to choose in level ups for him. They will always increase by 5 when chosen. His Defense is by default much higher than the Bros. as well, so his damage is more akin to how it is in the first two Paper Mario games.
  
  
• Due to Paper Mario now acting as a partner, he may be swapped out with a set of other partners. These are Paper Luigi and Paper Peach. For simplicity's sake, they share EXP and level-ups however their HP and FP can be at different levels (out of max, which will be the same) depending on how they're used.
  
  
• Items now include "Paper Items" which can only be used by Paper characters, much like Bowser's Drumsticks in Bowser's Inside Story. Paper Items include items such as Thunder Rage, Life Shroom, Shroom Shake, Shooting Star, and more.
  
  
• Badges return for Mario and Luigi, but are also a bit different for the Paper characters as well. Paper Badges require BDP*, a new stat exclusive to the Paper characters. It can also be chosen on levels and always increases by 3. This stat works like in the first two Paper Mario games, and the badges work similarly as well, though some have the added effect of providing the Paper characters with their own meter on the bottom screen that fills up vertically in between Mario's and Luigi's badge meters. The effects are more powerful if a full Trio Badge Meter is activated, and extend to the active Paper character while a Bros. badge meter only affects the Bros.
  
  
• As mentioned above, Paper Mario can be swapped with Paper Luigi and Paper Peach. Here are some differences between how they play:
  
  • Paper Mario has the highest Attack Power of the partners and his Hammer defense lasts longer since instead of a simple swing, he performs the Super/Ultra Hammer maneuver from TTYD.
    His jump defense, however, is normal. His Emergency Block is replaced with a Superguard if timed properly. Along with standard jump and hammer attacks (using the Paper Mario action commands), he also works the best with offensive badge abilities such as Quake Hammer, Power Smash, Power Bounce, etc. and can naturally use Ground Pound as his standard FP-costing move.
    
    
  • Paper Luigi has the highest Speed and his Jump defense lasts longer but takes slightly longer to initiate. He performs his Super Jump from SPM (which Mario used in TTYD as well). His hammer defense is normal. He also has the usual jump and hammer attacks, his default FP costing move is Super/Spring Jump, which works like it did for Mario in TTYD, watch the shadow.
    
    
  • Paper Peach has the highest Defense, and she does not have Jump or Hammer defense. Instead, she always defends by hiding under her Parasol, always negating all damage but it must be timed right since it only lasts so long, much like Bowser's Shell defense in BIS. Her Attack Power is by far the weakest and her strongest moves are oriented at healing the Bros at the cost of FP. She does not use a hammer so Hammer badges are useless on her. Some of her moves are based on partner abilities in the first 2 PM games.

*The D is present to set this stat apart from Bros. Points.

This is a rough concept, constructive criticism is appreciated!

Supreme Commander Fawful of the Digital Candy Troll Kingdom said:

but with more of a focus on combining elements from both series (particularly the earlier Paper Mario titles before Sticker Star)

Click to expand...

To be honest, I think the battle system is fine the way it is right now.

Baby Mario and Baby Luigi get involved somehow.

Mainly Baby Mario because Baby Luigi and Paper Luigi are kidnapped by Paper Baby Luigi, who also gets kidnapped.

The main boss should be Bowser, who takes over Mushroom Kingdom and tries to impose book burnings to suppress challenge and free thought, which the Paper characters are physical representations. The paper babies are involved because they make people uncomfortable with their reality.

This somehow translates to gameplay.

Okay, otherwise, I'm not very imaginative. How about, er, getting rid of the Toad missions for starters?