Mr. Artistic guy
Better Off This Way
I was right up to challenging for the fourth gym. The electric one with zebstriker and emolgas, so I probably would have lost there anyway.
Ryder's Pokemon Thread
- Thread starter Find'er Woo'er Ryder
- Start date
I was right up to challenging for the fourth gym. The electric one with zebstriker and emolgas, so I probably would have lost there anyway.
ÐаÑбоÑа
doesn't know REAL wrestling...
Routes 24 and 25 have been good to me.
First I stormed the 5 trainers plus the Team Rocket Grunt in quick time - Geodude played a blinder there. Think he deserves a nickname.
Then on Route 24 I caught a Kakuna. Nothing special but it gave me my full squad and a couple of kick victories will see him become a Beedrill. But then the real bonus came. I remembered what potentially illusive beast was available on Route 25 but did not want to get my hopes up as he is less frequent than say an Oddish or a Pidgey. And even if he did appear first, he was known for his running away after one turn.
So I stepped into the Route 25 grass hopefully if not expectant. But then in a flash, there he was - a lv 11 Abra. I had one chance. One solitary pokeball. With hindsight I should have moved Hodor the Ivysaur to open the batting and used his Sleep Powder but in the end, one pokeball was all that was needed and Abra now joins my team.
Misty is next, although first I level up both Abra and Magikarp as carrying two passengers is not a great idea.
Hodor the Ivysaur lv 20
Spearow lv 19
Geodude lv 19
Magikarp lv 17
Abra lv 15
Rattata lv 14
First I stormed the 5 trainers plus the Team Rocket Grunt in quick time - Geodude played a blinder there. Think he deserves a nickname.
Then on Route 24 I caught a Kakuna. Nothing special but it gave me my full squad and a couple of kick victories will see him become a Beedrill. But then the real bonus came. I remembered what potentially illusive beast was available on Route 25 but did not want to get my hopes up as he is less frequent than say an Oddish or a Pidgey. And even if he did appear first, he was known for his running away after one turn.
So I stepped into the Route 25 grass hopefully if not expectant. But then in a flash, there he was - a lv 11 Abra. I had one chance. One solitary pokeball. With hindsight I should have moved Hodor the Ivysaur to open the batting and used his Sleep Powder but in the end, one pokeball was all that was needed and Abra now joins my team.
Misty is next, although first I level up both Abra and Magikarp as carrying two passengers is not a great idea.
Hodor the Ivysaur lv 20
Spearow lv 19
Geodude lv 19
Magikarp lv 17
Abra lv 15
Rattata lv 14
Find'er Woo'er Ryder
:( lost ma Mayhem Title
I'm going to nuzlock heartgold.
I have been, and I think Shotaro might be as well.
Alright; I picked Heart Gold for my Nuzlocke experience because it was the first cartridge out of the box - Then what's his face posted whilst I was typing this saying he was going to do Gold, so I will switch to Soul Silver. If you want to know why I own both, I believe I accidentally stole Soul Silver from my ex girlfriend's little sister. I am a terrible person now I come to think about it. Traditional Nuzlocke is a little dull for my tastes, so I'll be tweaking things a little to better resemble a rougelike.
The Rules
General
Any Pokémon that faints is considered dead, and must be released.
Any blackout equals an immediate game over and the challenge comes to an end.
No scumming.
Capture Rules
Starter pokemon must be chosen at random.
Only the first pokemon of each area may be captured with absolutely no exceptions.
- Exception 1: Any shiny pokemon may be captured and used because why the fuck not.
- Exception 2: An HM slave may be captured if not doing so would render the game unwinnable, however it may never be used in battle and much be replaced ASAP.
I may fish only once with each rod, but may do so wherever I choose.
The bug catching contest may be played only once, but during the game as many captures as desired may be made.
Pokemon received from NPC characters or events are fair game.
Challenge Rules
No healing items under any circumstances with no exceptions.
- Exception 1: If I am in a game position where Pokemon center access is freely available then potions and the like may be consumed as a time saving device.
No grinding under any circumstances with no exceptions. Only one pass is allowed through each area and dungeon unless mandated by story reasons or new content is unlocked (I may return to caves post surf for example). Similarly, when traveling to a new destination either for story or exploration purposes, the shortest possible route rule is in effect.
No Pokemarts.
No repels.
No access to Bulbapedia or any similar walkthrough - this run will be done from memory only.
Each HM can and must be used for exactly one pokemon in my party.
TMs may only be used once, and their use MUST come immediately after acquiring them. I may not avoid picking up TMs with the intent of using them at a later date.
Predictions
If I can get past the early game I foresee a fairly easy run. Gold and Silver hand out high powered pokemon on a whim and unlike Ruby/Sapphire, contain few points likely to totally wipe out a Nuzlocke player provided he knows how to think ahead.
Random crits and shit still happen, but I'm supremely paranoid, so it should be OK.
I will document strategic long term decisions as I make them. It's years since I've tried doing this, so the possibility of my wiping out and humiliating myself are ever present.
The Rules
General
Any Pokémon that faints is considered dead, and must be released.
Any blackout equals an immediate game over and the challenge comes to an end.
No scumming.
Capture Rules
Starter pokemon must be chosen at random.
Only the first pokemon of each area may be captured with absolutely no exceptions.
- Exception 1: Any shiny pokemon may be captured and used because why the fuck not.
- Exception 2: An HM slave may be captured if not doing so would render the game unwinnable, however it may never be used in battle and much be replaced ASAP.
I may fish only once with each rod, but may do so wherever I choose.
The bug catching contest may be played only once, but during the game as many captures as desired may be made.
Pokemon received from NPC characters or events are fair game.
Challenge Rules
No healing items under any circumstances with no exceptions.
- Exception 1: If I am in a game position where Pokemon center access is freely available then potions and the like may be consumed as a time saving device.
No grinding under any circumstances with no exceptions. Only one pass is allowed through each area and dungeon unless mandated by story reasons or new content is unlocked (I may return to caves post surf for example). Similarly, when traveling to a new destination either for story or exploration purposes, the shortest possible route rule is in effect.
No Pokemarts.
No repels.
No access to Bulbapedia or any similar walkthrough - this run will be done from memory only.
Each HM can and must be used for exactly one pokemon in my party.
TMs may only be used once, and their use MUST come immediately after acquiring them. I may not avoid picking up TMs with the intent of using them at a later date.
Predictions
If I can get past the early game I foresee a fairly easy run. Gold and Silver hand out high powered pokemon on a whim and unlike Ruby/Sapphire, contain few points likely to totally wipe out a Nuzlocke player provided he knows how to think ahead.
Random crits and shit still happen, but I'm supremely paranoid, so it should be OK.
I will document strategic long term decisions as I make them. It's years since I've tried doing this, so the possibility of my wiping out and humiliating myself are ever present.
So I commenced my crawl and remembered almost immediately why I hate the start of early Pokemon games. Not having running shoes is literally the worst thing ever.
My trainer ID ends in a 3, which means I will be taking Chikorita as my starting pokemon. This is actually my personal preference in spite of it bring the objectively weakest of the three starters. Bayleaf is the bulkiest option available, and whilst most players prioritise speed over all other attributes, I favor endurance since it provides more opportunity for one to make mistakes. Bayleaf should also gain the ability to heal itself (I think) which is fucking incredible in Nuzlocke.
You know I'm not sure I ever actually played Heart Gold/Soul Silver; at least not to any serious extent. Both cartridges had save files on them belonging to somebody else, and none of this opening with Maril Girl and Maril is striking me as being all that familiar.
Now I probably have a mountain of busy work to get through before the game part of the game.
My trainer ID ends in a 3, which means I will be taking Chikorita as my starting pokemon. This is actually my personal preference in spite of it bring the objectively weakest of the three starters. Bayleaf is the bulkiest option available, and whilst most players prioritise speed over all other attributes, I favor endurance since it provides more opportunity for one to make mistakes. Bayleaf should also gain the ability to heal itself (I think) which is fucking incredible in Nuzlocke.
You know I'm not sure I ever actually played Heart Gold/Soul Silver; at least not to any serious extent. Both cartridges had save files on them belonging to somebody else, and none of this opening with Maril Girl and Maril is striking me as being all that familiar.
Now I probably have a mountain of busy work to get through before the game part of the game.
Just curious, what are your plans for the Safari Zone? Similar to the bug catching contest, or treating it as its own route?
I think Chikorota makes for a nice choice, but I do hope you get a Hoothoot/Noctowl soon to cover up what may be issues against Poison and Ghost.
I think Chikorota makes for a nice choice, but I do hope you get a Hoothoot/Noctowl soon to cover up what may be issues against Poison and Ghost.
The safari zone will work much like the bug catching contest; I will allow myself only a single headbut.
I elected to start my run at night for a very simple reason. Hoothoot. Hoothoot is an important pokemon for two reasons. It is one of the least threatening wild pokemon since it carries two non damaging attacks and thus minimises early game risk. It is also one of the bulkier birds around, and as we established earlier, I love bulky pokemon.
A flying/normal type is very important for Nuzlocke because it carries two type immunities. The way I play, switching becomes phenomenally important in battle to minimise damage absorbed, meaning that immunities and 4x resistances become astronomically important to my game plan. At night a Hoothoot catch should be all but guaranteed.
Chikorita has thus far had no problems stomping everything in my way into submission. I'm trying desperately to avoid over leveling since accidentally OHKOing wild pokemon on the first few routes is one of the easier ways to totally screw yourself in Nuzloke (remember, I'm not buying pokeballs, so a can't afford to brute force captures like normal).
I've just made it back from Mr Pokemon's house and am about to break my rival's legs. The true Nuzlocke experience begins soon.
Team
Malik (Chikorita lv9)
I elected to start my run at night for a very simple reason. Hoothoot. Hoothoot is an important pokemon for two reasons. It is one of the least threatening wild pokemon since it carries two non damaging attacks and thus minimises early game risk. It is also one of the bulkier birds around, and as we established earlier, I love bulky pokemon.
A flying/normal type is very important for Nuzlocke because it carries two type immunities. The way I play, switching becomes phenomenally important in battle to minimise damage absorbed, meaning that immunities and 4x resistances become astronomically important to my game plan. At night a Hoothoot catch should be all but guaranteed.
Chikorita has thus far had no problems stomping everything in my way into submission. I'm trying desperately to avoid over leveling since accidentally OHKOing wild pokemon on the first few routes is one of the easier ways to totally screw yourself in Nuzloke (remember, I'm not buying pokeballs, so a can't afford to brute force captures like normal).
I've just made it back from Mr Pokemon's house and am about to break my rival's legs. The true Nuzlocke experience begins soon.
Team
Malik (Chikorita lv9)
Uncle Phatso
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Jesus Gleg, that sounds brutal. I'm just trying to play this hacked version.
So upon stomping my rival's head into the ground (A longstanding Pokemon tradition for me it to give my rival a particularly douchey name to motivate myself to defeat him - this game I chose Kip) and collecting my pokeballs I ran into my first piece of bad luck. I encountered a wild Hoothoot (Epoch) as planned, but sadly it is only level 2. With my strict no-grinding policy and Malik not yet at the level where he can take hits all day on this switch, bringing him up to a utility level is going to prove to be a pain, particularly if I'm trying to balance another early capture (more on this later).
Epoch eats a crit in his first battle reducing him to 4HP and meaning he's going to have to switch with Malik for the rest of the route - slowing his growth further.
Since I have no desire to catch Spearow (nobody likes Spearow) I decide to pop up to route 46 to see what fait hands me. Fortune is not on my side this evening as I am rewarded with a lvl 2 Rattata which I promptly 1HKO in disgust. This brings me to another important aspect of the way I Nuzlocke: I avoid using pokemon who don't fit my game plan. Most people capture as much as the rules will allow so that they have backups in case of emergency and because they figure the more pokemon the better. I disagree.
Logically I should probably have caught Rattata to use as death fodder on a switch when passing XP - but that never seems very in keeping with the spirit of the game, so consider that ploy outlawed under my game rules as well. Had I encountered Geodude I would probably have kept it since it's normal resistance is a big deal in the early game - but I'm not sorry it passed me by. As a personal preference I don't like pokemon I can't fully evolve unless they're Scyther.
Holding back on catching is also the reason I do not feel the need to wait till morning before exploring route 30. If I was playing gold and the early game gone differently I might have required Butterfree as a sleeper, in which case I'd have waited to play the odds; but since I'm Silver, Beedrill holds no value for me. As for Ledyba - HAH!
As it is, route 30 hands me a lvl4 Hoothoot, but Epoch is also lvl4 now, so it's unnecessary and falls quickly. Too late I realise that this bird is female and therefore potentially more valuable to me for later, but it's a very minor mistake that I can't bring myself to care about. Epoch very nearly falls to a random crit from a random rat - and then even more nearly dies when I stop concentrating and set him tackling a wild pokemon, but he's a plucky bird and guts it out to level six before he is forced to start cowering behind Malik again.
I elect to hold off on Dark Cave until I'm healed up, now Epoch can sleep things he'll be my main catching tool for much of the rest of the run so I need him flapping his wings before he tries to nab me my next pokemon. The odds of me taking something from Dark Cave are very high. Geodude I will take, though as I have discussed earlier I will not be happy about it. Zubat is one of my favorite captures for my prefered play style, it will hold a nice attack selection and it's speed is top notch. Dunsparce is shite, but given its rarity, I can't pass up the opportunity to use one should the opportunity present itself.
Much more interestingly however, the first pokemon that route 31 spits up in Bellsprout, and I am faced with my first real in game decision. With Bayleaf and probably Crobat, Bellsprout's coverage is redundant, and Epoch usurps his utility as a sleeper. I ultimately can't think of a reason to add it to my party, so inspite of my soft spot for the little plant, he is tackled into the great big herb garden in the sky.
Keeping true to my habit of remembering useful information right after it stops being useful, I recall the Onix trade that would have been open to me. I like Onix considerably more than Geodude for a Nuzlocke run, but it would have had a twatty nickname, so once again - not too upset.
I'm pretty beat up after that leg of the journey, so I duck into a Pokemon center. Coming up are areas where I'll want to catch pokemon who appear in the daytime, and I am also reminded that it's 2AM and I have to most important job interview of my life tomorrow morning - so that's probably a good place to put the 3DS back on the charging stand and turn in for the evening. Also; I intend to deprive myself of the opportunity to capture Ghastly.
Coming up tomorrow: Will Gelgarin catch Dunsparce, quantum theory states that it is a certainty that he will.
Team
Malik (Chikorita lvl11)
Epoch (Hoothoot lvl6)
Epoch eats a crit in his first battle reducing him to 4HP and meaning he's going to have to switch with Malik for the rest of the route - slowing his growth further.
Since I have no desire to catch Spearow (nobody likes Spearow) I decide to pop up to route 46 to see what fait hands me. Fortune is not on my side this evening as I am rewarded with a lvl 2 Rattata which I promptly 1HKO in disgust. This brings me to another important aspect of the way I Nuzlocke: I avoid using pokemon who don't fit my game plan. Most people capture as much as the rules will allow so that they have backups in case of emergency and because they figure the more pokemon the better. I disagree.
Logically I should probably have caught Rattata to use as death fodder on a switch when passing XP - but that never seems very in keeping with the spirit of the game, so consider that ploy outlawed under my game rules as well. Had I encountered Geodude I would probably have kept it since it's normal resistance is a big deal in the early game - but I'm not sorry it passed me by. As a personal preference I don't like pokemon I can't fully evolve unless they're Scyther.
Holding back on catching is also the reason I do not feel the need to wait till morning before exploring route 30. If I was playing gold and the early game gone differently I might have required Butterfree as a sleeper, in which case I'd have waited to play the odds; but since I'm Silver, Beedrill holds no value for me. As for Ledyba - HAH!
As it is, route 30 hands me a lvl4 Hoothoot, but Epoch is also lvl4 now, so it's unnecessary and falls quickly. Too late I realise that this bird is female and therefore potentially more valuable to me for later, but it's a very minor mistake that I can't bring myself to care about. Epoch very nearly falls to a random crit from a random rat - and then even more nearly dies when I stop concentrating and set him tackling a wild pokemon, but he's a plucky bird and guts it out to level six before he is forced to start cowering behind Malik again.
I elect to hold off on Dark Cave until I'm healed up, now Epoch can sleep things he'll be my main catching tool for much of the rest of the run so I need him flapping his wings before he tries to nab me my next pokemon. The odds of me taking something from Dark Cave are very high. Geodude I will take, though as I have discussed earlier I will not be happy about it. Zubat is one of my favorite captures for my prefered play style, it will hold a nice attack selection and it's speed is top notch. Dunsparce is shite, but given its rarity, I can't pass up the opportunity to use one should the opportunity present itself.
Much more interestingly however, the first pokemon that route 31 spits up in Bellsprout, and I am faced with my first real in game decision. With Bayleaf and probably Crobat, Bellsprout's coverage is redundant, and Epoch usurps his utility as a sleeper. I ultimately can't think of a reason to add it to my party, so inspite of my soft spot for the little plant, he is tackled into the great big herb garden in the sky.
Keeping true to my habit of remembering useful information right after it stops being useful, I recall the Onix trade that would have been open to me. I like Onix considerably more than Geodude for a Nuzlocke run, but it would have had a twatty nickname, so once again - not too upset.
I'm pretty beat up after that leg of the journey, so I duck into a Pokemon center. Coming up are areas where I'll want to catch pokemon who appear in the daytime, and I am also reminded that it's 2AM and I have to most important job interview of my life tomorrow morning - so that's probably a good place to put the 3DS back on the charging stand and turn in for the evening. Also; I intend to deprive myself of the opportunity to capture Ghastly.
Coming up tomorrow: Will Gelgarin catch Dunsparce, quantum theory states that it is a certainty that he will.
Team
Malik (Chikorita lvl11)
Epoch (Hoothoot lvl6)
I'm 5 badges into white, not sure where to go from here. My team currently is Yamask, Sigilyph, Krookodile, Zebstrika, Pignite and Archen.
I have an Oshawott, Servine and Boldore in the PC they're all around level 29. Any advice as to which to use as I head towards the last three badges?
I have an Oshawott, Servine and Boldore in the PC they're all around level 29. Any advice as to which to use as I head towards the last three badges?
Find'er Woo'er Ryder
:( lost ma Mayhem Title
Archen might be a decent attacker but when he evolves his ability sucks, I'd drop him and pick up a bearatic.
Whap Me Jungles
singularly terrible
Switch out the Archen for Boldore NOW. Archen is too awkward to use in any situation, so you have to drop him.
Focus on Zebstrika for the flying gym. Not just for the type advantage but for more Speed.
I already did that actually. I'll keep archen somewhat levelled until he evolves. In all honesty I feel like I should have taken the other Fossil but what can you do?
I'm planning to get rid if Yamask and swap out for Chandelure and may very well replace the fire starter chain with Snivy and it's evolutions unless I can find a good grass/X type as I do prefer dual typed Pokemon. Once I can get a better electric type It's likely that Zebstrika will also bite the dust
I'm planning to get rid if Yamask and swap out for Chandelure and may very well replace the fire starter chain with Snivy and it's evolutions unless I can find a good grass/X type as I do prefer dual typed Pokemon. Once I can get a better electric type It's likely that Zebstrika will also bite the dust
No restoration items are what is going to make the Elite Four challenging - provided you're disciplined in which pokemon you devote xp to and don't fall into the trap of over leveling one threat; your party should arrive close to a suitable level to get the job done. The problem comes from doing the job five times without taking any damage... this for me is where the true Nuzlocke challenge comes into play.
You see if you turn up at the gates with Raticate, Pidgeot and their brethren as cornerstones of your party then you're going to fail miserably unless you're over leveled. These are pokemon who will take damage getting past their opponents, and that's something you can't really afford to do.
The strategy of Nuzlocke comes down to using the random pieces that the game hands you to put together a team that can overcome the challenge when underleveled (as mine probably will be). There are a number of assets you can pick up as you circle the world that I have my eyes open for, but to keep this log entertaining I'll only be reporting them as they come.
Fuck! Dark Cave hands me a Geodude as my first pokemon. This is a massive deal since it mostly (although not completely) deprives me of the opportunity to acquire Zubat before the Violet City gym. Why does this matter? Well, Falkner hands out the incredibly important Roost TM, and because I'm playing with the TM clause enabled, the only chance at getting recovery on my bat is to catch it before I tackle the gym.
On the way back from Dark Cave Epoch gets poisoned. In earlier generations poison could be an essentially guaranteed kill on one of your pokemon since healing items are out of the question. Fortunately in HG/SS a poisoned pokemon will hold on to one HP outside of battle. It's all rather moot here since I was close to a pokemon center, but something to be really fuckin' careful of if you're trying this challenge with an earlier generation.
I can't tackle the gym with Malik (who will die) and Epoch (who is still underleveled) alone, so I will need to expand my team. Route 32 is commonly mistaken to be blocked off until post gym, but there is one area of grass that you can still reach.
I know I said no scumming, but one exception to this rule that I will make is fucking with my DS's clock whenever I feel like it. I'm not an early morning person, and I'm not willing to not play all day and then set an alarm for 6AM just to maximise my capture chances.
I know that Zubat can be found on route 32, but I know that it is very rare and only shows up during anti social hours. Normally I would explore this route in the morning to give a shot at Hoppip, but I desperately need something to deal with flyers right now (not catching a Geodude is a risk that is punishing me) and Hoppip won't cut it. If I pick one up later I'll explain why it's so damn good for this run.
I am rewarded big time in the long grass. No Zubat unfortunately, so the dream of Roost bat is gone forever, but instead I am gifted Mareep. Not a personal favorite of mine; electric pokemon lack many useful resistances, though Ampharos has a couple of utility moves going for it (mostly Reflect, which it leans naturally). Still, it will get me through the next gym with my eyes closed. Mareep endures three pokeballs which is going to cause me serious problems in the future, but for now life is good and Alys joins my party.
I need to get Alys an electrical attack as soon as humanly possible, so I will be taking on Sprout Tower next. My original hope was to save Sprout Tower for the Togepi challenge (more on this in a future entry) but I feel that I require the xp sooner rather than later.
I forgot to change my clock back to it's proper position, so Sprout Tower's first wild pokemon in a Gastly. I didn't intend to catch Gastly because I think it's too good in the early game and makes the challenge dull, but I'm not sure I can resist one when it's served up to me on a silver platter. Fortunately Malik accidentally crits it was razor leaf, and a difficult ethical decision is taken out of my hands.
Alys eats a crit from her very first Bellsprout, which is going to dramatically reduce the xp she can gain from the tower. At this point I can't remember if my own rules allow me to revisit the pokemon center, but I make the executive call that I cannot. Epoch still needs experience as well, so we'll take the balanced approach and prey that spark comes sooner rather than later.
A few major points of note during the tower; Malik picks up synthesis (his most important move) at a level considerably lower than I was expecting, and Epoch finally learns a flying attack. Peck is shit, but it will reduce the odds of him getting poisoned again by a stray poison sting. Crits and caution force Malik to take over the heavy lifting before the end of the tower. Things get really hairy during the elder battle; his Hoothoot is level ten - which means it knows peck and can therefore seriously menace Malik. I need to switch in Alys to get rid of it, but if she gets critted or put to sleep then the entire tower will have been for naught and the run will be close to over.
This is where the game comes alive for me, as I put the DS back on the stand and spend upwards of five whole minutes devising a strategy for the battle. I eventually decide that I can't risk Alys on the switch and that Malik is going to have to overcome the type disadvantage; after all, if Alys dies the run is pretty much over, whilst I can recover from losing my starter.
With that in mind I approach the battle with one of my all time favorite Nuzlocke tactics, bio-stalling. People underestimate exactly how good poison can be, particularly when combined with a recovery move like synthesis. I poison hoothoot off the bat, but he puts Malik to sleep. I calculated for this, I believe I can survive two pecks without dying (though this is a total guess), so my odds of waking up and recovering are favorable.
Turn 1 - still asleep, Hoothoot growls.
Turn 2 - wake up, synth back a single HP, Hoothoot pecks and it does fuck all damage. Turns out all that worry was for nothing.
I still have a synth a little more to maximize remaining HP for the final Belsprout, but the rest of the battle passes pretty easily. The elder gives me the flash TM, which I choose to use on Alys for the sake of utility, I doubt I will ever make use of it, but there's no real harm. Alys also picked up thundershock instead of spark (memory failure on my part) which came as a pleasant surprise and should carry me through the first gym. I'm a bit worried about my pokeball situation - but we'll come to that later.
I ban the use of escape ropes in my runs, which happily means they don't count towards the shortest possible route stipulation. This means I can knock off a couple more Gastly on the way down for their not inconsiderable xp.
On the next episode - Gelgarin uses thundershock over and over again until the first gym has the decency to go away.
Team
Malik (Chikorita lvl13)
Alys (Mareep lvl10)
Epoch (Hoothoot lvl9)
On the way back from Dark Cave Epoch gets poisoned. In earlier generations poison could be an essentially guaranteed kill on one of your pokemon since healing items are out of the question. Fortunately in HG/SS a poisoned pokemon will hold on to one HP outside of battle. It's all rather moot here since I was close to a pokemon center, but something to be really fuckin' careful of if you're trying this challenge with an earlier generation.
I can't tackle the gym with Malik (who will die) and Epoch (who is still underleveled) alone, so I will need to expand my team. Route 32 is commonly mistaken to be blocked off until post gym, but there is one area of grass that you can still reach.
I know I said no scumming, but one exception to this rule that I will make is fucking with my DS's clock whenever I feel like it. I'm not an early morning person, and I'm not willing to not play all day and then set an alarm for 6AM just to maximise my capture chances.
I know that Zubat can be found on route 32, but I know that it is very rare and only shows up during anti social hours. Normally I would explore this route in the morning to give a shot at Hoppip, but I desperately need something to deal with flyers right now (not catching a Geodude is a risk that is punishing me) and Hoppip won't cut it. If I pick one up later I'll explain why it's so damn good for this run.
I am rewarded big time in the long grass. No Zubat unfortunately, so the dream of Roost bat is gone forever, but instead I am gifted Mareep. Not a personal favorite of mine; electric pokemon lack many useful resistances, though Ampharos has a couple of utility moves going for it (mostly Reflect, which it leans naturally). Still, it will get me through the next gym with my eyes closed. Mareep endures three pokeballs which is going to cause me serious problems in the future, but for now life is good and Alys joins my party.
I need to get Alys an electrical attack as soon as humanly possible, so I will be taking on Sprout Tower next. My original hope was to save Sprout Tower for the Togepi challenge (more on this in a future entry) but I feel that I require the xp sooner rather than later.
I forgot to change my clock back to it's proper position, so Sprout Tower's first wild pokemon in a Gastly. I didn't intend to catch Gastly because I think it's too good in the early game and makes the challenge dull, but I'm not sure I can resist one when it's served up to me on a silver platter. Fortunately Malik accidentally crits it was razor leaf, and a difficult ethical decision is taken out of my hands.
Alys eats a crit from her very first Bellsprout, which is going to dramatically reduce the xp she can gain from the tower. At this point I can't remember if my own rules allow me to revisit the pokemon center, but I make the executive call that I cannot. Epoch still needs experience as well, so we'll take the balanced approach and prey that spark comes sooner rather than later.
A few major points of note during the tower; Malik picks up synthesis (his most important move) at a level considerably lower than I was expecting, and Epoch finally learns a flying attack. Peck is shit, but it will reduce the odds of him getting poisoned again by a stray poison sting. Crits and caution force Malik to take over the heavy lifting before the end of the tower. Things get really hairy during the elder battle; his Hoothoot is level ten - which means it knows peck and can therefore seriously menace Malik. I need to switch in Alys to get rid of it, but if she gets critted or put to sleep then the entire tower will have been for naught and the run will be close to over.
This is where the game comes alive for me, as I put the DS back on the stand and spend upwards of five whole minutes devising a strategy for the battle. I eventually decide that I can't risk Alys on the switch and that Malik is going to have to overcome the type disadvantage; after all, if Alys dies the run is pretty much over, whilst I can recover from losing my starter.
With that in mind I approach the battle with one of my all time favorite Nuzlocke tactics, bio-stalling. People underestimate exactly how good poison can be, particularly when combined with a recovery move like synthesis. I poison hoothoot off the bat, but he puts Malik to sleep. I calculated for this, I believe I can survive two pecks without dying (though this is a total guess), so my odds of waking up and recovering are favorable.
Turn 1 - still asleep, Hoothoot growls.
Turn 2 - wake up, synth back a single HP, Hoothoot pecks and it does fuck all damage. Turns out all that worry was for nothing.
I still have a synth a little more to maximize remaining HP for the final Belsprout, but the rest of the battle passes pretty easily. The elder gives me the flash TM, which I choose to use on Alys for the sake of utility, I doubt I will ever make use of it, but there's no real harm. Alys also picked up thundershock instead of spark (memory failure on my part) which came as a pleasant surprise and should carry me through the first gym. I'm a bit worried about my pokeball situation - but we'll come to that later.
I ban the use of escape ropes in my runs, which happily means they don't count towards the shortest possible route stipulation. This means I can knock off a couple more Gastly on the way down for their not inconsiderable xp.
On the next episode - Gelgarin uses thundershock over and over again until the first gym has the decency to go away.
Team
Malik (Chikorita lvl13)
Alys (Mareep lvl10)
Epoch (Hoothoot lvl9)
Thriller Ant
Beep Bop Boop
If I recall correctly, the other fossil is either significantly worse than Archen, or has a hindering ability also.
Yamask is decent at best, while Chandelure has the highest, or at least one of the highest Special Attack stats in the game. Do that swap asap
ÐаÑбоÑа
doesn't know REAL wrestling...
Needless to say, with Hodor the Ivysaur opening the batting for my team, the Cerulean Gym was a piece of cake.
The journey to Vermilion City then allowed me to use the strength of Hodor and the newly christened Egyptian Fearow and ADRIAN! the Geodude to level up the passengers in the group so they could hold their own in battles. Abra is now a Kadabra called Hitchcock. Roland Rattata is just about to evolve as is Hercules the Magikarp.
It was also a successful journey in terms of capturing some more beasties. A lv 16 Oddish called Bill joined the team on Route 5. I finally caught a lv 16 Pidgey named BURD on Route 6. I then used the Old Rod to catch a rather useless lv 5 Splash the Magikarp in Vermilion City.
Or at least it seemed to be useless until I made a big mistake when entering Diglett Cave. I had completely forgotten about Arena Trap and as a result I was stuck with Hercules the Magikarp against a Diglett. Now Water vs Ground is normally fine and Hercules is at lv 19 but he is still just a Magikarp and the enemy Diglett was at lv 17. So not only was I in trouble of losing my chance at a Diglett, I was in trouble of losing Hercules just when he was on the verge of becoming something great. However, somehow or another, Herc had the defence to ward off Diglett's Dig and Scratch attacks long enough to allow me to throw a successful pokeball and Diglett Barnes joined the team too.
As well as quite a few more trainers to pulverise, Route 11 will give me another chance to add to my numbers. If I remember correctly there is the potential for a Drowzee in these parts.
Then it is off to the S.S. ANNE.
Hodor the Ivysaur lv 22
Egyptian Fearow lv 20
ADRIAN! the Geodude lv 20
Hercules the Magikarp lv 19
Hitchcock the Kadabra lv 17
Roland Rattata lv 17
Reserve
Sting the Beedrill lv 10
Bill Oddish lv 16
BURD! the Pidgey lv 16
Splash the Magikarp lv 5
Diglett Barnes lv 17
The journey to Vermilion City then allowed me to use the strength of Hodor and the newly christened Egyptian Fearow and ADRIAN! the Geodude to level up the passengers in the group so they could hold their own in battles. Abra is now a Kadabra called Hitchcock. Roland Rattata is just about to evolve as is Hercules the Magikarp.
It was also a successful journey in terms of capturing some more beasties. A lv 16 Oddish called Bill joined the team on Route 5. I finally caught a lv 16 Pidgey named BURD on Route 6. I then used the Old Rod to catch a rather useless lv 5 Splash the Magikarp in Vermilion City.
Or at least it seemed to be useless until I made a big mistake when entering Diglett Cave. I had completely forgotten about Arena Trap and as a result I was stuck with Hercules the Magikarp against a Diglett. Now Water vs Ground is normally fine and Hercules is at lv 19 but he is still just a Magikarp and the enemy Diglett was at lv 17. So not only was I in trouble of losing my chance at a Diglett, I was in trouble of losing Hercules just when he was on the verge of becoming something great. However, somehow or another, Herc had the defence to ward off Diglett's Dig and Scratch attacks long enough to allow me to throw a successful pokeball and Diglett Barnes joined the team too.
As well as quite a few more trainers to pulverise, Route 11 will give me another chance to add to my numbers. If I remember correctly there is the potential for a Drowzee in these parts.
Then it is off to the S.S. ANNE.
Hodor the Ivysaur lv 22
Egyptian Fearow lv 20
ADRIAN! the Geodude lv 20
Hercules the Magikarp lv 19
Hitchcock the Kadabra lv 17
Roland Rattata lv 17
Reserve
Sting the Beedrill lv 10
Bill Oddish lv 16
BURD! the Pidgey lv 16
Splash the Magikarp lv 5
Diglett Barnes lv 17
Whap Me Jungles
singularly terrible
I agree you should have gone for Tirtouga, Shotaro. He's a lot better defensively and (crucially) can manage more than one attack without becoming useless.
You can't do much better than Zebstrika when it comes to electric types. Unless you really love Tynamo. Zekrom is better but you only get him at the end of the game. Stick with the zebra.
Chandelure is devastatingly powerful, and you definitely won't need the Fire starter if you have him. Servine is okay I guess, but I'd go for raising up that Oshawott you have in reserve.
You can't do much better than Zebstrika when it comes to electric types. Unless you really love Tynamo. Zekrom is better but you only get him at the end of the game. Stick with the zebra.
Chandelure is devastatingly powerful, and you definitely won't need the Fire starter if you have him. Servine is okay I guess, but I'd go for raising up that Oshawott you have in reserve.
On my way out of Sprout Tower I remember the hidden pokeball on the ground which will come in very useful. HG/SS are not very liberal when it comes to handing out pokeballs, and whilst I'll abuse the clock to maximize catching odds, I'm not going to try and scumm pokeballs from Kurt.
The gym falls very easily to the old fashioned strategy of using thundershock on everything until it stops moving. I get lucky against Falkner's Pidgeotto; the thing can take three thundershocks before dying, can roost of damage whilst removing its weakness and hits hard enough to put Alys in mortal danger very quickly. Luckily Alys' static ability comes to the rescue, giving me much needed paralysis and making the battle easier than it had any right to be. Falkner rewards me with the roost TM which, with no bat in my party, promptly gets given to Epoch guaranteeing that he's going to be a part of my long term strategy. The way this is shaping up I think my team is going to be all about bulk, meaning the attractive glass cannons coming up soon such as Scyther and Heracross are no longer as attractive as they once were. It feels like a little bit of a waste to give the roost TM to something that leans the move naturally, but I'll get more than enough usage out of it to make it worth while.
After the gym battle I collect the Togepi egg, and since I'm not going to be taking it, now is as good a time as any to talk about the Togepi challenge. The idea is pretty much exactly what you expect - raise Togepi. The problem is that Togepi only gets one attack for much of its life span which it metronome. This means training it is incredibly high risk, since it is in permanent danger of blowing itself up. Given that my party is entirely built around bulk at the moment, I don't think Togepi will find a place, so I shall ignore it and continue with my journey.
First order of business, I swing by route 36 to pick up the rock smash HM. Nothing in my party can learn rock smash at the moment, which is honestly something of a blessing. I'll let myself hunt for a fossil once I get rock smash functional, but there's no rush on that front, and I'd rather not screw up and of my current party's move set with the worst HM in the game.
To the surprise of nobody, the miracle seed is banned under my rules, as are all held items unless necessary to change forms or something similar.
Route 32 is a much favored route for me. There is a great ball here which is a massive treasure at this stage in the game, and there is also a lot of good experience to be had in easy battles. With roost, Epoch is able to single-handedly fight off every non-Mareep threat whilst remaining at fill health. Another goodie in route 32 is TM9, bullet seed. Sadly I have no use of this move this run; I might have given it to Bellsprout, but Malik has no use for such a move.
The final gift that this route has for me is the old rod. This is simultaneously irreverent and very exciting. The rules only allow me to catch one fish with the rod, and 95% of what the old rod pulls up in any location is Magicarp which I do not want. However, the other 5% varies from location, which such treasures as Tentacool, Krabby and Goldeen (not so much) being available. Tentacool is the obvious prize for a bulky stall strategy and is guaranteed a spot in my party if I fail to pick up Quilfish later in the game, so I stay where I am to fish. Sadly you can't win them all, and all that comes out of the water is a worthless Magicarp.
On a positive note, a guy in the pokemon center handed me a pair of lure balls I wasn't expecting which makes my pokeball situation less panicky. I'm going to need those pokeballs soon as I start trying to fill out my party. I think there's a second great ball outside Union Cave, but with no rock smash I can't get my hands on it. I make a mental note to come back later.
Just before entering the cave, Epoch learns uproar - one of my least favorite moves in the game. Nuzlocking is so inherently risky that any move that locks you in like this is a total liability and should be avoided at all costs. That being said, it's damage output when compared to tackle is so high that I don't feel I can pass it up. I learn the move, but I will be very reluctant to use it against stronger opponents.
I get two catch opportunities in Union Cave (this visit), one for each floor. Off the top of my head, I will take Onix or Wooper (if it shows outside of water, I don't remember) but nothing else. With Sprout Tower behind me, but ship has sailed on my desire to train up a Zubat, and the power level of the pokemon who will soon become available is high enough that I'm not overly concerned about boosting my party size.
First floor gives me a Rattata, the second a Zubat - both are harvested for XP. There is also a Rock Tomb TM that I don't want and can't use. The cave isn't going well until near the end, when Malik evolves into his Bayleef form. I'm typically a big fan of stopping evolution to improve move set, but Malik is going to learn almost nothing but shit from here on anyway, so I'm electing not to worry myself too much.
I'm a little worried that Alys is going to get left behind in levels. She's currently only one behind the rest of the squad, but she's not going to be a major player in the upcoming battles, and its easy to get left behind. I think I will give her Slowpoke's well and the rival battle to keep her up to snuff; once I get past the forest her coverage should become less painful.
Route 33 is my big chance to capture Hoppip, which despite the fact that it provides 100% redundant coverage and clashes horribly with my bulk strategy, I still want desperately for my party for one simple reason, U-turn. I'm going to get that TM dropped on me very soon, and having nothing to learn it will be painful. U-turn is probably the best move in the game for a Nuzlocke run (competing with Roost, Recover and Toxic Spikes) and the number of catchable pokemon who will learn in naturally basically starts and ends with Hoppip (No Gligar in SS and Yanma is too rare).
I wind the time back to early morning and stride confidently into the long grass to be confronted with a mother fucking Ekans. All hope of a competitive U-turner is not lost however. I will probably catch a bat is Slowpoke's well and might flip back on my Crowbat plan for the fourteenth time today. Also, the spot I've picked out to use my on headbutt gives me a chance at Aipom, which I could get on board with even if it's not the first choice.
We'll see how I do, next episode.
Team
Malik (Bayleef lvl17)
Alys (Mareep lvl13)
Epoch (Hoothoot lvl14)
The gym falls very easily to the old fashioned strategy of using thundershock on everything until it stops moving. I get lucky against Falkner's Pidgeotto; the thing can take three thundershocks before dying, can roost of damage whilst removing its weakness and hits hard enough to put Alys in mortal danger very quickly. Luckily Alys' static ability comes to the rescue, giving me much needed paralysis and making the battle easier than it had any right to be. Falkner rewards me with the roost TM which, with no bat in my party, promptly gets given to Epoch guaranteeing that he's going to be a part of my long term strategy. The way this is shaping up I think my team is going to be all about bulk, meaning the attractive glass cannons coming up soon such as Scyther and Heracross are no longer as attractive as they once were. It feels like a little bit of a waste to give the roost TM to something that leans the move naturally, but I'll get more than enough usage out of it to make it worth while.
After the gym battle I collect the Togepi egg, and since I'm not going to be taking it, now is as good a time as any to talk about the Togepi challenge. The idea is pretty much exactly what you expect - raise Togepi. The problem is that Togepi only gets one attack for much of its life span which it metronome. This means training it is incredibly high risk, since it is in permanent danger of blowing itself up. Given that my party is entirely built around bulk at the moment, I don't think Togepi will find a place, so I shall ignore it and continue with my journey.
First order of business, I swing by route 36 to pick up the rock smash HM. Nothing in my party can learn rock smash at the moment, which is honestly something of a blessing. I'll let myself hunt for a fossil once I get rock smash functional, but there's no rush on that front, and I'd rather not screw up and of my current party's move set with the worst HM in the game.
To the surprise of nobody, the miracle seed is banned under my rules, as are all held items unless necessary to change forms or something similar.
Route 32 is a much favored route for me. There is a great ball here which is a massive treasure at this stage in the game, and there is also a lot of good experience to be had in easy battles. With roost, Epoch is able to single-handedly fight off every non-Mareep threat whilst remaining at fill health. Another goodie in route 32 is TM9, bullet seed. Sadly I have no use of this move this run; I might have given it to Bellsprout, but Malik has no use for such a move.
The final gift that this route has for me is the old rod. This is simultaneously irreverent and very exciting. The rules only allow me to catch one fish with the rod, and 95% of what the old rod pulls up in any location is Magicarp which I do not want. However, the other 5% varies from location, which such treasures as Tentacool, Krabby and Goldeen (not so much) being available. Tentacool is the obvious prize for a bulky stall strategy and is guaranteed a spot in my party if I fail to pick up Quilfish later in the game, so I stay where I am to fish. Sadly you can't win them all, and all that comes out of the water is a worthless Magicarp.
On a positive note, a guy in the pokemon center handed me a pair of lure balls I wasn't expecting which makes my pokeball situation less panicky. I'm going to need those pokeballs soon as I start trying to fill out my party. I think there's a second great ball outside Union Cave, but with no rock smash I can't get my hands on it. I make a mental note to come back later.
Just before entering the cave, Epoch learns uproar - one of my least favorite moves in the game. Nuzlocking is so inherently risky that any move that locks you in like this is a total liability and should be avoided at all costs. That being said, it's damage output when compared to tackle is so high that I don't feel I can pass it up. I learn the move, but I will be very reluctant to use it against stronger opponents.
I get two catch opportunities in Union Cave (this visit), one for each floor. Off the top of my head, I will take Onix or Wooper (if it shows outside of water, I don't remember) but nothing else. With Sprout Tower behind me, but ship has sailed on my desire to train up a Zubat, and the power level of the pokemon who will soon become available is high enough that I'm not overly concerned about boosting my party size.
First floor gives me a Rattata, the second a Zubat - both are harvested for XP. There is also a Rock Tomb TM that I don't want and can't use. The cave isn't going well until near the end, when Malik evolves into his Bayleef form. I'm typically a big fan of stopping evolution to improve move set, but Malik is going to learn almost nothing but shit from here on anyway, so I'm electing not to worry myself too much.
I'm a little worried that Alys is going to get left behind in levels. She's currently only one behind the rest of the squad, but she's not going to be a major player in the upcoming battles, and its easy to get left behind. I think I will give her Slowpoke's well and the rival battle to keep her up to snuff; once I get past the forest her coverage should become less painful.
Route 33 is my big chance to capture Hoppip, which despite the fact that it provides 100% redundant coverage and clashes horribly with my bulk strategy, I still want desperately for my party for one simple reason, U-turn. I'm going to get that TM dropped on me very soon, and having nothing to learn it will be painful. U-turn is probably the best move in the game for a Nuzlocke run (competing with Roost, Recover and Toxic Spikes) and the number of catchable pokemon who will learn in naturally basically starts and ends with Hoppip (No Gligar in SS and Yanma is too rare).
I wind the time back to early morning and stride confidently into the long grass to be confronted with a mother fucking Ekans. All hope of a competitive U-turner is not lost however. I will probably catch a bat is Slowpoke's well and might flip back on my Crowbat plan for the fourteenth time today. Also, the spot I've picked out to use my on headbutt gives me a chance at Aipom, which I could get on board with even if it's not the first choice.
We'll see how I do, next episode.
Team
Malik (Bayleef lvl17)
Alys (Mareep lvl13)
Epoch (Hoothoot lvl14)
