The Pokémon Survival Challenge
 

I would like to introduce to readers a new style of play emphasizing self-sustenance: the Pokémon Survival Challenge.

The Pokémon Survival Challenge revolves around, well, what the name implies - survival. The idea of the challenge is that you, the trainer, are to rely solely on yourself and what you uncover in the wild, encompassing both Pokémon and items. Each potion becomes that much more valuable, and the decision to capture a new Pokémon becomes so much more vital (as you'll see). Due to the scarcity of items, strategy becomes the epitome of victory. And so, the rules.

The Rules:



As you can see, this challenge is for players whom are, obviously, looking for one. The Pokémon Survival Challenge is completed when the player has been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Feedback is welcome! I will be starting this challenge shortly and, if popularity ensues, will post semi-frequent updates. I encourage others to do the same.

Thanks for reading.

How does this even work, you'd be out of pokeballs trying to catch wild pokemon without lowering their health first.

So, does this incorporate the faint=dead stance of a nuzlocke?

Because, if it does, would that mean this is a more restricted nuzlocke and not something else?

Or can you black-out/white-out as much as you would like?

When you black/white out, you get your health all back for the party. That would most likely defeat the purpose.

I just think this is an even more restricting nuzlocke, is all.

Sigh I've been doing this for years.. Except I exclude all wild battles all together and only experience gained can be from trainers and when a pokemon dies then it's released. This isn't really anything new. Also I don't know if it really deserves it's own thread considering we already have the scramble and nuzlocke.

when I do it if you white out it's over and there's no soft resetting prior to gym matches etc.

EDIT: I generally exclude pokeballs from the item list because well yeah

Fainting does not equate to death. A fainted Pokemon can be released in favor of a new Pokemon if you decide to do so, or it can be revived through a nurse/doctor, not to mention (max)revives found in the wilderness.

If you black-out, it is game over.

The differences between this and Nuzlocke:

• You cannot under any circumstances buy items of any kind. You cannot use Pokemon centers to heal.
• You may choose the species of Pokemon to be caught from each area. This allows you to co-ordinate strategy within your team.
• You may never have more than 6 Pokemon total; PC reserves are unnacceptable. To catch a Pokemon to an already full party, you must eliminate one slot by releasing a Pokemon. This heightens the challenge by discarding the notion of "back-up" Pokemon.
• Fainted Pokemon may be revived. If you have a fainted Pokemon but no means of revival, you can either replace it with a new Pokemon or wait until a revive/healing trainer is found.

You gain a surprising surplus of Pokeballs without buying them. Quick balls and Heal Balls are given to the player, which are notable uses to avoid HP loss after capture.

This challenge really requires you to think outside the box. It's unfortunate many are writing-off this challenge so soon without trying it. The differences really prove to make a whole new experience. It's really a challenger and provides an alternative to Nuzlocke's death element while taking away many of Nuzlocke's standard comforts.

I'll make you guys a deal. I'll post a couple of updates. If you're really not into it, then I'll request this challenge be clumped with Nuzlocke. I think you may be surprised.

you seem to have made this with gen 5 in mind. it probably doesn't work as well in earlier gens.

Yeah does this work in the older games, like FireRed? If so, then I would like to try it.

This challenge was created with Gen V in mind. That said, I believe it may be adapted to suit the needs of FireRed.

Although there are no nurses/doctors in Gen III, there are other means of revival. Rare candies, for one, are more prevalent in FireRed than in Black/White. When used on a fainted Pokemon, it gains 1 HP and is then game for super potions.

I am interested to see this challenge applied to FireRed as well; it may prove to be more of a challenge than I have. The selection of Pokemon would definitely be important. Bulbasaur's Leech Seed, Butterfree's status moves, and Ratata's Run Away & Meowth's Pick-up would all come in handy, just to throw some examples out there.

The game does provide the player with a handful of potions and antidotes to be found, and the low-risk training against bug catchers and kakuna/metapod would come in handy.

Charmander would obviously be the hardest pick to work with. Give it a shot! I'll be posting an update sometime tonight.

Done it with all generations. Trying to find different ways to make the game more challenging has been around as long as the game itself. We all have our own ways of making it so and some of us have probably come up with the same ideas (this being an example).

Post your updates if you want.

Though I feel challenges like this are more of a personal thing and don't have the personality and "community" feel that it's big brother the Scramble challenge has.

I have been willing to support this idea since the first post. However, one thing I would like to ask: Does the limited use of moves (PP) not ever pose a problem? I would imagine PP would run out very quickly, especially with the severe lack of Ethers, Elixers, and PP Berries to be found.

While it is more personal than Scramble, I think it would be interesting to see and share the different strategies and overall ingenuity that the community comes up with. Uncovering the multitudes of strategies, considering the limitless combinations of different in-game Pokemon, will no doubt require many playthroughs.

I have considered this issue as well. I have not encountered this problem in my current challenge; that said, I have not been as careless with moves as I would normally be. It's not too complicated. Use the weaker attacks on the weaker Pokemon. Don't one-shot a Patrat with Flame Charge if Tackle can do the job. Use Work Up or Leer to conserve PP for attacking moves, etc. While I have not needed to put much thought into such conservation, it helps here and there.

I am planning to submit my first update once I have defeated Lenora. I work tonight, so it will have to wait until tomorrow morning. I will post any strategies that have helped me thus far, along with any problems that the challenge presents. As said, this thread is not my personal cause - feel free to join!

This is an interesting idea, but yeah. I'm awful with catching Pokemon (fuck you RNG) so the Pokeball shortage would really fuck me over. Also, running out of PP. Tail Whip to -6 Def and use Tackle??? The idea is pretty cool, but those sound like rather large road blocks. Although, in fifth Gen, you can simply reteach TMs to gain PP, but this sounds like a really hard challenge for earlier generations.

Reteaching TMs no longer replenishes the PP, it uses the PP of the move that it replaced.

I think its an interesting challange.

I modified the rules a little though.

Don't worry, it's not that extreme. I have not used a defense-lowering move more than once per opponent. As you progress into the game, this reliance fades as weaker moves are replaced by stronger ones.

If you would like to play by this specific set, feel free. However, I disagree with two of your modifications:

I treat gift Pokemon the same as a captured Pokemon. Receiving an elemental monkey, for instance, counts as your selected Pokemon from the Dreamyard area. While we're on the topic, I will also highlight the fact that in-game trades are acceptable; however, this removes two areas from further use (location of initial capture & location of in-game trade).

I am distancing this challenge from the death aspect entirely. If a Pokemon in your party faints, you may revive it at any time. If you do not have the means to heal said Pokemon, you must keep it in your party until you either find a (max)revive or a nurse/doctor if you do not wish to release it. Obviously, the downside to this being you lose on active slot in your team for the time being.

First update coming very shortly!

And here we are!

Update #1: ~ Inner Pinwheel Forest

Current team:


Let's begin. Right off the bat, I am going to say that Oshawott - yes, Oshawott - will be the toughest choice for players to work with in the early game. Why is that?

Leech Seed. Up until Nacrene City, the game had been pretty easy. Runt's offensive and defensive abilities trumped most enemies early on, not to mention "Pick Up" granting the odd Super Potion. However, upon arriving in Nacrene, my team was pretty such depleted all round and I was forced to use the nurse trainer in Pinwheel forest almost immediately. The solution? Snivy/Pansage. Albeit not too handy offensively, these pre-Lenora grass types are riddled with the life-sapping suckers.

And so began the slow and painful depletion of the Audino population.

Leech Seed, switch out, stall, profit. Using this method, I was able to level my team considerably against the pink bastards while maintaining full HP among my party. Futhermore, Runt's original "Pick-Up" ability and Jun's Thief attack (now replaced by Bite) landed me a handful of oran berries. Lenora was much easier than expected. Bandit takes out Herdier and Pebble solos Watchog. Donezo; so much for the vengeful Watchog decimation I had been anticipating.

I have just recently entered Pinwheel forest to take out team Plasma. Before I move on, I will take a much needed sleep and leave you here for now.

For anyone's interest in the general amount of items the game gives you to work with (without purchase), I have compiled a list of my current inventory and Pokeball selection. This does not show all of the other items/balls I have used up prior.

Inventory:


Pokeballs:


Released/unsuccessful captures:


Thanks for the read! As always, feedback will be welcome.