This is seriously the most difficult pokémon game to grind in. All the wild pokémon are between level 15 and 18 in every route, it seems, and the Rockets in Mahogany Town all use Rattata and Zubat at level 20 even though you've probably got 5 badges by that point. I considered grinding against Gyarados in Lake of Rage but they're either level 10 or Magikarp. It's so irritating.
So I took on the gym leaders. Pryce was slightly harder. Also worth noting is that my entire team bar Corsola is weak to Pryce and nothing on my team apart from Corsola has a move that hits Jasmine's Steelix for anything approaching decent damage. I also can't use
Sunshine against Pryce's water types. The three Flying types were going to be utterly hopeless for these two battles, but I chucked
Fang at Pryce to soften him up and it took down his Seel before fainting. Then his Dewgong destroyed my
Wannabe which can't do damage any more because it isn't a Technician. In the end
... came in and hit twice with Magical Leaf before being defeated by Aurora Beam. Then it was
Sleepy's turn, and I managed to put Dewgong to sleep then do about 3HP damage at a time with Confusion to defeat it slowly. His Piloswine immediately shat all over
Sleepy for the KO and seeing as I wasn't allowed to send out
Sunshine it was all down to
Bottoms Up. I tried out Rock Blast first, but midway through Piloswine's Sitrus Berry activated so that was no good. His next hit was going to KO me, so I had to get the critical hit on Surf... and I did! That was lucky.
Sunshine wouldn't have to come into battle against one of its hated Water types after all.
Jasmine was easier however. The hard bit was going to be her Magnemites, as I don't have a single move that hits Steel types and Electric is strong against two thirds of my party. Steelix would probably be a pushover. Again I chucked
Fang in kamikaze style at the start and she only managed two hits with Bite before being defeated. Then it was
...'s turn, to avoid having to switch something I desperately needed out at a critical moment later. She died pretty quickly as only Magical Leaf was remotely useful and that didn't do any damage. Then
Sunshine had a crack. Leech Seed, Ingrain and Mega Drain slowly did the deed, and Jasmine used up her Hyper Potions on the Maggy which was nice of her. Slowly slowly does it, and eventually the first Magnemite was down. Steelix came out and used Screech as I seeded it. Having Ingrain down meant I couldn't switch out and was going to have to rely on being knocked out, then Reviving
Sunshine for her last Magnemite. Sure enough, Steelix's Iron Tail OHKO'd me, and then it was
Wannabe's turn. Focus Energy and Wing Attack did fuck all before a Rock Throw hit and OHKO'd her as well.
Bottoms Up did the business once again with a Surf attack, and I switched into
Sleepy as her final Magnemite was sent out. The plan was to hypnotise Magnemite and then use my items, but it failed. I took a Thunderbolt to the face and revived
Sunshine the turn after as
Sleepy fainted. Then it was Leech Seed + Ingrain + Mega Drain again, as
Sunshine pulled her weight to defeat Jasmine and earn me my seventh badge, with my pokémon still at level 30. This game is such a joke.
I guess she's going to be my LVP but only because she's only battled wild pokémon and a handful of trainers so far. She was pretty crappy in the Cianwood Gym too. She'll improve. Rock Blast is a pointless attack on her.
... the
Chikorita [F]
Level 29, Lonely @ Everstone
Overgrow
-Magical Leaf
-Reflect
-Synthesis
-Poisonpowder
She's pants. Poisonpowder is useless as I have to wait so long for the damage to stack up and Magical Leaf just isn't strong enough. She's only got 70HP so whenever I have to switch her in she takes a bit chunk of damage and then isn't quick enough to recover it with Synthesis. Evolution looks a long way off at the moment.
Switch in and win count 9/15
Defeat with poison only count 0/10
Sleepy the
Noctowl [F]
Level 30, Bold
Keen Eye @ Quick Claw
-Confusion
-Take Down
-Reflect
-Hypnosis
How the mighty have fallen. She's done nothing at all since Morty really, apart from be a liability. Her stats are terrible, Hypnosis doesn't hit regularly enough, and Confusion/Take Down don't cut the mustard.
Fang the
Crobat [F]
Level 30, Hasty
Inner Focus
-Leech Life
-Supersonic
-Fly
-Bite
Not done a lot since the last update. Every now and then she's outsped things that would otherwise really hurt the team and got crucial flinches, like with the Electrodes in the Rocket Hideout, but they weren't that scary as they were so low-levelled. She needs Poison Fang tbh.
Sunshine the
Sunflora [F]
Level 27, Careful @ Miracle Seed
Solar Power
-Endeavor
-Leech Seed
-Mega Drain
-Ingrain
She's actually been quite useful recently! She was very handy to have around against Jasmine's Magnemites which were untouchable otherwise, and she does a good job when she finds something she's allowed to fight that she isn't weak too (which is infrequent, it has to be said). I'm looking forward to her learning some better moves, which is allowed now that I've beaten Chuck. I don't know when it'll be though, I can't remember her moveset.
Wannabe the
Scyther [F]
Level 31, Jolly
Swarm
-Wing Attack
-Quick Attack
-Focus Energy
-Pursuit
Still in second for her role in beating Chuck. Not that impressive though, apart from when she gets to hit something with Wing Attack. Her other moves might as well not exist. She's the closest I have to a sweeper at the moment, thanks to her speed and STAB on Wing Attack.
Bottoms Up the
Corsola [F]
Level 31, Bold
Natural Cure
-Surf
-Recover
-Lucky Chant
-Rock Blast
So she's gone from LVP to MVP just like that. Without her I'd never have gotten past Jasmine or Pryce, and
Sleepy has been so much rubbish recently that there wasn't much competition for top spot. She's my only sensible attacker, she's capable of taking a few hits, and she has recovery. She's actually the only pokémon who isn't annoying me at the moment.