Nuzlocke Challenge

[Stellar]

I've been doing a nuzlocke of Black 2 and I just beat Ghetsis... but not without a loss. :(

My team before fighting Ghetsis:

Lv58 Clefable [Lax, Magic Guard]: Hyper Voice / Stored Power / Cosmic Power / Moonlight @ Leftovers
Lv58 Zoroark [Hasty, Illusion]: Dark Pulse / Thief / Nasty Plot / Agility @ Shell Bell
Lv56 Muk [Bashful, Sticky Hold]: Gunk Shot / Ice Punch / Dig / Minimize @ Black Sludge
Lv57 Jellicent [Modest, Cursed Body]: Surf / Shadow Ball / Energy Ball / Recover @ Rocky Helmet
LV60 Steelix [Naughty, Rock Head]: Gyro Ball / Dig / Double Edge / Curse @ Macho Brace

I had the perfect plan: set up 6 Cosmic Powers on Ghetsis's Cofagrigus and sweep the rest of his team. The plan worked pretty well. I OHKOed Cofagrigus, Seismitoad, and Toxicroak with Stored Power and 2HKOed Drapion with Hyper Voice. Then of course Hydreigon got a crit Dragon Rush on Clefable which somehow managed to OHKO despite my being 6 levels higher and having a +Def nature. I did a quick damage calculation and it does about 45-53% damage to my Clefable. So Hydreigon hit with Dragon Rush, got a crit, and got a high damage roll. What a lucky SOB. So Clefable goes down and joins the dead in the cemetery box. :( I was really looking forward to using it against the Elite 4. It seemed like it would do a great job. I don't really have anything left it my box that is worth using so I'm hoping to get something on the next few routes that will be useful against the E4.

In retrospect, I probably should have just gone to Steelix against Hydreigon because it couldn't do any real damage, but I really wanted to see Clefable get the KO. I was also slightly worried about Eelektross. I guess greed got the best of me. :(

[Phadunk]

Who was your starter and how long did it last?

[Stellar]

I chose Tepig. One iteration of my team died in the desert to the Psychic's Sigilyph (Pignite, Leavanny, Grimer) and another died to Drayden due to a barrage of crits and a lack of potions (another Jellicent, Garbodor, Solrock, and Gligar). The two other main deaths were Lv46 Cinccino to +2 Skorupi Sniper crit Bug Bite and Lv45 Sandslash, although I can't remember what killed the latter.

[Corkscrew]

Emerald Update #7

Starting from route 118, I travel north where I catch my route 119 pokemon. It's a Modest Oddish. I name him Dodgem. Despite having a great nature, Oddish's level up movepool is dreadful so I decide not to raise him.


The weather insitute is my next stop where Team Aqua stand no chance against my team. They are defeated easily and I get a Castform, who is immediately boxed.

I face May who is pretty easily swept by Peekoo.
I travel to route 120 and obtain a Devon Scope. The Kecleon that Steven shows me is the first encounter on the route so I catch him and name him Keith. He's timid which kind of sucks.

Next up is Winona. The gym proves no trouble at all and nor does Winona herself.
Swablu, Pelipper and Skarmory all fall to Bolt. Altaria falls to Comet and Tropius gets beaten by Flump.
So that's it. Another gym down, I only have 2 left.

TEAM:

...

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lvl. 37
Naughty Nature
-Surf
-Fly
-Supersonic
-Protect

Ahh Peekoo. My longest lasting pokemon since Quail died a fatal death and Quentin has retired to 'Box 1.' With good bulk and a good STAB in surf, Peekoo is actually doing quite well. Very reliable.

lvl. 37
Brave Nature
-Earthquake
-Ember
-Take Down
-Rock Slide

Now with Earthquake and Rock Slide for coverage Flump is quite powerful. It will be a nightmare to train against the water based section of the game, but hopefully he'll stick around.

lvl. 37
Bashful Nature
-Rock Slide
-Confusion
-Cosmic Power
-Fire Spin
Has a bit more power now that I have obtained Rock Slide. Generally quite solid.

lvl. 38
Lax Nature
-Spark
-Thunder Wave
-Sonicboom
-Supersonic
Bolt is a great pokemon. It has a great Sp. Atk stat which means Spark does a lot more than you would think.

lvl. 20
Naive Nature
-Cut
-Rock Smash
-Scratch
-Water Gun
This is in my team purely for HM purposes.

Daycare:

...

---

Anthony, deposited at lvl 20. Around lvl. 30 right now.

Put in the daycare in case I ever decide to use them in future.

Boxed:

...

---

Whitney lvl. 6
Darren lvl. 15
Lizzy lvl. 14
Paul lvl. 21
Lily lvl. 16
Necronancy lvl. 23
Trevor lvl. 21
Quentin lvl. 29
Cruelio lvl. 27
Carys lvl. 23
Flopsy lvl. 24
Rory lvl. 30
Dodgem lvl. 24
Keith lvl. 30

Deceased:

...

---

Steve lvl. 9
Poison is a bitch pre-gen 4. He didn't make it to pokemon centre quick enough.
Zoey lvl. 8
Lack of caution meant that a crit killed her off. Shame, as I could see her becoming a good member of the team.
Tickle lvl. 7
Death Fodder. Life's a bitch.
Nancy lvl. 23
Poison Damage. She lives on as Necronancy the Shedinja however.
Quail lvl. 34
Critical hit in Petalburg Gym. My MVP, a massive blow to my team. Was so close to evolving as well.
Bump lvl. 21
Death Fodder.

Any advice on my team is always appreciated. (Bare in mind I'm not using TMs)

[Phadunk]

I look forward to BW2. Sounds sick

[DEMo_Gorgon47]

I just had a mini heart attack as I fought Tate and Liza in my Emerald Run. Thought for sure crit hax and sheer power of their pokemon would destroy me. Turns out I didnt lose a single friends. Here is the line-up from LVP to MVP


Humus the Banette (M)
Nature - Lonely
Level - 42
Ability - Insomnia
Moves - Spite, Night Shade, Faint Attack, Will-O-Wisp

Opinion: After going through 2 other Shuppets I finally got Humus and managed to keep him alive long enough to get on par with the res of my team. Unfortunately he has aweful defenses and no attacks to utilize his great attack stat. He didnt even partake in the battle agaisnt Tate and Liza, which was the reason why I caught him. So much for that... might replace him with the Horsea I caught.


Liam the Tentacruel (M)
Nature - Naughty
level - 41
Moves - Surf, Acid, Ice Beam, Barrier
Ability - Clear Body

Opinion: Just barely above Humus is Liam. He has weak attacks, just barely netting some 3HKO's. But he patches up some weaknesses for my team, and has some useful moves. All in all, while he is lackluster he probably wont be going anywhere.


Mufasa the Manectric (M)
Nature - Gentle
Level - 42
Moves - Thunderbolt, Spark, Bite, Quick Attack
Ability - Lightning Rod

Opinion: Mufasa is a real team player. Fast and strong, he can counted on to get me a OHKO most of the time. His only downfall is his fraility, but with the offensive presence he has that can be easily overlooked.


Ragnarok the Blaziken (M)
Nature - Lonely
Level - 43
Moves - Double Kick, Quick Attack, Blaze Kick, Bulk Up
Ability - Blaze

Opinion: Ragnarok is the team leader, and the only reason he finds himself in the middle of the pack is because he didnt partake in the battle. But overall he has proved himself and I am sure he will reassert himself later in the game.


Goyo the Flygon (M)
Ability - Docile
Level - 45
Moves - Dragonbreath, Dig, Fly, Crunch
Ability - Levitate

Opinion: Flygon really hasnt proved himself much, as once I evolved him I didnt use him much. The only reason he is above Ragnarok is because Goyo played a roll in the battle against Tate and Liza. And though he was just in charge of healing his team mate, he still survived. Good job Goyo.


Troll the Vigoroth (F)
Nature - Serious
Level - 42
Moves - Slack Off, Strength, Cut, Shadow Ball
Ability - Vital Spirit

Opinion: Troll has always been a solid member of the team, and here she really shined. She survived numerous hits from Tate and Liza and struck back with avengence with a Shadow Ball. Most hits were 2HKO's and with the help from Goyo's Hyper Potions we steamrolled the twins. Congrats on the MVP status Troll. Enjoy it while it lasts!

[DEMo_Gorgon47]

Ragnarok and Troll were just killed by Maxie and Tabitha... idk how to continue. I dont have a fighting type for Glacia and Sydney, nor a Pokemon to take down Juan's Kingdra... things just went from really good to really bleak.

R.I.P. Troll and Ragnarok, you were the best Pokemon a trainer could ask for. I am sorry I failed you guys.

[Jimera0]

Well people I have sad news.

This will be my last update for my Blue version.

Because I just fucking owned that bitch like a family heirloom, HELL YEAH MOTHER FUCKAH!

Yes, I have done it! I have completed a Nuzlocke without the death of a single team-member, deathfodder or otherwise. I dunno about you, but I'm pretty psyched with this achievement. So, here's the lowdown on what happened since my last update.

-Battled Rival on Route 21, easily won despite severe level disadvantage.
-Ground my Pokemon up a couple levels to ensure nothing bad happened on Victory road, everyone was at level 44 when I entered.
-Blew through victory road
-Gathered items and made preparations for the Elite Four, ground and rare candied everyone to level 53

AND SO THE BATTLES BEGAN!

GLORIOUS VICTORIES

---

Lorelei: I was honestly pretty worried about Lorelei because the only Pokemon I had that could hit her with STAB super-effective moves were also weak to Ice (in fact, my team had a massive Ice weakness, 4/6 Pokemon). Turned out pretty well though. My original plan was to use Stu the Blastoise to Submission them into... well, submission. I started this with Dewgong but after a crit failed to OHKO and Dewgong just rested back to full health I realized that using this method would use up a lot of my healing items. So I took advantage of Dewgong's nap to switch safely to Trap the Victreebel, who instantly OHKO'd it with Razor Leaf. Pleased that I was able to OHKO, I stayed in and did the same to her Cloyster. When her Slowbro came out I put it to sleep with Sleep Powder in case it could survive a Razor Leaf and start annoying me with Amnesia, but it turned out my concerns were unfounded and it got OHKO'd as well. I switched out to Freddy the Hypno when Jynx came out, knowing he could easily absorb her attacks. Rather than have him attack himself though, I put her to sleep and switched to Lan the Sandslash to ensure there were no Hyper Potion shenanigans. Lan OHKO's Jynx with Slash in its sleep. That's a nice thing about the way sleep works in generation I. It makes for 100% safe switch-ins due to the opponent not being able to wake up and smash you on the same turn. Anyway, after that I send in Stu again for Lapras, who is quite threatening to rest of my team with that STAB Blizzard of his/hers. I have Stu use Reflect just as a buffer against Body Slams and confusion damage, then go to work with Submission. The second one is a critical hit and finishes off Lorelei, once and for all.

Bruno: I'm more confident about Bruno, seeing as he basically has only 3 Pokemon since his Onix suck for much. Anyway, I start with Stu, who obviously annihilates his first Onix with Surf. When his Hitmonchan comes out I switch to Freddy again. This time I just go full out on the attack with Psychic, OHKOing both his Hitmons. His second Onix comes out and I switch to Trap again just to mix things up. When Machamp comes in though, I know who to switch to; Zaku the Pidgeot. The last thing I wanted to risk was to get hit by Fissue, and the only member of my team immune to that move was dear old Zaku. Zaku also happens to have Fly and Reflect. I set up the latter and then use the former. Bruno uses an X-defend while I'm in the air, but Zaku crits, rendering it moot. Zaku follows up with a Quick-Attack and ends the fight.

Agatha: And I'm even more confident about this one, since her Pokemon struggle to harm my Pokemon at all, seeing as I hold a Pokeflute and all. Jill the Nidoqueen is particularly immune to her attacks, so I lead with her. Jill steamrolls over her first Gengar with Earthquake, takes a brief reprieve to let Freddy obliterate her Golbat (rather than waste a Blizzard I know I'll be needing for Lance), then comes back to completely obliterate the rest of her team. Due to both Gengars hilariously choosing to use Dream Eater on the wide awake Jill, she comes out of the battle without a scratch.

Lance: Now Lance is much more worrying than any of the past members of the elite four. I make one last minute preparation before I start the battle, replacing Stu's Submission with Ice Beam. His Gyarados scares me the most, hitting most of my team very hard and with me having no fast way of taking it down. So, I fall back on the old strategy I always do when I face a dangerous foe I cannot quickly remove; I send in Freddy to put it to sleep. Freddy can take any attack thrown at him, but is luckily only subjected to a Dragon Rage before Gyarados is sound asleep. I then switch to Lan, my most powerful attacker, to go to town on the sleeping giant with Slash. It wakes up before I can land the final blow though, and just to be safe I switch to Stu, who can take Gyarados' attacks even better than Freddy can. Stu finishes it off with strength, bringing in one of Lances' Dragonairs. I decide to give Jill a bit more time in the ring, and she comes in and starts wrecking shit with Blizzard. It falls just short of an OHKO though, and Lance is ready with the Hyper Potion. After that I decide to start with Body Slam first just to prevent a Hyper Potion cycle from depleting Jill's precious Blizzard PP, leading to Dragonair's demise. I switch to Stu next by accident, and repeat the process on his next Dragonair, just with Ice Beam and Strength instead of Blizzard and Body Slam. Oh, I also set up a Reflect to cushion any incoming Hyper Beams he could take, since I've determined at this point that Stu is staying in the rest of the match. His Aerodactly does pitiful damage with Wing Attack before being OHKO'd. Dragonite comes out next, but wastes its only turn using Barrier, getting outsped and 2HKO'd before it could do any damage. Now just one challenge remains...

Blue: Alright, it's serious time now, but as before I have the whole thing planned out. He leads with Pidgeot, and I lead with Lan, knowing he can out-damage that birdbrain by a mile. And so he does, taking only a little damage in the process. I don't keep him in when Rhydon comes in, though he could beat it of course. I just prefer a safer destruction at the hands of Trap, who OHKO's it without breaking a sweat. I obviously switch him the hell out when Alakazam comes out though. I beat this Alakazam the same way I've beaten every Alakazam I've fought so far; put it to sleep with Freddy then using Lan to Slash right through its dumb Reflect and KO it before it can wake up. Next up is his Gyarados, again my biggest fear. However it ends up going exactly the same as it did with Lance's Dragonite, and I'm left with Stu facing Blue's Arcanine. Yeah, you can guess how that went. Finally out comes Blue's strongest Pokemon, his Venusaur. I'm prepared though, and Freddy takes the field against my oldest foe. Ironic in a way, my newest teammate is the best answer to my rival's oldest. I wish I could say it was a climactic battle, but in reality Freddy turned Venusaur into a green smear on the wall in just two turns, and the championship was mine!

Whew, that was a lot of writing, feel free to skip it if you don't care for the details.

tl;dr: I had plans, they worked and everyone fell before me like sky divers with broken parachutes.

And now for the team, with little blurbs detailing each as I went through my adventure.

Final team (in order of acquisition)

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Stu the lv 55 Blastoise
Movest:
Tackle --> Body Slam --> Strength
Water Gun --> Surf
Withdraw --> Reflect
Tail Whip --> Submission --> Ice Beam

This is the first time I've had my starter survive throughout the whole challenge... they seem to be pretty damn vulnerable in their second evolutionary forms. Speaking of which, in that period he was kind of not very helpful with only Water Gun as his STAB attack... ended up using Body Slam more often (eventually replaced with Strength due to him being the only one that could learn it and afford the moveslot). But once he got Surf and then evolved he rose to his old glory, and became undoubtedly the most powerful member of my team with no one really able to challenge him. He hit fairly hard but what really made him so useful was his bulk. He could deal more damage than he took and didn't require me worrying over his HP as much as some of the others. And when I decided it was worth using Reflect... well he looks like a tank for a reason.


Jill the lv 54 Nidoqueen
Moveset:
Tackle --> Body Slam
Scratch --> Earthquake
Growl --> Fire Blast
Poison Sting --> Blizzard

Jill was an interesting case. For all that the Nido's are hyped up to be the best in-game Pokemon ever, they've always underwhelmed me early game. They get shitty moves for the first two gyms, and though they evolve early (VERY early) their stats just can't quite make up for it. Mostly I found myself using her for her useful resistances and bulk, allowing me to whittle away at enemies with Body Slam. The rest of her movepool hilariously remained almost unchanged right up until Silph Co, due to me being overly careful with TMs (those things are in short supply in Gen 1 shut up). Finally when I got Earthquake she gained a lot of power, though still not mindblowing in its scope it was more than enough to suffice. The real fun started after Blaine though, when I taught her how to dual wield Fire and Ice, quickly catapulting her to the top of my list. She took down or could have taken down a could two thirds of the league herself with her coverage, and I made damn good use of it. If only I had decided to do that BEFORE the 8th gym badge... I saved Bubblebeam and Thunderbolt for nothing T.T


Zaku the lv 53 Pidgeot
Moveset:
Gust --> Fly
Quick Attack
Sand-Attack --> Reflect
Whirlwind (just a spot saver) --> Take Down --> Double Edge

Zaku was always on my team for really only one reason; I needed something to use Fly. Even before I had Fly, I kept him around simply to make sure I could still use him. And really, until he got Fly he kind of sucked. Weak Normal-type attacks didn't do him any favors. Once he got Fly though he actually became a pretty pivotal member of the team, especially since I didn't have much for fire types so Zaku too up all the slack for Grass and Bug types. Still, he never really came up to the standards of the others, though I can't say he ever disappointed me as well. He ended up being a utilitarian mook, just like his namesake. And just like his namesake you can't help but the love the shit out if anyway for some goddamn reason.


Lan the lv 53 Sandslash
Moveset:
Slash
Dig
Scratch --> Submission
Sand Attack --> Sword Dance

I've actually used Sandslash quite a bit in the paste, as I've always favored it over the Dugtrio line in game, especially in Nuzlockes. And as usual, Sandslash performs. It's even better in Generation I than it is in other generations due to getting Slash at such a low level. This, combined with a STAB 100 BP Dig and Lan's good attack stat (best on the team in fact) turned him into my undisputed physical powerhouse right from when I caught him up until near the end. While I always had to be careful switching him into special attackers (though the advent of Freddy and his Hypnosis eased that greatly), he always excelled at what I needed him to do, and that was tear shit the fuck up. I might not have used him much in the Elite Four but he was essential throughout the rest of the game. Seriously guys, Sandslash is awesome.


Trap the lv 53 Victreebel
Moveset:
Vine Whip --> Razor Leaf
Growth --> Cut
Wrap --> Acid
Poison Powder --> Sleep Powder

Trap was pretty good right as soon as I got him, not because of Vine Whip (which is a ridiculously shitty move. 10 PP and 35 BP wtf?), but because of Wrap. If you're not familiar with Gen I Wrap mechanics, it works like this. Turn 1; hit opponent with wrap Turn 2-5: Opponent sits there helplessly unable to hit you while you damage them. Turn 3, 4, 5, or 6: outspeed and Wrap a bitch again, leaving them completely unable to attack. However I found quickly that Wrap and Sleep powder didn't really work well together, since Wrap would waste Sleep Turns. This lead to me eventually replacing it with Acid, a more immediately powerful attack, which I did not regret. Despite being useful due to Sleep Powder, Trap was kind of weak until he got Razor Leaf. But then after Razor Leaf I evolved him and he gained essentially a 110 BP STAB move. Needless to say, he totally destroyed everything. All the things. All of them.


Freddy the Hypno:
Moveset:
Pound --> Confusion --> Psychic
Disable --> Submission
Headbutt
Hypnosis

When I caught Freddy I honestly had no idea I'd end up using him. I thought he'd just be another random Pokemon that I'd leave to rot in Box 1 forever. But when it came time to chose a replacement for Katz the Butterfree, it didn't take long for me to decide on Freddy. Afterall, Freddy comes with a sleep inducing move and psychic attacks, just like Butterfree, so why the hell not? At first I was dismayed, as as a Drowzee he kind of sucked. That didn't last long though, as he evolved very quickly (before I started using him for real) and after that he just became the instant MVP of my team. He had better bulk than most of my team, as well as good (and eventually with Psychic, great) attacking power. His attack was good enough use Headbutt and Submission, both of which saw more use than some people might have expected. He quickly became my answer to any big threat that I feared could KO one of my Pokemon. Due to his bulk he could safely switch in and put the threat to sleep, making dealing with it much easier. Indeed, this technique formed the core of my strategy for the whole later half of the game. When he wasn't blowing stuff to smitherines with Psychic anyway. If anyone ever tells you Hypno sucks, tell them to fuck off. At least as long as they're talking about Gen I anyway, they're probably right about the other ones.

Retired Teammates (in order of retirement)

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Katz the lv 27 Butterfree
Moveset:
Confusion
Harden --> Reflect
Poison Powder
Sleep Powder

Katz was a funny one... I happened to encounter him in Viridian Forest... as a lv 6 Metapod. Whose only move was Harden. An hour of painful grinding ensued to to get it to evolve... only to discover it didn't learn Confusion, its first attacking move, until he got 3 more levels. Finally when he got it, I rejoiced and the fun began. Katz was a critical member of my team for the first three and a half gyms, and not just for catching Pokemon. Remember, Trap could do that too. No, Katz's Confusion and Sleep were very useful to me, and could even use Harden to pull of a Poison Powder Stall when I needed it. Eventually though, I realized that Katz wasn't going to keep up with my team much longer and I decided to retire him before he got killed instead of after. He was replaced by Freddy, who did everything Katz could do and more. However Katz was never forgotten. Without him, I might not have made it past that damn Raticate in Mt. Moon.


Buck the lv 38 Raticate
Moveset:
Hyper Fang
Quick Attack
Tackle --> Water Gun
Tail Whip

Buck honestly kind of surprised me. While his fragility as a Rattata after Mt. Moon was both frustrating and terrifying, he was quite powerful due to Hyper Fang and definitely good and fast. It wasn't until after he evolved though that I realized what a gift he was. He stayed useful right up until Sabrina, where he KO'd two of her Pokemon with his fast and lethal Hyper Fang. Really, I could have kept using him too; I just didn't want to keep training more than 6 Pokemon. So, I retired him, mostly to just save some time training and to do away with the annoyance of having to rotate Pokemon in the PC. As awesome as his fast Hyper Fang was, it was the perk I needed the least at this point. As such, he joined Katz in Box 2, waiting to be called upon should he be needed again, which he wasn't.

Deceased

---

NOBODY MOTHERFUCKERS WOOOOOOOOO!!

And that's it for this Nuzlocke, not sure when/if I'll be doing another. Got a Black Scramble to finish first, then I have a new idea that you'll all know about soon enough. But until then, audios fellow Nuzlocker's! Try not to get haxed to death!

[Corkscrew]

Originally Posted by Fat DEMo_Gorgon47

Ragnarok and Troll were just killed by Maxie and Tabitha... idk how to continue. I dont have a fighting type for Glacia and Sydney, nor a Pokemon to take down Juan's Kingdra... things just went from really good to really bleak.

R.I.P. Troll and Ragnarok, you were the best Pokemon a trainer could ask for. I am sorry I failed you guys.

Man, that really sucks. Who have you got in your box?

[DEMo_Gorgon47]

@ Corkscrew: Not too much unfortunately. I have a Nicada (7), Loudred (20), Oddish (13), Numel (15), Slugma (14), Spinda (14), Wynaut (5), Sandshrew (21), Geodude (15), Wingull (30), Jigglypuff (25), Castform (25), Girafarig (25), Torkoal (28), Wailmer (35), Vulpix (29), and a Horsea (27). I also have a level 29 Lileep and a 32 Voltorb in the Day Care.

I can still catch a Spheal, and I have a few Surfing and Diving areas I can catch Pokemon, but thats a lot of water-types, so other than that, what you see is what I got.

[Corkscrew]

Originally Posted by Fat DEMo_Gorgon47

@ Corkscrew: Not too much unfortunately. I have a Nicada (7), Loudred (20), Oddish (13), Numel (15), Slugma (14), Spinda (14), Wynaut (5), Sandshrew (21), Geodude (15), Wingull (30), Jigglypuff (25), Castform (25), Girafarig (25), Torkoal (28), Wailmer (35), Vulpix (29), and a Horsea (27). I also have a level 29 Lileep and a 32 Voltorb in the Day Care.

I can still catch a Spheal, and I have a few Surfing and Diving areas I can catch Pokemon, but thats a lot of water-types, so other than that, what you see is what I got.

You were lucky to get a Horsea, but if you can't trade for Kingdra, I guess it's useless.
You can also get somebody in Victory Road. Hariyama would be pretty good.

[DEMo_Gorgon47]

I know, it would have been useful =/. Maybe if Banette learns trick I can get one from a Bagon... Hariyama is something I have to get, and since I have the "No duplicates rule" on, I'm guaranteed to get one. Might have to get lileep out so I dont get whirlwinded away...

Looks like spheal will be on my team too, as I need someone to take on Drake.

[RockULikeAHurricane]

Been a while since I updated, some major things have happened.

Norman: Grinded my team up to level 30. Owned most of his team with Soul Drain(Breloom). I chose Shedinja to fight Slaking, and...who knew that thing had Faint Attack?! RIP Shedinja(not nicknamed). Proceeded to kill his Slaking with a Plus 4 Psychic from Anabel(Gardevoir).

Caught Magneto(Magnemite) in New Mauville, and replaced Sparrow(Swellow) with Batman(Zubat). Grinded Magneto and Batman up to 33 and 35 respectively, then challenged the gym.

Winona: Denolished by Anabel's Shock Wave and Magneto's Spark.

Evolved Batman into Crobat on the way to Mt. Pyre.

Tate and Liza: This was a tough match since I didn't have anything strong against her. I led off with Batman and Tim(Swampert). After defeating her first 2, I switched out Batman when Lunatone came in and proceeded to KO Lunatone and Solrock after some Calm Mind's from Anabel.

Did the plotline and grinded Magneto, Anabel, and Soul Drain to level 42, Tim to level 45, and Eric(Camerupt) to level 43.

Juan: OHKO'd his team. Kingdra got raped by a plus 2 Atk. plus 4 Acc. Return from Swampert.

Beat Wally at Victory Road.

Whew, that was a lot. I'm currently grinding everyone up to around level 50 for Victory Road. Question: Should I TM Earthquake onto Tim or should I level up for it?

The Team:
Tim the Quirky Swampert: MVP. This guy has so much bulk, it's unbelievable. He tanked Winona's Altaria's plus 2 EQs like they were nothing. He also has a huge Attack stat along with a good SpAttack stat. Level 45.
Moveset:
-Mud Shot
-Muddy Water(will replace with Ice Beam)
-Surf
-Return

Eric the Serious Camerupt:After evolving, Eric has become one of my most diverse Pokemon. He's still outshined by Tim as the best Ground-type. Level 43.
-Earthquake
-Fire Blast
-Rock Slide
-Strength

Batman the Mild Crobat: Probably my second strongest member. He has proven to be a great replacement for the weakening Sparrow, and he outspeeds EVERYTHING. He was very helpful against Tate and Liza with his Flinch-hax. Level 42.
-Fly
-Bite
-Sludge Bomb
-Confuse Ray

Anabel the Docile Gardevoir: Been with me since Route 102. She can demolish foes after setting up her Calm Minds. Level 42.
-Psychic
-Shock Wave
-Hidden Power(Ice)
-Calm Mind

Soul Drain the Relaxed Breloom: Before evolving, Sould Drain was a hindrance, since it was always outsped and always ran out of PP. Not anymore. Sould Drain dominates foes with Mach Punch and Sky Uppercut, and cripples them with Leech Seed. Also, when she uses Mega Drain, I can say: GIMME DEM SOULS XD. Level 42.
-Mega Drain
-Mach Punch
-Leech Seed
-Sky Uppercut

Magneto the MODEST Magneton: I was so happy when I saw Magneto was Modest, I instantly replaced Minus. Then I was saddened when I found out its Hidden Power was Rock -_-. Magneto has still come in handy against foes like Winona and Juan, and is easy to grind due to the many Water-type trainers in Hoenn. LVP. Level 42.
-Spark
-Hidden Power(Rock -_-)
-Thunder Wave
-Thunderbolt

Sorry for not updating for a while! I had a basketball tournament in Las Vegas for 3 days XD.

Edit: Oops, forgot genders XD.

Tim-Male

Eric-Male

Batman-Male

Anabel-Female

Soul Drain-Female

Magneto-No Gender

[Himanattsu]

Just beat Leaf Green E4 with a Jynx (LV 61) and a Blastoise (LV 56). #slightwork

[DarkMaelstrom]

Elite Four Will

OK, folks. So here's the first update of my Elite Four Challenge, against Will, a Psychic user. Not much else to say here, but I'll have this battle in a format similar to a warstory. Without further adieu, here's the battle!
VS Elite Four Will

...

---

Me:
Landslide(Golem) Lv. 50
Blaster(Typhlosion) Lv. 51
Edward(Crobat) Lv. 50
Egg 'em! (Exeggutor) Lv. 50
Clappy (Dewgong) Lv. 50
Heraboss (Heracross) Lv. 50
Will:
Xatu Lv. 40
Jynx Lv. 41
Exeggutor Lv. 41
Slowbro Lv. 41
Xatu Lv. 42

Turn 1:
VS-->

Here, on the first turn, I'm not really expecting much, so I just go for the safe Rock Blast. Unfortunately, Xatu is faster and goes for a U-Turn (Which I forgot Will's Xatu had...) and goes out to Slowbro. Landslide cowers at the sight of a Water Pokemon and hits it with a measly two Rock Blasts. While it is unfortunate, it doesn't really matter.

Turn 2:
-->VS

Since I obviously don't want Landslide to die, I switch out to Egg 'em to own this sucker. Slowbro goes for Water Pulse, and may as well have done nothing to Egg 'em. Fortunately, it doesn't get any Confusion hax either, which seems to happen to me a lot with Water Pulse. Pretty awesome.

Turn 3:
VS

With Egg 'em safely in, I can easliy obliterate this unwitting Slowbro. I go for the gold and use Leaf Storm. I think you know what happens next. Slowbro is sucked into oblivion and Will's lost his first Pokemon. This match is going pretty well so far, and I hope it stays that way.

Turn 4:
-->VS-FNT->

With his Slowbro gone, Will sends in Xatu to get some U-Turning action on Egg 'em. Unfortunately for him, I'm not gonna let that happen and switch to Landslide. Xatu goes for Me First and uses Rock Blast. I'm thinking, whatever, but then it misses, which is even better for me. I go for my own Rock Blast, land it with two hits, and take out Xatu Numero Uno. Two down, three more to go.

Turn 5:
-->VS-FNT->

Will here sends in Jynx to revenge Landslide or whatever such nonsense, but I'm not about to let that happen and send in Blaster to incinerate it. Which, of course, it does. Blaster roasts Jynx with a fiery Flamethower, giving Will some nice toasted Pokemon for lunch. And in the process, Blaster grows to Lv. 52! Very convenient, if I may say so.

Turn 6:
VS-FNT->

Will goes into his Exeggutor for some bizarre reason, which is fine by me. In an effort to conserve Flamethrower's PP and still take out the Exeggutor, I go for Lava Plume, and 'A wave of scarlet flames washes over the foe'. In other words, Exeggutor went to meet its maker. Who wants eggs for breakfast?

Turn 7:
-->VS->-FNT->

Will sends in his last Pokemon, his second (And more powerful) Xatu, in a sad attempt to finish the match. I say, 'Bullcrap' and switch out to Landslide. Xatu uses Confuse Ray, confusing my superboulder. Apparently the strain was too much for his tiny brain and he smacked himself in the face. So there was some annoying hax there, but it won't matter in the end. It's 6-1. There's no way I can lose when my Pokemon are 8 levels higher.

Turn 8:
VS

It all ends very quickly and painlessly. Xatu uses Psychic, and it doesn't do that much, maybe a third. Landslide fights the incredibly convincing urge to hit itself and launches a barrage of rocks at the psychic bird. Two hits don't quite KO, and Xatu eats its Sitrus Berry, but Landslide conjures up a third stone, hurls it at Xatu, and that's game. I've conquered the first of the Elite Four--one down, four to go (Counting the Champion).

6-0

So what do you guys think of my new format? It takes a while to make, so if you don't like it, please speak up and say so. Then I won't have to spend an hour working on it. Maybe I'm just doing it in an inconvenient way, I dunno. I, personally, like the format, but that's me and I'm bound to be biased towards my own creations. Comments appreciated :).
Tomorrow I'll have my battle against the former Fuchsia City Gym Leader Koga. Until then, adios.

[shinyskarmory]

I like the format, but the battle itself was pretty uninteresting thanks to the derpy team design and AI of all in game trainers.

So one day I was standing in a shower with 60 degree water (F obviously) because in the summer I go for short, cold showers and in the winter I go for long hot ones. In the middle of it, I thought:

You know what? I should really catch up my Ruby Scramblocke in updates, because I'm so far ahead.

But then I won't have a buffer :(

So, when I have summer homework, a regularly updating Scramblocke, and a not updating still grinding Scramble...I should get myself more work. Because my life feels wrong when I have free time.

Let's do a Nuzlocke! With full length prose updates! On a game nobody cares about! With a strange new ruleset!

Oh man I'm fucked.

Pokemon XD N-Locke

Intentional misspelling.

the random rules

---

1. All Pokemon who faint are dead. No exceptions except for
Rule 6.
2. All Pokemon will be nicknamed with a theme. No exceptions.
3. "Liberation" clause: All Shadow Pokemon must be captured and purified to complete the run.
4. THE N CLAUSE: No Eevee as soon as I have two to double battle with. After a boss fight (anyone who plays boss music and is not at the end of a colosseum or Robo Groudon, release all obtained pokemon except two after Lovrina and one after every other boss.
5. The kept Pokemon will be used to fight Greevil, along with any other Pokemon I catch on Citadark Isle. The kept pokemon must be boxed in between their boss fight and Greevil.
6. HOLY SHIT I'M BAD clause: 3 times in the game, when a Pokemon dies, I can choose to save it FOR PROSE REASONS ONLY. (stolen from Wasserbienchen's AMAZING Black/White Nuzlocke on deviantart

Prologue: The Tempest

---

"Zekrom....where are we going?"

WE'RE GOING TO THE DESERT LAND.

"...what is that?"

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU HUMANS CALL IT, BUT I KNOW THAT WE NEED TO GO THERE. IT'S BELOW US NOW.

I looked over the side of Zekrom's back while we soared through the skies at lightning speed. "Oh...that's the Orre region, where wild pokemon haven't lived for centuries. What are we doing here?"

YOU NEED TO CONTINUE OUR QUEST.

"But...Zekrom...you heard what Ghetsis said, right? It was all fake from the beginning. Now...I need to find myself again."

THIS IS THE FASTEST WAY TO DO IT.

"What I need is--HOLY SHIT!" Below us, off the coast, a cargo ship had stopped dead in the water, while several helicopters hovered around it. Suddenly, it lifted out of the water. "Are you doing it?"

THESE ARE NOT MY DESIGNS. "What is that thing?"

IT IS AN ABOMINATION.

"Thanks for helping." We soared down from the growing thunderheads, meeting the...thing...high up above the ground, still surrounded by the helicopters.

HOW DARE THEY INVADE MY DOMAIN IN THIS MANNER! Six thunderbolts fired from Zekrom's limbs, frying each of the helicopters in turn. The beast, which looked vaguely like the mythical pokemon Lugia, turned its head towards us and roared, its roar being returned by Zekrom. The air around me shook with the sheer volume of their battle cries.

I HAVE TO DROP YOU OFF HERE. Zekrom dove to the ground, pulling up just before we hit, and shook me off onto the cracked, arid ground. HUMANS CANNOT INTERFERE WITH US.

"Zekrom, wait! Are you going to fight that thing?"

ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT I AM NOT STRONG ENOUGH? The voice in my head carried a growling undertone, as if he was ready to fry me at the beginning of the wrong answer. The hairs on my arms started standing up.

"No, I'm not. Is there any way I can help?"

YOU ARE A HUMAN, AND NOT A STRONG ONE AT THAT. THIS IS OUR AFFAIR TO SETTLE. Zekrom thrust his wings upwards, and then downwards, and he was gone. The sudden, powerful gust bowled me over, and soon the lingering prescence of Zekrom in my mind vanished.

I didn't get up. There was no need to. On my back, I could see perfectly the bolts of lighting in the air that were met by the massive gusts from the creature's wings. At times like this, I could understand why Zekrom chose to talk with his mind instead with his tongue. Watching something like this can't be described in words-only in pictures. It took me a while to be certain of what he was saying, but eventually I could communicate with him perfectly well.

It was then that we were in the castle, surrounded by our friends and allies, that we failed. Black (or whatever his name was), his dragon Reshiram, and his group of serfs managed to defeat us. And then, just to add insult to injury, he managed to beat Ghetsis as well, forcing him to flee into Arceus only knows where. And leaving me for the police, or so he thought. Zekrom took me away from our failure, away from our followers, away from everywhere. For a month or so we roamed, trying to find a place where we could grow together.

This doesn't look like the place so far.

Above me, the battle is still raging, a duel that I can only see through the occasional flashes of light and gusts of wind. Then a roar sounds, and I see the cargo ship plummet out of the sky and crash into the desert, skidding across the sand until it finally comes to a stop.

It's easy to see why the ancient humans created myths and legends about pokemon like Zekrom. We needed explanations for everything, so that we didn't have to search for truth. But I have moved beyond our ancient customs.

I am ready to find the truth. No matter where I have to look.

More roars erupted from the sky, and then Zekrom came plummeting out of the sky, crashing into the rolling dunes with a thump that I can feel a half mile away. The creature couldn't seem to find the ship, and flew off to the west instead, still trumpeting its triumph to the world.

I didn't care. I ran over to Zekrom, who left a fair sized crater in the ground when he landed. He was still lying at the bottom of it, and I approached him slowly, hoping not to get fried if he suddenly woke up.

"Zekrom?" He shook the sand off his wings and climbed to his feet.

I AM FINE.

"What was that thing?"

IT WAS A LUGIA.

"No way! Those are only legends!"

WAS I NOT MERELY A LEGEND UNTIL YOU MET ME?

"But...it can't possibly be one. I always thought Lugia just slept at the bottom of the sea."

THIS ONE'S MIND WAS TWISTED. I COULD NOT DISCERN HIS THOUGHTS, EXCEPT FOR A BURNING RAGE.

"So he's going to kill us all now?"

NO, I WAS ABLE TO CLIP ITS WINGS. IT WON'T BE BACK FOR A WHILE. IN THE MEANTIME, I SUGGEST YOU TRY TO TRACK DOWN WHATEVER ENRAGED IT SO WE CAN CUT THE TREE DOWN AT THE ROOTS.

This will probably not update as often as Ruby until I get Ruby to the finish line, but that's not important.

Prologue will be up tomorrow, when I am not using an iPhone to type ridiculously long posts.

[DarkMaelstrom]

Originally Posted by Fat shinyskarmory

I like the format, but the battle itself was pretty uninteresting thanks to the derpy team design and AI of all in game trainers.

Yeah...I agree there. Can't really do much about the battle, but it's nice that people like the format. In-game battles are never very interesting to read about. I guess it's not supposed to be interesting, though, it's just a different way of telling people what's new in my Nuzlocke (Though it certainly doesn't hurt if it's an interesting battle).

[RockULikeAHurricane]

Should I grind Swampert for Earthquake or should I TM it?

[EndQuote]

In what gen, Rock?
In the third gen, where all ground-type moves are physical, I wouldn't bother to grind.
STAB Mud Shot isn't bad until you get to Earthquake naturally.

In the fourth or fifth gen, though, I'd use the TM immediately, especially in the fifth where TMs are unbreakable.

[DarkMaelstrom]

Mmkay. So last night, as I lay awake, wondering how I can improve my new format, I had an amazing revelation: Hey, I know! Why don't I make this even more work for myself! Sounds like fun...let's do it!
Basically I'm just combining my new format with my fanfic sort of thing. The fanfic stuff or whatever will replace my comments on the battle, 'cause I figure, if I can't make the battle better, maybe I can improve my commentary to make it more interesting. I don't know if it's better or worse, but it's how it is.
VS Elite Four Koga

...

---

Me:
Blaster (Typhlosion) Lv. 52
Landslide (Golem) Lv. 50
Edward (Crobat) Lv. 50
Egg 'em! (Exeggutor) Lv. 50
Clappy (Dewgong) Lv. 50
Heraboss (Heracross) Lv. 50
Koga:
Ariados Lv. 40
Venomoth Lv. 41
Forretress Lv. 43
Muk Lv. 42
Crobat Lv. 44

Pre-Battle Dialogue:

"Koga, I'm here to beat the crap outta you," I say as I burst into the second Elite Four chamber.
"Ohoho, and who's this?" Koga says in some foreign accent. "A challenger? I don't get those often. And who might you be?"
"I'm Rogue," I reply. "Holder of the eight Johto badges and defeater of Lugia."
"Excellent! An opponent worthy of the last remaining ninja," Koga says.
"Wait," I say. "You're a ninja?"
"Oh, yes. My ancient ninja techniques will leave your head spinning! Sleep, confusion, paralysis...you'll never know what's next! Brute strength alone doesn't win battles...as shown by my intricate ninja style! Are you ready?"
"Bring it on, Koga!" I challenge, and the battle begins.

Turn 1:
VS

"Ah, a Typhlosion! It shall be an excellent warm-up for my Ariados!" Koga exclaims.
"Literally," I mutter.
"Blaster, Lava Plume!" I command.
Before Ariados even makes a move, Blaster unleashes a wave of boiling lava at the Ariados, taking it out. "That warm enough for you, Koga?" I taunt.
Koga's face reddens, but he takes on a look of determination. "No matter," he replies, "that was only the first of my Pokemon, and there's still plenty that could change the outcome of this match! Don't assume anything yet, boy!"

Turn 2:
VS-FNT->

"Go! Forretress!" Koga says as he sends out his second Pokemon.
"A Forretress? Really? That's what you're going with?" I ask.
"Don't assume anything yet! This Forretress has a few tricks up his sleeve...metaphorically speaking!"
"Blaster," I say, "show this sucker true power. Lava Plume!"
"Ah-ah-ah!" Koga says. "Forretress, Protect!"
A green-hued wall surrounds Forretress, and the lava flows harmlessly around the barrier, leaving the Pokemon unscathed.
"Dang it, Koga! You're only delaying the inevitable!"
"Maybe so, but it pissed you off, didn't it?" Koga says smugly.
I grind my teeth in irritation. If this keeps up, it could be a really annoying match.

Turn 3:
VS

"Forretress, use Protect!" Koga orders.
"Really, Koga? Get some new tricks." Right on cue, the green wall flickers and dies.
"Hahaha. Blaster, Lava Plume!" I command.
The superheated magma roasts Forretress's unseeable innards and it goes down, leaving Koga with just three Pokemon left.

Turn 4:
-->VS-FNT->

"Go, Muk! Bring this match to a whole new level!" Koga yells.
Dang it, I think. I remembered reading that Koga's Muk could be really annoying with Minimize, so I'd best proceed with caution...or at least with a big rock.
"Blaster, come back! You did well," I say, looking at his Poke Ball.
I retrieve another ball from my sack (...) and toss it into the air. "Go, Landslide!" I say. "Let's own this pile of purple diarrhea!"
Landslide utters a low growl as it appears, cracks spreading from its landing.
"Hmmm...a Golem. Interesting choice," Koga says. "But it is no match for my Muk!"
"How can you say that when I'm eight levels higher and have the type advantage?"
"Don't assume anything yet!"
"WOULD YOU STOP SAYING THAT?!"
"Never!" Koga replies. "Muk, Mini--"
"Oh no you don't!" I say. "Landslide, Earthquake!"
Before Koga can finish his order, a savage earthquake shakes the building, and bits of plaster fall from the ceiling. Koga's almost knocked over by the sheer power of the move. When the dust settles, Muk is gone.
"NO! My most annoying Pokemon!" Koga cries. "Alright, you're in for it now! This just got serious!"
"Wasn't it serious before? 'cause I thought we were just messin' around," I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"SHUT UP!"

Turn 5:
-->VS-FNT->

"Muhaha..." Koga chuckles evilly. "Venomoth. Go."
"Well," I say, "that was weird." Fearing some Grass move, I make the decision to swap out Landslide. "Landslide, get back! Go, Blaster! Blast this bugger!"
"Your Typhlosion again," Koga remarks. "Such power in only two Pokemon. Intriguing."
"Intrigue this! Flamethrower, sucker!"
"That doesn't make any sense, but I'll let it pass," Koga says.
"Since when did you become the grammar police? Just watch the match."
Blaster exhales a blazing stream of flame, incinerating Venomoth instantly, and Koga's down to his last Pokemon.
"No!" Koga says. "No...but it isn't over yet. I've got one ace left up my sleeve...and I've been waiting the whole match for this moment."
"What moment?"
"The moment where I send in my last Pokemon."
"Oh."

Turn 6:
-->VS-FNT->

"Go, Crobat! Muhaha...show this insolent child what you're made of!"
"Yeah...In your dreams, Koga. Go, Landslide!"
As the Megaton Pokemon faced off against Crobat, sizing each other up, we both made out moves. "Crobat, use Double Team!"
"Landslide, use Stone Edge!"
"Seriously, Koga? Double Team? The cheapest move in the game?" I say.
"Yep," Koga replied smugly.
Crobat's enhanced agility allowed it to dodge my pointed stones easily. "You'll have to do better than that," Koga taunted.

Turn 7:
VS

"Double Team again, Crobat!"
"Argh! Landslide, Rock Blast! ROCK BLAST!"
Fortunately, the move lands. After two hits, Crobat ate its Sitrus Berry, but even after Landslide managed a third hit, Crobat lived on to annoy me another day.

Turn 8:
VS

"Let's finish this! Crobat, Wing Attack!"
*crickets*
"You really expect to finish off a Rock-type at full health with Wing Attack?" I say.
"Well, it's worth a shot."
"You're hopeless. How did you even get into the Elite Four?"
"My name was drawn out of a hat."
"Oh. I see. Well, Landslide, finish this up for real. Rock Blast."
Fortunately, the move landed once more, and one hit is enough to finish Crobat off--that's game.
"NO! MY ANCIENT NINJA TECHNIQUES HAVE BEEN SURPASSED! CURSE YOU!"
"Whatever...I'm leaving now...adios..."

6-0

So tomorrow I'll have my battle against the macho man Bruno. Um...yeah.

[RockULikeAHurricane]

It's 3rd gen. I think I might grind since Mud Shot is just as strong as Return...And Earthquake is just so powerful, especially with my Swampert's attack stat.

[Garud]

Episode has been up for a while, but I forgot to post it. I present to you:

Pokemon Black Roulette Nuzlocke Episode 3: From the Maw of Rayquaza.

This is episode 3 of my Pokemon Black Roulette Nuzlocke Challenge. In this episode, we hunt down team Plasma and try to get back the missing Dragonite Skull. Along the way there are special guest appearances by a Regice with a hair trigger, a Sandile that just won't quit and bouquet of Roserades hell-bent on ruining my day.

Also, Rayquaza is a big meanie.

[shinyskarmory]

So yeah, Prologue of XD is up.

Oh, I'm going to enjoy hate playing this, especially since I'm not going to keep many pokemon.

Oh well, keep on trucking...

EDIT: @2sly4u: You should play Emerald, because starting at Watson you have a string of about 3-4 leaders where you are GUARANTEED to lose a mon.

Fun stuff.

[2sly4u]

Just finished my Pearl Nuzlocke (MVP was Florina the Blissey) and an about to start another one. Which game is the hardest to Nuzlocke? I'm looking for a challenge.

[Dre89]

If you want a challenge put a limit of two visits per pokecentre with the battle style set to set. Nuzlockes aren't really a challenge at all if you don't have a pokecentre limit.

It's a good nuzlocke because not only is it actually challenging, rather than just more time-consuming like most nuzlockes, but it forces you to have to be so much more strategic than usual. You now have to worry about spending your money well, PP conservation, switching strategies, timing your pokecentre visits etc.

It also prevents overlevelling or soloing the game with one poke (which nuzlockes without pokecentre limits don't prevent) not only because you can't train as much due to the pokecentre limit, but also trainers don't give as much exp. to your desired pokemon seeing as it'll be divided with whatever pokemon who had to switch out.