Speed Run Challenge

Role, it's so that people can't just reset for more favourable outcomes. Without the time penalty, people could easily gain a lot of time by RNGing the game, or at the very least hoping a Gym Leader will use different moves.

Ghetsis may be the primary story objective, but there is an E4 rematch in there, so keep going son.

Myself, I've tried this with Ruby and Emerald a couple of times, my best being 7:22:38 on the latter (my Ruby's internal clock is dead, but all that really means is that I can't get the shell bell anymore). However, I was unaware of the rule about save penalties, so just keep in mind that that's my time before those. I know there's at least 15 minutes on top of that because of how much of an issue I had with Wattson and Norman, and I learned as a kid to always save before taking that final step into the league challenge, but I don't have a precise count.

(as a side note, Emerald's Trainer Hill is basically a speedrun minigame...I'm surprised they haven't revived that concept like they have with the Frontier)

Protip: If you want to solo with Mudkip, you'd better know how to dodge the Aroma Ladies.

Edit: Holy shit, KoWL, you actually completed a single-segment run of Black? O_O

The main thing you have to do differently if you want as much speed as possible is to only train one or two Pokémon, and to plan out PP management. Funnelling all the exp to one or two Pokémon is the main way to help them level faster than the things you're fighting (and likewise, you'll want Lucky Egg as your item if you can obtain it quickly in the game you're playing); and you should be sweeping things outright, and thus not needing to heal often. (Typically, it's fastest to use one Pokémon in generations I and II, one plus a backup for double battles, normally obtained at a high level to avoid having to actually train it, in III and IV, and two main Pokémon on V because the exp formula is different.) Remember that you can use Potions (etc.) and Ethers (etc.) to heal HP and PP equivalently, and it'll probably be faster than going to a Pokémon Center; it's nearly always worth going a few seconds out of your way for an Ether. (Look up where they are in your game of choice, if you don't know already.) Also, status effects tend to be the most dangerous obstacle to a speedrun; you might want to stock up on appropriate status healers, if you can afford them, to avoid being helplessly nibbled down while asleep, or have to make a huge detour due to poison. (Avoiding poison issues is less important since poison damage was eliminated, though.)

Just got done beating Ghetsis in White, with a time of 8:41. Saw this thread, and decided to give it a go. Only saved like, 5 times, give or take, in case something happened, like the game card came out, battery died, et cetera. DS stayed on the whole time, so those saves should not count against my time. That would be total bull. Team was comprised of Emboar Lv. 64, Zekrom Lv. 51, and some HM slaves.

to do the fastest run for B/W, here's some tips:

• you can't use only one pokemon; you have to use at least two due to the XP formula hindering overleveled Pokemon but boosting underleveled.
  • If you're generally underleveled but play well enough you won't fall behind with just 2 Pokemon.
• as always, do the run in winter to skip one battle at twist mountain in addition to less walking required.
• for HM slaves you only need
  • cut (elemental monkey can learn it)
  • strength (emboar / gurdurr can learn it)
  • fly (ducklett is good)
  • you don't need to teach surf.
• the better you manage PP the less you'll have to heal at Pokecenters

other stuff:

• The Alder sanctioned double battle is the only rigged battle in the entire game, you can't crit the kids.
• Be sure to skip the trainer in the 7th gym.
• In the 8th gym Veteran Kim is skippable (2 fraxures lvl 40&41), if you can't OHKO them it might be wise to skip.
• A TAS-Guts abuse isn't possible in a speedrun, and Sawk would have trouble against the E4 (plus its dark isn't STAB).
• Liepard might be a good choice to run with Emboar for a second pass E4 clear as it is a fast dark type with Fake Out, and could run a mixed set if you get Shadow Ball in Relic Castle.
  • Liepard can also learn cut so you might not have to pick up a monkey; this might waste a move slot so getting a monkey and teaching it would be better
• Speaking of TAS, you should watch any TAS video of a game before you speedrun it just to get a general feel of how things should go. I did a TAS of White and clocked in at 3:19:53 for a second pass E4 clear.

liepard is arguably terrible. until level 43, it doesn't learn any half-decent STAB. You're stuck with godawful moves until that level.

If anything, a run with emboar / archeops seems like a far more reasonable idea. You get access to archen at a time when it's about the same level as pignite (iirc) so that's good as well.

Yes. Please explain what is wrong with that.

Reseting for a more favorable outcome is already a penalty and you don't want to do it.
With this 5minute rule, I am forced to do one of two things:
1) I reset the run more often
2) I'm forced to buy more X-Attacks to ensure I win battles 100%.

and #2 is not an option because my route is already incredibly tight with money. Losing a battle means I permanently lose my X-items I use, making the run dead.

Basically what I'm saying here is this rule, which is solving a thing that isn't a problem, increases the effect luck has on this game.

I beat Black in approximatly 24:00 with 20 saves