This thread is the place to go if you want to find a new challenge run to undertake, or just a place to quickly hop to one you've heard about without having to mess with a search engine. Just for clarity, "challenge run" refers to rulesets for playing through the stories of Pokemon games that have to be enforced by the player to some degree, rather than through changing settings already in the game.
In addition to being an index, this is also a place where you can discuss and suggest challenge runs, without making individual threads that clutter up the board and will probably ultimately fall off the first page and into obscurity. If a challenge run has its own thread, you should discuss it there, but if it doesn't, this is the place to discuss it!
There'll be two sections to this index: one for challenges with open threads, and one for challenges without their own open threads. Ones in the first category should be discussed in their respective threads, and ones in the second should be discussed here. Contact me (Jimera0) if you want to add a new challenge run to the second section. If a run gets popular enough on this thread, you can ask an OI Moderator permission to get it its own topic!
Note: Challenge runs with multiple threads will only have their most recent version listed in the index. Only threads that saw people other than the OP take on the challenge run will be listed.
No, that is not a spelling error. It's tradition. Anyway, the Scramble Challange is a bit unique. Basically, you ask the people in the thread to decide your team for you, with 6 people each deciding one Pokemon for you. These Pokemon usually have their own challenges attached to them. This means that even if you end up using Pokemon you've used before, you're likely to end up having to use them in new ways. The end result is that every Scramble run is completely different from the last. This has led to the Scramble challange being the longest running and most popular challenge on the Smogon Forums.
The Nuzlocke Challenge
The original challenge run, you've probably heard of this one before. While it's spawned dozens of variants (some of which will be listed later on), two basic rules are always the same. 1: You can only catch the first Pokemon you encounter in an area. 2: If a Pokemon faints, it is "dead" and must be relased/boxed permanently. Often paired with other challenges such Scrambles for those who really want to torture themselves.
The Gauntlet Challenge
Similar in conception to the Scramble Challange. In the Gauntlet Challenge, you ask your peers to decide what the rules of your challenge are instead of what Pokemon you use. Each person contributes one or two different rules to your run until you have a bunch, so you end up with a completely unique challenge run each time you take on a Gauntlet. Like a Scramble, this means that no two Gauntlets are alike. Unlike a Scramble, you actually get to pick your own Pokemon. Though usually within restrictions...
Marriland's Wedlocke Challenge
A variant of the tradition Nuzlocke created by popular Youtuber Marriland, the Wedlocke challenge is a Nuzlocke with a twist; your Pokemon are each bound ("wed") to a partner, which is the only Pokemon they can switch with in battle. While the rules of the original challenge are quite strict, many people have created more relaxed versions that, for example, allow you to use genderless Pokemon. Really takes the difficulty up a notch, especially if you end up stuck with poorly synergizing pairs.
The Monotype Challenge
Another challenge that's been around forever, the idea of a Monotype run is simple; You're one of those moronic trainers (*cough gym leaders cough*) in the games that only uses one type of Pokemon. Pick a type and that's all you can use throughout the game. Exceptions made for progression when HM availability prevents progress.
Faulty Technology Challenge
In this challenge, Pokemon Center budgets must be getting cut, because all the tech is faulty. Every time you use a Pokemon Center to heal, one of your Pokemon gets deposited. On top of that, you can only access the first box of your PC, which has become like an assembly line and- you know what, I can't explain it properly here. You'll have to read the topic. It's not as complicated as it sounds, and will definitely get you using a lot of Pokemon you wouldn't normally.
The Wonderlocke Challenge
With the advent of Wonder Trade, it didn't take people long to start making challenge runs based around the feature, and a Nuzlocke variant was the obvious choice. Instead of keeping the first Pokemon you encounter on a route, you Wonder Trade it away. Then you gotta keep what you get out of it. Notable for it's popularity on other sites. Additional rules to weed out excessive numbers of Zigzagoons, Bunnelby, Wurmple and other trashmons are often applied.
The inspiration for the Wonderlocke challenge, but somehow without it's own thread on these forums. Differs in that you only wonder trade for 6 Pokemon at the start of the game, instead of for lots throughout. And also in that your Pokemon don't die.
Egg Trading Challenge
Back before Wonder Trading was a thing, this was the way people used to get a similar result. Basically, you ask one person (or a number of people) to give you a total of 6 eggs, which you must then hatch and use as your team. You're pretty much at the mercy of the person/people giving you eggs in this one.
Team Rocket Challenge
You are a Team Rocket Grunt. You use Pokemon Team Rocket uses. You fight other evil teams and innocent people alike. You avoid battles with other Rockets whenever possible. Everything for the glory of Team Rocket!
The Mono-color Challenge
Basically the monotype challenge, but using Pokedex Color instead of type to decide what Pokemon are available to you. Note: some colors are a lot more common than others, to the point where some colors may be represented by a single evolutionary line in your game, so pick carefully.
No Free Health-Care Challenge
Experience what the Pokemon world would be like if Pokemon Centers weren't free. Spoilers; you won't be healing "just in case" very much anymore. This is the version designed by me (Jimera0) specifically, so don't get at me if the rules differ from other similar challenges.
The "N" Challenge
You play the way N does; only using Pokemon obtainable nearby, releasing them regularly. Your team is constantly being rotated out, so either you'll end up grinding a lot or using a lot of under-leveled Pokemon. This challenge is much easier in later games than in earlier ones. I (Jimera0) came up with this challenge in isolation of others who had the same idea, and the version listed is mine, though I'll include rules from others in the "alternate/additonal" section.
The Honor Challenge
Hey, you know all those tactics that the Pokemon games let you use that make beating the games an absolute cinch? You don't get to do any of those. No saving before difficult fights, no backtracking to the Pokemon center to heal, no spamming items, no over-leveling. Basically, you've got to do things the hard way. The honorable way.
In addition to being an index, this is also a place where you can discuss and suggest challenge runs, without making individual threads that clutter up the board and will probably ultimately fall off the first page and into obscurity. If a challenge run has its own thread, you should discuss it there, but if it doesn't, this is the place to discuss it!
There'll be two sections to this index: one for challenges with open threads, and one for challenges without their own open threads. Ones in the first category should be discussed in their respective threads, and ones in the second should be discussed here. Contact me (Jimera0) if you want to add a new challenge run to the second section. If a run gets popular enough on this thread, you can ask an OI Moderator permission to get it its own topic!
Note: Challenge runs with multiple threads will only have their most recent version listed in the index. Only threads that saw people other than the OP take on the challenge run will be listed.
Challenge Runs with Open Threads:
The Scramble ChallangeNo, that is not a spelling error. It's tradition. Anyway, the Scramble Challange is a bit unique. Basically, you ask the people in the thread to decide your team for you, with 6 people each deciding one Pokemon for you. These Pokemon usually have their own challenges attached to them. This means that even if you end up using Pokemon you've used before, you're likely to end up having to use them in new ways. The end result is that every Scramble run is completely different from the last. This has led to the Scramble challange being the longest running and most popular challenge on the Smogon Forums.
The Nuzlocke Challenge
The original challenge run, you've probably heard of this one before. While it's spawned dozens of variants (some of which will be listed later on), two basic rules are always the same. 1: You can only catch the first Pokemon you encounter in an area. 2: If a Pokemon faints, it is "dead" and must be relased/boxed permanently. Often paired with other challenges such Scrambles for those who really want to torture themselves.
The Gauntlet Challenge
Similar in conception to the Scramble Challange. In the Gauntlet Challenge, you ask your peers to decide what the rules of your challenge are instead of what Pokemon you use. Each person contributes one or two different rules to your run until you have a bunch, so you end up with a completely unique challenge run each time you take on a Gauntlet. Like a Scramble, this means that no two Gauntlets are alike. Unlike a Scramble, you actually get to pick your own Pokemon. Though usually within restrictions...
Marriland's Wedlocke Challenge
A variant of the tradition Nuzlocke created by popular Youtuber Marriland, the Wedlocke challenge is a Nuzlocke with a twist; your Pokemon are each bound ("wed") to a partner, which is the only Pokemon they can switch with in battle. While the rules of the original challenge are quite strict, many people have created more relaxed versions that, for example, allow you to use genderless Pokemon. Really takes the difficulty up a notch, especially if you end up stuck with poorly synergizing pairs.
The Monotype Challenge
Another challenge that's been around forever, the idea of a Monotype run is simple; You're one of those moronic trainers (*cough gym leaders cough*) in the games that only uses one type of Pokemon. Pick a type and that's all you can use throughout the game. Exceptions made for progression when HM availability prevents progress.
Faulty Technology Challenge
In this challenge, Pokemon Center budgets must be getting cut, because all the tech is faulty. Every time you use a Pokemon Center to heal, one of your Pokemon gets deposited. On top of that, you can only access the first box of your PC, which has become like an assembly line and- you know what, I can't explain it properly here. You'll have to read the topic. It's not as complicated as it sounds, and will definitely get you using a lot of Pokemon you wouldn't normally.
The Wonderlocke Challenge
With the advent of Wonder Trade, it didn't take people long to start making challenge runs based around the feature, and a Nuzlocke variant was the obvious choice. Instead of keeping the first Pokemon you encounter on a route, you Wonder Trade it away. Then you gotta keep what you get out of it. Notable for it's popularity on other sites. Additional rules to weed out excessive numbers of Zigzagoons, Bunnelby, Wurmple and other trashmons are often applied.
Challenge Runs without Open Threads
The Wonder Trade ChallengeThe inspiration for the Wonderlocke challenge, but somehow without it's own thread on these forums. Differs in that you only wonder trade for 6 Pokemon at the start of the game, instead of for lots throughout. And also in that your Pokemon don't die.
Main:
-Use your starter to catch 5 other Pokemon
-Wonder Trade all 6 of your Pokemon. The 6 Pokemon you receive are your team for the game.
-Wild Pokemon can be caught for the purpose of HM slaves, but may not participate in battle
Alternate/Additional:
-You have a number of "vetos" when Wonder Trading for your team. Using a veto allows you to trade off one Pokemon you receive for a different one. The number of vetos must be decided before you begin Wonder Trading.
-Same species clause: If you already have already received and accepted on member of an evolutionary line while wonder trading, all future members of that evolutionary line must be Wonder Traded for a replacement. If combined with vetos, does not count as using one.
-Use your starter to catch 5 other Pokemon
-Wonder Trade all 6 of your Pokemon. The 6 Pokemon you receive are your team for the game.
-Wild Pokemon can be caught for the purpose of HM slaves, but may not participate in battle
Alternate/Additional:
-You have a number of "vetos" when Wonder Trading for your team. Using a veto allows you to trade off one Pokemon you receive for a different one. The number of vetos must be decided before you begin Wonder Trading.
-Same species clause: If you already have already received and accepted on member of an evolutionary line while wonder trading, all future members of that evolutionary line must be Wonder Traded for a replacement. If combined with vetos, does not count as using one.
Egg Trading Challenge
Back before Wonder Trading was a thing, this was the way people used to get a similar result. Basically, you ask one person (or a number of people) to give you a total of 6 eggs, which you must then hatch and use as your team. You're pretty much at the mercy of the person/people giving you eggs in this one.
Main:
-The runner asks someone to breed them 6 eggs to hatch and use on their challenge
-The eggs are traded over as soon as the game allows them to be, and immediately hatched
-All Pokemon obtained prior to getting the eggs must be released/boxed. Only the pokemon that are hatched from the eggs can be used.
-HM slaves allowed when needed for progression.
-The runner asks someone to breed them 6 eggs to hatch and use on their challenge
-The eggs are traded over as soon as the game allows them to be, and immediately hatched
-All Pokemon obtained prior to getting the eggs must be released/boxed. Only the pokemon that are hatched from the eggs can be used.
-HM slaves allowed when needed for progression.
Team Rocket Challenge
You are a Team Rocket Grunt. You use Pokemon Team Rocket uses. You fight other evil teams and innocent people alike. You avoid battles with other Rockets whenever possible. Everything for the glory of Team Rocket!
Main:
-Only allowed to use Poison, Dark, Bug, Ghost, Ground and certain normal types (Rattata and equivalents, Meowth, Lickitung, and Kangaskhan)
-If you have the means to hack the game to making catching trainer owned Pokemon possible, you can catch and use the last Pokemon used by Gym Leaders, your rival, E4 and other important characters regardless of type.
-Cannot leave an area until all accessible trainers are defeated.
-If playing a game with Team Rocket as the villains, you must avoid battling with them as much as possible
-If playing a game with a different enemy team, DESTROY THEM
-Trading only allowed with other people taking the Team Rocket Challenge
-Challenge ends upon capturing all the game's legendary Pokemon.
Alternate/Additional:
-You can further limit type options to Poison, Dark, Ground, and aforementioned normal types
-You can disable the use of your starter as soon as suitable Pokemon are captured.
-Can alter available Pokemon to resemble other teams and do a challenge for them instead (IE Team Aqua Challenge)
-Only allowed to use Poison, Dark, Bug, Ghost, Ground and certain normal types (Rattata and equivalents, Meowth, Lickitung, and Kangaskhan)
-If you have the means to hack the game to making catching trainer owned Pokemon possible, you can catch and use the last Pokemon used by Gym Leaders, your rival, E4 and other important characters regardless of type.
-Cannot leave an area until all accessible trainers are defeated.
-If playing a game with Team Rocket as the villains, you must avoid battling with them as much as possible
-If playing a game with a different enemy team, DESTROY THEM
-Trading only allowed with other people taking the Team Rocket Challenge
-Challenge ends upon capturing all the game's legendary Pokemon.
Alternate/Additional:
-You can further limit type options to Poison, Dark, Ground, and aforementioned normal types
-You can disable the use of your starter as soon as suitable Pokemon are captured.
-Can alter available Pokemon to resemble other teams and do a challenge for them instead (IE Team Aqua Challenge)
The Mono-color Challenge
Basically the monotype challenge, but using Pokedex Color instead of type to decide what Pokemon are available to you. Note: some colors are a lot more common than others, to the point where some colors may be represented by a single evolutionary line in your game, so pick carefully.
Main:
-Pick a color using this Bulbapedia page. You can only use Pokemon that are that color.
-HM slaves can be used if needed to progress in the game, but not to fight unless they are the right color.
Alternate/Additional:
-You can choose to allow Pokemon that evolve into the right color, Pokemon that evolve from the right color, both, or neither.
-Pick a color using this Bulbapedia page. You can only use Pokemon that are that color.
-HM slaves can be used if needed to progress in the game, but not to fight unless they are the right color.
Alternate/Additional:
-You can choose to allow Pokemon that evolve into the right color, Pokemon that evolve from the right color, both, or neither.
No Free Health-Care Challenge
Experience what the Pokemon world would be like if Pokemon Centers weren't free. Spoilers; you won't be healing "just in case" very much anymore. This is the version designed by me (Jimera0) specifically, so don't get at me if the rules differ from other similar challenges.
Main:
-Healing at a Pokemon Center or reusable NPC healer costs as much as 20 of the highest level normal Pokeball (meaning, Pokeballs, Great Balls and Ultra Balls) you can buy. This means after healing, ASAP, you buy 20 Pokeballs of the appropriate level, then toss them.
-Healing dictated by the story that is unavoidable is free.
-Using a PC can heal your Pokemon, so every Pokemon withdrawn from your PC costs you half as much as using a Pokemon center to heal.
-Healing via blackout/whiteout is NOT free. You must pay the 20 Pokeball price in addition to whatever you loses normally.
-If you cannot pay for healing you have had, you go into debt. You first must sell items in your pack to cover the cost. If that's not enough, you cannot use any sellable items until your debt is paid. You can only sell them to pay off your debt.
-If you are in debt you cannot challenge gym leaders or the Elite 4. If you are unable to procure enough money to pay off your debt for whatever reason, you lose the challenge.
Alternate/Additonal:
-Cost of healing can be increased or decreased to adjust difficulty
-Can disable re-battling trainers for increased difficulty
-Healing at a Pokemon Center or reusable NPC healer costs as much as 20 of the highest level normal Pokeball (meaning, Pokeballs, Great Balls and Ultra Balls) you can buy. This means after healing, ASAP, you buy 20 Pokeballs of the appropriate level, then toss them.
-Healing dictated by the story that is unavoidable is free.
-Using a PC can heal your Pokemon, so every Pokemon withdrawn from your PC costs you half as much as using a Pokemon center to heal.
-Healing via blackout/whiteout is NOT free. You must pay the 20 Pokeball price in addition to whatever you loses normally.
-If you cannot pay for healing you have had, you go into debt. You first must sell items in your pack to cover the cost. If that's not enough, you cannot use any sellable items until your debt is paid. You can only sell them to pay off your debt.
-If you are in debt you cannot challenge gym leaders or the Elite 4. If you are unable to procure enough money to pay off your debt for whatever reason, you lose the challenge.
Alternate/Additonal:
-Cost of healing can be increased or decreased to adjust difficulty
-Can disable re-battling trainers for increased difficulty
The "N" Challenge
You play the way N does; only using Pokemon obtainable nearby, releasing them regularly. Your team is constantly being rotated out, so either you'll end up grinding a lot or using a lot of under-leveled Pokemon. This challenge is much easier in later games than in earlier ones. I (Jimera0) came up with this challenge in isolation of others who had the same idea, and the version listed is mine, though I'll include rules from others in the "alternate/additonal" section.
Main:
-You must release/permanently box all your Pokemon after defeating a gym leader, except for one which is used to catch the first member of your new team ASAP. This one must be released as soon as you've got that first Pokemon
-When catching a new team, you can only catch Pokemon from areas you haven't been to yet (so plan ahead!)
-You may catch Pokemon from areas you have already been to in order to use HMs if it is needed to proceed. These Pokemon cannot battle and must be released/permently boxed as soon as they are no longer needed.
Alternate/Additional:
-Other versions of this challenge only require you to release your current team, not all the Pokemon you have
-Other versions also don't restrict where you can get your replacements from
-To be more like N, you can make it a rule that your final team must include the game's box legendary.
-Also to be more like N, you can also bar yourself from battling wild Pokemon, or limit the amount of grinding you can do on them to the point where your highest level matches the next gym leader's highest level.
-You can also use a "same species clause" barring you from using repeat Pokemon on multiple teams.
-If playing GSC or HGSS, you can count all of Kanto as a single area, and not release any Pokemon.
-You must release/permanently box all your Pokemon after defeating a gym leader, except for one which is used to catch the first member of your new team ASAP. This one must be released as soon as you've got that first Pokemon
-When catching a new team, you can only catch Pokemon from areas you haven't been to yet (so plan ahead!)
-You may catch Pokemon from areas you have already been to in order to use HMs if it is needed to proceed. These Pokemon cannot battle and must be released/permently boxed as soon as they are no longer needed.
Alternate/Additional:
-Other versions of this challenge only require you to release your current team, not all the Pokemon you have
-Other versions also don't restrict where you can get your replacements from
-To be more like N, you can make it a rule that your final team must include the game's box legendary.
-Also to be more like N, you can also bar yourself from battling wild Pokemon, or limit the amount of grinding you can do on them to the point where your highest level matches the next gym leader's highest level.
-You can also use a "same species clause" barring you from using repeat Pokemon on multiple teams.
-If playing GSC or HGSS, you can count all of Kanto as a single area, and not release any Pokemon.
The Honor Challenge
Hey, you know all those tactics that the Pokemon games let you use that make beating the games an absolute cinch? You don't get to do any of those. No saving before difficult fights, no backtracking to the Pokemon center to heal, no spamming items, no over-leveling. Basically, you've got to do things the hard way. The honorable way.
Main:
- You must save before entering any area (new route, cave, gym, forest, team hideout etc.) that has trainers or wild Pokemon for the first time. After entering that area, you cannot leave except via the exit to the next area. In the case of dead-end areas, you cannot leave until the main objective (such as beating the gym leader or capturing/beating the resident legendary) of that area has been accomplished. Passing through an area or accomplishing it's objective counts as having "beaten" it. Reaching an area's Pokemon Center counts as "beating" it as well, if the area has one.
- You cannot save inside of areas you have not yet "beaten" by completing the main objective or passing through completely.
- Any healing available within unbeaten areas can only be used once before beating it.
- The only items that are allowed to be used at any point are TMs/HMs, Pokeballs, Key Items, evolutionary items and held items. Consumable held items can only be given to Pokemon at Pokemon centers, and cannot be used directly on Pokemon.
- If you black/white out, you must reset the game and start from the last save point. Manually discard half your money buy buying and tossing items.
- None of your Pokemon's levels may exceed the level of next gym leader's highest level Pokemon at any point. When given multiple choices for next gym, they cannot exceed the level of the weaker gym leader's highest level Pokemon. Any Pokemon that pass this limit cannot be used until they are under the limit again (from you beating the gym leader they surpassed).
Alternate/Additional:
- Can turn into a "permadeath" challenge, where blacking out means the play file must be restarted.
- Can further restrict items for increased difficulty.
- Can require every accessible trainer in an area to be defeated before an area is considered beaten for increased difficulty.
- Can require every wild Pokemon encountered in an unbeaten area to be defeated or captured for extra difficulty.
- Can disallow non-required backtracking even after areas have been beaten.
- You must save before entering any area (new route, cave, gym, forest, team hideout etc.) that has trainers or wild Pokemon for the first time. After entering that area, you cannot leave except via the exit to the next area. In the case of dead-end areas, you cannot leave until the main objective (such as beating the gym leader or capturing/beating the resident legendary) of that area has been accomplished. Passing through an area or accomplishing it's objective counts as having "beaten" it. Reaching an area's Pokemon Center counts as "beating" it as well, if the area has one.
- You cannot save inside of areas you have not yet "beaten" by completing the main objective or passing through completely.
- Any healing available within unbeaten areas can only be used once before beating it.
- The only items that are allowed to be used at any point are TMs/HMs, Pokeballs, Key Items, evolutionary items and held items. Consumable held items can only be given to Pokemon at Pokemon centers, and cannot be used directly on Pokemon.
- If you black/white out, you must reset the game and start from the last save point. Manually discard half your money buy buying and tossing items.
- None of your Pokemon's levels may exceed the level of next gym leader's highest level Pokemon at any point. When given multiple choices for next gym, they cannot exceed the level of the weaker gym leader's highest level Pokemon. Any Pokemon that pass this limit cannot be used until they are under the limit again (from you beating the gym leader they surpassed).
Alternate/Additional:
- Can turn into a "permadeath" challenge, where blacking out means the play file must be restarted.
- Can further restrict items for increased difficulty.
- Can require every accessible trainer in an area to be defeated before an area is considered beaten for increased difficulty.
- Can require every wild Pokemon encountered in an unbeaten area to be defeated or captured for extra difficulty.
- Can disallow non-required backtracking even after areas have been beaten.
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