Welcome to Pokemon without throwing Pokeballs! The challenge is exactly as the title suggests: don't throw Pokeballs in any way. Pokemon obtained in any other matter can be used. (Yes these rules extend to HM slaves. I think it makes the runs more interesting that way) Here in Pokemon Yellow, I have a few ways to obtain Pokemon without Pokeballs:
Pokemon Yellow doesn't have a ton to abuse, but I will not be abusing glitches, and the only items used in-battle are ones picked up from the ground. (basically, no store-bought items in battle)
The game starts as normal, with me taking Pikachu and my rival taking Eevee. Pikachu doesn't get a lot from everything given to it, so as a result, I attempt to give it every last bit of Experience I can get it from trainers. The first rival fight wen't fine. Although Eevee got a crit early, Pikachu also got a crit later, so it was ok. Pikachu learned Tail Whip from becoming level 6.
The Start:
With Pikachu having a massive disadvantage against Brock, the extra wilds I encounter become useful for marginal experience gain. I spend time with the optional rival battle to get Pikachu some more levels. Peck from Spearow does low damage while Pikachu 2HKOs the bird. (in fact it even got paralysis) Eevee does large damage with Tackle against my level 7 Pikachu, but ThunderShock inflicts Paralysis. (it didn't matter too much however, since Eevee was busy spamming its status moves) Pikachu is now Level 8! However it needs to be higher for Brock. So I head to Viridian Forest.
There in the forest are 4 Bug Catchers and a Lass. I fight them all to gain as much experience as possible. When I fight the first trainer, I find out how I forgot to heal Pikachu. (It was fine; Pikachu survived the two Nidorans with 1 HP left) After that experience came some mostly unremarkable battles. After the experience, Pikachu becomes level 13, where it learns Thunder Wave and Quick Attack. (replacing Growl)
I decide to take on the lone trainer in the Pewter Gym. Diglett goes down with two Quick Attacks. After using Tail Whip two times on Sandshrew, it goes down in three hits. I was expecting this to be harder, but even if Pikachu is level 14, the next fight will be nowhere near as easy:
Brock:
With the only offense against Brock being resisted Quick Attack, things seem to go downhill very fast. Quick Attack against Geodude only 5HKO's at -2, so I have to use a Potion, but Geodude is fine. Onix however, decides to be a jerk and use Bind, which a second Potion patches up. It's usage of Screech + Tackle concerns me, so I have to use a 3rd Potion. After 6 Tail Whips, it clicks Bind again (seriously? No Bide at all?) and I have to use my last Potion for that. It becomes time to use Quick Attack, (which 5HKO's Onix at -6) unfortunately failing because Onix likes to spam Tackle. Take Two after a reset!
An unfortunate crit on Quick Attack left me needing to take more damage against Geodude, but otherwise it goes normally. By some stroke of luck, Onix leads with Bide, meaning I get to take advantage of the free turns I get by spamming Tail Whip. I get 2 uses on the first use. The second use gives 3 uses, and a final use is granted through Bind missing. All that's left is to click Quick Attack 5 times. Bind annoyance necessitates the 3rd potion. More moves miss this time giving Pikachu even more free turns to the point where it finally took Brock down!
I was surprised that it was easier than I was expecting, but one nice thing about being level 14 at the fight means I can keep Thunder Wave to help me out on weird matchups. (Quick Attack + Tail Whip is necessary to defeat Brock, and ThunderShock is the strongest attack available at this point) That's all I have for this part!
The team, currently at Route 3:
Pikachu, level 14
- Pikachu (Starter Pokemon)
- Bulbasaur (Cerulean City)
- Charmander (Route 24)
- Squirtle (Vermilion City)
- Eevee (Celadon City)
- Abra (Game Corner)
- Vulpix (Game Corner
- Wigglytuff (Game Corner)
- Scyther (Game Corner)
- Pinsir (Game Corner)
- Porygon (Game Corner)
- Hitmonlee (Fighting Dojo)
- Hitmonchan (Fighting Dojo)
- Lapras (Sliph. Co)
- Omanyte (Cinnabar Island)
- Kabuto (Cinnabar Island)
- Aerodactyl (Cinnabar Island)
Pokemon Yellow doesn't have a ton to abuse, but I will not be abusing glitches, and the only items used in-battle are ones picked up from the ground. (basically, no store-bought items in battle)
The game starts as normal, with me taking Pikachu and my rival taking Eevee. Pikachu doesn't get a lot from everything given to it, so as a result, I attempt to give it every last bit of Experience I can get it from trainers. The first rival fight wen't fine. Although Eevee got a crit early, Pikachu also got a crit later, so it was ok. Pikachu learned Tail Whip from becoming level 6.
The Start:
With Pikachu having a massive disadvantage against Brock, the extra wilds I encounter become useful for marginal experience gain. I spend time with the optional rival battle to get Pikachu some more levels. Peck from Spearow does low damage while Pikachu 2HKOs the bird. (in fact it even got paralysis) Eevee does large damage with Tackle against my level 7 Pikachu, but ThunderShock inflicts Paralysis. (it didn't matter too much however, since Eevee was busy spamming its status moves) Pikachu is now Level 8! However it needs to be higher for Brock. So I head to Viridian Forest.
There in the forest are 4 Bug Catchers and a Lass. I fight them all to gain as much experience as possible. When I fight the first trainer, I find out how I forgot to heal Pikachu. (It was fine; Pikachu survived the two Nidorans with 1 HP left) After that experience came some mostly unremarkable battles. After the experience, Pikachu becomes level 13, where it learns Thunder Wave and Quick Attack. (replacing Growl)
I decide to take on the lone trainer in the Pewter Gym. Diglett goes down with two Quick Attacks. After using Tail Whip two times on Sandshrew, it goes down in three hits. I was expecting this to be harder, but even if Pikachu is level 14, the next fight will be nowhere near as easy:
Brock:
With the only offense against Brock being resisted Quick Attack, things seem to go downhill very fast. Quick Attack against Geodude only 5HKO's at -2, so I have to use a Potion, but Geodude is fine. Onix however, decides to be a jerk and use Bind, which a second Potion patches up. It's usage of Screech + Tackle concerns me, so I have to use a 3rd Potion. After 6 Tail Whips, it clicks Bind again (seriously? No Bide at all?) and I have to use my last Potion for that. It becomes time to use Quick Attack, (which 5HKO's Onix at -6) unfortunately failing because Onix likes to spam Tackle. Take Two after a reset!
An unfortunate crit on Quick Attack left me needing to take more damage against Geodude, but otherwise it goes normally. By some stroke of luck, Onix leads with Bide, meaning I get to take advantage of the free turns I get by spamming Tail Whip. I get 2 uses on the first use. The second use gives 3 uses, and a final use is granted through Bind missing. All that's left is to click Quick Attack 5 times. Bind annoyance necessitates the 3rd potion. More moves miss this time giving Pikachu even more free turns to the point where it finally took Brock down!
I was surprised that it was easier than I was expecting, but one nice thing about being level 14 at the fight means I can keep Thunder Wave to help me out on weird matchups. (Quick Attack + Tail Whip is necessary to defeat Brock, and ThunderShock is the strongest attack available at this point) That's all I have for this part!
The team, currently at Route 3:
Pikachu, level 14
- ThunderShock
- QuickAttack
- TailWhip
- ThunderWave
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