Pokemon White – The Dynasty! [Archive] - Front Office Football Central

Abe Sargent

03-07-2011, 09:08 PM

On Starters:

When you choose your starter, that Pokemon is likely to be with you for much of, or all of, the game. It’s unlikely that other Pokemon you get at this point will go the distance. Your starter will also dictate who you take and don’t take, in terms of other Pokemon. If your starter is water, then you are unlikely to take any other water Pokemon. The same is true of grass and fire. Historically, the fire Pokemon are harder to find, and generally of a lower quality, making the fire starter a good choice for the long game (but often a bad choice to start out with since the early gyms typically are rock and/or water).

I have played – Charmander, Squirtle, Chikorita, all three from 3rd Gen, Piplup, and Turtwig. That’s 3 grass, 3 water, and 2 fire. That leads to me taking the fire Pokemon here. But it’s another fire starter that evolves into a fire/fight Pokemon, how boring (so did Torchic and Chimchar). None of the others gain a second type in later evolutions (which was often true, Venusaur was also poison, Charmander also flying, Torterra also ground, Empolean also steel, etc).

The combination of Fire + Fighting is pretty good, because you get a fight pokemon without having to use an actual one. I’ve regularly finished the game with a fight Pokemon (Lucario, Heracross, Blaziken, Poliwrath – all have been in my final, game-winning group 6).

There are usually good grass pokemon early, and you aren’t able to develop them if you have a grass starter. I never realized the power of Pokemon like Victreebell until I played a game with Charmander. One good thing about taking grass starter is that there has never been (before now of course), some grass legendary Pokemon you capture and use for the last part of the game. In Sapphire you can capture a legendary water Pokemon so powerful that if you have Marshtomp, you have to decide if you want two water Pokemon, or two bench one of your two most powerful Pokemon. There are similar issues with Ho-oh with Cyndaquil, Moltres with Charmander, and more. In gen 4, the legendaries you get pre-Final Four are psychic or dragon, eliminating this issue.

There are usually great water Pokemon in the mid game that can take you very far. If you start with a water, then you won’t get one or two and raise them.

I just beat Heartgold a few weeks ago. My game winning team for the Final 4 + leader was:

Tauros
Misdreavus *
Ho-oh
Pinsir
Meganium
Gyarados

(Misdreavus was level 21, and was included solely to defeat a few of the fighter Final Four guys who couldn’t damage it; since I had only 5 major Pokemon and a HM dude for most of the game).

Overall:

Plusses and Minuses for fire Pokemon:

Even though another fight/fire is boring, it gives me the powerful Fight at the end to give me some extra power.
Unlikely to find good fire Pokemon early to compete with its space
Can rape forests easily (Charmander in the Viridian Forest is a joke)
Historically has competition from legendaries later (Entei, Ho-Oh, Moltres, Heatran post Final Four in Gen 4).
Tepig has low defense (it has the lowest special defense of any fully evolved starter, and tied for lowest defense) and its slow. It has a high Sp Attk, and very high attack, and many HP.
Tepig is the coolest looking starter at the beginning, and the worst looking at the end. (Snivy’s is the coolest at the end, Oshawott’s in the middle)

P/Ms for Grass Pokemon:

Unlikely to be replaced later by a more powerful grass Pokemon, such as legendary
Tends to rape entire regions of the map (Caves, deserts and water)
Snivy is not a capture Pokemon (one with Sleepowder or Spore to help capture Pokemon)
Snivy is a fast, defensive Pokemon with higher Def and Sp Def.
Removes possibly of early to mid game cool grass Pokemon

P/Ms for Water Pokemon:

Guaranteed surfer without needing a slave HM
Also rapes caves and deserts.
Historically has competition from legendaries (Suicune, Kyogre)
While Oshawott has better attack and special attack than defense, it’s reduced from the extremes of Tepig. (Samurott doesn’t look like the cool Samurai Pokemon I’m expecting)
Removes possibly of useful mid game water Pokemon.

Tepig almost has it, except for that dumb look. But the abilities pay off, so we are taking Tepig!

Abe Sargent

03-07-2011, 09:18 PM

Meet Tepig!

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/archive/5/5b/20101218004421%21498Tepig.png

I am naming it:

Snorts

Abe Sargent

03-07-2011, 09:31 PM

Cheren gets Oshawott and Bianca gets Snivy.

Bianca challenges me to a battle in my bedroom!!!

Tepig vs Snivy

We each tackle each other. I follow with another. Three more turns later, I win after tackling a bunch of times in a row, while it sometimes used Leer.

The Pokemon tore up my room something awful! Now Cheren challenges me!

Tepig vs Oshawott

Four turns of consecutive tackle later I win, and my Pokemon has risen to level 6!

I made 1k of cash in my battles.

My mom heals my Pokemon. Time to go talk with Professor Juniper!

I leave a take a look around Nuvema Town. I visit some people and houses.

The Prof gives us all Pokedexes. My mom gives us town maps. We arrive at Route 1 as per the Prof’s directions and meet her here. The Prof moves out and fights a Patrat with a Minccino _new Pokemon to me!!!

She captures the Patrat. She gives us Pokeballs, and moves to the next town to wait for us.

Abe Sargent

03-07-2011, 09:42 PM

ROUTE 1

Bianca proposes a contest to see who has captured the most Pokemon by the time we hit Accumula Town. We all split up. My map tells me that’s the next town up. I have 5 Pokeballs. Let’s start by moving through the grass!

I am fighting a level 4 Patrat in just a few steps! I immediately start tackling. Two tackles take it to the yellow and I send out a Pokeball!

Patrat
Level 4
Named Ratters

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/c/cb/504Patrat.png/170px-504Patrat.png

I take out a level 2 and 4 Patrat on my way back to my house. Snorts is now level 7, and learned ember, its first fire attack.

My mom allows us to rest and both Snorts and Ratters are back to full health.

Abe Sargent

03-07-2011, 09:48 PM

Back to route 1. I encounter a level 4 Lillipup. We exchange tackles, and I capture it.

Lillipup
Level 4
Named Lolligag
Normal
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/7/7e/506Lillipup.png/140px-506Lillipup.png

Abe Sargent

03-07-2011, 10:07 PM

I head back to Route 1 a third time. I take out a few Patrats and Lillipups and Snorts is new level 8.

I heal up and head back out. I know there’s got to be at least one more Pokemon in the grass!

After more Patrats and Lillipups, I move Ratters into the front to give her some battling experience. Ratter sis beat, so I toss out Lolligag who takes out a wounded Lillipup, and levels up. Lolligag gains Odor Sleuth

Ratters gains 2 levels as I explore the grass. He gained Bite. I decide to head north. Someone on the road gave me a potion.

I make sure Lolligag also gains another level. I head up into the next town.

I have 3 Pokemon, and each of my mates only has 2, so I win the contest! I didn;t get anything though (Ahhh….)

Abe Sargent

03-07-2011, 10:46 PM

Accumula Town

I am shown around a PokeCenter. It looks like the PokeShop was moved here. I buy a 10 set of Pokeballs for half of my money, and get a Premier Ball free.

A man named Ghetsis is representing Team Plasma. He’s got some thugs with him in the town square. He talks about Pokemon being, not partners, but basically slaves that need to be freed. Then he leaves.

After he leaves, I am attacked by this spectator ho believes him and wants tt release my Pokemon!. This chick has Purrloin in her top, and I have Lolligag still in front. Lolligag manages to win and gains two levels, and is now level 8. She learns bite. I won 700 dollars.

After healing, I move out and explore the town.

(Which Pokemon will be the first one I see from a previous game? Who knows!)

The 3dish ness of the game is pretty cool. The town is rather normal. Let’s move on out!

Route 2

I am given Running Shoes! Finally, I was tiring of this slow meandering pace. I find a Potion in the grass. I run into a level 5 Purrloin!

Two tackles later…

Purrloin
Level 5
Named Scatkat
Dark
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/4/46/509Purrloin.png/140px-509Purrloin.png

Abe Sargent

03-07-2011, 11:14 PM

The Purrloin is a bit underwhelming because it starts with the 40 damage move Scratch rather than the 50 damage move Tackle. I assume it will get the 60 damage Bite soon, which will be a STAB move for it, so it will deal a lot of damage, soon, I hope.

Back to Route 2 after some healing.

I face my first Pokemon Trainer battle in the wild and lead with Snorts. He plays a level 7 Patrat. I start with Ember. It takes little damage, so I slide to tackle and deal more. It gets off crit hit a nd knocks me to red. I go first and tackle it. I gain a level and move to 9. Snorts learns Odor Sleuth.

I fight another a short while later. She has just a Purrloin., but I forgot to swap out my Pokemon and I’ve got that wounded pig. I manage to beat it because it used Assist and Leer and I tackle it, and grow to level 10.

A quick trip back to reheal and I am out on the road. I lead with my new Purrloin, Scatkat. I want to see how she does in battle.

Ratters gains a level, but Scatkat is doing horribly.

After returning, Scatkat manages to level to 6, and gains the move Assist. I will be using it in the next battle. It uses one random move from you party’s Pokemon. I use it twice and get Odor Sleuth and Tail Whip not the best moves. But then I get Bite, but its against a dark Pokemon Purrloin., so it’s not that effective. Then I win by crit hitting it with Scratch. Rough.

A third trainer sees my Scatkat turn assist into Bite against his Lillipup and it does some serious damage. It manages to ko my kat just before I take out his, so I toss out Ratters for the XP and knock out.

I find a Poke Ball and Potion. Bianca finds me at the end of the road and attacks me to battle. I lead with Snorts. She leads with Lillipup (level 6). I clear it out and gain a level. I keep it in for Snivy. Ember takes it out.

Abe Sargent

03-07-2011, 11:39 PM

Striaton City

I begin by exploring the city, and seeing what I can see in buildings and talking to all of the people I can find. Someone gave me a Great Ball. I find an X Speed and a Great Ball. I run into Cheren in a school and he challenges me to a battle. He leads with Oshawott and I lead with Ratters. Ratters falls and I send out Lolligag. Lolligag manages to finish off Oshawott. I switch out Scatkat to face his Purrloin. Unfortunately, his is of a higher level. His Assist turns into Water Gun and damages me. But I manage to take it out because it used Screech too much and OI got a crit. Scatkat levels up – level 7!

After I beat him, he gives me 3 Oran Berries. Someone else gave me a Dusk ball. I run into the Gym Leader who recommends I train up because this is a water gym, and I have a fire Pokemon.

I move to Dreamyard

A trainer attacks me shortly in. Ratters takes out a level 8 Purrloin and grows to level 8 herself. She learns Bide. I shift in Lolligag. Two tackles later ,I take out another level 8 Purrloin. Lolligag is now level 9. I switch Snorts to my front.

I hit another trainer. He sends out a level 7 Patrat. I take out one and then face another. I slide Scatkat in and then pull it for Snorts to give it some experience. I do the same against the trainer’s Lillipup. Scatkat levels up.

I head back for a Pokemon Center visit, and return to Dreamyard.

Someone was disappointed that I have a Tepig against the gym’s water Pokemon, so they handed me a Pansage!

Pansage
Level 10
Named Chatters
Grass
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/6/6b/511Pansage.png/150px-511Pansage.png

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 12:02 AM

I like its look a lot! Plus its already a good level. It feels a bit cheaty to get a good Pokemon like this for free. Let’s take a look under the hood of Pansage.

Scratch
Leer
Lick
Vine Whip

I find an X Defend in Dreamyard. There’s a closed off area here behind a tree that needs cut to bring it down. I leave and reheal, and then head for the gym.

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 12:19 AM

The Striaton City Gym

I get a Fresh Water by a guy inside who’s my Gym Guide. There also is a clerk here, who is not selling anything right now. Maybe after I win?

I choose to battle one of the Gym people, to give Pansage some experience. They lead with Lillipup – level 11. I lead with Chatters. Vine Whip does a little damage, but not a whole lot. It manages to beat me, but it’s low in life, so I send out Lolligag to take it down and gain some useful experience. Lolligag gains two levels and is now at 11. I leave for a heal and return.

I attack another trainer, this one leads with Patrat – level 10. Chatters goes. It one hit KOS me after using Bide. Snorts is sent out. It rises to level 12. I leave it out against a Purrloin. It finishes off the Purrloin and again I head out for a heal.

The last person left in the Gym Leader. I close, and there are two more pop out. There is one for each starting type. They choose for me to face the one that is good against my starter. I am facing water (so I suppose the girl would have given you a pokemon for whichever enemy you faced)

Cress ,the Gym Leader

She leads with a level 12 Lillipup, which is not a water Pokemon. I switch to Snorts. It uses Work Up. It’s attack and special attack rose. It uses Work Up again while I begin attacking. It uses Bite and takes away half of my life, Snorts has taken it to half of its. I keep pushing. It ko’s me. I send out Lollligag. He uses a Potion after Lolligag does some damage. I get Bite down to 1 hp, but I do the same to Lillipup. I push, and he kos’s Lolligag. I send out Ratters. Ratters gains a level and is now level 9. My foe is about to send out a Pokemon called Panpour. Time to switch to my grass guy.

Chatters goes out. Whoah! Panpour looks exactly like Pansage except its Blue instead of Green. Wow, that’s a cool thing1 I bet there’s a Red/Fire one too. Anyway, I order Vine Whip against the level 14 Panpour.

He uses Water Gun. Three turns later of Wine Whip, and I’ve taken down Panpour. Chatters gains a level. I gained 1680 money. I get the Trio Badge. I also get TM83 Work Up. They mention that TM’s can be used over and over again, and that’s not how they worked before – so that’s pretty powerful!

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 12:39 AM

I head outside and run into Fennel – a local scientist. Fennel gives me the HM Cut. Fennel wants some of the Dream Mist from a Pokemon called Munna from Dreamyard. I can now buy more stuff at the PokeMart in the PokeCenter.

I teach Cut to Scatkat. I don’t think I’ll have it for much longer might as well give it Cut. I head to Route 2, and not Dreamyard, because I recall a tree to cut there. Behind the tree I find a Super Potion and Great Ball. Now over to:

Dreamyard

I cut down the tree. Here comes Bianca. I hear a noise and Bianca and me investigate. We run into Munna, but we also run into Team Plasma, trying to…make it make Dream Mist or somesuch. They start kicking the Munna to force it to give off Dream Mist, so that they can use it to manipulate people’s dreams into giving up their Pokemon. One of them moves forward and attacks me.

I toss down Chatters. He leads with Patrat. Chatters takes it out and defeats the Grunt. The other moves in and attacks. This grunts throws down a Purrloin. Chatters takes it out too and gains a level. I got 400 from each.

Finally, after we win, they keep kicking, and Ghetsis arrives. Actually, then he appears on the other side as well, he’s in two places. Twins? Something about dreams? They run and Ghetsis disappears Another weird Pokemon appears from behind a wall. Fennel arrives and says its Musharna, an evolved Munna. It talks to Munna and they both leave. The Munna dropped an item. It’s Dream Mist, and Fennel gets the item needed. There’s some grass here. I wonder what sort of Pokemon I’ll run into here? I move out to explore more

I run into a level 10 Munna. It uses Yawn on Chatters so I swap it out. Go Snorts. It uses Yawn again, I switch to Lolligag. It uses Lucky Chant. It Yawns again. Back to Snorts. It uses Lucky Chant a few times, I hit it down a bit, and toss Premier Ball. I capture it.

Munna
Level 10
Named Puffers
Psychic
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/6/61/517Munna.png/185px-517Munna.png

I like psychic Pokemon, and getting Yawn early means it can help capture dudes. I find a Pokeball while here, and then run back for healing with an intention of returning.

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 01:03 AM

Snorts bites it to a Patrat’s Bide, and then Puffers takes it out with Psywave. I find a Repel, Parlyz Heal and Potion. While wandering around trying to fight more wild Pokemon, some of my guys gained enough XP for levels:

Ratters – Level 10
Snorts – Level 13 – forgot Odor Sleuth and gained Defense Curl
Lolligag – Level 12 – Forgot Odor Sleuth and gains Helping Hand

I swing over to Fennels and give a talk. I gain a C Gear to communicate with other trainers. I also get a Pal Pad. It’s another connect-y Wi-Fi thing. Okay, time for moving on:

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 01:20 AM

Route 3

I quickly run into a pair of sisters who want to battle me together. I have Ratters and Snorts. They lead with two Purrloins. I order Ratters to Helping Hand Snorts, and Snorts to tackle a Purrloin. Lolligag goes first, and then Snorts tackle does a lot of damage. We finish off the injured Purrloin. Another Helping Hand + Tackler on the remaining one. We take it out after another go.

Cheren fins me and begins a battle since we both have a badge. I have an injured Snorts, and he leads with Oshawott. I use tackle, to see how much damage I can do to Oshawott. He heals with Oran Berry. I manage to take it out since he wastes time with Water Sport and Tail Whip. He sends out Purrloin. Two turns later, my Snorts is now level 14. I get 1200 in cash.

Then two Team Plasma grunts push us out of the way and keep going. Bianca and some girl catch up and say that Team Plasma stole the girl’s Pokemon. Cheren runs up ahead. I stay here for now and start exploring the route.

I find a Super Potion. I run into a new Pokemon – Pidove. It Gusts Puffers, but I Yawn it. The next turn Puffers uses Psywave to deal it some damage and it goes to sleep. Another Psywave while it sleeps. Then a Pokeball follows:

Pidove
Level 11
Named Feathers
Normal Flying
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/c/c3/519Pidove.png/180px-519Pidove.png

Yay, my first flying Pokemon! I head back to the City to swap Pokemon.

Gust
Growl
Leer
Quick Attack

It’s attack and special are identical, so I can use either QA or Gust with equal effect. (They are both STAB’ed and both are 40 damage)

I drop Scatkat from my party.

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 01:42 AM

The Pokemon Day Care in here on this route. A teacher moves to attack and sends out Lillipup, while I send out my new Feathers, to see how he does. I use Quick Attack and she tries Leer but it doesn’t work (My attack cannot be lowered due to my special ability). A pair of gusts and another QA later and Feathers has his first takeout. I switch to Lolligag vs a Munna (LG has Bite ,which is super good vs Psychic). LG levels up to 13. I run into a trainer that tosses out Pansear, the fire/red Pan., just when I put my grass vone out to get it some experience. Ah well. I switch to Lolligag. LG takes it out. Another kid attacks me and tosses out Panpour, so I have the type advantage here. I use Vine Whip. There is a third child here, and expecting the grass one, I switch to Feathers and its super effective Gust attack and move in. Yup, its Pansage. I Gust it. Feathers is now level 12.

A teacher allows me to rest my Pokemon in the school, and they are all healed up. I move into the grass and start fighting Pokemon. I run into another new Pokemon: Blitzle. It looks pretty cool. It is an electricity pokemon? With that name, it’s possible. I’d love one this early, but I hope it doesn’t suck as badly as Electrike as an early electric Pokemon.

I switch to Puffers and it uses Charge – alright electric Pokemon! It uses Quick Attack and Puffers Yawns it. It uses charge again. I use Defense Curl, and then it falls asleep. Out goes a Poke Ball. (I don’t want to risk losing it to a powerful attack, or a crit. ) I catch it!

Blitzle
Level 8
Named Foudre (look it up to see what it means)
Electr
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/a/af/522Blitzle.png/110px-522Blitzle.png

I drop Ratters for it.

Quick Attack
Charge
Tail Whip

I’m going to go out and get it a few levels

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 02:24 AM

Level 11 saw it gain Shock Wave. I take it up to 13.

I also take Puffers to level 11, and it wants to learn Psybeam. I have it replace Psywave. I take it to 13 and it wants to learn Imprison. I switch Lucky Chant for it.

I take Chatters to level 13 as well. He trades Lick for a new move, Fury Swipes.

Feathers also rises to 13

I’m done levelling up my Pokies. Everybody is at least level 13.

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 02:57 AM

I press on. I run into a random trainer. I lead with Foudre. She leads with Patrat, level 9. I take it out in two turns with Shock Wave. I switch Snorts against her Lillipup. Snorts wins, but is in the red. Now level 15. I swap Tackle with Flame Charge. I switch in Foudre for Pidove and Shock Wave the guy in one turn. I make 432 money. She give me an Oran Berry. I find Repel.

I heal at the lodge day care school and then head back. I spy a Cave Entrance up ahead with my friend Cheren there. I head over. I go into the dark to chase Team Plasma. Two grunts here ,and one come safter me, so it’s a battle. I use Flame Charge of Snorts on a Patrat. It was a crit, so I don’t know how powerful it will really be. Now they try to take us on 2 on 2. I am fighting with Cheren. They send out two Patrats. I have Snorts, he has Oshawott. Flame Charge does a lot of damage to one. I take the wounded one down next turn. I take out the other the next turn. I got 960.

We get the girl’s Pokemon back. We head back, and I get 3 Heal Balls as a thanks. Bianca takes the girl back. I can go south or back to the cave. Hmm.

sterlingice

03-08-2011, 09:54 AM

I'm a little further than you but not much and you'll probably blow by me this week.

I'm kindof having a hard time finding "permanent" Pokemon for my party. I tend towards ones with three evolutions to keep throughout the game and I'm just not seeing it. I just feel that in this game, with the levels of when things evolve- I think you're just meant to churn them to evolve to get their Pokedex entry- and then toss them aside for another similar one that pops up about the time you are getting attached to it.

Oh, and as someone who went with Snivy, finding a fire Pokemon early is a chore. There's all of 1 and you're still not to it yet (sortof). Then again, I'm noticing early on there's a variety of types but not very much of any one type (except when you get into the stupid forest- then of course, you can get multiple grass and bug).

SI

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 10:46 AM

South. I run into a trainer. I sent out Lolligag. Her sends out Blitzle – level 13. Blitzle is pretty good. I manage to beat it because it used Charge twice. Level 14 for my LG. I find an Antidote. Cheren finds me and tells me there is a dark grass that will have TWO Pokemon pop out of it instead of one – that’s mega cool!

Trainer battle. Foudre for me and Woobat for her. I Shock Wave the flying creature and it takes some, but does not die. I do it again and it falls. Level 14 for Foudre. Next trainer battle, I send out Foudre again. She leads with Patrat. I switch to Feathers after I take it out. It’s Purrloin takes out Feathers after it used Assist to use Bide. I switch to Chatters.

Later, I find an Awakening. Another trainer battle sees me start with Snorts. He sends out Pidove. Flame Charge is my lead. I dispatch it, and rise to level 16. My foe is sending out some Pokemon named Roggenrola. Who do I send out, not knowing anything about it? Sounds like a rock Pokemon, so I call on Chatters. I miss with Vine Whip after it Sand Attacks me. Then I hit. It follows with some hardens, and I miss once more before being taken out by a critical hit of Headbutt from it. I send out Puffers. A simple Psybeam finishes it off. I reached the end of the route, so I turn around and head back. I find a place I missed on my way in and grab a Great Ball. I head back and heal, and I intend to look a the cave now. I move Chatters to the front and head in.

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 10:58 AM

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 11:19 AM

Wellspring Cave

I start exploring and run into a Roggenrola, level 11. I switch to Puffers. Yawn makes it tired. It’s asleep and I try a Psybeam. It is knocked to red. I lob a Poke Ball.

Roggenrola
Level 11
Named Feldspar
Rock
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/6/69/524Roggenrola.png/110px-524Roggenrola.png

I’ll take a look at it in a bit. I have to go far from here, so let’s keep exploring.

I am attacked by another and take it out. Then I run into a Woobat. I switch to Puffers. It falls asleep but I don’t want to kill it and I think it might take a super effective attack from Puffers. I toss a Ball out and catch it immediately.

Woobat
Level 11
Named Lazyeye
Psychic Flying
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/3/36/527Woobat.png/260px-527Woobat.png

Let’s take a closer look at my new Pokemon. (I thought Woobat might be poison, but I was wrong) But before I do, I want to finish exploring this cave. I find TM46 Thief. I head back. There’s a lot of water here, so I can get Surf and return, to keep exploring. Now back to see what my new captures look like.

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 11:34 AM

Let’s take a closer look at my new Pokemon. But before I do, I want to finish exploring this cave. I find TM46 Thief. I head back. There’s a lot of water here, so I can get Surf and return, to keep exploring. Now back to see what my new captures look like.

Feldspar:

Tackle, Harden, Sand-Attack, Headbutt

It has an Everstone so I take it. It’s got pretty good stats for its level (11) compared to the others I’ve captured. (24, 25, 12, 10, 9 are its stats at level 11)

Lazyeye:

Confusion, Odor Sleuth, Confusion

Stats are 17, 15, 18, 15, 22. Flying/Psychic can be really useful if it gains the ability to use good flying moves and good psychic moves. It could, conceivably, replace both the Munna and Pidove on my team, if it’s good enough.

My plan is simple. I take both Feldspar and Lazyeye to Route 3 and get them some experience and raise them to level 13. I see who is the best with even levels.

While trying to level up in Route 3, I run into a rare Pokemon I hadn’t seen before. Audino! I switch to Puffers. Its level 8, and it uses Pound, Helping Hand and Assist, so I know it has those moves. It falls asleep. I use a PB on it, and I capture it.

Audino
Level 8
Named Suzurin
Normal
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/f/f5/531Audino.png/150px-531Audino.png

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 12:03 PM

Alright, let’s take a look. I take its Oran Berry. I apologize, it knows Refresh, not Assist. Growl, Pound and Helping Hand. It’s ability allows it to heal an ally’s status condition. Cool. Refresh heals its own poison, burn or paralysis. Pound is a weaker tackle, not good. This looks like a teammate for double matches. I head back out, as I am not interested in it.

Back to the mission. Feldspar reaches level 13. Lazyeye gains Assurance at level 12. It feels like it takes more XP for Lazyeye to level up than Feldspar. Lazyeye took out an Audino and gained a bunch of XP and leveled to 14. Now that’s interesting. Why that much XP? Anyway, I return to take a look at my dudes.

Stats for my new guys at their current level:

Feldspar (level 13) – 27, 29, 13, 12, 9
Lazyeye (level 14) – 20, 18, 22, 18, 27
Foudre (14) – 26, 17, 21, 16, 29
Puffers (13) – 10, 16, 26, 21, 14
Chatters (13) – 19, 18, 21, 19, 20
Feathers (13) – 18, 20, 17, 15, 17
Lolligag (14) – 25, 20, 12, 20, 18

Who do we like? Foudre is staying. Other than that, I can really take any or none of these guys. Vine Whip is a weak grass attack, and I haven’t seen better from Chatters yet. Feather still has just Gust, as does Lazyeye. Lolligag is just a dude. Feldspar has a obvious specialization, and will always be the last to fight. Puffers has more HP than the others and a more powerful attack in Psybeam.

I actually like the Munna so far, and it seems a bit like Drowzee/Hypno, which was a good Pokemon.

I drop off Munna. I grab Lolligag.

My party moving to the next city – Lolligag, Foudre, Snorts, Feldspar, Lazyeye, Chatters.

Ok, done with lunch. See you later.

sterlingice

03-08-2011, 12:13 PM

Were you given Panpour, as I supposed?

Ayup

And somehow, even tho I'm pretty completionist, I missed Woobat early on.

SI

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 06:57 PM

Nacrene City

Cheren meets me just inside and escorts me around before giving me some Chesto berries. He tells me the gym leader has normal Pokemon. Let’s look around! I really like the lofts, architecture of the area – it looks pretty realistic. I find a person asking if I have Petilil. If so, I can trade it for a Cottonee. I found a store in one of the old warehouses that was converted t a flat that sells X items. I need to remember that. I’m given a Charcoal after I tell someone I started with Tepig. I immediately give it to Tepig to hold. I’m told that the Warehouse Café has a special on Wednesday, which is tomorrow. I’ll try to remember to check it out.

I check out the gym and out comes a character named N. Is that the same person who attacked me after the Team Plasma appearance in the last City? She attacks and sends out Pidove. I have led with Snorts. Two flame charges and I’ve taken care of the Pidove. I’m told my foe is sending out a Pokemon named Tympole. I have no clue what that is, so I’m sticking with Snorts. It looks a bit like a Tadpole, so I probably left the worst Pokemon out. Just to make sure, I hit it with Flame Charge! It’s not very effective. It uses Bubblebeam. I’m down to red already. I switch with Chatters. It uses Supersonic. Chatters hits itself once; and then kills it with a couple of Vine Whips. Chatters is now level 14. Snorts is level 17. It is about to send out a Pokemon named Timburr. Sounds like a grass Pokemon. I order Chatters to return and send out Lazyeye. Gust is super effective against it, but it just looks like a dude with a log of wood in its hand. It is taken out in two turns. I got 1300 cash. Here we go:

I have an evolution!

Snorts evolved into Pignite!

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/e/e8/499Pignite.png/170px-499Pignite.png

(I like the new evolution animation)

It is now a Fight/Fire Pokemon, and it learned Arm Thrust. I replace Tail Whip. This will make it my main Pokemon for the gym, since fight tears through normal Pokemon.

sterlingice

03-08-2011, 08:02 PM

(I think N is supposed to be a guy but maybe that changes depending on your character's gender)

SI

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 08:18 PM

Nacrene City Gym and Museum

The Gym leader is an archeologist. (So why not have rock or ground Pokemon instead of normal?) The AD gives me a tour of the museum, which looks awesome, btw. I leave the museum and enter the gym.

I’m given another Fresh Water by the guide here. I meet a trainer. I send out Snorts against Patrat. Not fair to the kid. It is a level 17 Patrat. Arm Thrust does some serious damage to it. It uses Sand Attack. It dodges and Crunches. It dodges and Crunches again. A third time. Annoying, but not battle ending. Finally, we connect again and take it out.

I’m trying to figure out the puzzle in this gym. It’s definitely interesting. I have to find books in the library shelves that have clues, and then find other books. I run into another trainer by the answer to the second clue. He battles me. He sent out a Pokemon called Herdier. It looks like it may be the evolution of Lillipup. He uses X Defend, which is cool you don’t see that very often. Arm Thrust hits four times and deals a ton of damage to ti. The Herdier uses Bite but Snorts’s Arm Thrust takes it down. Level 18. I gained 816 dollars. I switch my main to another Pokemon for the trainer fights because my Fire Pig is getting hurt.

I lead with my Feldspar against another trainer here. She throws out Lillipup. I take it down in two turns after getting a crit hit in. I switch to Foudre for another Lillipup. I take it down but not before taking some serious damage to my electrical Pokemon. I switch back to Feldspar. Feldspar levels to 14 after defeating a last Lillipup. I switch in Rock Blast for Harden.

I finish the puzzle, but head back for a quick heal. I put Snorts in front, and move in.

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 08:18 PM

Gym Battle vs Lenora

She has just two Pokemon, and tosses down Herdier. It uses intimidate on my Snorts, lowering my attack before battle begins. I use Arm Thrust. I hit the level 18 guy twice. He uses Leer and lowers my defense. Arm Thrust hits four times and lowers him badly. Then he uses a major attack, and I was busy typing, so I don’t know what it was, but the recoil killed him, and he took me to 6 hp. I am now level 19. He is sending out a guy called Watchog. I switch to Foudre. Watchog is level 20 and I have my work cut out for me.

I start with Charge. It takes me out in one hit. I order Feldspar out. It will take half damage from normal attacks. It uses hypnosis to put my Feldspar to sleep! It uses crunch and gets lucky with a crit, and then it uses it again. Feldspar is out. Lazyeye is up next. Crunch takes me out (forgot it was dark). Next is Lolligag. I use a fresh water to heal Snorts. Lolligag is not put to sleep by Hypnosis due to its special ability. He uses retaliate and takes me down to red, I use Leer. It lowers the Watchog’s defense. I want to prepare it for Snorts. Snorts goes out. He leads with Hypnosis. It hits – 60% chance of hitting, and it does. I use Awakening. He follows up with Leer. A retaliate takes me to red, ad Snorts almost kills it, taking it to red as well with Arm Thrust. I switch to Chatters. Lenora uses Super Potion. I use Fresh Water next turn. It takes out Chatters. Back to Snorts. My only living Pokemon. He uses Leer. Three hits from Arm thrust later Watchog has fallen. Snorts levels up to 20. I choose not to learn Smog.

We have won! Whew! I got 2400 yen. I win the Basic Badge! I get TM67 Retaliate. They warn me that Team Plasma is outside trying to steal some bones. I save the game.

I head back out. Lenora and her husband, the AD are confronted by some Team Plasma goons. I run up to help out. They want the dragon skull from a giant statue of bones. The 6 of them drop a smoke screen, steal it and head out. I head out.

Castelia City’s Gym leader, Burgh, swings by while Lenora and I are looking for Team Plasma. Bianca and Cheren pull up as well. We split up to search, and I’m, to head to the forest with Burgh. Bianca gives me a dowsing machine, given to her by Fennel for me. I use the machine to find a Revive in the ground. I buy 8 Super Potions, 3 Net Balls, 5 Antidote, and 3 Awakening. I head out. I need to level my Pokemon, it’s clear. The forest will give me a chance to do that.

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 08:41 PM

Pinwheel Forest

As I leave, the dowsing machine triggers and I find an Ultra Ball, and as I enter the forest it triggers and I find a Super Potion.

Someone gives me TM94 Rock Smash. Isn’t that the HM normally? Yup, it is. Must not need it on the map here. I check out Retaliate, it has just 5 power points, hits 100% of the time, and deals 70 normal damage, which is STABed by the gym leader – that’s why it was so hard. I replace Leer on Lolligag’s move list with it. That will give Lolligag a nasty bite.

I find a trainer willing to battle. She leads with Munna. I have Lazyeye in front. The battle of the psychic Pokemon begins. I use assurance, a dark move. Super effective! It used Lucky Chant. Another assurance, it follows with Imprison. A third Assurance takes out her Munna, and Lazyeye gets the XP while I grab 600 in cold hard cash. She heals my Pokemon. I find an Ether. I head into some grass off the path south of her.

I run into a level 13 Timburr. Gust takes it to the yellow. Go Poke Ball!

Timburr
Level 13
Named Erectors
Fight
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/archive/6/69/20101120063653%21532Timburr.png

I thought it was grass in an earlier match, and used a flying Pokemon against it, but it’s really fight, but since Flying is super good against it, I didn’t know. Heh. It’s a construction Pokemon, so I named it Erectors.

sterlingice

03-08-2011, 08:52 PM

I do like what I've seen of the gyms this time around. It seems like they're trying to make it a little more RPG-like

SI

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 09:02 PM

I head a bit south and run into a Construction Worker who challenges me. He throws out Cottonee. I leads with Lazyeye still. I use Gust on what looks and sounds like a grass Pokemon. Gust is super effective against it. Another takes out the Cottonee. Lazyeye moves up to level 15. I replace Confusion with Heart Stamp, a psychic move that does 60 damage (and uses attack, not special attack). He is about to use Petilil. I keep in Lazyeye. It’s a total grass Pokemon too. It uses Mega Drain, a bit early for that attack, no? Gust finishes it off. I run into another Construction worker. This one sends out Roggenrola, and I still have Lazyeye in front. Gust does minor damage to it. Heart Stamp does more. Lazyeye is Sana Attacked twice and lost some accuracy. The Roggenrola starts dodging attacks and a 3rd Sand Attack follows. Nasty. A 4th follows after another miss. I pull Lazyeye for Chatters. He uses Rock Blast. Vine Whip for me, Sand Attack for it. Chatters takes it out with the next attack. I switch my front Pokemon to Lolligag.

I find a Great Ball before running into another trainer. This kid throws out Tympole. I use Retaliate. Bubblebeam hits first. Then Ideal a bunch of damage to it. I use it again. After getting knocked down to half life, I take it out, and then switch to Foudre, when I see another Tympole coming. Shock Wave ends it, and Foudre levels to 15. I give it Thunder Wave and pull Tail Whip. Now I can paralyze people to capture. A third Tympole bites it.

Dowsing Machine finds me a TinyMushroom. I move through grass and run into a new Pokemon – Throh. It looks like a fighting Pokemon. I switch to Foudre. It used Bide. I use Thunder Wave. I paralyze it, and then try to catch it before Bide goes off, but it is released and uses Bide but is paralyzed. I start using Quick Attacks. It uses Seismic Toss. It Bides again, and it took a ton of Quick Attacks to get down in Hp to yellow. I throw out Poke Ball. It breaks out. It finishes off Foudre. I tell Chatters to head out. I use 5 Vine Whips, it’s not even in red yet. Finally I use a third Poke Ball. It breaks out immediately. Alright then. Go Great Ball. It breaks out immediately. I use another Vine Whip to knock it down some more. It breaks free from another Great Ball. This is paralyzed, and in deep Red, and just level 14. This is crazy . I use the Ultra Ball. It breaks free!!! Another Poke Ball, it is finally captured. Geez this thing was strong.

Throh
Level 14
Named Judos
Fight
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/7/74/538Throh.png/184px-538Throh.png

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 09:03 PM

I do like what I've seen of the gyms this time around. It seems like they're trying to make it a little more RPG-like

SI

I like a lot of the changes I've seen so far.

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 09:18 PM

I want to head back and take a look at this beast. I find two Antidotes and a Super Potion on the way. I run into a level 15 Throh on the way back. I decide to see if I can kill it. Feldspar uses Sand Attack to its Seismic Throw. Another (it misses). It uses Focus Energy, and another Sand Attack. It used Leer and missed, another Sand Attack. It misses, Headbutt hits. It manages to connect with its Bide attack and Feldspar goes down. I dispatch Lolligag to take it out. Retaliate does a ton of damage (It does more damage when used the turn after an ally dies). Level to 15. I swap out Tackle for Take Down.

I hit a Tympole on the way out. Foudre has fainted and can’t use Thunder Wave so I have Lolligag use Bite on it. We do that a few times. A PokeBall is sent out.

Tympole
Level 12
Named Frogtales
Water
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/c/c9/535Tympole.png/130px-535Tympole.png

I’m sure it evolves into a frog. Let’s go take a look at these guys.

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 11:16 PM

It’s an absolute essential to have a good water Pokemon in your party. You need Surf all over the place. You might as well have it on a good Pokemon, rather than an HM slave. Bubblebeam is a strong early water attack, with a 65 attack. No complaints there. It’s stats aren’t super great, and it has a few funky moves – Round, Supersonic, Growl suggest a noise Pokemon like Whismur, Jigglypuff and such. But it’s straight water with a solid water attack. Will it get better water attacks later, or move into the weird sound stuff?

Judos is much better than Erectors. There is no question that Erectors will likely evolve at some time. If Judos evolves, I would love to see how mega powerful that Pokemon is! This is my first major decision of my party. Judos is clearly the most powerful Pokemon I’ve got since my starter. Do I grab it, despite type duplication with my starter? Or do I move on? Who knew I would have a type issue with fight, when I chose Tepig as my starter! In retrospect, perhaps the water starter would have been better, knowing I would get a very strong fight this early. The only other waters I’ve seen are Tympole and Panpour, and I don’t hold out high hopes for either.

Anyway, I switch out the fairly weak and underwhelming Pansage for Judos. It’s just that powerful. I move him to the front and let’s try him out. Judos takes out a Tympole. He needs a move that does more damage than 14 with Seismic Toss. Bide’s pretty lousy. I run into another Throh. We both Bide at the same time and do nothing. It’s using Bind against me to little success. I take it out and gain a level. I gain a ton of stats – this is a good Pokemon.

I run into another trainer, he leads with an awesome looking Venipede. I use Bide and he rocks with Rollout. I finish it off with Seismic Toss. I switch to Feldspar for a match vs Lillipup. An easy victory. Level 15 for Feldspar.

I head up some stairs into a cliff. There are two martial arts trainers up here, each with one Timburr. Judos takes each out and moves to 16. I have Judos smash a Challenge Rock and get a Star Piece. I find a Net Ball.

I want to level up Judos until he gets a real attack instead of Bide and Seismic Toss. It’s just one level, level 17. He gains the powerful but limited Vital Throw. A 70 power fight attack, but it always goes last. It’s still much better than the current ones.

Considering the Pokemon I am finding here, I choose to level up:

Foudre to level 17
Lazyeye to level 17

And….Lolligag to level 16…. To evolve into a Herdier….

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/9/96/507Herdier.png/167px-507Herdier.png

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 11:43 PM

Pinwheel Forest

Up until now, I’ve been going to a patch of ground to the south of the Forest. Time to enter the actual forest.

(for reals)

Burgh is right in here, and tells me there are two paths through the forest, the straight road and the meandering forest path, and I get to take the latter.

Two sisters attack. I send out Lolligag and Feldspar against two Sewaddle. They look like grass Pokemon. Headbutt + helping Hand does nothing against their double crit hit Razor Leaf which hits both my Pokemon. I’m reeling. Feldspar manages to stay up, but Lolliwag falls. Feldspar gets a lot of XP as a result when he headbutts and takes out a Sewaddle. I send out Foudre. Feldspar dies out goes Snorts. It bites it easily, and I run back out to heal with the Nurse at the front of the forest.

I find a Team Plasma grunt, and I have Lolligag in the lead. He plays a cool Pokemon called Sandile. It’s attack is intimidated down by Lolligag. It uses Sand Tomb and Assurance, I use Retaliate twice and end it. 640 for me! I run into another grunt. This one has Purrloin. It opens with Pursuit and then Sand Attack and another Pursuit. I use Retaliate twice, but miss once, and then miss a bunch of headbutt as it keeps Sand Attacking me. I eventually land a Take Down and put it down. Another 640!

I move to the grass to see what’s in here. Level 17 for Lolligag. I run Judos back to the Rock and smash off another Star Piece. I’m told you can get just one piece a day, but it’s past midnight now. I run back to the Warehouse Café as well, since they had a Wednesday special. I’m given a Soda Pop for free. While here, I stock up on some more Poke Balls. I get 10 more with a Premier Ball tossed in for fun.

Back to the grass. I find a Super Potion, TinyMushroom. I run into a level 17 Petilil. I have Foudre out, so I order it to use Thunder Wave. I then begin to Shock Wave it. I do very little damage, so I can work it down and capture it. NM, it used Leech Seed, so I just need to capture it. I try a Poke Ball. Caught it.

Petilil
Level 17
Named Buddyleaf
Grass
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/0/0b/548Petilil.png/105px-548Petilil.png

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 11:50 PM

I run into a trainer. He sends out Herdier. I have Foudre in front. I got Take Downed in one attack. Out goes Judos. Vital Throw ends it. Level 18 Judos. I gain 1080! The trainer gives me a Chesto Berry too. I get a quick heal from the nurse and move in deeper. I run into a level 14 Sewaddle.

Sewaddle
Level 14
Named Crawyrm
Bug/Grass
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/4/4a/540Sewaddle.png/140px-540Sewaddle.png

Abe Sargent

03-08-2011, 11:59 PM

I find a Big Root. I run into another Petilil on the way to get healed. I bring it down and then try and capture it. It doesn’t work. I try again. It works. I move on. I head back to the city. I grab the unnamed level 14 Petilil I just snabbed. I trade for Cottonee.

Cottonee
Level 15
Already named Fluffee
Grass
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/4/44/546Cottonee.png/220px-546Cottonee.png

Abe Sargent

03-09-2011, 12:18 AM

I take its Cheri Berry. I take Mental Herb from the Sewaddle I grabbed too. I check out the Pokemon. As I alluded to earlier, you often get a lot of grass early. Right now, I have four grass Pokemon. It looks like Buddyleaf is your typical grass harasser. There are tons of grass with these moves -0 Mega Drain, Leech Seed, Sleep Powder, Synthesis. It’s what they do best. Sleep is good for catching Pokemon, but paralysis is solid too, and I have that already in my team. All of these Pokemon have low stats for their level, so I’m not super sold on any of them joining my team.

Lets head back out. I ran into a level 17 Audino. I thought the first one was okay for level 8. Perhaps the level 17 one will be better. I try to grab it. This one seems lot tougher. I name it Noisy. It has Double Slap, Attract, Refresh, and Helping Hand. It’s stats look pretty good too. Let’s go take a closer look.

I still don’t think I’m ready for a team battler, but I like that it’s better than I thought. I head back out again. I run into a Venipede. After a bit, and getting two of my guys poisoned, I managed to capture it on the first Ball.

Venipede
Level 15
Named Pedipalp
Bug/Poison
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/0/0e/543Venipede.png/166px-543Venipede.png

Abe Sargent

03-09-2011, 12:52 AM

Okay, I’ve figured out that Audino appears in these shaking grasses. They give out a huge amount of XP. Feldspar goes to level 16 and 17. I switch out its Tackle for Mud Slap.

A trainer attacks. Its Judos vs Venipede. It uses Protect. Judos is poisoned off a Poison Sting Attack. The one bad thing about Seismic Toss is that its damage is not improved by using it vs a super effective Pokemon. The one good thing is that its damage is not decreased when using it against a poison Pokemon either. It takes some time, but Seismic Toss finishes off the bug. I switch to Lazyeye vs a Timburr. Heart Stamps does a ton of damage. I switch my lead to Lolligag and keep going. I manage to find an Antidote.

Some Ranger jumps out and attacks me. Pansage vs Lolligag. It Leech Seeds me. Retaliate does a ton of damage to it. OIt tries Vine Whip, and Lolligag finishes it off. Level 18. 1080 for my victoire. I get a Chesto Berry.

I am deep in the forest now. Another Ranger attacks. Panpour is dispatched. It uses Water Gun and I have Lolligag use its 5th and final Intimidate. Take Down finishes off he panpour and Lolligag after it took a Take Down from the panpour. Double ko – funny. 1080 and Pecha Berry. Snorts to the front. I laugh at the bugs and grass Pokemon in my way. I especially laugh at Sewaddle. I find aTInyMushroom before hitting another Team Plasma Grunt. Arm Thrust on his Patrat is funny. 640 for me. I grab a Paralyz Heal before another Ranger attacks. Pansear is out. I use Arm Thrust. Three turns later I take it out. Level 21. 1080 and Pecha.

I go down instead of up to find some items. It’s off the path and in a bunch of grass. Down here is TM86 Grass Knot. It’s a crappy move. I head back up and hit another grunt. Snorts ends a Patrat. I switch to Feldspar vs a Sandile. I try Mud Slap against it. It works, normal effectiveness (I was hoping it was a rock Pokemon). It uses Sandtomb for me (super effective) and I can safely use headbutt. Feldspar takes it out, and back out goes Snorts vs a Patrat. 560 for me. I get the skull! A guy named Gorm arrives on the scene and asks how a fellow subject of the king is doing to the grunt. They threaten me, but both gym leaders arrive and back me. They leave. Lenora takes back the Dragon Skull. I get a Moon Stone. I save and keep exploring the forest.

Abe Sargent

03-09-2011, 01:48 AM

I find a Miracle Seed. I hit a trainer on the main road back. She has a gym badge too and sends out Woobat. Bad against my fight. I shift into Foudre. I take it out, and leave out Foudre for another. Ditto a third time. Foudre is now 18. I swap Quick Attack for Flame Charge. The same one my starter has. Another trainer hits me. He has Munna, another bad matchup for Snorts. In goes a very wounded Feldspar. Munna yawns. Shift to Lazyeye. I use Assurance and het Psybeamsd. Mussa heals with Moonlight. I keep up my dark attack. Then my guy is yawned. Back to Snorts because Munna keeps healing and is back to full. I try Flame Charge with Charcoal equipped. It takes Munna to read. Psybeam nails me of course, and Snorts faints. Out goes Foudre. Shock wave finishes it off before another Moonlight. Feldspar is level 18.

I get healed by the nurse and turn around and head back to finish up the trainers here. There is a patch of grass I can’t get to, someone is in the way and won’t move. Trainer little girl and I do battle. Bad start vs Pidove with Snorts. I switch to Foudre. Snorts is level 22. I switch to Judos vs Purrloin. It uses Pursuit, that’s its Dark move – not very effect. Vital Throw is very effective and takes it out in one move. And we are out!

Whoah! Cool view! Where am I? This is a bridge that looks like that famous one in New York that I can’t recall. I am given a quick claw in a tunnel area that connects areas. I give Quick Claw to Judos.

Abe Sargent

03-09-2011, 02:46 AM

Castella City

Someone gave me a Leaf Stone to evolve Pansage. I suppose if I had lied and said I had someone else, then I would have gotten the other stone. Typically, a Pokemon who levels up with a stone can’t get any more moves, or can’t get any more good moves. Looks like I may want to get Chatters some more XP to get it a cool move or two and then evolve it.

I find a PC and enter. I heal up and then head to the docks. There is a ship here that it getting ready, but isn’t yet. It’s the only thing there. I continue on. I find a Pier and check it out. Nothing. I continue and check out Unity Pier. Nothing but a Blue boat. Liberty Pier has a ship and a few people, but nothing of note. Okay, let’s check out the buildings on the outer road.

I’ve been appointed a Statistician. Weird. They promise prizes though. I get a Soda Pop after answering 10 questionnaires.

I enter Battle Company. I head up to 47F. I begin by taking out a clerk’s Herdier with Snorts. I get some Quick Balls and Timer Balls. I continue through these clerks and a scientist. I’m gaining 760 from each one. Snorts raises to level 23. I learn Rollout and forget Defense Curl. Judos gets to level 19. I find a Revive on the ground. One of the clerks has a new Pokemon, a Basculin. It’s a fish. Judos takes down a pair of them and grows to level 20. Foudre is taken out by a third so Lazyeye is sent out and gets to level 18. I get a Scope Lens from a scientist. I give it to Foudre.

Well that was fun. I head out to the PC for some good ol fashioned healing. I also intend to swap out Feldspar for Chatters. I head back to Battle Company, save, and hit up floor 55. I find a Hyper Potion first, and then move in. Foudre takes out a Woobat. I got 800. After taking out a Scientist’s Munna, Foudre hits level 19. 960 for that battle. Foudre is sent out vs a Sewaddle and uses Flame Charge. Boom! Finally there is another clerk here with Pansear. Two turns later Foudre has taken it out, and it stays in vs a Panpour. It bites it in one hit, and Foudre levels to 20. I keep it in for Pansage. Flame Charge. One hit win. I got 1520 from this guy. (When does Foudre level up, come on!)

There is some dude at a desk, so I go talk to him. The chairman challenges me. Except its actually a janitor. He has a new Pokemon named Trubbish, it’s like a trash bag Pokemon. I use Flame Charge. I thought it might be upper effective but alas. I am hit by a nasty poison attack and Foudre goes down, but not before a Shock Wave took it to red. I order in Judos. He is immediately poisoned by Toxic Spikes. Seismic Toss finishes the Trubbish. He is about to send in Minccino, and I leave in Judos. Vital Throw! Crit, and dead Minccino. 4000 for the battle.

He says he is the real chairman who likes to disguise himself as a janitor. I get an Exp Share. I leave the building. We have done all of the floors I can. Back to heal.

All done for the night!

Abe Sargent

03-09-2011, 05:38 PM

Time to check out some streets. I head into Castelia Street, beside the P Center. I find a tower here with a Game Director who wants to see my Pokedex when I fill it up a lot. Another wants a Pokemon battle when mine are really strong. I buy a few Fresh Waters from a vending machine. Another building has a person on the ground floor who does Pokemon massages. Some dude gives me TM44 Rest.

I then arrive at a town square/circle thing. Several streets empty here. I get into a fight with a local. Foudre’s Flame Charge vs Pansage. I get 672 yen. I am asked to grab some other dancers to make a team, so I am on the lookout for dancers.

I head up and find some buildings in another street. Someone at a party upstairs gives me TM45 Attract. Pretty useful. I think I found a dancer so I head back. I don’t have any special dialogue, so I run back and check out another building. I find a scientist who invented a secret machine, and if I know the password… I’ll have to return later. I get an Eviolite from a scientist. What is that? It looks like it’s a useful hold item early on. I give it to Lazyeye.

I’ve arrived at Route 4, without fully exploring the city. There’s a heavy sandstorm here. I head out and run into a level 16 Scraggy. Paralysis from Foudre. A Poke Ball captures it.

Scraggy
Level 16
Named Tyke
Dark/Fight
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/d/dc/559Scraggy.png/200px-559Scraggy.png

I like the double type, but I don’t have room for another fight Pokemon. For example, it’s a fighting Pokemon immune to psychic attacks, normally its weakness.

Abe Sargent

03-09-2011, 05:49 PM

I find an X Accuracy. Then I run into another dude, the cool looking Sandile. It’s pretty low level, so I just take it out with Judos, and keep moving around, hoping to find a higher level one. Judos is now lev 21. He trades Leer for Revenge. Next up I hit a level 18 Darumaka. I use Seismic Toss on it. I could not tell you what type it is. Fire? Then I accidentally run from it instead of switch Pokemon. Ah well. Easy come, easy go I suppose.

I hit another on the next creature. I use Seismic Toss again. It uses Uproar and Rage. It takes damage from the sandstorm, so it can’t be rock, steel or ground. Vine Whip is not very effective. Ice? Fire looks more likely. Flying? I manage to Paralyze it with Foudre. Go Poke Ball!

Darumaka
Level 18
Named Rounders
Fire
Female

The info for it in my Pokedex says : “Darumaka’s droppings are hot, so people used to put them in their clothes to keep themselves warm.” Wow. Thanks Pokemon!

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/4/4c/554Darumaka.png/180px-554Darumaka.png

Abe Sargent

03-09-2011, 06:02 PM

I find a Pearl with my dowsing machine. I skip talking to trainers right now. I don’t want to fight just yet, I just want to capture some Pokemon. My machine finds a Ultra ball. I find a Great Ball too. Snorts is great for this area. Rollout takes out Darumaka in two turns, Arm Thrust takes out Scraggy in one (dark is vulnerable to fight) . I run into another Sandile, this is also at level 15. I decide to go ahead and capture this one. Maybe they are all of a lower level. It busts out of a Poke Ball after getting Embered down to Red in one attack. I try again. Yup!

Sandile
Level 15
Named Overfang
Ground/Dark
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/2/26/551Sandile.png/255px-551Sandile.png

Let’s head back and take a look.

Abe Sargent

03-09-2011, 09:15 PM

Poor stats on them all. I take a Rawst Berry from Rounders. Back to exploring the city.

Next is Mode Street. I enter a gallery and a guy wants to paint a grass pokemon. I show him Chatters and he is happy and allows me to pick one of five berries, so I go with Aspear. (My fav is Leppa haven’t seen one yet). I head back to the PC for a surprise!

I just grabbed the Liberty Pass from a mailman. I go to Liberty Pier. I go to Liberty Garden. I run into a Plasma grunt. Arm Thrust takes out a Patrat. 720 for me! Downing Machine finds an Ultra ball. Another Grunt is in my way. Sandile is in. Judos takes it out with Vital Throw. Another 720. A guard is here and heals my Pokemon. I take out a Grunt guarding their ship. Foudre advances to level 21. I gain 680. There’s a guard inside. Lazyeye gains a level and goes to 19. I ignore Imprison and keep our old moves. 680 more. I get healed again by the guard and head back.

I am told that 200 years ago, an old man bought the island and installed a hidden room with Victini in it, and hid Victini away. Team Plasma is here to free it. I’m here to capture it! I lead with Foudre, and the last grunt with Watchog. I think it’s a leveled up Patrat. Thunder Wave paralyzes it. I dodge hypnosis. It use Confuse Ray and I hit it with Shock Wave. I switch to Snorts. It uses crunch. Arm Thrust takes it down. 800 for me. I save the game and go battle Victini.

Thunder Wave – paralyzed. Confusion by it. It uses Quick Attack. I rock Shock Wave. It takes minor damage. I try again. It uses Confusion again. Foudre is red. One more Shock Wave. It rocks QA. No more Foudre. I send out Lolligag. Intimidate cuts the Victini’s attack power. Bite by me is super effective and takes it to Red. Premier Ball, go! It busts out. Go Dusk ball! No good. Go Ultra Ball! Nope. I try again. Nope. Great Balls? I try a bunch of balls, total failure. I reload and try again. This time I lead with Quick Ball on the first turn. It fails then, so I know I’m in for a bit. I move over the couch and watch some HGTV and try to catch this guy.

15 minutes later…

Victini
Level 15
I do not give nicknames to legendary Pokemon
Fire/Psychic
No Gender

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/6/60/494Victini.png/200px-494Victini.png

It is quite powerful. This is a big problem. Let’s take a look why:

My strongest three Pokemon:

Victini – Fire/Psychic
Snorts – Fire/Fight
Judos – Fight

Not a lot of type variance there. If I had a water or grass starter, then I would have a lot more type coverage. Do I squeeze out Snorts or Judos despite the fact that they are more powerful? Or do I just accept that I will have poor type coverage for a long time, and perhaps the game?

Additionally, what role will Woobat continue to have on my team, now that I have added another Psychic Pokemon?

Tough decisions are coming up.

Abe Sargent

03-09-2011, 10:40 PM

I leave the lighthouse. The Team Plasma grunts are being arrested. Professor Juniper thanks me. I return with the boast, and head to the PC right now. For now, I am dropping off Lolligag and grabbing Victini. It knows Incinerate, Confusion, Quick Attack and Endure.

Next up is Narrow Street. A guy jumps out and gives me TM70 Flash. I get a Lemonade from a café. I find a dancer that wants to fight me, so let’s go. Despite Type Disadvantage and taking Water Gun attacks, and giving up 6 levels, Victini took out a level 21 Panpour in three turns. I go back to the dancer in the party, to see if now I can grab em. Nope, it must be someone else. I’ve got one more street to check out.

I find an empty apartment/office build – no one or thing inside. Cheren comes out the gym with his 3rd badge just as I am about to enter. Team Plasma has showed up and Burgh is running out so I follow him to clean up the issue.

I find the third dancer on a pier. I take out a Pansear. I find the pier and Bianca has lost her Munna to Team Plasma. Burgh and a mysterious other want to help out. Burgh and I go chasing after them into the city. I get an Amulet Coin from the dancers, since I’m here. I equip it to Victini. We find Team Plasma just outside of the empty tower. Victinti takes out a type disadvantage Sandile (Dark is good vs Psychic after all). Level 16. I send in Snorts for another. Arm Thrust wins in one turn. Level 24 for Snorts. 1360!

Everybody (all four of us) go into the building. Ghetsis is here. Bronius is a dude with a name – dangerous. Ghetsis returns the Pokemon after getting into a debate with Burgh. Interesting. I like the motivation for these bad guys at least right now. His speeches sound reasonable. They leave without battle. Something was left behind. I am given a Yache Berry by Iris, the new character. The item left behind was a Smoke Ball – that may be how Team Plasma got in and out.

Abe Sargent

03-09-2011, 11:15 PM

Castelia City Gym

I should do well in the bug gym. I have two fire and one flying Pokemon, plus a fire attack on a fourth, so most of my team have super effective attacks. I get a fresh water at the front.

Bug trainer. Victini owned a Sewaddle with double weakness to fire. Ownage continued of a Venipede. Level 17 for my legendary. I have it switch Endure for Headbutt. Endure is not that great on a Pokemon like this. 1280! Victini takes care of more bugs from a 2nd trainer. 1344! (Remember, Amulet Coin) A 3rd trainer is Victini-handled until he wants to toss out Dwebble, which I have not seen. I leave in Victini, since this is a bug gym. It looks like a Hermit Crab. It has move really good against me. I switch to confusion. Faint Attack knocks Victini to red. Victini is now 18. 1280 again. One more trainer, but I moved Snorts to the front. 1 hit Kos of all of his dudes. Just 640. Time for the Gym Leader.

I don’t go and heal, I just move ot the Gym Leader. I trust my guys.

Ysabel vs Burgh

He sends out a new one, Whirlipede. I use Flame Charge. (Perhaps an evolved Venipede). I take it to Red in one hit. It rocks Screech to lower my defense. Hyper Pot for the leader, and another attack by me. Another H Pot, and another attack to red. It’s out. I send out a wounded Victini for Dwebble. I expect to lose, but hope to double my money (And to get rid of the Screech)., It uses a rock attack and takes out Victini. I send Snorts back out. Flame Charge by me, Sand Attack by him. I order another charge. It connects, level 25. I leave out Snorts for Leavanny – don’t know what it is. It’s pretty cool looking, and clearly an evolved Sewaddle, giving it double weakness to fire. Here we go, FLAME CHARGE!!! One hit KO! 5520 cash.

I get the insect badge. I also get TM 76 Struggle Bug, which I didn’t even see in use. All done.

Abe Sargent

03-09-2011, 11:31 PM

I pick up ten each of Great and regular Poke Balls, and get a Premier one. I also buy exactly one Escape Rope, because you never know when you’ll need one. All healed!

This time, I move Lazyeye to the front. I hope this Woobat evolves soon. Bianca challenges me! She has 4 now. She leads with Herdier and me with Lazyeye. Heart Stamp does little damage, but she flinches thrice after I use it. Then I get a crit and take it out without ever allowing it an attack or move! I switch to Chatters vs her Panpour. She uses Super Potion to keep her Panpour in the game. She withdraws it (smart) and sends out Servine. A couple of good Fury Swipes takes it down a bit, but Chatters is down. I send out Lazyeye again (Flying). Bianca uses Super Pot again, and she’s used Growth three times. This thing is going to get nasty, so I switch out for Snorts. She uses Leech Seed. I use Flame Charge. Servine bites it. Snorts reaches level 26. Lazyeye level 20. I switch to Foudre vs her Munna. After a yean I switch to Victini. She Psybeam’s me, for little damage due to both being Psychic. I use Incinerate, she uses Psybeam again. Another incinerate, and a yawn from her. I launch another and Munna is ko’d. Victini falls asleep and I switch back to Foudre. Shock Wave ends Panpour. I gain 4k.

Here we go!

Woobat is evolving! It must evolve at level 20.

It is now a Swoobat. Yay for Lazyeye!

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/9/9d/528Swoobat.png/154px-528Swoobat.png

Awesome!

I head back for a heal. On the way back I swing by the museum and the painter wants a rock type, so I grab Feldspar to show him. I take a Cheri Berry. Ok, next up is operation Get Chatters some Levels Until he Gets Good and then Leaf Stone him. I hand him an Exp Share. I intend to do more exploring of Route 4 until he gets good enough.

Abe Sargent

03-10-2011, 01:15 AM

Route 4

At first, I try to just wander around in the deep dirt and fight the Pokemon there. I do manage to level up a few people, but it’s slow going, because the XP from these dudes is pretty low – in the 150-200k range which split across two Pokemon is not much. Therefore, I head down to the little pond and fight one of the trainers and XP jacks up. Here are the levels I’ve gotten so far:

Foudre = level 22, did not take Pursuit
Judos – 22
Chatters 18 – took Leech Seed for Scratch

I move in to another fisherman trainer, with Foudre in the lead. I’m fighting a Basculin again. Foudre takes out one, but not before it’s down to 11 hp. Chatters is level 19. I switch out Fury Swipes for Bite. I send out Chatters for the next Basculin. Chatters defeats it, and gains a ton of XP. These Basculin give 600-800 XP each. I got 576.

I head to this fenced in area and talk to a chick in a pink outfit with an umbrella. I toss out Judos and she rocks Tympole. Vital Throw takes it out. Chatter sis level 20. I switch to Chatters vs another Tympole. Vine Whip is great, but Chatters gets Supersoniced. He manages a Vine Whip to ktake care of the second and final Tympole. Another 576.

In this area I find a Hyper Potion. I run into a construction worker. He dispatches Roggenrola which should get crushed by Judos. Sturdy keeps it alive for a turn at 1 hp. Seismic Toss finishes the job. Another Roggenrola is dispatched and although I initially left out Judos, I need to pull him after too many Sand Attacks. An Arm Thrust misses after a Sand Attack and Rock Throw does some damage to Snorts. Arm Thrust connects the next turn for a KO. I switch to Lazyeye for Timburr. Two turns later Timburr has bit it. 680. I find a Burn Heal with the DM (Dowsing Machine).

Judos gets to 23 fighting Sandile in the pits. I switch to Lazyeye and talk to a construction worker who offers a battle. In two turns, Timburr is defeated and Lazyeye gains a new move at level 21 – Air Cutter. I replace Gust with it. Chatters gets to level 21 as well. 760. Way back here is TM41 Torment. DM Ether.

I enter a house here. I can rest here, it’s the bunks for the construction workers. Everybody is healed – nice.

Abe Sargent

03-10-2011, 01:33 AM

I head back to the road and advance. I run into Cheren. He wants a battle. I lead with Snorts, and him with Pidove. He uses Air Cutter and does some damage but Flame Charge plus the Sandstorm takes him out. Out comes Foudre to fight against hew newly evolved starter – Dewott. Shock Wave sets us up. Sitrus Berry heals it. He uses an attack I’ve not heard of – Razor Shell, but I avoid it. A third Shock Wave ends this. I send out Victini to fight the battle of the Fire Pokemon vs Pansear. Confusion + it hitting itself kills it on the first turn. Next Pokemon is Liepard. I haven’t any idea what that is. I leave in Victini It looks super awesome. At first, I have no idea, but then I realize it’s probably an evolved Purrloin. Which means its dark vs my Psychic Pokemon. I pull Victini for Judos. It uses Pursuit first. Victini takes a ton of damage but survives. It’s Pursuit does little against Judos but Vital Throw one hit Kos his dude. 4400. Cheren and I get a call from the Prof on our phones. We need to get to the gate of Nimbasa City. I save to get ready, then heal up at the house.

I find a Burn Heal and then begin a Pokemon battle with a trainer. He has just Daramuka. I has sent out Victini. Two Confusions, it hitting itself, and two Sandstorms causes it to bite it. Chatters reaches level 22. It wants to learn Seed Bomb. Seed Bomb looks like a nice Grass mov e- 80 strength, 100 accuracy, 15 PP. I Pull out Vine Whip for it.912 for winning.

I give Chatters the Leaf Stone.

Say hello to Simisage.

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/2/24/512Simisage.png/152px-512Simisage.png

I thought it would look cooler. I switch Miracle Seed with the Exp Share.

Abe Sargent

03-10-2011, 02:13 AM

I find an Ether and then move to talk to a trainer. A battle! I’ve kept Victini in front. She has Cottonee. I burn it twice and it’s gone. Level 19. 912. I hit another just a short walk later. I Incinerate the Petilil. She uses Sleep Powder – sleeping Victini. By the time I’ve woken, Synthesis and leech Seed have rehealed Petilil. I burn again. Another Synthesis. In the sandstorm, this is killing me. I finally manage to take it out. 864. I find a Super Potion. Another trainer. I moved Judos to the front. I take out the Blitzle. 456. DM: Hyper Potion. Construction Worker. Roggenrola bites it to Judos. Lazyeye one hit Kos a Timburr. 720. Another CW trainer. Two turns to take down a Timburr by my Judos. 760 more. I find a house and enter. One gives me TM 28 Dig. Pretty powerful. The other tells me something I already know.

I face a backpacker on the road underneath the Highway. Foudre takes out a Pidove. Level 23. 456. I find Desert Resort. The Pokemon are much more powerful. The Sandile here is level 20, for example. Seed Bomb is fun. I go through a tunnel and arrive at another sand stormy area. Desert? DM: Rare Candy. I leave this place for now. Lots of Trainers. I run into a Dwebble on the way out! I switch to Foudre and Thunder Wave works, so it can’t be Ground. I suspect Rock/Bug. Go Poke Ball.

Dwebble
Level 22
Named Hermie
Bug/Rock
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/6/6b/557Dwebble.png/180px-557Dwebble.png

Abe Sargent

03-10-2011, 08:41 PM

Nimbasa City

I arrive at the enclosure that leads to Nimbasa City. I run into the Prof and Cheren here. I get some Ultra Balls. Someone is asking about electric Pokemon.

I run into an old guy from the Day Care getting hassled by two Team Plasma grunts. I move in between them and then I am attacked. Chatters takes out a Watchog. Lazyeye’s psychic attack takes out a Trubbish. 720 for me. They mention they are hiding out at the amusement park and run. The old man gives me a bike as a token of thanks. Bianca arrives and tells me she’s off to see the Pokemon Musical. I find the PC and get some healing.

Hermie doesn’t look good enough as a pokemon. Rock is a poor type to have. It’s vulnerable to way too much stuff – Steel, Fight, Grass, Water and Ground. It also takes full damage from a lot of common attacks you might think would have a problem with it – such as Bug and Lighting. The only things it’s strong against are Fire, Flying, Normal and Poison. If I am facing a Normal Pokemon, I’d rather toss out Steel or Fighting than Rock. Not every one sucks, I’ve played Tyranitar before in my Final 6. But it’s a pretty weak type, all things considered. Getting a STAB attack on Fire, Flying, Ice and Bug isn’t that great either. If you have an Electric Pokemon in your party (pretty common), you hose Flying already. A water Pokemon, which is virtually essential, hoses Fire. Fire takes out Bug, and is pretty common too. What do I need Rock for? The exceedingly rare Ice Pokemon, which almost always has another type I can use to break it?

Now Bug is interesting. It’s one of only two super effective attacks vs Dark, and if you don’t have fighting, you want Bug. I have a ton of fighting right now, so that’s not necessary, even though I’ve encountered a surfeit of Dark so far. It’s also really good against Psychic, which means you won’t have to have the typically weaker Dark Pokemon in your party. There are historically some very strong Bug Pokemon (Scyther and Scizor, Pinsir, Heracross, as examples) that you can take all of the way. They also are one of the 50 billion types that’s really good vs Grass, which reduces your need for Fire a bit and Poison a lot. Bug is only weak to the obvious Flying, Fire, and Rock. It’s super strong vs Grass, Ground and Fighting. It’s got a lot of value if it’s a strong Pokemon, and the Rock half does shore it up a bit. The combination of Rock/Bug gives you this:

Weak Defensively vs:

Rock
Steel
Water

Strong Defensively vs:

Normal
Poison

(These cancelled each other out, Fight, Flying, Fire and Grass, so they will do normal damage)

STAB Attacks vs Weak Foes:

Dark
Grass
Psychic
Flying
Bug
Fire
Ice

That’s not too bad a list, and if this guy was better in terms of stats, I might swap him in. But I already have this in my permanent three with just Fire, Fight and Psychic.

Super Good STAB attacks vs Normal, Rock, Steel, Dark, Ice, Fight, Poison, Bug and Grass.

Add in my Elect dude and I’ve added: Water, Flying.

With those four Pokemon, I am only missing STAB Super Effective attacks vs Dragon, Ghost, Ground, Fire, Elect, and Psychic. What does a Rock/Bug add to helping me get coverage for these 7? Fire and Psychic. That’s not enough for a Pokemon with not great stats. Remember that I know I will eventually have a Water Pokemon with Surf, so I know that Fire and Ground will get covered. I would also have to pull the extra Pokemon (Lazyeye or Chatters) and since I need a flier down the road, that would be Chatters. He;'s also giving me Ground coverage as well.

Abe Sargent

03-10-2011, 09:12 PM

I find a TM Machine Department at the PC. Interesting They are much more expensive than before, because they can be used and reused. I look to see if any have my interest. Of the group, the one I think is most enticing is Return, which I’ve always been fond of. With a Pokemon that really likes you, and has been with you a while, it’s basically a 100 strength normal attack, with a ton of PP and accuracy. I pick it up for 10k. If I manage to get a Normal Type Pokemon later this will be an essential for it. Almost every Pokemon can learn it too.

Next to the PC is the Battle Institute. I decide to do the challenge. No items, and all Pokemon are level 50. NM, he says I can’t do it, I haven’t finished my journey yet. Sucks I enter an arch with bright light to the right as you enter the city. I run into N again. She leads me to where Team Plasma is hiding out. So we get on the Ferris Wheel. (Nice graphics). N says she is the King of Team Plasma. Ghetsis asked her to work with him. Plasma arrives and call him My Lord N. They call him sire, but if he’s a dude, then he the most feminine looking due I’ve seen (it’s very common for characters in RPGs that have been chosen to be female to still get called male pronouns regularly – happened ALL OF THE TIME in KOTOR and KOTOR 2 for example). N battles me.

I have Victini in front vs Sandile. Not the best match – type disadvantage on ground and dark. I switch for Snorts. Arm Thrust takes it out in two tows, and I was Sand Tombed for damage. I am about to engage a Sigilyph. What’s that? Hmm. If I were to guess, I’s say Pychic or Rock. Let’s switch to Chatters to see. That is one weird looking Pokemon, and it’s flying. Type disadvantage. I swap for Foudre. He used Air Cutter, then Psybeam, and Foundre is KO’d before I could Shock Wave., Back to Victini. Incinerate ordered. It uses Air Cutter. It took virtually nothing. Nasty. Let’s try Headbutt. Do it again. I get a crit, down to low yellow. It’s so fast it’s going off first I will die with the next attack. QA will do virtually nothing. Hmm. I use Fresh Water to heal myself. Air Cutter. Then Headbutt and it faints. Whew! Chatters is now level 23. Next is Scraggy. I send out Judos. I order Judos to Vital Throw. He Brick Breaks me for virtually nothing. One hit ko. Level 24. Next is Darumaka. I stay with Judos. Revenge. He Fire Punches first, and then 100 damage fighting attack takes it out in one hit, despite no super effectiveness. 4400. N gives me some guff and runs.

Let’s explore the Amusement Park. DM: Super Repel. I find X Attack. I find the gym here. I might as well check it out. I head to the PC and heal, then head back. I teach Victini Return for Quick Attack (he needs a stronger attack than the 30 damage Incinerate and 50 Confusion).

Abe Sargent

03-10-2011, 09:44 PM

Nimbasa City Gym

The gym is an amusement park ride. I am given another Fresh Water, and now I need to figure out the gym puzzle. I take the car on the left. It did nothing. Now the right.

Trainer – Emolga. Never heard of it or seen it before now. Shock Wave but it. Victini uses Return. Spark by it. Victini Paralyzed. Headbutt. Return does more damage than Headbutt, so it’s already at the 80ish mark. Incinerate vs its Shock Wave. Victini is taken down. I send out Chatters. Seed Bomb ordered. It uses Shock Wave. Not that good. Sed Bomb is not very effective, but a crit, so it’s down. A second one is being sent out, so I order Foudre to enter the battlefield. I suspect the Emolga is Elect/Flying. I order Shock Wave of my own. It uses Double Team, and my lighting attack is at normal level, because it’s flying and elect. I use it again. It gets acrit Pursuit off, and I get off another Shock Wave. It uses Double Team again, and I try a 4th Shock Wave to finish it, and I connect. Foudre is down to 13 hp, but we took out the trainer. 7680.

Another trainer ,and I have led with Snorts. He tosses out Bliztle. Flame Charge ordered. That will also speed me up, but the attack, with nothing else – down to red. I go first and finish him. 4000 for me. Another trainer escapes from a roller coaster car and attacks. I am going up against another Blitzle. I take it out in one hit from a Flame Charge. I keep it out for another one. Same attack, now I go first, It survives the attack and uses Shock Wave. I order Ember. KO’d Blitzle. Level 27 for Snorts. 3840 dollars. A fourth trainer was also hiding in a car. Emolga uses Shock Wave, and I have Snorts Flame Charge it. The next turn, Flame Charge again. It uses Shock Wave. A third turn sees Ember burn it down. 4000 more. I am at the Gym Leader and I choose to return and heal and come back. I put Victini first in my party, and move to the Gym Leader.

Ysabel vs Elesa for Gym Badge 4

She leads with Emolga. Victini is out. She uses Volt Switch. It’s apparently like U Turn because the Pokemon switched wit another Emolga. I use Confusion. I do it again. Another Volt Switch. A third Volt Switch – annoying. Down goes Victini. I send out Snorts. I seed to end this. Flame Charge. Emolga uses the first flying attack I’ve seen with Aeriel Ace – the others neer used it, and Snorts is wounded. Elesa use Hyper Potion, another Flame Charge. I do it again. I took it out, but it’s Static has paralyzed Snorts, who has grown to level 28. I replace Ember with Take Down. I am wounded and paralyzed, but I have three Flame Charges on me, so I can go first. I switch to Foudre, because I can’t rely on getting off an attack right now.

The slightly wounded Emolga is back out. Thunder Wave. It uses Pursuit, and it’s a crit hit, but it is now Paralyzed. Shock Wave. It follows with another crit of Pursuit and takes me down with TWO crits. Go Judos. I know Type Disadvantage. Seismic Toss. It goes first. Judos is paralyzed from the static. Emolga is paralyzed and cannot move. Seismic Toss. Elesa uses another potion. Another. Judus is paralyzed and takes Aerial Ace. Again. Another Aerial Ace, but a Seismic Toss. Seismic Toss one more time Another Ace takes him out – if Paralyze had worked just once, he would’ve finished this off – go Lazyeye. Paralzye Heal used on Snorts. Emolga is paralyzed and can’t do anything. Heart Stamp used, and down goes Emolga. Level 22 for Lazyeye. He wants to send in Zebstrika. Sounds like an evolved Blitzle. Go Snorts.

FLAME CHARGE. Nope, it kills me. Go Chatters. Leech Seed. It still knows Flame Charge – yuck. I use Revive on Snorts. Flame Charge finishes off Chatters. Go Lazyeye . I use Fresh Water on Snorts. I take a Spark. Dead Lazyeye. Go Snorts, my last Pokemon, fully healed. Snorts is level 28, and the foe is level 27. This is doable.

Flame Charge! He uses Spark and hurts me bad. I use Flame Charge and gain life from Leech Seed. Flame Charge! He uses Spark. I am down to 11. Flame Charge takes it down. Leech Seed won me that. 6480!

With 11 hp on my last Pokemon, I win! I get a Bolt Badge! I also get TM72 Volt Switch. She’ll also let me cross the bridge on Route 5 to get to the next city.

Abe Sargent

03-10-2011, 11:11 PM

Let’s keep exploring the City. I want to entre Battle Subway,but before I do, a blue haired chick comes out, gives me some info about it, and a VS Recorder. I enter.

It definitely looks like a subway station. I take the single trains platform. This is like Battle Frontier stuff, so I leave. I am given a Macho Brace from a person in a tunnel/enclosure thing. I immediately give it to Judos, with his Revenge and Vital Throw moveset. I head out the left and enter Route 16. Let’s take a look around.

I run into a police officer trainer and am forced to fight Herdier. I still have Victini in front. It gets a crit on Crunch and Victini is down. Out goes Judos. Herdier is Vital Thrown for a KO. 1920! I run into a biker trainer. She has Ducklett. I toss out Chatters. Seed Bomb is ordered. It’s not super effective, so Duckett must be flying/water. Another takes it out. Chattters is level 24. I dispatch Judos for Liepard. Vital Throw. It uses Fake Out. One hit KO. Level 25 for Judos. He wants to learn a move called Storm Throw, which I’m unfamiliar with. Let’s take a look. It’s always a crit. Interesting. It’s only a 40 attack, and I don’t know how much damage that is, so I swap it in for Focus Energy. I want to test it out. 704.

I find a trainer near some grass. Chatters is facing something called Drilbur. It looks like an Ice Pokemon. That’s not good. Let’s see for sure. Bite. It uses Dig. Perhaps I should have used my seed attack. Dig is not very effect. Seed Bomb. Super Effective. Probably Ground then. 552.

Let’s move through the grass and see what I can find. I run into something….weird. Solosis. I use Thunder Wave. It uses Charm. I rock Flame Charge. Another Charm. Another Charge. It doesn’t do a lot of damage after four lowers of my attack, so I can use it to pick at the creature. The Solosis uses Hidden Power. Go Poke Ball.

Solosis
Level 19
Named Teardrop
Psychic
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/a/a2/577Yuniran.png/180px-577Yuniran.png

Abe Sargent

03-10-2011, 11:15 PM

I also run into a Trubbish. It uses Double Slap after I paralyze it. Flame Charge. It throws out Toxic Spikes. Another Flame Charge and more spikes. Go Poke Ball!

Trubbish
Level 19
Named Baggers
Poison
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/e/e2/568Trubbish.png/200px-568Trubbish.png

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 12:13 AM

A higher level wild Trubbish takes out Foudre so I head back for a heal. I look at these Pokemon and neither are anything I want/need. Since I’m back at the city, I keep exploring it.

I am given Strength in a house. A lady upstairs gave me a Soothe Bell. Someone else gives me a Sun Stone. The person tells me it will evolve Petilil. Hmm.

While exploring, Bianca finds me. She forces me to come with her to the Pokemon Musical. I am given a Prop Case for the musical. I pick Victini for this. I play Dress Up with Victini like a paper doll. Bianca then leaves me on my own. I decide to try this for laughs and send in Victini. I choose Forest Stroll as the musical. I give Victini a green head dress and dress. Nothing happened after I spent a time watching that dumb thing. No prizes, just comments. Someone I talked to here gave me TM 49 Echoed Voice. Let’s try it again, just for fun. I choose Victini for A Sweet Soiree.I go with a cane, gentleman’s hat and bow tie. Apparently I did pretty well, because when we were done, I ran across two new people outside, and they each gave me a prop. I do it again, this time with Victini for Stardom. I am using glasses, umbrella, and tennis racket. Afterwards I get a Red Barrette. Next up is Victini with Exciting Nimbasa and using/wearing – Maraca, Paintbrush and Hula Skirt and Green Barrette. Here we go. I get nothing but there are people who liked it. I take off.

Bianca is in the street talking to her dad. He wants to take her back home, but she refuses. The gym leader shows and talks him out of it. Everybody skedaddles. Time to check out the Athletic stuff. It’s a stadium practicing for a soccer match. I run into a Striker who wants to battle. Foudre ends his Ducklett quickly. 2500. Nothing else here so I leave and check out the smaller athletic building. A tennis player approaches me here and sends out Blitzle. Mine in the lower level, so I pull it out. Snorts takes it out. Foudre is now level 24. 2500 for me.

I head back, heal my Pokemon, and move back to that place I mostly avoided earlier. I enter Route 4, and then arrive at the map called Desert Resort. Let’s do some serious exploring and battling.

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 12:52 AM

Desert Resort

I run into a trainer early, and he tosses out Solosis. I had chosen to lead with Lazyeye. Assurance. Next turn it reels from another and faints. 1380. He heals my Pokemon after the battle, so he must be the Nurse of the area. Yup, I talk to him again and he’s a doctor.

I go up. Trainer #2: He sends out a Pokemon named Tranquill. It’s a bird Pokemon. Perhaps the evolved Pidove. Heart Stamp. It uses Roost. Again. Done Tranqull. Level 23. Lazyeye is still not getting a lot of stat improvements. It’s not a long term fixture for me. I move it from the front. Time to start looking for a replacement.

Let’s make this short and sweet:

Trainer #3 – Watchog vs Victini. Had to switch to Judos after confused. And damaged. Level 20 for Victini. 1104
Trainer #4 – Yamask vs Victini. (Yamask looks very eerie). Foudre out after the Ghost rapes Victini, and it falls, next is Chatters. Munna vs Chatters. Ended with Chatters Bite. 1408
Trainer #5 – Gothita vs Victini. Victory for Victini. 1536.
Trainer #6 – Maractus vs Judos. 552.
Trainer #7 – Duckett vs Victini…er…Foudre. 2880.
Trainer #8 – Darumaka vs Victini. Level 21. Blitzle vs Judos. Level 26. 2760.
Trainer #9 – Solosis vs Victini. Woobat vs Foudre. 1472.

I find: BlackGlasses, Soft Sand, Hyper Potion, Ether, Heart Scale, Super Potion, Fresh Water, Rawst Berry x2, Stardust x2, TM 39 Rock Tomb, Fire Stone.

I also run into a Sigilyph in the desert sands! It takes out Foudre before it can Thunder Wave because it somehow stopped Thunder Wave from hitting. I try a Poke Ball with it at 50%. It breaks out. I try again. Nope. A third time. Nope. Let’s try a Great Ball. Nope. Each turn it gets hit by Sandstorm, as a reminder. Another GB? Nope. A 3rd try. Got it.

Sigilyph
Level 20
Named Weerie
Flying/Psychic
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/6/67/561Sigilyph.png/200px-561Sigilyph.png

Same types as the flyer I’m trying to replace, but looks like it has much better stats.

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 01:06 AM

I head into a tower. Inside I encounter some stuff, so I keep moving, even though I can’t get past the barrier. I run into a Yamask. I can’t paralyze, because Foudre is still down, so I use Incinerate to lower it’s hp and catch it in the first throw.

Yamask
Level 22
Named Tatari (look it up in Japanese)
Ghost
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/a/a4/562Yamask.png/200px-562Yamask.png

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 01:31 AM

Relic Castle

A trainer wants to battle just inside. He uses Sigilyph. Chatters ends up taking it out after he used Whirlwind. 1536. I go heal and return. Level 22 for Victini after taking out a wild Sandile. I find a trainer and Woobat is sent out against my Foudre. I switch to Chatters vs Munna for Bite. It uses Hypnosis and Chatters has fallen asleep. It wakes up a few turns later and hits it twice more to take it out. Level 25.

There are these quicksand areas. I fall into one and fall a floor. I grab a Revive and Elixir while here, and I head back up stars. I need to figure out how to go over them. Perhaps they are the newest HM I need to cross? I try to skirt around the edge and fall down again. I figure it out by walking, instead of running, past the edges. A backpacker offers me a fossil. Which do I want – Plume or Cover? The Plume Fossil is likely a bird of some sort, so I take it. Then the backpacker tells me that it couldn’t fly, it was just a forest bird. Great. I try to head down, but this construction worker won; let me – says there is too much sand right now. I retreat.

Okay, we are done with the Castle for now, and with the desert for now too.

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 01:42 AM

I am heading back to the museum with the fossils. I swing by the art museum in Castelia City to see what the artist wants to paint today. I take Chesto Berry after showing a Sandile. The place of grass in the forest covered by the man is open, soI swing over, and immediately run into a new Pokemon – Swadloon. I grab it with one Pokeball after a Thunder Wave and a few Shock Waves.

Swadloon
Level 23
Named Bugleaf
Bug/Grass
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/2/2b/541Swadloon.png/200px-541Swadloon.png

I check the Pokedex and this is an evolved Sewaddle.

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 01:47 AM

I move one step and hit a Whirlipede, an evolved Venipede. Thunder Wave starts us out again. I try to catch it once but fail. I try to deal it some damage. Seismic Toss from Judos makes sense. The 2nd PokeBall works.

Whirlipede
Level 24
Named Wheelies
Bug/Poison
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/b/bc/544Whirlipede.png/182px-544Whirlipede.png

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 02:04 AM

I immediately start exploring this space more. I hit a level 23 Petilil. There appears to be a whole area back here. I find a Rare Candy and TM 22 Solarbeam. Snorts is now level 29. Then I run into a Tranquill. Victini level 23. 2 Poke Balls fail so I try a Great Ball. It works first time.

Tranquill
Level 23
Named Hopedown
Flying/Normal
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/a/a3/520Tranquill.png/176px-520Tranquill.png

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 02:24 AM

I see more, so I go deeper. I find a Hyper Potion. I find a place with some stones. Can’t seem to do anything here though. Okay, we are out, and let’s continue. While I am here, I head south, to that rock. I find an Ether while here with the DM. Snorts gets me a Star Piece from the rock. I hit town and give the fossil to the museum, and I get back an interesting Pokemon.

Archen
Level 25
Named Quartz
Flying/Rock
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/a/a3/566Archen.png/200px-566Archen.png

It’s already in my party, so let’s take a closer look. It has Pluck, Ancient Power, Agility and Quick Guard. I’m not familiar with Quick Guard, so I check it, and it protects the party from first priority moves like Extreme Speed and Quick Attack. Boring. Agility is not great either. Pluck is an attack that eats a berry the foe may be holding onto. As a flying attack, it does 60. Not too bad for right now, but you want better soon. Ancient Power does give me a rock attack, but it’s not one with a lot of power (just 60 again) or pp (just 5 times I can use it).

Still, at level 25, it’s easily the best flyer I have I suspect. Let me check to verify. Stats at level 25: 68, 36, 48, 29, 36. Is has a lousy ability, Defeatist. It’s stats are lowered when HP become half or less – that’s awful. Yuck.

Other flyers:

Tranquill – level 23, 46, 35, 30, 29, 39
Lazyeye – Level 23, 38, 32, 44, 32, 62
Weerie – level 20, 25, 40, 47, 41, 49

That ability is so bad, I wish I had taken the other fossil now! Things I would have done differently in this game – Water starter, take the cover fossil, um…don’t know what else.

I send him back.

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 02:45 AM

I remember Strength being needed in a couple of places in the early map, so I grab Feldspar and teach him Strength. I trade out Headbutt for it. I find a BalmMushroom with DM. I’ve never gone back to this old routes with the DM to see what was there, so I can find some stuff with it too. I find a Rare Candy. I am back at my home town. I get TM 54 False Swipe from the Prof as a reward for having a decent Pokedex. The prof told me to check out caves I’ve already been too. I should check Wellspring for hidden stuff anyway, on my way back.

I run into a whirlwind thing in the cave and hit a new Pokemon - Drilbur. I immediately use Quick Ball. It busts out. I knock it to deep yellow. It busts out of a Poke Ball. Thunder Wave won’t work because it’s a ground Pokemon. I try a Great Ball. Caught it!

Drilbur
Level 13
Named Mudrat
Ground
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/c/cf/529Drilbur.png/180px-529Drilbur.png

Thanks Professor!

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 02:17 PM

I use DM to find a, well, actually nothing, it appears to be on a patch of beach that Surf is needed for. I buy ten Pokeballs and get a Premier one. I pick up 11 Net Balls too. In order to try and find Pokemon, I check out the Pokedex. By now I’ve seen several Pokemon that I’ve not found in the wild. There is still Route 5 which I haven’t gotten to yet, of course. This can help determine if there are other Drilburs around that I might have missed the first time. Did you know that Pansage and Panour and pansear are all supposed to be in the forest? Huh. Maractus is in the desert area and I never ran into one. Huh.

I run into a trainer in the desert I hadn’t fought before. Level 30 for Snorts. Eventually I run into that Maractus. I haven’t run into any of the Sigilyph. Perhaps it’s a night creature and Maractus is a day creature, which would be the first time I’ve noticed a night/day difference in the zones. Then I accidentally run away instead of switch Pokémon damnit. NM ,I did run into a Sigilyph, so they are still here. I finally hit another one.I try a Poke Ball after half life and paralysis set in. It caught

Maractus
Level 20
Named Killer
Grass
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/3/35/556Maractus.png/135px-556Maractus.png

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 05:50 PM

Alright, let’s keep heading back! I heal my pokemon with the desert doctor. Just like what always happens, on my way out, despite not running into more than two Maractus in 15 minutes of moving around, I find another that hits me. I hit up Route 16, because I want to see if I run into any new Pokemon here right now, before evening falls. I run into a trainer moving towards a boulder for Strength to push. There is some double grass back here. I move around and find a double fight against Solosis and Liepard. We take out Solosis and get Liepard to red and paralyzed. Return for Victini is now doing some serious damage. It breaks free of a Poke Ball easily, and then another. It barely escapes from a Great Ball, so I use another. It breaks free and takes out Victini. A 3rd Great Ball seals the deal.

Liepard
Level 25
Named Lavenders
Dark
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/0/09/510Liepard.png/184px-510Liepard.png

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 05:54 PM

I run into a Minccino. This was the Pokemon that the Professor used in the first battle I saw. I switch to Foudre. We catch it easily.

Minccino
Level 19
Named Ears
Normal
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/e/ec/572Minccino.png/250px-572Minccino.png

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 06:19 PM

I teach Chatters Cut and replace Leer with it – now I can have it full time for as long as I have Chatters. I cut a tree and look behind. Behind the tree was a Rare Candy. I find a place called Lostlorn Forest back here, but I’ve not heard of it until now. Hmm.

Lostlorn Forest

I move in and immediately grab a Big Mushroom. The creatures I’m fighting so far are the same as those in the previous forest, Pinwheel. There is a trailer up ahead. Like an RV trailer. I go in. The woman inside will not talk to me. There is a cliff., but I can’t get to it, and I can’t get past the stuff where I am. Ah well, gotta head back. Foudre gets to level 25 when fighting locals. Foudre exchanges Shock Wave for Spark. As an attack, Spark does a little more damage, and it uses Foudres’s higher attack vs her special attack.

I head back to 16. I hit a trainer while trying to get to a Poke Ball in the place behind the boulder. Judos takes out the trainer. I find Tm 66 Payback here. I run into another trainer on the road. Judos vs Whirlipede. I take out the first one ,and then move to fight a second. Seismic Toss is my attack exclusively. Level 27. The Marvelous Bridge here is being checked so I head back and get a heal at the PC before heading to Route 5.

I check my captured Pokies to see if I like any. There’s only 8 boxes of storage. That’s crazy small. Maybe I can unlock more later. I do like how this game’s Pokies are all self contained to Unova. I buy another 10 set of Poke Balls and 10 more Great Balls.

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 06:49 PM

Route 5

I enter and Cheren is right behind me. He wants another test/ I’ve got Victini in front. He sends out Liepard. I switch to Judos. One Storm Throw takes it out. I switch to Foudre to fight his Tranquill. Sparks fly the round after it used detect to stop my attack on its first turn. Another turn and it’s gone. I leave out Foudre for Dewott and Spark again. He is paralyzed and uses a Sitrus Berry. He uses Focus Energy. Another Spark. He falls. Level 26 for Foudre. I leave Foudre in for Pansear. Spark! He paralyzed Pansear and doles some serious damage. Yawn vs Foudre . Spark again to take it out! Boom! Pansear fainted. 5200 for me and my team.

The gym leader arrives and begins to escort us. We run into Alder, Unova’s champion, with flaming red hair. He chastises, gently, Cheren’s crazy drive, and finds some onlookers for a Poke battle. He heals my folks. Two and two. Go Victini! He sends out Liepard. We are facing double Herdiers. Return on one. LIepard Fakes out one. The Herdier has a Sitrus Berry. Victini gets Bite. Liepard uses a weak Pursuit, Victini Return and takes out the injured Herdier. Level 24 for Victini. Ther one has a Sitrus Berry too, so it’s taking a bit to get through it. It takes out Liepard with a huge take down, but falls to the recoil.

The gym leader moves on. Cheren goes with her ,and I can finally explore Route 5.

I talk to a chef and we battle. She leads with Pansear. Confusion! It uses Yawn. Confusion again! KO’d money, sleeping Victini. Foudre vs Panpour. I leave it out for Pansage with its Flame Charge. 2 hits to take out. 1680. I enter an RV. This maid wants to buy an ingredient. What does she want? Let me check. How about a Big Mushroom? I sell for 5k. I also sell the BalmMushroom for an incredible 25k! 3 TinyMushrooms for 500k each.

I rest my Pokemon quickly and return, mainly to awaken Victini.

Trainer #2 – Victini vs Whirlipede. Again, same matchup. Level 25. I swap Flame Charge for Incinerate. 1408 yay.
Trainer #3 – Victini vs Blitzle. Chatters vs Bltizle. 1408. He gives me an Electric Guitar, prop.
Trainer #4 – Victini vs Darumaka. Foudre vs Darumaka. 1408 too.
Trainer #5 – Foudre vs Sigilyph. Level 27.

Foudre has evolved into Zebstrika!

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/a/a1/523Zebstrika.png/158px-523Zebstrika.png

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 07:16 PM

I run into Cheren and the gym leader. The drawbridge has been lowered.

I head back and into the grass in Route 5. There’s just a bit more exploring to do. Level 26 for Chatters while fighting a wild Liepard.

Trainer #6 – Chatters vs Munna.
Trainer #7 – Chatters vs Palpitoad. Evolved Tympole? Seed Bomb wins.

Found – Great Ball, Revive, Zinc, Hyper Potion

Driftveil Drawbridge

I find a Health Wing., Swift Wing x2, Pretty Wing,

Then I run into a Ducklett. I Seismic Toss is twice and then Go Poke Ball.

Ducklett
Level 25
Named Quackers
Water/Flying
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/a/af/580Koaruhie.png/200px-580Koaruhie.png

If it can learn fly and surf, and it doesn’t suck, this could be the 6th member of the team.

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 10:07 PM

Driftveil City

I grab some more wings from the sky and then move on.

Cheren and I run into Clay at a bridge into the city. Clay is the gym leader. He says Team Plasma ran in across the bridge when it was lowered and wants us to take care of it. He’ll then let us challenge his gym.

I start exploring buildings and such. I find someone willing to teach a move called Fire Pledge to Snorts. I skip it for now. It’s doesn’t sound like something that’s mega powerful like FIRE FORCE or INTENSE INFERNO or FLAME-GEDDON. Okay, I just talked to someone else in the room and they tell me it works in tandem with Grass Pledge and Water Pledge – the starters types. Nah, screw that. I’m glad I skipped it.

Someone is telling me about triple battles! Cool! Why not full 6 on 6 mega chaos battles? Let’s do one!

I send out Judos, Chatters, and Foudre. Chatters is red. He sent out Basculin, Krokorok and Zebstrika – all level 27. Krokorak is an upgraded Sandile or I’m an Abelina. Revenge on Zebstrika, Spark on Basculin, and Seed Bomb on Krokorok. The guys on the ends cannot target the one on the other end – cool! I send out Victini after Chatters goes. My Foudre and his Basculin go. I send out Snorts. Snorts and Victini team up to take out Krokorok with Flame Charge and Arm Thrust. Judos is paralyzed. Snorts Flame Charges the last for death. (Judos is now level 28, Victini level 26) 1728 cash dude.

I look for and find a PC, and I get a heal. Someone in there gives me some Repeat Balls. I pick up 51 Dusk Balls. I withdraw Ducklett after dropping of Feldspar. I give it the Soothe Bell to hold. I save. Let’s keep looking around. I accidentally found myself in Route, so I move Foudre ot the top of the party, just to see what’s out here.

I run into a Pokemon I’ve not seen – a Deerling. Flame Charge is super effective so it must be grass – I was thinking normal. Anyway, I catch it on the first ball.

Deerling
Level 23
Named Bambo
Grass/Normal
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/e/e3/585Deerling-Autumn.png/120px-585Deerling-Autumn.png

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 10:12 PM

I run around a bit and find another new Pokemon. This one is called Karrablast. Looks like a bug. Perhaps I’m lucky and this is a really strong steel Pokemon. It’s probably one or the other (or both). I paralyze it, then try and capture it. I don’t want to risk Flame Charge against what could be a bug. It uses headbutt, so I still don’t have a type idea. I caputer it first time, it had taken no damage, but paralyzed.

Karrablast
Level 22
Named Wrenchers
Bug
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/6/60/588Karrablast.png/200px-588Karrablast.png

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 10:24 PM

I start moving about. I run into more of the two above, and I just took out a Tranquill. Then I run into another new Pokemon I’ve not seen before! Thunder Wave! Spark! Spark again! Poke Ball! It busts free. Another catches it.

Foongus
Level 23
Named Toadstool
Grass/Poison
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/c/cc/590Foongus.png/200px-590Foongus.png

In all of Pokemon, I would guess that the three most common types of dual type Pokemon are Normal Flying, Bug Flying, and Grass Poison. Here’s another.

Foudre takes out a scientist’s Deerling and I get 1296. I return. On the way back, after encountering a wild Tranquill, Foudre is now 28. I find an Ultra Ball. I get a quick heal and continue searching the city. I find someone who wants to see a Pokemon who knows Torment so I grab Sandile to show her. She gives me a heart scale. I find another with DM in the market. Someone wanted me to show a level 30 Pokemon ,and Snorts is that, so I get an Expert Belt. I pick up a dozen Moomoo Milk.

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 11:04 PM

Cold Storage

There is a place to the south called….Cold Storage. I finished the city, now I need to investigate here. I run into a trainer and I have Quackers in the lead to give me a chance to see how it does. My foe dispatches Whirlipede. Good, I have type advantage. Aerial Ace. OHKO. He sends out Karrablast and I keep Quackers out with Aerial Ace. It dealt a strong amount of damage. I finish it off with Bubble Beam.
I go back for a quick heal and discover I skipped two houses. I check them out on the way back and find a guy who gives me Shell Bell. Someone wants to trade Basculin for Minccino. Interesting. Let me finish the Cold Storage, and I’ll go catch one for trade.

Trainer #2 – Quackers vs Joltik. It looks like a lightning bug, so I switch to Judos. It used Bug Bite and then Thunder Wave and then Fury Cutter. I leave out a paralyzed Judos for Dwebble and order a Storm Throw. He uses Stealth Rock. Storm Throw! He uses Smack Down. I order Seismic Toss, Defeated Dwebble. (Quick Heal to fix Judos)

There’s a bunch of grass back here. I move Foudre in front and start moving back and forth in the grass

DM: Hyper Potion, PP Up, Dive Ball; One of them gives me a Rocky Helmet (The foe is damaged if it makes physical contact via a physical move), I find Ether, Protein.

I run into a Minccino, and now is as good a time as any to catch it for tradin’. Captured on the first ball. No name given. Then I run into something else. Vanillite – looks like a ice cream thing. The first Ice pokemon? I accidentally kill it with one super effective Flame Charge. Whoops. I also run into a Herdier and Timburr. Level 26 for Quackers. I capture a level 24 Minccino in the grass while moving through it, just to get a higher level one to trade - In the older games, what you traded out was the level of the trade in.

Victini fights a worker. Out comes Pansage. I keep it in for Timburr. OHKO. 1920 for me!

I eventually run into another Vanillite. It’s storming out now. I use Confusion. It rocks with Uproar. Great Ball, go! Caught it!

Vanillite
Level 20
Named – Frosty
Ice
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/5/51/582Vanipeti.png/128px-582Vanipeti.png

This is definitely one of the stupidest Pokemon.

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 11:37 PM

I run into Cheren after getting a quick heal and returning. I see a shaky grass patch and hit it first. Yup – Audino. Good EXP and I have Quackers in front – so I use Bubble Beam. It uses Attract. I get a Bubble Beam through, and it misses with Double Slap. I miss on the 3rd turn due to love, and have half damage to a crit hidden power. I get Bubble Beam through and take it out for 1303 XP. Totally worth it. I move Victini to the point position.

Cheren and I move into a shack we suspect is hinging the Plasmites. I hate the ice caves and this with the slide-y land. I always have.

Trainer #1 – Victini vs Pansear. Had to pull for Quackers post yawn. I leave out Quackers for Timburr. 1920 for me!
Trainer #2 – Victini vs Panpour. Switch to Foudre. Victini vs Timburr. Level 27. 1920 again.
Trainer #3 – Victini vs Gurdurr. (Evolved Timburr). 2000.
Trainer #4 – Quackers vs Vanillite. Switch to Snorts. level 27 for Q. Gained Air Slash for Aerial Ace. Quackers vs Timburr. OHKO.
Trainer #5 – Snorts vs Timburr. Victini vs Timburr. Victini vs Vanillite. 1840.

I find Net Ball, TM 55 Scald, Ice Heal, Hyper Potion,

I get to the end of this level and Cheren catches up.

We find Team Plasma grunts with someone named Zinzolin.

Grunt #1 – Snorts vs Watchog. Lvl 31. I trade Heat Crash for Headbutt. Snorts vs Scraggy.
Grunt #2 – Victini vs Liepard. Switch to Judos. 1920.
Grunt #3 – Judos vs Sandile. Judos vs Watchog. Level 29. No learn Body Slam.
Grunt #4 – Judos vs Trubbish.

Then Clay and about 4 workers show up. They are arrested . Clay says I can gym him now.

I find NeverMeltIce. I check out a building hidden in the back. The door won’t open. I head to the PC, heal and move to the gym.

Abe Sargent

03-11-2011, 11:57 PM

Driftveil City Gym

As I arrive at the Gym, I see about 20 Grunts, and Ghetsis and another Sage. Ghetsis is speaking to Clay. The Plasma held hostage are freed under the power of the assembled Plasmites. (That’s my name for ‘em).

Time for the gym. I get a fresh water and am told this is underground, with many elevators. Ground type here, so Foudre sucks. I leave and pull it for Lazyeye (immune to ground attacks) and return. Chatters and Quackers are my leads here, because rock and ground stuff is bad vs fire, but I think Snorts and Victini can prove valuable occasionally to change it up.

Here we go, descending.

Trainer #1 - Chatters vs Palpitoad. Level 27 for Chatters. Quackers vs Drilbur. Bubble Beam. It goes first and slashes twice, so Quackers took some damage. 1120
Trainer #2 – Chatters vs Krokorak. 1160
Trainer #3 – Chatters vs Sandile. Level 28. Chatters vs Palpitoad. Judos vs Sandile. 1080
Trainer #4 – Chatters vs Sandile. Chatters vs Drilbur. 1120.
Trainer #5 - Chatters vs Drilbur. Level 29. 1160

I find the final elevator down. I heal Quackers and save. I move Victini to the front. I don’t want ot be forced to use one of my two mains until I know what I’m going up against, plus double money from Amulet Coin. Victini is my worst Pokemon here due to the dark in Sandile’s evolutionary group and ground attacks.

Abe Sargent

03-12-2011, 12:07 AM

Ysabel vs Clay: for the 5th Badge!

I lead with Victini. He throws out Krokorok. Use Return. It does more than half. Victini took some damage and lost speed to an attack called Bulldoze. Return again! It uses Swagger. Victini is confused. It hit itself. Return again! It uses Bite and takes out Victini. Go Judos! I want to save my two mains. Storm Throw. It uses Swagger. Judos doesn’t buy it, and takes out Krokorok. Next will be Palpitoad. I switch to Chatters. I think its water/ground and I’ve got double advantage. Seed Bomb! OHKO. His last Pokemon is Excadrill, and my guess is that’s an evolved Drilbur. Stay out Chatters. It looks awesome! Like a Gen III Pokemon. Seed Bomb! It uses Rock Slide, which causes Chatters to flinch and not attack. It goes first and took away more than half my life! Nasty. Heal won’t do any good because it will use that again. Hmm. I switch to Lazyeye. It uses Rock Slide and takes out Lazyeye. Go Judos. Judos uses Revenge. He uses Hone Claws. Attack and Accuracy of him rose. Judos is super effective, so he must have gained rock at some time. Judos, use Storm Throw. It uses Slask. Storm Throw! Bye Bye Excadrill. Level 30. 7440.

I get the Quake Badge! He wants me to wait in front of a cave on route 6 to get a TM and probably help him with something.

Abe Sargent

03-12-2011, 12:11 AM

I grab the level 24 Minccino and go to the house I met earlier. I agree to the trade

Basculin
Level 25
Named Blueeye
Water
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/9/9c/550Basculin_Blue_Stripe_Form_Dream.png/120px-550Basculin_Blue_Stripe_Form_Dream.png

This is the Blue one, there is one with Red where the blue is on this one.

Abe Sargent

03-12-2011, 12:25 AM

Bianca finds me on the way to Route 6 and challenges me. Go Victini. Against Herdier. Herdier has gotten good, Victini can take it. I switch to Snorts. Chatters heads out vs Panpour. Level 30. Victini for Servine. Victini is dying, back to Snorts. Flame Charges take it out after Snorts is knocked to 32 life. Level 28 for Victini. Go Quackres vs Musharna. I switch to Chatters. It uses hypnosis. Sleeping Chatters. I order bite until I wake up. He woke up and Bit twice, put back to sleep. After many Defense Curls, Bianca uses Hyper Potion after Chatters wakes up and bite sit to Red. Let’s try Seed Bomb. Leech Seed. Musharna uses Lucky Chant. Bite. Missed with Hypnosis. Bite. Psybeam on me. Leech Seed takes it out. 5600.

She then gives me HM 03. Fly. It replaces Air Slash on Quackers. YAY FLY!!

Abe Sargent

03-12-2011, 01:52 AM

Route 6

Trainer #1 – Victini vs Emolga. Victini vs Deerling. Paralyzed. Shift out Foudre. 3240.
Trainer #2 – Quackers vs Tympole. Foudre vs Tympole x3. Lv 29.
Trainer #3 – Quackers vs Deerling. Lv 28. 1296
Trainer #4 – Snorts vs Deerling. 1296
Trainer #5 – Snorts vs Vanillite. Sending out Frillish? I send out Foudre. Spark was super effective.

Got: Cheri Berry. Hyper Potion, Elixir

I find some shaking grass, and I move to it to fight Audino, but it’s not Audino! It’s an Emolga! I try a Quick Ball immediately. Got it!

Emolga
Level 25
Named Standard
Electr/Flying
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/b/b4/587Emolga.png/220px-587Emolga.png

Abe Sargent

03-12-2011, 02:16 AM

I go inside a building on the route. I am in a lab that researches weather and seasons. They want me to show them some Deerling after its colors change from the season. I head back out and Snorts rises to level 32.

I find a Cheri Berry, Leaf Stone.

Trainer #6 – Snorts vs Minccino. Foudre vs Emolga. 1620.

I enter a house. I get a Shiny Stone from a kid. The mother allows me to rest and heal my peops. Quackers gets to 29 fighting a wild Karrablast. I run into an Audino in another shaky grass. I finally arrive.

Abe Sargent

03-12-2011, 02:25 AM

Chargestone Cave.

Here comes Clay. The Cave has a yellow web in front of the door. He says it’s the web of a creature named Galvantula. He gives me TM 78 Bulldoze. And he’s gone. I move in.

I run into a Pokemon I’ve not seen before. Ferroseed. Sounds very much like a metal name to me, and that means a steel pokemon! It uses Gyro Ball. I accidentally crit it with Flame tackle from Foudre and it dies. As I move around, two people find me and force me forward to talk to N. They are called the Shadow Triad. N tells me a bunch oif stuff about my friends and Team Plasma, and says Ghetsis is waiting for me up ahead.

I find another Ferroseed. It uses Pin Missile. I use a Dusk ball post-paralysis. Successful.

Ferroseed
Level 24
Named Ironwood
Grass/Steel
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/2/28/597Ferroseed.png/158px-597Ferroseed.png

Abe Sargent

03-12-2011, 02:28 AM

On my way out to get healed, I run into Joltik. An easy capture.

Joltik
Level 24
Named Tickers
Electric Bug
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/f/f8/595Joltik.png/200px-595Joltik.png

Abe Sargent

03-12-2011, 02:38 AM

After moving around the grass, Quackers gets to level 30. It wants to learn Roost. I have it replace Aqua Ring. I head back to the cave and find another new Pokemon, Klink. That is a dumb looking Pokemon. It’s a pair of gears rotating. It, they?, uses charge.

Klink
Level 25
Named – Gearhead
Steel
No Gender

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/e/ea/599Klink.png/160px-599Klink.png

Abe Sargent

03-12-2011, 02:49 AM

In comes Bianca. The Prof comes in behind, and they give me advice on moving floating stones. She gives me a Lucky Egg. Killing a wild Joltik, Victini is now 29. As I move about, I run into another new Pokemon called Boldore. I take its hp down with Seismic Toss. It breaks out of a Pokeball at red health with paralysis. I try a Premier Ball. It works.

Boldore
Level 24
Named Granite
Rock
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/c/ce/525Boldore.png/200px-525Boldore.png

Since this is in the Pokedex after Roggenrola, I can only assume it is the evolution.

Abe Sargent

03-12-2011, 08:54 PM

I start exploring.

Trainer #1 – Judos vs Klink. 1392
Trainer #2 – Victini vs Archen.3720
Trainer #3 – Victini vs Boldore…switch to Chatters. Quackers vs Gurdurr. 1664
Trainer #4 – Victini vs Klink. Lv 30. 2784

I find Paralyz Heal, Revive, Heal Ball, Elixir, Hyper Potion, Iron

I run into the threesome and they force me to follow again. They tell me to take some stairs down. I head down.

Abe Sargent

03-12-2011, 10:07 PM

The second level

Trainer #1 – Quackers vs Swadloon. Lv 31. 1740. Heals me.
Grunt #1 - -Foudre vs Sandile. Switch to Judos. (4 of my 6 Pokies are good vs Sandile). Judos vs Scraggy. Judos vs Watchog. Level 31. 1040
Grunt #2 - Foudre vs Scraggy. Lev 30. 1120
Grunt #3 – Foudre vs Trubbish. Judos vs Liepard. 1080
Grunt #4 – Chatters vs Trubbish. Switch to Victini. Leave it in for two more. 2080
Grunt #5 – Chatters vs Watchog. Chatters vs Sandile. Level 31. 1080
Grunt #6 – Quackers vs Liepard. Lv 32. 1120
Grunt #7 – Quackers vs Sandile. Snorts vs Watchog. LV 33. 1080
Trainer #2 – Quackers vs Klink. Quackers KO’d, Snorts. 1392.
Trainer #3 – Snorts vs Whimsicott. Whats that? Flame Charge! It’s very fast. The next is called Tirtouga. Pirate Pokemon? Let’s switch to Foudre. It’s a sea turtle. 1800

Level 24 for Snorts after taking on some random Pokemon as I explore .

I get Nuggetx2, Paralyz Heal, Timer Ball, Thunderstone, Max Potion, Magnet

As I explore, I run into N. Snorts vs Boldore. Use Arm Thrust. It uses Smack Down. Another Arm Thrust and it falls. I keep it out for Joltik. Flame Charge! OHKO. I send out Victini to face Klink. Flame Charge! Again! Klink falls. I leave it in vs Ferroseed. Flame Charge again! It falls on one hit too. 5600.

I find stairs leading down and head down to the third floor.

Abe Sargent

03-12-2011, 11:04 PM

Level 3

Trainer #1 – Victini vs Drilbur. Switch to Chatters. Snorts vs Zebstrika. 3600
Trainer #2 – Victini vs Gothita. Foudre vs Ducklett. Judos vs Lilligant – a flower Pokie. 3480
Trainer #3 -

Level 31 for Victini fighting the locals. Judos level 32 and 33. I forget Vital Throw for Bulk Up. Level 35 and 36 for Snorts.

I acquire a Hyper Potion, Star Piece, Dark Gem, Rare Candy, Paralyz Heal, Poison Gem, Bright Powder, Revive, HP UP,

Snorts evolves into Emboar.

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/1/18/500Emboar.png/184px-500Emboar.png

Abe Sargent

03-12-2011, 11:30 PM

On my way out, I run into a new Pokemon I’ve no seen before. Was it here all this time? I immediately toss Dusk ball and catch it in one turn.

Tynamo
Level 27
Named Betta
Electric
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/5/5e/602Tynamo.png/180px-602Tynamo.png

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 12:18 AM

Mistralton City

Before I explore, let’s hit the C for a heal and to check my new captures. I buy 32 Ultra Balls. None of my new ones are worth switching to. The only one that would be temping is Emolga, and I think the stats on my electric are better. I fly home to check with the Prof and I get Tm 17 Protect for my PokeDex fillingness. Back to Mistralton.

I run into a house that has both the move delete and the move rememberer. I check and Victini once new a mega-powerful fire move. I delete headbutt for free, give her a Heart Scale to learn Searing Shot, a 100 accuracy, 100damage 5 pp move. That should make Victini lethal.

I run into someone who asks to see my Pokedex. The father of Prof Juniper. He upgrades my Pokedex. The gymleader is there too and she tells me that she is leavin to care for a sick pokemon at the top of a tower on Route 7.

Anyway, I use this as an opportunity to pick up Deerling and head to the house. I return and find TM 58 Sky Drop. Dm; Repel, Max Ether, Paralyz Heal. Someone gives me Sharp Beak as a memento. Someone in the Tower wants Sweet heart pieces. Someone in a house will tell me something cool if I can get the gym badge here. And that’s it. Two houses. A PC, A gym, an Airport, some farms, and that’s the full extent of Mistralton “City"

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 12:46 AM

Route 7

It’s raining hard. Someone gives me TM 57 Charge Beam.

Trainer #1 - Foudre vs Simisear – upgraded Pansear. Level 31. I replace Flame Charge with Stomp.

I enter a building. Someone wants to trade my Boldore for his Emolga, but I’ve already got one. I run into some new wild Pokemon, like Zebstrika.

Trainer #2 – Foudre vs Palpitoad. Time to find out If this actually is ground/water or not. It is. Go Chatters. Fighting Scolipede, upgraded Whirlipede? Go Victini. That is a nice/mean looking Pokemon. Next is Shelmet? I leave out Victini. Looks like water. I was hoping for bug by the name. Go Foudre! It uses a Bug attack against me, maybe it was a bug. Electr does normal damage Ah well.
Trainer #3 – Foudre vs Dwebble. Quackers vs Semisage. Level 33.

Back for a quick heal. Let’s head back out.

Found an Ultra Ball, Aspear Berryx2, PP Up.

Triple Battle vs a trainer. I lead with Foudre, Judos, and Quackers. My foe drops Liepard, Swoobat and Watchog. Foudre to Spark Swoobat. Judos to Storm Throw Watchog. Quackers Feather Dance Liepard. Fake Out on Judos fails to prevent its attack. Swoobat is out. Foudre to level 32. Watchog is out. Liepard is easily taken down next turn. 1920

Trainer #4 – Foudre vs Minccino.
Trainer #5 – Victini vs Swadloon. Chatters vs Semipour. Foudre vs Tranquill. 3600.
Trainer #6 – Victini vs Solosis. Lev 32. Sending out Axew. What’s that? Steel? Stay out. Fire is weak against it. It uses Dragon Claw. Perhaps it is the first evolution of a Dragonite, Salamance, Garchomp, etc. 3720

I find a house that rests us!

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 12:50 AM

Back to the rain of Route 7.

I run into a wild Watchog, and I’ve not caught or evolve one yet. I try a quick Dusk Ball. It works!

Watchog
Level 28
Named Merely
Normal
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/3/3e/505Watchog.png/80px-505Watchog.png

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 01:03 AM

Celestial Tower

I find Max Ether. I locate Celestial Tower and enter.

Pokemon are laid to rest here.

Trainer #1 – Victini vs Elgyem. It’s like a floating rocking thing. Weird. Doesn’t take much from Confusion. Normal Damage from Fire. Chattters vs Solosis. Lv 32. Foudre vs Sigilyph. Lv 33. 1920

I run into a Candle looking thing named Litwick. Immediate Dusk ball! It busts free. Let’s work it down. It is unaffected by Seismic Toss – must be ghost. I try to catch it just paralyzed. It breaks free. I slide to Quackers and its weaker Bubblebeam. It’s super effective and drops Litwick to almost red. I’m thinking ghost/fire. Let’s see. We caught it.

Litwick
Level 26
Named Tallows
Ghost/Fire
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/8/8e/607Litwick.png/100px-607Litwick.png

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 01:32 AM

Trainer #2 – Victini vs Deerling. Victini vs Gothita. Lv 33. Victini skips Reversal.
Trainer #3 – Victini vs Emolga. Judos vs Herdier. Lv 34. 3840
Trainer #4 – Victini vs Swadloon.3968

Quackers gets to level 34 by fighting wild Litwicks. Quackers does not learn Rain Dance.

Trainer #5 – Chatters vs Musharna. 1024
Trainer #6 – Foudre vs Yamask. Judos vs Golett. It’s immune to fight so switch to Foudre. Electr also doesn’t work. Ground/Ghost? Foudre is KO;d. Go Chatters. Worth virtually no XP either.
Trainer #7 – Quackers vs Litwick. Quackers is KO’d by Hex. Go Snorts. Rollout takes it down. I keep battling Swoobat. Rollout takes it out too.

Gotta return for healing. I’m back

Trainer #8 – Quackers vs Duosion (Evolved Solosis). 1024
Trainer #9 – Quackers vs Gothita. Victinini vs Alomomola – looks like a fish thing. 2480 She heals me and says she’ll continue to do so.

Found Hyper Potion, TM 61 Will-o-Wisp, Spell Tag

I come across another ghost, it’s the Elygem. Go Dusk Ball! It breaks free. I do it the old fashioned way. Got it on the next ball.

Elygem
Level 27
Named Mourners
Psychic
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/f/fd/605Elgyem.png/126px-605Elgyem.png

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 01:34 AM

Lv 35 for Quackers after taking down another wild Litwick. Quackers is evolving!

It evolved into Swanna!

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/7/76/581Swanna.png/200px-581Swanna.png

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 01:44 AM

Trainer #10 – Quackers vs Stoutland? Looks like a fully evolved Herdier. Fly! It takes me out with Thunder Fang (double weak to electr). Victini! Lv 34. 3960.
Trainer #11 – Quackers vs Swoobat. Switch to Foudre. Victini vs Gothorita. 3840

I am at the roof now. Skyla is here. She healed it. She tells me to right the bell. I ring the bell. Skyla tells me to come challenge her anytime. I use Fly and head back now.

I find Revive, TM 65 Shadow Claw.

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 03:07 AM

Mistralton City Gym

I expect Foudre to do here what Chatters did in the last gym. I get the fresh water.

Trainer #1 – Foudre vs Tranquill. Lv 34. Again. 1280
Trainer #2 – Foudre vs Ducklett. Vs Woobat. 1280
Trainer #3 – Foudre vs Ducklett. Vs Sigilyph. Lv 35. 1920
Trainer #4 – Foudre vs Unfezant? (It looks AWESOME) Evolved Tranquill? 1980
Trainer #5 – Foudre vs Swoobat. Lv 36 - I forget Spark and learn Discharge. 1320

Ysabelle vs Skyla

I send out Foudre. She sends out Swoobat. Discharge!. She sends in Unfezant after a OHKO. This one doesn’t have all of the awesome color of the other. Discharge! OHKO here as well. She sends in Swanna. I keep steady. DISCHARGE! OHKO for the win. Lv 37 for Foudre. After that gym, Foudre is my highest level dude. 4200.

I get a Jet Badge! TM 62 Acrobatics.

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 11:21 AM

The next thing I want to do is look after my new ghostly acquisitions and all of my TMs to see if I can improve my team.

N is right outside. N talks to my Pokemon. N Complements me on my relationship with my Pokemon, and says that if everyone has the sort of relations I have with my Zebstrika (Foudre) then Team Plasma wouldn’t need to exist. N’s vision is to change the world without using force. Just to befriend a legendary Pokemon and show the world to release their Pokies.

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 12:16 PM

TMs

Anyway. Time to look for TMs. Now, I’ve found these for sale if I want to add any: the four weather moves, Gyro Ball, Thunder Wave, Reflect, Light Screen, Safeguard.

Here are the ones I have:

Protect
Solar Beam – good on Sunny day teams, otherwise…
Return – for these 6, a good 100 power normal attack that uses power
Dig – 2 turn ground attack, 80 power, 10 moves
Rock Tomb – 50 power, 80 accuracy – suck
Torment – Foes cannot use same move twice in row, sucks
Rest – Goes to sleep for two turns, full restoration, largely worthless.
Attract – If the foe is the opposite gender, becomes infatuated and will only attack 50% - good
Thief – 40 power Dark attack, steals hold item. Not bad for a different Pokemon
Echoed Voice – 40 power normal attack, does more each turn it is used. Nah
False Swipe – 40 power norm attack, target is always left with one HP (for catching Pokies)
Scald – 80 power water special attack, 100 accuracy, 15 pp
Charge Beam – 50 power, special, electr, 90 acc, raises Sp Att.
Sky Drop – 2 turn flying attack, 60 power, 100 accuracy
Will-o-Wisp – Accuracy 75, gives foe a burn
Acrobatics – 55 flying power, 100 accuracy, if user is not using an item then damage is massive
Shadow Claw – 70 power, 100 accuracy, physical ghost move
Payback – 50 power dark attack, 100 accuracy, it’s like Revenge, the fight move, except revenges goes from 60 to 120. This probably goes to 100.
Retaliate – 70 power, 100 accuracy, 5 pp, if ally fainted in previous turn, extra damage
Flash – Cuts target’s accuracy
Volt Switch 0 70 power special electr attack, 100 accuracy, then switches with party member
Struggle Bug – 30 power attack, opposing sp attack is automatically reduced.
Bulldoze – 60 power ground, Target’s speed is always reduced
Work Up – Increase attack and sp attack
Grass Knot – Grass special attack, more damage to heavier foes
Rock Smash – 40 power fight

There are a few TMS that virtually everybody can learn, like Attract and Return.

Now, let’s look at my Pokies:

Snorts – Fire/Fight with 50 power Flame Charge, the weak Arm Thrust, Heat Crash with scalable damage, and Rollout. Of those, Rollout and Arm Thrust are the ones I most want to replace. I rarely use Rollout. Perhaps something else? Will-o-Wisp? I want a more powerful fight move for Arm Thrust.

Chatters - Grass. Leech Seed, Cut, Bite, 80 damage Seed Bomb. Cut’s useful, Seed Bomb is awesome, Leech Seed has its uses against foes that take awhile, but I haven’t gotten much from Bite these days. A 60 power attack without STAB just doesn’t do much against the Psychics I’m facing anymore. Solar Beam is too much. Perhaps just a simple Return? I check and I can give it Shadow Claw, still not STABed, but it does more damage and still deal 2x damage to psychic and ghost.

Quackers – Water/Flying with 90 power Fly, 65 special attack Bubble Beam, Feather Dance which double lowers attack of foe, Roost, which is a self heal. I want a more powerful water attack, so Scald might be learnable. No reason not to switch to it right now. Feather Dance is certainly useful, I use it regularly. Once I get Surf, it should be all set in terms of attacks.

Victini – Psychic/Fight – with 100 power Searing Shot, 50 power Flame Charge, Return and 50 power Confusion. A more powerful psychic attack is needed. We don’t have another right now.

Judos – Fight – Revenge, Bulk Up, Storm Throw and Seismic Toss. The all fight move set! A bit one note, and could be helped by pulling one of the fight moves for something else, just to round it out a bit. Fight attacks are weak against four types, and another is immune to it, so that reduces Judos usefulness against Ghost, Flying, Psychic, Poison and Bug. Its powerful and useful vs others. Perhaps a simple Return will give it more options in combat. Can it learn Bulldoze? Yes.

Foudre – Electr – Stomp – 65 power, Thunder Wave, Discharge, Charge. I can switch Stomp for Return for much more damage. That’s an easy swap.

So, I will switch Stomp for Return on Foudre, Scald for Bubble Beam on Quackers, Shadow Claw for Bite. I want to swing by the move relearner too, so see if I have any old moves that could help out my dudes again. Maybe Vicitni or Snorts knows an old move I can use.

Okay, Emboar has a better fight move in its past – Hammer Arm. 100 power, 90 accuracy, 10 pp, but using it decreases his speed. No psychics for Victini. I check everybody nothing – nothing of value. Alright, I force Snorts to learn Hammer Arm after deleting Arm Thrust. I use a Heart Scale.

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 12:33 PM

Back to Route 7

I head a different direction

Trainer #1 – Foudre vs Tynamo. Return was a OHKO. Foudre vs Duckett. Vs Tranquill.
Trainer #2 – Foudre vs Emolga. Victini vs Sigilyph. 1920

Victini is now level 35 after taking down a wild Zebstrika, Chatters to 33

I find: Tm 81 X-Scissor

I arrive at a new place

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 01:53 PM

Twist Mountain

I run into Cheren and he wants a battle:

Chatters vs Unfezant. The pretty one. Leech Seed. It uses Air Slash. Seed Bomb. It takes me out. Go Foudre. Discharge. Lv 38. Quackers vs Simisear. Use Scald! OHKO. L 36. Snorts vs Liepard. Hammer Arm! OHKO. Foudre vs Dewott. 3500.

Alder was watching the battle and complements us both (Unonva Champion). He gives us Surf! AWESOME. I return for a quick heal and to teach Surf to Quackers in place of Scald. Didn’t have that very long! Luckily it can learn it. I head back to the Mountain. I want to get to the next city, and then Surf and see what’s out there afterwards.

Trainer #1 (Outside on Route 7) – Chatters vs Boldore. Victini vs Gurdurr. 2176

Level 34 for Chatters when taking out a wild Zebstrika on the way back to reheal and hit he mountain again.

I run into Cheren and Clay inside. He gives us some info about Plasma and the mountain.

I run into a Gurdurr, the evolved Timburr. I switch to Foudre and Thunder Wave it. I start hitting it with Return knowing that Fight dudes usually have a strong physical defense. I send out Great Ball. I knocked it to deep in its yellow. It busts out on the last go. I try again. It busts out immediately. I try Ultra Ball. Got it in one.

Gurdurr
Level 30
Named I-Beam
Fight
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/a/ad/533Gurdurr.png/180px-533Gurdurr.png

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 02:17 PM

I head back for another heal and return. I am in a quarry looking section of the mountain. I return in another cave. Judos gets level 35 while fighting wild Boldore.

Trainer #1 – Chatters vs Woobat. OHKO w/ Shadow Claw. Vs Boldore. Lv 35. Victini vs Gurdurr. 2122
Trainer #2 – Chatters vs Throh. It Revenge takes out Chatters. Next is Quackers. 1152
Trainer #3 – Judos vs Vanillish. Victini vs Gothorita. Lv 36. Vs Duosion. 4200

I find Revive, Full Heal, Hyper Potion, Poison Gem,

I need to head back for a reheal with two almost defeated Pokies. That was a level 36 Throh. Nasty. On the way, I run into Cubchoo. Return OHKO’s it, unfortunately. Hopefully, we’ll run into another soon. I do. I use Seismic Toss this time. I catch it with one Great ball.

Cubchoo
Level 28
Named Stupid
Ice
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/7/72/613Cubchoo.png/180px-613Cubchoo.png

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 04:07 PM

Trainer #4 – Chatters vs Boldore. Quackers vs Excadrill. Lv 37. 1360
Trainer #5 – Chatters vs Swoobat. Lv 36. 1400

Snorts levels to 37 fighting a wild Gurdurr.

Trainer #6 – Snorts vs Boldore. Again. Chatters vs Boldore. 1320
Trainer #7 – Victini vs Excadrill. 2800
Doctor #1 – Victini vs Duosion. It’s raining outside now. Vs Musharna. Switch to Chatters after almost dying. Crit takes out Chatters, Quackers. Lv 37 for Victini. 4080. He heals us.
Trainer #8 – Judos vs Woobat. Vs Boldore. 1088
Trainer #9 – Quackers vs Sawk. 1152 (Sawk looks like Judo)
Trainer #10 – Quackers vs Gurdurr. Lv 38. Chatters vs Boldore. Lv 37. 1360.

I find: Star Dust x2, Moon Stone, Max Potion, Ether, Nugget, Revive, Elixir, PPUp, Ice Gem, Ultra Ball, Fire Gem, Fighting Gem, Protein, TM 91 Flash Cannon,

I find the Ice Rock at the bottom of the Quarry. Level up into Glaceon if needed. I run into Cheren and a Grunt from Plasma. The Grunt then runs.

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 04:09 PM

On the other side, someone tells me about Dragonspiral Tower. While walking through a pond, I run into a Palpitoad! I catch it with one throw.

Palpitoad
Level 31
Named Spotlight
Water/Ground
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/c/c9/536Palpitoad.png/136px-536Palpitoad.png

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 04:14 PM

keep moving through this pond, and I run into a Pokemon I’ve not seen before – Stunfisk. Go Ultra Ball!

Stunfisk
Level 32
Named Mudflop
Ground/Electric
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/d/d2/618Stunfisk.png/180px-618Stunfisk.png

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 04:16 PM

I keep moving in the pond and eventually encounter a third one. Shelmet. Ultra Ball away!

Shelmet
Level 30
Named Nauty
Bug
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/f/f6/616Shelmet.png/180px-616Shelmet.png

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 04:44 PM

Icirrus City

I find a PC. Let’s heal up and look at my new Pokies. There’s a man inside who likes mineral things. I sell him my nuggets for 10k each. I also sell star pieces, star dust, and pearls. I even sell one of my two Everstones. I buy:

21 Revives
52 Hyper Potions
31 Full Heal
12 Max Repel

(They have Blizzard, Thunder and Fire Blast TMs here for 70k each).

I find a Poke Fan Club, and the chair gives me an Exp. Share when I show him my Emboar and how I’ve raised it.

Chatters gets to lv 38 and 39 after fighting some wild Pokies in the pond area.

I find Max Revive, TM 31 Brick Break, Paralyz heal, Ultra Ball, Timer ball, Poison Barb, TM 36 Sludge Bomb.

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 07:30 PM

Surf Wars

I head back to the firs town, and then surf around to see what I can find. Hopefully, this will find me some cool items, places, and Pokemon!

I find a river on Route One and hit it. I run into a Basculin, but I already have one, and this guy is level 5. I start a list of all of the things I was able to find, dig up, was given, or won in battle.

Trainer #1 – Route 1, Victini vs Swoobat, lv 35. Two Returns takes it out. Fourde vs Semisear. Rise to Lv 39. 4200
Trainer #2 – Rte 1, Snorts vs Frillish. Hamme Arm doesn’t effect Frillish – Ghost/Water? Go Foudre. Vs Frillish again. This one is pink. 1088.
Trainer #3- Rte 1, Snorts vs Cinccino. It looks much different. Chatters vs Zebstrika. 2100.

Snorts to level 38 when fighting a wild Scraggy. I skip Assurance. I hit the ocean on Route 17, adjacent to Route 1, and begin to swim around, just looking for a Pokie friend.

I found: Max Ether, Persim Berryx2, Pearl, Big Mushroom.

I find a level 14 Frillish. I toss a Net Ball. I caught it!

Frillish
Level 14
Named Bluetail
Ghost/Water
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/2/22/Spr_5b_592_m.png

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 08:27 PM

Route 17

I come back to 17 after a heal. This is west of Route 1 and the first town.

Trainer #1 – Foudre vs Basculin x2. 1088.
Trainer #2 – Foudre vs Alomomola. Lv 40 for Foudre.

I run into a wild Almomola. It rejects a Net Ball. It breaks two more despite paralysis, so I slide o Great Ball. It breaks out of one. Alright you level 19 ponce. Dusk ball. Caught it.

Almomola
Level 19
Named Chanseal
Water
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/1/10/594Alomomola.png/150px-594Alomomola.png

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 09:53 PM

Trainer #3 – Foudre vs Basculin. Again. Lev 41.
Trainer #4 – Quackers vs Boldore. Crustle? What’s that. I leave in Quackers. Evolved Dwebble? Lv 39. 1088

Someone here is willing to give me an egg to raise, but I have a full party. I Fly back and return, after dropping off Judos. Level 39 and 40 for Snorts fighting wild Pokies. Victini 38th.

Find DeepSeaTooth

I run into a Crustle! It takes 3 Dusk Balls.

Crustle
Level 35
Named Blockers
Bug/Rock
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/1/19/558Crustle.png/180px-558Crustle.png

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 10:17 PM

Route 18

I picked up the egg.

Trainer #1 – Snorts vs Emolga
Trainer #2 – Snorts vs Basculin. Switch to Foudre. Leave it in vs Darmanitan? Looks like an evolved Darumaka. Foudre falls. Go Quackers. Leave it out for Simisage. Lv 40. I skip Tailwind. 2880.
Trainer #3 – Victini vs Whimsicott. 1680
Trainer #4 – Victini vs Garbodor – evolved Trubbish? 3360
Trainer #5 – Victini vs Frillish. Swap to Chatters. Vs Simipour. Lv 40. 1088
Trainer #6 – Foudre vs Lv 42. Skip learning Agility. Vs Frillish.

I find HM05 Waterfall. That’s a major find!

I use Strength on Snorts and replace Rollout. There are some boulders here I want to move. Then I get caught up in some water and end up in P2, and I find something major. Thunderbolt! I have it replace Discharge of Foudre.

Items: Max Elixir, Calcium, Dragon Scale, Dubious Disc, TM 24 Thunderbolt, Big Pearl, Pearl, Tm 19 Telekinesis, Heart Scale,

There is still some stuff in 17/18 deep out there, but I suspect I’ll have to come out again later.

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 11:39 PM

Surf Wars Cont

I head down Route 2 looking for water. I find nothing. I check Dreamyard. Nothing. There is a garden here in Striaton City and I surf around. I capture the other color Basculin while running around. Remember Wellspring Cave? I can really explore it now. The bottom floor needs flash, so I leave and will come back later. Route 3. Pinwheel Forest. Route 6 .

Trainer #1 – Rte 3 – Victini vs Simisage. Foudre vs Simipour. Quackers vs Simisear. 3072

I buy 23 Net Balls, Thunder Wave, Gyro ball, 20 more Dusk balls.

Items Found: Zinc, Big Pearl, Elixir, Escape Rope, Full Heal, Rare Candy, Lum Berry, HP Up, Max Ether, Star Piece, Silver Powder, Charcoal, Water Stone, Tm 84 Poison Jab, Silk Scarf. Big Mushroom, Tiny Mushroom

Abe Sargent

03-13-2011, 11:59 PM

Mistralton Cave

An old man mentioned that you could find a legendary Pokemon in this cave. It needs flash, but I figured something out. I use the TM for Flash to overwrite Return on Victini. Once I’m done, I can use Return to overwrite Flash back. I also use Strength almost immediately.

Trainer #1 – Snorts vs Drilbur. Victini vs Gurdurr. Lv 39 for Victini. 2112
Trainer #2 – Snorts vs Boldore. Lv 41 for Snorts. 1088

Things I Acquire; Elixir, Everstone, Hyper Potion x3, Max Repel, Steel Gem, Ultra ball, Hard Stone, Dark Gem,

I run into an Axew. It’s that small dragonish guy again. If I capture it, perhaps it will be this generation’s Garchomp! I try a Dusk Ball and…failure. Old fashioned way I suppose. It’s paralyzed. Let’s try another D Ball right quick. Got it!!!

Axew
Level 30
Named Smaug
Dragon
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/5/5c/610Axew.png/160px-610Axew.png

Abe Sargent

03-14-2011, 12:20 AM

I work and make it to the final level, and run into an older man who tells me some legends and myths of the world. I used Repel to get me here a little quicker. I can see the legendary from here.

More things I found Post-Smaug – Ghost Gem, TM 80 Rock Slide, PP Up, Iron, Ultra Ball, Dusk Stone, Rare Candy, Carbos, Revive

Okay, I engage the legendary creature.

Cobalion, Level 42. Lead with Thunder Wave by Foudre. Retrun does very little damage – steel? Thudnerbolt, crit, takes it to deep red. It KO’s Foudre . I toss out a random Pokemon. Here come a lot of Dusk Balls. Caught it on the 9th Ball.

Cobalion
Level 42
No Name Change
Steel/Fight
No Gender

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/6/65/638Cobalion.png/129px-638Cobalion.png

The old man talks to me and says the other two of Cobalion’s trio are waiting as well.

Can you imagine how redundant my party would be with Cobalian, Emboar AND Throh on it? I gotta try to find a place on my team for this guy, while also perhaps finding other legendaries, and Axew levels up and the Egg I have hatches, and…wow.

I had the same six Pokemon for a LONG time, and then I ditched Judos for the egg, perhaps temporarily. Now it may all be changing. What does Chatters offer my team, long term? Will there be a place for Victini after I add a bunch more legendaries?

I remember a myth stating that an old legendary was in Pinwheel Fores,t so that’s where I’m heading next.

Abe Sargent

03-14-2011, 12:32 AM

I use Escape Rope. I fly to Nacrene City and heal at the PC. I deposit Chatters and Victini and grab Axew and Cobalian. I give Smaug Exp Share and Cobalion the Soothe Bell.

The area in the back of the forest that had the crazy four stones is gone and I enter another section. It’s in front of me. Hello Verizion. Thunder Wave Foudre. It knows Giga Drain, so I gotta hit it with a Ball occasionally. It ko’d Foudre. Go Cobalion. Dusk Ball away! Misses. The third one catches it.

Virizion
Level 42
No Nickname
Grass/Fighting
No gender

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/7/79/640Virizion.png/131px-640Virizion.png

Well, taking Tepig for its ability to get fight later is looking like more and more like a bad call.

Abe Sargent

03-14-2011, 06:37 PM

Wellspring Cave

I don’t remember any clues in game as to where the third is. It’s name was Terralion or something like that. Terra is earth, or ground. Which means it could be in a cave – that’s my best guess. I don’t remember any other places that might have it that I’ve been so far, except for one – the bottom floor of Wellspring Cave. I fly back to a PC and drop off Cobalion for Victini.

I use Repel early to get to the stairs down. Next floor down, so I use Flash.

Trainer #1 – Quackers vs Scraggy. Vs Throh. Vs Sawk. 1088
Trainer #2 – Quackers vs Gurdurr. Vs Sawk. Lv 41. Lv 31 for Smaug. 1120
Trainer #3 – Victini vs Gurdurr. Vs Throh. 1120

Things I find: Max Potion, Hyper Potion, Dive ball, Revive, Mystic Water, Max Elixir, TM 52 Focus Blast, TM 47 Low Sweep.

Well, I found a few TMs, and some other cool items, but there was nothing unusual down her in any way. Back up top we go.

Abe Sargent

03-14-2011, 06:47 PM

The egg hatches as I move about.

Larvesta
Level 1
No Name Given
Bug/Fire
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/f/f4/636Larvesta.png/180px-636Larvesta.png

Hmm, I wonder what it will grow into?

Abe Sargent

03-14-2011, 07:23 PM

Icirrus City Gym

I deposit Larvesta, grab Cobalion, and head to the gym.

I get a Fresh Water after I step in. Here we go!

Trainer #1 – Victini vs Cubchoo. Again. Vs Cryogonal. It’s a giant snowflake. Smaug lv 32. 1120
Trainer #2 – Victini vs Cryogonal. 1184
Trainer #3 – Victini vs Cubchoo. 2368
Trainer #4 – Victini vs Cubchoo. Vs Vanillish. Lv 40. 2304
Trainer #5 – Victini vs Vanillish. Again. Smaug to 33. 2304
Trainer #6 – Victini vs Vanillish. Vs Cubchoo. 2304

Ysabel vs Brycen – Gym Battle

Go Cobalion. He starts with Vanillish. Iron Head attack! OHKO! Steel is really good vs Ice. He is sending in something named Beartic. Hmm. Evolved Cubchoo? Stay in Cobalion. It’s a mean looking large polar bear thing. Much like the cute little Teddiursa because big nasty Ursaring, the cute and stupid Cubchoo because Beartic. Iron Head does a lot of damage to it. It tries Brine to not much success. Use Sacred Sword! (Fight attacks are also super good vs Ice). Beartic falls. Last one of his is Cryogonal. Stay in Cobalion. His pokies are all in the high 30s, this one is 37, so I think I would have done well in his gy,m and in this battle even without a new legendary to play with. Sacred Sword! OHKO. Lv 34 for Smaug. 4680.

I get a Freeze Badge! I only need one more. Tm 79 Frost Breath.

I run into Bianca and Cheren outside and they are wondering if Cheren has changed. He’s being very introspective. The Gym Leader comes out and points that Plasmites were hiding and listening. They reveal themselves . The Shadow Triad is here. Ghetsis has a message for me, to come to Dragonspiral Tower. Lord N waits for me there. Cheren and the gym leader head off north toward the tower.

Abe Sargent

03-15-2011, 07:45 PM

For a bit, I’m going to grab Chatters, give him Lucky Egg, and move around the town, getting him levels, and getting Axew levels as well with his Exp Share. I want to get Axew to the place where he can really do some damage, and Chatters is my best grass Pokie by far, so when I need him for rock, ground or water, I can call on him, plus he takes out two of the three wild Pokemon here easily, and they are the highest level I’ve encountered, so should enable the fastest growth of Axew.

Okay, some updates.

I also came across a shiny Shelmet, level 30. I’ve only had two shinies before, a Graveller and a Buizel. This is just my third shiny!

I thought that, perhaps, my 100 strong Pokedex would warrant a prize from the Prof, but no dice.

At level 43 is Smaug, Quackers, and Chatters is at 44.

Smaug, my Axew, evolved into a Fraxure.

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/0/05/611Fraxure.png/180px-611Fraxure.png

Abe Sargent

03-15-2011, 08:31 PM

Who do I put in my party? I’ve got a Pokeproblem.

Victini is Fire and Psychic
Snorts is Fire and Fight
Cobalion is Fight and Steel

Why is my starter in my party? With Victini and Cobalion, I have fire and fight covered, plus steel and psychic – good stuff. Now, the problem is the comparison let’s look under the hood:

Victini is level 40. It’s stats are 93, 98, 84, 103, 93. It’s ability, Victory Star, boosts the accuracy of itself and its allies. It has the following moves:

Confusion – 50 power special attack
Flame Charge – 50 power physical attack
Return – 100ish power physical attack
Searing Shot – 100 power special attack

With a higher attack then special attack, Flame Charge and Return will tend to do more damage, typically. The problem with this is simple. I am relying on it as a Psychic Pokemon, and it has a 50 power psychic attack that uses its special attack, not its physical one. I don’t have a TM that can save me, such as Psychic or something. I don’t know what’s coming down the pike later, but Victini’s move,s thus far, have been really disappointing. Imagine Victini without Return and Searing Shot, which I gave it with a TM and a Heart Scale. Ick.

Snorts is level 41. His stats are 120, 58, 89, 72, 73. Its ability, Blaze ups its fire moves in a pinch.

Flame Charge – 50 power phys attack
Heat Crash - ??? power phys attack
Strength – 80 power physical normal attack
Hammer Arm – 100 power. 90 accuracy, physical fight attack

Heat Crash’s power depends on the weight of the target. The lighter the target, the more powerful the move. There are a lot of powerful Pokemon that are heavier, because evolved Pokemon are almost always bigger. Later in the game Heat Crash could be really bad as a result.

The strong thing about Snorts, is that all of his attacks are based on physical attack, and not special attack. It’s clearly his best ability.

Also, imagine him with the weak Arm Thrust and Headbutt. He’d be a weaker Pokemon. Now, finally, Cobalion.

He is level 42. He is Steel/Fight. Stats are 87, 137, 85, 68, 102. His ability raises his attack when he is hit by a Dark move. His attacks:

Helping Hand
Retaliate – 70 power phys norm attack, damage increase if ally fainted in the previous turn.
Iron Head – 80 power physical steel attack
Sacred Sword – 90 power physical fighting attack

It’s Sacred Sword will be weaker than Snorts’s Hammer Arm, but how much? Yes it’s a slightly weaker attack and yes Snorts has a much better attack, but what about the 10% of the time Snorts misses? What about the damage lost by that?

Also, Snorts is very, very weak on defense. Embarrassingly so. A 58 defense for a level 41 Pokemon is laughable. OT be fair, Cobalion’s 68 isn’t that much better for spec def, but at least Cobalion has the steel type to half damage from a majority of attacks.

My party is going to be, for sure: Smaug, Quackers, Foudre. Add in Cobalion and Victini and I’ve got room for another Pokemon. Perhaps the other legendary or Chatters. I have never failed to finish the 8 gym battles and final four without my starter. This could be the first time. Again, I wish I had taken that water starter.

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 12:22 AM

Dragonspiral Tower

Clearly. This is the next place to go. Bianca finds me at the entrance. Cedric Juniper is here too. Apparently a large group of Plasma folks charged through, and Cheren and Brycen came after. Cedric gives me an Old Gateau. There is some grass here, so I check it out first.

WHOH. I run into the COOLEST LOOKING POKEMON IN THE GAME. Dude that thing looks awesome. Druddigan. In a game of weird things like gears and snot nose pokemon, this is awesome looking. Thunder Wave! I paralyze it and toss a Dusk Ball. It jumps out. It uses Dragon Claw. I try again. I got it!

Druddigon
Level 31
Named Tanith
Dragon
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/a/ad/621Druddigon.png/180px-621Druddigon.png

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 12:31 AM

I keep looking in the grass, and perhaps I can find something else awesome here. I’ve also found Deerlings, and Tranquill. I wonder what else is here. I manage to run into a Mienfoo. I haven’t seen it before either. Interesting. It looks like a fight pokemon, another one – there have been a TON of fight Pokies in this game. I paralyze it. It falls to the first Dusk ball.

Mienfoo
Level 32
Named Stances
Fight
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/4/41/619Mienfoo.png/155px-619Mienfoo.png

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 12:47 AM

After a bit, I realize there are no more new ones here, so I head back to the PC for a quick heal of Foudre and return to the actual Tower. I check out the new dudes while here. Tanith has Rough Skin, a cool ability. Crunch, Dragon Claw, Slash and Chip Away are its moves. Stances has Inner Focus, which prevents it from flinching, a common ability among fight Pokemon. It’s moves are Double Slap, Swift, Calm Mind and Force Palm. Force Palm is just a 60 power attack. Tanith has a much better move set. Much better stats too. I wonder if Tanith evolves. If it doe,s it must be mega powerful, because this one looks pretty good. I currently have the grass/fight legendary in my party, but I could slide into another dragon, that’d be cool. Forget types, I’d just have legendaries and dragons to overwhelm you!

Dragons are good because just one type resists you – steel. You are only weak to ice and dragon attacks but strong against grass, fire, water and electric (easy to remember as Ash’s four main Pokies, or the starters plus Pikachu). Your dragon attacks only are super effective vs other dragons, so you just muscle your way through battle with stronger moves and stronger Pokemon. Many dragons can learn a wide variety of powerful attacks from various elements. I’ve regularly has dragons in my final six – Dragonite once, Garchomp twice, and Flygon once (if you count Pokemon Coliseum and XD as true games), and if you count legendaries, then I’ve had Giratina and Rayquaza and Dialga in my final six as well.

Anyway, let’s head back to the Tower. I want to explore it first.

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 12:51 AM

Just inside the Tower I hit a Pokemon I really like the look of as well, and one I’ve been waiting to find ever since I battled it a while ago – Golett. It rejects my Thunder Wave, it’s immune. I send in a Dusk Ball naked. I remember that it might have been ground/ghost. Let’s see. A second ball captures it.

Golett
Level 32
Named Automaton
Ground/Ghost
No Gender

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/a/ac/622Golett.png/180px-622Golett.png

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 01:37 AM

I keep moving in. I find a Mienfoo, so they must be inside as well.

Trainer #1 – Victini vs Vanillish. I keep it in for something named Galvantula. Ah, the evolved form of that electric/bug tik pokie. 4320
Trainer #2 – Victini vs Cubcoo. Quackers vs Darmanitan. Victini vs Leavanny. Lv 41. Flame Burst is learned and replaces Flame Charge. 4200

I get to a level that has a bunch of Grunts on the platform, plus the good guys. I move up there. Cheren and Brycen grab a bunch of grunts and tell me to run on. There are several grunts in my way.

Grunt #1 – Cobalion vs Watchog. 1360
Grunt #2 – Cobalion vs Liepard. 1360
Grunt #3 – Cobalion vs Scraggy. 1360
Grunt #4 – Cobalion vs Liepard. Again. Lv 43. 1320
Grunt #5 – Cobalion vs Watchog. Vs Scraggy. Vs Krokorok. 1280

On a level two floors up I run into a quartet of Grunts. They all attack in a row.

Grunt #6 – Foudre vs Watchog. Smaug vs Krokorok. 1320
Grunt #7 – Foudre vs Krokorok. Switch to Quackers. Switch to Cobalion after confusion. 1360
Grunt #8 – Foudre vs Trubbish. Lv 43. Smaug vs Liepard. 1320
Grunt #9 – Foudre vs Watchog. 1360

I found: TM 63 Embargo, Heart Scale, Hyper Potion, Stardust x2, Shiny Stone, Dragon Fang, Star Piece, Revive, Max Elixir.

N has captured the legendary dragon Pokemon, but he’s rather nice. No gloating, he just tells me that I need to capture it’s counterpart. I need to find the Dark Stone.

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 01:53 AM

Outside we have a pow-wow. Invoved in the Council of War, Gym Leader Brycen, Me, Cedric Juniper, Cheren, Bianca and now here comes Alder, the Unova Champion. He gives a lot of exposition, and tells me to meet him at Relic Castle. I’ve been there before, but couldn’t go down the stairs. Perhaps now I can. But first. I need to figure out if my 6th Pokemon is going to really be Virizion. Allow me to explain.

Here’s what Grass attacks are really good against: Water, Rock, and Ground. Nice! I have in my party, Foudre and Quackers. They have STABed Flying, Water, and Electric attacks. Here’s what they cover:

Grass
Bug
Fight
Flying
Water
Ground
Rock
Fire

Those three types alone account for coverage for 8 types of Pokemon. They include all of the types vulnerable to Grass. A Grass attacks adds little to my team. Now, it does add something. For example, Peliptoad is water/ground, so the Electr attacks won’t work against it. Grass is better there.

Fire adds Ice and Steel to the types I’m good against, while Psychic adds Poison. Thus, Victini, Foudre and Quackers alone have coverage of 11 of the 17 types. When you add Cobalion, which I’m not moving, and you can add Normal and Dark, giving me type coverage against 13 of the types in four Pokies. Add in Smaug and I have 14 types covered. Here are the types left: Ghost, Electric, and Psychic. Electric is only vulnerable to ground so it’s not super common to have a STAB ground attack. Ghost is only vulnerable to Ghost and Dark. Psychic is vulnerable to Dark, Ghost, and Bug. So, here;’s what’s cool – Golett is Ground AND Ghost. That means if I added it to the team, I would have a STAB attack that is super effective against every single type out there, and that’s pretty rare to see. It doesn’t look good enough, but my guess is it evolves there is a missing space past it in the Pokedex.

Of course, because of the nature of weakness, I actually am STAB attacks against almost every Pokemon already. Since a Pokie that is half one type is equally weak as one that is soley that type, the only Pokemon I am currently without a STAB attack are pure Ghost, pure Psychic, pure Electric, Elect/Psy, Elect/Ghost, and Psy/Ghost. I haven’t seen any of those mixes yet, and they are pretty awkward combinations. The pures are out there, but rememeber that I have something to hang my hat on against every Pokemon that’s Ghost, Psychic or Electric and has another type. I can surf the Ground/Electric and Thunderbolt the Flying/Psychic. I can also Dragon through anything that not’s Steel.

So, Golett would be nice, but it’s not necessary. I would like Psychic coverage, but I can do that with a Bug or Dark. I haven’t liked the Darks I’ve encountered ,but I do have that Fire/Bug I hatched out there. I haven’t much cared for the Ghosts I’ve found either.

Basically, my 6th spot is superfluous. I can play anything I want there, just something that’s powerful or redundant or fun. I could put Automaton or Tanith there and hand the Exp Share. On the other hand, it’s likely to be where the next legendary goes, so perhaps I just put a TM placeholder until I find it. Let’s go immediately to the Relic Castle.

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 02:21 AM

Relic Castle

I arrive with Cheren. The sand is cleared away and I can go down now.

Grunt #1 – Victini vs Watchog. Quackers vs Krokorok. Lv 44 Again. 2720

I intentionally fall down quicksand.

Grunt #2 – Victini vs Scraggy. Cobalion vs Watchog. 2800

Okay, NOW I’ve seen it all. I run into a sarcophagus Pokemon! It’s called Cofagrigus. It eventually killed itself by using Curse twice. I tried three Dusk balls and failed at them all, despite half life and paralysis. In run into another shortly thereafter. Thunder Wave! I catch it. It’s an evolved Yamask.

Cofagrigus
Level 35
Named - Coffins
Ghost
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/f/f8/563Cofagrigus.png/300px-563Cofagrigus.png

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 02:28 AM

Grunt #3 – Foudre vs Garbodor. 1440

I run into a Krokorok. I can’t paralyze it because its ground. It takes 8 Dusk Balls to capture, and busted out at the last second on 5 of those. That hurts my numbers of Dusk Balls a lot for the final guy. I’ve used about 15 or so on this and Coffins.

Krokorok
Level 35
Named Croatoa
Ground/Dark
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/d/d4/552Krokorok.png/180px-552Krokorok.png

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 02:42 AM

Grunt #4 – Victini vs Krokorok. Switch to Quackers. 2880
Grunt #5 – Victini vs Liepard. Switch to Cobalion. Lv 42 for Victini. Smaug vs Trubbish. Again. 2720
Grunt #6 – Cobalion vs Watchog. Vs Scraggy. Lv 44. 1400
Grunt #7 – Cobalion vs Trubbish. Vs Liepard. 1400

I run into Alder and Ghetsis and Cheren. There’s a ton of diagloue and plot exposition. Ghetsis leaves. The Dark Stone is supposedly not here. We head outside without giving me a chance to explore that final level. The prof calls and tells me to meether at the musem in Nacrnee City.

Things I acquired – Max Potion, Tm 30 Shadow Ball, Max Revive, PP Up, Sun Stone, Super Potion

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 05:33 PM

Route 8

Well, let’s head to Nacrene City after I go somewhere else to heal. I buy 51 Dusk Balls. Just in case. Both Prof Juniper are here, and Bianca and Alder. Gym Leader Lenora comes out. She presents a stone found in Desert Resort that she was researching. Alder asks me if I really want it, because that means I have to battle N if Alder falls as the Champion. I agree. They tell me to travel to the next city and fight the Gym leader there who knows a lot about dragons.

Trainer #1 – Smaug vs Frillish. Foudre vs Ducklett. 1088
Trainer #2 – Smaug vs Cincinno. 2160
Trainer #3 – Smaug vs Basculin. Lv 44. Foudre vs Basculin. 1088
Trainer #4 – Smaug vs Alomomola. 1120

I find: Full Heal, Full Restore, Pecha Berry, Ultra Ball, TM 42 Façade, Smooth Rock, TM 43 Flame Charge, TM 56 Fling

I find a place called the Moor of Icirrus, and I may return later.

I run into Bianca and she wants a battle. Smaug vs Stoutland Victini vs Serperior. Foudre vs Simipour. Lv 44. Vs Musharna. 8000. She gives me a Full Restore after battle.

On the tubeline bridge is Ghetsis with the Shadow Triad. He gives me more plot exposition and dialogue. Then leaves.

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 05:47 PM

Shopping Mall Nine

I find Shopping Mall Nine on this route. Let’s take a look around. I buy:

10 Max Repel
20 Ultra Ball
20 Timer Ball
20 Quick Ball
10 X Attack
15 X Defend
10 X Special Attack
10 X Special Defend
5 X Speed
5 X Accuracy
2 Escape Rope

They have Hyper Beam and Giga Impact for 90k each

Trainer #1 – Mall – Victini vs Minccino. Vs Lilligant. 2880
Trainer #2 – Mall – Victini vs Liepard. 11520 – lotsa dough
Trainer #3 – Mall – Victini vs Minccino. Lv 43. Foudre vs Lampent??? Evolved form of the candle Pokemon probably. 2880
Trainer #4 – Mall – Victini vs Stoutland. Victini faints after a crit Crunch. Go Quackers! 11520

I find: PP Up, Thunderstone,

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 05:57 PM

Route 9

After the tubeline bridge we arrive at Route 9, and then I hit the mall before heading out to face trainers and explore some grass.

Trainer #1 – Cobalion vs Pawniard. That looks cool. Bug/Steel? Steel/Fight? Sacred Sword was super effective, so probably steel. 1184.
Trainer #2 – Cobalion vs Krokorok. Quackers vs Garbodor.
Trainer #3 – Cobalion vs Krokorok. Vs Scraggy. 1152
Trainer #4 & #5 – Cobalion and Smaug vs Scraggy and Scraggy. 2368
Trainer #6 – Cobalion vs Scraggy.

Things Found – Lemonade

I head into the grass and find that cool looking Pawniard. I Thunder Wave it. Go Ultra Ball! Failure. Success on the next throw.

Pawniard
Level 32
Named Kabuto
Dark/Steel
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/9/9c/624Pawniard.png/180px-624Pawniard.png

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 06:00 PM

I kept moving and found a Duosion, the evolved form of Solosis. Go quick ball. Go it.

Duosion
Level 31
Named Mitosis
Psychic
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/c/ce/578Daburan.png/200px-578Daburan.png

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 06:03 PM

A short bit later, I run into Garbodor, the evolved form of Trubbish. Go Quick Ball! Gotcha!

Garbodor
Level 31
Named Otyugh
Poison
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/c/c4/569Garbodor.png/183px-569Garbodor.png

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 06:12 PM

I manage to find an HP Up, Max Ether, Full Restore, and a cave. Its guarded and I’m not allowed in yet. Quackers is level 45 after fighting wild pokies. I capture another Pawniard when I find a level 38 one in the bush. I name it Pikers. I leave the Route.

CrimsonFox

03-16-2011, 07:19 PM

These names make me giggle!
Otyugh! :)
Looks like Lint with Candy to me too.

Mitosis just pleases me. hehe

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 08:36 PM

Opelucid City

Alder is at the entrance and takes me to a section were Ghetsis and Plasma are preaching to the people. He gives his speech and leaves. Then Alder moves us to talk with Iris and Drayden. After a ton of plot, I take a detour to the PC to get healed. I return and follow Iris and Drayden to his house. A crap-ton more exposition. Afterwards, time to head out. Iris is waiting for me at the gym.

There’s a weird house where someone wants me to get a Pokemon from another world (Pokemon Black) that knows charge, and then show it to him.

There are several ways to go. Back to the Moors, north to something, east to something, and a Battle house I skipped, but I want to hit the gym now.

Items obtained: Float Stone, Ring Target, Max Repel, Gift Box (prop). Ultra Ball, Destiny Knot

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 08:37 PM

These names make me giggle!
Otyugh! :)
Looks like Lint with Candy to me too.

Mitosis just pleases me. hehe

Glad you like them!

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 09:08 PM

Opelucid City Gym

I throw Smaug in front. I get fresh water, yay. I wonder what the puzzle in this gym will be?

Trainer #1 – Smaug vs Fraxure. Mine’s 3 levels higher. Dragon Claw! OHKO. 2460 I take the Eviolite from Smaug and give it Lucky Egg. I want it to level up as quickly as possible in here.
Trainer #2 – Smaug vs Deino? It looks like a shaggy dinosaur. Dragon Claw tears through it. 2460
Trainer #3 – Smaug vs Fraxure. Lv 45. Vs Fraxure again. Dragon Claw is just eviscerating my foes. 2400.
Trainer #4 – Smaug vs Fraxure. 2460
Trainer #5 – Smaug vs Druddigon. Lv 46. First time I took damage so far. 3360
Trainer #6 – Smaug vs Deino. Vs Fraxure. Victini vs Druddigon. 4680
Trainer #7 – Smaug vs Deino. Vs Druddigon. Lv 47. 2400
Trainer #8 – Smaug vs Fraxure. Again. 3280

Okay, I am at the gym leader Iris’s platform. That took a while. I have Smaug in front, I’ve saved the game, here we go.

Ysabel vs Iris: 8th Gym Badge Battle

I lead with Smaug, and she leads with a level 41 Fraxure. Go Dragon Claw. Fraxure is down. I switch Pokemon vs the Druddigon. Go Victini! Confusion! It uses Revenge afterwards, which is not that effective vs my Psychic. Confusion again. A 3rd one. It uses some ability called Night Slash which is super effective. Yuck. Confusion. Victini is at three, and the Druddigon is deep in red. I know she’ll use Full Restore this turn, so I use it to switch to Cobalion. Sacred Sword! Revenge is super powerful vs Steel, I forgot about that. Sacred Sword again. It uses Night Slash, and that does little. Cobalion’s attack increases due to Justified, when it takes a Dark attack. One more Sacred Sword! She uses another potion. Sacred Sword is a lot more power, and with the Shell Bell, I’m healing rapidly. Another. That’s it, it falls. Lv 45 for Cobalion. She is about to send in Haxorus, so go Smaug.

I think Haxorus is the evolved Smaug, but its level 43. When do I evolve into it? It looks mega cool. I just have to hope I can out speed out. DRAGON CLAW. It goes first, but uses Dragon Dance. OHKO from Smaug, and he hits lv 48. He wants to learn swords dance, let me take a look. I have Dragon Dance, which is attack and speed. This is double attack. I stick with Dragon Dance. 10320 for us!

Hold on. Smaug is evolving after combat! Smaug is now a cool looking Haxorus. We get the Legend Badge! She also hands TM 82 Dragon Tail.

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/8/8f/612Haxorus.png/150px-612Haxorus.png

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 10:32 PM

Outside, I run into Prof Juniper who has news on how to resurrect the legendary Pokémon from the Dark Stone. She gives me the Master Ball. I intend to head back to Irricus and exploring the Moor. I think that’ll be a good first step. Actually, I think I might check out route 10 and 11 real quick to see if I can find any really cool Pokemon.

I entered the battle house and now I’m in a three way battle. I am fighting the Simi trio and I have Foudre, Quackers, and Smaug. Lv 45 for Foudre. We take them out in two turns 2340. I find another triple battler. I dispatch VIctini, Smaug and Foudre. I am paired against Elgyen, Mienfoo, and Pawniard. We take them all out on turn 1. 4680

The Route 11 way is closed right now. I am told there is a big storm on Route 7. I decide to go check it out. Wow, that is a huge storm with massive rain and thunder and lightning. I check the grass, maybe there are different Pokies out now?

Smaug levels to 49. I encountered something like 15 Pokies in the wild, but nothing different. Nobody mentions anything on the first floor of Celestial Tower. Hmm. I keep exploring. Finally something new. Grandma from the house says that That Pokemon has come again. She tells me to avoid the tall grass. She invites me inside. She offers soup. She tells me of a Pokemon named Thundurus. It creates thunderstorms. These conditions are because of it..

I save the game and head out. I see the legendary as I leave. It flies in front of me Then it flies away and the storm stops. Huh. So I assume that I can tell the running legendary by the storm, since I have nothing else. I have spent the last few weeks in Heartgold and Platinum catching the runners – I caught Cresselia, Mesprit, Entei, Raikou, Moltres, Zapdos and Arictuno all as runners. I grab a seat in front of the TV, fly to a city, and start walking in and out of the city and the rote. Then when the route is raining, I’ll try the old Repel trick to see if I can’t get it.

Abe Sargent

03-16-2011, 11:50 PM

Capturing Thundurus

Okay, I ran into storming on Route 9. Let’s try the repel trick to see if it works. I am not running into him, my Pokies must be too high of a level for the repel trick to work. What level is this guy? 40? 35? Okay, I hit it. It’s level 40. I use Thunder Wave. I want to paralyze it first. It is paralyzed, and then flees, as I expect. Now I could always just Master ball catch it. The runners are the most annoying legendaries to find. I need a hunter than it’s the high 30s. Let me take a gander at those I have available. I grab the level 38 Pawniard named Pikers. I put it in front.

I run into the storm again on Route 9. I try the repel trick again. It works, and I hit the legendary. I use Metal Claw but it’s not very effective and does virtually nothing. I hit it again before the Max Repel runs out. Slash does little damage. I get it a third time on the same M Repel. Assurance does a legit amount. It’s in the yellow.

I use a second Max Repel and hit it a 4th time. Assurance takes it to the early red. I get a 5th hit with this MR. It avoids the Metal Claw attack. 6th time. This time it hits and moves it to teh deep red. Now it’s no to attack and yes to Quick Balls. They have a massive chance to capture on the first turn, which is all you have with the runners. I hit it 7th time. Quick ball go! Nope. 8th time. 2 failed QBs.

New Max Repel. 9th hit. No good. 10th hit. It busts out at the very end. Depressing. 11th hit. No good. 12th. It busted out early. 13th. It gets all the way to the end before busting out again. Argh. 14th. Nope. 15th. Nothing.

I decide to turn off the game and take a bath. I grab a bite to eat, and then head to the bath. I can capture Thundurus. No sooner am I in the tub completely when I capture it.

Thundurus
Level 40
No Nickname
Flying. Electric
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/b/b8/642Thundurus.png/143px-642Thundurus.png

If I were to give him a nickname, it’d be Zeus.

Abe Sargent

03-17-2011, 07:39 PM

Okay, let’s talk turkey. Virizion is not something I need, type wise. That gives me a 6th slot and Thundurus makes sense there, but he duplicates things I already have. Thundurus has better stats than Foudre, despite Foudre being 5 levels higher. It’s silly to keep Foudre in the party. Thundurus’s moves are a bit wonky, but I can fix that with Thunder Wave, Thunderbolt and perhaps Fly. At that point, the only reason to keep Quackers is the water/surf thing. If I find a more powerful water Pokemon, it stands to reason that I would switch to it from Quackers. Let me take a gander and my pokies again.

Alright, I drop off Quackers and Foudre grab both Spotlight and Thundurus. Spotlight is given an Exp Share, and Thundurus a Lucky Egg. Thundurus now knows Fly, Thunderbolt, Thunder Wave and Heal Block. Whoah! I booted up Surf and guess what? Smaug can learn Surf! I may not even need a water Pokemon. Let’s take a closer look at types again:

Here’s what I am good against with Thundurus, Victini, Cobalion, Smaug.

Water
Flying
Grass
Bug
Fight
Steel
Ice
Poison
Rock
Dark
Normal
Dragon

Water adds Ground and Fire to that list. However, Spotlight is a ground Pokie, and would add STAB vs Electric. So Spotlight gives me three more, and that’s pretty sexy. That’s 15 out of 17. Only Psychic and Ghost are missing. I don’t have to go with water if I teach Smaug Surf. Perhaps someone else. Automaton gives me Ground vs Electric and Fire and Ghost vs Ghost and Psychic. Only Ground wouldn’t have a super effective STAB attack against it, but it would still have Smaug’s super effective Surf vs it, just not STABed.

I grab Automation to take a look. It doesn’t even have a Ghost attack. It can learn Shadow Ball from TM. That’s a good attack. If it can learn Earthquake later this would be an auto choice. I could leave it with the super random Magnitude. Perhaps it will learn something leveling up. Alright, I give it the Exp Share instead, and drop off Spotlight. I teach Surf to Smaug and forget Dragon Dance.

Abe Sargent

03-17-2011, 08:01 PM

Moor of Icirrus

Trainer #1 – Thundurus vs Basculin. Automaton vs Stunfisk. 1088
Trainer #2 – Thundurus vs Emolga. Same type battle! Lv 33 for Auto. Vs Alomomola. Vs Maractus. 2040
Trainer #3 – Thundurus vs Vanillish. Vs Fraxure. Lv 34 for Auto. 2100

Lv 41 for Thundurus when fighting a wild Shelmet.

Trainer #4 – Thundurus vs Frillish. Again. 1088

Items Acquires: Max Revive, Sitrus Berry x2, Nugget, Big Mushroom, Max Elixir, Max Potion, Revive, Ultra Ball, Carbos, Max Ether, Smooth Rock

Abe Sargent

03-17-2011, 09:12 PM

Route 10

Let’s hit the big route!

Trainer #1 – Thundurus vs Scrafty? Evolved Scraggy I suppose. Lv 35 for Auto. It does not learn Night Shade. Victini vs Mienfoo. 2496.
Trainer #2 – Thundurus vs Fraxure. Victini vs Eelektrik? It’s a Lamprey looking thing. Cobalion vs Accelgor. I thought it might be the evolved Krokorok, but it’s not. I have no idea what it is. 4680

I look through my Pokedex. Eelekrik is the evolved of Tynamo, which I have. Accelgor is the evolved form of Shelmet, which is really doesn’t have much of a resemblance to.

Trainer #3 – Thundurus vs Maractus. Lv 42 for T, Lv 36 for Auto. Victini vs Cryogonal. Thundurus vs Alomomola. 6400.

I run into Cheren. He wants to test me. I have Thundurus in front and he leads with a lev 43 Unfezant. Thunderbolt takes care of it. Lv 37 for Auto. Vs Samurott. His fully evolved starter at level 45. A legendary Thunderbolt carves it up. Cobalion is dispatched for Liepard. One Sacred Sword later and it has fallen. Smaug vs Simisear. Surf! Lv 38 for Auto. 4500.

He heals my dudes after the battle and congratulates me. I also get some Max Revives.

While moving through grass, I run into an Amoonguss, an evolved Foongus. Stupid name. I use Thunder Wave and then toss a Dusk Ball. It busts out and then annoyingly poisons Thundurus. I try dealing damage to it, but it just uses Synthesis to heal the damage. I try another DB. I almost get it. I try a couple more times and then Thundurus is taken out. I eventually catch it on the 6th Ball. Jeeves!

Amoongus
Level 39
Named Ballers
Grass/Poison
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/1/13/591Amoonguss.png/200px-591Amoonguss.png

Abe Sargent

03-17-2011, 09:17 PM

I run into another Pokemon I’ve not encountered before – a Bouffalant. I can’t paralyze it, so I drop its HP and try to capture it naked. It breaks free from three balls and then KO’s Cobalion. I capture it on the 4th go

Bouffalant
Level 40
Named Dabills
Normal
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/a/a4/626Bouffalant.png/175px-626Bouffalant.png

Abe Sargent

03-17-2011, 09:24 PM

I need to head back for a heal to my dudes. I return and find another new Pokemon in the grass. It’s called a Rufflet. Thunder Wave is successful. Go Dusk Ball! No good. It works the second time.

Rufflet
Level 41
Named Hawkeye
Normal/Flying
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/b/bb/627Rufflet.png/125px-627Rufflet.png

Abe Sargent

03-17-2011, 09:44 PM

Trainer #4 – Thundurus vs Sawk. Lv 43. I skip learning Discharge. 1280
Trainer #5 – Thundurus vs Gurdurr. Cobalion vs Boldore. Lv 39 for Auto. 1216.
Trainer #6 – Thundurus vs Sawsbuck? (Evolved Deerling, most likely). Victini vs Jellicent. Never seen this, I thought it was the third form of that grass/bug guy, but its an evolved form of the water/ghost thing, so I switch back. 4800
Trainer #7 – Thundurus vs Beartic. Switch to Victini. Smaug vs Seismitoad. Lv 40 for Auto. I switch Iron Defense out for Curse. The next is one I’ve not heard of Escavalier. My guess is an evolved Pawniard. Go Victini. Fire is super effective, so I may have been right. Lv 44 for Victini. 6400.

Things I Obtained: Max Potion, Hyper Potion, Dawn Stone, Dusk Stone, TM 05 Roar, Full Restore

I have arrived at the Badge Check Gates. I pass through the 8 gates.

Abe Sargent

03-17-2011, 10:07 PM

Victory Road

I am in a cave. I use a couple of Super Pots on Victini and Thundy and let’s move in. I run into a new Pokemon right near the entrance. It’s called Durant. I use Thunder Wave. It rocks Iron Head. Steel/Bug perhaps? Go Dusk Ball! Got it on the first one.

Durant
Level 40
Named Formicidae
Bug/Steel
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/1/1a/632Durant.png/180px-632Durant.png

Abe Sargent

03-17-2011, 10:17 PM

Thundurus gets to 44 after taking out a wild level 40 Basculin.

Trainer #1 – Victini vs Whimicott. Smaug vs Zebstrika. 5400

I exit the cave and head to a cliff and in some rocks, I run into another new Pokemon – Heatmor. It looks like an anteater. Thunder Wave works. Go Dusk Ball! Gotcha.

Heatmor
Level 38
Named Gunney
Fire
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/b/b0/631Heatmor.png/180px-631Heatmor.png

Abe Sargent

03-17-2011, 10:21 PM

Now, after heading inside, I hit the shaggy dinosaur, Deino. I try Quick Ball immediately. Got it!

Deino
Level 38
Named Shagzilla
Dark/Dragon
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/f/f7/633Deino.png/144px-633Deino.png

Abe Sargent

03-17-2011, 11:52 PM

The way to survive Victory Road in any game, to my mind, is to head in, get a few of the early Pokies you run into you don’t already have then use Max Repel to keep away the powerful pokies while you explore to find all of the cool items and fight all of the trainers. You can always go back to grab any pokies you missed or to level up later, but you don’t want to run into too many problems fighting the wild ones. I have three new dudes so it’s time to Repel away.

Trainer #2 – Thundurus vs Stoutland. Lv 41 for Auto. Victini vs Scolipede. 5400. I have to use antidote and healing pots after wards.
Trainer #3 – Victini vs Beheeyen. (EA evolved Elygem). Switch to Cobalion. It gets a crit Psychic vs Cobalion and I send out Automaton. It gets a crit Shadow Ball vs Automaton and takes it out – two crits in a row, ouch. Go again Victini. Smaug vs Heatmor. Vs Lilligant. 7200.

I decide to leave rather than waste more pots and revives and such. On my way out, I run into one of those swirling dust clouds and hit a new Pokemon, Excadrill, the evolved version of Drilbur. I switch to Thundy. It uses Earthquake and failed. I forgot I can’t use Thunder Wave, it’s ground. So I Heal Block it. Ah, screw it, let’s just try a Dusk Ball right now. It works!

Excadrill
Level 37
Named Moleman
Ground/Steel
Male

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/6/63/530Excadrill.png/220px-530Excadrill.png

It gained steel! Nice.

Abe Sargent

03-18-2011, 12:02 AM

All healed and we have returned.

Trainer #4 – Victini vs Simisage. Lv 45. Lv 42 for Auto. Thundurus vs Simipour. Smaug vs Simisear. 5280
Trainer #5 – Victini vs Scrafty. Shift to Cobalion. Victini vs Mienfoo. Thundurus vs Conkeldurr??? (Evolved Gurdurr is my guess). Yup. Lv 43 for Automaton. 2752

Evolution for Automaton! It is now a Golurk

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/6/68/623Golurk.png/180px-623Golurk.png

Abe Sargent

03-18-2011, 12:22 AM

I choose not to learn Heavy Slam, so let’s keep going. It still can’t learn Dig. Sigh.

Doctor #1 – Victini vs Gothorita. Vs Leavanny. 5160, and free heals whenever I want.
Trainer #6 – Victini vs Klang, evolved Klink. And I have a Fire Pokie, ahhh. Smaug vs Seismitoad. Lv 50. Vs Darmanitan. Lv 44 for Auto. 5280
Trainer #7 – Victini vs Gigalith (Evolved Boldore). Switch to Cobalion. Automaton vs Eelektross, the evolved one. It’s got Levitate. Switch to Smaug. It knows Dragon Claw, ouch. 7360

Whoah! I ran into the third Legendary back here in a cave! Let’s try it!

Here comes Terrakion! Use Thunder Wave. It works, must be Rock and not Ground. Thunderbolt takes it to middle yellow. Let’s start the Dusk Ball’ing. This may take a while! I decide to use Retaliate three times to knock it to red. Back to the balls. Caught it on the first throw after that, 4th throw total.

Terrakion
Level 42
No Nickname
Rock/Fight
No Gender

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/a/ad/639Terrakion.png/180px-639Terrakion.png

Abe Sargent

03-18-2011, 12:33 AM

I go get healed for more exploring. I found the exit, but I want to finish exploring. Thanks for the heal Doc.

Items Found – Max Revive x2, Rare Candy, Ultra Ball, TM 12 Taunt, Hyper Potion, Full Restore, Dragon Gem, Revive, Calcium, Full Heal. Nugget, Max Potion, TM 02 Dragon Claw, Flying Gem.

I find the exit and I am here at the league now. At the League I buy: 22 Dusk Balls, 22 Quick Ball, 20 Full Restore, 30 Full Heal.

I’ve used the Amulet Coin most of the game on Victini, so I have a ton of stuff. 67 Full Heals, 34 Revive, 25 Full Restore, 71 Hyper Potion, etc. I pick up 15 Max Repels here too. I rest my Pokies in the PC.

Abe Sargent

03-18-2011, 02:20 AM

Okay, I have zero knowledge of what types and Pokies I might encounter in the Final Four. So far, I’ve encountered fire/grass/water at the first gym, flying, dragon, ice, normal, bug, electric, ground. That leaves fighting, psychic, dark, ghost, steel, rock, and poison. My guess is Psychic, Dark, Ghost, Steel and Fighting are the most likely ones to see, in that order. The champion could have his own type, or could have a mix of types, I’ve seen both. Fight is good vs Dark and Steel. Flying is good vs Fight. Ghost is good vs Ghost and Psychic. I feel like I need some more experience for Automaton, since he looks to be my wringer for two battles. I head to the bathe, with the intent on getting him some levels in Victory Road.

Okay, back. And here’s what I’ve got for the final four right now.

Level 50, Smaug, Dragon, Dragon Fang
Level 50, Automaton, Ground/Ghost (With Earthquake!), Spell Tag
Level 46, Cobalion, Steel/Fight, Shell Bell
Level 46, VIctini, Fire/Psychic, Charcoal
Level 45 Thundurus, Flying/Electric, Magnet
Level 42 Virizion, Grass/Fight, Amulet Coin

This looks good against what I expect to come down the pike.

Abe Sargent

03-18-2011, 02:32 AM

Let’s battle!

I have four doors to walk in, I go in the left most one. This looks like ghosts. I put Smaug in front, but I change to Automaton.

ELITE FOUR BATTLE #!: Ysabel vs Shauntel

I lead with Automaton. She has Cofagrigus at level 48. Ick. I use Shadow Ball. I go first and hit it hard. I avoid it’s counter attack. Shadow Ball again! It falls. My next one is Jellicent, and I can’t recall what that is, so I switch to Smaug, my generically strong Pokemon. Jellicent was the water/ghost one. Dragon Claw!I hit first and then take a Shadow Ball from it. I take 70 damage, and she uses Full Restore while I Claw it again. Again! She wastes another potion. It took four Claws total, but Jellicent is down. The next is Golurk, which is what Automaton is. Hmm. I switch it up and send out Virizion. If Virizion falls, at least I get the Amulet Coin bonus to my cash. Giga Drain! I go first. It uses Shadow Punch, and deals over half my life. Giga Drain again! It uses Shadow Punch again, and Virizion is at 11 from the Drain and still standing. One more Giga Drain! Although Virizion has typically been in my party a lot, that is actually its first kill. The next is Chandelure, and I am sure that is the fully evolved form of Litwik. Go Automaton! It’s level 50 too. Shadow Ball! It goes first and uses its own S Ball and takes me to red from full of health. Mine only does roughly half damage. I switch to Virizion, who will die from the attack. Actually, Virizion dodges. Giga Drain! It uses Fire Blast, btw it knows Fire Blast, and hits and takes out Virizion. Go Smaug. Dragon Claw! I go first and…it faints! We took her out. 12000.

I use Revive and some healing pots. Next on the left.

Abe Sargent

03-18-2011, 02:42 AM

I am in and torches are lighting. Fire? I’m making a guess at Dark based on what the leader looks like. I move Cobalion to the front. Here we go.

ELITE FOUR BATTLE #2: Ysabel vs Grimsley

Cobalion is facing Scrafty, level 48. Sacred sword! It takes out over half of its life. It hits back hard with a fight attack. Cobalion finishes it the following turn. I leave it in for Krookodile, obviously the final evolution stage of Sandile. It uses intimidate. Sacred Sword! It gets in an Earthquake first, and Cobalion is out! I send in Virizion. Let’s get the Amulet Coin in. Giga Drain. It Dragon Claws me, so I know it has that. Giga Drain does roughly half damage. Again! Another Dragon Claw from my foe. Giga Drain takes it to the deep red, so a potion will come this turn. I use Giga Drain again. It uses Dragon Claw the next turn, and then Giga Drain takes it to deep red again, and I expect another potion, so I keep using it. Anotehr Claw post-potion. The G Drain finishes it off. I send out Thundurus for Liepard. Thunderbolt! It rocks Fake out and I flinch. Next turn Thunderbolt for sure! It uses Night Slash and gets a crit and takes out Thundurus. Go Smaug. Dragon Claw! OHKO. The last is Bisharp. My guess is that it’s the evolved Pawniard. I switch to Victini. It is, and this is level 50. Searing Shot! OHKO. We took him out! 12000 again.

I use revives and heals again.

Abe Sargent

03-18-2011, 02:54 AM

I have just one Giga Drain from Virizion left, so I need to save it. I move to the next door – middle right. It’s got shooting stars and a space decoration theme. What’s that? My guess is Psychic, so I move Automaton back to the front. Here we go.

ELITE FOUR BATTLE #3: Ysabel vs Caitlin

She begins with Reuniclus, the fully evolved form of Solosis and Duosion. SHADOW BALL. It takes a lot and uses Energy Ball back. Super Effective back. Again! Reuniclus is down. Automaton is now level 51. The next Pokie is Sigilyph, so I switch to Thundurus. Let’s abuse it’s flying – Thunderbolt! OHKO, nicely done Thundurus. The next is Gothitelle, probably the fully evolved form of Gothorita. I leave in Thundurus. She is level 50. Thunder Wave, paralyze her. She can’t do anything this turn. Good. Heal Block! She uses Calm Mind. Thunderbolt! Calm Mind again. Ick. Thunderbolt is not doing too much because of the Clam Mind. Psychic one hit Kos me behind two Calm Minds. Dang. I need a physical attacker. Cobalion! Iron Head. It does nothing. She tears me out. GO Smaug, let’s finish this with Dragon Claw! She uses Full Restore. Another! She goes down. Lv 51 for Smaug. Her last Pokemon is Musharna. I leave in Smaug. D Claw gets a crit and takes out Musharna in one turn. 6000.

More revives and healing.

Abe Sargent

03-18-2011, 03:08 AM

Last one. It’s got a factory look to it – Steel. I leave out Automaton. With Earthquake, I’ve got an edge. Everybody is supereffective vs Steel – 4 of my Pokies, so this should be easy compared to the last two.

ELITE FOUR BATTLE #4: Ysabel vs Marshal

It’s actually Fighting, not Steel. He tells me in the dialogue. Well, I misread it just once. Automaton is also a secret weapon vs fight (ghost take no damage from fighting moves). He begins with a level 48 Throh. Earthquake! I go first and deal roughly half ,and it uses Bulldoze back. Earthquake again! It uses Payback and knocks me to 7. Dark moves ick. We are both in red, and I know my foe will use this as a potion time, so I use the turn to switch to Thundurus. Fly! He uses Stone Edge. It takes out Thundurus after a crit. Stupid crits. Go Victini. Confusion. Bulldoze back. Confusion put it in the red. Again! He uses Full Restore. Searing Shot. It is burned. He uses Bulldoze again. Confusion! He goes first and manages to hit with Stone Edge, and then faints. Go Smaug! He uses Sawk. Let’s see how much damage Dragon Claw will deal. It takes him to red. He hits crit with Stone Edge. Claw! Sawk falls. His final Pokie is Conkeldurr. Switch to Virizion. I revive Thundurus. It uses Hammer Arm and gets a crit and takes me out. His speed falls. I send out Automaton. I use this turn before it dies to fully heal Thundurus. He takes me out with Stone Edge. Go Thundurus. Let;’s finish this. Fly! Thunder Wave. He can’t move this turn. Fly! It take shim to yellow, and again he is paralyzed. Thunderbolt. He is out. Wait, he has another Pokie, ugh. I thought we were done. I leave in Thundurus for Mienshao. Level 50. Thunder Wave to paralyze it. It uses Rock Slide. It takes me from full life to 1 hp. Fly! I get a crit and take it out with one hit at one life. Level 46. Whew! 12000

Heals and revives all around. Then we take on the champion.

Abe Sargent

03-18-2011, 03:15 AM

I only have four Dragon Claws left. I have no idea what the final Champion will have, so I temporarily move Smaug to the front.

I run into Alder and N having a major conversation. N is saying that he won to Alder. He creates a castle from the sand and rock around this area. N leaves to go the castle. Cheren and Alder are here. They tell me to go on.

Well, that was not the ending I expected. Hmm. I save the game turn it off, and will return tomorrow.

Abe Sargent

03-18-2011, 09:25 PM

N’s Castle

Let’s move into the Castle. I enter and there are Six Sages in front of me. It looks like all of their head bad guys save Ghetsis. They are about to attack when Clay, the Gym Leader arrives to help me out. Now its 6:2, or 3:1. Much better odds. Then a bunch of the other Gym Leaders arrive too – 8 in all. They tell me to go on while they hold off the Sages. Time to explore.

I run into a Shadow Triad member who tells me that I can rest and exchange pokemon. A pink haired lady who is not Nurse Joy heals my Pokemon. I am given a ton of background info on N. For example, he had no family growing up, and was surrounded by Pokemon, those that had been hurt or mistreated by people. Ghetsis made sure those were the ones he was surrounded by.

I find a Max Potion. Grunts in the castle admit they have been doing things behind N’s back as well, such as using the Pokemon released by others. Ghetsis has been the planner and organizer and manipulator of it all. There are scientists who have managed to infiltrate the storage system of people and can release all of the stored Pokemon as soon as N commands it. It also includes PC for me to change my Pokies, but I keep everything the same.

I find a Max Revive and a Grunt who is questioning Plasma, because he has come to love Pokemon. Interesting that they included this in the game. A Grunt gives me an Ultra Ball since it’s not needed any more. Someone teleported me to the Pokemon League, and then someone there teleported me back. Whew! That means I can buy more items if I need to, but I don’t.

I find a rare candy in N’s childhood room. A Full Restore is in the next room. I run into Ghetsis and get the monologue that tells all.

I run into N, and he is upset that Zekrom never manifested itself for me, and tells me I have no chance against him and his legendary Pokemon. Of course, I still have 4 in my party, plus a Dragon. A massive scene where his dragon enters and tears through walls and stuff arrives. Then the Dark Stone begins to tremble and hover over us. Suddenly, Zekrom breaks out of the Dark Stone and is free!

N is telling me that Zekrom wants to battle me and force me to grab it. He gives me a chance to capture. I save the game.

I move Thundurus to the front. Here goes. I use Thunder Wave. I go first too, it’s level 50. It uses Zen Headbutt. Takes over half of Thundurus’s life. Thunderbolt! Minor damage. I thinks it’s another dragon. Thundurus faints to Slash and I send out Smaug. I use Dragon Pulse. I go first. I get a crit and he ko’d, so I restart. Same as before. It goes to deep yellow from the Pulse. It takes Smaug to red and paralyzes him. Go Dusk Ball! He takes out Smaug, so I send out Victini and catch it on the 2nd throw.

Zekrom
Level 50
No Name
Dragon/Electric
No Gender

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/8/81/644Zekrom.png/175px-644Zekrom.png

I am given an immediate opportunity to add Zekrom to my party, so I do and replace Virizion. Then N heals me. I am given no chance to save, so if I lose, then I have to recapture Zekrom.

Here we go. The final battle against N and the champion.

Abe Sargent

03-18-2011, 09:57 PM

We both lead with our legendaries, me with level 50 Zekrom and N with level 52 Reshiram. I’ve haven’t even had a chance to give Zekrom an item or use the TM to give him Dragon Claw. I look at the moves I have available – Dragon Breath , Slash, Fusion Bolt, and Zen Headbutt. Let’s open with Dragon Breath. He uses Fusion Flare. It’s not very effective and drops me to 118 out of 160. Dragon Breath takes him to roughly 45% down, and paralyzes him. That’s a nice plus. I order it again. I go first this time and take him deep. Hyper Beam takes me deep too. He will use Full Restore I suspect, but just in case he doesn’t, I use Dragon Breath once more. He did not use it, and Reshiram has fallen.

His next Pokemon is Vanilluxe, which I suspect is the fully evolved form of that ice cream Pokie, so I switch to Victini. It’s level 50, so I order Victini to use Searing Shot. Victini goes first. Deep yellow. And it is burned. It responded with Blizzard which missed. I order another SS. N rocks a Full Restore. Another burn post SS. I use it again and take out Vanilluxe. Level 47 for Victini. The next Pokemon is Carracosta. I have no idea what that is, so I leave out Victini (One Pokie is as good as another). IT is the evolved Tirtuga, which means its water – yuck. I switch to Thundurus Then he uses Stone Edge. It takes out Thundurus with a Crit and he falls. Go Smaug. Dragon Claw! Stone Edge back does nor mal damage, and we both still in the green. I use D Claw again. I get a crit with the Claw and take out the water turtle.

The next Pokemon is Archeops, and I think that this is the evolved form of that rock/flying pokie I got. The other fossil Pokemon. Back to an injured Zekrom. I use Fusion Bolt. He goes first and knows Dragon Claw. Zekrom faints. I switch to Automaton. I use Revive on Thundurus. My foes uses Acrobatics. I heal Thundurus. Automaton faints. Go Thundurus. Let’s use Thunderbolt. IT uses Stone Edge. Which takes me out in one hit again. Damn. It’s like it has the perfect moves for my Pokies, Dragon Claw for Smaug and Zekrom, Flying for Cobalion, Rock for Victini and Thundurus. Everyone fights at a type disadvantage. I need to take this thing down. I send out Victini. I use Max Revive on Zekrom. I only have 8 and you can’t buy them in stores,. It uses Stone Edge, and Victini dodges the attack. Revive, normal, on Thundurus. Stone edge takes out Victini from full to dead. Go Zekrom. Let’s try Fusion Bolt again, this time with a full life bar to keep you from fainting to Dragon Claw. Dragon Claw took Zekrom from 160 to 78, but Fusion Bolt took out a full health Archeops in one hit – about time. Whew!

The next Pokemon is Klinklang. Cleary the evolved Klink and Klang. Victini is KO’d, but Cobalion has fighting, so I send it out. Just like his other ones, this is level 50. I use Sacred Sword. It goes first and does about more than half damage. I get Metal Sounded back and Cobalion; special defense severely fell. Another Sacred Sword takes it out.

The next Pokemon he wants to send out is Zoroark. I leave in Cobalion, since I can’t recall what that is. It looks like it may be dark. Let’s try to hit it with Sacred Sword. It uses Flamethrower first – It takes out a fully healed Cobalion with one hit. Go Smaug. Let’s try Dragon Claw. It goes first with Focus Blast. It takes out Smaug, and now I am in trouble. I have two Pokemon left, both are less than half life. I send out Thundurus. Thunder Wave or Max Revive someone. This is his last Pokemon. If I thought my level 46 Thundurus was faster than his level 50 Zoroark then I’d Thunder Wave for sure, but I don’t know. Who would survive two hits from this? I’ve seen Focus Punch and Flamethrower, and I’ve got to believe that it’s Dark from the way it looks. That leaves out Automaton, Cobalion, etc. I think a fully healed Smaug would be my best bet, so I use another Max Revive on it. It uses Night Slash and takes out Thundurus. Go Smaug! Go Dragon Claw! It goes first even vs Smaug. Focus Blast took me to yellow. Dragon Claw took Zoroark out. Level 52 for Smaug.

We did it. Whew!

10000 for us.

N is beginning to have a change of heart, and in comes Ghetsis to chide him. Ghetsis is monologue-ing again. He is threatening to kill me, but in come Cheren and Alder. Ghetsis is admitting the whole thing – lying to get Pokemon, lying to create Team Plasma, Ghetsis challenges me to battle. My Pokies appear to have healed, and he sends out Cofagrigus. I STIL HAVEN’T HAD A CHANCE TO SAVE THIS. This is really annoying.

Abe Sargent

03-18-2011, 10:51 PM

This really sucks. I order Zekrom to use Fusion Bolt. He goes first and takes Cofagrigus to red after a crit. Again! He uses Full Restore. Another crit. Nice. I order it again expecting another Full Restore, but nope, and Cofagrigus has fallen. His next is Bouffalant. These Pokies are in the 52 level range. I want to send out Cobalion, but he was recently taken out by one super effective move from a Pokie that didn’t even have a STAB attack. I could keep out Zekrom. I could dispatch Smaug. I cloud slide to Automation knowing there could not be any stab attacks from the Normal Pokie. Then I could use Curse. I don’t use Curse enough to know if it would still effect the target if Automaton falls. I could STAB Earthquake. That’s probably a safer choice. I slide to Automaton. It’s level 51 after all. I use Earthquake, and I go first. He uses it back. Neither of us took the other to yellow. It did about the same level of damage to each of us, so I could have Cursed. Ah well. I use it again. He is in red. He uses it again, and I’m in deep yellow. A third time. He does not use a potion and falls. Good job Automaton.

My foe’s next Pokemon is Seismitoad. It’s a Ground/Water Pokemon. Flying is immune to ground, ground to electric. I could toss out Thundurus and use Fly. I assume it has a good ground attack, perhaps another with Earthquake. Sending out Cobalion is stupid, and no one has a type advantage against it. I could also just send out Smaug and slog with it, but removing a STAB attack in Earthquake seems my best bet, so out goes Thundurus. I use Fly and jump up. It uses Muddy Water and I am no there. I fall down and deal very little and it uses Rain Dance. I only took out roughly 30% with Fly. I try it again. It connects with Muddy Water and I am down to yellow (as is it). The bad thing about Fly is that I could use it here, and he could use a Full Restore, and then I hit, and it takes me out. I don’t have another attack beside Thunderbolt. He hasn’t been using Restores before when he could’ve and needed to, so perhaps he has just one. I used Muddy Water a lot and I know it misses sometimes. What I could do is heal Thundurus and keep healing after every attack until his misses. It will happen. Then I use Fly and take it out. Let’s play this aggressively. I use Fly. He does not use a potion. Fly takes it out. Good job Thundurus.

His next Pokemon is Bisharp. I want to send out Victini, but dark is good vs Psychic, so I send out Cobalion. Dark/Steel is double weak vs fight. Go Cobalion. I order a Sacred Sword. We go first and OHKO it. Level 47 for Cobalion. The next Pokemon is named Hydreigon. I have no idea what that is, but it sounds like Water. I switch back to Zekrom. It doesn’t look like water, it looks like a flying, dark, dragon. I go with my gut and use Dragon Breath. It uses Dragon Pulse and kills me in one hit. Dang. It’s definitely dragon. It’s level 54. I send out Smaug, who I think is faster that Zekrom, and only gives up two levels. He goes first with Dragon Pulse – fast. He takes out Smaug in one hit too. I’ve just lost my two strongest Pokies, fully healed, in back to back turns. I send out Cobalion. It has Fire Blast and hits, of course KO’d Cobalion. I don’t get lucky with a miss. I dispatch a very wounded Victini. If Smaug and Zekrom aren’t fast enough to hit Hydreigon, then who can take him out? Will Thundurus get off a Thunder Wave before biting it? I doubt it. All of these attacks are elemental and will do normal damage to Automaton, who is badly injured. I think my only shot is to Max Revive Cobalion, and then hope my foe misses with Fire Blast and see if Sacred Sword can take it down, since I bet it’s a Dark Pokie. I do it. Down goes Thundurus. In goes Cobalion. There is a 30% chance that Fire Blast will miss, assuming it uses the same stats as previous games. Use Sacred Sword! It connects with Fire Blast. Go Victini. Max Revive Cobalion. It uses Surf? It does not kill me. I use Revive on Smaug. Dragon Pulse takes me down. Go Cobalion. It this again. Go Smaug. Max Revive Victini. I have a plan. Smaug falls. Go Victini.

New plan. I use X Special Defend., now that I have a Poke that can take a hit out already. He uses Surf. It does a lot less damage. Another! Now I use Hyper Potion to heal me. He uses Dragon Pulse and does not much. I use Revive on Cobalion. Surf on me. I use Hyper Potion on Vic. Surf again. Hyper Pot on Cobalion. Surf again. It s crit and Victini falls. Blast. And I was about to start bringing back others. I slide to Automaton. Max Revive on Victini and we’ll try this again. This is going to take a while, I’ll tell you the results in a bit.

Okay, I have a fully revived and healed Smaug, Cobalion, and Zekrom, when Victini falls to another crit with Surf. Out goes Cobalion. Let’s try Sacred Sword again. It uses Focus Blast, which it has not used until now, it also has a 70% chance of hitting, and it does, so I fall again. Go Smaug! Let’s Max Revive Victini again. Go Victini. I’m using the X Spec Def trick again.

My foe is now using Struggle, which means it has no moves left. Haha! Victini is Searing Shot’ing it. It faints! Level 51 for Zekrom. My last foe is Eelektross. Electric Pokemon. I would send out Automaton, but I had not fully healed it just a revive. I send out Zekrom. Let’s start with Dragon Breath. It replies with Crunch. Neither do a lot. Again. A third time. It is in Red and Paralyzed, and it does not attack because of that. One more time! Eelektross falls.

9720

Ghetsis is mega pissed. He is escorted out by Alder and Cheren have a Jedi conversation with N that basically says things like you can turn from the Dark Side. N has a heart to heart with me, and then the credits.

Abe Sargent

03-18-2011, 11:51 PM

Okay, time for my patented Post Game Review!

I loved a lot of new things in this game. First of all, I loved the better 3d graphics and feel of the game. It’s didn’t get in the way of the game like the 3D thing did for Coliseum and XD did sometimes. I also loved the basic plot. I liked a villain team that wasn’t so villainous sounding.

I also adored how no Pokemon from previous games where in this one. I know it’s because this is far away and whatever, but still. It gave this game its own unique flair. I also liked how I had two rivals instead of one. Smart.

In terms of Pokemon design, this has to go down as some of the dumbest Pokemon I’ve seen. A gear Pokemon? An ice cream cone, or sundae Pokemon? A snot nose Pokemon? A sarcophagus Pokemon? A garbage bag Pokemon? A candle/lantern/chandelier Pokemon? I always thought the Pokemon from Gold/Silver were the dumbest overall looking for including such winners as a Pine Cone Pokemon and Hoppip’s entire line the Kernel Pokemon and taking cool looking Pokemon and making silly looking earlier versions (Elekid, Magby). Every gen has dumb Pokemon (Jynx and Mr Mime; Glalie and Chimecho; Combee and Cherubi). But this has the most, I feel.

One of the things I didn’t like was that all of the Pokemon that are cool looking you don’t find until late and your party is set. I did switch to Golett and Axew in the late game, but there were a lot of cool looking Pokemon late game that would have balanced out the cuteness. Imagine Pawniard early or Druddigan or Durant or Heatmor.

I felt the Legendaries were too many, too early, and too useful. If I had wanted to, I could have leveled and had an all legendary team with Thundurus, Victini, Zekrom and the trio. I would have had coverage for a lot. Perhaps move Thundurus to after the Elite Four, and drop the level on the trio that is captured. That makes sense to my mind. You never used all three of the Psychic faeries from Pearl/Diamond because why would you want the exact same Pokemon three times, with a few statistical variance, but the same level and type? The most of the legendary birds I ever had in my party was two. Now, I have finished with two legendaries lots of times – Regice and Rayquaza, Ho-oh and Raikou, Articuno and Zapdos, Giratina and Azelf. I’ve never finished with three, but I thought I might with Victini early. (I don’t know why Victini never had a good Psychic attack – considering how useful it would have been vs the masses of fight Pokies, it’s a miss that I don’t like).

I remember when Psychic was super valuable against the bad guys because they always had Poison Pokies. Hypno was my highest level Pokemon in one go through the first game because I could just put it in front and sweep Team Rocket aside. Now they almost all have Dark, so you are screwed unless they send out the one poison they used – Trubbish and its evolved Garbodor. Where were the poison pokies? The Trubbish family, the Whirlipede family, and then Foongus and Amoongus. That’s three lines, and that’s not a lot.

It felt like there were a ton of Darks, so I looked it up, yup, ton of darks. It felt like a ton of fights, so I looked it up. Before this gen, there were 12 mono-fight. This one added 7. Before this gen, we had 13 more than had a second type of Fight plus. In this gen, we added 9. In all previous games, there were 25 fight, this one adds 16 in one sweeping move. Yup, a lot of fighting Pokies.

10 Rocks. 11 Ground. 10 Dragon. 7 Ice. 12 Steel. 9 Ghost. 16 Psychic. 11 Electric. 20 Grass (includes starters), 17 Water (inc starts), 15 Fire (Inc starters), 18 Bug, 18 Flying, 17 Normal. It seems they pushed some types (Steel, Dragon, Dark, Fight) and reduced others. They also seemed to have fewer single type Pokemon than before, but someone would have to check on that for me. Grass has more types than any other, and I wouldn’t have guesses that in a Urban/Suburban setting.

Abe Sargent

03-20-2011, 03:20 AM

I load the game back up. I am at home. I run into Mom and a police officer. He wants me to find the seven sages in hiding. I agree to help and he gives me a Super Rod. I haven’t gotten any rods until now. Outside are Bianca and Cheren. The Shadow Triad helped Ghetsis escape. He is still out there. Here comes the Prof. Juniper, elder (a ka Cedric). He gives us all National Pokedexes.

I check out Prof Juniper, junior in the lab and she gives me TM 10 Hidden Power for my 144 Pokedex. I am told there is a swarm of Pokies on Route 4, so I head over, run around in the sand, and find Hippopotas. That’s my first Pokemon from a previous game. I will not be giving you graphics and such for capturing the old ones.

I start exploring to see what is different. I still can’t fully explore the Dreamyard. I am heading into Pinwheel Forest and run into a shaking grass, and I encounter a Pansage, not an Audino. The Pans must be in the shaking grass in here. I may come back later to see if I can grab a Pansear and Panpour.

I spend a day finishing up Season 8 of Pokemon, which I got on bootleg, because season sets of 3, 4, 7, and 8 have never been released in the USA. I hadn’t seen 7 and 8, and I started and finished in the last week or so. Anyway, I load the game back up, and see a swarm on Route 6, so let’s head over. Thundurus was so close to leveling up that I take down an innocent Deerling and bring him to 47. I run into a level 53 Minun. I paralyze it and take it to deep red. I catch it in one go. I won’t name my new captures unless I see myself using them.

Abe Sargent

03-20-2011, 03:54 AM

The next thing I want to do is to start using the Super Rod. I want to find some good water pokies. I decide to head out to Route 17 and 18 in the water and see if that laboratory has something new post game. I suspect it will, and I can fish along the way. I cast from the waterfront in Route 1 and find just a Basculin. I run into a lot of Basculin. Then I fish a dark fishing spot, and find a level 54 Feebas. So my third Pokemon, from all of the previous games, is a massively over-leveled Feebas. Go Quick Ball. It works. I move around and get another spot and find another Feebas. I try to kill it to see how much XP I get from this 59th level one. Not much. I keep moving and try to make another fishing spot.

I’m not getting any more so I move on. Route 17. I start fishing and run into a Horsea. Go Quick Ball! Gotcha. I also run into a Finneon. Another Quick Ball is sent out – grabbed it. I can’t get a fishing/surfing spot to appear so I move on. I take a current to Route 18. I fish a darker spot that appears here and get a level 36 Seadra. Quick Ball! Got it in one. Looks like you can get leveled up versions of normal Pokies in them.

I see a sage while moving around the island! It’s Rood. He is having a crisis of faith, and gives me a great tm; TM 32 Double Team. Here comes the international cop. Rood and the cop leave together.

I run into a Lumineon on my way out in a fishing spot. I catch it. This proves that evolved forms are in the spots, so I bet a Milotic is in Route 1. It has to be!

Abe Sargent

03-20-2011, 09:06 PM

I find a Basculin, Basculin, Feebas, Basculin, Basculin, Feebas, Basculin, Basculin, Level 48 for Thundurus, Basculin, I fly back to Striaton City for a heal. Thundurus just got ko’d by a level 66 Basculin. Someone here tells me there is something going on at the Dreamyard, so I head out. And now, the cones are gone ,and I can continue. I guess that finding the sage in Route 18 was the key, because I was just here after the Elite Four. I head downstairs and see a large area.

Sunday night is TV night. I grab by DS and intend to explore and capture new Pokies. I back out of this dungeon intending to come back laters.

Here is what I catch during my explorations.

Goldeen
Seaking
Poliwag
Poliwhirl
Chinchou
Relicanth, level 60
Clamperl
Krabby
Luvdisc

Leavenny in shaking bushes

I exchange Crunch for Heal Block on Thundurus when it gets to 49.

WOWOWOWOWOW. Persistence paid off and I finally got that Milotic, a 59th level one. Now let’s see if I can capture it. Quick Ball first turn fails. Now let’s try Thunder Wave. It used Aqua Ring, so dealing damage over time is not an option. I order a Net Ball. Got it once!!! Whoot!

I name it Beautifish. Let’s go take a look. Hydro Pump, Attract, Safeguard and Aqua Ring. I kinda would prefer it still had the classic recover. I might want to teach it Surf. Some good Tms to use would be Protect, Toxic, Ice Beam, and perhaps Double Team. Milotic’s stats are at the level of Gyarados and Haxorus. It seems a little understat’td/ I’ taking a look.

For example, here is the level 47 Cobalion, which has 129 defense stat to Milotic’s 125 special defense. Considering the level difference (12), Milotic’s actual special defense should be massively higher than Cobalions actual defense – 154 to 168, just a diff of 14 – not that much. Haxorus and Milotic are both Pokies with 540 total stats in potential. Currently, despite a 7 level difference, Milotic is at 591 and Smaug at 588, virtually the same. It seems a bit under-powered for a level 59 Pokemon of significance.

I was looking for a major water Pokemon. This might be it. I wish it were flying too, then I could drop Thundurus.

Abe Sargent

03-20-2011, 11:04 PM

I head back and continue some catches:

Kingler
Barboach

Level 50 now for Thundurus. I decide to start working on getting levels to Zekrom now. I teach it Dragon Claw instead of Dragon Breath, and Thunder Wave replaces Slash. Then I move it to the front to get the XP for killing these level 56 Relicanth and such.

I move into Challenge Cave just to move around the entrance and catch some Pokies, not to explore yet. I find a Sableeye, Level 52 for Zekrom. I am searching and realize that waterfall works in Lostlorn Forest to finish exploring. I grab a Rare Candy and run into a Pansear and grab it. I then run into a level 22 Lilligant, and I grab it too. I then find a Panpour, so I have the Pan-set.

Abe Sargent

03-21-2011, 12:34 AM

Dreamyard Basement

Trainer #1 – Zekrom vs Drowzee – level 63! Vs Hypno. Victini vs Mushrana. Lv 48 for Victini. 3024. I need to get healed and then return.
Trainer #2 – Zekrom vs Poliwhirl. Lv 53. Victini vs Mushrana again. Vs Parasect. Lv 49. I swap out Confusion for Zen Headbutt and Victini finally has a real Psychic attack. 3024.
Trainer #3 – Zekrom vs Beldum. Cobalion vs Metang. Smaug vs Beheeyem. Vs Reuniclus. 2016. I need another heal.
Trainer #4 – Smaug vs Jigglypuff. Lv 53. Vs Musharna. Smaug is quickly KO’d. Ouch. Go Victini. 3072.
Trainer #5 – Zekrom vs Natu. Vs Banette. Lv 54. Vs Xatu. 2048. I get healed again.
Trainer #6 – Smaug vs Musharna. Cobalion vs Stantler. Lv 48. 3072.
Trainer #7 – Smaug vs Starmie. Victini vs Wobboffet. Victini is KO’d. Go Zekrom. Lv 55. 2080

I go up some stairs and here is a seer. It’s Gorm. He is being very introspective about the effectiveness of the methods of Team Plasma. He gives me TM 75 Swords Dance. The cop arrives and takes Gorm away.

I find a Twisted Spoon, Hyper Potion, Max Potion, TM 85 Dream Eater.

I run into a Raticate outside and catch it. Level 54 for Smaug, 49 for Cobalion, 56 for Zekrom. I also capture a Kricketune, Ariados, Venomoth, Ledian.

Abe Sargent

03-21-2011, 01:45 AM

Route 11

I’m told there is a Poke Outbreak at Route 14, which I have not unlocked. Let's start getting there!

I run into a Zangoose as soon as I enter. I also capture Golduck, and then I see a need for Waterfall l here so I leave to switch in a waterfall Basculin.

Trainer #1 – Victini vs Croagunk. 1560.
Trainer #2 – Zekrom vs Rapidash. Lv 57. Cobalion vs Cacturne. Thundurus vs Mantine. Lv 51. 3840.
Trainer #3 – Cobalion vs Snover. Go Victini. Lv 50 for Cobalion. 1560
Trainer #4 – Cobalion vs Dewgong. Victini vs Pinsir. Lv 50. Zekrom vs Pelipper. 3840

I surf into a Buizel. I run into and capture Gligar, Seviper, as well as evolved versions of Black/White Pokemon in Bisharp and Braviary.

Things I find of consequence: Tm 50 Overheat, Max Revive, Protector

Abe Sargent

03-21-2011, 02:19 AM

Village Bridge

Trainer #1 – Victini vs Zubat. Vs Slugma. Lv 51 Cobalion vs Poochyena. Vs Electrike. Zekrom vs Doduo. Cobalion vs Nosepass. 1200
Trainer #2 – Cobalion vs Amoonguss. Lv 51. Vs Seviper. Vs Ekans. Vs Grimer. 2976
Trainer #3 – Cobalion vs Combee. Vs Ursaring. Lv 52. 2560

This baker hires me to waitress the people, so I decide to try it out. I run into a house where the person allows me to rest and recover my Pokemon. I run into a guy who wants to see a different Pokemon caught each day, and today it’s Feebas.

I capture a Bibarel, Carvanha

Important Findings – Leftovers, Calcium. HP Up,

Abe Sargent

03-21-2011, 07:51 PM

Route 12

Trainer #1 – Cobalion vs Shuppet. Smaug vs Phanpy. Victini vs Snorunt. Cobalion vs Skitty. Vs Cacnea. 2928
Trainer #2 – Cobalion vs Makuhita. Switch to Victini. Vs Tyrogue. Vs Riolu. 3024
Trainer #3 – Cobalion vs Paras. Victini vsw Wormadam. Lv 52 for Vic. 1280
Trainer #4 and #5 – Cobalion and Zekrom vs Swoobat x2. Lv 53 for Cobalion. Lv 58 for Zekrom. 3120
Trainer #6 – Cobalion vs Weedle. Victini vs Beedrill. Smaug vs Kakuna. 1260

Pokemon I capture. Heracross,

Things I find of consequence – TM 53 Energy Ball, Sitrus Berry x2, Big Mushroom, Tiny Mushroom x2,

Abe Sargent

03-21-2011, 08:09 PM

Route 13

I skip the town for now because I want to get to Route 14 and find the swarming Pokemon today. I can return later. I’m not exploring much, and skipping most of the trainers and area just to get to 14.

Trainer #1 – Cobalion vs Buneary. Vs Snubbull. Victini vs Shroomish. 1008
Trainer #2 - Cobalion vs Nincada. Victini vs Mothim. Vs Metapod. Lv 53. 1008
Trainer #3 & 4 – Cobalion and Thundurus vs Plusle and Minun. Lv 54 for Cob. Lv 52 for Thundy. 1024
Trainer #5 – Cobalion vs Fafetch’d. vs Granbull. 12800

I run into a Golbat and grab it. Later I also run into and capture a Solrock. I find a house with a guy who’ll teach your starter their version of Hyper Beam.

Items I Find of Note: Razor Claw,

I am at the next town, and again I intend to run through to 14 and grab whatever is there and then head back. 13 was huge and will some time to fully explore.

Abe Sargent

03-21-2011, 08:47 PM

Route 14

I run into a Jigglypuff and grab it. I also find a Yanma, Beheeyem, Floatzel, Drifblim, Altaria (level 59 too), Shuckle. I also capture my favorite Pokemon of all time – TROPIUS!

Level 59 for Zekrom while fighting a wild Golduck.

While exploring, I find a sage! It’s Giallo. He gives me Tm 08 Bulk Up after giving me advice on how to train Zekrom. Then our cop arrives.

I find: Reaper Cloth

Abe Sargent

03-21-2011, 11:46 PM

Relic Castle Redux

I just realized that I had totally forgotten Relic Castle, because earlier, when I got to the lowest floor I
reached, the game stopped, but there could be a bunch of stuuf down there still, plus there was a Pokeball and a back exit I never found to, so I know there’s something there. Let’s go.

At the front I run into Professor Juniper, and she tells me that the statues are actual Pokemon from 2500 years ago that are hibernating or meditating. The way to wake one up is to give it a Rage Candy Bar, and she gives me one and leaves. Okay. It was a sleeping Darmanitan, level 35, the evolved of Darumaka. It attacks, so I try and capture it, since I don’t have one yet. One Quick Ball later and I’ve got it. I name it Firesleep.

I grab a Sandslash and find a Grunt who tells me that there is a seer back here looking for a rare Pokemon. As I move through this maze of rooms, I hit a Claydol. I can’t catch it with Paralysis, so I use Crunch to drop its HP and try Dusk Balls then. I use 9 before one finally sticks. Ouch.

I run into Ryukyu, and he says the Volcarona is here and he was to catch it and present it to Ghetsis but they are no longer complete and with power. He gives me TM 04 Calm Mind. The Cop arrives to take him away.

I enter a place with a large Pokemon in it. I approach, and I get ready to tangle with this Volcarona.

It’s level 70, and it’s this weird flying firemoth. Kind of like Mothra with red wings. I use thunder wave. Thnundurus falls although it was damaged, so I send out Victini. Two hits take it to the early yellow with psychic and fire attacks – neither are super effective. I start using Flash to reduce its ability to hit things. It gets a crit with Bug Buzz and takes out Victini, go Smaug. Slash takes it to Red, and then I start chucking…hmmm. Dusk or Net? Which is better vs bug? I use Dusk, since I’m not 100% sure it’s a bug. Caught it on the second ball.

Volcarona
Level 70
No Name Given
Bug/Fire
Female

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/6/6b/637Volcarona.png/180px-637Volcarona.png

It’s just the evolved Larvesta, not a legendary or anything. I thought it was the way everybody was talking and how deep down and in a maze this thing was.

Abe Sargent

03-22-2011, 12:35 AM

On the way out, I capture an Onix, find a PP max with Dowsing Machine, and the ball was TM 26 Earthquake!

Volcarona looks pretty good. I like three of its abilities. Only Silver Wind is not that hot, and Quiver Dance is awesome – it increases speed, special attack and special defense in one turn. That’s pretty sexy.

I run across a ship at the docks that leaves in the evenings, so I need to head back tomorrow.

I checkout Liberty Garden again for a seer. Nothing. I remember this building back in the Cold, that had nothing in it before, so I head over there again. The outbreak today is again in Route 4, so there’s nothing new there. I already caught the Hippopotas here. I arrive at Cold Storage and try the back, but the door still doesn’t work. Since I’m here, I check out the back where that sage was before. There is another back here! Zinzolin. He gives me the history of Ghetsis and the Sages for a bit. He gives me HM 01 Hone Claws. The cop finds him and leaves.

The next place I think may hold a sage is that cave on Route 9, that you were unable to get to prior to beating the Elite Four. I’ll head over and check it out.

I drop off Basculin and look at some options. Automaton could come back. I’m kind of impressed by this level 60 Bisharp I caught. Dark/Steel is weak to just three attacks – fight, fire and ground. It’s immune to Psychic and Poison. It’s only normal to Bug, Water and Electric. The other 9 types are at 50% attack. That’s pretty good for a Pokie that specializes in attacking. It has Iron Head and Night Slash, to use its types, and that’s pretty solid. Other options are the Volcarona, Milotic, and Altaria. I’ll grab Volcarona for now and hit the cave.

Abe Sargent

03-22-2011, 02:49 AM

Challenger’s Cave

Trainer #1 – Victini vs Golbat. 1560
Trainer #2 – Victini vs Dratini. Cobalion vs Sudowoodo. Lv 55. Zekrom vs Manetric. Victini vs Scyther. 3780
Trainer #3 – Victini vs Furret. Lv 54. Smaug vs Gabite. Lv 55. Vs Grumpig. 3840
Trainer #4 – Smaug vs Gyarados. Smaug falls to a Blizzard. Zekrom finishes. L 60 for Zekrom. Vs Druddigon. Cobalion vs Gigalith – Cobs falls to Earthquake. Go Thundurus. Stone Edge finishes off Thundurus. Go Zekrom again. Volcarona vs Excadrill. I miss Heat Wave and rock attack takes me out. Zekrom again. I used revive and heal by Victini on Smaug. Go Smaug. Vs Snorlax. I have to use three Full Restores due to paralysis and damage from Body Slam attacks, but I manage to finish it off. Lv 56 for Smaug. Vs Crobat. I revive Zekrom before biting. Go Zekrom. Lv 61. 5040. That was rough.
Trainer #5 – Zekrom vs Wormadam. Vs Cloyster – uh oh – ice. Lv 62. Vs Ninetales. Volcarona vs Leavanny. 5200

No seer or legendary or anything fun

I run into a Riolu down here. I catch it, plus Graveler, Lickitung, and Mawile.

Items of Import: Ether, PP Up, Nugget, Max Ether, Star Piece, Rare Candy, Everstone, Protein, Tm 71 Stone Edge, Heart Scale, Black Belt, Oval Stone

Abe Sargent

03-23-2011, 12:54 AM

I grab a Pineco from a Route 16 swarm. I buy 40 Quick Balls, 60 Dusk.

I head back to Route 12, where I just captured a Heracross before and moved on. Let’s see what else I can grab – Metapod, Sunkern, Combee, Cherrim, Pinsir, Rapidash, Sunflora.

Abe Sargent

03-23-2011, 02:10 AM

Route 13 Again

Let’s fully explore the giant 13. Luckily, Basculin can also learn Cut in addition to Waterfall.

Trainer #6 – Victini vs Camerupt. Switch to Smaug. 3120
Trainer #7 – Victini vs Tentacool. Vs Qwilfish. Victini falls to a crit Poison Jab. Go Cobalion. Thundurus vs Tentacruel. Lv 53. 2016

I return for a quick heal and hit the route again. I find Giant Chasm, and I was told there was a nasty Pokemon down in this cave, but I head back and return to 13.

Trainer #8 – Zekrom vs Magikarp. Cobalion vs Magikarp x 5. 1920
Trainer #9 – Zekrom vs Surskit. Smaug vs Goldeen. Vs Seaking. Smaugs is ko’d to Horn Drill. Victini finishes it off. 2016
Trainer #10 – Zekrom vs Feebas. Vs Remoraid. Lv 63. Vs Kingler, 2016
Trainer #11 – Victini vs Sawk. Vs Hitmonlee. Lv 55. 2080
Trainer #12 – Victini vs Kricketot. Vs Chimecho. 12800

Pokemon I catch – Lunatone, Absol, Swellow, Tangela, Starmie, Staryu, Corsola, Wingull, Pelipper, Shellder.

Things I find of note: Max Ether, Gram 2???, Prism Scale, Heart Scale, Gram 3???, Up-Grade, Pearl String, Splash Plate, Draco Plate, Deep Sea Scale, Rare Candy, Max Revive, Stardust x2, Pearl, Electirizer, TM 29 Psychic – about time! Gram 1, and the guy who gave it to me told me to give these to the Wingull on the route. It gives me TM 89 U-Turn.

Abe Sargent

03-23-2011, 06:03 PM

Royal Unova

I head to Castelia City and its port, and pay 1k to get a ride on the Royal Unova. Let’s explore!

Trainer #1 – Victini vs Aipom. Zekrom vs Murkrow. 10240
Trainer #2 – Victini vs Rotom. Lv 56. Smaug vs Alomomola. Thundurus vs Butterfree. 3900

Then the cruise ends before I was able to fight and explore everywhere. I found nothing in the ship, item wise.

Abe Sargent

03-23-2011, 07:13 PM

Giant Chasm

Let’s explore and see what we can see.

Levels gained fighting wild Pokies – 57 for Smaug, 56 for Cobalion,

Pokemon I capture: Jynx, Sneasel, Piloswine, Delibird, Seel, Clefairy, Metang (level 55), Ditto

Items found of note – Big Mushroom, Star Piece x2, Tiny Mushroom x2, Comet Shard???, Max Elixir, Carbos, TM 03 Psyshock, Max Revive, TM 13 Ice Beam.

I find a pond in the middle of a forest in the back and suddenly an ice storm hits and blankets everything in snow. Hello Kyurem.

Zekrom Thunder Waves it. Then a Fusion Bolt to drop the 75th level legendary a bit. It takes out Zekrom with an ice and dragon attack back to back. Victini takes it to deep red, and I start chucking balls. I literally catch it on the first Dusk Ball.

Kyurem
Level 75
Dragon/Ice
No Gender, Nickname

http://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/thumb/c/c3/646Kyurem.png/180px-646Kyurem.png

Abe Sargent

03-23-2011, 08:45 PM

Route 15

I run into the Poke Transfer Lab!

Trainer #1 – Cobalion vs Hippowdon. Switch to Thundurus. KO’d, go Zekrom. Cobalion vs Onix. Smaug vs Gligar. 2016
Trainer #2 – Cobalion vs Gulpin. Lv 57. Zekrom vs Drifloon. Lv 64. I do not learn Imprison. Cobalion vs Spheal. Victini vs Swablu. 3968
Trainer #3 – Cobalion vs Altaria. Go Victini. Vs Abomasnow. 3900
Trainer #4 – Victini vs Meditite. Vs Hitmontop. Lv 57. I do not learn Inferno. Vs Medicham. 2048
Trainer #5 – Marowak vs Zekrom. Victini vs Exeggutor. 3900

I capture – Pupitar, Fearow, Marowak, Kangaskhan.

I find: Max Revive, Up-Grade, TM 09 Venoshock

sterlingice

03-23-2011, 08:52 PM

(BTW, still reading- I'm just a page and a half behind since I don't read past where I've gotten. I'm back at gym 6)

SI

Abe Sargent

03-23-2011, 11:28 PM

Fair enough!

I arrive in White forest, and there is nothing there. No grass, just a Pokemon Center, and a house. That doesn’t seem right, so it appears I have a glitch where my White Forest doesn’t work until I Entralink with someone, which resets it. Because they pissed me off by having a game that doesn’t work, I get my revenge by looking up where the final sage is – the basement of Chargestone Cave. I head down, beat two grunts, and grab the Sage. He gives me TM 69 Rock Polish. Then he is arrested.

Abe Sargent

03-24-2011, 12:32 AM

Route 14 Finished

I capture a Wynaut in a swarm before hitting the route.

Trainer #1 – Smaug vs Barboach. Vs Whiscash. Lv 59. Vs Carvanha. Vs Corphish. 1984
Trainer #2 – Victini vs Primeape. Lv 58. Cobalion vs Scrafty. Lv 58. Thundurus vs Poliwrath. Lv 54. 2048
Trainer #3 – Smaug vs Hippopotas. Thundurus vs Piloswine. He falls, go Victini. Cobalion vs Probopass. 2016

Things I find of note – Max Elixir.

I’ve finished the overland and city explorations. Time to head to one of the few places I’ve not been.

Abe Sargent

03-24-2011, 01:56 AM

Abundant Shrine

Trainer #1 – Smaug vs Caterpie. Victini vs Pineco. Vs Scolipede. Vs Masquerain. Lv 59. Vs Spinarak.
Trainer #2 – Smaug vs Burmy. Vs Sawsbuck. Lv 60. Victini vs Tangela.
Trainer #3 – Smaug vs Yanma. Victini vs Ledyba. Vs Ninjask. Zekrom vs Surskit. Lv 65.

Pokies I catch – Noctowl, Stantler, Chimecho, Vulpix, Slowpoke, Bronzong, Misdreavus

Things I find – TM 35 Flamethrower, Balm Mushroom, Razor Fang, Rare Candy, Tiny Mushroom, Big Mushroom, Tm 92 Trick Room

nilodor

03-25-2011, 12:01 PM

Great writing Abe, really enjoying the dynasty and it's gotten me playing another game of emerald!

Abe Sargent

03-30-2011, 05:11 PM

Awesome!

Abe Sargent

04-01-2011, 12:32 AM

I went on a trip to Baltimore for a few days for a convention, and I played the game in the Airport and hotel a bit. I found a few discoveries:

1). There is a guy on the bottom floor of Twist Mountain that gives me one random fossil a day – the first one was Claw Fossil for Anorith, the second Root for Lileep.
2). A got several items from the guy from the beach.
3). I captured these Pokemon: Smeargle, Mienshao, Magikarp, Mankey, Sentret

New Levels of my dudes – Zekrom: 66, Smaug: 67, Victini: 61, Cobalion: 64, Thundurus: 55

Abe Sargent

04-01-2011, 08:36 PM

Winter

As it is April 1, the season has finally changed from autumn to winter, and the screens, music, and everything is different. I move to grab today’s fossil in Twist Mountain, and a cone inside the mountain prevents me from getting easy access. I head out and explore the town. I find a bunch of places that access new areas, and grab a lot of items. I also run into a cliff with some brush, and as I move through to grab another item. I run into some new Pokemon for me to capture. I grab a Vanillish (evolved Vanillite), Beartic (evolved Cubchoo) and Sawsbuck (evolved Deerling, with a winter look).

Time to start exploring some more. Let’s see what else I can find. I remember in Twist Mountain finding a section that I could not get too and my Item Finder telling me something was there, so I head in. I have to go the long way around.

I’m in Twist. I find a few things, including a Skull Fossil from the dude. I find my 2nd Rare Candy. I also find Iron, and then…hoah! I found a Cryogonal! I grab it.

I show a winter Deerling to the scientist on Route 6. I keep exploring. I turn the fossil into a Cranidos.

While exploring Dreamyard again, I run into a Musharna downstairs, just hanging out. Did I miss it before? We engage in battle. It’s level 50. Dang. I grab it with a Quick Ball.

Abe Sargent

04-02-2011, 12:57 AM

I’m working on getting Shagzilla, a Deino, leveled a bit. Shagzilla evolves into Zweilous at level 50. I capture a Poochyena during a swarm at Route 9. I buy some TMS I hadn’t picked up yet like Lightscreen and Reflect, Safeguard and Frustration, Hail, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm, Thunder and Blizzard. I spent 440k to get these. I still need more, but I need to get some cash first.

I find a Spheal in Undella Bay, while exploring. I grab it. I run around and create some surf spots, and grab a Sealeo. I also capture a Gliscor.

I grab a second Ditto and head to Route 15. I trade it for a Rotom named Eeks. It’s level 60. It also has a Max Elixir that I procure.

I sell all of my Tiny Mushrooms, Big Mushrooms, a Balm Mushroom, Star Pieces, Stardust, some Everstones, Big Pearls and Pearls. Then I pick up the TM for Fire Blast for 70k and Hyper Beam and Giga Impact for 90k each. I also buy another 30 Quick Balls because I used my last one on Ditto.

Abe Sargent

04-03-2011, 01:00 PM

I grab a Helix Fossil today and turn it into a Omanyte. After fighting the riches for the day, here is what my Pokies are currently at:

Victini – 64
Cobalion – 66
Smaug – 68
Zekrom – 68
Shagzilla – 56
Thundurus – 56

Abe Sargent

04-05-2011, 12:02 AM

There is an outbreak on Route 18 and capture an Exeggcute. I grab Sheildon from an Armor Fossil.

I don’t know if I’ve talked about the Riches at length. They are a family of 6 in a city that each have 12k in cash after you beat them. Once you beat all 6 at once, then you get a minor item and you can’t fight them again, so each day I fight them, get cash, get experience, and then lose intentionally against the last guy. I figured I would show you, in detail, exactly how I face these guys.

The Riches Draco

Level 60 Buizel vs Lv 64 Victini. I use Zen Headbutt, takes it out in one go.

The Riches Susan

Level 61 Teddiursa vs Victini. I use Zen Headbutt. It uses Thrash. I do it again and take it out.
Lv 61 Lopunny vs Lv 66 Cobalion. Sacred Sword. OHKO.

The Riches Clairdonna

Lv 62 Bronzor vs Victini. Searing Shot. It uses Faint Attack. Searing Shot again.
Lv 62 Golurk vs Lv 69 Smaug. Outrage. OHKO.
L 62 Kangaskhan vs Cobalion. Sacred Sword. It uses Outrage. S Sword again takes it out

The Riches Zillion

L 63 Shuckle vs Victini. Switch to L 68 Zekrom. It uses Bug Bite. Dragon Claw. Power Split by it. Dragon Claw takes it out.
L 63 Krookodile vs Smaug. Outrage OHKO.
L 63 Politoed vs Zekrom. Fusion Bolt. OHKO.
L 63 Lickilicky vs Cobalion. Sacred Sword. OHKO.

The Riches Trish

L 64 Weavile vs Victini. Searing Shot. It uses Night Slash. It faints after it got burned. Normally it KO’s Victini on the next turn. I got lucky with the burn.
L 64 Kingdra vs Zekrom. Dragon Claw. OHKO
L 64 Excadrill vs Cobalion. Sacred Sword. It uses Swords Dance. Again. It falls.
L 64 Heatmor vs Cobalion. Iron Head. Stockpile by it. It Stockpiles again. Again. Swallow, and I’m bored now. Sacred Sword. Stockpile. Sacred Sword takes it out. (Usually I just toss out Smaug and take it out, but I wanted to take out my Pokies earlier than normal this time).
Lv 64 Vespiqueen vs Zekrom. Fusion Bolt, OHKO.

The Riches Miles

(now my goal is to start getting my Pokies offed)

65 Donphan vs Victini. Zen Headbutt. Earthquake takes me out. Go Smaug. Outrage takes it down.
65 Haxorus vs Samug. Outrage continues, OHKO.
65 Braviary vs Thundurus. I use Thunder Wave a bunch until it takes me out. Zekrom’s Fusion Bolt finishes it.
65 Bisharp vs Cobalion. Sacred Sword, OHKO
65 Lanturn vs Cobalion. It uses Aqua Ring to my Metal Burst. It hits with Hydro Pump the next turn. A 2nd Pump takes me to red. Discharge takes me out. Go Shagzilla. I use Work Up until it takes me out with Discharge and Hydro Pump. Zekrom takes it out with Dragon Claw.
65 Tangrowth vs Zekrom. I use Thunder Wave exclusively while it takes me out with Tickle to drop my defense and then Power Whip to take me out. Smaug, go! It uses Wring Out to deal a lot of damage to Smaug. Smaug falls two turns later to Power Whips.

I give away 8k in my loss. I made a bunch of EXP, Cobalion and Zekrom leveled up and Shagzilla is now 61. I also made 52k total.