Pokémon Shield: the Dynasty AND NOW Sword!

[Abe Sargent]

Hello folks!


One of the things I like to do with the next gen Pokémon game releases is that I to keep everything from spoilers and then play the game fresh, without any major knowledge of what is going on. That way I can approach the game fresh and clean.

Recently, Pokémon Sword and Shield were released. Given that before, I have done my first dynasty here with you folks, I felt that made a lot of sense moving forward for Moon as well!


(For example, check out white here) Pokemon White – The Dynasty! - Front Office Football Central


Or Moon here - Pokemon Moon - The Dynasty - Front Office Football Central (https://forums.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=92040)

[Abe Sargent]

Alright, let’s get started!


My main character is named Clarabelle. She’s the darkest skinned of the four base options.


For those who may not remember, ever since Knights of the Old republic I play as women characters. I choose a female name that has my own in it somewhere (like ElizABEth or IsABElle, etc.)


I had heard from a lot of friends that KOTOR was this amazing game, and it was by a company I respected, so I bought it and played in a few months after release, and as a lark, I chose to play as a women.

My experience was not as good. My romantic option was weaker, and there were multiple times when I was referred to by the male pronoun, not female. It was weird, and I remembered back in BG2 when the same creator had introduced romantic paths for you with your NPC,s, and there was just one if you were a women (and who’d want Anomen?) despite other single young males being options (like Minsc!), but you had a lot more choices for romantic partners if you were a male from drow clerics to wingless flying elves. The experience playing a male character gave you more options, but why?


And after seeing the issues in KOTOR1 (that were worse in 2 btw) I began to play as women to see what that experience was like, where possible, although in many games, that wasn’t even an option. Anyways, I’m a ten year old black girl named Clarabelle.

[Izulde]

Shield is what I have. Need to pick it back up, but it's probably been the most fun I've had with a Pokemon game ever. Mudbray is absolutely amazing, which pleases me since donkeys are my favorite animals.

[Abe Sargent]

Awesome!

[Abe Sargent]

Now I won’t do any research as I want to play this generation fresh. I don’t want to head in with any sort of a plan for who I am aiming for.


I like to steer towards new Pokemon that play nice and feel good. Where possible, I try to use only new Pokemon, and where that is not possible, I’ll dip into Pokemon from older games I’ve not used for the wins.


For example, in Moon and Ultra Sun I used Pokemon from previous games like Alola Muk, Metagross, Hawlucha, and Carbink. In no case where those Pokemon I’d ever used before.

I even keep a list of Pokemon I’ve won with in every edition over multiple plays – I take this seriously.

I have won 17 times. Even allowing for some duplication with cool legendaries (Articuno, Regice, Azelf, Entei) I’ve allowed myself to use my favorite Pokemon of all time twice – and that’s Tropius, who’ve actually pretty weak.

Want to see:

1st Game – Pokemon Sapphire
1. Sceptile
2. Pelipper
3. Aggron
4. Magneton
5. Torkoal
6. Tentacruel


2nd Game – Pokemon Sapphire

1. Tropius
2. Blaziken
3. Gyarados
4. Sharpedo
5. Jolteon
6. Shedinja


3rd Game – Pokemon Emerald

1. Regice
2. Tropius
3. Swampert
4. Kyogre
5. Flygon
6. Heracross


1st Game – Pokemon FireRed

1. Blastoise
2. Zapdos
3. Articuno
4. Hypno
5. Victreebell
6. Magmar


2nd Game – Pokemon LeafGreen

1. Charizard
2. Poliwrath
3. Raichu
4. Articuno
5. Scyther
6. Dragonite

1st Game – Pokemon HeartGold

1. Tauros
2. Gyarados
3. Meganium
4. Ho-oh
5. Pinsir
6. Misdreavus


1st Game – Pokemon Diamond

1. Azelf
2. Dialga
3. Lucario
4. Torterra
5. Drifblim
6. Garchomp


1st Game – Pokemon Platinum

1. Azelf
2. Empoleon
3. Giratina
4. Rotom
5. Rapidash
6. Magnezone


1st Game – Pokemon White

1. Victini
2. Cobalion
3. Thundurus
4. Virizion
5. Zekrom
6. Haxorus

1st Game – Pokemon Black 2

1. Samurott
2. Crobat
3. Espeon
4. Magnezone
5. Lucario
6. Volcarona

1st Game – Pokemon X

1. Greninja
2. Xerneas
3. Venusaur
4. Talonflame
5. Pangoro
6. Tyrantrum

1st Game – Pokemon Y

1. Delphox, “FireFox”, level 77, holding Amulet Coin, knows Psychic, Flamethrower, Will-o-Wisp, and Psyshock.
2. Snorlax, Level 68, holding Lucky Bell, knows Strength, Rock Smash, Yawn, and Giga Impact
3. Lapras, “Izzy”, level 78, holding Leftovers, knows Ice Beam, Surf, Waterfall, and Freeze-Dry
4. Gogoat, “Jenny”, level 74 , holding Meadow Plate, knows Earthquake, Horn Leech, Milk Drink, and Leaf Blade
5. Toxicroak, “Croakers”, level 72, holding Black Sludge, knows Cut, Sludge Bomb, Poison Jab, and Revenge.
6. Aegislash, “Gram”, level 75, holding Metal Coat, knows Shadow Claw, Sacred Sword, Iron Head, and Swords Dance


1st Game – Pokemon Omega Ruby

1. Latios
2. Altaria
3. Gyarados
4. Sceptile
5. Aggron
6. Breloom

1st Game – Pokemon Moon

1. Muk
2. Decidueye
3. Oranguru
4. Kommo-O
5. Golisopod
6. Mudsdale


1st Game – Pokemon Ultra Sun

1. Incineroar
2. Hawlucha
3. Carbink
4. Naganadel
5. Metagross
6. Zeraora


1st Game – Pokemon Coliseum, if it counts

1. Raichu
2. Entei
3. Suicune
4. Umbreon
5. Espeon
6. Meganium


1st Game – Pokemon XD, ditto

1. Houndoom
2. Salamence
3. Lugia
4. Amphardos
5. Shiftry
6. Kangaskhan




There you are!

[Abe Sargent]

Now I am going to make one, single, exception I am going to research the starter, as it’s the most important one you’ll make. I’ve made some bad choices at times in my first run in games.

I also try, where possible to reduce my legendary parties. I used to embrace them but now I see them more as a crutch.

Here are the three options:


So who do I like?


The options are going to be.

Huh. Looks like this is the first generation since Gen 2 where all of the starters begin mono-typed and remain that way the entire time. Charizard gained flight, Empoleon steel, etc.

Grass – Grookey

Hello monkey boy!

Plusses and Minuses –

- While they will occasionally mix these tendencies up, grass is not normally a type that competes with powerful Pokemon later in the game, especially with legendary Pokemon. I think Verizon was the only commonly available grass type legendary.
- Grass owns seas and lakes and those areas of maps, and does well in caves as well, where you tend to face a lot of water or ground/rock Pokemon, all of which grass is super good against. Is this game based on the UK going to have a lot of islands?
- One of the roles I like my party to have is a harasser Pokemon, who puts you to sleep, paralyzes, poisons, etc. It’s good for capturing Pokemon, as well as fighting folks. Grass is often good for that role (Bulbasaur was a good harasser with Sleep Power and similar moves available which you could combine with its attacking stuff)
- The grass type is weak to many types from bug to flying, and fire and more. It’s only strong against fighting, water, and grass attacks. Grass ghost on the other hand is weak to dark, fire, flying, ghost, and ice, totally immune to normal, fighting, and strong vs ground, water, grass, and electric. So on defense, it improves with it’s final evolution
- It’s doesn’t look bad at it’s final evolution, but the earliest one aren’t my style of looks
- It’s a punch monkey. It needs fight badly.
- It starts fast and punchy, but then slides into better hp, and it’s final evolution is well rounded with speed, att, def, and





Scorbunny –

Hello rabbit lady


- Fire by itself is resistant to a full 6 types, and weak to just three – water, ground, and rock
- When fully leveled into fire/dark, it’s weak to fighting too, and immune to psychic.
- It leans towards attack and speed. It finishes with a better speed.
- It looks fine, especially the final evolution, but a bit…obvious…for an Nintendo character.
- Fire does well in forests against both bugs and grass, but is weak in mountains, caves, or on water, where your foes tend to be rocks and water
- There is often a ton of competition for fire Pokémon later on. This is particularly true for legendary pokemon, where Entei, Ho-Oh, Moltres, Victini, Heatran, and such are all running around.


Sobble –

- Water by itself is weak to just two types and resistant to four.
- Unlike the first two, it’s strongest stat is special attacks
- It’s always vital to give a Pokemon the HM Surf (If it’s in this game,that was removed in Moon/Sun). It’s good for a water starter to have that ability later on.
- Like fire above, water is a hotly contested spot with legendaries a-go-go often grabbed before the final battles, from Kyogre to Suicune.
-
- It’s not my favorite looking Pokemon I’ve ever seen. I like the name of it’s final evolution but it looks like a disaffected wanna be.

So what to do?


Which of these final stat columns would I prefer?


Water is a glass cannon that goes fast, and has great special attack and then that’s it. No def, spec d, att, or even HP.

The fire is more well rounded than water, with speed and attack instead, and drops a little to give it better hp. It also has dropped it’s D too, and thus is also a little of an attack glassery too.


So, we’re doing Grass. It’s the most well rounded.

[Abe Sargent]

Alright, let’s get started:


I begin in my house. Hello mother and neighbor named Hop! I grab my mothers awesome old leathery bag and head out to explore! Goodbye house Munchlax. And Budew. There’s a sheepish looking Pokemon called a Wooloo at his side, not a fancy Mareep. Stop tackling that fence!


We have a footrace to his house I go slow to explore the town of Postwick with the many sheepers here. And like three buildings. Hop heads out to the station to meet his big bro and the local Pokechampion. Which should be a word although it’s not.

We head out and he tells me that his Wooloo can protect me if needed. Route 1! No grass for us the game keeps us from heading there. Hello fancy Leon and the big ol crowd waiting for ya here at Wedgehurst. This is the guy who’s Charizard you see fighting in the opening scene against a challenger that gets meganormous. Which again, should be a word but ain’t. Which is a better word that people think.

Leon greets his bro Hop, dude wears a cape.

Back in Leon has brought Hop and me Pokies.

Welcome Grookey!


https://media.comicbook.com/2019/11/grookey-1195028-1280x0.jpeg


I jokingly referred to it as “Punch Monkey” above, but I think that’s a cool nickname, so welcome.!

I may use PM to refer to him at times.

Hop takes the water starter and the fire heads to Leon.

[Abe Sargent]

We have a barbeque home to celebrate Leon’s return. The next day Hop announces me as a rival and offers battle. Let’s do it to it!



Punch Monkey vs Wooloo his sheep. Scratch! Tackle back. Again! It repeats. Once more with feeling! Fainted. level up! We learn a move called Branch Poke. Here comes his Sobble. I use Branch Poke. He pounds first. I get a super effective hit with type. Again! Growl vs Branch Poke. Down rival. Bye Hop! You’d better, ummmm, hop to getting some better Pokémon…

Another level now we are rocking 7. I also pocket a cool 400 pokecash. Leon tells me to do a good jorb as Hop’s rival, and heals up my Punch Monkey. We are tasked with heading to a local research lab and grabbed a Pokedex.



The wooloo tacking the fence finished and it’s broken! Hop and I head in to follow! We have to saves it!


Welcome to the Slumbering Weald

We are in dark woods. We encounter a wild Skwovet, a squirrely looking thang. I’ve no Pokeballs, so just kill and move. Hop heals Grookey. We find another few locals and defeat them. I pass through some nasty white mist.

Whoa! Hello big giant wolf pokemon! I’m fighting but its ??? and no known level. Alright. Branch Poke! No effect. Scratch? No effect. Mist enshrouds the battlefield. Growl, no effect. Mist whitens and the battle passes.

It clears and the mist does too, no giant wolf. Here comes Leon to save the day. Leon finds the missing pokemon with his Charizard. We tell Leon and he tells of legends of a powerful Pokemon here.


We leave the Slumbering Weald behind.


I tell mother that I am heading out to grab the Pokedex. She hands me cash and 5 Pokeballs.


Back to Route 1 .Hello Hop!


I head into the grass and fight a wild Rookidee. It’s a small flyer, level 3. I scratch it. Again! It’s deep red. I use PokeBall.

Welcome to the team:

Rookidee, which I have nicknamed “Parliament.”

https://www.serebii.net/swordshield/pokemon/821.png

That’s an in-joke to two things. One, a group of Rooks are referred to as a parliament. It’s also the name of a Neil Gaiman issue in the Sandman series.

[Abe Sargent]

I stay here. There’s a level 3 wild Wooloo. Scratch! Again! Again! Deep red. Pokeball and…..got it!

https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_688,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/wooloo-5c2b79a196d1ce5d3fb002cc487edec4.jpg

Welcome Wooloo! I nicknamed it “Sheeple”.



Punch Monkey levels and gains Taunt.


I run into the Skwovet too. Scratch! Again! Capture!


And….

Yup!

https://www.serebii.net/swordshield/pokemon/819.png

Welcome! I nicknamed her “Choppers.”

Parliament levels and gains Power Trip.


I run into a wild Nickit. Level 6. Scratch! Again! Once more. Pokeball!


Got it!
https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_688,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/nickit-vs-grookey-b27bc5ab72314e7126814c77d308d438.jpg

I name it “Firefox”


All of my team levels.


Now I am not looking them up, but the flyer could be this gen’s Pigdey or insert random early bird that levels a few times and isn’t bad later.

After fighting some more I have some more levels. I leave and head to town to heal up!


I did grab the balls here that had various minor things like a potion in them.


Looks like this game has an XP share from the beginning which may not be a bad way to go.


Post route 1 I have a level 9 PM, 7 Parliament, and 6 Sheeple, Firefox and 5 Choppers.

[Abe Sargent]

Welcome (back) to Wedgehurst! I find the Lab. Leon is outside and we head right on in. We meet Professor Magnolia. Also here is Sonia, who was Leon’s old rival back in the day, and now probably some romantic tension is going on. And her cute dog too. I get a pokedox and tasked with swinging by a certain house on route 2.

The train station here is broken and out of service.

I arrive at the PC after meeting with Hop along the way. Hop tells me he’s heading to Route 2, cough cough, and then runs out. I heal my Pokies. They are selling healthy things like potions and such, but I don’t see any Pokeballs.

There is a renamer move learner and forgetter here.

I head out. I talk with everyone here and enter every house. I find a Pokedoll. I enter a boutique. I don’t buy any new clothes.

Nothing else here. Fine. Route 2 it is. Hop’s here. Here you need to be endorsed to take the gym challenge, and Hop wasn;t endorsed by Leon. He thinks the Prof in her shack on route 2 might sponsor us so we have to head out.


Leon finds us just before we head into the grass and was happy I’d already caught a bunch. I got 20 Pokeballs.

I run into a level 5 Yamper, a dog that was Sonia’s. Scratch! Again! Go pokeball….

https://media.comicbook.com/2019/11/yamper-1195209-1280x0.jpeg


Got it!

Hello Yamper! I have nicknamed you “Barksalot”



Three levels up. Since it happens so often, I’ll skip until we leave RTE 2 and then give you an update then.


I find and grab a Zigzagoon.

This one has dark. When did that start? Is this a local region like the locals were in Alola?


Is that a chewtoy? Scratch!

I am wounded but I take it. It’s a water Pokemon that looks weak. Is this the Gen 8 Gyarados?

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/V4HVm5pjh1w/maxresdefault.jpg
Welcome to the team, “Hint of Majesty” Names too long I just due MajesticHint. To the box!

[Abe Sargent]

I head back to the P. Center and heal.


Any changes to my party I want to try?

I pull Choppers. The normal thing doesn’t move me.

Right now I have:

Dark with Firefox

Electr with Barks


Grass with my main

Fly with Parliament


Normal with Sheeple

I pull Firefox and send in Majesty. I leave an open slot.

I buy 10 PBs and get a free Premier one on my way out


Actually I grab the Zigzagoon and name it “Fearcoon.” Let’s se e what it can do.


We leave the grass and arrive at our first trainer battle vs Jake.

Punch Monkey vs Skwovet – Branch Poke - Tackle back. Again! Ko! We win 360 in cash


Another patch of grass is here and I encounter a new Pokemon – a Blipbug. It has a nasty attack against my leader, so I was hurt.

It’s ours!

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/drbG004I9lg/maxresdefault.jpg

Meet “Buggers”!

[Abe Sargent]

My main learns Razor Leaf.

I get healed up at the main PC again and head back out.


I return.

I find a few items like more balls.

I run into Pokémon trainer Lauren:


Punch Monkey vs Chewtle. Razor Leaf! One hit ko. I get 504 cash.


Trainer Benjamin is next:

Pm vs Blipbug. I swap to Parliament. I take a Struggle Bug. Peck! Finished! He is send out Nickit, the dark one. Hmmm. I leave out Parl. Peck! Again! KO’d. Trainer doner. I got 420 cash.


I find a fishing spot and grab a Magikarp! I capture it without even attacking it.


I finish up route two and my Pokies are: PM 12, 10 for Parliament, 9 for Barks, 8 for others.

Hello Hop! Leon! We find the prof here. They agree to sponsor us if we dazzle them with our battle.

They heal us.

I find a Great Ball.

Battle –

Punch vs Wooloo. Razor Leaf! Dropped it to red. I am very overleveld at 12 to his 6. Rl again! Ko’d. Lvles for PM, Parls, Sheep, and Hint

I send out Barksalot against his Rookidee. Nuzzle! Super effective, hurt and paralyzed. Again! Red. He uses Leer. Again! Done. Next? His water starter. I leave out Barks.

Nuzzle! Paralyzed after a water gun. Again! Hurt into yellow. Once more. Red. Water gun almost drops me. Again! KOd. Good jorb!

We win and grabbed a cool 640. In cash.


We are now being endorsed by Hop for the Gym Quest.

[Abe Sargent]

Something falls from the sky called wishing stars. Sonia arrives from the Lab. We all have dinner together and the Prof uses our wishing stars to make dynamax bands that can basically enbiggen our Poke smokes. But only in the right places


I do a surprise trade and send off my Magikarp.

Barks levels on the way back to the train station to begin our journey. He gains Bite

I kick Sheeple out of my party – haven’t been impressed.


We arrive at the bus station far behind Hop and he gives us the TM Swift. Our mothers arrive with some camping gear.

We head on the train. We are heading to Motostoke to face a gym leader.

The train halts early due to a flock of wooloo on the tracks at a wild zone.

We head out into the wild zone.

I buy another 10 and get a free Premier. We are given 5 Pokedolls

Hello wild area!


We run into Sonia who is investigating the Poke we saw in the dreaming. Hop runs off. She gives me a Link for my Box. I can access storage remotely.


I find some stuff and check out a wandering Onix. Level 26. Razor Leaf! It Curses. Barely hurts it despite the super effective part. I run. Bye Onix!

[Abe Sargent]

I find a wild Baltoy. I accidentally killed it.

I’ll tell you about the levels up after.


Whoa! Hello Tyrogue! Scratch. Capture! The young fighter needs 2 balls to bring it.


I also grab a Metapod, Bunnelby, Growlithe, Baltoy

I head back to the train station for a quick heal.

I find my first Pokemon den. There’s 300 here and I invite some other locals to join. My first raid battle, here we go!

Vs Cutiefly. I have Parliament who has a type advantage

We ko it on turn 3. And I capture it! It has lots of stuff like candies,berrrys, more.

Trainer battle vs Chloe

Grookey vs Grookey. Scratch, A few leers and such. Taunt. Now I drop a few more scratches. Many turns later, we win.

My next is against Scorbunny fire starter. I send out Hint. Water gun! It QAs me with a crit, then kills me. It was level 14 to my 10. Barks next. Nuzzle! It works and we’ve paralyzed my foe. Bite. It breaks out and Embers me to death a 2nd time. I send out Fearcoon. Sand Attack! Drops accuracy. We dodge. Next is Snarl, a dark attack. Works. 4 Snarls later? Done

I send Punch in for Sobble. Razor Leaf! One hit ko.

We win. We gainsed 2600.

I head back for healing

[Abe Sargent]

I find a raid with a Hoothoot and I send out Barks. Let’s do it! Nuzzle! We paralyze it. It damages everyone. It misses it’s 2nd turn. We ko it on turn 3. I dispatch a PB. And? Ours! Got lots of stuff and a Hoothoot.


I find a Roselia. Taunt. Scratch. It drains me poorly. Captured! Shr’s ;level 15 too

Fearcoon gained Headbutt.

I have my first evolution!


https://attackofthefanboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/pokemon-sword-and-shield-10.jpg

My main has evolved!

I swap Taunt for Double Hit.

I swap the level 15 Roselia for Tyrogue in my party.


She can be a good harasser to capture stuff.


I find a Pancham. I grab it too. I also add a Roggenrola, and

Here’s a a very strong looking Diggersby! Razor Leaf! Again! It takes out my admittedly wounded starter. Barks is next. I want to Nuzzle it. It Bulldozes and kills me. Out heads Roselia. Leech seed. It kos me in one hit. Fearcoon? Headbutt drops it barely, and it drops me to red. I try to run. Peace!


I head back to the train station and buy some more balls.

I find some more items. I choose raid on a Natu. Here we go! Nuzzle! It Kos me. Barks is back. My Nuzzle paralyzes it. It falls turn 3 and here goes my PW. And…. It’s ours!

Raid on a bug. I use Parliament. It’s a…Grubbin. This time we finish it on turn 5. Pokeball….
Captured

[Abe Sargent]

I capture a Stuffol, Goldeen, Shellder, Oddish,


I head back, heal, and grab 20 more balls.



I add a Pidove to the team. We also grab a Budew, Tympole, Lotad, Purrlion,

I find a araid for a Ghastly, and use Fearcoon who has Dark. 3rd turn ko.

It looks different, so I name it “Spooksalot” and sub it in for Roselia. It’s level 17.

I find a Watt merchant back here in an apple grove and buy some Heal Balls from him.

Parliament earns pluck

I use it for a raid battle for a Caterpie. We grab it on turn 2.

We run another raid vs a Churbi. 2nd turn ko as well, captured

Other than bigger ones in the middle, the only ones we actually killed was a Combee that I didn’t get. Time to head out.

I hit a Butterfree raid and use barks. On turn 5 I dynamax back and take it out. Butterfree breaks free. We didn’t take it.

I raid for a Munchlax on the way over. Turn 4 kill. Ours!

We hit a Wingull on the way over and add it. A Krabby too. Wooper as well. Mudbray too.

Majestic Hint gained protect

I raid a Bunnelby. 2nd turn ko. Ours.

Wwe’ve reached the end:

Level check:

Punch – 19
Parliament – 16
Barks 14
Hint 14
Fearcoon 14
Spooks 17

[Abe Sargent]

I run into Sonia who grabs me and takes me to the PC here. I’m not feeling Ghastly so I drop it.


I but 10 Net balls while here. I explore everything. I get the Focus Energy TR.

I enter a Battle Café.

Parl vs Combee. Pluck! Down. Good job! 800 cash.

I head to the stadium for my first gym battle.




Leon is here with his Charizard. He gives me a Miracle Seed I hand to my Punch Monkey.

Here’s Hop in front of the stadium. I head in. We register. I choose the number 11.

I need to head to a nearby hotel. Sonia is inside. She tells us the myth we are exploring. We run into Team Yell here, they look like nasty sport fans.

Grunt #1 – Parliament vs Zigzagoon. Pluck! KO! Done, 720 cash

Grunt #2 – Parl vs Nickit – Pluck. T gets off a quick attack. KO. Barks levels. Done. 720 more

Grunt #1 & 2 – Hop joins. Parl and his Wooloo against the same two. Kod both, 1440 more


We run into a challenger named Marnie who chastises the Yells, and apologizes for them.

We head to sleep.


Morning

[Abe Sargent]

I head back. The opening ceremony begins.


The ceremony occurs and many challengers take the field. They introduce the gym leaders.


We meet the MC Rose who designed the bands. He heads out. I need the Grass badge first.


I get access to a Flying Taxi for flying.


I find TM Pay Day.

There is a TM Mart here at the PC outside of the Hotel.

I find hop. He wants a battle. Ok

Parliament vs Wooloo =Pluck. Again! Barely damaged from a tackle. Parl levels to 17

PM vs Sobble – Razo Leaf! His hasn’t evolved yet. Done.

Fearcoon vs Rookidee. Headbutt. He pecks. Again! He leers. Once more! Ko. Levels by Fear and Hint. Fear can learn Baby-Doll Eyes. I give it up. 1120 for winning

[Abe Sargent]

Route 3

I run into a flowery looking Pokemon called a Gossifleur. Pretty. I knock it down with some lesser attacks and then…. Got it!

https://marriland.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Gossifleur_Close_Up-600x338.jpg


Say hello to “Flowers,”

I head back to the PC. Let’s heal up. Is Flowers possibly my harasser Pokémon that catches and such? It’s level 14. Grass. It does have Sing to sleepify. But I have a Grass already. I doubt another Grass joins the club. I drop off Flowers in the box and head back to route 3

I come across a Stunky here in tour 3. I snag it.

Trainer:

Lass Rei – Parl vs Vulpix Pluck. Ember back. Crit. Again! Down, and PArl gained a level. 1008 in pokecash

Evolution!

Parliament evolved

https://gamewith-en.akamaized.net/article/thumbnail/rectangle/13390.png

I head back to Motostoke for a quick lil heal

[Abe Sargent]

I am exploring Route 3 some more. Found some heal balls.

Trainer Battle – Hannah Fearcoon vs Pancham. Headbutt. KOd me. Next is Majestic Hint. Water Gun. Tackle back, again,KOd the Pancham. 936 in cash.


Heal and return.

Trainer – Marvin. Fearcoon vs Budew. Headbutt! Absorb back. Again! KOd. Next is Gossifeur. I send out Parliament. Pluck! KOd in one hit. Fearcoon levels. 720 cash.


Hello Sonia! She shows me the lay of the land and a mine owned by the Chairman. She hands me an Escape Rope and heals my Pokes Smokes.

I run into a odd rocklike looking creature with a giant eye in a front looking eyepiece called a Rolycoly. This gen’s Geodude? Snarl! Again! Whoops, crit. Sorry. I grab another. Snarl! Again! Can I snag it?


https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XYYdtGo3_mk/maxresdefault.jpg

Yup! Meet “Rockzilla.” I’ll add it to the 6th slot for my party.

Trainer Kayleigh. Fearcoon vs Purrloin – Headbutt! It flinched Again! KOd. Skwovet is next and I send out nothing. Headbutt! Flinch. Again! Tail Whip. Snarl! Ko. Defeated. 936 in cash.


I find Tm 37 Beat Up

Trainer Tad – Fearcoon vs Delibird. Headbutt? Flinch. Again! Present back. Snarl. Done and down. Defeated. 1344 taken

Trainer Peter – Fearcoon vs Sizzlipede. Looks like fire/bug? Open with Headbutt. Wrap back. Snarl. Wrap again. Snarl. Foe kod. Next? Levels for Barks and Rock. Next is something called Dottler. I send out Punch. I don’t know what it is. Looks like a camping tent Pokémon. Scratch. Confusion back. Razor Leaf? Not vey effective, probably bug. Uses Light screen against me. Again. Once more after another Confusion. Taken down. Levels by Fearcoon and Parl. 840


As I leave route 3 I get heal from a healer. My team:

Punch Monkey – Level 20
Parliament – 19
Barksalot, Fearcoon, Hint, 17
Rockzilla, 14

[Abe Sargent]

Galar Mine

I am exploring, fighting some locals and more. I find a star piece/

Trainer – Keith. Fearcoon vs Roggenrola. Snarl! Tackle back. Again! Avoided. Harden. Again! Done. 1400

I find some more great balls. TM54 Rock blast,

Trainer – Georgia – Fearcoon vs Timburr. I swap Parliament. We are double weak against fight. Pound on me. Pluck! Down. I leave it out for another. Pluck! Down. A 3rd arrives. Pluck, yup, down, yup. 1400 in cash.


TM26 Scary Face is next appropriated.

Trainer Sandra – Fears vs Diglett. Snarl. Scratch on me. Again! Down. Levels by fear, Pm, and Barks. Drillbur arrives. Snarl! Dark is fine vs steel. Again! Rapid spin back. Again! Rapid Spin drops me to red, but Drillbur falls. Parl and Rock level. 1500 for victory.

I race outside for sweet healing.

I run into and capture a Timburr. I find a hard stone and hand it to Rockzilla. I find a Woobat and capture it.

Trainer – Russel – Fearcoon vs Rolycoly. Snarl. Snarl after a tackle back. Another tackle. Another Snarl. Down. Finished and we grab 1500

I find a pear of Heavy Duty Boots

I run into an older lady. She was chosen by the Chair.

Challenge.

Fearcoon vs Solosis. Snarl! Badly hit. Endeavor back. Again. Finished. Hint levels. Something called Hatenna is next. I send out my main. Razor Leaf? Normal. Confusion back. Again! Fainted. Next is Gothita. I send out Fearcoon. Tickle. I use Snarl. Super effective lowers sp. Attk. Tickle from my foe. Repeat. Deep red. Pound back. Once more! Out. 1920 cash


I find a bag of stardust.

Mine behind


Punch Monkey – Level 21
Parliament – 20
Barksalot, Fearcoon, Hint, 18
Rockzilla, 16

[Abe Sargent]

Route 4

Healed

Trainer – Jaime – Fearcoon vs something cool – a weird Meowth. Snarl! Fakeout used by it. Flich. Snarl again. Fake tears. Again! Scratch. Let’s finish this. KOd. Rock levels. I leave my guy out for his Seedot. Headbutt! Rollout back. Again! Crit, down. Nice! Butterfree? Send out Barks. Nuzzle. Confusion on me. We para it. Again! Supersonic attack misses. Again! Confusion again. Bite. KOd. Barks and Fear level to 19. 1440 for winning


Back for healing.


There’s a Pumpakoo. Can we capture it? Yup!


Trainer – Fearcoon vs Pikachu – Headbutt. It uses Elecrotball. I am paralyzed. I swap to Rockzilla. QA by my foe. Smack Down! Electroball. It faints. Level by Rock. 720 for winning


Evolution!


Rocks is now a Carkol and gained the fire type which is pretty useful. It gains Flame Charge. I’ll take rock/fire.


I head for healing. I find some nest balls.

I run into and capture an Electrike. I also fight the odd Meowth. And I capture it too after a few balls.

I nickname it Steelwhiskers as it’s a steel type.

Trainer Bradley – Majestic Hint vs Elecrtike. I swap in Rock. Leer. Flame Charge. Leer. FC. KOd. Levels for Barks and MH. Spark learned by Barks. I leave this out for Lotad. Flame Charge! Absorb. FC. KO. Level by Fearcoon.We win and gained 1440


Evolution!



Fearcoon evolved. I give him the Night slash move. I replace Snarl. I head back for more healing and return

https://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/pokemon-switch/a/ab/GalarianLinoone.jpg?width=1280

[Abe Sargent]

Route 4

Healed

Trainer – Jaime – Fearcoon vs something cool – a weird Meowth. Snarl! Fakeout used by it. Flich. Snarl again. Fake tears. Again! Scratch. Let’s finish this. KOd. Rock levels. I leave my guy out for his Seedot. Headbutt! Rollout back. Again! Crit, down. Nice! Butterfree? Send out Barks. Nuzzle. Confusion on me. We para it. Again! Supersonic attack misses. Again! Confusion again. Bite. KOd. Barks and Fear level to 19. 1440 for winning


Back for healing.


There’s a Pumpakoo. Can we capture it? Yup!


Trainer – Fearcoon vs Pikachu – Headbutt. It uses Elecrotball. I am paralyzed. I swap to Rockzilla. QA by my foe. Smack Down! Electroball. It faints. Level by Rock. 720 for winning

Evolution!

https://gamewith-en.akamaized.net/article/thumbnail/rectangle/13409.png


Rocks is now a Carkol and gained the fire type which is pretty useful. It gains Flame Charge. I’ll take rock/fire.

Trainer – Sunny – Hint vs Milcery - Looks like a mug of beer. Water gun? Sweet scent back. Again. Again! Draining kiss. Down. Down kid too. 720 cash though for us.


I capture a Diglett. I run into a Wooloo that crashes into me. The gym leader is Milo who’s Wooloo just rammed me. They head back to town.


Trainer – Mia – MH vs Evee. Water gun. Headbutt. Bite. Again Great job! 720 for us

Trainer Rhys – MH vs Joltik. I send in Rockzilla. It uses a n attack called elecrtoweb. Flame Charge! Down and done. For a Grubbin I swap to Parliament. Pluck. Great. Trainer down and 672 in that sweet sweet cash.



I find a T07 Pin Missle back here.

We finish route 4 with:



Punch Monkey – Level 22
Parliament – 21
Barksalot, Fearcoon - 20
Hint, Rockzilla, 19

[Abe Sargent]

Hello Hop!

He tells me we can’t get a match yet as there ae many other challengers. I need to talk to Sonia first. I head to the PC and heal. I snag another 20 balls.

There are a bunch of Stonehenge ruins here. I am finding a few X items. There’s a leaf stone.

Hello Sonia!


She talks of the locals legends and then gives me some Revives.

I head into town and talk of things. There’s legend here of a secret buried under the stones


Hop is coming out of the gym and he got his badge.

I move Parliament to the front spot on my roster.


I am trading my steel Meoweth for a normal one.


I have to do a gym mission to secure the ability to challenge the leader.

I begin!

Looks like a corn maze. I have to chase wooloo. Done.

Trainer – Sam. They have a Gossifleur. Pluck. Rapid Spin back. Again! Down. Level up for MH. 1536 cash

Trainer Mark – Budew. Pluck. Oddish heads out, Pluck again please. Thanks! 1632 for us

Trainer Leah – Bounsweet. Pluck! OHKO. Parl levels up. Oddish heads out next. Pluck.OHKO. Rocks levels. I give him ancient power. 1632 for the win

Milo Time!


Gym Battle #1 – Grass

He has two Pokeballs.


Battle #1 – Parliament vs Gossifleur. Pluck! Down to red. It uses Round. Again my winged friend. Down. Levels by Barks. I leave out Parliament.


Battle #2 – Parl vs Eldegoss. It’s the evolved form of Gossifleur. Pluck! It dynamaxes. It’s HUGE. Pluck drops it a bit. It uses Max Strike and drops me deep into yellow. Again! Down into early yellow. Here comes max overgrowth. Grass covers the battlefield. Parls is in red. PLUCk! Deep red, I was hoping. It finishes Parliament. Hmmm… I send out Rockzilla. Flame Charge! KOd. Good job team! Levels for Punch Monkey and Fearcoon. 3200cash


Grass Badge baby!

Tm10 Magical Leaf follows.


There’s a nearby wild area if I want to check it out, or I could just head to route 5 and then the next town.

[Abe Sargent]

Route 5


I find some leftovers and give them to Parliament to hold.

Trainer – Helioptile ad Klink vs Punch and Rock. Razor Leaf hurts both, and Flame Charge kod’s their Klink. Rapid Spin finishes their foe. 3600 I cold hard cash.

PM learns Knock Off. Headbutt is learned by Majestic Hint.

Trainer Stuart -Punch vs Applin – Knock Off. Astonish back. Once more. Complete. Barks levels. 2400


I run into a Spiritzee. Capture one. I also grab a Drifloon, and Mincinino.

https://dotesports-media.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/15061513/maxresdefault-2.jpg

And I run into a Applin as well. I capture it and name it “Bobbers”



Evolution!

https://weplay-cdn.azureedge.net/weplay-public/2019-06-05/690f5f697855a06fa7d3f1d992f921b7.jpeg

Majestic Hint is now a Drednaw. It wants to learn rock tomb. I swap it for bite. It gained rock.

Alright let’s head back to town. I buy some more balls.

[Abe Sargent]

I heal, and then do a party and type check.


These are my 6 current folks in my squad and what types they have a STAB attack bonus against:


1. Punch Monkey, Grass. Good vs rock, ground, water.
2. Parliament, Flying, good vs Grass, Fighting, Bug
3. Rockzilla, Rock/Fire, Rock is good vs Flying, Bug, Ice, Fire; Fire is good vs Grass, Steel, Ice, Bug
4. Barksalot – Elec – good vs Water, Flying
5. Drednaw – Water/Rock – Water is good vs Ground, Rock, Fire; Rock is good vs Flying, Bug, Ice, Fire
6. Fearcoon – Dark/Normal – Dark is good vs Psychic, Ghost; Norm is good vs nothing


That means that assuming no additional type swaps, I have all types covered save for these:
Normal
Dragon
Fairy
Poison
Electric
Dark

That means 6 of the 18 types are ones I don’t have STAB super effective attacks against.

Assuming that Barks gains no types on evolution, is the first too head out. He’s the weakest member of my party right now and struggles in battles and has no additions he is adding, I already have anti-flying and anti-water. Also note that Drednaw’s rock/water isn’t much either. I have ground and rock and fire hatred from Rockzilla, and PM. I have the Rock’s anti-stuff from, well, the rock of Rockzilla. Right now Fearcoon is giving me two types with Dark, but Norm ain’t great.


As of right now,we’ll keep Barks and Drednaw in the party as I am sure Barks has at least another evolution, although Drednaw appears to be finished with evolving as the next one up in the Pokedex is known to me.


As of right, now, the top three are my early leads to last, as I know the bird will likely have a final finish like most of these early birds tend to. What that will be, and when, I don’t know. I suspect that the rock/fire has a third level up like Geodude or Rokkinrolla and other similar early rocks that will take two levels and finish powerfully, and his Fire/Rock is great coverage for the team. Just the four types of my starter Parl, and Rock give me coverage for 11 types. That’s the sort of power that can go the distance.


In case you care as I am about to head back out to Route 5 and the wild zone:


Punch Monkey – Level 25
Barksalot, Parliament – 23
Hint, Rockzilla, Fearcoon - 22


Key types to look for to give me max coverage include:

Ground (the only anti-elect)
Ice or Fairy for anti-Dragon
Poison or Steel for anti-Fairy
Fighting for anti Normal
Ground, Psychic for anti-Poison
Fight, Bug, or Fairy vs Dark


So, as you can see, Ground would cover two, as would Fighting. I want to keep up looking for those. If Drednaw were water/ground instead? Assuming if it didn’t suck statistically then that would have a more powerful cachet. A Fighting/Steel or Ice/Ground or something could get me a lot of coverages in one go.

Anyways, there you go!

[Abe Sargent]

Back to Route 5:


Trainer Debra – Fearcoon vs Minccino – Headbutt. KO. I leave my guy out for Steenee. Headbutt again. Rapid Spin back. Night Slash! KO! Levels by Rocks and Parl. 1824 cash


Trainer Adrian – Fearcon vs Stufful. Headbutt. Tackle back. Again. Tackle back. Once more. Ko. Ralts is about to head out, I leave my guy. Night Slash! OHKO. Fears levels and gains Rest, I swap it for Lick. 1824 cash

I find a PokeNursery

https://www.imore.com/sites/imore.com/files/styles/w830/public/field/image/2019/11/pokemon-sword-shield-catch-toxel-003-3.jpg?itok=6926MCZy

I am given a Toxel here. It’s an Elect/Poi Pokemon. I’ll look at it in a moment. I name it “Croakers”

I find a shed shell.

I come across a Dottler. I send out Barks to paralyze with Nuzzle. I try to snag it and….


Yup!

Dottler!

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/pokemon/images/9/95/825Dottler.png/revision/latest?cb=20191118190000

I name it “Canvas”. It is a Bug/Psychic. While Bugs are minor, Psychic is strong, and this is useful. It looks like the leveled up version of that bug I found a long time ago,

I capture a Wobuffet.


I head back to the PC and swap Toxel at level 1 for my Turtle. I want to keep my electric dog for now to see what happens when he levels

I come across two Team Yells harassing someone for their bike.

Grunt #1 - Fearcoon vs Zigzagoon – Headbutt. OHKO. They send out Thievul which looks like the evolved form of the Nickit I had earlier. Headbutt again! Beat up back. I think I can finish it this turn and….yup. 1440 in cash


Grunt #2 – Fearcoon vs Sableye – Night Slash. Disable back. Again with Sand Attack. Finish him! 1440 cash


I get the bike so I can chase the goons


Hello Hop!

Punch Monkey vs Wooloo – Razor Leaf! OHKO. Barks vs Corvisquire. Spark! Peck on me. Paralyzed him! Again! KOd. Levles for Barks, Parl, Rock. Rockzilla vs Drizzile. That’s the starter. I thought it was another polemen. I swap out Punch. I take a round attack, and then I OHKO him.

Finally!

Here is Barks’s new form
http://pm1.narvii.com/7379/9f54da5e5e024f0d775c88efe37940b7cdc68236r1-622-350v2_uhq.jpg


Enjoy!


It did not gain any new forms though.



I run into an Eldegoss on the bridge and capture it.


I fly back to the PC, heal, and swap out Barks for Majestic Hint.

Trainer Denise – Parl vs Churbi. Pluck, OHKO. Rock vs Woobat. Ancient Power? OHKO. 1824 battle cash


More X items being found by myself


Trainer Gabrielle – Parl vs Croagunk. Pluck? Okho. Fight type. 1900 for the win


Hulbury! Site of the great water gym and stuff.


Party:



Punch Monkey – Level 27
Parliament – 25
Rockzilla, Fearcoon - 24
Hint – 23
Croakers - 17

[Abe Sargent]

Here are my current moves with Croakers:

Nuzzle, weak Elecr attack that always paralyzes; Flail is a norm attack that deals damage equal to the amount of wounds I have. Acid – early tackle or water gun level poison attack. Belch. 120 power, 90 accuracy. Have to eat a berry to use it. I hand a random berry to him for it.

As a reminder Poison attacks are good against grass/fairy, but weak vs a lot of folks (rock, ghost, ground, steel is immune.) Now I own three anti-grasses, although I am past the gym.


I see a scene in front of me as the chairman is coming down the road. He wants me to win the gym challenge here, and will hold a party for me if I do.

I begin exploring everywhere. I find a Magnet. There’s an incense stall seller here on the beach. I buy Luck incense for 11k. This doubles the cash I get from battles with the holder and I give it to my main. I pick up a single Revival Herb here.

I head down to the gym. On the way I find some net balls and get some experience fishing up Pokes by the docks. Rocks levels.

There’s a new Pokemon called an Arrokuda I just came across!

Can I bring it in? I sure can!

http://www.powerpyx.com/wp-content/uploads/pokemon-sword-shield-Arrokuda-1.jpg

Meet “Scalejaw”.


Croakers and Parliament level too.

I head back to the PC for some healing and head back down the hill.

[Abe Sargent]

Of course the gym leader isn’t there she’s at the lighthouse. I head out.

Hello Nessa! We talk, and she heads to the Stadium. While here I explore some more.


Gym challenge time!


I have my starter Punch Monkey in front for the Gym. A water gym should be easy for a grass starter.


I arrive. These gym challenges remind me of the Legends of the hidden Temple kid’s show.


I have to pass waterfalls and such and turn some off to advance.


Trainer #1 – Julia – Punch vs Tympole. A Razor leaf ends it’s dreams. 4032 in cold hard cash.


Got past the first slate of waterfalls.

Trainer #2 – Heather – PM vs Krabby. OHKO. Fearcoon levels. I leave out for Corphish. Another Leaf OHKOs. 3840 in cash


Trainer #3 – Lynn – PM vs Remoraid. OHKO. Chewtle arrives. OHKO again. Croakers levels. 4032

Mission finished!

Water Battle Begins!


Battle #1 – Punch Monkey vs Goldeen. Razor Leaf. Protect, nope. Again! I take a small horn attack first, One hit KO. Down.

Battle #2 – Punch vs Arrokoda. Razor once more. One hit ko first. PM levels.

Battle #3 – Punch vs Drednaw. With grass I am super good here (Rock/Water are both weak to grass) . I make no charges to their Dynamaxed huge Pokemon. Razor Leaf! It uses Max overcharge. I am dropped to half of my life, but him more. Again! Drednaw falls!

We have won! Hint and Croakers levels

7680 cash. I got the Water Badge.

And TM36 Whirlpool

The Fire Gym is next.

The 11k I spent has almost paid for itself already as you can see. (I got an additional 2k, 2k, 1.9k, and 3.7k from those four battles). I get healed and then head to dinner and the party tossed by the Chairman


Hello Sonia! I get a bunch of plot about the vault in Hammerlocke and the Dynamax problem. After, Sonia gives me TM79 Retaliate.


Hello Hop!


The Fire gym leader is in the Galar Mines apparently.

At the PC Pokemart I can now buy a few more things. I grab 10 Great balls

[Abe Sargent]

Galar Mine #2.


I find a Shell Bell and hand it to Fearcoon.


I run into and capture a Shellos, Barboach, Binacle, Wimpod, Shuckle


Hello Bede

I am challenged:


Croakers vs Solosis – Nuzzle, we’ve para’s it. It OHKOs me. Out Fearcoon. Night Slash. OHKO back. Rockzilla vs Ponyta. It looks like a My Little Pony unicorn. Ancient Power. It nails me with a Horn Attack. Smack Down. Confusion. Again! They use a Super Potion. It connects. Again! Another Confusion on me. Again! Confusion again. And….down. Their next due is Gothita and out heads my dark answer. Night Slash! OHKO. Hatenna is next. No changes, Night Slash! OHKO. 2760 in cash


She gives me her league card and heads out.


I grab a Croagunk on my way out on the bike to get a heal


That’s an odd looking Stunfisk. I grab it. It’s now Steel/Ground.


Rockzilla learns Incinerate.

I head back to the PC. Is this my new replacement for the Rock/Water of Majestic Hint?


Ground gives me an answer to poison and electric, rock, steel and fire, and steel an answer to rock, ice, fairy.


That would leave Dragon, Normal, and Dark as the only types I wouldn’t have an effective answer to.

Stunfisk has never struck me as a powerful Pokemon.


Back to the mine!

[Abe Sargent]

Trainer #1 – Francis – Punch Monkey vs Carkol. Razor Leaf! Smack down. Again, and again. Razor again! KOd. Parl levels. I notch 4200


I find 3 Dusk balls back here.

Trainer #2 – Yvonne – PM vs Roggenrola – RL. OHKO. Timburr heads out, I swap Parliament. Pluck! OHKO. Finished. 4200 snagged for the future.


I find a Grip Claw, and star piece, and a bag of soft sand as well.


I catch a Corphish and Noibat.


Hello Team Yell! I hope your day is going well! They ask for a battle with me to help them get better. I agree. Hop runs up jealous and joins.

Hop/Me vs Grunts 1 and 2

They have Linoone an Thievul, we have Punch and Wooloo. Razor Leaf! They use Night Slash and Snarl. Wooloo is almost down. It uses Double Kick and drops Thievul. Level for Punch and Hint. I forget Tackle for Slam with Punches. They dispatch Liepard. Razor again! They ko Wooloo. Hop sends out his Corvisquire. Another RL. I KO their Linoone. Rock levels. They have their Liepard gone and a Pancham heads out. Razor Leaf! We end them. 6880 from them.

They quietly leave.


I continue after Hop runs off.




Trainer #3 – Vincent – Punch vs Drilburr. I use Razor. One hit. I stay out to take out Onix. One hit wonder. 5520 cash


I find TM49 Sand Tomb



Hello Hop, Team Yell, and the Gym Leader. The Gym leader just finished defeating the Team and they head out. He heads home to get ready for our match.


We head out from the Mine.

Hop talks and flees off. There are a few folks here so I explore


I grab a Sudowoodo, Throh,

Trainer #1 – Caroline – Punch Monkey vs Yamper. KO with a crit. Nicely done! I send out Croakers for a Swoobat. Nuzzle! Air Cutter on me. It’s paralyzed. It almost kills me with a crit Air Cutter. I swap out Parliament. Crit on me again! Knock it off! Pluck. KO. About time! We win. 9600 for us


I find an Amulet Coin back here. It’s the same as Luck Insence. I hand it to MajesticHint.


I heal Croakers cause I see something interesting out there.


It’s a Koffing! Nuzzle. I try to bring it into my group. Can I bring it in? Yup!



I call it “Stacks”

I run into a Salandit on the way home. I grab it




I find a Hatenna back here as well. Can I bring it in?


Yup!

https://cdn.segmentnext.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/hatenna.jpg

Meet “Curls.”


Trainer #2 – Raymmnd - Punch vs. Growlithe. Nope! I swap in Rockzilla. Ancient Power. Down boy. 5520 cash

I’m out!


Party:



Punch Monkey – Level 31
Parliament – 30
Rockzilla - 29
Fearcoon - 28
Hint – 27
Croakers – 26

[Abe Sargent]

I rest at the Pokemon Center. I swap Rockzilla into the front spot and then move around a


I head to the hotel. Hello Marine! We fight!


Team Yell are cheering her on from the sidelines.

Rockzilla vs Croagunk. Flame Charge. Hits. Revenge back and that’s nasty. I use it again and KO croagunk. They send out Scraggy and I send out my bird. Okay Parliament, let’s do it to it. Pluck! Super effective. Headbutt back. Again! My foe uses a super pot to full heal prior to the smashery. Again! KOd. Punch Monkey levels. I don’t know what this “Morpeko” is that’s about to arrive, but the first two were Fight, so I leave my bird. It’s another Pikachu looking Pokemon. Pluck! Not very effective, it Thunder Shocks me badly. It morphes into a dark looking Pikachu. Did that change forms? Pluck still wasn’t a big hit. Another Thunder shock arrives. Back to happy Pika. Power Trip? Also not very effective. Another Shock. Almost dead. Well let’s go dow swinging. Pluck. I drop it badly, but I’m not long for the awakening world. Croakers, go! Acid. It Bites. Ko. Croakers gains a level. 6240 in cash.


We head to bed. In the morning, Marnie is there. She hands me a league card and some burn heals.


For the gym, my intended sweeper for this gym is the fire/rock Rockzilla that has the rock attack and is very hard for fire to crack.


I bike over. Hop is coming out with his badge already. I head in.


Let’s do it!



I have to catch Pokemon for the gym challenge.


I encounter a Vulpix. I take out the competition so I can solo the Vulpix. Can I snag it? Yup! Fear levels.


I run into a Sizzilipede. Once again I take out the competition. I have not run into this before. I want to capture it. I lose Fearcoon but I do manage to snag it!


https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NbiWsO6Z85k/maxresdefault.jpg

Meet “Firebug”


Level by Hint

I revive Fearcoon. I send out Fearcoon after Parl dies against a Litwick.


We clear the mission. Now the fun really begins!


I revive Parliament. Ready?


Gym Match #3 vs Kabu


Battle #1 – Rockzilla vs Ninetales. Smack Down! Super effective, after I take a minor fire attack. Again! Ember? Nope. Smack down and deeply red. Once more! They use Fire Spin, little damage but we’ll take a little each time. KO. Rock levels.


Battle #2 – Rockzilla vs Arcanine – Smack Down! Bite on me. It takes around 30% of his health. Again! I am flinched from his Bite. Again! Bite and Smack Down. Again! KO!


Battle #3 – Parliament vs Centiskorch. It sounds like the updated fire/bug. He’d wounded from many hits, time to rest him. I choose to DynamMax Airstream. He does the same! Two giants. Mine is first, super effective. He uses a max flame attack and drops me to red. AGAIN! Ko.

Nice!


Level for Croakers; 8640 for me


I won the Fire Badge! And TM38 Will o Wisp

[Abe Sargent]

Hammerlocke’s gym is next.



The three gym leaders defeated arrive to show us off. Hop and Bede begin to fight.



I head back to the nearby Wild Area.


I try to gather some raids too.


I capture Solosis,



I get TM14 Thunder Wave for beating a Rotom Rally challenge here.


I find a Fire Stone. And then TM 39 Façade behind it.

Back behind the bridge I find a Mareanie and grab it. Ditto a Torkoal,


I find a sun stone and wishing piece in the desert there,. I find another Nursery back here.

I arrive at the town and Bede is here having defeated Hop.

We are at Hammerlocke:



Party:



Punch Monkey – Level 33
Parliament – 31
Rockzilla - 31
Fearcoon - 30
Hint – 29
Croakers – 29

[Izulde]

Get yourself a donkey (Mudbray). Best Ground type ever due to the high DEF stats that keep building up.

[Abe Sargent]

Hammerlocke



We explore a bit and run into the chairman, his assistant , and Beda. They talk and Beda has been looking for wishing stones to give the chair some power and stuff. The chair invites me to follow but don’t for now. I explore.



I find a house with some people that rate your relationships with your Pokemon, and one hands me a Soothe Bell.


I find a house:


Black Belt Trainer: Cottonee vs Punch Monkey. Slam. It hurts badly, and then it uses Revenge, a move that hits for double and almost kos me. I slam again and ko Cottonee. We win!


After we get a Focus Band from the martial artist. I head back to the healing at the PC and head back out after grabbing a ten set of Great Balls and some medical items like potions and revives and such.


Another Battle Café is here.


Battle Café Barista – Punch and Rockzilla vs Slurpuff and Aromatisse. Razor Leaf and Incinerate will both work on the full enemy squad so I use both. They both work, and then a pair of Rounds on Punch hurts him a lot. We do it again to hurt them, and they finish off Punch Monkey and I send out Parliament. I use Pluck to take out the wounded Aroma along with Flame Charge and we finish it. They hit Parl lightly. Pluck and FC again! A major ice attack smashes and hurts Parliament. Again! We finish it off. We get 8800 cash.





Croakers levels and evolves:



http://www.powerpyx.com/wp-content/uploads/pokemon-sword-shield-toxtricity-blue.jpg
He learns Spark.


I head back to the PC and then move back to follow the coaches.


I enter this giant castle, and there are tons of folks here. It’s a big giant energy plant for the region, using wishing stars to get the fuel. He directs me to a vault on route 6.


The Hammerlocke Gym is Dragons and the final one.

Hello Leon!

He tells me Hop’s been down since losing to Bede.


There’s a TM store here on the way out to route 6. I buy TM 23 Thief as I think I may want to teach it to Fearcoon.


I head out to the Vault. I come across someone named Raihan who loans me a card.


I find TM29 Charm here


Hello Sonia! More plot exposition follows. Two youths, stars of the swishing persuasion, Sword vs Shield, Knight, yadda yadda



Big question – why are there two in the story but just one venerated? My guess – one turned evil and became the big bad. Time to head out.

Hello Raihan! I will train up on route 6, as per your request.


I find a sweet apple thee.

Punch Monkey learns a move called “Grass Pledge” from a local trainer that’s better than RL.

[Abe Sargent]

Route 6


At the end of the bridge are some Team Yells. They don’t want us to pass to wake up a sleeping Silicobra Pokemon. Fight begins


Grunt #1 - Punch vs Stunky – Slam. Poison Gas on me poisons me. Again! KO. Parliament heads out vs Linoone. Pluck. Night Slash back. Pluck again. It used Night Slash again. Pluck once more. And……. Down. 4800 for us

Grunt #2 – Punch Monkey vs Liepard – Grass Pledge. OHKO. 4800 for winning

Hop runs off after talking, and a lady named Opal arrives and cards me. I head back to the PC for healing.



Back to Route 6


Trainer #1 – Anita – Rockzilla vs Clefairy – Incinerate. Metronome back. Again! KO. I remain for Clefable. Flame Charge! It uses the Metronome back and blows away my Pokemon, and out comes Fearcoon. Night Slash. Metronome again, Headbutt. Metronome. KO. 5760 for me.


I capture a Helioptile, Maractus,

Evolution!


https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mQ29eRY52EY/maxresdefault.jpg


I now have a Coalossal from Rockzillla! He wants to learn Tar Shot. It’s a rock move that lowers targets speed and makes them weaker to fire. I learn it and replace Flame Charge.


Croakers learns Toxic. Parliament learns Drill Peck.


Another Evolution!

https://www.fanbyte.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/xPokemon-Sword-and-Shield-Rillaboom-1024x665.jpg,qx42610.pagespeed.ic.Cg30t_Nq3Z.jpg


My starter evolves!

Drum Beating replaces Razor Leaf.

I head back to the PC for some healing

[Abe Sargent]

I buy 10 Dusk balls and some X items while here


Back to Route 6


I capture a Dugtrio,

Trainer #2 – Nicola – Punch vs Skorupi – Slam. Venoshock back. Slam. KO. Next I send out Parliament for Pawniard. Drill Peck. Not very effective, I thought Pawniard was steel/fight. Gotta muscle my way through. I am hit twice by Metal Sounds, but finish it with a crit. Defeated and we made 4200.



Trainer #3 – Duncan – I moved Rockzilla to the front to give him some more experience. Vs Koffing. There were a lot of poisons here already, so that meant my grass was the wrong one to start, nice to see that was the right call. Tar Shot. Let’s try it. It uses Self-Destruct. Which barely hurt me. Next is Sudowoodo and I send out Punch. Whoops missed. Tar shot. Rock Slide back, Crit. I pull for Punch, Another, weaker hit. Grass Pledge. KO. 3998 for winning


Trainer #4 – Ruth – Rock vs Throh. Not good (rock is weak). I swap for Parliament. I take a Revenge. Drill Peck. Nice. Revenge. Again! KO. 4464


I find Tm 30 Steel Wing. I can’t give it to Parliament which is sad because a nice steel attack would be cool.

I find a rare candy and 3 Ultra Balls.


Trainer #5 – Diane – Rock vs Sawk. Again I swap in Parl, as this is a powerful fighter. I take a low sweep on the swap. Drill Peck!!! Double Kick on me. I am badly wounded in a lot of Pokemon now. I use it again. KO. 4464 cash.


I find TM15 Dig


I find a fossil hunter back here with a machine. I find some Light Clay too.

Trainers #6 and 7 – Iwan and Evelyn – Rockzilla and Croakers vs Togetic and Pawniard. Spark on Togetic – OHKO. Metal Claw on Rock. Rock Incinerates and takes out the Pawniard. 14880 for the victory


I finish route 6, welcome to Stowe-on-Side.


Party:


Punch Monkey – Level 36
Parliament – 35
Rockzilla - 36
Fearcoon - 33
Croakers – 33
Hint – 32

[Abe Sargent]

I swing by the Pc for some healing and talking with the folks. I head bac to the wild area to check in, maybe find some fossils for the lady.

I see a Cufant and try to run into it. I don’t have one. I grab it and mine’s level 29.



I name her “Trunks”


She’s steel she my replacement for Hint? I add her to my party. Let’s see!

I wanted to come here for some wild energy and some digs, but I’ll take it!



I get a dawn, ice, and fire stone.


I do a few raids too, and get some watts and lesser items. I also spend 1000 watts ot upgrade the speed boosts of my bike and do some more races. I did catch a Snorlax and Dwebble at a raid. I do around 10 raids in all.



I find a Sun Stone.

I find some fossilized fish. I fly to the prof, and combine the Drake and Fish to make a water/dragon Dracovish creature.

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/pokemon/images/1/16/882Dracovish.png/revision/latest?cb=20191118225141


Back to town!


I find a Dusk Stone and Metal Coat. I sell a Balm Mushroom for 25k and I also purchase some protective pads.

I find someone who wants to trade my level 30 Maractus with something called an Impidimp named “Peepers”. I send it to my party as Trunks disappointed. It’s Fairy/Dark.


https://www.gamepur.com/files/styles/max_width_770px/public/images/2019-06/image%20%283%29.jpg?itok=lA1mHQwN

I find Tm74 Venoshock. I use it and replace ; nope can’t learn it for my electr/poison dude.


Hmm…

I can give Scald to Rockzilla. This is a 80 power water attack. I hold off for now




Hello Hop!

He wants to battle:

Parliament vs Cramorant – Looks like a water flying. Drill Peck. Took it to red. Fury attack back. Again Parliament! He uses a Super pot that fully healds. Back to deep red. Again! Finished. Level for Parl.


Punch Monkey vs Drizzile – Drum Beating. This is his unevolved starter. One hit ko.


Rockzila vs Toxel – Smack Down. Nuzzle back. Again. Flail me first, and then KO.


Punch Monkey vs Silicobra – Beat that Drum! One kit ko super effective. 5280 in cash


He runs off like normal.


Hello Opal! She gives me Alister’s card, the gym leader here.


I go and heal at the PC and then head to the gym. I move my expeted sweeper to the front.

[Abe Sargent]

Gym #4 –


This looked like Poison from outside, but I think it’s actually dark. They are weak to Fight, Bug, and Fairy, which I have in a smaller number with my new member.

For this mission I need to ride Cups.


Trainer #1 – Clive – Rockzilla vs Pumpkaboo – Is this Ghost? Incinerate! I take a spooky hit and then connect and smash. Level up for Punch. I remain our for Phantump. Same. One hit ko. They were plants too. Another follows. This s my foe’s final Pokemon. I sweep it. Level for Peepers and Rock. I gain 5962 for winning.

If this is a Ghost dungeon, then I have the antidote. Dark.

Trainer #2 – Rockzilla vs Corsola. That’s pretty! Corsola was rock/water. Which now? Incinerate? Normal damage. It uses Ancient Power. Nasty. I do the same. Normal damage. Maybe it’s just Ghost? Another AP from my foe. Incinerate? KO. Done. We got 6144.


I move Fearcoon to the front


Trainer #3 – Roy – Fearcoon vs Haunter. Night Slash. OHKO. Drifblim? I’ll hang out. Night Slash. Red. Stockpile by it. Again! Down. Levels for Croakers and Fear. I win 3168


I finish the challenge!


Gym Battle #4 – Allister

Battle #1 – Fearcoon vs Yamask. Night Slash. Deep red. Brutal swing back. Hit’s barely. Again! KO. I leave him out.


Battle #2 – Fearcoon vs Mimikyu. I use my giganta form now. Max Darkness. GIANT Linoone rules all. �� It was tough enough to survive two hits from mega attacks. My Fearcoon takes some hits. Levels by Parliament and Peepers.


Battle #3 – Fearcoon vs Cursola – Is this the leveled up Corsola I saw earlier? Alright, time to finish this. Max Darkness drops to red. It’s speed rises, and it uses Curse. Fearcoon drops after it passes out. Fearcoon takes curse damage. The last one is Gengar. I leave out my sweeper to see how badly I can push it around.


Battle #4 – Fearcoon vs Gengar – Night Slash! It grows huge. Night slash does around half damage to it. It uses Max Ooze on me, which takes me out with the curse. I thought I might finish it. Ah well. Go Rockzilla! Ancient Power. Max error is uses and takes me out in one hit. Go Parliament! Drill Peck. Some damage dealt. It also kills me in one hit. Next? Croakers. It drops in size. I use Nuzzle to paralyses it. It crits me first. I have left a starter who will wilt to poison and a Peepers. Alright Punch! Slam won’t work (ghost) and m grass attackers are weak vs poison. But I have that dark Knock Off. It uses Venoshock first. And that’s a Pokemon. Now I need to play this safe as I have left just ONE POKEMON and it’s an un-evovled weak Imp.

I send it out. I use a Revival Herb on Fearcoon that fully heals him. I am killed in a one hit super attack (poison is strong vs fairy). My sweeper heads back out!


Alright, Night Slash. Down. Good job! He levels up.

That was really, really close.


11520 in sweet cash.

Evolution!

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-WGGtbBzr6w/maxresdefault.jpg


Peepers has grown and learns False Surrender.


I got a Ghost badge!

And HM77 Hex

[Abe Sargent]

Hello Sonia!


More plot, yadda yadda. We hear an explosion near the ruins!


I run over to check it out.


I see Bede and her Pokémon trying to destroy the wall and bring down the ruins n order to grab wishing stars. We fight her. Parliament vs Duosion. Drill Peck. Light Screen from him. Again. KO. For her Gotherita, I dispatch Fearcoon. Night Slash. Deep hit. Fake Tears used on me. I use it again. KO. Peepers levels. Next is somethings I don’t recall name Hattrem. Is it the Elephant steel? I send out Rockzilla in case it is. Nope, it’s the evolved Hatenna. Ancient Power. Psybeam used on me. Light Screen wears off. I should have used that turn to tar it. Tar Shot. Psybeam. Incinerate. Now we go first. One hit ko. I like it! Levels by Rocks and Punches. I give Punches Uproar. It replaces Slam. Next is Ponyta. I send out Peepers. Let’s get in our first battle! Fake out. Works first, forces a flinch. Next False Surrender. It uses Fairy Wind. Super effective. Mine drops her, and We win! 8400 in cash




After I win, the chairman and his staff arrive on the scene. The chairman’s Pokeman was taken and used for the site’s destruction. The chair expresses his disappointment and removes his endorsement of Bede’s challenge. Bede was orphaned and adopted by the chair. I suspect a dark turn in the future for Bede.


The wall was damaged and cracks open after they leave, revealing paints, statues, etc.



I heal at the PC.


Party:


Punch Monkey – Level 38
Parliament – 37
Rockzilla - 38
Fearcoon - 36
Croakers – 35
Peepers – 33

[Abe Sargent]

Glimwood Tangle



Trainer #1 Darek – Croakers vs Milcery. Spark. One hit KO. Level for Croakers. He learns discharge. 8160 cash.

I find some Bright Powder.

Here’s a Psychic Pontya! Let’s see if I can bring it in. Yup! Badly damaged Croakers,. But yup.



I name it “Hope”

Will it evolve from a Fire stone too? Nope.


EVOLUTION!


That is sick looking:

https://s3-ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/gamewith/article_tools/pokemon-sword-shield/gacha/823.png


Parliament’s Rookiedee final evolution.

It gained the Steel type, giving it the same type combo as the popular Skarmory.


It wants to learn Steel Wing so I grant it. Good bye Pluck.


I find a Big Root.

http://www.powerpyx.com/wp-content/uploads/pokemon-sword-shield-Sinistea.jpg

I come across a Sinistee. We capture it!


Trainers #2 & 3 – Robert and Jacqueline – Punch Monkey and Peepers vs Ninetales and Kirlia. Knock off and Fake Out. We drop Kirlia down and flinch Nine. Three Incinerates on my team have hurt but we finally drop 9. Level for Peepers. Dark Pulse learned.


I find Tm24 Snore


Trainer #4 – Judy – Rockzilla vs Indeedee. Tar shot. It uses play nice. Incinerate. It uses Psybeam. Again! It uses Disarming Voice. Rocks gains a level it’s down. Another arrives. Same attacks. Punch and Croakers level too.13200 cash


I find Luminous Moss

I find TM56 U turn


I leave!




Party:


Punch Monkey – Level 39
Parliament – 38
Rockzilla - 39
Fearcoon - 37
Croakers – 37
Peepers – 35

[Abe Sargent]

Ballonea

I heal up, and buy a bunch of Repels.

With my unexpected Steel gain, let’s do another type coverage assessment.



I believe I have two more levels up based on empty spots – Fearcoon and Peepers.



Punch Monkey – Grass is good vs Water, Rock, Ground

Parliament – Flying is good vs Fighting, Grass, Bug; Steel is good vs Fairy, Rock, Ice

Rockzilla – Rock is good vs Flying, Bug, Fire, Ice; Fire is good vs Grass, Bug, Steel, Ice

Fearcoon – Norm has no strengths; Dark is good vs Ghost, Psychic

Peepers – Fairy is good vs Dragon, Dark, Fight; Dark is good vs Ghost, Psychic

Croakers – Elect is good vs Flying, Water; Poison is good vs Fairy, Grass



I have STAB coverage against all types save for Norm, Poison and Electric. As each of those only have a single weakness (Fight, Ground), and the other just two (Ground, Psychic) I should be fine for now.


I get a Choice Scarf.

The people in this town appear to be a little, or a lot, mad.


I am given TM42 Revenge in a house, and I find TM 21 Rest here as well.

Trainer #1 – Elena – Parliament vs Dottler. Drill Peck. It uses Reflect. Again. KOd. 2880 for my Victoire


Elena hands me Evoiolite after battle.

I head to the Fairy Gym here in Ballonea


Hello Marnie!

She hands me one of her cards on the way out.


Ready for the Fairy Gym?

[Abe Sargent]

Gym Battle #5 – Opal’s Fairy.



All damage dealt to Parliament was healed by leftovers.

Battle #1 Parliament vs Weezing. The Smoke Stack Pokémon here. Steel Wing! Deep in the yellow. Fairy Wind back. Light damage, not very good against my Steel coat. I am asked the question about her nickname. Guess the wizard and it was correct. Steel Wing! We’ve dropped Wheezing.

Levels for 5 of my folks.

Battle #2 – Parliament vs Mawile. I healed from my damage with leftovers. Mawile is, if I remember, Steel/Fairy. Steel Wing? Normal. It uses Crunch on me, light damage. Again. Repeated identically. I know her favorite color is pink, as she’s wearing it, but she told me nope, it’s purple. I lose some stats. Steel Wong. Deep red. Crunch back . Once more? KOd.


Battle #3 – Parliament vs Togekiss – Dynamax! Max Steelspike! Togekiss is badly wounded, and my defenses rose. Ancient Power back. Again! KO.


Battle #4 – Parliament vs Alcreamie – Max Steelspike!!! She asks her age, and the answers are 88 and 16, something seems off, so I go younger. She was born on the Feb 29 in a leap year. I was right. ONE hit KO on her Dynamaxed foe. We win!!!


6080 for us. And the Fairy badge. And TM 87 draining kiss.

[Abe Sargent]

Opal and I head to Hammerlocke together. She needs to run errands. We fly over with the postal service birds and drop off. I can now buy Ultra Balls. I purchase 40. And 10 Hyper Potions. I look for some TMs too. I purchase TM55 Brine.


I fly to Motosoke City I want to swing by the Pokemon Center here and it’s Tms. I pick up Tm25 Protect, Tm 43 Helping Hand, and TM17 Light Screen; TM 18Reflect, and TM19 Safeguard


I head to the Wild Area and smash some bad guys and raids.


Fearcoon hits level 40 and evolves!!

https://static1.thegamerimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Obstagoon-cover.jpg


It learns the Obstruct ability.


After spending some time out here, I head back to Hammerstoke.

Hello Beda!

Opal comes across him and recruits Bede for the gym. Apparently Opal believes that it was the chairman’s assistant that sold her out. They head back to the mushroom village. I head to route 7

Hello Sonia!

We hear an explosion here which she was babbling plot at me. Leon arrives and we’ll head over. They tell me to head to Circhester, the site of the next battle.


Hello Hop. Too much Talking!!! He runs off to route 7.

There is a number of TMs on the PC opening on RTE7.

[Abe Sargent]

Route 7



Hop challenges me:

Trevenant vs Parliament. Drill Peck! One hit KO. Levels for Parl and Peeps. I send out Rockzilla for Heatmor. Smack Down! He uses a minor attack that barely touches me. Again! Another weak attack, and we drop it. Punch Monkey vs Intelleon, his starter. We take a Snipe Shot with a crit and drop to almost half. Beat that Drum. One hit KO. Levels by PM and Rocks, I keep this out for Snorlax. Drum! He uses Stockpile. Again! He uses Body Slam. Again! KO. Wounded but surviving Punch Monkey. Levels by Fear and Croakers. Fearcoon vs Boltund. Let’s see what you can do! Obstruct. He roars me and Croakers jumps out. Okay, Toxic. Let’s poison him. A Thunder fang hits me. He roars on the next turn. Here’s Peepers. Fake out, goes first, flinch. Sucker Punch. Our foe heals his guy with a potion. Spark. Sucker. He dies. The badly poison is too tough in a longer battle. Levels for Peeps. 8880 for us


He heals my team as thanks and then runs off. Again.



Trainer #1 – Mila – Punch vs Ribombee. Uproar. Silver Wind on e. Pollen Puff follows, crit, and super effective. She Kos me. Next is Peepers. Fake Out. Ko. I send out Croakers for Vespiqueen. Discharge. One kit ko. 8640 for us.

Croakers levels and gains Poison Jab. I pull Belch. I hand the Magnet to Croakers.


I head back for some healing at the nearby PC and return.


Whoa! I run into a leveled up Meowth here called a Purrserker. I try to bring it in. I do after 5 tries.


Team Yell are in the way one of the paths and blocking it. I have to take the other path.

Trainer #2 – Bruce – Rockzilla vs Corvisquire. Smack Down! It hones its claws. Badly wounded. Again. It uses Swagger to raise my attack and confuse me. I take him down and out. I switch to Croakers. For his Rufflet, another flyer,. Discharge! One hit ko. 8640 for me


Evolution!


Peepers:

https://www.serebii.net/pokemon/art/861.png

As Grimmsnarl, his types have not changed. He remains a Dark Fairy. I give him the Spirit Break ability fairy attack.


Barring another Pokemon being added, this might be my final lineup as I head into the final stretch of my team.


I capture a Galvantula.

[Abe Sargent]

Route 8


Trainer #1 – Joanna – Punch vs Roselia. Uproar. KO three turns later after two poison stings. Peepers vs Hattram. Sucker Punch. One turn ko. 8640 cash.


I find a Shiny Stone and Pixie Plate. I hand the Plate to Peeps.


I find a Falinks, a long formation of weird looking helmets. I try to capture it. Let’s see how many balls it’ll take…2.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/pokemon/images/b/bb/870Falinks.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/350?cb=20191118224929


I have named them “Koropendora” (feel free to Google it if you are bored)


Trainer #2 -Brianna – Punch Monkey vs Dreepy. Is it a bug? Drum Beating. Grass wasn’t very effective but I took it out. Must have been. I sent out Croakers for Vullaby. Discharge. One hit wonder as well. 5328 cash of the Poke persuasion.


I capture a Gurdurr, Boldore, and Crustle.


Trainer #3 – Davis – Parliament vs Togedamnu – Hone claws. It chooses to Zing Zap. Super effective. Steel Wing. Missed. Another Zing Zap. Almost dead, I send out Peepers. I get a zing zap again on arrival. Fake Out, free attack, flinch. Sucker Punch goes first if they are attacking, they are, I connect and KO. 2368 for the victory.


I find a King’s Rock, and TM43 Brick Break


Trainers #4 & 5 – Lynette and Jordon. Croakers and Rockzilla Vs Hippowdon and Exadrill. Both of mine are weak to ground. I pull them both. Punch Monkey uses Drum beat. Another, Parliament, heals. I drop their Hippodon. Purrserker heads out. They finish Punch after focusing both attacks onhim. Hello Peepers. We sucker punch and KO their Exadrill. Out comes a Lucario to replace it. I use a Pot on Peepers, and then a dark move on Purr with him. We KO Purr, but Lucario hits Peepers hard with a fight attack which is good vs dark. Sucker Punch and Drill Peck on Lucario. We take him out. 13320 for winning.


We have finished the lower part of route 8.


I head over and camp out and make curry for the gang to heal them. They are fully restored and healed from my spicy noodle curry.


Route 8 Stemdrift Way is next the 2nd half of my route 8 journey.

[Abe Sargent]

Route 8 Stemdrift Way is next the 2nd half of my route 8 journey.



We head out.


It’s a little snowy and I have moved my fire guy up front


I capture a Sneasel,



Trainer #1 – Robby – Rockzilla vs Arcanine. Smack Down! It roars me away and out comes Punch Monkey. Nope! I send out Rock. It roars me again for Croakers. I badly poison it with Toxic. It uses Extreme Speed first. I swap back to Rock. It roars me to Parliament. Of course it’s take poison damage so I can keep this up all day! KO. Rocks levels and wants to learn a new move. It’s too unreliable I skip it. 8880 in cash


We arrive!


Party:


Punch Monkey – Level 44
Parliament – 45
Rockzilla - 45
Fearcoon - 45
Croakers – 43
Peepers – 46


There we are!



Circhester

I head to the PC and check things out. Another 10 Ultra Balls.

I find a Catching Charm key item in the second floor of the hotel, and TM16 Screech is given to me by someone in another hotel. Tm47 Fake Tears is secured as well.


I get a Wide Lens after solving a mystery. Who ate the berries in the hotel? It was the detectives Pokemon.

I get Tm48 Rock Tomb in a house from someone who gave up the challenge and settled here. I find TM51 Icile Spear by the spa.



Up to the gym. Hello Hop! He lost.

[Abe Sargent]

Gym Challenge

There are many a trap in here and I have to get through with a trap detector.


Trainer #1 – Lewis – Rockzilla vs Snom. Smack Down. One hit baby. 7296 cash


Trainer #2 – Liana – Rockzila vs Cloyster. Smack Down. It withdraws and increases it’s stats. Again! Shell Smash out my foe. We take it down. 7296 cash


Trainer #3 – Alexander – Rockzilla vs Beartic – Incinerate. Swagger on me. Again. I break through and connect ko’d Beartic. 7488 cash


Croakers learns an electric attack called Overdrive.


Trainer #4Micah – Rock vs Avalugg – Ancient Power. One hit. 7488


I finish the challenge.

Gym Battle #6 – Melory’s Snow

Let’s do it!

Battle #1 – Rockzilla vs Frosmoth – Looks flying ish. Or Bug? I use a Fire attack. Incinerate. She uses Hail. One hit.

Battle #2- Rockzilla vs Darminatan – This is the regional variant of the fire one elsewhere. Ancient Power. It uses Taunt. I take it deep into the hp. It enters Zen Mode. Ancient Power again. It use Icile Crash. Not very effective but I flinched. Again. Another Crash. I finish it. Rocks gains a level.


Rocks is damaged about 1/2 way with Hails. I pull him.

Battle #3 – Parliament vs Eiscue – Parl was my 2nd sweeper as it’s steel part is super effective vs ice, but flying is super weak to it, and steel halved, so I’d take normal damage. Steel wing. It broke the Ice Face of my foe and did no damage. Icy Wind. Again. Amnesia by my foe pumps its def. Steel Wing is a one hit takedown.


Battle #4 – Croakers vs Lapras. The final is water but ice keeps Punch on the sideline. Dynamax! Let’s Max Lightning this. Giant Lapras vs Giant Croakers. I hit first and drop it around half. It uses Max Geyser. I take maybe 1/3. Again! Ko!


Nice! Good job taking out their final leader Croakers.


13440 for me. And my team.


I get the Ice badge, and TM 27 Icy Wind.


Two badges left

[Abe Sargent]

Hello Sonia! Or as I like to call her, Plot Lady.

Hello Hop!

More Myth related plot is revealed!!!!


I can now buy Full Heals I grab 22,


Battle vs Hop:


Rockzilla vs Dubwool - Tar shot vs Curl of Defense. Incinerate. Badly damaged. Growl back,. Once more? He uses a Hyper to full heal. Again! KO. From Hail and light pecks I’m down to around 60%. I send out Punch against his starter. Snipe Shot from him, crit. Drum Beating. Massive hit. He drops my attack and special attack with some moves. He faints from Hail; Rockzilla vs Corviknight – Incinerate. It uses Drill Peck. Again! KO.; I stay out and Tar Shot a random Pincurchin. It drops me bad. I use Incinerate. KO almost. Bubble Beam finishes me. Hail finishes him. Next? Croakers. Snorlax. Toxic. Body Slam back. Ovedrive. That’s a big hit. It uses a body slam again. Overdrive. Finished. My main learns Wood Hammer. We win and get that sweet cash. 9840.


Bye Hop and Sonia.


Party:


Punch Monkey – Level 46
Parliament – 46
Rockzilla - 47
Fearcoon - 46
Croakers – 45
Peepers – 47

[Abe Sargent]

Route 9 –

This looks big on the map by the by.


Trainer #1- Harriet – Rock vs water. I pull for Croakers. Overdrive? Got it. Next? Lanturne. I send in Punch. Drums. OHKO. 4992 cash


Trainer #2 – Zoe – Croakers vs Darumaka – Toxic. It uses Headbutt. I send out Rock. Another Butt of the Head. Smack Down. KO. I stay out for Belossom. Incinerate! It uses Quiver Dance. Again. Ko. 4992 cash comes our way



Hello Team Yell!



I capture: Jellicent, Octillery,


Grunt One – Punch vs Linnone – Drum! Badly wounded, and is takes us out with a crit Night Slash. I send out Peepers. Their guy died in hail, it’s Pangoro now. Spirit Break! It got off a punch that hurt first, but them we ko’d it. Defeated, 6400


Team Yell leaves.


I have a part on my bike modded to work on water.


I bike around and find a Zoom Lens. I fly back to the PC, heal, and the return


I find Tm64 Avalanche.

I run into a Grapploct. I accidentally killed it.

Trainer #3 – Marina – Croakers vs Qwilfish. One hit with Overdrive elect. 2560


Trainer #4 – Reece – Parliament vs Sawk. Drill Peck. KO. Throh? Peck? Again! 2624 cash


Trainer #5 – Jacob -Parl vs Cloyster. Steel Wing! Icicle Spear back, hits fie times. Steel Wing into protect. Drill Peck. It uses a Vortex on me. Another Peck runs into Protect. Again. Done, but I am badly savaged. 2496.


Trainer #6 – Scarlett – Fearcoon vs Remoraid. Night Slash! Out. Mantine heads in. NS again. It nailed me. Another Night Slash! KO. Swap to Punch for Octillery. Drum. One hit. 5120 cash


Trainer #7 – Fearcoon vs Toxapex – Night Slash. Protect. It posionnied me. Again. Venoshock and crit hit mostly ends Fearcoon. The Hail and poison take me deep. I send out Parliament. Steel is immune to poison attacks. I finish it off. And I get 2496 in cash.


I run into a wild Cobbopus. Can I bring it in? On the first try!



Here it is!




I find a Scope Lens


We arrive at Spikemuth but the gate is closed. Marnie is here with Team Yell. She’ll show me the way in if I beat her.


Parliament vs Liepard – Drill Peck. False Swipe. Again, used a Super Pot to heal. Again! Once more! I send in Peepers for their new Dark. Spirit Break. KO in one hit. I swap to Parl for Toxicraok. Drill Peck. One hit KO. Peepers head back in fr a Scrafty. Spirit Break. KO. Done.


5280 for winning.

I follow her in. Good bye Route 9.


Party:


Punch Monkey – Level 48
Parliament – 49
Rockzilla - 49
Fearcoon - 48

[Abe Sargent]

I get some healing here at the PC and then buy 10 Revives.

It seems to be a Team Yell enclave.

Hello Marnie!


The 7th Gym awaits

I’m not sure It’s the gym challenge, as I haven’t entered a stadium, but I change into my outfit as I walk down the street.


Team Yell Grunt #1 – Parliament vs Linoone. Drill Peck? Hits first, Fury Swipes back. Again. KO. 3360 for winning


Croakers levels. I teach him a powerful normal move called Boomburst. But, do I want to lose Nuzzle’s paralysis for it? I have the deadly poison, which is better when I want to win, not catch a Pokemon. Right now he has Toxic, Overdrive, Poison Jab and Nuzzle. He also loses STAB, but this is a 140 power attack that would be boosted with his sonic boosting ability. Let’s pull Nuzzle. If I miss it in my party, I can give it back at any Pokemon Center. Or I can try and give a TM that will do that for another Pokemon.


Team Yell Grunt #2 – Parliament vs Thievul. Drill again. Foul Play back. Again! KO. Peepers levels. 3360 in cash.



Team Yell Grunt #3 – Peepers vs Scrafty – Spirit Break. One hit KO. 3360 more of that sweet sweet cash.


Team Yell Grunt #4 – Peepers vs Weavile – Spirit Break. It uses an Icy Wind first. Then I smasherate it into tiny little dark ice pieces. Fearcoon rises. 3340 more cash for the machines


Team Yell Grunt #5 & 6 – Peepers and Croakers vs Liepard and Drapion – Slash on Peepers, and Bite on him too. Overdrive drops Liepard. Spirit break does the same for Drapion. Nice! 7568 for the duo defeat.


I heal Peepers. He clearly is to be my sweeper for the upcoming Gym Battle. Hello Marnie! Unlike Sonia, she spits some plot my way this time.


There is no stadium or anything else here. No dynamxing. Just raw fighting old school way.


Gym Leader #7 – Piers, Dark


Battle #1 – Peepers vs Scrafty – Spirit break! It uses Fake Out and forces a flinch. Again! One hit. DOWN!!!!

Levels for Peeps and Parl.

Battle #2 – Peepers vs Obstagoon. Spirit Break again! It uses Obstruct, it’s protect. Again! It connects but leaves a lot. He Kos Obstagoon, who had been wounded. Punch Monkey, do it. Drum! Hit and he smashes me with Throat Chop. Again! Throat Chop back. Once More? He blocks with Obstruct. Again? KO. Down and out.


Levels for Punch and Croakers.

Battle #3 – I send out Fearcoon for the dark/psychic Malamar. Night Slash! Normal attack. Same attack back, not very effective. Again! Nice, and same attack back. Once more! Taken down


Battle #4 – Fearcoon vs Skuntank – Obstruct. Counter. Sucker Punch first on me. Counter resolves. Again. Toxic on me. Headbutt. I take a Sucker punch first. KO!


Victory! 14720. I enjoyed how I used a Dark Pokémon in each battle


Got the Dark Badge. Marnie is apparently his sister. She challenges him to a battle and I head out.


I get TM 85 Snarl.

[Abe Sargent]

Plot arrives and tells me to swing by route 9.


Leon arrives! He tells me to focus on the goal, the explosion thing is covered by him.

In the P.C. after I Heal, I can now buy Max Pots.I buy 15 and another 20 Ultras.




I capture a Bergmite,


Trainer #1 & 2 – Andrea and Owen – Craockers and Rockzilla vs Maactus and Toxitricity. Poison Jab kos’ the plant. Toxic on Rock. Incinerate drops it Poison Jab on it. Ancient Power finishes it. We win! 10496 cash


I head back for a quick lill heal.

Here’s let me show you something funny:


Party:


Punch Monkey – Level 49
Parliament – 50
Rockzilla - 50
Fearcoon - 50
Croakers – 50
Peepers – 52



In what iteration of this game is your starter the one at the lowest level?? I found that to be funny, as I’ve never seen that before!


I fly back to Hammerlocke, and the folks here tell me he headed out to route 9 to help Leon. I head there.


Back to Route 9


There’s apparently a wild Dynamx Pokemon here.


Hello Hop!


More plot follows, and now I am told to head to Hammerlocke



I’ll do it the slow way and grab some Pokemon and such here.



I capture a Liepard


Trainer #3 – Caden – Punch Monkey vs Doublade – Drums. Not very effective. Got a minor attack back Again! Iron Head on me. Another, Aerial Ace on me drops me badly. Again. KO. I send out Parliament for Passimian. Drill Peck. Very effective. Again. KO. One more ball left for my foe. And it’s a Polteaguest. Fearcoon heads out. Night slash. One hit ko. Levels by Parl and Punch.


17600 in sweet cash.


I teach the TM Brick Break to Punch for his Uproar. This powerful fight type does use the attack rather than Uproar’s special attack, which he’s better at, is more powerful, and can cover. For example, one of the Pokemon good vs grass is ice, which Fight can be super good at.

[Abe Sargent]

Hammerlocke!


Hello Leon, Hop, and Sonia!


Plot is pinching me in the face right now. Hello Prof. Magnolia! Who hasn’t been in this game save for a single scene thus far. Weird I know. We (Hop and I) offer to help, and are, again, told to focus on the challenge.

I head into the gym. I move Peepers back in front. Fairy is good vs Dragon just as it was for Dark


Gym Challenge #8


We head to the Vault.


I have to defeat three gym trainers personally trained by Raihan in double battles.


Gym Battle #1 – Peepers and Croakers vs Pelipper and Sliggoo. Spirit Break on Sliggoo for the advantage and Overdrive on the Pelipper. I ko Pelipper. KO for Sliggoo. We win! 4320 in cash


Levels for Peeps and Rocks.

Gym Battle #2 – Peepers and Croakers vs Ninetales and Turtunator – Both Fire. I use Spirit Break on the dragon, and Overdrive. Spirit Break and Overdrive finish their Turtonator. Will o the Wisp misses. Next turn. Sucker Punch goes first and finishes the wounded Ninetales and we finish them both. 4320 more


Level for Croakers


I haven’t even been hit yet.



Gym Battle #3 – Peepers and Croakers vs Abomasnow and Hakenno-o. Overdrive resolves first, but does little damage. Spirit Break kills the dragon/fight Hakemo-o. Hail is put out there. Poison Jab and Sucker Punch. The first hits, and the latter is a super effective move, KO. 4320 more.


Level for Peepers and Fearcoon



We head up the Stadium



Gym Battle #8, Raihan, Dragon


Battle #1 &2 – Peepers and Croakers vs Flygon and Gigalith. Flygon is ground/flying, can’t electrize him. Gigs is rock. Both are big weaknesses for Electr and/or Poison. Spirit Break won’t work as well as neither are Dragon. Instead, play the long game. Toxin and Fake Out on Flygon. Fake Out is first and forces a flinch. Toxic poisons. Gigalith uses Sand Tomb on Croakers that really hurts badly. Should I sucker punch Flygon? If it tries to attack, I go first, but otherwise, it won’t work. Poison Jab and False Surrender on Flygon. I KO Flygon but not before it dropped me badly with a strong super effective attack. Gigalith KO’s Croakers.



I send out Punch. He sent out Sandaconda. I use a potion to heal Peepers. I use Drum Beating on the snake. Super effective. It glares and paralyzes Peepers and a rock attack drops it a bit. False Surrender Kos Sandaconda. Drum hurts their rock. Hit by another rock attack.



Here comes Duraludon. My guess is that this is Dragon, as it’s the last one of him. Fairy and grass. He dynamaxes his guy. It uses max Steelspike – a steal attack. It drops Peepers. I Drum and ko their Gigs. I send out Rockzilla to hurt its steel. I use dynamax on Rock and use a fire attack. Brick Break from Punch. It uses Max Knuckle on my guy.


Max Rockfall rocks me! We finish it with Max Overdrive and Brick Break again! $15,360.

I get the dragon badge, and TM 99 Breaking Swipe. Hop runs in finishing his badge quest and looks to Raihan for a battle.

[Abe Sargent]

Hello Sonia and Prof!


More exposition follows. The Prof hands off her duties to Sonia, and hands her the lab coat,


I head to the Wild Area I want to grab stuff from the diggers as well as explore with my new bike


I capture a Grappoloct. It’s a level 57 Fighting Pokemon; also a level 60 Absomnasnow and a big, fat Bewear

I find: Focus Sash, Shiny Stone, Dusk Stone, Fire Stone, Thunder Stone, Water Stone, Leaf Stone, Assault Vest, TM73 Cross Poison, Iron Ball, Leaf Stone, Rare Bone, TM75 Low Sweep, Tm95 Air Slash,


Back to Hammerlocke

I heal. Post healing I check in. I buy 20 Dusk Balls, 31 Full Restores.


I spend 5000 watts on Flamethrower, a one shot TR and give it to my Rockzilla and I pull it’s Incinerate.

Party:


Punch Monkey – Level 52
Parliament – 52
Rockzilla - 52
Fearcoon - 52
Croakers – 52
Peepers – 55

[Abe Sargent]

Route 10


I capture – Vanilluxe,

Trainer #1 – Graham – Rockzilla vs Gardevoir – Tar Shot. It uses Dazzling Gleam. Not effective. Flamethrower. KO. Super effective, win. Tar Shot ain;t bad. It gave me the move next turn with the slow. If I had Flamed twice, I would have been hit twice not once. We win with 10800


Trainers #2 – Douglas – Punch Monkey vs Steelix. Brick Break. Super effective. Curse back. Again. Curse again. Once more? Nope, deep red though. Another attack on me. It faints from the Hail. I leave out Punch for Mudsdale. Drum! Super effective, yadda yadda. Double kick. Again. KO. We win 9000


Trainer #3 – Ronald – Parliament vs Weavile. Steel Wing! One hit. Next? Peepers learns Foul Play. Fearcoon vs Claydol. Night Slash! One hit ko. 3600 in that sweet cash


I capture an Ice Mr. Mime variant. I name him Mimely.

Trainer #4 – Harper – Parliament vs Pelipper – Drill Peck. Water Pulse on me. I’m confused. Another DP please. I hit myself. It Roosts to heal. DP. Connects. Tailwind on me. DP. Roost. DP connects. Roost again. Dp connects. Roost again. I shake confusion, DP. sDP again. Ko. Croakers vs Noctowl. Overdrive. One hit. Done, 4100 cash

I heal up PM

Trainer #5 – Donald – Punch Monkey vs Gigalith. Drum!!! It uses a harden. Again! Down. I leave out for Rhydon. Drum again. One hit later another KO for me. 9200 cash.


Trainer #6 – Glenn – PM vs Darmanitan. I swap out Fearcoon. Big, evolved ice, is not the grass way. NS. Nice. It misses. Headbutt? KO. Good jorb. Parliament vs Falinks. Drill peck! One hit. I stay out for the fighting Grapploct. DP again. One hit again. 18400 for the victory!


Trarainers 7 & 8 – Gillian and Cam – PM and Parliament vs Klinklang and Heliolisk. Drum and DP. I ko Heliolisk before any attacks were made. Shift Gear used. Noivern heads out. It uses Zap Cannon and we miss. A nasty aerial attack almost kills my starters, but my Break Break takes out their Klinklang. I learn Endeavor. They send out Todedamaru. I swap in Fearcoon for my 1 hp PM. DP takes out their flyer. Nuzzle on my Parliament. Night Slash on the foe weakens it. It nuzzles Fear. My bird is paralyzed. Spark on Parl. Both of mine aren’t using their paralysis. I swap Croakers out. It Zing Zaps Fear. I am paralyzed again and miss. It dies the following turn. I nailed 18800 cash.


Hop and I are at Wyndon



Party:


Punch Monkey – Level 55
Parliament – 55
Rockzilla - 55
Fearcoon - 55
Croakers – 54
Peepers – 57

[Abe Sargent]

I explore the town some and purchase Tm63 Drain Punch. I swap it for Brick Break on my starter Same damage and accuracy, fewer moves, but can heal.


I enter Wyndon Stadium.

I check in for the Semis.


Here we go!


Hello Marnie!


Battle #1 – Parliament vs Liepard. Drill peck. It taunts me. Deep hit. Again! It uses Full Restore. Again! It Snarls at me. DP takes it off the board.


Battle #2 – Peepers vs Morpeko – Spirit Break. It Torments me. One hit


Battle #3 – Parliament vs TOxicraock. Peck that Drill. One hit


Battle #4 – Peepers vs Scrafty – Spirit Break! One hit.

Peepers levels

Battle #5 – Peepers vs Grimmsnarl – (me). Dynamax us both, Max Starfell. I have 7 levels on hers, so I hope I can go first. One hit. I got it.

Level by Croakers


7840 for winning; good job Marnie.

[Abe Sargent]

Our next match is naturally against Hop.

Battle #1 – Parliament vs Dubwool – Drill Peck. Nice. Cotton Guard against me. Big rise in defense. Dp. Not as much damage. Body Slam but my steel says….nope. I led with Parliament as I don’t have an answer against a normal Pokemon, but I have a problem, steel. And the leftovers that heal me a bit every turn. Another DP. Into the red, and another Cotton Guard. How about one more? KO.


Battle #2 – Fearcoon vs Pinurchin – Headbutt, Works, flinched, no move. Nice! Again! KO. Good job!



Battle #3 – Croakers vs Snorlax – Toxic! Snorlax can be a while. It uses High HP that’s super effective. I swap to Parliament the steel now that I know he has that ground attack. I was going to kill him myself, but ah well. He gets one free shot and it’s High HP that won’t do anything. Drill. Hits. Body Slam for little. Drill. KO.


Parl levels

Battle #4 – Rockzilla vs Corviknight – Flamethrower! It uses Steel Wing, and it burned by contact. Super effective, one hit ko. NICE!


Battle #5 – Punch Monkey vs Intelleon – We both Dynamax, MAX OVERGROWTH!!! It uses Max Hailstorm. Very powerful. I drop it to red. Again!!! Is uses the same spell and badly badmadges me, but finish it off


We have defeated Hop. Again. I doubt for the last time.

Levels for Punch and Peeps.


11760 cash.


Next…. Leon!

[Abe Sargent]

But for now, more expansion and plot plot plot.


The champion stands us up running for Rose Tower. We join up with Team Yell, Marnie, Gym 7 leader Piers, to head over to Rose Tower.



Trainer #1 – Eric – Parliament vs Meowth – I swap out Rock. Assurance. Flamethrower! KO. Levels by Rocks and Fear. I also Flame kill his Durant, Mawile, Exadrill, Ferroseed, Steelix. 18800 cash.


Team Yell run cover for us as we head to the Tower. The chair’s helper was, in fact, a face-heel-turn


At the Tower:


Trainer #1 – Elijah – Flamethrower on Durant. Iron Head first. KO. 9600out


Trainer #2 & 3 – Mateo and Jane – Rockzilla and Dubwool vs Cufant and Bronzong. I hurt the ZOng,and they hurt the restof us lightly. Again! Dubwoll takes out Bronzong. I fire-kill Cufant. We win 19200 cash


Levels by Croaker.

Trainer #4 & 5 – Mateo and Jane – Mawhile and Klang. Body Slam by Dub and I remove Maw from the battlefield. Level by Roc. It uses gear shift and badly wounds Dubwoll. My flame finishes it

19200 more

Trainer #6 & 7 – Justin and Adelyn – Steelix and Stunfisk. We flame kill the Steelix first. Stunfisk uses Bounce. It bounces back down on the next turn and badly wounds Wooloo. Flame? KO. Parl levels and another 19200 for us.


Hello Oleana. She attacks me in order to not disturb the chair.


Rockzilla vs Froslass. Flame., It uses double team. Hit. Ko. Punch Monkey vs Milotic. Drum!!! Deep into red. It uses aqua ring to heal itself each turn. Another Drum! KO. Salazzle heads out. Rockzilla heads out. Smack Down. It uses Dragon Pulse. Deep into the red. I order another. It uses poison gas and poisons me. KO. I swap it out for Parl for Tsareena. Drill Peck te grasss lady. She uses Trop Kick. Once more! Down. I leave it out for the poison Garbador. We both dyna. Max Steelspike! It uses Max Rockfall back. Maz Air. It hits fit. Then my Airstream heads out and drops it to almost dead. Again! Another Rockfall. Another KO. 14560 cash

Levels by Peeps, Punch, Fear,


I come to the chair and Leon deep in conversation

Lots of plot, plot, plot.


Too much TALKING!


We leave.

Dinner together


Sleep

[Abe Sargent]

Wyndon Stadium:


I have to defeat the gym leaders again to win the right to face the Champion


Alright, let’s do it to it!


Bede enters the stadium. I challenged for one final battle. I accept the challenge.


Bede:

Rockzilla vs Mawhile. Flame. Thrower. One hit. Fearcoon heads out. Night Slash this Gardevoir. Dazzling Gleam crits and almost finishes me. Obstruct. Block the gleam. Headbutt. KO. Peepers vs Rapidash. Fake Out, first turn. Foul Paly. Dazzling Gleam on me, and then ko. Dyna and dark kill her Matterene. I resolve first. Big smash. Then it uses GMAX Smite. KO on Peepers. I send out Punch. Drum Beating. KO. 16960



Levels by Rock, Croak, Parl


Bede is going to be the new fairy gym leader.

Locker room.


I begin vs Nessa, the water gym leader:

Rockzilla vs Golisopod. Flame. About half and burned. It leaps back with it’s swap ability. I am now facing a Barraskwda. I swap into Punch. Fire/Rock is not good here. I take a liquidation hit. Ice Fang to me, Grass Knot. Fainted. I Drum beat a Seaking in one hit. Goliscopod hits me hard with a bug attack. I ko him. I swap to Croakers. Overdrive. Ko a Pelipper. Back to punch for Drednaw. Dyna. Both. I use Max Overgrowth. With my speed and his double weakness to grass, I hope to win this wounded. Good guess, we win. 16960 cash


Levels by Peeps, Punch, fear.

The results of the tourney:

Allister defeated Melony, Piers over Kabu, and Raihan over Milo

I have Allister’s ghosts next. I move Peepers to the front. I have multiple anti-Ghost darks.

[Abe Sargent]

Allister:



Peepers vs Dusknoir. Foul Play. Big hit. It uses Rock Tomb. Again! Disable from it. Sucker punch instead. Got it. I swap in Fear for Chandelure. Night Slash. One hit. I leave him in for Polteagust. Again? One hit ko. Again for Cursola. Again the one hit. I leave him in for Gengar. We both Dyna. Max Darkness! I go first, one hit KO. Great job! I get 8640


Levels by Rocks, Croak, Peeps,



Raihan beats Piers




Raihan:


I don’t think we’ll have double battles here, I put Peepers up front.

Peepers vs Torkoal. Fake Out. Flinched. Foul Play. About half. Solar Beam comes. Pretty weak. He’ll be forced not do do anything for a full round. Another Foul. One more. My foe uses a Full Restore. Another Solar Beam. Keep it up. He yawns me. I swap for Rockzilla. Smack down, ko. I stay out for Flygon. Smack down again. He knows Earthquake and Kos me. Parliament heads out,. Drill Peck. Sandstorm uses on me. Hit solid, again. Bite used on me. I connect again. A bite again, crit, and then I finish him. Peepers for Turtonator. Fairy Spirit Break. Big hit, does around 50%. I take a modest hit back. Again! KO. I remain out for Goodra. Full Restore on me. He does a Thunder. Spirit Break. He uses rainstorm. I ko him. I keep my guy out for Durdeloon. We both max, and I try and Max Starfall. He uses Max Steelspike, super effective and mine is just okay, Again. He kos me. I send in PArl for the final attack. It kos me two turns ater. Go Fear. I use a full root to revive Peepers. He oe hits me. Out Peepers! Fake Out for a Flinch, then Spirit Break. I took Iron head. Both red. I use Sucker Punch. If he is attacking, I go first. Done, ko. 17600 cash comes our way




Levels by Fear, Punch, Parl, Peepers,



Levels by Peeps, Punch, fear.

The results of the tourney:

Allister defeated Melony, Piers over Kabu, and Raihan over Milo

I have Allister’s ghosts next. I move Peepers to the front. I have multiple anti-Ghost darks.

[Abe Sargent]

Levels by Fear, Punch, Parl, Peepers,


FINAl!!!


Battle #1 – Parliament vs . I don’t know what he’ll start off with, but this feels appropriate.

And then that idiot Rose interrupted us again.



I don’t want to go back to the Weald! We run into Sonia, plot, plot plot

[Abe Sargent]

The Weald. With Hop


I run into a Pokemon called an Orbeetle. It’s a level 45, not something from the early game part. 3 Ultras later, I’ve snagged it. It’s Bug/psy.

http://www.powerpyx.com/wp-content/uploads/pokemon-sword-shield-orbeetle.jpg


Hello “Shells.”


There’s also the poison/fairy variant of Weezing out here. But I ko it accidentally. I try to summon another and do. Can I bring it in? Yup!


I also catch a Whiscash and Munna.


I find TM85 Phantom Force


Hello Hop!

Here they are.

They flee and we push forward into a old grove. I grab the Rusted Shield on the ground. Hop grabs the Rusted sword. No Pokes slip out, so fly back to Hammerlocke.


Hammerlocke

I swing by a PC. I heal, purchase 20 Ultras, and Dusks.


Hello Raihan!

He tells me of a great power here in the stadium that was unearthed. Hop and I head in to help Leon.

Oleana, Rose’s assatnnt is here and tells me that Rose went off the deep end a bit and awakened an ancient Pokemon called an Eternatus which causes the giant Pokemon phenomena.


I use the lift. We are in the power plant. Hello Hop, Leon, and Rose.


Plotting. But battle now!



Rose.


Battle #1 – Rockzilla vs Escavlier – Flamethrower! I got first, and…….one hit ko.

Levels for Rock, Parl, Croak

Battle #2 – Rockzilla vs Ferrothron. Another Thrower of Flame! Goes first and….. one hit KO. Grass/steel are both weak the the flaming fires of true. And Rockzilla.


Battle #3 – Rockzilla vs Klinklang – Another Flame Thrower!!! It uses Wild Charge, take some damage but my rock self isn’t amused. I ko it.



Levels by Peepers and Fear.


Battle #4 – Rockzilla vs Perrserker – Clean with flaming power of truth! I go first and ko.

Level by Punch


Battle #5 – Rockzilla vs Copperajah – We both dynamax and I use my Max Flare. I go first. BOOM! It drops to yellow. It uses a GMax Steelsurge back and is mildly amusing. I’m still green. AGAIN! LET”S FINISH THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Max Flare removes this insect from our presence.


I notched 22800. Remember I don’t have any move boosting items on rock, he carries the Amulet coin instead. That was all natural baby

[Abe Sargent]

He needs the Champion to catch Eternatus to end this issue plaguing the region. I can head up to see what’s what.


He tries t capture it but it breaks the PokeBall in half. We step in front to protect the Champion.


I moved my normal “I have no idea” person in front Parliament with steel is pretty good. What is this?

My best guess based on how it looks is Dragon/Ghost. Let’s try Drill peck. It’s dynamxes and cannons me. A little damage was dealt. And the leftovers I have help too. Again. It ues Flamethrower and that’s savage, and burns me. Another Drill Peck connects. I use Full Restore. Is uses another Flame. No burn this time. I may have more Pots than it has moves, but let’s not play that game yet. DP again. Flame, KO.


Next? Peepers. Spirit Break. It uses Cross Poison, super effective vs my Fairy. I drop it to yellow. Sucker Punch, it attacks, so I go first and I accidentally KO it.


Now we face a claw of the guy, and Hop joins me and my stuff . Drill Peck. We can’t use any moves. We use our sword and shield against him. The two wolves appear and join the battle. They merge with the weapons and move out.

Drill Peck! We use Light Screen,And it uses Max Flare, and my flyer of the steel is hurt to yellow. We can use moves. I use X Defense and see if it works. Our allies use some Behemoth moves. Max Flare, but on another target. Drill. Peck. He kos Parliament. I send out Peepers. Fake out. Forces a flinch, and that should open him to my foes.


I try a heavy ball and……


GOT IT!

[Abe Sargent]

(I was poison/dragon, not ghost, fyi)



Rose turned himself in.



Champion Battle Time


Going into the Final Battle:



Party:


Punch Monkey – Level 60
Parliament – 61
Rockzilla - 61
Fearcoon - 61
Croakers – 61
Peepers – 64


Ready?


Battle #1 – Parliament vs Aegislash. I wanted to lead with a normal Pokemon. Our foe is ghost/steel. I have no ways in. But steel against rock and Rockzilla is rough. Got it. I use X Attack. He misses with King’s Shield. Drill Peck goes first, does around 1 40th damage. Shadow Ball back, takes around half of my health, then leftovers helps. X Defend. Another Shadow Ball. I’m red. I use May Potion to restore my hp. Sacred Sword used, crit on me. Drill again. It protects from my attack and drops my attack. Again! Drill Peck connects. Shadow Ball again. Another Max. Another Ball. I use Drill Peck. Deep into red. Sacred Sword drops me to yellow. Another! He uses Full Restore. I hit. Another pit, another Ball. DP. Another protect, another DP. Shadow Ball. Max pot. Sword. Alright another Drill Peck! Another Shadow Ball. Another Drill Peck!! Finishe,d Ko.

I am very red.



Battle #2 – Rockzilla vs Cinderace – Fire is the wrong one to leave out Parl against. Smack down. Acrobatics does little against my rock. Again! Another acro, and another Down of the Smack drops him to red. Again. He uses Pyro Ball. Barely touches me. KO.


Battle #3 – Peepers vs Haxorus, a Dragon – Fake Out. Flinch, good. Spirit Break. It uses the super effective Iron Tail, drops me to red. And for me….KO.


Level for Peeps


Battle #4 – Punch Monkey vs Seisitoad – Grass should do quick work of ground/water. DRUM POUND! I go first and it’s over in one hit.


Level for Punch and Croakers

Battle #5 – Fearcoon vs Dragapult, a ghost/dragon evolution. Night Slash! It uses Dragon Breath. Paralyzes me. One hit ko my friends.

Level for Rock and Fear


Ready for that Charizard.


I have two ways to fight it. Fire, or Flying


Battle #6 – Rockzilla vs Charizard. We both Dynamax and I use Max Rockfall. Fire vs fire in the final matchup! Gotta love the synergy. He uses Max rockfall me, solid damage. Mine on him? To red. Again! He drops me ot red. And….we finish this


We win! 31,200 on cash.


Good job team! I didnt lose anyone.

Parl level, btw



My winning team, in order from when they joined my team


1. Rillaboom, “Punch Monkey” level 61, holding Luck Incense, knows Drain Punch, Grass Knot, Drum Beat and Overgrowth. Starter
2. Corviknight, “Parliament”, level 62, holding Leftovers, knows Steel Wing, Drill Peck, Brave Bird, and Hone Claws. Joined me on route 1.
3. Obstagoon, “Fearcoon,” level 62, holding Shed Bell, knows Night Slash, Headbutt, Obstruct, and Double-edge. Joined me on route 2.
4. Coalossal, “Rockzilla,” level 62, holding Charcoal, knows Ancient Power, Tar Shot, Flamethrower, Smack Down. Joined me on route 3
5. Toxtricity, “Croakers,” level 62, holding Magnet. Knows Toxic, Poison Jab, Overdrive, and Boomburst. Joined me on route 5.
6. Grimmsnarl, “Peepers,” level 65, holding Fairy Plate. Knows Spirit Break, Sucker Punch, Fake Out, and Foul Play. Traded in link trade for level 30 at Stowe-on-Side.

And there you are! No legendaries.


Quick analysis, although there are some exceptions, I generally feel that most Pokemon need to hit 500 total stats in order to be a finish—able leader.


Now that I’ve played the game naked, where were mine?


530, 495, 520, 510, 502, and 510 respectively. Only my flyer/steel wasn’t at 500, and it was right behind. Examples of strong Pokemon at 500 include the big bug trio of Pinsir, Heracross, and scyther, Rapidash, Ursaring, and more.

495, my lowest, includes finishers like Nidoking and Queen, Golem, etc. Other than my starter, my best was my Galar zigzagoon evolution.


Alright, my favorite Pokémon this run was…


I really like Peepers, Parliament, and Rock. I felt Peepers offered an interesting and unique tricky but powerful move set and great stats and types. But I really enjoyed my bird and my coal. Fire and Rock were very powerful this run, and it was good at sweeping. In fact all of my folks save for early Croakers pre-higher level moves were more sweepers than anything else. Parl’s steel could help hold the fort while I healed or winnowed away, but at the end of the day, all, were sweepers and could run an entire battle or gym. Good job!


I’m giving my top spot to Grimmsnarl, where a tempting demonish Pokemon felt new, looked good, and offered unique play. Then Corviknight.

[Abe Sargent]

I was looking at the game for some fun-post win enjoyment, but the post-game stuff is light, one Master's ball, a single legendary, no new sections of the game, plots, etc. You just have the battle tower, and that's it.

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s do a quick review of the game now that I’ve finished it as it’s gotten some flack online and from user comments..


#1. I agree with the price issue. You could get the last few generations on release day for 34.99, but this was 59.99, and didn’t feel like there were 25 dollars worth of new stuff. It took me 10 hours fewer (roughy) to beat the game than normal, and less post-game things to do, like explore new sections of the map, have some more plot, capture older Pokemon, hunt down many more legendary (here it’s just one) and more.


#2. I disagree with the “Cannot transfer issue.” Other generations on release (Ruby/Sapphire in Gen 3) didn’t have this either until later games in the franchise peaked out. But they added other needed things (special attack vs normal) and abilities for Pokemon and lots more. This does the same.


#3. Some of the changes were great. I enjoyed seeing the Pokemon to engage, so you’d know what you were dealing with, and could more easily chase certain Pokemon. There were a number of QOL upgrades like still not needing Surf and such and more, as well as things like the free move relearner in every Pokemon Center, and more. The fly mechanics were better, and the ability to go to non-towns was also useful. You spent less time backtracking too to previous routes to see where I could Cut/Surf/Strength and find hidden items. Only the bike-on-water worked for that.


#4. Some of the changes were meaningless – There were some I didn’t care for much one way or the other. Gigiantizing your dorks was always something you could counter, and thus didn’t really mean much. I didn’t care for it one way or another. And the animations it used took too long. The gym challenge ahead of time was just another way of giving you pre-gym battle things to do to ensure that your gym battle will work. It felt like just another pre-run, with some weird things.


#5 – You had way too much cash at the end. I finished with 50 Ultra Balls, Dusks, Greats, Pokes, as well as dozens of Full Restores, Revives, Full Heals, etc. I also was buying tons of Repels, and TMs I didn’t need just because I had the cash, and I still finished with hundreds of thousands of PokeCash.



Overall? I liked it, and felt that the changes, wild area, movement around the map, different ways to catch things and more worked, no changes annoyed me, and overall I finished 10 hours less of ga me time Just 10 routes, less exploring, and less post-game stuff. Overall, I felt that the things removed roughly equaled the things added, and would be worth the previous price point or maybe up to $40, but the extra full-release of 60 felt too much to me.

[Abe Sargent]

Hello!

I'm back!


After COVID issues at the place on campus where we are at we are opening for summer here at UMBC with a skeleton operation. We have finished moving in around 35 for the summer in a building that normally houses 555. I am about to have a very very quiet summer with my work expecting to be super quiet, so I am looking for things I can do at work.


And what can I do at work? Switch! I am picking up Pokemon Sword and playing through the other side. Now I will be skipping another thread as this would be probably one page each as I am just going over the basic skeleton framework.

I cannot use any of the Pokemon I won the last game with. Or the legendary you get.

I'll be skipping past all plot points and story moments and only tracking places on the map. You get that from this dynasty already.

[Abe Sargent]

Pokemon I’ve Won with, Alpha List:

Aegislash
Aggron
Aggron
Altaria
Amphardos
Articuno
Articuno
Azelf
Azelf
Blastoise
Blaziken
Breloom
Carbink
Charizard
Cobalion
Crobat
Decidueye
Delphox
Dialga
Dragonite
Drifblim
Empoleon
Entei
Espeon
Espeon
Flygon
Garchomp
Giratina
Gogoat
Golisopod
Greninja
Gyarados
Gyarados
Gyarados
Hawlucha
Haxorus
Heracross
Ho-oh
Houndoom
Hypno
Incineroar
Jolteon
Kangaskhan
Kommo-O
Kyogre
Lapras
Latios
Lucario
Lucario
Lugia
Magmar
Magneton
Magnezone
Magnezone
Meganium
Meganium
Metagross
Misdreavus
Mudsdale
Muk
Naganadel
Oranguru
Pangoro
Pelipper
Pinsir
Poliwrath
Raichu
Raichu
Rapidash
Regice
Rotom
Salamence
Samurott
Sceptile
Sceptile
Scyther
Sharpedo
Shedinja
Shiftry
Snorlax
Suicune
Swampert
Talonflame
Tauros
Tentacruel
Thundurus
Torkoal
Torterra
Toxicroak
Tropius
Tropius
Tyrantrum
Umbreon
Venusaur
Victini
Victreebell
Virizion
Volcarona
Xerneas
Zapdos
Zekrom
Zeraora


if it's in the list twice I've won with it twice. I wasn't always in that place and I will let myself win with a lesser dork like Tropius more than once as it's my favorite pokemon. I didn't have the goal initially of not running a Pokémon more than once so good Pokémon like Aggron, Gyrados, and legendaries are in here more than once. Note that now I am trying to win without leaning on the crutch of a legendary which is an even more recent goal of mine.


Now I will want to avoid these as well as my six folks from the previous run. Now that I've won I'm more likely to lean into older Pokemon I've not won with in the central zone of the game that I may catch.

[Abe Sargent]

I choose the medium dark girl and name myself Mabel.

I choose Scorbunny to be my starter! Fire here we go!

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcTGivnNGJT0fQqzzSeGKkzaWUEdutHIaUIRfNMsyv2DKDZeChYo&usqp=CAU

I name it "Ears" It's got them!

I fight Hop. He has two pokes. I win.

We head to the Slumbering Weald to save a pokemon

I search the area. I run into an odd Pokémon in the fog. It cannot be hit!

I finish the Weald (for now) with Ears at level 7.

[Abe Sargent]

I head out from home.

I arrive in my first city.

Now route 2

I am given 25 balls and begin to catch some locals.

I capture Skwovet, Rookidee, Chewtle, Nickit,

I head back and heal and drop off Rookiee as I won the game with it.

I buy 20 more PBs at the PC.

I head bac to Route 1

I capture a Wooloo. Nothing new here.

I return to Route 2

I finish with:

Ears Level 11
Chewtle level 8
Wooloo level 5
Skwovet and Nickit level 7

[Abe Sargent]

Back to route 2

I capture Zizagoon, Yamper. I have Yamper join my party.

Pokémon Trainer #1 - Ears vs Wooloo. Two hit kill.

Ears learns double kick after leveling.

I name my team:

Yamper - "Pantsalot," as a panting dog. Rhymes with Lancelot. May call "Pants" for shorts
Nickit - "Direfox" looks like an evil Fox.
Chewtle - ""Shells," as it looks like a turtle
Wooloo - "Col. Fluff" as it's very fluffy. I'll likely call it "Fluff"
Skwovet - "Cheeks," like Ears it has them. It's a squirrel looking Pokemon.


Double kick is tearing through the local noms at Route 2.


Pokemon Trainer #2 - Ears vs Chewtle - Fire vs Water is a type disadvantage. Double Kick. Again! It's out. I win and I net 504. Level y Fluff

I run into a Blipbug and I try to capture it. I name it "Beetles." It;s the Wurmple and Caterpie of Gen 8. I swap it for Cheeks.

Pokemon Trainer #3 - Ears vs Blipbug - Ember! One hit ko. Super effective. Our foe tosses out Nickit. Double Kick! One hit Ko. I get 420

I run into a Seedot and try to snag it. I do so.


End of Route 2 -

Ears - Level 13
Shells - Level 10
Beetles - Level 7
Direfox - Level 10
Fluff - Level 8
Pantsalot- Level 8

[Abe Sargent]

I arrive at the Professor's lab:

Hello plot! Which I will skip

Battle with Hop:

Ears vs Wooloo. Double Kick! Wooloo is normal. One hit ko. Pants leveled.

Ears vs Grookey - Ember! It Branch Pokes me. Again! Done. Fluff levels.

Shells vs Rookiedee - Water Gun! Peck back. Once more with feeling! Done. Beetles levels.

I net 640 in cash from the battle.

I win a letter of endorsement from the master for the Gym Challenge.

A meteroite falls and we get a wishing star, which will allow dynamaxing pokemon into biggy size. Bigger than that. Really big!!!

I head to the train pausing to heal my Pokes. We get a set of camping gear.

We are forced to stop at the central wild area rather than finish the train journey.

[Abe Sargent]

Wild Area Take 1

We are given a Pokebox Link and can link up outside of Pokemon Centers with the box.

I capture:


Vanillite
Bunnelby
Metapod


I have my first evolution!


Beetles, my Blipbug, hit level 10 and is now a Dottler!


https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/9/95/825Dottler.png


Dottler gained the psychic ability so now I have a psychic bug! This is a unique type combo for Dottler and it's upgraded form.

It also learned reflect, confusion and light screen on leveling

I capture:

Swinub


Evolution!


My starter hit level 16 and evolves into a Raboot.


https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/b/bc/814Raboot.png/600px-814Raboot.png


I capture:

Pancham
Tyrogue
Mudbray
Vulpix
Stufful
Diglett
Hoothoot
Oddish
Nuzleaf
Bounsweet
Combee
Roggenrola


I try some raid battles

I snag a raid Natu
and a raid Pidove
and a raid Togepi

Ears learns Flame Charge



End of Wild Area 1

Ears - Level 20
Shells - Level 16
Beetles - Level 15
Direfox - Level 16
Fluff - Level 15
Pantsalot- Level 16

[Abe Sargent]

Motostoke City!

Plot, plot plot plot. Search search search search.

I buy 20 PokeBalls.

I find some charcoal for my ears

I choose unlucky number 13 as my jersey kit. I'll make it lucky again!


Team Yell Grunt #1 - Ears vs Zigzagoon - Flame Charge! KO. I snagged 72 in cold hard cash.

Team Yell Grunt #2 - Ears vs Nickit - Flame Charge. It uses Assurance. Again! Done. Level by Direfox. Another sweet 720

Two on Two Battle #1 - Ears and Wooloo vs Nickt and Zigzagoon - Double Kick! One hit. Level by Beetles. Another DK. Another death. 1440 in PokeCash.


Hop

Ears vs Wooloo. Double Kick! One hit. Level by Col. Fluff and Pantsalot.Fluff learned DK as well.

Beetles vs Grookey. Stuggle Bug! Branch Poek on me. Down to red. Again! He uses a pot. Down.

Pants vs Rookiedee. Nuzzle! Peck on me. It's paralyzed. Again! Down to red. Once more? Down too.

All done! I made a sweet 1120 Pokecash.

I capture a slowpoke.

[Abe Sargent]

Route 3


I capture a Gossifleur that I name "Petals" and replaces Co. Fluff my Wooloo.

Pokemon Trainer #1 - Ears vs Vulpix. Double Kick. Down. Cash? 1008

I capture Trubbish and Stunky.

Pokemon Trainer #2 - Ears vs Pancham - Flame Charge!!! red, body slam back. Once more! Down and we are netting a sweet 936

Evolution!

https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/e/e7/828Thievul.png


Our Nickit, Direfox, has evolved into a Thievul! It learns Thief on level up. It looks sick. I hope it plays it.

Pokémon Trainer #4 - Ears vs Nickit. Flame Charge! Down in two hits I make 740

I find TM37 Bulk Up

Pokémon Trainer #5 - Ears vs Sizzilipede. It eats fire type moves. Double Kick. Four turns later KOI make 832.


End of Route 3

Ears - Level 22
Direfox - Level 19
Pantsalot - Level 19
Beetles - Level 18
Shells - Level 18
Petals - Level 14

[Abe Sargent]

Type Coverage Check:

I wanna check to see my same-type attack bonus (STAB) across from super effective types.


Ears

Fire - Good vs Grass, Bug, Ice, Steel


Petals

Grass - Good vs Ground, Rock, and Water


Pantsalot -

Electric - Good vs Flying and Water


Shells -

Water - Good vs Fire, Rock Ground

Rock (Will get on level up) - Good vs Flying, Ice, Fire, Bug


Direfox -

Dark - Good vs Ghost, Psychic


Beetles -

Bug - Good vs Psychic, Grass, Dark

Psychic - Good vs Fight, Poison

That means I have coverage against everything but these types:


Normal, Electric, Dragon, Fairy


That's actually pretty good with just two two type Pokemon. I doubt that I'l keep my Grass and/or my Dark until the end, although I enjoy the others.

I already have coverage for rock and ground with my water and against water with my electric. It's duplicative as a type. Add in Fight for normal, Steel or poison for Fairy, Fairy or Ice for Dragon and ground for Electric.

[Abe Sargent]

Galar Mine


I heal right at the end of Route 3 and before the adjacent mine

I move Shells to the front of my party given the large amount of rocks here. It's Water gun is clearing a path in one hit each.


Pokémon Trainer #1 - Shells vs Roggenrola. Water Gun! Down red. It uses rollout on us. Again! it's done. We make 1400

I find TM 54 Rock Blast

Pokémon Trainer #2 - Shells vs Timburr. This is a fighting foe and I have nothing against it. Hmm... Water Gun? This will take a few turns. It is using Rock Throw against me. Again. Once more. Dead. I switch in Ears for another Timburr and Flame Charge it. It dies after it pounds me. A third Timburr arrives. Flame Charge! Down to red. Rock Throw. Again! it's gone. I make a sweet 1400 in Pokecash


I find TM 26 Scary Face

Pokémon Trainer #3 - Shells vs Diglett. Water Gun!!! It scratches me. It's done. shells vs Drillbur - Water Gun Again. It uses Rapid Spin. Again and knocks me to red, but I finish it. I win 1500 in sweet cash.

I capture:

Timburr
Woobat
Drillbur

Pokémon Trainer #4 - Shells vs Rolycoly. Water Gun! Hit deep. It uses Rapid Spin. Again! KO. I make 1500

Bede:

Shells vs Solosis - Bite! Super Effective (dark vs Psychic) one hit ko.

Shells vs Gothita - Bite! Super effective drops it hard. Confusion on me. Again! Gothita is down.

Direfox vs Hatenna - Thief! One hit ko.

I win 1920 Pokecash.

I capture a Carkol an upgraded Rolycoly.

Shells learns Headbutt

Ears learns Agility

Shells hits level 22 and evolves

https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/b/be/834Drednaw.png/600px-834Drednaw.png

into a Drednaw!

It learns Rock Tomb.

End of Galar Mine

Ears - Level 24
Shells - Level 22
Beetles - Level 20
Direfox - Level 21
Petals - Level 18
Pantsalot - Level 21

[Abe Sargent]

Route 4

I want to give Pantsalot some EXP to get to level 25 to evolve it so I move it to the front now that it has Spark. As a solo ELEC is only weak to ground attacks it's not bad to lead a team in a generic place.


Pokémon Trainer #1 - Pants vs Meowth - Spark! Down to yellow. Growl me me. Once more. KO. I stay out for Butterfree. Spark! Supersonic on me that confuses me. I spark through it. Nuzzle! He uses a pot, but I hit. Again! KO. Pans levels. I swap out Ears for Deedot. Flame Charge! One hit later it's done. I made a cool 1440

Pokémon Trainer #2 - Pants vs Pikachu. Bite. it uses quick attack first. Again. Electro Ball this time, very little damage. It faints. Level by Direfox and Petals. Direfox learns Nasty Plot. I neted 720 cash

I capture:

Pumpkaboo
Electrike
Meowth
Goldeen
Magikarp
Pikachu



I thought about sending in Galarian steel mewoth but it's evolution is weak

Pokémon trainer #3 - Pantsalot vs Electrike. Bite! it drops it to yellow. It misses with a Thunder Wave. Again! KO. I keep out Pants for Lotad. Spark. Critical hit. Down in one. I made 1440 from the combat.

Petals hit level 20 and is evolving!

https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/3/34/830Eldegoss.png/600px-830Eldegoss.png

I now have a Eldegoss!

It learns Cotton Spore.

Pokémon Trainer #4 - Pants vs Eevee - I use Spark. It uses quick attack. I drop it deep and para it. Again! Ko. I made 720


Pokemon Trainer #5 - Pants vs Joltik. Bite! It flinches. Can;t move. Again! Knocked out. I leave it out for Grubbin. Spark! It's down. Direfox and Pants level. 672 comes my way.

I find TM07 Pin Missle

I find an Eevee!

I capture it. Do I want an Eevee evolution? I could! I send it to my box.

Pokemon Trainer #6 - Pants vs Milcery - Spark! Deep in red and it drops a draining kiss on me and heals. Again! KO. 720 for me

I find some Silver Powder which improves bug moves and hand it to Beetles

Pants hits level 25 and evolves...

https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/e/e4/836Boltund.png


into a Boltund!


Finishing my goal I head out

End of Route 4

Ears - Level 25
Pantsalot - Level 25
Shells - Level 23
Petals - Level 21
Beetles - Level 22
Direfox - Level 23

[Abe Sargent]

Turrfield

I buy 20 pokeballs

PLOT

I find a leaf stone...

I could give it to Eevee and have a Leafoen, which I have never won teh game with. The Ice Stone isn't until later for the Ice Eevee. Now it would be a powerful Pokemon, but as you saw, grass is duplicate on my team. What do I do? I cannot most of the others as I have won the game with the dark and psychic ones, as well as the elementals, but not grass or ice or fairy. But the fairy is too hard, and ice would be welcome. Do I add Leafeon even though the type coverage isn;t needed?

Not now.

Maybe Ice Stone later?


Gym Challenge #1 - Grass

I move my bug/psychic Beetles front and center.

I trade a Galarian Meowth for a normal one

I buy the Flying Uniform

Gym Battle #1 - Beetles vs Gossifluer. Struggle Bug! Deep red. It uses Leafage. Again! Ko. I snagged 1536

Gym Battle #2 - Beetles vs Budew. Struggle Bug! It grows. Another Bug of Struggle. Fainted. I stay out for Oddish. Struggle Bug! It growths. Again! It's deep red. It sues Stun spore. I am paralyzed. Again! Fainted. I make 1632

I use Para Heal.

Gym Battle #3 - Beetles vs Bounsweet. Struggle Bug! One hit ko. I stay out for Ossish. Confusion! It's poison. Acid back. Again! It faints. I make 1632

Gym Leader #1 - Milo

Beetles vs Gossifleur - Struggle Bug! Drops it to red. It uses Magical Leaf. Another Bug! KO. Beetles levels up to 23.

Beetles vs Elegoss - Dynmax May Flutterby. He also Dynamaxes. Max Overgrowht goes first. Not that effective vs Bug. I drop it to half. It has some of its hp restored. AGAIN!It overgrowths maxxl. And I drop it to deep red. ONCE MORE! Max Strike used on me. It drops me to red. It falls.

Levels by Direfox, Ears, and Shells

I make 3200

I get TM 10 Magical Leaf.

I teach it to Petals. I could get Leafeon and teach it to him, but I won't.

I purchase 20 Great Balls

I move Ears back to the front of my team.

I was overleveled. Milo was level 20 with his best Pokemon and I've not seen any better than 17.

[Abe Sargent]

Musings:

I do expect to keep my:

Ears
Shells, Drednaw
Pantsalot, Bolthund
Beetles, Dottler

Each of those four have proven themselves. I doubt Direfox or Petals will last for long. As of right now Direfox's Dark gives me Ghost and Psychic answers. Petals nothing. Petals is the first to go. I'd be happy for a nice:

Fight (anti-Normal)
Ground (anti Elect)
Fairy or Ice (Anti-Dragon)
Poison or Steel (Anti-Fairy)

for type coverage.

I look through my boxes. Let's make sure I didn;t catch anyone.

I have these

Fights:


Timburr
Tyrogue


Neither are good enough. There is a Pacham which evolves into a good ally but I;ve already won with him.

Ice

Vanillite
Swinub


They aren't good. Mamoswine is hard to get and I need level 33 before Swinub stops sucking.


Poison


Oddish
Trubbish
Stunky


What about Poison? I could level up Oddish to Gloom and hand it a Leaf Stone for a Vileplume early. But Poison only hits what Steel would hit and I prefer Steel lower.


Ground


Swinub
Diglett
Drillbur


Hm... At level 31 Drilbur becomes Exadrill and gains Steel which will hurt Fairies. That's not bad.

Steel

Meowth
Drillbur later


Maybe Drillbur

Fairy

Togepi

Togepi isn't that bad, but the Shiny Stone is needed for it's final form

https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/c/cf/529Drilbur.png/600px-529Drilbur.png

I name Drillbur "Drills" and replace Petals


I spend some time leveling up my team to get my new member caught up. I teach it Metal Claw. I get it up to level 20.

After it evolves I'll have every type save for Normal and Dragon covered.

I use TR Waterfall on Drednaw and replace Water gun.

While levelling in the Wild Area I capture:

Koffing
Bonsly
Snover
Purrloin
Tympole

and...


https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/4/4e/852Clobbopus.png

Clobbopus which is level 15, fighting.

None of those are good enough to rotate in for my Thievul, Direfox.

Actually, now that I look them up there is a Galarian form of Weezing that's Fairy/Poison, a dragon slayer.

Let's look!

If I gave up Thieval I'd lose good attacks on Ghost (Bug is super effective vs Psychic) but gain them on Dragon. Plus Weezing is a more powerful Pokemon than Thievul.

it would equal this:

Fairy - Good vs Dragon, Fight, Dark

Poison - Good vs Grass, Fairy

So it'd be good against five types and I'd essentially swap the Ghost for Dragon. Note that there is a Dragon gym (Gym #8) so either Ice or Fairy is helpful there.

Ideally I'd find an Ice/Dark, Fight/Dark or Ice/Fight, Fairy/Dark (which I had last time and won my MVP), or Fairy/Fight that brings in two of the types I still need of Dragon, Ghost and Normal and swapping in for my Dark spot. (Only Ghost and Dark hurt Ghost, only Fight hurts Normal, only Fairy and Ice hurt Dragons)

[Abe Sargent]

Route 5

I wanna get Beetles to level 30 so it's in front.

Team Battle #1 - Beetles and Direfox vs Klink and Helioptile. I confusion and Thief on Klink. It's down. They Thunder shock Beetles. I use my same moves on the Helioptile. Also dead. I netted 3600

I capture:

Swirlix
Minccino
Wobbuffet

Pokémon Trainer #1 - Beetles vs Applin - Struggle Bug! One hit ko. I get 2400

I find TM 31 Attract

I capture:

Dewpider

Pokémon Trainer #2 - Beetles vs Minccino - Confusion! It's deep red. It uses Attract. Again! it is KOd. I don't know what a Steenee is but I have a half-wounded Beetles so I might as well leave it out. Looks like grass. Struggle Bug! Yup its super effect and a one hit ko. I make 1824 in cold hard Pokecash

I head back for healing and purchase 10 Great Balls.

Pokémon Trainer #3 - Beetles vs Stuful - I use Confusion which is super effective. One hit ko. Direfox vs Ralts. Thief! One hit again. Pantsalot vs Cutiefly. Spark! One hit ko super effect (it's bug flying), I made 1824

I find the Pokémon Nursery here.

I am given a Toxel here.

I used it to win last game so not this time

Team Yell Grunt #1 - Beetles vs Zigzagoon - Dark is bad against my poison. I use Struggle Bug which is super effective. I hit first and KO it. I swap out Ears vs Theivul. Flame Charge! Deep red. Tail whip used back. Again! KO and we get 1440 for winning

Team Yell Grunt #2 - Beetles vs Sableye - Struggle Bug. Drops it to yellow. It disables my Struggle Bug. I cannot use it again. I can use Confusion but Darks are immune to it. So I swap into Drills to finish it off. It uses Astonish. I order a Metal Claw. Deep red. Another Astonish back. Again! I ko it. Good job Drills that's your first battle for me. 1440 in cash


I am given a Rotom Bike by the guy I saved

Hop

Beetles vs Wooloo - Confusion. Deep yellow. Defense Curl back. Again. KO.

Pants vs Corvisquire - Spark! One hit ko against the evolved Rookidee.

Beetles vs Thwackey - His grass starter. Struggle Bug! Deep red and it uses grass on me and barely hurts. Again! He uses a Super Pot. Once more with feeling! He uses Double Hit. I ko him

We win! I snag 1680 for my victory over my rival.


Pokémon Trainer #4 - Beetles vs Cherubi - Struggle Bug! One hit ko. For woobat I send out Pants. Spark! 1824 after the KO

Pokémon Trainer #5 - Beetles vs Croagunk - Confusion to hit its Fight. One hit ko. 1900 in cash


End of Route 5

Ears - Level 29
Shells - Level 29
Pantsalot - Level 29
Beetles - Level 28
Drills - Level 23
Direfox Level 27

[Abe Sargent]

Hulberry

I heal up in the Pokemon Center.

Plot

I trade Minccino for Cottonee

I purchase Luck Incense which will double the cash from a battle and hand it to Ears.

I find a Magnet and give it to Pants to boost his moves.

I capture a

Chinchou
Arrokuda

I find TM82 Electroweb. Is that something I want to replace Shock? Pantsalot cannot learn it.

I move pants to the front of my team

Gym, Challenge #2 - Water


Gym Battle #1 - Pants vs Tympole - Spark my foe. One hit later ko'd. I made 2016

Gym Battle #2 - Pants vs Krabby - Spark! KO in one. I stay out for Corphish. Spark again my dog. Another one hit. Pants levels. 1920 in Pokecash

Gym Battle #3 - Pants vs Remoraid - Spark once more. One hit wonder. Pants vs Chewtle - Spark. Another. Drills leveled and learned Crush Claw. I made 2016


Gym Leader #2 - Nessa

Pants vs Goldeen. Spark! I go first. Down.

Pants vs Arrokuda. Spark. it goes first and uses Aqua Jet. I spark back and smash it down.

Pants vs Dreadnaw. I Dynamax into Max Lightning. She also dynamaxes. I go first. It drops. Level by Ears and Beetles.

Ears learns Headbutt.

I made 3844

I get TM 35 Whirlpool.

I head to the Pokemon Center:

I buy 10 Great Balls

I get the TM 79 Retaliate

[Abe Sargent]

Wild Area Take 2


I can now capture up to level 30 with the Water badge so I snag:

Roselia
Duskull
Gastly
Drifloon
Wingull
Wooper
Quagsire


Onix from a raid
Espurr from another raid
Barboach from another raid



I find TM 84 Tail Slap

Beetles hits level 30 and evoles:

https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/7/79/826Orbeetle.png

Orbeetle!

I buy 10 dusk balls

I find a Machoke in a raid

I capture in the new unlocked area

Cutiefy
Basculin

i capture a level 28 Sneasel. Let's talk.


Sneasel is Ice/Dark and gives me type coverage and can swap in for Direfox.

It's an okay Pokemon. What you want is it's evolution, Weavile, which is much better.

It needs to be leveled at night wearing a Razor Claw, and Weavile is pretty powerful. And a dragon slayer with the bonuses of dark.

Where can I get Razor Claws in Galar?

Dusty Bowl

Stowe on Side has a traders market that can find it

The dig brothers might dig it up

Hmm....

It needs the water bike to get to, so I cannot get it right now.

I am thinking about swapping in Sneasal now as a stop gap to level up and keep with us up as we gain levels. Let's do it, I swap it for Direfox

Then I run to the digging tema

I purchase 30 Great Balls

I find a Damp Rock and Light Clay.

I name Sneasel "Wheezy"


End of Wild Area Take 2

Ears - Level 31
Barksalot - Level 32
Drills - Level 26
Shells - Level 31
Beetles - Level 30
Wheezy - Level 28

[Abe Sargent]

I capture a Shiny Stone and a Fossilized Dino from the dig brothers today. Is there something I wanna use the Shiny Stone on?



Nope. If I had been running Togepi then I could have made the powerful Togekiss from Toketic, but nothing else. Roserade but I don't need that.

I want to get to Stowe today, home of the fourth Gym badge and check it out daily to see if my claw is available for sale

Galar Mine 2

I move Shells front

I capture:

Wimpod
Noibat


Bede

Shells vs Solosis - Rock Tomb! One hit ko.

Wheezy vs Gothita - Icy Wind! It uses Rock Tomb back. We'll do this a few times. I need to get Wheezy a dark attack. Ko on turn 4.


Shells vs Pontya - Waterfall! One hit ko

Ears vs Hatenna. Flame Charge. Deep yellow. It uses Psybeam. Decently effective. Flame Charge. We win and I get 5520

Any TRs I can use?

Nope but I teach Drills High Horsepower a nasty Ground move.

Pokemon Trainer #1 - Shells vs Carkol. Waterfall! In one. I win 2100

Pokemon Trainer #2 - Shells vs Rogenrola - Waterfall! In one. Beetles vs Timburr. Confusion. One hit again. I make 2100


I capture:

Corphish
Stunfisk, Galar version
Shellos
Scraggy

Team Grunt #1 & 2 with Hop: Shells and Wooloo vs Thivul and Linooine. Waterfall Thievul. I knock it out. Their Linooine uses Night Slash. Our Wooloo hits the Linnooine hard. A Liepard replaces the downed Pokemon. Waterfall on it. I take it out in one hit as well. Night Slash again on me this time. Wooloo finishes it's foe. Pancham is sent out. Waterfall. KOd. We make 3440

Pokemon Trainer #3 - Shells vs Drillbur - Waterfall. One hit. They send out Onix, and another Waterfall is called for. Another one hit down. 2760 for me


I find TM 49 Sand Tomb

Plot

End of Galar Mine #2

Ears - Level 32
Pantsalot - Level 33
Drills - Level 28
Shells - Level 33
Beetles - Level 31
Wheezy - Level 29

[Abe Sargent]

Motostoke Outskirts

I find an Amulet Coin which is the same as the Luck Incense and hand it to Shells.

I find:

Sudowoodo
Noctowl


Pokemon Trainer #1 - Ears vs Yamper. Flame Charge. Deep yellow. Roar on me swaps me for Beetle. Struggle Bug. KO. Pants vs Swoobat. Spark! One hit. Pants levels and learns Crunch. I get 9600


Pokemon Trainer #2 - Shells vs Growlithe. Waterfall! One hit ko. 5520 for that one attack


End of Motostoke Outskirts

Ears - Level 33
Pantsalot - Level 34
Drills - Level 29
Shells - Level 34
Beetles - Level 32
Wheezy - Level 30

[Abe Sargent]

Motostoke

I keep Shells in front as Fire is the gym leader here.

I check out the PC shops to see if there is a TM I want o grab. None

I buy 20 net Balls

PLOT!!!

Marnie

Shells vs Croagunk - Waterfall. it's immune. It uses a fight attack on me and does well. Headbutt. KO.

Beetles vs Scraggy - Struggle Bug. Headbutt back and its a crit. Again! I finish it.

Drills vs Morpeko - High Horsepower! She uses Bite first. I flinch. Again. Bite again. i connect and its super effective and another one hit-er. 6240

Gym Challenge #3 - Fire

I capture the fire Pokemon

Gym Battle #3 - Kabu

Shells vs Ninetales - WATERFALL BABY! One hit...down. Level by Wheezy

Shells vs Arcanine - DO GO CHASING WATERFALLS! Deep red. It uses double team. Again! It burns me with Will o the Wisp. It's down.

Shells vs Centiskorch. DYNAMAX and use Max Geyser. It also Dynas. I go first and deal around 1/3rd of his ho and he uses Max Flutterby on me. Again! Into red. It hits me again. Let's finish! I drop a third Geyser of Maximum power and ko him. I get a net of 8640 Level by Drills.

I get a fire badge which will let me catch Pokemon up though level 35 and control them through 50

I get TM 38 Will-o-Wisp

[Abe Sargent]

Hammerlocke

I purchase the TR For Foul Play for 3000 Watts and teach it to Wheezy

Beetles learns Bug Buzz.

I purchase 20 Dusk Balls

And 10 Super Pots

PLOT!

Battle Cafe:

Ears and Drills vs Alcreamie and Slurpuff - I use Flame Charge and High HP on Alcreamie. it attracts Ears. Slurpuff ko's Drills with a super effective move. I send in Beetles. Bug Buzz and Flame Charge on Al. I take it out. Levels by Ears, Beetles, Pants and Shells. Round by Slurpuff. I target Slurpuff with the same attacks. Round back. Flame Charge and Confusion this time. it uses Play Rough and wounds Beetles. Again! We ko it. I make 8880

Plot

I find TM 29 Charm

[Abe Sargent]

Route 6

Team Grunt #1 - Ears vs Stunky - Flame Charge. Down. I was injured smashing it. Vs Linooine. Double Kick. One hit ko. 4800 cash

Team Grunt #2 - Ears vs Liepard - Double Kick. Deep red. Fury Swipes back. Again. 4800 cash here as well

EVOLUTION!

Ears evolves...

https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/b/b0/815Cinderace.png/600px-815Cinderace.png

Hello Cinderace!

It learns Pyro Ball.

Pokemon Trainer #1 - Ears vs Clefairy. Flame Charge. Down. Pants vs Clefable. Spark. Metronome back. Again. KO. 5760 cash

I capture:

Yamask
Axew
Silicobra

EVOLUTION!


Drills evolves into an

https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/6/63/530Excadrill.png/600px-530Excadrill.png

Excadrill.



I start using Excadrill in battle.

Pokemon Trainer #2 - Drills vs Skorupi - High HP. One hit. vs Pawniard. High HP. Super efficient. I snag 3600 cash

Pokemon Trainer #3 - Drills vs Throh. Steel is week vs Fight. High HP. I go first and deal about 50%. He uses body toss and gets a crit. Again. I ko him. 2232 cash

I find TM 30 Steel Wing

I fly back to Hammerlocke for healing and purchase 20 Potions

I capture:

Maractus


Pokemon Trainer #4 and #5 - Ears and Drills vs Pawniard and Togetic. I use High HP on Pawn and Flame Charge on Toge. We resolve our attacks first. Pawn is out. Ancient Power i used on Ears and its super effective. Again! Toge is out. 14880 cash!

Pokemon Trainer #6 - Drills vs Sawk. Again, High HP. deep red . Low Sweep is rough. Again! KO.

I find TM15 Dig

I find two fossilized Dinos

Pokemon Trainer #7 - Drills vs Koffing - High HP One hit. I send out Shells for the rock Sudowoodo, Waterfall, one hit. It digs. Again. KO. 3968 cash

I have reached the end of route 5.. Before I wrap up I check the shops

I bought RAZOR CLAW!!!

I hand it to Wheezy

i head back to Route 6 to get it a level

SNEASEL EVOLVES!!!

https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/d/d2/461Weavile.png/600px-461Weavile.png

These are Weavile's good targets:

Ice:

Good vs Dragon, Ground, Flying, Grass

Dark:

Good vs Psychic, Ghost

Pretty Cool! My team is done.

End of Route 6

Ears - Level 36
Drills - Level 33
Shells - Level 36
Wheezy - Level 34
Beetles - Level 35
Pantsalot - Level 37

[Abe Sargent]

Daily Stuff


Battle Cafe take two.

Afterwards Beetles levels and learns Psychic.

I did the raids in the wild area but captured nothing I didn;t already have

I purchased a cracked mug in Stow.

While in the wild area I captured:

Krabby
Ninjask
Cufant in a raid
Dubwool in a raid

I find TM 84 Bulldoze

Dig Brothers:

Metal Coat
Stardustx2
Rare Bone x3
Iron Ball
Thunder Stone

Lots of stuff! Nothing for the Thunder stone for now


I hunt the Watt Traders to see if someone is selling Iron head, the best steel move that Drills can learn but nothing is there.

[Abe Sargent]

Stow on Side

I buy 10 Great Balls

I find a Dusk Stone to evolve stuff

I find two Fossilized Birds.

I head back to route 6 to to make a Dino

I get an Arctozolt!


https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/4/40/881Arctozolt.png

Hop

Beetles vs Cramorant - Psychic! About 60% down. It uses fly. Light Screen! Psychic! It paralyzed me but I finished it.

Ears vs Thwackey - Flame Charge! 80%. Razor Leaf back barely hurts. Again! KO.

Shells vs Silicobra - Waterfall! One hit. KO.

Drills vs Toxel - High HP. Super effective. One hit. 5280 in cash

I get TM 06 Fly

I have the psychic Beetles in front

Gym Challenge #4 - Fighting

Gym Battle #1 - Beetles vs Stufful - Psychic!!! One hit. vs Bewear. Psychic! One hit. 3072 in cash

Gym Battle #2 - Beetles vs Farfetch'd - Psychic once again. It protected itself from the attack. Again. KO. 3072 in cash


Gym Battle #3 - Beetles vs Hitmonlee - Psychic again. One hit ko. Again against Hitmonchan. 3168 in cash


Gym Battle #4 - Bea

Beetles vs Hitmontop. Psychic! Deep red. Bug Buzz to finish it. It attacks me with a kick. I take it down.

Beetles vs Pangoro - Bug Buzz! In the yellow. It uses a drk attack against me and dropped me to deep yellow. Again with Bug Buzz. (Psychic can;t hit Dark). KO.

Ears vs Sirfetch'd - Pyro Ball! Deep yellow. It stabs me with it's sword and drops me to deep yellow. Flame Charge! It uses detect and protects itself. Again. FC KOs him.

Pantsalot vs Machamp - The other two are badly damaged and Rock, ice, and steel others are weak to fight. Alright let's do it! I dynamax Pants and Max Lightning our Machamp. I hit and drop it 50% down. it uses Max Darkness back. About the same. Again! I KO it. 11520 in Pokecash

The Fight badge lets me capture up to level 40

I get TM 42 Revenge

PLOT!!!

Bede

Wheezy vs Duosion - Foul Play! Deep red. It uses Light Screen. Again. KO. Shells levels and swaps Headbutt for Jaw Lock.

Wheezy vs Hattrem - Foul Play! Deep yellow. It uses Dazzling Gleam which is powerful and drops me deeply. I Foul Play again and finish them.

Ears vs Gothorita - Pyro Ball. KO. I wanted it's luck incense

Wheezy vs Ponyta - Foul Play! One hit ko. I get 8400 cash

PLOT continues. So boring...

I purchas e 1 0Super Pot

I hand an Expert Belt to Wheezy and Soft Sand to Drills

End of Stow

Ears - Level 39
Drills - Level 37
Shells - Level 39
Wheezy - Level 37
Beetles - Level 38
Pantsalot - Level 40

[Abe Sargent]

Wild Area Take Three

I buy 10 Dusks

i capture a

Durant
Cherrim
Xatu
Mareanie
Greedent


End of Wild Area Take 3

Ears - Level 42
Drills - Level 41
Shells - Level 41
Wheezy - Level 41
Beetles - Level 41
Pantsalot - Level 43

[Abe Sargent]

Daily Stuff

Battle Café:

Drills and Ears again - good tag team.

Stow on Side:

I purchase a protector

I head to the wild area to check Watt Traders and the Dig Brothers:

Should I purchase Substitute in case I need it later for 3k Watts as it's a very valuable skill. I don't think it would fit my team. But this is only available today... I skip the purchase for now but it';s in Dappled Grove if I change my mind



Dig Brothers:

Rare Bone
Lagging Tail
Sun Stone
Iron Ball
Ice Stone
Smooth Rock
Stardust
Thunder Stonex2
Everstone
Light Clay
Dusk Stone
Dawn Stone
Fire Stone
Sticky Barb


I have pretty much most of the evolution stones now

None of the Watt Traders have Iron Head

[Abe Sargent]

Glimwood Tangle

Pokémon Trainer #1 - Ears vs Milcery - Pyro Ball. One hit death. Wheezy vs Sinistea. Foul Play. Super effective and OHKO here as well. Weezy vs Shiintioc. Icy Wind. Super effective around 45% down. It uses Bullet Seed on me and does very little damage. Grass vs Ice. Another Icy Wind. Deep in red. It uses Giga Drain. Little damage healed or dealt. Quick Attack to finish it. KO. 8160 made

I capture:

Morgrem (which I won the game with last game and was my MVP)
Indeedee
Shiinotic


Pokémon Trainer #2 and #3 - Beetles and Shells vs Ninetales and Kirlia. Psychic on Ninetales and Waterfall as well. They combine to ko her. Psybeam on Shells. Again! We tag team to take out Kirlia as well. 14688 for the amplified win

Pokémon Trainer #4 - Wheezy vs Indeedee. Foul Play vs its psychic. One hit ko. I stay out for another Indeedee. Another Foul Play. 6600 cash

I find TM24 Snore

I capture:

Hattrem
Passimian


I find TM 56 U-Turn


End of Glimwood Tangle

Ears - Level 44
Shells - Level 43
Wheezy - Level 44
Drills - Level 43
Beetles - Level 43
Pantslot - Level 45

[Abe Sargent]

Ballonea

I purchase 20 Potions

I move Drills to the front of the party. Steel is super good vs Fairy

I get TM 77 Hex

Pokémon Breeder Elaine - Drills vs Dottler. Rock Slide! Super effective down to red. It uses Light Screen. Again with the Slide of Rock. KO. 2880 made in cold fake Pokecash

I find Tm21 Rest

Gym Challenge #5 - Fairy


Gym Battle #1 - Drills vs Spiritzee - Metal Claw! One hit ko. vs Slurpuff. Metal Claw! It dodges. Energy Ball back. Again! One hit ko. I net 3264

Gym Battle #2 - Drills vs Swirlix - Metal Claw!!! Another OHKO. vs Aromatisse. Metal Claw for the future. OHKO again. 3264 cash

Gym Battle #3 - Drills vs Morgrem - Metal Claw for the past! One hit ko once more. vs Gardevoir. Metal Claw for the present! OHKO. Drills levels. 3360 cash


Gym Leader #5 - Opal


Drills vs Weezing - Metal Claw! Down to deep yellow. Fair Wind back, a minor hit. Once more! KO. level by Shells


Drills vs Mawile - High Horsepower, Mawile is steel. One hit ko. Level by Ears

Drills vs Togekiss - Metal Claw. it misses. Air Slash back, minor damage. Again! It dodges. Another Air Slash. I use a Hyper Pot. Another Air Slash. Metal Claw! Deep red. Another Air Slash. We're both deep red. I go first. Metal CLAW!!!it connects, down.

For the final battle I swap in Ears. He is fully healed.

Ears vs Alcreamie. Pyro Ball! It uses G Max Finale. I forget to dynamax. I do it now. Max Flare! It';s almost half down in health. It tries again to G Max and hits us. Another Max Flare! Drops it to mid-yellow. Us too. It's dynamaxing ends. I have one more turn. Max Flare. KO. level up by Beetles and Pants. We snag 12160

We get a Fairy Badge and TM 87 Draining Kiss.

I buy 50 Ultra Balls and 10 Hypers.

PLOT!

I purchase TM 66 Thunder Fang and TM 68 Fire Fang. I replace Flame Charge with Fire Fang and Thunder Fang replaces Spark with Pants. Actually no on Thunders Fang they have the same damage. I keep Spark.

Actually, I purchase TM 67 Ice Fang. Can Weavile learn it? Nope! Shells can, but not Wheezy. Ah well, that would have been an improved attack.

[Abe Sargent]

Route 7

Hop


Drills vs Trevenant - I swap out ears. I take a Confuse Ray. Fire Fang! One hit.

Ears vs Snorlax - Double Kick. Takes him into the yellow. He body slams me. Once more! KO

Drills vs Bolthund - High Horsepower. it connects with a OHKO.

Shells vs Heatmor - Waterfall. Another OHKO.

Beetles vs Rillaboom - Bug Buzz. OHKO. 8880 in Pokecash for our side for the win.

Pokemon Trainer #1 - Drills vs Ribombee - Rock Slide! One hit. vs Vespiqueen. Another Slide of Rock. Another hit of one. 4320 in cash

Pokémon Trainer #2 - Drills vs Corvisquire. Rock Slide. OHKO. Shells vs Rufflet. Rock Slide by my rock Pokemon. OHKO. 8860

I capture:

Perrserker
Liepard
Morpeko
Galvantula
Inkay
Corvisquire
Baltoy
Snorlax
Sigilyph

Pants learns Wild Charge and swaps it for Spark

End of Route 7

Ears - Level 47
Shells - Level 47
Drills - Level 48
Pants - Level 48
Wheezy - Level 46
Beetles - Level 46

[Abe Sargent]

Daily Stuff


Battle Café - Wheezy and Beetles

Level up by Wheezy


Stow on Side: I purchase a Ring target,

I check on the Watt Traders.

Dig Brothers:

Fossilized Dino
Metal Coatx2
Dawn Stone
Stardust


I capture Piloswine in a raid.
A Ditto as well
And a raid based Vileplume
And a raided Unfezant

I capture a Crustle
Cramorant




I find Iron Head and buy it for 5k watts and learn it to Drills!

[Abe Sargent]

Route 8


Route 8 are a bunch of ruins

I capture:

Golett
Togedamaru
Rufflet
Falinks


Pokémon Trainer #1 - Beetles vs Roselia. Bug Buzz! One hit later a KO. Wheezy vs Hattrem. Foul Play. Deep red. It uses Brutal Swing. Again with Quick Attack to finish this and it's down. 4320 in cash for me


There are a lot of Steels here so I move Ears up


I find TM96 Smart strike

Pokémon Trainer #2 - Shells vs Dreepy. Waterfall. One hit. it stays out for Vullaby. Rock Tomb. One hit. 5328 cash


Pokémon Trainer #3 - Shells vs Togedamaru. Waterfall! Deep red. It uses Bite. Again! KO. 4736 cash

I find TM 43 brick Break

Pokémon Trainer #4 and 5. Shells and Wheezy vs Hippowdon and Excadrills. Waterfall and Foul Play on Excadrill. We avoid a rock slide from it. It faints. Hippowdon uses Sand Tomb. They send out Lucario. Waterfall and Foul Play on Hippowdon. KO. Lucario uses Power-Up Punch on Shells. Perrserker is dispatched. We use the two attacks on Lucario. Fake Out from Perrserker. Shells flinched, and we only hit Lucario about half way. They ko Wheezy. I send out Drills. I target High HP on Perr - one hit ko, and then Shells hits Waterfall on Lucario and finishes it. 13320 in Pokecash made

Pokémon Trainer #6 - Ears vs Arcanine. I swap into Shells. I take a Extreme Speed attack. Waterfall. One hit. Drils vs Bolthund. High Horsepower! And..... one hit ko. 8880 in Pokecash

I capture

Snorunt
Vanillish



End of Route 8

Ears - Level 50
Wheezy - Level 50
Beetles - Level 50
Shells - Level 50
Drills - Level 51
Pantsalot - Level 51

[Abe Sargent]

Daily Stuff


I head to the wild area to check the Watt Traders. I also check in with other things there. they have Thunderbolt which is the same damage as Wild Charge which it already knows so I don't swap over.


Dig Brothers:

Star Piece
Fossilized Bird


I capture:

A Dubwool in a raid
Elygem in a raid as well
And Binacle as well


I head to the fossil making machine with my prize


Fossilized Bird and Fossilized Dino will make...


Another Arcozolt

Ah well


From Stowe on Side I purchase today's bargain...Spell tag.


Battle Café with Ears and Wheezy

I purchase 10 Revives

[Abe Sargent]

Circhester


Let's finish the 6th badge. This badge is Rock in Pokémon Sword. It was Ice the first time through in Shield. I move Drills to the front. Both Steel and Ground are super good vs Rock, and both are strong against it's type attacks. Instead of the normal half damage, Drills will only take 1/4th damage.

I grab TM 27 Icy Wind

I trade Vanillish for Throh

I find TM 51 Icicle Spear

Gym Challenge #6 - Rock


Gym Battle #1 - Drills vs Boldore - High HP. One hit. KO. Level up by Wheezy and Shells. 3648

Gym Battle #2 - Drills vs Crustle. Iron Head! Another one hit wonder Level by Ears. I make 3648 in sweet Pokecash

Gym Battle #3 - Drills vs Carkol. High Horsepower! Boom went the Carkol. Level by drills itself. It learns Earthquake which replaces High HP. 3744 in sweet cash

Gym Battle #4 - Drills vs Sudowoodo - Earthquake for the first time. Down. 3744 cash here as well.


Gym Leader #6 - Gordie


Drills vs Barbacle. I use Iron Head. Deep in yellow. It increases its attack and speed. Again! Razor shell on me one hits me. I send out Ears. Fire Fang! Not very effective. I am one hitted again. Pants! Wild Charge. Works, ko.

Pants vs Shuckle. I use Revive on Drills. I take a Power Split. I use a Hyper Potion to heal Drills. I take an Ancient Power. Wild Charge! Drops to around 25% down. Another hit my way. Again! Rock Tomb on me. Wild Charge! Deep red. Rock Tomb back. Crit I am at 2 health. Crunch. KO. Level by Beetles


Drills vs Stonjoner - Earthquake! One hit KO.

Drills vs Coalassol. - We both Dynamax! Max quake! One hit KO. 13440 in cash made


I get the Rock badge and TM 48 Rock Tomb.


I am going to head back to the wild area and grab Thunderbolt and swap it for Wild Charge. Apparently it has recoil. So I'll spend the 5k needed to remove the self-damage.

[Abe Sargent]

Daily Stuff


Battle Café - Ears and Wheezy

Level by Pants. 8880 in Pokecash


Stow on Side -

I purchase a Sharp Beak.


Dig Brothers -

Dusk Stone
Fossilized Dino
Star Piece


Light load today!


I capture:

Heliolisk from a raid
Steelix from a raid too
And a Noctowl as well

I get TM 14 ThunderWave

I buy 10 Dive Balls and 10 Hyper Potions

[Abe Sargent]

Route 9

I am about ready to knock out the biggest route in the game, with three sections. I'll post it here and then edit it until I am done and I'll post my normal "End of route" update so you'll know when that happens. Unlike previous routes I won't spend too much time here. I am already overleveled as it is.


Hop

Ears vs Dubwool. This is his evolved Wooloo. Pyro Ball! One hit.


Drills vs Pincurchin. Earthquake? super effective one hit again.


Ears vs Rillaboom - Fire Fang. One hit again.


Ears vs Snorlax - Double Kick! Super eff. Take him to deep yellow. Body Slam back. Again! He uses a hyper pot and heals. Once more! KO.



Ears vs Corviknight - Fire Fang. Super eff. vs steel. Deep red. it uses brave bird back. Again! I KO their flying steel. 9840 for winning

Good job team and Ears especially.

I capture:

Octillery


Pokémon Trainer #1 - Pants vs Barraskewda - Thunderbolt! One hit later ko. vs Lanturn. The same! It doesn't work. I confuzzles me. I swap in Shells. I take a Bubble Bea as I do. Jaw Lock! Deep red. Confuse ray again. Jaw Lock! It is KO'd. I made 4992 in cash


Pokémon Trainer #2 - Pants vs Darumaka - Thunderbolt! One hit. Ears vs Bellasom. Fire Fang! Another one hit. 4992 cash


Team Yell Grunt #1 - Pants vs Linoone - Thunderbolt! One hit. Ears vs Pangoro. Double Kick! Super effective. Deep red. taunt was used on me. Again! KO. I make 6400


I get the water version of the Rotom Bike

I capture:

Pelipper
Wailmer
Mantyke
Jellicent


I find TM 64 Avalanche and I teach it to Wheezy This is the best ice physical move I can teach it.


Pokémon Trainer #3 - Pants vs Qwilfish - Thunderbolt! KO in one hit. vs Pyukumuku. Again! KO. 2560 in cash made


Pokémon Trainer #4 - Pants vs Grapploct - Thunderbolt! One hit. 2624 in cash made

I find TM 45 Dive

I find TM 22 Rock Slide

Pokémon Trainer #5 - Pants vs Wishiwashi - Thunderbolt! KO. vs Wailord. Thunderbolt again! KO again. 2560 in cash


Pokémon Trainer #6 - Pants vs Toxapex - Thunderbolt again! It protects itself. Again! KO.


Pokémon Trainer #7 and #8 - Ears and Wheezy vs Toxtricity and Maractus. Fire Fang on the cactus and Avalanche as well! One hit ko with the Fire Fang. Shock Wave on Ears. One hit ko with a critical hit by Wheezy and both are down. I net 10426 in cash

Marnie

Ears vs Liepard. Fire Fang! it uses Nasty Plot. One hit ko.

Ears vs Toxicroak. Fire Fang again! deep red. it uses Swagger back and I dodge it. Again! Marnie uses a Max Potion and another deep red. Once more! KO.

Beetles vs Scrafty - Psychic! No damage. it crunches me back. buig Buzz drops it to deep yellow and it uses Swagger and misses as well. Another Bug Buzz! It faints

Drills vs Morpeko - Earthquake! Let's finish this. One hit ko. 10,560 in cash


Pokemon Trainer #9 - Pants vs Sawk - T Bolt. Ko. I send out Beetles vs Throh. Psychic! it;s super effective, one hit. I make 2624 cash


End of Route 9

Beetles - Level 55
Wheezy - Level 55
Drills - Level 56
Ears - level 56
Pantsalot - Level 58
Shells - Level 55

[Abe Sargent]

Daily Stuff

I haven't finished Route 9 but I want to do this.


Battle Café:

Pants and Wheezy. 4440 in cash made

Dig Brothers:


Dusk Stone
Sun Stone

Again, another light day.

Stow on Side:

I already have a Cracked Pot.


I head to the Wild Area and to new places. With my new bike.

I find Leftovers, Razor claw, TM 95 Air slash, Assault Vest, IU find every Evol stone in the Lake of Outrage. And TM 73 Cross Poison



I purchase 10 Quick Balls

I capture:

Munchlax
Frillish

[Abe Sargent]

Spikemuth

I finished Route 9 which is epically long and stretched out over some bit of time, and I am about to start Spikemuth. Unlike other cities, this one is invaded by Team yell and there are a number of grunts and such all over. I'll do the same and edit here. I'll be finished when I post my team after beating the gym leader, Piers

I move Beetles front and center. His is both a sweeper and weak. As a bug he is super strong against Dark and can sweep them in one hit of Bug Buzz at his level. As a psychic, he is weak against dark and will take more damage from their attacks. He may get swapped in and out and healed a bunch.

Ready for Spikemuth?


Team Yell Grunt #1 - Beetles vs Linoone - Bug Buzz! One hit KO. As expected. 3360 in cash for the win

Team Yell Grunt #2 - Beetles vs Theivul. Bug Buzz! Another ko in the key of one. 3360 in cash again

Team Yell Grunt #3 - Beetles vs Scrafty - Bug Buzz! Dep red. It uses payback. Super effective and drops me to deep green. Again! KO. 3360

I use some potions to heal Beetles.

Team Yell Grunt #4 - Beetles vs Weavile - Bug Buzz! It uses Avalanche on me first and I ko it. 3440 in cash

I heal Beetles

Team Yell Grunt #5 and #6 - Beetles and Wheezy vs Liepard and Drapion. Bug Buzz on Liepard which should be a one hit wonder and Avalanche on Drapion. Bug Buzz resolves first and takes out my fear. Bug Bite is used on Beetles. I drop it to half into light yellow. Same attacks. We ko it. I make 7568

Plot from Team Yell!

Gym Leader #7 - Piers

Beetles vs Scrafty - Bug Buzz! it drops him to yellow, and it paybacks me to the same. Again! KO.

Ears vs Malamar - I use headbutt. It uses payback. Both drop to green. Again! It uses foul Play. Both in deep yellow. Once more! I KO Malamar.

Drills vs Obstgoon - This is the evolved form of linoone. I use Earthquake. It uses Obstruct and protects itself. Again! Deep yellow. it uses Throat Chop. Another quake! It protects gainst. Fine. Another quake!

Drills vs Skuntank - This is good for Drills. Ground is good vs poison. Earthquake! One hit Ko. I make 14720.

I get TM 85 Snarl.

I got the Dark Badge.

Plot

End of Spikemuth:

Beetles: Level 56
Wheezy: level 56
Drills: level 57
Ears: Level 57
Shells: Level 56
Pants: Level 59

[Abe Sargent]

Animal Crossing hit this btw. I still intend on finishing it but I've spent my Switch time in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.