Tyren's Pokeholiday Grindfests

[Kenji]

Excuse the crappy title. Also, credit to Venom for the idea, even if I had already been considering it in the past.

The holidays have been around for a while, and there's less than two weeks till Christmas (three till New Years'). As we all know, I'm an avid gamer as it is, but what you may not know (or may infact know, but never bothered to hint at such knowledge) is around the holidays, I game a little more often. So why give myself more of an excuse to game around that time, when it already happens more often than usual?

Because it's an efficient stress reliever. And it's fun.

Let me set the stage for you. From Tuesday the 15th till New Years' Eve (Thursday the 31st), I'm going to play through Pokemon Yellow, Pokemon Crystal, Pokemon Emerald and Pokemon Fire Red, all in that order, on my lovely emulator. I'd also add Platinum to that list, but three things: I don't have a functional camera outside of my cellphone which only records 30 seconds at a time, I'd be playing Platinum a LOT longer than any of the above, and I had to sell my copy for some extra coin (partially to get a ride home on Black Friday after getting conned out of my money for a bar of mud soap. MUD SOAP. WHAT THE--). Now, I'm not just going to play through each of these games; I'm going to do it under certain requirements. I already have a few ground rules for all of them, but there will also be individual rules for each of them.

Now, I already have one rule apiece for the individual games, and I don't want to make everything rigid for them, so here's what's going to happen: You, the active members of Aisenfield, will make suggestions for me, so there's plenty of variety. These rules can be anything from different starter Pokemon (which works VERY well with Pokemon Crystal, as I have the code for that), to having certain Pokemon in my party, to even having certain types (Fire, Water, Grass, etc) of parties, or even how many of each type (two Poison, two Psychic, two Rock, what have you). I'll decide what rules to take on by midnight, so a little over 12 hours, post the official individual game rules up in the main post, and then start playing from the first game onward.

As I play through the games, I'll post about my progress every time I acquire a badge or get to important story events (Elite 4, Giovanni, that sort of thing). So you'll be quite aware of how I'm doing. You're welcome to comment as I go, of course.

Here's hoping for an epic experience through the Pokegames, with Aisenfield as my audience.

General Rules:
- Complete one game at a time, no multitasking.
- Must play at least once a day for at least an hour.
- No usage of cheats whatsoever, unless a specific-game rule requires one, such as different starting Pokemon.
- Always name the main character Chris, and name the rival Endrace.
- The speed option (holding the Spacebar increases overall game speed while held) will only be used during wild Pokemon battles that I don't aim to catch the Pokemon in (in other words, during grinding sessions). Normally I hold this button during a good chunk of the game, including dialogue I've seen millions of times before and going through routes where I've already battled all the trainers. For this special occasion, however, it'll only be used for wild battling.
- Completion point varies from each game.

Pokemon Yellow Rules:
- Completion point is acquiring all eight gym badges, defeating the Elite 4 and Rival Champion, getting inducted into the Hall of Fame, and capturing/defeating Mewtwo in the Unknown Dungeon.
- Optional: Capture or defeat the Three Legendary Birds.
- Play through with naught but Pikachu, Venusaur, Blastoise, and Charizard. HM slaves are allowed, but not in battle for any reason whatsoever.
- Catch no Pokemon (with exceptions to Mewtwo and legendary birds) unless needed as an HM slave.

Pokemon Crystal Rules:
- Completion point is acquiring all sixteen gym badges (eight from both regions), defeating the Elite 4 and Lance, getting inducted into the Hall of Fame, capturing/defeating Ho-Oh and Lugia, capturing/defeating Suicune,, and defeating Pokemon Trainer Red in Mt. Silver.
- Optional: Capture or defeat Entei and Raikou.
- Start with Ariados. Not Spinarak, an Ariados. This is actually more crippling than you'd think, as Ariados is an evolved Pokemon, and therefore requires more EXP to level up, which means I'll either have to strategize more, or grind more.
- Play through with only Poison Pokemon and partials. My envisioned team will include Ariados, Crobat, Victreebel, Haunter, Arbok, and Venomoth.
- Use only regular Pokeballs to catch Pokemon.

Pokemon Emerald Rules:
- Completion point is acquiring all eight gym badges, defeating the Elite 4 and Champion Wallace, getting inducted into the Hall of Fame, capturing/defeating Rayquaza, Kyogre and Groudon, and defeating Steven at Meteor Falls.
- Optional: Capture or defeat the Three Regis and/or one of the Lati's.

Pokemon Fire Red Rules:
- Completion point (and optional point) is the same as Pokemon Yellow, with two additions: Clear all of the Sevii Islands, and defeat the Elite 4 and Rival in a rematch run.

[CM]

i'd like to see you go through one of the games without using any attacks with more than 60 base power. see what kinda strategies you have to adapt in order to get by. ::)

note that this challenge is only for REAL MEN. wussies needn't apply !

[Kenji]

Seeing as I've only got... 1 suggestion so far... I'm going to extend it a little bit. Now I'll start on Tuesday the 15th. I'm going to edit the first post to reflect that change, as well as put up the rather empty lists for the individual rules. Give me suggestions, people!

[Venom]

Here are my ideas.

-Complete any play through without evolving any pokemon.
-Complete any play through with a full party of Eeeveelutions.
-Complete Pokemon Yellow with the following party: Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charizard, Snorlax and one fossil pokemon.

[CM]

Emerald: make a really bitchin' secret base, submit it to the Grapefellow Ratings Board and receive a score of A (86% or higher).

[Kenji]

Emerald: make a really bitchin' secret base, submit it to the Grapefellow Ratings Board and receive a score of A (86% or higher).

-_-... Come on, be serious. At least your original post was legitimate.

[CM]

I was serious. Make an authentically cool Secret Base (whose authentic coolness will be judge by me since there's no objective way to judge coolness).

[BlueRam]

Suggestions by P.O.R.

1) Beat at least one game using a party consisting entirely of bug pokemon (partial types are alright of course). For added fun, use only bug types specific to that region.

2) Use ONLY regular pokeballs to catch all pokemon (so no Safari Zone pkmn for you!).

3) Record how long you can go without using the PKMN center healing option (includes white/black outs when all usable pkmn faint).

4) Defeat Sabrina (or any other phychic type user leaders) with ONLY an Onix.

5) Go through one game facing all gym leaders with pkmn that are weak against the gym type (i.e. using rock or water against grass type gyms etc.). Using water types like Wishcash or Quagsire against eletric gyms are not allowed as they have resistance to that type.

6) Use a team of all shinies to clear the game (just for fun! =P).

7) Only use pkmn from in game trades to beat the game (like in Vermillion when you trade a Spearow for Farfetch'd, or trade an Abra for a Mr. Mime).

Defeat Kanto gym leaders in as reverse order as possible (made possible as after you receive HM01 and defeat Team Rocket at silph Co. you can take on the last 6 gym leaders in any order you choose). Basically you would challenge in order: Giovanni, Blane, Sabrina, Koga, Erika, and finally Surge.

9) Clear a game using ONLY pkmn considered "Vendor Trash" such as Bidoof and Rattata.

10) Complete a game using only Fighting type pokemon named after famous martial artists (fiction or otherwise).

11) Complete each game with at least two pokemon that take FOREVER to evolve (i.e. Larviatar, or Beldum).

12) Complete a game with every pokemon in the party sharing at least one type (i.e. all part fire, part water, etc.) from the very start.

13) Defeat Elite Four of any game with only baby class pkmn (like Togepi or Pichu).

14) Drink a shot of your favorite drink any and every time you run into the following pkmn (evolved forms omitted from list, but count towards drink count): Zubat, Rattata, Pidgey, Tentacool, Bidoof, Sentret, Weedle, Nidoran (male), Oddish, Diglett, Gasly, Wingull, Geodude, Unknown, zigzagoon, Wurmple, and Starly. (You'll be sick of it by the end of this saga, I swear).

15) Complete each game using only MAGIKARP!!!!

[Kenji]

I've updated the rules for Pokemon Yellow and Pokemon Crystal. I want more suggestions before I finish Emerald and Fire Red's lists, so I'll leave those two open. But for now, Yellow and Crystal are set in stone.

I may very well start on the Yellow run before midnight tonight, so I'll say it now: The Pokeholiday gaming has officially begun.

[CM]

Actually, Spinarak and Ariados advance at the same rate. Evolving doesn't necessarily affect level-up rates; there are several types of preset experience tables, and Spinarak and Ariados happen to share the same one. x:

Kudos to you for choosing a mono-Poison party, though. best type

[Kenji]

And so, the saga begins in Pall-- wait, why am I typing like this? I'll save that for roleplaying. Let's just sum things up.

After receiving Pikachu and going through the tedious event of picking up Oak's parcel, I trained to level 10. Needless to say, when I went up against Endrace's Spearow and Eevee, they were no match. Then the real fun began; going through the hell that is Viridian Forest. The fact I went through with only one Pokemon on hand and used no Potions whatsoever should tell you how fun that actually was. Oh well, I got 5 levels before departing to Pewter City to heal. Three more acquired after returning to the forest to grind them up, because I need to be level 18 for my strategy to work. Now, let me set the scene for you.



Pewter Gym. Chris, the challenger with only a Pikachu, faces off against Leader Brock and his line-up of Rock and Ground Pokemon (Geodude and Onix). You might think "Wouldn't it be better to go grab a Butterfree or Mankey? Pikachu is an Electric type!" Ah, but that's where you're wrong. A level 18 Pikachu has enough HP to last against Geodude's Tackles, so all you need to do is Quick Attack it till it's KOed.

But that's where the trouble actually starts.



Onix, the Defense juggernaut of Kanto, bearing the dreaded Bide attack in this case. Quick Attack is still used here, but before that, Tail Whip is necessary to whittle away its defenses while it wastes turns Biding its time. Some people might foolishly discard Growl and Tail Whip in favor of both Quick Attack and Double Team. Not me. My moveset includes Thundershock, Tail Whip, Quick Attack, and Double Team. Nice, eh? Several Tail Whips and Quick Attacks later...



Onix looks like it's bleeding. A millimeter of HP left! Shall I show it mercy?

... Nah. QUICK ATTACK.

So I acquired the Boulderbadge, healed up at the Pokemon Center, and went off to new horizons. With my beloved Pikachu at my side, nothing can stop me!



Next, Mt. Moon, and more importantly, Cerulean City. What awaits the dynamic duo there?! FIND OUT...

... Once I play to that point.

[Kenji]

We last left off (an hour and 20 minutes ago, actually) at the exit to Pewter City, to a new route leading to Mt. Moon. Nothing real interesting happened (except for my Pikachu almost perishing to Weedle's poison), so we'll fast forward to the Pokemon Center, where I happened across the most intriguing individual with a peculiar (ly pathetic excuse for an) offer.



Sorry, pal, but Magikarp is Magikrap. Moving on.



Ah, Mt. Moon... What an entrancing place, I thought as I explored its wonderful interior and devastated its weakling trainers. But, alas! A blight upon its beauty has been discovered.



Rocket. Team Rocket.

I went through gallantly eradicating the pesky interlopers of this magnificent landscape, and proceeded urgently toward the exit, whereupon I could come to Cerulean City. A voice stopped me near the exit, however.

And it was loud. Damn loud and annoying.



What's this? Two Rocket members seeking revenge for their comrades? Hah! Fine then, I'll crush you, t--



... They want my fossil. The one I neglected to mention that I earned fair and square. Oh, I won't just crush you. I'll char your Pokemon beyond recognition with my amazingly-hot electricity. After that, I FINALLY managed to leave Mt. Moon, bidding farewell to its nonexistant beauty (because I was totally kidding earlier), and off to Cerulean City. A trip to the Pokemon Center and a quick fight with my rival Endrace later, I found myself in the Cerulean Gym. Taking out the two trainers in my way, I made it up to Misty, where my Pikachu took quite a liking to the other female trainer I'd beaten just before.



Needless to say, Pikachu almost got slapped for this.

Misunderstandings aside... The battle began! No strategy is really needed here; I have an electric rat for my Pokemon, after all, against Water types. Thunderbolt KOed Staryu in one go. As for Starmie, well...



Very resilient, I give it that much. But the battle had to end, and I ended it in overkill. Yes, two Thunderbolts. I'm quite pleased with myself for that. Anyway, the Cascadebadge has been acquired! After healing up one more time, I set my gaze toward the Nugget Bridge. Five trainers guarding a fabulous prize?



I think I can handle it. But do you think so? FIND OUT NEXT TIME...

Because I don't want to beat the game in one sitting. That's no fun.

[CM]

Which fossil did you pick? 'Cause if it's Helix... ¬ _¬

[Venom]

Don't forget to get Bulbasaur!

[Weirdo]

I'm unfamiliar with yellow so I have to ask this, how are you getting all three normal starters?