#these were the reasons I once gave up on catching Phanpy early game

[quibbs126]

Today I learned that according to Teddiursa’s Dex entries, the crescent mark on its forehead glows when it find honey

I feel like this is something we artists must take into consideration when drawing Teddiursa

[jarmes]

Notes on my Randomized Platinum Quarantinelocke

A few weeks back, I decided to do a new type of Nuzlocke called a Quarantinelocke based around the Covid-19 Pandemic and take notes so I could see how it went. For recap, the rules were:

1: Social Distancing - Only three pokemon may be in your party at once. If a fouth enters your party, it may not be used, and must be deposited as soon as possible.

2: Nonessential Activities - You are only allowed to talk with essential NPCs (NPCs talking with is required, healers, and shopkeepers).

3: Medicinal Shortages - You may not use items that heal status ailments.

4: Infection - If one of your Pokemon dies, the other two Pokemon in your party are considered infected and must be quarantined. They can not be deposited in the box, box Pokemon can not be added to the team, and wild Pokemon are automatically sent to the box. This infection can be cured by beating a major boss (Rival, Gym Leader, Elite Four Member, Legendary, or Evil Team Admin).

So, how did it go? Badly. Really badly. I accidentally made one of the most difficult challenge runs I’ve ever done. Let’s start at the beginning of my Pokemon Platinum QuarantineLocke run…

I started out in a randomized version of Pokemon Platinum and was given a choice between Dratini, Todadile, and Chimchar. I chose Dratini and named him Argo. Unfortunately, Dratini starts out with Wrap and Thunderwave. The first few routes were slow; I could win battles, but it took forever. After beating my rival I caught Bobo the Spinarak, Crash Bandi the Bidoof, and my early game godsend: Dumbelle the Makuhita. Makuhita’s access to powerful physical moves like Arm Thrust, Fake Out, and Vital Throw allowed me to easily sweep my way to Roark. Along the way I caught Enzo the Ekanz, Fran the Nincada, Galvan the Mareep, Horrid the Stunky, Ignis the Chimchar, and Janice the Swinub.

Two things I learned quickly on this run: there are a lot of useful items unavailable because of rule 2, including the Quick Claw; and it is a godsend that they removed poison killing you out of battle in this Gen, because I got poisoned on Route 201 and would have lost the run before getting the Pokedex.

I went into Roark with Makuhitta at level 16, Dratini at level 14, and Chimchar at level 5, thinking I would have an easy time. Makuhitta killed Roark’s Geodude with ease, but died to a critical Headbutt from his Cranidos. Dratini barely managed to beat Cranidos with Wrap and Thunder Wave, giving him enough exp to grow to Level 15 and learn Twister. Through gratuitous use of Potions and Twister, Dratini took Onyx out. This was an insanely intense battle and probably the best part of the run.

After beating Roark I replaced Makuhitta with Mareep and grinded the whole team up, evolving Mareep into Flaaffy, evolving Chimchar into Monferno, and teaching Dragon Rage to Dratini. Dragon Rage made Dratini go from near useless to an unstoppable killing machine.

After catching and boxing Kold the Snorunt, I stormed Valley Windworks and took on Mars. Her Purugly gave me some trouble, but I was able to take it out with a few Mach Punches from Monferno. I caught Leonardo the Squirtle and Moof the Drifbloom as I headed into Eterna Forest, where some crazy lady ran up to me and stuck to me like glue, in spite of pandemic guidelines. She actually said that “There is safety in numbers”. Idiot.

Upon arriving in Eternia City, I received devastating news: you have to talk to Dawn’s father to get the EXP Share. Meaning I would have to switch-train for the rest of the run, something far slower and far more dangerous than using the EXP Share. Damnit.

I caught Nip the Corphish on Route 211 and accidentally killed an Electrike in Mt Cornet before Flame Wheeling all of Gardenia’s Pokemon to death. Galactic Admin Jupiter was a hard fought battle, pushing my team to its limit, but I managed to win through a combination of Thunderwave, Potions, and Dragon Rage. I caught Nordbert the Graveler, Ohm the Shix, Poach the Eggsecute, and Rosa the Bellsprout on my way to Fantina. I also got a VS Seeker, which I decided I can use because reasons.

Tragedy struck while grinding for Fantina when a Machop with Revenge killed Monferno, forcing me to take on Fantina with only Dratini and Faaffy before being able to add in a new team member. Worse, a Haunter took out Dratini as I was making my way through the gym. I grinded up Flaaffy, delaying evolution until it learned Discharge, and Proton Packed Fantina’s French ass.

I added Eggsecute and Drifbloom into the team and easily beat Barry, using Ampharos for everything but Roselia, which Eggsecute took out with Confusion. I hatched Cynthia’s egg into Quizno the Scissor, caught Silky the Silcoon, Terrance the Carvanah, Uggghhh the Gloom, and Volt the Voltorb. I also searched Solaceon Ruins for the Leaf Stone I thought was there, but apparently there’re only Fire, Water, and Thunder Stones.

I almost killed Eggsecute in a double battle against a Ponyta and Rapidash by using Discharge, caught Whistle the Jigglypuff, Xerxes the Bonsly, and Yella the Loundred before arriving in Veilstone. I discovered that the Game Corner is off limits and easily beat Maylene with Eggsecute and Ampharos. I replaced Drifloon with Loudred, who immeadietly died when I forgot using Uproar prevents you from switching out. I caught Zoro the Murkrow, Amelie the Wobufet, Boxer the Wooper, and beat Barry again. I added evolved Wooper to the team and evolved him. I also found a hidden leaf stone in the Great Marsh and finally got an Exeggutor.

Before fighting Wake, I decided to grind. I caught Carumba the Lombre and Diamond the Eevee. Unfortunately, I ran into a wild Wobufet who killed Execcutor. To add salt to the wound, a trainer with a Leafeon killed Boxer during a double battle. I strolled into wake with a single Pokemon, a level 41 Ampharos. The battle, especially against his Quagsire, was tough, but I pulled through by using Hyper Beam and potions.

I added Graveler and Snowrunt to the team and evolved Snowrunt into Froslass. Both of them died before I made it to Celestic Town. I beat Cyrus, caught Ember the Torchic, Fancy/Fang the Clamperl, Gaaaryyy the Slakoff, Horny the Lickitung, Ird the Natu, and Juice the Kabuto. I grinded Torchic and Squirtle up until they fully evolved and beat Barry in Canalave. I Caught Klynt the Shuckle and Lard the Hariyama. Blaziken took out Byron’s Bastiodon and Magneton while Blastoise handled his Steelix. I beat Saturn easily, but Mars’s lake battle was guarded by a double battle against two Murkrow, one of which killed Blaziken with a critical Wing Attack. I took down Mars despite her Hypnosis and Slash spam and promoted Hariyama to the team.

I grinded Hariyama up at Iron Island and went north, catching Mo the Tentacool, Naivue the Smeargle, Olympia the Vibrava, and Phish the Goldeen. Candice went down easy and I went to Veilstone HQ, where Aaron’s egg hatched into Quentin the Phanpy. A grunt’s Golbat with Mean Look, Confuse Ray, and Poison Fang took out Blastoise; after beating Cyrus and Saturn I added Vibrava to the team. She died while grinding. This is why the EXP Share is important.

I climbed Spear Pillar, took out Cyrus, and took on the beast of the Distortion World. What monster did the randomizer replace Ghiratina with? Giratina, because the randomizer can’t change Giratina for some reason. I named it Randumb and boxed it.

I caught Seed the Jumpluff, Seed the Nidorino, and Upside Don the Hitmontop. I added Nidorino to the team and started grinding it up, hoping to use a Nidoking to take out Volkner. It died while I was grinding, so I taught Hariyama Earthquake and took out Volkner that way. I added Carbanah to the team, caught Verylame the Parasect, killed a Delibird for the sin of existing, and went into Victory Road.

Hariyama was killed by a trainer’s Tortera in Victory Road, but I made it through without losing anyone else. I barely beat Barry’s Snorlax, added Hitmontop to the team, and began grinding for the Elite Four. Carvanah was killed by an Afterburn Drilblim, forcing me to take on the Elite Four with only Ampharos and Hitmontop.

I said fuck it, bought as many healing and battle items as I could carry, used all my rare candied on Ampharos, and ran on in. The victory of this run rested solely on whether or not a level 68 Ampharos with Thunderbolt, Signal Beam, Power Gem, and Double Team was enough to beat five tough trainers in a row.

Ampharos managed to take out Aaron and even Bertha, but was burned and critted by Flint’s Houndoom. Hitmontop fell shortly after. Game Over.

So, thoughts on the run? Not my cup of tea. It’s hard, but it isn’t fun hard. Not talking to people, no changing team until you beat a boss, and only three Pokemon are good rules on their own, but putting them together is just frustrating. I’m gonna leave this run in the trash for now.