The Nuzlocke Pokemon Challenge

[ephemeral10]

I have a harder variant:

1. You're not allowed to ever enter a Pokémon center (and avoid all other healing sources if possible) or Pokémart, except for events when it's absolutely necessary to advance the plot (Pokémon Red/Blue to get the PARCEL, Pokémon Gold/Silver to get the EGG).
2. When you do have to go into a Pokécenter or Pokémart, you're not allowed to actually use the services.
3. When you faint, it's over.

The other Nuzlocke rules don't apply. Just those 3.

Furthest I've ever gotten was 3 badges in Blue - couldn't manage to earn the 4th. Can anyone do better?

So you can never heal your Pokemon without items? Surely you would run out of PP for all your Pokemons' moves.

You would literally have to "Struggle" through the game.

 

[BanthaFodder]

I think I'll do it for... Gray? idk, whichever is next

 

[Chamale]

I have a harder variant:

1. You're not allowed to ever enter a Pokémon center (and avoid all other healing sources if possible) or Pokémart, except for events when it's absolutely necessary to advance the plot (Pokémon Red/Blue to get the PARCEL, Pokémon Gold/Silver to get the EGG).
2. When you do have to go into a Pokécenter or Pokémart, you're not allowed to actually use the services.
3. When you faint, it's over.

The other Nuzlocke rules don't apply. Just those 3.

Furthest I've ever gotten was 3 badges in Blue - couldn't manage to earn the 4th. Can anyone do better?

So you can never heal your Pokemon without items? Surely you would run out of PP for all your Pokemons' moves.

You would literally have to "Struggle" through the game.

You have to teach your Pokemon new moves constantly. For example, in my first attempt at doing this challenge, my Squirtle ran out of PP only once. It was against a Bug Catcher's Kakuna east of Pewter City, and Struggle soon took care of it. Squirtle grew to level 15 and learned Water Gun immediately, then I overwrote Water Gun with the Mega Punch TM. I then taught Squirtle Water Gun again with that TM.

PP isn't nearly as problematic as the fact that you will not be able to level up very far. Taking on Gyms without powerlevelling beforehand is difficult, but not impossible.

 

[Irony's Acolyte]

I've started a couple Nuzlocke runs so far and I gotta say I like them. Not so much because of the challenge or the change in gameplay (which has it's ups and downs), but because it gives the game a bit more "punch" so to speak. You grow alot closer to your Pokemon I've found due to the fact that they're pretty damn precious and you could permanently lose them at any time. It makes the game a bit more interesting to me rather than the long crawl through the land.

On a related note, I'm wondering whether or not I should have a run and post my progress here on the Escapist.

 

[ephemeral10]

I have a harder variant:

1. You're not allowed to ever enter a Pokémon center (and avoid all other healing sources if possible) or Pokémart, except for events when it's absolutely necessary to advance the plot (Pokémon Red/Blue to get the PARCEL, Pokémon Gold/Silver to get the EGG).
2. When you do have to go into a Pokécenter or Pokémart, you're not allowed to actually use the services.
3. When you faint, it's over.

The other Nuzlocke rules don't apply. Just those 3.

Furthest I've ever gotten was 3 badges in Blue - couldn't manage to earn the 4th. Can anyone do better?

So you can never heal your Pokemon without items? Surely you would run out of PP for all your Pokemons' moves.

You would literally have to "Struggle" through the game.

You have to teach your Pokemon new moves constantly. For example, in my first attempt at doing this challenge, my Squirtle ran out of PP only once. It was against a Bug Catcher's Kakuna east of Pewter City, and Struggle soon took care of it. Squirtle grew to level 15 and learned Water Gun immediately, then I overwrote Water Gun with the Mega Punch TM. I then taught Squirtle Water Gun again with that TM.

PP isn't nearly as problematic as the fact that you will not be able to level up very far. Taking on Gyms without powerlevelling beforehand is difficult, but not impossible.

Interesting. I think that I'll have to try this sometime. It's nice to have an excuse to play through a Pokemon title again.

 

[Zannah]

Did one by accident, spending the last two days more or less sick and in bed. I didn't quite plan to do one, keeping myself occupied with emerald, but I don't catch many mons anyway, and none of them happened to faint. It may be my playstyle, or emerald is just that forgiving, but I really don't find it 'that difficult' and I've never grinded in a pokemon game, ever.

My team, as composed on the Victory screen:

Feuerhuhn / Blaziken Lvl 65
Fluffy / Altaria Lvl 57
Rayquaza Lvl 71
Sparkly / Sableye Lvl 52
Bob / Sandshrew Lvl 22
Surfboard / Azumarill Lvl 28

Admittedly, with the legendary involved, even without grinding, what happened to the top 4 can probably classified as rape, rather then actual combat >.<

 

[Cowabungaa]

I've never found Nuzlocke runs appealing for me to try, as I hate Rule 1.

The only-catch-the-first-Pokemon-in-a-new-area one? Yeah, that's annoying, especially when you end up with a team of Ratatas or something. Then again, it makes you use Pokemon you'd never consider using making for quite an interesting game. The game's random nature is both it's strength and weakness with that rule

But you can always scrap that rule, everyone's encouraged to make their own.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

I've never found Nuzlocke runs appealing for me to try, as I hate Rule 1.

I'd assume you already know this but there is an alternate to Rule 1 that if you already have that pokemon you have the option to catch another one. So no 6 ratatas or zubats.

Anyway I have been meaning to do one of these during the summer but I will probably rip my eyes out doing it. The Level thing at the end gave me an idea. At some point or another during the summer the Pokemon group should do a whole month of Nuzlocke runs and every pokemon that dies will be put on a news post at the end to commemorate them.

 

[Tiswas]

OMG. Rick the Electrode! Such a small world. It was that vid which made me start a Nuzlocke a few weeks ago in prep for Black + White XD


My Nuzlocke was pretty awesome. (Twas on Heart Gold) It was actually the first time I used a Pidgeot. And made me HATE Whitney and her Miltank so much. Oh and the Ratatta line for appearing on EVERY route in the game. Although I lucked and got some rares like a Shiny Sandshrew (which was my 2nd encountered in that cave but meh. Shinies are above the law!) A Dratini and a 1% chance of encounter: Snubble (Who was such a bro by pwning Jasmine's entire line before being offed by Steelix)

Also gives you a fear of the likes of the Voltorb, Geodude and Koffing lines

 

[GloatingSwine]

I've never found Nuzlocke runs appealing for me to try, as I hate Rule 1.

I probably wouldn't try it for that reason. I'd probably change Rule 1 to something less insane, like may only capture one of each Pokemon, and they can't be replaced if KOd.

 

[Zannah]

Anyway I have been meaning to do one of these during the summer but I will probably rip my eyes out doing it. The Level thing at the end gave me an idea. At some point or another during the summer the Pokemon group should do a whole month of Nuzlocke runs and every pokemon that dies will be put on a news post at the end to commemorate them.

Slightly ot, but - there's a pokemon group? :O

Slightly more ot: I really wouldn't recommend doing a nuzlocke on black/white :|

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

Anyway I have been meaning to do one of these during the summer but I will probably rip my eyes out doing it. The Level thing at the end gave me an idea. At some point or another during the summer the Pokemon group should do a whole month of Nuzlocke runs and every pokemon that dies will be put on a news post at the end to commemorate them.

Slightly ot, but - there's a pokemon group? :O

Slightly more ot: I really wouldn't recommend doing a nuzlocke on black/white :|

Yes there is and it doesn't matter what game or games it is on. Just a general one. Although I haven't played B/W so I don't know what they are like.

 

[Zannah]

Yes there is and it doesn't matter what game or games it is on. Just a general one. Although I haven't played B/W so I don't know what they are like.

At least three of the first four arenas in B/W are somewhat questionably balanced, with offenders in both the "wtf just happened, why can that thing one hit ko me at lvl 12?" and "Oh come on, why is that bastard super effective against anything you can possibly have at this point" variety. The worst of which is still the electro arena, which is the second worst thing that ever was in a pokemon game, right after the fourth floor in the tower of heaven.

 

[drbarno]

Well, I usually screenshot mine because I am terrible at drawing consistently.

only ever won 1, which was Blue with the following team members left
Electrode Lv51
Vaporeon Lv52
Sandslash Lv53
Kabutops Lv53
Exeggutor Lv52

Currently I'm doing one of ruby where I aadded an extra rule of not being able to evolve any pokemon. Nincada is so badass.

 

[DuderSkanks]

I've done Emerald, Fire Red, and Pearl. I add the exceptions of duplicates to avoid teams of zigzagoon and will catch legendaries but never use them. I almost always still have the master ball still in my bag at the end

 

[Frotality]

i played gold with rule 2 and 3 once... needless to say the elite 4 champion has recieved my eternal ire for killing my misdreavus...

i might do it again for b&w, pokemon games have been WAY too easy for me since then.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

Yes there is and it doesn't matter what game or games it is on. Just a general one. Although I haven't played B/W so I don't know what they are like.

At least three of the first four arenas in B/W are somewhat questionably balanced, with offenders in both the "wtf just happened, why can that thing one hit ko me at lvl 12?" and "Oh come on, why is that bastard super effective against anything you can possibly have at this point" variety. The worst of which is still the electro arena, which is the second worst thing that ever was in a pokemon game, right after the fourth floor in the tower of heaven.

Right well maybe not Black/White then. I suppose all the game have their BS moments. I always hated the second gym in R/S/E. Still it is a nice idea and doesn't have to be B/W.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Playing the Nuzlocke challenge would be... a challenge. But I'm not eager to destroy my gaming experience.

I'll continue to play conventionally.