How Do You Make Your Regular Playthrough More Interesting?

[NikolaP]

A question for Pokémon veterans:

During a regular playthrough, your first one, what, if any, small challenges and limitations do you set yourself to make it more exciting?

For instance, I've recently started X on the emulator. Kalos' Gym Leaders use, for my standards, rediculously few Pokémon on their teams. Seeing that with the Exp. Share, a team of six and my 15 years of experience I could easily wipe the floor with them, I decided to always use the same number of Pokémon as the Gym Leader.

I've only passed the first gym and it's been quite exciting. I barely won, with Fennekin falling to Vivillon and Spewpa dealing the final blow (both had fought Surskit).

In Moon (also emulated), I'd turn the Exp. Share off for a while when I felt my team was getting too overleveled for fun.

Also, sometimes I take it easy on the in-game opponents just to see some action from them instead of, you know, blowing them to smithereens in 3 seconds. This occasionally backfired and I really had to make an effort not to get beaten.

 

[saniachan]

As for myself, I usually balance everyone's levels for the lulz, regular or challenge playthroughs. I mean, whenever one of my Pokemon becomes overleveled even just by 1 level, the rest of my team must catch up to the overleveled one by whatever means necessary.

Edit: it's gonna be tricky with Sword and Shield, though.

 

[Raicheot]

I tend to rotate my squad around so they are all the same level and try to get my squad to certain levels by certain points

 

[Ruellia]

Well, Nuzlocke is sort of the classic example of that, although I guess that doesn't really count as a regular playthrough. I once did a playthrough of Crystal where I used no items unless it were absolutely necessary to progress the story. So like HMs are fine (because you need to use them on the overworld) but no TMs, condition healing items, health restoring items etc.

 

[Centipede Chan]

I try to keep balanced type matchups in my first playthrough of a game. When I am revisiting previous generations though I'll do that but also try to use pokemon I normally wouldn't use or thought of using. My whole thing with picking a story team is pokemon I'd use if it were real life. With the ones available in whatever game, usually. I only transferred a pre planned and bred team for Ultra Moon

 

[milcute]

When I played through Sun, I did an all-female team full of sassy looking Pokemon. IIRC, I used Primarina, Mismagius, Espeon, Alolan Ninetales, Tsareena, and Salazzle.

Right now I'm playing Let's Go Pikachu, and really my only theme is trying to raise a "competitive" team... In other words, just picking out the right natures. I currently have Pikachu (duh), Gyarados, Ivysaur, and Charmeleon; I plan on eventually using Aerodactyl and Alolan Muk as well. I just realized... They're all gift/trade Pokemon, too. Huh.

I'm planning to do some sort of punk themed team for Sword. Words cannot describe how happy I was when I found out Scraggy wasn't cut.

 

[Lee Know]

I catch everything in a Pokeball. Everything from the early route mons to the mascot legendary; I even tried catching the Ultra Beasts with pokeballs and that was a fun challenge. I just like having the consistency and aesthetic of everything in the classic pokeball.

 

[Sheep]

I change very little other than using new Pokémon I've rarely or not used before. There are so many creatures and that's enough to make each playthrough very fun! Eventually I'll consider item limitations and the like too to see how I do, but for now this is enough =')

 

[Raicheot]

I change very little other than using new Pokémon I've rarely or not used before. There are so many creatures and that's enough to make each playthrough very fun! Eventually I'll consider item limitations and the like too to see how I do, but for now this is enough =')

I'm the Same when ever I do a new run in a game, currently got Togetic, Gible, Bronzor and Bibarel in my Platinum squad, never used any of them so thought I'd try them

 

[Starry Windy]

At times I would make sure my Pokémon team to be around the same level. By that, if one 'mon gets stronger, I'd level up the rest of my team to the same level, too.

 

[Fairy]

I go out of my way to catch and train every Pokémon (especially new ones) in every game. It's fun having like 10+ Route 1 mons at lv.20 before the first gym lol. :p

 

[FeraligatrMaster]

I try to hit every Pokemon in the game super effectively. If I can't find a Pokemon with super effective attacks before having to fight a mandatory trainer, I use my starter or something.

Also, I try to avoid using healing items in battle until the Elite Four.

 

[NikolaP]

I prefer my starter to always be my highest level Pokémon, by several levels (an old habit, I got stuck often in Ruby back when I was in first grade and knew little English; Blaziken was level 50 before the fifth gym).

I also like not teaching the starter any TMs, using only their natural moves. I also generally keep the moves they learn upon evolution - Blaziken still knows Double Kick and Blaze Kick.

 

[colours]

generally using new/unfamiliar pokemon to see if i can get used to them is how i try to change things up! when i get SwSh, im actually planning on starting a monotype challenge on my second playthrough which should be quite interesting. n.n

 

[CF1994]

I've been trying Monotype runs, though I don't follow all the rules, especially regarding Pokémon that evolve by trading.

I have been playing through some games using only a certain type, regardless.

I've done Ghost (Ultra Sun), Water (SoulSilver), Poison (Pearl) and Psychic (X) so far.

The most challenging run was using the Water-type in Gen IV's Johto, because the foe's powerhouses like Gyarados, Garchomp, etc. have a knack of setting up and crithaxing my attempts to buff my team's bulk and raw strength late into the game.

 

[Bellsprout]

I'll set the battle style to set, play with a team that all share a common type, play with pokemon I never use, create a theme to my team. Also I've gotten into the habit of ditching the starter

 

[SaniOKh]

I trade in eggs with Pokémon that are not in the regional dex, usually a couple starters and a pseudo-legendary from different generations, in order to cover as many types as I can, and end up replaying the game with a completely improbable team. I just like having fun with a fully personalized experience, in a way.

This is why 60% of the Pokémon not even being coded in in SwSh irks me in a big bad way, because for me and maybe others who like doing this, the game's longevity has been reduced to maybe a third of what it could have been.

 

[DarkestAria]

I nickname all of my Pokemon, usually after fictional characters. I've always liked the ability to nickname Pokemon, it makes them feel more like a pet to me. That's part of the reason why I wish we could choose careers in the Pokemon world besides being a trainer. I'd rather study and/or breed Pokemon rather than make them fight each other to be honest.

 

[lillipup03]

To start, I wouldn't consider myself a true veteran as I didn't play until 2014 with X.

At the same time... I've been playing for 5 years. Time moves to quickly and I feel old lol

But to answer the question, there are two main things. First, challenges. As the games seem to be getting easier, they're even easier for people who've played for a while, so it's necessary to challenge yourself to make the game more fun. My favorites usually include Nuzlockes and Random Teams because they give me an opportunity to use Pokémon I otherwise wouldn't use.

The other is nicknaming Pokémon. Some people do this, others don't. I didn't used to, but I'm glad I decided to start doing so, because it just adds a lot more personality to playthroughs. Rather than "just another Stoutland since I have 10,000 of them," they each have names and personalities. (and those names are Amber, Milky Way, Diane, and Lumpy... sorry, I had to)

 

[Nah]

At the same time... I've been playing for 5 years. Time moves to quickly and I feel old lol

god i feel ancient now, people more than a decade younger than me saying this

i've been playing Pokemon for longer than you've been alive

....

but to not be completely off-topic: I kinda don't do a whole lot to spice up my playthroughs really. At most I just try to not use Pokemon I've used before. Used to do monotype runs years ago but haven't felt like it since