Here I'll be logging my Zodiac Challenge of Pokemon X. The base challenge is simply to beat the game with a team predetermined by rules lined out here. Since my zodiac animal is goat, I decided to go with X since it has the only real goat Pokemon, Gogoat. Additional rules I'm implementing for this run are to use Set, not use items in battle (aside from held items) and to keep EXP share off to keep my levels as low as possible. My goal for the run is to clear it in 15 hours in-game time, and everything I do must be saved.
Since none of the starters are going to be allowed on my team due to the challenge's rules, I pick Chespin to give my rival Fennekin, the weakness for Gogoat, also being a grass type. Fortunately, one of my legal Pokemon, Fletchling (which must be evolved into Fletchinder asap, but cannot evolve into Talonflame), is available immediately upon receiving Pokeballs on Route 2, so I go ahead and catch one to begin the challenge.
With my first team member, I go immediately into the fight with Youngster Austin, but that turns out to be a mistake. My freshly caught Level 3 Fletchling is no match for his Level 5 Zigzagoon, going down to three hits while only looking like being a 6HKO. Since the Pokemon Center isn't available to me yet, Chespin is stuck on my team for the time being, so I just spam Growl until it faints. An unfortunate start to the challenge, looking like I'll need to do some training with wild Pokemon (again, I'm going to limit this to only what's necessary).
Of course, training on wild Pokemon ended up posing another issue - I was getting outsped by everything. I checked out Fletchling's nature and found it had Brave, which boosts Attack and lowers Speed. This could prove useful later in the game, but for now, the boost to Attack isn't making up for the fact that I'm attacking last. I could only grind on any Level 2 Pokemon that managed to appear just to get to Level 4, which thankfully was enough of a stat boost in the rematch against Austin.
The lowered Speed proved to me more of an annoyance upon entering the forest. Being outspeed by the new wild Pokemon there meant I couldn't run and had to fight wild battles, costing me time and giving me experience when I want to keep my levels as low as possible in this challenge. Granted, I may have needed to grind more in the forest just to get past Lass Anna's Pikachu, but a pointless Growl on her part won me that battle on the first attempt at Level 7.
Anna was the only required battle, so I skipped all over trainers and continued on to Santalune City and the first gym. But first, Route 22 is right there, which was supposed to be my second Pokemon for this challenge, but the Bunnelby I encountered fainted to a single Tackle, so that failed capture means I only get 5 Pokemon for this challenge. Of note, Rising Star Louise was my third required trainer battle, standing in the way of me and Route 22's grass. It appears I should've been able to win first try at Level 8, but a burn from her Litleo's first Ember meant I wasn't doing enough damage to outpace it and I had to win on the second attempt, giving me a little extra experience from her Psyduck.
Roller Skater Rinka and her Zigzagoon standing in the way of the gym was a cakewalk at this point, and the only required trainer in the gym, Lass Charlotte, proved no better. This brought me up to Level 11 for my first attempt against Viola for my first gym battle. While her Surskit proved to be a consistent win for Fletchling, her Vivillon was a bit too bulky. It took three attempts, with the victories against Surskit bringing Fletchling to Level 13 to win. Additionally, at Level 13, Fletchling learned Agility, which I immediately put to use to overcome the Brave penalty to Speed to be able to outspeed Vivillon. It came down to the wire due to Viola having a Potion, but Fletchling just held on with 2 HP.
That's one badge down and just shy of 1 hour. It's too bad I failed my second capture (the only capture that can be failed in this challenge), so I had essentially no other strategies available to me for the first gym other than swinging until I hit with enough levels. Hopefully as the roster grows, I'll have more interesting ways of overcoming gym leaders at the lowest levels I can manage. The struggles of having a Level 3 starter Pokemon with lowered Speed at the get go were interesting enough though, I suppose.
Gym Badges: 1
In-game time: 0:55
Pokemon:
Fletching F Lv. 14
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spe)
38 HP, 20 Atk, 20 Def, 19 SpA, 16 SpD, 21 Spe
Tackle, Growl, Agility, Peck
Since none of the starters are going to be allowed on my team due to the challenge's rules, I pick Chespin to give my rival Fennekin, the weakness for Gogoat, also being a grass type. Fortunately, one of my legal Pokemon, Fletchling (which must be evolved into Fletchinder asap, but cannot evolve into Talonflame), is available immediately upon receiving Pokeballs on Route 2, so I go ahead and catch one to begin the challenge.
With my first team member, I go immediately into the fight with Youngster Austin, but that turns out to be a mistake. My freshly caught Level 3 Fletchling is no match for his Level 5 Zigzagoon, going down to three hits while only looking like being a 6HKO. Since the Pokemon Center isn't available to me yet, Chespin is stuck on my team for the time being, so I just spam Growl until it faints. An unfortunate start to the challenge, looking like I'll need to do some training with wild Pokemon (again, I'm going to limit this to only what's necessary).
Of course, training on wild Pokemon ended up posing another issue - I was getting outsped by everything. I checked out Fletchling's nature and found it had Brave, which boosts Attack and lowers Speed. This could prove useful later in the game, but for now, the boost to Attack isn't making up for the fact that I'm attacking last. I could only grind on any Level 2 Pokemon that managed to appear just to get to Level 4, which thankfully was enough of a stat boost in the rematch against Austin.
The lowered Speed proved to me more of an annoyance upon entering the forest. Being outspeed by the new wild Pokemon there meant I couldn't run and had to fight wild battles, costing me time and giving me experience when I want to keep my levels as low as possible in this challenge. Granted, I may have needed to grind more in the forest just to get past Lass Anna's Pikachu, but a pointless Growl on her part won me that battle on the first attempt at Level 7.
Anna was the only required battle, so I skipped all over trainers and continued on to Santalune City and the first gym. But first, Route 22 is right there, which was supposed to be my second Pokemon for this challenge, but the Bunnelby I encountered fainted to a single Tackle, so that failed capture means I only get 5 Pokemon for this challenge. Of note, Rising Star Louise was my third required trainer battle, standing in the way of me and Route 22's grass. It appears I should've been able to win first try at Level 8, but a burn from her Litleo's first Ember meant I wasn't doing enough damage to outpace it and I had to win on the second attempt, giving me a little extra experience from her Psyduck.
Roller Skater Rinka and her Zigzagoon standing in the way of the gym was a cakewalk at this point, and the only required trainer in the gym, Lass Charlotte, proved no better. This brought me up to Level 11 for my first attempt against Viola for my first gym battle. While her Surskit proved to be a consistent win for Fletchling, her Vivillon was a bit too bulky. It took three attempts, with the victories against Surskit bringing Fletchling to Level 13 to win. Additionally, at Level 13, Fletchling learned Agility, which I immediately put to use to overcome the Brave penalty to Speed to be able to outspeed Vivillon. It came down to the wire due to Viola having a Potion, but Fletchling just held on with 2 HP.
That's one badge down and just shy of 1 hour. It's too bad I failed my second capture (the only capture that can be failed in this challenge), so I had essentially no other strategies available to me for the first gym other than swinging until I hit with enough levels. Hopefully as the roster grows, I'll have more interesting ways of overcoming gym leaders at the lowest levels I can manage. The struggles of having a Level 3 starter Pokemon with lowered Speed at the get go were interesting enough though, I suppose.
Gym Badges: 1
In-game time: 0:55
Pokemon:
Fletching F Lv. 14
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spe)
38 HP, 20 Atk, 20 Def, 19 SpA, 16 SpD, 21 Spe
Tackle, Growl, Agility, Peck