3rd Gen Slaking During a Casual Playthrough

[Reginald Cosmic]

So, a lot of us know about Slaking. It's a Pokémon with the same base stat total as the box legendaries Kyogre and Groudon, but it has the worst ability possible in Truant, which forces the player to waste every other turn.

Many people believe that the developers had to invent this ability to balance out Slaking's stats, but from what I understand, no, the concept of Slakoth and Slaking came first. Game Freak thought the idea of a slacker becoming a hard worker and then deciding the hard work isn't worth it was really funny. I don't know if this information is 100% accurate or how the process of Slaking's creation went down. That's ... not really the purpose of this thread though.

So I write fan fiction sometimes. Hold on. I promise this isn't a shill! Don't leave yet. I was just trying to think of a team for this story, and I realized I didn't really need this sixth member I had planned (because HM uses in the overworld aren't necessary in a fan fiction. and this Pokémon kind of seemed unnecessary outside of HM moves), so I figured "Maybe I'll add a normal type." Basically, I want to play through the game with this same team at some point in the future, but I don't know how annoying it actually is with the ability Truant. I know Truant makes Slaking unusable in competitive Pokémon until (I think) recently there's a move in double battles that removes Truant.

Has anyone here used Slaking in a playthrough of the original Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, and if so, how was it? (Also, yes, I know about the video of someone beating GSC's super boss with a Sunkern with enough grinding. YouTube keeps recommending me videos like that. I'm sure people have done that with Slakoth and Slaking, but I mean like... in a normal playthrough...)

Side note: I'm aware of one person who really thought Slaking was cool to use in his casual run of Emerald: SomeCallMeJohnny. Of course he also tries making a completely new team in the post game of GSC (which is absolutely not something the devs intended), and he didn't really like Generation III based on that video, so maybe I shouldn't take this anecdote too seriously? I don't know.

 

[Rock_Salazar]

I am in the middle of playing through gen 3, so I'll give slakoth a try.

 

[Amore]

I intend to use it in my next save. For the Tate & Liza battle and the gym leader rematches it will be OP if you have a Psychic-type use Skill Swap on it first (I think Norman actually does this in his rematch!), as for in the main story I guess its how patient you are. I imagine Slakoth will be the most frustrating part due to the low damage in the early game, then you have a nice run as Vigoroth, but by the time its Slaking it'll be OP so you should be able to tank hits on the Truant turns. Of course I wouldn't put it up against Juan's Double-Team Kingdra as it'll be horrible, but other than that will be fun!

 

[Janp]

Slakoth is one of my favourite Pokemon, so of course I've used its evolution line during a playthrougth. And not just once. I remember I've used Slaking few times, including at least 3 Nuzlocke runs. I think I brought it for E4 in one of them.

It was great. It usually could OHKO my opponent and then either switch out or heal. The Truant wasn't really a huge downside in singleplayer.

 

[Reginald Cosmic]

I'm surprised to hear a positive impression of Slaking here, Janp. After I started the thread here, I spoke to my friend on another site about it, and he kind of made it sound like Slaking was incredibly annoying to use. I'm glad to see there's appreciation for Slakoth and Slaking. That's some high-quality pun action.

Amore, I really appreciate you coming to this thread I started. I was worried this thread was already dead, so thank you.

I've only ever played Ruby/Sapphire, not Emerald because I grew up with Sapphire, and I bought a copy of Ruby because it was sealed in the box, complete with eReader cards. (That's perhaps a story for another time.) I've only recently decided to actually give Emerald a try--letting go of some stubbornness I had several years ago, you know--and I will probably try to go through the game with Slakoth/Vigoroth/Slaking on the team. (Side note: I really should finish my existing mono Ground-type playthrough of Sapphire.) I think I have a good idea of what team to use, but maybe I'll share that in another thread.

 

[Zeostar]

I've used Slaking numerous times in single player and he's absolutely fine. It can make things less tedious depending on if you use switch or set because you can get him out before truant activates.

 

[Palamon]

I prefer Slaking in the Battle Frontier in Emerald, but I don't think I've used one in a casual playthrough before. I am not really bothered by the Truant ability, it is what it is, but /shrugs.

 

[Amore]

I'm surprised to hear a positive impression of Slaking here, Janp. After I started the thread here, I spoke to my friend on another site about it, and he kind of made it sound like Slaking was incredibly annoying to use. I'm glad to see there's appreciation for Slakoth and Slaking. That's some high-quality pun action.

Amore, I really appreciate you coming to this thread I started. I was worried this thread was already dead, so thank you.

I've only ever played Ruby/Sapphire, not Emerald because I grew up with Sapphire, and I bought a copy of Ruby because it was sealed in the box, complete with eReader cards. (That's perhaps a story for another time.) I've only recently decided to actually give Emerald a try--letting go of some stubbornness I had several years ago, you know--and I will probably try to go through the game with Slakoth/Vigoroth/Slaking on the team. (Side note: I really should finish my existing mono Ground-type playthrough of Sapphire.) I think I have a good idea of what team to use, but maybe I'll share that in another thread.

There's a bit of QoL improvements in Emerald - abilities having field effects was first introduced there, Everstone for natures on breeding, friendship / EV-reducing berries- as well as animated sprites, and of course the original Battle Frontier! (There's also a very easy cloning glitch set up there).

I'm curious to see if you go Set or Switch. I imagine Set will increase the frustration, but these games aren't too difficult really and there isn't a Fighting-type specialist in the region!

 

[Reginald Cosmic]

I find it humorous that Gym Leader Brawly just completely slipped your mind. I actually liked the gym gimmick of the light getting brighter as you defeat more trainers, but yeah, Brawly himself is kind of forgettable.

What did you say about friendship berries? Is that a way to increase or decrease friendship? I love the TM move Return! I don't know the name of the item(s) you're referring to, so I can't do a quick search on Bulbapedia.

I like the animated sprites in Crystal and the later games of course, but I always found it hilarious when Gyarados comes out in battle, and the other Pokémon just appears to freeze up before the attack stat is lowered by "Intimidate." It looks really funny to me for some reason.

I'm not really sure if this is relevant to the topic up top, but I'm not really sure if I'm up to the task of beating my current playthrough of Hoenn until I recover from this illness. I've been suffering from a sore throat and cough, but I'm starting to feel better for the most part (aside from my voice, which is very weak).

Okay, now for a serious question that's actually relevant to this discussion: I thought the "Loafing Around" turn bypassed the player's ability to heal with an item, but based on what I see on Bulbapedia, it looks like it's possible to heal on the loafing around turn (unless the player used Hyper Beam). I actually can't remember if Gym Leader Norman uses potions on the loafing around turn, but that sounds like something I complained about when I was younger. I mean, Slaking has a 150 base HP base stat, so even when it's hit by special moves, I won't have to heal that often, but it'd be nice to know for the Slakoth stage. I was just under the impression that you completely forfeit even turns with Truant even in single-player. Are you actually able to use potions and stuff on even turns.

Speaking of stats, I like how Slaking has 100 base speed. What a beast!

 

[Amore]

I find it humorous that Gym Leader Brawly just completely slipped your mind. I actually liked the gym gimmick of the light getting brighter as you defeat more trainers, but yeah, Brawly himself is kind of forgettable.

What did you say about friendship berries? Is that a way to increase or decrease friendship? I love the TM move Return! I don't know the name of the item(s) you're referring to, so I can't do a quick search on Bulbapedia.

Okay, now for a serious question that's actually relevant to this discussion: I thought the "Loafing Around" turn bypassed the player's ability to heal with an item, but based on what I see on Bulbapedia, it looks like it's possible to heal on the loafing around turn (unless the player used Hyper Beam). I actually can't remember if Gym Leader Norman uses potions on the loafing around turn, but that sounds like something I complained about when I was younger. I mean, Slaking has a 150 base HP base stat, so even when it's hit by special moves, I won't have to heal that often, but it'd be nice to know for the Slakoth stage. I was just under the impression that you completely forfeit even turns with Truant even in single-player. Are you actually able to use potions and stuff on even turns.

Speaking of stats, I like how Slaking has 100 base speed. What a beast!

Haha I can't believe I forgot him! I love Dewford Town, sometimes I would just leave my DS on to listen to the music - its where I left my game saved after I migrated everything to Gen IV.

Bulbapedia is very rarely wrong - in fact it reads that Gen III is the only time this works, in ORAS you'd heal then still have to have the loafing around turn. I don't recall Norman healing either, but considering I've had two saves in the past 10 years and in the most recent (2017) I used Blaziken, I don't think he would have had the chance!

Yeah those stats are so high that Slaking actually has an Ubers set in Gen III on Smogon (and OU) - apparently it can get into a slug-fest with Kyogre and Groudon and win!

I'm going to send my GBA games off to a guy on Etsy who mods them so that battery replacement is far easier…I have backups, can't decide if I should get it done so that I can use my original cartridge that way or if I should keep it more 'legit' (but having had multiple battery replacements). Once the mod is done, just need to get a Y-wing screwdriver (proprietary Nintendo one, but I have it from a custom GBA that shipped with screws missing), open it up, lift a tab and set in a new watch battery!

 

[Reginald Cosmic]

Yeah, the town music in Gen III is excellent! So many nostalgic tracks!

I kind of want to own Pokémon Emerald physically now since I own the other four main series Gen III games. Can I get you to be my co-signer for the bank loan? I already asked my best friend, and he said no. [/In Jest]

 

[Amore]

I kind of want to own Pokémon Emerald physically now since I own the other four main series Gen III games. Can I get you to be my co-signer for the bank loan? I already asked my best friend, and he said no. [/In Jest]

Haha omg they're so expensive. I went through a moment of madness after covid (As opposed to during, when I would have actually had time to play them) and bought backups of every Gen III-IV game. I will never look at that bank statement, for fear of death!

EDIT: saw someone on eBay selling just the Emerald box for £150! I hope that never sells, that's truly delusional. Seller has a bright future as a landlord-politician-ticketmaster exec

 

[Reginald Cosmic]

Regarding your edit:

A hundred and fifty British Pounds?! That's... [Goes to Google] $179.20 American? Just for the box? What a Congressmen!

(I do want the box for Sapphire since I grew up with that game, but I don't think I'll ever get as lucky as I did with the Ruby box.)

Also, I didn't know you were from the UK.

 

[Corveone]

Can you use items during Truant turns? I never tried because I don't use items during battle to begin with, but if you can Slaking should be totally fine for an in-game playthrough.

 

[Reginald Cosmic]

Bulbapedia seems to suggest "Yes" (at least in Gen III), but I don't know for 100%. We did address this at some point during the tangents, but I don't blame you for not reading all that. Yeah, this thread got really sidetracked, but I didn't want to stop the tangents.

 

[Amore]

Regarding your edit:

A hundred and fifty British Pounds?! That's... [Goes to Google] $179.20 American? Just for the box? What a Congressmen!

(I do want the box for Sapphire since I grew up with that game, but I don't think I'll ever get as lucky as I did with the Ruby box.)

Also, I didn't know you were from the UK.

Yup, HGSS boxed with Pokéwalker regularly going for £250+ too (sigh, i remember when the exchange meant that was more like $350…damn Brexit). Yeah, with a username chosen when I was 13 that is Italian for 'love' haha

Can you use items during Truant turns? I never tried because I don't use items during battle to begin with, but if you can Slaking should be totally fine for an in-game playthrough.

As above, Yes. But only in Gen III. So of the Pokés that are better in the originals than the remakes, Slaking might be the ultimate!

 

[Reginald Cosmic]

Sorry for bumping this old thread, but you might be interested in learning about this, Amore.

I was playing Ruby & Sapphire for the Mono Type Challenge, and Norman can and will use a healing item on his Slaking while it's loafing around. I don't know if this is the case for Emerald. (The rules of that thread count it as a different game, and I want the "Game Mastery Challenge" for Ruby/Sapphire.) I just thought you'd like to know.

 

[Amore]

Sorry for bumping this old thread, but you might be interested in learning about this, Amore.

I was playing Ruby & Sapphire for the Mono Type Challenge, and Norman can and will use a healing item on his Slaking while it's loafing around. I don't know if this is the case for Emerald. (The rules of that thread count it as a different game, and I want the "Game Mastery Challenge" for Ruby/Sapphire.) I just thought you'd like to know.

Interesting! I haven't played Emerald since 2017 so I'll have to keep any eye out once I get the battery sorted

 

[Pyrax]

I remember Chuggaaconroy using a Slaking for his Emerald let's play years ago. Iirc he taught it Hyper Beam so it'd recharge during Truant, and this being Gen III it ran off Slaking's physical attack. I always thought that was a neat strategy as it took advantage of that lost turn.