Rematch with Salazzle

After rushing my battered pokemon and my battered pride to the pokemon center for some nursing, I regrouped and thought about what I had learned.  I figured out that the problem was that the match was somewhat out of my control; my team was put together to battle fire pokemon.  I couldn't have anticipated that my trial would be a fire and poison trial.

Let's take stock.  I had one pokemon that was suited for the match: Brionne resisted Flame Burst and hit hard with its Hydro Vortex move.  Had I weakened the Salazzle with any other move, I could have knocked it out with Pako Pako's Z-move.  However, of all my other pokemon, only Ori-chan was any use and it was unfortunately outside and outclassed by Toxic + Venoshock.  My other Pokemon, Grimer and Crabrawler, were each at a severe disadvantage in battling a poison type.  It was a mismatch from the start.

Now who could I use? Probably not Sylveon (Sidetone: I have recently renamed Sylveon Sailor "Star Fighter" because "duh") because he would take extreme damage from that Venoshock.  I could use Trumbeak, but it's a bit too slow and frail to survive more than one turn.  Misdreavus has Thunderwave as an option, but this would require it to survive a venoshock...

...unless I had it out before Salandit is summoned.

I was on to something.  With Salazzle (and maybe also Salandit) paralyzed, my pokemon would have a chance to cause some damage before the inevitable 120 base power venoshock nukes are launched. I just had to choose my fastest and strongest pokemon to support.

Vs. Salazzle Rematch: Speedy Thunder

My plan was weirdly simple: paralyze the opponents and take them out.  I was pleasantly surprised when I was successful in successfully using thunder wave on both salazzle and her summoned salandit.  With luck on my side and the wind in my sails, I was able to slowly whittle the pokemon down.  The major change was that now Venoshock was no longer a one-turn-one-hit KO move.  I was able to move before the speedier foes.

Soon enough, only Pako-Pako remained.  My ace.  It was tight, but I knew I had won.

Hydro Vortex.

VICTORY!

The Wela Volcano Park Trial

After my requisite amount of side-questing to fill in my pokedex, I made my way to the base of the Wela Volcano.  Ash hung in the air--the taste of carbon and sulfur on my cracked lips.  Nothing could live in this hot, poisoned place, I thought to myself.  Nothing but...

Salandit...

I think that Hawlucnha and Greninja may have been my favorite new pokemon from the 6th generation.  I mean, I did like Dragalge--but I never really had much of an opportunity to appreciate it since it was on my team for such a short time.  Salandit might be the one from this generation that really sticks with me.  I've been fond of them all so far--but something about this Poison/Fire lizard is really getting me excited.

The addition of my newly captured Salandit (named Sassy Sally) completes my Water, Grass, Fire core, so my ragtag pokemon team might finally be considered to be well-rounded.  I'm not going to be using Bagon much for probably the next island or two.  I'll take him out whenever I go on a pokemon-catching spree, but for now, I'm considering him to be simply "in training, non-active"--a lot like Ash's Charizard who was off training in the Charicific Valley until Ash needed him in the Unova finals.  Until Bagon learns Dragon Claw, he's more-or-less just filler--and my team does  not  need filler.

I picked up a Pink Nectar item along my route.  The pokemon Oricorio is a pokemon whose form and type changes based on what nectar it is allowed to sip.  Since I'm currently vacationing on Akala Island, I decided to allow Ori-Chan to take the form of the locals.  I have Yellow Nectar with me to switch her back if necessary, but "when in Rome"--amiright?

At the very top of the mountain, I met Captain Kiawe.  He said that his trial would be unlike any of the others that I had yet experienced.  I would need to rely on my powers of observation.  Ooh, so cryptic!  What he meant by this was that I had to play the easiest and silliest three-round memory game of my life. The first round was a "spot the difference between the fire-dancing Marowaks" sort of thing.  When I chose the Marowak that was different, it attacked.

The second round featured a ridiculous photo-bombing hiker.  Let's see if you can spot the difference...

"Or a coconut!" - Hiker, probably

It all culminated in a sneak attack made by the totem of the mountain, Salazzle...

Look out!  It's right behind you!!!

Current Squad:

Brionne/Pako Pako/lvl 20
Crabrawler/Ppunches/lvl 19
Salandit/Sassy Sally/lvl 20
Oricorio/Ori-Chan/lvl 20
Steenee/Bouncee/lvl19
Sylveon/Sly/lvl 20

On Rotation:
Grimer/Sludj/lvl 20
Misdreavus/Missy/lvl 19
Trumbeak/Pip Pip/lvl 19

Pokedex: 78 caught

That filler anime episode where they all go to the beach

My battle with the supreme guardian of the oceans was quite underwhelming, so I was ready to be on my way towards newer and greater adventures. Captain Lana congratulated me for defeating all those poor Wishiwashi (who were just trying to get a little good 'ole fashioned revenge) and gave me gifts for my ruthlessness.  I was given Waterium-Z, which I handed directly to Pako Pako.

Lana told me to continue my challenge with Kiawe's Trial at the Wela Volcano Park.   I wonder if it's going to be a fire trial...

I was also given a fishing rod and dive balls, so you know what that means...

FISHING TRIP!!

The amount of fucking around that I do in this game is absurd.  Not since my Skyrim playthrough have I gone so out of my way to avoid progression.  I caught Magikarp, Goldeen, Feebas (yessss), and the bug/water pokemon Dewpider.  If my playthrough was adapted into an anime (I'm willing to talk, Funimation), then this would be one of those filler episodes where the main characters decide to have a sleepover (or, as the title states, go to the beach) for no reason other than to avoid doing anything of consequence.

Fishing has been changed in this game--first of all, there is only one rod, rather than separated "Old", "Good", and "Super" rods.  This is good news in terms of simplifying the gameplay.  Actually, this is good news in terms of everything.  I suppose the only ones that would be disappointed by such a change would be the players who for some reason really really like to catch level 5 Magikarp.

But fuck those weirdos, amiright?

The other change is that you can only fish in specific spots where there are piles of rocks in the water.  This is something I'm less comfortable with.  I'm not sure if I hate the change because it's bad or if I'm just reacting as a curmudgeonly old man would (because let's face it, I'm definitely a curmudgeonly old man).

My desire to avoid the quest sufficiently sated, I made my way south.  The route had been blocked by Sudowoodo previously.  Snorlax may be the ultimate in "blocked-route plot devices", but Sudowoodo is a worthy heir to this throne.  It's a tradition that goes all the way back to the first game: Snorlax blocking the bike path, Sudowoodo blocking the entrance to Ecruteak City.  Two pokemon that may have never met, and yet share a connection.  It really is quite a beautiful relationship and I'm totally shipping it and I think I've been doing quite enough rambling now.

I was also introduced to the new battle mode introduced in this generation.  Nintendo/Gamefreak, every once in a while, likes to change things up just a little and add a new mode of battle.  Typically this mode will be horrible and pointless and make you want to quit playing.  This time around is the Battle Royale.  This is a Four player free-for-all style battle that ends when any one player loses all of their pokemon.  The player with the most total KO's wins.

I love the concept!

I lost my first attempt...

Current Squad:

Brionne/Pako Pako/lvl 17
Crabrawler/Ppunches/lvl 18
Trumbeak/Pip Pip/lvl 18
Oricorio/Ori-Chan/lvl 20
Steenee/Bouncee/lvl19
Sylveon/Sly/lvl 18

On Rotation:
Grimer/Sludj/lvl 17
Misdreavus/Missy/lvl 18
Bagon/Twumby/lvl 18

Pokedex: 65 caught