Scheduled Slacking-Off

Whenever I get deep enough into a game to start to really get it and get into the world and the setting, I like to run off and explore. Breath of the Wild found me filling in my map (and my stamina wheel) with trial locations. Skyrim found me collecting Daedra Hearts and Gold Ore for smithing and alchemy projects. Phantom Hourglass found me using the DS stylus to draw tits on the area map. These escapades are not always materially useful to my journey, but they are always good for either my immersion or at least my own satisfaction.

While Pokemon doesn't offer a great deal in terms of collecting ore or drawing tits, it DOES offer something equally addictive: capturing pokemon and bolstering the pokedex.

I finally added Cuphant, the elephant, to my team! Elephants used to be my favorite aninals, so adding this Steel-typed "Copperderm Pokemon" to my party. This brings me back up to ten pokemon, but as long as I stay on top of my leveling and my abuse of PokeJobs, things should pan out. What is more is that I found an Adamant one with a supermassive Attack stat, so this was meant to be. Bonus points: caught it in a premier ball.

Cheeto evolved into his final stage: Rillaboom. I have ambivalent feelings about this pokemon. It is a cool design and all as a silverback drummer with cool hair, but it is less cool looking than Thwackey and less cute looking than Thwackey. It isn't even close to the bottom of my list for final atage starters (those spots are permanently reserved for Emboar, Samurott, Chesnaught, and Infernape), but it is definitely not at the top (Greninja, Decidueye, Swampert, Sceptile).

I have completed enough Max Raid Battles, by now, to weigh in on them. They're...fine. I find them to be somewhat tiring and repetitive. Every once in a while, I have a fun or interesting matchup--usually against a Gigantamax pokemon or an interesting higher tiered foe--but the lion's share of my matchups involve me rushing through the match so that I can get the rewards and the capture. This is great for filling the Pokedex and the excitement as you approach the beam of an active raid den is something akin to what rushing down the steps for christmas presents feels like. However, The process is quite repetitive most of the time and has little bite to it. It needs more teeth.

Playing with friends certainly makes things more fun: my brother, his brother in law,  and I were able to defeat a Gigantamax Corviknight together. While only one of us was able to actually capture it (hint: it wasn't me), it was a fun experience.

My brother about to send out his Shuckle

Plus, if nothing else, raid battles are slowly getting me used to the mechanics of Dynamax...which may be useful for competitive play later on.

Pokedex: 122/185







On Rotation: Cufant, Toxtricity, Sandaconda