Pokemon Ruby: Nuzlocke Challenge - Pt. 12

(NOTE: This was originally done and logged elsewhere on 9/24/11, but I never got around to posting it here.)

DAY 12: Tragic Training
So with Ghoul in my party, I head north of Mossdeep to Shaol Cave, battling each of the trainers outside. Man, Ghoul really is a pushover when it comes to attacking. Even with Shadow Ball. Thankfully its defenses are pretty decent, so she's not a complete pushover. I enter the cave, and with it comes a new opportunity for a new Pokemon. I encounter a Pokemon, which turns out to be...

...Zubat. Dammit, if only I had caught the one I found way back in Granite Cave...

Anyway, Bruce joins the party. I explore the cave, which is at low tide permanently because of the dead battery, running across several more Zubat and *sigh* Spheal. Man, Spheal would have been a lot more useful than Zubat... While inside, some guy gave me a Focus Band, which I found no use for. I reach the lowest level of the cave; a mini-ice puzzle (because it wouldn't be Pokemon without one). In this room, my very first encounter was with the elusive Snorunt. ...Aww man... I had no choice but to KO it, grab the NeverMeltIce and TM07 Hail, and get out of there.

I flew back to Lilycove and after healing up, I headed west and then south towards Route 123. There were some cuttable trees there, but I did not have a Cut-user with me, so I decided to come back later. A girl who loved Grass-type Pokemon gave me TM19 Giga Drain after seeing that I had Todd in my party.

Now, with this new route came a new capture opportunity. So I stepped into the grass and found...

Wingull. Already had one, ran to try again.

Zigzagoon. Another roll, please.

Duskull. Dammit.

After a bit of research, it seemed that nearly all of the Pokemon in this area are those I already have; the exception was Kecleon, but it only has a 1% chance of showing up. ...Yeah, fuck that.

So, I go through the area training Ghoul against wild Pokemon and trainers, until I come across a Psychic trainer. She sent out a Kadabra, which was 2 levels below my level 33 Ghoul. Confident in Ghoul's defenses, I order her to use Shadow Ball. Of course, Kadabra was faster, and struck with Psybeam.

...It was a critical hit.

...It was a one hit kill.

Goddammit. My ace against the Mossdeep Gym fell to a stroke of bad luck.

After the battle, I flew back to Lilycove and sent Ghoul to heaven, to be with her predecessors. Seeking another potential Pokemon to take to Mossdeep, I withdrew the Gloom that I caught at the Safari Zone, and realized that she wasn't nicknamed. I went and named her "Sunny", and also taught her Hidden Power. Now, as a Level 25 part Poison-type, she has no chance against the Psychics at Mossdeep. However, I decided to evolve her into a Bellossom before going there. However, her movepool was a bit weak: Hidden Power, Acid, Stun Spore, and Sleep Powder. I considered teaching her the Giga Drain TM I got, but I wondered if it would be a waste. Giga Drain isn't exactly a strong move, and it only has 5 PP. I decided to hold off on that for the time being and get to training her.

I went back to Route 123, this time also with Fry the Anorith as my Cutter. Behind one of the trees was another Psychic that I plowed through, as well as a Rare Candy. Further down the path I came across a Cooltrainer with a team of five Pokemon. One of which was a Trapinch. I sent Sunny back out against it, before realizing that Trapinch could have the Arena Trap ability. As the Trapinch was at a higher level, and Sunny did not have any Grass attacks (her Hidden Power is either a Poison-type or a Bug-type), I became scared that I would end up losing a second Pokemon in one day. Thankfully, I was able to switch to Rena and swamp the little ant lion away.

After exploring that route, I flew back to Mossdeep and went to the Space Center. A man inside gave me a Sun Stone. Perfect for Sunny when I decide to evolve her. The scientists there were also celebrating the 9999th launch of the space shuttle. ...That means they've been launching for 192 years. Man, the Pokemon world really does have advanced technology. Where are all of the hovercars, though?

After that, deposited Fry for Phobos, and then decided to call it quits for the day.


Current Team:
Hotblazer, Level 38
Rena, Level 37
Lightning, Level 35
Sandra, Level 38
Phobos, Level 36
Sunny, Level 29

Deceased:
Ziggy, Level 21
Nigel, Level 28
Ghoul, Level 33

Damn, Ghoul did indeed keel over. Now I'm gonna have to get Sunny up to pose a threat to Mossdeep. And with her moveset that may be a bit difficult. ...Maybe I should teach her Giga Drain after all...