Started a Steel-type mono-run in Platinum (implementing a levelcap of the next gymleader's ace). I had this challenge in the works for some time and it opens up for a Water-type run in Brilliant Diamond.
So far this has been the story:
1. Picked Piplup. Had a few faints vs. Barry in the second battle as Starly's Growl left me a sitting duck vs. Turtwig. Overlevelling that fight worked. Piplup just narrowly managed to sweep Roark on the first try due to a clutch Quick Claw on the final hit.
2. On the way to Eterna I had to limit which trainers I fought, as Prinplup was on the verge of overlevelling Gardenia's Roserade (after having been forced to train it upwards so I could beat Mars' Purugly). I'd only be able to add one new addition to the roster by that time: Burmy (after an annoying Honey Tree-grind) at the ValleyWindworks. I managed to get through EternaForest without overlevelling either. Burmy evolved into Trash-Wormadam against the 2nd Eterna GymTrainer as Prinplup hit the level cap. Wormadam came in clutch as Bug/Steel is great defensively and BugBite helped wonders vs. both Turtwig and Cherrim. I gave Prinplup Pluck as a closer for this match-up (stealing Roserade's berry as well). After beating Gardenia the game opened up by a lot.
3. Got a Shieldon fossil in the underground after yet again, quite a grind.. (forgot if this was before Gardenia, but it didn't factor into the battle or afformentioned levelcap-issues), caught a Bronzor in WaywardCave while also picking up Tm26 and eventually caught a Nosepass in Mt.Coronet and evolved it there immediately for a nice defensive statbuff (and the additional Steel-typing). At this point, at least the level cap is a bit easier to stay under for now as Exp will be spread across 5 in contrast to 1 or 2 prior to Eterna. Finishing off Galactic in Eterna was a breeze.
The team:
- Prinplup
- TrashWormadam
- Shieldon
- Bronzor
- Probopass
Tomorrow I'll be off to crush Hearthome's Fantina and square up Veilstone's Maylene - which will probably pose a signifcant challenge.
Edit:
I have since managed to quite easily beat Fantina and move on to Veilstone City. I evolved my Shieldon into Bastiodon. I have managed to beat Maylene thanks to a clutch burn from Fire Blast from Bastiodon. Now onto Wake, which is surprisingly difficult thus far, but mostly because I'm underlevelled at this point. I've also managed to evolve Bronzor so the team is coming along nicely for now. Just waiting to be able to Surf so I can get a Magnezone from Fuego Ironworks.
I'm starting to notice that the average Speed-stat of my team is what's crippling some of the matches. Without Lucario and Magnezone - and without having fully evolved Prinplup yet, it sits below the 40 mark. This means that since even my tankiest (Bastiodon and Probopass) are in the 2HKO-range of a Gyarados Waterfall, I don't have a safe swap. Meaning that I need to sack something to switch in.
I essentially don't have a revenge killer on my team (yet).
Edit after TWO years... I forgot this run existed. I mean I've since completed the aforementioned Mono-Water-type run of Brilliant Diamond, have played hours upon hours of PLA and I'm now going my initial playthrough of Scarlet while using everything Gen9 (and Hisuian Pokemon, since using them with abilities and in regular trainer battles is so much different then the PLA battles).
I'm currently stuck in Scarlet 6 badges, 3 TeamStar victories and 3 Titans in - breeding for good IV's of the Hisuian pokémon. Which I normally never did, but since I now have a 31/31/31/31/30/31 Ditto.. I kinda fell into this trap. I don't find breeding in Picknicks an enjoyable process, since you can't hatch while you wait for more eggs - it takes me away from actually playing the game at this point.
So yeah. And I've since started a Nuzlocke on Pokémon Red modding in only Gen3 Pokémon at random (fck that route 3 trainer with two Metang) and I've been playing Legend of Zelda Oracle of Seasons since a few days, sooo... the odds of me completing this run are low.