So I know I've been rotating between Nuzlockes an awful lot, but... I started Sun again.
My rules are:
-Standard rules apply.
-Battles are in Set mode. Shift makes it too easy, so Set gives that little extra challenge.
-I can Wonder Trade one Pokemon before each trial and keep them in a separate box for breeding to make my selection of Pokemon a little more interesting. However, the first thing I get, I have to keep.
-I'm allowed to ignore Pokemon that evolve through trading.
-If I clear an island's Grand Trial with no deaths, I'm allowed use the Island Scan once there, regardless of what I've caught there before as a bonus.
I've cleared Melemele Island so far. My Trumbeak, Ace, was an important teammate for both. His Brick Break allowed me to clear out Gumshoos in just a couple of hits. He struggled a bit more against Hala- a couple of Plucks took out Mankey and Makuhita, but Crabrawler's Z-Move nearly took him down, leaving him with a mere 10HP. After that, though, I healed, and finished it with Pluck.
Afterwards, I went to Akala and fought Dexio. I took him out in just a couple of bites from my Persian, Iko. I'm just about to head to Paniola now.
UPDATE: I'm just at Brooklet Hill now, though I'm not going to take it on yet- I need to train, and desperately. Things went pretty well up until Route 5- I fought Hau, who was a cakewalk with Sprout and Ace. Afterwards, I went to the ranch, picked up my Eevee egg, bred another (thanks to me getting one through Wonder Trade). Both eggs hatched, giving me Socrates and Brooke the Eevees. I put Socrates on my team with a Soothe Bell to evolve him into Espeon. As I plan to evolve Brooke into Vaporeon despite her detrimental nature, though, I boxed her for later.
Afterwards, I went to Route 5, and caught myself a Fomantis named Vivian. This was great- I didn't have anything that could counter Wishiwashi, and Vivian gave me a slight edge against it.
Fifteen minutes and one level later, Vivian's dead.
So because I still had my Melemele Island Scan (I'd wanted to save it for a Deino), I decided to use it to catch myself a Chikorita. That one tiny little potato ended up nearly decimating half my team with Poisonpowder and Leech Seed. I caught her, however, with no deaths and named her 'Viridi' simply because of how destructive she is. She's Adamant, which is interesting, I guess?
But if there's a little bit of optimism Vivian's death gives me, it's that Ace might not suffer from the early bird curse I seem to have. Normally, they're my first deaths. But Ace wasn't. Sure, I might replace him with Icarus the Rufflet later, but least he'll be alive, right?
UPDATE: Socrates and Viridi evolved! I also boxed Kazoo- a full team of six at this point is a little exhausting.
UPDATE: And so, Wishiwashi has fallen before Viridi. Before I took on the trial, I went back to Route 1 to find a Munchlax- given the Chikorita line's tanker stats, I figured that Leftovers would be a good option for Viridi- and I wasn't wrong. Thanks to it and Leech Seed, Viridi was rarely not at full health. I started the battle by setting up with Leech Seed, then Poisonpowder. It Soaked her, but it made absolutely no difference. Afterwards, I whittled at it and its partners with Viridi's Razor Leaves. Soon enough, though, the poison did its work, and Wishiwashi fell. It only took a few more Razor Leaves to take out its partner Alomomola.
I'll leave the team as is until I get the Volcano Park encounter. If it's nothing special, I'll return Sprout to my team for backup. However, unless something happens, it's all Socrates from here.
UPDATE: Salazzle down! I had to clear the Battle Royal first, but Ace's Pluck was enough to deal with Hau's Dartrix and end the match. Afterwards, I went right to the trial. Because Socrates has Ground-type Hidden Power, I took out most things with him easily. However, the Totem gave me a little trouble- although she only got to poison him, her partner Salandit's Venoshock left him with 31 health. Worried about Soccy, I switched to Iko and let her take care of it.
I'll put Brooke on my team now, seeing as I get the Water Stone soon. When I evolve her, I'll train her up.
UPDATE: So I took on the dreaded Lurantis...
Beak Blast. Ace took a Razor Leaf, but Lurantis never called for help or did anything of real consequence. I'm a bit overlevelled, though, so I'm not going to grind before Olivia.
UPDATE: The battle with Olivia actually made up for Lurantis' lack of difficulty. Even before her, Plumeria was a bit challenging- though I led with Socrates, I quickly switched to Iko in fear of Bite. Iko, despite her reliability, had some trouble taking it out, though she managed in the end. I switched back to Socrates for her Salandit, but he got poisoned, so I switched out again. Brooke had little trouble taking it out, though.
I got all of my team to level 29 to match Ace before I took her on. I led with Brooke against her Nosepass. Brooke didn't quite take it out with Scald, letting it Thunder Wave her. However, as Olivia used a Full Heal, I took the chance to Paralyze Heal her. A second Water Pulse from Brooke was enough to finish her. Boldore was pretty easy too- it survived Brooke's Scald thanks to Sturdy, and hit her with Headbutt, but it quickly fell, too.
The problem was Lycanroc. As I wasn't too keen on having Brookie die (I had a feeling she would), I switched to Viridi. She took the Continental Crush, barely surviving with a measly 9HP. From there, I entered a cycle of setting up and healing. Finally, though, the creature fell to her Razor Leaf, and I received the Rockium crystal for my troubles.
Unfortunately, thanks to Vivian's death, I don't get an Island Scan for Akala. I've also been considering replacing Viridi- she doesn't even have much potential as a tank any more. I'll evolve her into Meganium, however, before I make any solid decisions. Given Iko's rather weak stats, despite Technician, and her type clashing with Blade's whenever he evolves, she'll likely be on the way out, too. But I will enjoy the time I have left with her.
Also, I discovered that I can still high-five Brookie and Soccy. Needless to say, I spent a good few minutes doing that.
UPDATE: I continued on to Malie City after dealing with the Aether Paradise for the first time. Nihilego was actually pretty easily dealt with- Brooke took it out in two Scalds without taking much in return. However, with no opportunity to switch around my team, the battle against Hau was infinitely worse. Though I sent out Viridi to take his Raichu's attacks and set up, I soon had to switch her out simply because she was taking too much damage. Iko finished it instead. When he sent out Vaporeon, I healed Viridi and sent her out. It took a Razor Leaf, but immediately afterwards, he sent out Dartrix. So I one-upped him by throwing Ace out there to take it out with Pluck. Afterwards, all I had left to do was take out his Vaporeon with Viridi.
Then I went shopping and have Viridi Swords Dance in place of Poisonpowder. Efficient as that strategy is, I think I'd rather be able to boost her rather meh Attack while using her Leftovers and Leech Seed to survive. I plan to give Return to her as soon as I find it. I also plan to grind a lot for the next Trial- my team's has a lot of close calls lately.
UPDATE: And speaking of close calls, Totem battles have been kind of dicey. Vikavolt went okay- I led with Blade, and though he struggled a bit against it, he managed to overcome paralysis and take it down quickly enough. Mimikyu's, however, was a whole other story. I'd trained a Pawniard to at least whittle down its HP a bit so that Brooke could Shadow Ball it.
Big mistake. He was killed instantly by its Play Rough. I was forced to throw my plan out the window and send out Viridi to take hits. And she struggled with that- after Leech Seeding, all I could do was simply keep healing her and let it take Mimikyu out. It did without much consequence, but I was terrified that I was going to lose Viridi all throughout the battle. Finally, Mimikyu fell, and I threw out Brooke to Shadow Ball the Haunter.
Also Sprout died in grinding. Whoops.
Current team:
Income roar/Blade, level 37 (M)
Toucannon/Ace, level 37 (M)
Espeon/Socrates, level 37 (M)
Meganium/Viridi, level 38 (F)
Vaporeon/Brooke, level 38 (F)
Dead:
Fomantis/Vivian, level 14-15 (F) (Killed by wild Yungoos' Pursuit)
A. Diglett/Sprout, level 11-22 (F) (Killed by Fearow's Assurance)
Pawniard/Kronos, level 1-33 (M) (Killed by Totem Mimikyu's Play Rough.)