-Went up Route 223 with Surf.
-Arrived outside of Victory Road.
-Went through Victory Road, the trainers overall weren't really tough for me despite my levels being basically around theirs.
-Arrived at the Pokémon League.
-Beat Barry in a somewhat awkward battle (I thought it was going to be SD and sweep with Jade, but Staraptor came out last and beat me to the punch).
-Did tons of training on my main six guys.
-Used the last of my Rare Candies to get everyone to Level 57.
-Did some last minute moveset adjustments.
-Entered the Elite Four.
-Challenged the first Elite Four member, Aaron.
Elite Four Aaron overview:
Team entering the fight: Jade LV57 / Sky Plate - Aerial Ace, Earthquake, Ice Fang, Swords Dance
Pygmy LV57 / Expert Belt - Earthquake, Fire Fang, Rock Slide, Yawn
Magnum LV57 / Zoom Lens - Earthquake, Fire Punch, Megahorn, Stone Edge
Tunguska LV57 / Light Clay - Earthquake, Ice Fang, Ice Shard, Reflect
Flipside LV57 / Wave Incense - Mud Shot, Surf, Waterfall, Yawn
Forester LV57 / Meadow Plate - Earthquake, Leaf Storm, Leech Seed, Wood Hammer
He starts off with Yanmega while I open the fight with Jade. I use Aerial Ace, which knocks him low, as he uses Double Team. Sure, you keep doing that, that is fine by me. Him: 8% or so HP, +1 Speed and Evasion. He uses his Full Restore, and I take that turn to use Swords Dance. Him: Full health, +2 Speed and +1 Evasion, Me: Full health and +2 Attack. He uses Double Team again, and I kill him in one hit with Aerial Ace. Yeah, evasion noobs aren't welcome here.
After that is his ace, Drapion. I'm faster and use Earthquake, which kills him in one hit.
Next up is Scizor. I switch out for Pygmy, who triggers Sand Stream, and he uses Night Slash, which does pathetic. Me: 166/194 HP. I'm somehow faster and use Fire Fang, which kills him in one hit.
Following is Heracross. He uses Close Combat, which I live pretty easily, and his Defenses drop, while I use Fire Fang which kills him in one hit. Me: 85/194 HP.
Finally is his Vespiquen. I switch out for Magnum as he uses Defend Order. Him: 15/16 HP, +1 Defense and Sp Def. Despite that, I use Stone Edge and kill him in one hit, with a critical hit that I probably didn't even need, even with the +1 Defense. That ends the battle.
Not very complex. I had more than enough coverage to handle it with, though I found it surprising that Pygmy was faster than that Scizor.
-Healed with items, adjusted some held items and challenged the next Elite Four member, Bertha.
Elite Four Bertha overview:
Team entering the fight: Same as before, except Forester is up front, Pygmy and Magnum are both holding Earth Plates instead of the Expert Belt and Zoom Lens respectively, and Jade is holding the Expert Belt instead of the Sky Plate. All others remain unchanged.
She starts off with Whiscash while I open with Forester. She hits with Aqua Tail, which only does 1/5 my health, before I kill her with Leaf Storm. Me: 151/191 HP.
Next up is Gliscor. Here I plan to send in Tunguska, but I misclick and accidentally send in Jade, as she uses Ice Fang, which does just under half. Me: 90/174 HP. But while i'm in here, I may as well use my own Ice Fang, which knocks her pretty low, before she uses Ice Fang also and I barely live as well. Her: 1/5 or so HP, Me: 6/174 HP. Recovering from that accident, I switch in Tunguska as she uses her Full Restore. Since I have plenty of health to spare, I decide now is a good time to use Reflect. I do just that, and she uses Earthquake, but doesn't hit hard at all. Me: 172/206 HP. I then kill her in one hit with Ice Fang.
After that is Golem. I use Earthquake and kill her in one hit.
Following, we have her ace, Rhyperior. I switch out for Forester, as she uses Earthquake, but gets a critical hit. Ouch! Me: 64/192 HP. Hey, not cool! Especially since I have Reflect up. Nevertheless, I use Leaf Storm, which kills her in one hit with ease.
Finally is Hippowdon, who triggers Sand Stream. I use Leech Seed first, and she uses Crunch, which does barely anything because of Reflect, and her health is sapped from Leech Seed. Her: 7/8 HP, Me: 71/191 HP and -2 Sp Atk. I use Wood Hammer because SMASHING HIPPOS WITH BIG HAMMERS IS FUN. It kills her in one hit, and I even live thanks to the draining from Leech Seed. Anyway, that ends the battle.
Another battle that I don't really have too much to say about, although going Ground vs Ground was fun. Forester did most of the work here. There was for the most part no chance I was going to lose this, so yeah.
-Healed with items, adjusted my party and challenged the next Elite Four member, Flint.
Elite Four Flint overview:
Team entering the fight: Same as before, except Flipside is up front and holding the Quick Claw, and Forester is holding the Soft Sand instead of the Meadow Plate. All others remain unchanged.
He starts off with Houndoom while I open with Flipside. The Quick Claw activates, and I kill him in one hit with Waterfall.
Next up is Rapidash. The Quick Claw activates again, and I use Mud Shot, which does half, before he uses Flare Blitz for not much at all. Him: 42% or so HP, Me: 154/190 HP. He then uses Bounce and avoids my Waterfall, then he lands Bounce before I kill him with Waterfall. Me: 118/190 HP.
Following that is his ace, Magmortar. The Quick Claw activates yet again, and I use Waterfall, but he lives, and the Sitrus Berry knocks his health up a bit, and he absorbs light. Him: 44% or so HP. Since I don't really have anyone else to take that hit, I let Flipside be death fodder as he uses SolarBeam. I then bring in Magnum, and he absorbs light, but I kill him with Earthquake, and get the critical hit on the useless hit.
After that is Infernape. He uses Earthquake, but that doesn't do very much and I show him a REAL Earthquake, which kills him. Me: 155/210 HP.
Finally is Flareon. He misses with Will-o-Wisp. Pathetic. Then Stone Edge is an easy OHKO and ends the battle.
There's really not that much I need to say about this battle. Probably could have got a bit more variety in team usage there, though.
So far this Elite Four has been pretty easy... But before challenging Lucian, I decided to replace Tunguska's Reflect with Light Screen, as I said I was going to, because Lucian is mostly special attacking, and 2/3 of Cynthia's team are special attackers also. So yeah, Light Screen it is; I don't need Reflect anymore.
-Challenged the final Elite Four member, Lucian!
Elite Four Lucian overview:
Team entering the fight: Same as before, except Tunguska is up front and has Light Screen instead of Reflect, Forester is holding the Meadow Plate, Pygmy is holding the Expert Belt and Jade is holding the Sky Plate. All others remain unchanged.
He starts off with Mr. Mime while I open with Tunguska. Unfortunately he's faster and uses Reflect, while I hit him with Earthquake, but it still does pretty good. Him: 30% or so HP. Looking at his health, I decide to go for Ice Shard to see if that will finish him off even with Reflect up, and it indeed does.
Next up is Bronzong. No time to waste here! I send in Pygmy, who gets off Sand Stream, and he uses Calm Mind. Him: Full health and +1 Sp Atk and Sp Def. After thinking for a bit as to whether I want to use Fire Fang or Yawn, I decide on Fire Fang since I can definitely take a hit. Here I get ridiculously lucky - it gets a critical hit, which knocks him to like 5% HP, he gets burned AND he flinches. Wow, three hax in one turn! Then he dies from burn damage.
After that is Alakazam, definitely the most terrifying of his team for mine. I decide to stay in, and he uses Energy Ball, which hits hard, and even lowers my Special Defense. I use Earthquake, but since Reflect is still up it does just under half, then Reflect wears off and the sandstorm hits him. Him: 47% or so HP, Me: 58/194 HP and -1 Sp Def. He uses Energy Ball again and kills me. Him: 40% or so HP. I bring in Forester, and he uses Psychic which does just over half before I kill him with Earthquake. Me: 94/191 HP.
Following that is Espeon. Unfortunately, he uses Signal Beam, which kills me. Him: 15/16 HP. I bring in Magnum, and he uses Psychic which does much less than half, while I hit with Megahorn and kill him in one hit. (Well, not exactly one hit, but close enough and i'm sure Megahorn would have killed him from full anyway.) Me: 141/210 HP.
Finally is his Gallade. He uses Leaf Blade, and thanks to Solid Rock I somehow live that, while I hit with Earthquake, and nearly kill him, but he gets the Sitrus Berry before the sandstorm can kill him. Him: 1/4 or so HP, Me: 3/210 HP. He then uses his Full Restore, and I use Fire Punch for some stupid reason. Him: 58% or so HP. He then kills me with another Leaf Blade. Him: 51% or so HP. I bring in Tunguska and use Earthquake, which finishes him, ending the battle.
Although I didn't need Jade for Gallade after all, this was still a bit sketchy. Getting the critical hit, burn AND flinch against Bronzong was extremely lucky, because otherwise I wouldn't have done much at all while Reflect was up, then he could have used Psychic and I wouldn't have survived Energy Ball from Alakazam. Even then, I guess Magnum could have used Fire Punch against Bronzong if Pygmy had fainted (though Alakazam would have still been problematic). That Special Defense boost from the Sandstorm helped Magnum beat Espeon, so all things considered it worked out.
-Healed with items and entered the final room to take on the Champion, Cynthia!
Champion Cynthia overview:
Team entering the fight: Magnum LV57 / Earth Plate - Earthquake, Fire Punch, Megahorn, Stone Edge
Tunguska LV57 / Icicle Plate - Earthquake, Ice Fang, Ice Shard, Light Screen
Pygmy LV57 / Earth Plate - Earthquake, Fire Fang, Rock Slide, Yawn
Flipside LV57 / Quick Claw - Mud Shot, Surf, Waterfall, Yawn
Jade LV57 / Expert Belt - Aerial Ace, Earthquake, Ice Fang, Swords Dance
Forester LV57 / Meadow Plate - Earthquake, Leaf Storm, Leech Seed, Wood Hammer
She starts off with Spiritomb while I open with Magnum. I use Earthquake, which does more than half, while she hits with Dark Pulse for just under 1/3 my health. Her: 37% or so HP, Me: 143/210 HP. Thinking she might get crafty and switch to Togekiss, I use Stone Edge…and of course I miss. And she uses Dark Pulse again. Me: 79/210 HP. I use Earthquake and kill her. Magnum grows to Level 58 after that.
Next up is Roserade. Yikes! Since I don't really need Magnum for anything else of hers and I want Jade at full health, I decide to let her be death fodder to an Energy Ball. Then I bring in Jade. After a bit of thinking as to whether to use Swords Dance first or go straight for the Aerial Ace, I decide to use Aerial Ace, which does indeed kill her in one hit.
After that is Milotic, definitely the thing here i'm most afraid of. I send in Flipside…and she uses Surf, but Water Absorb makes that useless. Thank you! I use Yawn, and I go first because she tries to use Mirror Coat, which fails. I then go for Mud Shot, which barely does anything but lowers her Speed, and she uses Mirror Coat which works this time, but doesn't do that much, then she falls asleep. Her: 90% or so HP, -1 Speed and asleep, Me: 146/190 HP. Since she's asleep, I send in Forester as she snoozes. After some thinking as to whether to use Leaf Storm or Wood Hammer, I decide to go for Leaf Storm, but unfortunately she barely lives. And she wakes up on the first turn and uses Ice Beam, which kills me in one hit. Her: 5% or so HP and -1 Speed. Alright, this really isn't good. I'm seriously backed up, and she's gonna heal. After a bit of thinking, I send in Tunguska. She uses her Full Restore, and I use Earthquake, which looks to do over half but it's hard to tell. Her: 48% or so HP and -1 Speed. Thanks to that Mud Shot, i'm faster, and use Earthquake…but will that finish off Milotic? The answer is yes, that thing is down. Whew!
Following in is Lucario. Since she's most likely gonna use Aura Sphere, I send in Jade…and sure enough she uses Aura Sphere, but it doesn't do much at all. Me: 128/174 HP. I go straight for Earthquake, which easily kills her in one hit. Jade grows to Level 58 after that.
Next up is Togekiss. I settle for Ice Fang, but it does less than half, and she uses Water Pulse for a big hit. Her: 60% or so HP, Me: 41/177 HP. Thankfully no confusion. Since I don't want her to heal, I go for Aerial Ace…and get a critical hit, which kills her. Nice!
Finally is of course, Garchomp. I let Jade die to Flamethrower. So instead of going straight for Tunguska, I send in Flipside, because I have an idea. She uses Earthquake, but I live with around 1/5 my HP and manage to get in a Mud Shot. Her: 90% or so HP and -1 Speed, Me: 43/190 HP. She uses Earthquake again and kills me, and even gets a critical hit, that's so sad. I bring in Tunguska, and since her Speed was lowered, I use Ice Fang…which does indeed finish her off, ending the battle. Tunguska grows to Level 58 after that.
That sure was a great final battle. Although that Milotic was extremely scary to get around, it's a good thing I had Flipside to sidetrack her (no pun intended), though I was a little bummed that Forester didn't get to kill her because she woke up on the first turn. Good thing Tunguska was able to 2HKO her! That actually made me feel pretty cool. And as for Jade getting the critical hit on Togekiss, that wasn't absolutely critical to winning, because even if she had killed me with it, I could have just brought in Tunguska and easily killed her with two hits or something, and unless Garchomp had gotten a critical hit, that would have succumbed also. And that's part of why I let Flipside in against Garchomp at first, in the hopes of lowering her Speed so I could possibly finish her off with Ice Fang, instead of using Ice Shard and risking her getting a critical hit. Additionally, I could have used Yawn instead of Mud Shot, but then I still would have used Ice Shard and easily 2HKOed her while she was asleep, so the outcome would have been the same. It was a bit disappointing that Pygmy was the only one that didn't get any action, but it was worth not giving Garchomp that evasion boost! Everyone else played very well here, so I can say i'm satisfied with how this final battle turned out.
-Was taken up the last elevator and entered the Hall of Fame!