• Our software update is now concluded. You will need to reset your password to log in. In order to do this, you will have to click "Log in" in the top right corner and then "Forgot your password?".
  • Forum moderator applications are now open! Click here for details.
  • Welcome to PokéCommunity! Register now and join one of the best fan communities on the 'net to talk Pokémon and more! We are not affiliated with The Pokémon Company or Nintendo.

A White Nuzlocke War Story

BeachBoy

S P A R K of madness
8,401
Posts
16
Years
I really am fond of Nuzlocke challenges; the "if it faints, release it" & "catch the first appearance in an area or you get nothing" pressure puts a level of purity into games that—quite frankly—you'd otherwise cruise with enough revives and potions. Before I heard of Nuzlocking, I had a "no items" ban that worked well for me. Years ago, Pokemon White released and I bought it right away, but I was struggling with life both on and off PC. I stopped after the first gym, left PC, and became some sort of ghost around here that would pop in once a year.

Both getting a Gameboy and Pokemon Blue from a friend this summer and reading Nuzlocke comics after completing projects at my internship inspired me to pick things back up. I'd finish where I left off: White version. And this time, in good ol' Nuzlocke fashion. (I also bought X, but lost my first Nuzlocke go-around because playing blind is... well, hard).

Of course, with White, I picked that adorable otter to start off and a couple gyms later was subsequently slaughtered by the Emolga-Volt-Switch-Madness with Elesa. :| Damn those flying squirrels. It was ugly. I felt like a fraud. How could I have been one of the best Battle Arcade players and get my tail whipped in-game? Rust is a lame excuse, but I've had to relearn a lot.

Round two: started with Snivy, which died early on. Then I kept getting defensive-focused members (Audino, Musharna, Boldore as a core) and had a sort of stall team going. Then, of course, critical hits along the way cost me the Boldore that was going to take down Elesa. Thankfully, I had a Tympole from early on, and little did I know this little guy and his headphones would be bangin' tunes all the way to the League.

Early on, I have to admit, I didn't like White very much. The pace was slow, but I loved it once the plot really began to thicken. I was having a blast. "Beats," my ever-reliant Palpitoad and I would see a handful of deaths over the course of the journey, and many comebacks, but we kept on keeping on.

I entered the league with the following;

. . . [ Spike ] . . . . . . [ Eep ] . . . . . . [ Beats ] . . . . . . [ Swift ] . . . . . [ Beached ] . . . . . [ USA ]

Spike, Lv. 57, Rocky Helmet — Revenge, Crunch, Dragon Claw, Facade (met: lv 30)
Eep, Lv. 47, Shell Bell — Sucker Punch, Charge Beam, Volt Switch, Signal Beam (met: lv 24)
Beats, Lv. 48, Soft Sand — Drain Punch, Rain Dance, Surf, Bulldoze (met: lv. 12)
Swift, Lv. 51, Big Root — Swords Dance, X-Scissor, Giga Drain, Sacred Sword (met: lv. 42)
Beached, Lv. 47, Quick Claw — Smack Down, Shell Smash, Aqua Tail, Crunch (met: lv. 25)
USA, Lv. 54, BrightPowder — Fly, Shadow Claw, Facade, Tailwind (met: lv. 34)​

When I run through games, I usually pride myself on fun-to-mess-around strategies (be it beating HeartGold's Surge with freshly caught Water-types, or Sabrina with Lv 6s and Lv 20s). With this Nuzlocke, I was both lucky, and unlucky. For a good portion of my run, I kept critical hitting my first encounter (there was a string of several opportunities I lost, as a result). My luck: "Spike," the Druddigon. Druddigon, in the competitive sphere, is outclassed, outsped, and left behind. Yet my luckiest moment was walking into my first encounter at Dragonspiral Tower and there he was, Lv. 30.

Naturally, we proceed to shred anything and everything in our way. The strategy of the team molded around him: hit like a truck, no matter how slow we might be. With Rocky Helmet and Rough Skin, I'd Volt Switch to him and he'd pick off whatever was left. Time after time after time. He was ridiculously overleveled in the final Dragon gym, but unfortunately this left many team members underleveled going into Victory Road, which was actually nerve-racking (just like it had been over a decade ago with Blue). I had to slaughter quite a few Audinos after squeezing through Victory Road. I also trained a Rufflet caught just prior into a Braviary, for Marshal. And although 34 to 54 seems like forever, lucky egg and Audinos made it quick work.

We entered the league and the ghosts put an end to my longest surviving member, Beats. I was emotional. Nuzlocking produced its desired effect. I wondered if I had what it took to beat the rest of the league. Fortunately, Spike and Swift made quick work of the other two Elite Four members. I took Braviary in against Marshall and Fly couldn't OHKO Throh, but brightpowder + Stone Edge's weak accuracy saved my life. I took Sawk out with Spike, but it was Conkeldurr against Braviary. Same scenario as before, except Stone Edge didn't miss. But it didn't OHKO Braviary.

Of course, I was screaming and jumping all over the apartment and my girlfriend was just laughing, but Braviary secured the victory against Marshal with 12 HP.

vs.

The battle with N was also intense, but I was lucky as his Reshiram missed three Hyper Beams. :D What I didn't appreciate was how Ghetsis followed immediately after N. I thought I would get another cordial healing (this is what happens when they help you all the time, you think you'll get healed when you need it). D: Ghetsis started giving me scares with a crit here and a crit there, but I kept myself in there with some smart and timely switches. He brought out his Hydreigon and I knew I was toast. I chipped damage here and there but my team was too weak, too slow. Unfortunately, I had to sacrifice both Galvantula and Carracosta in order to heal my dragons. I brought out Zekrom, knowing I had slow but healthy dragons at my disposal, and his Dragon Pulse tore into my Zekrom.

But it didn't OHKO. I winced and saw that 14 HP was left, in which I turned around to finish off his Hydreigon with Dragon Breath, in a stunning comeback (this time bouncing on the bed). Swift and Spike made quick work of the rest of Ghetsis and just like that, it was over.

That was the best experience I've had playing Pokemon. I don't care if you read this, I wrote this so I look back on it when my memories fade. Just know how much I love White's storyline. It's hands down the best; none of the others come even close.
 
6,266
Posts
10
Years
Whether you go in high-leveled or not, Ghetsis is NO laughing matter. That Hydreigon is one of THE hardest things the main series has thrown at us - I'd even say he's arguably the second hardest opponent in the series behind Cynthia, his stuff is strong. This was an epic read, surely.

And I do agree, I may have said before but BW are my third favorites in the series, the story is super developed and more pulling than any other, combine it with two insane fights and you've got one heck of a ride.
 
Back
Top