THE POKEMON EVOLOCKE

Hi there people, (WARNING: This post got kinda long, sorry!!)

EDIT: The full playthrough of my Pokemon Crystal EVOLocke challenge can be found here if you're interested :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUzdtCF2ZpI&list=PLCpRzBB8fuxfGnnOLY2RybLXFMhcawR6x&index=1)

I love to try different challenges when playing the Pokémon series. They force you to adapt the way you play, and they really help to mix it up a bit so each journey is different from the last. The Pokémon community is great a creating all sorts of different challenges, varying on the original Pokémon Hard Mode / Nuzlocke challenge.

One such challenge I'm really interested in at the moment is an EvoLocke, or an Evolution-Locke. However, since the rules and form of the challenge haven't really been established, and it's often referred to by different names, I thought it'd be worthwhile to create a set of guidelines outlining this challenge type.

So to be clear, the purpose of this post is not in any way to claim to have made up a new form of Nuzlocke variant, but rather to try and unite all the different EvoLocke / Unevolved Nuzlocke / KetchumLocke challenges into one, conclusive Pokémon EvoLocke.

The reason I like the idea of an EvoLocke so much is really because of the TV show. Ever since I re-watched the very first season a year ago, I've been thinking about the way Ash trains / works with his Pokémon throughout the show. Although many of his tactics are questionable, I love the bond he has with his Pokémon and how he doesn't force them to evolve to become more powerful. He manages to get the best out of them as they are. So I see that's the real challenge behind an EvoLocke: getting the best out of your Pokémon as they are, without just relying on them getting their stats boosted through evolution.

Another part of the show I appreciate a lot is that when Ash's (or anyone's) Pokémon do evolve, it is normally through facing some real adversity, and overcoming it. Whether its Ash's Charmeleon evolving when it defeats Aerodactyl, or when his Pidgeotto evolves defending him from Fearow and Spearow, it always means something. In the games, this can most easily be translated as beating one of the Gyms and attaining a Gym Badge. These are the two main themes I put at the centre of the Pokémon EvoLocke.

So, given all this, my GENERAL GUIDELINES for the Pokémon EvoLocke are that:

Normal Nuzlocke Rules
1. You can only catch the very first Pokémon you encounter in each area
2. If one of your Pokémon faints, it is considered dead (standard)
3. All Pokémon must receive nicknames.
4. Once a Pokémon enters your party, they must stay there until the very end or until they faint.
(all other basic/optional nuzlocke rules can be applied)

Additional EvoLocke Rules
5. Pokémon DO NOT evolve - If a Pokémon tries to evolve through levelling up, you must cancel it.
6. When you successfully defeat a Gym Leader and obtain a Gym Badge, you can EVOLVE ONE of the Pokémon who took part in the battle by ONE STAGE.
Example – If you defeated Brock in Generation I, and you used a Squirtle and a Caterpie to win the battle, you can choose to EITHER evolve the Squirtle into a Wartortle OR to evolve the Caterpie into a Metapod. You cannot evolve any more Pokémon until you obtain the next Gym Badge (Example – when you defeat Misty)
7. Evolved Pokémon can be caught

It isn't ideal to be cancelling the Pokémon's evolution - I think it'd be better in general if you were pressing a button when a Pokémon passed a certain level to make them evolve, rather than having the evolution forced upon them - but that's how the game works, so cancelling the evolution is the only way to do it.

I feel that the simplest way of allowing your Pokémon to achieve growth through overcoming adversity it to use beating Gyms as a benchmark. Again, it's not ideal, but I feel like it's the best way of getting consistency across all generations, as there are always Gyms to defeat!

I know this is covering a bunch of well-trodded ground, but I thought it'd be good to try and bring a bunch of different bits and pieces from here and there into one conclusive set of guideline.

If you made it this far, thanks. I would love any feedback / thoughts on how these rules could be made better / clearer. Planning on starting a Youtube series doing this challenge in the next week or so.

Thanks!!!! ^^

Hi guys,


I made a video just summarising the EVOLocke challenge rules I'm going to be using when I start the challenge this Monday 20th :). The video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUzdtCF2ZpI


I'm going to be doing it on Crystal version. If you'd like to play along, feel free to post your username, the game you're doing, and any other criteria you're playing by in this thread. Any strategy help would be greatly appreciated as well (I'll need it!!)


:D

Hi there,

Started my challenge today. Cautiously optimistic!! {:3}

I'm posting episodes to my Youtube channel. I'm definitely not gonna be spamming it here, but you can find the first episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYbbFL2cpks, and I'm going to be uploading Monday, Wednesday and Friday if you are interested and want to follow my adventure.

And again, please feel free to use this thread if you embark on a challenge like this and have any ace stories to tell of a brave Chikorita's fighting off Falkner, or an overpowered Hoppip laying waste to Whitney's Miltank!!

Thanks folks!! :t194: :t149::t207:

Hi there, a quick update on my progress so far :)

Decided to start with Totodile (nicknamed Africa!) cause I think he has the best all-round stats, and gets a really varied move pool as the game goes on. Successfully caught a Pidgey (Tumble), Geodude (RockNRoll) and Caterpie (Hardy) to add to the team. Managed to get through Sprout Tower fine, and beat Falkner to earn my first badge (despite Mud Slap causing so much fear!!)

Just picked up the Mystery Egg and a Rattata (Joey), and will hit the rest of route 32 and Union Cave next episode. A really good start so far!! ^^

My latest episode can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKu63o09r8E&index=5&list=PLCpRzBB8fuxcyJqij2jg-m0QdewF64qP-

Hope you are well,
Rory :t158:

looks fun, if this is still going when i finish a few other challenges ill definitely give it a go
---
Edit 13th August

Screw it. i dont think i'll ever finish 'the ones that got away yang white'. I just finished work, got 4 hours before my next shift, no point sleeping. might as well make start, here is my sign up sheet :) *fingers crossed* its night time so i hope i find a hoothoot and spinerak first :d

Username: Sylvie
Game: Gold ( been missing the old classics lately)
---
First update:
Badges:
Team:

PC:

RIP:

Progress:

Hi,

Everything was going really, really well.

Then all this happened......

A quick update :t159:

So after having my team turned upside down by Morty and a Slowpoke crit, I managed to form a new team, with a surprising amount of potential considering that I lost all 4 of my evolutions so far...

Team:


It became clear to me that: "If I can somehow make it past Chuck, with minimal casualties, I have a real chance to make it to the elite four".

So, here is that battle. Would it propel me forward, or seal my fate?.....


Aftermath:

Signing up to start right now! ^.^ I'll be playing Crystal version too, since it's been a while since I played it.~

Name: DyingWillFlareon
Game: Crystal
Wanna add this real fast: using a random name generator instead of naming them myself because I have trouble naming so many Pokemon. -w- Also I can only catch a party of Pokemon; I cannot catch a 7th Pokemkn until someone faints; cannot go back and get a Pokemon from a Route(unless there were no encounters); cannot have any spares in the PC. Shiny Clause though. >w> just in case.





Current Team:
Donald the Jolteon/Male Level 53
Elbert the Donphan/Male Level 52
Ester the Poliwrath/Female Level 52
Jonathan the Raikou/? Level 52
Thelma the Raticate/Female Level 52
Terrence the Kadabra/Male Level 19

Deaths: 16
Badges: 10
Team: 6

Sorry about double posting, but I wanted to make sure this one wasn't on the same post as my other run.
Needing a small break from Crystal, I'm trying this on a Ruby Game.

Username: DyingWillFlareon
Game: Ruby
Additional Rules: No more than six alive members. No Dupes Clause, I can catch literally anything I'll beat Steven with 6 Zigzagoon if it's needed. Shiny Clause, even if I have six/already had an encounter in an area I can catch any Shiny. If I have 6 it sits in the PC until someone dies and must immediatly be switched in.



Current Team:
Norman the Careful Marshtomp/Male Level 16
Loren the Gentle Poochyena/Female Level 12
Heather the Quirky Zigzagoon/Female Level 12
Stella the Lax Wurmple/Female Level 11
Ed the Adament Zigzagoon/Male Level 11

Deaths: 1
Badges: 1
Team: 5

RIP:

Hi people,

Another update on my Crystal evolocke progress from my youtube series :)
The full playlist can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUzdtCF2ZpI&list=PLCpRzBB8fuxcyJqij2jg-m0QdewF64qP-

Made it through Jasmine, Pryce and Team Rocket with only a couple of death, yet both were heart-wrenching...



So, onto Clair, the Dragon Master. Would this battle be the final end to an epic adventure, or give us a shot at taking down the Elite Four and the Champion? Brace yourselves, its a bit of a doozy!!!

Team:

Hi again! i finally have internet again, so heres a quick update! You'd think id have gotten more done in the last month but eh, moving and work etc :d
I lost my Ariados :'(
Badges:
Team:

PC:

RIP:

Progress:

Hi there folks,

So we made it to the Elite Four. Our team, though not without losses, is ready to face its greatest ever challenge.

So here it all is. Prepare for a roller-coaster ride.......

(Ps: this tested my spoiler tag skills to the limit!! :P)

*is still keeping up with watching your evolocke* I seem to have misplaced my rom, I'm still gunna finish it but I also got really emotional cause I found my first Crystal team that I thought I lost on accident, but I'm still searching for my save! I guess this counts as an update...?

EDIT: Just watched the last episode, and- BRAN NO I WAS CHEERING FOR YOU GUYS QAQ

It's time.

Name: CelticsPhan
Game: Crystal
Additional Rules: Dupes Clause, Shinies are exempt from capture rules. Six to a partyy, the rest stay in the box and have to come out in the order they were caught in the event of deaths

One last farewell to my amazing, amazing team :)

Hi folks,

Just wondering how anyone who has tried this challenge has found it?
Did it change the way to treat / battle with your Pokemon, or make you appreciate evolution more?

I just found it really fun to try and appreciate each individual Pokemon for who it is, even if its sticking with a fun and carefree Totodile over using a stronger Croconaw, or seeing my amazing Togepi triumph over Morty's Gengar!!

Just interested to see whether or not people enjoy the evolocke challenge mode.

Thanks :)