Update #9: Diantha
Prefers to not leave things for the last day. Gained enough levels to win. Calls for no mercy Barbarian time.
Hates a particular trainer just outside Snowbelle City. Dodged them the first time. Hit them on the way back for an HM Pokemon and also paralyzed. Locked down BlueDog (Lucario) between paralysis, confusion, and flinches. Knocked it out with NoLifeGround (Golurk). Took a nasty hit (~40-50%?) from Crustle's +2 Rock Wrecker, even resisted. Survived, at least.
Started climbing up Victory Road. Remembered the Earthquake TM somewhere nearby. Turned out to be in the waterfall area just before Victory Road. Made a quick detour, despite trying to go fast and skip trainers.
Beat Calem easily. Really needed Florges on this team. Dropped it early because of being forced into non-STAB physical moves with a Modest nature. Thought about taking Xerneas along. Ultimately chose the higher level Beedrill for expediency.
Made it to the top. Team:
- BlueDog the level 71 Lucario. The team's powerhouse. Planned for BlueDog to always be in the team, given the odds of being sacrificed by someone else. Also, easy Mega.
- SpecialSun the level 72 (shiny) Heliolisk. Wanted a different Electric type, honestly. Used this in the very first Generation 6 playthrough. How often do you get to play with a full odds shiny, though? (Would have been fine as a sacrifice too.)
- NoLifeGround the level 72 Golurk. Wanted Ground. Seemed fine. Has not been impressed, especially with BlueDog in the party. Compares pretty closely in stats, actually, between BlueDog's Brave nature and NoLifeGround's Hasty nature.
- FireFriend the level 70 Delphox. First time with Fennekin. Did okay. Often led the party with BlueDog in power.
- FalseCold the level 66 Vivillon. Almost chose Yanmega instead. Opted for something different. Kind of planned to sacrifice this too. Played a heavy role in one update, but not much beyond that. Lacks CompoundEyes for powder stuff and the team support for Quiver Dance.
- PointFly the level 67 Beedrill. Also planned to sacrifice this. Never used Beedrill. Thought "why not?". Never had much of a chance to shine.
First up: Drasna. Dropped Shadow Claw for Earthquake on BlueDog.
Skips the log. Short version: One-shot on Dragalge. Hit Noivern for 99%. Criticaled it and the following Druddigon with Dragon Pulse. Took two Dragon Pulses for Altaria. Dodged Sing, thankfully.
Second: Wikstrom. Grabbed Shadow Claw back, this time in place of Dragon Pulse.
Worked around Klefki's Prankster Torment. Underestimated Aegislash's defense. Knocked out BlueDog (weakened a bit from Probopass, thanks to Sturdy). Finished the job with FireFriend one-shotting Aegislash (after a Full Restore) and Scizor. Should have taught Power-Up Punch over Aura Sphere, in hindsight. Rectified that right after.
Third: Malva.
Power-Up Punched Pyroar down in one hit. One-rounded Talonflame via defeating itself with Flare Blitz. Smacked Torkoal with Earthquake and Chandelure with Shadow Claw for the four-turn win.
Four: Siebold. Okay, fine. Will use someone besides BlueDog. Seemed time to drop Thunder Wave. Usually likes it, but not under a time crunch or with a hodge-podge team. One Grass Knot, please. Doubts SpecialSun's power. Will see what happens. (Oh, and take this Zap Plate.)
Sunk Clawitzer and Gyarados with one Thunderbolt each. Criticaled the Grass Knot on Barbaracle. Roasted Starmie with another Thunderbolt. Another four-turn win.
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And finally, Diantha. Distrusts BlueDog's one-shot potential after missing a few. Taught it Swords Dance over Power-Up Punch. Should be able to handle Gourgeist for a while. Chose SpecialSun to lead once more. Kept it on Set Mode, also, just because.
Turn 1: Heliolisk: Thunderbolt (100%) / Hawlucha: Fainted
Turn 2: Heliolisk: Volt Switch (10%, switch to Golurk) / Goodra: Focus Blast (immune)
Turn 3: Golurk: Earthquake (89%) / Goodra: Muddy Water (147/225, -1 accuracy)
Turn 4: Goodra: Full Restore (heal to full) / Golurk: Earthquake (miss)
Turn 5: Golurk: Earthquake (90%) / Goodra: Muddy Water (61/225)
Turn 6: Golurk: Shadow Punch (the rest)
Turn 7: Golurk: Heavy Slam (90%) / Aurorus: Blizzard (0/225)
Wait...hold up. Spaced on actually teaching BlueDog Swords Dance. Kinda works out, though.
(Mega Evolved Lucario.)
Turn 8: Aurorus: Full Restore (heal to full) / Lucario: Power-Up Punch (100%, +1 Attack)
Turn 9: Lucario: Close Combat (100%) / Tyrantrum: Fainted
Turn 10: Lucario: Shadow Claw (100%) / Gourgeist: Fainted
(Level up. Mega Evolved Gardevoir.)
Turn 11: Lucario: Shadow Claw (100%) / Gardevoir: Fainted
GT 2022 X Challenge Win.jpg
Crushed AZ's team too, to zero surprise.