Pyramid Challenge! A challenge that ramps itself up!

[LZ Ravanger]

Pyramid Challenge! A multi-level terror challenge (Ice-Run Mini Challenge included)

Welcome Brave Competitors!
This is the Pyramid Challenge!
And the Ice-Run Challenge!​

This challenge was a very simple root that grew into a Victreebel that eats peoples heads. This challenge gets harder and more fierce every time you try it, but how can that be. Usually experience aids you in your quest the second time around. Not this time, oh no, this will be harder and harder.

Now that my semi-comedic/serious paragraph is over lets explain the challenge in plain english. This challenge is level based, once you beat one level you advance to the next. Whether you do it all in 1 game seperate times or each level in a different game doesn't matter. Now lets take a look at your level 1 blueprint. (The references just keep rickrolling off my lickitung(hehe))

P.S. Any added rules to a challenge will not take affect if a level with that challenge has already started. The rules don't change once you start unless its part of a rule that takes affect after a certain point in the game.

Terminology:
Level: 1 part of the pyramid, a collection of challenges.
Challenge: 1 ruleset that is part of 1 or more levels.

Overall Rules:
1. No hacking unless otherwise noted.
2. Emulators are allowed.
3. Rom hacks must be approved but are mostly allowed.
4. All competitors must start from level 1 in order to be on the championship board.
4. Levels are unlocked for viewing when the hardest bolded level is completed by someone other than me.
5. Have fun and try to pass me, I'm not a fast player.

Want to sign up? Follow this format.

Leaderboard Name:
Game:
How many levels you plan to try (Optional):
Reason for challenging (Optional):

Like me

Leaderboard Name: LZ Ravanger
Game: Fire Red
How many levels you plan to try (Optional): All of them to make sure they are possible.
Reason for challenging (Optional): The rules force it, and because my phone emulator uses a lot of my time.

This challenge is a repeated playthrough one so feel free to only do 1 or 2 levels. Just know that people who do all the challenges in order get bolded names in the champions and competitors lists.

Levels:​

Level 1: One at a time / Realism​

Level 2: One at a time / Realism / Inflation​

Bolded Levels are available
Unbolded Levels give hints toward the next added challenge.​

Challenges:​

One at a time​

Spoiler:

1. Only 1 pokemon may be caught in between each gym / elite 4.(1 is allowed before gym 1 (and after elite 4 in G/S/C)) This does not collectivize.(you can't save up your catches
2. This means only 9 or 19 (G/S/C) pokemon will be caught in total.
3. Pokemon given or traded in game to you are allowed. (Go free magikarp!)
4. No HM Slaves, make sure you pick pokemon that can use the needed HMs.
5. Only 1 legendary is allowed to be used.
6. No trading unless evolving.
7. You cannot hack species seen, you must use evolutions and in game trades to reach the number required.
8. 1 and only 1 masterball may be hacked into the game in case of a shiny, but it can only be used on a shiny. Feel free to try and catch it regularly if you want, but it will make the masterball worthless unless somehow 2 shinies appear in one game.(Lucky)
9. -TBA if needed

Realism​

Spoiler:

1. If a pokemon faints it is considered dead. It must be released or boxed.
2. Healthcare isn't free. In order to use a pokemon center, one must buy 1000 Poke worth of goods at the pokemart and drop it. (Not sell) (No box healing or daycare healing)
3. Pokemon centers without a pokemart are free for 3 visits.
4. All pokemarts and purchasable items are double priced. You must buy 2 of an item then drop 1. (not sell)
5. Items with no purpose except selling can't be sold as the mart has no need for them.
6. No daycare. I don't trust those people and how to get those eggs, you shouldn't either.
7. After defeating a gym leader, 3 free visits to the pokemon center are allowed in that town.
8. -TBA is needed

Inflation​

Spoiler:

Beat level 1 to find out.

Competitors:​

Spoiler:

R/B/Y/FR/LG:
:Level 1: None
::Level 2: LZ Ravanger (FR)
G/S/C/HG/SS:
:Level 1: None
::Level 2: None
R/S/E:
:Level 1: bowser (R) , Fire Walker (R)
::Level 2: None
D/P/Pt:
:Level 1: None
::Level 2: None
B/W:
:Level 1: Brewdz (W)
::Level 2: None

Champions:​

Spoiler:

R/B/Y/FR/LG:
:Level 1: LZ Ravanger
::Level 2:
G/S/C/HG/SS:
:Level 1: None
::Level 2: None
R/S/E:
:Level 1: None
::Level 2: None
D/P/Pt:
:Level 1: None
::Level 2: None
B/W:
:Level 1: None
::Level 2: None

Local Progress:​

Spoiler:

LZ Ravanger​

Spoiler:

4/12: Midday: This is my first log, and I am going to report my current team and location. I just went through the second underground path and am at the game corner having fun. I still have to challenge Erika and beat up the Rockets but my team needs training too. I have the money to train with healthcare but its tedious. I have also not EV trained well since I am on an emulator and can't transfer the pokemon over.​

4/14: Night: I freed Celadon City of Team Rocket, their boss seemed weak but I'm sure he will train and get better. Afterwords I left my gambling habits and freed a Marowak from this world. I then freed Mr. Fugi from the Rockets and he gave me a Pokeflute. Maybe I can wake that Snorlax now, and maybe I could catch it. Too bad I can't catch both now to see which gets better IVs. I caught an oddish before I fought Erika but its in the box and probably won't be used. I can't wait to finish this game and get started on level 3! Hopefully someone else will be ready to challenge level 2 so I can give out more info, the level 3 challenge even scares me. If you are keeping up with my progress I guess I can give you the name. The name of the level 3 challenge is "Going Green".​

4/16: Night: Today was a true days work. I freed Saffron City of the Rockets and challenged their dojo. I took a hitmonchan and put it on my team to train. I then went and woke up the angry snorlax. I caught it with ease and prepared for the long journey south. After a lot of skipped battles I arrived at Fuschia City obtaining both the Good and Super Rod. I healed up and went back to defeat the rest of the trainers. Afterwords I ran straight into the gym without healing and still toppled Koga with 1-2 hit kills by Blastoise. I stopped my journey there weary, healed up with my first free visit of Fuschia and prepared to head up cycling road to celadon and then Saffron where the real gym leader awaits.​

My current team is:​

Spoiler:

Blastoise Lv. 48
Naive Male
Stats: 142, 93, 120, 99, 101, 123
Moves: Tackle, Water Gun, Rapid Spin, Bite​

Nidoking Lv. 49
Adamant Male
Stats: 128, 106, 77, 76, 70, 91
Moves: Megahorn, Peck, Rock Slide, Double Kick​

Raichu Lv. 30
Bashful Female
Stats: 78, 67, 41, 62, 55, 74
Moves: Thundershock, Flash, Quick Attack, Slam​

Farfetch'd Lv. 15
Adamant Male
Stats: 43, 30, 24, 21, 26, 26
Moves: Peck, Fly, Leer, Cut​

Flareon Lv. 25
Mild Male
Stats: 72, 74, 33, 63, 60, 44
Moves: Helping Hand, Sand-Attack, Growl, Quick Attack​

Hitmonchan Lv. 25
Serious Male
Stats: 63, 58, 52, 29, 64, 47
Moves: Comet Punch, Agility, Pursuit, Mach Punch​

In Box: Gyarados Lv. 24
Quiet Male
Stats: 85, 66, 50, 41, 58, 44
Moves: Splash, Tackle, Bite​

In Box: Oddish Lv. 19
Naughty Female
Stats: 50, 26, 27, 35, 29, 16
Moves: Sweet Scent, Poison Powder, Stun Spore, Sleep Powder​

My Fallen:

Spoiler:

None

Migit #1​

Spoiler:

4/15: Challenge Started​

My current team is:​

Spoiler:

Unreported

My Fallen:

Spoiler:

None

Gingy​

Spoiler:

4/15: Challenge Started​

My current team is:​

Spoiler:

Unreported

My Fallen:

Spoiler:

None

Titanium Ranger​

Spoiler:

4/15: Challenge Started on Pokemon Blue​

My current team is:​

Spoiler:

Unreported

My Fallen:

Spoiler:

None

Pessimus Prime​

Spoiler:

4/15: Challenge Started on Pokemon Yellow​

My current team is:​

Spoiler:

Unreported

My Fallen:

Spoiler:

None

FAQ:​

Spoiler:

Q: Isn't Realism just like Nuzlocke?
A: No. Nuzlockes catching rules are different, my rules allow for better choice quality but reduces choice quantity.​

Q: How do different levels work?
A: Level 1 is where you are supposed to start. You play the whole game through using the given level 1 rules. (One at a Time, Realism) After beating the game in level 1, you start another game anew using level 2 rules. (One at a Time, Realism, Inflation)​

Q: How many levels are there?
A: The Small Pyramid which some will conquer has 3 levels, the Large Pyramid has 5 levels, the Great Pyramid has 7 levels, and finally the Epic Pyramid has 10 levels.​

Q: What's with the different pyramids?
A: The pyramids having levels is just for userbars, and to say, someone has conquered the small pyramid rather than saying someone beat level 3.​

Userbars:​

Spoiler:

Please put the userbar in your signature as soon as you can so I can remove them from here and reduce space.​

bowser – Level 1 Competitor
https://www.userbars.com/i/552793.png

Fire Walker - Level 1 Competitor
https://img69.imageshack.us/img69/6403/ubd5817.png

Ice Run Mini-Challenge​

Spoiler:

This challenge is a very simple one that I wanted to try out. Everyone knows the icy path that appears in a game where you just slide until you hit a wall / trainer / rock / stopper tile. My challenge takes the ice paths to a whole new level. Now, everything is frozen over, every last tile is ice. Using the following clauses, make it as far as you can in the game with the least amount of forced stoppers.

Door Rug Clause: The tile used to exit any building / door is astopper.
Outdoor Door Clause: The tile used to enter any building / door is a stopper.
Ledge Clause: When sliding into a ledge, you may stop before jumping over.
Uphill Clause: Visual is best here. --- --- The -'s are cliffs you can jump down. The tile 1 below the open slot(s) is a stopper. There must be ledges on BOTH sides.
Event Clause: If an event moves your character you do not have to slide from that movement.
Future Clause: Will be added when its needed.

If using these clauses you still can not advance in the game, you may drop your own stopper. Note how many of these you drop as it is how the records are set. Clause stoppers don't count.

If you have another clause you think is needed pleasedo tell, it must have at least 5 required spots of use though.

Best Kanto Records:
First Badge:
Best Johto Records:
First Badge & Flash:
Best Hoenn Records:
First Badge:
Best Sinnoh Records:
First Badge:
Best Unova Records:
First Badge:

I apologize now for any misspellings or imperfections in my post. This is my first challenge and I hope to improve my quality. Any questions, comments, critiques are welcome, as long as its not pure rage and trolling hate mail. I want this to be a good challenge so please help me out, even recommend ideas if you want.​

 

[Brewds567]

Ill try this out.

Leaderboard name:Brewdz
Game: White
How many levels you plan to try: Epic Pyramid

 

[LaureTheLoner]

Wait so you can do as many levels as you want at the same time
or do you have to get to a certain point when level 1 turns into level 2

 

[jespoke]

Wait, Ive read this before... Lv 1 is just like a Nuzlocke!
Couldn't the "Realism" challenge be moved to some later level, or else Level 1 is must a Nuzlocke :I

 

[TheBowsinator]

So wait i have to do Realism? Aww man... BUT I LOVE CHALLANGES :D

Leaderboard Name: bowser
Game: Ruby
How many levels you plan to try (Optional):
Reason for challenging (Optional): Meh. Bored with Regularness.

 

[LZ Ravanger]

Finally aprooved i can edit the main post, a lot has changed but since some people have started these new rules will not take effect for them, unless they want to. Most of the rule changes are to prevent grinding and such. There will be an update at the end of the main post for an FAQ, pretty much any question will be answered there.

 

[Fire Walker]

Leaderboard Name: Fire Walker
Game: Ruby
How many levels you plan to try: Epic Pyramid

 

[LZ Ravanger]

the first epic pyramid challenger, i can't wait to own your soul. userbar is up.

 

[Brewds567]

First Update

Sorry I haven't updated since I said I was doing this challenge. I haven't gone very far etheir since i'm not playing on an emulater. Anyway here we go.

Spoiler:

-Started out and named myself Brewdz.
-Picked Tepig nickmaed him Evo.
- Battled Bianca and beat her with realtive ease. Cheren however got a luky crit on me bringing me down to 4 HP, lucky my next move fainted him.
-Did the rest of the biging things, listened to Ghetis ramble.
-Battled N nad beat him pretty easily.
-Got to the first Gym Leader and got my free monkey! Nicknamed him DadApproves (his later evo has a thumb up)
-He helped out aganist the gym leader.
-But sadly he fainted against one of the trainers by a crit. (Well actually not so sad to see him go)
-On the way to next city (it's name leaves my mind) Evo evolved into Pignite!
-Decided to catch a Blitzle nicknamed him Bio.
-Challenged Lenora. She went down easly to Evo.
-Grinded Bio to Lv14
-Caught Seawaddle in Pinwheel forest. Nicknamed him K as I was rushing and accidently pressed enter before I put in his full nickname.
-K evolved in Pinwheel Forest into Swadloon!
-Saved Biancas Munna for her (to probably get stolen again)
-Challenged the Gym mostly used K for the trainers and Evo for Burgh.
-Did both Rival battles and decide to get the desert out of the way.
-Caught the next meber of my party Yamask nicknmed him Boo.
-Ohhh I was so pissed because a Daramuka got a crit on him. Boxed when I got to the next city.
-Challenged Elesa and thanks to Evo's Rollout sweeped her team.
-When I battled Cheren Boo almost went down but lived with 3Hp. (Boo is a huge pain to train as it's so fragile even thogh it has really good defenses.
-Well got to the next city and caught the next member of my party Vanillite, he got nicknamed Boss (because come on how is an ice cream cone NOT Boss)
And ended it there.

My team so far:

Spoiler:

Lv31 Evo the Naughty Pignite
-Take down
-Heat Crash
-Flame Charge
-Arm Thrust

Lv27 K the Bold Swadloon
-Tackle
-Protect
-Bug Bite
-Razor Leaf

Lv25 Boo the Modest Yamask
-Haze
-Night Shade
-Ominous Wind
-Will-O-Wisp

Lv21 Boss the Calm Vanillite
-Uproar
-Icy Wind
-Mist
-Avalanche

The Fallen

Spoiler:

R.I.P DadApproves the Pansage
Lv10-12

R.I.P Bio the Bliztle
Lv8-18

Someone please post as I have an update but can't double post.

 

[LZ Ravanger]

nice to see others updating on their progress, and thank you for uploading the userbar. i will be updating my progress tomorrow and add in a new section next week. a bunch of my friends locally are trying the challenge so i will keep everyone posted on their progress too.

 

[LZ Ravanger]

Ice-run mini-challenge added, go check it out and set some records.

 

[Brewds567]

Quick Question in Black/White do you have to beat Alder or just beat the main story plot? Thanks.

 

[Arnold]

Leaderboard Name: Arnold
Game: Gold
How many levels planning to play: Most or all
Reason: Bored and need more to do here.

 

[LightOfTruth]

Leaderboard name: Lightoftruth
Game: Firered
How many levels planning to play: I do one for now and see afterwards if I want to do the others or not :(
Reason: I fancy a challenge :)

 

[Beechlgz]

Leaderboard Name: Beechlgz
Game: Leaf Green
How many levels you plan to try (Optional): Oh, I'll see how it goes. I'd like to unlock them all in the epic pyramid, though.
Reason for challenging (Optional): Cuz I want to see what all the levels involve and if I can beat them.

Query: What exactly does it mean by "you can't save up your catches"? Does this mean that if you catch more than 6, you need to boot out one from your party?



---

Game: Leaf Green

09/05/11

Today I start my Pyramid Challenge.

I started out with charmander, which makes a change. Most of my generation 1 play-throughs I end up with bulbasaur. Then after all the boring stuff, I got my free pokeballs and my town map and set off into Route 1. I already know which pokemon I want to catch, but it isn't in route 1, so I skip right through it (before grinding against a level 3 rattata, which doesn't even hit me and bumps my charmander up to level 7, so that's lucky).

Booo... I don't need to be shown how to catch a pokemon. This part bores me.

Caught a Mankey, level 5. Caught it at half-health, so I can afford to grind it a little before needing to heal it.

Early on I've realised that being a massive poke-centre junkie, I'm going to find it hard to spend 1000 poke-dollars every time I go. That limits my usage of it to around three before Brock, whereas I might have used it over ten or twenty times in normal gameplay before battling Brock. So, I've devised an early crude tactic to getting around that. 1) Fight low-level opponents that you can 1-hit-KO. Not really possible at the very beginning, but as the levels climb it will be. 2) DON'T FIGHT WEEDLE AND FOR CRYING OUT LOUD DON'T SWITCH OUT AGAINST A WEEDLE. Poison is no fun when you're out of antidotes. 3) Kakuna and metapod are my bestie friends. Especially with ember to one-hit-KO them. Even if it's just a switch-out-and-ember.

These methods take longer, but they minimize losses. Not a single pokecentre use before Pewter City - good stuff! Of course, I had to use one when I got there, but not half-bad for getting my mankey up to level 9 and my charmander up to level 12 without using them once yet in the entire game (or a potion).

Now... for Brock. Charmander: 26/38 HP, Lv. 14, Mankey: 20/30 HP, Lv. 10. Useful moves: Metal claw (charmander), low kick (mankey). Here goes!

Took out Geodude with Charmander's ember - he missed too many times with metal claw and Geodude had used defense curl so many times, metal claw was less useful than ember. Onix was quickly taken out by Mankey's low kick, and he levelled up during battle to level 11 as well as learning karate chop.

End of Brock battle stats:

Money: $4144
Items: Potion x 5
Pokemon:

Charmander Lv. 14 HP 5 / 38
Ember 14 / 25
Growl 39 / 40
Scratch 35 / 35
Metal claw 30 / 35

Mankey Lv. 11 HP 15 / 32
Scratch 27 / 35
Leer 30 / 30
Low kick 12 / 20
Karate chop 25 / 25

I think I will wind up here for tonight, and resume another day.

 

[Brewds567]

Final Update?

Okay haven't updated in a while and didn't bother beaten champion because didn't know if it was necesary. (lazy like that) I'm going to do a short update because I don't remeber half of what happened and also laziness.

Spoiler:

-Beat all the gyms with all the same three pokemon because the rest died.
-When I got got to the elite four I tried using K but sadly he died agasint the dark type elite four :(
-Beat N and Ghetis without much problems and also did some of the endgame stuff. Where I caught an Absol who I nicknamed 4G

Here is my team now

Lv62 Evo the Naughty Emboar

Assurance
Flare Blitz
Flame Charge
Arm Thrust (never found the brick break TM so..)
He was useful throughout the entire game never found a time when he was hard to use.

Lv63 Boo the Modest Cofagrigus
Haze
Shadow Ball
Energy Ball
Will-O-Wisp
Man he was probably my favorite team member. Although in the begining he was VERY hard to train once he evolved and learned Shadow Ball he really became a great addition to my team.

Lv61 4G the Calm Absol
Psycho Cut
Night Slash
Sucker Punch
Detect
Don't have much to say about him except he was really useful at the Dreamyard. (Also one of my favorite pokemon)
​

​

​

 

[Beechlgz]

10/05/11

My charmander is at low health but I have potions, and his PP are still high enough to last a little longer so I'll avoid going to a pokecentre just yet.

After my battle against our shorts-loving youngster, Joey, my charmander levelled up to 16 and became a charmelion.

Once I beat all the trainers on Route 3, I had to use a pokemon centre. I'd used too many potions at this rate. Then I caught a female Nidoran at level 6. Her health was at minimum, unfortunately, so I needed to use a potion to grind with her.

Oh no! Mankey has become poisoned by a wild nidoran's poison point! Will he make it in time? Another pokecentre trip wasted. He was too far from a shop, I reckon, and I didn't want to risk it. I should buy some healing items, leaving just one more $1000 for an emergency pokecentre trip. (Oh, wait, I forgot about the 3 free visits to Pewter Centre. Well, I'll save those for my back-trips from Mt. Moon. I'll need them)

I realized pretty quickly that in Mt. Moon, my pokemon's HP and PP can get worn down pretty quickly. It's not as easy to one-hit-KO here either unless I keep switching to Charmelion. Eventually my Nidoran evolved into a Nidorina at level 16, so I'm hoping that will make things a little easier. Plus, she has double kick for the geodude, and scratch seems to almost take out most zubat.

I'm keeping Mankey as a reserve now just in case my Nidorina and Charmelion run out of PP or get too low on HP. I'm not really interested in having Mankey as a proper party member now.

1st free pokemon centre trip used. But honestly, I don't think I'm going to need any more. Still, I'll take advantage of the free opportunity to grind.

2nd free pokemon centre trip used.

All 3 free pokemon centre trips used. Finally moving through to the end of Mt. Moon.

Facing Misty. Will I win? Will I lose pokemon? Oh I hope I don't lose a pokemon.

Pre-battle stats: Mankey: 40 / 46 HP, Lv. 18, Nidorina 60 / 60 HP, Lv. 20, Charmelion 60 / 60 HP, Lv. 21. Useful moves... no super-effectives, will just have to rely on sheer power with Mankey, and good defences with Nidorina, and avoid Charmelion altogether!

Mankey was taken out by Staryu's water pulse immediately. He didn't stand a chance. The pressure's all on Rana the Nidorina. Luckily she can stand a water pulse from Staryu quite easily, and defeats it with two double kicks, but how will she fare against Starmie? And will she now obey, now that she's levelled up to Lv. 21?

Starmie's water pulse was brutal against my Nidorina. She was taken out in two hits. No amount of potions would have helped. For Coal the Charmelion, it doesn't look good.

It survived the first water pulse, but it was confused and killed itself with its own confusion.

Leaf Green pyramid challenge failed. Re-try? Yeah.


New game.

This time, for a starter I'll pick bulbasaur. Obvious reasons. And this time, all my captures will be based around beating the next gym leader.

That's enough for tonight, I'll continue in the morning.

 

[Hacki101]

I have wanted to do this for a while and now it needs bumping...

I am interested in starting this challenge but I have a few questions before starting...

For Level 1 do you have to use One at a Time AND realism or either one of them?

Which game would you recommend from the first 3 generations (I want the speed button)?

 

[Brewds567]

Yes you do have to use both One at time and Realism for level 1.
If I were you i'd go with kanto as it is the shortest or hoen. ( don't like jhoto region which is a personal prefence. It is the most challenging because of the length though.)

On a side note I wish the original creator was still at PC so I could move on to level two. Do you know if someone could take over the challenge and contuine it now that he's been gone so long?

 

[Hacki101]

Cool, it sounds difficult then! As for someone taking over then we dont know what Inflation is or level 3 so someone would have to make it up...