Part 19: Mini-Update: Mt. Battle (Areas 1, 2, 3)

Mini-Update: Mt. Battle (Areas 1, 2, 3)
More out of necessity, to Purify, level up, and evolve Swablu into Altaria, I figure I'd let you see some of Mt. Battle's Areas. There are 100 Zones, a group of ten Zones in each Area, each with a trainer on it. The trainers use stronger, higher-leveled, and more Pokémon as you progress from Zone to Zone. Your Pokémon are automatically healed after each battle, so the only reason to use healing items are if you're on your last/second-to-last Pokémon, and are on the verge of losing with no other hope of success. Otherwise, you're wasting money, and you don't earn any money from these victories.

Spiffy Point: Area Leaders are usually the toughest trainer of a given Area, being the tenth and last Zone. They also have their own unique Trainer models, that are used nowhere else for battles within the game, as far as I can tell. For this reason, as I think all the Trainer models have been seen elsewhere, so far, only the pictures of the unique Area Leaders will be seen. Also, for the sake of expediting further updates, Pokémon genders will be excluded from opponent's Pokémon.


Plusle is deposited, from being a place to take up space in the Justy battle, and Swablu is withdrawn.


Selecting INFO goes on to explain Mt. Battle, for people who don't have my intro paragraph in front of them.
MT. BATTLE is a place of training. It consists of ten AREAS, each with ten ZONES. In other words, there are one hundred ZONES with a trainer in each. You must battle through these AREAS without taking a loss. By winning your way through an AREA, you will be awarded POKé COUPONS at a BREAK ROOM at the end. Every BREAK ROOM is outfitted with a PC, so you may switch your current party with those in storage. If you wish to quit or interrupt your knockout challenge, you may do so at any BREAK ROOM. ABRA will TELEPORT you back here. Once you have won through an AREA, you may resume your challenge from the next AREA, or from any AREA that you have cleared. For information about POKé COUPONS, please ask at the next counter.
Actually, all you have to worry about is not losing in a Zone, in order for you to complete the Area. If you do, you start the Area again, if you select Continue for the challenge. You can always backtrack in the middle of an Area, but that counts as a loss or forfeit.

Area 1: 100PC, Pokémon Lv.15-20
These Pokémon offer the least amount of experience points as well, due to Pokémon species and level. They are laughably weak compared to the Pokémon we started the game with, but there's no way to get through to the harder sections without taking them all down first.

Spiffy Point: Many Pokémon in this section are Pokémon found early in the journey of, or are incredibly common to, your average trainer in the Game Boy games. These include: [Jigglypuff, Magikarp, Zubat, (RBY)], [Hoothoot, Sentret, Sunkern, Hoppip, Wooper (GSC)], [Taillow, Poochyena, Ralts, Zigzagoon, Whismur, Skitty and Slakoth (RSE)].

Zone 1:
Welcome to MT. BATTLE! We want you and your POKéMON to go all out on training here! Let's begin!
COOLTRAINER STUM
Taillow (Lv.16)
Hoothoot (Lv.15)
STUM: You're a worthy challenger!
STUM: My hat's off to you! But the road ahead is long and arduous. Put all your effort into it!
Weaknesses: Electric, Ice
Dunsparce forgot Take Down, learned Return! (TM used)

Zone 2:
POKéMON are living beings of charming elegance. They are worthy of the sophisticated moi!
RICH BOY CYUS
Sunkern (Lv.15)
Hoppip (Lv.16)
CYUS: My elegant charm!
CYUS: Now, you must admit, was not my defeat a marvel of pure elegance, non?
Weaknesses: Fire, Poison, Ice
Spiffy Point: Sunkern is considered by many to be the weakest Grass-type. It doesn't get much stronger when it evolves into Sunflora, by means of a Sun Stone.

Zone 3:
There isn't a thing that I don't know about POKéMON. I know it all.
RESEARCHER MORT
Igglybuff (Lv.17)
Electrike (Lv.17)
MORT: Knowledge on its own couldn't overcome!
MORT: I have studied POKéMON exhaustively. I must focus on the study of battling!
Weaknesses: Ground, Fighting
Spiffy Point: Following suit, Igglybuff is often considered to be the weakest Normal-type, primarily due to its base stats.
Dictionary time, a mort is "a note sounded on a hunting horn when a deer is killed". I know I'd love to have a Professor Mort in just about any game. There wouldn't be a need for a Pokédex in it. After all, he knows everything about Pokémon!

Zone 4:
Oh? Did you wish to battle? I won't rein in my POKéMON.
LADY AURO
Azurill (Lv.17)
Sentret (Lv.18)
AURO: Oh, dear me...
AURO: How uncouth of you to not show the slightest regard to the fact that I am a lady.
Weaknesses: Fighting

Zone 5:
Well! You seem to be cruising right along. But can you sustain the drive?
COOLTRAINER LEHAN
Togepi (Lv.16)
Vulpix (Lv.16)
LEHAN: He found another groove!
LEHAN: How much farther can you go? I'll be rooting for you!
Weaknesses: Ground, Fighting

Zone 6:
Big guy... You don't look very strong.
ROLLER BOY PERA
Magikarp (Lv.18)
Zubat (Lv.17)
PERA: But, you are strong!
PERA: But, you don't look very strong.
Weaknesses: Electric
MIND BLOWN.

Zone 7:
Let's start our lesson on POKéMON battling!
TEACHER NEVIE
Poochyena (Lv.17)
Swinub (Lv.18)
NEVIE: My! You're surprisingly good!
NEVIE: I'll have to redo my studies.
Weaknesses: Fighting, Water

Zone 8:
You there! Are you working out your bod every day?
ATHLETE RINOS
Wooper (Lv.19)
Trapinch (Lv.19)
RINOS: Explosive energy!
RINOS: I should've been working on my POKéMON rather than my bod! Hahahah!
Weaknesses: Grass

Zone 9:
Fufufu... Do you think you can take this old woman?
FUN OLD LADY ANGES
Duskull (Lv.19)
Ralts (Lv.20)
ANGES: But, how?!
ANGES: Perhaps it's high time that this old woman retire. It will be a relief.
Weaknesses: Ghost, Dark
That post-victory text is so ...

Zone 10:
Hi, [NAME]! I've been waiting for you! Are you ready for some serious training? Even though you saved me, a battle's a battle! Let's not waste any time!

AREA LEADER VANDER
Zigzagoon (Lv.19)
Whismur (Lv.20)
Skitty (Lv.19)
Slakoth (Lv.19)
Jigglypuff (Lv.20)
VANDER: Fantastic!
VANDER: You've cleared AREA 1. Congratulations! You really are talented. Now, go on. Someone will give you POKé COUPONS in the BREAK ROOM.
Weaknesses: Fighting
Compare this to Dakim's team (end of Mt. Battle Part 1 update). You can see that Vander would've been thrashed, had he battled or just gotten beaten up. Vander's type theme is Normal, so any Fighting-type (Hitmontop, Medicham, etc.) will have no trouble here. Actually, nothing should have a problem, given how low a level the Pokémon are.


Oh, yes! You have cleared AREA 1! Congratulations! Here are your POKé COUPONS for surviving the knockout challenge. [NAME] won 100 POKé COUPONS! Would you like to go on to the next AREA?
ADVANCE: I like your challenger spirit! Show 'em what you're made of!
STOP: Next time, you can start a new challenge from the next AREA, or from any AREA you've already cleared.
Okay, would you like to have our ABRA TELEPORT you back to the registration counter?
That... wasn't difficult to survive.
YES: Okay, ABRA! TELEPORT!


So, why are we leaving? Swablu's at a bit under 2/5th on its Shadow Gauge, so I figured I'd talk a bit more about how Scents work.


Scents (from Agate Village Poké Mart):
P600: JOY SCENT - A SCENT that slightly pleases POKéMON.
P800: EXCITE SCENT - A SCENT that pleases POKéMON.
P1200: VIVID SCENT - A SCENT that greatly pleases POKéMON.

For P1200, you can buy one Vivid Scent. You will never buy two Joy Scents for the same price, as their cumulative effect is less than one Vivid Scent.


Scents are stored in your Cologne Case, for use at any time. If you're going for a particular Nature of Pokémon, having a large number of Vivid Scents and an open party slot are invaluable assets. To apply a Scent, open the Items menu, find the Case under Key Items, select the Scent, then select the Pokémon.

A brief pause (during which the controller vibrates three times, simulating massaging it into the Pokémon?) comes before text stating how much the door to its heart opened (a lot for Vivid Scent, less for others). The only bother is that you must do this for each time you want to apply a Scent, even consecutively. Six Vivid Scents bring its bar down to 0/5th; the general rule of thumb is that the higher-level the Pokémon, the more Scents you need to use to reduce its gauge a given amount.


After Purification, Swablu receives a handful of points from the Pokémon it defeated at Mt. Battle, not even enough to level-up once, and gains the attack Mirror Move, a status Normal-type move that causes the user to use the last move that the target used, even if the Pokémon with Mirror Move does not know that move. Gimmicky, but fun to watch a Pokémon use moves it should in no respect be able to perform.

With Swablu purified, we return to Mt. Battle, in the hopes of evolving Swablu and getting some more Poké Coupons!

Area 2: 200PC, Pokémon Lv.20-25
A pinch stronger, but still shouldn't give you problems, unless you're using Plusle and Remoraid. If you are, kudos to you. Still seeing weak, common Pokémon here as a theme, but these ones have slightly better base stats or abilities.

Zone 11:
Fufufu! I'm your first opponent in AREA 2. Prepare to lose!
FUN OLD LADY GELVIN
Wynaut (Lv.20)
Pichu (Lv.20)
GELVIN: You weren't prepared to lose at all, were you?
GELVIN: You keep that up for the rest of this AREA.
Weaknesses: Ghost, Dark, Ground
Remember, due to Wynaut's Shadow Tag, switching Pokémon will be impossible unless you faint it first. Preparation of your team with this foreknowledge is advisable. For now, Fly is Swablu's strongest moves, but remember, its base power is effectively halved; as the move takes two turns to complete, one could theoretically use a move half as strong and end up doing the same amount of damage.

Zone 12
I'm an upbeat POKéMON kid! I'm a wiz at battling!
ROLLER BOY PABE
Zubat (Lv.20)
Whismur (Lv.21)
Grimer (Lv.21)
PABE: I might be a wiz at losing, too!
PABE: Being a wiz at battling doesn't make me a wiz at winning!
Weaknesses: Electric

Zone 13:
Okay, honey! Let's work up a little sweat with our POKéMON battle!
ATHLETE CADEN
Beldum (Lv.21)
Barboach (Lv.22)
CADEN: Refreshed and sweaty!
CADEN: Battling is the best way to work up a good sweat!
Weaknesses: Fire, Ground (Beldum), Grass (Barboach)

Zone 14:
I'm not very interested in training. I'm strong without any training, you see.
RICH BOY LOND
Lotad (Lv.21)
Seedot (Lv.22)
LOND: I really am strong!
LOND: I'm telling on you to my papa!
Weaknesses: Bug, Poison, Flying
Swablu grew to Lv. 34!
Dunsparce grew to Lv. 41! (I declined the option to learn Endeavor; without the Focus Sash item in this game, the move's use is limited.)

Zone 15:
I'm all fired up and ready to rock! I'm playing this totally seriously!
ATHLETE ALBAC
Geodude (Lv.23)
Sandshrew (Lv.22)
ALBAC: But I was serious!
ALBAC: I didn't do enough warm-up exercises; that must be it. Yup! I'm convinced of it!
Weaknesses: Water, Grass

Zone 16:
May I ask if your POKéMON are strong?
LADY ELOOS
Marill (Lv.22)
Jigglypuff (Lv.23)
ELOOS: Oh, yes, they are strong!
ELOOS: You have handed me a loss. Though, I hate to accept it, take it I must.
Weaknesses: Electric, Grass, Fighting
Even though she's just a child, I think Lady Eloos has quite a bit of dignity to herself. On a bit of consideration, her text seems similar to a simplified version of something you might see for a Gym Leader in the handhelds.

Zone 17:
Hi-yah! We shall battle with nobility and honor! Expect no mercy for your youth!
FUN OLD MAN METZ
Abra (Lv.23)
Shuppet (Lv.23)
METZ: Oof!
METZ: I lost with nobility and honor! I am impressed by your skill beyond your youthful age!
Weaknesses: Dark, Ghost
Surprisingly, his Abra knows Knock Off, a weak Dark-type attack that has the effect of making the target Pokémon drop any item it is holding (unless its Ability prevents this effect). Swablu takes this hit, dropping the EXP Share. Fortunately, it ends up back on Swablu after the battle, with the only effect in-battle being fewer EXP diverted to it. In other games, the item would either be lost forever, or end up back in your bag, needing to be re-attached.

Zone 18:
Behold my elegant battling! It is backed by thorough calculations!
RESEARCHER ROECK
Mareep (Lv.23)
Magnemite (Lv.24)
Voltorb (Lv.23)
ROECK: This didn't go according to my calculations!
ROECK: Hmm... Weird. According to my calculations, this should have happened, causing that to happen...
Weaknesses: Ground
Backed by thorough calculations doesn't help too much when your Pokémon are much lower-leveled, and without EVs, sadly.

Zone 19:
Are you my pupil today? I believe in aggressive teaching!
TEACHER VONA
Spheal (Lv.24)
Carvanha (Lv.25)
VONA: I was aggressively schooled!
VONA: Aggressive! That's how I teach!
Weaknesses: Electric, Grass
Contact attacks with Carvanha will deal damage to the Pokémon that hits it, thanks to its Rough Skin ability. Also, did she mention "aggressive" and "teaching" enough?

Zone 20:
Yeahooey! I'm ARTH! The genius AREA LEADER of AREA 2, that's me, ARTH! Okay, let's see if you can go on or not! Battle! Battle!

AREA LEADER ARTH
Pineco (Lv.25)
Ledyba (Lv.25)
Surskit (Lv.25)
Nincada (Lv.24)
Anorith (Lv.24)
ARTH: Gyaaaaah!
ARTH: I haven't battled this hard for a long time. Oh, it was fun, all right! Go get your POKé COUPONS in the BREAK ROOM.
Weaknesses: Water (Anorith), Flying, Fire
Swablu grew to Lv. 35!
Oh, dear. I worry if Arth's a few Potions short of a Full Restore... Every Bug-type here, other than Pineco, has a secondary typing. In order, they are: Flying, Water, Ground, and Rock. Adjust your attack types appropriately.

After the end of this battle, the Normal/Flying-type Swablu also evolved to the Dragon/Flying Altaria, forgetting Mirror Move in order to learn Dragonbreath, a 60 Base Power, 100% Accuracy Dragon-type move that has a 30% chance of inducing paralysis in the target Pokémon.

Area 3: 400PC, Pokémon Lv.25-30
This is where things might start getting a little rough, if you come back right after Purifying a Pokémon; your biggest issues would be trainers 22 and 30. Other than damage going from being, on average, one-hit KOs to two-hit KOs, your Pokémon should be strong enough to survive the hit and dish out a second.

Zone 21:
Hi, welcome! AREA 3 begins here. All ready to go? Let's start!
GUY GRIS
Wurmple (Lv.25)
Silcoon (Lv.25)
Cascoon (Lv.26)
GRIS: Not too shabby!
GRIS: That was good. That battle overflowed with your youthful power. There was a time like that for me a long time ago.
Weaknesses: Flying, Fire
More Bugs, you know what to do.

Zone 22:
Sorry to say you'll go no farther, sonny.
FUN OLD LADY DESLA
Kirlia (Lv.25)
Kirlia (Lv.26)
DESLA: Trampled by the march of time!
DESLA: Show some compassion for the elderly!
Weaknesses: Dark, Ghost, Bug
If I remember correctly, these Pokémon have the highest base stats, until Zone 30. One has Synchronize, the other with Trace (copies one of your active Pokémon's ability in its place).

Zone 23:
Wroooooaaaar! Battling is all about physical strength!
BODYBUILDER EISEN
Aron (Lv.26)
Phanpy (Lv.26)
Sandshrew (Lv.25)
EISEN: Wroooooaaaar!
EISEN: I won't lose when it comes to strength. I'll show you! Let's do squats together!
Weaknesses: Water, Grass
Altaria grew to Lv. 36!
Well, his Pokémon are focused around the physical Attack and Defense stats, so exploit its weaknesses to special attacks. I too am disappointed by the lack of squats-oriented mini-game after this battle.

Zone 24:
Let me teach you what an authentic POKéMON battle is like.
COOLTRAINER BEDRO
Wingull (Lv.26)
Bagon (Lv.26)
BEDRO: Taken down!
BEDRO: Getting taught what an authentic battle is like... I didn't expect that.
Weaknesses: Electric (Wingull), Ice, Dragon (Bagon)

Zone 25:
Don't make fun of me because I'm little!
ROLLER BOY GREL
Oddish (Lv.27)
Gulpin (Lv.26)
GREL: You made me lose!
GREL: I just didn't have a very good day today.
Weaknesses: Ground, Psychic

Zone 26:
Were you the student who wanted a private lesson?
TEACHER LODEN
Larvitar (Lv.28)
Houndour (Lv.28)
LODEN: It's not much of a lesson if the teacher loses!
LODEN: Would you like to become a teacher in my place?
Weaknesses: Water, Ground
I'm not too sure how private a lesson a floating Zone at the base of a volcano is, but we'll take what we can get.

Zone 27:
Willpower! Willpower makes the difference! Bring it on!
FUN OLD MAN TARYN
Natu (Lv.27)
Duskull (Lv.28)
TARYN: Willpower!
TARYN: I think I was a little lacking in the willpower department.
Weaknesses: Dark, Ghost

Zone 28:
Okeydoke, let's get this over with quickly.
GLASSES MAN SOLEK
Machop (Lv.27)
Slakoth (Lv.28)
Zigzagoon (Lv.29)
SOLEK: Oh, that's not right.
SOLEK: Way to go, guy!
Weaknesses: Psychic, Fighting
Altaria grew to Lv. 37!

Zone 29:
It's about time! I'm going to give you an all-out battle! Okay, hustle, hustle!
ATHLETE WINA
Geodude (Lv.29)
Mawile (Lv.29)
WINA: Bleah!
WINA: Even though I lose, I had lots of fun in our battle!
Weaknesses: Water, Fighting

Zone 30:
Welcome! I'm RENSON. I'll be providing the finishing touch to AREA 3.

AREA LEADER RENSON
Staryu (Lv.29)
Horsea (Lv.29)
Corphish (Lv.29)
Goldeen (Lv.30)
Surskit (Lv.30)
RENSON: That's magnificent!
RENSON: It makes sense. After all, you were good enough to reach here. Go to the BREAK ROOM and get some POKé COUPONS.
Weaknesses: Electric, Grass
Dunsparce grew to Lv. 42!
Renson's specialty are Water-types. Grow upon them or zap 'em down.



So, will we keep using Altaria? If you vote yes, for your vote to be counted, which Pokémon will you vote to drop from our team? Next week, we actually, really, truly get on with the story.