Part 26: Mega-Update: What's New? (After The Under)

Mega-Update: What's New? (After The Under)

Quite the opposite of my usual non-story relevant Mini-Updates, there's a lot of material to cover in this one! There are a few new things going on in the different locations of Orre after the incident with Venus works itself out. Trust me, I checked with all of the NPCs; if they aren't mentioned here, they're still on yesterday's news.

Pyrite Town
Well, first off, let's check in with Cail. He's always an interesting person to battle:
CAIL: Yo, we meet again! How chipper are you feeling? Let me see!
ROGUE CAIL, P$640
Granbull (Lv.40)
Kirlia (Lv.40)
Nuzleaf (Lv.40)
Machoke (Lv.40)
CAIL: I couldn't do it again!
CAIL: Moan... I've learned how tough you are battling. It's a full-body experience.
Feraligatr grew to Lv.51!
Hitmontop grew to Lv.51!
Cail's team has upgraded once again. If you compare it to the last time (right before we visited Agate Village for the first time, so long ago!), you'll see the team's gone up about 5 levels per member, Machop has evolved into Machoke, as well as Snubbull having evolved into Granbull. The latter has gained the Intimidate ability, so be prepared for the Attack stage drop when it comes out (usually at the very beginning of the battle). Fighting attacks take out Granbull and Nuzleaf, Bug attacks for Nuzleaf and Kirlia, and Machoke easily falters to Psychic attacks.


SECC: Oh, hi, big people! There's good news! It looks like grown-ups will join the KIDS GRID, too, after kids. Okay, this calls for me. I'm going to upgrade the KIDS GRID!
Surprisingly, Duking doesn't seem to wonder where Silva's gotten off to, or why he's still missing.

A quick stop in to the Super Grand Hotel before we hit the road, a good night's sleep...
And we're on the road again!

Agate Village

I've managed to polish my battle technique there. Let my POKéMON and I show you how we've improved!
FUN OLD MAN SKOF, P$1344
Furret (Lv.41)
Nuzleaf (Lv.42)
Machoke (Lv.41)
SKOF: This is what being young is all about!
SKOF: In the distant future, you will be certain to be welcomed as a new villager. Hohoho.
Apparently, Skof's nature is Jolly.

So, let's see how Beluh and Eagun are doing!
BELUH: Ah, you're home! Are you okay? You're not hurt in any way?
Yeah, we're fine...

EAGUN: I'm sorry I haven't sent you any e-mail even though I asked for you P*DA number. That's what happens when you get old; you lose the aptitude for gadgets...
Oh, Eagun...

Over in the Pokémon Center:

> When I was younger, I toiled in the mines of THE UNDER. It brings back memories.
… Like? I enjoy story time...

Phenac City

> Oh, wait a second. I've met you before, haven't I? Ehehehe...

In the Pre Gym's basement, the person who told us that area was a training center now also says "Wha--? Whoa! You beat JUSTY? That's astounding!"


I hope nothing terrible has happened.
That's... peculiar. Maybe he's finally on to something? Left us a note?


Huh... nope. Definitely not here.


He's busy with things here and there and everywhere. He's always scurrying. Giggle...
Well, he doesn't seem to be too busy with things here, that's for sure. Off to The Under once more, to finally challenge that Colosseum!

Mt. Battle


YES: Maybe they're making those weird POKéMON out there... Nah, that can't be, huh?
NO: I think it's worth a look. There's this shady atmosphere about it.


AIDEL: But before I do, I'm going to warmup with you!
ATHLETE AIDEL, P$640
Pikachu (Lv.40)
Vulpix (Lv.39)
Abra (Lv.38)
AIDEL: Oh, blown chances!
AIDEL: Running too much before battle wasn't a good idea... Gasp, gasp...

Everyone with new stuff to say has been visited, aside from The Under. So, before our Colosseum challenges, let's head around town.

The Under


Does that mean we won't get to see any more SHADOW POKéMON?
I'm disappointed too. Means there won't be any more to steal Snag.


But this here MAKUHITA took a dislike to the SHADOW POKéMON. There was no way of making DOUBLE BATTLES work. I ended up giving back the SHADOW POKéMON to Lady VENUS. I owed it to this cute fellow here. Isn't that right, MAKUHITA?
Hiita hita!
Another easily-missable character, but really, it's one of my favorite ones to come across.


So, I've decided I'll just have to be patient and wait for Lady VENUS to come by here.


That VENUS was one of the leaders of CIPHER. And CIPHER is an organization that wants to take over the world!
As much as it seems like it, I'm not missing any part of this conversation.


I should go up top since there's no one here to scold me if I do. I haven't been up there in so long!
Wait, now people in the town were being kept hostage down here...?

Hmm... I feel like I've been forgetting someone in all of this... Oh, right! Silva.

That SILVA guy, he wanted me to tell you thanks, [NAME].
You know, he wrecked the gears by stealing one, leading us on a wild goose-chase, didn't do so hot the first time he tried to be helpful back in Pyrite Building, and still failed miserably by getting captured, but he still did get us that R-Disk, which we needed to take on Venus. So, that counts for something, right?

Over in the store...

It's just my animal magnetism that makes people do that. Fufufu...

Huh? The spy was captured? So the guy next to me was just an ordinary weirdo?

And on top:

What?! Lady VENUS is no longer with us?! Gwaaaah! I can't do anything!


Makes me wonder how many there are in all.
Wait... the people down there don't know how technology in their own city works...?


That means three of the big four ADMINS are gone. What's going to become of CIPHER?
Well, geez, it's not like we killed them or anything. We just beat them in a battle. (And stole one of each of their Pokémon, but still...)


I don't care to watch it, of course, but you know how guests can be. Oh, my VENUS...!
How it hurts to see denial at work.


The smaller guy basically repeated the same old plan before saying this. The larger now says
Heheh, my partner's the brains of us two. His plans always work. Things will work out this time, too.


No... Something's not tight... A real hero would transform, even if he doesn't grow huge.
Wh... what?!


YES: You won't get away with it! {to battle}
NO: I'd say so. That's what I was thinking, too.
CHASER GURKS, P$900
Wailmer (Lv.42)
Wailmer (Lv.42)
Wailord (Lv.45)
GURKS: I didn't stand a chance from the get-go!
GURKS: Even if you win at the COLOSSEUM, they won't let you have a SHADOW POKéMON anymore..
Magikarp and Feebas are missing from his team, replaced by two Wailmera. Still prone to Grass and Electric assaults. Also, something tells me we wouldn't get SHADOW POKéMON even if we won before ousting Venus... something like what happened back in Pyrite.


Now that brings back memories... I didn't know it was still running. Why, I often drove it in my youth. Track all clear! All aboard!
… Now this is what puzzles me. Where did he drive it to? There shouldn't have been a Shadow Pokémon Lab there back in the past. Something also tells me it wasn't called the Shadow Liner. I wonder what it used to lead to.


They say he used to operate all kinds of heavy machinery way back when THE UNDER was a mining town.


PERR: Thanks to you, the KIDS GRID is back in operation. Thanks, [NAME]. I'll do what I can to gather intelligence for you.

Missed two people back over here, so let's chat with them:

They want to bring in the world's richest people and hold battles with the SHADOW POKéMON. I've heard that the COLOSSEUM's on top of a tower. I wonder if there's any truth to that.
Someone tell him to spoiler-tag that stuff.


YES: Humph. I don't mean any offense, but you don't exactly look tough. I'll test you to see how well you can battle. {to battle}
NO: Oh, you're not? Hm, now that you say it, you don't look as if you're capable of doing any battling.
HUNTER ZADA, P$
Skitty (Lv.35)
Oddish (Lv.34)
Jigglypuff (Lv.35)
Shuppet (Lv.35)
ZADA: You're better than you look!
ZADA: You are strong. I guess there's no judging people by their appearance.
Zada's pretty easily persuaded to believe we can't battle, for someone who we've previously beaten... her team hasn't even changed at all, nor has her text, but she can now be re-battled. Odd. While in the area, I bring our Lemonade count back up to 25.


Always a good sign.


NETT: Huh? The SUBWAY goes out to the SHADOW POKéMON LAB? So, that's how they did it!
… Did what? It's not like Shadow Pokémon are hard to carry around in Poké Balls, to give to people...
NETT: [NAME], you're going out to the LAB, aren't you?
YES: For sure, the LAB will have some important data on SHADOW POKéMON. It doesn't matter what it is: if you find any sort of data, please be sure to bring it back here.
NO: Oh, you can tell me. You're going to the LAB, aren't you? [But Thou Must Loop]
It's very easy to miss this bit of info: Nett's interested in any data gathered at the lab. Don't worry, even if you miss speaking to Nett, he'll contact you about this later.


MEGG: That's so amazing! I'm in awe!


With no other delays in sight, next up are some battles at the Under Colosseum.

The Under Colosseum
This really is a charming battlefield; it captures the feel of The Under nicely. These battles didn't go too nicely, though, and that would be the main reason they aren't up; we're at a bit of a level disadvantage here. Stantler got an Exp. Share to hold, and started as active with Hitmontop for some of the battle, Ampharos for the others. The opponents got their fair share of KOs in as well, but the full healing between battles meant there was nothing to worry about, other than the case of losing all Pokémon.

Spiffy Point: The graphic signs in the background haven't been translated. They include such things as: コロシアム00 (Colosseum 00), 占 (meaning divining, or fortune-telling), the Junk Shop, as well as for the Poke Mart (ポケモンショップ) and Super Grand Hotel (スーパグランドホテル) (Thanks asymmetrical!).

Under Colosseum, Entry One
Prize: P$7472, TM37


HUNTER KORM
Clamperl (Lv.55)
Qwilfish (Lv.55)
Lombre (Lv.56)
KORM: You proved you're a hero! Don't you forget about me!


RIDER HESLE
Sealeo (Lv.55)
Seadra (Lv.56)
Vigoroth (Lv.56)
HESLE: Okay, you've convinced me. But I'm not the last in line!


BUDYBUILDER TAMAN
Azumarill (Lv.56)
Kirlia (Lv.57)
Pelipper (Lv.58)
Noctowl (Lv.58)
TAMAN: Awww! Actually, I wish I had SHADOW POKéMON of my own.
Stantler grew to Lv.44!
Taman works heavily off of a Double Team strategy; take them down before they become too hard to hit.


ST.PERFORMER KREBLE
Gorebyss (Lv.57)
Kecleon (Lv.58)
Vileplume (Lv.58)
Sharpedo (Lv.57)
KREBLE: I failed. Mistress VENUS!
Stantler grew to Lv.45!
Kreble's strategy works like Venus's: confusion, paralysis, and infatuation can all come into play here. Fast sweepers work well here.

Under Colosseum, Entry Two
Prize: P$8040, TM36


RIDER ESHAN
Pineco (Lv.56)
Anorith (Lv.56)
Ledian (Lv.55)
ESHAN: The path to VENUS wasn't easy...


CHASER BELIK
Illumise (Lv.57)
Sneasel (Lv.56)
Beautifly (Lv.58)
Flaaffy (Lv.58)
BELIK: A SHADOW POKéMON'd be cool to have. I admit it.
Hitmontop grew to Lv.52!


WORKER SANGON
Volbeat (Lv.58)
Grumpig (Lv.58)
Masquerain (Lv.57)
SANGON: Lady VENUS forever!
Stantler grew to Lv.46!
Espeon grew to Lv.52! Espeon forgot Helping Hand, learned Morning Sun.
Feraligatr grew to Lv.52!
Morning Sun doesn't jive well with our preference for clouds versus blue skies, but when it's not raining, Morning Sun functions like Recover, restoring 50% of Espeon's HP.


CHASER DEVAS
Ariados (Lv.58)
Ninetales (Lv.58)
Forretress (Lv.57)
Politoed (Lv.57)
DEVAS: Me losing here is a huge setback!

Under Colosseum, Entry Three
Prize: P$7576, TM30


BANDANA GUY HANEL
Tentacool (Lv.56)
Dustox (Lv.55)
Koffing (Lv.56)
HANEL: I'm glad Lady VENUS wasn't here to watch me lose...


BODYBUILDER MIRNA
Gloom (Lv.55)
Machoke (Lv.57)
Grimer (Lv.56)
MIRNA: Muscles don't mean a thing if I don't win battles...


RIDER RONAL
Seviper (Lv.58)
Hariyama (Lv.57)
Jumpluff (Lv.57)
Swalot (Lv.57)
RONAL: Oh, how I wish I had my own SHADOW POKéMON!
Hitmontop grew to Lv.53!
Stantler grew to Lv.47!


ST.PERFORMER SHUF
Golbat (Lv.59)
Murkrow (Lv.58)
Stantler (Lv.57)
Weezing (Lv.58)
SHUF: Oh, I'm so disappointed!
Ampharos grew to Lv.52!

Under Colosseum, Entry Four
Prize: P$6476, TM23


RIDER NENI
Shuppet (Lv.55)
Dunsparce (Lv.55)
Duskull (Lv.56)
NENI: Oh, it was you who knocked out VENUS? You should've told me that first!
Stantler grew to Lv.48!


BANDANA GUY BURGE
Sableye (Lv.56)
Staryu (Lv.55)
Corsola (Lv.57)
Kadabra (Lv.58)
BURGE: I fell in love with your POKéMON, too... Blush...


BODYBUILDER BALUS
Misdreavus (Lv.57)
Breloom (Lv.57)
Combusken (Lv.57)
BALUS: Hey, I know you're good at battling, but build your body, too!


ROLLER BOY ARCINE
Banette (Lv.57)
Wobbuffet (Lv.58)
Tentacruel (Lv.58)
Cradily (Lv.57)
ARCINE: Awww! Winning wasn't possible!

Net winnings: P$29,464, TM37 (Sandstorm), TM36 (Sludge Bomb), TM30 (Shadow Ball), TM23 (Iron Tail). I'll be explaining Sandstorm and Sludge Bomb a bit later. Shadow Ball is a 80 base power, 100% Accuracy Ghost-type attack that has a 20% chance of lowering the target Pokémon's Special Defense by one stage. Iron Tail is a 100 base power, 75% Accuracy Steel-type attack that has a 30% chance of lowering the target Pokémon's Defense by one stage.

With this, we've completed the last of the three Colosseums we know of. But, with all the stuff people around town have been saying, it sounds like another one is going to be available, Realgam Tower. But what that guy was saying earlier, "They want to bring in the world's richest people and hold battles with the SHADOW POKéMON. I've heard that the COLOSSEUM's on top of a tower. I wonder if there's any truth to that."... could it really be true? Would they give such an important plot point to an NPC you have no real valid reason to speak to, is completely optional to do so, and is in a location that you would never suspect would be important to revisit?  Yeah, pretty much. 

Shadow Pokémon Lab Snags:



Aipom
Unfortunately, Aipom can't really do anything that another Pokémon can do much better. Its ability is either Run Away, previously explained as useless in this game, or Pickup. The latter is far more valuable, giving Aipom a 10% chance to be holding (having picked-up) an item from a select list after each battle, which can then be taken and put into one's inventory. Its moves, in order of their recovery, are Tickle, Fury Swipes, Swift, and Baton Pass. Tickle is a status, 100% Accuracy Normal-type attack that reduces the target Pokémon's Attack and Defense by one stage each. Its only remaining level-up move, Agilty, is at Lv.50.

Murkrow
Murkrow is an interesting Pokémon, who can hit equally well off of its average Attack and Special Attack stats, but not particularly take a hit well. It can also trap Pokémon with Mean Look, and use Perish Song a la Misdreavus. Its ability, Insomnia, prevents Murkrow from being afflicted by the Sleep condition. Its moves, in order of their recovery, are Mean Look, Night Shade, Fly, and Faint Attack. Mean Look is a status, 100% Accuracy Dark-type move; as long as the Pokémon to use Mean Look remains active (i.e. not switched out), the targeted Pokémon cannot switch out. Night Shade is a 100% Accuracy Ghost-type attack that deals an amount of damage in HP equal to the user Pokémon's level.
Its only level-up move would have been Mean Look, at Lv.50, but it already knows this move.

Forretress
Its ability, Sturdy, prevents Forretress from being affected by the 1-hit-knockout moves Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, and Sheer Cold. Its moves, in order of their recovery, are Protect, Bide, Rapid Spin, and Explosion. Bide is a non-missing Normal-type move that causes the user to endure attacks for two to three turns, after which it will do double any direct damage it has taken, in terms of HP loss. Rapid Spin is a 20 base power, 100% Accuracy Normal-type attack that clears away persistent effects on the user Pokémon's side; it free the user from damaging, trapping attacks, such as Fire Spin, as well as clearing away Spikes (see later). Explosion is a 250 base power, 100% Accuracy Normal-type attack that halves the opponent's Defense when calculating damage (effectively giving this attack 500 base power), but causes the user to faint. It learns Spikes at Lv.49; this Ground-type move, which can stack up to three layers of Spikes (one per use) does damage to any Pokémon that switches in, so long as that Pokémon is not immune to Ground-type attacks. One layer of Spikes will damage the opponent Pokémon by 12.5% of its maximum HP, two layers will deal 18.75%, and three layers will deal 25%. At Lv.59, Forretress gets Double-Edge, a 120 base power, 100% Accuracy Normal-type attack that subtracts one-third of the damage done to the target Pokémon from the user as recoil damage.

Ariados
Not noteworthy for any of its offensive or defensive capabilities, Ariados is a trapper Pokémon; by using Spider Web, then Baton Pass, it can force a Pokémon to stay in on a Pokémon it might normally switch out of. This plan works far more brilliantly in Single battles, compared to Double battles. It is also useful for Pokémon that run from you in the wild (i.e. not this game) but do not have Roar/Whirlwind. Its ability can be either Swarm or Insomnia; the former lets its user do 50% more damage with Bug-type attacks, if its HP falls below one-third of its maximum (see Overgrow, Blaze, Torrent from Bayleef, Quilava, Croconaw, etc.). Its moves, in order of their recovery, are Scary Face, Leech Life, Sludge Bomb, and Spider Web. Leech Life is a 20 base power, 100% Accuracy Bug-type attack that restores the user's HP by half of the amount of the damage done. Sludge Bomb is a 90 base power, 100% Accuracy Poison-type attack that has a 30% chance of inducing Poison in the target Pokémon. Spider Web, for all intents and purposes, is a reskinned Bug-type Mean Look.

Granbull
Unfortunately, Granbull is also not a very noteworthy Pokémon. Its only excellent stat is its Attack; being weak defensively as well as slow isn't doing it any favors. Fortunately, its ability, Intimidate, bolsters its subaverage Defense. Its moves, in order of their recovery, are Scary Face, Roar, Strength, and Bite. At Lv.49, it learns Take Down, and at Lv.61, it learns Crunch, a 80 base power, 100% Accuracy Dark-type attack that has a 10% chance of lowering the target's Special Defense by one stage.

Vibrava
Vibrava is important for become its evolution, Flygon. The latter has a good mix of average defenses backing strong Attack and Speed. Its ability, Levitate, negates all Ground-type attacks, as if the Pokémon had the immunity given by being a Flying-type. Vibrava can evolve, at earliest, at Lv.45 into Flygon, who shares the same typing and ability. Its moves, in order of their recovery, are Screech, Sand Tomb, DragonBreath, and Crunch. Sand Tomb a is 30 base power, 70% Accuracy Ground-type attack that does 1/16th damage at the end of the turn for each turn in effect, and prevents the target from switching; the effect goes away when the user switches. At Lv.49, Vibrava learns Sandstorm, a Ground-type weather condition move, that does 1/16th of the maximum HP as damage to any Pokémon which is not Ground, Rock, or Steel type, or with Sand Veil. At Lv.57, Vibrava gets Hyper Beam, a 150 base power, 90% Accuracy Normal-type attack that requires a turn to recharge after using. Flygon learns these moves at Lv.53 and 65, respectively.

Oh, and there's one more Snag in the Shadow Pokémon Lab I didn't fill you in on.



The third and final Pokemon of the Johto legendary beast trio, Raikou is the polarized Special sweeper to what Suicune does for defensive walling (and what Entei doesn't do so good a job at, but really means to, for Physical sweeping). Hurt mildly by a weak movepool, it otherwise is quite the offensive tool. With its very high Special Attack and Speed, I would argue that Raikou is one of the best Special sweepers in Gen 3. In order to function to the best of its ability, though, it generally will need a strong base power Hidden Power of either Grass or Ice to hit Ground-types (immune to Electric attacks) for super effective (or at least normal, if the other type resists) damage. Alternatively, Hidden Power Water can be used and boosted by rain, while using Thunder as well, but this makes a Water Absorb Quagsire immune to both of its attack types (Electric and Water).

All of them having been explained before, its moves in order of recovery are Leer, Quick Attack, Thunder, and Rain Dance. Forming a deadly combo with Suicune, the speedy Raikou uses Rain Dance first, followed by Surf from Suicune; the following turns end up being Raikou using a now 100% accurate Thunder and Suicune continuing to its use Rain and STAB-boosted Surf. This will sweep just about anything in their path, with optional Crunch on Raikou and Ice Beam on Suicune for coverage.

At Lv.41, Raikou learns Spark, at Lv.51, Reflect. To make Raikou's attack type movepool less shallow, Crunch is available at Lv.61. Finally, Raikou learns Thunder at Lv.71, and Calm Mind at Lv.81.

____________

I'd like to finish up both Mt. Battle and the Shadow Pokémon Lab within the next three updates, the question is in what order you'd like me to hit them up in:

A. Shadow Pokémon Lab, Areas 7-8, Areas 9-10
B. Areas 7-8, Shadow Pokémon Lab, Areas 9-10
C. Areas 7-8, Areas 9-10, Shadow Pokémon Lab

If we go with A or C, I'll merge the Mt. Battle updates together into one big one. Also, at this point, thanks to being so far along Mt. Battle, I think we have the resources to fill the last slot of our current party of Espeon, Feraligatr, Ampharos, Hitmontop and Stantler with just about any Pokémon, if you don't mind me doing some off-screen grinding. It's going to be hard to switch up Pokémon once it comes time that we're done with these Areas, so I want to know what we're using:

1. Bring back Dunsparce!
2. On with Plusle!
3. Insert (Pokémon) here! (Other than Entei, Suicune, or Raikou)

Get the votes in, and I'll get in motion.

EDIT: Our current team and status, for the sake of reference:

Money: P42,910
Poké Coupons: 1,300
Play Time: 50:20 (significantly lengthened by wall-walking)
Snag List: 25 Shadow Pokemon Snagged, 25 previously Shadow Pokemon now Purified.
Strategy Memo: 190 species of Pokemon met

Espeon: Synchronize, Mild w/TwistedSpoon (Lv.52, M, Poke Ball):
149/86/62/181/122/131 - Psybeam, Return, Reflect, Morning Sun

Feraligatr: Torrent, Quiet w/Mystic Water (Lv.52, F, Premier Ball):
159/127/116/118/109/92 - Surf, Slash, Bite, Ice Beam

Ampharos: Static, Quirky w/Quick Claw (Lv.52, F, Great Ball):
176/96/100/138/105/72 - Thunderbolt, Thunder, Cotton Spore, Light Screen

Hitmontop: Intimidate, Relaxed w/Black Belt (Lv.53, M, Great Ball):
123/121/132/52/135/85 - Agility, Focus Energy, Brick Break, Rapid Spin

Stantler: Intimidate, Adamant w/EXP. Share (Lv.49, M, Nest Ball):
139/114/80/86/79/98 - Astonish, Hypnosis, Leer, Take Down