Pokemon Crystal Part #41 - Sliding Faff of the Ice Path

Part 41: Sliding Faff of the Ice Path

Update 33: The Sliding Faff of the Ice Path

Rejoice! We'll be heading to new areas in this update. But first, now that Team Rocket has left, what has become of their front?

It acts more or less like a normal Mart, which we have been missing since, like, Olivine. Good to stock up for the road ahead.

Route 44

I wonder what brand new Pokemon and trainers we'll find?

Gah! That was quick.

Alright, good start. Psybeam (Saike Kōsen: Psyche-beam) is a Psychic move with 65BP, 20PP and 100% accuracy that has a 10% chance of confusing the target. It's an okay move, but there are better Psychic moves like, well, Psychic, that you'll replace it with.

"on your side."

Churchill handled herself well as per usual, but I think she's missing something.

I had Bite for Granbull to use as a special move. Giving it Shadow Ball would've made it a wrecking ball early in the game. Now that the rest of our team has caught up power wise, I think it's fair to give Churchill her own boost to stay relevant.

Neat.

: I also battle until I drop. That's my relationship with my POKéMON.

So you gonna drop?

Wow, that's one hell of a record. Did you balance it on purpose?

Gah!

: Good trainers seek tough opponents instinctively.

HP: 75 | ATK: 80 | DEF: 85 | SP.ATK: 90 | SP.DEF: 100 | SPD: 50 | TOTAL: 480

#086: Bellossom

I've mentioned it so many times in various analysis, so let's talk about Solarbeam (Sōrā Bīmu), a Grass move with 120BP, 10PP and 100% accuracy that takes one turn to charge, then one turn to attack. While it's not the strongest Grass move overall, being barely beaten out by Petal Dance, it's still one of the most available, so it'll be the one you choose, most likely. It can be used immediately in the sun, but has half the power in the rain or in a sandstorm.

Thanks, mom. I'm sorry, gurl, you were saying?

: We all get better by experiencing many battles. I battled a lot to become what I am today--an elite.

Gah!

"looking at you."

: I'm good at POKéMON, and I can see that you are too.

: No wonder you're so tough. I wonder if ECRUTEAK GYM's MORTY is still in training? He really hammered me.

While we've reached the end of the route already, it's basically a large circle, so there's still a bit more to explore.

"rare POKéMON!"

HP: 80 | ATK: 85 | DEF: 95 | SP.ATK: 30 | SP.DEF: 30 | SPD: 25 | TOTAL: 345

#206: Rhyhorn

: What? You mean that's not true?

Beat you in a battle? Yeah, I take no prisoners.

I already have.

"It was huge."

: I swear it must've been 16 feet tall! Eh, our battle was fun. I'd say... When I'm fishing, I sometimes snag items that people have dropped. Do you want them? What's the number?

Sure, wynaut? Wilton doesn't do anything much in Crystal, but in Gold and Silver he calls up when Remoraid swarms.

"to let you know."

Alright, that's all the trainers, so on to the center of the route.

Deelish.

We can finally catch Lickitung here. Much more preferable to the second to last Pokemon we ever catch.

Still not all that great, unfortunately.

Tangela is the second of three Pokemon that we can actually use the Fast Ball on. So, uh, might as well use it.

Interesting that these two new Pokemon we can catch here can evolve in Gen 4.

And of course...

We've got every GS exclusive Pokemon, as well as all the Gen 1 exclusive Pokemon. So we should be good to catch the remaining... 100 Pokemon? Oh geez.

Imma cannon you. Later.

"POKéMON?"

I may have heard of them once or twice.

Neat.

: I heard there are other legendary birds, though. You know, you are really strong. But I don't want to just slink off... I know! Could I get your number? Let's meet up for more battles!

I literally cannot say no.

"challenge you!"

Uh, sure.

We're not done with this update just yet, so let's head into the Ice Path.

Ice Path

The Ice Path looks real fuckin snazzy in comparison to Gold and Silver. It's more or less the same, layout wise, so those ice puzzles ingrained in your memory still work just fine.

Unfortunately, there's not a huge amount to this cave aside from lots of items and lots of ice.

Wheeeeeeeeee

You already know how I solved these ice puzzles, right? Like, who doesn't?

Here's a random HM. Don't miss it! Waterfall (Taki Nobori: Waterfall Climb) is a Water move with 80BP, 15PP and 100% accuracy. It's a good move, but it doesn't match up to Surf until it becomes physical. So use it when you have to.

New area means we can catch a lot of new Pokemon here. Finally I can get my pig son.

Now we switch to night to find...

HP: 45 | ATK: 55 | DEF: 45 | SP.ATK: 65 | SP.DEF: 45 | SPD: 75 | TOTAL: 330

#190: Delibird

Uh...?

OH JESUS!

...oh okay. Never mind then. Present (Purezento) is a Normal move with a varying BP, 15PP and 90% accuracy. The move has a chance to either damage with an attack, or heal the target for 80HP. It has a 40% chance to be a 40BP move, a 30% chance to be an 80BP move and a 10% chance to be a 120BP move. Then a 20% chance to heal. Overall, it's a pretty bad move for a pretty bad Pokemon.

I look forward to using this on my te-ahahahahaha.

Now we're switching from ice puzzles to Strength puzzles. Oh how wonderful! (sarcasm)

I don't know how many times I've done this puzzle. I could do this with my eyes closed. I'm not gonna. But I could.

They're four mini-puzzles that do require you to think for a few moments. I like them. Sometimes, Strength puzzles are fun.

That's two down.

And that's the last two. Easy enough.

The next floor is a large ice room, which we can completely traverse now that all the boulders are here.

I think we're past the point where we need to sell these stat boosts, so time to drug up my monsters!

Another item.

Not much else to this room, so let's move onwards.

It's been a while since we last saw a smashable rock. They don't give us anything new though.

The Nevermeltice boosts Ice moves by 10%. I'll maybe give this to Jeremiah? I dunno.

This is the only change between GS and Crystal, where before there were a load of rocks, there is now a raised section with a ledge. I mean, okay? Doesn't really change anything.

On this bottom floor are a couple more Pokemon we can find. They could've been found on the higher floors, but here is there highest encounter at 10%. Powder Snow (Konayuki) is an okay Ice move with 40BP, 25PP and 100% accuracy and a 9.8% chance to freeze the target. Aside from the weird chance to freeze, this move is an alright stop gap before you find better Ice moves. Like Ice Punch.

Once we hatch the starter eggs we can get ourselves a Smoochum. Neat!

This is an interesting change. In GS, you could only catch Sneasel at the very last location in the game, limiting its usefulness. Now its location draws on its Ice type instead of its Dark type.