Part 49: The Elite Four

Update 39: The Elite Four

Goldenrod City



Starting off today with some Egg hatching. I'll be keeping this up throughout the LP, as this is the only way to get some Pokemon. But since we have six team members, I'll just quickly hatch them. Best way to do that is just outside the Daycare and going up and down. Thankfully I can speed the game up to hatch things quickly, since Flame Body doesn't exist yet.





HP: 40 | ATK: 30 | DEF: 15 | SP.ATK: 85 | SP.DEF: 65 | SPD: 65 | TOTAL: 305
#152: Smoochum

Indigo Plateau



Alright, it's time to take down the Elite Four. Finally. Let's have a look at our team.



...Kamina? is a physical tank that hits hard with very useful STAB. And if I'm feeling lucky, then we can try Horn Drill, but that requires us being higher level, which isn't going to happen for most of the Elite Four. Still, we can use it in future. Surf is a move to finish off weakened opponents.



Jeremiah is as dependable as always, with Water and Ice moves and status in Paralysis and Sleep. Very useful, very nice, but not much to talk about. Next!



Helios still has some problems, but with an actual special move to make use of, it can be very useful. Despite having lower Attack, Return still hits hard, but man I wish there was some Psychic move it could learn. Oh well, eventually...



Churchill is our other heavy hitter with some variety and power, but is pretty slow. Can also make male opponents 50% useless, but it prefers to just smack things really hard. Can also lower defense if it can't immediately break through something.



Mothra is a weird mixed attacker that is our Psychic type until we get a proper Psychic type, but it can also hit relatively hard with Sludge Bomb and finish off weak foes with Swift. It's not amazing, but it's still a fine team member that does what it do.



Finally, Kakarott is a speedy special attacker of a different kind that has some good STABs to damage opponents with, as well as Quick Attack to finish them off. And that's all it needs to do, it's great, they're all great, so off we go!



Well, no going back now.



Let's meet the first contender.



: Allow me to introduce myself, I am WILL. I have trained all around the world, making my psychic POKéMON powerful. And, at last, I've been accepted into the ELITE FOUR. I can only keep getting better! Losing is not an option!

Elite Four Battle VS Elite Four Will






(Since there's not any amazing Gen 2 artwork of the Elite Four, we'll still be sticking with the HGSS stuff. Will is derived from willpower, while Itsuki is from the tsuki tree, also called the Zelkova serrata).



So Will's main strategy is to just hit hard with Psychic. Thankfully due to the terrible level curve of these games, instead of being 10-20 levels lower than the Elite Four, we're about 1-10 levels lower, which doesn't really offer up much of a challenge. So to not drag this out too long, I will be using super effective moves more often, cause I don't really want to give this Elite Four much focus, they're pretty uninteresting.



Starting off strong.




HP: 95 | ATK: 95 | DEF: 85 | SP.ATK: 125 | SP.DEF: 65 | SPD: 55 | TOTAL: 520
#105: Exeggutor



Pfft, I'll abuse the lack of physical/special split when I can!



Well, I put these moves onto Helios for a reason.



Sunsteel Strike! Wait shit wrong game



Lovely Kiss (Akuma no Kissu: Demon's Kiss) is a Normal status move with 10PP and 75% accuracy that puts the target to Sleep. That is better than Hypnosis, but has ridiculously limited distribution that it's not really worth it.



That's enough outta you.



Will's second Xatu is exactly the same as the first and exactly as notable, so we're done here!

Indigo Plateau


"change my course."

: I will continue battling until I stand above all trainers! Now, MARINA, move on and experience the true ferocity of the ELITE FOUR.



One down, three to go.



: I live in shadows, a ninja! My intricate style will confound and destroy you! Confusion, sleep, poison... Prepare to be the victim of my sinister technique! Fwahahahaha! POKéMON is not merely about brute force--you shall see soon enough!

Elite Four Battle VS Elite Four Koga






(Returning from Gen 1, Koga is from, well, Kōga-ryū, a school of ninjutsu. Believe it! Kyō is an on-yumi (alternate reading) of apricot. The kun-yomi (literal reading) of apricot is anzu. Eh? Ehhhhhhh? Soon I'll be able to properly tell you what that's about, brick jokes!)



I counter your Bug/Poison with my own Bug/Poison. Ahah!



AHAH!



Hmm, let's stop you right there. Its plan is to boost evasion, trap you from switching and then Baton Passing to another Pokemon that'll gain all its benefits. Do not let it do that, dumbass.



Man my bug is good.




HP: 85 | ATK: 90 | DEF: 80 | SP.ATK: 70 | SP.DEF: 80 | SPD: 130 | TOTAL: 535
#039: Crobat



This thing is pretty darn speedy, but it doesn't really have the oomph behind it to deal loads of damage.



So it's not that big deal, waste the healing items, see if I care! The poison (probably) won't kill me.




HP: 75 | ATK: 90 | DEF: 140 | SP.ATK: 60 | SP.DEF: 60 | SPD: 40 | TOTAL: 465
#094: Forretress



After roasting a chesnut, we face the sludge pile.



Oh good, this looks fun. Acid Armor (Tokeru: Liquefy) is a Poison status move with 40PP that increases Defense by 2 stages. It's an alright move, but it's situational, whatever.



And with that, we are done. Halfway there!

Indigo Plateau

"your worth!"
"muster."

: But my efforts failed, I must hone my skills. Go on to the next room, and put your abilities to test!



Hmm, interesting, a Fire type Elite Four?



: I always train to the extreme because I believe in our potential. That is how we become strong. Can you withstand our power? Hm? I see no fear in you. You look determined. Perfect for battle! Ready, MARINA? You will bow down to our overwhelming power! Hoo hah!

Elite Four Battle VS Elite Four Bruno






(Bruno means brown haired, while also being similar to brawn, bruiser and brunt. While Siba is from shiba, the Japanese name of Zoysia, creeping grass and shibaku, to strike.)




HP: 50 | ATK: 95 | DEF: 95 | SP.ATK: 35 | SP.DEF: 110 | SPD: 70 | TOTAL: 455
#146: Hitmontop




I dunno why it kept going for Quick Attack, it knew Pursuit. But the AI can be quite dumb. And then at the same time it went for Detect on my Fly turns, so I just dunno.



Hey, that's not a Fighting type. Oh well, physical tank gooooooooo



Hell yeah



Well this is annoying, but it just makes Mothra stronger.



Bruno isn't too notable, since most of his Pokemon aren't particularly tough.



But now it's time for the big guns.




HP: 90 | ATK: 130 | DEF: 80 | SP.ATK: 65 | SP.DEF: 85 | SPD: 55 | TOTAL: 505
#142: Machamp



I did forget it had Rock Slide. Really should've expected it.



Well that didn't go too well, but Jeremiah's got this.



Welp. Cross Chop (Kurosu Choppu) is a Fighting move with 100BP, 5PP and 80% accuracy that also has an increased critical hit ratio. It's a pretty great move if it hits but with low PP and loads of misses makes it not amazing.



This is the only way this battle can end.

Indigo Plateau



That's three of them down!

"say anything..."

: Go face your next challenge!



...yeah it's Dark.



: You're MARINA? How amusing. I love dark-type POKéMON. I find their wild, tough image to be so appealing. And they're so strong. Think you can take them? Just try to entertain me. Let's go.

Elite Four Battle VS Elite Four Karen






(Karen is similar to her Japanese name, as well as containing the last five letters of 'darken'? Uh, sure. Karin, meanwhile, is from karin, Burmese rosewood, or Chinese quince.)




Oh god kill me now. Faint Attack (Damashiuchi: Sneak Attack) is a 60BP, 20PP Dark move that never misses. Why are Dark moves special anyway?



Ooh yeah, let's get out of here. Also that's not a Dark type, it's just black. Not really the same thing.



Petal Dance (Hanabira no Mai) is a Grass move with 70BP, 20PP and 100% accuracy that hits between 2-3 turns and confuses the user after it finishes. It's the best Grass move, but pretty hard to come by. Everyone else has to live with Solarbeam or Giga Drain if they can't get that move.



My dog is really good at digging up plants.




Also not a Dark type, but it's a pretty rubbish opponent regardless.



Girl doesn't even have a Sneasel? What is this bullshit?



Houndoom is actually where she gets dangerous. Crunch (Kamikudaku) is a Dark move with 80BP, 15PP and 100% accuracy that has a 20% chance of lowering Special Defense by one stage. It's a pretty good attack for special attackers. Like Houndoom.



While it definitely lay in the hurt, Jeremiah is always around to save the day. And with that, we are done.

Indigo Plateau

"in a trainer."


: That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled trainers should try to win with their favorites. I like your style. You understand what's important. Go on--the CHAMPION is waiting.



Aw man, I wonder who the Champion is this time. Maybe this completely unsubtle room will give us an idea. We'll find out next time.