Part 30: That Update I Always Do Immediately After Getting Surf Where I Back Track and Pick Up Useless Junk and Also Tentacool
Yeah, no sweat Miss "I'm too busy popping out of tall grass at strangers to visit my grandmother"
Oh yeah, came here. Saw 'em. Kicked their ass.
They DID blow up a nature preserve for some reason. I'm still not sure why a nature preserve was needed to test the bomb, I guess there were no open fields or oceans anywhere around.
universe.
Uh, just because someone has a bomb doesn't mean you should take their stupid, stupid goals seriously. It just means you have weirdos with a bomb.
They're really not, except for their boss there but even then. Stupid Sneasel.
You can just turn off that concerned person act like a faucet, huh?
Library at Analcave. Got it.
--THE NEXT MORNING--
Something about a cave, let's go do shit.
Oh it looks like we "Rock Slided" your owl! HA HA HA!
I swear to god if you'd said "owl best" I'd have been pissed.
The fudge are you doin'?
Choro Notes: Psych Up
Psych Up is a neat move. Basically, say your opponent uses Swords Dance (raising its attack stat 2 stages) and Defense Curl ones (Defense one stage). Psych Up will copy those boosts. HOWEVER, it copies negative effects such as those from Growl as well.
Incorrect!
I've always been partial to their blinding powder!
I really hate when stupid things make sense.
Welp, back down the mountain.
So the old lady gave us this. . .
Well then.
It hurt me to do this.
Oh ho ho
Crafty.
Choro Notes: The Rose Incense is the breeding item for Roselia. With it equipped, it will produce Budew eggs, instead of Roselias.
A treasure trove of nature's candy~
Choro Notes: See this? Lum berries own. They're full heals you can grow, curing any status affliction.
Continuing south. . .
Another fine move to cram onto my dudes! (I won't be doing this.)
Tentacool.
Tentacool
Tentacool absorbs sunlight and refracts it using water inside its body to convert it into beam energy. This Pokémon shoots beams from its crystal-like protrusions. It ensnares its foe with its two long tentacles, then stabs with the poison stingers at their tips. Anglers who hook them by accident are often punished by their stingers. Tentacool's body is largely composed of water. If it is removed from the sea, it dries up like parchment. When the tide goes out, dehydrated Tentacool remains can be found washed up on the shore. If this Pokémon happens to become dehydrated, put it back into the sea.
Choro Notes: Oddly, Tentacool are very easy to miss in Sinnoh! They almost only appear in routes you have to backtrack to and even then you don't have to surf to see them. Tentacool itself is actually a tough lil guy. They've got very nice Sp.Defense and their ability either punishes HP absorption or prevents their stats from being lowered.
Golduck
When Psyduck evolve, their headaches disappear and they find themselves in possession of formidable mental powers. It appears by waterways at dusk. It may use telekinetic powers if its forehead glows mysteriously. Golduck is the fastest swimmer among all Pokémon. The webbed flippers on its forelegs and hind legs and the streamlined body of Golduck give it frightening speed. This Pokémon is definitely much faster than even the most athletic swimmer. It swims effortlessly, even in a rough, stormy sea. It sometimes rescues people from wrecked ships floundering in high seas. Often seen swimming elegantly by lakeshores. It is often mistaken for a Kappa.
Choro Notes: I really don't have much to say about Golduck. It's blue, evolves from psyduck and are often mistaken for kappa. Kappa are pretty cool. vOv
Oh don't look at me like that, I'm a nice person D:[
Gastrodon
Gastrodon live in tidal pools and have a pliable body without any bones. When attacked by predators, it oozes a purple fluid to escape. However, if any part of its body is torn off, it grows right back. Long ago, its entire back was shielded with a huge, sturdy shell. There are traces of it left in its cells.
Choro Notes: SKREEEEEEEEEE *squish* *squish* *squish* Gastrodon are another in a line of Water/Ground-types with a ton of HP. Really nothing much to say about them.
HulkaMatt Notes: No you did not catch a shiny. Please everybody stop IMing me that you finally caught a shiny. I hate breaking peoples hearts.
Derp.
Doot.
Still backtracking WOO.
Not sure we'll ever need this.
Cuttin' through the mountainhole.
Choro Notes: Dawn Stones
Dawn stones evolve very specific pokémon. only MALE Kirlia and FEMALE Snorunt evolve this way. The thing not many people know, however, is this thing can also be used to awaken sleeping monsters! It IS a dawn stone, after all.
Choro Notes: Moon Stones
Nothing new with the Moon Stone in Gen4. Same four monsters from Gen1 and Skitty.
Choro Notes: Electrizer and Magmarizer
The Electrizer and Magmarizer are evolution items for Electabuzz and Magmar. They just need to be holding them when traded and they'll evolve.
I'll be taking this too.
Hmm, it's taking longer to get to this treasure.
A patch of grass is treasure I guess, sort of kind of not really.
Robit!
Magnemite
Magnemite floats in the air by emitting electromagnetic waves from the units at its sides. These waves block gravity. This Pokémon becomes incapable of flight if its internal electrical supply is depleted. Magnemite attaches itself to power lines to feed on electricity. If your house has a power outage, check your circuit breakers. You may find a large number of this Pokémon clinging to the breaker box. The units at its sides are extremely powerful magnets. They generate enough magnetism to draw in iron objects from over 300 feet away. It is attracted by electromagnetic waves. It is said that if enough Magnemites and Magnetons gather in one place, they can create a powerful magnetic barrier. It may approach trainers if they are using their Pokégear.
Choro Notes: Magnemite and Magneton, to date, are the only Pokémon to ever change types between generations. In Gen1 they were purely Electric-type, but with the debut of the Steel-type in Gen2 they became dual Electric/Steel. It really only makes sense! Magnemites themselves are kinda neat design-wise but kind of unremarkable else wise. They're special attackers you don't want to let near ground-type attacks.
Oh my!
Magmar
Found near the mouth of a volcano. This fire-breather's body temperature is nearly 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit. It can heal itself by dipping its wound into lava. In battle, Magmar blows out intensely hot flames from all over its body to intimidate its opponent. This Pokémon's fiery bursts create heat waves that ignite grass and trees in its surroundings. Its body always burns with an orange glow that enables it to hide perfectly amidst flames.
Choro Notes: I love Magmar, but not so much Magmortar. Something about the design just rubs me the wrong way. Magmar-Magmortar is another weird sort of evolution where a stat drops, in this case Magmar's speed takes a hit when it evolves into the much larger, broader Magmortar.
. . . I choose to enter this place. A twelve-year-old is clearly welcome here.
That's. . . sure ok.
A POKEMON FIGHT IN A FOUNDRY, YES. THIS TOO IS A WONDERFUL IDEA.
Dumb.
I can't imagine why, I mean. Look at all these spinny floor things.
Don't you all have work?
(Deal with it.)
. . . .
Hey, yeah. Pride.
Your clairvoyance is amazing, laborer.
Bleep. Blep. Bloop.
Choro Notes: Heal Bell
Heal Bell heals all status ailments on your team, it's pretty great! It doesn't work, however, on monsters with Soundproof.
<:I
Choro Notes: Another Incense. This one's Sudowoodo's, it makes them produce Bonsly eggs instead.
Hey yeah, how'd that go with all the molten iron around?
"I can't imagine why that matters the big sillies. Hey! Hey Bernie how's the wife?!"
"Haha, he likes when I call him Bernie. "
Oh hey, I can sell this.
Wait, you're smelting meteorite? DON'T YOU KNOW THE VALUE OF STARMETAL?!
[>No.
Nope! Gonna sell it. Thanks!
Another beam-ish weapon for my arsenal, it seems.
. . . weird vibes off everyone in there. Oh well, let's go south!
Eventful!
I'm. . . I'm twelve.
Captivate. Uhhh.
What. What just happened here.
Choro Notes: Anybody remember this place? I don't!
BATTLE WITH A BAT ON AN UNDERGROUND RIVER.
Golbat
Golbat loves to drink the blood of living things. It is particularly active in the pitch black of night. This Pokémon flits around in the night skies, seeking fresh blood. Golbat bites down on prey with its four fangs and drinks the victim's blood. It becomes active on inky dark moonless nights, flying around to attack people and Pokémon. It prefers to strike from behind. However hard its victim's hide may be, it punctures with sharp fangs and gorges itself with blood. It can drink more than 10 ounces of blood at once. If it has too much, it gets heavy and flies clumsily.
Choro Notes: Golbat is weird in that they're stupidly common but actually pretty good. They're fast and obnoxious and can evolve REALLY early if raised well.
HulkaMatt Notes: Golbat is awesome because just when you think you are cool and its smooth sailing all the way to the elite four they start confusing, poisoning, and making your pokemon fall asleep. Underrated.
Hey. Yeah. See if you'd not required me to have Surf to get this it would make more sense.
Choro Notes: Chansey's incense. Happiny eggs instead of Chanseys.
This one's Marill's. Azurill eggs instead of Marill.
Yes. I know.
Choro Notes: This is probably one of the more useful Apps. If for nothing else than it lets you track wandering legendary monsters. It also lets you draw marks to remind you of things.
Choro Notes: This one, however, is not as useful. Hell for me, it's a "crash the game button."
Lanacane City is this way I believe.
Fishing should be a little better, I'd imagine.
Huh, this one makes me smile.
Finneon
The way Finneon's two tail fins flutter while it swims has earned it the nickname "Beautifly of the Sea." After long exposure to sunlight, the patterns on its tail fins shine vividly when darkness arrives. Its lateral line can store sunlight.
Choro Notes: I used a finneon as my starter in Heart Gold, a couple times it surprised me but they're really pretty weak for a while. Think of them as special-attacking Goldeen.
. . . . getting a steel mill vibe again.
Mr. Mime
Mr. Mime is a master of pantomime. Its gestures and motions convince watchers that something unseeable actually exists. Once it is believed, it will exist as if it were a real thing. Emanations from its fingertips solidify the air into invisible walls that repel even harsh attacks.
Choro Notes: Weird thing about Mr. Mime; if you look at its sprites it eventually gains a finger! Themselves they're really adept at throwing up barriers, but nothing really notable. Despite their name they can be male OR female--their name is gender neutral in Japan.
D:/
"He did that dot dot dot thing, you know?"
"I've been here for almost 2 weeks now, you should have been here long ago. So hungry. . ."
Software. You just push it in things.
ok.
What a pointless interlude.
Well then, I wonder what misadventures we can get in here.
Two weeks and you get a goddamned filler update. Sorry!
Next Time: Another goddamn cave.
Doug Dinsdale posted:
What still gets my goat today is how the Dex saw fit to selectively make male and female Nidoran separate species, and to a lesser degree the cows (though Miltank can't drop Tauros eggs?). It all insults, violates even, my sense of logic and mental well-being.
I also remember saying to my NOA handler that Mr. Mime was going to come back later and bite us in the ass if GF decides to introduce the concept of genders across the board. ...Prophetic words. Just one of many little lies that came to haunt us later.
Doug Dinsdale posted:
I don't think there was a whole lot of foresight about future generations when GF developed Gen 1.
I don't think anyone expected those games to turn into smash hits in Japan. I mean, it was on a game system that had clearly seen better days (looking back on GB's release calendar back then, the system definitely was on the wane until Pokemon came along and changed the landscape), and there was no anime support initially, unlike in the US.
Hell, we weren't sure if Pokemon was going to work over here. That's why the initial production lots were so small--and those disappeared pretty much instantly when the anime went on the air.