Pokemon Yellow Part #5 - Update #05: The Power of Brock

Part 5: Update #05: The Power of Brock

Alright, let's do this!

: I'm no trainer, but I can tell you how to win!

Sure, we could use the help, I guess.

: It will be tough for your PIKACHU at this GYM! Electric attacks are harmless to BROCK's ground-type POKEMON.

I thought this was a Rock type Gym?

Oh goddamn, this is the worst day.

Well half of my team is gonna be useless.

"BROCK!"

#050: Diglett

So yeah, not too difficult.

#027: Sandshrew

One problem with an 85% accurate move...

Alright, I can take some hits.

...hmm, interesting. The 100% accurate move missed.

I feel that won't be the last one here...

"distance!"

: You're pretty hot, but not as hot as BROCK!

Let's do this!

"LEADER!"

: I believe in rock hard defense and determination! That's why my POKEMON are all the rock-type!

VS Leader Brock

Brock: The Rock-Solid Pokemon Trainer
(Brock is an actual name and, of course, comes from rock, while Takeshi is from take, mountain peak, or take, bamboo)

I think we're at a disadvantage. But it is weird that every Pokemon we face in this Gym is a Ground type. Oh well.

#074: Geodude

The anime lied to me!

Though it's not too hard to fix.

"QUICK ATTACK!"

Oh? Now we can do actual damage to some things. Pitiful, pitiful damage.

So yeah, Pikachu learns a lot of moves in this game since you're going to use it a lot. Some Pokemon really suffer from only have four moves available to them. This really isn't a problem in Gen 1.

Get rid of the useless ones.

Here's the big one.

#095: Onix

It's pretty defensive, but I ain't dying to an attack like that.

...uhhh, Screech (Iya na Oto: Unpleasant Tone) is meant to lower Defense by 2 stages, but it's kinda inaccurate.

Cool.

Pretty great reward.

: As proof of your victory, here's the BOULDERBADGE!

This is the only time in the entire series you obtain an item in battle. It's weird and maybe something left over from beta.

: That's an official POKEMON LEAGUE BADGE! It's bearer's POKEMON become more powerful! The technique FLASH can now be used anytime!

Holy crap, that's a lot of money! And yeah, boosting stats is something badges do, by 12.5%. This badge does so for Attack and the increase is always reapplied after drops or boosts. You won't notice it.

: A TM contains a technique that can be taught to POKEMON! A TM is good only once! So when you use one to teach a new technique, pick the POKEMON carefully.

This is one of the moves Onix didn't use. Bide (Gaman: Perseverance) makes you absorb damage for 2-3 turns and then pay it back double, in typeless damage that'll never miss, no matter what. It's a really bad move since you can just not attack the opponent in those two turns and they can't do anything to you, or kill it in those two turns using your Special, supereffective STAB moves and annihilate it. The other move was Bind (Shimetsukeru) which is a terrible move also, but for other reasons. We'll see it in action, more or less, later. Hoo boy.

"in the world!"

: Some raise POKEMON for fights. Some see them as pets.

And yourself? Pokemon Professor?

: I'm in training to become a POKEMON breeder. If you take your POKEMON training seriously, go visit the GYM in CERULEAN and test your abilities!

Sure, breeder, let's see if that lasts over a decade...

Aww yeah.

"champ material!"

Time to stock up and heal up, we're done in Pewter City.

COLOUR!

And new route means new trainers.

This should be pretty simple.

Quick Attack (Denko Sekka: Lightning Speed) is an oldie, but a goodie. It's the only move this gen that has increased priority and is useful in a pinch. Not that much will be outspeeding Pikachu.

...sorry. Now give me your lunch money!

"fight!"

We did? Uh, I mean, if you're sure...

Ah, yeah, BUG CATCHER! I remember you. Man, you were a toughie. ( )

This is when you're supposed to see Weedle in Yellow. And you can't go far without seeing Poison Sting (Doku Bari: Poison Needle), which is a terrible Poison move, but has a 30% chance to Poison.

You'll be surprised to learn that he had only Caterpie left. I ain't keeping that shit in!

Yeah, good ones! Haha...

"easy to wear!"

...cool.

Dank memes aside, this should be a fairly simple battle.

#023: Ekans

Oh hey, a new thing, let's see what it-

...what it-

-what it can do, geez!

THANK YOU. Wrap (Makitsuku: Wrap Around) is a pathetically weak move that, as you can very easily see, is one of the worst moves in the game. This works exactly like Bind, to make you unable to attack and just chip you down slowly. Slower than the Pokemon using it? You cannot do ANYTHING. This will not be the last time we'll see it, unfortunately. Thakfully, it doesn't have the best accuracy.

Not too bad to take down otherwise, yeesh.

Don't look at my seach history!

You may have noticed that there's a lot of trainers in this area. Because of how small the routes are, they tend to stuff them in to inflate the level curve. I'm not a huge fan.

"intriguing!"

No officer, I did not look at her in that way.

Highlight reel, for your sanity and mine.

"people see you!"

Can't really avoid them if they're in the way.

Oh hey, first actual appearence of Kakuna.

They're as threatening as you'd expect.

"I would've won!"

Stop talking about my PC, or I'll Mac you one.

So?

"winter!"

And back round to the last of the trainers.

Gettin' real bored of bugs...

"wild ones!"

Oh thank god something to nerd at. This is only because Trainer Pokemon have set DVs depending on the trainer. I'm not sure if they have Stat Exp, but it's something they really employ in later games. Trainer Pokemon give off 50% more exp when defeated compared to wild Pokemon.

Time for Mankey to get some levels (I went a bit Thundershock happy).

No officer, I did not touch her, geez.

#039: Jigglypuff

Cute, but it won't last long.

Whew lad. Sing (Utau), will put you to Sleep, but has really bad accuracy. Don't want this thing following me around three regions.

I shoved my appendage low into your soft, pink puff, yes.

...that came out wrong

Nearly at the end of this route, but there is something we can catch.

After about five minutes, we have a new denizen of cyberspace. You can't catch Jigglypuff in this route in Yellow, but you can do in a little bit, so I won't cheat for it.