JCJ's Crazy RandomLocke

[JonathanCrazyJ]

JCJ's Crazy RandomLocke

So, I got inspiration from Submachine's amazing thread. I won't be able to do anything remotely as good, but thought it might be interesting.
I am using a randomizer to impose changes to an Emerald run-through.

What is changed?

-Pokemon Abilities Randomized
-Trade evolutions changed to be possible. All evolutions are made so final evolutions are achievable by lvl 40 (this is because fully evolved pokes will be findable in the wild anyway).
-Starters will be 1st evolution random pokes with 3 evolutions. So Zubat, squrtle, dratini, and hold a random non-bad item.
-All areas will have their pokemon randomized. If an area would have 40% one poke and 60% another, it will still have only 2 pokes available, but those will be random.
-Movesets will be randomized, favoring same type as the pokemon. All pokes will start with at least one damaging move.
-Trainers pokes are random, and will all be fully evolved after lvl 30.
-Pokemon have random held items.
-Move Tutors and TMs contain random moves.
-Field Items randomized (other than TM balls and Key items)

Nuzlocke Rules

-Only 1st met pokemon in each area can be caught.
-As static encounters (legendaries) are randomized, they can be caught too. When I did RandomheartGold, the Shiny Gyrados was a Shiny Oddish.
-If a pokemon feints it dies and must be released.
-EXCEPTIONS:
  -If leveling up a pokemon to match the team level to replace a dead pokemon, I won't care if it feints in training.
  -Epic Death Clause: because of random move-sets, completely OP moves are possible, and impossible to predict. For this reason, until level 25, death from moves with over 94 power will not be counted. Death from Explosion or Destiny Bond will never be counted.

[Submachine]

Cool idea.

I never did or followed a RandomLocke before, so I'm curiously waiting what you'll go through with this setup.

Btw, you mentioned that you don't count death from Explosion and Destiny Bond, but Selfdestruct is not on that list. Was it left out intentionally?

[Ginyu]

Following!

Using Self-Destruct etc. on your own is still not allowed, I suppose? Or, in other words, will count as death.

Question to the randomization:
If you catched a pokémon, it will have a completely random moveset (with in-type attacks favoured). If they level up, do they still gain random attacks at random levels, or will they refer to real sets then?

[Solaris]

Following!

Using Self-Destruct etc. on your own is still not allowed, I suppose? Or, in other words, will count as death.

Question to the randomization:
If you catched a pokémon, it will have a completely random moveset (with in-type attacks favoured). If they level up, do they still gain random attacks at random levels, or will they refer to real sets then?

It's a random move at the set levels that they'd learn before. EG: If a Pokemon were to learn Crunch at 21, it will instead learn a randon move at 21.

[JonathanCrazyJ]

After lvl 25, being hit by self destruct will count as death. Using self-killing moves is always death.

[JonathanCrazyJ]

The Adventure Begins



This is the moment. Will it be Zubats or Beldums? Hopips or Charmanders?

The answer is: Lotad, Slakoth, Machop. With abilities randomized, Slakoth is a great option, but what will it be?





Interesting. Accuracy and PP could be a problem early game, but power is nice. Might have to risk it and throw pokeballs at full HP though, because i can't see that leaving much alive. His held item was TM 34: Taunt. not very useful sadly.
Stupidly, I fought May with Machop at level 6, and only at half health due to a nasty Cross-Chop from a Makuhita. Thankfully, two hits with Mega-Kick and her Lotad missing with its Hydro Cannon, and I got through unscathed.
Back to Birch's lab, and I finally have some Poke Balls! Time to see what's lurking in the tall grass. I saw a Loudred on Route 101 and a Makuhita on route 103 on the way to May, but the Nuzlocke only starts when I can catch something...



Loudred it is! I was lucky that Mega-Kick didn't OHKO it, was a bit risky in truth... CAUGHT! And oh boy am i glad i did... Need to take care of this one!



Sadly, I made the same mistake of attacking the Makuhita I found in route 103 and it died. I'm not too fussed, as it wouldn't get in the team over Machop anyway.

My first trainer battle was against Cradily lvl 5 on route 102, so i risked it and threw a Dynamic Punch, hoping for an OHKO... and it landed! Machop instantly grew to level 7 and learned Tripple Kick, a much more accurate move that I'm certainly happy to have.

Route 102's Nuzlocke encounter... Level 4 Sceptile! i'd love to catch this.. but I stupidly thought it could survive a Triple Kick... sadly I watched as it JUST did enough damage to kill the poor thing. Tragic.

While leveling up Loudred to match Machop's level, he learnt Rain Dance, a lovely complement to his Hydro Canon meaning he should be able to take out most opponents, Water having great neutral type coverage with Normal. Time to continue fighting through Route 102 trainers. the most eventful ones had a Jynx, and a Duskclops which made me glad for Loudred's Hydro Cannon. Oh, and a Vaporeon with Drought ability lol. I also found a Quick Claw on Route 102 which will compliment Machop nicely.

Route 104 brought a new member to Team JCJ... Ariados!



In all honesty, a terrible ability, but the moveset is interesting. Acid armor and synthesis actually make for good reading for an unlikely tank in early game... not really the stats to back it up, but nice to have varied options.

I made my first switch on Route 104, swicthing Ariados to Machop because of a trainer having Magcargo. I'm glad I did, because the ensuing Rock Slide could have caused me big problems, falling outside Epic Death range. A Muk with AeroBlast was foiled by Ariados's acid armor / synthesis combo but gave me a scare, and our intrepid crew made it into Petalburg Woods.

Graveller was caught! Lovely ability and nice moves. Solid team addition!



A Magma Grunt forced a switch, nearly killing Graveller with its Mr. Mime's Psychic, but loudred tanked it well and finished it off with Swift.
And on Route 104 (north)... Graveller Learned Earthquake.... yeah... that happened. My heart skipped a beat as it was brought down to 2HP by a Minum with Giga Drain, but ultimately, I reached Rustboro City in high spirits, and generally pleased with the composition of the Game, though OP moves seem slightly more common that i would like, the fact enemies have them too evens things up somewhat.

So far level-up moves that I didn't take were:
Ariados: Twin-Needle (not as good as Silver Wind) and Featherdance (not as good as Acid Armor).
Loudred: Razor Wind (terrible).
Graveller: Sandstorm (annoying).

[JonathanCrazyJ]

Roxanne

I decided to fight Gym #1 before bed, and might be risking it at only team level 13, but what's life without a challenge?



1st match up should be ok, Just Egg-Bomb...



Poor Roxanne, RNG has not been kind to her it seems...



Yup. the double battle from her flunkies in the Gym was harder than that. Against them, I faced Poliwrath, Manectric, Scizor and Noctowl. Against Roxanne, this unfortunate collection of miscreants. Before the end of the episode, i'll pop into the next route to see who I come across...





Well. That's just silly. It won't learn anything else for a while, but I have been very lucky with RNG. I have had some near misses, and I think once the Epic Death clause wears off i will find things a lot more volatile, but so far, Randomlocke is going well!

[AD TienzuStorm]

Ooh following I've always loved the idea of randomizing the game.

But I've never actually found a way that worked to randomize it. Are you using a rom on a computer, and if so, what site did you use to get the randomizer and the game itself?

[JonathanCrazyJ]

Can't give details about that sadly as Roms and Emulators are a bit sketchy, and it would count as advertising for them if i posted a link

[JonathanCrazyJ]

Marching On



So, the Bug Catchers around here are doing well for themselves nowadays aren't they?

Anyway, into Rusturf Tunnel...



No Frosslass in Gen 3, but a Gailie will be a solid addition to the team.

Now, I wonder if May will pose a challenge...





Straight off the bat, a real dilemma. He'll be faster, so can he kill me with a rock move before I kill him with an Ice move. I decide to play it safe and switch to Graveller who should be able to Wall the ancient pokemon. it was good i did, as sure enough, his ancient power might have been too much for Snorunt. After that, Loudred OHKOed lvl 15 lotad with Swift. Seriously, Loudred with Pure Power might be game-breakingly OP.

off into Dewford Town, and a wonderful Old Rod giver means I can now Nuzlocke a poke in most towns via fishing. Dewford's addition...



Excellent. Will be a great back-up to Machop, and means I can afford to be a bit more gung-ho with my muscly starter, now i know I have an appropriate replacement.

Into Granite Cave and far less exciting addition of Surskit, which I failed to catch. Nevermind. Annoyingly the next thing i ran into in there was Umbreon and then Quilava, both of which could have been a much nicer catch, but oh well.
Only other event worth mentioning was a wild Donphan that nearly OHKOed Metang with Earthquake, and this:



Which I decided was much more useful than Acid Armor, on the rather flimsy bug. Steven's TM was Milk Drink, which I think I'll save for now for if/when i get a defensive poke.

Now... Time for Gym number 2.

In here, tragedy struck my little family. The Nuzlocke nightmare, a double battle, saw Metang and Graveller facing Doduo and Celebi. I thought I could destroy them with Rock Slide (killing doduo and damaging Celebi), and an Iron Tail. Unfortunately I was mistaken, and Celebi knew Vine Whip...



GRAVELER, NO!

I decided to go onto the beach (route 106) and try to fish up a replacement (I hadn't done this earlier because I thought I would leave the route's pokemon for later when surfing).



Hardly inspiring, but a better team addition than the hitmonlee in my Box, because I'd be vulverable to air and psychic attacks if i had him, machop and ariados in the same squad. I was right. While leveling up to team level, Vigorith learnt Double Team and Moonlight, a great little stalling combination, especially when it evolves into Slacking.
Back to that accursed Second gym...

[JonathanCrazyJ]

Brawly

Lets see if Gym leader #2 has a more fearsome line up than the rather pathetic Roxanne.



At least it's fully evolved, and its Sweet Kiss (ew, how sweet... rat kisses) confused Metang, but ultimately its Vicegrip was not powerful enough to do more than minor damage.



Again, better, but not too scary a prospect.



That's more like it! i sent out my strongest pokemon to deal with this threat, but the level scared me, and Hypnosis was a really nasty surprise. Mew then used Rock Throw twice while I was asleep, cutting me into the yellow. Loudred woke up, and his swift didn't set the world alight like I had hoped. As it stood, the battle was here:



I did the math, and decided that, Bar Crits, I could survive another rock throw, so went for broke with Egg Bomb. Hypnosis missed, Egg Bomb missed... lets try that again!
Hypnosis missed, Egg Bomb missed. lovely.
Rock throw.... A CRITICAL HIT! oh NO! why did i take the risk??? My most OP pokemon brought to dust by this... thing!



I decided that, knowing Mew would only have 2 moves at this level, I could send out machop who would resist rock throw. Sadly his Mega Kick hardly touched Mew, who used a Sitrus Berry and returned to almost full health! What have I got myself into?!

I threw a Dynamic Punch, which landed and confused Mew. i decided at this point to try to bring in vigorith, and set up full Double Team while Mew was afflicted with confusion.

Finally, after 4 Moonlights and 6 Double Teams on my end, and a 2 BLOODY SUPER POTIONS on his, I had Mew in the red, and a final Body Slam ended its evil existence.





So did you, friend, so did you. And TM for Steel Wing was my reward (which is funny because that's what should have been in Steven's TM earlier)



Time to leave this island of doom, and return to my adventure.

[Physsion]

Following this. Great work so far, looking forward to seeing how your story progresses! Quite interested in starting a random run of my own when I get a bit more free time.