A Nuzlocke Thread

[Neyo]

This thread is simply for people who are starting a Nuzlocke, in the middle of one, or have finished one, and want to talk about it or need advice.

In case you are wondering, a Nuzlocke is a different way to play the Pokémon games, making them far more difficult. Here are the rules:
1. If a Pokémon faints, you cannot use it anymore and you must box it or release it. Therefore, you can’t use revives or anything of the like.
2. Nickname all of your Pokémon. This is just to form a “stronger bond” between your Pokémon and you.
3. You can only catch one Pokémon per area, and they must be the first. This doesn’t count gifted Pokémon (for example, starters).
Additionally, there are some extra, optional clauses:
Shiny clause: You can catch shinies, regardless of whether or not they are there first Pokémon you encounter in the area.
Duplicate clause: If the first Pokémon you meet in a new area is already caught by you, you can encounter and catch a different one.

So, just to recap, this thread is for people to discuss and talk about Nuzlockes. Have fun!

 

[Greninjaman]

The two original rules are certainly hard enough on their own. Add enough restrictions, and you might have an impossible challenge.

 

[WyndonCalling]

The two original rules are certainly hard enough on their own. Add enough restrictions, and you might have an impossible challenge.

Oh, you'll hate my ruleset. My runs are essentially 'box-less', to prevent easy picking-and-choosing of species and presenting a very real risk of simply running out of Pokémon in tougher segments.

In addition to the above, I have:

- Must play on Set
- No in-battle items allowed (outside is fine)
- The first catch of each area gets added straight to your party. If your party is full, the area is effectively 'expended' the moment you make an encounter and you cannot catch anything from the area
- If you encounter a duplicate species, the area is also 'expended' and you cannot make a catch there

You'll play with what you catch, and you're going to like it. Gens 1 and 2 are still a cakewalk even under this ruleset, Gen 3 is a nice, moderate challenge, and Gens 4 and 5 are legitimately difficult to complete due to the end-game teams you'll face. I haven't tried it with Gens 6-onwards yet.

 

[Neyo]

Oh, you'll hate my ruleset. My runs are essentially 'box-less', to prevent easy picking-and-choosing of species and presenting a very real risk of simply running out of Pokémon in tougher segments.

In addition to the above, I have:

- Must play on Set
- No in-battle items allowed (outside is fine)
- The first catch of each area gets added straight to your party. If your party is full, the area is effectively 'expended' the moment you make an encounter and you cannot catch anything from the area
- If you encounter a duplicate species, the area is also 'expended' and you cannot make a catch there

Dear lord. That sounds . . . intense, to say the least.

 

[WyndonCalling]

Dear lord. That sounds . . . intense, to say the least.

It does depend at least a little on what you catch, but A: all starter Pokémon are pretty excellent for Nuzlockes and B: I think most wild Pokémon are reasonably useful from Gen 4 onwards. Most of the run tends to be quite moderate going but later on, when you're up against nothing but Ace Trainers and you have to switch in on their attacks due to Set, having run out of places to catch new stuff...

EDIT: You know what, I think I will try an X run-through to show what's possible.

 

[Neyo]

I’m currently doing a Nuzlocke(that’s where I got the idea for this thread), and I have had some heartbreaking losses. I lost a Hitmonchan named Paul that would have helped me the entire play through, but died to Nessa. I had two other casualties, my Drizzile named Cursed Bond and a Slowpoke named Ancient One. They BOTH died to some lady with Clefable that Lee Metronome and twice they got incredibly overpowered moves that OHKOed my Pokémon.

 

[BigBadButterfree]

I love doing Nuzlockes! For me, it's all about the random aspect of it, so on top of the first two rules, I also use a random name generator for each new capture, and any gift Pokemon are wobdertraded away (in the recent games at least).

I have a current run of Alpha Sapphire that I've yet to finish, I should do that. I remember I was extreeeeeeemely lucky and found an Abra in Granite Cave, so a little training later and Brawly didn't stand a chance. That's the last thing that happened as far as I can recall.

 

[Neyo]

Well, my Nuzlocke is over. I got swept by Opal and died, due to poor planning and bad luck. RIP, my companions.

 

[PageEmperor]

Nuzlockes are literally my main source of playing the games, to be honest. To share all the Nuzlocke stuff I have, that would take possibly an entire decade.

But hey, I’m not the only one who actually managed to get an Abra in AlphaSaph! Didn’t use her against the Fighting gym because I had a Beautifly, but the Abra eventually evolved, became my main Mega, and wrecked so much face.

 

[GrookeyFan77]

I'm Playing Platinum Nuzlocke, Platinum Was My First Nuzlocke

 

[Rocket Messiah]

Well we could talk about Nuzlocke killers

In Red and Blue there are the Rocket in Mt Moon with an illegal Raticate at level 16 with Hyper Fang and The Hiker in Mt Moon with a Graveler who Selfdestructs

In Yellow Jessie and James in Mt Moon could be problematic, All the gym leaders have been revamped from Red and Blue, specially Lt Surge Raichu with Megakick, Koga army Venonats, Sabrina lv50 Alakaam or Giovanni Nidos with Thunder. Also Lance Dragonite would not be so friendly in Yellow.

In Gold Silver and Crystal apart from Whitney, the second Rival battle is problematic and the Rocket Executive with and army of Koffing is too.

In Emerald there is a lady with a Milotic powered by rain also another trainer has a Manectric with Thunder, Rival battle 3 is also hard.

In Platinum the Ace Trainer Duo with a Gyarados and a Raichu , Fantina and Cyrus in Distortion World (And Cynthia OFC)

In Black Elesa Emolgas and Lenora Watchog.

In X the double battle against two furfrous who also had Full Restores, also the Brain and Brawn outside Reflection Cave (Shrivers)

In Sun Guzma at Aether and In Ultra Sun Ultra Necrozma

In Lets Go any of the Gamblers who use Pokémon who uses One Hit KO moves.

What are your nuzlocke killers?

 

[WyndonCalling]

Greed is the Nuzlocke-killer. Taking the eye off the ball for the sake of convenience two hours into a gaming session, and opting to take the hit that you know will kill if it scores a critical.

 

[BigBadButterfree]

Most of the time ignorance is my Nuzlocke killer. I don't look up every level and moveset, so sometimes I'm caught off guard. Lost things like Wingull and Emolga to pokemon they should've been good against but had a surprise rock slide.

But also greed and under-preparedness. In a FireRed run I once lost three pokemon to the same fight in Silph Co.

 

[Rocket Messiah]

"I think I will survive another one of those" If the worst mistake you can do.

 

[GrookeyFan77]

It was not a nuzlocke but Totem Lurantis and Castform sweep my team

 

[RK9]

I've tried a nuzlocke before but I get too attached to some of my mons to perma-kill them. I am planning on trying one in the future though with one of the Drayano games.

The rules I use are essentially:
- Play on set.
- First encounter is what you can catch. Shiny-clause and dupe clause exist.
- in case of a hoard or double Pokémon patch (Like dark grass in BW or the Eterna Forest with Cheryl in Gen 4), you get a 'free' pick.
- Items are allowed in battle (but I am thinking of toning it this down to an 'item cap' where you use, let's say, a maximum of 2 healing per battle for example.)
- Only use healing by doctors or other NPCs on routes once.

That said, complacency is a lock killer. The infamous "I think I can live this" or "This won't crit for sure" are two big ones. There's also desperately trying to catch a mon in the wild that kills some of your stuff. Sometimes it's best to take your loss to prevent large-scale calamities.

 

[Prof_Pootis]

I did a Moon Nuzlocke and managed to get a Honedge via island scan. Despite it being my first Nuzlocke, I only lost two members.

 

[charlycicero]

I played three nuzlockes so far (one a wonderlocke, meaning I could only use Pokemon sent to me through a surprise trade). The first, in Omega Ruby, was very interesting because it was my first one ever, and I enjoyed it as a novel experience. The second, in Black, was miserable. I often lost Pokemon and at one point I had only 3 options, but I did complete it. The third, the wonderlocke in Shield, was also very interesting because the Pokemon I used were basically random (and I couldn't name some of them) but I did get attached to them all the same.

All in all, it is a very interesting experience, but I found them to be a bit too stressful, so I haven't attempted any new nuzlockes recently. But I am open to a new one eventually. Perhaps a typelocke or a teamlocke.

 

[BigBadButterfree]

The post above made me remember an extra rule that I use in some of my more recent Nuzlockes. I'm not crazy enough to try a full wonderlocke, but I like the idea (especial at the beginning of gen 6 when it was new). So I made an additional rule in my Nuzlockes: any gift Pokemon are wondertraded. So like I did one on pokemon Y and it's fun cuz like professor Sycamore gave me a Sandshrew, and Korrina gave me a Goomy which went to the elite 4.

 

[Neyo]

Okay, yesterday I started a Nuzlocke on Alpha Sapphire. I chose Mudkip, and caught the mandatory Poochyena. I later caught a Ralts, and later, a Wurmple. In the nearby forest, I caught a Slakoth at the ridiculous level of 15(Dexnav is pretty great). However, the Wurmple died in the process. I tore through Roxanne with my Mudkip, but later lost the Poochyena to a Team Aqua Grunt. I made my way to Dewford and obtained a Whismur. There I caught a Zubat, and challenged Brawly. I received the Cosplay Pikachu in Slateport, and caught an Electrike. In Slateport, however, my Ralts died to a Carvahna. On the battle with Brendan on rout 110, I defeated him quite easily. Then, the fight immediately after that, Whismur died. And now I’m in Mauville.

My current team: Mudkip(Robespierre), Vigoroth(Proletariat), Zubat(Kant), Pikachu-Belle(JP Morgan), and Electrike(Speedrun). So, as you can see, this Nuzlocke has been a bit of a challenge. I don’t even have a full team.