Create-A-Challenge!

[Zekurom]

And run it, of course.

This is basically a thread to post requirements for a more... challenging run of any Pokemon game.

Inspired by the Nuzlocke Challenge, the point of this thread is to see what crazy ideas people have to play a run through when the ordinary rules are just too boring and easy to pass the first time.

Just to be sure, here are the core rules of the original Nuzlocke Challenge:

1. After a Pokemon faints, you cannot use it again in battle.
2. You may only catch the first Pokemon you meet in any map area.

Some guidelines about the rules:

The challenge rule sets should not be unreasonable. So, nothing crazy, like:

• You may not have more than P4000 on hand at any given time.
• You may only battle one Pokemon in each map.

The reason the first one is unreasonable is because some trainers will actually give more than P4000 on a single battle - namely, the Elite Four and some Gym Leaders. As well, you don't want to force the trainer to run back and forth to the mart just to spend off money - that gets frustrating without adding any gameplay value.
The second one is unreasonable because... well, you're bound to come across at least two in one area, and it's not your fault at all.

Secondly, be specific about your rules. If something is not said to be disallowed, it's assumed to be allowed. Obvious exceptions are things like hacking and glitching, and various other methods of cheating that are not supposed to happen in normal gameplay either.

After a while, people can start actually playing through all these challenges.

Here's one to start:

The Natural Move Challenge

• Goal: To start from a new game and defeat the Elite Four and Champion.
• You may not catch or receive more than six Pokemon over the course of the game. (Your starter counts.)
• A Pokemon may not learn any move except through natural means and by Hidden Machine. (This means, no TM's and no move tutors. Breeding, if you can manage it, is allowed.)
• A Pokemon may not forget any moves that it has learned. (This includes the use of move deleters.) However, you are allowed to have a Pokemon not learn a move when it levels up.
• You may not use any HM more than once.

There can also be non-adventure challenges, like Safari Zone challenges, etc., but try not to get carried away.

*edit 21/06/2010* Alright, trends are starting to pop up in the challenges. I'm creating a list of categories for them.

• Death challenge - any challenge that has the following rule:
  • If a Pokemon faints, it is dead. You may not use it in battle ever again.
• Nuzlocke variant - any death challenge with the following rule:
  • You may only catch the first Pokemon in any map area.
• Anti-HM-Slave challenge - any challenge that disallows HM slaves assumes the following rule:
  • No Pokémon may have more than 2 moves that are usable outside of battle.

As well, here are a few global definitions for people to use:

• Map area - an area in the overworld that has its own data for Wild Pokemon appearances.

 

[Rakarei]

The wimpy challenge:

-You can only use Pokemon who's base stat total is less than or equal to 400 (330 for first gen games).
-If you have a Pokemon who's evolved form has base stat total over 400, you cannot evolve said Pokemon.

 

[Zekurom]

Oh good, the ball's rolling.

The 3000-Pyen Challenge

This is a one-rule quip:

• You may only use the original 3000 pyen given to you at the beginning of the game.

Anything else is fair game for this one.

 

[POP☆CANDY]

Will anyone actually do these?

Oh well. Sounds fun.

Recoil Challenge

• GOAL: Complete the game from a new file.
• You are only allowed to attack with your starter until one of your Pokemon learns a move with recoil.
• If a move with recoil is known, that is the only move your Pokemon may use. Pokemon without recoil attacks may not fight.
• If a TM contains a move with recoil, you must teach it to one of your Pokemon as soon as possible.
• If multiple moves are known with recoil, your Pokemon may use any of them.
• If the move's PP runs out, you may not fight with that Pokemon.
• If you cannot use any of your Pokemon in a trainer battle, you are temporarily allowed to use any non-damaging attack until you lose.
• You may not forget or choose not to learn an attack with recoil.
• Self-fainting attacks like Explosion count as recoil attacks.

Reincarnation Challenge

• GOAL: Complete the game on a new save file in one game of every generation.
• Start on any Generation 1 game. Complete the game.
• You may not have more than six Pokemon.
• Once you have completed the game, move on to the next generation. Hack or use a cheating device so you have a level 5 version of your starter in its first form and eggs containing the rest of the old team (in their first form). (If it is not possible to make eggs, make them level 5 versions of themselves as well.)
• Do the above when you complete GSC and RSE.
• If you complete DPP, you have won.
• You are not allowed to pick a remake as your game for that generation. The original pair or the third game only.
• You may not release any of your Pokemon.

Death and Reincarnation Challenge

• The same rules as the Reincarnation Challenge, except when a Pokemon faints, it dies.
• Optional: You may not catch any Pokemon to replace a party member that died.

 

[Rakarei]

Will anyone actually do these?

Oh well. Sounds fun.

Recoil Challenge

• GOAL: Complete the game from a new file.
• You are only allowed to attack with your starter until one of your Pokemon learns a move with recoil.
• If a move with recoil is known, that is the only move your Pokemon may use. Pokemon without recoil attacks may not fight.
• If a TM contains a move with recoil, you must teach it to one of your Pokemon as soon as possible.
• If multiple moves are known with recoil, your Pokemon may use any of them.
• If the move's PP runs out, you may not fight with that Pokemon.
• If you cannot use any of your Pokemon in a trainer battle, you are temporarily allowed to use any non-damaging attack until you lose.
• You may not forget or choose not to learn an attack with recoil.
• Self-fainting attacks like Explosion count as recoil attacks.

Reincarnation Challenge

• GOAL: Complete the game on a new save file in one game of every generation.
• Start on any Generation 1 game. Complete the game.
• You may not have more than six Pokemon.
• Once you have completed the game, move on to the next generation. Hack or use a cheating device so you have a level 5 version of your starter in its first form and eggs containing the rest of the old team (in their first form). (If it is not possible to make eggs, make them level 5 versions of themselves as well.)
• Do the above when you complete GSC and RSE.
• If you complete DPP, you have won.
• You are not allowed to pick a remake as your game for that generation. The original pair or the third game only.
• You may not release any of your Pokemon.

Death and Reincarnation Challenge

• The same rules as the Reincarnation Challenge, except when a Pokemon faints, it dies.
• Optional: You may not catch any Pokemon to replace a party member that died.

Good God, your a masochist...

Normal Challenge:

Only normal typed Pokemon. Harder than most other mono types because Normal has no advantages at all. Not limited to normal types moves though, because then you would be kill by demons ghosts.

Baby challenge:

-This one involves trading over eggs/hacking. Only Pokemon in their baby forms. If you catch a basic/stage 1 Pokemon that has a baby form you can breed it to get that baby form, but you cannot use the basic/stage 1 Pokemon. Example: you catch an Electabuzz, you can breed it to get an Elekid, but you can't use it.

 

[Gligar13]

B Button challenge:
Don't evolve your pokemon. At all.

 

[Zekurom]

• Once you have completed the game, move on to the next generation. Hack or use a cheating device so you have a level 5 version of your starter in its first form and eggs containing the rest of the old team (in their first form). (If it is not possible to make eggs, make them level 5 versions of themselves as well.)

I have a small edit to suggest about this one - in DPPt, the last part should be "Level 1 versions of themselves".

Here's one basic prototype rule, the "death" rule, that sets a category for all of them.

The Death Challenge

• If a Pokemon faints, you may not use it in battle ever again.

This rule is the parent of a lot of other challenges, like the Nuzlocke challenge, and your "Death and Reincarnation" challenge.

 

[POP☆CANDY]

Good God, your a masochist...

The Recoil Challenge is supposed to put a greater emphasis on gaining money, so you can stockpile on Potions. It's probably easier if you have a Vs. Seeker.

But, yeah, the Death and Reincarnation Challenge is supposed to be insanely hard. Especially with the optional rule. Well, I haven't seen a "hardest" challenge before.

I have a small edit to suggest about this one - in DPPt, the last part should be "Level 1 versions of themselves".

Nah, I don't want to make the challenge TOO hard. It would be unnecessary.

 

[Zekurom]

Nah, I don't want to make the challenge TOO hard. It would be unnecessary.

I don't see what's so hard about using level 1 compared to level 5. After all, you're just using that as a basis, and I took it to mean the same level that the egg hatches at.

 

[Azure Butterfly]

- Only use one species of Pokemon on your entire team. If you don't hack them, you can use your starter until you can catch one (best case scenerio, it's an early one). All of them have to have distinct movesets, unless they only learn a couple moves (Unown, Magikarp, ect)

- Don't let any of your Pokemon evolve into their final stage. Middle stages are okay.

- Battle as few people as possible. Don't be higher than Lv. 40 by the time you get to the E4 (lower in HGSSGSC).

 

[Zekurom]

- Only use one species of Pokemon on your entire team. If you don't hack them, you can use your starter until you can catch one (best case scenerio, it's an early one). All of them have to have distinct movesets, unless they only learn a couple moves (Unown, Magikarp, ect)

- Don't let any of your Pokemon evolve into their final stage. Middle stages are okay.

- Battle as few people as possible. Don't be higher than Lv. 40 by the time you get to the E4 (lower in HGSSGSC).

You need to give a name to your challenge...

Coming up next is a "no bullshit" variant of the Nuzlocke Challenge. This variant was also posted in the actual Nuzlocke Challenge thread, but here I feel more entitled to explain why some of the rules exist, as well as changing up a few of the rules. Note that this variant is not canon Nuzlocke and simply a death challenge, as I get rid of the first-pokemon-in-the-area restriction. The extra things I add in make it too hard to actually go anywhere without removing this. This version allows you to catch as many Pokemon as you want, but no more than six at a time.

The On-the-Edge Challenge

• If a Pokemon faints, it is dead. You may not use it in battle, or use any of its TM/HM abilities outside of battle, ever again.
• Any Pokemon that is deposited in the PC may not be used in battle. (This includes automatic deposits because your party was too full.)
• You may not encounter more than three wild Pokemon without battling one.
• You may not battle any trainer more than once.
• You may not visit any Pokemon Center to heal your Pokemon.
• You may not use any Pokemon with a base stat total higher than 560.
• You may not use any "escape" move such as Fly, Dig, or Teleport outside of battle.
• Your Pokemon may not attack any wild Pokemon that is more than five levels lower than it.
• The battle style must be set to "set".
• You may not load from the same save file more than once. You must save the game every time you are about to close the console.
  
• If any event in the game forces you to break any of the above rules, the challenge is considered failed.

This version forces you to actually do everything on the edge, and tries its hardest not to let you take anything for granted. (Finally, the word I was looking for all this time! "On the edge"!) Basically, it doesn't allow you to grind, stock up on anything, save-scum, or do something to give you a buffer.

As well, the "no-PC-deposit" rule also accounts for whiting out - as soon as you white out, you're forced to either break the PC rule or the fainted rule, and therefore the challenge is failed anyway.

For an added challenge, try playing it with the first-pokemon-per-area restriction.

*edit* Actually, now that I think about it, this is especially damaging on Red/Blue, as you actually have to get rid of one on purpose in order to be able to go to Route 22.

 

[Missingno. Master]

For future reference, completing a game means doing the following:
R/B/G/Y/FR/LG: Defeating/Capturing Mewtwo.
G/S/C: Defeating Red.
R/S: Defeating/Capturing Rayquaza.
E: Defeating/Capturing Kyogre and Groudon.
HG: Defeating/Capturing Rayquaza (Kyogre if you can't trade in a Groudon).
SS: Defeating/Capturing Rayquaza (Groudon if you can't trade in a Kyogre).
D/P: Defeating/Capturing Heatran, Cresselia, and Giratina.
Pt: Defeating/Capturing Dialga and Palkia.
Colo/XD: Snagging and purifying all Shadow Pokemon.

The Greed Challenge:
Goal: Complete a new game from the start.
Rules:
You may not spend any money. This means you may not purchase any items from Pokemarts. You may not buy coins from the Game Corner. You may not pay to enter the Safari Zone, except in R/B/Y/G/FR/LG, as Safari Zone entrance is mandatory for obtaining Surf and Strength. You may trade to get around this if necessary. In G/S/C/HG/SS, you are allowed to accept items your mother buys with your money, but you may NOT enter the guardhouse between Mahogany and Lake of Rage while Team Rocket is there. You may not have the Haircut Brothers work on your Pokemon, as they charge you. In HG/SS, I am not sure if you are REQUIRED to buy the RageCandyBar to continue. If you are required to do so, then you may. If not, then don't. You may not make use of any Daycare. You ARE allowed to spend any other non- Pokedollar forms of currency, such as Battle Points, Coins, etc.

The Copycat Challenge:
Goal: Complete a new game from the start.
Rules:
You may only use Yellow version for this. You must only use the first six Pokemon Ash Ketchum had in the anime. However, you are allowed to evolve Bulbasaur and Squirtle, and you do not have to release Butterfree or Pidgeot. You must have a team of Pikachu, Pidgeot, Butterfree, Bulbasaur/Ivysaur/Venusaur, Charizard, and Squirtle/Wartortle/Blastoise. You must name yourself ASH and your rival GARY.
OPTIONAL: When you battle Gary in the Pokemon league, the last turn must consist of your Pikachu KOing Gary's last Pokemon with Thunderbolt, with Pikachu being your last Pokemon.

The Gift Challenge:
Goal: Complete a new game from the start.
Rules:
You may only use gift Pokemon on your team. You may have non-gift Pokemon on your team, but they may not battle. A gift Pokemon is a Pokemon you recieve from an NPC for whatever reason. In-game trades do not count. Acceptible gift Pokemon: Your starter, any starters you can choose from at a point other than the start of the game, anything for sale at a Game Corner, eggs you get from NPCs and the Pokemon that hatch from them, the Eevee in Celadon mansion, or the one Bill/Bebe gives you, Randy/Webster's Spearow (nicknamed Kenya), the Hitmons from the Fighting Dojo, the Lapras from Silph Co., Kiyo's Tyrogue, the weather institute's Castform, the Beldum Steven gives you in RSE, Duking's Plusle, Hordel's Togepi, that Porygon you get in Veilstone City in Platinum, the Pokemaniac's Shuckle (nicknamed Shuckie), and the Dratini you're given by the elder in the Dragon's Den. Colosseum's Ho-Oh is also a Gift Pokemon, but by that time, you'll already have beaten the game.

 

[Tsurugi]

Harder Than Hard Difficulty

• The only Pokémon allowed is your starter.
• You may not use the Pokémon Center unless your starter has fainted.
• If your starter faints, head to the Pokémon Center immediately.
• You may only catch a Pokémon if its sole purpose is to be an HM slave; they may not be used in battle unless your starter has fainted.
• You may not run from battle.
• Battle Mode must be set to "Set"
• You may not use TMs.
• Level grinding is not allowed.
• You may not use any HP/PP restoring items.
• You may not pick up any items.
• You may not buy items.
• You may not load a save file more than once.
• All legendaries must be fainted.

 

[Zekurom]

Here's one of the non-adventure challenges I was talking about.

The One-Ball-Per-Pokemon Challenge

• Goal: Catch as many Pokemon as possible in the Safari Zone.
• The procedure is simple - catch as many Pokemon as you can in the Safari Zone with the 30 Safari Balls you're given.
• You may only use one Safari Ball per Pokemon you encounter.

Extended to an adventure challenge, this would be:

The One-Ball-Per-Pokemon Challenge

• Goal: Defeat the Elite Four and Champion.
• At the beginning of a battle, you may choose to use one standard Pokeball on the enemy wild Pokemon. If this Pokeball fails, you may not try to catch that Pokemon, and must instead run away. You may not battle the Pokemon either. (If you cannot run away, then you must defeat it instead.)

Level grinding is not allowed.

I have a problem with this rule. The rules should be well-defined. What you call "level grinding", somebody else might not. Therefore, this rule is not very well-defined. Let's say, for the sake of clarity, that you meant "You may not consecutively battle more than 15 Pokemon in the same map area". This is a quantitative, well-defined limit, and is a much more enforceable rule.

 

[POP☆CANDY]

The On-the-Edge Challenge

• If a Pokemon faints, it is dead. You may not use it in battle, or use any of its TM/HM abilities outside of battle, ever again.
• Any Pokemon that is deposited in the PC may not be used in battle. (This includes automatic deposits because your party was too full.)
• You may not encounter more than three wild Pokemon without battling one.
• You may not battle any trainer more than once.
• You may not visit any Pokemon Center to heal your Pokemon.
• You may not use any Pokemon with a base stat total higher than 560.
• You may not use any "escape" move such as Fly, Dig, or Teleport outside of battle.
• Your Pokemon may not attack any wild Pokemon that is more than five levels lower than it.
• The battle style must be set to "set".
• You may not load from the same save file more than once. You must save the game every time you are about to close the console.
  
• If any event in the game forces you to break any of the above rules, the challenge is considered failed.

I can go one further.

The You-Must-Be-Crazy Challenge

• If a Pokemon faints, it is dead. You may not use it in battle, or use any of its TM/HM abilities outside of battle, ever again.
• You must cheat or hack to make the only Pokemon in your team an Unown of your choice.
• You may not catch any Pokemon, with the exception of HM slaves.
• You may not run away from any battles.
• You may not battle any trainer more than once.
• You may not visit any Pokemon Center to heal your Pokemon.
• You may not use any "escape" move such as Fly, Dig, or Teleport outside of battle.
• Your Pokemon may not attack any wild Pokemon that is more than five levels lower than it.
• The battle style must be set to "set".
• You may not save or pause in any way. You must complete the game in one sitting.
• You may not speed up the game using an emulator. You also may not run.
• You may not use any non-healing items besides HMs. HMs may only be used once.
• You may not use any recording device to prove that you completed this challenge.
  
• If any event in the game forces you to break any of the above rules, the challenge is considered failed.
• Optional: If you fail, you must restart your save and play once again.

Nobody will ever do this, of course. I just felt like making the most agonizing challenge ever.

 

[Zekurom]

The You-Must-Be-Crazy Challenge

[... smattering of rules ...]

Nobody will ever do this, of course. I just felt like making the most agonizing challenge ever.

This was probably the most hilarious rule set here, and the "Unown" rule is a perfect example of an unreasonable rule. I imagine somebody with too much time on their hands will actually try and do this. And succeed.

 

[POP☆CANDY]

This was probably the most hilarious rule set here, and the "Unown" rule is a perfect example of an unreasonable rule. I imagine somebody with too much time on their hands will actually try and do this. And succeed.

Of course, the rules forbid any recording equipment, so even if he/she succeeds, Tʜᴇ Wᴏʀʟᴅ Mᴀʏ Nᴇᴠᴇʀ Kɴᴏᴡ.

 

[Zekurom]

Of course, the rules forbid any recording equipment, so even if he/she succeeds, Tʜᴇ Wᴏʀʟᴅ Mᴀʏ Nᴇᴠᴇʀ Kɴᴏᴡ.

True. That would be a second example.

 

[Zekurom]

*bump* Here's one involving save points, and another basic type:

The Save Point Challenge

• You may only save inside Pokemon Centers.

 

[Battaman]

Let's do it all over again!
Goal: Defeating the Final Legendary(the level 70 one(s)/Red after starting from a New Game

-After each Gym and after the Elite Four you must rebuild your team.Your current team must be released/stored in a box forever.
-Your team might not change between Gyms when you have six members. Any other Pokemon that are captured can be used on later teams. This means that any gift Pokemon/Egg will be considered part of your team by the time you get them, the exception is in gen1/FRLG where gift Pokemon are sent directly to your PC.
-In a new team no Pokemon or its pre-/evolutions that was used before can be used again.
-No Pokemon in your current team can have the same type. So Gyarados and Moltres cannot be on the same team since they are both Flying.