Nuzlocke Challenge

okay I didn't realize so many randoms would be interested in this. Therefore I would like to ask you NOT to pm me, because I stopped giving a shit who is doing what. Instead, post your MS paint, stickman scans or cop out non pictoral stories here.

Nuzlocke is doing fire red right now, it's pretty good so far. He has a site, click here.


A friend brought this to my attention from a comic (link in the P.S.). I think this will be fun. I am not currently doing it, as I have more grandiose plans for SS and it's got my focus, but I think the fun cannot be ignored. (I am on run 2, just started as I am writing this, but I WILL do this soon).

Here are the rules:
1. If a pokemon faints, you must release it as soon as possible.
2. You can ONLY catch the first pokemon you encounter in a route/cave/town/area (You get the idea). If you defeat the first pokemon you see, tough shit, you get nothing from this area.
3. Obviously if you run out of pokemon, you must start again.
4. Potions, healing items of any kind infact, are DISALLOWED.
5. Give your pokemon nicknames, for fucks sake! Make them your little babies! CARE FOR THEM!


This has potential to be harsh and fun at the same time. If you spend your time near a pokecenter leveling up inordinately you are probably a dickhole; grinding should be frowned upon en mass but obviously it will be required to survive some parts...try to challenge yourself, don't just level your starter to 100 on the first route you see and run the game that way. If you have the patience to do that, I hate you already.

I guess this can be for any version, but soulsilver is rather barren for great mons (especially those you see first when you enter an area), so this is likely more challenging on this version. Seriously, try it on any version, any generation of the game and post 'er here!

Post videos, stories, current teams, replacements, frustrations, great triumphs or preferably MS paint or hand drawn stick man art depicting your journey.

PLEASE post to say if you're taking the challenge; I wanna know who you are so I can update the OP with names of success stories, failures or people currently trying.

GOOD LUCK! I will update this post with rule solidification, people doing it and various other things.

P.S. For more info on the challenge itself, check this out. Also know that I expect similar caliber stories, artwork or otherwise from anyone taking on this challenge. I strongly suggest you all read this as a guideline for how to tell your story so we actually give a shit and also for the most basic of rules

Edit: Thanks to moots rather precise rules compared to my rather liberal ones, I think it's important to see what people think; mind you, it's a personal thing, so if you wanna be super anal go right ahead! If you wanna be super liberal, well...tough shit, adhere to the rules! So yeah, please please please input what you think should be a rule addition using moots as a guideline.

EditPS: Moot is super cool so don't dismiss his ideas <3.

Edit2: it looks like people are either picking my rules or Moots rules...but I invite you to select the rules from either that fit the way you want to play the game.


CURRENTLY TAKING THE CHALLENGE:

EVERYONE
 
Saw this on tumblr a couple days ago; a bit more complete rules:

-If a Pokemon in your party faints, you must release it.
-Every time you reach a new route, cave, etc., you must catch the very first Pokemon you see, regardless of your current number of party members. The Pokemon may sit within the box for an indeterminate amount of time as a backup.
-If you fail to catch the first Pokemon you see, either via it fleeing, knocking it out, or having no Pokeballs, you may not catch another. Tough shit.
-This means you can not catch a pokemon in a route you were in before you could catch pokemon. So no route 1, you were there before you had pokeballs.
-If a town you go to contains a body of water or a gift, pokemon like Bill’s Eevee in G/S/C/HG/SS, that may be considered a Pokemon of a new area.
-You must nickname your pokemon so there is some sort of attachment. Each pokemon is a best friend to you, to see them die is heartbreaking.
-If your entire party faints, they all must be thrown away. If you have a pokemon left in a box somewhere, you may continue, otherwise you must start your game over.
-Treat pokeballs as rare artifacts; at no point can you buy them from stores. You can only use ones you find in the wild or are awarded.
-You are, under no circumstance, allowed to get a second pokemon from any given area.
-You are, under no circumstance, allowed to use items outside of battle. If you were poisoned on your last turn of the battle, you better hope to god there is a pokemon center nearby.
-You may not switch out before the enemy trainer sends in a new Pokemon.
-You are not allowed to use legendaries in battle.

I'll be doing it once I get SS at easter. I currently am playing through HG and am almost done. MS paint? Yes. If you remember my fantastic lynch votes during Super Mafia, you should be looking forward to my tale...
 
If you read the cartoon by Nuzlocke, the only actual thing you could make a case for as an addition is the nicknaming (I added this). I provided the link. Though I can't stop you from adding on extra rules, moot. Infact, I DARE you to add every extra rule you suggest, Moot!

What do you guys think, does each area of a safari zone count as a unique area similar to how a route is different from the preceding route even if it is the same fucking watery bullshit?

Edit: If people think moot and I should have our rules make a lovely baby, please, post suggestions so we can come to an amicable ideal. Mine is minimalistic, moots is very controlling...he may have issues with his parents. Nothing is set in stone, so lets get some discussion!

Also I kinda wonder: Is it reasonable to allow abuse of repels so while wandering a cave or whatever you will draw higher level pokemon or perhaps narrow down a more desired pokemon??
 

Arkeis

(づ。◕‿‿◕。)づ
is a Top Artist Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnus
Oh lol, what a coincidence. I was just at a livestream of a Nuzlocke playthrough. The people on /v/ are so into this challenge. But they're doing it mostly for the 3rd gen games. The rules kinda vary everytime I hear about it though. Like you are allowed healing items, but you can't use the PokeCenter or you can use the Pokecenter, but only once in each town.

But the best part of this is hearing about people's experiences.
 
Hmm this looks interesting. I originally wasn't even going to buy HGSS, but now that I am, I'm going to have to play it like this. I'll keep a log for entertainment's sake.
 
I've thought about this before, but I'm overemotional... but I think I'll do it. Maybe I'll get over my attachment to my mons xD Never!!! But yeah, I'll take it. :) moot's rules are kind of harsh for me though, so I think I'll just pussy out and do Morm's. For fun, I'll write my journey like a fanfic!
 
reminds me of the No PokeCenter challenge in rby.
the rules were something like:
No PokeCenter
No healing through items (or moves or special people or whatever)
No using items to gain pp
No glitches

basically you had to catch an army of slaves so as not to waste the health/pp of your main pokemon.
 
NOW THIS IS HOW MEN PLAY POKEMON.

Fuck yea, this is a challenge for a guy like me. Never have I ever overleveled in my life, always trying to get the challenge out of a game that had none. I can't wait to do this, I'm about to restart my Diamond after I transfer all my Pokes to SS. I can assure you that I will be ranting on this page. Through which form of media, I am not sure, but failure I am assured.
 
Part 1

‘Wake the fuck up, you lazy son of a bitch!’ screamed Mom from downstairs. With a frustrated groan, I rub my eyes and stumble out of bed, still dressed in my cotton Squirtle pyjamas. I practically topple into my seat at the kitchen table amid a flurry of yawns.

‘Well, I’m your daughter,’ I retort, irritated that I was woken up so damn early on a weekday. Who does that? It’s not like I have school anymore since I dropped out, so why would I get up so early? She probably did it just to piss me off.

‘Thank God you’re going away on a Pokémon adventure,’ she snipes back spitefully. ‘I don’t think I could stand the sight of you one day longer! Here’s your PokéGear, and if you don’t know how to use it, fucking read the manual. And get dressed, for heaven’s sake! People will wonder what kind of slattern spawned you if you walk out like nobody owns you!’

Oh, right. It’s that day.

Disgusted with my bipolar mother, I storm back into my room, slam my door theatrically, and throw my clothes about looking for my outfit. At last, I stamp back into the kitchen and open the door, causing a draft to blow in. I look in my mother’s eyes, about to say my farewall. She gazes back unflinchingly, her mouth curved in a malevolent sneer.

After ten years of catfighting over every single thing, it is with great pleasure I spit at her, ‘If Blastoise was my dad, things would be different around here!’

Having had my say, I slam the door very loudly again and stamp out. Suddenly, I am immediately ambushed by a blue and surprisingly squeaky ball, which bumps into me and then bounces back. Ethan, my neighbour, has a Marill! He’s alright, a bit gormless, but very nice, which is something I don’t get much from my crazy ass mother, and his Marill is pretty cute. I want one, but Psycho in there would probably trample it when she was PMSing. Now I’m a trainer, though, I can have my own Pokémon! Fuck yeah! Love and friendship! Maybe now I won’t be so permanently hacked off. It’d be nice to be easygoing and agreeable like Ethan.

I head towards Professor Elm’s lab, excitement mounting. He is standing by his computer and several machines, one of which is holding three PokéBalls. One of them is holding the Pokémon that will be by my side always, my friend and trusted companion. I wonder which it is, but then I am jerked to attention by the professor saying my name.

‘Kotone? Take a Pokémon and walk by it, to see if it brings any special bonds,’ he repeats patiently.

‘Sorry!’ I say, flustered, just as his laptop emits a ringing sound. Prof. Elm hurries over and delightedly announces that he has an email; I can’t help but wonder if it’s a rare event. After some hemming and hawing, he clears his throat and addresses me directly again.

‘I have an acquaintance who studies Pokémon, and he says he has a real find this time. It’s probably just an Egg, but we’re busy here, so I don’t know what to do… Oh!’ He lights up, but it looks way too rehearsed. ‘Can we count on you to go for me?’
Whatever, the guy’s being nice enough to give me Pokémon when he’s a famous professor in all of Johto, so I nod, and at his direction, head for the PokéBalls. My finger hovers tentatively over the switch of each one… which Pokémon should I pick? The cute and leafy Chikorita, the fiery and endearing Cyndaquil, the ferocious and strong Totodile? A little bit of instinct and mental eeny-meeny-miney-mo leads me to the left PokéBall, and Prof. Elm asks me if I want to take Cyndaquil, the Fire Pokémon.

‘Yes,’ I find myself saying, and out comes the adorable little Pokémon. My heart swells, and the professor informs me he’s a boy, and I should probably nickname him in order to engender attachment. Without hesitation, I say, ‘I’ll call him Mekkah. I like that name.’

Mekkah the Cyndaquil doesn’t show any fear or resentment, but nor does it show any happiness at having me as an owner. Still, I figure we’ll become good friends, and I leave the laboratory with Mekkah in tow towards my great Pokémon adventure.

Part 2

Ethan is there with his Marill, waiting for me. We have a little chat, and he seems delighted that I have a Pokémon now too. ‘It’s really cute!’ I am not so pleased by his naïve suggestion that I show my mother Mekkah, but he glowers at me when I walk away, so I reluctantly head for my house.

‘You’re back already? Did you hurt yourself, you dumb washout?’ my mother jeers as she lifts a tangerine towards her mouth.

‘I got a Pokémon, so I don’t need you,’ I say lamely, gesturing at Mekkah. My mother is unimpressed and snorts.

‘That’s a weak Pokémon you have!’ Mekkah seems a bit intimidated and cowers behind my legs, sniffing at my sneakers.

‘I got sent on a quest by Professor Elm, so I can’t be that much of a washout,’ I say defensively.

‘I see. That sounds way too fucking hard for you, but I guess it’s important. Try not to fuck up too much; it’d be embarrassing for me,’ and with that she ushers me out the door.

Sulking, I trudge out of town. Mekkah follows in silence, but the further I get away from New Bark Town, the lighter and breezier I feel. ‘I’m Kotone, and I hope we’ll be friends always,’ I tell Mekkah, as I dawdle through the grassy route. Flowers are scattered through the fields, and I see a flock of Pidgey overhead.

I start walking through the tall grass, telling Mekkah all about my bitchy mother and how we will escape her tyranny. ‘I know she yells a lot, but she’s just pissed that my dad cheated on her,’ I explain, hoping his self-esteem wasn’t injured too badly. ‘I bet you’re really strong and we’ll be at Cherrygrove pretty soon!’

My Pokémon is still quiet, poking at the ground and sniffing at me alternately as we make our way into the next patch of long grass. A docile Pidgey is pecking at seeds in the grass, and I lead Mekkah past it with a calm manner.

Not so fast.

Part 3

The territorial Pidgey flaps its wings to threaten me, hopping on its leg over towards Mekkah to attack. ‘Run!’ I yell (albeit unnecessarily), and we flee (ever so slowly). Pidgey does not pursue us, and I stumble through an entire patch of grass without encountering anything else. I let out a relieved sigh and say, ‘That was close, huh?’

Mekkah, to my surprise, responds in a high-pitched cry. ‘Cynda cyn!’

‘I’m so glad you talked!’ I cry, giving him a hug. Just then, a little kid in shorts and a blue cap walks towards us and introduces himself as a ‘Youngster’.

‘If your Pokémon are injured, keep out of the tall grass!’ he informs me, and I resist the urge to respond with No shit.

‘Thanks,’ I say cheerfully, and I make my way away from him as fast as I can into the next grassy patch.

Another Pidgey approaches me, but it does not seem interested in fighting and I get away safely. Walking around the perimeter of the patches where I can, I hum to myself all the way into Cherrygrove without further problems. Until I’m in the town, that is.

The town is positively blooming, bright flowers leaking out of every corner, blue waters sparkling in the dazzling sunshine; the entrance is bordered by white picket fences, and the roofs of the houses are a dark pinkish-red to echo the flowers. ‘It’s quite pretty, isn’t it, Mekkah?’

‘Hey, you! Rookie!’

Involuntarily, I swivel my head around to answer to the call, and the old man by the signpost chortles. ‘It’s okay, we’re all rookies at some point. Let’s say I show you around?’

I nod warily, wondering if Mekkah can and would take him down to defend me, and weighing up the pros and cons of ignoring all the stranger danger lessons I received in first grade. The loud old man has already headed towards a strange orange-roofed building with a PokéBall insignia. Extermely reluctantly, I begin to follow him, only for him to yell back, ‘I know you’re not wearing Running Shoes, but try to keep up!’

‘Quil! Quiiiil,’ responds Mekkah, and I get the distinct sensation he’s disgruntled. The old man takes me around town, showing me the sights… the PokéCenter where I can take my Pokémon to be healed, the PokéMart where I can spend all my savings, and his house. I can’t help but wonder to myself why he’s showing me the latter, and my suspicions only multiply at what he says next.
 
for the record, Jumpluff, nobody could say nobody owns you because I do infact own you. You are my property. HAH!


I'll add you to the "now taking the challenge" list, Jumpers :D. Also RaichuGuardian and Diesel...I think you're both doing it now, right?
 
Even your starter can get released?

this idea sounds awesome.. but i do get a little attatched and i love the pokemon i have/catch. I couldn't let go my Togetic or Ivysaur after I've trained it so much, etc. Same with other Pokes.

Effort going to waste? No thx.
 
Yes, even your starter. Your reasoning is exactly why you should do what I plan on doing: a "Noah's Ark" of pokemon on your current save game to a different "holding cart" so you can play this challenge without killing your little babies.
 
PM me Black buddha and tell me which, I'll add you. You can do ANY generation, as stated in the OP. I even just bolded the part staying any version of the game...
 
This seems pretty brutal, but fun too so I'll do it :D I'm about half-way through HeartGold but I'll just put that on hiatus and start a new game on Diamond.

Edit: Actually scratch that I'm kickin' it old-school! Going to do a LeafGreen run.
 
OK, I'm starting a challenge in Ruby, wish me luck. Got an awesome ID of 05050, so I don't plan on messing up.

edit: almost messed up already, nearly lost to a level 4 zigzagoon. survived with 2 HP, started with a Mudkip, BTW

another edit: are you allowed to give berries to Pokemon? That may solve Poison crisises I may have. Also, Kyogre/Groudon and Reyquaza are not the 1st pokemon found on a route, can I still catch them?

come on! second pokemon I find is a ralts... just my luck
and of course, the next pokemon is a seedot.
holy shit! zigzagoon picked up a rare candy! Ruby's RNG is just as screwed up as emerald's

Saving at Petalburg, stoppin' for the day. Did some training, got some items via pickup, watched wally's long and boring tutorial.
 
I'd say berries only if you enter a battle with them as your hold item, before they get a status or whatever, though that's a judgement call on your part. I think the point is that you have to have better planning so as not to be fucked by poisoning...Eh, either you're a purist or you cheat a little.
 
Just saying, publicly, that if you soft reset before you enter an area to make sure you get the pokemon of choice you are a loser and a cheater. Don't do that, it's not the spirit of the challenge.

ALSO: If you are participating, we DO WANT tales of horror, frustration or better yet MS PAINT PICTURES
 
Aw, fuck reason to the curb. Playin' dis. Let's see... can't do any of the ROM hacks (although I'd love to see everyone go batshit insane on Emerald 386, I can't. :(), so let's kick this up to POKEMON YELLOW (Much as I despise the game...)

Question: The safari Zone has 4 areas. Are we alloted a pokemon from each? Or only one for the whole Zone?

EDIT: Whoa, that's FAST!

Update 1: Ha ha, you're grampa hates yooooooou!

So there I was, waking up. Yesterday was my tenth birthday, and I had enough booz- er, cake to keep me asleep till 3 PM. I decided to finally get up, knowing full well that I had things to do that hadn't been done. I went downstairs, only to see my mother sitting at the table.

"Mattman, you finally got up! What took you so long?", she said.

"I... er... was tired."

"Tired? Yeah right. It's three O clock."

"Oh, whatever. I've got things to do". I went to leave the house, but Mom was to fast.

"Wait Mattman! If you are going out, why not go to Viridian and get me some food?"

"FINE. I'll do it." I left the house, to the winding path to Viridian. But wouldn't you know it, JUST as I got to the edge of town, that freaking old guy Oak (hee hee) sprung out.

"WAIT! DON'T GO OUT THERE! WILD POKEMON LIVE IN TALL GRASS!"

"No shit old man. I've been out of town before"

"It's unsafe! You need your own pokemon for protection!"

Just then, a Pikachu sprung out. I didn't think they lived here, I thought they lived north. But I digress. Oak proceded to capture the blasted thing and then forced me to come with him. Inside his lab I saw a couple of aids (Sereously, this guy sets himself up to be laughed at) and his son, GREEN (His name is GREEN! Blue is a girl!). I hate Green as much as the next guy. So then Oak said: "Hey... do I know him"?

I took the opertunity to strike back at Pallet town for naming me Mattman: "Yeah, he's your grandson! You named him "Asshole".

In an attempt to save face, Oak said "Oh yeah, I knew that". They he called Green "ASSHOLE! What are you doing here?"

Green took one look at me and scowled. "You suck, you know that?" I was rolling on the floor laughing at this point. So, to strike back, Green smiled and said "Well then, I hope you don't mind me taking your pokemon!" He went over to the table and grabbed the pokeball. I recoiled in horrer. I wanted a pokemon!

Oak was yelling at this point. "ASSHOLE! What do you think you are doing? That pokemon was meant for Mattman!" But apparently, there's some law that says it's his, so I get stuck with a f***ing Pikachu. I named it "Steve", just cause it sounds awesome. Then I proceded to beat the s*** out of Green's Eevee, and left the lab in a huff.

OTHER QUESTION: In Yellow, you don't start with 5 pokeballs. Can I buy the first five?
 
This kind of reminds me of the mystery dungeon series, except it's a lot harder. In mystery dungeon (well, the first one, anyways) in a tough dungeon very often once your partners had died you would constantly get new recruits who would join your party for a floor or two and then die and leave forever. Also, there were no floating pokemon centers there.
 
You know what? I don't give a poo about the "no buying pokeballs" rule. SCREW THE RULES I HAVE 2150 MONEY LEFT.

Update 2: ELECTRIC Boogaloo (i iz funy.)

So after the battle against GreenAsshole, Steve decided to pop out of the pokeball and follow me. It's kind of unnerving... but it gets the job done. On the way to Viridian, I go to the Mart to pick up some food. The clerk recognises me and gives me a package for Oak. So I have to play poster boy for a lazy old man. *sigh*

I go back, deliver the food to my mother (who was sleeping... :D), and give Oak the package. Green walks in, and just about to show him my more powerful Steve, when Oak stopped us and forced a small red brick on us. He said it was "important" and his childhood dream, but I couldn't care less.

Anyway, I went back to Viridian and bought a few pokeballs. I went west, and found a Nidoran M (OOC: Not kidding, first try), who was named "Tim". Then I went north (passing ANOTHER old man who failed at capturing a Rattata), and onto Route 2 (who NAMES these places?) and wasted my 1 remaining Pokeball on a Pidgey. I named it Birdy, but I don't see how I'm going to use it.

CURRENT TEAM:

Tim the NidoranM: Level 4 (knows Tackle and Leer)
Steve the Pikachu: Level 6 (Thundershock, Tail Whip, Growl)
Birdy the Pidgey: (Saved incase something faints): Level 3 (Gust, which was Normal in RBY)

I'm gonna need to grind. :(
 
Haha, those comics were pretty funny. I'm going to take on the challenge in 3 generations. 1st, 3rd, and 4th. I'd do 2nd gen, but my brother doesn't want me using his Silver version. The games I will be doing the runthrough on are Blue, Sapphire, and Pearl. I have a pretty decent video camera, so I'm going to record each one, starting later today. Once I have a video up, I'll post a link so you can follow me through each game. Oh yeah, I'll use moot's rules.
 

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