Pokemon TPP Anniversary Crystal - 0 EXP Run Part 2: Brock
Channel: Flametix
Date: 29/08/2016

This video is of the first gym leader battle in Pokemon "Twitch Plays Pokemon Anniversary Crystal", a ROM hack made for Twitch Plays Pokemon to play earlier this year. I am doing a 0 EXP run of this game, which means Pokemon cannot gain EXP from battles.

I'll talk about Brock. Brock was pretty easy. I got a Sandshrew from the Route 3 grass which my team could get to after defeating 4 or 5 mandatory trainers. The Route 3 grass has noticeably stronger Pokemon that what was available before, going up to Level 12. Some other choices could have been Cubone and Mankey, but I decided on Sandshrew because he was the first Pokemon I found that was Level 12 on that route.

Without Sandshrew, the strategy for Brock would have been something like using String Shot with Metapod on Geodude Turn 1 because Rollout is actually pretty strong. Then I would have to hope that Pidgey would get all 6 Sand Attacks off and not get hit by any Rollouts for the OHKO. Then I guess I would maybe send in Bulbasaur to use Growl or Kakuna to set up Harden and then Poison Sting. 

The problem with that strategy is that it would be really luck based and hard to do. The Sandshrew strategy is much easier and less luck based, but it can faint sometimes if you get unlucky.

(I don't think Sandshrew can faint easily if you get all 6 Defense Curls up though, unless Brock gets a critical hit with Iron Tail or something. Haven't actually seen him get a critical, the previous couple attempts just failed because Sandshrew kept getting hit - didn't have as much Defense Curls on that attempt though, that's the main difference.)

The main battle plan is to get some Mud Slaps on Geodude to minimize damage, even though Sandshrew doesn't take that much.  I set up all 6 Defense Curls for +6 Defense or 4x Defense, it's not mandatory to do it but it helps against Onix (That Onix got more Iron Tails off than it should have.) with the high 100 BP Iron Tail. Sandshrew has some great moves thanks to it learning Metal Claw at Level 12. 

(The other choice I was considering, Cubone, had slightly more balanced stats but had Double Kick instead of Metal Claw and was less common. I might go back and catch one in case I have trouble with Mt. Moon and need to hit Normal types super effectively.)

Sandshrew has Defense Curl, Mud Slap, Poison Sting, and Metal Claw. Which are all pretty good. Once Geodude's Accuracy is lowered enough, I set up the Defense Curls. Luckily, the Physical and Special split is in this game so Mud Slap can do some good damage on Geodude and Onix's low Special Defense stat, even though Sandshrew doesn't really have that high of a Special Attack stat.

Once I finished setting up, it was time to take Geodude down. I tried to use Metal Claw because I think I was going for the chance of an Attack boost. Geodude's Defense Curls weren't too much of a problem to get through, it can't really do much with lowered accuracy. They even help by giving me more chances to hit Metal Claw and get an Attack boost that could help against Onix.

After Geodude comes Onix. Moveset talk: Both of them have Sandstorm which they don't opt to use in this matchup. Onix also has Iron Tail and Bide which could be problems. Geodude's main problem move was Rollout, but Sandshrew's Ground typing and high Defence allows it to not take as much damage, and Mud Slap lowering accuracy puts a stop to Rollout quickly.

Focusing more on Onix, Sandshrew stays in. It goes for Iron Tail and hits. Iron Tail is 100 BP, with 75% Accuracy and a 30% chance to lower Defence - fortunately Sandshrew has +6 Defence from setting up on Geodude, and it didn't get the lowered Defence. I go for Mud Slap to lower Onix's accuracy more in the next few turns to stop its Iron Tail from hitting easily by lowering its accuracy even more from 75%.

Onix gets some hits in, but after some more Mud Slaps it stops hitting. Bide could be a problem, but it doesn't use it here. After Onix's last hit, it's over. I continue using Mud Slap for the nice damage and the bonus effect of lowering even more accuracy. 

After I get to around 3 PP, I go for the Metal Claw to try to do more damage. It was pretty good, a bit more than Mud Slap I believe. The Attack boost was nice but I thought it was a bit late for that... 

Then Brock uses a Potion on Onix. It doesn't really matter in the long run, but I probably would've ran out of Mud Slap PP and now the Attack boost from that last Metal Claw is nice to finish off Onix faster. 

Onix keeps missing attacks, and now it's at a sliver of health after two +1 Attack Metal Claws. My last Metal Claw misses (95% Accuracy), so I decide to go for the disrespect Poison Sting because it has 100% accuracy and I want to use all my moves in one battle. It gets a critical hit as well, and Onix is down. That's the battle.