Solorun Challenge

The **Solorun Challenge** is a challenge used to make Pokémon games more difficult. It is a simple and easy to understand challenge.

## Rules

### Core rules

The Solorun Challenge has only one major rule:

* One Pokémon may be used in each battle. This means that at no point can the player deal damage with any Pokémon other than the one they choose to solorun the game with.
	+ While more than one Pokémon may be present on the player's team for the use of field moves, they may not use these Pokémon in battle.
	+ The player may not capture any Pokémon except for those they plan to use for field moves.

Other near-universally used rules include:

* The player must nickname their Pokémon, for the sake of forming stronger emotional bonds.
* The player may not perform any trading, Mystery Gifts, etc., as there is no reason to do so without voiding the challenge. As for trading and retrading the same Pokémon (for the purpose of evolving a Graveler, for example), there is no firm consensus.
* The player may reset, but may not "save-scum" - that is, repeatedly reset in order to RNG-manipulate the battle that is impeding progress.
	+ Under most circumstances, the player is expected to battle at least one other Pokémon before fighting the Trainer impeding progress, after battling them a few times.
	+ Likewise, resetting in order to get a good Starter Pokémon is forbidden.

### Optional rules

Though the above rules tend to stay consistent with all challengers, many optional variations and amendments to the rules have been created by players to further adjust difficulty. Many other rules exist other than those listed here; challengers adjust their personal rules according to their own preferences. Regardless of the optional rules being used, the run is considered a Solorun Challenge as long as the core rules are still in place.

#### Increased difficulty

* The player's Starter Pokémon must be randomly chosen.
* Potions and status-healing items may not be used, so the player may only use Pokémon Centers for healing.
	+ Or, Pokémon Centers may not be used, meaning only Potions and items may be used for healing.
* The player is limited in their Pokémon Center visits to a certain number per town.
* Held items may not be used, if they exist in the game being soloran.
* The number of Potions and status-healing items able to be purchased per Poké Mart is limited to a certain number.
* Poké Marts may not be used; the only items that may be used are those found in the overworld or given to the player by NPCs.
* Full Restores may not be used.
* The player may not evolve their captured Pokémon.
* (Black Version 2 and White Version 2 only) The difficulty must be set to Challenge Mode, which increases the levels of opposing Trainers' Pokémon.
* Legendary Pokémon may not be selected as the player's solorunning Pokémon.
* The player may not flee from battle.
* The player may not go above a certain level limit based on the level of the next Gym Leader/Elite Four/Champion's highest leveled Pokémon. A reset should be performed if this occurs.
* The Day Care may not be used.
* Experience boosting items may not be used.
* Quality-of-life features, such as Pokémon-Amie or Super Training, may not be used.
* Online resources (walkthroughs, guides, etc.) may not be used.

#### Decreased difficulty

* Shiny Clause: Shiny Pokémon may be caught even if not for a field move.
* If the player has no Pokémon that can use a field move that is required to continue the game, they may catch another Pokémon that can learn said field move. However, it cannot be used in battle for any reason, and must be released, permanently put into a PC box, or migrated as soon as it is no longer needed or if the player catches another Pokémon that can use said field move.
* If the player's solorunning Pokémon can learn a field move, another Pokémon can be caught for the use of that field move.
* The player may reset at the beginning of the game when choosing a starter, as well as before Gym battles, Elite Four battles, and rival battles.
	+ The player may set a limit on how many times they can reset the game for such actions.

## In Generation AN games

Generation AN games have the Solorun Challenge built into the game as part of the Challenge Mode. This also allows the Solorun Challenge to be mixed and matched with any other challenge run type. For example, combining the Solorun and the Nuzlocke creates a game mode where the player must defeat every opponent with their one chosen Pokémon before they drop, like in a first person shooter or beat 'em up game.

The player may not combine this challenge with the Randomizer Challenge if the Randomizer is set to "Wild Only Mode," this is because the player cannot catch these Pokémon and as such the idea of building a completely random team using the Randomizer's Wild Only Mode (its intended purpose for being seperate from the other modes) is rendered moot by the solorun. Any other mode of Randomizer is allowed to combine with the Solorun, however.

### Rules

#### Coded Rules

The following rules are coded into the game's Solorun Challenge feature:

* The player may not catch any Pokémon and add them to their team.
	+ The player is given an item that serves the functionality of every HM move.
	+ Catching Pokémon will send them to the PC.
* The starter Pokémon must be nicknamed.

#### Additional Rules

Additionally, the following rules are not coded in but are expected:

* Trading is forbidden.
* You may only capture the first Pokémon you encounter on any given map.

Any additional rules from above may be implemented, as long as they do not contradict the game's code.

### Trainer Card

When performing any Challenge Mode in a Generation AN game, the type of run you are performing is displayed on your Trainer Card. There is only one line, so there are special terms used by the game for any combination of these challenge. performing these challenges, the game displays the following messages:

## Trivia

* Soloruns are more common on the earlier games than the later ones. This is because of the use of emulators allowing one to choose any Pokémon as their starter through the use of an Action Replay or Game Shark code.
* Not every Pokémon game can be soloran.
	+ Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 prevent progress beyond Nimbasa City unless the player has multiple Pokémon due to the Triple Battle with Biker Charles.
* Several of the names given to Solorun Challenges in Generation AN-I onward are references to other media:
	+ Poké Partylocke and its variants (anything with "Party" in the name) refer to Mario Party, as the challenge can be lost entirely because your opponent got lucky with what Pokémon they have.
	+ Hungerlocke and its variants refer to The Hunger Games, as you are one Pokémon being forced to eliminate everyone or die trying.
		- The '75 in "Hungerlocke '75" likely refers to the 75th Hunger Games in particular, which were made more difficult by the fact it was between everyone who was still alive and won the previous 74 Hunger Games.
	+ One-Pokémon Man/Woman is a reference to One-Punch Man.
	+ Breath of the Poké is a reference to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, as the Realistic Levels Run-altered encounter types are reminiscent of an open world RPG. Breath of the Wild happens to be a very well known example which only ever uses a party of one.
	+ Wonder Man/Woman, the combination of a Wonderlocke and One Dice, is a reference to Wonder Woman.
* The Solorun is the only Challenge Run that cannot be combined with a challenge in Generation AN-I onward.