Current Events > MrMallard plays Pokemon Brilliant Diamond - it ended up being pretty fun

(+) Yeah! (+)

I figured my last topic started with a long rant, so people wouldn't catch on that it's a playthrough topic. I decided to close that and start this topic to talk about the game as I play through it.

So far, I've excelled at naming things:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/7/0/AAbh80AACssq.jpg
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/3/7/1/AAbh80AACssr.jpg

And I just beat Roark. I remember the gym leader battles being a lot harder when I was a kid, but I was playing Platinum and apparently the gym lineups are more in line with the originals, despite some improvements from Platinum making it through.

I'm not sure what my next Pokemon should be, rn I'm travelling with these three and training them up before I pick up any more.

I like your names. I especially look forward to seeing how Crushmaster shapes up.

Wait, what the fuck? A dude in Floaroma Town gave me a Jirachi!

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/5/9/AAbh80AACsuD.jpg

so how much does the forced exp share ruin it or is it not that bad?

Teh_Dr_Phil posted...

so how much does the forced exp share ruin it or is it not that bad?

In my other topic, someone said they were up to the fourth gym and their team was overpowered. So far, I'm up to Floraroma Town and the Valley Windworks, and idk how to feel about it yet.

The trick to the Exp. Share is that weaker Pokemon get more of the XP. So if you have a level 5 Geodude and two other level 10 Pokemon, fighting with Geodude will still give it a big chunk of XP - and when your other Pokemon fight, your fighting Pokemon will probably get the most, then your lower levelled Pokemon, then the other one.

It's not like "this Pokemon levels up more because it needs less XP", it's "this Pokemon levels up more because it gets a lot of XP due to its lower level".

I wouldn't call it ideal, but I'm not hating it.

Apologies for being off topic but did you start P4G yet?

Also, do you already know if you'll be playing P4 or Golden?

It shines like a doitsu

Okay, the first Commander Mars boss fight is a bit of a challenge. Her Purugly was wrecking my Crushmaster.

teep_ posted...

Apologies for being off topic but did you start P4G yet?

Also, do you already know if you'll be playing P4 or Golden?

P4G will probably be a while. I tend to get the games and sit on them for a long time before I start them, because they're a big commitment. I'll probably start after BD at this pace, or something will happen in this game that's total BS and I'll start P4G to like cool off.

MrMallard posted...

Okay, the first Commander Mars boss fight is a bit of a challenge. Her Purugly was wrecking my Crushmaster.

Nooo! Not Crushmaster

I just remembered Turtwig evolves into a Grass/Ground type. Geodude learns a bunch of ground type moves, which will probably make the eventual Golem pretty redundant.

Should I replace Buff Duff with a water type or something now to better cover my bases?

MrMallard posted...

Wait, what the fuck? A dude in Floaroma Town gave me a Jirachi!

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/5/9/AAbh80AACsuD.jpg

if you have the sword/shield and let's go games, you Jirachi and Mew for free.

Arcanine2009 posted...

if you have the sword/shield and let's go games, you Jirachi and Mew for free.

Damn, guess I outed myself as someone who's played Pokemon SwSh

One think about gen 4 that really bugs me are the honey trees. Gen 2 had Headbutt, which gave you an instant 50/50 chance of fighting a Pokemon. Then Gen 3 introduced Pokeblocks to change the Pokemon at the Safari Zone, which was a pain in the ass, and gen 4 introduced Honey, which is an even bigger pain in the ass.

God, honey sucks. I smeared two trees near Floraroma and I'm running to check on them between trainer battles. It's so time consuming - I hate the honey mechanic.

Something the remakes do that's bothering me is the soft blur it puts around the edges of the screen. It was really bad in Link's Awakening, too - it's just not something I like to see in games.

It's not everywhere - it's in that northern part of Floraroma for sure, but the main world map isn't all blurry. Still bothers me.

Floraroma is really nice to look at during the night, though. The colours of the flowers really pop against the dark green grass.

MrMallard posted...

One think about gen 4 that really bugs me are the honey trees.

The only Pokemon exclusive to the trees are Burmy and...I think Heracross. Everything else (including Munchlax) can be found underground eventually. Only real benefit to them is that it's easier to soft-reset for a female Combee. >_>

So I just learned by googling it that with the honey trees, they start rustling six hours after you smear the honey - six real-world hours. Any time after that, you can check them. But after 24 hours, they stop rustling.

Again - why is this a thing and not Headbutt?

I will say in honey's favor that you can open it up in a patch if grass and instantly trigger a fight, just like Sweet Scent. Still not a fan of the tree mechanic, but whatever.

MrMallard posted...

P4G will probably be a while. I tend to get the games and sit on them for a long time before I start them, because they're a big commitment. I'll probably start after BD at this pace, or something will happen in this game that's total BS and I'll start P4G to like cool off.

Alright, no worries. I'm not sure how P3 handled it, but in both P4G and P5R you have to take certain steps to unlock the 'new' content, which is what I wanted to let you know/warn you about

And yeah, I ended up never using honey in the original Diamond. Too annoying

I haven't played much pokemon recently because I don't want to burn out before Arceus

I've gotta say, I'm having a hard time replacing Buff Duff. I'm hoping to get a team full of three-part evolutions, and while I'm interested in Buizel, I don't like that it only has one other evolution.

I just got access to the Grand Underground and it's really, really good. Like holy shit, it's genuinely better than the original games. There are these biome-type areas where different Pokemon show up, I found a Magnemite which I've replaced Buff Duff with.

Legit, the Grand Underground is fantastic. This is the sort of shit that makes you want to keep playing until like 5am.

MrMallard posted...

Again - why is this a thing and not Headbutt?

I've always disliked the stupid restrictions on some Pokemon - and I'm including trade requirements and different versions being part of that. Feebas is probably the biggest fuck you though.

I think it's why if I ever play another Pokemon game, it'll be a...version that lets you catch all of the pokemon.

MrMallard posted...

I just remembered Turtwig evolves into a Grass/Ground type. Geodude learns a bunch of ground type moves, which will probably make the eventual Golem pretty redundant.

Should I replace Buff Duff with a water type or something now to better cover my bases?

The only thing water covers that grass doesnt is fire isn't it? Rock covers that too, but if you want a water type, Gyarados learns waterfall at lvl 21 now. Very useful.

Jesus fucking Christ, I nearly caught a Houndoom. A fucking HOUNDOOM.

Ilca had too much power when they revamped the Grand Underground. I'm liking this way too much.

It's easy to overlevel in the underground

MrMallard posted...

Jesus fucking Christ, I nearly caught a Houndoom. A fucking HOUNDOOM.

Ilca had too much power when they revamped the Grand Underground. I'm liking this way too much.

Really dont get why it is houndoom instead of houndour. At least you can easily buy a flamethrower tm later on I guess.

@#24 - It really is.

After a bit of spawn-scumming, I finally got another Houndoom and managed to catch it. I'm gonna keep as breeding stock, get a Houndour puppy and raise it up to be in my forever-team.

I found an Absol and called it Doomslayer because of its lore, it's seen as unlucky but it's just trying to help. It's trying to prevent doom from occuring. Then I caught the Houndoom and decided to call it Doomslayer because it looks awesome and demonic. So now I have two Doomslayers.

A few of my Pokemon names:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/9/8/AAbh80AACsxy.jpg https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/9/9/AAbh80AACsxz.jpg
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/0/0/AAbh80AACsx0.jpg
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/0/1/AAbh80AACsx1.jpg https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/7/0/2/AAbh80AACsx2.jpg

Both of the honey tree Pokemon were fucking Wurmples.

Fuck honey trees

Also I found a way to play the Grand Underground without overlevelling my Pokemon - I'm gonna have a main game team and an underground team. Buff Duff is on the underground team while Magnasty is on the surface team and the underground team for the time being to level up

What's your current party?

MrMallard posted...

A few of my Pokemon names:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/6/9/8/AAbh80AACsxy.jpg

That's poggers, bro

AngelicRadiance posted...

What's your current party?

Surface party is Grotle, Staravia and Magnemite. Underground party is Houndoom, Geodude and Magnemite (who'll eventually be swapped out for a third Pokemon)

This game is fucking dangerous. I need to go for a run in 20 minutes so I'm getting some spelunking in while I wait, and time's moving so fast while I excavate and shit.

I've excavated enough. Just gonna level Magnasty up to level 22 with the others, and I'll be ready to try the Eterna City gym.

I've binged the Grand Underground so much it barely registers as stimulation any more. Gotta get back to the main game now.

I got another Houndoom for breeding purposes, though. I have no idea where I'd find a Ditto so it's better this way.

Gardenia is cute, like damn. Really digging her enthusiasm. I beat her gym, then managed to beat Team Galactic HQ with a guest appearance from one of my Houndooms.

One issue I had with the original game was that every big conflict felt like hitting a brick wall, and the grinding didn't feel satisfactory. This game has a similar issue, though the Underground provides a pretty solid avenue to level if push comes to shove. Like Jupiter's Skuntank kept wrecking my party, and there's not much in the way of grinding - the Skuntank is level 20 and the surrounding Pokemon are level 10 - 14 or so. My team was at level 25 and I still needed to sub in a GU catch to get the win in the end.

Though granted, that could be due to my team's composition. Both Magnemite and Grotle are weak to its Flamethrower, and Staravia doesn't stand much of a chance either. Hence why I want a water type Pokemon when the time allows it.

My final party typing is looking to be Flying, Fighting, Electricity, Steel, Grass and Ground. With Houndour, you can add Fire and Dark to that list. I think water would help further round things off, with maybe a dragon type if I can find one.

MrMallard posted...

I have no idea where I'd find a Ditto so it's better this way.

You can get them on route 208 in the post game with the pokeradar and I think they appear in the crystal themed caves in the underground but that may be post game too

I named my Houndour Scumwrecker. I'm looking forward to having it on my team going forward.

The one downside is its moveset. Both its parents had pretty meh movesets, and Scumwrecker inherited the worst of both of them. Though I have figured out a strategy since it has Taunt, Counter and Sucker Punch - Taunt the enemy into attacking, use Sucker Punch/Counter.

It's a bummer because it's a playstyle that depends on the Pokemon getting hit. I'm looking forward to when it gets Bite so I can get rid of Beat Up.