The Artful Nuzlocke Ep7: Evolution, Snorlax and Safari

Previous Episodes:
Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3| Episode 4| Episode 5| Episode 6

Episode 7: Pokemon Tower-Fuchsia City
(Lv. 42 Cap)

After a bit of good fortune in the last couple of episodes, I’m starting to feel more confident about finishing this Nuzlocke.

I’m now at 4 badges — halfway — and with Calypso (Eevee) joining the team last episode, I’m hoping Sprout, HotDog, and Calypso are the ones that make it to the end.

I begin this episode in Celadon after just defeating Giovanni and I start the episode in Celadon after beating Giovanni and grabbing the Silph Scope. First stop: the Department Store to sell off all the junk I’ve been hoarding:

• Nuggets
• Revives
• Star Pieces

Then straight back to spending it all.

I head to the top floor and stock up on Fresh Water and Lemonade — cheaper than anything else for 50HP and 80HP. By the end of it I’ve got around 30 of each.

Art’s bag must weigh about the same as a Snorlax at this point. I don’t know how a 10-year-old is carrying all this.

I also Pick up a Water Stone and a Fire stone (I Wonder why?).

I then remember there are a few thing I havent done before leaving Celadon.

I go to pick up Fly from the secret house above Cycling Road, not before getting jumped by a couple of trainers with strong Fire Pokémon.

That could’ve gone badly, but Kaa handles it.

I realise on my way back I am now on Route 16 and I see a patch of grass and figure this is a new encounter great! (Mistake)

I encounter Doduo happy days, A great bird Pokémon one I like a lot so I go to catch it with Arrow, Arrow is low on health from the double battle with the couple so..

I go for Peck once…

Critical hit.

Doduo drops instantly. Encounter over.

When I leave Route 16 it hits me how stupid that was.

Snorlax is blocking the road and will be an encounter later — which means I’ve just wasted my encounter on a dead Doduo.

Great.

I grab the Tea from the old woman in the apartments.

She tells me I shouldn’t be spending all my money on drinks.

Has she been following me around?

I leave Celadon and head back to the spooky Lavender Town.

Encounter time.

With the Silph Scope, Pokémon in the tower are now visible. There are only three possible encounters:

• Gastly (90%)
• Cubone (9%)
• Haunter (1%)

So naturally… Gastly.

Gastly can be awkward — Curse can spiral quickly if things go wrong.

I lead with Sprout. Grass isn’t great here which is good I don’t want to do too much damage, I use Razor Leaf to get it just under half.

I throw a Great Ball — doesn’t stick.

Gastly uses Curse.

Great.

Somehow it survives on 1HP. No idea how.

I throw another Great Ball…

And it lands. Gastly caught.

I name her Oogie(IYKYK), and she’s sent to the box.

Could be useful later — especially with a certain Gym coming up..

As I make my way up the tower, I start thinking…

I never really questioned this as a kid, but why are these channelers just… standing around in a graveyard getting possessed?

It’s a bit strange.

The sprites didn’t help either — I remember them making me feel really uneasy when I was younger, it looks like a fish/gun or something is going through her body?

Cubones Mother.

I reach the top of the tower and hit the blocked staircase. The ghost of Cubone’s mother won’t let anyone pass.

Bit dark for a kids game.

I defeat it and it can finally rest in peace.

The last time I attempted a Nuzlocke this is where things went wrong — Marowak took out my Charmeleon with Bonemerang. I was definitely more careful this time.

Team Rocket again…

I head up to the top floor and clear out the rest of Team Rocket no problems like usual..

I reach Mr.Fuji and he Gifts me a Flute for defeating the bad guys, how generous… but this does unlock my next pathway towards Fuschia City.

I head south from Lavender Town towards Fuchsia. This stretch of routes has a lot of trainers — probably the longest run without a town in between.

Eventually I reach the Snorlax blocking the road.

This is my one chance to catch it… after wasting my Route 16 encounter earlier.

I am really hoping to get Snorlax with it being a very useful pokemon due to its very high defences which are especially useful during a Nuzlocke.

I lead with Sprout. Same plan as usual — Sleep Powder and start throwing balls.

It’s not that simple this time.

Snorlax is level 30, hits hard, and keeps using Snore while asleep, so I can’t relax at all.

I throw everything at it. Balls, Sleep Powder, everything I have.

Nothing works.

I keep going until I run out.

No balls left.

I have no choice but to finish it.

Snorlax goes down.

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I head back to Lavender to stock up and make a quick stop at the Pokémon Center. I swap out Bam for Eyeball — there are a lot of Bird Keepers coming up and it should be good experience.

Along Routes 15 and 16, Calypso hits level 30 and learns Bite.

That’s the moment.

I use the Water Stone and evolve it into Vaporeon, then teach it Water Pulse straight away.

Massive upgrade to the team.

Not long after, Eyeball evolves into Electrode.

The team is starting to come together now.

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By the time I reach Route 15, Fuchsia is finally in sight. Only a few trainers left.

At the end of one of those battles, something unexpected happens.

Sprout starts evolving.

I always forget this level — I thought it was later — but it goes straight into its final form.

Venusaur the Plant tank.

Encounter.

Before I readh the doors of Fuschia there was wild grass I didnt think there was anything here I can catch.

I was wrong.

Route 15 has Two pokemon I can encounter Venonat and Ditto which could have been interesting.

Alas Venonat.

Same routine as always

Send to sleep.

Throw a ball.

Catch the pokemon

I pick up my Route 15 encounter — a Venonat.

I’m happy with this one. With Sabrina coming up, evolving it into Venomoth could be really useful.

I name her Mothica. Quiet nature as well.

I enter Fuchsia City like an excited kid on christmas day I run straight to the safari zone.

No stopping.
No healing.
Just straight in.

There are some great Pokémon here, but the encounter rates are a bit random. Some of the better encounters include:

• Chansey
• Kangaskhan
• Scyther
• Nidoran / Nidorino / Nidoqueen
• Rhyhorn
• Tauros

Any of these would be a strong addition, so I spend a bit of time walking around hoping for something decent.

Eventually, I run into a Nidoran.

Not bad at all.

I throw a few Safari Balls — four in total — and manage to catch it before it can run.

Timid nature.

I name it King.

A fitting name.

I finish up the Safari Game, picking up the Gold Teeth and HM03 Surf on the way out.

Surf is a huge move!

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Summary

A little bit of an up and down episode.

I missed out on a couple of encounters, but managed to recover with Nidoran and Venonat, both are solid additions going forward.

On top of that, a few key evolutions have helped strengthen the team, so overall it still feels like good progress heading towards the next Gym!

• Cycling Road
• Kogas Gym
• New Encounters
• The Dojo

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Continue the Journey

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