PB:SitC Ep 6: Put Your Cat to the Grindstone
Hello folks. So sorry, I have no April Fish to throw at you. I don’t know what I could erroneously claim anyway. That I’m ragequitting this review? Given the last installment, that’s too plausible.
So! Last time I set off boldly declaring I was going to explore an interesting new zone only to find that 99% of that zone was off-limits to me until I beat the gym, and even then much of the zone will be off limits until at least mid game. This led me to succumb to peer pressure by challenging the gym despite being critically underleveled, with the predictable result of me fleeing the gym, cradling an armful of comatose critters, glittering tears of shame and grief streaming from my eyes.
I spend what feels like a few hours walking in small circles in a patch of Tall Grass just inside Route 2, punctuated by periodic dashes back to the Pokecenter so as not to spend potions I can’t afford to replace on healing. I’m grinding, and definitionally speaking that means nothing much of interest happens. The only thing that happens is abruptly near the end I emerge from the Pokemon center to be informed that Winter has come. Insert your own Game of Thrones joke here. I don’t have cable.
I also notice as I am grinding that Serena, my Purrloin, seems to get hit harder and more often than the others, which makes leveling her even harder than the others. Her stats don’t seem THAT bad compared to the others. Don’t tell her, but I am afraid that she’s on the list for early retirement once I get a more diverse set of Pokemon.
So, before I challenge the gym (again), let’s have a quick rundown of our Roster going in. No party roles, as that will come when I can actually choose a party.
Kelpie, Level 12 Oshawott
HP: 36 Att: 18 Def: 18 Sp Att: 22 Sp Def. 17 Speed: 14
Move Pool: Water Gun, Tail Whip, Tackle, Water Sport
Flambaby, Level 12 Pansear
HP: 35 Att: 18 Def: 15 Sp Att: 18 Sp Def. 19 Speed: 22
Move Pool: Incinerate, Scratch, Lick, Leer
Terrie, Level 12 Lillipup
HP:33 Att: 23 Def: 17 Sp Att: 12 Sp Def: 16 Speed: 21
Move Pool: Bite, Tackle, Odor Sleuth, Leer
Silas, Level 12 Patrat
HP: 33 Att: 21 Def: 13 Sp Att: 14 Sp Def: 15 Speed: 19
Move Pool: Bite, Tackle, Bide, Leer
Serena, Level 12 Purrloin
HP: 34 Att: 21 Def: 13 Sp Att: 17 Sp Def: 16 Speed:21
Move Pool: Scratch, Fury Swipes, Assist, Sand Attack
I am feeling good. Like all I need is suitably badass battle music to walk into the Gym to.
I charge right up to Cilan and challenge him again, no doubt flustering the rather shy man. But he’s still a professional Pokemon trainer and a gym leader, so the battle is joined. I match Kelpie up against his Lillipup, and take him out with heavy damage and a potion used. He brings out his Pansage, at which point I bring out Flambaby, and we have an old fashioned monkeyfight on our hands. Pansage may have two levels on me, but he’s still weak versus fire, and Flambaby is strong verses Grass attacks, so this fight is considerably easier than the others.
It’s then that I am informed I have to fight ALL THREE gym leaders! No, I kid.
Cilan compliments me on my strength saying “Seems like not even Chili or Cress could beat you”, which is odd because I have not in fact, fought his partners so any comparison of prowess would be theoretical at best. They award me my very first gym badge, plus a copy of TM83: “Work Up”! Huh. I didn’t know The Jane Fonda Workout was A Thing in the Pokemon universe.
Actually, Work Up boosts your Attack and Special Attack attributes. Good to know, though generally speaking I usually consider pure buff abilities to be less useful than just piling more damage on top of your opponent. He also points out that TMs can be used as much as you like, because as I am given to understand, TMs wore out and broke eventually in previous games.
I chat with the other two Leaders and Cress lets slip that he, Chili and Cilan are actually brothers! Huh. Brothers.
I take my leave of Café Bad Idea, and outside Dr. Fennel is waiting for me. She ushers me into her house, past the assistant from earlier (Who is not yet pondering whether being turned into a Mudkip is awesome), and then practically shoves me into her bedroom! Lady, I don’t have solid numbers, but I’m pretty sure I’m 10! This has to be violating the law, even in a world where you let your kids go on walkabout sometime around that age!
She explains that she is a scientist studying Trainers, and I still maintain that I need an adult. She maintains that she just wants to help me as a favor to her old collage chum Professor Juniper, and I insist she’s not helping her case any. She then proceeds to give me a copy of HM01: “Cut”, which will allow me to cut down small trees in my way.
In return for this, she asks me to investigate the Dreamyard. What a great idea! Why didn’t I think of that. She wants some of Munna’s Dream Mist so she can use the Game Sync to collect Save Files of various trainers. That request hurts me right in my Fourth Wall, but I agree anyway. Hey, Serena can learn Cut! Kitty, you just made it back onto my good list.
And with that, I set off to explore the Dreamyard, Purrloin at my feet.
So! Last time I set off boldly declaring I was going to explore an interesting new zone only to find that 99% of that zone was off-limits to me until I beat the gym, and even then much of the zone will be off limits until at least mid game. This led me to succumb to peer pressure by challenging the gym despite being critically underleveled, with the predictable result of me fleeing the gym, cradling an armful of comatose critters, glittering tears of shame and grief streaming from my eyes.
I spend what feels like a few hours walking in small circles in a patch of Tall Grass just inside Route 2, punctuated by periodic dashes back to the Pokecenter so as not to spend potions I can’t afford to replace on healing. I’m grinding, and definitionally speaking that means nothing much of interest happens. The only thing that happens is abruptly near the end I emerge from the Pokemon center to be informed that Winter has come. Insert your own Game of Thrones joke here. I don’t have cable.
I also notice as I am grinding that Serena, my Purrloin, seems to get hit harder and more often than the others, which makes leveling her even harder than the others. Her stats don’t seem THAT bad compared to the others. Don’t tell her, but I am afraid that she’s on the list for early retirement once I get a more diverse set of Pokemon.
So, before I challenge the gym (again), let’s have a quick rundown of our Roster going in. No party roles, as that will come when I can actually choose a party.
Kelpie, Level 12 Oshawott
HP: 36 Att: 18 Def: 18 Sp Att: 22 Sp Def. 17 Speed: 14
Move Pool: Water Gun, Tail Whip, Tackle, Water Sport
Flambaby, Level 12 Pansear
HP: 35 Att: 18 Def: 15 Sp Att: 18 Sp Def. 19 Speed: 22
Move Pool: Incinerate, Scratch, Lick, Leer
Terrie, Level 12 Lillipup
HP:33 Att: 23 Def: 17 Sp Att: 12 Sp Def: 16 Speed: 21
Move Pool: Bite, Tackle, Odor Sleuth, Leer
Silas, Level 12 Patrat
HP: 33 Att: 21 Def: 13 Sp Att: 14 Sp Def: 15 Speed: 19
Move Pool: Bite, Tackle, Bide, Leer
Serena, Level 12 Purrloin
HP: 34 Att: 21 Def: 13 Sp Att: 17 Sp Def: 16 Speed:21
Move Pool: Scratch, Fury Swipes, Assist, Sand Attack
I am feeling good. Like all I need is suitably badass battle music to walk into the Gym to.
I charge right up to Cilan and challenge him again, no doubt flustering the rather shy man. But he’s still a professional Pokemon trainer and a gym leader, so the battle is joined. I match Kelpie up against his Lillipup, and take him out with heavy damage and a potion used. He brings out his Pansage, at which point I bring out Flambaby, and we have an old fashioned monkeyfight on our hands. Pansage may have two levels on me, but he’s still weak versus fire, and Flambaby is strong verses Grass attacks, so this fight is considerably easier than the others.
It’s then that I am informed I have to fight ALL THREE gym leaders! No, I kid.
Cilan compliments me on my strength saying “Seems like not even Chili or Cress could beat you”, which is odd because I have not in fact, fought his partners so any comparison of prowess would be theoretical at best. They award me my very first gym badge, plus a copy of TM83: “Work Up”! Huh. I didn’t know The Jane Fonda Workout was A Thing in the Pokemon universe.
Actually, Work Up boosts your Attack and Special Attack attributes. Good to know, though generally speaking I usually consider pure buff abilities to be less useful than just piling more damage on top of your opponent. He also points out that TMs can be used as much as you like, because as I am given to understand, TMs wore out and broke eventually in previous games.
I chat with the other two Leaders and Cress lets slip that he, Chili and Cilan are actually brothers! Huh. Brothers.
I take my leave of Café Bad Idea, and outside Dr. Fennel is waiting for me. She ushers me into her house, past the assistant from earlier (Who is not yet pondering whether being turned into a Mudkip is awesome), and then practically shoves me into her bedroom! Lady, I don’t have solid numbers, but I’m pretty sure I’m 10! This has to be violating the law, even in a world where you let your kids go on walkabout sometime around that age!
She explains that she is a scientist studying Trainers, and I still maintain that I need an adult. She maintains that she just wants to help me as a favor to her old collage chum Professor Juniper, and I insist she’s not helping her case any. She then proceeds to give me a copy of HM01: “Cut”, which will allow me to cut down small trees in my way.
In return for this, she asks me to investigate the Dreamyard. What a great idea! Why didn’t I think of that. She wants some of Munna’s Dream Mist so she can use the Game Sync to collect Save Files of various trainers. That request hurts me right in my Fourth Wall, but I agree anyway. Hey, Serena can learn Cut! Kitty, you just made it back onto my good list.
And with that, I set off to explore the Dreamyard, Purrloin at my feet.