TheChrisD - Rant Central

Platinum Playthrough - Part 5

Split off of Part 4, since it was too long, here’s Part 5 of a continuing thing I’m interested in! I would have used the word saga there, but I don’t think enough people read/care about it…

Part 5, Veilstone Gym

Maylene’s gym seems to have turned from a Pokémon training gym into a real, human gym, what with all the punching bags, weights, boxing rings and everything around. It’s actually a little un-nerving I must say. Anyhow, puzzle completed, trainers defeated it’s time to take on this little adolescent (or is she?).

Yes, this one was a bitch owing to the type-advantage being on her side most of the match…
And who’s waiting outside the gym for you, but your friendly stalker Dawn, who as usual has let Team Galactic find her Pokédex, and she’s acting like the damsel-in-distress and wants you to help her get it back. Ummm, how about no? Unfortunately, I can’t decline (because the game doesn’t give you an option to!). Anyway, after that Handsome shows up again (gee, I forgot he was in this game). Says something, makes Dawn feck off and then drags you behind him into the Galactic warehouse. Inside he sees that the door is locked and then brings you over to pick up HM02 (how subtle…) before leaving you to your devices. Can I go to Pastoria now?

Current Party: Empol (Lv38), Garch (Lv33), Leaf (Lv32), Togek (Lv33), Doom (Lv32)

Now that most of the Veilstone set pieces are out of the way, I should now be able to go get this next badge to continue with the story. I see WTFH got his ass out of the way. Right in we go. Or maybe not, as he’s running up behind us… He better not be doing what I thin- oh, fuck you! God dammit, I wasn’t ready for that. Since I hadn’t saved since the Pokédex battle with Dawn, and I didn’t have my recording method setup yet, I had to start again from Veilstone

Right, now that I know where he’ll be coming, I’m prepared for it!

He really did get some levels on those guys, didn’t he…

Pastoria Gym

Although this is a Water-type Gym, it’s weird how my Grass-type won’t have any advantage here, and instead it’ll be my Flying-type… Leaf still doesn’t have any Grass-type moves yet (and from my research the next one is Magical Leaf at Lv36 - good move, but it’s Special-based and Leaf is stronger physically), and so my strongest against these Water-types will be Togek… Odd, I know. but it wouldn’t be this way if that Move Tutor didn’t want so many shards that I don’t have!

Skip around fifteen minutes while I take out the trainers and run to the restaurant to beef up my Magical Leaf carriers (and/or learn it!), and it’s time for the fifth Gym Leader battle (and my fourth video in quick succession, given I only recorded the second Galactic video from the save backup earlier today…). I like how he chose “Crasher” Wake, given how badly he crashes and burns

I love seeing people being owned by their own signature TM move!

Back into the fresh air - and WTFH is there again. Jeez, go away! I already battled you unexpectadly before the gym! After listening to some drivel, Wake comes out. The pair of them say a lot of stuff filled with exclamation marks before the pair of them run off. Where to? I have no fucking idea… Apparently they ran to the Great Marsh. Wake stands in front stopping you from going in, but once you talk to him another set piece triggers. It’s interesting this time, although I define “bomb explosion” as interesting…

Yes, the Galactic dude who has been scheming outside the Great Marsh set off a bomb inside. Wake rushes in to see what has happened, while WTFH stops you from going in, meaning as usual you have to go give chase to the Galactic grunt. It differs this time, first Handsome is following the pair of you, stops you at one point, and talks with the hotel receptionist. Also at the point where Cynthia shows up to give you the Secret Potion, the rival also shows up, says something hurriedly and takes off after the grunt… Jeez, this just keeps getting weirder and weirder, especially as I can’t understand a single word of it!

With the Psyduck out of the way, the road is now clear to go to Celestic Town and deliver that thing I do believe I just volunteered myself to deliver on behalf of Cynthia… Only thing in the way is the foggy part… God, I hate this bit. It’s as if all your moves only hit half as often as they used to. At least is makes this the perfect spot for training Togek and Leaf since Magical Leaf never misses But you also have to deal with the annoyances of enemies with other guaranteed hit moves, or your Bite missing five times in a row, while the enemy Grotle throws up six Curses… Oh, and another remedy - changing the weather to a Sandstorm thanks to Garch!

Current Party: Empol (Lv40), Garch (Lv34), Leaf (Lv37), Togek (Lv36), Doom (Lv35)

So yea, apparently there’s a Galactic guy being a nuisance by the ruins in town, so I guess it’s up to me to fight him and quell this disturbance. Did I just talk like that…? So, with that guy out of the way, the old lady comes over and says something and, I think, gives me something. I say I think since although the “item acquired” sound played, it didn’t mention me putting it in any pocket, nor was it highlighted at all… Anyway, in we go, to go investigate the odd painting inside the ruin. So the lady goes off for ages, when Cyrus barges in! And he has his own special speech to say… but then he challenges you! Where did that come from!?

Obviously he IV/EV trained those Pokémon, given how they were so tough to beat (I didn’t want to use Empol for once…)

You know I think I just figured out what the “item acquired” sound was for earlier - it was emphasising the fact that I delivered the thing Cynthia asked me to. Nonetheless, we have HM03, so it’s time to get the fuck out of here and towards Canalave City. Although when we get there the badge is second priority, first on the list is getting our sixth team member!