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Rocket Run: A Pokemon Platinum Challenge Run

After finishing a couple of games I was working through recently, I had a hankering to do a challenge run on Pokemon Platinum. I decided that I'd comic-log this run and share it here.
I chose to breed a team to carry me through rather than catch as I go. That means a maximum of five critters plus Eevee, Togepi, Riolu, and Porygon (the four gift critters in Platinum). I looked long and hard at the available critters of the appropriate types, checking for both general coverage and for the final endgame versus the Elite Four and Cynthia. I narrowed it all down, bit by bit, until I had my concept team. Time to break out SoulSilver - my "repository" game with all my permanently-stored pokerthingz - and get to biking.

I ran the breeding chains only as long as necessary (i.e. I was breeding for moves only, not taking extra pains to get good IVs, though I do have some very decent parent stock and Dittos, so there's a better than average chance of good IVs anyway) and didn't check the eggs for nature before trading them over to Platinum. I only fought one battle with my Turtwig starter to completion (the battle with Barry in the beginning); the remaining battles that my starter faced were solely to capture critters to trade for my eggs (and a Magcargo for easy hatching ).

Here's what came out:

Bone, Sneasel Sabot, Scyther Giygas, Gastly
Evard, Tentacool Harrier, Trapinch Every one of them turned out male. Oy.

First installment: Twinleaf through Jubilife
I only wish you could trash Lucas.

Because Giygas is the only party member to start with his final moveset, he's seriously overpowered. That's especially true at these low levels where Gastly's speed outstrips just about everyone who's not using priority moves... and when the premier priority move among the locals is Quick Attack, Gastly can drop nukes with no trouble at all.

Astute observers will note that I have two moves different from what was reported in the first post. This moveset is taken from the text file containing the original concept for the team - not the finalized version. It's an error I didn't notice until after I was done inking. Let's just keep it under our hats.

This is fun! I've never taken the time to properly get to grips with breeding Pokémon, even though I have logged a lot of game hours, so I'm finding that and your thought process quite interesting. The comic is funny - love Giygas's face after the battle

Second installment: Oreburgh through Jubilife again
A Trapinch with Earthquake ain't no joke in the first gym.

After being completely shut out of Oreburgh due to 4x weakness to Rock attacks, Sabot finally got to shine again during the double battle with Lucas against Team Galactic. By the time I get to Eterna, Sabot will have learned Wing Attack and will essentially be soloing the grass gym, so I'll be holding him back to keep him from being overleveled. I wanted to let him stretch his legs now while I have the chance.

Sounds and looks interesting, whats a challenge run?

A challenge run is a playthrough of a game taken with voluntarily-imposed rules which are not an inherent part of the game. The most famous Pokemon challenge run category is the Nuzlocke Challenge, made famous by the original Nuzlocke comics.

I had never heard of this. Very creative. I love it!

Third installment: Eterna City, part 1
Cynthia is such a goober.