Heart Gold Kingslocke: Episode 16

Introduction/rules here.

okay, we’re gonna

we’re gonna do the thing, or we’re gonna try, anyway

Like I said last time, the test here is basically that I only have four Pokémon and I didn’t choose them, but I can play normally with those four. Parker, who doesn’t have Champion status, is mostly going to be a spectator, unfortunately – with the Death card in play, if he gets knocked out even once, he’s gone for the foreseeable future. Hell, if he even takes damage, I can’t heal him because of the High Priestess. My team is also heavily slanted towards Poison-types, which the first member of the Elite Four, Will, is set up very well to deal with, but hopefully our levels are now high enough that we can just kick the $#!t out of him and it won’t matter.

Well, no point in standing around; let’s give this a go.

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Heart Gold Kingslocke: Episode 15

Introduction/rules here.

Last time, I was exploring the deeper caverns of Mount Mortar and had just drawn the Ten of Pentacles, which prompts Jim the Editor to pick a custom rule contributed by a commenter – and perhaps to make some other changes as well.

y’know what, you have to be a little bit insane to support me on Patreon; I don’t know what I expected; thanks, Name (Required)

So we’re losing the Six of Swords and adopting this… explosive rule, meaning our cards in play are now these ones:

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Heart Gold Kingslocke: Episode 14

Introduction/rules here.

I’m starting off this leg by just… putting a whole lot of Pokémon through basic training. Thanks to the King of Swords, all my lower-level Pokémon can ignore the rules and do whatever they want until they hit 31, and there are actually a lot who can evolve before that point.

Call it an investment in the future.

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Heart Gold Kingslocke: Episode 13

Introduction/rules here.

Right. Now what?

Team Rocket’s defeated, so it’s time to set a course for the final gym in Blackthorn City – which means travelling along route 44 and drawing another card!

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Heart Gold Kingslocke: Episode 12

Introduction/rules here.

A weird radio broadcast about Team Rocket? Don’t worry; Professor Elm will call someone who’s sure to sort it out – that pre-teen child who does chores for him occasionally.

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Heart Gold Kingslocke: Episode 11

Introduction/rules here.

Last time I left you all in suspense, I was waiting to receive an answer from my own personal Devil, Jim the Editor. As a reminder, the Devil card says:

The Devil: If you own eight Pokémon or fewer (not counting Pokémon in the Vessel) when you draw this card, or if you are using a party given to you by the Vessel, ignore it and draw another. Otherwise…
Immediate: Catch the first wild Pokémon you see in this area, then have an observer choose a new party of six Pokémon from all the Pokémon you own, except for Pokémon in the Vessel. Revoke any ongoing rules that would make this team illegal.
Ongoing: All of the chosen Pokémon are compulsory.

So I went to Jim with a full update on all my cards and Pokémon, and here is what he said.

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Heart Gold Kingslocke: Episode 10

Introduction/rules here.

It’s orbing time.

…it is not orbing time.

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Heart Gold Kingslocke: Episode 9

Introduction/rules here.

Last time I left off, I was preparing to storm Team Rocket’s Mahogany Town lair with your friend and mine, Lance the Dragon Master. Let’s get to it!

Ordered to use Hyper Beam, Dragonite just ruthlessly beats the $#!t out of this dude. Eh, I assume he probably deserved it.

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Heart Gold Kingslocke: Episode 8

Introduction/rules here.

At the back of the Cianwood Gym, examining a large machine. A chute runs down the middle of the building and dumps water on the head of the gym leader. Game Text: There is a large winch. Will you turn it?

Turning the winch. The waterfall chute rises up, the water stops flowing, and the waterfall over Chuck's head stops.

Chuck only has two Pokémon. They’re both much higher levels than mine – 29 and 31 – but they are also both open to manipulation, because Chuck’s signature move in this game is Focus Punch, which can be disrupted by attack damage. Only two of my Pokémon should be in danger of being petrified here, Paradise from Rock Slide and Killgore from Focus Punch, and in theory that shouldn’t be a problem for Killgore as long as he just keeps attacking. Even if we lose one or both of them, I’ll get one back if I can win the battle.

"VS" screen with a close-up of Chuck, a shirtless middle-aged man with bushy eyebrows and muttonchops, wearing white arm-wraps.

Well, here goes nothing.

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Heart Gold Kingslocke: Episode 7

Introduction/rules here.

We stand at a crossroads.

On route 38: a dirt road with white picket fences, flowers and trees on either side.

Outside Ecruteak City: a dirt path, trees all around, a signpost, a cave entrance to the east.

With Morty defeated and the Fog Badge in hand, I can continue west from Ecruteak City, towards Olivine City, or turn and head east, towards Mahogany Town.

Johto’s mid-game is pretty open; you can do the next three gyms in almost any order. Whichever way I go, I’ll need Surf, either to investigate Lake of Rage or to cross the sea to Cianwood Island – but not immediately. I don’t have any Pokémon accessible at the moment who can use Surf, but the Kingslocke rules do make exceptions when you need an HM to move forward in the story; if it becomes necessary, I’ll be able to defy the Eight of Wands and withdraw Abazigal the Dratini to handle that. Still, it would be better if I didn’t have to… and I think my odds are best if I head to Olivine City first.

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