[GUIDE] Introduction to Pokemon Challenges: Nuzlocke

[BlazingRain 893/1000]

Introduction to Pokemon Challenges: Nuzlocke

Playing through Pokemon game the same way over and over again can get pretty boring over the years - nostalgia won't be enough to make you able to enjoy some of the games. Other problems with Pokemon games that started to be occur in the latest generations was making the game bit easier - child friendly. Making the games easier won’t appeal to everyone because of older players, more experienced ones want a better challenge when playing. Results of wanting such challenges are of course the Pokemon Challenges that people came up with over the years. This guide series will cover up most of the known challenges pokemon fans came up with over the years. So let’s start with one of the most known and most fun challenge: Pokemon Nuzlocke!

Nuzlockes are a well known challenge run applicable to any of the main-line pokémon games. However, even as probably the most well known type of challenge run, there are bound to be some people still unaware of it.

0. What is a Nuzlocke?

A Nuzlocke is a set of self-imposed rule a pokémon player can follow to make their games more difficult. These two rules are:

1. Only catch the first pokémon on a route, and nothing else. If you fail to catch the first one on a route, oh well.
2. If one of your pokémon faints, it is dead and shall not be used again. Box it or release it.
(3. Nickname all your pokémon. This is to try and get more emotionally attached to them.)

1. Nuzlockes, a History.

Like many internet trends, the Nuzlocke started on 4chan. In 2010, a user by the name of Nuzlocke posted a series of webcomics, which are currently accessible on nuzlocke.com and divided into 3 arcs. (I say accessible, but I can't access them myself, website glitched out.)

The name Nuzlocke was never the official name for the series. Rather, it was called Pokémon: Hard Mode. The reason it was called Nuzlocke was because of of the poster's username and the first pokémon the main character caught. A seedot(Later Nuzleaf) That constantly quoted John Locke from Lost.

2. Variations and clauses: Pick & flavor your poison.

Sometimes, just the standard set of rules will not do. And thus, many people created variations, clauses and the like to make this challenge harder and harder.

Some of the more popular clauses and variations are:

• Stacking Nuzlockes with other challenges, like monotypes or unevolved runs.
• Adding clauses to make the game more interesting, like a Dupes clause to prevent having the same pokémon, or a Shiny clause so you don't have to kill your lucky moment.

• Allowing/disallowing trades/gift pokemon per area

• No items in battles
• Restricting your PokeCenter visits
• No buying items
• No TMs
• Allowing usage of EXP share

The dozens of variations people have created for nuzlockes, like:

Quote

Chesslocke: Can only catch 16 pokémon, every pokémon corresponds to a chess piece and will have a moveset based on said chesspiece. (Guide will be made and linked at some point.)

Wedlocke: Pokémon will be caught in couples. If one pokémon of the couple dies, a new partner shall be caught. In a different variation, the soul-link, if a partner dies, the other one dies of sadness.

Apocalocke: A challenge that limits both the types of pokémon you can use, and what kind of moves or items your pokémon are allowed to use. (Guide will be linked and made)

Leglocke: You can only catch pokémon with a certain amount of legs they have. If you catch a pokémon, the next pokémon needs to have a leg number difference of either 2 or 1.

Cagelocke: Two-player variant of a normal Nuzlocke. Every time the two players beat a Gym leader, they have to battle each other with a Pokémon of their choice. The player who wins the cage match can choose to either get a revive on the winning Pokémon, get to use TMs, or get to use items, and the Pokemon that loses is considered dead.

Egglocke: You start as normal Nuzlocke but the thing is that you will be swapping your caught pokemon for eggs! Every caught/gifted pokemon needs to be swapped out for an egg. Eggs are either traded to you by others or edited in your game. This adds a fun twist to the challenge because people might gift you good or bad pokemon.

Evolocke: You don’t allow your pokemon to evolve - if a Pokémon tries to evolve through levelling up, you can cancel it. When you successfully defeat a Gym Leader and obtain a Gym Badge, you can evolve one of the Pokémon who took part in the battle by only one stage.

Wonderlocke: Pokemon you catch are wonder traded - currently only doable in Gen6 and Gen7. Dupes cause are a must in this or you will end up with bunch of zigzagoons.

I hope this helped you learn a bit about one of the most popular pokémon challenges known to 'mon. If you have any questions or feedback, just post some comments. If you want to, you canh even share your own nuzlocke variations there!

[Plok 0/300]

approved

@Nitro @Kastion

[Eroe 0/300]

One thing I'd suggest changing:

2 hours ago, BlazingRain said:

Wedlocke: Pokémon will be caught in couples. If one pokémon of the couple dies, the other dies of sadness.

In the original Wedlocke challenge, the partner does not die of sadness. After a death in a Wedlocke, the single Pokemon simply gets a new partner. However, the death from sadness occurs in Soul Links iirc. Either way, nice guide!

[Source: Marriland's videos, the creator of the Wedlocke challenge]

[BlazingRain 893/1000]

3 minutes ago, Eroe said:

One thing I'd suggest changing:

In the original Wedlocke challenge, the partner does not die of sadness. After a death in a Wedlocke, the single Pokemon simply gets a new partner. However, the death from sadness occurs in Soul Links iirc. Either way, nice guide!

[Source: Marriland's videos, the creator of the Wedlocke challenge]

Thanks for the note, I forgot about that.

[Clegga 0/300]

Oh wow I had forgotten about all the forms of nuzlockes. I haven't even heard of some of those like chesslocke and cagelocke.

[Nitro 2,318/3200]

Approved! @Kastion

[Wafflez 0/300]

I have never tried this challenge, and I know that it could get fun. I might try this eventually.

[RAMPAGEGAGE 0/300]

I'd love to try out some of these variations, one I would add to the list is a typelocke! I think this is a very interesting nuzlocke to try out, and it's pretty much what it sounds like, you have to choose a type to stick to throughout the run and only catch pokemon of that type. The way this would work is that the first pokemon that is of the same type as the one you chose is your "first encounter". I think a randomized run is a must for this as it would be kind of impossible to do this kind of run in a regular playthrough, as you would only have 3 choices for typings.

[BlazingRain 893/1000]

13 hours ago, RAMPAGEGAGE said:

I'd love to try out some of these variations, one I would add to the list is a typelocke! I think this is a very interesting nuzlocke to try out, and it's pretty much what it sounds like, you have to choose a type to stick to throughout the run and only catch pokemon of that type. The way this would work is that the first pokemon that is of the same type as the one you chose is your "first encounter". I think a randomized run is a must for this as it would be kind of impossible to do this kind of run in a regular playthrough, as you would only have 3 choices for typings.

I technically listed this, under the header of 'stacking nuzlockes with other challenges', so that's listed already. Typelocke does have a nice ring to it.
As for the 'it only works randomized' argument, it's debatable. you could just choose to ditch your starter the moment you get the appropiate typing, or choose a dual type your starter gets. Otherwise, you could just edit only the starters. This would mean that you can mostly do it without randomizing, though it would indeed be easier if you did randomize.