Pokemon Platinum - 0 Exp Run Part 12: Cyrus @ Distortion World

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MoogleBoss

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Published on July 31, 2014 4:21:41 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xkX623e6Z8

Game:

Pokémon Platinum (2008)

Duration: 7:24

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26

Third and final battle against Cyrus (the only one that I felt was worth recording)... who was shamelessly ripped off by Lysandre two generations later (who is also seen using Weavile and Gyarados in spite of an incredibly large cast of Pokemon being available in X/Y).

Challenge playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbSv8zSDR9c2Ou_dZZ5hjDdZH4wlLX0gV

So... Cyrus, let's be honest here, is pretty tough, and things are even tougher considering how I've been trying to win battles without using any restorative items. It's not like I would do something like run enemies out of PP while reviving my guys if that guideline wasn't there - but it does make a difference as sometimes a Pokemon is offensively 'right' to face a threat but doesn't take hits so well, or has to take so many of them that, if healing isn't involved, he'll need somebody else to extend a helping hand.

Observing this guideline (not so much a rule as I doubt I'll be able to observe it for the E4/Cynthia, though I'll certainly try) is what made me seriously scratch my head thinking of the right party and strategy for this fight, and Cyrus is quite tough in himself without additional restrictions in the first place. The only requirement was having somebody with Strength/Rock Climb/Surf with me, which was basically all done by Golduck (who's probably the Pokemon I've been using for the longest time in this challenge, especially useful for trainers and Team Galactic members).

A lot of the Pokemon used here could potentially reappear in the E4, because many of them are quite competent and hardly lose to what is available on, say, Victory Road floors. I made sure to catch stuff with the right natures, too.

Cyrus leads with Houndoom, and this one can go in different ways. If Houndoom attacks, it's going to hurt to target, while Will-o-Wisp can be cured with the right held berry... or it can be used to our own advantage. Guts!Machamp turns the burn into an attack boost (a strat I've enjoyed repeating with things like Raticate in my past 0 exp runs, if anybody's watched those) - at least that's what would have happened if that WoW hadn't missed. Oh well, at least Machamp is at full HP and can take a hit later.

Machamp causes Crobat to be switched in. Crobat is more or less completely (because that's not how it ends at all in this video) walled by my L37 Bronzong with poison immunity/flying resistance/good bulk, but Cyrus is too clever and will switch to his Heat Wave Honchkrow after Crobat has received some damage. I'm aware of this and anticipate the switch-in by using Reflect on the switch - Honch's physical STABs are too strong. I then sacrifice my Staravia to further debilitate Honch's physical offence.

There's no real Honchkrow counter to speak of, really. This run's most used Pokemon, Choice Specs Golduck, fails to OHKO with a SE Blizzard and can very likely miss the 2HKO with Surf, too. Honchkrow's special offence isn't terrible either, so a Psychic will 3HKO Golduck while Cyrus is likely using a potion to bring me back to where I started with attacking Honchkrow.

The bird is still alive so I risk Gengar (traded Gaspar) by gambling with the inaccurate Thunder, which is obviously as strong as you'd think in spite of the level disadvantage. Gengar had Magnet here, I believe, and the 7% extra hit from equipping the lens didn't seem large enough to bother with.

Gengar causes Weavile to appear, and Machamp can take a combination of Fake Out + Ice Punch while OHKOing back with... anything really, as Weavile's physically fragile and 4x weak to fighting.

It's only this far into the battle that I run out of my Reflect set early on in the fight. How come? Bronzong was given Light Clay to hold, which extends screen duration from 5 to 8 turns. Quite handy as you can see!

Machamp lures Crobat in... again, and as you might expect, I switch into Bronzong, expecting to be done in 2 more Extrasensory attacks, while also putting another Reflect for the vicious Gyarados we're about to face.

But... Crobat gets 1 crit + 2 flinches so the KO doesn't happen. Gaspar the Gengar grabs the KO with Shadow Ball, getting confused in the process. This is really bad, as, although we do outspeed Gyarados, confusion has a 50% chance of wasting Gengar's turn and Thunder has a 30% chance of whiffing. The reliability of Gengar one-shotting Cyrus's toughest Pokemon (or would that be Honchkrow? you help me decide) is thus reduced to the very bottom, and what happens is predictable.

Since somebody else in the party took Gyarados's Intimidate, full-health Medicham switches in and ends the fight with the relearned Thunderpunch!

The game's villain runs away in fear, and we slowly head for our last gym. Will this line-up reappear against Volkner and the E4 part of the challenge? I'd like to know too, and we should learn this soon enough.

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