Missingno. Master's Mono-Poison Pokemon Sword Playthrough, Topic #1

That's right- after putting it off for varying reasons, I can now proudly announce that the mono-Poison playthrough of Pokémon Sword I've been itching to get underway is finally going to begin!

First, for the benefit of those who don't actually know why this took so long to happen, well, basically, it was the DLC. I wanted to hold off until the Isle of Armor was out, and then by then, we already knew through leaks and datamines of all the Pokémon we'd see return in the Crown Tundra as well. Of course, back then, I had no idea that the Crown Tundra was going to be effectively postgame content, but then, in the course of doing Crown Tundra stuffs in Shield, I caught Nihilego in a Dynamax Adventure, before learning of the amazing Shiny hunting capabilities of Dynamax Adventures, as well as the fact that Ultra Beasts are one-off in those, just like actual legendaries. So, restarting Sword was out of the question until I got my Shiny Nhilego. Which, earlier today, I finally achieved. :) I'm still, at time of writing, in the process of getting everything of value moved out of Sword and into Shield, which is my main version, in anticipation of restarting it. But once that's done, which will hopefully be very soon, this playthrough will commence!

Now to go over the rules I will be adhering to here;

• My team will consist only of Poison-types, or at least Pokémon that will eventually gain the Poison typing upon evolution, provided I do plan to actually evolve them. The sole exception here is that I will be using Kubfu for one of the Towers of Two Fists, since obviously you're only allowed to use Kubfu in that part of the game. Obviously, in the earliest part of the game, I will have only my starter until I can acquire a suitable Pokémon to add to my team, at which point the starter is out.
• I will attempt to not go crazy with Max Raid Battles, though I won't be ignoring them completely, either. I'm gonna attempt to find a healthy balance here.
• This playthrough will include the DLC stuff as well, as you may have guessed earlier from my mention of Kubfu.
• I will not attempt to enter the Crown Tundra until after becoming Champion.
• I will not use Eternatus.
• The playthrough will be considered complete upon my victory in the Galarian Star Tournament.

Alright, I think that about covers everything. I'll post here again, hopefully within the next couple of hours, when I get this party started.

@Thani I'm finally doing this! :)

Let the playthrough begin!

Hello, Chairman Rose, and thank you for that utterly classic "Welcome to the world of Pokémon" speech. I'm sure you will be nothing but a positive presence in Galar and not at all secretly involved in super shady dealings to bring about the return of some ancient catastrophe. Yep.

And there he is- the man I aspire to beat with my Poison-types and prove myself to be the very best- Leon, the Galar region's Champion, and his Charizard!

...and turns out I was watching this action unfold on my phone, just before Hop comes in to remind me we're getting to see Leon in person today! And apparently I should expect a present of some sort, so what the heck am I waiting for?!

Ah, but first, the options. Text speed set to fast, as always. Battle Style... y'know what? Set. Autosave, in the garbage, where it belongs.

Now, then! Bag, check. Hat, check. Let's get moving!

Heh, that Wooloo seems pretty determined to g et through that fence. But I'm sure it'll hold... right?

Well, Leon's not at his house, which his mother seems to have been trying to tell Hop about a hundred times. Looks like we're gonna go meet him over in Wedgehurst, then.

Arrived in Wedgehurst! And Leon's already drawn a crowd. Dude's seriously beloved by the whole region. Well, now it's time to race them home!

And Hop was correct- Leon brought us Pokémon! The Grass-type Pokémon Grookey! The Fire-type Pokémon, Scorbunny! And the Water-type Pokémon, Sobble! Aww... Look at them just playing around like that. :) What a way to introduce them. Any of those three would make for an amazing start to a Trainer's journey. However... my way forward is paved with Poison-types, of which none of these can claim to be, now or ever. Still, every Trainer needs to start somewhere, and so until I can get ahold of some proper Poison-types... Grookey, I choose you! And Hop's of course picking Scorbu- Sobble!? OK, then. I guess he doesn't want the type advantage. This just leaves little Scorbunny, but alone it won't be for long- seems Leon's welcomed Scorbunny onto his team.

And now, after a delightful dinner and the most charming healing jingle this series has ever turned out, Leon wants to see how me and Hop fare against each other in battle! Let's do it!

You are challenged by Pokémon Trainer Hop!

Pokémon Trainer Hop sent out Wooloo!

Go! Grookey!

Two on one! Puts us at what seems like a disadvantage, but we can overcome! Grookey, Scratch attack!

Nice! Now use Scratch once more!

We're easily outdoing Wooloo's Tackle! Finish it with one last Scratch!

And down goes Wooloo!

*Grookey grew to level 6!*

*Grookey learned Branch Poke!*

Hah, not a moment too soon! Grookey, Branch Poke, let's go!

Why, yes, Hop, as a matter of fact, I did already know about type advantages. Finish it, Grookey! Branch Poke!

And down goes Sobble! I've won my first battle!! VICTORY!!! :D

Well, now Hop's talking about us joining the Gym Challenge, but LEon wants us to prioritize- first things first, we'd need Pokédexes. Well, looks like we're off to- what was that?!

...wow. That Wooloo was stronger than I thought. And Hop's said there's supposed to be scarily strong Pokémon in the Slumbering Weald... Yeah, that Wooloo's in danger, we gotta save it!

...oh, that's some thick fog. And one apparently unavoidable Skwovet.

Same with that Rookidee, too. It started a fight from, like, halfway across the patch of grass.

Oh, wow, that fog's gotten thick. I can barely see me, or Hop, or that big, powerful wolf thing... wait, the WHAT NOW!?

??? appeared!

Go! Grookey!

What the... Uh... Grookey, use... Branch Poke?

It didn't do a thing... And this strange Pokémon's not attacking, either. Uh... Scratch attack?

No effect, either. Though the mysterious Pokémon seems to be intensifying the fog. Uh... Use Growl?

Still nothing... And the fog's getting thicker...!

....!

Whoa... What happened? The fog's let up mostly, and- oh, it's Leon! Ah, and Charizard's with the Wooloo, it's safe. Wow, what an experience. But now to tell my mum I'm off to Wedgehurst.

Oh, cool, I got Poké Balls now. Oh- and some Key Items, too, it looks like!

*Adventure Guide get!*

*Fishing Rod get!*

*Armor Pass get!*

*Crown Pass get!*

Aaand, arrived in Wedgehurst! Again! Time to go shopping for new clothes!

...And head to the lab, too. That's also importan- oh, hello, Sonia!

And I got the Pokédex on my Rotom Phone! Now, onward to- oh, thanks for the Potion, random dude. Now, then, on to Route 2- oh, the Pokémon Center. Look, Hop, I've been through the song and dance before, I already know the deal with these places- oh. OK, then. You tell him this isn't your first time in a Pokémon Center and he leaves it at that. Cool. OK, now on to Route 2.

...oh, yeah, If you don't have anything caught by this point, you can't avoid the catching tutorial. Leon doesn't even try weakening the Wooloo, though. Reminds me of a certain old man with a Weedle... Well, anyway, I got 20 Poké Balls more now, so, uh... well, damn, there's no Poison-types out this way, either.

*Grookey grew to level 8!*

*Grookey learned Taunt!*

Alright, following a brief trek down Route 2 (during which I actually managed to catch a Shiny Terrakion in Pokémon GO!), I've arrived at Professor Magnolia's house. And she's doing her damnedest to talk Leon into endorsing me and Hop for the Gym Challenge. I like her already. :) And Leon will! On the condition we show him a brilliant battle, so... looks like I'm up against Hop again. I... won't devote a separate post to this one. I don't have anything that'll be on my final team yet, it doesn't feel right to be giving Grookey this much attention when it's going in my PC at the first opportunity. Grookey swept Hop's team, is the gist of it. And apparently that battle was to Leon's liking!

*Endorsement get!*

Well, with that settled, let's- what the?!

*Wishing Star get!*

...OK. Not complaining. And it seems like we gotta wait for tomorrow for our journey to really begin properly. Oh, and it looks like Magnolia came through with those Wishing Stars!

*Dynamax Band get!*

And with that, back to Wedgehurst we go- oh, yeah, a Trainer I skipped earlier. Eh, I need to up Grookey's level anyway so I can reliably catch something later.

Made it to Wedgehurst station! And it seems our mothers have come to see me and Hop off.

*Camping Gear get!*

And with that, I guess we're off to Motostoke!

...or not. Seems we're being stopped at the Wild Area station, there's some Wooloo on the tracks. Hop's pretty stoked, though, since the Wild Area's got a lot of wild Pokémon! And it seems Professor Magnolia's got Sonia working hard, too- oh, thanks, Sonia!

*Pokémon Box Link get!*

And with that, I'm actually gonna backtrack to Wedgehurst real quick... Ooh, and what have we here?

You encountered a wild Slowpoke!

Go! Grookey!

It's a Slowpoke! Now this is what I'm talking about! Grookey, Scratch attack!

Oh, wow, that didn't do much. Now try Branch Poke!

...sheesh! This thing is tough! But I wouldn't have it any other way! Branch Poke once more!

...aaaand, Grookey's asleep from Yawn. And I have no Awakenings... Grookey, wake up and use Branch Poke!

Acid! It's got a Poison move! Well, that settles it- I'm catching this Slowpoke! Wake up, Grookey!

Still nothing! Grookey, take this Potion!

Now wake up and use Branch Poke!

Yes! Good, Grookey! Keep it up! Branch Poke!

Oh, not Yawn again. Branch Poke again with all you've got!

Grookey, wake up! Branch Poke!

Gah... Take this Potion!

Now, Branch Poke!

Yes! It's awake! But it's weakening. Another Potion!

Branch Poke again!

And again!

OK! Go, Poké Ball!

Oh no! The Pokémon broke free!

Gah... Grookey, take this Potion!

And again! Go, Poké Ball!

Aww! It appeared to be caught!

Gah.. Go, Poké Ball!!

Oh no! The Pokémon broke free!

Oh, crap- Grookey, take this Potion!

And another one. Geez!

Now! Go, Poké Ball!

Aww! It appeared to be caught!

Gah... OK. This time for sure! Go, Poké Ball!

...

...

...!

*Gotcha! Slowpoke was caught!*

Grookey grew to level 12 and learned Razor Leaf in place of Branch Poke, too, but that doesn't matter- Grookey's in the PC because I finally got the first member of my team! Welcome aboard, Slowpoke!

Now, I don't think at the present moment that I'll be doing nicknames, but I reserve the right to change my mind on that should I ever, y'know, come up with nickname ideas that I feel like I wanna use. Oh, yes-

*Slowpoke forgot Growl and learned Swift!*

Shame he can't learn Payback, too, that'd be great on something so slow. Well, either way, this is where I call it a night- gotta get up early tomorrow for work. Depending on how my workweek goes, I could resume this tomorrow evening or not until Saturday evening. But right now, it's finally started, and it's gonna keep going one way or another!

The team so far:

Slowpoke (Galarian Form), male, lv. 12
Sassy nature
Gluttony
~Confusion
~Swift
~Acid
~Yawn

Excellent start. Nice to see you have your first team member!

Heh, I knew this was coming sooner or later! *Tracks topic*