Serenes Forest's Teehee Thread

[Venger_06]

I finally completed it✌️

PEAK FICTION! GOAT! RAW! FIRE!🔥🔥🔥

Gotoubun no Hanayome is officially redeemed in my eyes. Now I wonder if I should do Nino or Itsuki's route next

[BrightBow]

Man, Naked Snake is just built different. Doesn't need any silly cyborg enhancements like Raiden.

Could probably have just tossed the Shagohod off a cliff if he wasn't so badly injured during Snake Eater.

[Dayni]

Speaking of Chrono, got the forest music in my head since the day before yesterday.

2 hours ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Considering Nintendo repairs these for free, I'm surprised you didn't send it in sooner.

There's the awkwardness of international shipping to consider as a factor, we're treated as the UK's annoying skin growth. The only option I was given was to give to a delivery man, which thankfully I'm not that introverted but yeesh if you were.

It's wild that the other one hasn't drifted at all.

[Eltosian Kadath]

On 8/18/2024 at 4:26 AM, Dayni said:

Feck sake Voltorb Flip is back, I have memories of grinding it out.

Just let me use money for the coins dangit

Yeah it was very silly that you couldn't just buy coins, but I kind of like the puzzle that is Voltorb Flip, so I never really minded when I had to grind it.

Edit: Forgot to label this spoiler box as more Emerald Rogue content 😛 

Spoiler

I start this update out by getting an early game achievement that I was always just too unlucky to get before now

As I use an escape rope to avoid a rival battle, getting the achievement Not Today.

Otherwise I just have mundane routes, until I forgo my rest stop

To face a pokemon of Legend. Now there are two ways these encounters go

And in a way this is the more straight forward of the two. When a Legendary is enraged, the Legend gets an omniboost, and ignores any balls thrown until you end its enraging state. Ending the enraging state is easy, you try to defeat the pokemon, and when you take it out it endures the hit, losses the buffs (technically its having its stats lowered, so things like the regi trio that have clear body ignore the debuff, and thus keep the buffs...), and has its health restored by a tiny bit. I have Infernape power through it with super effective Close Combat followed by a mach punch, and if the Legend didn't waste a turn on a status move, I would be burying my monkey, but instead

I switch to something tankier, which also reveals the fact that I caught another paradox pokemon while I was on the routes earlier, replacing Hitmonchan with another of these high stated monsters. Admittedly saving the monkey is mostly a pride thing, as I am definitely replacing Infernape with Heatran here. That gets us to the next Gym, so I think its time to show off the team

No changes here beyond the levels, partially that is because my rest stop was replaced by the legendary encounter, but also because we have a good enough movesets on them that levelup moves are rarely an improvement.

Scream Tail isn't as min-maxed statwise as a lot of paradox pokemon, but I kind of like that mixed bulk. Also I would prefer to have a Chesto berry on it, but the Lum berry works in a pinch.

Finally our fantastic little new Legenday. It is going to hurt to trade him away...

But it is time for the 6th Gym leader Lenora here, with her normal types...yeah sorry I missed a shot of her at the start of the battle, so this is a bit of a spoiler that it doesn't end here.

I open strong with an easy outspeed and one shot, which filled my head with such hubris,

And only a lucky burn on this assault vest Gumshoos saved Severa from its earthquake.

But at least Severa so thoroughly baits earthquake that this switch is very free, and an easy kill after

...I should have seen the double damage retaliate (plus Life Orb) return kill coming there. Its literally Lenora's gimmick in the original game. Although if I am being honest, I have been very silly this whole time. This is obviously the Gym to let Bastiodon setup and sweep, with its super effective Body Press, resisting normal, and numerous physical enemies.

But the guts Ursaluna (I got punished for protecting every other turn for extra lefties heal here with its flame orb), quad super effective signature headlong rush still dealt a LOT of damage in spite of Bastiodon's maxed defense, but

It wasn't enough to stop the sweep

On the path to the next Gym I catch an Iron Jugulis to replace poor Togekiss on the one route I take this time around. This seed really had a LOT of Paradox pokemon in it.

Time to show off another of the odd encounters with the Battle Simulator.

Now the thing about the battle simulator is you have to make a wager. You can risk half your Money for a cash prize, risk one of your pokemon having their IV's reduced to potentially see them rise, or risk some of your items in exchange for some of his. Usually I like to bet on the IVs, but this time around I try for the money. Now how this works is you and Joey face off in the simulator

Both with a team of 3 randomly generated level 50 pokemon. In this case I immediately switch to Hisuian Lilligant on Joey's Tentacruel, setup with its signature Victory Dance,

And luck my way into a no damage sweep. Joey missed a Hydropump from the Tentacruel, and wasted the only other moves it got on Stealth Rocks and Sticky Web. I also finally take my first shop rest stop

...I know what this game's late game is like. I also buy a set of 10 Ultra Balls, and while I look through the TM shop, it doesn't have the ones I  would most want at the moment (most notably Flash Canon, but another Flamethrower TR would be nice as well), so I don't end up getting anything from there. I also luck into Wahey not being here so I can keep my legendary.

Sorry to get a bit lazy with Gym 7, but

We are facing a Fairy Gym leader

And I led with a steel-fire type legendary. The battle is notable for being the first one with permanent terrain/weather favorable to our foe. I think its possible for those to start showing up after gym 4, but with Gym 5 being Ghost, and 6 being Normal there simply weren't any easy options for our foes, but this battle has permanent Fairy terrain.

I could keep showing one shot fairies, or a few living on the sash, but I think I will point out the most interesting foes

This cute little Dedenne which used Substitute to strategically lower its health to Pataya berry range, for a Special Attack buff and a heal from the cheek pouch ability, and then use recycle to recover the berry. Thanks to that I got close to running out of PP on my steel move, but alas when it used Recylce it couldn't use substitute and thus died. A Hattarene tried to surprise my Steel type with Mystical Fire, which backfired thanks to Flash Fire.

And funniest of all was the focus sash Alcremie using its signature move decorate, an interesting move in doubles, which only buffs your opponent in singles. With that gym mostly skipped over I will jump straight

And the path to the final Gym leads me through a lot of interesting encounters, starting with the second evil team battle. At this point in the game even the random trainers are starting to get dangerous, especially with my team not having the best of match-ups against water types, so I avoid a lot of trainers and items on my way to face

Archie, although I did end up having to face enough grunts to get to level cap.

And Archie gets permanent rain for this fight, although thankfully his team is more diverse than a bunch of water types. I try to setup a fair bit, but this thing having earthquake is going to force me to start attacking earlier than I wa-

It really felt like he threw a bit with this switch, as now I get this kill for free with the priority shadow sneak to finish it off

As well as power through his Overqwil too, after setting up a little more

Before his Basculin out speeds on the double priority move turn to eek out the kill ahead of me.

And its liquidation dealt a lot more damage than I was really expecting it, but with my defense up, the max potion should let me de-

This time he made a far better switch, into Saybleye, but

That is an easy switch into Serra, who gets in free thanks to it trying to lock Bastiodon in with Encore, and one shots with super effective fairy moves in return.

And Serra tanks the Basculin well enough to power through its attacks, leaving his first pokemon as his last, and I make a bit of a minor error

As I could have pivoted into Bastiodon (who is immune to poison type moves my fairy type is obviously baiting), which baits ground type moves that Iron Jugulis is immune to, but

I am not punished for my minor mistake.

And this here is the ultimate prize for taking down the second evil team base, on top of the achievement for beating Archie for the first time.

And next is a Honey Tree encounter. Its an odd one

There is always one random wild pokemon around, and the honey tree itself. At the honey tree you can scatter a typed pokeblock to make a powerful pokemon of that type show up at the next Honey Tree encounter you visit. I have a lot of Dragon blocks, as the challenge I did before this was Dragon Master, where I can only have Dragon Type pokemon on my team in trainer battles. Not the most interesting encounter the first time you see one, but like Day Care stop, it encourages visiting its encounter type again. But at the end of this path is another Legendary encounter

I was kind of hoping it would be the other type of Legendary encounter, but alas, Iron Jugulis has good enough super effective STAB moves to

Get the thing into catching range. I also save the Master Ball, as the enrage mechanics usually leave the Legend in a rather catchable state, and there might be better options for it later, when I am more desperate for a safe catch.

With this being the last Gym, I might as well take my free full heal. Although I will note that you also get a full heal after every major battle (meaning Gym Leader, Elite Four Member, Evil Team Leader, Rival, and Champion ). But it is finally time to show off the team before the final Gym Leader

Starting with our newest Legendary, and with it having a boosting and healing move, this thing has what you most want in Emerald Rogue

My other most recent pokemon in this solid special attacker here. The Paradox pokemon have such solid stats, its so hard to pass them up.

I do have a minor move improvement with Severa here upgrading Struggle Bug to Bug Buzz.

No real change on the rest of the crew, beyond the levels of course

But now its time to stream the last Gym in

The Iono Zone.

And meet the frustration that is a late game major electric type trainer, permanent Rain and Electric terrain.

But Calm Mind and Recover let me fairly safely get to +3 on the specials before

One shotting the Rotom

But it wasn't enough to one shot the Bellibolt, which Toxiced before the hit to annoy me.

And I don't want to deal with that. If she gets free weather, and terrain, I feel no shame in iteming on this fight. I finish the thing off, but

It procs the 10% paralysis chance just before it dies, so I am paralyzed before the Kilowatrel, but I decide to just suffer through it, that way I can heal a little more

When I finally use the full restore. I get all the way to the +6, but again

I get hit by the 10% paralysis proc before it gets taken down. Now I don't want to decieve you all in to thinking I am getting unlucky here, I am buffing and Recover healing, which is making this a long battle where those somewhat low odds event will occur. I decide to stick with the paralysis and for the practical reason this time that all these fast electric types are outspeeding me anyway, and now I can't get toxiced to death or something

But the Dedenne is no problem

And while the paralysis bites me a little on the Electivire

Her last pokemon is a real problem though. I may have maxed out my special defense, but this is a base 140 attack pokemon, that gets a free 30% attack boost thanks to its ability on electric terrain, and while it is relatively slow, I am paralyzed. It really did bit me in the butt, because I have to switch here

And while Bastiodon takes the thunder punch just fine, a protect reveals it will start going for a quad super effective drain punch, which would one shot. I wish I could have somehow gotten the switch in for free here, as it would have been one of the few times I could pull off the Sturdy Metal Burst combo, but alas.

Serra can tank the drain punch incredibly well, but it doesn't deal much damage in return

But does not take the thunder punch well at all, and now I need another switch...

And I make an obvious mistake while trying to find a way out of this. I remember doing a few head calc before (when I was trying to find a switch when the Bastiodon was out) with Jedah being able to take a Drain Punch and outspeed to fire back, and it slipped my mind that I would need to do the pivot through Bastiodon to pull that off, so I lose Jedah the Iron Jugulis

But the death does give me the free switch to easily kill this little monster of an Iron Hands.

Phew, that last pokemon was such a problem thanks to the terrain, but we are out of it, and onto the Elite Four arc, or as I like to call it, why can random trainers have legendaries now...

...Looking at the next section, I am strangely tempted to take the path that bypasses all the rest stops so I can keep my legendaries for another battle, but that kind of feels against the spirit of the challenge. Plus I have been a bit disappointed by only running into Wahey once so far, so we will see what I feel like, especially when I could easily take the double rest stop path instead.

 

Edited August 19 by Eltosian Kadath

[Interdimensional Observer]

7 hours ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Not three full runs. Since you can recruit the Manor guide, then head back to fight the final boss, and it will carry over. This also will net me the remaining Star Levels so I can end the second full playthrough with all 99 Star Levels.

My flowchart is basically this:

First Full Playthrough. Guile for Manor guide, Don't Save Kid path, separate save file with Harle still in the party. Playthrough ends with 48 Star Levels.
Continue+ into the Harle save file and fight the final boss, so I can bring her back later.
New Game+ up to reaching Termina. Recruit Pierre, then fight final boss again. This nets me three Star Levels so I have 51 total now.
New Game+ for a Second Full Playthrough. Nikki for Manor Guide, Save Kid Path. This so I can get the Magical Dreamers ending. See all remaining endings as I play. End the game with 99 Star Levels and all characters recruited.

I believe this is the most efficient way to max most things out. I even withheld from watching the Good Ending since I'm deliberately saving it for the end of the Second Playthrough. To serve as a proper way to end things.

Thank you for the clarification. None too bad/long then.

7 hours ago, Acacia Sgt said:

It's the first time I'm doing something like this. Beforehand I just stick to single fresh playthroughs without deviating much (always picked Guile and Don't Save Kid).

Guile I went with on my lone playthrough b/c Not Magus. 

The other thing? -I feel like you'd accidentally stumble into that. I totally forget how things were framed, but wouldn't you think the game would force you into saving the female lead? Was it portrayed as a real choice of some momentary significance?🤔

I mean I missed Leanne b/c it seemed like... not a real choice? Like even if I had said no, Kid would've joined. And it's possible to go the entire game without ever recruiting Kid? -That's weird.

[Acacia Sgt]

43 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Guile I went with on my lone playthrough b/c Not Magus. 

The other thing? -I feel like you'd accidentally stumble into that. I totally forget how things were framed, but wouldn't you think the game would force you into saving the female lead? Was it portrayed as a real choice of some momentary significance?🤔

I mean I missed Leanne b/c it seemed like... not a real choice? Like even if I had said no, Kid would've joined. And it's possible to go the entire game without ever recruiting Kid? -That's weird.

Well, if you already knew you could reject recruiting Kid over and over, then the Don't Save Kid choice already gives vibes it will work too. But yeah, it's an interesting design choice you can never recruit her at all. Still, the Leena thing only happens once, so there's no point in rejecting her after the first time.

It's presented as a "there's no way to save her, will you still try?" sort of decision. In these kind of situations, you know there will be a way, so it feels like a no brainer. Though, again, if you already knew you can keep rejecting Kid...

Edited August 19 by Acacia Sgt

[Armagon]

 

[BrightBow]

 

[Acacia Sgt]

1 hour ago, Armagon said:

 

Say, on the subject, what do you think the chances are for this year? I've been reading that because both Abortion and Marijuana will be on the ballot, that it may actually give the Dems a fighting chance this time around.

[Armagon]

2 hours ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Say, on the subject, what do you think the chances are for this year? I've been reading that because both Abortion and Marijuana will be on the ballot, that it may actually give the Dems a fighting chance this time around.

What's gonna happen is that the abortion and marijuana bills will pass but then the state will still swing for Trump and then DeShitstain will tweak those amendments and be like "abortion is allowed but only for the first week and marijuana consumption is legal so long as it doesn't exceed .000000001 mg.

This happened with the felon rights bill back in 2020. 

[Acacia Sgt]

24 minutes ago, Armagon said:

What's gonna happen is that the abortion and marijuana bills will pass but then the state will still swing for Trump and then DeShitstain will tweak those amendments and be like "abortion is allowed but only for the first week and marijuana consumption is legal so long as it doesn't exceed .000000001 mg.

This happened with the felon rights bill back in 2020. 

Oh, no doubt.

Still, it should at least boost Dem turnout, no?

[Armagon]

7 hours ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Still, it should at least boost Dem turnout, no?

I hope so. I hope so.

[Armagon]

Dawg why i am now just hearing the peak that starts at the 2:13 mark?

[Armagon]

538 Electoral Votes for Kamala Harris.

[Interdimensional Observer]

Only now am I discovering this out-of-place track in the OST. Though it's good.😄

I wouldn't have, were it not for the recent surprise announcement of this Japan-rific game being localized.:

While I only played the one, better-known internationally, Ganbare Goemon entry, I've enough childhood fondness of it (reallllll big undiluted exposure to Japan with this as a 4-year-old 😆) that I'd think to pick up its spiritual successor. Sounds like the international release might fix the extreme easiness issue (not that I mind easy games) too. Looks charming enough. -Though shrinking the title from Otogi Katsugeki Mameda no Bakeru: Oracle Saitarou no Sainan!! to simply BAKERU is a curious localization choice.😛

Edited August 20 by Interdimensional Observer

[Dayni]

I'm Walter in this, because wew some people's discourse.

@Eltosian Kadath

Spoiler

2 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:

As I use an escape rope to avoid a rival battle, getting the achievement Not Today.

  Pfft.

Wally looking as he hears someone running away and disappearing, poor kid.

2 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:

...I should have seen the double damage retaliate (plus Life Orb) return kill coming there. Its literally Lenora's gimmick in the original game. Although if I am being honest, I have been very silly this whole time. This is obviously the Gym to let Bastiodon setup and sweep, with its super effective Body Press, resisting normal, and numerous physical enemies.

Yeah, Lenora does do that.

RIP Togekiss.

2 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:

Before his Basculin out speeds on the double priority move turn to eek out the kill ahead of me.

RIP Aegislash, your manouvre outdone by a friggin Basculin of all things.

2 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:

And I make an obvious mistake while trying to find a way out of this. I remember doing a few head calc before (when I was trying to find a switch when the Bastiodon was out) with Jedah being able to take a Drain Punch and outspeed to fire back, and it slipped my mind that I would need to do the pivot through Bastiodon to pull that off, so I lose Jedah the Iron Jugulis

RIP Jedah, blown away.

2 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:

Phew, that last pokemon was such a problem thanks to the terrain, but we are out of it, and onto the Elite Four arc, or as I like to call it, why can random trainers have legendaries now...

But you managed to make it this far. Just the Elite 4 left after all.

12 hours ago, Eltosian Kadath said:

Yeah it was very silly that you couldn't just buy coins, but I kind of like the puzzle that is Voltorb Flip, so I never really minded when I had to grind it.

I still remember the pain of grinding out 10k for Ice Beam. Squishy the Tentacruel died to Lance, as did all but the Furret and Belossum

3 hours ago, Armagon said:

538 Electoral Votes for Kamala Harris.

hold on, Minister Musk.

I hate it.

I am so relieved that he's not here so that this could be a risk here.

2 hours ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

While I only played the one, better-known internationally, Ganbare Goemon entry, I've enough childhood fondness of it (reallllll big undiluted exposure to Japan with this as a 4-year-old 😆) that I'd think to pick up its spiritual successor. Sounds like the international release might fix the extreme easiness issue (not that I mind easy games) too. Looks charming enough. -Though shrinking the title from Otogi Katsugeki Mameda no Bakeru: Oracle Saitarou no Sainan!! to simply BAKERU is a curious localization choice.😛

I've a demo list stupid long including this.

If I weren't minding the gremlin today, this would be probably first.

[Hrothgar777]

It apparently used to be a thing for video games to be "downloaded" via radio. Back when file sizes (because I can't think of a better term off the top of my head) were plausibly small for this to work.

You couldn't miss any part of the broadcast or else it'd be useless, but in theory it would've been possible to make, say, the original Fire Emblem freely available to everyone for download.

[Armagon]

5 hours ago, Dayni said:

I am so relieved that he's not here so that this could be a risk here.

Your sworn enemies across the....channel? Sea? What's that you call between Ireland and the UK?

Anyways your sworn enemies across that body of water have threatened to arrest Musk cause he was inciting those riots and let me just say I will personally fish out those tea boxes from the harbor if they do.

Anyways bold of you to assume he wouldn't be a risk over there because if he gets that cabinet position, he would still be an influential part of the Trump administration, which spells doom for the rest of the world.

4 hours ago, Hrothgar777 said:

It apparently used to be a thing for video games to be "downloaded" via radio. Back when file sizes (because I can't think of a better term off the top of my head) were plausibly small for this to work.

You couldn't miss any part of the broadcast or else it'd be useless, but in theory it would've been possible to make, say, the original Fire Emblem freely available to everyone for download.

I think that's how the SNES Satellite thingy worked.

[Lightcosmo]

Finally went and bought Pyra/Mythra GSC figures for $400. Waiting a few days to a week for them to arrive. Praying for no damage done to them at all!

[Dayni]

1 hour ago, Armagon said:

Your sworn enemies across the....channel? Sea? What's that you call between Ireland and the UK?

It's the Irish Sea, which you have to feel bad for the Manx on it because they're right there and the Man Sea was there for the naming.

1 hour ago, Armagon said:

Anyways bold of you to assume he wouldn't be a risk over there because if he gets that cabinet position, he would still be an influential part of the Trump administration, which spells doom for the rest of the world.

Bold of me to assume isolationism wouldn't accelerate if that comes to pass? Maybe, but I could see it happening.

A more fearful world, unwilling to listen to each other. I would say it's a bad idea.

1 hour ago, Armagon said:

Anyways your sworn enemies across that body of water have threatened to arrest Musk cause he was inciting those riots and let me just say I will personally fish out those tea boxes from the harbor if they do.

Well, we'll see if any of these threats (The EU vaugely gesturing too) will actually be followed up on.

6 hours ago, Hrothgar777 said:

It apparently used to be a thing for video games to be "downloaded" via radio. Back when file sizes (because I can't think of a better term off the top of my head) were plausibly small for this to work.

You couldn't miss any part of the broadcast or else it'd be useless, but in theory it would've been possible to make, say, the original Fire Emblem freely available to everyone for download.

Curious when this occurred.

[Armagon]

1 hour ago, Dayni said:

Well, we'll see if any of these threats (The EU vaugely gesturing too) will actually be followed up on.

At the very least, that Algerian boxer got JK Rowling to shut the fuck up so hopefully she gets Musk too.

[Codename Shrimp]

"To horny jail with ya"

[Armagon]

[Interdimensional Observer]

Actually managed to get back into RF5 last night and today.😄 -Will get back into playing it as soon as I'm done posting this, b/c I've the DNC on in the background, and the overflowing poli-sci nerdiness right now (the voting process) is too much for me.😅

 

4 hours ago, Codename Shrimp said:

"To horny jail with ya"

His eyes suggest insane asylum to me. -Or maybe he's too far gone for that.😐

 

1 hour ago, Armagon said:

Leaving abandoned mines as bat sanctuaries? Never thought of that. But I'd imagine we have no need to make them all Wild West historic sites, and Arizona probably doesn't have enough water to turn them all into mushroom farms either. Might as well leave the tunnels to nature.

[Acacia Sgt]

So that's where John Morris went to train before heading to Europe!