I Played a Pokemon Nuzlocke Using ONLY Hidden Abilities!

I played a Hardcore Nuzlocke by changing all of my encounters' abilities to their Hidden Ability - making some Pokemon much better and making others much worse.
« edited by TCRD editortcrd.xyz/ »
Hardcore+ Nuzlocke Rules:
1. Only catch the first Pokemon on each route. (Duplicates Clause: If my first encounter is a duplicate, I can re-roll).
2. If a Pokemon faints, it must be boxed for the rest of the run.
3. No over-leveling above the gym leader's highest level.
4. No items in battle.
5. Play on Set Mode.
6. No setup moves.
7. No EVs.

[@Rylockes]

Hope you all enjoy the video! My favorite ability is probably Guts - when you pull off a Guts sweep strategy you feel like a king 👑 I also think Moody is a hilarious Hidden Ability because I love rolling dice after every single turn!

[@pncka]

Sad you didn't win :(

[@emeraldbeedrill]

Tepig and Pignite has Thick Fat as they Hidden Ability..... But for some reason, Emboar get Rekless. This is, as i know, the only example when the hidden ability changes in the starter during evolution.

[@coriseoris]

I love weak armor, mainly for armarogue. I’m running this focus sash armarogue with armor cannon, psychic, energy ball and destiny bond. I’m able to get a few kills in and when I’m at focus sash range I can get a last second “screw you kill” with destiny bond if my speed is up

[@TheShadow1347]

My favorite abilities are Good as Gold and Purifying Salt because they're very useful in raid battles

[@pncka]

I love Durant's hidden ability, it really makes an op pokemon even more broken!

[@theknightwithabadpictotall7639]

"I have no idea what compelled GameFreak to make a bad hidden ability" Wait until you hear about Truant Durant

[@JT-xn9ei]

That's fun with entrainment though.

[@joeyyoung5173]

Well, Durant is a True Ant so I guess it's fair

[@NoTengoDinero69]

My Durant (always named Kevin) is my favorite Pokémon. I was so sad when I saw that as it’s HA. Dissatisfaction.

[@yeeticus6519]

Truant entrainment into something with protect and a setup move crushes everything in the game because the AI doesn’t switch, even if it does switch this still works with a trapper.

[@Phye]

What about redundancy? Delibird gets Insomnia as Hidden Ability. It already has Vital Spirit as its normal ability XD

[@klh0203]

My favourite ability is probably corrosion because it’s so satisfying to click toxic without any strong counterplay

[@itsnottrash]

If you were playing Radical Red or if you've played it previously, Corrosion makes you be able hit Steel mons with Poison moves. Crobat also gets this in Radical Red as a hidden ability.

[@NEET_DG201]

I would of much prefer it to also allow you to hit steel types with poison moves like many rom hacks implement simply bc salazzel being the only holder of the ability corrosion as of gen 9 is a miss match to this ability simply bc it's a defensive ability on a offensive and frail mon with no reliable recovery

[@noahmurtha4036]

Fun fact, challenge mode only increases the levels and adds a few random things. The opposing Pokémon’s stats actually don’t change from their normal levels in a casual play through. FlygonHG actually discovered this in one of their nuzlockes

[@youtube-kit9450]

"the opposing pokémon's stats actually don't change" You mean they don't get additional EV/IVs, right? Cuz the level 56 Hydreigon doesn't have the level 52 one's stats?

[@noahmurtha4036]

@@youtube-kit9450 no the lvl 56 one DOES have the lvl 52 stats. That’s why challenge mode is not really a challenge. 🥲

[@sandehbyss]

@@youtube-kit9450 Pokémon may have different IVs/EVs/natures between Challenge Mode and Normal Mode, but otherwise the stats for Challenge Mode Pokémon are calculated as if they were the level in Normal Mode. Meaning, if the two Hydreigon were otherwise equal in such attributes, then the Level 56 one would have equal stats to the lower one. At least, this is my understanding from finding FlygonHG's original Tweet.

[@Phoenixmage50]

​@@youtube-kit9450 the pokemon in fact keep their stats from their lower leveled counterparts. Its really stupid and I dont get it.

[@mertensiam3384]

​@@Phoenixmage50 it's probably a glitch, bc otherwise, challenge mode is actually easier, as you get more EXP.

[@timob1681]

as a Gliscor truther, Poison Heal is probably my favorite ability - though Contrary is really cool also

[@master-of-dreams7455]

15:06 Gen 4. Klutz was introduced in Gen 4 alongside the move Switcheroo and items like Lagging Tail, Toxic Orb, and Flame Orb. For a Nuzlocke run, sure, Klutz may seem like the last thing you would want one your team. But in the competitive circuit where your opponent could actively give you a debilitating item I could imagine how even having one Pokemon with this ability would have been seen as a blessing.

[@Warpbox]

I love Moxie as an ability. My other favourites are probably contrary or shadow tag

[@XFizzlepop-Berrytwist]

I like the Eeveelution abilities, that make them immune to damage of the same type and actually heal or buff them. I wish the pokemon starters had those abilities… Flash fire, Water absorb. Leaf guard is probably worse though.

[@Digitelanimefan]

>mentions challenge mode This information REALLY needs to become more wide-spread: CHALLENGE MODE IS BROKEN. Not joking, GF messed up hard. Tldr, in challenge mode, opponent mons still have the same stats they had in normal mode, making it actually EASIER, due to the raised level caps that you still benefit from. Easy mode, iirc, actually ends up being the more challenging mode due to this glitch, as the same thing happens there (I Believe).

[@Simply_resharkable]

Even with that, another consideration making challenge mode harder is the AI and team compositions, which just so happen to work

[@JT-xn9ei]

Klutz with Trick/Switcheroo works as a fun strategy, though I don't think any compatible pokemon were available for your hidden ability only playthrough. My favorite is probably pickup, always nice to get random useful items like leftovers.

[@zzzFaw]

i love how you tried to use the abilites as much as possible

[@user-AADZ]

And then lost in the very final battle because electric types were not immune to paralysis

[@zacuax7272]

Speed Boost, especially on a Blaziken, is a ton of fun and makes things get out of control really quickly.

[@hayden1351]

I think I can confidently say my favorite ability is Moxie, especially on Quaquaval. I love using Aqua Step and then just going ham with a Moxie sweep. GO GAY BIRD GO

[@viviolet7]

no question about it, my favourite ability will always be technician. it changes the dynamic of any pokemon with it so dramatically

[@randomspider725]

OMG, I love Technician. I had a Hitmontop with it and it was my MVP.

[@HAVOC_17]

It could have been cool to see Absol Perish Song into stalling with shadow tag Chandelure, but Absol doesn’t learn it until lv 65 so I guess that’s not an option. As far as ability, I think oblivious is hilarious. Super niche but amazing when it pulls through.

[@emilysmith2965]

Oblivious also prevents Intimidate now so it’s improved quite a bit

[@chavezraul6879]

So, this guy said "Nuzlock is too easy, I'll go by Nuzlock+ rules" and then said "Nuzlock+ is too boring, I'll play around to make it more risky and fun".

[@tsifirakiehl4250]

I really like Magic Guard. Pokémon with Magic Guard only take damage from direct attacks, so things like poison, burns, Leech Seed, and damaging weather conditions just don’t work on them. Oh, you’re trying to Toxic stall? Screw you, my Clefable’s immune!

[@aidanrmacgregor7537]

My favorite ability is Own Tempo because my favorite pokemon has it: Lilligant. If you put together a quiver dance and petal dance (which no longer confuses you) nothing survives. I'm sad that own tempo is replaced with hustle (garbage ability 😢) for Hisuian Lilligant, but they're still my favorite pokemon 😊 chlorophyll is arguably great anyway.

[@randaljr.8581]

lilligant is great =D. a shiny chlorophyll one has helped a lot in violet

[@aidanrmacgregor7537]

@@randaljr.8581 Yeah it's still awesome. It gets solar blade I'm pretty sure, so with sun up and a victory dance, double speed, one-turn, physical solar beams must *domintate*. I'm about to do a hisuian-only replay of Scarlet where I hatch a random egg per badge -- should be super fun. Gentledude already made a video on it in Violet.

[@gaminggoddess85]

Imagine the chaos if every wild and trainer pokemon had their hidden abilities. The "Sig" is Sigilyph is supposed to rhyme with "fridge".

[@monopolyrubix1875]

Was this confirmed by the anime or something? It makes sense to me for it to be a hard G, like in sigil. Since it's sigil-yph.

[@gaminggoddess85]

@@monopolyrubix1875 I don't watch the Pokemon anime, it's just how I've heard "sigil" pronounced in other media. But to be sure I did find a clip from the anime's Who's That Pokemon segment that does confirm my pronunciation.

[@viviolet7]

​@@monopolyrubix1875sigil is not a hard G

[@Swagsire_]

I love the variety in this Nuzlocke Rather than just using a type or category of Pokemon, you used a completely different ruleset! also my favourite ability is probably unaware because it's hilarious stopping sweeps with 1 pokemon

[@cullenhutchison6528]

My favorite abilities are Hustle (I know, I know...), Liquid Ooze, Magic Bounce, Infiltrator, Marvel Scale, Serene Grace, Water Bubble, and Corrosion. If I had to pick one, it would probably be either Magic Bounce or Water Bubble.

[@Killer_Queen_310]

My favorite ability is Serene Grace , it always gets me out of some crazy situations.

[@benjaminsurrette3034]

i’m literally emotional like no way that happened… BIG rip gliscor

[@user-AADZ]

I feel like rylockes should sit in the corner and think about what he did

[@Chanc100]

The editing on this video is crazy! Good job dude

[@antoniocalado7101]

Awesome video. I will never get tired of watching marshall get whooped after he gave me so much trouble in a lot of my playthroughs ❤

[@fallonwest1971]

This was my first video of yours and i really appriciate how you showed both abilitys plus what they do so everyone is on the same page

[@shifra7643]

Same, I also love how his voice sounds. It sounds professional but at the same time it sounds like he's about to give me a Nintendo direct

[@fallonwest1971]

@@shifra7643 lol agreed informative yet entertaining i can get behind that

[@lucamocan8721]

This is such a cool video! The creativity in using all the different abilities was so fun to watch

[@louiswendlander9083]

Lord that was intense! Loved it as always

[@closetevangelism]

I’d be curious to know how he got Stealth Rock Gliscor. I’ve done a lot of Gen 5 nuzlockes and I know the move tutors. The Green Shard tutor gives you Stealth Rock. Well it just so happens that the Green Shard tutor is in Nacrene City, which is the post game. There is no other way for Gliscor to get Stealth Rock other than the move tutor, so how exactly did Gliscor get Stealth Rock

[@gyronutz3043]

oh wow you're right, I wish these nuzlocke youtubers would stop cheating

[@sillybillysheep]

I love Magic Bounce! It’s so silly! Uno reverse on unexpected pokemon like Xatu or Espeon or surprising your opponent with Mega Sableye (rip). Take that leech seed, fool >:)

[@melodreamer7159]

Love the video and love the editing!!

[@animevivaciousstudios3015]

This video was so good. The end was unexpectedly so intense I loved it so much 😂

[@user-AADZ]

And then he freaking threw it because one, magnezone got paralyzed by lapras's thunder, and two, it didn't break through paralysis three single times

[@FrostyFrostySnow]

Was fun to see the crazy strats

[@respaldelerespaldele6690]

-Darmanitan in the Thumbnail -Mentions how interesting Darumaka's evolution is -Proceeds to never use it

[@resyrum5301]

Skill Link is called Skill Link because the pokemon is skillful enough to always link together 5 hits of a multi hit move

[@resurrection7480]

My favourite ability is definetly sheer force,its just so slappable,the power boost is great but not downright absurd like adaptability,the interaction with life orb is nice too

[@NoTengoDinero69]

This is a really fun idea for a video! For the record my favorite hidden abilities are Protean and Mirror armor for fairly obvious reasons. I also love Symbiosis because we only do doubles with my buddies. That’s saved me a billion times!

[@bigslappy823]

The Elesa fight earned you a sub because that Anger Point play was genius. To answer the question, I'd have to say my favorite ability is Moxie. Being able to build up power with a Scrafty and almost sweep Iris' entire team is a core memory for me playing BW2. I would say Defiant is up there, but the fact that you don't get an attack buff from self-inflicted stat drops is a bit disappointing.

[@pncka]

Dope vid!

[@Keydicken]

This is a super cool and unique idea for a challenge! I don’t know my favourite ability off the top of my head, but I think contrary is quite fun

[@bhavysaini5727]

10:15 that's the most stupidly interesting strategy ive I've ever seen against an electric type

[@pkmntrainermark8881]

Those one word at a time subtitles were really bugging me.

[@benmarais2882]

Underrated asf bro

[@ondrej6302]

0:39 What was bad about Mega evolutions. I thought that they were awesome. Maybe even the best thing in pokemon. I get that giving Mega evolutions to every fan favorite pokemon would be bad for future games. But still Mega evolutions were awesome... Right? Right?

[@IlDogeIslamico]

He was talking about mechanics that not all pokemon could access, like megas and gigamax

[@tsifirakiehl4250]

He didn’t say they were bad; he said only some Pokémon had access to them.

[@ondrej6302]

I was confused by the board saying "Past F A I L U R E S". But yeah thanks for pointing out my mishearing.

[@Giga-lemesh]

This was really fun

[@NEET_DG201]

my favorite ability is gorilla tactics, having the power of a choice band with out having to hold anything at all is beyond broken and it makes it really fun to use offensively such as for example double choice banded boosted attacks

[@catsuneniku]

My fave ability is magic bounce! It's very funny to just launch stealth rocks and leech seeds back at an opponent

[@BasketOfPuppies642]

My fave ability is either Regenerator or Rough Skin. I'm a big fan of stall.

[@hrishikeshdas4434]

Yeees! i checked your channel 7 times man

[@owenaspinall2046]

It skillfully links the hits together.

[@dshields1778]

bro called team plasma team galactic at 15:41 lol

[@bhavysaini5727]

My fav ability is mold breaker. Its so satisfying to see sturdy pokemon go down in one hit without even setting up stealth rocks

[@marciofelipe3618]

Adaptability the best ability, basculin watterfall with Adaptability is a monster

[@ultimapower6950]

My favs are sheer force and Huge Power. What can I say I like seeing things drop like flies

[@user-dh8xp6lu6w]

I love your strategy in the Elisa battle

[@dasamont8274]

I think my favorite ability may be Perish Body, but I do enjoy the OP ones like Speed Boost, Huge Power, and Protean quite a bit too.

[@satansgalaxy1472]

Probably either contrary or wonder guard (even though it's only on Shedinja)

[@fairerplayz4759]

My favorite is Stance Change, it gives Aegislash so much of its identity

[@zerozeeros]

Thats was really fun

[@JoyBoyCoy]

That was a awesome and first time strategy for that 4th gym battle brother 😊 you earned a sun I loved this video and I’m glad you picked Snivy, Serpior is one of my all time favorite Pokémon 😅

[@donutofpride]

I’ve never seen someone style that hard on elesa. That was just peak disrespect. Btw my Favorite ability is probably filter. Highly underrated bc of lack of access on good Pokémon.

[@Hensley_Jb]

1:38 me being hyped as soon as I see snivy🎉🎉

[@ratspew932]

"allowing floating pokemon to not get hit by ground moves" Magnemite line: 🥺

[@cermitdafog7811]

My favorites abilities are huge power and wonder guard. Wonder guard is self explanitory, but huge power can make or break a pokemon

[@steijnvanb4634]

that anger point strat on Elesa was fucking genius

[@starlover5578]

My favorite ability is Technician. I love the concept of giving weak moves more power.

[@BLITZZZZZZZZZ01]

My favourite ability is technician since it’s a fun ability that lets you use weaker moves with cool secondary effects

[@kingoftrashopinions6633]

I think my favorite ability is either Magic Guard or Fluffy, they’re really fun to play with and really help keep your team up and running

[@pixelfire86]

My favorite ability is probably magic guard. I also really like sheer force, triage, magic bounce, prankster, unburden, adaptability, and contrary.

[@dracosteven4524]

Gholdengo's Good as Gold. It's so fun to play with in my casual run of Scarlet and Violet.

[@ItsFireTiger]

Couldve saved Lilligant by just attacking with Giga Drian or Petal Dance 👀

[@user-AADZ]

Rylockes should go sit in the corner and think about what he done

[@jaredking8726]

My favourite ability has to be inner focus because it prevents flinching, but second place is steadfast due to it raising speed if the pokemon flinches.

[@joeyyoung5173]

My favourite Ability is probably Magnet Pull because DragMag is too funny

[@kai_3788]

My god that Elesa fight was just bullying

[@S3cr3t_Qw1rtz]

My favorite ability is drought, not too useful in general but i really like playing with weather.

[@rhinox9292]

I’ve always loved Thick Fat and Technician

[@Sigma_Trends_must_stop]

What happened to him? Why is he no longer uploading? Did he quit youtube?

[@user-AADZ]

I hate losing, why doesn't electric types be immune to paralysis in this run, never do this to run again unless if you win

[@mattmc1234]

Technician and Skill Link are goated. If you have a pokemon like Ambipom with skill link it is so busted.

[@rajkanishu]

Funny you mention that, I'm playing a hack rom called Elite Redux rn, it bases its entire gameplay around giving all Pokémon up to 4 Abilities at the same time (3 "innates" and one you can choose from a set of 3), I am using an Ambipom that gets its usual Skill Link and guess what one of its innates is? yeah, Technician lol, so Tail Slap becomes a 25 + 50% × 5 BP move with STAB, oneshots almost everything with a Choice Band, and it's not even the most broken thing in the game lol I reccomend checking it out it's a lot of fun

[@BigHeadDeadass]

Good video, but i would suggest telling us the natures of the mons you catch

[@Wynntersenk6017]

My fav ability is contrary because it’s hilarious and fun to abuse

[@emperorpalpatine2957]

I think they created Klutz solely for the existence of the move Entrainment which Audino gets.

[@ThePokeStarter]

Maybe this is a boring choice, but I like Intimidate... it's classic, easy to use, and generally useful in normal gameplay, nuzlockes, and competitive (both singles and doubles).

[@crimsonflareumbreon1290]

You know the inner and outer part of the virbank complex it consider as a different areas due to the different mons you can possibly get, also maybe be less reckless with your strategy’s and other mons cause a ton of the deaths could of been prevented especially your chandelore

[@rajkanishu]

pretty sure the general rule for nuzlocke encounters is basing it on the location mentioned on the summary page, both of the Virbank Complex sub-areas are listed as simply "Virbank Complex" so they count as one. He did miss one encounter before the first gym tho, there's two routes and the Ranch but he only got two Pokémon

[@crimsonflareumbreon1290]

@@rajkanishu if there different encounters than it classified as a different area a lot of nuzlocker consider it a new area the outer and inner part have different in counter pools

[@jeymsbarayan]

You could've used Serperior 😢

[@lastar7824]

Dazzling/armour tail/queenly magerst are all basically the same ability and are my fav. Followed by unburden

[@owentravis8901]

I assume the idea of Klutz is if an enemy swaps an item onto swanna it could still get full power acrobatics??? Idk not a solid idea.

[@diegogonzalez5273]

Neutralizing Gas is my favorite ability, though I'm not really a fan of Weezing.

[@user-wd8dn6eo3j]

My favorite ability is either moxie or merciless I mean anything moxie is quite powerful and merciless, toxic, venoshock is my favorite combo

[@blitz-o-byte]

my favorite ability is probably volt absorb especially on lanturn >:) in some games the AI is completely useless and just heals lanturn

[@crab6499]

Poison heal is part of the reason Gliscor is my favorite Pokémon

[@itsmychannel]

Best ability has to be either drizzle or drought. Granted I have only played up to gen3 because the other games don’t have the same feeling as my childhood games. But drizzle and drought would just break the game

[@afox8050]

@Rylockes you played Pokémon Brick Bronze 1:56?

[@rayyaninspookymonth1630]

29:13 ngguh! I hate this part!

[@MidoseitoAkage]

Snivy is for average hardcore nuzlocke players. True hardcore nuzlocke enjoyers used Oshawott because avoiding critical hit is more matter than using brainless and easy win button such contrary.

[@Deep-Sarcasm]

Whyyy does gamefreak have it out so hard for a levitating magnemite?

[@venuztrvp]

Protean has always been interesting to me

[@jakubwiktor5874]

Favorit contary becose well this 1:takes away opoment abilite to weaken pokemon 2. The moves like super power or leaf storn becomes very very op move

[@xxXSkibidigooner72Xxx]

Zen mode is a cool ability

[@satansgalaxy1472]

My favorite ability is probably moxie i rember when i first used the sandile line and just moxie swept black 2

[@Siimon2490]

Dancer is my all time favorite