LIVE! Breloom Re-ranking - Pokemon Emerald

First playthrough: • Breloom Only - Pokemon...
Rules:
1. Only my starter in battle
2. No items in battle, except held items
3. No glitches, exploits, or save states
4. No movepool evasion-boosting moves before level 100*
Rule details:
-- I make no attempt to have the exact same rule details between generations.
-- I am allowed to manipulate my starter
-- I play the game at 4x game speed
-- For fair comparisons my Pokemon have perfect (or near perfect) DVs / IVs
-- I am allowed to catch HM users - I can use all field moves
-- Evasion boosting is allowed if the move is not obtained from the Pokemon’s movepool. For example, using Mimic or Mirror Move to boost evasion is allowed.
-- Surge's trash-can-puzzle is automatically solved
-- The bike is allowed in gen1 & 4, banned in gen2, and allowed only to bypass terrain in gen3
-- Saving between league members is allowed
-- I can pause the game and timer to take breaks
-- Items obtained with the ability Pickup can only be used if the starter obtained them
-- The footage is sped up & slowed down to match the pace of my narration
These Rule details apply only to generation 1:
-- All battle-mechanic glitches are allowed (glitches that occur outside of battle are banned)
-- In generation 1, I'm allowed to skip Marowak with the Poke Doll
If you didn’t read these rules and left a comment. Thanks for helping with the algorithm.
Patreon: / scottsthoughts
KZbin memberships:
/ @scottsthoughtspokemon
X: / psychicflying
Thumbnail art by BrianLS: / brianlsart
Illustrations by Sarina Vail: / sarinavail
Video Editing by Shawn McMullen
STAB: bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wi...
DVs / IVs: bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wi...
Damage Calculation: bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wi...
Stat and Catch Calculators: pycosites.com/pkmn/index.php
Gen1 Crit Rates: www.smogon.com/rb/articles/cr...
Growth Rates: bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wi...
Learnsets: bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wi...
Base Stats: bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wi...)
If you're new around here, Venomoth is a Psychic/Flying type, you can't change my mind.

[@urbestfriend-oz7zf]

There's two big reasons I watch all your videos and you're one of my favorite content creators: All the effort you put into your videos. You're very analytical, you put so much effort in and take things very seriously. To me, someone who takes their craft very seriously and works hard to optimize it, both in game and out of game, is one of the most incredible and respectable things and I find that's something so few content creators do. You and your videos have a very calming presence. The format as well as the style of videos, and the lack of stakes in the videos feel very peaceful to me in a way? Like obviously the pokemon want to get a good time but I guess it feels nice that like, it's a single player game, you can always try again or make another attempt. And I find pokemon in general very calming because I'm autistic and it's my special interest. I have anxiety and PTSD so your videos are something I can turn to when I'm stressed and they are very relaxing. Especially a mid tier pokemon that isn't competing for a top spot. It just wants to try it's best :)

[@dantea8215]

It’s awesome to see how far the overlay has come

[@Nagassh]

I just like that you feel genuine. You clearly love what you're doing and have a passion for it, I always worry when you talk about tweaking things - partly because I hate change and partly because I worry you'll end up mangling your formula to try and please people when, as you've said in the video, some of your attempts to please go completely unnoticed because people are looking for different things. That and you're not too emotional and "forcing hype" in an obnoxious manner, your clean UI and clean editing helps too.

[@perkypenguin1663]

Glad to see Breloom get a better time, and it's also really cool to see how much you've improved in Emerald

[@threeicedcreams]

I had totally forgotten about the end credits animation until you mentioned it! I loved it, I thought it was super cute and I would love to see it again! I didn’t say anything about it bc I don’t usually comment on videos unless I have something I really REALLY want to say, or if I want to make a joke. It’s also one of those things you don’t really think about because it just becomes part of the video format, you see it happening but you just become kinda blind to it bc you see it so often. Sometimes things like that have to be really obvious to notice they’ve changed, like the one video where you didn’t have the intro visuals and everyone freaked out about it lol.

[@user-xc4ww4dy3k]

50:12 Concerning things you do to add quality to your videos: In a previous video you explained your thought process behind choosing the background image for the overlay (using realistic nature images to center the fantasy using real-world media). That made me appreciate the images so much more. I love the effort you put into the production, and learning more about why you make certain design choices makes me appreciate it that much more. Keep up the great work!

[@flprtc]

Hey Scott, just wanted to let you know that these videos are great, as always. Also, hope you get to fulfill your goal of playing through every game with every species, it has been a great journey and I'm sure that you'll keep up with the cool shenanigans. I like when personal thoughts blend in with the gameplay and technical analysis. Pokemon is my favorite "entertainment" since I was a kid and now as an almost 30 y/o lawyer I still feel the same when consuming the franchise. This video got me in my feelings, especially since I have my greatest pokemon memories from sapphire, where I used to love running blaziken and breloom as a duo. I mentioned my profession also cause I am one step closer to my goals as well, and hope to inspire you to reach yours. I work with IP and recently the firm I work at was able to secure some of Nintendo's portfolio, no pokemon yet tho, so I'll be hoping for that. It has been a dream of mine to work with pokemon all my life and stem was not for me and the artsy part did not work out as I expected, but I have found in IP law the solace that I yearned for and can help clients in protecting their creations. One day I'll make it and will work directly with the pokemon franchise, that's my goal and I hope you get to live yours the best way possible, happy for you that you could make a living out of this. Best regards all the way from Brazil!

[@weaponizedemoticon1131]

Can I just say, I love the discussion of decision making and consciousness, very fun. Great video all around! Edit: I would like to discuss/think about what makes Gen 1 specifically, but Gen 2 and 3 to a lesser extent, such good solo running games. I think the biggest one is reduced talking, you don't have to just listen to plot, but you play through it. Another is filters, some are a little too extreme, such as Brock, but they should be there. The next one I am calling expand and collapse, where you have the most efficient path, but you can choose to delay a tough spot for a cost of efficiency, until the collapse point. Being able to skip Misty till after Nugget Bridge and the SS Anne is a good example. Being able to skip Erika until the collapse point just before Giovanni is another. A lack of easy brute force options, such as rare candies, reusable TMS, that kind of thing. I'm sure we can all think of tons more, but three is a good start. Now the question is, how would you improve upon these, or add other mechanisms to make the best solo running game?

[@iskander0725]

You always stream till right about an hour before I even wake up for work. That always sucks, man. I do hope to catch you live one of these times.

[@HelloJohnRyan]

Yoooo I love the update to the tier list. Looks great! 🙌

[@javontehendrix86]

Wow Scott unfortunately for me I played all the Pokémon games except the sun and moon series never got an 3ds as a kid but I’ll make that happen soon as I move but love your content watched almost every video keep up the good work bro😎

[@fortello7219]

You know, if you wanted to do a run with Spore Breloom there is a way. A little known fact about Pokemon breeding; If both parents know a move the Pokemon learns by level-up than the hatched offspring will know it. (In gen 3 eggs still hatch at level 5) So you could do a "legal" run with a Shroomish that knows Spore (as what is basically an egg move) and then let it evolve during the run. Just thought I'd mention in case you didn't know.

[@PhilnoTV]

The thing I am most interested in are the strategies and optimizations to get faster runs, and which are the major obstacles and how do you plan around and overcome them. I almost exclusively consume your videos and streams as a sort of podcast and only glance over occasionally to remind me of the current reset counter and at what point in the game you are if it hadn't come up in a while.

[@johnd3268]

what will eggsceptional's role be (haven't finished vod yet if you get to that)?

[@bobosmith101]

This probably isn't what you're looking for, but I'm not watching FireRed because I want to finish Yellow first.

[@ScottsThoughtsPokemon]

You'll be starting FireRed in 2026 then!

[@guillermocortes4415]

I'm doing the same with Platinum. Yellow Is getting better AND better, while every new game will need months of practice

[@mickgorro]

Will probably watch Mr. Mime tomorrow for lunch :).

[@gstate32]

With a fluctuating growth rate would it be more optimal to grind on wild pokemon early game? I know this seems counterintuitive but since trainer battles give more exp would it be better to leverage that at higher levels? It would slow down early game but my guess is on select pokemon it may improve late game. Breloom to me feels that way. Also an impish or careful nature seem more optimal to me since you are using bulk up. Breloom has a phenomenal base attack stat. So you dont benefit as much from boosting it. Especially since you need to survive attacks to set up.

[@ScottsThoughtsPokemon]

I think fighting wild Pokemon would just slow things down, unless you need the wild exp + trainer exp. If you need exp the fastest way to get it is by fighting the trainers required to progress with the game. IMO wild battles should always be a last resort. With fluctuating the key seems to be ensuring rare candy filming is as late as possible to ensure Steven is possible. I’m worried about first stage fluctuating Pokémon because they won’t be able to pull off the finish Breloom was, and grinding to a higher level is going to massively inflate time.

[@AnimeCafe93]

Oh this is going to be excellent

[@opzombie9612]

the reason the rayquaza animation made a difference is because its an integral part of the story and one little ending subscriber Pikachu animation is well not saying its not good or well thought of but, for one, how many people watch the VERY END before they, comment and if they see it at all, and just go to the next video, so i think if u want to really invest in animations they should be an integral part of your stream

[@mickgorro]

The devil's lawyer :). At least, that's what avvocato means in Italian, and of course Italian uses avvocato in the equivalent of devil's advocate :).

[@Lokiip]

Now im picturing him with an evil avocado 🥑

[@mickgorro]

Scott: Stun spore it, swagger it, flash it, then set up and win. But that's obviously not the right choice. Me: That's not even possible, because you just listed 4 moves, meaning you don't have an attack after that.

[@trains3377]

For Headbutt Damage, on average with the 30% flinch chance it would be 91 damage ♤((70×.7)+(140×.3))♤ on average with more consistent damage output until The Pokemon Reaches 225 friendship. Headbutt Base Damage: 70 Headbutt Damage (w/flinch): 91 175 friendship return Damage: 70 220 friendship return damage: 88 225 friendship return damage: 91 ♧ The exact jump point where return increases from 90 to 91 base power is somewhere around 223 or 224 friendship, and this would be where Headbutt when factoring in the 140 base power "double turn" move due to 30% flinch chance is mathametically worse than Return. Love the videos! excited for Aerodactyl October

[@Wow1w]

and then there's serene grace....

[@tsawy6]

Consistency vs goon trainers is very important for a solo run. Consider a mon for who you need a 71 power move to ohko, you will consistently knock it out a full turn faster with return with a better bp than headbutt. More generally, the flinch is great vs bosses for getting you by them (should you roll it, expect to spend 3.3 attempts), but getting the flinch isnt better vs a trainer you were going to beat anyways

[@user-xc4ww4dy3k]

Do you think it would ever be worth it (for Breloom or other Pokémon) to teach unnecessary TM’s just for the friendship increase at an earlier point in the game? Like, before teaching Return you could teach Secret Power then immediately overwrite it with Return. Could also potentially “buy friendship” by buying multiple copies of Secret Power / Hidden Power at Slateport. Would require cost-benefit analysis (as money spent on TM’s or not selling TMs = less vitamin money).

[@gstate32]

My guess is no. It's a marginal increase. If anything just run around more since you gain friendship via # of steps as well.

[@user-xc4ww4dy3k]

@@gstate32 that would be my guess too, especially for Breloom. Might be edge cases in the future where it might be worth it to teach a TM then immediately overwrite it for the extra friendship. Is friendship increase a probability with steps in this Gen, or a guarantee?

[@gstate32]

@@user-xc4ww4dy3k according to bulbapedia gen 3 is 50% chance for +1 friendship every 128 steps. This can affect the whole party.

[@TomHenksYT]

Scott, first of all I enjoyed the video and I hope you read this. As a self-retired content creator I totally feel your struggles with the recording and narrating and editing process. And for your versus videos which have been getting longer and more detailed I can totally understand how exhausting that must be. My suggestion to that, I know it's not much, but it would be to cut back on the amount of footage you show. For example, in a versus video I would personally be fine if you don't show the entirety of the first attempt with each pokemon but rather highlight only the relevant portions, for example a fight that was really difficult or one that you had to change your strategy in subsequent playthroughs. In the interest of avoiding overexhaustion and actually reaching the goal of playing through the games with every species, I would also suggest not showing subsequent playthroughs other than the fastest one. So for example, if you did 8 playthroughs and nr. 6 was the fastest, unless there was something really interesting that led you to a new strategy, I think most people would be okay if you don't show any of the other runs. It would make the videos a bit shorter, yes. But I think that's okay if it helps to achieve the greater goal. PS: if you and Shawn need help editing, I sent you an email a few weeks ago since you mentioned that you are looking for another editor.

[@AlluminiumAleron]

Can leech seed help with Brawly? It might not be helpful after all if focus punch can ko Breloom, but watching Meditite go down slowly and get healed via potion made me think leech seed could speed up that portion of the fight.

[@gstate32]

Wasting the potions on meditite is safer than allowing brawly to have them for makuhita since it can set up and do more damage to breloom. Likely higher chance to wipe.

[@AlluminiumAleron]

@gstate32 You're definitely right now that you mention the rest of the fight; I was just over excited to see leech seed get any potential use... I think Leech Seed is good, but it surely isn't the fastest way through most fights (if you aren't running like Hoppip or something), so we rarely get to see Scott use it. I have fond memories of playing Yellow and using Toxic + Leech Seed with Bulbasaur, which has a glitched interaction because Gen 1 lol, and I always overestimate how useful leech seed is because young me would get that all set up and then use Leech Seed as an almost Perish Song for the rest of the fight. TL;DR: I just like Leech Seed, but it probably isn't the way to go here since using a regular damaging move is still faster/better overall* *I'm going to stop recommending that we don't attack the Focus Punch Meditite every turn, but anyone who can should feel free to actually test this out in the game, and please tell me if Leech Seed has any utility here, but like I said I'm not feeling like it does anymore. Edit: typos, hate my phone sometimes lol

[@mickgorro]

That animation you mentioned, where can I find it?

[@ScottsThoughtsPokemon]

It's in a bunch of my old videos

[@breadpope0358]

3:08:00 youre a very relaxed person you attract a very relaxed crowd :D

[@mickgorro]

Whon and Whallie :) . . . . Juan and Wallie, but with an initial H :)

[@mickgorro]

Scott: ... 'cause it's the best item in the game, as I said before! Me: You said that was the PP max, not the Persim berry...

[@dudeist_priest]

Maybe the real friends were the berries we ate along the way.

[@mickgorro]

Chunks: 1. 0:00-1:22:25, pre-rec league is beat; 2. 1:22:25-2:31:37, Scott came back :);

[@marchaustein1429]

In Not so familiar with gen 3 and later So Bulk up is Like curse without Speed loss? How freakn op is that Want this move for my snorlax

[@ScottsThoughtsPokemon]

Yup. It’s broken! Thing is, only a few Pokémon get access to it, mostly Fighting-types.

[@Raine618]

such a shame breloom misses out on spore, unless you cancel shroomish's evo you wouldnt even know it can learn it. But even then you have to wait until lv. 54

[@couchpotato8729]

Commenting in response to the "why do you watch these videos" question. For me, I primarily watch out of curiosity to see where a pokemon ranks in relation to other pokemon. I don't really notice graphical changes unless they are extreme, and I often have your content on as something in the background while I play some videogame or read a book. If, hypothetically, you could put out twice as many videos per week at the cost of depth of explanation on routing, or optimizations/updates to the software, I would take that in a heartbeat. I totally get the need for personal satisfaction, so I think you should do things in a way that keeps you motivated. I have no idea if anyone else watching your videos feels similarly, but hopefully this was helpful! *Edit to add, I also don't feel strongly about how much information you put on the screen. I would be totally fine with a brief flash of base stats/move pool in the beginning, and then just having screen capture and no other real overlay aside from a timer maybe.

[@S0oo]

Nintendo should send you a platinum trophy once every pokemon is timed

[@TheRilluma]

59:50 you need to open your brain with psychedelics.

[@Smileyrat]

I think a lot of your small touches add to a quality people recognize on some level, but not specificly something pwople notice continously. But i feel that pain. I make my friends wait for similar things.

[@clintonkiewiet2863]

Support

[@tenebrasm]

To be continued...

[@a.r.4822]

Denis

[@Smileyrat]

Pokemon like you more if you give them big PP. I hear thats true in real life to. 😝

[@dantemalick2872]

There is actually a forth need Creative competitive business and health you could do more bur your voice would die And I think 8 years is a stretch I mean some of the later games have 400 pokemon and even 1 playthrough per day is more than a year and doesn't scarlet and violet have even more

[@SaltlakePromotionz]

It would be nice to just get some normal videos. I came to this channel because they reminded me of jrose videos. Now it's either all streams or just way to data and analytic driven. So I've all but stopped watching.

[@mason5789]

yeah I agree. I appreciated that Scott’s videos incorporated more analytic aspects in them initially but they have transitioned gradually and now it feels like homework watching his videos. I’ll catch an occasional vid here and there but the content has unfortunately switched over:/

[@Eagleeye2428]

@salt Scott has been about the analytics and statistics for at least two years now and he runs one video as a recap to pull data and uses that to better his runs for the best time he can get. His style is different from JRose and Mah-Dry-Bread who just says "can it be done" and that's their entire video concept.

[@mason5789]

@@Eagleeye2428 it’d be false to say the content didn’t slowly transition like I previously mentioned…regardless, I still don’t enjoy the long form content or in-depth analytics so I don’t really watch them

[@aboolowoaa5179]

I hate to say "just go watch someone else" but I'm not really seeing a solution here. He focuses on a narrative still for his produced videos, and streams discuss a lot more of the strategy and the why's. He's critical of his content so that he can have better runs more true to pokemon's capabilities. His data analysis is a big part of that. Jrose still does the narrative style with runs based off his intuition and subjective feelings. Scott differentiates with his data analysis, with his exploration of each pokemon before their ranked runs, and by implementing the strategies of others where they appear stronger than his own. That's his style and identity. Going back to the early channel days would lose his uniqueness. His emerald play since the start of the year has radically improved, and I've been able to enjoy it more than ever as his improved play lets him continue to find new and interesting strategies. Is there a video you can point to that you think is a good example of Scott making videos in your preferred style? He's shown willingness to change, and could possibly implement some aspects from previous videos, but completely doing away with it, even for the occasional video, would likely just be a bad fit. It certainly wouldn't be fair to pokemon that are ranked against runs that do develop intentionally, so if he was to push to a more narrative style it'd have to be a new game or relatively untouched category like nuzlocks

[@mason5789]

@@Eagleeye2428 maybe it’s the manner in which he’s presenting his content, but the streams and VODs are just never appealing to me tbh. I have tried to watch them but it is painful, especially bc there is no clear structure to them in terms of goals, commentary, etc + the errors within them are much more apparent and frustrating to view as an audience.