Pure Bug Team: A Good Idea?

[Snake Tortoise]

Can it be done? I was at a loss with what to do with this game yesterday when a wild thought appeared. How about becoming a bug collector and defeating the elite 4 (both times) using only bug types found in Leaf Green. I imagine it will be pretty difficult. Blaine and the Elite 4 are going to be pretty challenging. Too challenging?

Here's my strategy

I already have a lvl 84 Scizor in my main team. This guy can handle anything but fire. He has slash, silver wind, steel wing and swords dance.

I also have a lvl 82 Parasect I levelled in my last run through the game (I used parasect and clefairy and defeated the first elite 4). Parasect has slash, fury cutter, spore and aromatherapy. When I get to 7 island with my bug team I'll give him swords dance instead of aromatherapy

That leaves pinsir, beedrill, butterfree and venemoth still to level. I'll trade them and level them in pairs. I hope to beat the E4 with both pairs then bring my whole team together to play through islands 4-7 and beat the E4 again.

First I'll play with Pinsir and Venomoth

Pinsir will (eventually) have brick break, strength, swords dance and possibly hyper beam. EV trained for speed and attack

Venemoth- I aim to give it psychic, silver wind and I'm not sure what else. Giga drain, toxic, attract, sleep powder- I haven't decided. I'll EV train it for special attack and speed

Then play through with Butterfree and Beedrill

Butterfree will have sleep powder, dream eater, silver wind and aerial ace. I'll likely train it's attack stat somewhat so it can use it's flying and bug moves effectively

Beedrill: twineedle, pin missile, sludge bomb and focus energy. Actually I might drop twineedle in favour of brick break. EV training attack and speed

What I expect

If I can at least get both pairs of pokemon up to the Indigo Plateau (in seperate games) they should be at about level 80. With a bit of luck (or combining the two pairs) I should scrape through and then I can put my whole team together for the 4-7 islands and the second E4 battle. I can at least count on Scizor when I get there. I hope to capture the final battle then post it here

If I can't take Blaine's pokemon down instantly he is going to be a nightmare. Everyone in the elite 4 is going to be tough except Agatha.

Advice?


Has anybody done this sort of thing before? How should a themed team be approached? 2/6 of the team is ready for the final E4 battle, but what problems will I face when levelling the other 4? My bugs will be traded to level faster but I'll use no supporting pokemon once I get the badge from Erika

Bug Collector

[CMD Calcio]

There used to be a monotype challenge on these forums a long time ago. Can't figure out where it went though.

I'm not so sure about a Bug type team though. Scizor and Pinsir are pretty strong...but imo that's where it stops. I don't think the rest of the Bug types you can find before the Elite 4 are anything to rave about. They not only have the same weaknesses but aren't very strong in general.

[Winter02]

There used to be a monotype challenge on these forums a long time ago. Can't figure out where it went though.

They are right here!

I also think Bug might be one of the hardest monotype challenges, especially for 3rd generation. In addition to Scizor and Pinsir, Pokemon like Heracross, Forretress, Ninjask and Armaldo can also be used if you really want to use the best Bug-types.

[Snake Tortoise]

Current team:

Scizor 84
Parasect 82
Pinsir 29
Venonat 29
Catterpie -
Weedle -

Just beaten Erika with Pinsir and Venonat.

There used to be a monotype challenge on these forums a long time ago. Can't figure out where it went though.

I'm not so sure about a Bug type team though. Scizor and Pinsir are pretty strong...but imo that's where it stops. I don't think the rest of the Bug types you can find before the Elite 4 are anything to rave about. They not only have the same weaknesses but aren't very strong in general.

They are right here!

I also think Bug might be one of the hardest monotype challenges, especially for 3rd generation. In addition to Scizor and Pinsir, Pokemon like Heracross, Forretress, Ninjask and Armaldo can also be used if you really want to use the best Bug-types.

The challenge section is interesting. I never play the game with pokemon in the conventional way any more though. Haven't done in ages. I trade two pokemon into a game after beating Misty then play through until I've beaten the elite 4, then repeat this twice until I have 3 pairs of pokemon around level 80 who've all beaten the elite 4. Then I trade them into one game, get the national dex and take on the elite 4 again. The final elite 4 battle will be easier this way but it's still going to be a ***** to get Butterfree and Beedrill all the way to the E4 even if they are levelling faster because of trading

The only limitations I've put on this bug 'challenge' (doesn't seem like such a challenge now I've seen people do it properly) are that they are bugs found in LG/FR. Scizor isn't of course, but it seems reasonable to allow scyther's evolution.

[Snake Tortoise]

The team is finished and ready to take on the E4 again. They've beaten the first E4 in pairs already and I've had few problems up to now, so it's looking good. I was a bit disappointed by this 'challenge'. I think I'll do a proper challenge next time, with 6 untraded pokemon playing through one game at the same time, rather than in pairs. Anyway, here's my team going into the final battle

Beedrill, level 86
sludge bomb, twineedle, facade, swords dance

Butterfree, level 85
psychic, silver wind, sleep powder, dream eater

Parasect, level 87
slash, fury cutter, spore, swords dance

Pinsir, level 86
brick break, return, revenge, swords dance

Scizor, level 86
steel wing, silver wind, slash, swords dance

Venomoth, level 86
psychic, silver wind, disable, toxic

^ I like silver wind and swords dance

EDIT: FINISHED.

[LightningRevolver]

No wonder you have problems. This can be swept with just one fire-type Pokemon. You should type divert.

[Bullkid]

No wonder you have problems. This can be swept with just one fire-type Pokemon. You should type divert.

Um.

The only limitations I've put on this bug 'challenge' (doesn't seem like such a challenge now I've seen people do it properly) are that they are bugs found in LG/FR. Scizor isn't of course, but it seems reasonable to allow scyther's evolution.

Try to find Armaldo's fossil or a wild Surskit in FR or LG, Revolver. Come on, I dare you.

[Snake Tortoise]

No wonder you have problems. This can be swept with just one fire-type Pokemon. You should type divert.

Fire was never a problem actually, although I expected it would be. Rock and Flying were just as much of a problem. The whole team only came together after I'd beaten the elite 4 with them in pairs (Butterfree/Beedrill, Venemoth/Pinsir- I already had Scizor and Parasect) so I could only use Scizor against the elite 4 second battle really. That meant I was always weak to rock, flying and fire

It was fine in the end. They levelled too fast for it to be a real challenge. I finished with every pokemon on 87 except butterfree on 85

[Aura Sensai]

Honestly,it's not a bad idea,but I would only recommend it to people who don't mind the challenge

[KingWiggins]

Only for ingame? Sure. Against friends? You're going to do some tough EV training for sure, and maybe switch up some moves, but sure. Competitively?NO. It's a good challenge, just don't know if it's worth it though.. why not use better bug types like Heracross and Forretress though?

[cantab]

I did a mono-bug run in original Red, when they had eff all for STAB attacks, and don't recall the run being all that difficult. Then again, Butterfree and Venomoth both get psychic attacks which have perfect coverage, and the opposition's generally easier. (Mono-ghost was much tougher, with only a single disobedient traded-in Gastly to use up until Lavender Town.)

Certainly it's not the easiest thing to monotype with, but it's got its pros, and the type's strengthened a lot as the series has gone on. Plenty of early-game power, and lots of status options to make up for the relatively low stats late-game.

Running just two Pokemon is an interesting idea, but as you experience it over-levels you somewhat. I've come round to running "short" teams myself of late, but I'd put the ideal number at four or five. (My last run, in Emerald, was six members mind).

[britishlanguage]

It's possible(I did and completed one), but it turned from mono-bug to venomoth-only fast.

[PopPrincess_Lyra]

It's possible. I mean, my PKMN team wasn't up for it in White, non of them were in their last evo
So bug types are worth it.. esp for grass/dark/psy PKMN, nya~

[CMD Calcio]

I can imagine that after they're all at level 80 or so the CPU trainers minus the E4 are just irrelevant. It happens regardless of type.

[Archaic]

Heracross isnt in Fire Red right? I forget :/

[Darth Sabreus]

Heracross isnt in Fire Red right? I forget :/

In Pattern Bush there are. You can also find them in RSE's Safari Zone.

[iPokemon]

If it's for in game, I guess you could pull it off.

[swiftswimmers24]

No wonder you have problems. This can be swept with just one fire-type Pokemon. You should type divert.

exactly. i just swept the elite four the first time with a charizard.

[Ezek]

It can be done but difficult because bug pokemon have many weaknesses and many or pretty unblessed by low stats.

[Valerie90st]

No wonder you have problems. This can be swept with just one fire-type Pokemon. You should type divert.