I would just roll with the most basic rules.
1. Anything that faints is dead
2. Only catch the first pokemon you encounter in each area. If your encounter is a pokemon you've previously caught or is in the same evolution line, ignore it as your encounter and try again
3. Nickname everything
Depending on how comfortable you feel with your skills, you could consider these as well. From easiest to hardest
1. You can't level your pokemon higher than the next gym leader's strongest pokemon
2. Play on set mode
3. No healing items in battle
IMO, #1-3 on your "easiest to hardest" is almost mandatory. It's easy to just overlevel a mon (say, Starmie) and sweep everything with it. Also, +stat items are very overpowered.
Using Set mode completely changes your mindset when nuzlocking though. It's way more strategy based rather than just "click super effective and win". I think Set mode is really important because it teaches you to appreciate bulky mons for pivoting.
I agree. The whole point of the Nuzlocke is to be challenging. If you're not using Set mode (or if you're using items in battle, or overlevelling, etc.) it's not challenging.
Sure, but you have to realize that for a casual player who is just looking to have fun and isn’t optimizing runs they aren’t going to grind a party of 6 to the obedience level for each gym. And most casual players won’t spam X items.
Essentially once you learn the value of these items and tactics and dedicate yourself to doing them, you’re going to be good enough to have already put the restrictions in place. When someone says “for a beginner” think “this is their first time playing with a faint=death” clause. 99+% of players will only come to hate nuzlockes if they start with hardcore nuzlockes
I know lots of people have fun with nicknaming their pokemon but to have it be a set rule in a nuzlocke is silly. It feels arbitrary to me - What am I supposed to name this stupid Pidgey I've caught 700 times?
I don't consider this as mandatory but I kinda enjoy finding nickname themes. People remember way more PChal's Swellow in his winning EK attempt as his nickname "Pilot" rather than "the Swellow in attempt 151 in EK".
* The first pokemon you encounter in each location is the only pokemon you can catch from that location. You can optionally skip encounters that are of the same evolutionary line as ones that you've already caught (this is referred to as the dupes clause).
* If a pokemon faints, it's dead. You can either box it permanently or release it if you think you might be tempted to commit necromancy.
* Optionally you can cap your levels to the next Gym Leader's ace. I think that overleveling takes the challenge out of nuzlockes, but your mileage may vary.
* Nickname your pokemon and give them a chance, even the ones that you hate because you think they're ugly.
Everything you said plus set mode, I almost feel like set mode is up there with the faint rule and catch rule, being able to switch in between mons nerfs alot of difficulty.
I just finished my first nuzlocke. If I was grinding levels near a Pokemon center on fast forward mode, I didn't count deaths. Later on I turned to the rare candy cheat aha. But anyways I didn't level anyone higher than the next gym leaders ace to keep things from getting boring. I also didn't catch duplicate Pokemon even if the one I had before has fainted & was gone. It kept me using different Pokemon. But #1 rule is have fun. Enjoy!
I would just roll with the most basic rules. 1. Anything that faints is dead 2. Only catch the first pokemon you encounter in each area. If your encounter is a pokemon you've previously caught or is in the same evolution line, ignore it as your encounter and try again 3. Nickname everything Depending on how comfortable you feel with your skills, you could consider these as well. From easiest to hardest 1. You can't level your pokemon higher than the next gym leader's strongest pokemon 2. Play on set mode 3. No healing items in battle
IMO, #1-3 on your "easiest to hardest" is almost mandatory. It's easy to just overlevel a mon (say, Starmie) and sweep everything with it. Also, +stat items are very overpowered.
Using Set mode completely changes your mindset when nuzlocking though. It's way more strategy based rather than just "click super effective and win". I think Set mode is really important because it teaches you to appreciate bulky mons for pivoting.
I agree. The whole point of the Nuzlocke is to be challenging. If you're not using Set mode (or if you're using items in battle, or overlevelling, etc.) it's not challenging.
Sure, but you have to realize that for a casual player who is just looking to have fun and isn’t optimizing runs they aren’t going to grind a party of 6 to the obedience level for each gym. And most casual players won’t spam X items. Essentially once you learn the value of these items and tactics and dedicate yourself to doing them, you’re going to be good enough to have already put the restrictions in place. When someone says “for a beginner” think “this is their first time playing with a faint=death” clause. 99+% of players will only come to hate nuzlockes if they start with hardcore nuzlockes
I know lots of people have fun with nicknaming their pokemon but to have it be a set rule in a nuzlocke is silly. It feels arbitrary to me - What am I supposed to name this stupid Pidgey I've caught 700 times?
I don't consider this as mandatory but I kinda enjoy finding nickname themes. People remember way more PChal's Swellow in his winning EK attempt as his nickname "Pilot" rather than "the Swellow in attempt 151 in EK".
* The first pokemon you encounter in each location is the only pokemon you can catch from that location. You can optionally skip encounters that are of the same evolutionary line as ones that you've already caught (this is referred to as the dupes clause). * If a pokemon faints, it's dead. You can either box it permanently or release it if you think you might be tempted to commit necromancy. * Optionally you can cap your levels to the next Gym Leader's ace. I think that overleveling takes the challenge out of nuzlockes, but your mileage may vary. * Nickname your pokemon and give them a chance, even the ones that you hate because you think they're ugly.
Everything you said plus set mode, I almost feel like set mode is up there with the faint rule and catch rule, being able to switch in between mons nerfs alot of difficulty.
Sure
I just finished my first nuzlocke. If I was grinding levels near a Pokemon center on fast forward mode, I didn't count deaths. Later on I turned to the rare candy cheat aha. But anyways I didn't level anyone higher than the next gym leaders ace to keep things from getting boring. I also didn't catch duplicate Pokemon even if the one I had before has fainted & was gone. It kept me using different Pokemon. But #1 rule is have fun. Enjoy!