Nuzlocke Redeemed mons

[fluffyspy]

I'm gonna chime in with everyone who mentioned Leavanny. In a Black Nuzlocke I did, I ended up losing half my team to Elesa, including my starter Servine. I didn't touch my DS for a couple of days after that, but when I did, I ended up putting a Swadloon from the box on my team as a replacement grass-type. I really expected to re-box her as soon as I caught a better 'mon, but she ended up exceeding all my expectations and making it all the way through the game! That was an especially bloody run, too, and I think by the end she was my oldest Pokemon on the team.

 

[sky_]

Thirding Leavanny, the second starter of my White 2 nuzlocke who carried the team and became my joint fave Pokemon of all time afterwards. I was so so impressed with my sword-wielding, nurturing bug <3

I initially strongly disliked Gardevoir, but using a Delta Gardevoir in Insurgence and having her carry the team redeemed the entire line for me. I seriously underestimated how bulky and powerful one could become.

 

[Caudipteryx]

The last time I played Soul Silver, I ended up with a Politoed and a Bellossom in my party. I'd never given much thought to either of these 'mon, but I figured I'd give them a shot. I was not disappointed.

The Politoed was my MVP against Lance's second team. He tanked everything Lance could throw at him like a champ and destroyed his foes with Ice Beam.
The duo truly shined in the fight against Red. Bellossom would set up Sunny Day to get rid of that pesky Hail (and boost her speed), then put everything to sleep. Being able to switch in without fear of retaliation was invaluable since I was playing in Set mode. And when the foe woke up earlier than expected? I'd switch in Politoed to tank the hit and finish it off.

I also got to use a Xatu and a Venomoth, but since I already liked them, they don't count. It was a really fun run.

 

[Arie Kazami]

Minccino and Cinccino. I remember back then in my White 2 wedlocke I got a random Shiny Minccino and I didn't use her until I brought her for replacement pair for my Magnezone who died(forgot his pair is). I Thought she going to die soon only she PROVEN ME WRONG. She ended wrecking Ghetsis HYDREIGON(Wake-Up SLAPPING IT TO THE DEATH) For Arceus sake as well saving my party from TPK(Total Party Kill) from Shauntal's Chandelure by swooping that living chandleier with just two Aqua tails!

Now I'm pretty much respect this line...

 

[kittenrobotarmy]

Furfrou. It was a Pokémon I just didn’t really think about until it utterly demolished my X Wonderlocke. XY aren’t that difficult but Furfrou made it a cakewalk. I will always have a place in my heart for that precious dog.

 

[JavierE64]

During a run Sapphire, I managed to catch a Gulpin. At first I didn´t look foward to using her, until I realized how Bulky she really was.
Not only was Toxic and Yawn such deadly level-up moves; but as a Swalot, she took hits like a champion and give it back.
She quickly became one of my favorite Pokémon of the run; sadly, she perish in battle because of that nasty trainer with Milotic in Route 120.
She eventually became of my most memorable, and I always look foward to use a Gulpin when I have a chance.

 

[TrueZero2]

The last time I played Soul Silver, I ended up with a Politoed and a Bellossom in my party. I'd never given much thought to either of these 'mon, but I figured I'd give them a shot. I was not disappointed.

...Bellossom would set up Sunny Day to get rid of that pesky Hail (and boost her speed), then put everything to sleep.

Seconding Bellossom. Used one in Ruby and she wound up solo-ing Groudon. Sleep Powder then Solarbeams until the end of time. Was awesome.

I'm also going to put forward Leafeon. Went in thinking I needed a Grass Type. Did not realise how high its Defense can go, especially after I accidentally EV trained it in that stat. It gained a running gag of not even noticing Self Destructs and Explosions going off in its face because it did so little damage. In Gen 4, where it halved defense before damage.

 

[Arbitrary]

So I don't really like mons that look like little girls that much, it just reminds me of Japan's weird little girl fetish. Things like Steenee, Mawile, Gothorita, that kind of thing. Evolved ones like Lilligant are okay though. But anyway, in Ultra Moon I encountered a Mawile with Intimidate. I intended to keep her until I got a better Steel type. Which never happened because I missed all the rest besides the stupid worthless Diglett and Dugtrio. Also Mawile turned out to be really good despite the shitty stats. Intimidate + Steel/Fairy + being the only one from the pre-Aether Paradise team to make it to and through the Elite Four really redeemed her big time. She contributed hard in so many major battles it isn't even funny. Wide movepool, plus Stealth Rock and two good STABs eventually and a really fast levelling rate all contributed. The only issue with Steel/Fairy is that you no longer resist Fighting, but guess what? Hala isn't an E4 member this time round.

 

[Ymir]

Ohh, seconding Swalot. The Gulpin line has a very special place in my heart, since they're so bulky and reliable, and don't seem to falter ever throughout the game. It's what I consider to be a "nuzlocke Pokemon," since it's one of the Pokemon that really take you to the end during one.

 

[Skarmizard]

Bug-types in general. I never used to have any use for them, and hardly ever put them on my teams. But between all my runs, I've had some really good ones (Scolipede, Leavanny, and Larvesta/Volcarona were the best, and I'll never forget taking both Butterfree and Beedrill all the way through the league on the same team).
Now I'm a lot more willing to give them a shot.

 

[Trollkitten]

Spoiler: Secrets of Aetherai spoilers (Omega Ruby)

Masquerain. Definitely Masquerain.

I caught one thinking that she would die on me and be easily replaced. Ha ha ha NO. She survived Maxie's Camerupt, most of Flannery (I did switch her out when it became apparent that Torkoal was going to use a sun-boosted Overheat), Brendan's Combusken, and a freaking ROCK SLIDE. She's not the most powerful or versatile Pokemon on my team, but she has the distinctive honor of repeatedly entering situations that by all means should have killed her, and NOT DYING.

I love this bug. She is the reason that her run is currently my favorite nuzlocke out of any nuzlocke I've ever done. I can't wait until I finish with Ori's Gift and get to share her story with the world.

 

[Killjoy]

Patrat line. The early game rodent that loves to die early on to random trainers, but I somehow carried that one Watchog to the end in Blaze Black 2. The unholy Drayano hack of all things. She battled Elesa's Zebstrika all alone and she won with Confuse Ray + Critical Dig, after WALLING Overheat from the zebra. And boy, I was damn upset when I got her, not going to lie.
Watchog is pretty good, only if you make it survive and evolve.

 

[Snow Peregrine 0]

Hippowdon. Caught a Hippopotas once in Y on Route 9. I thought it looked ugly, and I was hoping for a Sandile (potential Krookodile) or a Helioptile (never used it before). Then I started preparing for the Rock gym, thought "Eh, why not" and tried her out. She was fantastic from the get-go. Just when she started to run out of steam, she evolved and was better than ever. The design grew on me. She was my go-to for countless matchups because Hippowdon are just so bulky at 118 base defense and 108 base HP. Oh, and it has 112 attack. And she had an Adamant nature. Once, she survived a Grass Knot from a Raichu. She just refused to die. Among the survivors, I'd say she was the MVP.

In a White 2 run I got a Timburr. I'd never really paid attention to the line before, but I had a good feeling about him. I was right. I fully evolved him as soon as possible. Like my Hippowdon, he was great for many random matchups. Conkeldurr has 105 HP, 140 attack, and 95 defense. His ability was Sheer Force. 140 attack + Sheer Force= beautiful, copious destruction. Unfortunately, I never finished the run due to my level limit rule (I realized I probably couldn't reach Ghetsis without surpassing the level limit, at least not without training an entirely new team).

 

[CasualGameFreak]

The obvious one is Butterfree. I never paid it much mind, keeping the line filed away in my brain as "decent crutch earlygame, falls off hard lategame", until I used one in Crystal. Caroline was thoroughly amazing all run long, as she had two separate instances of tanking very strong super-effective attacks (the first thanks to a level advantage, the second thanks to Reflect) and was surprisingly helpful in a utility role. I treasured her and started shipping her with my MVP Meganium, who had switched in for her in both of her near-death experiences.

And then, in the Radio Tower, I decided that I didn't want my Graveler hogging all the XP from the Petrel fight, had Pidgeotto out against Weezing, and then I panicked and swapped her in on an Explosion. Poor Carrie never stood a chance... I was devastated at this death, easily one of the two worst deaths I've had in my Nuzlocking career.

A developing story is Excadrill, a mon I lost a lot of respect for when it was the cause of two deaths and almost a third in my Black 2 Wedlocke. I decided that I wanted to give the line a second chance, this time on my side, and so I Repelled my way to one in my current Rainbow Wedlocke of White. After babying Silas for half the game, he's finally evolved, and what little I've seen from his evolved form is promising for the future.

 

[mondograss]

I did a semi-blind Sun Nuzlocke. There were
SEVENTEEN
Deaths.
And somehow, my Lycanroc-Midday was never one of them. But she doesn't count as redeemed. I already liked Lycanroc-Midday.

No, the redeemed Pokemon was my Torracat.

I went in thinking "haha I'll pick the owl nobody's ever done that before" and then realized everyone picks the owl. So I picked Litten. She was Timid, so I made up a rule. Since she was so Timid, she was afraid of her own fire. She could never use Ember or Fire Fang unless the team was in serious danger.

She nearly died to the Stealth Rocks Ace Trainer, she did absolutely nothing in the Hala fight and switching her in to redeem her after my Gastly died only stopped my Cutiefly from killing and cost me my Cutiefly and Grimer. Thanks to her terrible performance against Marowak and Rockruff missing against Magmar, Salazzle killed EVERYONE but those two.

But she soloed Totem Lurantis.

I had to use one of my two Z-moves against Lurantis, and I headcanoned that it knocked her out of commission until we beat Olivia. Eventually, I realized she was going to evolve into Incineroar.

I don't like Incineroar.

So, I decided that she wouldn't evolve until she had complete mastery of her own fire. At Level 42, Torracat learns Flamethrower. I decided she would evolve there.

She made it all the way to the Guzma fight relying on the Eviolite and Fire Fang. Was she strong? No. But when you gave her head pats in Pokemon Refresh, she turned her head and gave you this smug look like she didn't care. So she stayed on the team.

I sent her out against Ariados, with the Masquerain and Golisopod defeated. Sucker Punch, Fire Fang, Sucker Punch, Fire Fang. Only the Pinsir was left.
July grew to Level 42!
July learned Flamethrower!
Guzma sent out Pinsir!
July used Flamethrower!
Thanks to the Eviolite, Sucker Punch put her just out of Blaze range. Had I removed the Eviolite, she would have survived at about 7 HP.
Thanks to the lack of Blaze, Flamethrower failed to kill.
Pinsir used Brick Break!
July fainted!
Lycanroc absolutely tore that thing to shreds. Poor thing lost her girlfriend.

Congratulations!

July evolved into Incineroar!

I have played Pokemon for about 10 years now, and I have never seen a Pokemon evolve while fainted. It was easily the most poetic, beautiful death I've ever had in a Nuzlocke. And now, Torracat is up there with Dewott as my favorite starter.

 

[Shishoe]

During my very first Nuzlocke in Pokemon Y, it was the Marill line. I just didn't care for them much but I needed a Water type to deal with my Chespin's weakness and early game had given me no other options. He eventually became my favorite team member and carried my team through the Fairy gym but unfortunately he died to a Garbodor in a Double Battle due to a stupid mistake I made.
Azumarill went from one of my least liked Pokemon to one of my top favorites.

Currently, I'm doing a Fire Red run and so far the team ace has been my Raticate. He was my first catch in the game but I just left him in the background while I got better stuff but he ended up getting some levels by the time I got to the second gym and learned Hyper Fang which made he get ridiculously strong. Currently my only catch alive from before Mt. Moon(besides Wartortle) as everyone else has pretty much died and he's still pulling weight with Return and Hyper Beam.

Honorable mention also goes to my Doduo in the same run who performed greatly from the moment I caught him which surprised me but unfortunately got caught by a Self-Destruct not long afterwards.

 

[Zorua3]

I'm using a Mr. Mime in my X Nuzlocke right now and wow, it's surprisingly solid. Dual Screens + Encore make it a stupidly good support mon that can halve damage and Encore an opposing mon into a useless move before switching to a sweeper and setting up on the useless opponent. It's a pretty awesome setup. Only downside is that he's pretty frail against Physical mons, though Reflect helps with that.

 

[pinkshellos]

Definitely Drowsee and Hypno. I always detested both of their designs, and never expected to use one, but I ended up catching a Drowsee outside of Vermillion early in my Fire Red nuzlocke.

I already had a Kadabra at that point, but for whatever reason I decided box it to use Drowsee instead. I do not regret my decision. The bulk-for-less-offensive-power trade off isn’t actually as staggering as I expected it to be — Bermuda can take a hit and STILL absolutely kicks ass with Psychic & Headbutt.

I still think their sprites look ugly, though.

 

[RocketVulpix]

G R A N B U L L. I had one in my undocumented X run for a good chunk of the game. I was initially pretty salty that I caught Mimi because I was just coming off of losing my Skiddo and I was hoping for an Eevee or an Electrike to counter my crippling weakness to Water. I teamed her anyway because my box was full of garbage. Let me tell you, this girl got to work proving that she wasn't the trash I wrote her off as. I never realized what high Attack Granbull had until she started Headbutting everything to death, and with some help from the Move Relearner she ended up with stellar coverage. Thunder Fang, Ice Fang, Power-Up Punch, and Play Rough. Nothing could stand up to her. And she was incredibly tanky! She laughed at Poison and Steel like they were nothing...

Until Lysandre's stupid perfect coverage Gyarados. She tanked one Iron Head and I thought she could take two if it didn't crit. Yeah, it crit. Screw you, Lysandre. But up until that point Mimi was my favorite Pokemon on that team by far. I will never scoff at a Granbull again.

 

[Iron_Wolf123]

One of my favourite Bug types: Beedrill. I first used it in my Heartgold nuzlocke from the Bug Catching contest, and when I evolved it from a Kakuna, it got Bug Bite. Beedrill lasted until the E4, then I gave up on the nuzlocke. Then I played Fire Red, and it survived Surge and a hiker using a Geodude.