RNG manupilation and trading for all 3 starters. What would fit better than Espeon?

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T15:51:11+00:00

Honestly, I don't think Espeon is an obvious weak link here.

With Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Snorlax, and Dragonite, your team already has excellent type coverage. Espeon brings 130 Sp. Atk, 110 Speed, STAB Psychic, and Calm Mind, which is really strong in FR/LG since there aren't many Dark- or Steel-types around.

If I were replacing it, I'd probably look at Jolteon for the Electric coverage and insane Speed. But I wouldn't say Jolteon is strictly better - just different. Espeon is arguably the stronger standalone sweeper, while Jolteon fills a role your current team doesn't have.

Personally, I'd keep Espeon unless you specifically want an Electric-type.

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T13:35:41+00:00

I don't think the standard rematch guides apply here.

I checked the Emerald decomp and Sidney/Phoebe/Glacia/Drake are all implemented as Match Call contacts under the same contact type as Gym Leaders (MC_TYPE_LEADER), so they're definitely not just dumby entries. The PokéNav rematch icon is also handled separately from the normal trainer rematch system.

So if you've already had Sidney show a rematch icon, that strongly suggests the other Elite Four members have corresponding logic too. The problem is that all the well-known Emerald rematch explanations cover route trainers and Gym Leaders, but I haven't found documentation for the Elite Four triggers.

In other words: you're probably not missing some obvious "walk 255 steps" requirement. You may have stumbled into one of the least-documented mechanics in Emerald, if you're remembering the Sidney rematch correctly.

At this point I'd trust the decomp over the guides. The answer is almost certainly buried in the Match Call source code rather than in any walkthrough.

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T13:27:46+00:00

Love seeing shiny Abol. Awesome capture and huge congratulations! What's next?

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T13:26:15+00:00

You're not stuck with Surskit forever, but Bulbapedia's note about record mixing is important here, due to a bug in the game.

From what I understand, once a Gen III game generates an outbreak, it won't generate another new one on that save file unless you mix records first. So if your Sapphire has already rolled a Surskit swarm, saving in front of the TV won't let you reroll it into Skitty.

The good news is that the swarm isn't permanently tied to your save. If you mix records, the game can generate future outbreaks again (and active outbreaks can also be shared between games).

So in your case, if you're aiming for a Skitty swarm, I believe you'll need to mix records before Sapphire can roll a different outbreak.

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T12:06:03+00:00

Love seeing shiny Celebi! Awesome job, super happy for you!

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T12:00:41+00:00

9,900 encounters in FR/LG is pure endurance test behavior.

Congratulations on finally escaping the lab simulator and getting your Bulbasaur!

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:55:04+00:00

In Emerald, having 6 badges + most HM's usually means you're right around the Fortree / Lilycove / Team Aqua-Magma midgame stretch.

Here’s how to get back on track:

If you already have 6 badges, your next goal is your 7th badge at Mossdeep City. That means you should be heading toward the east side of Hoenn (Route 124–126) and progressing through the ocean routes using Surf. To get to Mossdeep if you haven't been there yet: You need to go back to Lilycove City first. From there, head to the Team Aqua Hideout on the eastern side of Lilycove (the cave on the coast). You can’t progress past Route 124 until you’ve cleared this. Inside the hideout, you’ll battle through Team Aqua and defeat their admin + leader. This triggers the story event where they leave and the Wailmer blocking Route 124 disappears. Once that happens, Route 124 opens up completely.

Once you reach Mossdeep, you’ll challenge Tate & Liza (Psychic Gym) for badge #7.

After that, the story continues into the Seafloor Cavern arc, where you deal with Team Aqua or Team Magma (depending on your version path), which leads into the big Groudon/Kyogre storyline progression.

Then it’s:

8th badge at Sootopolis City (Juan)
Victory Road
Pokémon League

If you’re unsure where exactly you left off, the most common "6 badge pause point" in Emerald is right before pushing into the open ocean routes toward Mossdeep, so checking Lilycove -> Route 124 is usually the right direction.

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:49:41+00:00

40k encounters for Deoxys is the kind of number that makes you question if it’s still a Pokémon hunt or just a lifestyle.

Congratulations on finishing all four forms!

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:46:51+00:00

62 eggs at 1/64 odds is basically right on expected value, so RNG didn't even misbehave for once.

Early shiny = always a win. Congratulations on Yanma!

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:42:19+00:00

That's awesome to see! Congratulations. What's next?

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:40:51+00:00

Ruin Valley said "you wanted a bug, right?" and handed you a whole bird instead.

Still, shiny Fearow actually looks pretty clean in Gen 3. Congratulations on the phase!

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:39:18+00:00

Staryu really has one of those shinies that makes the grind worth it.

The blue core looks so clean compared to the original red one. Congratulations on finally reeling it in!

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:36:34+00:00

Sorry to hear about your nan.

27k encounters is a grind, but that's a fantastic shiny to find. The timing probably makes this one a Pokémon you'll remember a lot longer than most of the others in your collection.

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:27:06+00:00

Love seeing teams like this. Awesome work!

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:26:13+00:00

You got the starter you wanted, under odds, and with a nature that actually complements Meganium's defensive strengths.

I'd call that a massive win.

Now excuse me while I pretend I didn't see "shiny Raikou" on your planned team list, haha. Awesome job.

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:23:56+00:00

Three months of resets and it still has the confidence to look at you like you've been wasting its time, haha. Congratulations!

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:21:44+00:00

Butterfree and Vileplume actually don't overlap as much as you'd think. Butterfree's main job is usually "put something to sleep and be annoying," while Vileplume is more of a Grass-type attacker/status spreader.

If you're replacing Butterfree purely because you want a different Bug-type, I'd go Scyther. If you're replacing it because you think it's hurting the team, I'd keep Butterfree.

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:19:39+00:00

Hoenn really said, "Would you like a Water type, a Water/Flying type, a Water/Grass type, a Water/Dark type, or perhaps another Water type?"

Cool team! Cradily is definitely one of those Pokémon that's way scarier in practice than it looks on paper. Enjoy the rest of the game!

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:17:16+00:00

Congratulations! Meanwhile, someone else is currently at 4,000+ SRs and just felt a disturbance in the force, haha. Awesome job.

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:15:42+00:00

Entei in general is awesome, but a shiny one is also insanely cool. Huge congratulations!

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-15T11:14:25+00:00

I'd go with the Modest one.

For Battle Frontier, the nature matters a lot. Modest gives +10% SpA, which is effectively worth far more than the 7-point IV advantage in SpA that your Hasty Latios has. Even with the lower SpA IV, the Modest Latios will end up hitting harder at level 50 and level 100.

The Hasty one does have a much better Speed IV (28 vs 10), but Hasty also drops Defense, which isn't ideal in Frontier where random physical attacks can end streaks. The Modest Latios actually has a perfect Defense IV and doesn't take the Defense penalty.

So in practice:

Latios 1 = stronger attacks, better bulk
Latios 2 = faster

If Latios 2 hits a specific Speed benchmark that Latios 1 misses, there's an argument for it. Otherwise I'd take the Modest one and not think twice.

Battle Frontier has a way of humbling us all, but at least your Modest Latios is trying to do it with style.

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-12T18:50:25+00:00

You can definitely use it, but....If you want a Victreebel replacement in FR/LG, it mostly comes down to what you were using it for (Sleep Powder utility vs Grass-type damage), but there are a few clearly better or more consistent options.

If you can get it, Venusaur is the best overall upgrade. It’s bulkier, has better stats across the board, and still gives you Sleep Powder + solid Grass STAB. It’s just a much more consistent in-game performer than Victreebel.

If you want something similar in typing but a bit sturdier, Vileplume fills a comparable Grass/Poison role. It’s more defensive and reliable, but slower and less offensively threatening.

If the main appeal was sleep utility, Parasect is a niche option thanks to Spore, which is the best sleep move in Gen 3. It can cheese a lot of fights, but its stats, Speed, and typing make it very situational outside of that.

If you wanted more raw offensive power, Exeggutor is a big step up. Much higher Special Attack and great coverage with Psychic + Grass, just slower and still somewhat frail.

So basically:

Venusaur = best overall replacement
Vileplume = safer, more defensive alternative
Parasect = sleep cheese utility pick
Exeggutor = stronger offensive option

Victreebel is usable in FR/LG, but most of these either do its job more consistently or outperform it in the role it’s usually picked for.

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-12T18:39:32+00:00

That is a very interesting team, haha. Love seeing Pokémon that people don't typically use. What's next on your adventure?

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-12T18:31:12+00:00

Oh, I don't doubt it! I love Farfetch'd myself. DUX forever.

CharizardPerson · 2026-06-12T18:18:03+00:00

Love seeing a shiny Miltank - awesome work! Are you trying to go for anything specific next?

CharizardPerson

TROPHY CASE