Serious Issues with Latest Gym Leader

[Shadolance]

I'm now aware of the existence of Lapras, which I think will help given that mine rolled 31 HP, 29 Sp.Def and 30 Def, with a beneficial nature to Sp. Att lowering Att. Speed is nothing to write home about. Overall it's a tank and will probably help once a lot. That being said, it's extraordinarily hard to find, and anyone looking to play the game without a guide would have a hell of a time finding it.

I did pick up the Sneasel, but if I'm correct there is no way to get it to Weavile both from what I've figured out by playing and reading forums, without reverting to an old episode first.

I have tried Trick Room via Alakazam, but I discovered that my main speed sweepers (Flygon, Noivern, Alakazam, Typholsion) are rendered useless because they all get one shot, Typholsion sometimes two shotted. No, I don't always use them in the same team but I've experimented with each of them with Trick Room.

Vanilluxe certainly helped, but I can't for the life of me get it to survive until the Altaria comes out. I'm hoping that Lapras can change that. After I've tried out Lapras if I'm unsuccessful I'll make a post about the experience.

However, the main part of my original post was not necessarily to get help beating her. It's to address the primary problem:

When you are in a locked off part of the game you need to have the tools to get past that part of the game without being forced to rely on something you didn't have prior. From what I can tell, you're limited to Lapras (if you can get it), Ice Fang Totodile, Milotic, and Sneasel depending on your nature and IV roll. With so few options, given how useless the other ice types are, it would be more beneficial to add in either some more ice types to the mountain that have higher speed, or some steel types in the power plant that can tank better.

Bottom line, it's basic game design to have every part of the game be beatable with what you have access to from that portion of the game. There are many ways to fix it, from adding more pokemon to the areas to changing the obstruction itself, in this case Ciel's team.

Yes, I fully admit to not having a good team for this particular battle coming in. But I also don't read spoilers past what I have played so I didn't know what I would be facing. If anyone else were to make the same mistake, they will find themselves in the same situation with the same complaints. I do fully understand that a lot of people had an easier time. Great. You came prepared whether you knew it or not. I didn't know, and quite frankly I didn't WANT to know. Not a fan of spoilers (like anyone is, really though).

I do greatly appreciate the help with finding Lapras however, this might help me win given my IV rolls and nature roll. I'll check back later.

EDIT: "Terra, however, was I say, was the hardest out of the trio due to nidoking and Garchomp." This is my point exactly. Yes, I had an extremely easy time with Terra, but it was because I came in with a Sweeper Alakazam that destroyed her entire team in single hits. But without Alakazam, my starter was fire type and I had no water types, I would have been "m3g4 1337 F6ed" to death.

Edited September 7, 2015 by Shadolance

[SnowGlaceon]

Never underestimate Walrein. That thing has helped me through every gym since it was available. Looking at you, Charlotte. Rock types are useful too, and in abundance in the route 2& 3 areas. Seeing as you made it this far, the game sort of expects you to know what to do. That said, there are options if you know where to look, and have the patience to grind them up a bit. You can't really fault the game if you didn't catch enough pokemon of variety... And it would be a huge plot hole if you could just go back through Agate.

Best of luck!

[Commander]

Many leaders can be hard the first time around as you're unprepared for them. Difficulty really depends on the teams. Corey and Kiki are the two leaders I struggled with the most, but that doesn't mean they need to be nerfed. Honestly speaking, I think Ciel is fine as she is, but most of us are well experienced at this point which is why we think she's easy (she's not too bad imo).

I'll admit Ciel surprised me a bit with the Altaria the first time, but her overall team wasn't OP and pretty much fit Reborn standards. Even in the Beta we all agreed Ciel needed a buff which Skarmory was replaced with Archeops. And honestly, this is the first time it's really come up that Ciel was too hard, but there's been like 100 people saying she's too easy and needs buffed. It's probably just you and not the game in this case.

[FrostieFoxy]

Golem would probably be your best bet to be honest.... rock/ground so it can't get paralyzed and air slash won't hurt too much. stealth rock/smack down would actually be good. and if you have a quick claw you can try and leave it up to RNG (Luck comes in handy as well)

though in my first playthrough i used emolga heheh...

[mde2001]

If it helps after the end of each episode you can go back to the city. I think Cain does warn you that you won't be able to go back before you enter Agate for the first time and most people know that.

Do you have any poison types in your box to use against Mega Altaria. Or steel types even.

[Shadolance]

I think the team I'm building now is really solid. My Ampharos is still able to kill the first two with a fair bit of luck and it becomes useless after that anyway, so it's fine if it dies. I'm now using a Lapras with ungodly HP and defenses, with Surf + Freeze Dry + Ice Beam + Brine, so that should be good. Reworked the moveset on my Bronzong for Heavy Slam (Due to Altaria's weight this will wreck some ass there), Confuse Ray, Future Sight, and Metaal Sound. Bonrsong can tank 3 hits wihtout dying, so my plan is to have it throw down Confuse Ray, then Future sight with a Metal sound in between to increase FS's damage, then on the same turn FS hits use a Heavy Slam, then let Bronzong die if necessary.

I also have a Vanilluxe with a shitload of Sp.Att, but it's not as fast as I would like it so it's going to be experimental. Finally, I got my hands on a really nice Cryogonal to replace my Alakazam for speed sweeping.

So in the end:

Ampharos

Lapras

Vanilluxe

Bronzong

Cryogonal

Typholsion (for whatever reason, Eruption just slays Noivern and Archeops if necessary), or Cacturne (for a highly powerful Dread Plate + Sucker Punch with 245 Att. Also knows Leech Seed + Destiny Bond, but is slow)

Going to train my last remaining levels and then give it a shot. Wish me luck (I F**king need it)

[Monochrome_Complex]

Typhlosion's eruption slays Noivern? Er whenever I tried that Noivern would always be in yellow or red, and mine was fully EV'd with a special attack boosted nature, holding a flame plate. It would never one shot it though and Noivern indeed was a huge problem. Not to mention that Noivern would ALWAYS outspeed my entire team.

Thing about Cryogonal is that his defense SUCKS and like nearly half of Ciel's team use physical STAB'd moves and outspeed him.

I would try a rock type with an air balloon too. You need something for Megataria and physical is preferable over special for it.

In fact, I think your team is TOO special oriented.

Edited September 9, 2015 by Monochrome_Complex

[Shadolance]

Alright everyone I managed to win. It was an epic battle and I wish to tell the tale before a moderator locks this thread.

It started with Togekiss of course, I had my Ampharos. I landed Discharge after getting lucky enough not to be flinched by Air Slash. We traded blows, forcing her to waste 2 Hyper Potions. Togekiss got paralyzed on the second Discharge, allowing me to get in the final shot without taking damage. Archeops promptly wrecks Ampharos with Earthquake. I threw out my Bronzong since it has levitate and was locked into earthquake via choice band. A single Heavy Slam sends Archeops back to being a fossil. Up next was Talonflame, which was about to lose to Bronzong, but the last Hhyper potion came into play. Talonflame wrecked both Bronzong and Lapras at this point, but was on red health. Alakazam comes in for the speed-psychic and wipes out Talonflame. Here we are at Gliscor, who is reduced to half health by my Alakazam and then ends my yellow friend. With only Vanilluxe and Claydol remaining, I choose Claydol and land a nice Shadow Ball to end Talonflame, but am reduced to 3 HP. Altaria comes out, and I use Explosion because fuck it. ALTARIA MISSES WITH SING. Explosion lands, reducing it to about 1/3 health. Out comes Vanilluxe as Claydol is laid to rest after a perfect form of Chaotsu's selfdestruct ability. Thinking this is the end thanks to Altaria's high speed compared to my retarded ice cream cone, I use Ice Shard WITHOUT KNOWING IT IS A PRIORITY MOVE. I land a critical hit and win just as my background theme of "I'll Make a Man Out of You" ends with a decisive "HOO-HAH!"

F**k you Ciel, you piece of s**t.

..!..

/endrant

Edited September 9, 2015 by Shadolance