Nuzlocke Challenge

The two basic Nuzlocke rules.

The Nuzlocke Challenge is a set of rules intended to create a higher level of difficulty while playing the Pokémon games. A playthrough using these rules is often called a "Nuzlocke".

Nuzlockes are a popular way to play the games among core fans. Many challengers feel that the rules encourage the use of Pokémon the player would not normally choose and promote closer bonds with the player's team. The rules are not an in-game function, but rather, self-imposed on the player's part, and thus subject to variation.

The challenge originates from the comic series of the same name, which features a Nuzleaf resembling Lost character John Locke as a recurring gag character.

History

The basic rules were invented by Nick Franco in March 2010. Franco posted comics detailing his playthrough of Pokémon Ruby to 4chan's /v/ board, where they gained attention and inspired others to try the challenge. The following month, Franco launched a website for his comics and a forum for fans' challenge chronicles. Over time, the concept spread to various websites and formats such as written stories, animations and livestreams.

Franco uses "Nuzlocke" as a screen name, while his comic is titled "Pokémon: Hard-Mode". However, the word Nuzlocke eventually came to be associated with the ruleset itself.

Rules

Basic rules

The Nuzlocke Challenge has only two rules that must be followed:

• Limited Encounters: The player may only catch the first wild Pokémon encountered in each area, and no others. If the first wild Pokémon encountered faints or flees, there are no second chances.
  • If the first encounter in an area is a Double Battle or Horde Encounter, the player may choose which of the encountered Pokémon to catch, but only one of them.
• Dying: Any Pokémon that faints is considered dead and must be released. Revival methods such as Revive, Revival Blessing, etc. are forbidden. If you run out of living Pokémon, you've failed the challenge and must restart the game.

Near-universally-used rules

• Mandatory Nicknames: The player must nickname all of their Pokémon, for the sake of forming stronger emotional bonds.
• "Met in" Confirmation: If the player is unsure whether a location is a valid new encounter or not, such as multiple levels of a cave, you can verify by looking at the Pokémon's Summary page to see where they were "Met" in order to confirm whether it's a new location or not.
  • Gift Pokémon: Some players will consider Gift Pokémon (such as being given Eevee in Celadon Condominiums) to be separate encounters from wild Pokémon encountered in the same area.
    • As of White: Hard-Mode Episode 3, it is implied that the player can accept Pokémon that are received freely from NPCs.
• No Resets: The player may not voluntarily soft-reset to undo progress. Being able to do so would render all other rules pointless.
• No Cheating: Cheating devices (such as GameShark) may not be used unless they make the game harder (such as cheating to disable Exp. Share in games that don't allow such an option)
• Full Wipe: A black out/white out is considered to be "game over" even if there are live Pokémon left in the Pokémon Storage System.
• No Outside Trading: The player may only use Pokémon they have obtained through in-game methods, meaning Pokémon acquired through trading with other save files, Mystery Gifts, etc., are prohibited.
  • Trade Evolution Clause: There is no firm consensus on trading a trade evolution Pokémon away and back to your file to evolve it.
• Boxing: The player may put Pokémon that have fainted in the Pokémon Storage System permanently rather than releasing them.

Optional rules

Though the above rules tend to stay consistent with all players, many optional variations have been created to adjust difficulty based on personal preference. Many other rules exist besides those listed here. Regardless of the optional rules used, the run is considered a Nuzlocke Challenge so long as the two basic rules are in place.

Increased difficulty

• Set Mode Clause: The battle style must be changed to "set" in the options menu, meaning the player does not get the opportunity to switch out their Pokémon after an opponent's Pokémon faints. In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, where there is no set mode, the player must manually decide not to switch each time.
• Level Restrictions: The player may not use Pokémon above a certain level limit based on the next Gym Leader/Elite Four/Champion's highest-levelled Pokémon (their "ace"). Pokémon that exceed the level limit might be left in storage until they become eligible, or they might have to be released.
• Random Starter: The first partner Pokémon must be randomly chosen. A common system is if the last digit of the player's Trainer ID number is 1-3, the player must choose the Grass-type first partner Pokémon; if it is 4-6, the Fire-type first partner Pokémon; if it is 7-9, the Water-type first partner Pokémon; if it is 0, free choice. Alternatively, use the Trainer ID modulo 3 for the same purposes. Remainder 0 = Grass, remainder 1 = Fire, remainder 2 = Water.
• Monotype/Monocolor Challenge: Only Pokémon of a certain Type or color may be used. Rather than the first Pokémon encountered in an area, the player may catch the first one which fits the category or will evolve into fitting the category. If a Pokémon would lose the category upon evolution, it may not evolve.
• One Per Gym: The player may only catch the first Pokémon after each Gym Leader instead of in each area.
• Equal Parties: During Gym Leader and rival battles, the player must use the same number of Pokémon as their opponent.
• Caught Only: The first partner Pokémon must be released or boxed after the first wild Pokémon is caught.
• Notepad Clause: No Pokémon may be kept in the PSS; in other words, the player may only own six Pokémon at a time. This was named after its inventor, Notepad on the now-defunct original Nuzlocke Forum.
  • Notepad Extreme/First 6 Only: The player may only own six Pokémon throughout the entire run. If all six faint or otherwise become ineligible, then it's an instant "game over".
• No Items: No items may be used during battles except for held items. Limitation due to perceived power-level of X-items.
• No Held Items: Held items may not be used.
• No Heal Items: Potions and status-healing items may not be used.
• No/Limited Pokémon Centers: Pokémon Centers may not be used, or only used a certain number of times per Center, or a certain number of times between each Gym.
• No Candy: Any type of candy that helps level up the player's Pokémon (such as Rare Candy or Exp. Candy) may not be used.
• No Poké Marts: Poké Marts may not be used; the only items available are those found in the overworld or given for free by NPCs.
• Limited Balls: The number of Poké Balls able to be purchased per Poké Mart is limited to a certain number.
• No Masterball: Master Balls may not be used.
• Giftlocke: Poké Balls may not be used. Any Pokémon obtained must be either given to the player by an NPC or hatched from an Egg.
• No Evolving: The player must use the B-button to cancel any evolutions under their ownership.
• Challenge Mode: (Black 2 and White 2 only) The difficulty must be set to Challenge Mode, which increases the levels of opposing Trainers' Pokémon.
• Ban List: Certain Pokémon such as Legendaries, Pseudo-Legendaries, and/or other powerful Pokémon are not allowed as they mitigate the difficulty of the challenge.
• No Escape: The player may not flee from battle.
  • No Wild Encounters: Alternatively, the player must flee whenever possible, in order to limit the amount of experience gained.
• No Child Support: The Day Care may not be used.
• No Exp Share: The Exp. Share may not be used. (This does not apply to games starting from Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, where the Exp. Share can't be disabled in-game.)
• Limited Training: Quality-of-life features such as Pokémon-Amie, the DexNav and Super Training may not be used.
• Memory Only: Online aids (walkthroughs, NPC team info, etc.) may not be used.
• Progression Sacrifice: After each Badge the player randomly selects one party member to sacrifice.

Decreased difficulty

• Slow Start: The two basic rules are not in effect until the player has gained their first Poké Balls and thus the ability to catch Pokémon. For example, encounters starting from the Poochyena^RSORAS/Zigzagoon^E that the player has to save Professor Birch from, up to when the player can catch Pokémon, are not counted. Likewise, in the games where the first rival battle is immediately after obtaining the first partner Pokémon, the "release or permanently box a Pokémon if it faints" rule is often not enforced at that time.
• Species/Dupes Clause: The "first wild Pokémon in each area" rule does not apply in an area until a species or evolution line is encountered that has not been caught yet. For example, if the player's first encounter in an area is with a Caterpie and they already own a Caterpie, Metapod, or Butterfree, it wouldn't count as their first encounter in that area. This allows for increased variety in a player's Pokémon collection.
  • A limit may be set on how many times the player can apply the Species/Dupes Clause in an area. If this many duplicate Pokémon are encountered in an area, the Species/Dupes Clause is no longer applied for that area and the player must settle for the next Pokémon they encounter.
• Second Chance: The player may have a small number of "second chances" or revives of fallen team members. Typically this type of ruling is done after Gym battles, such as getting 1 revive per Gym.
• Shiny Clause: Shiny Pokémon can be caught even if they're not a first encounter, and do not need to be released if they faint. It's up to the player whether shinies may be used during the challenge, or merely traded away to another game/Pokémon HOME for safekeeping.
  • Shiny Replacement Clause: A compromise where you can use Shiny Pokémon during a challenge, but another Pokémon must be released in exchange.
• Checkpoints: Each Gym Badge can act as a checkpoint. If the player gets a game over, they may restart from when they got their last Badge.
• HM Helper: If the player has no Pokémon that can use a field move that is required to continue the game, they may catch another Pokémon that can learn the required field move. However, this Pokémon cannot be used in battle and must be released as soon as it is no longer needed or if the player catches another Pokémon that can use the same field move.
• On Safari: The "first encounter only" rule is modified for within the Safari Zone. One catch may be had for each section of the Zone, rather than the more restrictive interpretation that the entire Zone is one area.
• A Little Help From My Friends: Cheating devices (such as GameShark) may be used.
  • Rare Candy Clause: Hack in infinite Rare Candies to avoid tedious grinding. It was popularized by the streamer Pokémon Challenges.
  • Master Ball Clause: Hack in infinite Master Balls to avoid wild Pokémon fainting, running away, or using escape moves like Teleport and Roar.

Variants

• Hardcore Nuzlocke: A general name for any Nuzlocke variant which restricts item use and over-levelling, in order to produce a more difficult run and more strategic play.
• Wonderlocke: In this variant, any Pokémon caught must immediately be traded using Wonder Trade and the received Pokémon is used instead. Typically, this comes with a level restriction where if the received Pokémon is more than a certain number of levels higher than the original Pokémon, it must be traded again until an appropriate-level Pokémon is received.
• Soul-Link: Two player variant where both players' Pokémon are "soul-linked" based on their origin. So the first partner Pokémon are linked, the Pokémon from Route 1 are linked, and so on. If a Pokémon dies, its soulmate does too. Linked Pokémon must be in both players' parties at once, i.e. one cannot leave a Pokémon in the PSS while its soulmate is on the active team.
  • Common additional rules include restricting duplicate types between the two players. If either player is using a Pokémon of a certain type, the other player cannot use any Pokémon of that same type. If both players find the same type of Pokémon for one encounter, neither is able to use it.
• Egglocke: The player catches Pokémon, 1 per route as normal, but instead of using the Pokémon caught, they hatch a randomly generated egg. Usually this is done via trades or through cheat devices, where the egg Pokémon are chosen by a third party, such as friends or a streaming audience.
• Wedlocke: Each pair of Pokémon is married/bonded based on the order they're caught in. A Pokémon can only switch out for its bondmate. If a Pokémon dies, its bondmate must be the next one sent in. If one "widow" survives a battle, they might either remarry the next catch, or get perma-boxed.
• Randomizer: Randomizer mods can be used to add more variety to Nuzlockes. However, this often causes unbalance as encountering a Legendary early can reduce difficulty greatly. Additionally, catch rates may have to be adjusted via the Randomizer in order to allow for Legendary Pokémon to be more easily caught using low-tier Balls.
• Alphabetlocke: The six Pokémon on your team must be the first six species names in alphabetical order (or reverse alphabetical). For example, if you have a Squirtle, Pidgey, Mankey, Beedrill, Pikachu, Geodude, Clefairy, and Abra, then your active team is: Abra, Beedrill, Clefairy, Geodude, Mankey, Pidgey. Then if Mankey evolves into Primeape, its new name is lower in alphabetical order, so Pikachu takes its spot on the team.
• Ballocke: Instead of limiting Pokémon by route, this variant limits by type of Ball. Only one Pokémon may be caught in a Poké Ball, one may be caught in a Great Ball, one in a Quick Ball, etc.

Tips

• Repel Encounter Manipulation: Having a Repel active and a Pokémon in the first position at a specific level can be used to filter out unwanted encounters and in some cases guarantee specific encounters.
• Sacking: For difficult encounters, it is wise to have at least one Pokémon you are willing to sacrifice in order to switch to a better one. Recommended Pokémon to be sacked are: ones with weak base stats, ones whose type is shared by a more powerful teammate, or ones who could have a replacement caught in an upcoming place.
• Play Around The Crit: Being aware if your Pokémon is in danger of being taken out by a critical hit is key to avoiding unnecessary deaths. Generation I has a critical hit damage multiplier between 1.5× and 1.95× depending on the level, with higher levels doing more damage. From Generations II to V, the damage dealt by a critical hit is 2× as much as a normal hit. From Generation VI onward, critical hits deal 1.5× more damage than normal. Warning: critical hits ignore stat changes, such as increased Defense with Defense Curl.
• Avoid Unnecessary Encounters: Trainers use better decision-making and have higher levels on average than wild Pokémon within the same route. Avoiding non-required trainer battles increases the chances your Pokémon will survive.
• Be Aware of Mandatory Battles: Don't trigger mandatory battles, such as rival fights, without first making sure your team is fully healed and properly leveled.
• Don't Underlevel: There is no reason to have an under-leveled Pokémon for encounters. Even if adhering to Gym Leader level restrictions, make sure to have your team at the level restriction by the time you trigger the battle.
• Baiting: Trainer-owned Pokémon will choose the move that is most effective against the enemy Pokémon. As such, you can bait certain moves in order to get a free switch. A common example is having a Pokémon weak to Ground-type moves out on the field and then switch to a Pokémon that is immune to Ground moves, such as a Flying-type Pokémon or a Pokémon with Levitate.
• Generational Awareness: Be aware of changes between generations. For example: Sturdy, in Generations III and IV only, protects against one-hit knockout moves, while in Generation V onward, it protects the Pokémon from being knocked out with one hit when at full HP.
• PP Stall: Using healing moves or items (if allowed) in order to force a dangerous encounter to waste all their good moves. Typically, this is used for low PP moves that deal large amounts of damage. If successful, this can lead to the enemy using Struggle to knock itself out.

Trivia

• So far in the original Nuzlocke comics, one first partner Pokémon of each type has been used: Treecko in Ruby, Charmander in Fire Red, and Oshawott in the ongoing White challenge.
• The original Nuzlocke run through Ruby was a failure, due to the entire active team dying in the Champion battle.
• In the Nuzlocke Forums' log of successful runs, the most victorious Pokémon of all time is Gyarados, which survived 240 recorded Champion battles at time of writing.

External links

• The original Nuzlocke Comics
• The Nuzlocke Forums
• Nuzlocke discussions on Reddit

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