38: The Elite Four Battles

38: The Elite Four Battles

I know that you have probably heard this before -- maybe even from me -- but this stage of the games is a difficult one because once you step through that door and it locks behind you, you must battle ALL of the Elite Four and beat them ALL to come out the other side.  In simple terms that means that once you begin the battle quest you cannot stop, you cannot return to the Poke Center, you cannot restock, you cannot anything except BATTLE!

That being the case, you absolutely want to save BEFORE you enter the Elite Four Battle Area!  That way if this goes tits-up you can simply reload to the save and be outside, and no longer committed to the battle.  It goes without saying that once you enter, unless you KNOW that you can beat your way to the other end and victory, you should NOT save the game between battles!

Preparing for this string of battles is more than just leveling up your team -- though that is a major part of the process -- but also being sure that you have the best moves and know how to use them, and that you have provided an adequate stock of kit for use between battles in recovering your team.

Through our adventures in Unova we have been picking up kit like Ether, Elixir, Rare Candy, and the like -- and holding on to it for this series of battles.  Having all of that is still no substitute for the other healing items -- you should definitely be stocking up on drinks from the vending machine, as well as Full Heals and the like.

Never go in too light -- even if you think it is overkill, if you can afford ten extra Lemonades, BUY THEM!  You never need them so bad as when you need them, that is all we are saying!

Once you have stocked up your kit, tweaked your team moves, and attained the base team level that you think will work for you, it is time.  Approach the bloke guarding the entrance -- SAVING the game before you actually talk to him -- then talk to him and enter the arena.

-- The Elite Four Lobby --

As you step inside you will notice that there are four rooms -- as expected -- and on the floor four corresponding lights that will show you which of the rooms you have cleared as you progress.  Are you as excited about this as I am?  Really!  You are at the very edge of obtaining what you have been seeking all along, and thanks to the way that this new generation of games was structured you are doing it in a way almost exactly like the first game in the series played.  Almost a bit of time travel there, isn't it?

We are making an orderly approach to this, so we will begin with the room to the immediate left and then continue clockwise until we are finished.

-- Elite Four Member: Shauntal --

A writer of books, being a Goth, Shauntal prefers Ghost-type Pokemon naturally.  When you examine each of the Elite Four in detail you will notice that they have commonalities between the Elite Four in the other games -- though in Shauntal's case she differs from the established pattern.

She is the only member of the Unova Elite Four who shares her specialty type with an Indigo Plateau Elite Four member from the 1st and 3rd Generation games -- specifically with Agatha.  The other members of the Elite Four in Unova share the specialties with the Indigo Plateau Elite Four in the 2nd and the 4th Generation of games. 

The Elite 4 Battles: Shauntal

Shauntal's Pokemon Team

L48 Cofagrigus   (Ghost-type)               Grass Knot / Psychic / Shadow Ball / Will-O-Wisp
L48 Golurk         (Ground/Ghost-type)  Brick Break / Curse / Earthquake / Focus Punch
L48 Jellicent       (Water/Ghost-type)     Brine / Energy Ball / Shadow Ball / Surf
L50 Chandelure  (Ghost/Fire-type)        Fire Blast / Payback / Psychic / Shadow Ball

As you enter you are picked up and placed before her on the platform above -- presumably by her psychic powers... 

She opens with her Cofagrigus -- and my Ice type easily eviscerated it -- then followed that with her Chandelure, which is a natural for a Water-type.  Jellicent comes next, and the obvious answer to that is a Grass-type, leaving Golurk, which is easy for your Water-type, easy-peasey lemon-squeezy!

After the battle she apologizes to her Pokemon, and you use the teleporter to exit!

-- Elite Four Member: Grimsley --

A former scion of Unova, Grimsley comes from wealth, but like James from Team Rocket his gambling habit and loose ways cost him everything.  His looks and sartorial choices suggest that he likes the idea of the vampire -- and considering that throughout the game he is the only Trainer from the Elite Four who never leaves the League buildings, perhaps there is something to that?

You arrive back in the lobby -- and you see that the first light is lit, indicating that you have completed the first battle!  Now before you do anything else repair your team!  When you have done that, it is time for number two!  Inside you step on the moving walkway and are transported to the top of the platform, where you chat up the Grimster!

The Elite 4 Battles: Grimsley

Grimsley's Pokemon

L48 Krookodile  (Ground/Dark-type)     Crunch / Dragon Claw / Earthquake / Foul Play
L48 Liepard        (Dark-type)                  Ariel Ace / Attract / Fake Out / Night Slash
L48 Scrafty         (Dark/Fighting-type)   Brick Break / Crunch / Poison Jab / Sand-Attack
L50 Bisharp        (Dark/Steel-type)         Ariel Ace / Metal Claw / Night Slash / X-Scissor

He leads with his Scrafty, and I lead with my Ice-type for a two-move KO.  His next out is his Krookodile, and I answer that with my Water-type, for a one-hit-kill!  Next up is Bisharp, and the quick solution to that one is a Fire-type, for another one-hit-kill!  That just leaves Liepard, which can also be settled by the Fire-type, and another Elite Four victory!

Hit the teleport pad back to the lobby and repair your team!

-- Elite Four Member: Caitlin --

Perhaps the best-traveled Trainer in the Unova Elite Four (or maybe in Unova period) we have met Caitlin before.  She was very active at the Battle Frontiers in Platinum, and HeartGold/SoulSilver, which means she has done battle in three Regions that we know about!

She features prominently in the Pokemon Manga, and like Koga she is a Trainer who was introduced to us in one generation, and then rose to power in another!  In fact she is one of only four Trainers to appear across multiple-generations of the game.  Her sartorial choices tend to fall in the typical Japanese Princess Girl style, which though cute on a younger Trainer is starting to look a little weird on her.

The Elite 4 Battles: Caitlin

Caitlin's Pokemon

L48 Musharna      (Psychic-type)                 Charge Beam / Psychic / Reflect / Shadow Ball
L48 Reuniclus      (Psychic-type)                 Energy Ball / Focus Blast / Psychic / Thunder
L48 Sigilyph        (Psychic/Flying-type)     Air Slash / Ice Beam / Psychic / Shadow Ball
L50 Gothitelle      (Psychic-type)                 Calm Mind / Psychic / Shadow Ball / Thunderbolt

She opens the battle with her Reuniclus and I my Ice-type for a two-move KO.  Next comes her Gothitelle, which is easily countered with my Normal/Flying-type for another two-move KO.  Next comes her Sigilyph, which can be countered easily by a Water-type, which only leaves Musharna, which does not stand up well to the Grass-type.

When you return to the lobby repair your team -- and use Ether on any that have burned through a log of PP to restore that, as you will want your team fully-able for the next battle.

-- Elite Four Member: Marshal --

Marshal is one of Alder's apprentices, but after Alder got all moody and left the League to wander, Marshal became disillusioned with his former master, and has gone back to pursuing the ultimate Fighting-type Pokemon, a quest he followed prior to his relationship with Alder.

The Elite 4 Battles: Marshal

Marshal's Pokemon

L48 Conkeldurr   (Fighting-type)         Grass Knot / Hammer Arm / Retaliate / Stone Edge
L48 Sawk             (Fighting-type)         Grass Knot / Karate Chop / Retaliate / Stone Edge
L48 Throh            (Fighting-type)         Payback / Smooth Over / Stone Edge / Storm Throw
L50 Mienshao      (Fighting-type)          Jump Kick / Retaliate / Rock Slide / U-Turn

As you enter the last area you find it is mechanical in nature -- so you clank your way to the top on the lift, and find yourself on top of the platform, where you can chat up your final challenge!

He opens with his Throh, which we answer with our faithful Ice-type, and a two-move KO!  Sawk is next, another easy two-move KO with our Ice-type.  His next is his Conkeldurr, which we use our Water-type on, for a one-hit-kill.  All that is left is Mienshao, and our Water-type was up to the task, completing the Elite Four!

Now, before you leave this room, repair your team.

-- The Champion Battle --

In the lobby now, walk up to the lit panel on the statue in the center of the lobby, and hit the action-button to activate it.  The lift that the statue sits on lowers us to the huge room, and we run north up the stairs to the temple-like structure above, and enter.

On the platform above you find Alder and N -- and it seems that N has been here before you and beaten the Elite Four and Alder!  N tells Alder the way things are going to be -- but then he notices you!  N does something funky and magical and a huge castle erupts out of the ground nearby, surrounding the temple-like building you are in.

N tells you that the final decision will  be made in the Plasma Castle -- and then heads up the set of stairs that smashed through the roof! 

About now Cheren shows up -- he too has defeated the League's Elite Four, but clearly the Champion Battle he was expecting -- and you were too -- is not going to happen in the usual way...  Alder needs you to go kick some butt -- so head up the black stairs now.

-- The Seven Sages --

When you arrive at the top you are faced by six of the seven Sages of Team Plasma -- a battle you are not likely to win!  Just when you think you need to take on the Sages on your own, the Unova Gym Leaders appear to battle the Sages, freeing you up to head to the left and down the corridor, heading to the right and up the stairs.

A Triad Grunt appears to tell you where you can rest your team -- N has some babes inside who will heal your team so go ahead and have them. 

At the far right end of the hall is a set of stairs leading up -- take that and if you need to, in the first room you can access the Storage System PC.  A treasure ball with a Max Revive is in the next room, and up the next stairs you are shown N's bedroom, where he was raised by Team Plasma.  Inside is a treasure ball with a Rare Candy you should grab.

The next room as a treasure ball with a Full Restore in it, and after you grab it, head up the next set of stairs and you will run into Ghetsis, who will reveal more of his plan to you...  He is quite the nutter!

Inside you chat up N and then get one heck of a cuts scene featuring his Dragon -- and just as it looks like things can not get more freaky, your Light Stone goes all poltergeist on you and turns into Reshiram!  How about that, we had him with us the whole time!

-- Reshiram --

You knew you were going to have to capture him, right?  I mean they are not just going to HAND you a Legendary Dragon Pokemon, you have to earn it!  So go to it mates, weaken and capture that bad boy!

I don't know about you, but practically every time I threw the ball it was an almost caught, until that is I actually managed to capture him!

At this point you are given the opportunity to add him to your party -- and honestly, considering what you are facing, it is a good idea to replace your weakest Pokemon with him -- that is what I did!  N then heals your team for you -- what a guy! -- and the battle commences!