April 23, 2008 | 4 Comments
So, you took the test and became a Pokemon. You then teamed up with a partner and explored some mystery dungeons. Do you think that’s it? Guess again because it’s only just starting to get good!
Between April 23 and May 21, Pokemon fans can visit www.PokemonMysteryDungeon.com, where they will be able to enter the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers online sweepstakes for a chance to win one of two Pokemon-inspired prize packages, including a limited-edition Pikachu Nintendo DS, a Wii console, a high-definition television and assorted Pokemon video games, including Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness, and more great Pokemon merchandise. For Pokemon loyalists looking for even more adventure, the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Web site is home to an online scavenger hunt where players will be tasked with discovering hidden icons to get access to an exclusive Pokemon wallpaper, giving their computer some extra flair.
I tried to go to the website myself and the Flash loads to 99% and then stops. Once the site starts working I’ll post pics of the prizes. After several attempts with Firefox I loaded up IE and it just worked.
Be sure to check out our forum where we have a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon section and you can enter in your friend code on your profile page and it will display above every post you make. It’s just one more way we at the Poke Farm try to make your life easier.
About the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Site
At the bottom of the screen you will notice a collection of grayed out items. You can find these items “hidden” about the site. Once you find them all you can download a special desktop image.
The wallpaper is stored in a zip file and includes three sizes of the same image.
- 800×600
- 1280×1024
- 1024×768
Not too bad, eh?
On the “Explore the Game” tab there is a link in the lower right to enter the contest.
Grand Prize Package:Two winners will receive: One Treasure Chest filled with Pokémon and Nintendo merchandise (ARV:$2,500) Limited edition Pikachu DS Lite, One Wii system, gift certificate for 1,500 to purchase a HDTV, Pokémon Battle Revolution, Pokémon Diamond Version, Pokémon Pearl Version, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness, Series 4 Pokémon cell phone charms, 3 DS Pokémon styluses, Official Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness guide published by Pokémon USA”
Posted by HMTKSteve | Filed Under News
April 20, 2008 | 29 Comments
It has just been revealed that participating Toys”R”Us stores will be holding a Darkrai event to coincide with the release of the DVD “Pokemon: The Rise of Darkrai”.
It has long been assumed that the event would occur at stores once the DVD was released in the US and now it has been confirmed.
The event will occur on May 31st and June 1st from noon to 4PM. No word on if this will be like the Manaphy event or if you will be getting the event trigger item to unlock Darkrai in your copy of Diamond or Pearl.
Posted by HMTKSteve | Filed Under News
April 20, 2008 | 183 Comments
When the first set of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games were published we posted a What Pokemon Are You article to help you get the exact Pokemon you wanted. Now that the new games are out (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness) we present to you a new guide!
There are 16 Pokemon that you can get from answering the quiz questions. Unlike the previous game each of these Pokemon can be acquired whether you choose to be male or female. The natures are different for male and female but you can get them all
| Pokemon |
Male Nature |
Female Nature |
| Bulbasaur |
Lonely |
Docile |
| Charmander |
Docile |
Brave |
| Squirtle |
Quirky |
Bold |
| Pikachu |
Brave |
Hasty |
| Meowth |
Sassy |
Relaxed |
| Chikorita |
Calm |
Quiet |
| Cyndaquil |
Timid |
Calm |
| Totodile |
Jolly |
Sassy |
| Treecko |
Quiet |
Hardy |
| Torchic |
Hardy |
Rash |
| Mudkip |
Rash |
Lonely |
| Skitty |
Hasty |
Naive |
| Turtwig |
Bold |
Timid |
| Chimchar |
Naive |
Impish |
| Piplup |
Impish |
Quirky |
| Munchlax |
Relaxed |
Jolly |
After you get your starting Pokemon you then select a partner Pokemon from the same list but you can not take one that matches your type. So, if you end up with Piplup you can not select another Water type as your partner.
There are a lot of questions in this game and you don’t always get the questions you want. When faced with questions that lead to natures you are not looking for try to spread out your answers among all of the other natures you do not want. Once the question session is over the nature you have the most points in will be the deciding factor for which Pokemon you get. In the case of a tie it will choose randomly between the natures you have tied in.
| Question |
Answer |
Score |
| You’re in the final mile of a marathon, but the last stretch is exhausting! What will you do? |
| Hang in there and finish |
Hardy +4 Brave +2 |
| Stop running |
Quirky +4 |
| Find a shortcut |
Bold +4 Rash +2 |
|
| Would you even consider sticking to a plan to do ten sit-ups a day? |
| Yes! That’s easy! |
Impish +4 Sassy +2 |
| Yes, hard work, though. |
Hardy +4 |
| No! Who’d want to do that?! |
Quirky +4 |
|
| You attend a fine dinner at a friend’s house. How do you behave? |
| Devour the food heartily. |
Impish +4 Naive +4 |
| Enjoy the meal in polite moderation. |
Hardy +2 |
| Ask to take the leftovers home. |
Bold +4 |
|
| What do you do with your allowance? |
| Save it! |
Hardy +4 |
| Spend it! |
Quirky +4 Hasty +2 |
| I don’t get an allowance! |
Lonely +4 |
|
| You want to reveal that you like someone a whole bunch! What do you do? |
| Show it a little by playing together. |
Jolly +4 Calm +2 |
| Make it obvious by… playing a prank! |
Lonely +4 Naive +2 |
| State it clearly for all to hear! |
Brave+4 Impish +4 Bold +2 |
| Keep it to myself! It’s too risky! |
Timid +2 |
|
| You see a cake that is past its expiration date, but only by one day. What do you do? |
| Not a problem! Chow time! |
Brave +4 Relaxed +2 |
| Think about it briefly, then decide. |
Timid +2 |
| Get someone to try it first. |
Bold +4 |
|
| You’re daydreaming… when your frind sprays you with water! What do you do? |
| Get mad! |
Hasty +4 |
| Get sad. |
Lonely +4 |
| Woo hoo! Water fight! |
Jolly +4 Naive +4 Impish +4 |
|
| Your friends seem to be having a fun chat out of earshot. What do you do? |
| Join them and chat along! |
Naive +4 |
| Nothing… I’m not interested. |
Lonely +4 |
| Eavesdrop from a distance! |
Timid +2 |
|
| You have to move a heavy suitace. What will you do? |
| Carry it by myself. |
Hardy +4 Brave +2 |
| Ask someone to help. |
Docile +2 |
| Make someone else do it! |
Bold +4 Sassy +2 |
|
| You’re on a stroll when a TV crew pounces on you for an interview. What do you do? |
| Run away! How embarrassin! |
Timid +4 |
| Answer questions properly. |
Brave +4 Sassy +4 |
| Yuck it up! Woo-hoo! I’m on TV! |
Naive +4 Bold +2 |
|
| If you don’t know something, do you come clean and admit it? |
| Of course. |
Docile +4 Bold +2 |
| That’s not easy to admit! |
Timid +4 Lonely +2 |
|
| You’re in a play with friends. What kind of role do you prefer? |
| Staring role! |
Bold +4 |
| Supporting role. |
Jolly +4 |
| Just a bit part. |
Quirky +4 |
|
| you’re on a walk when you smell something delicious. What do you do? |
| Try to imagine what it is. |
Docile +4 |
| Find out what it is! |
Naive +4 Rash +2 |
| Think about how hungry I am… |
Impish +4 |
|
| You feel a burst of happiness! How about expressing it with a little dance? |
| Yes! |
Jolly +4 Lonely +2 |
| No. |
Calm +2 |
|
| A fortune teller says that you have a bad future ahead of you. How do you react? |
| Worry about it! |
Docile +4 Timid +2 |
| Forget about it. |
Jolly +4 Relaxed +2 Bold +2 |
|
| You see a parade coming down the street. What do you do? |
| Stay on the sidelines. |
Calm +2 |
| YJoin the parade! |
Jolly +4 Naive +4 |
| Walk away. |
Sassy +4 Lonely +2 |
|
| Have you ever wanted to communicate with aliens from another planet? |
| Yes! |
Naive +4 |
| No. |
Quiet +4 |
|
| You hear a rumor that might make you rich! What do you do? |
| Keep it all to myself. |
Bold +4 Timid +2 |
| Share it with friends. |
Docile +4 Rash +4 |
| Spread a different rumor! |
Impish +4 |
|
| How do you blow up a balloon? |
| As close to breaking as possible! |
Brave +4 Impish +4 |
| Big… but not too big! I don’t… it could pop! |
Timid +4 Quiet +2 Docile +2 |
|
| Do you state your opinion even when it’s not what everyone else thinks? |
| Yes! |
Brave +4 Bold +2 |
| No. |
Lonely +4 Timid +2 |
| It depends on the situation |
Calm +2 Quirk +2 |
|
| Your friend tells a joke that is horribly corny! How do you react? |
| Roll around the floor laughing! |
Jolly +4 Naive +2 |
| Just let it go by… |
Impish +2 Docile +2 |
| Slap my forhead and groan. |
Brave +4 |
|
| Have you ever upset a friend when you were just kidding around? |
| Yes! |
Naive +4 Impish +2 |
| No. |
Calm +4 |
|
| Can you strike up conversations with new people easily? |
| Yes! |
Jolly +4 |
| No. |
Bold +4 Docile +2 Timid +2 |
|
| Do you get injured a lot? |
| Yes! |
Rash +4 Impish +4 |
| No. |
Calm +2 |
|
| You see a ball on the ground. What do you do? |
| Kick it! |
Hasty +2 Sassy +2 |
| Throw it! |
Impish +4 |
| Spiff it up, shiny and new! |
Lonely +4 |
|
| The phone’s ringing. What do you do? |
| Answer right away! |
Hasty +4 Lonely +4 |
| Wait a bit before answering. |
Quiet +2 |
| Ignore it and let it ring. |
Timid +2 |
|
| What do you think of jungle exploration? |
| Sounds fun! |
Impish +4 Naive +2 |
| Not interested. |
Quirky +4 Timid +2 |
|
| Do you find yourself humming or singing often? |
| All the time! |
Relaxed +4 Jolly +2 |
| Never. |
Quiet +2 |
|
| You discover a secret passage in a basement. What do you do? |
| Go through it! |
Impish +4 Brave +4 Hasty +4 Rash +2 |
| Stay away from it. |
Timid +2 |
|
| You’re eating at a restaurant when you abrupty realize that everyone’s gone! What do you do? |
| Alone?! I look for an employee |
Lonely +4 Docile +4 |
| Who’s worried? I keep eating. |
Jolly +4 Relaxed +4 |
| I swipe food from other tables! |
Bold +4 |
|
| Your friend takes a spectacular fall! What do you do? |
| Help my friend up! |
Brave +4 Lonely +2 |
| Laugh! It’s too funny! |
Naive +4 Impish +4 Rash +2 |
|
| You’re in class when you realize that you really have to go to the restroom! What do you do? |
| Ask for permission to leave. |
Brave +4 Bold +4 |
| Sneak out. |
Hasty +2 |
| Hold on until class ends! |
Timid +2 |
|
| Do you like being the center of attention? |
| Yes. |
Lonely +4 Sassy +4 |
| No. |
Relaxed +2 |
|
| You’re told to wait in a big, empty room. What do you do? |
| Wait quietly. |
Docile +4 |
| Search for something to do. |
Naive +4 |
| Wander outside. |
Rash +4 |
| Cradle my knees and sit in the corner! |
Lonely +4 |
|
| You have a really important test tomorrow. What do you do? |
| Study all night long. |
Hardy +4 |
| wing it! I’m sure it will be fine! |
Relaxed +4 |
| Test?! I think I have a fever… |
Naive +4 |
|
| Have you ever accidentally revealed a personal secret that someone shared with you? |
| Yes. |
Rash +4 Lonely +4 |
| No. |
Hardy +2 |
|
| Do you have lots of stuff you bought, thinking it was all cool, but don’t use anymore? |
| Yes. |
Quiry +4 Rash +2 Hasty +2 |
| No. |
Quiet +2 |
|
| Hey, what’s that? There’s someone behind you! So… did you look just now? |
| Don’t do that! It scared me! |
Timid +4 |
| OK, I admit it. You tricked me. |
Docile +4 |
| No way. I didn’t fall for it. |
Sassy +4 Lonely +4 |
| Huh? What? |
Relaxed +4 |
|
| Do you often forget to lock the door when you go out? |
| Yes. |
Rash +4 Bold +2 |
| No. |
Quiet +2 |
|
| Have you had any hobbies for a long time? |
| Yes. |
Hardy +4 |
| No. |
Quirky +4 Hasty +2 |
|
| Do you often cancel plans to meet others at the last second? |
| Yes. |
Quirky +4 Rash +4 |
| No. |
Calm +2 |
|
| You muster your courage and go to a graveyard at night… and see a woman soaked to the skin just standing there! What do you do? |
| Run away at full speed! |
timid +2 |
| So what? It’s just a lady. |
Naive +4 Sassy +2 |
| Drop down and play dead! |
Rash +4 |
|
| Do you like to do things according to plan? |
| Of course! |
Hardy +4 |
| I’m not good a planning. |
Quirky +4 Rash +2 |
| Plans? who needs plans? |
Relaxed +4 |
|
| Your friend says that your shirt is inside out. What do you do? |
| Get embarrassed |
Docile +4 |
| Laugh out loud! |
Rash +4 |
| Say that it’s the latest fashion! |
Jolly +4 |
|
| Your friend is crying right in front of you! What made that happen? |
| Someone bullied my friend! |
Hasty +4 |
| My friend fell down, no doubt! |
Quiet +4 |
| I wonder if it’s my fault? |
Timid +2 |
|
| Do you think that lies are sometimes necessary? |
| Yes. |
Quiet +4 Bold +4 |
| No. |
Brave +4 |
| I don’t know.. |
Docile +4 |
|
| Do you think that anything goes when it comes to winning? |
| Of course! |
Quiet +4 Sassy +4 |
| No way! |
Brave +4 |
|
| You spot a deserted ship on the high seas! What do you think the ship holds? |
| Precious loot! |
Naive +4 Jolly +2 |
| Ghosts! |
Timid +2 |
| Nothing! The ship is merely a mirage! |
Quiet +4 |
|
| You run into a new person that you haven’t talked to very much before. What do you do? |
| Make small talk. |
Calm +2 |
| Say nothing! |
Quirky +2 |
| Make an excuse to get away! |
Timid +4 |
|
| Someone who works at a store suggests an item that isn’t quite what you are looking for. But you like this person. What do you do? |
| Say you don’t want it. |
Brave +2 Quiet +2 |
| Say thanks… but say no. |
Calm +4 Lonely +2 |
| Cave in and buy it. |
Rash +2 Timid +2 |
|
| You’ve just stuffed yourself with a good meal when a great dessert arrives. What do you do? |
| Eat it. Who cares if I’m stuffed? |
Hasty +4 Rash +2 |
| Turn it down. It’s too fattening! |
Hardy +2 |
| Yum! I love dessert the most! |
Bold +4 Jolly +4 Relaxed +2 |
|
| you think you hear someone call your name. But no one’s around… so what was it? |
| Just my imagination. |
Relaxed +4 |
| Someone fooling around. |
Naive +4 Bold +2 |
| A ghost! |
Timid +4 |
|
| Do you get bothered by noise and ruckus around you? |
| Yes. |
bold +4 Relaxed +2 |
| Not at all. |
Lonely +4 Hasty +2 |
|
| Do you find yourself jumping to the wrong conclusion a lot of the time? |
| Yes. |
Hasty +4 Rash +4 |
| No. |
Docile +2 Quiet +2 |
|
| Do you change the channels often while watching TV? |
| Yes! |
Hasty +4 |
| No. |
Calm +2 |
|
| You’ve spent forever stacking dominoes… one more and you’re done… Oh, No! you’ve knocked them over! What do you do? |
| I’m too crushed to start again. |
Hardy +4 |
| I unleash my full fury! |
Docile +4 |
| I setup the dominoes again… |
Calm +4 Bold +4 |
|
| Are you a city person or a country person? |
| I like the city! |
Lonely +4 Sassy +2 |
| I like the country! |
Calm +4 |
| I like them both! |
Quirky +4 |
|
| You find something at a great bargain. What do you do? |
| buy it right away! |
Hasty +4 |
| Think about whether you need it. |
Quiet +2 |
| Demand an even bigger discount! |
bold +4 |
|
| you’re packing your classroom’s snacks for a picnic when you get hungry. What do you do? |
| Eat just a tiny bit. |
Hasty +4 |
| Hold my self back and pack it all up. |
Hardy +4 |
| what snacks? They’re in my belly! |
Rash +4 |
|
| You’re about to take the last cookie when your friend wolfs it down! What do you do? |
| Whatever. It’s just a cookie. |
Calm +4 |
| I unleash my cookie fury! |
Relaxed +4 Jolly +4 |
| I weep for my lost cookie. |
Lonely +4 |
|
| Are you a rebel at heart? |
| Totaly! |
Sassy +4 |
| Of course not. |
Calm +2 |
|
| When walking in a group do you tend to be the one at the front? |
| Of course! |
Sassy +4 Lonely +2 |
| No. |
Calm +4 Quirky +2 |
|
| Do you think that you might be a genius? |
| Certainly! |
Sassy +4 Naive +2 Jolly +2 |
| Well, not really. |
Hardy +2 |
|
| Would you feel comfortable stating your opinion to a very important person? |
| Of course! |
Sassy +4 Brave +4 bold +2 |
| Not really. |
Timid +2 |
|
All you have to do is look up and find the questions the game is asking you to find out how many points each answers adds to your nature totals. As long as the nature you want gets the most points you will become that Pokemon.
Posted by HMTKSteve | Filed Under Tips
April 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment
This morning Nintendo released its fact sheet for these two new games. Over the course of this week the guide books have been showing up in video game stores and I have already secured mine.
KEY INFORMATION
For years, Pokémon fans have captured and battled with Pokémon. Now, a pair of new games invites players to become Pokémon, returning to a fantastic land untouched by humans and inhabited only by Pokémon. Players must join a Pokémon guild and start a journey to find out why they've been turned into Pokémon, all the while trying to stop a misguided thief bent on stopping time and plunging the world into darkness.
- In both games, randomly generated dungeons make every mission unique-players never see the same dungeon twice. Strategic battles enhance the adventure, and with hundreds of Pokémon, items and moves, the action has never been so intense.
- With more than 490 Pokémon appearing in the two games, players are sure to find their favorite Pokémon. All of these Pokémon can eventually join players' expedition teams, offering limitless options when forming a team for their next journey.
- Players now can use Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection to rescue friends in trouble, or send out an SOS Mail if they are in need of rescue. Rescue notification messages can be received via PC or cell phone, so players always know when a friend is in trouble. There are also new special items that can be traded wirelessly.
Game storyline: The same engaging storyline drives both Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness: Waking up on a beach with no recollection of how they got there, players suddenly find themselves being addressed by a Pokémon - proof that they've been turned into Pokémon themselves. After a brief and bewildering conversation, this friendly Pokémon encourages players to join an exploration guild and seek out the reason for this mysterious transformation. But there's more than one Pokémon who's out of place in this world: Someone has traveled back in time and is trying to steal special items called Time Gears, thus halting time and blanketing the world in perpetual darkness. Players must rally their exploration teams and, with the help of the guild, find and prevent their enemy from destroying the world. Set in a land inhabited solely by Pokémon, it's a deeply moving story of exploration, betrayal, adventure and - most of all - friendship.
How to progress through the games: Players join an exploration guild and set out on a mission to find treasure and help other Pokémon in trouble. There are many dungeons and various floors to explore, and because the layout of each dungeon is randomly generated, they're different every time. When players perform an action such as walking or attacking, the opponent Pokémon in the dungeon will perform an action, no matter where they are in the dungeon. To clear dungeons and complete missions, strategy and logic are key.
Characters: By answering a series of personality questions at the start of a game, players become one of 16 different Pokémon that best suits them. Players then must choose one Pokémon to be a partner. More than 490 Pokémon can become players' friends and join their exploration teams, including all of the new Diamond and Pearl Pokémon.
Special powers/weapons/moves/features: The graphics have been greatly improved from the last Dungeon games. More detailed dungeons and environments draw players even further into the fantastic, vibrant world of Pokémon. The new games also employ a turn-based battle system that is far different from other traditional Pokémon games.
As in the previous Pokémon Dungeon game, players can ask other players to come to their rescue when their team is defeated in a dungeon. Normally, when players are defeated, they lose their money and some items. However, if a friend succeeds in rescuing them, players now can continue their adventure from where they left off without losing any money or items. Also, instead of the previous password system, players now have the option to send out a rescue request using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or an e-mail message, so help is never far away.
Because players have become Pokémon, they now can fully communicate with other Pokémon. Instead of using a Poké Ball to capture Pokémon as in past games, players must use diplomacy to recruit them to join their expedition team. They also have the ability to link together a Pokémon's moves and use up to four together for a devastating combo.
Guide Book Bonus Sections
Explorers of Time
- Dungeon walk-through for Drenched Bluff
- 10 questions with scenario writer & game designer Shinichiro Tomie
- Original manga for Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time featuring Team PokePals, by Ken Sugimori of Game Freak
- 10 questions with executive producer Tsunekazu Ishihara
- Additional information
Explorers of Darkness
- Dungeon walk-through for Beach Cave
- 10 questions with director Seiichiro Nagahata
- Original manga for Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time featuring Team PokePals, by Ken Sugimori of Game Freak
- 10 questions with executive producer Tsunekazu Ishihara
- Additional information
Both books also have a slipcover and a small sheet of stickers in the back.
Posted by HMTKSteve | Filed Under News
April 16, 2008 | 11 Comments
Looking at Heracross
Heracross is a Bug/Fighting Pokemon that was introduced in the Gold/Silver/Crystal editions of the game. Heracross sits at the 214th position in the National Dex and does not evolve. This Pokemon is often compared to Pinsir (ND:127 Bug-type) as they are both among the strongest Physical Attackers of the Bug group.
Heracross comes with one of two possible abilities: Swarm (Boosts power of Bug moves 50% when at 1/3 HP or less) and Guts (Attack is increased 50% when statused).
Heracross can be acquired in the Diamond and Pearl games via the Honey Tree system. You can also Pal Park it from one of your GBA games after completing the single player mode.
One of the main problems with Heracross is its severe weakness to Flying-type Pokemon. Because it is both a Bug and a Fighting Pokemon Heracross suffers 4X damage from a Flying attack. This quickly becomes 6X if a Flying Pokemon uses a Flying attack! The Bug typing does help in regards to Fighting’s normal weakness to Psychic Pokemon.
Heracross has a very high Base Attack (125) and its Speed (85) and Special Defense (95) are both above average. Sadly its Defense (75) is not so good and its Special Attack (40) is even worse. Heracross does not have any Special moves in its Level-up and Egg move pools. It can learn a few Special moves via TM (Hidden Power, Hyper Beam and Focus Blast). However, because it can already learn Close Combat and Megahorn as level-up moves (and Giga Impact via TM) there is no reason to ever give a Heracross a Special move.
Heracross in Adventure Mode
Using Heracross in your adventuring party can be very rewarding. When it comes to Bug Pokemon in Diamond/Pearl you do not have a lot of good ones to choose from early on. You could use a Wurmple or a Burmy in your group but Heracross is just so much better than them. Wurmple is easier to catch while Burmy also requires some Honey Tree action to acquire. Because Heracross does not evolve it will be stronger at lower levels than its evolving counterparts.
A freshly hatched Heracross (with no special breeding) will know four of the following five moves: Night Slash, Tackle, Leer, Horn Attack, Endure. Night Slash is a much better move than Tackle and Horn Attack so don’t expect to start with it!
As Heracross gains levels more moves will become available and all of them are Physical Attacks. Yes, you read that right. As Heracross levels up it only ever learns new attacks. Sadly the coveted Megahorn move does not become available until Heracross reaches level 55, no moves are learned after that one.
As Heracross begins to gain levels you will be forced to pick which attacks to keep and which ones to replace. If you are lucky enough to gain Night Slash right from the start keep it. That is the only Dark move Heracross learns without the aid of a TM.
Be sure to learn Aerial Ace at level 13 and Brick Break at level 19. Aerial Ace is a very nice Flying move for Heracross to learn and it never misses. Its Power of 60 is on par with the other “never miss” moves but Heracross gains no type bonus for using it. Brick Break is a great Fighting move that also destroys some defensive moves. Its Power of 75 is very respectable given Heracross gains the STAB. You will keep Brick Break until level 37 when you replace it with Close Combat.
Close Combat is a very good move but you need to be fast to use it. It is a Power 120 Fighting move that also reduces your Defense and Special Defense after use. Heracross is not known for high Defense numbers so don’t use this move if you don’t have a Speed advantage. Close Combat also suffers with a very low number of Power Points. Like most high power moves it only has a base of five power points which can be increased to eight by way of the PP Up potions.
Adventure Mode Move Breakdown:
Move 1: Tackle -> Aerial Ace
Move 2: Leer -> Brick Break -> Close Combat
Move 3: Horn Attack -> Counter -> Reversal
Move 4: Endure
Odds are that you will not reach level 55 (Megahorn) before beating the Elite Four. Endure followed by Counter is a great combination if you are fast enough to pull it off. If you are lucky enough to get a Heracross with a maxed out Speed you might consider keeping those two moves and replacing Aerial Ace with Megahorn when the time comes.
Competitve Battling Heracross
Heracross is very popular in the competitive battling circuit and finds itself in the Over-Used tier. Its Base Attack puts it in the top Ten for its tier and among those it places fourth in terms of speed. The only Pokemon that are faster and have a higher Base Attack in its tier are Azelf, Salamence and Garchomp. When equiped with the right items and moves it is a very formidable opponent able to knock out even legendary Pokemon in one hit. (Most legendary Pokemon are Psychic.)
When it comes to battling with Heracross you will find two types of opponents; Those who understand the threat he posses and those who do not. If you are battling against inexperienced opponents many of them will ignore your Heracross thinking he is not much of a threat. When you face an experienced battler they will target your Heracross for quick destruction.
All-Purpose Heracross
A while back I farmed what I consider to be the all-purpose Heracross. This particular mixture of moves is designed to allow Heracross to lay waste to the inexperienced battlers out there. Rather than specialize in one strategy this Heracross is designed to take on all attackers with OHKO (One Hit Knock Out) moves.
IV: Atk:252 / Spd: 252 / Def: 8
Nature: Adamant (Atk+/SpA-), Jolly (Spd+/SpA-)
Move Pool:
Move 1: Night Slash (Dark 70/100)
Move 2: Close Combat (Fighting 120/100)
Move 3: Megahorn (Bug 120/85)
Move 4: Stone Edge (Rock 100/80 TM71)
Two of the moves are 100% accurate while the other two can miss on occasion. Both Close Combat and Megahorn are STAB moves. Rock Slide is another TM move that you can use on Heracross but it is less powerful than Stone Edge and only slightly more accurate. It is better in a Double Battle as it hits both enemy Pokemon.
Other Heracross:
You can also try and capitalize on the Endure/Reversal strategy but you need to be sure your Pokemon holds a Salac Berry (Raises Speed in a pinch). As long as your opponent hits you hard on the first hit Endure should knock you down to one HP. Heracross will then eat the Salac Berry and gain enough Speed (hopefully) to launch Reversal before your opponent can strike you down.
I always keep a Heracross in my main line of battle Pokemon. I find Heracross to be very versatile in filling holes in my team. The fact that many battlers underestimate it makes it even better!
Posted by HMTKSteve | Filed Under Tips
