Pokemon Red/Blue Speedrunning Guide 2.0

Pokemon Red/Blue Speedrunning Guide by SociableJesus

Thanks to Glerek and FrQise for the write up of the original Nidoking route, which I used to learn it. I have that linked here (below).

Thanks to Mountebank for figuring out the Nidoking route, transitioned impressively from Yellow. Funny that nobody noticed before. Additional praise to anyone who helped with the route. I'm not sure who added what but the route evolved pretty quickly into what it is now from when it was first being ran and I wasn't around to know. Interesting for sure, despite what I said about the route making racing boring :P

Shoutouts to the weekly racers I recall having any conversation with: beez, dabomstew, dziak, extratricky, werster, dragonanon, and dancingscarecrow. Sorry if I forgot anyone, I don't talk much in irc, but everyone seemed cool.

Props to extratricky for getting this down to an excellent time (tied for WR isn't too bad)* and presumably adding tweaks to the route.

And big thanks to werster for making the Yellow route that this run is heavily based on, getting hype started for weekly races which indirectly lead to this route being created, adding time savers to the route on a test run, and driving this game's time to very awesome levels, as well as his work for about every other Pokemon game.

*extratricky has a 1:57 ingame time with this route, tying the World Record set by werster, who used the Squirtle route (both as of June 2nd, 2013).

A few things to note:
* This covers the Nidoran(M) route. There is an alternative Squirtle route.

* I copy/pasted the Squirtle write up I did and tweaked stuff from there so I may have left things in that are irrelevant to this route and will probably catch it later.

* This will not cover movement and assumes you know where to go. I'll cover the general area of hidden items since those are much less obvious.

* This also will not cover type weaknesses. Again, this assumes you're familiar with this game.

* Bundling your item usage together is faster than spacing it out. Also, if you use the last of an item the cursor will automatically set itself to the top of the list. When shopping, if you were to buy the third item, the cursor will set to the highest item on the list.

* When using an attack, a screen shake is faster than a flash, so things like Ice Beam are faster than Earthquake.

* When learning a new move you cannot hit up to make the cursor go to the bottom slot, you must press down three times. Don't accidentally delete the wrong move.

* Red is necessary for this route.

* Talking to a trainer you're about to battle is faster if they're two or less tiles away from your route; four or less on the bike. Also, approaching events from the front is faster (including entering/exiting buildings).

* Perhaps worth noting, Ice is neutral to Fire in Gen 1. This is why Ice moves are used on Growlithe. The other type differences have no effect on a speedrun.

* Every move in Gen 1, even with 100% accuracy, has a 1/256 (0.4%) chance to miss.** When an X Accuracy is used, a flag is set that bypasses the accuracy check.
  **The exception is Swift, which is irrelevant to speedrunning.

* Critical Hits are based on base Speed in Gen 1, thus things like Starmie and Alakazam will be critting your hapless ass up and down the street. Also, moves with higher crit chance (Slash, Razor Leaf, etc.) are basically guaranteed to crit.

* Freezing can only be undone by Full Restores (Fire moves and Haze will also remove it, but you'll never see that situation in a speedrun).

* Stat reducing moves (Growl, Tail Whip, etc.) also increase another stat. werster has mentioned this but I haven't found any information on how it works and what stats are influenced. I'll add it once I find out.

* For those interested:
- Bug, Fighting, Flying, Ground, Ghost, Normal, Poison and Rock-type moves are physical (Attack and Defense applied).
- Electric, Fire, Grass, Ice, Psychic and Water-type moves are special (Special stat of each Pokémon applied).

* Shout out to Blaine for using Super Potions on Pokemon with full HP.

* Unlike my Squirtle guide, I won't be adding additional race strategies as I don't know this route as well. I'll add notes that won't necessarily be inclined toward racing but can be used for them. If you're interested in doing races, consult this guide to start off: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fl9nG3voM-VZEQ7hiTmWTm3Md3vX0sc2VSENSguEAu4/edit?pli=1

* Fuck trash cans

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***The Run***

- Before you select New Game make sure to delete a file that's been previously saved on. You can do this by pressing Up+Select+B on the title screen.
- Go to Options and set text to fast and animations off.

- Name your character and rival a single character (i.e. "I" and "U"). This saves time throughout the run.

- Note: the introduction does not add time to the ingame timer.

Palett Town:

- Name your Squirtle a single character as well.

- In the first fight, I like to use Tail Whip 2-3 times to help with damage and help mitigate the reduced damage from inevitable Growls.
  - Yolo strat: Tackle
- 12 Special after the fight can make Brock easier

Route 1:

- Fight one random battle before Viridian Forest. Level 2's are best since you can two shot them with Tackle. Rattatas are a bit better since they have a chance to use Tail Whip.


Viridian City:

- Buy 5 Pokeballs.

Route 27:
- Catch a Nidoran. If it's level 2, run. I think there's a way to do the route with a level 2 but I don't know it and would assume it's slower. Name it a single character.
- You can also catch a Spearow here if you encounter it but later on is safer due to HP management.
- If you didn't kill anything on Route 1, kill something now.

Viridian City:
- You can grab the hidden Potion here if you want. It's helpful.

Route 2: ???

Viridian Forest:

- Pick up the Antidote.

- Battle against Bug Trainer: Tail Whip Weedle twice and proceed to Tackle. Hope you get mostly String Shots and don't get Poisoned. Only heal if you're close to death as you'll take minimal damage from it with such low HP. If you're Poisoned after the battle use the Antidote. Only cure Poison after the battle.
- You can get the hidden Potion here, too.

Pewter City (Gym):

- Switch Nidoran to the top and heal Squirtle.

- Switch to Squirtle immediately.
- Battle against Brock: Bubble. Hope Geodude uses Defense Curl.
- Choose Yes when asked to switch and send out Nidoran.
- Switch back to Squirtle and Bubble. Hope for Screech or Bide. Bide can be weird when it's used the turn you switch out. It can unleash the Bide energy the next turn. I don't know if this is consistent. It might be worth it to Tail Whip if this scenario happens.
- Higher Special helps here so Bubble can two shot both of them, but it's not necessary.
- Potion on Onix if necessary.
- After Brock you'll want 14-16 Attack, 13-15 Speed, and 12-13 Special (at level 8).

- After Brock, proceed to the Pokemart. Buy 10 Potions and 3 Parlyz Heals.

Route 3:

- Go to Options and set battle mode to set.
- Potion up Nidoran if necessary.
- Battle against Bug Trainer:
  - Set Horn Attack to the top move slot.
  - Caterpie/Weedle/Caterpie: Leer -> Horn Attack. If it's really low, Tackle.
- Be near full, or full, HP for next fight.
- Battle against Shorts Guy:
  - Rattata/Ekans: Leer, Horn Attack.
- Battle against Bug Trainer:
  - Horn Attack.
- Battle against Bug Trainer:
  - Horn Attack.

- In the grass you can either encounter a Spearow or Pidgey (and, rarely (5%), Jigglypuff ). Hit it and chuck a ball.

- Heal at the Pokecenter.

Mt. Moon

- If you encounter Paras at any point, hit it down to less than half health and chuck balls.

- You know what you do for the trainer battles in here? Horn Attack.

- Get TM12 (Water Gun)

- Super nerd fight. Level 15.
- Grab the Rare Candy and Escape rope to the right.
- Lass fight. Nidorino. Teach Water Gun over Leer after the fight.
- You can kill three wild Pokemon between here and the Rocket fight. Geodudes can be Water Gun'd. Zubats can be Horn Attack'd. Don't fight double digit level Zubats as you can't one shot them.

- Zubats.

- Grab the Moon Stone in the corner.

- Zubats.

- Before the Rocket fight, evolve to Nidoking.
- Battle against Rocket.
- Battle against guy with fossil fetish. Should be level 18 at the end of this fight.
- Grab Helix Fossil.
- Leaving Mt. Moon without a Paras really sucks.

Route 4:

- Hum along

Cerulean City

- Heal at the Pokecenter.
- Grab the Rare Candy.
- Battle against Rival #2:
  - Horn Attack. Sack your bird on Rattata if Sand Attacked to get accuracy back if you want.

Route 24 & 25:

- Horn Attack everything until you get to level 21 (which should be after the second Lass fight).
- At 21, use both Rare Candies to 23, then teach Thrash over Tackle.
- Set Thrash to top move slot.
- Thrash everything.

- Get the Ether before Bill's outside.
- Get S.S. Ticket and Escape Rope.

Cerulean City (Gym):

- Be in good health for Jr. Trainer, at full HP for Misty.
- Thrash. Misty can be problematic. Switch on Starmie is you're at the end of your Thrashing and Starmie is alive. Heal as Squirtle dies a horrible death.

- Thrash the rocket

- ~Jingle skip~

Route 6:

- Catch an Oddish here if you didn't catch a Paras.

- Thrash.

Vermilion City:

- Don't use the Pokecenter here.
- Pokemart: Buy 5-7 Super Potions, 3 Repels.

S.S. Anne:

- Heal to near full HP. Teach TM11 (Bubblebeam over Water Gun).
- Battle against Rival #3
  - Pidgeotto and Raticate: Horn Attack.
  - Kadabra and Ivysaur: Thrash
- Get HM01 (Cut)

Vermilion City (Gym):

- Walk over to the tree by the Gym. Switch the top item in your inventory to Repels. Teach Cut. Teach Dig.
- ???
- Walk into Gym.

- Ass cans.
- Here's a helpful image for trash cans: http://imgur.com/mCgVe4w (credit to whoever made this, sorry I don't know)
  - I believe the second switch can be in the upper left can from any of the others, even if the first was in the upper left.

- Battle against Lt. Surge:
  - Voltorb: Horn Attack.
  - Pikachu and Raichu: Thrash.

Vermilion City:

- Go to the Pokemon Fan Club, get Bike Voucher, Dig out (to Cerulean).

Cerulean City:

- Get the Bike. Walk out, switch the item below Repels with the Bike. Teach TM24 (Thunderbolt) over Horn Attack.
- Using Cut on the tree down and right of the Bike Shop is faster than going through the Dig house.

Route 9:

- Battle against Jr. Trainer: Thrash. Hopefully you get the four turn.
- Battle against Bug Trainer: Thrash.

Rock Tunnel:

- Upon entrance, use your first Repel.

- Battle against Pokemaniac:
  - Cubone: Bubblebeam
  - Slowpoke: Thunderbolt.

- Battle against Pokemaniac:
  - Slowpoke: Thunderbolt.

- Battle against Jr. Trainer:
  - Thrash.

- Use your second Repel at the second corner after the Jr. Trainer. If this is confusing, use it once you start going up toward the next ladder. We'll be using Repels at certain landmarks to avoid the text of the game telling you the Repel has run out.

- Battle against Hi-BUBBLEBEAM!
- Use your last Repel after this battle.

- Bobbin' and weavin'.

- Battle against Jr. Trainer:
  - Thrash.

- Light!

Lavender Town:

- See ya

Route 8:

- Battle against bald guy:
  - This is the battle that dying to Poison before is bad. Oh yeah, Bubblebeam.

Secret Passage:

- Get the Elixer and the Nugget. Elixer is around three Mississippis left, then the Nugget is up 2 spaces, left 7 from the Elixer.

Route 7:

- Dodge the grass.

Celadon City:

- Mega shopping:
  - Go to the fourth floor. Sell your extra Potions (not Super Potions), extra Poke Ball(s), both Nuggets, and TM34. Buy a Pokedoll.
  - Go to the fifth floor. Buy 11 X Accuracies, 10 X Speeds, and 2 X Specials.
  - Go to the roof. Buy two Fresh Waters and one Soda.
  - Get TM13 (Ice Beam) and TM48 (Rock Slide) from the girl.
  - Go to the second floor. Buy TM07 (Horn Drill), then 9 Super Repels. Any extra money should go to extra Super Potions.
  - Leave.

- Go to that house and have her teach you how to be cool.
- Walk out.
- Switch your second item with Super Repels. Teach Fly. Teach Horn Drill over Bubblebeam. Switch your third item with X Accuracy. Teach Rock Slide over Poison Sting.
- Fly to Lavender.
- For those curious, walking is faster than biking into the Fly house and into Pokemon Tower.

Lavender Town (Pokemon Tower):

- Battle against Rival #4
  - Use an X Accuracy, Horn Drill.

- Rock Slide every Gastly. You can miss and get status'd/lose time.

- On the fourth floor, grab the Elixer item ball.
- On the fifth floor, grab the hidden Elixer one space right, two spaces down from the staircase.
- Free heal.
- Free candy.
- Use the Pokedoll on the spooky specter.

- Battle against Rocket #1:
  - Zubats: Thunderbolt.                                                         ^
  - Golbat: Thunderbolt unless bad special, in which case Rock Slide.
- Battle against Rocket #2:
  - X Accuracy, Horn Drill.
- Battle against Rocket #3:
  - Two Thunderbolts, Thrash. One Thunderbolt can be used with high attack.

- Poke Flute
- Fly to Celadon.

Celadon City:

- Use the Pokecenter.
- Ride to Saffron.

Silph Co.

- Ride the elevator to floor 10.
- Battle with Rocket:
  - Thrash.
- Grab Rare Candy and TM26 (Earthquake).
- Walk down to floor 9.

- Take teleporter to floor 5.
- Teach Ice Beam over Rock Slide. Teach Earthquake over Thrash.
- Battle with Rocket:
  - Earthquake.
- Grab the Card Key.

- Battle with Rival #5:
  - Use one X Accuracy, one X Speed.
  - Horn Drill Pidgeot, Gyarados, and Venusaur.
  - Earthquake Growlithe and Alakazam.

- Battle with Rocket:
  - Ice Beam, Earthquake, Ice Beam.
- Battle with Giovanni:
  - Use one X Accuracy.
  - Nidorino: Earthquake.
  - Kangaskhan: Horn Drill.
  - Rhyhorn: Ice Beam.
  - Nidoqueen: Horn Drill.
- Dig out.

Celadon City:
- Ride over to Snorlax. Super Repel.
- Wake his fat ass up.
- Run.

Route 16:

- There's a Rare Candy hidden in the grass, grab it. It's two spaces above the Biker, third column from the right.
- Stay all the way right all the way down.

Fuchsia City (Safari Zone):

- Use a Super Repel.
- When you get to the lone item ball (it's TM42) in area three, use another Super Repel.
- Get Golden Teeth and HM03 (Surf).
- Dig out.
- Fly back to Fuchsia.

Fuchsia City (Gym):
- Walking is faster than biking to the Gym from the Center.

- Battle against Juggler:
 - Earthquake.

- Be near full HP.
- Use one Elixer.

- Battle against Juggler:
  - Drowzee: Earthquake.
  - Hypno: Earthquake. Ice Beam.

- Battle against Koga:
  - X Accuracy, Horn Drill.

- Ride to the Warden's house, get HM04 (Strength).
- Fly to Palett.

Palett Town:

- Use a Super Repel. Teach Surf and Strength to Squirtle. Use the 3 Rare Candies on Nidoking. Bike to the water.
- Surf to Cinnabar.

Route 21:

- Stay left under until the Island.

Cinnabar Island (Mansion):

- Proceed as normal until the last room, then use another Super Repel. Muk and Weezing can still give you an encounter on this floor if you're unlucky.
- Grab Secret Key.
- Dig out.

Celadon City (Gym):

- Ice Beam the eggs. For Erika, Earthquake, Ice Beam, Earthquake. Victreebel can be Ice Beam'd with good special.
- Fly to Cinnabar.

Cinnabar Island (Gym):

- To make things a little easier, for each quiz console, press A to initiate the text, then mash this button for each console:
  - 1st: A
  - 2nd: B
  - 3rd: B
  - 4th: B
  - 5th: A
  - 6th: B
- A helpful tip is the first is A, then the whole second column of the Gym is all B, then A, then B again.
- Heal if necessary; Arcanine can be somewhat troublesome (can crit with Take Down for big damage).
- Battle against Bl-EARTHQUAKE!
- Don't forget you can finish with Ice Beams, as they are neutral.
- Dig out.
- Ride to Saffron Gym. Bike is faster than flying.

Saffron City (Gym):

- After the initial teleport tile, the solution is Upper Left, Lower Left, Down.
- Heal if necessary. Use an Elixer.
- Battle against Sabrina:
  - If you're speed is good, Earthquake all. If it isn't, use one X Speed on Mr. Mime.
- Use the warp tile then Dig for a sped up exit.
- Fly to Viridian.


Viridian City (Gym):

- Battle against Tamer:
  - It's a fucking Rhyhorn.
- Battle against The Karate King:
  - Earthquake.
- Battle against Giovanni:
  - Rhyhorn: Ice Beam.
  - Dugtrio: Ice Beam.
  - Nidoqueen: Earthquake.
  - Nidoking: Earthquake.
  - Rhydon: Earthquake.
- Leave.
- Heal if necessary.

Route 22:

- Right before the grass, use a Super Repel. Don't heal before or after this battle.
- Battle against Rival #6:
  - X Speed, X Accuracy. Thunderbolt twice, Horn Drill. Pidgeot will only use Agility.

Route 23:

- TEXT

Victory Road:

- Use a Super Repel, then Strength.
- Impossible rock puzzles.
- At the third rock, use the last Super Repel, then Strength.

Elite Four:

- Deposit everyone but Nidoking.
- Heal at the Pokecenter.
- Buy 6-10 Full Restores.

- Battle against Lorelei:
  - Use one X Speed and one X Accuracy, then Horn Drill. If your speed is bad, X Speed on Slowbro. Crit from Dewgong has a chance to kill you. Bubblebeam can speed drop.

- Use one Ether on Horn Drill.

- Battle against Bruno:
  - Use one X Accuracy. Ice Beam the two Onix, Horn Drill the others.

- Battle against Agatha:
  - Gengar: Use one X Speed. Earthquake. DO NOT USE A FULL RESTORE AT FULL HP WHILE ASLEEP. This will kill your stat gains from the X Items. Use the Poke Flute instead.
  - Golbat: Ice Beam twice. Haze is annoying but just X Speed again.
  - Earthquake the rest.

- Heal. Use last Elixer. If you don't have to heal, save Elixer for the healing after Lance.

- Battle against Lance:
  - Gyarados: Use one X Special. Thunderbolt. He will always use Hydro Pump. A crit kills you. Run over.
  - Dragonair: Spams Agility. Use another X Special and one X Speed. Ice Beam everything.

- Heal, blah, blah.

- Battle against Champion, Rival #7:
  - Pidgeot: Use one X Speed and one X Accuracy. Sky Attack crit will kill you but is unlikely.
  - Rhydon: Horn Drill (Ice Beam twice if your attack is not great, he literally can't kill you in one turn).
  - Gyarados: Horn Drill.
  - Arcanine: Horn Drill.
  - Alakazam: Earthquake (Horn Drill).
  - Venusaur: Horn Drill.

Boop.