Stargazer Colosseum Speedrun (Transfers)

Stargazer Colosseum is the final colosseum unlocked in the main venture of Pokémon Battle Revolution. Once completed, the "Round 2" variant of Stargazer becomes a Gym Leader Castle-type mode where there are 8 sets, each with 4 battles. Every final battle of the set is against a Colosseum Leader from the earlier parts of the game and they repeat in the same order after Set 4. Think of Stargazer Round 2 as either the Gym Leader Castle or Orre Colosseum from Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness.

What is this run, exactly?

- As mentioned above, Stargazer Round 2 is unlocked after basically completing the game (Round 1). There are 8 different sets of 4 double battles that are to be done in order. I will be making use of my own Pokémon transferred from SoulSilver. Also, this isn't a full game run, as this is a category extension that can be performed on a completed save file.

What are you playing on?

- Wii U, since it has slightly faster loading times.

PBR works with SoulSilver?

- Yes! Battle Revolution works all of the mainline Gen 4 carts, inclusive of Platinum, HeartGold, and SoulSilver.

Why use SoulSilver instead of the other games?

- Mysterial's fight depends on which cart was used to transfer. If Diamond/Platinum/SoulSilver was used, Mysterial will have a Kyogre, Lugia, Palkia, and Manaphy. If Pearl/HeartGold was used, Mysterial will have Groudon, Ho-Oh, Dialga, and Cherrim. In this case, SoulSilver is faster than HeartGold because Cherrim's ability, Flower Gift, causes animation timeloss, and the typing of Mysterial's Rain Dance team is significantly easier compared to fighting Dialga, which resists my Explosion strategies.

YOU CAN USE LEGENDARIES?

- For some reason, Genius Sonority decided to let us use legendaries and mythicals similar to Pokémon Colosseum's Orre Colosseum. It really shows later on, too, as the AI starts spamming legendaries as well as Pokémon with near perfect IVs.

How did you obtain Mew and Arceus?

- There is a DNS exploit that allows you to access past online Mystery Gifts, unless you've already obtained their Wonder Card. This done in the Nintendo WiFi settings of the game, not through the system settings.

How does Togekiss get Helping Hand? Doesn't it naturally learn it?

- Sadly, nope. That's Clefable. You have to purify Togepi in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness but don't give it back to the Trainer. Instead, transfer it to your GBA cart and then up to Gen 4 then evolve it all the way to Togekiss.

How does Snorlax get Selfdestruct?

- Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness Move Tutor in Agate Village.

How does Sableye get Helping Hand?

- Purify the caught Shadow Sableye in XD.

Are there any battling differences between PBR and XD/Colosseum?

- Yes. PBR is a Gen 4 game which uses the buffs and nerfs Diamond and Pearl (not Platinum) brought over, most notably the Physical and Special split. Additionally, if a Pokémon faints during a double battle, another Pokémon is switched in at the end of the turn, not after the move is finished. In speedrunning terms, 1-turn Explosion fights don't exist anymore starting in Gen 4. Also, every multi-targeting move has their damage cut in half and some moves like Surf hit your teammate as well.

Is it possible to beat Stargazer with only using Rental Pokémon?

- Yes, but it is nearly impossible due to the fact that after Set 4, the IVs of the AI's Pokémon are close to, if not, 31 in the necessary stats. It also doesn't help that you basically have to grind trading Rental cards in Gateway Colosseum in order to get the best possible team(s).

Why are some of your nicknames either have 1 character or aren't changed at all?

- Saves text frames for some messages like being Intimidated. Also, some were either event Pokémon that had a set OT, or I actually couldn't change their name since transferring them.

Is the announcer necessary for the run?

- Yes, actually. There are certain lines I listen for when using Explosion. For example, if he says, "Annihilated by Explosion!" but doesn't say anything as the first fainting animation is played, it means I knocked out both of the Pokémon. If he says the aforementioned line but uses a regular fainting line thereafter, that means only one of the Pokémon were knocked out. If he says nothing, that means the user knocked itself out. Also, the anime announcer being canon in the Stadium series is kinda sick.

Why does Kyogre keep going first? Isn't it already fast?

- Yes. I gave it a Choice Scarf, which increases its speed stat by one stage, and will, for the most part, outspeed most Pokémon not holding said item. However, I'm locked to using only one move, so Water Spout will be the move I use.

How come you're not using bulky Pokémon like Forretress and Golem with Sturdy and use Explosion?

- For a speedrun, I can't necessarily afford to use slow Explosion users (except Snorlax and Lickilicky since they get STAB) when I have Helping Hand and Pokémon like Gengar and Electrode to take care of the early game as necessary. Also, prior to Gen 5, Sturdy only blocked OHKO moves (Horn Drill, Fissure, Sheer Cold, and Guillotine) from working, as opposed to being Focus Sash the ability.

So what is your strategy?

- For the first 3 sets, I'll be using a combination of Helping Hand/Follow Me + Water Spout, and for some fights in the early game I'll be making use of Explosion strats. For the rest of the game, the priorities will swap and it's mostly Explosion strategies from there.

Why don't you use Kyogre + Togekiss for every fight then?

- While spamming Helping Hand/Follow Me + Water Spout saves animation time versus using Explosion, some Pokémon either resist or nullify Water Spout (Water Absorb).

What's that funny animation and why did that slow Pokémon go first?

- Quick Claw. 18% chance, but I'm convinced the game is rigged in the AI's favor of it being a 50/50.

Is it possible to lose time other than execution errors?

- Yes, actually. Some Pokémon have slower fainting animations so having to watch them be majestically dramatic can cost some time. But the most annoying timeloss is actually encountering a shiny since that animation is played once the Pokémon has finished coming out of its Poké Ball. And the odds of finding an AI shiny is similar to Gen 4's odds, 1/8196.