Pokemon Sapphire Classic FAQ

Pokemon Sapphire Classic FAQ
twitch.tv/g_heinz
[Updated 25 Feb 2020]

Q: What are you doing?

A: Trying to beat the game as fast as possible without using RNG manipulation.

Q: What are you playing on?

A: Currently emulator. Console runs coming in the next couple months or so.

Q: What is "classic"?

A: A recent term in PSR denoting a category which bans certain "modern" techniques/strats--generally this amounts to just "no RNG manipulation", but may include other definitions depending on the generation.

Q: How do you "ban" RNG manipulation?

A: This varies gen to gen. In principle it is impossible to outright rule it out, since these categories still allow save+quit (and S+Q is what allows for modern PSR RNG manipulations), but category definitions make it such that it would be both highly impractical and extremely obvious if someone were to perform a manip in a run. In Sapphire, this means banning dry battery, because the manips in the standard glitchless category rely on a dry battery to freeze the RTC and thus the RNG seed. A live battery means the RNG seed changes every minute, so although a runner could in principle track this and abuse it, it would be fairly transparent.

Q: Why not use manips? Don't they make the game better?

A: Yes and no. In early 2015, RNG manipulation was a godsend for Sapphire in particular because it allowed us an escape from kip reset hell (which was made worse by the archaic single-segment rule banning S+Q). We first used clusters of middling stats to allow us more attempts at Abra (at the time part of the route). Eventually, better times required that we manip for isolated kips with better stats, which made the resets just as brutal as they had once been. Fast-forward to today, where we can get the literal godkip with a quick S+Q in front of the bag (in addition to manipping an early Wingull and Kyogre with great stats).

However, it is a double-edged sword. RNG manipulation limits the route to a single kip, with very little decision-making on the part of the player as a result. It emphasizes skills other than game knowledge, namely hitting small frame windows to an external audio cue. Sapphire was never properly routed to its fullest back in the pre-manip days, and it is a more enjoyable, rewarding, healthier way for me to play the game at this point in my life.

Exarion has an insightful paste on the topic of RNG manipulation here: https://pastebin.com/DhZaHF3g

Q: Will you ever play the game with manips again?

A: Have been equivocating on this for a long time, since Sapphire was my baby and I have always been so disappointed in where my career with the main glitchless route ended, but nowadays I am honestly leaning strongly toward "no". Grinding the manip category is just not in the spirit of what the game ever was to me, and it's bad for my mental health at a time where my life is finally moving in the right direction. But I still love my baby, and genuinely enjoy playing the game (even though everyone else thinks it is cancer), so I want this to be my last contribution to Sapphire and PSR as a whole, and end this chapter on a positive note.

Q: What is WR?

A: My PB is on emu so it technically doesn't "count" for WR (Kappa), but it is the fastest known time at 2:09:42. Fastest console time is something like 2:16:xx by MarcusTEllis (literally like over 5 years old now lol).

Q: Do you have notes for the route?

A: Very much still a work in progress, but the gist of the route can be found here: https://pastebin.com/ns8WzxaG

Strats can vary widely depending on stats/nature, and these variations are not fully routed yet. But I am taking my time and enjoying the game as it goes along.

Q: What stats will you take?

A: In general, 13 attack at L5 is the bare minimum. There are fringe situations where I will provisionally take 12 attack, but these will lead to a reset within 2-3 minutes 90% of the time. Special attack and speed are less important, but I will prefer to reset if both are bad (unless I have 14 attack). Natures I will take include:

	- Neutral: Hardy, Docile, Serious, Bashful, Quirky
	- +Defense: Lax, Impish
	- +Spdef: Gentle, Careful
	- +Attack: Naughty, Lonely, Adamant
	- +Spatk: Rash, Mild
	- +Speed: Naive, Hasty, Jolly

The -spatk natures are a new addition, and especially Impish and Careful are questionable since they don't afford any other offensive boosts. However, special attack is less important than one might think, especially through the midgame. A -speed nature is a certain reset except maybe Brave, which I am considering taking with near perfect speed (30-31IV).