Pokemon SolarLunar Alt Main Routing FAQ

Pokémon SolarLight & LunarDark Any% No Passwords Alt Main Routing FAQ

Q: What are you doing?
A: Routing an alternative main for the Any% No Passwords run of this game.

Q: Main differences?
A: The new main (Dodont) has really high Attack and decent, though not super high Speed, and is comparable defensively. Both of its abilities (Rock Head & Reckless) are good but both have their flaws as well. It also gets a killer move set...final moveset is Brave Bird, Hone Claws, Earthquake and Double-Edge (Rock Head) / Drill Peck (Reckless).

Comparison between Flearoe (old main) and Dodont (new main) in terms of base stats:

HP: Flearoe (75) > Dodont (63)
Attack: Dodont (121) >> Flearoe (82)
Defense: Flearoe (88) > Dodont (81)
Sp. Attack: Flearoe (105) >> Dodont (37) (this doesn't matter for Dodont)
Sp. Defense: Dodont (81) > Flearoe (67)
Speed: Flearoe (118) >> Dodont (82)

It may look like Flearoe is better, but its moveset is not as good (Flamethrower, Sunny Day, Solarbeam, Earth Power). Flearoe's mega is really strong but you don't use it often since it's slower overall. Offensively, Dodont takes the edge overall. Both are about equal defensively, and Flearoe takes the cake on speed.

Q: Any other problems with the new main?
A: Yep! It's Ground/Flying which means the 7th gym is brutal (gym leader has two fast mons), as well as the Champion (you actually need to catch a slave which knows a priority move due to STAB Ice moves + Focus Sash, which loses some time). It's also a 10% encounter and you get it just over an hour into the run. It also can KO your old main when trying to catch. So getting it could lose a lot of time.

Q: So...is it faster?
A: I actually think from what I've routed so far that it is about the same, though I have not done too many trials. Some splits are faster, some are slower. On my current segmented run (which I'm playing as I normally would, with no resets for good RNG), the Dodont is about 7 minutes ahead after the 7th badge, though this does not take into account the time spent to catch it (I start the 'run' as soon as it's caught). I'd love for it to be competitive at least, could make for fun races in the future.