Pokemon Sapphire FAQ

Q: What are you trying to accomplish?

A: Beat the Champion as fast as possible.

Q: What are you playing on?

A: A Nintendo Gamecube console with Game Boy Player peripheral and GBA SP as a controller.

Q: What is the current world record?

A: 2:03:10 in-game time by epicdudeguy.

Q: What splits are you using?

A: Target splits that I created. They are quite good, so I will likely be behind (unless actually on 2:01 pace). However, if I matched them, it should give me a high 2:01:xx IGT. My PB RTA is 2:07:47.

Q: What are you "timing" between resets?

A: I am using a method of RNG manipulation that requires me to confirm Mudkip on a certain frame or sequence of frames. This produces a Mudkip with not just good, but quite exceptional stats (by old standards). This method is discussed in more detail here: http://forums.pokemonspeedruns.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=398 (a list of Mudkips can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/b6dib2g4x1rjwza/sapphire_mudkips.txt)

Q: Why did you reset?

A: In most cases I either I didn't get the Mudkip I was looking for or I died. I will also reset if I did not get Abra by 28 min (I will be more lenient if I have an early flyer). This may seem harsh, but to beat the current WR, it is necessary, and I am no longer interested in a shitty 2:04.

Q: What are IVs?

A: An Individual Value (IV) is a hidden value ranging from 0-31 that is said to "represent the growth potential" of each stat. Every individual Pokemon has an IV in each of the six stats that is figured into the calculation of that stat. These values give us an idea of how strong our Pokemon will be in any given area.

I list the IVs of my Mudkip (along with its nature) in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. IVs are generally given in the form HP/ATK/SATK/DEF/SDEF/SPE.

Q: What Mudkip(s) are you running?

A: Lately rather than focusing on using a very particular Mudkip (whose neighboring kips are too bad to run) and wasting potentially a lot of time resetting (often only to die in the early game or merely at Abra), I have opted for clusters again if just for the fact that it allows more attempts to Abra. As well I get a kick out of running a variety of kips. I will occasionally make it a point to aim for a single frame, however.

Below are some kips you will commonly see on stream (in the lower right corner):

Buster's Mudkip
9829 Lonely 6/29/31/25/24/24

Buster's Dopplekip
9835 Mild 13/22/11/20/25/25 (close to B's kip, so I'll run it if I'm feeling charitable)

pirateluck's Lonelies (the HP Fighting kips)
10602 Lonely 30/29/18/18/14/24
10603 Lonely 24/18/14/30/30/20

Mountebank's cluster
11075 Serious 5/26/23/20/10/22
11077 Lax 19/20/6/12/21/24
11078 Lonely 24/12/21/22/1/20
11079 Lonely 20/22/1/30/13/23
11080 Docile 23/30/13/26/6/23
11081 Hasty 23/26/6/25/18/17
11084 Mild 9/24/8/14/18/24

Exarion's cluster
12779 Lax 4/31/23/24/25/30
12780 Gentle 30/24/25/21/22/22
12781 Lonely 22/21/22/9/26/30
12783 Hardy 13/29/0/30/30/19
12784 Hasty 19/30/30/25/10/12

Heinz's Hasty
15823 Hasty 17/28/29/30/7/26

Q: What are your biggest timesaves?

A: ~3:30 on Abra, ~45s on Flannery (if early flyer), ~30s on Norman, ~15s on Winona, ~15s on TnL, ~30s on Wallace, ~45s on E4.

Q: What is your goal time?

A: 2:01:xx.