Sapphire 10602/3 Desert Candy Notes

[Last update: June 9, 2015]

Pokemon Sapphire Desert Candy Notes

***I didn't calc everything, but simply most major hits that might compel a runner to make a decision.

These notes are for the following two kips:

10602 | Lonely  30/29/18/18/14/24
10603 | Lonely  24/18/14/30/30/20

whose hidden power types are both Fighting of powers 63 and 64 respectively.

Calcs assume desert candy, granting L28 for Dewford Gym and assuming you didn't fight Laura early. This requires you to reach L27 off Flannery's Torkoal, which requires +189 more exp over normal Granite Cave exp. "Standard" exp after Granite Cave is considered at minimum L16 + 27 exp (2562 total exp), which grants L18 for May 2's Grovyle. This candy is used as a substitute for the lake candy traditionally obtained on route 120.

There are multiple benefits of desert candy vs. lake candy, but the single most important is L30 for Norman's Vigoroth. Not only does it allow both HP fighting kips to outspeed at +1 (10603 is generally speedtied on L29), but also neither are guaranteed to OHKO with HP fighting at +3 on L29, where L30 guarantees it for both.

There are a few options for when to use the candy depending on experience:

"Early desert candy" (henceforth "early candy") is using the candy to reach L28 for Brawly. It must be used before the gym itself, as the experience gained from Battle Girl Laura is necessary to reach L30 for Vigoroth (114 exp short otherwise, and there's nowhere to get an encounter that will give that much experience before Petalburg).

"Late desert candy" (henceforth "late candy") is using the candy before Norman to reach L30 before that fight. This requires 939 extra exp, so it's most useful if you've hit Trent or 2 other spinners, OR Timmy + 158 extra wild exp, OR Edwin + 93 extra wild exp).

Benefits of early candy:
- L28 for Machop (guarantees MS range for 10603)
- L29 for Zangoose (near-guarantees MS 2HKO for 10602)

Benefits of late candy:
- L30 for first Slaking (so 10603 always lives Facade x2; it dies to 2 max rolls on L29)
- L33 for second Mt. Pyre Zubat (Strength is a range for both on L32)
- L34 after Doduo (can evolve before Kylee)

Without desert candy, you require 2028 extra experience for L30 for Vigoroth (= any combination of 3 spinners, OR Trent + Edwin + 6 extra wild exp, OR Trent + Timmy + 71 extra wild exp, OR Trent + Hiker Brice + 174 extra wild exp.). In such a case, the candy can be used in the traditional spot with the Mt. Pyre candy and the Petalburg pond candy to get L36 before Fortree Gym.

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Various calcs:

Archie 1
- 10603 speedties Sharpedo at L25 (w/ <16EV); 1125 exp required for L26 so either fight Trent + late candy or kill 2 Zubats in Granite Cave. Interestingly, 2 Zubats also allows 10603 to outspeed Vigoroth at L29 and Shelly's Carvanha at L31 (where early vs. late candy doesn't change your level).

Brawly's Machop
- 10602: Mud Shot guaranteed at L27
- 10603: Mud Shot guaranteed at L28, 75% at L27

Petalburg Gym
- X Acc Delcatty is free as Mud Shot+HP always 2HKOes
- X Def Linoone is a 3HKO at best (MS+HP+HP)
- Guard Spec. Linoone isn't an option due to potential for flinchhax
- Recovery Linoone is a 2HKO (MS+HP), but a high roll will knock it into heal range (5/16 on 10602, 3/16 on 10603)
- Dire Hit Zangoose has better crit rate but can only kill with a high roll crit, where X Attack Zangoose has a lower crit rate but will always kill with a crit.
	> 10602: 98% to 2HKO with MS (saves one textbox over MS+HP)
	> 10603: Less favorable to 2HKO with MS, so MS+HP

Norman's Slaking 1
- 10602: MS+HP is very favorable at +3 on L29; HPx2 is guaranteed but the first one could hit it into heal range (but only with a max roll). Always live 2 Facades.
- 10603: HPx2. Facade x2 does kill with 2 max rolls on L29.

Norman's Vigoroth
- Always OHKO'd by HP at +3 on L30

Norman's Slaking 2
- 10602: 9/16 to knock it into heal range with a first HP; MS+HP is guaranteed (and you're less likely to crit with MS than highroll HP)
- 10603: 5/16 to knock it into heal range with a first HP; MS+HP is guaranteed (and you're less likely to crit with MS than highroll HP)

May 3's Grovyle
- Both always OHKO at +2 with Strength on L31 or L32 (L32 guarantees the OHKO on neutral 29+IV attack)

Fortree Gym

- Doduo always dies to Surf (even without MW)
- Strength won't OHKO Kylee's Swablu regardless of the kip.
- L33 Surf@MW vs. Swablu:
	> 10602: 0% to OHKO
	> 10603: 0% to OHKO
- L33 Surf@MW in Torrent:
	> 10602: 6.25% to OHKO
	> 10603: 43.75% to OHKO
- L36 Surf@MW:
	> 10602: 6.25% to OHKO
	> 10603: 43.75% to OHKO
- L36 Surf@MW in Torrent:
	> 10602: 100% to OHKO
	> 10603: 100% to OHKO

Winona
- Swellow: Both will OHKO with Surf @MW in Torrent
- Skarmory:
	> Both require X Special to OHKO (43.75% and 68.75% respectively at +0 @MW in Torrent).
	> 10603 is 75% to OHKO at +1 out of Torrent

Admin Matt
- Sharpedo will always die to MS
- Mightyena will always die to Surf@MW regardless of Torrent

Admin Shelly
- Sharpedo will always die to HP
- Mightyena always dies to Surf@MW in Torrent; 10603 is 1/8 to OHKO @MW without Torrent