The backtrack is...really not a problem. You have a Bicycle and can buy plenty of Super Repels from Olivine. It takes a couple of minutes at most. The time manipulation ain't a problem either, you just change the date and time manually. The only problem is actually catching the Pokemon. I'd argue the sum of the parts is what's annoying more than anything else, and most of them aren't individually bad at all.
Also, I left my L7 Chikorita in the Daycare after getting to Goldenrod practically after getting there. Two badges in, Team Rocket and the glitter Lighthouse both cleared, and my Chikorita is at...L28 (for comparison, my team Pokemon are at L29). I think the Daycare certainly has potential if you use it at the right time, potentially allowing you to train a 5th mon without compromising your other 4 and their training.
Also, I left my L7 Chikorita in the Daycare after getting to Goldenrod practically after getting there. Two badges in, Team Rocket and the glitter Lighthouse both cleared, and my Chikorita is at...L28 (for comparison, my team Pokemon are at L29). I think the Daycare certainly has potential if you use it at the right time, potentially allowing you to train a 5th mon without compromising your other 4 and their training.
Chuck
Arcanine (L30): Headbutt reliably 2HKOes Primeape who does very little back with Karate Chop and is outpaced. Poliwrath is pretty much a no go, Headbutt only 4HKOed more than 50% of the time and Surf reliably 2HKOes you in return. Mind Reader Hypnosis shenanigans can be annoying. D-tier matchup, not efficient.
Weepinbell (L31): Sludge Bomb reliably 2HKOes (with a chance at OHKOing) Primeape who does little back with Karate Chop or Fury Swipes but outpaces you. You outpace Poliwrath consistently and can 3HKO (with a chance at 2HKOing) him through Sludge Bomb. Hypnosis forces Chuck to waste a Full Heal turn, so you might want to hit him with it again after getting him. He'll try to put you to sleep himself or Mind Reader you, but you are faster. Both Surf and Dynamicpunch fail to 3HKO. Very easy matchup, you may not even need any item support even for sleep - I didn't. S-tier.
Vaporeon (L31): A Rain-boosted Surf reliably OHKOes Primeape, who outpaces but can't even bring you below the green with a Leer + non-crit Karate Chop. Reliably outpace Poliwrath and reliably 3HKO with Rain Surf. Dynamicpunch reliably 3HKO you in return. A-Tier matchup.
Crobat (L30): Wing Attack reliably OHKOes Primeape; Crobat level to L31. It reliably 2HKOes Poliwrath too who can't even 2HKO you with Surf (only 3HKO and not even all that reliably). You outpace them both. A Mint Berry negs Hypnosis, though I never needed one. S-Tier matchup.
Arcanine (L30): Headbutt reliably 2HKOes Primeape who does very little back with Karate Chop and is outpaced. Poliwrath is pretty much a no go, Headbutt only 4HKOed more than 50% of the time and Surf reliably 2HKOes you in return. Mind Reader Hypnosis shenanigans can be annoying. D-tier matchup, not efficient.
Weepinbell (L31): Sludge Bomb reliably 2HKOes (with a chance at OHKOing) Primeape who does little back with Karate Chop or Fury Swipes but outpaces you. You outpace Poliwrath consistently and can 3HKO (with a chance at 2HKOing) him through Sludge Bomb. Hypnosis forces Chuck to waste a Full Heal turn, so you might want to hit him with it again after getting him. He'll try to put you to sleep himself or Mind Reader you, but you are faster. Both Surf and Dynamicpunch fail to 3HKO. Very easy matchup, you may not even need any item support even for sleep - I didn't. S-tier.
Vaporeon (L31): A Rain-boosted Surf reliably OHKOes Primeape, who outpaces but can't even bring you below the green with a Leer + non-crit Karate Chop. Reliably outpace Poliwrath and reliably 3HKO with Rain Surf. Dynamicpunch reliably 3HKO you in return. A-Tier matchup.
Crobat (L30): Wing Attack reliably OHKOes Primeape; Crobat level to L31. It reliably 2HKOes Poliwrath too who can't even 2HKO you with Surf (only 3HKO and not even all that reliably). You outpace them both. A Mint Berry negs Hypnosis, though I never needed one. S-Tier matchup.
Pryce
Crobat (L31): Return/Fly reliably 2HKOed Seel, bringing him to the very low red in one hit - he doesn't even get 3HKOed by Icy Wind in return and doesn't care about the speed drop either due to being hilariously faster than everyone here. Return/Fly reliably 2HKOes Dewgong who cannot bring you to the yellow even after damage by Seel and an Aurora Beam. 3HKOes Piloswine but can only survive a non-crit Blizzard from above 80% HP. If you game Blizzard misses and heal with Hyper Potions after being hit, you can 3HKO through Screech + Return x2. A crit or a Screech miss can ruin this strategy, as can a freeze. I'd say B-Tier, due to being able to take out the first two more or less solo and having a chance at beating Swine too.
Vaporeon (L31): Set up a Guard Spec to avoid having your speed lowered by Icy Wind. Bite reliably 3HKOes Seel (whom you outpace) - in return, Icy Wind and Headbutt do very, very, very little damage. Bite is not good against Dewgong, though. Fortunately, Rain + Surf reliably 2HKOes Seel and reliably 3HKOes Dewgong, whom you outpace too. Piloswine gets reliably OHKOed and outpaced (too). Easy S-Tier matchup.
Weepinbell (L31): Set up a Guard Spec to avoid having your speed lowered by Icy Wind, put Seel to sleep, then boost to +5 through Growth. Vine Whip OHKOes everyone reliably from there, and you outpace them too (got to L32 after beating Dewgong but didn't need to in order to beat Piloswine - or so calcs suggest). S-Tier matchup - at best you might need a Hyper Potion or Moo Moo Milk to heal up (I admittedly did on 2 of 3 attempts, they aren't hard to get though). I would again recommend putting him back to sleep if he wakes up, like with Clefairy and Scyther.
Arcanine (L31): Headbutt reliably 2HKOes Seel who can do very little to you. Fire Blast reliably 2HKOs and outpaces Dewgong who can't do much at all to you with Headbutt even after eating an Icy Wind speed drop from Seel. Your own Headbutt reliably 3HKOs Dewgong. Fire Blast reliably OHKOs Piloswine and at least Pink Bow Headbutt reliably 3HKOs. Blizzard and Fury Attack are a total joke to you. Easy S-Tier matchup with Fire Blast, likely A-Tier without (and assuming you use a Guard Spec).
Crobat (L31): Return/Fly reliably 2HKOed Seel, bringing him to the very low red in one hit - he doesn't even get 3HKOed by Icy Wind in return and doesn't care about the speed drop either due to being hilariously faster than everyone here. Return/Fly reliably 2HKOes Dewgong who cannot bring you to the yellow even after damage by Seel and an Aurora Beam. 3HKOes Piloswine but can only survive a non-crit Blizzard from above 80% HP. If you game Blizzard misses and heal with Hyper Potions after being hit, you can 3HKO through Screech + Return x2. A crit or a Screech miss can ruin this strategy, as can a freeze. I'd say B-Tier, due to being able to take out the first two more or less solo and having a chance at beating Swine too.
Vaporeon (L31): Set up a Guard Spec to avoid having your speed lowered by Icy Wind. Bite reliably 3HKOes Seel (whom you outpace) - in return, Icy Wind and Headbutt do very, very, very little damage. Bite is not good against Dewgong, though. Fortunately, Rain + Surf reliably 2HKOes Seel and reliably 3HKOes Dewgong, whom you outpace too. Piloswine gets reliably OHKOed and outpaced (too). Easy S-Tier matchup.
Weepinbell (L31): Set up a Guard Spec to avoid having your speed lowered by Icy Wind, put Seel to sleep, then boost to +5 through Growth. Vine Whip OHKOes everyone reliably from there, and you outpace them too (got to L32 after beating Dewgong but didn't need to in order to beat Piloswine - or so calcs suggest). S-Tier matchup - at best you might need a Hyper Potion or Moo Moo Milk to heal up (I admittedly did on 2 of 3 attempts, they aren't hard to get though). I would again recommend putting him back to sleep if he wakes up, like with Clefairy and Scyther.
Arcanine (L31): Headbutt reliably 2HKOes Seel who can do very little to you. Fire Blast reliably 2HKOs and outpaces Dewgong who can't do much at all to you with Headbutt even after eating an Icy Wind speed drop from Seel. Your own Headbutt reliably 3HKOs Dewgong. Fire Blast reliably OHKOs Piloswine and at least Pink Bow Headbutt reliably 3HKOs. Blizzard and Fury Attack are a total joke to you. Easy S-Tier matchup with Fire Blast, likely A-Tier without (and assuming you use a Guard Spec).
Jasmine
Crobat (L33): Do not want. Crobat can take care of one, maybe even two Magnemite...Return has a good shot at 2HKOing Magnemite 1 at least and OHKOs after a Screech, but Steelix? Nope. Magnemite reliably 2HKOs with Thunderbolt and Steelix a lot with Iron Tail. D-tier matchup.
Vaporeon (L33): Vaporeon reliably outpaced and OHKOed everyone through Surf. No Rain needed. S-tier matchup.
Weepinbell (L33): Put Magnemite 1 to sleep, then boost to +6 through Growth. Vine Whip OHKOes Magnemite 1 and 2 reliably from there (you need the Miracle Seed to guarantee the OHKO on the Magnemite though). I would again recommend putting him back to sleep if he wakes up, like with Clefairy, Seel, and Scyther. Steelix is only 2HKOed and hits hard with Iron Tail, which might KO with a crit or if you spend a turn, say, trying to put him to sleep (but fail). Vine Whip away. A-Tier matchup, but not that safe. Magnemite can be annoying through parafusion, paralysis, or confusion too. You outpace everyone thankfully.
Arcanine (L33): Even Ember reliably OHKOs Magnemite and 2HKOs Steelix. Fire Blast OHKOs everyone. S-Tier matchup, Rock Throw can only 3HKO at best barring a crit, but you outpace and outdamage, so...
Crobat (L33): Do not want. Crobat can take care of one, maybe even two Magnemite...Return has a good shot at 2HKOing Magnemite 1 at least and OHKOs after a Screech, but Steelix? Nope. Magnemite reliably 2HKOs with Thunderbolt and Steelix a lot with Iron Tail. D-tier matchup.
Vaporeon (L33): Vaporeon reliably outpaced and OHKOed everyone through Surf. No Rain needed. S-tier matchup.
Weepinbell (L33): Put Magnemite 1 to sleep, then boost to +6 through Growth. Vine Whip OHKOes Magnemite 1 and 2 reliably from there (you need the Miracle Seed to guarantee the OHKO on the Magnemite though). I would again recommend putting him back to sleep if he wakes up, like with Clefairy, Seel, and Scyther. Steelix is only 2HKOed and hits hard with Iron Tail, which might KO with a crit or if you spend a turn, say, trying to put him to sleep (but fail). Vine Whip away. A-Tier matchup, but not that safe. Magnemite can be annoying through parafusion, paralysis, or confusion too. You outpace everyone thankfully.
Arcanine (L33): Even Ember reliably OHKOs Magnemite and 2HKOs Steelix. Fire Blast OHKOs everyone. S-Tier matchup, Rock Throw can only 3HKO at best barring a crit, but you outpace and outdamage, so...
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