Topic: Pokemon Shuffle

Someone did the math somewhere that said it takes 3 seconds to get a black cloud to show up since you have have to wait until it completely appears before you can make another match of 3 to trigger another one. So then with the 16 that it starts with it would take 72 seconds in order to get 40 black clouds, and even with the timer +10 that only gives you 70 seconds, and so it requires a Jewel to create enough a black clouds. But I did that and still didn't get enough apparently (I didn't actually count how many I triggered).

@Xyphon22 yes, I read that somewhere, but it is just a bit below 3 sec, because I manage to get 37 black clouds in 68 sec. And still have to consider that I didn't spawn a black cloud on every turn.

My advice: go with a so-so team, that includes Keldeo Resolute and any other PO4 or PO4+, and M-Lucario. Record your run, using a +10 sec. Count how many black clouds you have erased. If you got 35 or 36 black clouds and feel that you can just kill Yveltal at the very last second (in 15sec it should spawn 5-6 black clouds), use the jewel. That is, of course, if you really NEED that skill swapper.

Maybe an ability that gives you more time on timed stages is around the corner...

Just did stage 280 of Giratina. Very easy when using full items. Finished with 21sec left!!! Made one ginormous combo (181). Definitely bring Gengar as a mega. No need for either MS or DD for that matter. Didn't activate sinister power. Used M-Gengar (max), Zoroark (13, skill level 3) and Darkrai (max).

Have nothing to do except grind Meowth for the rest of the week.

Rikaria, you were right about the level of annoyance of stages 290-299! Used +10 sec on 290 and beat it with just 2 sec left. Then used DD for level 291 and couldn't beat it.. Grinding Meowth some more to do these stages in one go and then level 300.

Any advice for the mighty 300?

Finally beat stage 300. All items used except 1.5exp. 1 sec left. No need for a jewel. 499 coins left.
Final team: M-Absol (max, no candies), Zoroark (max 13, skill level 3), Giratina (max) and Darkrai (max). I hesitated about using Bisharp instead of Giratina (thanks God I didn't use it). Zoroark activated sinister power once, but I broke the combo. Can be done in 8-12sec left, I think.

After beating stage 300, Giratina became angry...

I'm grinding up some coins for Level 300 before the event ends tomorrow.

From my itemless run, it didn't seem like it would be too difficult if I went in with all items. I realise that I may need to spend a jewel, but it seems unlikely once I factor in Complexity -1 and Attack Power. I'm not holding my breath with Sinister Power (its activation rate is far too low, and every second counts in these stages), so I'll probably go in with an all ghost team with Mega Banette leading. At least I have the chance of scoring some combos if the clock runs out.

Crikey. At least I've finally caught up with all of the main stages... but at this rate I'll never catch up with the mission cards and survival mode (which I'm yet to attempt).

I ended up spending a jewel on Level 300, though it really wouldn't have been necessary if I had reacted fast enough. I was a bit disoriented and fatigued when I went all in. Not a bad run though. 1 jewel was worth sparing myself yet another 16400 (or so) coins.

I got Zoroark to level 13 yesterday so I decided to give the EB another go. I got to level 281 today and decided to end there as I don't have enough coins to clear the late stages. I feel fine with this decision.

Sadly I currently have about 6000 coins so I hope Rhyperior won't be too annoying tomorrow.

Bleh. I still haven't cleared the latest patch of main stages. >.>

With all the upcoming levels and thus, new Pokemons, I think we will run out of Pokemons by December. Please, GS, release 20-30 stages on the main levels, at a time!!

And here I am... Trying to get past machoke (I neglected the main stages for a very long time, if you can't notice).

I'm only missing the Yveltal challenge in order to complete the Mission Cards. Still, the reward is a Skill Swapper, for which I have two saved and a third one is coming free in the following days. So, no need to rush.

From the last batch of main stages, I've only used M-Scizor for Kingdra, Unown, for Sunday Meowth, and Flygon for a stage I can't remember. Still, Hydregion could have been a nice addition to the last EB, but not a definite requirement, so there is that. So, I'm mainly using Pokemons that I caught much earlier (Mamoswine, Goodra, Gallade, among the expert stages; Golurk, Magnezone (for the Riolu challenge) and Fearow (for a challenge in one mission card, I think) in the main stages (around 300-340). We are getting Pokemons that are not that special (the last Pokemon that it is a lifesaver in many occasions and stages is Zekrom, along with Reshiram) as well as enhancements that mainly applied to old Pokemons, like Groudon and Kyogre and Suicune.

I think they'll be taking their time from now on, by adding more mission cards and what have you in lieu of new main stages.

I think we'll also be seeing a lot of "Special" stages being repeated in future Main Stages, and we'll start to get more novelty/alternate Pokémon such as "shinies" and "winkies".

We also don't know exactly how many new Pokémon (and possibly Megas) will be introduced in Sun/Moon, which will help prolong the life of the game. I think GS have things planned out at least for the remainder of the 3DS' lifespan.

I'm still at Dragalge. >.>

Tomorrow I'm leaving to NY. On Saturday, I'm going to the Nintendo NY Store!

Mario and Luigi (not the real ones, sadly) are said to be there in the evening.

@Rikaria Nicely done!

Mega Rayquaza is arguably one of the best megas. I can't wait to have it full candied sometime next year. lol

I still haven't played the competition. I'm currently Meowth grinding. I did manage to catch Rhyperior the other day though.

Having fully candied Pokemons is becoming a rarer affair. Thankfully, I did manage to fully candy the most important, IMHO, Pokes: Gengar, Garchomp, Blaziken, Charizard, Rayquazza, Mewtwo and Banette. Sadly I did waste, I feel, like 10 MSpeedups on Ampharos (3), Steelix (2), Mawile (1), Blastoise (2), Latios (1), Glalie (2). Wasted because I feel that there is no point on half-candying a Poke.

I'm saving some MS (6) for shiny Gyarados, unless M-Tyrannitar's evolution is worth it.

Forgot about Lucario, also fully candied.

My current candied megas:

Full: Gengar (MAX lvl)
Almost full: Garchomp (7/10, MAX lvl), Rayquaza (16/20, MAX lvl)
Far from full: Steelix (1/7, MAX lvl), Heracross (2/6, MAX lvl), Ampharos (1/7, MAX lvl), Aerodactyl (1/7, lvl 8)

I've been focusing on Rayquaza for months now but I haven't been able to get a lot of mega speedups. I've only wasted 5 mega speedups it would seem.

I hope this is enough points to keep me in the top tier for the next 9 hours.