Can I Beat Pokemon Emerald with ONLY Rattata? 🔴 Pokemon Challenges ► NO ITEMS IN BATTLE 

Get Surfshark VPN at surfshark.deals/MDB - Enter promo code MDB for 83% off and 3 extra months FREE! 10:20 So, did I mess up and include two of the same take, or did I just go insane and word it that way while doing the voiceover? Because I legit don't remember. You decide!

21:28 I love the description of Guts: "Ups ATTACK if suffering". According to this description, Manbar should've hit max Attack Stat ages ago.

Something I’d recommend in future runs if you have guts, pre poison your pokemon in a wild battle before the gym leaders/elite 4. You can use out of battle healing items to stay healthy and it will give a 50% attack boost, and combining this with facade will give you a 140 base power move too. Edit: a lot of people are saying that this is obvious and the MDB is dumb for not doing it. This comment was only meant to be a helpful suggestion to him. He’s said in his stardew valley play through that he doesn’t watch a whole lot of Pokémon content due to how much of his life is already spent playing Pokémon. The people who watch his challenges on the other hand tend to be people that are a big part of the Pokémon community. It might be obvious for people who regularly watch challenge runs in extreme rom hacks that you can pre poison or burn Pokémon before battles but that doesn’t mean it’s obvious for everyone. I never pre poisoned or burned my Pokémon when I played causally and before I started watching Pokémon content and I feel most people don’t either. It’s easy to see the ability as a positive should the right battle condition occur in battle rather than something to set up beforehand.

Don't stress yourself too much over the length of these videos. You're charismatic, funny, and clever. We love your content, no matter how long or short it is

Seeing as you tried to actually get some mileage out of Focus Energy, I'm now curious to see you do a "crit build" run, so namely, Pokemon Platinum with either: - Absol with Super Luck - Horsea with Sniper - Skorupi with Sniper

May in the anime had a torchic, so I think you should follow May's team she would use if you had chose Treecko (ending the game with Combusken, Pelliper, Tropius, and Ludicolo). Alternatively, can go for her Omega Ruby/Alpha sapphire team of Raichu, Blaziken, Wailord, Breloom, and Swellow, though that's just straight up a solid team.

I know you haven’t ever done a generation 7 game, but in the spirit of Rattata runs I want to recommend this. Sometime, maybe you should do a Pokémon Sun play through with only Alolan Rattata

Thank you for commenting on the Rattata sprite! I always forget it's different in Emerald. I think the FR/LG sprite is just so iconic, plus the RSE sprite is different in terms of posing, it's always felt just a little off for me.

It's my personal favorite thing when MDB forgets to record and I get to see pictures of his cats

"Does this Rattata sprite look weird to you?" Yes it does. Something I've noticed in Challenges and National Dex attempts is that Kanto sprites have strange poses in RSE compared to any other game.

I love that we’ve been treated to an early MDB challenge! Thank you so much. Much love and respect. I think you can do this, but I’m guessing around level 80-90.

Going to be honest here…those times where we get to see pictures of your cats because you don’t have footage is kind of a little blessing. 🐈

In the same spirit of these Rattata challenges, I've been doing a Houndour solo run through the generations. It's surprisingly hard! Typically I end up being in the mid-late 90s when I finally clear the E4. So far, the record is 98 in Platinum. Haven't yet started on a gen 5 Houndour yet.

11:18 "i really don't think me using return is unfair, that said i bet return with a silk scarf and the same type attack bonus won't be enough for the fire gym by the time we get their, that said, i'm not sure return with a silk scarf and the same type attack is gonna be enough by the time we get to the fire gym," hilarious, i thought i was going crazy at first when i heard that.

You should consider pre-poisoning or pre-burning a Pokémon with Guts before gym battles! Having the 1.5x power boost from the start is huge, and the attack drop of burn is ignored if you have Guts. Could be very helpful in future playthroughs

To the people saying that picking Return up makes the run easy: You do remember that in order for Return to be strong you need high friendship, which GETS LOWERED EVERY TIME YOU FAINT, right? Return doesn't make the run easy, it makes the run *easier*

When it comes to a preference between longer and shorter videos, I'm just here for MDB, long or short I'm getting some good quality content so I'm happy.

Ruby, sapphire, and emerald have mostly unqiue sprites for the gen 1 and 2 pokemon. Most of them can only be seen normally by getting them in FireRed/LeafGreen or Colo/XD and trading them in. A lot of them look kinda strange; makes you wonder if they planned for them to be fully accessible when Ruby/Sapphire launched, since you couldn't get them at the time.

would love to see a steven stone team run. kinda hard to start, especially if you're starting with beldum, but it just starts snowballing after that

My guy, you have Guts, one of the most OP abilities in Gen 3. Pre-burn your rat, teach it facade, and if you have > 132 speed, you will outspeed and 1-shot every elite four Pokémon. Nuzlockers frequently ban Guts Pokémon from their runs because it is just that OP. Edit: Just did it starting at lvl 75 with a Rat with 165 attack. Cleanly 1-shots everything, only potential issue was dying to burn damage if both of Pheobe's Dusklops get multiple turns of protect.

So... I think Shell Bell literally saved his run against the Champion? I am not 100% on how the AI in vanilla Emerald works, but if I got it right, Milotic saw a kill with both Surf and Ice Beam. Then, it randomly selects one of the two (to be as unpredictable as possible if you consider switching out). However, Ice Beam was not a kill after Shell Beal healing, while Surf would have been so. Cool ending for a Champion battle!

For a May run, I think choosing her Mudkip team might be the hardest, because you get Slugma instead of Combusken, and her Marshtomp looks like it has way worse moves than her Grovyle. Her Grovyle seems to have the best moveset out of any of her Pokémon, so that's probably the easiest team for the run.

I think a tight 30 minutes is really the optimal length for these videos. Doesn't feel like your rushing nor lagging, its a comfortable length :)

I also think a May run would be cool! ☺️ I love the challenges when the team has a theme to it 😀👍

Hey MDB! Been a fan since a few years now and I absolutely respect you and love your content.

One strategy that Pokémon nuzlocker use it to pre status Pokémon with guts and use facade that is doubled under status like rattata. Idk if you tried to but also can be risky for extra damage. I love you videos MDB I remember watching your original rattata vid

I'm 12 minutes in. MDB never realizes he can exploit Guts to make his life way easier, does he?

As someone who is also doing solo runs fairly often (slowly making my way thru the national dex doing BW Solo Runs, Return is 1000% necessary for some pokemon, especially pokemon like Rattata

Definitely want to see a May team run! I think it’ll be fun, but you should be allowed to fully evolve “her” team. I think it’ll be very possible, but maybe at level 60 for the whole team (for the Steven fight, 80?). Love all the content, love to see you do the runs that you think are fun! Thanks MDB :)

Steven: "Oh, it seems I didn't break him after all. Well, time to end another run."

0:20 Please tell me you had a "No FEAR" rule. 10:51 No Endeavor, so no FEAR. 13:09 Yes to the May challenge. If you go with Torchic, you can double up on Water types with Lombre and Wailmer for less type coverage and a worse team. You could possibly even double-up on Fire types by including Torkoal, which she uses in an optional battle. 13:17 That is correct. 13:24 Yes. 20:32 The Claydol fight was nuts. 23:49 Glass cannon? 27:27 Holy snap that was incredible.

Bread is always so jolly and happy sounding its so nice, the sass at 11:18 was executed way too hard

Yeah Rattata’s RSE sprite is very weird. And I’m sure most players either only see it through the Battle Tower or the Frontier or Pokémon websites that catalogue sprites

I’d definitely try this run again while making more use of Rattata’s Guts ability. It might have let you beat Roxanne at a lower level and if you went into Watson’s Gym while pre-poisoned, you would’ve gotten the damage boost while ALSO being immune to paralysis

i was surprised at the lack of guts use! guts is genuinely one of the best abilities to have when playing the base games, pre poisoning before gym battles is an insane strategy that allows some guts pokemon to outright one shot everything on their team, it may not be amazing for every fight considering the hp loss from poison but in some it would completely change the tides of battle, great run! love to see it

Am I the only one who both loves it and notices it when MDB decides not to show the script part he's reading during the script showing? Like, this run, it was the rules section instead, and some runs, it's random other things. I love this small thing that's sometimes implemented

I enjoy the longer ones but I can understand having some shorter ones to save time but I like hearing why and how you solve issues and get around brick walls. Just my opinion. No one else's. Thanks for the rat run

PLEASE do a May challenge in the future, that'd be a lot of fun to watch!

Just my two cents I really like the longer videos it give a better perspective of the work that goes into it and it tells a story.

In terms of enjoyment I’m always happy for more content, so I like longer content but I’m not complaining if the content is shorter. Content is content! Thanks for your hard work. Just be proud of what you do. :)

People miss the rules for oblivion run MDB: what more could I do it's in the description and the video and they still missed it Also MDB: what if I put the rules in the video twice?

I came here to ask which fossil did you pick? But i might also say that its really cool to see this video early. I love these pokemon challenges a lot. I have actually watched all of them. My favourite of your pokemon challenges is probably the gen 4 abomasnow run or the gen 3 whismur run. Keep up the good work 👍

"I'm looking at you, China; you know what you did>" Lol, my maaaaaan.

It’s been a while since you did a litlle change on that beggining text, always a pleasure ❤️

Love the fact that this is unlisted, you're a real one MDB!

Guts with Burn, Silkscarf + Fasade is really broken xD Guts prevents the Burn from cutting your attack but rather boost it

Please keep making longer videos for these runs, I live for them

I watch all your videos but have never commented, but since you brought it up, I like the longer episodes. For whatever that’s worth

10:00 It's not that it's unfair, the problem that people have with it is that it's boring when practically every mon has a use for it because it's an 100 power move and everything can learn it, sure in gen 1 you had body slam but not all could learn it and it has paralysis which made it more interesting at least. If only maxing friendship wasn't so easy or something to make it more interesting like how secret power works.

I love the long videos never had a problem with it. Keep it up MDB! 👍🏽

Emearld 😆 I always enjoy watching and listening to these, so for me... longer is better. But that means more editing and recording, so I get it isn't always ideal. Especially with someone as busy as you! I'll keep my eyes peeled for Hoppip, but truthfully I'm already exhausted after just listening to the outro... Good luck!!

I’m just happy to be watching mdb, I’ll be cheeky and just say what ever it takes to give you the time to continue the adventure of newbie Nate 😅

LET'S GO!!! Hoppip in Pokemon Gold is the run I've most wanted ever since I started watching videos on this channel

I love the long videos personally, they’re great for me to watch on repeat when I cook dinner

These episodes remind me of when I was little and my favorite shows on 4kids would release a new episode every Saturday. Always a good time. Keep on keepin on MDB. Your show makes me look forward to Saturday’s. Quality content brother.

For slaking, rattata was faster so you could’ve used dig, and also you could’ve kept rattata poisoned with leftovers to heal the poison damage while having guts active

The videos are definitely not too long. I loved the almost hour long Poison move only run.

Super thankful you dropped the early link for this on twitter (if you're not mdb and don't follow him on twitter, go do it!). I've had a very rough month of work, and getting to watch this while doing everything made today much more bearable.

Love your vids bro I watch through alot of your old playlist all the time, if I could make a recommendation try changing up the held items more before you grind it's super easy to tunnel vision on you strat but for the Sydney fight for examples if you just help a Persim berry you could have saved 2 leveled of grinding at the time (bit redundent seeing as the level you needed to be for the champ but still good for a fight example)

Youngster Joey: You merely adopted the top precent rattata, MDB. I was born in it. MOLDED by it.

I can't wait to see the next run. I could feel myself aging just listening to the description.

MDF'NB I personally think all challenges should be the raw footage of the entire play through at 1/4 regular speed. With no commentary at all. Best content ever.

Hey, you did the thing where your written script you put on screen (at 1:41) and what you say are different again. I always find that really funny.

I agree Rattata's sprite in Emerald is weird. I don't recall any other time it's shown STANDING. It's almost always on all fours, leaning aggressively forward, tail up. I think it's especially weird because there's no trainer that uses Rattata anywhere that I am aware of in Emerald. Not even in the Battle Tents or the Battle Frontier, since Emerald was still early enough in the franchise that 85%+ of the Pokemon used in a region were...from the region the game was set in. Finally, for the "May" challenge, I would use Torchic. It's what she uses in the Anime, It would also likely be the most challenging - since the region is heavily water based, and you have four different major enemies that use water types. Brendan, Archie, Juan and Wallace. Roxanne too, before you get Combusken.

30 minutes is really nice length. Also i love your stuff MDB, just wanted to mention that ^^

You really do keep track of things. Been watching your videos for almost a year now and was wondering when you'd do a Hoppip run in Gold. Woot woot!

Realized the "guess if I can win or not" section was replaced by the rules script only because I like reading along to that part. Not sure if that was on purpose or not but it was amusing

Gotta say, didn't expect this run to become a "glass cannon" run! Also you never need an excuse to show off cat pics.

I am so glad you brought up how weird the rattatta sprite was, I thought I was tripping for a second

Great run MDB! I had a great idea for a challenge run, Pokemon Diamond, pearl, platinum(or the remakes) with only one mothim. Could be a challenging one considering rock gym, steel gym(which usually has rock moves)

I have been watching for a long while, just wanted to say your videos make my day. Thank you for your hard work.

I was in the middle of day 2 of moving in my fiancee and I's first apartment! YES the exact kind of video I needed. Love your vids MDB. Your ALWAYS there when we need to watch quality content!

I don't know about you guys, but I don't think he knows if return with silk scarf will be enough by the time he gets to the fire gym

I am the Only one who really likes the tiny Easter eggs at the start on the white paper start on every episode sometimes ? I love it !

Facts. You can't please everybody. Some people have more time than others. I'm in the "I like long videos" camp. After I work my weekly 5-6 days I want to watch a meaty video. Anything under 25 minutes is too light for me.

Something that may have made this run easier would be to take advantage of guts by intentionally poisoning yourself and combining that with shell bell to keep yourself healthy while powering up all your moves. Love the videos MBD

We all love the longer videos! You’re putting in SO many hours, so go turn a 40+ hour challenge to sub 1 hr is amazing

Crazy thought, since most people use normal types as TM Junkies and Coverage Engines, why not do something to make this tiny fan - favorite actually VIABLE. Since REAL rats can chew through steel pipes and concrete blocks, why not give it the Strong Jaws ability, and then give it a way to learn all the different Elemental Fang move. Then instead of Ice Beam, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt and Return, it could learn Ice, Fire, Thundr and Psychic Fang instead?

Difficult run, but I love the insert about your cats! LOL

Can't wait to see that May team Challenge including the under evolved starter for the whole game! Especially if you do the Combusken team with 2 water, grass, and flying types, across 3 pokemon, and no STAB attacks on the starter

Certainly wouldn’t overthink video length, however long the video comes too is perfect

I like all of MDB's videos! Also, did he even take a fossil, either way comments are good for the RU-vid algorithm

Nice transition from the wild Mightyena straight to the Maxie fight.

So, if you’re wondering what starter to use for a May challenge, may I recommend using the starter she got in the anime, which was Torchic? Maybe then stick to the team she uses in-game from there? Or even put in some of the Gen 3 Pokémon that she uses in the anime as well?

IIRC, there were quite a few Gen 1 Pokemon that had kinda strange sprites in RSE that got replaced in FRLG. I think it especially happened with Pokemon like Rattata that aren't normally available in RSE.

Ideas: If you wanna play more recent games, Pokemon sword and shield with only a snom could be fun, the double 4 times weakness to both rock and fire might be quite challenging. As for something more in your usual, maybe an emerald run with only a geodude or rhyhorn, the abundance of water type might make it quite challenging.

I like the long ones. Just in case that helps you decide what to do. Great vid

Edit: this is in response to your comment at 4:44 Because you like feedback, here are my exact, personal preferences on video length. This isn't any complaint or suggestion, this is data that you can use however you like. Also, I'm autistic so my attention/sensory needs may be different from, or make no sense to, you or others. Anyway: For videos that are primarily **visual** in nature, where I need to actually watch with attention using my eyeballs, I prefer videos in the **10-20** minute range (like Pikasprey). For videos that are closer to **auditory** in nature, like a podcast or a detailed commentary (like your Pokemon videos), I'm happy to listen for **60 minutes or more** (like jrose11). You can imagine a gradient, with one end being shorter/visual, and the other being a long/auditory. As the content shifts in focus, the time shifts in relation. Mixed content that needs some visual attention, but can be looked away from for portions of time fit very nicely in the middle at the 30-40 minute mark. Personally, I think that all of your content is absolutely perfectly paced. As an aside, I really appreciate how you (and many other youtubers I follow) will say phrases like "watch this" or "check this out" with enough room for me to change my focus and still catch what you're showing me. I often pull up lets plays, livestreams, etc when I'm playing my own games. I don't have anyone to play games with, so I like having the parasocial company. I'm not always looking at your video the whole time, so having an easy-to-hear phrase that signals visual attention is very accommodating.

10:20 so worried about Flannery that you said it twice 😆

you almost got me, I was like but MDB that's the claw fossil but thankfully you stayed faithful and didn't break my fragile mental state.

I don't know if you appreciate suggestions for runs, but I had an idea for an interesting one: can you beat any generation of Pokemon using only fixed damage moves? Things like sonicboom for a flat amount, or moves that do damage equal to your level. Also, have you ever done a run with only Spheal? I didn't see one when I looked, and he's just such a cute little round boi.

The comeback of the random text screenshot! Oh, I've missed these!

My two possible suggestions would be Zigzagoon or perhaps a duo of Petilil and Cottonee in B2W2. I'd love to see more gen 5 runs!

28:27 just gave me physical pain 😢 good luck Big League MDB

Here's an idea: Oblivion with only hand to hand. You can actually punch ghosts once your skill reaches 50, so you'll probably need to train by summoning skeletons and punching them in the back of the head, but it is possible.

I personally like the 30 minute videos. It's typically how long it takes me to either do dishes or my laundry. So you help me get through those awful chores every Saturday.

I was about to comment on that Ratata sprite in the beginning of the video, but you immediately said something about it.

it would be cool to see a may team but with her anime pokemon in diamond and pearl. it wouldnt be much of a challenge but a fun run, since she has a blaziken, munchlax, venasaur, warturtle, skitty, and glaceon. seeing her emerald team would be great too tho! love the video

I thought exactly the same about Rattata’s sprite 😂 thought you were busting out a mod on us 😂

Would love to see a May challenge. You can use Torchic as her starter as she had it in the anime. Also to make it a bit more interesting like having a team of 6 you can use some Pokemon she used in the anime as well.