seki108

No one gets mercy from Kaiba in Duel Links

https://www.deviantart.com/hozure/art/Kaiba-Doodle-667131913

Backtracking and exploring got done a bit ago, so time to get back to the main line of this puppet plot.  I'll just start off by posting my current full team after this.  I'm not exactly sure how far I am in the game, but the last few important enemies finally had their puppets at levels equal to mine again.  I imagine this means somewhere past the mid-game but not quite to end-game;  pure speculation there, but I'm glad they got back up.   One or two of the new types still mixes me up at times, and I'm not entirely used to being forced to use Set style (since there is not Switch option) which is probably why have have a few more bulkier/defensive mons than usual.

Sidenote:  wow, hte Power Suika sprite sure is displayed huge in battle.  I guess that's why real Suika is the perfect Snorelax obstacle for the game......also Power Suika is essentially Slacking since she only moves ever other turn

Section dedicated to Skill Link and it's equivalent in this game that just didn't seem to really fit anywhere in the post well. Possibly slightly incorrect

Moving on, this game's FLY equivalent decided to instead be a FLY and Teleport combo, since you can use it almost anywhere and will even take you back to the more out the way places.  The Gap Map is also the only map you see all game, so it was interesting to see it all laid out.  It is interesting how Youkai Mountain has a number of spots to teleport and is quite spread out across the top traveled portion of the map.

The only place it seems you can't use it is inside important buildings.......despite no unique message popping up when trying to ride a bike indoors, we do get this with the map dammit Yukari

First important opponent of this session.  There were other named opponents, mostly the crew from the first three stages of Touhou 12--but they weren't worth mentioning. 

While she decided to for some reason have the same stallish Defense Reimu that Sanae had, I at least knew the puppet I had that could take it without having to trapesy halfway down a mountain to change a team out.  Thankfully the rest of her team was offensive Power variants, so at least there weren't more Recover shenanigans.

The final thing I did before stopping for the day was a boss battle against Satori.  She's the first enemy to use a full team of 6, aside from the Three Fairies of Light, though all of Satori's were Styled (basically evolved, with a specialization). 

At first I though it was strange that she had the opener as me......and then she had another puppet in common.  I feel silly that I didn't remember that Satori's whole gimmick in the canon Touhou games is copying spells.  Here she seems to copy your current team, right down to the levels and items they are holding.  As caught off guard as I was, I have to agree with Satori below and admit it was a great battle.  

Good cover, though I'm not as keen on the singing than the instrumental

Original for comparison

Is there an ability in Pokemon that disable's any opponent's ability upon switch in?  I definitely don't think there is, but I wanted to ask since my memory is unreliable in the best of times.

Best sisters and fairies made their appearances.   Seems Shizuha got camera shy when I was taking the screenshot and I'm not backtracking to take another

I'm glad The Three Fairies of Light (first spoiler) got their own remix in the game (second spoiler tag).  As much as I like the normal Puppet Liberation Front theme (third spoiler), it was getting a bit tired 

As annoying as Remilia using a 'Power' styled Remilla puppet to one-shot two of my units a day or so ago was, that pales to the sheer annoyance that Sanae's trollish stall build was.  Defensive Reimu's odd typing + Recover + a 30 pp move that gives a random stat a double boost every turn with no drawbacks = one hellish time.  Unfortunately, the one puppet that I had at the time with defense Reimu's weakness is more defensive and couldn't outdamage her.   Thankfully once I got over her, her speed Marisa puppet was a glass cannon while her last puppet was another speed type, but not as much of a glass canon.

Second battle again a trainer with specialized (evolved) puppets.....yeah, that sure went from 15 to 100 real fast. Sakuya's fight with three specialized puppets wasn't close to this difficult.  Remillia however....:

The mooks are still below level 30 (where a puppet can 'evolve'/specialize) but they are close to that point......though I'm almost 10 levels ahead thanks to the EXP share like mechanics.  The last bit does make it easier to bring in new puppets without having to do overtime training.

Thankfully, it also doesn't force you to use HMs in the game, using special items similar to Insurgence.  To add extra point to this, THEY RIDE IN THE RAFT WITH YOU TOO.  I can't help that I find this extra cute.   Also, I don't get why I didn't see Suika in her giant form as the perfect Snorlax substitute when passed out drunk

It seems the group of meme remixers saw fit to bless the October 1st with the gift of Autumn.  Even if it's an old meme at this point, it checks out

On one hand, I like that PDP:SOD give every puppet three different forms to "evolve" into (in most cases).  It seems to give each one has a decent amount of options/builds, especially with how much can change for some (ie  gaining or even losing a typing, both types changing, unique abilities for some, etc)

On the other, choosing them at level 30 when most of your team hits that point at about the same time, along with trying to mostly do it blind (without planning a team roles) really makes confirming one for the rest of the game harder.  Sure, you can go back and catch another one, hope you got decent IVs (or whatever they are called here), and level it up again.....but that takes a chunk of time and there is no speedup button (though I guess Cheat-engine could do it). 

You don't have to choose at level 30, so I guess it could wait; however, the immediate stat difference could be helpful.....though maybe that's why the enemy levels are still below 25 in this section: to give you time to choose.  Or maybe I just did a bit too much grinding looking for the last two puppets on the list below.....not sure if they will become permanent, but they apparently have the highest base stats that don't get nerfed by an ability (like Slaking or Regigigas).