[An appreciation of Intense Mode]

Well, this is an interesting topic!!! 

I've played through the whole intense mode (13.0.0) with the added rules of Set & Item ban from the start of the game, and i got some mixed feelings about the difficulty. And because I can’t shut up, i’m going to tell my opinion (yay... i'm sorry)

 

The all-knowing AI

 

Yes, i definitely can understand the feeling of unfairness, the fact that the AI could know the items and moves i used felt a little cheap, BUT, that was the same reason i could win a lot of fights, because the AI is even more abusable right now, it always "over predicts" and you can play around it in a lot of fun ways if you have the time, teams members and items. It’s, in my opinion, something that’s fun, it’s a new layer of challenge.

 

The Grind that's no more

 

I'm so happy to see some changes in the patches that helped with this little problem. In the original version I got to the point that I wanted to have a debug menu just to make things faster or to change to normal mode. I ended up using one team.. but like a box full of rotations, and that took a lot of time. Fortunately, this problem is disappearing as the patches come, giving the player access to more tools to modify, build or rebuild their teams, and that's just amazing, i really appreciate what the team of rejuvenation is doing in this matter. 

 

The fields have changed 

 

It's cool that technically you can't cheese every fight with terrain changes because it makes you think for some other strategies and i understand this, BUT i have two particular issues with this:

 

1- It's sad that you can't break or change some fields like you could in the past, and i'm not talking about using grassy terrain of grassy surge (i'm actualy a fan of the interactions this brings to the gameplay, i really liked the overlaping effects of fields and not just destroying them), i'm talking about the really FUN and crazy-wacky ways you could change fields, it's something that it's even said inside the game, and then i ask, why you can't do it now? it's not something that you can do easily and with no kind of effort, you have to do a lot of changes in the teams you're using to not just change the field, but to use it to your advantage, or to go into really specific fields. And no, doing this (not allowing this dynamic interacctions with fields) is not a real way to stop ''cheese tactics''
 

2- You can say that this was a method to stop mindlessly winning fights, but there's a mistake with that assumption, 'cause you will and can break the game in a million different (less fun) ways, you can use destiny bond, bastiodon crest, F.E.A.R, wonder guard, neutralizing gas, AI abuse, innards out, baton pass, minimize, etc. 
I swept Souta using two pokemon, raichu and A-palossand, and i have seeing people use destiny bond and shedinja to win against Saki without a problem (Also, please, tell me, i don't know, but can you still use the lame field change of rainbow field?).
The only real way to stop people from using those kind of strategies is to limit almost every option the player has, and that's definitely not a good way to go unless you want a kaizo... 

And speaking of unfair things, i need to rant about the ONLY REALLY UNFAIR!!! -also spoilers- fight in the intense mode with the added rules...

 

Spoiler

Who wants to flip coins to win?!?!

Ejem...
WHY DOES THE RESHIRAM FIGHT HAS TO BE LUCK RELIANT!?!?!?
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... help
I swear it took me more than 30 attempts to win, i always lost because of missing a move, losing the speed tie with espeon, having a low count of sleep turns, crits, and such... i know i usually have bad luck, but for arceus sake, that was just insane. 

 

Anyway, moving on...

 

Intensive creativity
oh, and spoilers too
 

Spoiler

 

I think this version of rejuvenation was a fantastic way of showing the imagination, heart and soul that was put in this game, from the avenium forms, more use of cinematics, wonderful art, and a lot more things that enlisting wouldn't be enough of fair. 

But there was one thing i don't usually see people talking about, and it's the new surprises in battles, and with this i'm referring to the fights against Neon & Magenta and Saki (those were the two fights i noticed this) 

I remember my reaction the first time i got to fight for the psychic badge, i LOVED to see the use of what i think is/was a specific trick room on Neon's pokemon, it's an incredible idea i didn't think was possible, and the use of wonder room with the Saki fight was more of the same. 
i think this opens a lot of possibilities to play around with the difficulty, it's just adding to the fields and more

 

Friendship ended with LO Mega-Ray. Now seed Eternatus-Eternamax is my best friend
 

Oh boi, this is something, 'cause I don't know how to feel about it, and yes, I titled this with a really bad meme attempt.

 

While being in the same category of "ways to break the rules of pokemon", adding challenge and dancing around the problematic concept of unfairness, it's something that I feel can be used in a bad way.

 

I loved the gimmick that i explained before with the creativity topic, it brings attention to some mechanics of the game that usually don't get that much love with fields or fights in general (one way more then the other), but the use of items while also using megas felt like it was to much, and not even increasing the difficulty in some battles 

In some fights I didn't even realize or notice that some mega pokemon had items, while others gave me headaches (damn you useless ?????, you and your fragile crested beheeyem)

What I'm trying to say is, the items can feel like over-the-top artificial difficulty, can take the game to a ridiculous extreme (this is the point I'm referring to when I say this CAN be bad, but not necessarily), and it also feels… lame?
I don’t know, i’m conflicted, i don’t like it, and can see problems, but at the same time i’m just ‘’ok’’ with it and I can see the use of this mechanic in more interesting ways that are not just giving X broken mega Y broken item (i don't want to see a M-mewtwo X/Y with a seed inside the New World field) 

I swear i'll stop right know 

Overall, the new intense mode is a great experience, i really enjoyed it (not to the point i would replay it), i can understand some changes and appreciate a lot more of them while also having some thoughts about them.

Omg, you read all of this.... ty! 

[What are your V13 MVPs (and, if applicable, favorite strategies)?]

Well, i have to say i loved using pyukumuku against earlier rifts, not only because it can acctually take a hit, but because of two things, first is memento (also, weezing with neutralazing gas is the better option against late-game boss/rift mons) , and second, innards out, it was beautifull to just throw two pyukumukus and see the rift kill himself.

A-Palossand (rock type) was a suprising and wonderfull defensive option, solid rock saved me more than once, learns a reliable hp recovery option (recover), learns stealth rock and can even play with nature power

A-Paras. Yes, paras, not parasect, because you can only get it really late in the story. Having a broken ability like resurrection can make this little zombie a threath even if it's not  fully evolved, and even more suprisingly, it hits H A R D, well, not as much as a darmanitan, but stronger than a base 100 in attack

I need to do some honorable mentions, the firt being grimmsnarl, while it didn't stand out that much it was a really solid option throught most of the game, it was one piece of my team that i didn't need to chage that much between fights, having good bulk, prankster to support in singles or doubles with thunder wave, fake out or fake tears, having set up with bulk up, and a fantastic move that one shot's Flora's ferrothorn, spirit break. very consistent

Stonejourner: This pokemon help me a lot in double fights, specifically against Angie and the top of Valor mountain, wide guard, rock slide and power spot is all it needs

Abomasnow/Vanilluxe: When you can change the weather you can play your own game... most of the times... 

[SPOILER!!! (I need help with a fight that seems really unfair and overly luck reliant - Intense mode)]

Ok, how are you supposed to beat Risa's reshiram inside the school of nightmares using Lavander's team? 
I usually try to put it to sleep with espeon, stall the next turn sending alakazam and then switching to galarian rapidash to take the dragon claw and hit the shield two or three times, for the next turns i switch between delpox and exeggutor to make reshirams waste his shields because of the life orb recoil, after that i just hit it with the best moves the team has, but i can't kill it 

Also, this is really luck reliant not only because of the amount of sleep turns, but also there seems to be a speed tie between espeon and reshiram, so, halve of the time espeon is killed without being able to use yawn, and i don't even want ot try using thunder wave of the alakazam, not only it seems that it will just waste two mons instead of one (using the "strategy" i described earlier), but it also means it will need more "luck", and some mons (exeggutor) can't outspeed reshiram even if it's paralized

Did I miss something? I am doing something wrong? Should I go back to a previous save file and choose the interceptor's dream to try to do this with a team of my own? (I don't even know if the latter is possible)

[What mega stones are available by the end of v13?]

59 minutes ago, 7ravens said:

Did we get the mega ring at any point yet?

Spoiler

Some time after you start the fifteenth chapter

 

[Help with souta(intense)]

you can make a joke of this fight with a raichu (Lightning rod + encore + thunder + agility + HP ice/water)
I used a lead palossand (the rock one) to stall the tailwind of hawlucha and to put stealth rocks, then i hit once or twice the hawlucha to force a switch, then souta sends thundurus to hit me with a thunder, i switch to raichu and encore. i my experience souta keeps using thunder until i'm at +6 Sp. Atk and +6 speed.
You can get a pichu (high chance of 31 IVs) doing the first "fight me" quest 

[Just needing general help. (Please read)]

3 hours ago, 321_King_123 said:

Ahhhhh sorry! I got confused!

I have the Rock memory, i was looking for the Ground memory

You'll find it at the entrace of the restored eclysia pyramid 

[V13’s New Gift Pokemon - Stats]

1 minute ago, 321_King_123 said:

To get Prism Scale.. Can we only get 1 in the game? cuz i already used mine in a normal Milotic. Like, if i find a Wild-Feebas, there is a 5% chance its holding a Prism Scale, does it works something like that? or is there any place i can buy it?

 

And finally, what would it be its best movepool and EV? If i want a SpDefense-One.. Should i go to Full HP and full Special Defense, and if i want a more agressivily milotic, should i go for a Full Hp and Full Atk?

You can get one more inside the diving spot in the Zorrialyn labyrinth.
And, i'm not 100% sure, but i think you are correct with the wild-feebas chance 

[Rift Hippowdon Help Request]

I used orbeetle (Important moves: calm mind, psychic and recover - egg move), thievul (with crest, snarl and parting shot), A-Roserade (nature power and earth power), appletun (apple acid, leech seed, dragon pulse and recover) and indeedee (psychic and encore)

First i used parting shot/snarl and the crest of thievul to lower the offensive stats, then i broke the shield with indeedee, orb and roserade, when the shield was done i bring appletun and kill it in the long run 

Be prepared of what's coming at the end of this place, it's realy dumb

[Question about the AI]

Oh yes, that lovely all-knowing AI. Your items, EVs, IVs, abilities, moves and even your sanity is not safe.

I'm in with saying this is a not really fair, but i have to say it can be really fun to break if you know what to do, i swept souta using a raichu with hidden power water, agility, thunder, encore and lightning rod.

...

WELL, most of the times, because you'll see more often than not, that the AI will decide between two options (like a coin flip?). When i was fighting against Flora, she usually used hexing slash in front of an abomasnow and then switch to ferrothorn predicting ice shard, but sometimes she left mismagius on the field even if i repeat the same accions i did the battle before resetting, and with no change in my team 

This new update is great, but it has some really ''sour'' flaws


Also, sorry if i misspelled something or stopped making sense mid sentence, i'm not a native english speaker, but i'm eager to learn from my mistakes in practice!