Words From The Pokemon League Judge

When the Gen IV challenge was first brought up (well before the current discussions), I tried doing one on a spare Diamond cartridge.

All I can say is that the type restriction is tough! Good luck :d

I think the hardest part is planning for which Pokemon to use.

So if you start with Mudkip you can't catch Kyogre?

That is correct. If you nab zigzagoon early no tailow.

Are you allowed extra HM Slaves? If not, this will get really interesting.

Could you release the Machop and then evolve Torchic?

Nope. One of any type (evolutions being only exception for same type). I started playing my Ruby this morning then started tracking down version exclusive info. I wanted Lot ad for eventual Water/Grass but he is only in Sapphire.

I'll probably do your challenge/Nuzlocke today. I got inspired by many which includes you

No extra slaves. Your Water Pokemon will be a slave due to the need of Surf, Dive and Waterfall.

If you do join the group and post a starting pic and then pics right after you beat each gym. There will be a leaderboard so take pics of the save screen.

With Gen IV, you couldn't get Palkia or Dialga if you began with Piplup (well, you could get Dialga if you didn't fully evolve piplup, but still...)
HM slaves are the hardest to account for :/

Right now I just reached the first gym with Torchic and Zigzagoon. Zigzagoon can learn surf so he covers the early HM stuff. I'll try and catch a Maril or Tentacool for the other two water HMs.

What if I caught a Nincada? I'm assuming when it evolves, you have to release either Ninjask or Shedinja, but what about the typing? Could I never get a Numel or Flygon now, or what?

You could keep both as long as those types have not been caught. If they have already been caught you can't evolve. Don't forget that Shedinja requires an empty slot and a pokeball. You can avoid that Pokemon from showing up.

If an early stage has a different typing than a later stage that early stage typing is still blocked unless you caught the later evolution and never had the early.

I just beat my Dad's gym and so far I find the limits on Pokemon to be not that hard to work with. Up until after I fought Team Magma on top of the volcano I think I only had four Pokemon in my party. Early on I found two Pokemon was sufficient to beat the gyms.

I suppose it all comes down to how well you plan.

I wanted a water Pokemon for the fourth gym but the only one I ever encountered was either Wingul or magikarp. Wingul cannot learn dive/waterfall so he's out and Gyrados is not in my plan.

What about Tentacruel/Tentacool? They can learn the three water HMs, and you can find them in Dewford by fishing w/ the old rod.

I thought the old rod only catches magikarp? Regardless I will be catching a jelly as my water Pokemon once I need dive. I have also learned the value of a small party; everyone levels up faster!

Yeah, that's why solo runs are kind of easy. Also, I remember you can catch Tentacools because I was like "heck, why not" and sed my Old Rod and got a Shiny. Now it's in the (hopefully) good care of Deneves.