Baby Only Crystal Run
Preface: I’ve played this game more times than I can count and have done various challenges (Eeveelutions only/Johto only/Trashlocke) and wanted to try something different, hence beating Red with only baby Pokemon.
Rules
Set mode, no items in battle, no daycare, can catch pokemon for HM purposes
Pokemon
There are 8 babies in a Crystal (Pichu/Tyrogue/Cleffa/Igglybuff/Togepi/Magby/Elekid/Smoochum)
I’m not using Tyrogue, cause it’s terrible and Pichu (since I’m planning on Elekid)
I allowed for 2 modifications to make this doable/easier
I made Cleffa my starter. You can’t get a baby before 1st gym and Cleffa isn’t obtainable until Kanto so I made it my defacto starter
Magmar is obtainable in the burned tower in Gold and Silver but not in Crystal. You can’t get it until Mt Silver which is basically useless so I modified an encounter in Burned Tower to a Magmar and breaded for a Magby
The other Mons, I caught their evolved forms and bred with a Ditto to get the baby forms.
-Moony the Cleffa was a decent early game attacker that was mainly a damage sponge for a safe swap in by the late game.
-Robotnick the Togepi is terrible as you can imagine. Mud-Slap for accuracy drop, charm for attack drop and eventually double-edge for last ditch damage
-Mariah the Igglybuff was the worst member for a long time. Icy Wind user for speed drops was its main job
-Incendio the Magby was huge learning Fire Punch early and eventually Flamethrower. Cleaned up on Steel/Ice/Grass types. Used iron Tail for some rock coverage
-Kisses the Smoochum is a massive upgrade to the team after the 7th gym. Psychic and Ice Punch dominate a ton of the game with Perish Song there for emergencies
-Socket the Elekid was the MVP. Hatched it in the odd egg (first try). Thunderpunch, Ice Punch early (eventually Thunderbolt) just destroys everything. Solo’d Lance and destroyed almost all of Kanto
There were stretches that his was not bad but there were major roadblocks as well. Whitney as usual, fire pokemon, some of Team Rocket (before Smoochum) and Lance. His team was tough until Elekid could one shot the Dragonite’s with Ice Punch.
Kanto was a joke as usual until Blue. Had to level up a ton to beat him and it took a ton of luck.
Finally Red, tried at level 65, 70 and 75 and couldn’t make any real progress. Finally at level 80, got it done with insane luck
Magby one shot Pikachu and then Espeon with a crit. Swapped to Togepi for some mud-shots to lower accuracy. Elekid swap and got a paralysis with Thunderbolt along with 2 full paralysis. Red brought in Venusaur, I set up a sunny day and one shot with Flamethrower. Next was Blastoise, swapped to Elekid who finished Blastoise and Charizard with Thunderbolt to win.
A fun but very frustrating run as these mons have terrible defense and mostly bad attack so lots of deaths and leveling up was a chore. Off to the next challenge.