Introduction
This is a follow-up to
my previous submission with an updated route, which seems different enough to me to create a new submission.
Clefable Skip
The most significant difference from the previous route is skipping Clefable entirely, and instead using Squirtle until Tauros is caught.
Thanks to gifvex for proposing to look into this option more; I thought I ruled this out as being slower while working on the previous submission, but I clearly miscalculated.
A pure Squirtle route loses most of the time during the final stretches of the game, as Blastoise's move set and stats cannot keep up with the end-game fights.
However, when optimizing Squirtle to only be used until the Safari Zone, a lot of the slow parts can be cut out.
It still can't complete that stretch of the game as efficiently as Clefable, but fast enough that it outweighs catching a Clefairy for it.
This run saves 15 seconds compared to the previous submission and 67 seconds compared to the
currently published run, entering the Hall of Fame with an 1:26 IGT after the previous run was so tantalizingly close to that minute barrier.
Other route updates
Version
This run does not dependent on any version specifics and uses Pokémon Blue instead of Red purely for variety, and because it allowed me to re-use the start of my previous
pure Squirtle TAS.
The submitted Red TAS is not re-usable since Squirtle's DVs are not sufficient to complete the expanded required fights efficiently.
Paras
The Paras in Mt. Moon is caught directly in front of the TM Mega Punch, in order to perform a Jingle Skip when collecting it, saving a bit more than a second.
Thanks to TiKevin83 for proposing this optimization.
Route 25
This TAS still prefers the slower top Hiker to the bottom one, but for different reasons:
where in the previous TAS it aligned Clefable's level ups better to save time with redbar, here it aligns the level-ups in a way so that Wartortle learns Bite at L24 before Bill.
Learning a move cancels Instant Text, so you want it to happen in a convenient location.
Top Hiker also allows access to the hidden Elixer which is used to fill Wartortle's PP for Bubblebeam and Bite.
Underground Tunnel
Collecting the hidden Full Restore is no longer necessary, as TM Thunderbolt from Surge will go unused now to fill its spot.
Route 6
The Jr.Trainers can now be fought in the faster order since it doesn't affect the level-up alignment for Wartortle.
Vermilion City
The fight against the Rival's Ivysaur takes an additional turn due to Wartortle's lower stats, but it is somewhat mitigated by Bite's ability to cause the enemy to flinch.
Surge's Raichu also takes an additional turn and is faster, so Bubblebeam is used to lower its Speed instead.
Rock Tunnel
The Slowpokes are the worst match-up for Wartortle as they are bulky and resistant to Water-type attacks.
Again, Bite helps keeps the time loss manageable.
Route 8
A full-game Squirtle route would fight the Gambler instead of the Lass for the extra EXP, but Wartortle will be retired in this route before that becomes an issue, so fighting the Lass is faster.
Celadon City
This is where the majority of the time is being saved compared to a pure Squirtle route:
There is no need to buy Mega Kick or Ice Beam to prepare Wartortle for the late game.
Pokémon Tower
Wartortle's performance is already visibly declining in the Rival and Rocket fights, requiring multiple extra turns, again mitigated using Bite.
Unlike for Clefable, it's faster for Wartortle to damage back into redbar after the heal pad, since it needs only 3 turns to do so.
Conclusion
As if to prove its point, my previous submission trying to shake up the Gen 1 routing and invite more experimentation for faster strategies turned out to be improvable significantly by a different route before even being published.
And while this route is somewhat less exciting than the Clefable version, it still proves the point well that some creative thinking can lead to new breakthroughs.
Memory: Optimization seems good, there's one potentially viable improvement that was pointed out but it's only one second and would require redoing the whole run.
The difference of routes was a fresh take on glitchless Pokemon, and the audience really enjoyed it as a result.
