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Wanted: Advice on evolving Chimchar

baratron

Moderator of Elder Scrolls
Staff member
Moderator
Chimchar, or Hikozaru, is a very bizarre little Fire monkey. You know how sometimes you get a special move that you only get if you keep a pokemon in a lower evolution for a long time past the level at which it would normally evolve? And sometimes, you get a special move only if you allow the pokemon to evolve at the EXACT right level? Well, Chimchar has both. It has moves you can only get by leaving it as Chimchar forever, and moves you can only get by letting it evolve at the exact level. How bizarre.

Chimchar is focused on Special Attack moves. If you keep your starter as Chimchar, it learns:
lvl 23 Nasty Plot Dark status move -- -- Raises SP.ATT two stages
lvl 41 Flamethrower Fire Sp.Atk move 95 100 May induce burn.

However, if you allow your starter to evolve at the usual time, Monferno learns:
lvl 14 Mach Punch Fight Atk move 40 100 Always strikes first.
lvl 26 Feint Normal status move? -- -- Only works when foe uses Protect or Detect (I have no idea what this move does)
lvl 36 Close Combat Fight Atk move 120 100 Lowers user's DEFENSE and SP.DEF

Then, really bizarrely, Infernape learns a move called Punishment at lvl 33 - even though the usual evolution level for Monferno to turn into Infernape is lvl 36, and it's therefore impossible to have a lvl 33 Infernape!

I'm not so bothered about the Monferno vs Infernape evolution, but I want advice about when to evolve Chimchar. All three versions of the Fire starter have equal Attack & Special Attack base stats, and Infernape can learn powerful TM & HM attacks of both Physical & Special types. So it really is up to the player whether to train for Attack or Sp.Atk moves, but I don't know which to go for. What do you reckon - leave her as Chimchar until lvl 41 & EV train for Sp.Atk, or evolve her to Monferno a.s.a.p. & EV train for Attack?
 
I forget where, exactly, but there's a character in the game that will allow your Pokemon to "remember" techniques it would've known by its current level. You could probably use him to teach Punishment to your Infernape.
 
The move re-learner is in Pastoria City, and requires a heart scale (found easily enough in the Underground) to have one of your Pokemon learn any move it could've learned. It's the only way to get several moves, like Leaf Blade on Gallade or the elemental fangs on Aerodactyl.

As for the Chimchar issue, it's your choice. You could EV train either and get a pretty nice moveset.
 
What? Chimchar learns flamethrower? Oh man.. Can that move be relearned with that move-learning guy?

No, not once it's evolved. However, there is a flamethrower TM.

As for the OP, personally I prefer the special route (or at least keeping your Chimchar until he learns Nasty Plot)as then you can make use of his ability. A bit of a mental Infernape moveset (in my humble opinion) would be:

Infernape
Sunny Day
Solar Beam
FlameThrower
Nasty Plot

Helps if you can get a Salac berry, but not entirely neccesary, just might affect the EVs you choose, which is why I've left those blank. The strategy works thusly: Allow yourself to take a hit whilst putting out Sunnyday and hopefully forcing a switch to allow you to get atlest one Nasty Plot off. Then let Blaze (and Salac) activate, and sweep with your uber powerful fire attacks. Solar Beam is there for Waters, Rocks and Grounds. I was so nearly tempted to start with Chimchar because of this set!

Like others have said, it's all down to personal taste, but I hope that gives you a few ideas!
 

baratron

Moderator of Elder Scrolls
Staff member
Moderator
I ended up just evolving Chimchar at the lowest possible level. Couldn't get past the first Rock gym otherwise - which was rather a shock to the system, considering that I started with Naetle (Turtwig) on Diamond, and usually play a predominantly Grass & Water team. Adding the Fighting type made the gym easily do-able.

If I decide to get really anal about competitive battling and perfect skillsets, I'll breed Pokemon anyway :D.
 
I'm planning to do this when I restart. Just keep chimchar until level 23, when it learns Nasty Plot and then evolve it. Mach Punch can be relearned while it's a Monferno if you really want it.
 
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