Ground Day 4: The Winding Spiral Path

Current location: Back in the north Pokemon Center of Lumiose after a round of training, about to raid Route 14.

The team is all L37 with one exception, and the movesets haven't changed for the big 5 from yesterday (though Simon's now a Hippowdon) - but we did add two newcomers:

Leyte the Gabite - Brave, STed Atk/Speed - Dragon Claw, Dig, Rock Tomb, Aerial Ace/Shadow Claw depending on the needs of the team at that moment
Gimmy the Stunfisk - Timid, STed SA/Speed, Limber - Thunderbolt, Surf, Mud Bomb, Discharge

After dropping Diggersby for the last time, we set out for a quick jaunt of grinding on Route 12 and the Azure Bay -  despite carrying all of these Ground-types, they didn't get a single Water move off in all of the Azure Bay. Upon our return, it was down to Route 13 and the first Gible caught happened to be Brave - not ideal, but ingame it's workable.

The hard part was getting it to evolve, until I realized there was a new experience mechanic in XY that gives Pokemon past their experience level a 50% booster, which got me a Gabite after beating the rival with some timely switching. For beating down disaster bringers, there's nothing better than a rampaging Nia.  :-)

In the Courmarine gym, I decided to see if Gabite could run it - and after swapping in Rock Tomb to not get nearly wrecked by Jumpluff (one Tomb meant Gabite was faster) and a few Soda Pop Gabite managed to bring down a rampaging Gogoat who helped by committing Take Down-induced suicide.

It was back to the Route That Shall Not Be Named afterwards, and into the Flare office to let Leyte finish catching up inside the Power Plant. Though somehow, Kamina managed to hit L37 first.... Completing the plant meant Lumiose Gym, and the only damage I took prior to the gym battle were a couple of Static-induced paralysis incidents. Clemont managed to inflict the only damage of the gym when Leyte's Rock Tomb didn't OHKO Emolga so it had time to fire an Aerial Ace - thankfully, Nia cleaned up from there. And yes, that included OHKOing Magneton by using Bonemerang to get around Sturdy.

Another round of rival fighting followed, then as it turned out, I didn't need to bring the Pikachu with me after all - a few resets and I managed to find a Timid Stunfisk. Sadly, no Static, but maybe that's for the best.

Tomorrow: I've got to deal with Route 14 by dropping Rossiu for now and leveling up Gimmy. Rossiu's going to probably solo the Laverre Gym, then we'll go from there. I'm thinking the goal for tomorrow is to get through Frost Cavern.