Filling in the (National) Pokedex in the main games...is it really worth it?

[Knight of Time]

Hey guys,

I'm guessing it's either been a long time or the first time such a topic like this has appeared, but has anyone either completed the (National) Pokedex on any of the main series Pokemon games, whether early as the RBY days or as recent as one of the 4th or 5th generation games?

I completed it in Pokemon Yellow, and I *might* have completed it at least once in Pokemon Blue, Pokemon Gold, and Pokemon Crystal, but I only have 5 badges in the original Blue version, and my last save in Pokemon Gold was apparently erased at one point (I'm not sure about Pokemon Crystal)...but as for the 3rd generation games, I'm actually making a serious point of completing the National Pokedex on all 5 (it's definitely no walk in the park, but I'm fairly confident that someday I'll have it complete in each).

Anyway, does anyone find that filling up the (National) Pokedex is worth it in the end after all the hard work has been done?

[Austrian ViceMaster Alex]

I had it completed in R/B/Y and G/S a long time ago. When playing Diamond/Pearl I had all the Pokémon except for two which I thought was quite a feat too. I didn't regret going through all the trouble but of course there's little to no actual "reward" except for a differently colored trainer pass.

[Rossymore]

The closest I ever got was in my Blue game, with 149/151. The only two missing were Kangaskhan and Tauros, both I could get in my Silver game, but never got around to it, then I gave it to someone else for some reason. Don't know why. Maybe it was completed, maybe not. Don't know.

Another was Diamond where I got 459/484 (as I had Manaphy and Phione), but since I was missing games like Ruby, FireRed and Pearl, I couldn't complete the last of it and I couldn't do anything else, so I restarted.

But completing the Pokedex gives you a Trainer Star and a Diploma. It isn't worth but it's good for bragging rights. And you can say that you have, indeed, caught them all.

I'm also doing this in my White game, currently 460/649. It's still a work in progress, but I'm determined to do it, even if it will be just the one game. And I'm also trying to get one of each as well, just to add to the challenge.

But if you have all five games for Gen III, you can do it. I assume just getting the ones necessary, as there is no way in hell you are getting event legendaries in this day and age. Also, getting the Johto starters will be tough unless you have Colosseum/XD, or you'll have to complete the Hoenn Dex in Emerald three times. But if you want to do it, you'll be doing a lot of trading. Good luck.

[Knight of Time]

But if you have all five games for Gen III, you can do it. I assume just getting the ones necessary, as there is no way in hell you are getting event legendaries in this day and age. Also, getting the Johto starters will be tough unless you have Colosseum/XD, or you'll have to complete the Hoenn Dex in Emerald three times. But if you want to do it, you'll be doing a lot of trading. Good luck.

Thanks...I do have Pokemon Colosseum, which is where I once snagged a female Feraligatr that I bred to get Totodile in all 3 Hoenn games, and I also have a Chikorita on Emerald. But at one point, I had to erase all the save data on my GameCube memory card, including my old Colosseum save file...these days though I have a different save file on Colosseum where I've gotten nearly all the Shadow Pokemon (I hatched a Cyndaquil on Emerald using a Ditto and the Typhlosion that evolved from the Quilava I snagged on Colosseum). So all in all, my progress in the 3rd generation games is going pretty good so far.

[Lady Vulpix]

Once upon a time back in the RBY era I thought about it. I realized it would require not only trading (for which I didn't have the means), but also Mew, who was impossible to obtain in my country without a GameShark. Then I stopped thinking about it.

[Rossymore]

The thing with getting Mew is that you have to plan beforehand if you're going to get it or not, as once you defeat certain trainers, you can't get it anymore, through the glitch, though it won't really matter, unless you want it for the Gen II games as well.
The same is for Celebi, which is really hard to get if you don't use the Egg Glitch. Though I have yet to use this one as I need two Sneasel at very high level, though I am trying on Crystal and Red to complete the Pokedex.

[ChobiChibi]

I've never really done it properly. I think the closest I got to completion was in Silver (whose battery has died, sadface). I'm not really bothered about completing the whole dex, but I am trying to get all the event 'mon. I think the only one I'm missing from recent events is Deoxys. The only reason I don't have Zorua or Zoroark is because I don't have the means to transfer my Celebi or shiny dogs.

I didn't go to the Darkrai event, but I nabbed one off a friend. Same with Spiritomb (it's level 1 lol). I've even got event Mews left from gen 3! I've traded quite a few of my multiples away though.

[DarkestLight]

I've done it in every gen, hence why Im still kinda sore that my pokemon black corrupted itself and made me lose all those guys that I just traded over from gen 3 and 4 completed dex's. When B/w two comes out, ima gonna try to do it again, as I still have a set of legends from each gen except gen 5 (which ill catch in Bw2...) to trade over. Going to all those events over the years and stockpiling really paid off. I just wish they had a mass transfer system so it didn't take 4 frickin hours each time.

Rossy-I had 1 of everyone too u.u Doing that again is kinda low now in my exciteometer...it was easier gathering them all and then sending them to each gen. If gdn 6 isn't compatible with this gen, Id be all about starting over.

Reminds me, do I have a 'tomb? Hope so.

[ChobiChibi]

I can breed you a 'tomb :3 Poor Ditto-whore, that's gotta be one of the scariest things to breed with ever.

[Drago]

151 in Blue and Yellow. Fairly close in Silver. Then realised that it wasn't worth my time. I spent my hours in the casino instead.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

Nope, never made it. I do have Mew though. Two of them. All I had to do was to send my Pokemon Red to ILikePokemon;P to Australia and he put the Mews there.

When I told this in a Finnish Pokemon forum, they suspected sharking and I had to give them the OTs, which were AUS and NAL. In fact, I'd like someone to explain what's the difference between these OTs and the sharked ones, still haven't figured that one out.

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

I did it. Now it's cool that you only have to see all of them, instead of capture, right?

[DarkestLight]

No. Still capture

[Lady Vulpix]

I'm glad the Pokemon you see count. I don't want having to capture Pokemon I don't even like just to get a TM or something.

[Blademaster]

I came close in Gen 2. Then I lost that closeness and said "Fuck it." Haven't worried about the Pokedex since.