Giovani has left Celadon City
The Rocket Base was pretty straightforward and it's funny just how little care Team Rocket takes to hide it. Now that I think about it, maybe it's just classic Team Rocket
Before clearing out the Rocket Base, I explored the area. I forgot about the game developers in the Pokémon Mansion but it's cool seeing them in the game world and how they comment on their creation
I received the Rainbow badge without much trouble, thanks to a supply of awakenings and antidotes from the department store. The gym really boosted my Charmander's level but ember is still his only fire attack. He and Pidgey have reminded me just how sparse the moveset is in this game. Oddish's absorb isn't much better but Charmander's ember did feel pretty weak against Pokémon like Erika's Victreebel. It's crazy that I managed to teach Pidgey his first flying type move via a HM before he learns one naturally.
Anyway, I'll be heading to Lavender Town via Saffron City next. I always dashed back to the Pokémon Tower after Celadon City but I'm going to take my time to explore Saffron now that I've quenched the guards' thirst. Sabrina will have to wait until after the Tower as I want my Pokémon to be as strong as possible before I try to get her badge. My current team is:
Charmander - Level 30
Kadabra - Level 26
Pikachu - Level 25
Pidgey - Level 25
Vaporeon - Level 26
Geodude - Level 28
I decided to swap Butterfree for Kadabra because Butterfree was getting beaten up quite hard by confusion attacks from Slowpokes. Drowzee nearly made it onto the team to get some variety from the Abra family but I decided against it because I've never been a fan of Drowzee/Hypno.
For all the complains about the number of Pokémon in the series now, I do appreciate them because it means that there's a lot of choice when it comes to building a team for the single player game. I wanted to avoid Pokémon like Pidgey, Oddish and Abra but the alternatives in generation one aren't as appealing so I've pretty much gone back to my main team members. Nonetheless, I'm really enjoying the trip down memory lane and the road (back) to Viridian City