Went and switched my team up but it kinda feels like Surge has an answer for everything I do. This is too difficult for me to really enjoy, so I think it's time for me to admit I'm not a Pokemon Master and bow out gracefully.

Still, it's an impressive romhack.

Did the SS Anne and now have Cut. Tried to take on Lt Surge - thought I'd be clever and Rare Candy my Trapinch to get it past the Lv34 cap and evolve it, but Vibrava alone isn't nearly enough to deal with Surge.

So I'll need to swap my team around... first on my shopping list is probably Gastrodon. With the Lucky Eggs from Brandon and DexNaving Audinos north of Celadon levelling shouldn't be too onerous.

Levelling up Grimer-A and Ponyta-G helped make quick work of Archer. Moving on to Cerulean I grabbed a Pansage with Overgrow from a Raid Den which I evolved.

I didn't realise Simisage got Gorilla Tactics (i.e. Choice Band: the Ability) but for Special attacks instead. Shame the only special attack it currently knows is Mega Drain, but I literally did nothing but spam it all the way through the Misty fight and won.

Bugsy in Cerulean Cape was a lot harder, it took several attempts before I could deal with his Scyther's Swords Dance shenanigans and his Scizor. In the end I scraped past by burning Scyther with Will O Wisp and using Graveller-A to counter Scyther.

Moving on to Viridian City I wandered east and found Brendan, who was again surprisingly tough. It seems like these minibosses are harder than the Gym leader so far! After a few attempts I did beat him without changing up my team.

Decided to dive back into this. Made it up to the end of Mt Moon, where Archer showed up and is currently kicking my ass with his Strong Jaw Mightyena. Really need a good counter - I thought Ponyta-Galar might do it, but Mightyena outsped and 1HKO'd with Poison Fang before I could get off a Will O Wisp to cripple it. Oh well! Back to the drawing board.

Played a little more of this and beat Brock, who was much less challenging to me than Faulkner.

Currently on the route east of Pewter City, before Mt Moon.

This is a romhack I've been meaning to properly get into for a while, especially with the minimal grinding mode getting rid of IVs and EVs (one of the worst and grindiest parts of Pokemon).

I've made it up to Falkner, who kicked my ass. I then switched out my team with some Pokes caught and levelling in Diglett's Cave and scraped past. Oof. If it gets harder from here, it may be too much for me.