Pokemon - Aaron's Low Budget Crystal ROM

Pokemon – Aaron’s Low Budget Crystal is an improvement hack with extra Pokemon, QoL features, and difficulty options, along with extra starters and better Pokemon Variety. Catch up to 525 Pokemon, mainly from Gens 1-3. Challenge the Gyms from Johto, Kanto, and Hoenn in almost any order. Regional Variants, Megas, and a few oddities to round out the Pokedex. Become a champion of Both the Indigo and Hoenn Pokemon Leagues, then compete in the World Tournament!

Features

• Running Shoes
• Use HMs without teaching the move
• More or less open world from the start (most blockers have been removed, Magnet Train is working from the beginning)
• Dynamic scaling system means the game world levels up with you as you gain badges
• Many Pokemon learnsets and base stats have been revamped
• Many moves have been altered, some with entirely new effects
• Gym leaders use different parties depending on your badge count
• Overworld Pokemon spawns can be interacted with (including some new boss encounters with boosted stats)
• Fairy Type added
• Dark and Dragon swapped to special,
• Ghost and Fairy set to special.
• Several Pokemons types have been changed to be less redundant (and hopefully more fun to use)
• Different starter options based on your chosen origin (currently only effects starters, looking into adding more differences)
• Freeze condition replaced with PLA’s frostbite
• Reduced encounter rates should make the game world a lot less frustrating to traverse
• Rematchable gym trainers (plus nurses in gyms for healing)
• Catch them all: Trade evolutions replaced with different methods, all Pokemon should be somewhere in the game world now. With the exception of a few legendaries that I’m working on new maps for.
• Dynamic level caps, based on badge count (current cap viewable on the trainer info screen).
• Boss Pokemon on the overworld (complete with expanded health bars that still need a bit of work).

Changelog

10-11-26

• Nuzlocke mode and a few surprises.

08-11-26

New features

• Move learning screen. Level-up, TM/HM and Move Tutor prompts now show a details box for the new move (type, category, power, accuracy, PP, description). Choosing a move to forget opens a full-screen list with the same details for each move.
• Pokémon colors. Pokémon can now have a color variant:
  • 17 type-themed palettes (one per Hidden Power type) and 9 legendary “blessing” palettes that count as shiny.
  • Recolor services in all three regions, plus a new one: a Fairy-type recolor at Mt. Moon Square, near the Clefairy dance, for a Moon Stone.
  • Colors show in battle, on party and PC icons, and on your follower.
  • Wild Pokémon have a rare (1 in 100) chance to appear with a type palette, and wild shinies a 1 in 32 chance to carry a blessing.
• Hidden Power has a Fairy type, for 17 types in all. The type comes from the Attack and Defense DVs, and matches the Pokémon’s type palette.
• Party menu redesign. Each Pokémon gets a card with its held item’s name, an info popup and a new submenu. Press Select to reorder.
  • Favorite follower: pick which Pokémon follows you (gold star). The favorite clears when you deposit it or pick another.
• Stats screen rework. It now shows happiness, stat bars, DV and EV pages, Hidden Power’s type, the ability, OT/ID and where the Pokémon was met. A Moves page lets you reorder moves; the old Moves option in the party menu is gone.
• Registered items. Register up to 4 items: press Select, then a direction to use one. Registered items are marked in the Pack.
• Ability popups. A banner slides in when an ability takes effect in battle.
• Exp. Share option (Options, page 2). On by default. Off: only Pokémon that battled gain EXP and EVs.

Battles and AI

• Trainer switching. Trainers now weigh switching out against staying in, and plan their turns. Higher-ranked trainer classes play smarter.
• Smarter move choice. The AI understands absorbing abilities, Mold Breaker, Rough Skin, Sturdy, Magic Guard and contact abilities like Static. It uses and plays around Protect better, and in doubles it focuses fire and avoids wasted overkill.
• EVs:
  • Trainers have EV spreads based on their class’s role (a tier higher on Hard), and those EVs are now actually used in battle.
  • Hard mode no longer gives every trainer maxed EVs.
  • Wild Pokémon have random EVs, kept when you catch them.
  • Vitamins are no longer limited by a 510 total.
• Hidden Power has a fixed 70 power; its type depends on the Pokémon (see New features).
• Surf is back to a plain 80-power Water move (the Speed boost is gone). In doubles it hits both foes.

Story and world

• League rematches. The Elite Four and Champions bring their rematch teams once you’ve beaten any League, instead of at 16 badges.
• Silver (Johto rival):
  • Kanto and Hoenn starts: the first time you meet him, wherever that is, he introduces himself.
  • Every battle against him can now be lost: your party is healed, he taunts you, and the story goes on.
• Kanto and Hoenn starts in Johto:
  • The battling Youngsters on Route 30 are gone, and Youngster Joey is there to battle.
  • Mr. Pokémon’s Mystery Egg errand and Silver watching Elm’s Lab are Johto-start only.
  • Prof. Elm and Mom’s phone call have new lines for you.
  • The Link Trade and Link Battle desks are open.
• Your house. Its door leads to your own home town; the other two towns’ home doors are locked.
• Coin Case for Kanto starts: the Celadon Game Corner receptionist gives one.
• Item and event fixes:
  • Olivine Port’s hidden Protein can be reached before the Hall of Fame.
  • The Seafoam Gym guide appears after you beat Blaine.
  • Four unreachable hidden items on Route 2 were removed.
  • The Regice Lair shows as Route 105 on the map.
  • Meeting Silver in the Goldenrod Underground before the Burned Tower no longer leads to a battle with an invisible Silver in the tower.

Wild Pokémon

• Wild encounters reworked on every route and dungeon: Pokémon live closer to their home regions, with more type variety per route.
• Fishing, Headbutt and Rock Smash Pokémon now scale with your progress, like grass encounters.
• Rock Smash in Kanto and Hoenn: each region has its own Rock Smash Pokémon, and many new breakable rocks.
• New for Kanto starts: an Old Rod in Viridian City, and a Hiker in the Mt. Moon Pokémon Center who gives TM08 (Rock Smash).

Fixes

• The opponent’s Pokémon no longer glitch on screen when you black out in a double battle.
• Fixed animation errors in several newer moves.
• Follower colors were reviewed for every species.
• A Pokémon’s gender is now stored on its own, so a recolor never changes it.

03-11-26

Battles

• New option: Battles (Normal / Doubles) on page 2 of the Options menu (scroll down past Cancel). With Doubles on, every trainer with 2 or more Pokémon fights a double battle. Wild battles, link battles, 1-Pokémon trainers and the first rival battle stay singles. This replaces the temporary “every battle is a double” setting.
• Duo trainers fight double battles every time: all Twins, Tate & Liza, and 9 new duo classes on routes, in caves and in Gyms: Couple, Swimmers, Ace Duo, Rangers, Fighters, Birders, Hikers, #fans and Pupils.
• Battle screen: reworked move menu in singles and doubles. Move info shows in the main window, with move power (“POW ?” for variable power). Doubles shows no HP numbers, and the target arrow is black.
• Animations: spread moves (Earthquake, Discharge and others) animate once instead of once per target. Entrance abilities such as Intimidate and weather also animate once. The partner no longer shakes when its ally is hit.

New abilities and moves

• 45 new abilities: Lightning Rod, Storm Drain, Keen Eye, Speed Boost, Sniper, Insulated, Plus, Minus, Telepathy, Air Lock, Friend Guard, Water Absorb, Volt Absorb, Sap Sipper, Flash Fire, Sturdy, Iron Barbs, Cloud Nine, Natural Cure, Poison Touch, Cute Charm, Gooey, Mold Breaker, Regenerator, Pixilate, Galvanize, Aerilate, Refrigerate, Dragonize, Normalize, Immolate, Hydrate, Contaminate, Verdify, Hydration, Tinted Lens, Scrappy, Sheer Force, Shadow Tag, Arena Trap, Magnet Pull, Battle Armor, Synchronize, Shell Armor, Poison Heal.
• Hidden abilities in the wild: wild Pokémon have a 10% chance of their hidden ability. Gift Pokémon get the same chance.
• 30 new moves: Frostbite, Acrobatics, CoupDeGrace, Knock Off, Discharge, Bulldoze, Electro Web, Break Swipe, Facade, Sucker Punch, Lava Plume, Taunt, Charge Beam, Electro Ball, Body Press, Flame Charge, Mystic Fire, Yawn, Strength Sap, Enervate, Aqua Tail, Grass Knot, Gyro Ball, Heavy Slam, Heat Crash, Ingrain, Aqua Ring, Drain Punch, Force Palm, Acid Spray. Some still borrow another move’s animation.

Items and shops

• 15 new held items: Flame Orb, Toxic Orb, Eviolite, Wide Lens, Black Sludge, Life Orb, Focus Sash, Rocky Helmet, Expert Belt, Muscle Band, Wise Glasses, Shell Bell, Big Root, Binding Band, Macho Brace. Most have no source yet; the challenge facilities will hand them out later.
• Type-boosting items now work (+20%). They never boosted anything before. Dragon Fang works too.
• Focus Sash and used berries come back after the battle, like an item removed by Knock Off.
• Berries use their modern names: Oran, Sitrus, Pecha, Cheri, Aspear, Rawst, Chesto, Persim, Lum and Leppa. Sitrus heals 1/4 of max HP, and Leppa restores 10 PP.
• Two counters in every mart:
  • The standard counter stocks by total badges from all regions: Poké Balls once you have a Pokédex, Great Balls at 3 badges, Ultra Balls at 5, Full Restore at 8, with potions, Revives and Repels in between. The single-status heals drop off once Full Heal arrives at 3 badges.
  • The specialty counter sells the town’s own stock, usually its Gym’s type booster plus local items. Examples: Lavaridge’s herb shop, Violet’s X items, Blackthorn’s battle items.
  • Department stores are unchanged. Cianwood keeps its pharmacy.
• Prices: every type booster costs 9,800, and the new held items have real prices (3,000 to 10,000). Zinc’s price is fixed.
• TM46 Thief is now sold at Vermilion’s specialty counter, so Kanto has a source.
• Ability Capsule and Ability Patch: the Pokédex aides give them out, and the Treetop Trial gives one of each per clear.
• Pokédex aides: each region’s professor has an aide who gives rewards for the number of Pokémon caught (9 tiers).
• “Use another Repel?” When a Repel wears off and you have another of the same kind, the game offers to use it.

Pokémon and trainers

• Every species rebalanced (Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and the custom forms): new level-up learnsets, egg moves and three abilities each (two regular and a hidden one). Abilities stay consistent across an evolution line.
• TM list reworked: a new set of TMs and move tutors, with compatibility redone for every species.
• Every trainer’s team rebuilt:
  • Route trainers have 2 to 3 Pokémon with legal moves, scaled by distance from the region’s starting town. Most routes and areas have at least one elite trainer and one double battle.
  • Gym Leaders have three versions chosen by total badges, with set abilities and held items. Each leader’s strongest team uses a Mega (or a legendary ace).
  • Rivals (Silver, Green, Wally), all three Leagues, the Rocket executives, Red, Kiyo, Gym trainers and the World Cup bracket and qualifiers were all redone. Many trainers have separate Hard mode teams.
  • Trainer teams now carry good held items, so Thief is worth having.

World and quality of life

• Diagonal movement when walking, running, biking and surfing, with instant turning.
• Surf without the prompt: walk into water to start surfing.
• Fly between regions: on the Fly map, Select switches to the next region you’ve visited (Johto, Kanto, Hoenn). The map opens on your current region.
• Maps for all three regions: the Pokégear map and the Town Map show Hoenn, and Select switches regions. The Pokédex area map covers Hoenn. Guides in Oldale Town and Viridian City give the Map Card to Hoenn and Kanto starts.
• Togepi Eggs for Kanto and Hoenn starts, from Pewter and Rustboro.
• Hometowns no longer hand out Fly points in other regions. They were a workaround for the Fly map crash, which is now fixed. Existing saves keep the points they have.
• New title screen: Delibird and Iron Bundle under an evening sky with a hill-and-pine silhouette. Both Pokémon cry, and Iron Bundle has its own cry.

Bug fixes

• Fly map: opening it in a region with no visited Fly points no longer freezes the game; it now says “There’s nowhere to fly to yet.” An unvisited default point can no longer be flown to.
• Metal Powder: a Ditto holding it took almost no damage. It now raises Ditto’s Defense and Sp. Def by 1.5× as intended.
• Type-boosting items never applied their boost (see Items).
• EVs: Pokérus doubled EV gains unreliably; it now doubles every stat’s gain.
• Egg moves: Lombre, Nuzleaf, Swellow, Pelipper, Kirlia, Masquerain, Breloom and Hariyama had their pre-evolution’s egg moves, and their pre-evolutions had none.
• Double battles: a healing bug, the partner moving during its ally’s hit animations, and a one-frame graphics glitch at the end of a won double battle are fixed.
• Prices: Zinc cost 38,912 instead of 9,800.

Useful Links

Pokecommunity

Discord

Reddit