GAHHHticuno

[Deranged Epidemic]

Right, posting here as an act of desperation after about the twenty-fifth time going up against Articuno on FireRed. I was expecting this to be a fairly easy capture, as Zapdos and Moltres were straightforward enough to get, but I had underestimated Articuno's sheer irritating desire to be a prick and not to stay in a ball. I've got the fucking thing down to 1HP with False Swipe, and have paralysed it, put it to sleep and poisoned it (obviously with poisoning you only get one or two shots before it dies), nothing's been effective. It barely stays in the ball for a second usually, very occasionally does it stay in for one or two "wobbles" before bursting out to laugh in my face once again. I have like a hundred ultra balls as well as a lot of great balls in my bag, yet I usually end up having to reset due to running out - Zapdos I got in about five ultra balls, Moltres was caught in two ultra balls and a great ball, to put that into perspective.

So yeah, I'm not really sure if there is anything else I can do other than keep trying for it. I have a Masterball in my bag that I was originally going to save for either Mewtwo or Suicune, though after spending hours fruitlessly lobbing ultra balls I am sorely tempted to use it on Articuno. At the same time though, this would be giving in. It's like the feathery blue cunt is testing me, sitting there in Seafoam going "hahaha I can use Mind Reader over and over again like a lobotomised sheep and you still can't catch me". If anyone has any suggestions or anything that could help, that would be great. Are there any other Masterballs available in FireRed? Or indeed any other balls at all that would help? Timerballs would be handy, but I'm not sure you can get them in FireRed and I don't have access to anyone to trade with. Would lowering Articuno's stats make it any easier to catch? I doubt it but I'm willing to try anything at this point lol, first time in years I've been reduced to shouting obscenities at my Gameboy screen. Gahhhh.

[Jax]

Aaaargh. Effing legendaries. I feel your pain there, and I think it was Articuno who was just as much of a bitch to capture. (But I'm stubborn, so I insisted on catching it with an Ultra Ball... because I knew the Raikou I was going to have to go find was going to be even more of a bitch to catch.)

Sympathy aside, you can actually get Timer Balls on Two Island. There should be a guy under a tent that sells them. There's unfortunately no other Master Balls in the game (unlike getting another one from the Lilycove Lottery if you happen to be lucky as eff). Those two are your best alternatives to an Ultra Ball unless you want to be lucky and desperate and try to see if you can catch it in a Poke or Great Ball. (Which would be hilarious and fitting for it, seriously.)

Other than that, you were doing it right earlier (with False Swipe to 1 HP + sleep + chucking every ball in your bag at it), so I'm not sure what else you can do.

The only other thing I can think of is just personal superstition, but maybe overlevel for the battle by a lot? Like, if the bird's at level 50, go for level 60? (It really has no bearing on the catch rate, but hey.)

That and, basically, if you can make heads or tails of this (http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Catch_rate), it might have a tip or two hidden in there.

Good luck!

[Deranged Epidemic]

What's this? Timer Balls in FireRed? BAHAHAHAHAA YES, Articuno you are so fucked now :D That does mean I'm going to have to wait to catch it though as I haven't beaten the Elite 4 yet on that file and I think the Two Island guy only sells Soda Pops and the like atm, if I remember rightly he upgrades his stock when you beat the E4. That's okay though, I can bide my time, beat the E4, come back with like a million Timer Balls and get my sweet sweet revenge on Articuno. That catch rate link is interesting, though the formulas are a bit brain hurting - apparently putting a Pokémon to sleep is more effective than paralysing or poisoning it, so am going to stick to doing that as well. Cheers very much for that post, some helpful stuff in there, I reckon I might have a good chance at catching it now :)