After watching some newer runners get into Pokemon Red, I wanted to offer my thoughts on how to best approach improving in Generation 1 Pokemon games, but specifically Red.

The most important myth I want to dispel is that a runner NEEDS good luck to get a PB. Unless you are going for times below 1:50, I don't think luck plays that big of a factor in getting a time. If your goal is to get sub 2:10, sub 2:00, sub 1:55, I believe that you can achieve this without "grinding" attempts. Instead, the best way to achieve these times is to practice your execution and save time that way.

There are two main ways that you can "save time" over another run. One way is to get "better RNG". This is most commonly manifested through route 1 encounters, mt moon encounters (if you're not doing manip), getting wrapped, sand attack misses, etc. Other than mt moon encounters, you ultimately have no control over these factors. The other way is to improve your execution. Reducing hesitation throughout the run, in movement, move selection, item usage, and others. Improving the speed of your menus. Reducing movement errors. Buffering inputs as often as possible. These are the things that you can directly influence, and is the easiest way for you to save time.

One thing I've heard a few newer runners say is that "I need a good early game, because my late game is really good and hard to beat." However, these runners don't understand how much time they are truly losing to pure execution, no luck or RNG required. 

In Pokemon Red, unless you are using WR strats, the Flute-to-End segment is almost entirely execution based, with very few points of RNG that can force you to lose time. The main ways you can lose time via RNG (not including deaths) are Blizzard misses, getting confused on Agatha, and not having full red bar (which you can adjust for). 

A really good example of what a solid flute-to-end looks like from a top runner is WaveWarrior's 1:45:52. His flute-to-end was a 43:35, which does NOT do "silph red bar", a WR strat that several other top runners have in their PBs. He had fairly standard luck in his late game: no unlucky misses, no confuse hits from Agatha, etc. 

If you check your PB and your flute split time to the end of your run exceeds 43:35, you are likely losing this time to execution. For example, if your flute-to-end time is 48:20 without fighting any optional trainers or dying, then you are likely losing around 5 minutes to execution alone.

The key is it is MUCH easier to save these 5 minutes through practice than to grind for "better RNG" early game. If you can practice and save time on execution, it is guaranteed time that you can save and will always be able to rely on. I see newer runners resetting on Route 1, Forest, or Brock, and complain about "bad RNG", but if these runners practiced their execution, they can still easily PB.

A good showcase of this are the top red racers. The current Red Race route is identical to the 2019 Beginner Guide written up by Sudo, and I can say with strong confidence that a lot of the top racers can nearly always get good times, barring catastrophic luck. Racers like Araya, WaveWarrior, and Crafted can almost always get sub 1:55 runs in races. In the past 30 race times posted between the three of these runners, the slowest one was a mid 1:55. Even with the varying amount of "bad RNG" these runners face, they can still post good times, and you can too.


So if there's one message I want newer runners to take away, it's that if you really care about improving in Pokemon Red, the easiest and best way to do it is NOT to grind runs for "good RNG" splits like Nido and Brock, but to constantly look for things you can improve on and practice. Pokeguy's Red tutorial video is a great resource for techniques you can use to save time you probably didn't know you were losing.