Master of Faster
He/Him
25
December 12
Goldenrod, Johto
Straight
Mauville Gym Leader
Champion
"With great speed comes great responsibility."
TAG WITH @joshdevlin
Josh Devlin
The Local Hoenn Guidebook
POSTED ON Mar 29, 2023 9:08:23 GMT
MAUVILLE RACING GROUNDS
Category: Sports Venue & Riding/Racing Academy
Owner: Josh Devlin
Location: Mauville City
Description: A sprawling facility located just outside Mauville City limits, its office building is located on the very northernmost street in the city proper, on the west side of town. While it receives public funding by virtue of also being Mauville City Gym, Josh has also registered it as an independent business to maintain its identity in the event he must step down as Gym Leader.
In addition to taking Gym challenges, Josh offers classes for people who want to learn to ride their Pokémon. He has a plethora of advice for riders of all skill levels: beginners, intermediates, experts, and even masters can learn from him. He also has courses for those looking to get into Pokémon racing, which focus more on drawing the maximum speed from a Pokémon, pacing a Pokémon for a race, and so forth. There is no better place in Hoenn to learn controlling a Pokémon mount, so saddle up, hold on, and don't yell! And remember: With great speed comes great responsibility.
The office is three stories tall; the bottom story is a lobby and waiting area for challengers and classes awaiting Josh to arrive. The middle story is a traditional gym (not a Pokémon one) that features a small cafeteria and lounge for trainers, students, and faculty to relax, though food is not served there. The third story features Josh's personal office, where he does much of the bookwork Gym Leaders are required to personally complete to maintain their Gyms. The Gym's interior decor features predominant electric yellows, sky blues, and storm purples and grays, with many artists' depictions of the legendary Pokémon Raikou scattered about its walls. The basement is the facility's data center, and access is restricted to the Gym Leader himself and his tech staff. The entire facility's interior seems to be a giant love letter to Raikou.
The back of the facility, surrounded by a tall fence to prevent all but the most adept Pokémon from jumping over it, is enormous and sprawling. It is divided into seven Sectors.
Main Sector: This Sector features all of Josh's battle facilities, as well as the SPLIT OVAL, the most basic race course on the entire grounds. A set of bleachers facing a scoreboard gives those who purchase season passes a place to view the Gym Leader's battles. The main battle court is a wide-open grass field that is three times the standard size of a typical battle court, giving Pokémon plenty of room to run, but little room to hide. Surrounding it is an ovaloid race course with a similarly-shaped channel on the outside for water Pokémon to use. While it is not used for Josh's Gym Challenges, it is regularly used by beginning students.
Sector 1: Located in the southeast corner of the grounds, this Sector is a sprawling grassland with a few hills, several of the facility's easiest Overland courses are here, though there is one noteworthy exception.
Twist Road
Description: The easiest course Josh uses for his Gym Challenge, it only features one turn with a bend greater than 90 degrees, and has a mostly wide road for extra forgiveness. Though a bridge spans the river crossing for the first lap, it is retracted for the second and third laps, necessitating uses of QUICK ATTACK from slower Pokémon. The Aerial course has a mandatory inversion on the home stretch, making racers briefly fly upside down.
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆☆
Race types: Overland, Aerial
Surface Slide
Description: One of the tougher 2-star Overland courses, this features a tricky jump not far from the starting line to a narrow landing zone, some semi-blind curves, and two long left-turns that can be difficult to hold.
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆☆
Race types: Overland
Screw Mound
Description: Shaped more like a banana than a screw, this course has mostly long, gentle curves, with exception of two hairpin turns on its north and south ends. They both feature very wide lanes, giving racers plenty of room to make slower turns if need be.
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆☆
Race types: Overland, Aerial
Spiral
Description: The second most difficult land course on the Racing Grounds and the longest as well, its 3-lap record is nearly eight minutes. Spiral tests every skill imaginable: jumps, long turns, blind turns, sharp angles, difficult terrain... you name it, it's probably there. It is not a course for the faint of heart, reserved for challengers with many, many Badges.
Difficulty: ★★★★★★
Race types: Overland
Sector 2: Located in the east-central section of the grounds, this Sector is where most of the facility's Aquatic courses are, with a nearby river feeding the channels comprising the courses. Some parts of the courses even run through the river itself.
Multiplex
Description: The location of the pilot race for Hoenn's Silph Cup, this course has a little of everything: jumps, 180-degree turns, rough terrain, and even a minefield of EGG BOMBS to avoid on the backstretch. Channels run along the entire outside of the Overland course to serve as the Aquatic course. The Aerial version of the course requires Pokémon to fly sideways for extended periods of time.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆
Race types: Overland, Aquatic, Aerial
Switchback
Description: This river course has a long straightaway to get Pokémon up to speed, but the rough waves and the winding curves on its second half will keep even the most well-handling water Pokémon on top of their game. A ramp near the end allows for a high-risk, high-reward shortcut to be taken.
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆☆
Race types: Aquatic
Ordeal
Description: A replica of the most treacherous course at Fortree Gym, this course is full of altitude changes, angled dives, wicked switchbacks, and inversions that challenge even seasoned racers. It is the second most difficult Aerial course at the facility. There is also an Aquatic adaptation.
Difficulty: ★★★★★☆
Race types: Aquatic, Aerial
Loop Cross
Description: A mostly straight course for speedy flying Pokémon, the first half of the course features a long, spiraling turn, two mandatory loop-de-loops, and a lengthy inversion.
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆☆
Race types: Aerial
Sector 3: Located in the northeast section of the grounds, this Sector is filled with mountainous and rugged terrain. Featuring at times odd terrain and elevation changes, many of Josh's Aerial-only courses are located back there. Sector 3 is also the location of the Gym's Operations Center, a building for stage managers and power operators.
Dragon Slope
Description: The most difficult aerial course at the facility, its claim to fame is the sheer altitude differences it boasts, its titular obstacle spanning from the mountain's highest peak to its lowest valley. It is not uncommon for especially fast Pokémon to break the sound barrier with boost-powered dives here.
Difficulty: ★★★★★☆
Race types: Aerial
Multi Jump
Description: This rectangular mountain course features four 90-degree turns and eight jumps, many of which can be used to attempt to cut corners.
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆☆
Race types: Overland
Dangerous Steps
Description: While the blind curves of the tunneled section of this mountain course can be dangerous, this course's true peril comes from the rapid series of stepping leaps on the backstretch. Too much speed, and a Pokémon can sail over the next step and off the course entirely. While large safety nets are strung near the steps to catch Pokémon that fall, being eliminated from the race can sting more than the pain of an accident.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆
Race types: Overland
Lateral Shift
Description: The most unique course at the Racing Grounds, this design features lanes that open and close, requiring racers to shift back and forth as appropriate. Failure to do so will cause Pokémon to run or fly off the track and cause eliminations.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆
Race types: Overland, Aerial
Sector 4: Located in the northwest section of the grounds, this Sector is located in the foothills of Sector 3, and features often hilly, but not mountainous, terrain. Many of the more difficult Overland courses are located here.
Wave PanicDescription: This course takes full advantage of the hilly nature of Sector 4's terrain. Not a single flat spot exists on this course outside of the home stretch, making Pokémon constantly battle uneven ground. Difficulty: ★★★☆☆☆ Race types: Overland Aero DiveDescription: This simple course, long but full of light turns and small jumps, is a favorite of incredibly speedy Pokémon due to an enormous leap on the backstretch. Pokémon take several seconds to reach the bottom from the top, and come out of it well above their normal top speeds. Maintaining control can be quite a challenge! Difficulty: ★★★☆☆☆ Race types: Overland, Aerial UndulationDescription: Recently rerated in difficulty after Josh Dragomir 's Gym Challenge, this course's mogul-like sections of terrain are extremely unpredictable to Pokémon. With daring jumps to cut corners also possible, no lead is safe here. Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆ Race types: Overland Serial GapsDescription: One of the most feared Overland courses on the facility, this course's nearly constantly changing elevation and frequent jumps require intense concentration to navigate. There is even a short tunnel section with a small minefield of EGG BOMBS to dodge. One false move can lead to an early exit from the race. Difficulty: ★★★★★☆ Race types: Overland
Sector 5: Located in the west-central section of the grounds, this Sector is home to the more challenging Aquatic courses, though there are Aerial ones, as well. This Sector features a myriad of wet environments, and the Overland courses her can be quite slick as a result.
Drift Highway
Description: One of the easiest two-star courses on the property, it is often booked for practice because it is perfect for Pokémon to practice drifting turns. It would be a one-star course if it weren't for an out-of-place, narrow chicane that gives many racers fits and has ruined many a time trial.
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆☆
Race types: Overland, Aquatic, Aerial
Intersection
Description: One lap on this triangle-shaped course feels like two, an enormous, undulating tube cutting through the backstretch. This tube must be flown around in a slalom pattern when racers arrive at the second half of the course.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆
Race types: Aerial
Double Branches
Description: This meandering river course has several forks that mirror one another, giving racers preference whether they handle left or right turns better. It is the longest Aquatic course on the properly, its three-lap record well over five minutes long.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆
Race types: Aquatic
Snake Waterway
Description: By far the most difficult aquatic course on the Racing Grounds, it is narrow and features mostly winding, nonstop turns. No two curves are the same, and even the few straightaways there are on the backstretch have their waters churned like a wave pool.
Difficulty: ★★★★★★
Race types: Aquatic
Sector 6: Located in the southwest section of the grounds, this Sector consists primarily of dry, wasteland-type terrain, and features some of the most difficult courses on the facility.
Corkscrew
Description: This course is similar to Screw Mound in that it is defined by two hairpin turns, but this one has the added difficulty of a mandatory inversion in its straightaway halfway through the course, as well as a narrow backstretch that makes passing challenging.
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆☆
Race types: Aerial
Quick Turn
Description: By far the shortest course in terms of pure distance, its incredibly tight and rapid turns make it a favorite of Pokémon with wonderful grip.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆☆
Race types: Overland
Thunder Road
Description: Josh's favorite course on the property, this course features many wide, right angle turns in the shape of lightning bolts. He often reserves this course for days when thunderstorms are passing through the area, and loves bringing electric Pokémon here.
Difficulty: ★★★★★☆
Race types: Overland
Slim-Line Slits
Description: The most difficult race course in all of Hoenn. This track frequently splits into two halves so narrow that rubbing walls and terrain is almost an inevitability. There are also lane shifts much like in the Lateral Shift course, where running off the track and being disqualified is a real threat. Even surviving three laps around this course without being eliminated from the race is an accomplishment.
Difficulty: ★★★★★★ (flashing)
Race types: Overland
Relevant Links: Mauville City Gym - Currently hiring! If you are interested in a position, please DM me on Discord!
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