My Current SoulSilver Team

[MDL]

Hey there guys.

just wondering if you could help me out and tell me if i've got a decent balance here.


my current team:

Haunter lvl 55 (holding 'spell tag')

- Mean Look
- Psychic
- Dark Pulse
- Shadow Ball


Golem lvl 55 (holding 'soft sand')

- Rock Climb
- Stone Edge
- Rock Smash
- Magnitude


Typhlosion lvl 55 (holding 'charcoal')

- Flamethrower
- Double-Edge
- Strength
- Blast Burn


Gyarados lvl 55 (holding 'nevermeltice')

- Surf
- Whirlpool
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang


Magneton lvl 55 (holding 'metal coat')

- Discharge
- Flash
- Magnet Bomb
- Thunder


Dragonite lvl 56 (holding 'dragon fang')

- Dragon Pulse
- Aqua Tail
- Shock Wave
- Dragon Rush



Additional Info:

- I am going to evolve my haunter into gengar soon.
- I am going to replace dragonite's first 3 moves with Draco Meteor, Fly, and Thunderpunch.
- I'm ready to stop using Gyarados as an HM slave. going to remove everything except for ice fang and waterfall.



if you hadn't noticed, i like to level everyone up at the same time for consistency.


i'm currently training/grinding at Mt. Silver before challenging the post-kanto elite 4.


i'd like to think that my team is balanced regarding their types, but i'd like a second opinion.

(Ghost/Poison, Rock/Ground, Fire, Water/Flying, Electric/Steel, Dragon/Flying).




so what i'm really looking for here are 3 things:


- second opinions on whether my team is balanced or not, and suggestions for new additions, changes, etc

- advice on what i'm doing to Dragonite, and whether it's the best choice of moves.

- suggestions for good replacements in Gyarados' two free moveslots.


and, as customary, general all-round tips that could help me improve.




terribly sorry for the long-winded post, just making sure i get what i'm looking for (please) :D

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

Gyarados wants Dragon Dance, and probably another physical move (Earthquake/Stone Edge if you're willing to use the TM, Bounce if you can be bothered with the Battle Frontier). Focus Blast on Typhlosion wouldn't be a bad idea, either.

 

[jab2033]

Use this for Gengar:
-Shadow Ball
-Focus Blast
-Thunderbolt
-Hypnosis

You get awesome type coverage with this set. It hits every type for at least nuetral damage. And Hypnosis, while a bit inaccurate, can be a major help as well.

Golem? Without Earthquake? WTF? Earthquake is too good of a move not to include. Replace Magnitude with Earthquake.

For Typhlosion, use the following: Flamethrower, Focus Blast, Eruption, Swift. Eruption over Blast Burn only because recharge moves are bad. That lost turn could cost you the battle. Focus Blast is for type coverage, and Swift to work off Typhlosion's Sp.Atk stat.

For Gyarados
-Dragon Dance
-Waterfall
-Ice Fang
-Rock Slide/Stone Edge

A Dragon Dance or three can give you critical OHKOs when you need them. Waterfall is STAB, and Ice Fang takes out Dragons. Rock Slide and Stone Edge are pratically the same thing, but Rock Slide is more accurate than powerful, while Stone Edge is more powerful than accurate. You need to choose power over accuracy in this case.

For Magnemite
-Thunderbolt
-Flash Cannon
-Thunder Wave
-Supersonic

Thunderbolt over Discarge because 'bolt's more powerful. But go ahead and use Discharge if you don't want to spend time racking up coins in the Vortorb Flip in the game corner. T-bolt costs 10,000 coins. Flash Cannon is probably the best Steel move you've got. Thunder Wave can slow down a lot of pokemon to give you that edge, and Supersonic can be annoying as well.

For Dragonite, the moves you listed would work well, with Roost in addition to that. Alternativly, use the following:
-Dragon Dance
-Earthquake
-Dragon Claw
-Roost

Basically set up with Dragon Dance a few times, heal any damage taken while setting up with Roost, and proceed to sweep with DClaw and EQ. I've swept the entire E4 save Lance with just this pokemon alone.

 

[MDL]

i made golem forget earthquake because magnitude was doing just as much damage with a lot more PP (for me at least). plus, i get frequent 8+ hits with it, which seems to do more damage than earthquake (again, this might be an exception to the norm.)


thanks for the tips guys, though i have a couple of questions...

for pokemon like gyarados and dragonite, where i turned down "dragon dance" as it was levelling up... is there a TM? or do i need to raise a completely new pokemon? >.<

where can i get moves like flash cannon and dragon claw? i checked out magneton and dragonite in the HG/SS guidebook, but flash cannon and dragon claw aren't on the levelup movelist.


the easiest tip to follow so far has been typhlosion's eruption, because he's not at the required level yet XD

 

[PlatinumDude]

i made golem forget earthquake because magnitude was doing just as much damage with a lot more PP (for me at least). plus, i get frequent 8+ hits with it, which seems to do more damage than earthquake (again, this might be an exception to the norm.)


thanks for the tips guys, though i have a couple of questions...

for pokemon like gyarados and dragonite, where i turned down "dragon dance" as it was levelling up... is there a TM? or do i need to raise a completely new pokemon? >.<

where can i get moves like flash cannon and dragon claw? i checked out magneton and dragonite in the HG/SS guidebook, but flash cannon and dragon claw aren't on the levelup movelist.


the easiest tip to follow so far has been typhlosion's eruption, because he's not at the required level yet XD

There's no Dragon Dance TM; you'll have to give a Heart Scale to the Move Maniac in Blackthorn City.

You can get the Dragon Claw TM in Route 27, or if you're feeling lucky, you can do the daily drawing in the 6th floor of the Goldenrod Dept. Store on Sundays. The Flash Cannon TM can be obtained in Route 9, or the daily drawing on Tuesdays.

 

[MDL]

i see, thanks! i'll check those two routes now and see if i already found them!

EDIT: i don't seem to have the roost TM, i think i sold it ages ago >.< is it for sale in any of the shops?

and where can i find a heart scale?

 

[PlatinumDude]

i see, thanks! i'll check those two routes now and see if i already found them!

EDIT: i don't seem to have the roost TM, i think i sold it ages ago >.< is it for sale in any of the shops?

and where can i find a heart scale?

Unfortunately, you sold the only Roost TM available in-game.

You really don't need to use the Roost TM on Dragonite; it's one of its Heart Scale moves.

You can check here on where to find Heart Scales in HG/SS: https://www.serebii.net/itemdex/heartscale.shtml

 

[jab2033]

Magnitude does NOT do the same amount of damage as EQ. Magnitude's power is random while EQ has a consistent 100 base power. EQ is much more consistent, and doesn't have the chance of being weaker unless your pokemon's Atk stat is lowered. Earthquake > Magnitude. If PP is your issue, just use a PP Max on it. That'll bring it up to 16 PP.

If you turned down Dragon Dance, then you have to raise a new pokemon to get it. Even if you go to the move tutor in Blackthorn, the pokemon won't be able to learn DD because it didn't learn DD in the first place.

PlatinumDude explained Flash Cannon and Dragon Claw's location. As a tip, you can change the date setting on your DS if you don't want to wait for the right lottery day. And don't forget to save before you try the lottery. You'll most likely get the third or second prize. If you spend all your money, you can always reset the DS and start over.

 

[MDL]

i obtained a heartscale through doing the pokeathlon

and i was still able to learn dragon dance for some reason lol



and yeah, i'm going to try the lottery until i get it, i've got the patience lol


thanks for your help guys, i think i'm all set now :)


EDIT: i just won dragon claw, and it's not as powerful as dragon rush -.-

though i suppose it IS more accurate... but is it worth it for the decrease in power?

DOUBLE EDIT: Gyarados is incompatible with rock slide -.-

 

[PlatinumDude]

i obtained a heartscale through doing the pokeathlon

and i was still able to learn dragon dance for some reason lol



and yeah, i'm going to try the lottery until i get it, i've got the patience lol


thanks for your help guys, i think i'm all set now :)


EDIT: i just won dragon claw, and it's not as powerful as dragon rush -.-

though i suppose it IS more accurate... but is it worth it for the decrease in power?

DOUBLE EDIT: Gyarados is incompatible with rock slide -.-

If you want your attacks to be consistent, Dragon Claw is the way to go. If it's raw power you want, use Dragon Rush. Gyarados learns Stone Edge, but not Rock Slide.

 

[MDL]

yeah, i decided to go with dragon claw and it's pretty good, so i'm happy lol


i see that i can obtain the stone edge TM in victory road or for 80 points at the battle frontier, so i'll do it.


thanks again for your help, i have a much clearer direction for my team now :)

 

[PaxAmericana]

If you turned down Dragon Dance, then you have to raise a new pokemon to get it. Even if you go to the move tutor in Blackthorn, the pokemon won't be able to learn DD because it didn't learn DD in the first place.

You can relearn moves even if you did not add them to your moveset!

 

[Weavile05]

yeah, if it learns it by leveling up, it will be in the Heart Scale list as long as you've passed the required level. Forgotten TMs however are forgotten forever.