Overtraining Starters

[Essence]

I couldn't find a thread for this, so if I made a mistake I'm sorryy :3

People always overtrain starters. Why? When Oak gives you this rare pokemon, you think it's so cute and want to be attached to it for all time. UNTIL IT EVOLVES INTO A RUTHLESS KILLING MACHINEEEE!!!!! Ehem. So, do you overtrain your starter'mon when there are stronger options out there? Why/Why not?

~Essence

 

[Insane85]

I don't tend to overtrain my starter, purely because I want to keep a balanced team, but there are times (like Gen III if I start with Torchic and need to evolve it and get double kick to beat the first gym) that I will overtrain them, and then get everyone else to catch up.

 

[Skip Class]

The first time I played crystal Cyndaquil was the only Pokemon I used. I did the solo Pokemon challenge without even knowing.
Now I train my Pokemon to about 10 before leaving the 1st route

 

[xDaisuke0]

Yah, unknowingly I always keep my starter a bit higher in level...
But lately, I've changed my ways and try to keep them even.
They level up faster though!! D:

 

[dooxer]

yea, you can really just solo run with the starter. there is little downside if you choose the right one to be honest. for years, i had only a strong starter, a medium backup, and the rest hm slaves... him being 'cute' doesnt matter, i wanted the killing machine ;D i could always make eggs later.

 

[Le Creep!]

I used to overtrain, when I first got my Diamond game; I was a total noob then.

Now, in Soul Silver, I keep it balanced, all of my Pokemon are level 36.

 

[Cherrim]

Moved this to general gaming because it's not really related to anything but the games.

That said, I've never overtrained my starter except in a run of Pokémon Blue where I only used my Bulbasaur. I was trying to rush through it (and succeeded). So I don't count that. :s

Otherwise I try to keep my teams all at the same level. Sometimes my start (or... favourite Pokémon) will get a few levels ahead during the game but for the most part, everything is always within 5 levels of each other.

 

[Emlam]

In the beginning I beef up my starter because it's generally the strongest thing I've got (compare a lv. 16 Charmeleon's stats to a lv. 16 Pidgey's or Rattata's, why don'tcha), and keep a "buddy" within two or three levels of that in case the starter gets KO'ed (this is usually Nidorino or Raticate for me), but once I can access stronger Pokemon and higher evolutionary stages, things tend to even out.
I'll usually train one a few levels higher if it's going to be battling in a gym, then train a different one up for the next gym, and eventually all five or six are caught up with each other again.

 

[Crobat]

i used totodile to catch a zubat and a gastly, then i banked him and only took him out to power train him to a feraligatr when my team was lvl 80 lol

 

[Qazar]

I keep overtraining my starter in every game, why? I don't know, I just train it to beat everything that stands on its way and after the Elite 4 I start training the slaves and (usually) a Dragon type

 

[Eurydice]

i used to overtrain my starters alot. but now i like to have a balanced team all around the same level.

 

[Dominus Temporis]

Well, back in Ye Olde Days of Yore (read: gens I and II) I had a tendency to overlevel my starter and only use it, though in Crystal I got a bit better at it. When third-gen came around I sort of fell back into the old pattern just because Swampert was so darn good and I never formed a permanent team until well after I beat the game. As of now, I've completely eliminated this trait, and gone back and played several older games in a more balanced style. I think it helps that I pick out my team beforehand so I have an actual goal in mind rather than something random... I always use my starter 'cause I'm sentimental like that, but if it's higher-leveled than the rest it's only by a couple levels.

 

[Clark]

I used to, when I was little and didn't really know or care about balanced teams or anything. Now I level my team equally; if one Pokemon is a level higher than the rest I train the rest before getting to him. Thus my starter (or any Pokemon on my team) is rarely overtrained.

... And sometimes I ditch my starter completely so I can get a team of Pokemon I haven't trained a million times before. :D;;

 

[Sydian]

My starter is usually a level or two ahead of whatever else is on my team, but that's about it. I don't like overtraining starters.

 

[Niprop]

Used to for the first three generations, but now I got into a new habit. Trading/boxing my Starter for a Porygon Egg, and over leveling it instead! It's much more challenging then using a "true" starter, though I can still solo the game with it, and I don't have to worry about the rival's type match-ups.

 

[MrsNorrington]

I used to overtrain my starter, but now I try to keep it balanced. Though, my starter is always still ahead by a few levels no matter how even I try and keep it lolz.

 

[Le Creep!]

Oh no, I have gone back to my noob ways.. my Amphy is level 40 now, the others are 37 + 38 :(

 

[NickofTime]

I still overtrain my starter, starters usually have great stats and movepools so why not abuse them? usually i only have 3 pokemon i actually train though but my starter is always like 10 levels higher than everything else. XD, anyways its the quickest way to beat the game and thats whats important to me.

 

[Eric.]

Why yes i do. my starter is always higher by a lot, until i beat the game, then i start to train the others just for fun or just have something to do if i am bored or something.

 

[Buddy14]

I always overtrain my starters. I play Soul Silver all the time and I usually choose Cyndaquil, I never let him evolve tough, :P