Main Series: Do you plan your team?

Started by Amore June 9th, 2013 5:23 AM
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To what extent do you plan your team?

Amore

Seen 18 Hours Ago
Posted 18 Hours Ago
5,243 posts
13.8 Years
Okay, so whilst considering whether or not to continue with the Battle Frontier in Emerald, or start a new game (And which one to start) a thought occurred to me;

Do you usually plan out your team, or just turn on the game, pick a starter and go from there?
If you do, to what extent? Just a core, or all 6 members, when to capture them etc?


Personally, I usually end up planning out at least the core of my team, if not all of them - even if I don't want to. And example would be my current playthrough of Emerald. I knew straight away I wanted Mudkip, Lotad and Taillow. However the others I didn't really decide on until I caught them. Then once I got to 5 members (added Torkoal and Castform) I decided I was going to have Metagross in my team, use Rayquaza at the pokémon league, then capture Latios and use that too.
The only time I haven't planned my team has been my first time playing through each game. Although for HeartGold I had it all planned out from looking at the Johto section of the pokémon listings in the back of my annual from circa 2003ish (I know it has the plot of the first movie in, but that's about it). And after failing to enjoy the game, partially due to that, I tried to shelter myself from BW info, yet still knew I would use Oshawott and Zoroark. When I've set myself mini challenges like completing LeafGreen with Red from PokéSpe's team, I've planned all 6.

So, yeah. Feel free to answer the questions and/or the poll.

Eruption

Age 27
Male
North East England
Seen April 4th, 2020
Posted November 17th, 2017
6,316 posts
17 Years
It depends on the game for me, here we go...

R/B/Fr/Lg - Always plan to pick charmander and then use mankey and pikachu for the first two gyms. I also love Pidgeot so I'll usually have one of those. So that's Charizard, Primeape, Raichu and Pidgeot decided before I even start usually.

G/S/Hg/Ss - I always pick Cyndaquil and once again make sure I have a Pidgeot. Red Gyarados has to feature as well. Pretty free choice for the other three slots.

R/S/E - I've picked all the starters for this in the past so that's free. I'll make sure I have Swellow and Gardevoir. Obviously that leaves four slots.

D/P/Pt - It's a choice between piplup and chimchar here, so that isn't necessarily decided. I haven't played these games as recently as the others so it's difficult to remember. I'm quite sure I don't plan any of the party for it though.

B/W(2) - I haven't replayed either of these so I've been mostly in the dark about what is available and when. I had to have Victini in Black 1. I hate all the starters so I usually don't even keep what I pick in the team. In future I'd just make sure I get Cobalion towards the end.

So not necessarily always planned, it depends on which pokemon that I like are available in the game.

Firox

eepz, come help pwease!

Age 37
Male
Seattle, WA
Seen September 15th, 2021
Posted July 17th, 2020
2,585 posts
11 Years
When I'm not playing a specific challenge (like my "All Weasel Team" or "All Cat Team") I usually have 4 or 5 out the team selected already. I usually have to play the game until I can catch them or until I can transfer them over from another game (usually after the 1st badge) - applies to the 4th and 5th generation games (I don't have any from the 1st three gens and don't want to use emulators any more)

The first 4 are my favorites of the region (types don't matter) - in my mind "Team is not a team without them".

5th Pokemon is usually a Pokemon I have not used before (in my way of playing and in my mind: "give a new Pokemon I have not used before a try, I may like it I might not, won't know until I try").

The final Pokemon varies/not planned at all, usually the one I'll switch around with HM for fly whenever I need it. It could also be another Pokemon I want to try and see if it fits in with my current team. If not I'll just use another of my favorites (one male and one female).
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Brendino

The Ruins of Alph
Seen 16 Hours Ago
Posted April 6th, 2023
8,567 posts
13.5 Years
In basically any of the games that I've played, I haven't really planned out any more than 2 or 3 Pokemon that I wanted on my team (and as recently as HeartGold, I didn't even have a single party member in mind, as I planned on ditching my starter). I usually have a good idea of what types I want represented on my team, but the Pokemon I might have in mind are never favored over any others if another one catches my eye along the way.

Treecko

the princess without voice

Age 31
He/Him
St.Louis,Missouri
Seen November 30th, 2021
Posted November 29th, 2021
6,311 posts
11.2 Years
Depends usually I plan if I know what Pokemon are on the Pokedex, but for new games/generations I usually don't until much later into the game so I can get a feel of what kind of Pokemon are in the region. I used to not plan out teams at all and just went with whatever Pokemon came across or ones I liked. But I now plan out most of my team out before hand.
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Hikamaru

Age 30
Female
Australia
Seen January 24th, 2019
Posted September 4th, 2018
50,214 posts
12.2 Years
I usually plan all my team in advance since 4th Generation, especially the starter.
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Age 32
Male
Seen August 21st, 2021
Posted August 19th, 2021
2,334 posts
15 Years
I usually have anywhere from 3 to 5 of them planned beforehand...because they're pokemon I really liked before release and then the rest are pokemon that I happen to come across while playing that I like the look of.

As an example in Pokemon White on my first playthrough I planned to have Samurott, Cohagrigus and Reuniclus....but also ended up with a Conkeldurr (because of Lenora), a Darmanitan (because of Burgh) and a Scolipede (for no particular reason other than I liked her when I saw her and I had never used a bug type on my main team before)
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Altairis

take me ☆ take you

Female
database database
Seen December 29th, 2022
Posted October 5th, 2018
5,170 posts
11 Years
I do tend to plan my teams to make sure that they're well balanced. I used to not do this, but then I ended up with teams with huge weaknesses and that wasn't very fun anyway. x) Plus I guess planning teams is kinda fun, because I sometimes pick themes and I'm still allowed to use my favorites. n_n

ORAS/XYBW

BrandoSheriff

Has a tendency to figure things out

Age 28
Male
On an island with Hakaze
Seen February 8th, 2022
Posted June 6th, 2020
753 posts
15.9 Years
I planned my team in BW1, and didn't like it, because there were others I wanted to use as well, which i ended up using in BW2.

Now, I'm not going to look at the full list of Pokemon like I did for BW and instead just catch and use a Pokemon if I like something about it, be it looks, attacks, or known evolutions.

Though technically, I plan my starter, which for me is Chespin. I also try to build my team to account for almost every Pokemon type, offensively and defensively. Gotta be versatile. :P

Berzerk!

Hey, c'mon! Get serious!

Age 31
Male
Australia, Western Australia
Seen September 12th, 2017
Posted January 26th, 2015
22 posts
12.1 Years
I don't generally plan my team, flip on the power and let the good times roll! I enjoy the mystery and using pokemon I might not have used. Makes things more fun.
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Male
Queensland, Australia
Seen September 24th, 2016
Posted November 8th, 2014
284 posts
10.1 Years
I don't really plan it that much, but I MUST have a Steel type and a Fighting type with me. Usually I get a Lucario when I can since, it satisfies both, but that's why i don't play Gen I as much, no steel-type. But apart from that I only really plan depending on what gym is coming up next...
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Khoshi

とてもかわいい!

Age 24
Male
Sydney, Australia
Seen January 3rd, 2020
Posted October 16th, 2019
2,646 posts
10.1 Years
I plan a few members of my team in regard to the gym leaders. If, say, a Bug-type gym is second to battle, then I'd capture the regular Normal/Flying type in the nearest route. If the first gym is a Rock-type or something similar, then I'll pick the grass or fire type starter.

T!M

Four Category MoTY (VG) Winner

Age 31
Male
Georgia, United States
Seen May 20th, 2016
Posted April 25th, 2014
1,422 posts
14.4 Years
Every game ever.

My team is based solely on the challenges from the beginning of the game to the end of the game. Primarily on Gyms and the E4 and Champion to come.

I've explained this in other threads.

EX. I chose my starter, Squirtle, to make it easy for me to beat Brock.

EX. 2 I chose Mudkip in Hoenn as a way to due a way with an obvious toughy known as Watson.

EX. 3 Piplup in Sinnoh to do away with Roark, his father and numerous other trainers with ease.

In terms of non-starters.

Kanto I chose Pikachu (Misty), Pidgey (Erika and Koga) etc.

Sinnoh I choose Starly (Gardenia) and Geodude (Volkner)

You see the pattern? To put it in the simplest terms:

I plan my team according to Gym Leaders and the eventual Elite Four and Champion. (but I said that earlier :3)

Aslan

she/her
Seen 6 Days Ago
Posted 1 Week Ago
3,108 posts
10.2 Years
I plan most of my team in advance, so I can make sure that I'll at least have a solid team by certain gyms, that there aren't too many common weaknesses etc. I tend to however leave the last slot open and see what the game throws at me, usually because I can't think of my last addition or I just feel like trying out a few new Pokemon. But generally for all of my games- I plan my starter, the elemental types fire, water, grass, electric, flying... and then leave the last slot open for some sort of dark/poison/uncommon Pokemon.
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CliCliW

I have a Ph.D in Horribleness.

Age 29
Female
Ireland
Seen August 15th, 2015
Posted August 15th, 2015
435 posts
10.4 Years
I usually pick a random starter based on my ID's last digit. Other than that I might decide what types, rather than Pokemon I want on my team.

I'm still on my first playthrough of White 1 and there's a million pokemon I want to pick for it! I was about ready to take on the E4 when I decided I wanted Deino, Braviary, a Zen mode Darmanitan, a Haxorus, a Seismitoad and I also have a Mienfoo for some strange reason... Now I have to EV train them all, which is sucky because at this rate I'll never get it done.

I prefer not to plan it until I've gotten my bearings in the game, that said when I don't plan I have some strange choices. In a GSC randomized playthrough I ended up with a Gloom, which was terrible. And in RBY I ended up with a Weepinbell, which was also terrible....

And then there's the Nuzlocke, which kinda takes the planning thing out of it...