how do you choose your favorite Pokémon?

[Astinus]

I tend to start with their design, then see how useful they are when I used them in the games. There are some that I still like even if they aren't that strong (like Meowth, though I did have a Persian that held her own in FireRed) because they mean something to me.

Fortunately, I lucked out that my favorite Pokemon is perfect in every way. Nidoking's design is amazing, as I've always been a fan of the big bulky Pokemon. He's got some good attacks he can learn, and as the stats to be some use. And I don't mind raising one up because the evolution chain is just my favorite. Plus his shiny color is the best.

 

[thewafflmaster]

I usually base mine on looks/design (Example: Lickitung, Dusknoir, Jellicent) and occasionally on their concept (Example: Cofagrigus). Also if there is any Pokemon I can connect with they usually end up being some of my favorites (Example: Snorlax). I don't usually care about their stats or movepool, because it's not like I'm using them for competitive battle.

 

[Boilurn]

I don't have my personal favorite Pokemon either, but if I did, I would go by the looks, (Jellicent, Bisharp, Vanilluxe) any appealing stats, (Darmanitan or Accelgor) or those with interesting moves (Cofagrigus with Curse or Delibird with present!).

 

[alexabrell]

i usually base my favs on design(flygon. zorouark, arcanine) first type second. If theres a fox in the gen im playing its a must have for my team.

 

[ReeDim]

I judge mostly through how awesome they look, and how well they attack. That's why Dark-Type is my favourite type.

 

[Callīope1]

I love wolves and dogs, so my favorite Pokemon usually end up being dog-type Pokemon, more or less. I also really like a lot of the bird types, though not always for their looks. I just love flying type attacks. xD

 

[Turnip]

Usually it's design, though luckily for me a lot of my favourites by design have turned out to be legendaries, or have generally good stats. Deoxys, for example.

A few others have been ones that I've grown to like. Ones that I've used as an alternative in an earlier stage of the game, then became integrated into my full team.

I generally didn't watch the films, but after seeing someone else's (can't remember the name) video on their favourite Pokémon, it grew on me from its character. I hold a lot of respect for Darkrai now.

 

[Arlo]

I don't "choose" favorites. I just come to realize over time that I especially like this or that pokemon.

It's not just design, though that has something to do with it. It's whether or not the pokemon is a complete "package." I like them if the whole thing comes together and makes sense - appearance, stats, battle style, abilities...

Some favorites: Crobat, Lapras, Scrafty, Gardevoir, Mamoswine, Excadrill, Sigilyph, Dunsparce...

 

[Knor]

Well... My top 3:

1) Gengar. In the TCG, I had Gastly (Destiny Bond!) and Haunter, but I'd never really seen what came after Haunter in play until my brother gave me Gengar. It looked sweet. Also, Gengar's a fun Pokemon to use; Multi-purpose, with a lot of capabilities. Cunning, tricky, and overall just a relatable personality. Finally, Gengar's #94 in the Pokedex, which is the year I was born... But that was more... "Destiny". Huehuehue :3

2) Rayquaza. My favourite legendary. Everything about it to me, is just awe-inspiring. The look, the movesets, the types, just overall awesome. My previous online handle was Azaquyar, which was (almost) Rayquaza backwards. Just a great Pokemon that I love.

3) Ampharos. Certainly a peculiar Pokemon... I'm not into competitive Pokemon battling, so I don't really know what Ampharos' "intended" role is... But for me, Ampharos is a pretty strong powerhouse that I just really like using. I caught my first Mareep, simply because I thought she was cute looking... When it grew up to become Ampharos, I was blown away by how cool she looked!

 

[lmcde22]

I would like to say it is the design but i think it might be a coincidence. I choose mine by type. My favourite types are Steel and Fighting. And because of this my favourites include Metagross, Lucario and Magneton. Charizard is also up there. Probably at number one but he is the exception. And it is just a coincidence that they all have awesome designs.

 

[Sydian]

I never really picked my favorites. It's just always been a sensation I get when I look at them or use them in battle or what have you. A good example would be Black Kyurem. It's one of my favorites, but initially I hated it, and even preferred White Kyurem. I don't know what really changed me, but I really love it now and I have a cool figurine of it and it sits on a nice tin. n__n Petilil was random too. I just kind of saw it and it was fabulous and instafave idk. lol

 

[Zylas]

The way I do it is I relate it to my own trademark. If you don't know what this is, its a special thing that you love and that everyone can relate you by. I like to find myself as a fan of Emmet, the subway boss, because I like the water and electric Pokemon, relative to a ship in the sea. When I think of a ship, I think of a storm. Storm being my "trademark," I've now narrowed down my faves to water and electric Pokes. Then I use some of the other tactics other people use, like design, battle style, etc. and at this point I find my faves!

 

[CloysterOyster]

I never gave it that much though but sometimes I pick depending on what they look like (color, design, etc) or how good of a move set they have (mixture of status-effecting moves and power moves), or on how they are grouped (like the Eeveelutions, legendary birds, etc). I just like the idea of having them all, and switching them out every now and then in my party.

 

[moon]

It's a lot about design. Mostly about design, actually. Typing might influence but not much really. Perhaps I wouldn't favor a psychic or fighting type, just because those tend to be types I like less. Also rock for some reason. Other than that, it's mostly based on design. I don't care at all about how good or bad they are in the games, but if they seem cool in the anime they gain bonus points with me. Example is Torkoal - I didn't like it much at all in the games, but it was very cool in the anime so I like it more now. Still not my favorite though ;) I tend to have more favorites among pokémon who are offensive than defensive, though.

 

[Water Gym Leader]

I have an irrational fear of bodies of water. So for me, my favorite Pokemon are those of the water type. Specifically those who could save me from drowning and the water starters.

 

[BubbleBeams]

I always used to have a tendency to pick Pokemon I like by their looks, and if I found a Pokemon easy on the eyes, those were usually the Pokemon that I always used on my team. And when I use a Pokemon on my team I get emotionally attached to it and then it moves up in the ranks in terms of favorite.

I've changed a bit over the last few years with that however. I decided to open my mind up to all Pokemon, even if I didn't find them aesthetically appealing. I also used to shrug Pokemon off if they were super common (like Zubat) but have learned that even common Pokemon have great potential.

Vaporeon is my absolute favorite Pokemon and has been since I was a child, primarily on it's appearance but I do find it to be a strong Pokemon to have on the team as well.

Scraggy is probably my second favorite. I caught it in my White version and decided to use it on my team because I wanted to try a different typing setup for my team (I usually went with always having water, fire, grass, electric, flying and normal when I was younger). Once I started battling with him I just fell in love. He had the Moxie ability and I thought it was adorable to watch his sprite animation after he fainted his opponent when he pulls his skin up and throws his arms out. I felt like he was making a victory pose while his Moxie raised up his stat and idk it was just the cutest thing ever. So I grew very attached.

I also have grown a soft spot for Pokemon that evolve through happiness. I used to hate Crobat, for example, but I was doing a play through of Pokemon HeartGold a while back and decided to catch a Zubat. I raised it pretty quickly and it was only a Golbat for one level before it turned into Crobat and I was just so happy that it already loved me that much. So now Crobat is one of my tops.

Emotional attachment has really become the primary factor in my deciding if I really like a Pokemon a lot.

 

[Giratina ♀]

Sometimes I choose my Pokémon by design aesthetic, but most of the time my favourites tend to be the ones who have served me well in the games. Anyone who's played them will know how attached you get to your little monsters, and a lot of the time the specimen I used will make me warm up to the species as a whole. (Case in point: my actual favourite Pokémon, Murkrow.)

 

[Sandshrew4]

I just sit there staring at a bunch of Pokemon and whichever one just clicks is my favourite.
XD

 

[Moose]

I have an extremely detailed story about vaporeon, but long story short, it reminds me of the last time I saw my Grandma because I was in a phase of liking vaporeon when I last saw here.
Also I like his design and stats.

 

[dannidarko]

Pretty much the same reason everyone has mentioned here. It's a mixture of design, stats, typing and whether it stands out to me or not. For example I like Mamoswine coz ground type is my favourite type and i like the look of it. I also like electivire coz i was dying for an electibuzz evo! I like palpitoad too coz it's battle animation of it wiggling around is hilarious!! (note to self: try to get that as a signiture lol) - Had to be done!