How many pokemon do/should you have in your party?

[Timbjerr]

I always use a full team of six for the main storyline...though the last pokémon or two I choose to use may not be available until the latter half of the game. I'm also pretty OCD about keeping all my pokémon within three levels of eachother.

 

[RoreyG]

I usually tend to have 6 Pokemon + 2 HM Slaves.

My Team's Leader, usually my starter, is always my strongest Pokemon by about 5-10 levels.

My Team's Second-in-Command, usually either one of the first few Pokemon that I catch or the Pokemon (besides my starter) who puts in the most work throughout my playthrough, is my second strongest; usually 5 levels below my Leader and 5 levels higher than the rest of my team.

My last 4 main team members are usually about 10 levels behind my Leader and 5 levels below my Second-in-Command but are all pretty even with each other.

I try to be as diverse with my normal In-Game Teams as possible; always using these staple types:

Fire
Water (with an Ice type attacking move)
Grass/ Electric
Flying/ Dragon
Ground/ Normal
Fighting/ Psychic

I think that you should at least use 4 Pokemon with similar levels and diverse typings. That way, you have a balanced team that can be prepared for anything.

 

[Necrum]

I personally go for 6 unless I need to move through a game faster, in which case I run 4. To me it just feels traditional to use a full party, and it lets me maximize the Pokemon species I have used before, particularly in Monotypes.

 

[Talon Flare]

I always have 6 Pokemon. I try to keep all my Pokemon in a constant level.

 

[Pillodox]

Usually I have 6, 4 Batlle Pokemon and 2 HM Slaves

 

[Hikamaru]

I usually carry a 6 Pokemon team, with one serving as the HM Slave if it is one of those games with a massive slew of HMs in it (looking at you, Diamond/Pearl/Platinum!) but otherwise all Pokemon serve as the main battlers.

 

[Cilicica]

I always have six, I find it annoying having anything less than that. When I train I usually have it in full parties so when I start out I'd have 6 lvl 1 pokemon. But if I'm training less than that then I fill in the spaces with really strong pokemon (with one knowing fly) or with pokemon that know useful HMs like cut, surf, strength, etc. in case I need to use them while going around the region training.

 

[classiccartoonsftw]

I usually have a team of 6 fighters, with some HM slaves that I keep in my PC until I need them. Unlike some of you, I don't mind constantly going back to the PC to get my HM slaves, no matter how annoying it can get :P

 

[XpokeX]

I always like to use 6 pokemon and my "main" is probably 5 levels higher and all the others are around the same level and around 7 levels higher than the current gym/trainer levels

 

[Apollo]

By the end of the game, I always have a team of six. Or as how I'd refer it to as a child: "The Ultimate Mega Team Of Six" :'D. HM Slaves are kept in the PC if I ever have any.