Is it my knowledge, my team, or both.

[Geoff_P1]

Hi all,

I've never really struggled in Pokemon games, but Platnium, I keep faiting all the time and struggling in battles. I think it's because most of the generation Pokemon in the game I don't really know (I recently downloaded a Pokedex app for my phone) and I think that's where my knowledge makes me rubbish at it.

But I also think it's my team, i mean I'm about to take on the ice gym after some training at Iron Island (if that's the right name) and my team is:
Staravia lvl 33
Prinplup lvl 34
Ponyta lvl 35
Floatzel lvl 38
Luxray lvl 40
Steelix lvl 35

That's why I balme my team, just so under leveled.

Or is it both?

Which one do you lot think it is?

Also worried it'll be the 1st Pokemon game where I won't be able to do the league 1st time lol.

 

[Aurafire]

Moving to In-Game Team Help forum for you ^.^

 

[Elric of Grans]

I believe you are just slightly ahead of me in the game, so I have some vague idea of where things should be.

Firstly, you *do* look under-levelled to me. My team are all lvl40-41 and will likely be 41-42 by the time I get to where you are, without having done any grinding all game. I am also not entirely sure about some of your team members. Ponyta and Luxray are fine additions to your starter, but why Floatzel as well as Prinplup (and not Empoleon still!)? It could be that I failed to notice something obvious, but it seems a sub-optimal combination. I have never personally been a fan of Steelix, but that could be just me. I am surprised you are still using Staravia too: I dropped it from my team after about the second or third gym, as I had better options available to me.

 

[jab2033]

I agree. Try leveling up using the VS. Seeker. And try to fight every trainer in the game. It helps.

As far as pokemon, replace Flotezel since you already have a Water-Type. And Steelix sucks in battling. I suggest getting a better Ground type. I highly recommend catching a Gible and evolving it into Garchomp. Garchomp is awesome. So awesome it's been regulated to Ubers in competitive battling.

Also keep in mind that battle mechanics have changed in D/P/Pt. Moves are now classified as Phsyical, Special, and Status. Phsyical moves are based off your pokemon's Atk stat and Special Moves are based off your Sp.Atk. If you have a higher Atk stat, then use Phyiscal moves. If you have a higher Sp.Atk, use Speical moves.

 

[Equalizer]

Staravia lvl 33 Use him as a sacrafice or if he has Close Combat and good speed with decent Attack, use him for that purpose. After dying, you may choose to revive but it is not reccomended.

Prinplup lvl 34 Same with Floatzel. Replace him with a fighting type for the time being.

Ponyta lvl 35 Definitely level this guy up to Lv45-50

Floatzel lvl 38 He is useless here. Replace him with a fighting type. If you have Lucario, level him up to Lv45-50. I forgot the name of the move but it was the move where all moves can hit a Ghost type (Normal/Fighting) and used that against Froslass and KO-d her using Aura Sphere. (Level up move)

Luxray lvl 40 He could be used for backup. Level him up to Lv45. If he knows Thunder Wave or Thunder fang, you can paralyze the leaders pokemon for easier killing. I had him as a sacrafice.

Steelix lvl 35 Level this guy up to Lv45-Lv50. He/She will help you out against the leader. I beat the gym after catching and training this guy. It is reccomended that he learns some moves like Iron Tail or Earthquake. I gave Flash Cannon to mine since Byron used this move on his Steelix and I thought it was a good idea.

 

[Perriechu]

Staravia lvl 33 Use him as a sacrafice or if he has Close Combat and good speed with decent Attack, use him for that purpose. After dying, you may choose to revive but it is not reccomended.

Prinplup lvl 34 Same with Floatzel. Replace him with a fighting type for the time being.

Ponyta lvl 35 Definitely level this guy up to Lv45-50

Floatzel lvl 38 He is useless here. Replace him with a fighting type. If you have Lucario, level him up to Lv45-50. I forgot the name of the move but it was the move where all moves can hit a Ghost type (Normal/Fighting) and used that against Froslass and KO-d her using Aura Sphere. (Level up move)

Luxray lvl 40 He could be used for backup. Level him up to Lv45. If he knows Thunder Wave or Thunder fang, you can paralyze the leaders pokemon for easier killing. I had him as a sacrafice.

Steelix lvl 35 Level this guy up to Lv45-Lv50. He/She will help you out against the leader. I beat the gym after catching and training this guy. It is reccomended that he learns some moves like Iron Tail or Earthquake. I gave Flash Cannon to mine since Byron used this move on his Steelix and I thought it was a good idea.

How can Prinplup and Floatzel be useless but Steelix be great? :| Steelix gets mopped with an Ice move. Flash cannon is special based making it terrible for him. Staravia doesn't learn Close Combat, not until evolution. Plus those levels are a bit high to grind up to.


Evolve Staravia first of all. It will learn Close Combat upon Evolution. Staraptor can handle most of her team except Froslass.

Prinplup should still know Metal Claw which could Chip away at Froslass's health until one of them falls. Luxray and the rest should be able to handle it.

 

[Equalizer]

How can Prinplup and Floatzel be useless but Steelix be great? :| Steelix gets mopped with an Ice move. Flash cannon is special based making it terrible for him. Staravia doesn't learn Close Combat, not until evolution. Plus those levels are a bit high to grind up to.


Evolve Staravia first of all. It will learn Close Combat upon Evolution. Staraptor can handle most of her team except Froslass.

Prinplup should still know Metal Claw which could Chip away at Froslass's health until one of them falls. Luxray and the rest should be able to handle it.

Eh I was in a hurry so I just put up what came across my mind.
I did mean to have Staravia evolve and THEN learn Close Combat, but due to his Flying typing, he will be rid of by the many Ice moves in this gym if he is not fast enough to 1HitKO using Close Combat but I doubt this Staraptor is slow.

Steelix has a resistance to Ice so the only thing I would look out for is Mamoswine's Earthquake so I don't reccomend putting him with Mamoswine.

Floatzel can't really do much except chip away at the leader's pokemon and die after.

And Lv45-50 isn't high. I trained my pokemon East of Celestic town using Vs Seeker. They give 800-1000 Exp (Per pokemon) or more per kill if you rematch them. I got my Luxray up to Lv48 fast just by letting him take care of the bird trainer with Noctowl. Same goes for Steelix who was Lv37(?) and got him up to Lv45. I gave him Flash Cannon because it handled most of the leader's pokemon using it and has 100 Accuracy. After Mamoswine showed up, Steelix died so Steelix isn't useless. He's only useless against Mamoswine because of that Earthquake.

I didn't raise a Piplup so I didn't know that it can learn Metal Claw as Prinplup.
Steelix with Flash Cannon is good enough to 2HitKO the Ice Gym Pokemon, despite Steelix's lack of Sp. Attack. Oh and I did say he can use Iron Tail or Earthquake. I didn't say for him to use Flash Cannon. I used that at my own will.