Main Series: Do you plan your team?

[Amore]

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]

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.

 

[PlatinumDude]

I plan teams ahead of time, yes, so that I can have an efficient runthrough of the game.

 

[Firox]

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).

 

[DowntownDumpling]

Nope. I can't stand the idea of doing, say, an Ash team. Sounds incredibly tedious. Even on monotype challenges a lot from whatever plans I have burgeoning changes.

 

[Kikaito plush]

I only plan two spots on my team then the rest can be anything really.

 

[Aether★]

I always plan my team (full six) on every Pokemon game.

 

[Brendino]

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.

 

[Oryx]

I usually plan my first caught Pokemon. Other than that, I like to leave it up to chance and see what I come across :3

 

[Treecko]

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.

 

[Hikamaru]

I usually plan all my team in advance since 4th Generation, especially the starter.

 

[Day Tripper]

I plan the starter, the bird pokemon, and the HM slave lol

 

[Sabrewulf238]

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, Cofagrigus 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)

 

[Altairis]

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

 

[BrandoSheriff]

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!]

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.

 

[Miss Anne Thrope]

I usually plan a full team and end up not following it because a lot of the Pokemon I plan you get near the end. Sometimes I follow my plan. Sometimes I don't plan at all..

 

[lmcde22]

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...

 

[Cerberus87]

If I don't plan it, I'll reach a point in the game where I don't know what to do. I usually choose what's better overall to take on gyms and E4.

 

[✯Shigeru✯]

I never plan my team the first time I play through a game because I like wandering into the unknown and catching and using whatever Pokemon seem interesting to me.