4th Gen Pokemon Team Size: Just Six, or Six-Hundred?

[Comedic-Sidekick]

I just catch a whole bunch of them, then end up picking six of em' as I go and just use them for the E4. Then I train the rest after, but mostly for my pokedex.

 

[Ghostrk9]

sorry but to me ur idea is weird. i personally like to plan my team their strengths. weaknesses,movesets and abilities (dont care 4 natures) 4 example, i get an arcanine, i now need something to back up that arcanine a grass or electic would beat that water type or wateva. that sometimes does not work i figure out all the gyms/pokemon leaugue and make a suitable team 4 them. try 1 of those ideas mayb(works 4 me)

 

[FrostPheonix]

I usually get 6 and go with them. I catch the others along the way for my pokedex. I don't think catching all the pokemon and grinding them all will pay off, especially since you might not use any of the others after putting the effort into them...

 

[Neptune Vasilias]

I only train all those Pokemon I caught after beating the Elite Four. And I don't just train any random I caught before. I train the low-levellers first before moving on to those I want for more Wi-Fi battle teams. I suggest grinding on those you've caught and then once you're at VR, pick the cream of the crop. ;)

 

[Aquacorde]

I usually use a full team of six, with sometimes a seventh as a backup or high-level HM slave. It works for me.

 

[Calamity]

I'll usually do the main quest with around 5 pokemon, then after completion i'll start catching and raising more pokemon and rotate around :)

 

[MysticFlygon]

I like to rotate my Pokemon out unless I'm doing a challenge of some sort. The only Pokemon I don't rotate out is my starter(at least until the end of the main game).

 

[Danarus Kyng]

I use my starter Pokemon for the entire game, every trainer battle. By the time they get to the Elite Four, they're almost invincible. But just in case some water Pokemon (I usually choose the fire starter) gets a lucky shot, I have back-up. In fact, I recently just blazed (no pun intended) through the Elite Four with a Lv82 Infernape and Lv24 Kirlia.

Granted, the Kirlia didn't stand much of a chance, but it gave me much-needed time to use a full revive on Infernape. Your sacrifice was NOT in vain, Kirlia.

 

[Archipelago]

I prefer to keep a solid team of five Pokemon in my team. Usually consisting of Fire, Water, Grass, Electricity and then a fifth extension which could be of any other typing. This usually ends up being Psychic, although it could really be anything that I find appealing. This means that I can keep a fairly tough team, and if I happen to find a sixth in the later game I can quickly implement it into my team without having to take the long trek (or flight) back. Besides, that final part seems to be built with a HM based Pokemon, which could range from a bird-Pokemon for rapid travel or a ocean swimmer to traverse rivers and lakes.

Grinding is often a somewhat painful process which I lack the patience to do myself. If you enjoy the grinding, then you could go ahead with that and have a huge array of Pokemon to battle with. I've never found that idea a personal favourite of mine, but it's really up to you which you choose. It really depends on your travel style.

 

[ChocoboPokemon]

I catch everything but raise four of them, carry two for excess HMs. The other two I'll decide when I get to Elite Four. I often have Daycare raising the other two, for example I'm having Gastly there.

 

[PiPVoda]

Actually I've done the OPs number two, catch as many as I can. But I haven't raised all of them. I just like catching them to fill my pokedex even though I don't plan on completing it. Number one is probably what I'd prefer, and what I did with Pearl. As of now I have about a team of 5 on my platinum, they are in a 3-4 level range with one another, so pretty solid team.

Yet if I restart platinum I will probably combine one and two. Catch as many pokemon as I can, but raise and keep around four, five at most, on my team. It's difficult choosing who I want sometimes, but it usually comes out good. EV training is another reason why I favor option one. I hate EV training, and am still learning about it, but do it anyways to form my perfect team. Meaning I only train the pokemon that I am 100% sure will be my main players.

 

[hackerofdarkness]

I keep 6 plus train them to give them some love and affection

 

[Pops]

I train only 7 of them, usually these types: Fire, Water, Ground, Electric, Ghost, Fighting, Flying. Sometimes a Psychic type.

 

[DarkVhozon]

I typically use 3 pokes before E4 with the other slots being for HM slaves. I wont ever go beyond 5 tho. I hate having crappy HM's on my pokemon, save Fly and Surf.

 

[GardevoirNess]

I actually get 600 BUT I train the other 594 at endgame to a high lvl

 

[Don Daddio]

i have over 500 pokemon on pearl and all my pokemon in my party are lvl 100,,~!!!!!

 

[Weavile05]

Usually I just make a team of 6, planned out from the start. However, when I get White on March the 6th I'll probably try your second option. I'll just take my time with it.

 

[vaporeon7]

I usually plan a team of 6 and then I stick with them. If I have a well balanced team I don't need to have different Pokemon for every gym.