How do you usually construct your in-game teams?

[zoroarctic]

The types on my team will vary, but my main play through teams almost always follow the same formula:

at least two Pokemon from the current generation/region.

At least one older Pokemon that I've never used before.

At least one feline and/or canine Pokemon

How about you guys? Anyone else have a specific set of rules they like to follow when building their teams?

 

[DoctorWhy]

Usually, I just try to cover as many types as possible. Usually looks something like this:

-Water
-Flying
-Rock/Ground/Steel
-Fire Pokemon
-Ghost/Dark
-Psychic/Fairy
-Grass/Electric
-Fighting
-Poison

Basically a spread out team. I also try to get at least around 4 dual types, if not all 6 being dual typed. Usually use just 6 main Pokemon, so I try to compress as many types in as I can.

For a better explanation, just take a look at my teams in my sig!

 

[Supreme Leader Palpitoad]

Basically throwing in a bunch of Pokes I like and have not used much before. And I try to vary the types. And also, for all the games I have played, my starter has always been included on the team.

 

[Zkat]

On my teams I usually:

• try only using Pokemon that I've never used before instead of always going with my favorites
• keep the starter on my team
• avoid having more than one Pokemon of the same type, or more than two that share a weakness
• don't use legendaries (I almost always have a full team of Pokemon that I'm attached to at that point and can't make room for it)

Sometimes I make exceptions though. And if I'm making a different team after I beat the game, anything goes.

 

[skyradiant]

I usually make it up as I go along, picking up and dropping off temporary team members until I get to the end of the game. My teams usually have the starter (even though I'm not really loyal to the idea of never dropping off your starter, mine just stick), a fossil (since I love paleontology), and at least one legendary (and always the mascot legendary, since that's usually why I picked the game over its opposite).

 

[Zeb]

I usually just pick the Pokemon I like the look of/want to use most. Generally they are within my favourites, though the list of Pokemon I like is quite large so that doesn't really mean much.

I also don't really go out of my way to do the whole "no repeating types" thing either. I find it ends up being too formulaic every game; rather than going with what I want to use, it feels like the team turns into a need to tick boxes. I don't go out of my way to repeat types and if I don't repeat types then it's fine, but if I do repeat types then I won't drop something I really want to use because of it.

The most I'd say for rules are keeping the starter (since I don't replay that much these days ditching the starter is rarely something I want to do anyway) and don't use legendaries. I know the way we all play is different, but I don't see the fun in using legendaries on your in-game team personally. The games are easy enough without using the late-game (somewhat) deus ex machina that's handed to you to breeze through the league. Plus I just find it unrealistic that a kid would be perfectly able to harness and exploit something like Yveltal, nevermind it being allowed in gyms and the like without anyone batting an eye that you're wielding some form of Pokemon god. Then again, maybe that's what others find fun about it that I don't - wielding a god.

 

[Muur]

I'll vary types, so like starter, water/grass/sometimes fire, flying... then after that I'll go with what I like from the region.

 

[Lufenium]

I don't really put much effort into team building, as I usually find it irksome. I tend to swap out my Pokemon as the situation/location calls for rather than follow a routine.

The only time I really put concious effort into it is when HMs become involved, or I'm taking on a gym.

 

[Treacle]

I always keep the starter, and pick a team of pokémon I like the appearance of best, and are decent in battle. I usually don't repeat types, unless there's two pokémon I really like. (e.g. Empoleon and Floatzel in Gen IV). Usually I end up with more than 6 that I rotate because I don't like having more than one HM per pokémon.

I try to use new pokémon introduced in that generation or 'native' to the region in the remakes.

Now I tend to use a greater range of pokémon, as opposed to the first 6 I catch (So not something like Venusaur/Raticate/Pidgeot/Butterfree/Beedrill/Raichu anymore). However, I don't use legendaries during the main storyline (unless compulsory like in BW).

 

[Paleo]

I always keep my starter, and then I just catch Pokemon that I really like, while looking out for too much overlap in types

 

[Lofty]

Usually, I stick with Pokemon from the region, keep the starter around, and have at least three dual types. I also try to use Pokemon that I've never used before to see how I like them.

I make it a personal rule to always have Grass, Fire, Water, and Flying on my team.

 

[Sakuraa]

First I'll go through the list of Pokemon to see what I like. (If it's a remake, 3rd version, or replay this also extends to Pokemon I haven't used before.) I choose solely based on looks. I don't care about stats at all. Then I basically go through all the ones I like and choose the ones I really, really want to have on my team. I make sure to avoid type overlaps as much as possible nowadays. If I ever due overlap types with permanent members, at least one will be a dual type so that it offers something different from the other Pokemon of the same type. (Like in Y where I had both Furfrou and Heliolisk and also Chesnaught and Blaziken.)

In terms of having water, fire, and grass Pokemon on the team, I'll try to have at least 2 of the 3. Aside from that, usually I'll have an electric-type, usually in the form of a Pikaclone if it's a new game. Finally, I try as hard as possible to be sure to have a flying-type. Aside from that, everything else just depends on which mons I like the most who won't cause a type overlap.

I always kept my starter, I never use Legendaries, and I never rotate. I may catch a Pokemon to use before I come up to the location where a permanent member will be. But after the permanent member is caught the original Pokemon is out of the party for good. (Example being in Black where I caught a Blitzle and later replaced it with Emolga.)

Finally, if it's a new generation I'll only have Pokemon from that generation on my team for the first playthrough definitely. For replays anything is up for grabs. Same policy for remakes and 3rd versions.

 

[CynthiaLover]

For starters, I always use my Starter. Most of the time I tend to use favorites, though it varies depending on the situation and diversity. I do have a tendency to rotate at times, though not always, as once I establish a team I like, it stays that way. As of Platinum, I try not to overlap weaknesses frequently, though due to certain favorites, that ends up a problem (Torterra, Garchomp, and Gliscor, for example). I always have a Fire and Water type (usually the Fire Mon is my Starter, as I prefer them), while ones like Grass are a bit less common unless they have good moves and/or types (again, the aforementioned Torterra, being my favorite Grass Mon). Flying and Electric are other common types, especially the latter when it comes to Water types, since I don't use Grass all that often. I do try to balance my team more ever since Platinum as well, before I'd just catch what I liked and used it. I like to make my team diverse, if possible, so I can handle any situation. When it comes to new gens, I try to use mostly new Mons, though I occasionally backslide, like using Gardevoir in Y, but generally speaking I prefer to use only new Mons in new gens.

 

[kaiomann]

I also go for a lot of coverage and not too much overlapping, like it was mentioned enough times already in this thread. But I also try to not use megas along with legends on ingame teams. They just make it way too easy.

Well, I did have to use Mega Latias against Wynona because her Altaria just straight-out destroyed me. But that was an exception, ok?!

 

[Jyo]

I usually plan out my team way before I buy the game.
I will have all 6 Pokemon & their nicknames planned out, usually fit a theme or type
I try to limit myself to
2 Pokemon I know and love, and used a lot
2 Pokemon I never used before, to give them a chance

 

[TheMonster6893]

There are a few things I consider when making a team. I typically base my teams around the types I want, what Pokemon I like in general, what kind of moves the Pokemon leanr (and how they learn them), and who I think will b useful overall. Usually the very base of my team centers around the main types water, fire, and grass. Although I'd have to confirm, I'm pretty sure I always have water and fire on my team. Grass I'll occasionally swap out for whatever appropriate type to fill it's shoes if I feel the need. I like to try and build a team that can take out almost every type. If my team is set and there's a type it can't counter I'll try and squeeze in a move on one of their movesets that can help with that.

 

[Lysson]

Whatever looks good but I do try to get a balance typing wise.

 

[Lord Kyuubi]

I keep my starter always. Otherwise, I follow a very simple rule - if a pokemon I like the look of comes along, I catch it. I don't use any legendaries generally, and definitely not any really serious ones, like the box art legendaries, and suchlike. I did use Latias in Alpha Sapphire, though, but I didn't notice any significant power difference between her and the rest of my team. I didn't use her mega at all, though, aside from once to see what it looked like, and that was enough to put me off using it ever again.

Sometimes I decide I want a particular pokemon, like in Alpha Sapphire, I knew in advance I was definitely getting a poochyena. Or I realise I can get a pokemon I want partway through, and decide to go for it. Like in Y when I realised about at the coast that I could have caught a zigzagoon back at the start, and ran all the way back to get one. He's now level 85-ish, and still hasn't evolved. I have my linoone of supreme power in Alpha Sapphire to fit that gap - no need to evolve the other one.

 

[Silverwynde]

There are two Pokemon that, no matter the Region, absolutely have to be on my team: they are Golett and Pawniard. From there, I figure out which starter I want to take and fill in the gaps with a couple of Pokemon who can cover for the first three's weaknesses. And that's about it, really.

 

[snorlaxxx225]

The worst way...
I pick my starter and that pokemon becomes the guy who carries my team. I pick up another pokemon with very different types to help out of a jam. I need an hm slave or two then i bring pokemon i like to hang out. I fight as many trainers as i can with my team leader (starter) and i go threw the gyms, gangs, get legends, and beat the league. Then i go back and find pokemon i encountered that interest me. I raise them and make teams to explore the rest of the game on mu own time before i try to catch them all and breed/train for real battles that i dont get to a lot of the time