Pokemon you didn't think you would use

[Lavender]

I wasn't planning on having a Petilil/Lilligant on my team but ever since I caught one, it's become one of my main team members. It's a great tank with a Leech Seed/Mega Drain combo.

Can't wait to teach her Butterfly Dance & Petal Dance, she'll be a monster.

 

[Orion-Sama]

My initial plans didn't include Timburr and co., and though it's still on par with how I usually play new Pokémon games since 4th Generation (Plan a Team beforehand, and then test the waters), I ended up keeping him as a permanent member when he took care of Lenora and Burgh with little to no help from the others.

 

[proserpina]

Lilligant. Found it cute (especially while she was a Petilil) but didn't expect to be able to work one into a final team, especially as you won't usually catch me within a mile of a grass type. However, even with just Sleep Powder, Giga Drain, Leech Seed and Leaf Storm she's a tank and is staying with me for the Elite Four in White. I'd have one on my Black team too if I hadn't been intent on making one entirely different for a new experience. ;D

 

[Blake]

Roggenrola.

At first, I got it just to name it "RockN'Roll", but I quickly fell in love with it. I looked up on Bulbapedia, and Gigalith has awesome Atk/Def, and his rock moves are ownage.

I have a feeling he will stay on my team.

 

[Still Probably Modio]

Timburr and Roggenrola. BUT NOW I LOVE EM!

 

[Takoto]

I didn't think I'd like Lillipup and it's evolutions but I caught one at the start of the game and it's been in my party ever since (I actually have two in my party. One evolved and one unevolved that has pick-up).
First time I saw Darumaka I was like "the hell is that?" but I ended up catching one and training it a bit, and I'm starting to like it.

Truth be told, I disliked a lot of the Gen V Pokémon but they've been growing on me since I started playing.

 

[Thebettercake]

Swanna, Eelektross, and Escavalier. Was surprised by their performance, specifically Swanna.

 

[Miar]

Galvantula. I thought it was going to go down easily in Skylea's gym because it was part bug. I thought wrong. Not only was it faster (Speed-boosting nature helps too), but it was a very capable fighter, stronger than Emolga and can take hits better than Zebstrika. It's in my final team.

Excadrill is a complete monster. No one uses him because Drilbur is buried deep away in caves, and Sandile comes in around the same time. But Excadrill's raw attack power and powerful STAB (Dig and Earthquake) proved his worth as my MVP.

The reverse for me. I caught and raised Drilbur up because of its power, but I also grew a Krookodile post-game. It's better than I'd expected, but I'll stick with Excadrill anyway because I already have a main dark-type.

 

[DoctorWhy]

For me, I caught a lillipup (which I NEVER planned on) and used it up until after the 6th badge when I caught Axew. The only other one was an Emboar that I got as a Pignite on GTS Negotiations around the 2nd badge. I still use that Emboar.

 

[Batbloodx]

Audino. I really have no excuse other than randomly running into it in the grass and finding it strangely appealing despite looking so feminine. I... I'm really attached to my Audino now for some reason. xD

 

[Kyuuketsuki]

I didn't plan my team before I got the games, so everyone but my starter was a surprise...

Serperior is obvious.
Seismitoad was a surprise at first, and I decided to keep it after discovering that it is Water/Ground.
Scolipede came out of nowhere for me!
Haxorus was a little predicted, since I went after it before deciding to get the eighth gym so I can have so effective type.
Chandelure was sudden! I just liked Litwick, and wasn't getting enough out of Scraggy, so I made the switch.
Mandibuzz replaced Unfezant, and I absolutely love her. The only team member who joined after I finished the main storyline, but she's defiantly worth the training I put into her.

 

[League]

Galvantula. I thought it was going to go down easily in Skylea's gym because it was part bug. I thought wrong. Not only was it faster (Speed-boosting nature helps too), but it was a very capable fighter, stronger than Emolga and can take hits better than Zebstrika. It's in my final team.

Underlined part generally shouldn't be, unless you rely too much on Wild Bolt (assuming IVs are relatively the same). Zebstrika's stats are all comparably better than Galvantula's; Zebstrika's ability also gives it an immunity.

Blitzle is frail, but in evolving no stat sees increase of less than +30. Joltik's defenses only shoot up +10, and its HP only jumps up 20.

Swanna, Eelektross, and Escavalier. Was surprised by their performance, specifically Swanna.

Eh, Swanna's not too impressive on paper. It is great in Rain though, is a useful and powerful HM slave, has 2 good tricks (Me First / Mirror Move) and Brine available through breeding. Swanna is a pokemon I'd probably use for the HMs, but it does fit my general ingame pokemon mold (1/2 high offensive stats, good+ speed, decent movepool/coverage).

Audino. I really have no excuse other than randomly running into it in the grass and finding it strangely appealing despite looking so feminine. I... I'm really attached to my Audino now for some reason. xD

It's very defensible, it has a good movepool (Double-Edge is great for its high power and Audino's very recoverable HP, while Audino has the elemental 95's as well), and it offers many ways to heal the party for the trainer who spends all of his money on pokeballs. If Regenerator activates when Audino switches out after knocking out a pokemon, then that is a good perk.

Audino also levels up fast and is capable of giving Trick Room support. It is too bad that it doesn't get U-turn or Volt Switch, for Audino would love those moves. Regardless, I like Audino alot better on second look.

 

[Batbloodx]

Wow, I had no idea Audino had so much potential. Glad I've got an excuse now to keep my Hatobito (nickname) around

 

[D1am0nd_Lucas]

Mine is going to be Tepig because while cute, its evolutions designs don't really appeal me. I'm still planning a team before playing the game.

 

[jda95]

Stoutland. I still don't like it much, and it's a bit of a deadweight on my team, but it's there.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Lilligant. I learned the lesson when I was smashed by a NPC at the tennis court; she's one of the most awesome Grass Pokémon ever.

Scrafty: I got a Scraggy via WiFi event and proven to be a very nice Pokémon.

 

[master shake]

I didn't think I would be using Sawk, I hated it's design. But I ended up catching one before battling Lenora, and it basically single handedly tore through that whole gym. Another 3 badges later, he's still a staple on my team.

 

[Puddle]

I had my team planned out before I started playing, but I've had to rethink it entirely. I wasn't expecting to be given a free Pansear, and I fell in love with Drilbur and Emolga immediately after catching them.

 

[League]

Lilligant. I learned the lesson when I was smashed by a NPC at the tennis court; she's one of the most awesome Grass Pokémon ever.

Scrafty: I got a Scraggy via WiFi event and proven to be a very nice Pokémon.

Agree on both. Unless you want Leaf Storm (Petilil lv. 45), it is very easy to decide on when you should gernerally evolve Petilil: somewhere before or at level 28! (You probably want Sleep Powder, and may want Synthesis, Stun Spore, and/or Giga Drain.) Quiver Dance is a great move, and Petal Dance works well enough for sweeping the game. On a side-note, Lilligant needs Hidden Power. A good Lilligant obviously does not want HP Grass.

Scraggy and Scrafty have a marvelous offensive typing (for STAB considerations--it's a decent defensive typing as well). Their stats are wonderfully optimized, and their movepool is also wonderful--especially if you breed. Shed Skin is also a great ability.

Scrafty is generally a guaranteed OU pokemon anyhow, so yeah.

 

[Entropy]

I never have rock types on my team and just picked up roggenrola to fill up the empty space in my team early on, but that thing turned out to be a beast and is still with me as I take on victory road.