What's Your Playthrough Style?

[V20]

Throughout my time playing the games, I've always built my first team in the following manner:

1) Get and train starter
2) Capture and train one pokemon found early in game
3) Capture and store everything else
4) Capture and train Legendary mascot

For instance, my Pearl team for the longest time was Infernape (starter), Luxray (caught early on), and Palkia (legendary). Also, my PC was over flowing with Pokemon I'd captured but never used, but I can't bring myself to release them; partially because I'll need them to fill up my B/W Dex and because they have some sentimental value to me, having been there so long.

Now for my White Version playthrough, I'm spicing things up a little. Instead of storing away every little pokemon I find so that it can sit around for only the initial purpose of it's Dex info, I'm going to capture a pokemon, either commit to training it or release it after a short while. The exception of course will be the legendaries; but that can be understood.

My main question for everyone is:
What is your playthrough style? / How will your BW style differ if at all?

-Do you cherish your starter and devote all your time to it?
-Do you train a wide array of pokemon and live by the old 'catch 'em all' tagline?
-Or do you own only the pokemon you train, caring naught about those little Dex entries?

(Examples just to get you started)

 

[Joshawott]

My playthrough style has always been to get a team of around 5 Pokémon to use in-game (leaving room for an HMV slave). The only exceptions were JP SoulSilver (4 Pokémon), HeartGold (Full 6) and JP White (5 Pre-Elite 4, but afterwards, Hydreigon joined my team). I'll dedicate my time equally to my entire team.

I never use the box legend in-game. I also catch Pokémon whenever I can if it's my first playthrough the region.

 

[Dr. Buni]

I catch some pokémon that I like, usually they just appear after third/fourth gym. Until it happens, I just train my starter and another random pokémon that I will drop in the box after.

I'm opposed to the "catch 'em all" style...
The only time that I played in this way was the first time I ever played the game, back in '99.

I like to catch just my favourite pokémon, the others are nothing to me.

 

[pikachu200]

3 more pokemon along with starter to train, then 2 HM slaves to use on field so I can get more items

 

[Soulweaver]

I explore every area, talk to every NPC I come across and spend time on routes just to catch Pokémon I will train for my dex later. Generally, I stroll through the game in a rather relaxed pace and usually my HoF entry is somewhere around 80-100 hours of gameplay. Pokémon-wise, I catch a full party very early and later build a solid team of six differently typed Pokémon (I tend to have bias on former special types) by replacing party members, and I spread the HM moves between them. HM slaves are IMO fighting against the spirit of the game

 

[istore]

Generally I keep my starter a few levels above the rest of my team. Usually I pickup a pokemon or two found in the early routes but I may not do it in BW as I am not a huge fan of the early on pokemon. I will keep my elemental monkey though, I know that much

 

[V20]

I personally find that my time played per day goes down over the first month I get the game: I clocked in 100 hours in HG in my first WEEK owning it- I think i'll slow down the rate I zip through BW.
Also, HM space seems to limit some people's party size. I don't want to have to leave a team member behind cuz his spot got jacked my an unfortunately necessary HM Slave.

 

[Pokefannn]

I I train a grass, fire and water pokemon. I also keep legendaries and event pokemon on my team.

 

[Pikachufanboy]

I use my starter, Pikachu, and then a full team. I usually spread out my HMs, the only HM Technician I like is Linoone because of Pickup. I generally pick a horrible type combination, because I just pick whichever I want to use in that run independently of the rest of the team (my last run had 2 ghosts and 2 waters ).

I generally try to catch enough Pokemon for in game progression. Like the Pokedex in Kanto, giving multiple items and the national dex. I am currently trying to get as many as I can to transfer into 5th gen though.

 

[Sushi-X]

I use HM slaves early in the game but after the elite four I replace all but my starter and replace them with badasses.

 

[Owain]

I explore every area, talk to every NPC I come across and spend time on routes just to catch Pokémon I will train for my dex later. Generally, I stroll through the game in a rather relaxed pace and usually my HoF entry is somewhere around 80-100 hours of gameplay. Pokémon-wise, I catch a full party very early and later build a solid team of six differently typed Pokémon (I tend to have bias on former special types) by replacing party members, and I spread the HM moves between them. HM slaves are IMO fighting against the spirit of the game

I'M You
i feel the game more that way XD

 

[Miar]

Before even playing, I buy a frickin' Strategy Guide.
Get all the starters (involves trading and restarting a few times)
Catch the first of everything new that appears if able, and accept all gifts. A lot of them will be boxed for eternity, but whatever.
Battle every trainer I come across. Collect every item. Do everything.

Party-wise, I use whatever will beat the Gym Leader, then change the team and train for the next. Usually, I'll have 2-3 of one type, 3 others, and later one HM slave (the main water-type has Water HMs)
Rarely do I handle legendaries. I catch them, but don;t oftentimes grow them until after the end.
After all the Gym Leaders are beat, it's time to build an endgame team that I'll play with for the rest of the game and after.

The pacing is relaxed, sometimes too slow depending on how much is in it (Underground took a lot of time). Typically, endgame time is 90 hours, with a record time of 75 in SoulSilver

 

[Apex]

Keep my starter 3-5 levels higher than the other 5. Battle any trainer I can. Hopefully beat the Gym Leaders/League.

 

[V20]

the only HM Technician I like is Linoone because of Pickup.

HM Technician sound a lot nicer that HM Slave; it kind of cruel that that's become the widest used term

 

[jolteon]

Great thread.

I get the strategy guide(yes, I know its a marketing ploy and that I get all the info I need on the internet. But there's nothing like having that guide in your hands. I have every guide for every main pkmn game since r/b in '98) then I go thru the guide and analyze every pkmn and how I might use them.

I then plan out my types. I always have a fire, electric and water. Then 3 other types. sometimes i just use those 3 until I figure out who else I want. If a HM move is useful in battle, then I add it to my team, if not then i'll periodically withdraw whatever pkmn has the needed move for the field

I keep the same (eventual) 6 for the game. I catch everything else tho. I will only raise other pkmn if I haven't caught their evolved forms. I rarely use legendaries. I always have 1 fast, 1 wall and 1 physically strong pkmn(most of my teams tend to already b strong special attackers)

 

[Baashka]

i usually have two or three other pokemon in my team besides my starter. i like to get them all at early levels, so if there's a poke i want that's not available near the beginning of the game/in my version i just have someone trade me an egg. i tend to get very, very attached to all of them, and as of HGSS i've been nicknaming them, something i used to reserve for contest pokemon or OCs (but i keep my little *~poke adventures~* to myself).

i try to be as thorough as possible when it comes to actually playing the game. i catch everything new i see (save for evos of pokes i've already captured...most of the time), though i don't train them till after i've beat the e4. i talk to everyone, do all the sidequests, etc etc.

 

[Zekurom]

I play hack runs of all my games.

The way I do it is so that the Pokémon I want to train are all Level 2.

While actually playing through the game, I put the lower-level Pokémon at the front, to train them up.

 

[AxiisAegis]

First, I will train my starter.
Then get another pokemon to match up with the starter.
After that, get 1 HM Slave.
Get 1 more pokemon for battling alongside the first two.
Get another HM Slave
Get 1 more pokemon for battling.

So there will be 4 battlers and 2 Slaves
The rest will be stored in the pc.

I dislike having legendaries on the team. Makes the game feel unfair. lol

 

[GengarEatBanana]

I don't like to use 'HM Slaves' as they hinder a team, unless the Slave has Pickup, in which case it's great! Nah, I only use a HM Slave in Hoenn, cause there you need Dive, Waterfall, Surf, Flash, Fly, Strength, Rock Smash and Hidden Power for Secret Base. Brain Overload!

Usually I pick my starter.
Then I pick a Poke that will help it with the first gym.
Then a Water Poke.
Then three others that either help the other Pokes or that I like.

^^All this = Awesomeness is born

------------------------

I have officially claimed Wailord
Check out my Reviews on the Bug Type, just go to my blog here​

 

[Strato Lucario]

I pick a starter I like, and level up that and one other Pokemon I like (e.g. it was Shinx => Luxio => Luxray for Platinum). I flesh out the rest of my team to cover type weaknesses and for HM slaves. I then capture the version mascot, curbstomp the E4 and Champion, then go on to capture the other hidden legendaries (e.g. Mewtwo in FR) and complete as much additional stuff as I can.