Plat Team (Far from complete! Could use suggestions)

[Master Rudy]

Ok it's been a very long time since I've had a team posted. I wanted to get what I currently have up right now and get suggestions on the matter. I've already got two Pokémon in mind for the team. First and foremost I'd like to know how to improve them. As for the other four slots I've got some ideas but I'm not 100% sure of the direction I'd like to go with them.

Here's what I got so far:

Infernape, Level 64
Bashful nature, Item-Razor Fang
HP 194, Att 165, Def 108, Sp. A 149, Sp. D 120, Speed 160
Heat Wave, Mach Punch, Close Combat, Shadow Claw
A typical trait of my teams is I try to balance out the power of my attacks with high accuracy. For example in the RBY days I favored Flamethrower over Fire Blast. I feel that an attack that can hit more often and has more PP is better than one that has more power but is inconsistant in hitting the target. As a result I've got Heat Wave as my fire attack. While it doesn't have a 100% hit rate it's fairly close and has very good power behind it. Shadow Claw is in there as a counter to the psychic types that will no doubt be sent out to deal with Infernape. I've got Close Combat in there as a heavy attack for those situations where having a sacrifice is not an issue. There have also been times where I've even knocked out two or three Pokémon with CC before getting KOed. While Mach Punch is in the loop I don't use that at all since it's very rare I get beat out in speed. I could use a suggestion for a replacement there.

Vaporeon, Level 61
Relaxed nature, Item-Lax Incense
HP 257, Att 103, Def 111, Sp. A 162, Sp. D 135, Speed 91
Aqua Ring, Shadow Ball, Aurora Beam, Waterfall
Yes I know I'd most likely be better off with Surf but I do have my reasons. I've got a Golduck that may make the team if I go the route of doing a ton of double battles. The Golduck itself has Surf on it and I tend to use that to heal Vaporeon while hitting both of their Pokémon. Aqua Ring also helps with keeping Vaporeon in the battle. Even so I know two Pokémon is potentially a bad idea due to Shockwave. Shadow Ball is something I always try to fit in on all Eeveelutions since nearly every team I've ever encountered likes to employ a psychic. Aurora Beam is on there to help with flyers and anything weak to ice.

As for the other four slots I'm thinking along the following lines:

Slot 3-Leafeon
This will most likely be my third member. Currently has Syntheis, Giga Drain, Dig and Last Resort

Slot 4-Umbreon
Currently training it. Still have a ways to go. Without a doubt it will carry Leftovers. Leaning towards my old GSC moveset of Moonlight, Toxic, Shadow Ball and Bite.

Slot 5-Electric type
Unsure in this area. While I do have a Luxray I'm leaning towards Jolteon for the speed factor.

Slot 6-Undecided
Still not sure about the final member. I do have a Dratini but I don't know if I want to go that route. The 4X weakness to ice when fully evolved as Dragonite is a big factor. Even when people don't actually have an ice type on the team there is almost always someone with an ice move. Was also thinking about Golduck as a partner to Vaporeon in double battles since I've got Surf on that. However I want to try to limit my weaknesses as much as possible. Suggestions?

Also as some of you may or may not know I've only recently started up with playing again. As a result I'm still getting use to some of the new things. One questions I did have is how natures factor into everything. How do those affect the stats if at all?

[DarkestLight]

Natures affect your stats.

In a super nutshell they raise one stat slightly higher (1.1) while lowering another (0.9).

Like Adamant Boosts yer attack stat a bit, but lowers you Special Attack stat IIRC .

Someone not as rushed as I am right now will explain that better.

[Poryhedron]

Ooh, ooh! I'm not rushed! Pick me! Pick me!

There are twenty-five different Natures pokémon can have. Each one raises either Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, or Speed by 10%, and also lowers one of those five stats by 10%. If you're good at math, you'll already have realized that there are five natures that raise and lower the same stat; they are Hardy, Docile, Serious, Bashful and Quirky. Pokémon with any of those Natures are not affected by their Nature.

The other Natures are as follows:

ATTACK BOOSTERS
Lonely (lowers Defense)
Adamant (lowers Special Attack)
Naughty (lowers Special Defense)
Brave (lowers Speed)

DEFENSE BOOSTERS
Bold (lowers Attack)
Impish (lowers Special Attack)
Lax (lowers Special Defense)
Relaxed (lowers Speed)

SPECIAL ATTACK BOOSTERS
Modest (lowers Attack)
Mild (lowers Defense)
Rash (lowers Special Defense)
Quiet (lowers Speed)

SPECIAL DEFENSE BOOSTERS
Calm (lowers Attack)
Gentle (lowers Defense)
Careful (lowers Special Attack)
Sassy (lowers Speed)

SPEED BOOSTERS
Timid (lowers Attack)
Hasty (lowers Defense)
Jolly (lowers Special Attack)
Naïve (lowers Special Defense)

One other thing about Natures: they also relate to what flavors of Berries and Poffins the pokémon likes and dislikes. A nature that raises Attack makes the pokémon like Spicy; one that lowers Attack makes it dislike Spicy. Similarly, Defense matches Sour; Special Attack matches Dry; Special Defense matches Bitter; and Speed matches Sweet. This is important for things like Pokémon Contests or the Berries that restore a bunch of HP but confuse if it's the wrong flavor.

[Jeff]

Dang it, Pory beat me to it. And here I went and made a shiny new page detailing this very thing.

[Blademaster]

Infernape: You have Shadow Claw to cover your Fighting weakness, now cover your Fire one as well - swap out Mach Punch for Thunderpunch.

Vaporeon: BEASTLY HP combined with Aqua Ring is pretty clever. I'd really recommend Surf over Waterfall, though: Waterfall is a Physical attack, which means it is piss-weak on Vaporeon. Plus, having 2 Surfing Pokemon is a stupid complaint (no offense) if you're that alright with sending out 2 Water Pokemon simultaneously to begin with. Trust me, Aqua Ring and Vaporeon's HP is enough. Aurora Beam I don't get when Ice Beam is clearly superior, and Shadow Ball makes no sense at all, especially with Infernape's Shadow Claw and, more predominantly, Umbreon. Replace that with Rain Dance or Acid Armor, or maybe even Yawn if you don't mind Breeding.

Leafeon: Even in-game, this thing is barely worth raising. If you really like it, though, take its effect and physical power into consideration: Sunny Day and Synthesis can keep it alive for awhile, and comparing its Phys. Attack and Spec. Attack, Leaf Blade and Seed Bomb trump even Solarbeam in terms of power. Though Solarbeam does get Sunny Day's boost... It can also relearn Bite if you get a Heart Scale, or maybe you can teach it Curse or a Bug move: X-Scissor and Fury Cutter are options... Yeah, dunno what to say here, really...

Umbreon: FAR superior to Leafeon, but sadly, more of a defense than an offense. So, Toxic and Moonlight are plausible. Shadow Ball is useless when Dark Pulse is just as strong, useful against the same types, AND STAB'd. Confuse Ray and Mean Look are possibilities if you wanna go the defensive route, too.

Jolteon: More versatile than Luxray. Also, its moves are less hectic to come by. If Vaporeon gets Rain Dance, give this guy Thunder. Otherwise, Thunderbolt. It used to be famous for Pin Missile; now it can use the Special Signal Beam, as well. Shadow Ball MIGHT make sense here if you really want an anti-Psychic Pokemon that's more aggressive than Umbreon, but otherwise I don't have any other suggestions.

As for your last Pokemon, make sure it's not weak against Flying or Ground Pokemon, or else half of your team will be in danger from that type. You can afford an Ice-weak Pokemon, so maybe evolving your Dratini into a Dragonair only would be plausible.

When I make a Fire-Water-Electric-Grass team like yours, I tend to stick in one more "Special" type (You have Umbreon.) or one more "Physical" type. You lack the latter, so I'd suggest a beefy Normal, Ground, or even Steel type (Steel's Ground weakness can be circumvented with a Levitating Bronzong, who is just the most adorably frustrating barrier ever in Pokemon if you give it moves like Block, Hypnosis, Iron Defense, Light Screen, Rest, etc. etc. etc..). There's no shortage of such Pokemon, and your team could surely use an Earthquaker on it. If you like experimenting with new Pokemon, go for that angle. Ambipom, Lopunny, Hippowdon, Bastiodon, Probopass, Porygon-Z... A lot of DPP Pokemon are way stronger than they're given credit for. Good luck trying 'em out...

Or if you wanna be an overpowered unoriginal bastard like me, there's always Lucario.

[Master Rudy]

Yeah I'm still in the experimenting phase. As for Vaporeon and Ice Beam I think I already used the TM up. I keep forgetting that the attacks are now classified as either physical or special type and that it's not like the old days when pretty much all the elemental attacks used special as the stat to go by. As a result I will go ahead and swap back to Surf. In all honesty as I think about it I doubt I'll face too many double battles. Shadow Ball was mainly on there from pretty much having an army of Eevees bred and ready to train. I may go the route of Rain Dance there.

For Infernape that could work. Just need to know where the TM/move tutor for that is.

I was thinking Leafeon as a grass type since I currently do not have access to a Bulbasaur or Chikorita. I do however have both of the grass starters from Gen 3 and 4. I've still yet to train them up however. Who works better overall? Treeko and it's evolved forms or Turtwig?

Umbreon will most likely be making the team. I'm currently thinking Moonlight, Toxic, a dark type move and perhaps Mean Look. Now it's only a matter of finding Leftovers.

Jolteon could work out. As luck would have it however it's my sole female of the group, already level 35 and the one lacking Shadow Ball ~_~()
I'm not sure if I still have that TM. Hopefully I do. If not I guess I could breed it. I may go with Thunder. Just need to compare it's attack power with Signal Beam.

I think I will go ahead and raise up Dratini all the way. In hindsight withholding evolution would be crazy. Sure I'd avoid the 4X ice weakness but the lower stats overall would be kinda like having it anyway. If Dratini is able to learn Earthquake I think that'll be where I put that

All in all I think the team is going to look like this:
Infernape
Heat Wave, Close Combat, Shadow Claw, Thunderpunch

Vaporeon
Surf, Aurora/Ice Beam, Aqua Ring, Rain Dance

Gen 3/4 Grass Starter

Umbreon
Moonlight, Mean Look, Toxic, Dark type attack

Jolteon
Shadow Ball, Thunder/Signal Beam, unsure about move 3 and 4

Dragonite
Need a moveset

[Blademaster]

You can get another Ice Beam TM at the Veilstone Game Corner. Just hoard everything you find, sell it consantly, and you'll be swimming in cash by the endgame.

Thunderpunch can be taught by the Move Tutor on Route 212. You'll need 2 Red Shards and 6 Blue ones.

As for Grass starters, Torterra is more versatile than Sceptile, but if you stick with Dragonite, you'll have 2 Pokemon that'll get raped by Ice attacks. Torterra's ideal moveset is along the lines of Wood Hammer (Heart Scale move), Earthquake, Crunch, and Stone Edge/Rock Slide. Curse is also a possibility considering Torterra is all about raw power, and its speed is already abysmal.

Sceptile is the exact opposite: a speedy, special attacker. Sunny Day, Solarbeam, Focus Blast, and Dragon Pulse are all viable attacks; Leaf Storm, Frenzy Plant, and Hidden Power work too. Just be careful - it has VERY low HP, so don't put too much stock in Sunnybeaming unless you know you can get away with it.

As I said, Umbreon + Dark Pulse is your best bet. It's Umbreon's strongest Dark attack. You can find Leftovers for it attached to a wild Munchlax.

Jolteon is kind of an all-trades Pokemon, so if you don't have Shadow Ball's TM, don't sweat it - Thunder/Thunderbolt, Signal Beam, Shadow Ball, Swift, Wish, Yawn, Rain Dance, and Hidden Power are the best moves I can think of for her.

As for Dragonite, it can learn Earthquake. I dunno what moves to give it, sorry. There's just too many options. My last Dragonite used Focus Blast, Flamethrower, Fly, and Blizzard. I'm sure you can find more practical ones, though. Dragonite has high Attack, not Sp. Attack like I thought. So take that into consideration. Maybe Focus Punch + Substitute would work.

[Poryhedron]

You can get another Ice Beam TM at the Veilstone Game Corner. Just hoard everything you find, sell it consantly, and you'll be swimming in cash by the endgame.

Screw hoarding. Thanks to the Clefairy bonus rounds, winning coins in the slots has never been easier than it is in Sinnoh. This is the only generation where I'll actually play the slots to earn the Game Corner's prizes. Just make sure you've got a solid block of time to play; chaining bonus rounds can sometimes go on for an hour or two if you let it.

[Master Rudy]

Screw hoarding. Thanks to the Clefairy bonus rounds, winning coins in the slots has never been easier than it is in Sinnoh. This is the only generation where I'll actually play the slots to earn the Game Corner's prizes. Just make sure you've got a solid block of time to play; chaining bonus rounds can sometimes go on for an hour or two if you let it.

I must have rotten luck on the slots then. I feel that this gen had the worst game corner. I've never seen a bonus round and I've never hit a slot more than twice in a row. The only slots I ever had decent luck with were from the first gen of games. Once I got a hit on those I had the timing down to an art form and could easily hit about 8 out of 10 very consistantly.