DPPt/HGSS Simple Team Help

[superlugia1]

I've beaten the first three gyms on platinum and I'm having trouble with the fourth. I think it's because of my team.

Alakazam Lv.30
-psybeam
-recover
-thheif
-grass knot

Drifloon Lv.27
-gust
-shadowball
-payback
-defog

Pikachu Lv.20 (holding lightball)
-volt tackle
-surf
-quick attack
-thunder wave

Scyther Lv.27
-wing attack
-fury cutter
-false swipe
-agility

Psyduck Lv.25
-disable
-water puse
-confusion
-water gun

Grotle Lv. 28
-bite
-mega drain
-absorb
-razor leaf

Can someone please give me some suggestions?

 

[KoL]

Maylene is fourth up if I remember correctly?

Your movesets, for this early stage in the game, aren't too bad overall, although I'd definitely try to get some Ground and Rock-type moves for Grotle upon evolving into Torterra. If Maylene is fourth, I'd assume Lucario is the issue since it beats you in level and you carry no moves that it suffers a weakness to. Drifloon however resists every move Lucario carries bar Metal Claw, and Scyther also only really suffers from Metal Claw too. I'd suggest just levelling your team up a bit more before taking her on, since that seems to be the most glaring issue at the moment.

 

[GodlessM]

Drifloon and Alakazam should pull you through it easily though if you got Earthquake from Wayward Cave teaching it to Grotle might help against Lucario. I'm surprised you are having trouble as most of your guys are at higher levels and such than mine were when I was fighting her yesterday.

You should level up Pikachu too (obviously).

 

[Shocari]

GodlessM, not trying to be rude, but your advice was pathetic. First, he needs Strength to get the Earthquake TM, and NEEDS 5 badges in order to use it. Seeing as how Maylene is fourth, this seems to be on the brink of impossibility. Second as soon as Grotle evolves into Torterra, it learns Earthquake, which completely destroys the use of needing the TM for that reason.

Also, you're blunt advice to just level up Pikachu means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. If all you are saying is high levels means an easy ingame victory, that just says "hey, screw the badges that makes my team listen to me, I'll just go get level 100s off the GTS and hopefully they'll listen to me more than 30% pf the time!"

EDIT: ...ooooohhhhh, flash. Well, in any case, I guess you're right KoL. Pathetic was being too harsh, amd for that I do offer my sincerest apologies.

 

[KoL]

Actually, Earthquake can be gotten straightaway upon reaching the Wayward Cave's secret entrance - Flash is needed to see in the cave, but the only thing standing between you and the Earthquake TM is a bike puzzle - no HMs are required to get Earthquake since the rocks blocking the entrance were removed in Platinum; all you need is the bicycle and (unless you're very good at navigating near total darkness) the Flash TM. That said, there is little point in getting Earthquake at this point in the game just to use on Grotle, since Grotle learns Earthquake upon evolution anyway and no-one else in the team can make use of the TM. That said, I'd still highly recommend going to the Wayward Cave secret entrance either way - the Earthquake TM is quite valuable regardless, and is worth getting and keeping hold of for a later date. Plus, wild Gible and Bronzor live in the cave - Bronzong is deadly, even though his Speed can be a bit lacking, and if you somehow managed to get a Garchomp in your team, well...I'd hate to be Team Galactic or any of the Gym Leaders, put it that way.

Either way, calling GodlessM's advice "pathetic" was too much, since essentially, a simple problem with a team usually warrants an equally simple solution. On another note, there's also a Rare Candy in the Wayward Cave's hidden area (and another Rare Candy in the main part of the cave, oddly enough.) I'd loot out the Wayward Cave (both areas) if you haven't already Superlugia - you'll be able to train your Pokemon some more there and grab good items along the way too.

Just for extra laughs, Mira is in the Wayward Cave as well, which means you'll be healed to 100% after every battle as long as she is with you, making a great place to train even better.

 

[QuilavaEmperor]

Your Pokemon are fine, just make sure to buy some super potions, Alakazam, and Drifloon should be able to take most of them out. Level up Pikachu

 

[GodlessM]

Since KoL has already pretty much defended my position for me all I can add Shokari is to learn the game before calling my advise pathetic. Moves are the guys only problem so that is all I suggested. Leveling up Pikachu will just help it not get squished so easily should he need to use it.

 

[KoL]

In any case, it's water under the bridge now and I'd prefer if nothing more is said on that particular matter. Shocari has apologized after all and GodlessM's advice, as I stated, still stands.

Superlugia, if you need any further help, don't hesitate to post a reply here saying so.

 

[superlugia1]

Thanks for the help everyone. Now thanks to you guys I'm headed to the last gym with my much better team.

Staraptor Lv.49
-Fly
-Endeavor
-Brave Bird
-Aerial Ace

Giratina Lv.47
-Ominous Wind
-Ancent Power
-Dragon Claw
-Shdow Force

Golduck Lv.43
-Surf
-Water Pulse
-Confusion
-Water Gun

Torterra Lv.45
-Sythesis
-Earthquake
-Crunch
-Razor Leaf

Drifblim Lv.42
-Gust
-Shadow Ball
-Ominous Wind

Lucario Lv.46
-Aura Sphere
-Force Palm
-Reversal
-Close Combat

Any suggestions?

 

[KoL]

Major, MAJOR issue involving use of attacks with the same type on movesets - a definite no-no in every way. If you have an attack of a certain type, make sure no other attacks are of that same type, like Torterra using one Ground, one Grass and one Dark-type attack. That means Staraptor, Lucario and Golduck need a desperate overhaul - Staraptor works well with Return and Close Combat, Lucario gets Dragon Pulse and Dark Pulse to mess with which are both great moves to have, and Golduck can get some Ice-type and Psychic-type moves for its moveset as well. With more types available on your movesets, you'll be able to hit opponents where it hurts much more effectively, and you won't need to rely on out-levelling opponents anywhere near as much too.

 

[baratron]

Staraptor Lv.49
-Fly
-Endeavor
-Brave Bird
-Aerial Ace

The first thing you want to do is to remove most of your HMs from your team. Staraptor certainly needs to lose Fly - it's a two-turn move and useless in comparison to Aerial Ace. Personally, I feel that Aerial Ace, which never misses is superior to Brave Bird, which can miss if the opponent is highly evasive and causes you to take 1/3 recoil damage - but that's your choice.

Staraptor is vulnerable to Electric, Ice and Rock attacks, so you want to try to cover for these weaknesses. Fighting covers both Ice and Rock, so I'd put on Close Combat which it learns by level up. (If you missed it, use a Heart Scale at the Move Tutor in Pastoria). Nothing you can do about Electric, but put a good general move on. I might actually recommend that you choose a second Normal move (!!) because Endeavor is one of those attacks that depends on your current HP. Return or Facade would be a better general attack.

Not commenting on Giratina because I don't do legendaries generally.

[quote author=superlugia1 link=topic=6445.msg112194#msg112194 date=1246889743]
Golduck Lv.43
-Surf
-Water Pulse
-Confusion
-Water Gun
[/quote]
Golduck needs to lose Water Gun and either Surf or Water Pulse. Personally, I don't like the fact that in Gen 4, Surf now hits your own Pokemon, so I'd go with Water Pulse if I wanted the confusion effect, or Brine (TM). It's usual to put an Ice-type move on Water-type Pokemon, so if you're going with Special moves, try Ice Beam. Kinda struggling for a fourth move here, so you could go for Calm Mind, Protect or Endure (to boost your own stats/keep yourself alive), or Toxic to be annoying. NOTE: I haven't looked at the TM locations to see whether you can get all of these TMs pre-E4, you'll need to check that.

[quote author=superlugia1 link=topic=6445.msg112194#msg112194 date=1246889743]
Torterra Lv.45
-Sythesis
-Earthquake
-Crunch
-Razor Leaf
[/quote]
Earthquake is good. Crunch isn't bad (though it doesn't cover any of Torterra's weaknesses). Razor Leaf is pretty meh... a great move at low level, but not ideal at level 45+. Looks like you're stuck with it, unless you want to use a Heart Scale to learn Wood Hammer. It's much more powerful, but loses 1/3 recoil damage.

My Torterra is going to have a Rock move as this is supereffective against ALL of its weaknesses - Fire, Ice, Flying and Bug! There are several Rock TMs, choose the power and accuracy combination you think you can live with.

[quote author=superlugia1 link=topic=6445.msg112194#msg112194 date=1246889743]
Drifblim Lv.42
-Gust
-Shadow Ball
-Ominous Wind
[/quote]
Three moves isn't great ;D. My Drifblim has Silver Wind for the fourth move, and also Thunderbolt.

[quote author=superlugia1 link=topic=6445.msg112194#msg112194 date=1246889743]
Any suggestions?
[/quote]
Finally, you need to think about hold items. They are as important as the moveset.