Hall of Fame team:
Totes the Feraligatr
Iggy the Pidgeot
Leeech the Exeggutor
Zappy the Magneton
Stan the Dragonair
Veleria the Graveler
In hindsight, not a super exceptional team. The lack of Fire or Fighting type moves put me at a disadvantage that was only amplified by the fact that the Pokémon I chose had limited move pools to begin with. Stronger moves like Thunder and Psychic were either impossible options for their learnsets, accessible only through tedious overleveling, or locked behind other mechanics (Game Corner eww). I didn't feel like doing any of that, so my team's effectiveness suffered as a result.
And yet for the most part, this didn't really bother me. Sure, it was annoying at times, having to basically brute force my way through the game with underleveled mons, but all that did was lead me to appreciate them more and facilitate my own storytelling through my gameplay. On paper an Exeggutor isn't the greatest option, but I wasn't using any Exeggutor, I was using Leeech, the three-headed plant lady who's competing personalities could never decide if they wanted to attack, defend, or, well, leech off the opponent. Leeech is my creation and I can have what fun I decide with them, even if she dies a dozen times in the Elite Four (don't worry about it).
One of the great tenets of this series, a sentiment Gen II in particular highlights, is that any Pokémon can be special, as long as they are special to you, and that really got me going through this, my first Crystal playthrough. Before the Pokémon Bank servers are shut down, I'll be sure to transfer my mons from the 3DS to new horizons, including MVP Zappy, who's shockingly consistent (sigh) Thundershock paralyses carried the team to victory. Just gotta go catch that magic rain dog first...
Totes the Feraligatr
Iggy the Pidgeot
Leeech the Exeggutor
Zappy the Magneton
Stan the Dragonair
Veleria the Graveler
In hindsight, not a super exceptional team. The lack of Fire or Fighting type moves put me at a disadvantage that was only amplified by the fact that the Pokémon I chose had limited move pools to begin with. Stronger moves like Thunder and Psychic were either impossible options for their learnsets, accessible only through tedious overleveling, or locked behind other mechanics (Game Corner eww). I didn't feel like doing any of that, so my team's effectiveness suffered as a result.
And yet for the most part, this didn't really bother me. Sure, it was annoying at times, having to basically brute force my way through the game with underleveled mons, but all that did was lead me to appreciate them more and facilitate my own storytelling through my gameplay. On paper an Exeggutor isn't the greatest option, but I wasn't using any Exeggutor, I was using Leeech, the three-headed plant lady who's competing personalities could never decide if they wanted to attack, defend, or, well, leech off the opponent. Leeech is my creation and I can have what fun I decide with them, even if she dies a dozen times in the Elite Four (don't worry about it).
One of the great tenets of this series, a sentiment Gen II in particular highlights, is that any Pokémon can be special, as long as they are special to you, and that really got me going through this, my first Crystal playthrough. Before the Pokémon Bank servers are shut down, I'll be sure to transfer my mons from the 3DS to new horizons, including MVP Zappy, who's shockingly consistent (sigh) Thundershock paralyses carried the team to victory. Just gotta go catch that magic rain dog first...