May's Team

[ghost master]

Well since the yuzuriha conference thread is getting a bit off topic I decided to create a topic. In the other thread there was debate about May's team and whether her team is sufficient anough to carry her through the rest of the saga without any more team upgrades.

At the moment, May's team is horribly underdeveloped. Combusken is unique enough but it can't be used all of the time. Munchlax has three attacks. Three! That's nothing. And no one likes Squirtle, so the alternative is not seeing it battle. And little Eevee just hatched.

It's incomplete right now. Her team for the Grand Festival in Hoenn was much more competant (and liked). As it stands, Eevee has to start training right away, but using it presents a problem as far as I'm concerned. Eevee's move pool is lacking. What they go with will surely be bland. The only way to introduce more variety (and I'm not talking Shadow Ball/Iron Tail enthusiasts) is through evolution. ...But that's where we get our problem. Evolve won't come for a while. This is why I was so worried about Eevee in the first place, because its function as the evolutionary Pokemon is effectively halted in the anime.

These four Pokemon aren't enough to carry May through the Grand Festival. She needs a fifth to come right before it -- a heavy-hitting experienced one. Ash's could compensate by having more Pokemon. 5 is the magic number. That's what May should idealy achieve.

VFaction argued that something needs to be done to her team to be stronger. Although Munchlax knows 4 moves not 3 moves. I unfortunately cant find a good arguement against VFaction though.
Another thing to consider is that May could call upon Bulbasaur. She may be able to call upon Skitty and Beautifly too but, we dont know for sure.

 

[CyberCubed]

Evolve Eevee right before the Grand Festival. Problem solved.

 

[Kabuto]

Yes, May's team is poor. While Ash's team is now his best team yet, may's team isn't much to speak of. If she evolves her Eevee into Espeon or Umbreon and catches another pokemon (not an uber baby) she'll be fine. And hopefully Combusken will evolve at the end of BF or in the D/P saga.

 

[MasterJedi]

I doubt any of May's pokemon could take down Drew's Flygon, if her Combuskon evolves right before the Grand Festival she might actually have a shot at winning it. (I'm saying this because I believe she might beat Drew and hopefully have him leave and have May acquire new rivals in D/P)

 

[ghost master]

I doubt any of May's pokemon could take down Drew's Flygon, if her Combuskon evolves right before the Grand Festival she might actually have a shot at winning it. (I'm saying this because I believe she might beat Drew and hopefully have him leave and have May acquire new rivals in D/P)

Combusken almost defeated Flygon in the GF. If Roselia hadnt intervened May could've beaten Drew.

 

[greta_lover]

I think May might win this contest, after all, she almost always win. (She only lost to Harley last time)

 

[V Faction]

May can make it through the Grand Festival if Eevee evolves right beforehand. It may be a little unpleasant, but it can be pulled off.

Notice I said the Grand Festival. What about her remaining contests?

For those, we're expected to just cycle through Eevee, Combusken, Munchlax, and Squirtle? Wow, talk about bland. Combusken, while neglected near the start of the contest journey, is being used most every occasion now. Munchlax has only started his contest career, but even we can't expect it to throw down in every single one. Squirtle isn't appreciated, which I simpathize with, but it will have to win sometimes. And it may even get MORE techniques to show off with. And I think my feelings with Eevee are clear: it could be good if allowed to evolve, but we know that that is not going to occur anytime soon (unless the writers shine their blessing down upon us).

So we hit a road block. I don't believe it will be passed. What's going to occur is a certain Pokemon shall get more screen time than the others to compensate for the low roster. Rather than opting to allow May just ONE extra oldie, like Bulbasaur, shifting gears will mean one Pokemon ends up with too much on its plate.

After May's contest, the next series of events will be devoted to strengthening Eevee. After that I can only contemplate.

 

[Jo-Jo]

I did wonder if perhaps the reason Bulbasaur was left behind at Oak's is so that May can call on it for something during the Battle Frontier.

I don't think Eevee's evolution is so unlikely. If it's going to be a D/P Pokemon, the writers might choose to evolve it during the Battle Frontier so that it can advertise the new region. I have a hard time seeing it staying an Eevee until next season - what use can it be? Its movepool is seriously boring, unless you're going to factor in egg moves.

I can possibly see May getting a fifth Pokemon, but then again, she did OK in the last Festival with only four. Combusken's strong already; Munchlax will likely become her next toughest by the time it gets to the GF; Squirtle will probably end up on the same level as Skitty or Bulbasaur; and Eevee, like I said, can evolve.

 

[V Faction]

Retro fun: Reading this old thread back before Squirtle was hated. The thread unfolds in a funny way if you're up to date.

I did wonder if perhaps the reason Bulbasaur was left behind at Oak's is so that May can call on it for something during the Battle Frontier.

That I wouldn't mind seeing, provided they have something new to present with Bulbasaur. When Ash called back his Pokemon for the first two BF fights, Charizard and Snorlax, they both had not been seen for a while and had some new techniques to bring to the table. And that's why I'd like some incentive if Bulbasaur were to return. Maybe save it for the Grand Festival.

 

[Jo-Jo]

Retro fun: Reading this old thread back before Squirtle was hated. The thread unfolds in a funny way if you're up to date.

LMAO. Proving once and for all that the writers are damned if they do, damned if they don't.

That I wouldn't mind seeing, provided they have something new to present with Bulbasaur. When Ash called back his Pokemon for the first two BF fights, Charizard and Snorlax, they both had not been seen for a while and had some new techniques to bring to the table. And that's why I'd like some incentive if Bulbasaur were to return. Maybe save it for the Grand Festival.

It seems likely that Bulbasaur will have a couple of new techniques, if it comes back. May said when she left it behind that she wanted it to learn from the best. Keeping it at Oak's was a good way for the writers to make it get noticably stronger without having to bother developing its skills gradually, which would take time away from her other Pokemon.

 

[Gravy]

...y'know, I find it weird that I'm usually the one to do more than his fair share of whining and complaining, yet I'm one of the few that doesn't have any real beef with Haruka's Squritle. Kinda frightening really...

...anyway.

I'm not too fond of her current team but from the way they've been handling it, I don't think they'll have much trouble when it comes to the Grand Festival, regardless of what attacks each pokémon knows.
Combusken, being the awesome chicken that it is, can hold it's own with ease, thats common knowledge.
Then we have Munchlax and Squirtle who, despite having zero training, are being made out to be uber strong power-houses. Squirtle being able to reach into its bag o' tricks and pull out moves from nowhere, and Munchlax with its 2 powerful charge attacks (Both of which seem to fluctuate between the amount of time used to perform the attack) and Assist's not-so-choosey ancestor.

And then we have Eevee, the weakest link. And if I may say so, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it scuttled along the same path as the previous 2 baby pokémon. BAM! Shadow Ball. BAM! Whatever decent attack it can learn. Just like that. Or at least with very little training. Boring as crap perhaps, but thats the way the cookie crumbles.

Idealy, I'd like Beautifly to make its return. It was a decent long range attacker with some unusual move combinations. Which would be perfect for taking out any flyers that are going to be encountered.

 

[intergalactic platypus]

She might be kind of screwed if Eevee doesn't evolve. Its far from the most intriguing pokemon on Earth with its movepool of interesting moves consisting of shadow ball and....well thats about it. Aside from Eevee , her team has little or no potential. Combusken has been exposed a lot and is a fine pokemon but seems to show up too much sometimes so I would like to see its role in the GF be very small. Squirtle is widely regarded as the antiChrist at this forum, and Munchlax is, well, a fat little baby pokemon who pulls attacks out of its arse. Lets pray for an Eeveelution

 

[Infinite Master Sceptile]

It's entirely possible Eevee will evolve without much training. After all, three of its forms are achieved with a stone. And May is far overdue to have a Pokemon evolve. But I think Squirtle will evolve first. Some people would say that's unfair, considering Ash's never did, but I believe that it never needed to. May's Squirtle will never achieve the sheer level of power Ash's possessed. Thus evolving does not put down Ash's Squirtle in the slightest. Anyway, Wartortle Super Pwns.
It's interesting how May hasn't yet used her Eevee in a contest. Obviously she learned a lesson from her loss in Rubello. That being to wait until the new Pokemon possesses sufficient experience before entering it in a contest.

 

[Heracross]

Yeah, but that logic doesn't stand up when you look at Zenigame. :x

 

[ghost master]

She might be kind of screwed if Eevee doesn't evolve. Its far from the most intriguing pokemon on Earth with its movepool of interesting moves consisting of shadow ball and....well thats about it.

When you think about it there are a plethora of somewhat interesting moves other than shadow ball. There's obviously tackle, quick attack, take down,Body Slam, and double edge. I dont think any pokemon out of the groups have ever had sand attack. I know what your thinking bland as hel* but, sand attack could work well with an appeal. There is also return which would work well with May and if it evolves to an espeon or umbreon it could also lead up to it evolving. Facade could also work since its her father's signature move. Then there also some meh moves like attract, double team, charm and iron tail(god i hope they dont use this one).

And May is far overdue to have a Pokemon evolve. But I think Squirtle will evolve first. Some people would say that's unfair, considering Ash's never did, but I believe that it never needed to. May's Squirtle will never achieve the sheer level of power Ash's possessed. Thus evolving does not put down Ash's Squirtle in the slightest. Anyway, Wartortle Super Pwns.

At first I thought Wartortle was incredibly ugly and I would never want May's squirtle to evolve but, now I think it would be good for it to evolve.

Retro fun: Reading this old thread back before Squirtle was hated. The thread unfolds in a funny way if you're up to date

LOL. It seems like the writers skimmed through took a few ideas and adapted to make it worse.

 

[intergalactic platypus]

But ghost master, moves like tackle and body slam don't seem too...well...intruiging. They're just variations of the generic shove

 

[Lupin]

Although Munchlax knows 4 moves not 3 moves. I unfortunately cant find a good arguement against VFaction though.

Does VFaction know that Grovyle (now Sceptile) only knew four moves (Pound, Quick Attack, Bullet Seed and Leaf Blade) and it seemed to get along just fine. The same applys to Corphish who only knows about four moves.

 

[V Faction]

Does VFaction know that Grovyle (now Sceptile) only knew four moves (Pound, Quick Attack, Bullet Seed and Leaf Blade) and it seemed to get along just fine. The same applys to Corphish who only knows about four moves.

That's why at the end I say...

Ash's could compensate by having more Pokemon. 5 is the magic number.

Ash had SIX Pokemon when he fought in the Hoenn League. While each individual Pokemon had core moves, the combined amount made it okay for them to have such.

May, on the other hand, only has Combusken, Squirtle, and Munchlax (I won't count Eevee till it learns at least one move). At the most they can use four moves a piece. That's not a whole lot. Ash also had the benefit of a variety of types (Electric, Grass, Water, Flying, Fire, and Ice). May gets variety in a little sloppier way, and some moves overlap. So her Pokemon are doing double duty.

 

[The Benmeister]

May's team could probably do just fine (what with all out fighting Combusken, power move Munchlax and uber Squirtle), but it's the repetitiveness that will stand out. Currently, only those three Pokemon are performing with two of them each contest (and Munchlax was only introduced to contests recently anyway). Wouldn't that get a little same-ish again and again? Oh wait, it already is. Let's just hope Eevee has a bright contest future.

 

[Infinite Master Sceptile]

Dang, Eevee sure doesn't have any moves of any use for appealing. The only logical moves are Shadow Ball, Iron Tail, and maybe Hidden Power.
Why did the writers foist such an utterly predictable Pokemon on her?