Rotating Seven Pokemon

[Stymie]

Yes in White 2 and SoulSilver cos i needed to fly

 

[Flying Weasel]

I've just recently started with B/W and am trying with D/P. I usually just have a set six and keep a spare until I get my full team. Maybe a second water type if I don't want to make my starter learn surf. For example I used my Amoongus in B/W until I got my Braviary and a Kricketune in D/P until I can catch a gible. I also used aipom for a little while in HG. Basically you just need to make sure they don't fall behind and if they do spend some time raising them back up. It can be tricky but rewarding if you have any types your main party is weak against.

 

[Zazie]

I have never rotated seven pokemon but I like the idea of rotating them. I generally find that the most optimal strategies (like a team of 5/6 fully pokemon) aren't necessarily going to give you the most enjoyment out of the games especially on repeat play-throughs. Of course If I was rotating I would generally want to rotate more heavily, too keep things fresh throughout the game.

 

[Flamer]

I did try this on White, not intentionally mind you. Actually ended up with a team of 8 once I'd caught Zekrom. Problem was my Simisear dropped behind the rest of the team and eventually wound up in a vicious cycle of not being strong enough to be used in battle, so not getting any exp to make him stronger until eventually he was dropped completely. Can't remember which 6 of the remaining 7 I used against N and the evil peeps but they were all pretty balanced. Though since Zekrom didn't need any training I wouldn't really consider it some masterful balancing act of maintaining a team of 7.

 

[Ditto B1tch]

I have already rotated seven, and even eight or nine at Battle Frontier of Emerald. An specific trio for each Frontier Brain.

 

[Arlo]

Wow... it's weird reading through this thread. I knew I was in a minority since I rotate through lots of pokemon through the course of a game, but I had no idea it was that much of a minority or that pronounced a difference.

I mean - just in my current B2 playthrough (which is my third time through Unova), I've been using Crobat, Growlithe, Ampharos, Servine, Leavanny, Lilligant, Trapinch, Magneton, Vaporeon, Azumarill, Scraggy, Lucario, Gothita, Sigilyph, Krokorok, Drilbur, Dunsparce, Lopunny, Darumaka... and more I can't remember right off. I've got Eevees lined up to evolve into Espeon and Umbreon, and another that I think is going to be a Leafeon and before I'm done, I'll catch some more for the other eeveelutions (I particularly want to give a Flareon a good try in-game). I've got a Volcarona in the box that's definitely going to see some action soon. And I'm about to go through Chargestone Cave, which means I'll at least add a Tynamo and a Ferroseed to the rotation, and probably a Joltik too. And I've still got a Minccino to work on and evolve, and a Deerling that I want to get into a summer Sawsbuck. And even without whatever other pokemon are in B2, I'll certainly pick up a Litwik, an Elgyem, a Pawniard, an Axew, a Cubchoo, a Cryogonal and a Stunfisk along the way. And probably a Palpitoad. And a Vullaby. And a Deino. And so on...

I honestly have no idea how anyone could NOT do that. How do you actually manage to see and at least have the opportunity to catch interesting pokemon and not use them? That's like getting a new car in a racing game and not driving it.

When I first read this question, I thought it was really kind of weird. I'd have to struggle just to limit myself to seven pokemon - that's just a fraction of what I normally use - and here it's being treated like some sort of complication to the game. But then reading through the responses, it appears that the way I look at and play the game is COMPLETELY different from anyone else.

I just never dreamed that that was the case. Again, I knew I was in something of a minority, but... wow. I had no idea...

 

[Starsurfer]

Wow... it's weird reading through this thread. I knew I was in a minority since I rotate through lots of pokemon through the course of a game, but I had no idea it was that much of a minority or that pronounced a difference.

I mean - just in my current B2 playthrough (which is my third time through Unova), I've been using Crobat, Growlithe, Ampharos, Servine, Leavanny, Lilligant, Trapinch, Magneton, Vaporeon, Azumarill, Scraggy, Lucario, Gothita, Sigilyph, Krokorok, Drilbur, Dunsparce, Lopunny, Darumaka... and more I can't remember right off. I've got Eevees lined up to evolve into Espeon and Umbreon, and another that I think is going to be a Leafeon and before I'm done, I'll catch some more for the other eeveelutions (I particularly want to give a Flareon a good try in-game). I've got a Volcarona in the box that's definitely going to see some action soon. And I'm about to go through Chargestone Cave, which means I'll at least add a Tynamo and a Ferroseed to the rotation, and probably a Joltik too. And I've still got a Minccino to work on and evolve, and a Deerling that I want to get into a summer Sawsbuck. And even without whatever other pokemon are in B2, I'll certainly pick up a Litwik, an Elgyem, a Pawniard, an Axew, a Cubchoo, a Cryogonal and a Stunfisk along the way. And probably a Palpitoad. And a Vullaby. And a Deino. And so on...

I honestly have no idea how anyone could NOT do that. How do you actually manage to see and at least have the opportunity to catch interesting pokemon and not use them? That's like getting a new car in a racing game and not driving it.

When I first read this question, I thought it was really kind of weird. I'd have to struggle just to limit myself to seven pokemon - that's just a fraction of what I normally use - and here it's being treated like some sort of complication to the game. But then reading through the responses, it appears that the way I look at and play the game is COMPLETELY different from anyone else.

I just never dreamed that that was the case. Again, I knew I was in something of a minority, but... wow. I had no idea...

I think the main reason why it's so uncommon is that up until this generation, it's been pretty hard to do effectively without a lot of grinding. I'm willing to grind with the best of them, but even I can't handle grinding enough to have more than maybe 2 or 3 Pokemon in rotation. It takes a lot of time, and I often find that the longer I spend grinding, the less I enjoy myself in the long run. Plus, like I said in my other post, if you're too careless with balancing all the members of your team, Rotation Pokemon can end up leaving the whole team under-leveled. I think those things end up discouraging a lot of us from using more than 6 in one run.

I think we all wish we could rotate at heart. It's just so much simpler and less grindy sticking with 6 for the play-through and using any other Pokemon you wanted to train on the next run.

 

[Excitable Boy]

one of those substantial-type posts

The thing about keeping a dedicated rotation going all the game through is that you spend half your time grinding them and healing them just to keep them at a decent level, especially in older generations. Don't get me wrong, I'll still catch Pokemon I see, and if I want to use it on my team, I will, but I'll usually kick something else off the roster to make room.

For me, the fun of Pokemon is using the Pokemon to design strategies to win. My goal in-game is to run through in the most efficient manner, and I accomplish that by getting a single, well-balanced team and just running through with that if I can; it keeps everything at a high level, they all have a decent amount of EVs, and by OHKOing or 2HKOing most 'mons, I spend less money on healing items and less time in battles. I'm happy when I'm making progress, and when I feel like I can continue making progress.

 

[gliscor&yanmega]

I only do a team of 6 for all the games. I replay the games plenty of times, giving me plenty of usage from other Pokemon. The only thing I would rotate into my team would be something to use an HM for, which I don't use for anything else anyways.

 

[Chapter]

Yes, I rotate. Sometimes more than 7. In LeafGreen, I had Charizard, Dragonite, Pidgeott, Fearow (shiny), Hypno, Marowak, Sandslash, Ninetails, Zapados, and Lapras switching out. To beat the Elite Four, I had Zapados, Charizard, Dragonite, Pidgeott, Hypno, and Marowak. Then, I beat it again with only my Level 100 Charizard.

 

[Nightmareisalive]

I've done it and it is tough. I usually rotate about 10 Pokemon. Usually just battling the trainers in the area and the Pokemon you meet is enough for a while and so is the day care center. But by the time you get to the last gym it becomes really nagging. I like to level my team to be the same as the gym I'm about to face or when I'm about to take on the elite four and that's the problem. It's just a tough thing to do. I found it hard in Black 2 due to no access to the day care and that hampered my plans. It will take longer to complete the game and it gets boring after a while when you are just level grinding. Though doing it with seven Pokemon would be easier its quite simple to fall into that bad habit of raising a lot more at once.

 

[J Ken]

I rotate nearly 100 different Pokemon. I only use 10 of them for the story and use the rest just for the adventure. It's tough but definitely worth the results.

 

[Maya The Awesome]

After reading these posts, I've realized that my post before was kinda inaccurate. I play with a set team during the main story, then after I beat all the side-quests, I catch tons of Pokemon and use my alternate teams, and try to complete the Nat. Dex, but never fully have done it since I can never get some Pokemon from the first to third generations, plus ones like Genesect or Arceus, that are coveted if legit, and then the starters, usually Fire ones. But I get close to 85% done before the next game is out.

 

[Chewiana Jones]

On my White 2, I had twelve Pokemon in rotation, and I added an extra six after I beat the game. It actually made the game a bit challenging without having a bunch of sadistic, Nuzlocke-like rules to follow, and got me quite a few cool Pokemon. Basically, I had a full team of six (Snivy, Sewaddle, Mareep, Riolu, Audino, and (Dream World) Drilbur) before leaving for Castelia City, then I gradually got six more Pokemon as the game progressed (event Genesect, Braviary, N's Darumaka, Minccino, Volcarona, and Azumarill), then caught an Elgyem and kicked Audino out of rotation, then caught a Banette and kicked Elgyem out of rotation, then, after beating the game, added Elgyem and Audino back in and caught a Tyranitar (who, ironically enough, would have worked really well with my Excadrill if not for her Dream World ability), Latias, Croagunk, and Beartic. I now have all of them fully evolved, with all seventeen types represented at least once (even if it's a situation like Tyranitar doing double duty for Dark and Rock).