Okay, so I started a new game of Pokemon Platinum recently, and I chose Piplup as my starter. I wanted to build the best possible team around it, so I did some planning.
First Steps and Early Catches
Right off the bat, I picked up a Starly on Route 201. That little bird evolves into Staraptor later, and let me tell you, it’s a powerhouse. Intimidate as an ability is super useful early on, and it learns Close Combat later, which is amazing.
Then, I caught a Shinx near Jubilife City. Luxray isn’t the best Electric-type out there, but it’s solid, and it gets access to moves like Crunch and Thunderbolt. Plus, it looks cool, and that’s important, right?
Filling Out the Team
- I knew I needed a good Water-type to complement Piplup’s evolution line, so I grabbed a Buizel on Route 205. Floatzel is fast and hits hard, especially after it learns Aqua Jet.
- Next, I backtracked to the Floaroma Meadow and caught a Budew. Roserade is a fantastic Grass-type with great Special Attack and a surprisingly wide movepool.
Mid-Game Additions and Strategy
Around the mid-game, I decided to add a Gible to my team. I found one in Wayward Cave, which is a bit hidden under the Cycling Road, but it’s worth the effort. Garchomp is an absolute beast and helped carry me through some tough battles. Also, after beating 3 gym, I got my hand on HM01, so I taught it to my Bidoof. It is such a HM slave.
The Final Piece
For my last team member, I went with a Bronzor. I caught it in Mt. Coronet. Bronzong’s Steel typing and Levitate ability gave me some much-needed defense and helped me deal with some tricky type matchups. And you know, it is a good choice to handle Cynthia’s Garchomp.
Final Team and Evolution
So, my final team was:
- Empoleon (evolved from Piplup)
- Staraptor (evolved from Starly)
- Luxray (evolved from Shinx)
- Floatzel (evolved from Buizel)
- Roserade (evolved from Budew)
- Garchomp (evolved from Gible)
- Bronzong(evolved from Bronzor)
This team covered all the bases and helped me breeze through the Elite Four and become the Champion. It took some time and effort to train them all up, but it was totally worth it. That champion battle with Cynthia was a real nail-biter, but my team pulled through!
