There and back again, Gretchen's journey through Reborn

[Yanez]

So, I recently started a new normal run, using Chespin as the starter. I wanted to use a 6th gen starter, and last time I played I had a Protean Froakie, but it seemed a bit fragile to me, as did Fennekin.

The first steps in the game were relatively easy, I rescued a Volt Absorb Pachirisu from some thugs on the bridge and then a female Espurr joined me. My team for Julia was rounded up by a Gulpin, a Bidoof and an hyperactive Wingull (which obviously didn't participate to the battle).

My monsters were at level 16-17 during the battle and it went rather smoothly, with Quilladin being the MVP with his rollout and tanking a self-destruct, while Electrode was crippled by Gulpin's poison gas and finally went down, although not befor KOing some of my pokemons. Only disappointment came from Pachirisu, as her Volt Absorb could do nothing against the sonicbooms that Julia loved to use...

After I had the first medal I got myself a Numel (boxing Bidoof) and went to Obsidia. There, while training in the underground, I caught a shiny Klink, that prompted me to box Pachirisu.

So, that's my team after coming out of the slums. I probably need to do some grinding before entering the park where the PULSE Tangrowth is.

Trainer name: Gretchen (Alicia)

Starter: Ciop (Quilladin male)

Lv. 21 - Brave - Bulletproof

Leech Seed - Pin Missile - Vine Whip - Rollout

Leah (Espurr female)

Lv. 19 - Docile - Own Tempo

Charge Beam - Light Screen . Covet - Psybeam

Klink [shiny!]

Lv.19 - Serious - Clear Body

Vice Grip - Charge - Thunder Schock - Gear Grind

Putzy (Gulpin female)

Lv.18 - Quirky - Sticky Hold

Acid Spray - Yawn - Poison Gas - Sludge

Vesù (Numel male)

Lv.18 - Hardy - Simple

Focus Energy - Magnitude - Flame Burst - Stockpile

Winona (Wingull female)

Lv.18 - Hardy - Rain Dish

Mist - Water Pulse - Supersonic - Wing attack

I know that most of these will have to be changed in the long term because of suboptimal EVs/IVs and natures, but how are they now? I lack a fighting type until quilladin evolves, maybe I should get one from the slums to counter Flo's Cradily? Later I will insert in the group the pokemon from the policeman's mistery egg, unless it's a grass type or one I really don't like.

For now I have been positively impressed by Numel and Gulpin, two pokemon I never used, but which are provin themselves pretty though, at this stage at least.

Some considerations and questions:

1-Espurr is strong now, but will probably be subbed off as soon as I can train a Ralts.

2-I would like to use Emolga instead of Wingull, but then I would be left without a water type and that's not good...

3-I would like to use Dragalgae in the team, but that's far off in the future, can Gulpin be enough until then or should I be looking for a better poison type?

4-Klink: I would like to hold to it, but is it worth training and having as a main team member?

5- How would you improve my team at this stage? Is it grossly unbalanced?

[Omega_Ra1der]

3- No, even with its tankness, it isn't good enough so I suggest either Nidoran (which you can get as soon you get the coin case) or Nidoking but you don't really need poison types for florina.

4- No. It is fragile and even it have some uses, Reborn prefers balanced offense over balanced team in a way so I say drop it and get a makuhita. Hariyama can be accessable just before florina because it evolves at lv 24.

5.Keep: Quilladin, Espurr,Numel, Guplin (even though I said, you will have to replace it), I personally never found use of a wingull, but I can't think a better replacement. Also if you are willing to grind. you can get a helotiple from the game corner along with a nidoran male.

[Exalted]

honestly it wouldve been better if you chose a different starter cause you actually can get chespin later on but no harm done as with future releases ame has promised to add all starters pre e4 so not a big issue.as for the team numel in reborn is a specially great pokemon and i would recommend getting meowstic(just evolve your espurr) as well as a makuhita(evolve both of them pre 2nd gym) and dropping klink as it would only be really usefull after it learns shif gear which your no where near at as well as drop gulpin and go for trubbish instead or even ekans as trubbish toxic spikes can be a game changer here and arbok is generally good early on as for wingull it does learn mist which can negate nearly all feild effects which is a helpfull tactic with the 3rd gym but for now box it and try going for emolga later on which you can get after second gym and is very helpful as for now qualdin hariyama numel and trubbish/ekans can handle the second gym if your feeling unsure soon you will gain access to some pidoves evolve it can be helpfull

[Fumble]

Dragalge, when you get it, does learn some Water type moves like Surf, so I don't think Wingull is really necessary after you get a Skrelp.

Gulpin isn't that great, to be honest... I recommend just using something strong like Hariyama like Raiden said or Kricketune temporarily, as it's one of the best early game Pokemon.

[Shad_]

1-Espurr is strong now, but will probably be subbed off as soon as I can train a Ralts.

2-I would like to use Emolga instead of Wingull, but then I would be left without a water type and that's not good...

3-I would like to use Dragalgae in the team, but that's far off in the future, can Gulpin be enough until then or should I be looking for a better poison type?

4-Klink: I would like to hold to it, but is it worth training and having as a main team member?

5- How would you improve my team at this stage? Is it grossly unbalanced?

1 - Since you have a female one, you should consider keeping it, it can sweep quite a lot mons even late game

2 - As a Water type, i really like Seaking for the early game (Goldeen learns Waterfall by level up, so it can be a great Physical Sweeper)

3 - There's an event for Gulpin in Peridot, it should be in one of the dumps there if i'm right, and Swalot is a tank with the right set/EV spread, btw train a Gulpin would be a bit "difficult" at the start since, as Chubb said, it's not that great

4 - I don't think it's a good idea, there are better Steel types (Aron for example, check the Location Guide for it)

5 - As i said before, catch a Gulpin and a Goldeen, Emolga is pretty useful even late game thanks to Nuzzle + Electro Ball, and for the early game stuff Kricketune can definitely be a great choice too

[Yanez]

Thank you all for commenting and for your suggestions!

I boxed the Gulpin, and, although initially missing the acid spray + sludge combo, I don't regret it. As for water types I find my Pelipper good for now, but I hope to have something more interesting has soon as I get to the Police Mystery Egg event. I also listened to ypur advice and boxed Klink, although maybe I could take it out and train it for Corey's gym, since I don't have any other Steel type.

I am now at Beryl Ward, just before the fight with Corey (I need to level up though, and maybe optimize the team for the challenge ahead).
Surprisingly, Fiorina hasn't been that difficult, Vesù destroyed most of her team and Cradily was crippled by Pachirisu (I had already put Klink back in the box at that stage) with Charm and finished by Leah. A much tougher battle was the one against ZEL and Taka. I had to try it a couple of time, before coming up with the Pelipper with Protect - Numel with Lava Plume combination to overcome Lileep and Glaceon. After those two and the PULSE Tangrowth went down it was easier, apart from that thrice-damned chattering Chatot!

In any case, I won, and after a couple other minor fights/grinding, that's the current state of my team, with some comments for each member:

Starter: Ciop (Quilladin male)

Lv. 27 - Brave - Bulletproof

Leech Seed - Pin Missile - Needle Arm - Rollout

My starter. Nothing exceptional I must say, apart from the occasional mad sweeps with Rollout. He is not bad, mind you, but has been suffering the number of flying/poison/bug Pokémon that abound around Jasper and Beryl ward. His bulletproof made the fight against the first Tangrowth way easier than it would have otherwise been. Curious to see how he will perform once he evolves.

Leah (Meowstic female)

Lv. 26 - Docile - Competitive

Charge Beam - Light Screen - Psyshock - Psybeam

Special sweeper. Alas, she hasn't got great IVs and has been collecting the wrong EVs, but she is still deadly against everything not immune/resisting psychic. And if the enemy is so foolish as to use a Growl or something lke that... She could use some additional coverage, but I thought that having both Psyshock and Psybeam gave me flexibility to attack both physically and specially defensive pokés, so I made her forget Disarming Voice.

Emolga (Male, I couldn't think of a nickname - suggestions?)

Lv.26 - Jolly - Motor drive

Nuzzle - Pursuit - Electro Ball - Roost

Very funny to use, Nuzzle can cripple most enemies, and when combined with Electro Ball... It has Roost as an egg move, and soon he will learn Acrobatics, great STAB move as you all know. Only downside is his fragility when used carelessly. This little squirrel is the team mascotte, and his peculiar moveset more than counterbalance his lackluster stats.

Kong (Nidorino)

Lv.27 - Docile - Hustle

Focus Energy - Poison Sting - Double Kick - Horn Attack

Acquired after playing Voltorb Flip for some time (not too much, thank you for the guide Chubb!), he has quickly become a stabile team member, displacing Pancham. He is held back only by the lack of a good STAB move. Is Poison Jab at Lv.43 the only option? Still, his attacking potential is great, and Double Kick has so far served me well for Fighting coverage, I hope it will be enough until Quilladin evolves. I choose him and not Makuhita, because I have played many times with that one and wanted something different. Trubbish would have been great because of toxic spikes, but I cannot relate to a trash can enough to have it in my main team...

Vesù (Numel male)

Lv.28 - Hardy - Simple

Amnesia - Earth Power - Lava Plume - Stockpile

He is devastating, but fragile, unless he can put up a couple of stockpiles, then it becomes extremely resilient too (thanks to Simple). Lava Plume is Tangrowth's bane, but he saved me from a monstrous Lv.36 Scolipede and, before that, from the Klinklang in Obsidia Ward (by collapsing the cave, sacrificing himself in the process). MVP of the team in many important battles.

Winona (Pelipper female)

Lv.26 - Hardy - Rain Dish

Mist - Water Pulse - Air Cutter - Protect

Winona is a surprisingly good team member, very useful in different situations decently bulky and with good offensive coverage. Very powerful on rainy and windy days. Clearly she won't cut it when the stakes will rise in future, but for now she is good enough for me.