My current strats for progressing the early/mid game.

[ArmageddonX]

I've made a list of all the Pokemon and their final forms that I've captured, alongside their stat totals. The six in my main crew are Noibat/Noivern, Chespin/Quilladin/Chesnaught, Budew/Roselia/Roserade, Grimer/Muk, Shinx/Luxio/Luxray, and Nidoran M/Nidorino/Nidoking as those six have the highest total stats. I've given them all heart marks.

In box 35 I have six level thirteen Meowths with pickup for TEAM PICKUP. All circle (coin) marked. Also in box 35 I have the six highest stat total that assist my main six in type advantages. Pancham/Pangoro for the Fight/Dark, Pichu/Pikachu/Raichu for the Electric, Munna/Musharna for the Psychic, Swirlix/Slurpuff for the Fairy, Stunky/Skuntank for the Poison/Dark, and Finneon/Lumineon for the Water. Those all have triangle marks.

Currently I don't concern myself with IV values, abilities, or holding off evolutions to min/max stat gains and/or choose one move to learn over another. If I find a Shiny Pokemon, I replace out the regular variant if and only if the IV values are higher.

So, essentially, I could be a lot more clinical and exact about all this, but I think while I'm still working towards my third gym badge this level of consideration is plenty. Yall think this system is ok for now, or am I going to get screwed later on. (EG: "Omg your starter pokemon is going to get totally screwed up if you don't hold back his evolution until level 38! And you only have the one!")

Edit: Typo.

Edited September 15, 2016 by ArmageddonX

[Imperial]

Holding back evolution is useful only to teach your pokemon a move the evolution doesn't learn or learns too late for your needs, it doesn't affect stats.

Second, I won't say stats total doesn't matter, but you shouldn't take only that into consideration. For instance if you look at competitive battles, a little Azumarill with 420 BS is far more useful than a legendary Regice (600 BS) no one uses thanks to his ability, moveset, typing. Reborn isn't competitive play, but you should also look at your pokemon's abilities and movesets (since Reborn gives only a few TMs, your pokemons better learn good moves naturally)

Third, your team seems rather unbalanced. Two grass types, 3 poison types. It could be interesting to have more diversity. If you're going to your third badge, I assume you're around Jasper/Beryl wards ? Do the police sidequest (finding missing officers) and you'll get a Growlithe + a mystery egg (random pokemon among 18 possibilities, all of them good ones).

Last, I guess your Noibat isn't evolved yet, it's around lvl 25-30 ? Small advice from someone who also trained a Noibat from lvl 3 in his first run: don't bother with it. Noivern is great, but Noibat is a real pain to train to get Noivern. Later you'll be able to catch Noibats around lvl 40, catching one of these is much more practical if you want a Noivern.

Hope I helped. Reborn isn't easy like main games, but it's not too hard. You would probably struggle sometimes with your current team, but it should still be possible to reach the end of the current episode

[ArmageddonX]

Hope I helped.

Absolutely! Didn't know TM's were rare in this game, that's useful info. The diversity exists in team triangle! I level em up a bit too, and swap em in as needed. I don't mind the grindiness of that. Growlithe would be a great addition to that team, and maybe if I ever find a good steel pokemon too (like an Aron/Lairon/Aggron). Though both Growlithe and Aron would techincally have the stats to be in team heart thus bumping Shinx/Luxio/Luxray into team triangle, and possibly even bump Nidoran M from any team. Get stuffed in box 1/2 with the rest of the riff/raff.

So it sounds like nothing I do will be irrecoverable, just not the fastest method, and I'm cool with that. Thanks.

P.S.: I've always felt a little weird about "collecting them all". I mean, here are these happy-go-lucky creatures, once chillin' out under a maple tree on a balmy summer day, captured by a trainer, not to become a partner, oh no, to be stuffed into a box on a computer in the off-chance to someday see some action all just to put happy little pokeball icons next to more names on a Pokedex.

Edited September 15, 2016 by ArmageddonX