Let's talk about Pokemon that are hard to use for an in-game playthrough. It's not necessarily because they're difficult to use or train, though that can also be true. These Pokemon show up in very few routes, in very few games, at very inopportune times, and / or come at such low encounter rates they're rare to see as your first championship team.
What Pokemon have limited opportunities to use for your playthrough? I think it's a pretty interesting topic to discuss, if only for the sake of future in-game teams. I'm finding myself increasingly drawn to Pokemon I don't get to use often for my in game teams, and I'm curious what you all consider uncommon members for a platrhough. Here are a few I took note on:
Stantler
This thing is pretty hard to get! The only locations where you can get it before beating the game are two routes early on in Johto, as a mid game encounter in Coliseum, and as one of several possible Mirage Mountain encounters at the near end of the game in ORAS. It's really not that bad at all, in GSC at least. A fat standalone normal type isn't bad for that point in the game, only falling off a bit since Johto is just generally easy. Can't speak to the other two experiences though, but they don't look nearly as pretty. I guess Wrydeer will be in PLA in a month, so maybe this Pokemon will finally get a seat in a few more in-game teams.
Purugly
This thing is infamous for being horrendously unavailable. The only permanent route encounter you'll find for it that doesn't depend on entralink or mirage spots is a single route in Pearl only, and now also a few spots in the grand underground. It also comes at a pretty terrible level in Pearl and doesn't offer anything exciting in return. I personally picked up a Purugly for my first BDSP playthrough on the simple grounds of "when else am I going to be able to do a playthrough with this thing?" It was probably the least useful member of my team, outshined by even a Kricketune, but I'm happy I at least got to use one for once.
Spiritomb
Gosh, this thing is just always a chore to get, let alone use for anything in a playthrough. What do you want to do to get it, huh? Talk to 32 people on local communication in DPP? Grind a ton of watts on your Pokewalker? Use a defunct service from 10 years ago? Play through the whole dream radar? Use it right before the E4 in ORAS? Torture yourself getting it pre E4 in BDSP? I can't believe how many convoluted ways there are to ignore getting this thing.
I will say though, I did transfer one from the dream radar for a recent playthrough of White 2 and it was pretty fun to use. You eat most normal and psychic-types alive. Great partner for Tepig in particular for nailing fast psychic things.
Dunsparce
Dunsparce has more games on average than anything else here to call it's home. It's even fairly early on where it'll be much better! That said... boy, its encounter rates are dismal and the long search for one grants you just a flat out bad Pokemon. It seems like nothing but pain to use, and from what I've heard of the few souls who've used it, that's not an unfounded assessment. I guess watching a snake spirit thing die several dozen times vs easy opponents makes for a unique experience, at least?
What Pokemon have limited opportunities to use for your playthrough? I think it's a pretty interesting topic to discuss, if only for the sake of future in-game teams. I'm finding myself increasingly drawn to Pokemon I don't get to use often for my in game teams, and I'm curious what you all consider uncommon members for a platrhough. Here are a few I took note on:
Stantler
This thing is pretty hard to get! The only locations where you can get it before beating the game are two routes early on in Johto, as a mid game encounter in Coliseum, and as one of several possible Mirage Mountain encounters at the near end of the game in ORAS. It's really not that bad at all, in GSC at least. A fat standalone normal type isn't bad for that point in the game, only falling off a bit since Johto is just generally easy. Can't speak to the other two experiences though, but they don't look nearly as pretty. I guess Wrydeer will be in PLA in a month, so maybe this Pokemon will finally get a seat in a few more in-game teams.
Purugly
This thing is infamous for being horrendously unavailable. The only permanent route encounter you'll find for it that doesn't depend on entralink or mirage spots is a single route in Pearl only, and now also a few spots in the grand underground. It also comes at a pretty terrible level in Pearl and doesn't offer anything exciting in return. I personally picked up a Purugly for my first BDSP playthrough on the simple grounds of "when else am I going to be able to do a playthrough with this thing?" It was probably the least useful member of my team, outshined by even a Kricketune, but I'm happy I at least got to use one for once.
Spiritomb
Gosh, this thing is just always a chore to get, let alone use for anything in a playthrough. What do you want to do to get it, huh? Talk to 32 people on local communication in DPP? Grind a ton of watts on your Pokewalker? Use a defunct service from 10 years ago? Play through the whole dream radar? Use it right before the E4 in ORAS? Torture yourself getting it pre E4 in BDSP? I can't believe how many convoluted ways there are to ignore getting this thing.
I will say though, I did transfer one from the dream radar for a recent playthrough of White 2 and it was pretty fun to use. You eat most normal and psychic-types alive. Great partner for Tepig in particular for nailing fast psychic things.
Dunsparce
Dunsparce has more games on average than anything else here to call it's home. It's even fairly early on where it'll be much better! That said... boy, its encounter rates are dismal and the long search for one grants you just a flat out bad Pokemon. It seems like nothing but pain to use, and from what I've heard of the few souls who've used it, that's not an unfounded assessment. I guess watching a snake spirit thing die several dozen times vs easy opponents makes for a unique experience, at least?