How Do You Play Pokémon?

[Babycowland]

When you play Pokémon games, what's your main focus? Are you a Pokedéx completionist? Shiny hunter? Competitive battler? Nuzlocker? Something in between?

Post-E4, I usually plan out a team of 6 or so and then hatch and train them. Then I usually try to get as many trainer card upgrades/stars I can before a new game comes out or I give up (I don't know that I have the patience to do some of the harder, more time-consuming stuff like filling up the dex or getting a long battle tower/maison streak). Sometimes I make up objectives like "get all of the mega stones" or "collect all of the TMs" to give me something else to do aside from trainer card upgrade requirements.

What about you?

 

[Muskrat Catcher]

I play through every adventure trying out new pokemon, then at the end of the journey, I decide whether I think they should be on my main team, my top 6 favorites (Im not overly competitive, so as long as they are somewhat viable, they have a chance). Then, I round up my favorite pokémon, maybe EV train them, and I take on the post game battle challenge, whatever it may be, battle maison, subway, tower, or other battle facility, and see how well I can do with my favorites. There is no better feeling of satisfaction than having your favorite pokemon win at challenging battles. But forget wi-fi battles, those annoy me because of the lack of diversity in my opponents' teams, so I love to battle with and/or against my friends and their favorites. I've never felt too driven to complete the national dex, but the regional dex is a good goal

 

[CptJPuff]

Nuzlocker. :^)

I'll follow Nuzlocke rules until I beat the Champion. After the Champion, I'll turn it into a casual game and try my hand at competitive battling every once and a while.

This may seem a little radical, but I'm trying (or at least planning) to avoid all forms of media and news about Gen 7 so I can Nuzlocke it, day one, for a "true" Nuzlocke experience.

If you're wondering what Nuzlocke rules I follow, I'll list them in a spoiler below.

Spoiler: Insanity

1: Once a Pokemon faints, it's dead. Forever. If all Pokemon have fainted, it's game over. If one is stuck in a location due to the lack of HM-less Pokemon, it's game over.
2: One can only obtain one Pokemon per new route/town
3: Healing and Battle items may not be used in battle.
4: There is no "duplication" (ex: If you already have a Shinx and you encounter another Shinx as your "new route" Pokemon, it's either that new Shinx or nothing) clause.
5. All Pokemon obtained must be nicknamed
6. One cannot use the Pokemon Daycare. At all.
7. Exp. Shares cannot be used.
8. Rare Candies cannot be used.
9. Communications with other games is not permitted.
10. In-game trades are not permitted.
11. Glitches and other cheats are not permitted.

There you have it. That's my insanity. :^)

 

[Deleted member]

I play competitively though not too much anymore. I generally play Battle Spot Singles and Pokemon Showdown whenever I want to test teams or feel like playing with Smogon ruleset. IV breeding is very annoying and is a hassle.

I'm also a bit of a completionist and I like to get as much TMs and Mega Stones as possible. I even complete the regional Pokédex to get the Oval Charm.

 

[Sir Gengar de Èctoplasma]

I finish the story first, after that I try to finish all post-game things and get all legendaries catchable in the game, then I level up my team to lv. 100, and after that I hunt shinies from the GTS.

 

[Murlough]

I've been nuzlocking Blaze Black 2 for a good while now. I don't own a 3ds and likely never will since "the next big thing" Could be right around the corner. I will probably nuzlocke through every game I get in the future since it just makes the game somewhat of a challenge. Then once I beat the E4 I'll complete my pokedex one day.

 

[LunarWingCloud]

I just play to collect and try out new combinations of Pokemon. I wouldn't say I'm a Pokedex completionist, because honestly once I have my fill I'm set. I'm also not a competitive battler. So I guess I just want to clear all the objectives and just enjoy finding new Pokemon to like.

 

[Kneutronic]

I'm a little something in between.

I mainly play Pokémon for the love of the game. I really enjoy playing through each game to completion, just admiring the story, the music, and the characters of each generation.

Ever since Gen VI began, I started to gear towards breeding and raising competitive-ready Pokémon after I completed my adventure. Actual team building, however, is very difficult for me now, since I bred and raised so many up to this point...

 

[A10theHero]

I usually play the games casually, just to enjoy the story, aesthetics, etc. I also try to complete my Pokedex (right now, I have them all of them except Hoopa and Volcanion). Then I use Showdown for competitive play.

 

[FooltheFlames]

I try and complete the National Dex for each and every region, but as far as completing the International Dex for each Gen... That's just way too much trouble, and no fun at all waiting all those hours transferring pokemanz I cant get in game from an older game.

I don't much care for Shiny Pokemon, though I'd like to catch a good one some day, but of the very few I haven't accidentally killed and ending up catching over the generations, their natures and IV's suck, so I cant show them off to anyone... It's one thing getting a shiny, but a good shiny is a whole nother! :/

I like to battle competitively with Mono Ghost, and other Pokemon like Mandibuzz and Crobat that are severely underrated; I'm not into abusing Ubers or those in OU, I like to use creative movesets and surprise people~

 

[Moorthen]

I try to complete my Pokédex even though I haven't come close, yet. I also like to EV train my Pokémon even though I never use the online battle modes.

 

[DrCoeloCephalo]

I'm sort of a casual-competitive.
I LOVE watching Pokemon Showdown professional play and Smogon 6v6 Singles. I can't teambuild or play it myself. Also, I strongly dislike the official VGC Doubles meta and see it as more of a gimmick. I personally can't take it seriously at all.

When I play through the story, I like to have access to my favorites and to the rare and strong stuff. I feel it makes my play through a bit easier. I only use low tier stuff in my casual playthroughs or on Showdown teams if it's something I REALLY like, such as Sudowoodo, Slaking or Archeops.

 

[Mario & Sonic Guy]

I mostly have casual tendencies when playing the main story. Once that's done, however, then I'd focus more on raising good Pokemon to use at certain battle facilities, and possibly online. Of course, I haven't done any online matches in my copy of Pokemon Y since 2014.

Anyway, I just play at my own pace. Of course, I do run into some brick walls when it comes to getting legendaries with good IVs and natures, especially when you're required to catch them to continue the main story (which is the case with Xerneas and Yveltal). Black 2 and White 2 were very convenient in that you're not required to catch ANY legendaries to complete the story; it's not until the post-story that you'll be able to catch Zekrom/Reshiram and Kyurem.