Pokémon Alpha Sapphire - Welp, just did Mt. Chimney. Also, for something as frail and slow as it is, Numel's really coming into its own in my party. I badly, -badly- needed some Fire/Ground coverage in my party, and now that it can also do it from its superior offensive stat, I've been managing a lot of previously troublesome matchups far more easily (pretty much any Steel ever, most Fires, and even the odd Grass, although Crobat also covers grass types pretty decently. Defensively, the Electric immunity comes in handy against stuff Crobat cries against, but that would've been a lot more welcome back on Wattson). Current team besides those two is Grovyle (L26), Electrike (L27, holding out for Discharge), Metang (L27) and Kirlia (L26). Current thoughts:
Grovyle (Giga Drain/Rock Tomb/Leaf Blade/Cut) - Guys, remember how Treecko had this long lull between worthwhile attacks learned by level and how it often depended on off-type TMs to remain relevant until the 30s? Yeah, those days are long past. Between learning Giga Drain as a L21 Treecko, Mega Drain well before L16 and Leaf Blade at L24 as Grovyle, this guy really covers its bases early. Good thing, too, since it lost the Bullet Seed TM pre-gym 1. Besides that, you know what to expect with it: high-speed grass offense, now hitting both defenses. I also had it cover fliers with Rock Tomb, which was surprisingly serviceable until Electrike came along.
Electrike (Spark/Charge/Thunder Wave/Strength) - Well, speed is nice, S. Atk is decent, but Electric moves just aren't great at this point, though Charge Beam TM's actually oddly useful for gambling 2HKOs it otherwise wouldn't due to S. Atk buffing procs. Durability also ain't its strong suit, but that's an issue with most teams I run. Hopefully, it'll truly come into its own once it hits Manectric evo, but I need Discharge first. And I have to admit it's never really about variety, though Thunder Wave is always decent to have. Strength gives it minimal use if Electric's walled, but mostly there for HM slaving.
Crobat (L27, Aerial Ace/Confuse Ray/Air Cutter/Swift) - Well, the Zubat phase openly sucked, though Wing Attack and Air Cutter made it considerably less painful. Once it hit Golbat and learned Confuse Ray, it became pretty useful... then the Crobat evo kicked in crazy fast and holy -shit- final evo stats against midgame are just MEAN. Terrorizes Grass and Fighting types like a boss and works pretty well against most other things off -those- stats right now. Aerial Ace currently is pretty golden, Air Cutter mostly there for hitting another stat and Swift is pure filler until I get something better.
Numel (L27, Lava Plume/Flame Burst/Amnesia/Earth Power) - Well, I've said it before. Durability sucks, speed is awful, but holy crap does it hit hard with two of the best offensive typings in the game. Overkills Steel and Fire losers like it ain't a thang, OHKOs a lot of other stuff just because it can. Flees in terror from Water types, but that's what I have Grovyle and Electrike for. Amnesia, once again, is filler. Magnitude was useful until Earth Power kicked in, since it randomly also happens to have pretty good Atk, but Earth Power works more on my favor.
Metang (L27, Rock Smash/Iron Head/Zen Headbutt/Iron Defense) - Man, that gift Beldum Steven hands you for free is so fucking nuts. Boosted level-up rate, starting skillset with two 80+ power moves running off STAB and the favored attack stat and Steel typing AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE GAME. Pretty much covers my ass as the party tank who mows down things with physicals. Coverage could be better (Steel typing sucks offensively), but I struggle to think of what I could hand it currently.
Kirlia (L26, Calm Mind/Double Team/Confusion/Draining Kiss) - The long lull of Confuse being your best offense still kinda sucks, but Psychic/Fairy is such a -good- typing to have. When I have the time, Double Team is pretty useful (Ralts solo puny Brawly, Roxanne didn't fare much better) and Draining Kiss gives it a nice durability push that also doubles as offense. Now that it learned Calm Mind, hopefully I can begin setting up some of those classic brooming strings I was so fond of in RSE original. Durability was absolutely miserable until it evolved, now being only pretty miserable. But Fairy damage and the manhandling of Dark types works very much in my favor and plugs a few holes in my general composition.
