Hello everyone.
I also just did a White 2 playthrough. I mainly chose Pokémons that would work well in-game, preferably ones that I haven't tried out in B/W. I didn't want to switch out my starter, as that didn't really feel rpg-ish. I felt my team worked well, especially against the elite four. I 6-0'd all of them iirc. Iris was somewhat difficult, however. I believe the levels of my Pokémons were around 55 when I finished my playthrough.
My team consisted of:
- Emboar
- Magnezone
- Braviary
- Starmie
- Excadrill
- Scrafty
Gym 1: Normal
Gym 2: Poison
Gym 3: Bug
Gym 4: Electric
Gym 5: Ground
Gym 6: Flying
Gym 7: Dragon
Gym 8: Water
Emboar - High/Mid Tier
Availability: My starter Pokémon, obviously, so its availability is pretty much the best part.
Stats: Its stats are actually quite decent; good enough for high tier for sure. Coincidentally I had one with strong IVs, so that also helped matters. Its HP gives it enough bulk to take strong attacks and its attack stat is great as well. Its speed is somewhat lacking for the tough battles, but not too troubling, as it is bulky enough to take hits.
Typing: Its typing is sadly somewhat poor. Fire doesn't seem to be the best typing offensively in-game, and to those Pokémon it would work, I usually had better alternatives in my team. Fighting would be good if it was able to learn better moves (Arm Thrust is far from sufficient). It also opens it up to quite a few weaknesses.
Movepool: It can learn quite some high power moves, through levelling up as well as through TMs, but the STABs weren't satisfying enough. I had Arm Thrust as fighting STAB for the majority of the game, and Heat Crash (and eventually Flamethrower) as fire STAB. Flamethrower is a decent STAB on itself, but Emboar prefers to make use of its higher physical stat. In comparison to the other Pokémons of my team, Emboar had a poor moveset.
Major Battles: I didn't use it in the whole Pokémon League at all. It doesn't really do particularly well in tough battles. It's fine against the majority of trainers, but it doesn't carry in the major battles. I must admit I didn't use it as much in those either. There are a couple of steel type Pokémons of Corless it would work well against, though. I assume it to work just fine against many of the major trainers other than Iris if I didn't have better alternatives.
Additional Comments: I didn't read the entire topic, but I presume Emboar has been discussed multiple times already. I quite agree with its placing. 0 kills in the Pokémon League.
Magnezone - Top Tier
Availability: Very early, which is nice, although it isn't as good as Magnemite. Pignite was definitely better early game.
Stats: Great. I had a Modest one with near max spA IVs, with the option of utilising 120/150 power Electro Balls, so its firepower was very satisfying. Its bulk is also great, and in addition, it also has Sturdy, which can be a savior. Admittedly, it isn't fast enough for the tougher matches, but Thunder Wave helps for that.
Typing: Very solid. Steel is arguably the best defensive typing and electric is one of the better offensive typing ingame. It eventually gets nice STAB moves by levelling up, too, although somewhat late, nonetheless.
Movepool: It learns solid STABs. Thunder Wave+Electro Ball works well in-game, when more power is needed or when the opponent is normally faster. It gets Flash Cannon too, although Steel isn't as good offensively.
Major Battles: Describe how the Pokémon handles the major opponents throughout the game. Notable opponents and battles include the Gym Leaders, battles against various members of Team Plasma, the final rival battle before the Elite Four, the Elite Four themselves, and the Champion.
Additional Comments: Has Sturdy, which can be great for the Major Battles. OHKOs Lapras with Electro Ball after a Thunder Wave. 5 kills in the Pokémon League.
~--- I'll edit the following four descriptions soon ---~
Braviary - Top Tier
Availability: Very early, which is nice, although it isn't as good as Magnemite. Pignite was definitely better early game.
Stats: Great. I had a Modest one with near max spA IVs, with the option of utilising 120/150 power Electro Balls, so its firepower was very satisfying. Its bulk is also great, and in addition, it also has Sturdy, which can be a savior. Admittedly, it isn't fast enough for the tougher matches, but Thunder Wave helps for that.
Typing: Very solid. Steel is arguably the best defensive typing and electric is one of the better offensive typing ingame. It eventually gets nice STAB moves by levelling up, too, although somewhat late, nonetheless.
Movepool: It learns solid STABs. Thunder Wave+Electro Ball works well in-game, when more power is needed or when the opponent is normally faster. It gets Flash Cannon too, although Steel isn't as good offensively.
Major Battles: Describe how the Pokémon handles the major opponents throughout the game. Notable opponents and battles include the Gym Leaders, battles against various members of Team Plasma, the final rival battle before the Elite Four, the Elite Four themselves, and the Champion.
Additional Comments: Has Sturdy, which can be great for the Major Battles. OHKOs Lapras with Electro Ball after a Thunder Wave. 5 kills in the Pokémon League.
Starmie - High Tier
Availability: Very early, which is nice, although it isn't as good as Magnemite. Pignite was definitely better early game.
Stats: Great. I had a Modest one with near max spA IVs, with the option of utilising 120/150 power Electro Balls, so its firepower was very satisfying. Its bulk is also great, and in addition, it also has Sturdy, which can be a savior. Admittedly, it isn't fast enough for the tougher matches, but Thunder Wave helps for that.
Typing: Very solid. Steel is arguably the best defensive typing and electric is one of the better offensive typing ingame. It eventually gets nice STAB moves by levelling up, too, although somewhat late, nonetheless.
Movepool: It learns solid STABs. Thunder Wave+Electro Ball works well in-game, when more power is needed or when the opponent is normally faster. It gets Flash Cannon too, although Steel isn't as good offensively.
Major Battles: Describe how the Pokémon handles the major opponents throughout the game. Notable opponents and battles include the Gym Leaders, battles against various members of Team Plasma, the final rival battle before the Elite Four, the Elite Four themselves, and the Champion.
Additional Comments: Has Sturdy, which can be great for the Major Battles. OHKOs Lapras with Electro Ball after a Thunder Wave. 5 kills in the Pokémon League.
Excadrill - High/Top Tier
Availability: Very early, which is nice, although it isn't as good as Magnemite. Pignite was definitely better early game.
Stats: Great. I had a Modest one with near max spA IVs, with the option of utilising 120/150 power Electro Balls, so its firepower was very satisfying. Its bulk is also great, and in addition, it also has Sturdy, which can be a savior. Admittedly, it isn't fast enough for the tougher matches, but Thunder Wave helps for that.
Typing: Very solid. Steel is arguably the best defensive typing and electric is one of the better offensive typing ingame. It eventually gets nice STAB moves by levelling up, too, although somewhat late, nonetheless.
Movepool: It learns solid STABs. Thunder Wave+Electro Ball works well in-game, when more power is needed or when the opponent is normally faster. It gets Flash Cannon too, although Steel isn't as good offensively.
Major Battles: Describe how the Pokémon handles the major opponents throughout the game. Notable opponents and battles include the Gym Leaders, battles against various members of Team Plasma, the final rival battle before the Elite Four, the Elite Four themselves, and the Champion.
Additional Comments: Has Sturdy, which can be great for the Major Battles. OHKOs Lapras with Electro Ball after a Thunder Wave. 5 kills in the Pokémon League.
Scrafty - Top Tier
Availability: Very early, which is nice, although it isn't as good as Magnemite. Pignite was definitely better early game.
Stats: Great. I had a Modest one with near max spA IVs, with the option of utilising 120/150 power Electro Balls, so its firepower was very satisfying. Its bulk is also great, and in addition, it also has Sturdy, which can be a savior. Admittedly, it isn't fast enough for the tougher matches, but Thunder Wave helps for that.
Typing: Very solid. Steel is arguably the best defensive typing and electric is one of the better offensive typing ingame. It eventually gets nice STAB moves by levelling up, too, although somewhat late, nonetheless.
Movepool: It learns solid STABs. Thunder Wave+Electro Ball works well in-game, when more power is needed or when the opponent is normally faster. It gets Flash Cannon too, although Steel isn't as good offensively.
Major Battles: Describe how the Pokémon handles the major opponents throughout the game. Notable opponents and battles include the Gym Leaders, battles against various members of Team Plasma, the final rival battle before the Elite Four, the Elite Four themselves, and the Champion.
Additional Comments: Has Sturdy, which can be great for the Major Battles. OHKOs Lapras with Electro Ball after a Thunder Wave. 5 kills in the Pokémon League.
I'll edit it soon to add the descriptions of the latter four Pokémons. I might also change the tier placing of a few. I'm mainly not certain about Excadrill and Emboar. Excadrill wasn't amazing, but putting those two in the same tier doesn't feel right either.