Pokemon Question

[KoopaDasher]

I'm having some trouble with my Pokemon team, and since several of you have battled me, I thought I would ask your advice. Something is missing from my team...I have one Pokemon that I never use, and it needs to be replaced with something. I think I need a Fire Pokemon. Here is my current team:

Luxray Lvl 66
Moves:
Thunder
Discharge
Iron Tail
Crunch

Starraptor Lvl 67
Moves:
Close Combat
Steel Wing
Fly
Wing Attack

Gyarados Lvl 61
Moves:
Ice Beam
Surf
Hydro Pump
Hyper Beam

Carvinine Lvl 63
Moves:
Crunch
Power Whip
Grass Knot
Giga Drain

Rhyperior Lvl 64
Moves:
Megahorn
Hammer Arm
Rock Wrecker
Earthquake

I did have an Alakazam in my team but I never seemed to use him. Offensively, Psychic is a fairly weak type. Right now I can take out Fighting types with Starraptor, but I need something else. Like I said, I think I need a Fire type Pokemon in my team.

Who are the best Fire pokemon?

Charizard looks good, but the Flying type makes him weak to Electricity, and he has a double weakness to Rock.
Flareon seems really good, but he's slow and has terrible defense.
Rapidash seems good, but lacks in every stat but speed.
Arcanine looks to be the best overall, but I am not very well-versed in Fire type pokemon, so I don't know what other options there are. Obviously Ho-Oh and Entei are powerhouses, but they would be impossible to get.

Also, Gyarados is starting to annoy me with his low stats, for a Water pokemon. What would be a good replacement for him? Right now Feraligatr seems like the best choice, but I don't really know.

[xIAMHUNTERx]

I wouldn't keep Gyrados (I never liked him to be honest) due to the double-weakness to electricity; I'd say swap him out for a Walrein - mine in Ruby was a tank.

For fire, yeah, there really aren't that many, but Houndoom would probably be a good one to go with because he's also dark.

Why not teach your Staraptor Aerial Ace? I've found that's always a good move to have.

[Vengeance]

Blaziken (or Infernape, it's more or less the same) is pretty good. Get him to learn some strong fighting moves like Sky Uppercut etc. and water pokemon aren't too much of a problem.

[Cerium]

Your team needs a Mudkip.

[KoopaDasher]

Why not teach your Staraptor Aerial Ace? I've found that's always a good move to have.

Wing Attack does the same amount of damage, but has a higher PP, so I kept it.

Houndoor looks cool. If I can get my hands on one I'll see what he's like. Thanks.

[Vengeance]

I have a Lv.46 Houndoom... I don't really like it though.

[DrDoomsday]

Gyarados Lvl 61
Moves:
Ice Beam
Surf
Hydro Pump
Hyper Beam



Also, Gyarados is starting to annoy me with his low stats, for a Water pokemon. What would be a good replacement for him? Right now Feraligatr seems like the best choice, but I don't really know.

You see, the problem with your Gyarados isn't the fact that he has bad stats---it's the fact that all of his moves are special attack types. Gyarados is the champ of physical attack types, and if you give him good moves that are physical types, he will dominate. Here, this is my preferred moveset for Gyara:

Item: Leftovers
~ Dragon Dance
~ Waterfall
~ Earthquake / Stone Edge / Ice Fang (I went with EQ---gets rid of Electric)
~ Taunt (great if you switch in against a ground-type Pokemon)

The preferred thing to do here is switch Gyarados in on ground/water/ice type Pokes, which should ensure minimal damage. Gyarados' high speed ensures you to attack first most of the time. Incase of a Jolteon/evolved form of Electabuzz (foget its name,) switch in on your Rhyperioir. Anyways, Gyarados is a powerhouse---by no means get rid of it. Sure, there is the 4X weakness to electric, but if you play the game right, you'll be fine.

If you want me to do this for all of your Pokes, just send me a PM---I've had lots of experience with Team building.

[TheSlyder]

http://serebii.net

You're welcome.

[xIAMHUNTERx]

Wing Attack does the same amount of damage, but has a higher PP, so I kept it.

Yeah, I suppose. I just prefer Aerial Ace because it can't miss.

[KoopaDasher]

You see, the problem with your Gyarados isn't the fact that he has bad stats---it's the fact that all of his moves are special attack types. Gyarados is the champ of physical attack types, and if you give him good moves that are physical types, he will dominate.

I never really thought about that, but I guess you're right. His Sp. Attack stat really is terrible. I had the option of teaching him Ice Fang, but I went with Ice Beam because of the higher damage. I really do like Gyarados...he's been in my team in every Pokemon game since Red and Blue, but he just doesn't do very well with water type attacks, since most of them are Sp. Attacks.

I wanted to use him as my Water/Ice powerhouse, but it's not really working. Maybe I'll teach him Aqua Tail instead, and Ice Fang. I've never really used Dragon Dance because he's so fast already...he just runs in and runs out. But Hyper Beam is pointless. I guess if I taught him Earthquake, that would take care of his weakness to Electric and Rock. So I guess Aqua Tail, Ice Fang, Earthquake, and maybe Hydro Pump for good measure.

Also, what do you think of this moveset for Donphan?:
Thunder Fang
Fire Fang
Giga Impact
Earthquake

[Karma]

I never really thought about that, but I guess you're right. His Sp. Attack stat really is terrible. I had the option of teaching him Ice Fang, but I went with Ice Beam because of the higher damage. I really do like Gyarados...he's been in my team in every Pokemon game since Red and Blue, but he just doesn't do very well with water type attacks, since most of them are Sp. Attacks.

I wanted to use him as my Water/Ice powerhouse, but it's not really working. Maybe I'll teach him Aqua Tail instead, and Ice Fang. I've never really used Dragon Dance because he's so fast already...he just runs in and runs out. But Hyper Beam is pointless. I guess if I taught him Earthquake, that would take care of his weakness to Electric and Rock. So I guess Aqua Tail, Ice Fang, Earthquake, and maybe Hydro Pump for good measure.

Also, what do you think of this moveset for Donphan?:
Thunder Fang
Fire Fang
Giga Impact
Earthquake

Once again, with Gyarados, stay away from Hydro Pump. It's useless, low PP, low accuracy, and it's a special move. As for Donphan, you're probably gonna wanna utilize his high defense and use him as a wall/spiker. Here's what I'd do:

Item:Leftovers

~ Rapid Spin/Roar
~ Earthquake
~ Ice Shard
~ Stone Edge / Stealth Rock

You have some options here: use Donphan as a Tank (utilizing extremely high attack/defense,) as a rapid spinner (switch in on spikes, rapid spin them off,) or as a stealth rocker. Trust me, after three layers of stealth rock, keep on roaring, and you will dominate. The only bad thing is Donphan's lack of speed, but he more than makes up for that in attack and defense.

Once again, I can evaluate your whole team if you want, just tell me.

[Cerium]

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4835/motivator9211584sl7.jpg