Every player of pokmon has a group of stand by pokemon, ones that have always relied on, or have come to rely on as the years past, for some its a matter of how they do in battle outside the game, for others its that old friend they can always rely on in the game. For others such as me there are just ones that no matter what comes our way we admire them, we use them, we love them. That’s right little peices of computer programing we spent so much time with that we feel even artficually if we cheer loud enough for them we know that pokemon as weird as it sounds will come though for us in a pinch. For players such as me who has been playing the series as long as i have, i have found creatures i have come to rely on.
How they got to my team each one has its own story, whether i fell in love with there looks, or relablity or just as i was working with them i fell in love with the shear deterimation it some times take to raise one up right. to some are harders then others to put on this list and after much struggle i narrowed it down to 10 Pokemon who will always find a home somewhere on my team. (and in some cases my bed if i can find there stuffed forms)
10: 
Scizor: Somehow this guy always finds his way on my teams. its no secret that i like bugs i always have ever since i was a little kid, so finding a praying mantis pokemon like Scyther was a real score. In generation 2 it evolved into Scizor and with that often found a place on my team. Its a tough bug and has proven itself at my side over and over again. I know it will always be there an now with a new mega evolution i know it will continue to have my back.
9: 
Greninja: When X and Y initially came out i was on team Chespin being someone who almost always picks grass starters it seemed only natural for me to continue down this path. To say i was disappointed in little Chespin is an understatement. fortunately for me i decided to play both versions of the game, and the second go around i got to know froakie. Boy did this froggie ever make an impression on me. i named my first one Kitt after a bullfrog i had had in my youth. I have since gone on to breed a competitive one that knows the annoying to go up against but super fun when its on your side ability protean. It being a frog doesn’t hurt its case either, for me this is the stand out starter of and X-Y and you better believe when i play smash its also one of my go to characters.
8: 
Chandelure: To say i am not a big user of ghost (or fighting) types is an understatment. It in most cases is because i never really take the time to get to know them the case with most fighters there is never a design i really like. For me I have always thought myself as someone who likes to go against the crowd as well so i tend to for this reason stay away from popular and over used pokemon such as gengar. i am not really sure what it was about litwig that i really liked. For some reason it apealed to me and to be honest i wasn’t really that disappointed. In most generations Fire types are often few and far between so when you find one you stick with it, and when you find a good one you are rewarded. I have used this guy a couple of times now both in game and casual compitition and i have yet to be disappointed. A lot of generation 5 pokemon are overlooked for no good reason and Chandelure is very much a hidden gem.
7: 
Espeon and Umbreon: I always seem to cheat a bit when it comes to these two. I like most eeveelutions but for me these two are hands down my favorite. When it comes to battling however it is almost always my espeon that is by my side, back in the day it was one of the best Psychic pokemon out there, and even today a lot of other blogs and players still use this guy in competitions. I use it because it really is still to this day one of my favorite psychic pokemon, and it doesn’t hurt it reminds me of a cat. So if I use Espeon all the time, why does it share the number seven spot with Umbreon. For me Umbreon is more of an emotional attachment. Some of you know and can see in my icon a black cat, that’s my buddy blizzard, and for some reason when i see Umbreon i think of him. I can’t help it, and blue i have always loved its design even its shiny as rare as that is to find. So for me i cannot separate these two, you can’t have light with out darkness, nor darkness without light after all.
6: 
Inkay: Inkay is different then the others i have featured on this list so far. Its not really on here because of its battling skills or its ever so weird type combination, no its on here because i am completely and utterly in love with its design. I am a huge fan of squids and octopus’s so when i met Inkay in the wilds of X I fell head over heals in love with this thing. While i am not as impressed with its evolution malamar, the way it evolves is kind of fun for me too. No Inkay is one of the few pokemon who earn a spot on this list because I just think its adorable.
5: 
Bulbasaur: As I have stated in the past my first pokemon game was yellow, making pikachu my first pokemon, but for me my first love is really bulbasaur. This little guy without really knowing it would set the stage for my starter choices for years to come, with me almost all the time picking a grass type starter with a small hiccup here and there, but i get ahead of myself. I just love this guy and to be honest when i got to pick again in Y I followed my heart not my head and picked it again. I think i had forgotten how much i loved this little guy until i saw him again. To be honest i think still even today bulbasaur is to often ignored for its more flashy turtle with the cannons or dragon but not really a dragon brethren. He has been there since the beginning and I am happy to award my old friend with a place on my list.
4: 
Torchic: remember that hiccup I just mentioned, yeah Torchic is that hiccup. How could i resist such a cute little pokemon, i mean really. Torchic would mark the first and pretty much only occasion i would wonder away from the grass starter (for the first round of play) line. This little guy has never disappointed me, with a great move pool and lets be honest so few fires to pick from in gen 3 this was my best option and never one i was disappointed in. In every game i have had this guy in, it has come though for me, sure we have lost a few times to friends but i always had a good time. Lets be honest here Blaziken Torchic final evolution just keeps getting better as the years pass, and with ORAS around the corner i look forward to kicking ass and taking names once again with my little orange chicklet by my side.
3: 
Crobat: Crobat didn’t even make the list last time, because honestly i forgot it, years away from the game i had forgotten my history with this little bat. it wasn’t until X-Y did i get a reminder of why i like this creature so much. Since i mentioned it recently in another post i will try to keep it brief. Crobat has speed, and some power behind it. more importantly its a bat, and as you guys have gotten by now i was a weird little girl who like creatures most girls did not, and one of those things were bats. So of course Zubat once again falls into the catagory of weird creatures i should like but i do so there. Crobat has earned its time in the sun and a place on my list, with a promise to never forget it again.
2: 
Lapras: this one should come as a surprise to no one who has read my blogs before, i just love this pokemon. Lapras has been at my side since the beginning and in almost every single generation i have depended on her to get me though the end of the game and the elite four. Lapras only drops to number 2 on my list because the years have not been kind to my old friend. while in game she always helps me, in the world of competitive she just has to many flaws to ignore. I am just starting to break into this world, and i would love to have my old friend at my side, but to use her would be a mistake, so i am forced to sideline her with the hopes that one day maybe with a mega Lapras will rise again.
So who did it, who unseated the once mighty contender for my heart.
1: 
Joltik: Yup that’s right this adorable tiny bug pokemon has unseated lapras from the number one spot. How the heck did that happen you might be wondering. after all me and lapras have had a decade with one another and this little upstart just showed up about four years ago. Well here is how it happened, as it probably quite clear to you all by now i love bugs and other weird little things, So when i met joltik about a year ago i fell instantly heads over heels in love with this thing. However unlike the ultra cute inkay, Joltik quickly set about proving its worth in my team. Its Evolution galvantula is touch and its excellent in the world of competitive. no one knows what to make of this little eletric tick, and the fact i think the generation five is so unpopular makes this little guys a bit of a surprise when the meet it. Joltik just fits all my needs for eletric, bug, grass and what ever else i need in one adorable package. In the short time i have known this little bug it has proven itself over and over in game and in the competitive field. That is why joltik has earned a number one spot on my list.
Thank you for endulging me, and i should note, even though no generation 4 Pokemon made my list doesn’t mean i hate the generation, i just simply just don’t have any stand outs from that generation i continually go back to…yet. Also note Legends are not on this list because they already got there own special list.
What are your top ten, write yours in the comments down below.
Giragarig: This odd little Pokèmon introduced in the second generation is part normal part Psychic and learns dark’s best move naturally, its Normal typing also gives this little guy access to a wide verity of moves like most of the normals have. Its a nice design and its ability to learn dark moves could make it a strong member of the team. I think what works Against this little guy its the fact its stats are about average, and it really doesn’t evolve. Which i think is too bad, if the game gave it an evolution maybe fully to Psychic/dark and capitalize more on its duel personality, I mean look it has two faces, the light and the dark, It is almost there, it just needs one evolution to fully capitalize on what could be potentially one of the great ones.
Abra Family: As much of pain in the butt it is to catch Abra, it and its family make pretty good Pokèmon, and a great start as an intro into the type. Those of you who had one traded to you or won one, never knew the pain of trying to catch one of these suckers. When you first meet this family in the first gen Abra only really knows Teleport, and that is what it does. It see’s you and runs, so you only hope is to be fast enough to put it to sleep, and throw a pokèball at it, or just though the ball at it and hope for the best. However once you catch him make room for him in your team, because its a good a fast Psychic. Two things work against it now a days for me. One its kind of annoying to evolve, you need it to be kadabra and you need to trade it to a friend, (although modern technology such as wi-fi makes this far less of a hassle) Two it is sort of out classed now by some of the newer Psychic’s out there. Still it has to be acknowledged as being one of the first.
Ralt’s Family: This is a very nice looking family, but its also a very strong entry into the Psychic world. When Gen three first game out it was just Ralts, Kirlia and Gardevoir, with the forth gen they added a male version Gallade, who is psychic fighting. (Way to turn a fighting weakness into a strength game) In Terms of Stats and what not its about on par with Abra’s family, good solid Psychic pokèmon, they could be better for what the game provides you in that gen its a nice start. Still i would have been happier to have Gallade in the third gen as well, because now i have a male Gardevoir still running around. (i have taken great care to insure that all pokèmon that have been in one of my teams continue to stay with me. i know its just a game but i feel like i owe it to them to keep them around.) Still this is a good family to have on your side, and i enjoyed having them in my team, and look forward to the day that ruby and sapphire are re-released (Like it deserves!) To play with this family again.
Metagross family: I think this family took its cues from Abra’s, It fools you at first thinking its not going to be much of a Pokèmon, then it evolves, then it Evolves again until it is Metagross. Now he has been featured as one of my Top Pokèmon before, but he deserves a place on this list as well. Its Steel nature helps him take some hits, but sadly his world can be ruined by a good ground move. That is why giving him Magnate rise is so vitally important. This is also another good Gen Three Pokèmon and the reason my Gardevoir finally got boxed in the game. The only sad thing is you cannot pick him up until after you defeat the elite four the first time, which is too bad because he is a high level evolver you want on your team!
Bronzor and Bronzong: When i first met this pokèmon in the forth gen my first thoughts was huh, a floating tambourine (Which is why mine is name Tamber), and once i discovered it was Steel/psychic like my beloved Metagross i though great now they are just ripping him off. Well I was wrong, it took the concept of Steel/Psychic and approved upon it in my opinion. If you can get one that knows levitate then your already a step ahead of poor Metagross. your taking a move that Metagross has to learn in order to protect it, and making it an ability with Bronzor. Plus you get this guy a lot sooner in Gen 4 so you have some time to develop a real relationship with this type. Bronzong game right with me though the elite four and even several end game events. That makes it a little closer to the heart then Metagross. It is really hard not to compare the two, just because they are similar but both unique. I guess if i have to pick them in a one one one duel like i just have, Bronzong comes out victorious (Sorry Metagross, i still love you.)
Espeon: It should be pretty Obvious by now, that i love Eevee’s Family, So it should come as no suprise that another member of said family is here on this list. However this one is probably my favorite member of the family (wIth umbreon at a close number two). In gen two there was no Mewtwo, Abra and Hypno made appearances but it was espeon that was top dog (Cat?) in the Psychic world. Unlike the others it learned as Eevee bite, making it quite the threat to the other psychic Pokèmon. Espeon to me over the years has continued to hold up, while it doesn’t have the defense of Metagross or Bronzong it has the speed, and the move set to still make it a pretty decent choice. This one also learns morning sun, a pretty decent healing move that can keep her healthy in a tough battle. This one will probably always be pretty close to my heart, which is why Espeon will always be my top choice in the world of Psychic’s.
Absol: , I know this is a hugely popular pokèmon, and its easy to see why, with a sleek design and the soon to be potential mega evolution its a great pokèmon. However lets face facts people, since the introduction of dark pokèmon in the second generation this has become a decent size category with a lot of different dark types to choose from. For me having one pokèmon that’s purely dedicated to dark, just doesn’t make sense to me in my team. Doesn’t mean i do not appreciate the creature and its design and concept. I do look forward to what becomes of it in the future, this is a pokèmon I would love to see another step to besides mega.
Surskit: This one is just adorable as a child who spent most of her time admiring the bug world, the bugs that glided along the water were always interesting to me. While i am not terribly fond of its evolution, i do love the design and concept of the little glider. Admit it, there are a few of you out there who just a tad bit disappointed at its stats. It just wasn’t built for battle but as especially the third gen pointed out there can be more to the game then just fighting.
Magnemite: This guys suffers from the same fate as poor Absol, there are just too many better options out there to make picking it just not a smart move. I however have fondness for this guy, being one of the only pokèmon I can successfully draw and it still look like original pokèmon. Believe when i say i really don’t have many drawing skills, But if on occasion you find a little sketch of this little guy.
Natu: Poor Natu, there are just so many bird pokèmon out there, that are just so much better then this little cutie. On top of that it happened to come out in the same generation as the games Ultimate Psychic Flyer Lugia. Thus making this pokèmon pretty easy to ignore. But I have always loved its design and colors, admittedly always found it a little cute too. Its a shame really it couldn’t be better in battle.
Kecleon: This one for me isn’t on here for its design, so much so as its creativity. for those of you not familer with this guy, he comes with the ability Color change, that when hit with an attack changes its type over to the type of the attack it was just hit with. For instance say i hit it with a fighting move, it then switches over to a fighting type, Because of this however i had great fun taking it out, using the change to my advantage. I still have to admire the thought that went into him. That is why he is an easy pick for my top 10.
Joltik: Man is this little guy a little cutie, I just love the concept and design of him, as you might be starting to pick up I love bugs, and loved running into him. This one also has the added bonus of scaring the crap out my other friends who are not quite as fond of spiders and bugs as i am. It is just too bad that like so many before it there are just better bugs, and eletric pokèmon out there otherwise you better believe this would be on my team. Sorry cutie I just don’t want you to get beaten up.
Ditto: Combat wise, this pokèmon has always been more of a novelty then anything else. Able to transform into its opposing pokèmon seems like a great idea, however it never copied the stats of that pokèmon making Ditto very useless. However in the second generation they added the concept of breeding making Ditto very, very useful. Ditto can breed with anything, any gender and even some genderless ones. (try not to think to hard about that one) making ditto both incredibly useful outside of battle. I now make sure any new game i start there is a ditto on stand by ready to send over, or use it to breed some new baby pokèmon, like what i did with Denio so that new baby could be raised along side some of my others. I have also been known to just throw ditto in a breeders and just leave it there as i swap out pokèmon for it to um…do its thing with. Ditto is incredibly useful for breeding, but sadly not for battling which makes it number 4 on my list.
Yanma and Yanmega: I love Dragonfly’s ever since I was a little girl i would catch and release them. In fact as i am typing this i am wearing a dragonfly necklace around my neck. Imagine my my utter delight to see Yanma (then later generations its evolution.) Then imagine my utter disappointment at its stats…its just to weak to be competitive in any arena. While its new evolution improve things slightly, it still was just a disaster on the field. However it will continue to get my love as being pokèmon’s only tribute to dragonfly’s.
Mantine: I love this pokèmon, and if it wasn’t for Lapras there is a strong chance this one could end up on my team. I love the fact they made a stingray pokèmon, what i love even more was adding the little remoraid to its wing. This is a great example i think of the creators of the games concept and design follow thru. This pokèmon is well designed and well thought out. Even the eventual addition of Mantyke stayed true to Mantines good design. What keeps this little guys off the team is its duel weakness to electric which is just to bad because it has nice balanced stats. Don’t worry little one I still love you.
Krabby: This water pokèmon stole my heart in the anime and i continue to love it. The picture of it here is actually my favorite picture of it, i mean who amongst us are not that happy having our favorite treat in our hands. Krabby falls under the same trap as so many others on this list, just too many better options to make using him plausible. As you have noticed probably, i love my water types and i love my bug types and honestly crabby is a bugish water pokèmon. Admit it crabs look like bugs too. Seeing how this little guy was probably the first of my the pokèmon i really loved but just couldn’t not find a place for it seems fitting he should take the crown.
Gamerwoman 