User blog:Tigerfriend1999/Can't Delete Blog Posts?

So, yesterday, I spent four hours running around in tall grass hunting for a female Eevee. Call me weird, but I just can't work with a male Sylveon (it's just too pink to be male!). So after four unsuccessful hours, it finally occurs to me to look it up on the internet (because I'm slow like that). Solution: Frustratingly simple.

Long story short, I did a major headdesk.

Anyways, I got that female Sylveon (who's Modest and loves to eat) and everything turned out hunky-dory, and then I wondered; is anyone else out there as stupid as me?

Probably not, but just in case, I've prepared this ittle bittle little guide to finding that perfect Pokemon. Disclaimer: If you're a Pokemon Master, you already know this. Feel free to leave if that's the case, and don't tell me this is beginner stuff. I know it is. News flash: ''not everyone is a Pokemon expert. ''Some people are like me (sad as it is to say) and have to be taught how to do stuff.

1. Know your Pokemon. This probably doesn't need saying, but it might help if you had some semblance of an idea as to what sort of Pokemon you want. Not just species-wise, but also character, gender, color, etc. Depending on what you're looking for, you might have to pair this guide up with Darksta's Official Shiny Pokemon guide ( http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/696959-pokemon-x/68377412 ), which, by the way, is super helpful for clueless people like me!

'''2. Want vs. Need. '''Everybody wants a Pikachu, right? But Pikachu may not be the smartest choice when building a dream-team. Primarily, you want to select dual-type Pokemon with multiple strengths and weaknesses. Aesthetics only come first by about 0.5 seconds. Just a bit. So you may have the idea of catching a super-cute/awesome-looking Pokemon, but right after you decide what you want, there comes that depressing moment where you really gotta look at it and go "Is this a smart move?" Let's say you want a Pikachu, (because who doesn't, right?) but having that extra Electric-type would take up the space in your team for that Water-type you've been looking for. Sure, you could probably get along without a Water-type, but it'll take a little more effort than you wish it did. Now's when you start reassembling your team in your head. Well, I could replace my Garchomp with a Quagsire, but then again, Quagsires are hidious and can't learn False Swipe...So maybe I'll switch my Flying-and-Fire type out for...This generally goes on for a while.

'''3. Settling for Second Best. '''Gah, I always hate this part. Sometimes, you just can't get the Pokemon you really want without it impairing your team in some way. If you're like me, you just suck it up and do your best with your totally adorable if not completely practical Pokemon. But if you're a hardcore battler with a 2,346 win streak, you'll probably have to put aesthetics aside and think of what's best with your team. Maybe Pikachu isn't practical, but what about Dedenne? Two types for one Pokemon, both of which you need? Yeah, I could work with that. And Dedenne IS kinda cute in its own way...

'''4. The Hunt is Afoot! '''Okay, so if you're like me (Heaven forbid), this is your least favorite part. Ever do that thing where you just run around for four hours but don't see anything except for a bunch of Wild Pokemon you've already caught? Yeah, not fun. Well, being incredibly intelligent person I am, it finally dawned on me to seek advice on Poke-hunting. I've included the most helpful tips in this paragraph.

a.) Cute Charm is an extremely useful Ability inside Battle as well as outside. When a Pokemon with the Ability Cute Charm is at the head of your team, all wild Pokemon you encounter have a 66.6% chance of being the opposite gender, regardless of default gender ratios. This is very useful when hunting for masculine or feminine Pokemon (I mean, come on, who wants a female Machoke? Blah!). A list of all known Pokemon with the Ability Cute Charm can be found in the Wikia article.

b.) Synchronize is an Ability which will pass on any Status conditions such as Paralysis, Burn, or Frozen to the opposing Pokemon. It also increases the chance of catching a Pokemon with the same Nature as the user. For example, maybe your Ralts is Gentle in nature, but you'd rather have a Gentle Emolga. Placing a Pokemon with the Ability Synchronize at the head of your team increases the chance of encountering wild Pokemon with similar characteristics. This is mostly for aesthetic purposes, although Pokemon with different Natures are known to have different stat distributions. A list of all known Pokemon with the Ability Synchronize can be found in the Wikia article.

c.) Items such as the Poke Doll will attract more wild Pokemon, as well as giving your Pokemon a 100% Run-Away rate, if you're a coward and that sort of thing matters....I mean, if you want to save time by avoiding battles. The Swarm Ability (found in most Bug-type Pokemon) will also increase your chances of wild encounters. Maybe it doesn't do anything to help find a specific Pokemon, but it'll help get things done faster.

'''5. Oooh, Shiny! '''This is my final note ("Yaaaaay! Hurry up and stop talking to me!"), and its importance can vary from Trainer to Trainer. Shiny and Legendary Pokemon are often seen as status symbols, and someone whose team is made up of completely Shiny Legends tends to look a lot more imposing than someone with a normal team. So if you're going for the Sparkly Win style, you'll probably be looking for shinies (in which case, you'll be looking for a loooooong time!). Of course, you could also be one of those people who, like me, doesn't give a fig. These people get their teams built and trained faster, and have the satisfaction of knowing they didn't need Legends to win. If you are still relatively early on in your game, I suggest just building a regular team, and using the resources given to you post-game to work on making that Dream Team of yours.

Well, that's the Idiot's Guide to a Dream Team, brought to you by a Kalos Champion and her team of adorable Pokemon! Leave a comment if you have further advice, or just want to tell me I did an awful job. I will only judge you if you do not leave a comment at all....probably. ZO8