Pokemans:

[Prime32]

Staraptor, as far as I can tell, is exactly like a Pidgeot. Used for flying, gets decimated by way too many attacks. I was thinking about a typed Flyer (So... not Normal/Flying), but I dunno where to get those.

At Floaroma Town. Woo for more bugs. Starly evolved. I don't know how useful Giratina is. Other than being legendary, he seems... unneeded.

The thing is his HP is fairly high. High enough to withstand being hit by things like Garchomp or Darkrai. He's not as resistant as Magnezone, Skarmory, or Dialga, but he can tank fairly well and has a high Spec Attack for moves like Shadow Force or Draco Meteor.

He can take one or two hits, but his greatest strength is being able to hit first and hit hard, his attack stat is damn good.

It helps that it learns Close Combat as well, and Endeavour

...I think one of you is talking about Giratina and the other is talking about Staraptor.

[BowenSilverclaw]

Staraptor, as far as I can tell, is exactly like a Pidgeot. Used for flying, gets decimated by way too many attacks. I was thinking about a typed Flyer (So... not Normal/Flying), but I dunno where to get those.

At Floaroma Town. Woo for more bugs. Starly evolved. I don't know how useful Giratina is. Other than being legendary, he seems... unneeded.

The thing is his HP is fairly high. High enough to withstand being hit by things like Garchomp or Darkrai. He's not as resistant as Magnezone, Skarmory, or Dialga, but he can tank fairly well and has a high Spec Attack for moves like Shadow Force or Draco Meteor.

He can take one or two hits, but his greatest strength is being able to hit first and hit hard, his attack stat is damn good.

It helps that it learns Close Combat as well, and Endeavour

...I think one of you is talking about Giratina and the other is talking about Staraptor.

Yeah, I was talking about Staraptor

[Generic_PC]

There is so much I want...

I want a Drifblim. I only get them on fridays in Floaroma Windworks. Assuming it can fly, it could probably replace both Rotom (as a ghost) and Staraptor (as a Fly-slave). Or one of the two.

Looking at that, my final team is currently a Ghost/Flying, a Fire/Fighting, a Ground/Dragon, an Electric/Something (Either Steel, with the Trimagnet guy, Ghost, with Rotom, or just electric, with luxray) and a Poison/Flying Crobat. And one other, undecided pokemon.

Obviously, this leaves some gaping holes in my repetiore. The pokemon I'm most willing to drop is Crobat, but I'd like to replace that with Staraptor also. So, one slot. What is it?

Looking at the types, if I go with a Magnemite evolution, I'll have the ultimate wall. It's immune to ground attacks and takes half damage (at least) from like everything else.

However, I'll have no grass, water or ice types. Also, no Psychic types, something else I want a little bit. Any all around good pokemon will also be looked at, but not Giratina. Can someone hint into what I'm looking at facing, as far as problem gyms goes? Also E4 members I need to watch for?

[Prime32]

You know, Crobat can learn Fly... Fly is also a pretty good move against AI since they won't see it coming. And stop putting Staraptor down - it kicks ass (just be sure to learn Close Combat to kill Rock types).

Pidgeot HP:     83 Attack:    80 Defense:    75 Sp.Atk:    70 Sp.Def:    70 Speed:    91

Staraptor HP:     85 Attack:    120 Defense:    70 Sp.Atk:    50 Sp.Def:    50 Speed:    100

Drifblim has an Ice weakness - if you put it in that will make three Pokes with that problem. Rotom and some Magnemite (be careful there) have Levitate, which negates Ground-type attacks. Rotom doesn't need to evolve, and in Platinum you can also change it to more powerful forms with an event item.

Psychic types are nowhere near as overpowered as they used to be - almost everyone knows a Ghost or Dark move with decent strength.

[Agita]

+1 to Prime's post. Staraptor is not just a Fly slave. In fact, I neglected to teach my own Staraptor Fly altogether because there's so many other cool moves. (For the record, my Staraptor right now knows Return, Close Combat, Aerial Ace, and Brave Bird.) Note that Close Combat is also super effective against Ice, another weakness of Flying types.
As an aside, Return is a great attack to teach any high-attack Normal-type pokémon you have (like, oh, Staraptor). It has a maximum base damage of 102 (at maximum Happiness), at 100% accuracy and 20 PP, so it's a very good default attack to fall back on. Frustration does the same except based on how much your pokémon hates you, but it's actually easier to get may Happiness (since pokémon on your team get happier by themselves so long as you don't actively make them unhappy).

[Generic_PC]

I was referring to Starraptor as a Fly-slave because I've decided that everyone around here knows Staraptor is good, and I'm having fun watching you all get mad at me whenever I do so.

I think that Crobat is not worth the effort. Staraptor is probably going to take that slot.

I'm not going to wait 'til friday to get a Drifblim, I've decided. I'm too impatient.

I will, however, need a pokemon with surf. Ideas for one I can get soon? (Note: This'll bring my party to a Fire/Fighting, a Ghost/Electric, a Ground/Dragon, a Pure Electric, a Flying/Normal and that surfer dude.)

[Sinfire Titan]

I was referring to Starraptor as a Fly-slave because I've decided that everyone around here knows Staraptor is good, and I'm having fun watching you all get mad at me whenever I do so.

I think that Crobat is not worth the effort. Staraptor is probably going to take that slot.

I'm not going to wait 'til friday to get a Drifblim, I've decided. I'm too impatient.

I will, however, need a pokemon with surf. Ideas for one I can get soon? (Note: This'll bring my party to a Fire/Fighting, a Ghost/Electric, a Ground/Dragon, a Pure Electric, a Flying/Normal and that surfer dude.)

Sadly, the best Surf Slave happens to be Bibarel. In an emergency, it can provide you up to three turns of stall against some Overused Pokemon (not Ubers though, and nothing Electric). A good Surfer slave happens to be Lapras: Good stats, and the ability to learn 3 of the 4 One-hit KOs (Sheer Cold, Horn Drill, Fissure).

[Generic_PC]

I want something that is useful with Surf, yes.

However, I'll also need an HM Slave. That was going to be Bibarel... (Strength, Rock Smash, Surf, Cut?)

[Sinfire Titan]

I want something that is useful with Surf, yes.

However, I'll also need an HM Slave. That was going to be Bibarel... (Strength, Rock Smash, Surf, Cut?)

Can Bibarel learn Rock Climb? If so, that will prove more useful than Cut (Mt Coronet).

[Agita]

I want something that is useful with Surf, yes.

However, I'll also need an HM Slave. That was going to be Bibarel... (Strength, Rock Smash, Surf, Cut?)

Can Bibarel learn Rock Climb? If so, that will prove more useful than Cut (Mt Coronet).

Yes. In fact, I think it can learn all HMs except Fly.

[Sinfire Titan]

I want something that is useful with Surf, yes.

However, I'll also need an HM Slave. That was going to be Bibarel... (Strength, Rock Smash, Surf, Cut?)

Can Bibarel learn Rock Climb? If so, that will prove more useful than Cut (Mt Coronet).

Yes. In fact, I think it can learn all HMs except Fly.

IIRC, only Fliers can learn Defog, not that you need that HM to advance.

[Risada]

However, I'll have no grass, water or ice types. Also, no Psychic types, something else I want a little bit. Any all around good pokemon will also be looked at, but not Giratina. Can someone hint into what I'm looking at facing, as far as problem gyms goes? Also E4 members I need to watch for?

If it's available, I recommend a Starmie (Water/Psychic; it's an old favorite of mine), throw in a water, ice and psychic move on it and you're set...

...seeing all this talk makes me want to buy a DS badly  

[Agita]

I want something that is useful with Surf, yes.

However, I'll also need an HM Slave. That was going to be Bibarel... (Strength, Rock Smash, Surf, Cut?)

Can Bibarel learn Rock Climb? If so, that will prove more useful than Cut (Mt Coronet).

Yes. In fact, I think it can learn all HMs except Fly.

IIRC, only Fliers can learn Defog, not that you need that HM to advance.

Right, I keep forgetting that one because it's entirely irrelevant.
It did help in finding a few items on that route, though.

[Sinfire Titan]

However, I'll have no grass, water or ice types. Also, no Psychic types, something else I want a little bit. Any all around good pokemon will also be looked at, but not Giratina. Can someone hint into what I'm looking at facing, as far as problem gyms goes? Also E4 members I need to watch for?

If it's available, I recommend a Starmie (Water/Psychic; it's an old favorite of mine), throw in a water, ice and psychic move on it and you're set...

...seeing all this talk makes me want to buy a DS badly  

I want my Xbox back more than I want a DS (I want the DS for HGSS when it comes out).

[Prak, the Mad]

I want something that is useful with Surf, yes.

However, I'll also need an HM Slave. That was going to be Bibarel... (Strength, Rock Smash, Surf, Cut?)

Can Bibarel learn Rock Climb? If so, that will prove more useful than Cut (Mt Coronet).

Yes. In fact, I think it can learn all HMs except Fly.

My current HM slaves are Bibarel (Cut, Strength, Rock Smash, Rock Climb) and Dragonite (Fly, Surf, Waterfall, Defog)

[BowenSilverclaw]

I want something that is useful with Surf, yes.

However, I'll also need an HM Slave. That was going to be Bibarel... (Strength, Rock Smash, Surf, Cut?)

Can Bibarel learn Rock Climb? If so, that will prove more useful than Cut (Mt Coronet).

Yes. In fact, I think it can learn all HMs except Fly.

My current HM slaves are Bibarel (Cut, Strength, Rock Smash, Rock Climb) and Dragonite (Fly, Surf, Waterfall, Defog)

Dragonite as an HM slave? Heresy

[K-Mech]

Sorry, not Monferno, Infernape. Thats what I meant.

I've been seeing talk of IVs and EVs and things that seem like they over complicate the game.

As an aside, I've progressed to having a Monferno, an Abra, a Beaver thing, which probably sucks, a Kricketot, a Shinx and a Starly.

IVs and EVs, while somewhat important, only REALLY matter if you play competitively...

[Prime32]

I want something that is useful with Surf, yes.

However, I'll also need an HM Slave. That was going to be Bibarel... (Strength, Rock Smash, Surf, Cut?)

Can Bibarel learn Rock Climb? If so, that will prove more useful than Cut (Mt Coronet).

Yes. In fact, I think it can learn all HMs except Fly.

My current HM slaves are Bibarel (Cut, Strength, Rock Smash, Rock Climb) and Dragonite (Fly, Surf, Waterfall, Defog)

Dragonite as an HM slave? Heresy

You know, Mew can learn every HM in the game.

Surf is a very good move. Waterfall is now good on a Gyarados, since it's a Physical water move and only slightly weaker than Aqua Tail.

[BowenSilverclaw]

I want something that is useful with Surf, yes.

However, I'll also need an HM Slave. That was going to be Bibarel... (Strength, Rock Smash, Surf, Cut?)

Can Bibarel learn Rock Climb? If so, that will prove more useful than Cut (Mt Coronet).

Yes. In fact, I think it can learn all HMs except Fly.

My current HM slaves are Bibarel (Cut, Strength, Rock Smash, Rock Climb) and Dragonite (Fly, Surf, Waterfall, Defog)

Dragonite as an HM slave? Heresy

You know, Mew can learn every HM in the game.

Surf is a very good move. Waterfall is now good on a Gyarados, since it's a Physical water move and only slightly weaker than Aqua Tail.

Jup, those are actually decent moves, and not crap like Defog

[Prak, the Mad]

yeah, I'm not fond of relegating Dragonite to an HM slave, and I hate using bibarel at all, but I haven't scanned through to find another two that can hold all the hms between them.