First time making a fan game - some questions about trainer teams

[souglompee]

I've dabbled with pokemon essentials every now and then to see how stuff works, but now I'm actually going to try and go through with a small project. It's going to be a small little tournament based game with a lot of story thrown in. I've got most of what I wanna do down, but I'm having issues actually coming up with teams.

How do you guys deal with creating teams? Do you base them off of a single mon, or do you go with stuff like popular competitive strategies???? I like teambuilding a lot on showdown, but I'm drawing a blank when it comes to teams here, especially when I'm restricted to monotype teams. I figure I'll have to get good at this if I ever want to move onto bigger projects, so I'm curious if there's any sort of method to at least getting a start.

 

[Blinci]

Don't have much experience with such, though other fangames, official pokemon games, and such can be used a a baseline for "this was created this way, this way created that way, perhaps let's try something new doing z" or something similar or original. Hope that helps.

 

[neoncityrain]

Now, that depends on what KIND of team you're trying to build. Most NPCs in the main series game's overworld are based around 1-3 Pokémon, which generally have default moves- the way I like to think of those isn't strategy, but rather:
What kind of trainer are they?

• A fledgeling trainer will likely have the Pokémon found on the route and MAYBE a different mon that was their starter. Some trainers fight using what is considered their 'pet.' Bug catchers use bug types, generally those the player already has previous access to or soon will. These trainers are rather simple. You'll want a mon that's a partner rather than a strategic fighter.
• Alternatively, there ARE trainers considered a cut above the rest- ace trainers, dragon tamers, ect. These will actually be trying to hit hard and have custom movesets to do so.
• It's when it comes to gym leaders, elite four, and champions that you'll want to start thinking about actual strategy, and even then I try to avoid Smogon-tier teams. Think of how each Pokémon would do in a 1v1 fight rather than a 6v6 or anything else- MOVE coverage is key, and you want that thing to be able to fight off and be a thorn in the side to just about anything... just remember to keep them beatable in the end!

 

[Astefia]

I've dabbled with pokemon essentials every now and then to see how stuff works, but now I'm actually going to try and go through with a small project. It's going to be a small little tournament based game with a lot of story thrown in. I've got most of what I wanna do down, but I'm having issues actually coming up with teams.

How do you guys deal with creating teams? Do you base them off of a single mon, or do you go with stuff like popular competitive strategies???? I like teambuilding a lot on showdown, but I'm drawing a blank when it comes to teams here, especially when I'm restricted to monotype teams. I figure I'll have to get good at this if I ever want to move onto bigger projects, so I'm curious if there's any sort of method to at least getting a start.

You don't have to be restricted to monotype - many official game gym leaders have exceptions from their type, and the HAVE to be thematic.
For making an NPC team, I recommend choosing a theme - "Pokemon from this and neighboring locations", "This trainer type's pokemon set" or "this specific trainer's theming", choose a bunch of things that fit aestetically, then go from there.

Don't actually use meta strategies, please (unless you game is made specifically and obviously for this) - it's a playthrough, the player has to be able to take on everything you throw at them without much grinding.