QOTD: Who's your favorite Pokémon? Who's your least favorite?

Currently my favorite is Slowpoke, cause that thing is a beast, and my least favorite is Jynx. I hate Jynx for many reasons, but what really annoys me is her laugh.

Hi, hello pokefans or just regular people, today I am here to help you on your poke-journey to catch all those pocket monsters, and talk about my experience. I figured since I have caught a fourth of them in 3 months, I have the right to write this.

I will go over the basics, definitions, things of that sort, so take notes!! I will also provide some resources for you as well, and other tips to help you out.

Also I know school probably just got out/is close to being out, but hang with me here, cause this is Pokémon we're talking about here!

But let's get into the guide and call me KaylaWantsToQuarrel!

Basic stuff before going into the juicy bits:

This will be hard. Unlike the poke rap says, there is no longer 150 (technically was originally 151) pokemon, and is now 806, I believe. And with gen 8 on the way, there is still more. I only know one person who has caught them all, that being  one of my 6th grade teachers.

Prepare to randomly burst into the Pokémon theme song, maybe even yelling it. It may seem like a weird thing for me to say, but trust me, it will happen.

In the games, you may not be able to catch all of the ones available in that generation. Usually there are separated into two main games, with one missing others that are located in the sister game.

You can catch pokemon from other generations in the game you are playing. For example, you can have a Chikorita and a Pikachu in the same game.

You don't technically have to 'catch' them all. You can just catch/get the first of all evolutionary lines, then evolve them.

There is a difference between getting a living-dex, and a full Pokédex. The difference is with getting a full Pokédex, is having all of the Pokémon at one time or another being in your possession. Like having all of Bulbasaur's line at one point. A living-dex is having all Pokémon in your boxes. Meaning you have each of the Bulbasaur line, in your boxes.

This challenge is really hard and is one of the most honorary/legendary titles a gamer can hold/a human can hold, but it's pretty fun in general. So make sure at the end of the day, that's what you doing.

Types:

Each Pokémon has a certain type, or even multiple. My suggestion is to have Pokémon from different types in your type, so that way you're not overly weak. There is currently 18 types, here's a chart thing where the types is listed, and their weaknesses are next to them.

Type is very important, because you can have an op Pokémon, but if you're going against a type they're weak to, it will end your run just like that.

Normal: Is weak to Fighting type. Also Ghost moves can't hit them as well.

Fire: Weak against Water, Ground, Rock, and Dragon types. Not very effective against fellow fire types.

Water: Weak to Electric, Grass, and Dragon types.

Grass: Weak against Flying, Posion, Bug, Ice, and Fire types.

Electric: Only weak to Ground types.

Ice: Fire, Fighting, Rock, and Steel types.

Fighting: Flying and Psychic types.

Posion: Ground and Psychic types.

Ground: Water, Grass, and Ice. Flying moves do not hit ground types.

Psychic: Bug, Ghost, and Dark types.

Bug: Fire, Flying, and Rock types.

Rock: Water, Grass, Ground, Fighting, and Steel types. (Also uses a frying pan as a drying pan, and has the best gym leader in Gym 1.)

Ghost: Ghost and Dark types.

Dragon: Dragon, Ice, Fairy types.

Dark: Fighting and Ghost type.

Steel: Fire, Fighting, and Ground types.

Fairy: Steel and Posion types.

Party/Team:

At the beginning you get a starter Pokémon, either being a Grass, Water, and Fire type. They're all really good, and will most likely be one of your strongest Pokémon and one of the ones you will use the most.

Your starter doesn't matter all that much, but keep in mind the first gym you're up against, and the weaknesses of that certain type you'll be fighting against.

You can six Pokémon in your party, the rest are sent in what's called a poke-box. You can also send the others to a day care, or you can put an egg as one of your team members, which will waste one of your slots.

My advice is to have a Pokémon of different types in your party. It's even better when you have Pokémon that has 2 types. Like mine have Fire and Dark, Water and Psychic, Water and Steel, Grass and Fairy, Fighting, and Posion with Dark.

Battle:

Now I know that if you want to catch them all, you aren't all that focused on battling, unless if it's wild Pokémon.

Also those of you who are just playing Pokémon Go, or Let's Go then this doesn't really apply to you. In the reg games you actually gotta damage the Pokémon a bit so you can catch them.

But battling others is actually really important because of three main reasons: Money, EXP, and knowledge

Whenever you win a battle, you gain EXP and money, which the exp is needed for leveling up and getting stronger, along with eventually evolving.

Money is important because you need to buy money to buy poke balls along with potions.

And finally knowledge, maybe one of the most important for your catching journey.

Whenever you fight a Pokémon, whether if you win or loose, you get to know what moves are effective against them. Meaning, that if you battle a Pokémon you don't have, then see it in the wild, it is now easier to catch because you know what moves work well against them.

Also sometimes if you defeat a certain amount of trainers in the area, you can get some stuff from a person, which can usually be pretty good.

Trading:

There are a couple versions of trading. You can trade with NPC's, people on the inter webs, or share Pokédex entry.

With NPC's, you usually trade with them in a Pokémon center, and they give you a Pokémon. Meaning you can check another Pokémon off your list. Also it may be a Pokémon you already have, but some Pokémon only evolve by being traded.

With people on the internet there's two main ways of trading. Putting up a thing on the Internet, looking for a certain Pokémon or put up one of your own.

Then there's a little thing called wonder trading, that you trade a Pokémon, and get a mystery one. Kinda weird and a bit risky, but hey if you got so many of the same one, and don't want to transfer with the professor, who knows what you might find.

Then there's trading a Pokédex entry. NPC's sometimes love a certain Pokémon, but just can't seem to catch it. They ask you if you caught one, and you can share the entry of it, which is entered whenever you catch one. This usually gets you some money or other swag.

Evolving:

Regular Pokémon:
There's really three main ways to evolve a Pokémon. Leveling up, items, and status.

If they evolve by leveling them up, then cool! Level them up! Easy as that!

Others evolve via stones such as the Thunder Stone, or other things such as that.

Then there's Status. Some Pokémon are evolved by being traded, affection, and/or friendship. You can't really tell friendship, but sometimes at shops some lady will tell you that you seem really close, next thing you know they're evolved the next time they're leveled up.

Feel free to go to the googles to find out how each Pokémon is evolved. Also keep in mind, not all Pokémon are part of an evolution family.

Also if you don't want a certain Pokémon to evolve, just give it an everstone or don't give it that certain item. They'll still level up no problem!

Pokémon Go:

There's two main ways to evolve in Go, and I find them very annoying.

You catch the same type of Pokémon multiple times, until it has enough candy so that it can evolve.

Same process really for this one, just need enough candy and a certain item.

Items/Shops:

You get stuff at shops, rando people, or in poke balls.

Sometimes when you're out in the grass or something, and you find a pokeball. You can open it, and there's an item.

You can buy stuff at shops. Duh.

Also for whatever reason random people will just get you stuff for no real reason, not like I'm complaining.

Here's my tip when it comes to healing items. I don't really use berries for healing. I use them for sleep recovery, and stuff like that. I don't use them for healing because of how low of an amount they heal at like, 10 HP.

I instead suggest potions, and other items like that. Sure they may be more expensive, but they heal so much more!!

Also you can sell items at shops as well! Sometimes in the item description it says that it can be sold to a high price at shops, or collectors. I would suggest keeping the ones that are expensive to collectors, until if you find a collector.

Progressing the Game:

You just beat the gym leaders/trial leaders. Ezpz. (No it's not depending on your Pokémon.)

Miscellaneous Tips:

Explore! If you see a different route or somewhere, go there! You never know which Pokémon you'll find!

Finish the game first. I suggest getting through the story first, so you can then focus more on getting them all. But that doesn't mean you don't try on your journey.

Avoid confusion, paralysis, and sleep. Confusion will end if you're hit with it. Your Pokémon will eventually hurt itself in it's confusion, and it is the worst thing imaginable. (Posion you should also look out for as well.)

Make your own goals. It's a daunting task to catch all 806 pocket monsters. Make your goals, like to get all of Gen 6, or things like that. Or make an attempt at catching all of the shinies.

Handy dandy resources I use:

Google. It's great to look up how a Pokémon evolves and things like that.

Dexter. Dexter is an app that I know is at least on iOS, and it is a pretty good Pokédex app. You can look up moves, by name, type, and by number. You can also make a checklist of all you've caught and build teams.

Pokémon: Sun/Moon Ultra. I would suggest if you are a beginner to start with this game, since it has all the newest generations.

Pokémon checklist by firesquiiids for gens 1-7 on DeviantArt. This checklist is the best I've seen, with it including types, Alolan Forms, and legendary/max evolutions. It is printable, and it is what I use to this day to keep track.

That's basically it, feel free to comment any questions, things like that! I hope this has helped if you are on a poke-journey like me.