7 Member Team - Who Should Go?

[Marill]

I recently restarted Sapphire with a team of 5 traded/bred in the other games. I started with Torchic, and caught a few others in the game so I wouldn't have 5 disobediant team members by the time I got to the first gym. The thing is I've got 7 members in my team now that are stuck with me, and I don't know who to choose. I was hoping for a second, third.. etc opinion.

Right now I'm just about to battle with Norman. I've been thinking ahead to the Elite Four, mainly the Champion who has a lot of Pokemon with earthquake but that's basically all I remember - it's been a while. The first four are easy enough but I remember struggling with the Champion, even in Ruby where I trained my team so they were a good few levels higher than I usually do.

Anyway here's the team from what I remember off hand so you'll have to excuse the gaps in places.
GARDEVOIR - Level 30 - Caught in game
Psychic, Confusion, Double Team & -the move that increases special attack/defence (off hand can't remember the name)
Reason for keeping: I do love a psyhic type in my team, I've trained this Pokemon before so I know it's good enough

PUPITAR - Level 30 - Bred
Bite, Rock Slide (one of the goodish rock moves), Sandstorm..
Reason for keeping: Never trained before, heard it's powerful.. however I am put off that it loses it's ground trait when it evolves to Tyranitar

COMBUSKEN - Level 29 - Caught in game
Ember, Double Kick, Scratch..
Reason for keeping: Favourite of the starters once it's Blaziken anyway, I always have a fire type on my team

ARON - Level 29 - Caught in game
Headbutt, Iron Tail, Metal Claw and Cut
Reason for keeping: Trained it once before, the one I had in Ruby was uber strong (for me anyway lol) until the Champion came along with his continous uses of earthquake lol

SPHEAL - Level 29 - Bred
Aurora Beam, Ice Ball, Water Gun..
Reason for keeping: Never trained before. I hardly ever have an actual ice type, its usually just water. I always need a team-member who can surf

TRAPINCH - Level 29 - Bred
Dig, Bite, Faint Attack and Rock Tomb
Reason for keeping: Evolves into Flygon which is one of my favs, and I like to have a ground type in the team. Also is the only one who'll be able to fly

RAICHU - Level 29 - Bred
Thunderbolt, Thunder, Shockwave and Growl (bred from a trained Raichu from Leaf Green.. must find a move to replace Growl)
Reason for keeping: I'm sure electric is one of the types I need a lot in the elite 4, and I find Raichu's that have evolved quickly (and were bred with the moves obviously) are usually good.

In case anyone's curious, the fifth one I traded over that didn't make the cut was Espeon. I only wanted one psychic and I have a fondness for Gardevoir. You'll probably think I'm quite the newb when it comes to battling, but weirdly enough I've been playing these games for years

 

[Æsahættr]

Definately Spheal,
If you want a good water type, you should at least get one that learns Hydro pump. If you're only using it for HM's, then keep it and get rid of Trapinch. Trapinch, in my experience, is a pain in the butt to train, being that it doesn't learn any decent moves till around the lv. 40's.

 

[Pieomon]

I prefer Surf over HydroPump unless you're going into 2 v 2 battles, where Hydro Pump's Pick-One-Target ability is a bit better then Surf's spread out damage.

 

[Æsahættr]

doesn't mean you can't use both

 

[Marill]

Wow it's been a while since I last looked at this topic. Thanks for your opinions. I stupidly stopped playing Sapphire when I decided to try out XD and Colosseum. Funnily enough I've been using ex-shadows Spheal, Larvitar and just recently Vibrava that evolved 2 levels later.

The Flygon in Colosseum reminded me that a ground type with earthquake and a Pokemon with levitate is a good idea to have in the last battle in Sapphire - I remember getting knocked out by earthquake a lot. It may be just me working it out wrong, but out of the seven I find Aron an easier target. It seems to be weaker to more things.

Larvitar/Pupitar on the other hand was a hard Pokemon to raise in XD when I was nearer the end, in the end it was replaced.. it had a habit of getting knocked out quickly.

Spheal was hard work to raise in XD, until it fully evolved.. so it seems to be worth it. I do prefer a water/ice type to plain normal water.

I'd still like to know what others think, but the weakest links appear to be either Pupitar or Aron (I think it just recently evolved to Lairon before the Game Cube addiction kicked in, damn it).

Lol I'll have to get used to battling one against one, instead of doubles, again.