Help me complete my team! (Gen III)

[Lennongrad]

I'm going through my Pokemon Emerald version right now and can't seem to find my final party member. I need some advice regarding who I should go for. I've just beaten Aqua at the Weather Institute and am about to battle my rival. Here's the relevant information:

Marshtomp - lv 35 - Torrent - Docile
Surf, Mud Shot, Take Down, Water Gun

Gardevoir - lv 35 - Synchronize - Jolly
Psychic, Confusion, Calm Mind, Secret Power

Crobat - lv 35 - Inner Focus - Mild
Wing Attack, Bite, Air Cutter, Steel Wing

Loudred - lv 35 - Soundproof - Impish
Pound, Uproar, Stomp, Supersonic

Manectric - lv 40 - Static - Hardy
Bite, Shock Wave, Quick Attack, Spark

And at the moment, for my final guy I'm using a Nuzleaf. I've hesitated in leveling him up because I don't know if I want to keep using him, but it's getting to the point where I should make a decision of some sort.

Nuzleaf - lv 24 - Chlorophyll - Naughty
Strength, Rock Smash, Cut, Bullet Seed

My main questions at this point are as follows;

1. Should I keep Nuzleaf on my team?
2. If I don't keep Nuzleaf, I was thinking of possibly using a Linoone as an HM slave (so in Linoone's case, it would have Cut, Rock Smash, Strength, and Surf). Thoughts? Should I use an HM slave, or divide the HMs up among the rest of my team?
3. I'm also possibly having second thoughts on Loudred. My main purpose in using Loudred (soon-to-be Exploud) is to pump him full of TMs of various types, since he can learn so many. But I'm not a huge fan of Normal types in general. What do you think of Loudred/Exploud as a member of my team?
4. Are there any major type areas that I'm missing? What moves or Pokemon do I need to add to make up for those weak spots?
5. What moves should I teach to the remaining Pokemon? I'm pretty set on keeping Marshtomp/Swampert, Gardevoir, Crobat, and Manectric. I'll be teaching Fly to Crobat, probably teaching Thunderbolt to Manectric, probably teaching Ice Beam to Marshtomp, and ditching Surf in favor of Waterfall if I do end up using a Linoone. Keeping in mind those changes and the point I'm at in the game, what moves would you teach my Pokemon?

Tell me if this isn't the right place to post this.

Thanks in advice for the help!

 

[Leavanny Duo]

I think you should get that HM slave and dump Nuzleaf in the storage system.

 

[GatoRage]

Exploud is pretty good, so I'd keep it. Make good use of its big movepool.

You should also consider teaching Thunderbolt to Gardevoir to give it a bit more coverage (Secret Power won't do much since its Attack stat is significantly lower than its Sp.Attack stat) although you'll probably want Thunderbolt on Manectric, which I can understand. Too bad you already gave it Shock Wave since you could have used that on Gardevoir instead.

And yes, Linoone is an excellent HM slave, although personally I'd get a sixth member in that team instead of Nuzleaf. Since you're around Fortree City at the moment, you can catch Absol on Route 120 just east of Fortree. If you do, I'd suggest a moveset of Slash, Shadow Ball, Aerial Ace and Swords Dance. It's very useful against Phoebe of the Elite Four who can be quite tough.

 

[Lennongrad]

Thanks for the responses so far! If I do go with Absol, which of the remaining Pokemon should get the HMs?

Edit: G's Secret Power certainly isn't anything permanent; I just wanted to make a base and she seemed the best candidate for the move at the time. I have no problem having Gardevoir forget Secret Power.

 

[GatoRage]

Thanks for the responses so far! If I do go with Absol, which of the remaining Pokemon should get the HMs?

A nice little trick I do is I teach the Pokemon that can learn the HM's needed before the Elite Four instead of moves they won't end up having. For example in your case, I'd teach Loudred Rock Smash or/and Strength by removing Pound and Uproar, or Supersonic, since it won't really be needing those moves. Then when I don't need to use HM's anymore (when I have reached the Elite Four) I delete weak HM's like Rock Smash and teach the Pokemon the moves I want them to have.

You can teach Gardevoir Flash for the Victory Road right before the Elite Four and first Dive and then later Waterfall to Swampert (you can delete HM's in Lilycove City when you don't need them anymore). So that way you don't really need a HM slave.

Just remember to not waste the TM's you need for your team's final movesets until after you have finally removed the HM's you don't want or need.

 

[Lennongrad]

Update: I still have not decided which Pokemon will be my sixth party member, but I've been doing some leveling up and move learning in the meantime. Level 35 Marshtomp is now a level 37 Swampert. Level 35 Gardevoir is now level 38. Level 35 Crobat is now level 37 with Fly instead of Wing Attack. Level 35 Loudred is now a level 40 Exploud with Hyper Beam instead of Supersonic. Level 40 Manectric is now level 41 with Thunderbolt instead of Quick Attack (I have an extra Thunderbolt from the Game Corner in case I decide to use it on Gardevoir, too). And even though I don't know if I'm keeping him, I've leveled up Nuzleaf to level 33 with Faint Attack instead of Bullet Seed. I've also beaten Winona.

New idea: Instead of Nuzleaf, would it be a better idea to get a Breloom (or, more accurately, level up my Shroomish) and divide the HMs among my party? If I did this, I'd have Breloom know Cut (and probably Rock Smash), Crobat know Fly, Swampert know Surf (and maybe Waterfall), and Exploud know Strength. Flash and Dive I'd use on extras (non-permanent party members) for whenever I need them in the field, and I *might* do that for Waterfall, too (my ideal Swampert moveset in this case would be Surf, Earthquake, Iron Tail, and Ice Beam, and I'd decide which of the last two to swap out for Waterfall). Breloom with Rock Smash is a maybe because I'm not sure if I'd teach Rock Smash to Breloom or Exploud. This is all hypothetical, though, in case I decide to go with Breloom as my sixth party member. Does that sound like a good idea? Do I have any major type weaknesses or sore spots that I'm missing, either Pokemon-wise or move-wise?