don't end up like me (part 2)

today on the menu: gym leaders, HM's and alternate teams/back up pokemon

susing back up pokemon seems a little bit insensitive (to the pokemon), but it's a good way to be ready for anything the league throws at you, while also getting to expand your pokedex. yesterday, i told you all about my  team in diamond, and how it's not all that good for beating all the gym leaders. when your main team has an abundance of one pokemon type (like how mine is half water pokemon) it's good to have back-ups. for example, i have a ponyta that i used as a back up for my empoleon at the snowpoint city gym. my graveler was a back up for empoleon and dialga in the sunnyshore city gym before i made it a permanent member of my team.

if using a pokemon for just one gym isn't really your style, you can go for entire alternate teams. it's a good way to spend time with all of your pokemon. and remember, try to keep your team diverse!

a tip about HM's: spread them around your team. a limit of 2 different HM's per pokemon in your team. also, teach the same HM to at least one pokemon you don't keep in your team, so that if you have to switch you won't be without HM's you need to get around.

that's all for today. tomorrow's topic is a surprise! (because i don't know what it is yet lol)