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I need a good water type for platinum that can learn SURF and WATERFALL and be obtainible before pastoria gym, any suggestions?

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2 votes
 
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For in-game playthroughs, the most valuable traits are the ability to outspeed and OHKO enemies, early availability, minimal hassle to train, early evolution, and an accessible movepool. With these criteria, I recommend the following Pokemon in order of preference:

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Gyarados, which should be caught as a level 20-25 Magikarp after receiving the Good Rod on Route 209. It can then be evolved into Gyarados without hassle. Gyarados's level-up movepool holds it back for a time, but this can be remedied by teaching Earthquake (Wayward Cave), Secret Power (Amity Square) or Thrash (Heart Scale). Gyarados only improves from that point, learning Ice Fang, Aqua Tail, and Dragon Dance at levels 32, 35, and 44 respectively. Gyarados's excellent performance against the Elite Four and Cynthia makes it the best Water-type for Sinnoh, as much as its slow growth rate is a bother.

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Empoleon, which is available from the very beginning. It is mildly annoying in the early-game as it gets stuck with Bubble and Bide until level 19, but it rebounds quickly for the mid-game. Access to Choice Specs, Surf, Flash Cannon and Blizzard/Ice Beam by the end of the game makes Empoleon versatile and powerful, especially with Steel-type granting it many resistances. Empoleon's only other problems are a) its average matchup against Cynthia and b) it means you can't use the Chimchar line.

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Floatzel, which is available early at Valley Windworks as a Buizel. Its selling points are its high Speed, solid offensive stats, and early evolution at level 26. Upon evolving, Floatzel learns Crunch which is a great move throughout the game, especially for the imminent fight against Fantina. Later, after receiving Surf, Floatzel also makes good use of the Choice Specs from Celestic Town and can be taught Blizzard/Ice Fang to improve its matchups. You can also use Rain Dance to boost your STAB and activate Swift Swim. Floatzel still doesn't reach the highs of Gyarados.

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Vaporeon, which is gifted as an Eevee in Hearthome City. The mark against Vaporeon compared to the others is it needs babying until you get Choice Specs + Surf + Shadow Ball around Celestic Town, which comes to 10 or 15 levels via the Exp. Share. After that, Vaporeon is comparable in performance to Empoleon, and could be an option if Gyarados's slow growth rate is an issue for your team and you didn't get Piplup.

Bibarel gets an honourable mention for being the best HM user in Sinnoh, though it should not be involved with battles because other Pokemon have much better stats. Other considerations are Golduck, Gastrodon, Whiscash, and Tentacruel, which are okay but slower and/or weaker the other options.

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Both earthquake and secret power are obtainable before the good rod. You can teach one of them to Gyarados and make it immediately useful, if nothing else on the team needs them.
Secret Power is a genius idea that I am very happy to be advertising with this answer now. I'll mention Earthquake in case it's not going to Gible/Chimchar.
6 votes

Another one, huh? I suppose I can give some quick overviews! :P

Buizel:
A weasel that has pretty good Speed, but that's basically it. Until it evolves into Floatzel, Buizel is a pain to train, having below average Defense, and terrible HP. Once it evolves though, it's very fast, and has good very good Attack and Special Attack. If you don't mind a crappy Pokemon at first, then Buizel will be your best friend!

Wingull:
Covered him in the last question.

Remoraid:
An odd choice for a Water-type. Can be caught near the hotels via a good Rod. It has very low Defenses its whole life, but has a very large movepool, and good attacking stats to back it up. Once it evolves, it'll have very low Speed, better Attack and Special Attack, and somewhat better HP. They're also fairly easy to train, Experience-wise. Recommended for beginners.

Finneon:
An even odder choice, and is not (AT ALL) advised. With rounded stats, it sounds promising, but rounded stats means nothing if they all suck. It has an oddly useful addition of Gust, and naturally learned Rain Dance to help it, but unless this playthrough is a complete JOKE, I wouldn't even consider Finneon.

Magikarp:
Gyarados. Nuff' said.

Goldeen:
Evolves into an average sweeper, but the horned appearance makes for some cool Move Tutor attacks. Just your average sweeper with High Attack and Speed. Nothing really stands out about Goldeen.

Psyduck:
A fair choice. Psyduck evolves into Golduck, who has access to some cool attacks, like Zen Headbutt, Psych Up, Signal Beam (Via Move Tutor), and more! His stats are fairly average, but that's all made a little better with different types of attacks.

Tentacool:
A Special Wall with high HP and Special Defense. Once it evolves, it gets MORE HP and Special Defense, but gains an acceptable amount of Speed and Special Attack as well. A very versatile choice with a pretty useful typing.

Shellos:
A very useful typing, and makes a great tank. With flaringly high Special Attack and HP, and acceptable stats everywhere else (except Speed), Shellos makes a nice addition to any team. Also recommended for Beginners.

I'm almost positive that all of these can learn Surf and Waterfall (Well, Wingull will, when it evolves xD), so take your pick! I'll mark out the Routes again:

"VERY EASY" ROUTE: Shellos / Psyduck

"EASY" Route: Buizel

"INTERMEDIATE" ROUTE: Remoraid / Goldeen / Wingull / Tentacool

"HARD" ROUTE: Magikarp (Could be Intermediate, in some situations)

"VERY HARD" ROUTE: Finneon

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Thanks for the advice, I think I want floatzel
:D
Good choice! I probably would've chose Floatzel too. :P
Wow, you like writing, right? it's always in long...long...word! xD
I looooove writing and explaining things. It's a hobby of mine. :3
You forgot about Feebas. Feebas is like magikarp and is not very useful at first but then it evolves into Milotic which is the ultimate non ice type dragon slayer. Feebas is a very rare pokemon found in mt. Coronet with any pokerod. But be careful it is extremely hard to find it takes a lot of work but getting a Milotic is worth it
@Will How is Buizel worse than Shellos? Both of Buizel's attack stats are higher than Shellos's, and Floatzel evolves 4 levels earlier than Gastrodon. How is Gastrodon's 92 base special attack "flaringly high"? Tanks are also generally worse than Pokemon with higher attack stats because higher attack stats give opponents less chances to use annoying status moves. Also getting a level 19 Magikarp with a good rod is probably one of the easiest things to do because it can evolve and learn bite in one level.

@Fairymaster Milotic is definitely not worth it. Compared to the good waters like Gyarados, Golduck, Floatzel and Vaporeon, Milotic probably takes about an hour longer to catch and does not help beat the game an hour quicker. Dragon slaying is really not that useful, because there's only one threatening dragon opponent in the whole game, and Gyarados and Golduck both beat it if they're 9 levels underleveled.
5 votes

You can choose
-Gastrodon
-Floatzel
-Gyarados
-Golduck
-Starmie
-Peliper
i will choose Gyarados, and the second is Floatzel!

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Voted down, huh? I just give my opinion...
SINNOH DEX obtainible before water gym
2 votes

I reconmend floatzel they are fast with great attack and

decent S. attack he can learn both moves and you can

find buziel in the valley wind works

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