Well, once I heard about Protean, I knew I wanted a Greninja. While I was breeding starters with their hiddens, I found Iron Fist on Infernape and that it could be tutored Thunder Punch. Knew I wanted that. And when I found out Golurk could still fly, I was all “Oh I gotta have that!”

While still breeding starters, I found out that a Snivy with it’s hidden doesn’t exist. So I looked up the ability, Contrary, and found something that does. Then I recalled fighting a Malamar with it using Superpower to boost its attack and defense (instead of lowering it) and I said “I want it!” I later discovered that the point of Inkay/Malamar is actually Topsy-Turvy, and to that end it would have been better if mine had it’s hidden ability Infiltrator. But I had already restarted so it was too late.

I never used a Fairy-Type Pokemon or move so I wanted a fairy of some kind. Originally it was going to be Sylveon, but while looking through the list I remembered that Clefairy could learn Cosmic Power; which is a move I’ve been wanting to use. While researching it, I found that it also learns the most powerful fairy attack, a heal, and Stored Power (which grows stronger the more buffs you have). On top of all that, when it evolves into Clefable it’s hidden ability becomes Unaware, which ignores enemy buffs. So, since it has a baby form, I grabbed that.

The last one was tough. I wanted something that could Mega Evolve. I wanted a Poison-Type, since I almost never use Poison-Types, but I already have a ghost, so I didn’t want Gengar. That just left Venusaur. And no offense to Venusaur, but I used it a lot back in Red/Blue/Yellow. So I went in another direction with one of the other Mega Evolutions that had caught my eye: Ampharos. A slow, but bulky Electric-Type that not only gains a dragon attack, when it Mega Evolves it gains STAB toward its dragon attack.

Notable mentions to Kangaskhan: who has a great Mega Evolution, and Celebi with Hold Back: who was cut once I realized I didn’t have a Pokemon that could Mega Evolve.