My team in-game Platinum has a rather large Ground weakness... I'd like some suggestions on how to patch it up without using too many TMs, because I'm mainly concerned about Bertha. It's my first time through the game, I haven't beat the Elite Four once yet. Or if you think I could make it through the Elite Four without problems with all these pokemon at level 55 (that's what I'm aiming at) then that would be cool too.

Current Team:

Empoleon
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Metal Claw
- Aqua Jet

Gardevoir
- Magical Leaf
- Psychic
- Calm Mind
- Teleport (in-game purposes, but willing to lose it)

Garchomp
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
- Crunch
- Slash

Houndoom
- Flamethrower
- Faint Attack
- Beat Up
- Smog

Luxray
- Thunder Fang
- Spark
- Crunch
- Swagger

Lucario
- Aura Sphere
- Dragon Pulse
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat

I'm thinking maybe I could abuse second-types against Bertha, using Lucario against Golem and Rhyperior, Empoleon against Gliscor, Gardevoir against Whiscash, and anything on Hippowdon.

Also if I might have any problems against any other of the Elites point that out too... I don't know how hard these battles will be.

I know from experience that gardevoir can take out Whiscash. with magical leaf.
Your main hardship will be Rhyperior because of it's MAD defenses. If your Empoleon is high enough level, and fast enough, he should be able to take out everything apart from Whisky and possibly Gliscor.

Again, it depends on speed. Empoleon MAY be able to take out Hippowdon in one surf, but it depends on level. Gliscor will fall easily to ice beam, but Empoleon may get pwned by EQ if Gliscor goes first.

Golem is easily destroyed by Empoleon's surf. For Rhyperior, just throw everything you have at him, Close Combat, Garchomp's Earthquake, Surf, and it will die.

Your team should do fine against bertha.

Make sure you bring revives and Hyper potions and full heals.

^
This is how in-game battles are won, the one with the most revives and potions.


If you need a better move for gardevoir try icy wind (from move tutor) it'll hurt a lot of Bertha's, Aaron's and a few of Cynthia's pokes well, and can solve speed issues with empoleon and/or being under leveled.

Also on Luxray you can take out Swagger and Thunder fang(same as spark really) for magnet rise via move tutor, and Ice fang via heart scale.

Well if you want to level up to around level 55 there are some good trainers to vs seeker grind, one of my favorites is the collector that has Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon they each give like 1018 exp per pokemon and with the lucky egg its like 1500 exp per pokemon, so without the lucky egg you are looking at 3000 exp per fight and with it its about 4500 per fight. Bertha shouldn't be too hard just remember that Golem and Rhyperior are quad weak to grass and water type moves and their physical defense is high so Surf from Empoleon would be helpful, Her Gliscor is quad weak to Ice and is also physically inclined to defense so Ice Beam from Empoleon would be good there. Whiscash is a pushover so Magical leaf from Gardevoir will more than likely OHKO, lastly Hippowdon is another physically inclined ground type so surf, ice beam or magical leaf will get you the win. Just remember to play with STAB moves and play against your opponents weaknesses and you should have no problem with the elite four. Another good place to vs seeker grind are the fishermen on the route to sunnyshore city that have two gyradoses seeing how they will grant you almost 2000 exp per poke without the lucky egg.

I did the Elites a few minutes ago, getting back to you guys with results.

Gardevoir did not, in fact, ohko Whiscash with Magical Leaf, at level 55. It did manage to somehow survive the following Earthquake then finish the job itself, though.

Rhyperior fell to a Surf from Empoleon, Hippowdon fell next the same way, both 1hko, nothing unexpected.

Golem I decided to use my Lucario, which Aura Sphere'd it to a 1hko.

I sent out Empoleon for Gliscor but it owned me with an Earthquake, one hit, critical. So I did what any rational person would do; sent out Houndoom for the lulz and watched it get owned, using a Max Revive on Empoleon. Sent it out and Ice Beam'd it for a 1hko.

Bertha wasn't nearly as bad as I thought she would be. :/ Cynthia wasn't even that hard... Togekiss fell one hit, Garchomp fell one it, Roserade fell one hit... the only problem was Spiritomb. And I used Empoleon for that so all its attacks did basically nothing.

@MasterChef, thanks for the tip about Ice Fang. I completely forgot there was a Move Relearner. >_< Magnet Rise I can see being helpful too, thanks a lot.

@shinashu taji, thanks for the training tips, I needed some ideas. Training Luxray was annoying, Floatzel are faster than it so training in the Victory Road B1 Water wasn't too hot.

Lucky Egg is an attach item to Chansey, yes? Like, there's a chance it will have it if you catch one?

Glad I could be of some help for the training tips, and as for the lucky egg it is only a five percent chance of being attached to Chansey, but if you really want one you can go to the trophy garden and if Chansey is the pokemon in the garden for that day, you can bring in a decent amount of max repels and a level 18 pokemon (seeing how Chansey in the garden will be level 18 also make sure the lead pokemon has thief) so with thief and encountering Chansey you should get a lucky egg in around a couple of minutes or so.

Also if you wanted a lucky egg, lead with a pokemon that has compound eyes to raise the chance to get a help item, so a venonat would work, and them have a pokemon with trick, like kadabra, so you can pick the lucky egg right off the chancy, and get the extra exp with it too

Couldn't you just have a Flying-type pokemon in your team, like Lugia?

Not against Rock and ground type pokemon like Rhyperior (which Bertha has).

Well, if you need help, you may want to try adding Speed EVs to Empoleon so it can easily outrun the Ground type pokemon that Bertha owns and Surf them away. Of course, Revives and Hyper Potions (in high enough quantity) should always = WIN.

Many Ground-types are also Rock-type, which is weak against Water, so I recommend that.

I'd recommend going to GTS and trying to score a lv 80+ pokemon, that's how I beat the E-4 for the first time. Unlike online play, level actually matters here, so do that or just grind and get your pokemon's levels up.

Oh yeah, good idea. I put in a lv 45-ish Tentacruel in the GTS and got a lv 85 Garchomp. That was on Pearl,a nd I lef it in for a few months, checking on it every few weeks.