Sticking with your starter?

Question

Would it be wise to stick with your start Pokemon throughout the whole game or should I replace it with another Pokemon? Has anyone done this?

Comments

IMO you can keep the starter, unless it has the wrong nature or bad IV's. Some starters are good, while others.. Well, they try. Also, they gain levels faster compared to some other pokemon. A small side note is that they've been with you from the beginning and that means they have got a lot of happiness, and that account for some serious return power. ( Do **Not** underestimate Return; it has helped more times than I can remember.)

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nope, I have it in my pc or use it as hm slave

Answer 1

When choosing whether or not to forgo your starter, there are multiple factors one must take into consideration:

1. Your starter's stats vs. your other options
Starter Pokemon tend to be higher than average. In their final form they have a base stat between 525 and 535, a high total for a regular Pokemon. Their stat spreads also tend to be decent. But some wild Pokemon may give them competion. For example, emboar has a lower attack and speed than darmanitan, and as such darmanitan could be considered the superior physical sweeper.

2. Your starter's movepool vs. your other options
Starter Pokemon have varying degrees of movepool viability. Consider your starters movepool. Going back to emboar, it has a wide array of coverage moves such as scald, stone edge and grass knot, which is arguably superior to that of darmanitan, though darmanitan's movepool is still quite impressive. Think about the kind if moves your Pokemon should run to ensure a high quality team. Also consider what HM's you want on the team (especially in the case of water starters)

3. Your starters ability vs, your other options
Normally this is not that big of an issue unless the ability is something like truant, but there are some abilities, like pressure, that have a handy field affect.

4. The availability of wild __ types
Your starter might one of a few, or one of many, of its type available. Infernape, for example, is one of two fully evolved fire types in diamond, excluding heatran. On the other hand, there are typically many water types available to you.

5. Typing and team synergy
What it really comes down too is whether or not you need a Pokemon of your starters type. Grass types, for example, tend to have many weaknesses. Likewise, your starter may gain a second typing that is shared or makes it unfitting with a teammate, causing problems with your synergy.

6. Your starter Pokemons individual stats
Your starter may have a poor nature or poor Ivs. If so, It may be best to seek a replacement

7. Do you like it?
Yes that's as cheesy as it sounds. Some players see more than just stats. Some like a Pokemons appearance or personality. They're the Ashes of the world.

Well, thanks for reading. Consider these factors when making your decision. I personally stick with my starter (I'm an ash) but do what you think is right.

Hope this helped

Comments

Lol I'm one of the Ashes...I have a level 100 Watchog that I trained from level 2....

Answer 2

Well, Personally I stick with my starter because if you're talking about in DS games then almost any Pokèmon can be a winner but besides that, they level up pretty quickly and can learn lots of useful moves. I like my starters to be perfect though so here is a nice set for one of my favorite starters.:

Emboar (M) @Iron Ball
Trait: Blaze
EVs: Unknown
Moves:

.Thunder Punch - Coverage
.Heat Crash - Iron Ball Power up plus STAB
.Earthquake/Bulldoze - Coverage/Make the enemy slower plus coverage
.Brick Break/Hammer Arm - STAB/You're already slow anyway so why not add some power? Plus STAB

Answer 3

I think most of us can agree that a lot of starters are useful and strong but whats annoying that nintendo makes fire and fighting type Pokemon! I love fire types but this is just rediculous. Over all just keep your starter as a sidekick and have a main party leader that is the most powerful and bonded to you. That combination is a real show stopper (who says show stopper now? That was too old timey and I apologize)!

Answer 4

I personally stick with my starter, because they are usually good, and grow quickly, BUT some starters just don't get the right IV's unluckily. I replaced my Snivy because it really stunk. My "starter" became Riolu. :) So if you put trust in your starter, you should keep it.

Answer 5

lol, everyone has done it. Of course, it is technically supposed to be your first Pokemon companion who sticks to you and stays by your side through and through, but, ehh, drop 'em into that old PC of yours and forget about it.

Answer 6

The starters should only be dropped if

• They have bad IVs and natures
• There is a better Pokemon of that type that has easy access (e.g. Growlithe in B/W2)

Simple answer yet I think it will help you lots :)

Answer 7

Well depends on your definition of replace. By which if you mean trade your starter for another trainer's starter, then you'll get boosted experience when training so in that sense I would say 'Yes'.

If that isn't an option and you mean replacing the starter with what you find in the game, I would wholeheartedly suggest keeping the starter unless you find it has become too difficult using that particular type, as with people in the Red/Blue might find starting with Charmander. At that point you have two options:

1. Train it to a higher level to withstand attacks/ evolve it.
2. Replace it with something more suited to the situation. (i.e. Nidoran(M or F) for Double Kick for Brock in Red/Blue)

Answer 8

The most starter Pokemon are in lower tiers exept Infernape and Blaziken. Your starter Pokemon is the first Pokemon you got in the game and you maybe want to keep it because of that reason (I still have my Blaziken from my Pokemon Ruby game)
You may replace your starter if it has a very bad IVs and a very bad nature such as Modest on your Physical Blaziken. Only replace your starter if you caught a good Pokemon with very good IVs/Nature.

///Jofly

Answer 9

I always stick with my starter in the regular games, in the mystery dungeon games I like my "starters" so much I don't even want to evolve them. it depends if you really like the Pokémon or not :)

Answer 10

I've dropped my starter before. I accidentally released it while going through my pc, and went throughout the rest of the game without it. If you find another Pokemon with great stats, go ahead and drop your starter, although I believe that starters are given better abilities, and grow quicker in level.