A new Pokémon game is now available following the global release of Pokémon Champions, resulting in yet another starter decision to make, but the vast differences from previous titles mean choosing the best starters in Pokémon Champions varies.
In Pokémon Champions, players are presented with a choice of 10 starter Pokémon at the beginning of the game, providing the first team member for their competitive squad. However, once the selection is made, additional Pokémon are added to your roster to create a full team.
That results in additional headaches when weighing up which Pokémon to choose, but Insider Gaming is here to help with a breakdown of the best starters in Pokémon Champions.
Best Starters in Pokémon Champions
The best starter to choose in Pokémon Champions largely comes down to personal choice and what you have available to transfer over from Pokémon Home, but there are some options better than others.
Pikachu is a solid choice for beginners, as it has the Static ability that can Paralyze any opponent who makes physical contact in battle, and while it’s not the strongest of the available Pokémon, the additional party members you will receive in addition to Pikachu result in a well-rounded choice.
Tyranitar is also a very good option to consider, as it’s the only Pokémon in the starter list that immediately has a weather move, and it has a wide range of move types to utilize.
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Additional options to consider are Charizard, which has the Blaze ability that powers up Fire-type moves when low on health, and Gardevoir, which has the strong Fairy/Psychic types.
However, if there is a Pokémon on the list of starters that you don’t have access to from another game, it might be wise to pick it up to broaden your options, although Pokémon recruited in Pokémon Champions cannot be transferred out of the game.
All Starter Choices in Pokémon Champions
There are 10 starter Pokémon to choose from in Pokémon Champions, each of which provides a different party composition with additional members being added once you have made your choice.
These make great beginner teams, providing well-rounded options to give you a full spread in battle, and can, of course, be customized fully by adding and removing Pokémon, tweaking moves, Abilities, and more.
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The table below shows all of the starter options in Pokémon Champions, their default abilities, team members they come with, and more.
| Starter Pokémon | Type | Team Members |
|---|---|---|
| Charizard | Fire/Flying | Azumarill Steelix Whimsicott Gengar Drampa |
| Tyranitar | Rock/Dark | Arcanine Whimsicott Drampa Aggron Sylveon |
| Armarouge | Fire/Psychic | Hydreigon Hawlucha Steelix Manectric Victreebel |
| Palafin | Water | Gengar Aggron Beedrill Sylveon Hydreigon |
| Pikachu | Electric | Kingambit Garchomp Azumarill Gyarados Genger |
| Lucario | Fighting/Steel | Sylveon Manectric Victreebel Gyarados Froslass |
| Gardevoir | Psychic/Fairy | Heracross Drampa Azumarill Corviknight Abomasnow |
| Absol | Dark | Froslass Corviknight Garchomp Arcanine Whimsicott |
| Altaria | Dragon/Flying | Kingambit Arcanine Heracross Hawlucha Victreebel |
| Snorlax | Normal | Hawlucha Abomasnow Kingambit Beedrill Hydreigon |
Can You Get More Starters in Pokémon Champions
Yes, multiple starters are available in Pokémon Champions, and choosing your starter Pokémon does not lock you out of obtaining the Pokémon you elected not to pick.
The Pokémon shown when selecting your starter can all appear again in the Recruit Pokémon option, and can also be transferred into Pokémon Champions through Pokémon Home.
However, you won’t be able to obtain the full team compositions from the starter selections in one swing, as recruiting them won’t include any additional freebies.
What are your initial impressions of Pokémon Champions? Share your thoughts in the Insider Gaming Discord.
For more Pokémon, find out when the first events using Champions for VGC will take place, and check out all the release details for Chaos Rising in the Pokémon TCG.
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