Best Starter to choose in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Like every Pokémon game from the very beginning, Pokémon Legends: Z-A allows you to select one of three Starters. This happens just 20 or so minutes into booting up the game, and you're faced with a difficult decision between Chikorita, Totodile, and Tepig.

As always, there's a Grass, Water, and Fire-type Starter available, and while you can get through Pokémon Legends: Z-A perfectly fine with any of the choices, you might be curious which one is considered the "best." Today, we'll be diving into the Starters in Pokémon Legends: Z-A and determining the best overall choice so you can have a much easier time deciding which one to pick.

Before we dive into figuring out the best Starter, you should probably know a little bit more about them. You can find each Starter's evolution line, their type, and their type advantages/disadvantages below:

Now that we've covered the basics of the three Starters, which one makes your journey through Lumiose City the easiest? You'll find our answer down below, but first, let's go through each Starter and why they might be the best or not be the best.

As any hardened Pokémon trainer knows, it's all about the types when it comes to choosing the right Starter. Traditionally, the Grass type Starter in Pokémon has always been the weakest of the bunch, as Grass has the most weaknesses out of the three Starter types. And, unfortunately for Grass fans, that same trend has followed the type in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

While Chikorita is adorable and evolves into Meganium, an incredibly tanky Grass type, it's still going to be the most difficult Starter to choose. You'll have to deal with a number of Fire and Flying types at the start of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which makes Chikorita all but useless for several key fights and areas throughout the early game.

So, with that said, it all comes down to Totodile and Tepig. There are certainly advantages to choosing either of these Starters, as Water and Fire types both excel in a majority of locations in Lumiose City.

With Totodile, you're gaining a strong Water type that can learn a variety of TMs, including the all-powerful Surf move, and is only going to be weak against two types in the entire game. Moreover, you won't find an overwhelming number of Grass or Electric types in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, giving Totodile and eventually Feraligatr plenty of coverage throughout the game.

As for Tepig, Fire has always been one of, if not the strongest type in Pokémon. While you're super weak against Rock, Ground, and Water moves, you can also deal incredible damage against a wide variety of other types, most of which are extremely common in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

With all of that said, our choice for the best Starter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A will go to Totodile. Only having two weaknesses to worry about, gaining access to a slew of Water type TMs, and the nostalgia of Feraligatr are the biggest reasons for choosing Totodile.

However, Tepig is also a fine choice, and you'll have very little trouble getting through the game with either Starter. As for Chikorita, you might struggle during the early game, but Bayleef and Meganium are both fantastic for their portions of Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

Now that you know the best Starter to pick in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, make sure you check out our guide on how to redeem 100 free Poke Balls from your pre-order bonus.