I am Already Mourning My Pokemon Legends: Z-A Starter Alternative

Pokemon Legends: Z-A simply launched at present for many of the world, and a variety of followers at the moment are starting their journey in Lumiose Metropolis or taking their time to take action over the weekend. As an enormous Pokemon nerd, I’ve been up-to-date with all the things associated to Pokemon Legends: Z-A earlier than launch, from the brand new battle system to Megas, as a result of I at all times wish to put my effort towards constructing optimum groups. That is one thing I at all times do as a result of I like theorycrafting and “incomes” my approach to success in video games. After making one thing like 5 or 6 attainable groups for every starter in a back-and-forth second, all optimized as a lot as attainable, I settled on Tepig, and I deeply remorse my selection.

In case you are questioning which Pokemon Legends: Z-A starter to choose, cease for a second and ask your self which one you’ll love essentially the most and which one gives you essentially the most pleasure. That is most likely true for all video games the place it’s important to decide a personality or critter, and I at all times discover the exhausting method that my first playthrough is the worst anyway. That stated, there are deserves to every of the starters in PLZA, so I am not saying Tepig is inherently unhealthy. Actually, I like the little pig, and it was my first starter in Gen 5.

Nevertheless, Pokemon Legends: Z-A has no new Pokemon, and all of it boils all the way down to Mega Evolutions and an thrilling new battle model. Personally, I’ve by no means appreciated Emboar aesthetically, however I do know that Meganium continues to be fairly unhealthy even after some buffs, and Feraligatr simply by no means clicked with me. So I went and took the cutesy pig for a stroll, began leveling it up, evolving it, after which it hit me — I might have appreciated any of the opposite two starters extra in terms of teambuilding and aesthetics.

My Pokemon Legends: Z-A Starter is Abruptly the Worst Alternative for Me

One of many the reason why I do not love Emboar is that it is inherently aggressive with its seems to be, however the cause I used to be so undecided about starters in Pokemon Legends: Z-A is that Mega Emboar continues to be Fireplace/Preventing, whereas Mega Meganium turns into Grass/Fairy, and Mega Feraligatr is Water/Dragon. I like novelty, and that is Exhibit A about why I might have been happier with both Chikorita or Totodile.

Moreover, each Fireplace and Preventing have some wonderful new Mega Evolutions in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, resembling Chandelure and Pyroar for the previous and Barbaracle, Falinks, and Hawlucha for the latter. If I’ve to be trustworthy, I like all of them greater than Emboar. Tepig is a special beast, however sadly, the sport will not be constructed so that you can hold your starters as cute little infants ceaselessly. Exhibit B for why I hate my starter selection is that I desperately wish to use both Chandelure or Pyroar for Fireplace, and probably Falinks for Preventing, however overlapping these sorts with Emboar’s is a nasty selection.

Right here is My Present Pokemon Legends: Z-A Staff

Initially, my plan was to don’t have any different Fireplace or Fighting-type Pokemon within the crew with Emboar, however ever since I took a take a look at all of the Megas within the sport, I do not really feel like that is proper for me. Mega Falinks might be one of many single greatest ideas for an evolution in Pokemon video games ever, and Mega Pyroar jogs my memory of one in all my three cats. I can technically nonetheless use Emboar, Pyroar, and Falinks multi function crew, however meaning my protection is unhealthy, and my weaknesses are shared amongst numerous critters. My present crew is:

• Emboar (Fireplace/Preventing)
• Froslass (Ice/Ghost)
• Victreebel (Grass/Poison)
• Skarmory (Metal/Flying)
• Eelektross (Electrical)
• Starmie (Water/Psychic)

By selecting Chikorita or Totodile as a starter, I might have simply been capable of swap them with Victreebel or Starmie, respectively, after which exchange Emboar and Eelektross with each Pyroar and Falinks, that are presumably my favourite new Megas. Mega Starmie will be the best new Mega Evolution in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and whereas Mega Meganium’s movepool is dreadful, selecting Chikorita could have been the most suitable choice for me in order that I might hold Starmie on the crew, too.

I Am Formally Placing My Pokemon Legends: Z-A Starter in a Field

As an alternative, now I discover myself combating what to maintain and what to do, precisely, to the purpose that I’m contemplating altering my crew drastically, and committing the last word Pokemon sin – eradicating my starter from the crew. Whilst you can catch the opposite starters within the sport, I have not discovered them but, and it isn’t precisely the identical factor. So, my plan could be to make use of a wholly totally different crew that does not embrace Mega Emboar in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. It could be as follows:

• Mega Pyroar (Fireplace/Regular, particular attacker)
• Mega Falinks (Preventing, bodily attacker)
• Mega Skarmory (Metal/Flying, bodily attacker)
• Mega Starmie (Water/Psychic, hybrid attacker)
• Mega Victreebel (Grass/Poison, particular attacker)
• Mega Excadrill (Floor/Metal, bodily attacker)

At that time, my team-wide defenses would seem like this:

I do know that this might all be an enormous pet peeve on my finish, however between disliking each base Emboar and Mega Emboar and liking two Pokemon with overlapping sorts far more, I really feel like chopping my starter from the crew is solely essentially the most wise possibility. In spite of everything, the sport ought to be enjoyable, even when it means leaving one’s first partner Pokemon behind. I discover that very unhappy, and that is why I am struggling, however on the identical time, I feel it is for the perfect.

Methods

Launched

October 16, 2025

ESRB

Everybody 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Sport Purchases

• 
  

•