Which starter should you choose in Pokémon Legends: Arceus?

The starter choice of Pokémon Legends: Arceus is rather unconventional, boasting a choice between Cyndaquil, Oshawott and Rowlet, hailing from the second, fifth and seventh generation respectively. Each one of the starters is also getting a special new evolution in the game, which changes up their typing a little bit, but for the sake of avoiding spoilers, let’s steer clear of that for now.

Easy to hard

If you want an easy time, especially in the early game, the obvious choice is Oshawott. Water type is a very versatile typing and when taking on the Noble Pokémon that the game deals with, Oshawott is a great ally, especially early on. It deals very well with the likes of Kleavor and Hisuian Arcanine, who you will encounter quite fast.

On the other side of the coin, Rowlet should give you quite a tough time. It’s bound to struggle against Kleavor and gets bodied by Hisuian Arcanine, which means other Pokémon in your party will have time to shine. Cyndaquil is effectively a more balanced pick, which should do okay at the Noble Pokémon while also having an effective matchup against a lot of the Sinnoh staples.

To be fair, it doesn’t matter all that much, as the new game does seem to put more focus on type diversity than almost any other Pokémon game. This means you’ll be able to fill in the gaps and cover up weaknesses with some planning.

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Image credit: Pokémon / Nintendo

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