Obligatory Starter Speculation Thread

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

I agree. The only real ways around this would be to give a dolphin feet (which, well, let's just say it worked okay with Snivy, but I can't imagine this turning out well on a dolphin) or making it float in the air like Inkay. But then Inkay, although a squid, is also a Psychic-type so the floating makes sense there.

So a Water/Psychic Dolphin starter can work then, as long as it floats. It'll have to have weak psychic powers at first but not the typing (like Psyduck's line) or it has the dual typing since the beginning like Bulbasaur (the only first stage starter who isn't a single type)

 

[Xander Olivieri]

I'd still rather a Water Elephant~ Large final evo either half ice or pure water~

I'd settle for another Water/Steel Armored Elephant design ♥

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

I'd still rather a Water Elephant~ Large final evo either half ice or pure water~

I'd settle for another Water/Steel Armored Elephant design ♥

Empoleon's type huh?

Perhaps we could get a Fire Elephant too, Fire/Ground.

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

I'm totally all for a Fire Elephant starter, due to my love for the first Mega Man X game that has one as a boss.

 

[Jessie]

I would also love a Koala based starter. Kiwi is a cute idea too!

 

[Crin]

I wouldn't mind seeing a Grass/Flying type, Fire/Poison type, and a Water/Dark type.

Animal wise, I would love to see a starter based on a Kangaroo. The only downside I can think of is the fact that it would most likely have a secondary type of fighting.

And that's just what we want.... another starter that's part fighting type

 

[Masterge77]

In general, I would especially love a bird starter that ISN'T a flightless bird and can actually fly in it's final stage, since we haven't had a flying starter since Charizard all the way back in Gen 1, and that was a dragon. Although it's unlikely we will ever have any starters that aren't animal based.

I don't want any reptilian Grass starter like we had for 5 generations in a row, give us a mammal for the Grass starter like Chespin was. If the Grass starter is a mammal, I'd prefer it be a badger or a pine marten, since I've always wanted a mustelid-based grass starter. Better yet, the Grass starter should be a bird of some sort because there have yet to be any bird-based Grass starters, just as long as it's a bird that can actually fly and isn't something flightless like an ostrich or kiwi bird, I prefer something like a peafowl (which actually CAN fly). Also, I don't want another bulky "tank" Grass starter final stage because the final stage of each Grass starter (except Serperior and to a lesser extent Meganium) is always a bulky tank Pokemon, so I would like something different for the final stage. If they go the pine marten route that I mentioned earlier, the final stage should totally be a speedy Kamaitachi that's part Flying or Fairy, and if that is the case then I will totally choose it for my starter.

For Fire starters, I wouldn't mind a reptilian fire starter since fire starters are almost always mammals except for Charmander and Torchic, just not another mammalian Fire starter for once, which is getting as bad as each Grass starter being a reptile. I mean, I'd be fine with a Fire/Fighting starter (unlike most people), just not another mammal for once, like make it a gila lizard or komodo dragon or something interesting. If anything it should evolve to be a tank Pokemon, since the only tank Fire starter we really have is Emboar, which is Fire/Fighting.

As for the Water starter, hands down it should be a platypus, I've wanted a platypus Water starter for a VERY long time, and if they make the water starter a platypus, I will be so happy. The final stage should be Water/Poison because the Poison type is so underutilized in the later generations (when back in Gen 1, they were everywhere), especially since real-life platypi have poisonous spurs on the back of their feet.

Animal wise, I would love to see a starter based on a Kangaroo. The only downside I can think of is the fact that it would most likely have a secondary type of fighting.

And that's just what we want.... another starter that's part fighting type

Compared to everyone else, I wouldn't mind a part-fighting starter, as long as it's good to use. Preferably Grass/Fighting since Chesnaught barely utilized the fighting type aspect of it's design moveset (you might as well have made it a pure Grass type), though with Fire/Fighting, I know a lot of people have a problem with that type combination, but we at least got a break from that with last generation's Fire/Psychic Delphox, so I think people should be happy with that one. Personally I think a Kangaroo Pokemon would work better if it was not a starter at all and just a regular Pokemon you'd encounter in the game, but I would definitely want one (since I am not that fond of Kangaskhan since it looks and acts nothing like a kangaroo other than the baby in the pouch).

 

[MarinoKadame]

How about a Fire/Rock Marsupial starter ?

 

[Crin]

Compared to everyone else, I wouldn't mind a part-fighting starter, as long as it's good to use. Preferably Grass/Fighting since Chesnaught barely utilized the fighting type aspect of it's design moveset (you might as well have made it a pure Grass type), though with Fire/Fighting, I know a lot of people have a problem with that type combination, but we at least got a break from that with last generation's Fire/Psychic Delphox, so I think people should be happy with that one. Personally I think a Kangaroo Pokemon would work better if it was not a starter at all and just a regular Pokemon you'd encounter in the game, but I would definitely want one (since I am not that fond of Kangaskhan since it looks and acts nothing like a kangaroo other than the baby in the pouch).

I'm just sick of having a starter that is part fighting type. I understand that Chesnaught was basically a pure Grass Type, but still, the fact that it actually is part fighting is enough for me to justify my sickness of the part fighting type starter pokemon

 

[MarinoKadame]

Only Water/Fighting is left undone for starters and Chesnaught was the first Grass/Fighting starter.

 

[Hikamaru]

Only Water/Fighting is left undone for starters and Chesnaught was the first Grass/Fighting starter.

I recall when everyone thought Froakie's final evolution was going to be Water/Fighting, plus we haven't had a Water/Fighting in general other than Poliwrath.

 

[MarinoKadame]

Grass/Fighting only had Virizion and Breloom before Chesnaught.

Also only Magcargo is Fire/Rock so it would also be a first for starters. Grass/Flying is a bit more common with 5 pokemons already using it but will also be a first on starter.

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

You guys have forgotten that Keldeo is Water/Fighting, so Poliwrath isn't alone, and Sceptile was the first non-bulky Grass starter, not Meganium to a lesser extent. I could see Flying/Rock/Fighting as the next secondary type trio for our starters (Grass/Flying, Fire/Rock, and Water/Fighting). A Peacock would fit the bill for Grass/Flying, but which animals would fit Fire/Rock and Water/Fighting?

 

[Hikamaru]

I tend to find Keldeo forgettable for some reason. But you know, had the starters in the fake scan been real, I could have imagined Poison as the Water's secondary type, Ground for the Fire bear, and the Grass goat thing I could have seen remain pure Grass.

But as for what I want to see with the official designs, maybe another not-so-bulky Grass starter like Sceptile, another fast Water-type like Greninja and for first, a Fire-type starter that has actual bulk. Emboar looked the part, but its defenses were still wimpy.

 

[MarinoKadame]

If Sun and Moon is a follow up to XY they could always keep about the same theme for the starters who were mostly RPG themed. Chesnaught the Fighter/Knight, Delphox the Magician and Greninja the Rogue/Thief/Ninja.

Fire/Rock could be some kind of Tank class, Water/Fighting can be based on Martial Artist/Monk DPS class and Grass/Flying could be based on some Dragoon type class and Support of the trio.

 

[Z25]

I haven't posted in this thread yet, but what are your thoughts on the "leaked" starters from 2ch?

Specifically, the grass owl, fire rabbit, and what looks like a tadpole or dolphin?

 

[Hikamaru]

I haven't posted in this thread yet, but what are your thoughts on the "leaked" starters from 2ch?

Specifically, the grass owl, fire rabbit, and what looks like a tadpole or dolphin?

I didn't like those 2ch ones, but the ones in the fake "CoroCoro scan" were better designed.

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

I haven't posted in this thread yet, but what are your thoughts on the "leaked" starters from 2ch?

Specifically, the grass owl, fire rabbit, and what looks like a tadpole or dolphin?

I've seen the grass owl before (I even linked GCPM11's video about it), but a fire rabbit and water tadpole/dolphin? I haven't seen those before.

 

[Z25]

I didn't like those 2ch ones, but the ones in the fake "CoroCoro scan" were better designed.

I found the fake coro coro ones alright. A grass goat as a starter would not happen
( not a bad design though). A fire goat would be what they would do as it follows the zodiac. Plus gogoat was just introduced last gen, they wouldn't use the same designs back to back. I like the fire bear, and the water lizard had potential.

I've seen the grass owl before (I even linked GCPM11's video about it), but a fire rabbit and water tadpole/dolphin? I haven't seen those before.

See this is why I don't necessarily like when poke tubers cover leaks( especially if it's GCPM11, but that's for a multitude of reasons that do not need to be discussed here, or are relevant).

But everyone thinks that there was just the grass owl. This is not the case though. I sent the full story details to a few people across the internet.( on pokemon sites or twitter). I'll link my pics of them from a imgurr album I made for it.
https://imgur.com/a/dJHef

Sorry for the owl pic twice, but oh well.
Anyway let me relay the whole story behind these that almost no one seems to know unless from 4chan. In the hype of the sun and moon announcement, I decided it be a good idea to browse 4chan daily for the "leaks" they create. It's always fun to read, and I enjoy speculating on them and seeing what made up info actually comes true. Moving on though, a few days before corocoro released. I went on 4chan to see the daily leaks. There were multiple threads covering a leak that had popped up on 2ch a little while before on that day.

So I began reading and that's where the grass owl pic comes from. The thread was gone on 2ch by mods in minutes! People were smart though and screecapped the images because it was very convincing. For anyone un aware, 2ch is a purely Japanese site. Yes anyone can go on there, but it's hard to navigate without knowing Japanese. All the topics are always made in Japanese. Which is why some comments are in english like the ones on the owl. Because it's easier to comment rather then start a discussion.

The grass owl was posted like that, and the text translates to good morning. Seconds after, the OP posted those 3 pics of the fire mon back to back, and then a few posts later, posted the drawn out picture of the fire rabbit, and dolphin thing. By comparing the pics, we can piece together what the rabbit looks like, and we have a good rendition of the Owl. The dolphin is just it's design though.

Anyway these images spread like wildfire. I still think these are pretty likely for a few reasons,

1) 2ch is usually a very reliable place for leaks. Corocoro leaks from there, and I believe a few leaks for games by employees, have appeared on there as well. It's usually accurate with things.

2) The starters have no images even close to them. People making fakes then tried to copy this style with other pokemon leaks on 4chan, and used that as evidence it's fake. Which literally adds nothing to either side. Plus you can find most of the mons people post to 4chan somewhere on the internet, and the ones you don't are usually obvious jokes. Anyway back to the designs of the owl and rabbit( I'm not going to focus on the dolphin as much, as it is less shown off then the other two.)

The owl looks extremely legit. If fake, it's super well done for two reasons:

1) The Art style is a lot like Ken Suugiormi's imo, and is pretty good. It takes a simple creature, but makes it into a pokemon very well, ad it feels just like a real pokemon. Not something you see much in fake mon. Also now would be a good time to mention this:

Spoiler:

This is a barn owl, a species native to Hawaii, and slowly nearing extinction. This was a very interesting find with all the hints towards Hawaii, but it could be unrealted in the end if this is real. Either way it appears that the grass owl is based on this( both of which are adorable), it's a really interesting choice for what seems to be a starter, and since owls live in woods, a grass theme on it makes sense from a pokemon standpoint. Lastly the lightening and whatever the owl is drawn on, seemed eerily similar to this:

The leak that gave us the black and white starter evos. It seems to made on whatever they put concepts for pokemon on. It also fits with the phrase history repeats itself. Because 4chan leaked those originally, and here we are again, with many doubting, and many believing... Either the goal was to repeat the unova starter leak for these fakes, or they are indeed real and we are facing the same thing again. Another repeat of history we could be seeing is this:

Spoiler:

This images surfaced in a thread discussing the leaks. The person said believe and then came back a few more posts with this image fully colored in. However they admitted that they had just taken the image from the leak and edited it. They did not make the original, and were hoping for it to be real. This exact same thing happened with the Unova starters, which is another interesting coincidence....

But moving on from the owl....

The fire Rabbit! Before I begin, I want to say this is also a really neat design, and that it be hard for me to choose if they are real! Everyone knows the fire starters are based on the zodiac, and this is no different. It may be hard to see at first, but if you look at the colored image and the non the full non colored sketch, then you can make out a rabbit.

Basically, they took a rabbit, stretched out and flattened the legs( kind of like oars it seems), expanded the ears and body, and added flames and molten rock around it. Much like how the owl would most likely become grass and flying, this is most likely going to be fire and rock if real. The water weakness would suck, but they could find balance to it maybe. It's hard to balance starters though. Anyway the design here is intriguing, and it could work well as a pokemon. the way it is colored is always reminiscent of early concept arts, that we have seen from Ken Suigormi. He likes to draw in the gen one style with lighter colors, then the final design modernizes it. Meaning that if real, this were taken when the starters were in early concept phases, with the owl being the furthest along. The dolphin would either be the least development, or the leaker couldn't get more on it.

Lastly the dolphin. Not much to say, but it is a pokemon people have wanted for awhile, and it be a cool starter. Fits again with Hawaii if it happens, but we will have to see.


Yes these could be fake, but I thought it be only fair to bring up all the things that have happened with it. If they aren't really then whoever made them is brilliant and based this on all the leaks in the past, and did quite well with it. It is also worth noting that the starters have wound up being leaked in some form every gen(recently). So this could be the same. Another possibility of why it could be real, is the fake that Nintendo has had leaks like mad lately.

There's lots of NX rumors with credibility out there( we won't be waiting much longer to find out these), the last direct was completely leaked. Sun and Moon's trademarks were found to be leaked by an actual employee( and was one of the factors that led Nintendo Everything to call Nintendo Out, saying there is a mole in their inner workings), for the first time ever, an entire direct was leaked before hand( granted for Europe, but most of that lineup was in the other region's directs as well), ad lastly, their entire game lineup has been leaked for wii u and 3ds this year, as proven with all of the games in the last direct, being on that leaked list, and the fact that sun and moon's logo's file names on the official site are labeled ninji( which the leaker said was the codenames of the games). (Note this was their first party/published titles, not 3rd party entries). They even C and D'd the channel from posting leaks.

Since Gamefreak is owned by Nintendo, it wouldn't surprise me if they had leaks from there and that these are real.

Anyway that's the end of this very long post! If you take the time to read it, please let me know, and tell me your thoughts after this!

And if I should spoiler this, please let me know!

 

[Hikamaru]

I did like the ones shown in the fake CoroCoro scan, but I feel like their eyes were all drawn very similarly to each other.

As for that owl, I didn't really like its design and even if it was real I definitely would not have chosen it. A dolphin is something I'd prefer to see as a regular Pokemon and not a starter. But as for the rabbit, that would be the design I would have chosen if the Chinese Zodiac pattern is still there.