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-   -   2nd Gen Starting With Chikorita (https://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=388612)

ETL.it February 7th, 2017 3:45 PM

Starting With Chikorita
 
So, you know, it's my first time playing Gen 2 and I decide I'd like to be different and start with Chikorita. Going against the grain here.

Then I come to realize, the first two gyms are flying and bug... complete pains in the butt.

Who else started with Chikorita and struggled? After beating the first two gyms, I actually remember not finding Whitney very difficult. How did you beat them?

It's been a while, but I think my strategy involved crazy grinding and a Hoothoot.

kyuubi93 February 8th, 2017 1:12 AM

I remember the Chikorita struggle, but I loved my first Chikorita. I didn't let it evolve past a Bayleef, just like Ash's in the anime and it was a very strong Bayleef indeed. The first two gyms proved to be difficult, but I still managed to push through them. I think I caught a Geodude to fight in those two gyms specifically while still catching and raising other Pokemon on my team.

Cool_Porygon February 8th, 2017 1:54 AM

I went with chikorita the first time. I enjoyed it and used Meganeum until I finished the game.
The first gym can be beaten if you get onyx or geodude.

tokyodrift February 8th, 2017 4:13 AM

Chikorita can be a bit of a struggle with the first two gyms, though trading a Bellsprout for the Onix in Violet City can make Falkner easier. With the second gym, it might be worth getting a Flying-type early on so it's ready for Bugsy. Onix can come in handy here as well against his Syther. Whitney is a matter of strategy since you'd be looking to Poison her Miltank to whittle it down and spam heal.

Rivvon February 8th, 2017 9:36 PM

It's definitely a struggle but it's totally worth it because Chikorita is the cutest. It makes your successes feel better, too.
Quote:

Originally Posted by ETL.it (Post 9566303)
After beating the first two gyms, I actually remember not finding Whitney very difficult..

This is definitely something I experienced as a Chikorita-chooser. I overleveled my Chikorita (and evolved her into Bayleef) by the time I was done with Bugsy, so Whitney was never a problem for me.

blue February 9th, 2017 5:44 AM

I love Chikorita's design and it didn't put me off choosing it, but it definitely is a struggle with the first two gyms being super effective against Grass-types. Come to think of it, most of the Johto gyms resist Grass Pokémon with none being weak to them.

Bad Egg February 9th, 2017 7:55 AM

I caught Geodude in the Dark Cave.

FeraligatrMaster February 24th, 2017 3:23 AM

Nidorina and Nidorino aren't too shabby against Whitney, as they both can learn Double Kick and don't take super effective damage from Rollout. Nidorino is a bit stronger and faster, but Nidorina is a bit bulkier and can't be attracted by Whitney's Pokemon.

Iria Animi February 24th, 2017 12:22 PM

I think Chikorita has a solid defense and somehow manages to be a good choice for beginners.

Radiating February 24th, 2017 8:52 PM

I would never be able to use chikorita, it's the worst starter in my opinion. It has little offence and speed, but it has decent bulk. But it gets destroyed in GSC and HGSS because of its typing.

I always play with totodile and cyndaquil.

Mawa February 25th, 2017 5:53 AM

Great I need to play Crystal again...

Chikorita was my starter the first time I played Pokemon crystal (before I played gold and silver). It was so long ago, I don't remember really how hard it was in the first gyms, but I always catch an use many Pokemon so maybe chikorita wasn't my main Pokemon in those battles.

JJ Styles February 25th, 2017 6:38 AM

I remember not too long ago that I did a Grass mono run of Crystal as part of my 3-way Grass mono challenge that I did before, and i can understand the pains of the Early-game hell with the 1st two gyms.

Then, as I raised Chikorita into a Meganium, i remember giving it a rather weird movepool. I remember it being able to learn Earthquake and that was extremely useful later on.

Oh boy, the pains of starting as Chikorita and having to play with it as my main mon since after all, it was a grass mono that i did before.

MyUglyOne March 5th, 2017 10:12 AM

Having Chikorita as a starter option is like Game Freak's way of implementing a "Difficulty" option into the games. I feel bad for any newer Pokemon fans that played through Johto with Chikorita as their starter. She/he does not give you an advantage in literally any of the Gym or Elite 4 battles and actually hinders you in many (Ex: Violet City Gym, Bugsy's Gym, Pryce's gym and Will of the Eite 4). Compare this to Cyndaquill and Totodile who are both extremely useful in many of these same battles, and ya it's crazy how useless Chikorita is. I do still love it though and all of its evolutions.

Meganium March 5th, 2017 10:47 AM

Chikorita was my first starter, and didn't give up on it when I first played Silver.

You just have to catch "counter" pokemon, like Pidgey and Rattata, as well as there's Slowpokes at Azalea Town for you to use against Flying types. It's just a matter of catching non-grass types to counter your Chikorita/Bayleef.

tamanaphy March 5th, 2017 2:22 PM

I have never played through a generation 2 game without Chikorita as my starter.

Sean Flame March 5th, 2017 4:31 PM

I started with chikorita and never had to struggle. I simply caught a pidgey and both of these did the job for me.
Like, in Violet City, I used my starter against all pidgeys and my pidgey against the spearows and in Bugsy's gym, I used both of these guys since my bayleef's tackle was enough to 2hko most of the pokes there. Kinda struggled against the gym leader though because he poisoned my pidgey and I had used up all my antidotes, but with a little bit of luck, I was able to get the badge!

BlazingCobaltX March 6th, 2017 11:39 AM

I'm currently playing Silver with Chikorita as my starter. I caught Spearow otherwise I wouldn't get through the first two, but it was very easy to beat Whitney for once. Meganium is a strong member of my team now.

Zavytar March 6th, 2017 3:43 PM

Catching other mons to complement it made the game quite easier than usual. Chuck, a leader I always struggled with, was actually a cakewalk.

chplaya March 22nd, 2017 7:46 AM

Chikorita is so cute and Chikorita is my starter

Hikamaru March 22nd, 2017 6:35 PM

I never used Chikorita in a Johto game (I had Cyndaquil in SS) but as some other comments said, you can get around that struggle by catching a diverse team of Pokemon.

Desert Stream~ March 22nd, 2017 6:36 PM

I fought Bugsy 107 times on my first playthrough, but it was worth it. That was one of my favorite companions :D

Sun Moon March 23rd, 2017 9:11 PM

I've played Silver and Crystal dozens of times. I always alternate. Totodile, Cyndaquil, Chikorita. I think Totodile is so awesome. Cyndaquil and Chikorita are so-so to me. I like Fire Punch and it takes till Typhlosion to get it. Neither Chikorita nor its evolutions can learn the Punch moves. Totodile on the other hand can learn Ice Punch at any stage of its evolution and it's super-effective against one of its weaknesses.

tl;dr I'm a fan of Chikorita, but Totodile is tops.

ICameHereForHacks March 24th, 2017 6:14 AM

Chikorita... probably the most misjudged starter ever. Sure, it does not hits so hard as Cyndaquil or Totodile, but it's quite bulky and can outtank some of the most dangerous opponent's in Johto like Whitney's Miltank or Clair's Kindra.
Also, people say that first two leaders are strong against Chikorita - BULLSHIT. Falkner does have like 0 high-powered moves (lol Gust), and Bugsy is a joke except his Scyther.

Right now after playing GSC multiple times i'm strongly believing that Meganium is the best starter in Johto, actualy.

LyokoGirl5000 March 25th, 2017 5:14 PM

My Chikoritas always end up being support as soon as they learn Reflect. My other Pokemon are the heavy hitters. I never had that much trouble with Falkner. It's Bugsy I had trouble with, specifically his Scyther. To be fair, all my Pokemon had trouble with Scyther.

Ho-Oh June 28th, 2017 5:27 AM

Honestly Chikorita, despite being cute, was mostly useless. Bayleef did not really struggle much but Meganium was always ditched. It isn't necessarily the hardest to use... it really is the least rewarding. :/ There's nothing useful about Meganium end-game! Why have that when you can have a Pidgeot??


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