[Discussion] Alternative to Three Starters

[Khawill]

What about a Safari zone like starting area, you go in and try to catch a pokemon from that area. It could be some sort of rite of passage in the storyline or something, there could be a variety of pokemon only caught there and later after you do the endgame stuff you can go back in.
*edit- Just read the merc for hire thing, what if you did a flashback and used the above

 

[Sunfished]

Since your a mercenary for hire, why not have a little guild that has a surplus of monsters they invested in? They begin giving out free monsters on the street allowing you to pick 1 out of 4 or 5 because they can't take care of alot at once. I guess it fits your game theme a bit...