Do you ever play without your starter?

[Azureth]

My friend got me thinking when he said that whenever he plays Yellow he always deposits his Pikachu. So have you ever played through a game without your starter?

I never have, but I would like to try sometime.

 

[Munchlax11]

[SIZE="a"]I have played without my starter for certain challenges, but for my first play through the game I keep my starter.[/SIZE]

 

[LightningAlex]

Most of the starters are great Pokemon who are worth keeping in the team, so I don't see why anyone would want to play without a starter.

I certainly have never played through a game without my starter.

 

[Plasmette]

My friend got me thinking when he said that whenever he plays Yellow he always deposits his Pikachu. So have you ever played through a game without your starter?

I never have, but I would like to try sometime.

He probably disposits it because Pikachu is horrible, and worst of all, you can't evolve it in Yellow.

I'd never deposit my starter, ever. Well, unless I would do some sort of challenge like a Nuzelocke...

 

[Red99]

No matter what starter, be it Pikachu or Torchic, I never deposit them. My starter is always the Pokemon I train the most, and Is my strongest, highest leveled pokemon.

 

[Haseyo]

I always balance my team's level 100%, so I never have anyone more than one level higher than the rest.

I usually keep them pre-E4, but most get deposited after. Most are too balanced stat-wise, making them pretty bad. Ones like Infernape and Blaziken are keepers, but Meganium, Venusaur Blastoise (without DW abilities) are just bad in comparison to the many other options. :(

 

[Ephemeral Euphoria]

I prefer to keep my starter whatever it may be at the time, even if it is something horrible like Treecko or Piplup I can still manage.

 

[MrRocket515]

I usually play without my starter.

 

[Altairis]

I always like at least one of the starters in each of the generations, not because they're starters but because they're cool Pokemon, so no, I've never played a game without the starter in my party

 

[PlatinumDude]

I never played without my starter ever because they tend to hold a special place in my heart from the moment I receive them to the moment when I beat the entire game, no matter how outclassed they are competitively.

 

[Tetrakeet]

I have only played one Pokemon game, Black, and I boxed my Snivy when I discovered Petalil/Lilligant. She's the only grass type I'll ever need in my team. <3

To be honest, I did not like any of the starters too much..

 

[Brendino]

Any time I am playing a game for the first time, I keep my starter in my party, and more often than not it is the best Pokemon on my team. Any subsequent playthroughs, though, and my starter might last halfway through the game until I box it.

I also noticed that when I played the two remakes for the first time (Fire Red and HeartGold) I didn't really use my starter, probably because I was familiar with the games without having ever played them.

 

[Murkrow]

Gen 5 especially, not so much for the older ones.

 

[Hikamaru]

I always play with my starter, it is the staple of my journey as a Trainer no matter how useful or useless it is competitively.

There were some times I played without my starter but I usually keep them with me cos after all, they are my partner.

 

[Zephele]

Relatively frequently after HeartGold, since I've wanted to start using different Pokemon in-game every time I replay a game. White was the first time I dropped my starter prior to defeating the Elite Four, though. I typically play through the games at least once with a starter; more if I like the others/feel compelled to try them out too.

 

[ZetaZaku]

I always play the story with my starter. Even after playing a game 10s of times, I still keep my starter in the team.

 

[Cerberus87]

In Platinum I was tempted. There were Houndour in the wild! (I chose Chimchar)

I always use the starter until the end, though, because of roleplaying reasons. I admit Typhlosion isn't all that useful, but it did help somewhat.

Starting with Gen III, I not only use my starter, but also I only choose the Fire starter, because it's my favourite out of the choices you're given. Haven't played Gen V yet but it seems I'll repeat tradition (even if Emboar looks weird...).

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

I feel oddly compelled to stick with my starter through the entire game. Except when the starter is an absolutely horrendous Pokemon. Which only came up in Yellow for me. In all the other games, there's been at least one starter that I've felt would serve me well, and it did.

So yeah, except for Yellow, I pretty much keep my starters throughout the entire game.

 

[Krazzikk]

Only when I do certain challenges. THE STARTERS ARE JUST TOO CUTE N` AWESOME TO LET GO :3

 

[T!M]

I'm doing it right now in my current playthrough of Pearl. I exchanged my PRINPLUP with a BUIZEL I caught outside the windworks. I switched them when I peeked at her base stats. She's been more useful then not. It's payed off.