4th Gen Starter Choice

[powurz]

Tomorrow I'm buying my friend's DS and rushing to Gamestop to try and get a copy of Diamond or Pearl (I didn't reserve it). I've started looking into the starters because for me that always makes a huge difference in how the game flows, from early difficulty to endgame challenges.

I'm usually one to favor the water starters, but the final evolution of Piplup looks too defensive to me. I don't know what his final stats wind up looking like, though. Turtwig looks nice, but I just don't like grass that much and it looks too focused on drain-type grass moves. It doesn't even learn Leaf Blade, which, in combination with high speed, made Sceptile very fun for me.

Currently, I'm favoring Chimchar. From what I hear, it has excellent attack stats and a decent speed. And from what I've seen on the Pokedex entries, it has a great pool of moves to choose from.

It looks like you have to make a choice between Flamethrower, my personal favorite fire move from the previous generations, and Close Combat, which looks like the best fighting move in the game that has an accuracy rating of 100%. And of course, Flare Blitz in the 50s makes the evolutions very appealing.

As you all can see, I'm leaning on Chimchar. But I'm very open to change. Suggestions?

 

[Ichida]

Infernape is good for a physical sweeper, Empoleon is sort of a special sweeper / wall, and Torterra is good for a physical wall / seeder. Take your pick.

 

[powurz]

I guess I have to care more about those terms now. I've never had people to battle with, so I've never bothered making specific teams. Right now I've just been catching stuff in Sapphire and Leaf Green, slapping an Exp. Share on them, and powerleveling them with Kyogre in the Elite 4 for dex entries.

But now that the DS titles will have this worldwide network, I'll give more consideration to team roles.

Reading some of these threads makes it seem like it really isn't all that hard to get the other starters. It sounds like if you catch something somewhat worthwhile and ask for a starter on the trading boards, something is bound to happen.

It sounds like Empoleon is alot like Skarmory, but with Ground weakness rather than immunity, and of course the different move pool.

Ichida, I notice on your trainer card that you use Empoleon. How was it in the single-player adventure?

 

[Ichida]

I've never had people to battle with, so I've never bothered making specific teams.

Ichida, I notice on your trainer card that you use Empoleon. How was it in the single-player adventure?

I would be happy to battle you over Wi-Fi anytime if you want to try out a team strategy, or just for fun. I've been looking for people to battle. :P My Friend Code is in my profile, just MSN me whenever you want a match. Even if your Pokemon aren't that strong, we can set all levels to 100. Within a day or two I should have my card battle team all set up as well, so I won't be holding back for long.

How was Empoleon? Still using it. :P Empoleon has made a great wall, especially for those times I got status-inflicted and didn't have anything to fix it. Also, one good Surf from it has OHKOd many things, so it can be a viable special sweeper.

 

[LawLessChaoz]

If you like Sceptile get Infernape.
If you like Swampert get Empeleon.
If you like Blaziken get Torterra.

 

[powurz]

I'm likening up to the idea of Empoleon. I wasn't sure about OHKOing, but if it can, then that makes a difference.

Thanks for the friend code offer, Ichida. :)

I'm really excited. I have been bummed out for weeks about not having a DS, so I'm really excited my friend is willing to sell his (he'll be making more than any store would give him, I'll be paying less than any store, online store, or ebay auction will give me - I get Pokemon and he gets Spiderman 3 - win/win situation)