4th Gen Starters!

[Hiatus]

Every Pokémon game allows you to choose from three Pokémon to start your journey off with, and same goes for fourth generation ones. In Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, our selection were Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup, which were grass, fire, and water. They'd evolve into Torterra, Infernape, and Empoleon, respectively. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, we got to choose either Chikorita, Totodile, or Cyndaquil. All in all, what were your opinion on these Pokémon? Which did you like, and which did you not? Which ones did you wind up picking throughout each of your game-play? Were you satisfied with them? If no, why not? If you were to change anything of these starters, what would it be?

 

[Rosehip]

I liked all 3 Sinnoh starters, the top favourite being Empoleon. Infernape was a badass, Torterra had some great physical stats, while Empoleon has amazing typing, being Steel/Water type. I thought it was awesome, and I liked the moveset my own Empoleon had (I think it was Surf, Ice Beam, Flash Cannon and Hydro Cannon. The last for extra power).

As for HG/SS, I only played a bit of it, but I picked Totodile because I used it while I played Crystal just before I played SS. It ended up being shiny, too.

I'd personally change Infernape's typing and design to something that suits Fire/Rock or Fire/Ground more. I didn't really like having more Fire/Fighting Pokemon other than Blaziken, so I'd really want a more unique typing. Not saying Fire/Fighting's bad, I just have issues with seeing the same thing. :(

Still, like I said, I really liked the 3 Sinnoh starters Game Freak threw at us. Started with Chimchar first because it was adorable, then cycled through new saves, using a new starter each time I deleted my file.

 

[pokemonroundhouse]

I really like water types so Totodile was the ones I picked.

 

[Hikamaru]

This was one of the rare occasions that I didn't pick the Water-type starter, and while I do like Piplup's line I like Chimchar slightly better when it comes to the Sinnoh starters because he's fast, has good movepool and well, he's a monkey which fits my Chinese Zodiac sign really well. Plus, the lack of Fire-types in Diamond & Pearl meant I always had to go with Chimchar.

In terms of HeartGold & SoulSilver though, I went with Cyndaquil. Totodile is pretty much my least fave of all the Water-type starters, while I do love how adorable Cyndaquil is.

 

[rom hunter]

My opinion on starters: They have fair stats, good looks usually in pre-evolved form, really stink when it comes to looks in their fully-evolved form, not the best stat-wise, type-wise or ability-wise when it comes to their respective generations.
Starters I like: Chikorita, Turtwig both for their final evolution stats and Torterra for its Grass/Ground type. I like Piplup in its unevolved state but only for looks.
Starters I don't like: I hate Totodile the most and I hated it right from when it was introduced in 2nd generation. The rest are fine.
The ones I picked: Chikorita has always been my go-to pokemon. I had chosen Turtwig, Chimchar, Totodile and Cyndaquil once each.
Was I satisfied? I am never satisfied with starters. They may visually look strong when they evolve but practically they are not as strong. Meganium is an exception though. It has given me complete battling satisfaction. But I wanted it to look more different from its predecessor. They should have given it a more aggressive looks to suit for a final evolution that it is. Piplup is a good pokemon but its evolution should have been more graceful in appearance. Empleon should have had more lean look instead of showing it as chubby. My most favorite final starter-evolution has been Serperior followed by Charizard and they both do not belong to this generation category.

 

[Pharetra]

I actually loved all of them, except Chikorita. Piplup's line is my favorite, but you might have guessed that already ;)

 

[Apollo]

I wasn't a big fan of Sinnoh's starters, but I liked Piplup's line the most. Definitely loved its steel typing. As for Johto's, it's a close tie between Cyndaquil and Totodile.

 

[Pepperton]

I first chose Chimchar when playing Diamond, because I had made my decision way before the games actually hit stores, without taking much time to consider the evolution designs and such. Infernape is an awesome Pokemon, powerful, and useful in competitive battling, but in the end, I prefer Torterra! Piplup is cute, but Empoleon is not my cup of tea. Still, I liked them as a group. Very hard to pick once Platinum came out o:

As for HGSS, I've always gone with Cyndaquil in Johto because for some reason, ever since I started playing Pokemon I've been really fond of Quilava. Typhlosion's alright, but there's something about Quilava I adore! The other two are not shabby either; Chikorita is a cutie and Totodile would've been my choice if not for the middle evolution of Cyndaquil. Actually, Croconaw is one of the main reasons I like the Totodile line as well. xD;

Picking a starter in 4th generation was tough!

 

[inksplashed-heart]

I've never really liked Pokemon described as proud - Piplup, Snivy - and I actually always pick the fire-type starter. There's something about the fire-type that just draws me in. Like a moth to the flame? Hahaha.

So obviously, I picked Chimchar and Cyndaquil. Between the two of them, I really prefer the Chimchar line, because I love how cute Chimchar is and Infernape's blazing hair is boss. XD Feraligatr is badass also, but I hate how I never remember how to spell it right. Haha.

 

[Pendraflare]

I've usually chosen Chimchar as my starter in Sinnoh, usually when i'm trying to get through the game fast.

As far as HGSS go, however, I usually choose Totodile. I've only chose Chikorita once, it was in a Nuzlocke and it died before the fourth Gym (it was my second death, out of four throughout the whole thing, even). My current Heart Gold Wedlocke has Cyndaquil, who's a Typhlosion and is still here, where we're nearing the league. I've chose Cyndaquil on normal playthroughs too and it's done me well.

 

[Sheep]

Piplup in D/P/Pt and Chikorita in HG/SS. Sinnoh had my least favorite group of starters design-wise but Piplup was really cute despite its evolutions being mediocre-looking. I didn't mind Empoleon too much though and the steel/water typing was (and still is) unique. He served me very well. I've tried Chimchar out a few times but even so still can't really get into its evolutionary line.

Chikorita was a given since she has always been one of my favorite grass types. Hard to use since so many gyms resist grass but that didn't stop me! :D

 

[Astraea]

Cyndaquil in HG/SS and chimchar in DP cause I mostly choose fire types as starter

 

[curiousnathan]

I picked Totodile for HGSS for nostalgic reasons and because Feraligatr is a badass! As for in DPPt, I think I picked Piplup first. Even so I much prefer Chimchar and Turtwig, particularly their final evos Infernape and Torterra. They were pretty beast.

 

[Froslass]

For HG/SS I did pick Totodile, mainly for the fact that I liked it's design and for it's final evolution, Feraligatr. As for D/P/PT I chose piplup as my first starter because I really liked the idea of it's final evolution being water/steel. However, I do have a love for Torterra because of it's stats, very good attack and defence, however lacking speed and sp.

 

[ShiningHelioptile]

For Pearl, I chose Chimchar. Good, but it was Fire/Fighting which is...overdone. In Platinum I chose Torteraa, but for the first and only time ever I didn't use my starter the whole play through. Infernape is my favorite by far even though I dislike it's typing. For SS, I chose Cyndaquil (I guess I like the Fire starters), although now I've grown to like Totodile more.

 

[Mega Venusaur]

In my playthroughs through both Diamond and Platinum I chose Turtwig as my starter type and it successfully helped me defeat the Champion both times. Despite the fact that Piplup and Chimchar appealed to me in the anime, I just didn't like them in the actual games on the handheld console.

 

[Trick 'r Treat]

This was my least favorite group of starters because I wasn't a fan of any of their middle and final evolutions. If I had to pick one I would say Turtwig because It's final evolution I think is cool & it helped me out the most in battles.

 

[Austin]

Piplup was really fun to use for me, if only for its Steel typing. I really love its design, too. Penguins are so much cooler than monkeys or turtles. In HG/SS, I always alternated between Cyndaquil and Totodile every time I played through the game, but recently I've come to appreciate Chikorita more than I have in the past.

 

[Altairis]

I really like all of these base forms. I honestly can't pick a favorite between Piplup and Chimchar, I like their final forms just as equally and I've used them the same amount of times, I think. Hm.. I pick Piplup, because we haven't had a Water/Steel starter before, sorry Chimchar!

 

[Floralpikmin99]

Turtwig was my choice in Diamond and Cyndaquil in SS.

If I played through again though, I would probably choose Piplup for Diamond. Cyndaquil would still be my choice though in SS.
Funny thing. I never fully evolved my Quilava, for some reason I rare candied it up to level 100 without evolving… I guess I just didn't like Typhlosion at that time.