Pokémon 5 Reasons That Sword & Shield s Starter Pokémon Are The Best & 5 Reasons They Aren t

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Pokémon 5 Reasons That Sword & Shield s Starter Pokémon Are The Best & 5 Reasons They Aren t

Pokémon Sword & Shield had some solid starter Pokémon, but are they really the best? Here some reasons why they are and are not. With each new generation of , three new starters are added to the growing list of fan-favorites such as Charizard and Greninja. Starter Pokémon are the three options given to every trainer who is ready to set out on their journey to becoming the very best. In , the eighth generation, starters come in the form of a green monkey named Grookey, an energetic bunny named Scorbunny, and a sad little dude named Sobble. The starter you choose will serve as your first partner, so it is crucial that your options are as good as, if not better than, the previous generations. THEGAMER VIDEO OF THE DAY

Best They Have Hobbies

A nice added touch to the eighth generation starters is that they were each given a hobby or activity that they are inherently known for. For example, Sobble is most known for how often it sheds some tears. Additionally, Grookey always carries around a tiny stick in his hair that is used as a drum stick for making a beat. This is later developed in its final evolution when Rillaboom gains its signature move, Drum Beating. Meanwhile, Scorbunny is very athletic and is especially drawn to soccer as its final evolution, Cinderace.

Not No Unique Dual-Types

In eight generations of Pokémon, it has been tradition for the three starter Pokémon to have the primary types of Grass, , and . However, many starters will also come with a secondary type to add to their arsenal of strengths. Interestingly enough, Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble, and their evolutions all keep to a single type. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it has been done before with the second generation starters, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile. Instead, it would have been cool to see the newest starters with more unique dual-typings such as Fire/Fairy.

Best They re Undeniably Adorable

Starter Pokémon have a history of being cute, and that might even be what trainers base their decision on when choosing a partner out of the three options provided. But the great thing about Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble is that they're all too adorable, to the point where it's near impossible to determine who's the cutest of the bunch. The little monkey, Grookey, walks around cheerfully poking everything with its stick, Scorbunny hops around with a lot of positive energy, and Sobble's teary eyes just make you want to protect and love it with all your heart.

Not They Don t Have Mega Evolutions

Introduced in the sixth generation, Mega Evolution vastly changed the way Pokémon was played on a competitive level. Kangaskhan suddenly became one of the most relevant and dominant Pokémon, while we also saw some older starters get their own Mega Evolutions to boost their usage as well. This, however, only applied to the first and third generations of starter Pokémon. So while the likes of Charizard and Blaziken were given special treatment on the battlefield with their enhanced mega forms, the rest of the starters could only watch. And unfortunately, the eighth generation starters missed the Mega phenomenon altogether.

Best They Can Gigantamax

Similar to how Generation VI had Mega Evolution, Generation VIII introduced a new and exciting game mechanic called Dynamaxing. Dynamaxing is when any Pokémon temporarily becomes giant during battle as a great power-up for several turns. Specific Pokémon, such as the eighth generation starters, even have access to their own unique Gigantamax. What's special about Gigantamax is that it gives the Pokémon a new design but also its own unique G-Max Move. Rillaboom's Drum Solo, Cinderace's Fireball, and Inteleon's Hydrosnipe all inflict massive damage while ignoring the Ability of their opponent.

Not Yet Another Monkey Joins The Squad

As adorable of a monkey as Grookey is, it definitely does not have a unique Pokémon design when it comes to the animal it's based on. Since the very first generation of Pokémon, critters based on monkeys have been roaming the world. From Generation I, there are the original monkeys, Mankey and Primeape, Generation II has Aipom, Generation IV has Chimchar, and so on. The fact that there are already so many monkey Pokémon makes Grookey's design a little less special.

Best There s A Ninja Amongst Them

When Scorbunny reaches level 16, it'll evolve into a bigger bunny named Raboot. Raboot is not only a stronger version of Scorbunny but also looks like a ninja-like character with a headband and mask to cover its mouth. A fellow starter Pokémon, Greninja from Generation VI, is also modeled after a ninja as implied by its name. This is not necessarily a bad thing for Raboot, however, seeing how popular Greninja has been over the years. If anything, it shows how powerful and dominant ninjas can be even outside the world of Naruto.

Not Haven t Seen Much Use In Competitive Play

Starter Pokémon tend to have base stat totals of around 530, which is suitable for competitive VGC battles. However, what plays an important role in determining the competitive viability of a Pokémon are the rules of the format and the Pokémon's Ability. In recent VGC seasons for Sword & Shield, Rillaboom, Cinderace, and Inteleon still seem to be finding their place in the format. This could shift as the rules of the VGC format continue to change, but the three eighth generation starters are currently overshadowed by Generation VII's starter, Incineroar.

Best They Have Under-Explored Potential

Unlike some of the older starters who have been around for decades, the newest starters have not yet had the chance to show their full potential. And while they have yet to make the biggest impact in the competitive VGC scene, Sword & Shield is still a relatively new game with room to expand in their DLC or competitive play. At any time, whether it's in the eighth generation or the next, the starters may spike in popularity as new Pokémon content is released. That means that Rillaboom, Cinderace, and Inteleon still have plenty of time to shine in the future just as their predecessors have in the past.

Not They Aren t The Originals

Over the years, each new generation has brought in three new starter Pokémon that will in some way represent the generation as a whole. Each set of starters is unique and special in their own ways, but it feels as though the very first starters, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, will never be forgotten nor replaced by any of the more recent starters. Despite their introduction over twenty years ago, the original starters are still going strong and receiving special treatment as the ones who popularized the franchise in the first place. It's no wonder Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise were given Mega Evolutions and Gigantamax forms to keep the nostalgia alive.