Best starter (specifically for Reborn)

[PedroHenrique]

I've started with a Protean Froakie, but as the game goes on, it doesn't get too OP, certainly the lack of TM's such as Ice Beam, Scald, etc makes Greninja less of a threat, but there's still access to Dark Pulse and level up moves like Extrasensory, Shadow Sneak and so...

However, is Greninja actually the best one later in the game, or other pokémons have the potential to be more useful?

What you guys think?

[HughJ]

If you just go by competitive tiers I think Blaziken and Froakie are at the top

Then from there you can make a tier of all the starters with megas (although this might not be fully implemented in Reborn for some time)

And then there's everyone else, like Torterra I think

[Lightp]

In-game wise, I'd say Fennekin and Mudkip are the best for the early parts of the game due to their strong STAB against poison types. Good Psychic and Ground pokes can be pretty rare. Mid to late game is where Froakie and Torchic pull ahead due to their awesome HAs and tutor moves. When Froakie get access to his Ice move, Icy Wind, his power skyrocket due to how good a fast Ice poke and Protean are.

[Monochrome_Complex]

Greninja is definitely A tier, and probably the best water starter.

Fire has the easiest time in this game generally speaking but it'll probably struggle on the last gyms since we have sapphira, amaria, and hardy to go.

Typhlosion, blaziken, Infernape are the 3 best fire starters IMO. Delphox and Charizard are not bad by any means either, and i never tried emboar. One thing about Reborn is that certain factors(fields, multi hitting moves) change the effectiveness of certain starters. Like Infernape strong as he is is actually inferior to Charizard's line early on due the the inability to utilize fields to his advantage as well, plus Charmeleon having dragon rage makes early game much easier. Come to think of it Charizard might actually be better than Infernape, depending on how your team is built. Charizard was very good in my flying monorun, that's for sure. But at the same time Infernape' s damage output is better and he's affected by field bonuses unlike Charizard who isn't, though that's not always a good thing lol. Typhlosion is straight up beastly once you give him eruption via heart scale(because screw waiting till level 70 or whatever) and is a godsend in double battles, especially with sun support.

[Taska]

I would say Mudkip or Torchic.

[Yours Truly]

Torchic or Froakie; no constest; Protean Greninja can kick the ass of almost anything it can outspeed and Speed Boost Blaziken can Outspeed anything whose ass it can kick.

[Lucky98]

Blaziken and Greninja are considered to be the best because of Speed Boost and Protean.

Personally, I found Infernape to be great as well. Charizard is also good, especially in early game due to Dragon Rage.

[Redo.]

Early game Charmeleon can probably laugh at everything up to Corey.

Protean Froakie is a nuke.

Nasty Plot Infernape is also quite awesome.

Blaziken with Speed Boost and Bulk Up is one of the strongest things in game right now.

And if you can survive a totally mediocre mid-game, by Radomus/Luna Serperior becomes as good as any of the starter in mentioned earlier thanks to Contrary Leaf Storm.

[Nosada]

Blaziken is a beast. He's the best, imo.

[Scottieboy2020]

I think everyone's overestimating Froakie a little bit here. I mean, maybe its just me, but I reset my game because I got COMPLETELY stuck at Luna and her Dark types. Greninja was little to no help, as even his stronger moves ended up doing less than acceptable damage. Perhaps it's just the way I used him, but the only starter I've really been able to beat the game with is Typhlosion. Even if we end up facing off with Amaria, Hardy, and any other type-effective gym leaders... I mean, my Typhlosion ended up beating Terra's Garchomp with a quarter of his health bar left--after he got Earthquaked.

I personally think Typhlosion is the best starter for the game.

[PedroHenrique]

Every starter has a gym fight that'll be almost useless due to typing.

Edit: But it is true that Greninja's movesets are nerfed in Reborn due to the lack of strong Special Attacking TM's.

Edited November 16, 2016 by PedroHenrique

[Monochrome_Complex]

I remember doing a grass monorun(though I never finished due to my laptop dying) and actually regret choosing contrary snivy instead of regular. Contrary snivy is arguably weaker early game against gym leaders since it has no way of boosting itself and is reliant on opponents using debuffs, which don't usually happen with tougher opponents. With grass runs the sunny day/growth combo is very useful at least early on and growth on contrary snivy is totally useless, For snivy I'd suggest getting overgrow and changing over to contrary later on with an ability capsule when it can better utilize its ability.

[Lightp]

I think everyone's overestimating Froakie a little bit here. I mean, maybe its just me, but I reset my game because I got COMPLETELY stuck at Luna and her Dark types. Greninja was little to no help, as even his stronger moves ended up doing less than acceptable damage.

Weird, I found Luna to be the easiest gym leader in both my playthroughs. The only thing I remember Greninja doing in that fight is 2HKO'ing her Honchkrow with Smack Down and my Scrafty sweeping almost everything else.

[Cyanna Cyril]

Charmander gets dragon rage for early game. Based on the early game bosses and the coverage fire gives over certain gyms/field effects, he's a great early starter. Falls of later, but eventually I've almost always replaced my starter.

[Lilleen]

I'd say Fenniken is a good pokémon, since with it, you have the advantage over all three of your rivals.

[Exalted]

Depends honestly id personally take every starter out that is obtainable by in game means which eventually all will be but lets go episode by episode basis for that first if you are looking early game Charmander line is by far the best it gets decent stats and good coverage options after fully evolved though his most usage is early on by Dragon rage which 1-3 shots nearly everything till after corey and can hold his own against further few gyms his main flaw that his power and usage diminishes later in game but not a major issue as you will have other team member's by then if you are looking for mid to late game effectiveness go for Torchic or froakie as they are good mons but really dont do much up to a point with froakie losing some of its worth later on and blaziken getting quite useful later game cause fighting is really good then so really depends if you want an easy early game or moderately easy late game if you are looking at episode 16 id recomend these starters in the following order best to dont need them :Torchic and Frokie >and everyone else cause snivy has a shallow movepool in reborn to be worth it and you can literally catch every other starter one way or another>Chikorita

[Monochrome_Complex]

Charmander gets dragon rage for early game. Based on the early game bosses and the coverage fire gives over certain gyms/field effects, he's a great early starter. Falls of later, but eventually I've almost always replaced my starter.

I wouldn't say it falls off that much if you get Charizard heat wave via move tutor. Heat wave is excellent in Reborn due to its field triggering effects. He was quite useful against Blake due to it in my flying run. It was still my MvP much of the time even once it evolved.

Edited November 16, 2016 by Monochrome_Complex

[Tartar]

You are all forgetting one thing. You're synonymizing "best" with "competitively strongest". But this is false!

Because in the end, the best starter in all of Reborn is in fact, Chikorita! Because it is the best at being adorable.

[Razkar]

Iron fist infernape with:

-thunder punch

-fire punch

-mach punch

-close combat

is a beast. You need the patience to raise it from the egg once you hit the level cap 30 but he is soooooo usefull !

[Troxalos]

I think Torchic is the best. Once you get hi jump kick from the tutor, Blaziken is a wrecking ball. A couple of Bulk ups and it sweeps pretty much anything. I beat a lot of gym/boss battles this way that i actually felt bad.

Froakie is also good, but not at the same level imo. Lack of good TMs hurts.

I'm surprised noone mentioned treecko. It's a staple powerhouse.

Like someone else already said, i wouldn't pick any starter that can be obtained in game later on. This includes Fennekin, Squirtle, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Mudkip, Bulbasaur, Chespin, Tepig. (probably forgot someone, but you get the point). Sure Fennekin and Mudkip sweep the early gyms, but in the long run having more pokemon to choose matters more than how easily you got to late game.

[Yerug]

I feel dirty if I dont choose Charizard. Them rose tinted goggles.

[FairFamily]

I don't think Greninja is that good. The movepool is kinda meh and it is incredibly frail. It needs to OHKO and between the lvl cap which the opponent breaks and the lackluster move pool I don't think it can do that often.

I have had more luck with delphox. Delphox has a very versitile movepool with options like, light screen, mystical fire,will-o-wisp, fire pledge, psyshock, psychic... . On top of that it has a serious type advantage in the early game, where the teambuilding is a bit more difficult due to a lack of options. Good against all three rivals, good against a lot of early gym battles, good against all types of gyms you have to double, good against all pulses. Late game is not that good for delphox due to having dark, ground,rock,water and dragon matchups but most players have by then a balanced team so your starter is a bit less important.

[thedeath245]

As others have said, Blaziken - Speed Boost is the BEST starter as of right now, and imo, Protean froakie is 2nd best. Admitted his early movepools without TM is terrible. However, after getting surf, dark pulse, and access to move tutor Icy Wind ( yes, Icy Wind, the often ignored 65 power that reduces speed) he can single handedly win gyms. My protean swept through the last 3-4 gyms with ease. Icy Wind wrecks Ciel.

The only condition needed for Froakie is high IV in SpA, and Speed so he can outspeed majority of pokemon (EV train isnt all that important)

Edited November 16, 2016 by thedeath245

[Tartar]

Like someone else already said, i wouldn't pick any starter that can be obtained in game later on. This includes Fennekin

Don't you dare say anything mean about Fennekin, Fennekin is great, and can be used throughout the whole game, and is very strong due to its utility combined with a high speed, amazing Special Attack and great move-pool. Fennekin easily the 4th best starter available after Chikorita, Torchic and Froakie in terms of power and usability.

[Strider]

Yeah, I go with Fennekin. It has the highest base special attack of the starters. Delphox has higher damage output than Greninja. It's simply the coverage and speed that makes Greninja shine, and in Reborn, the lack of tm's makes Delphox better imo (except design).

In my opinion, in terms of usability, the best are Blaziken, Serperior (contrary), Delphox, Infernape