As is usually the case with Pokémon games, Scarlet/Violet is structured in a way that mostly helps ensure you will be able to beat the game regardless of which starter Pokémon you pick. Actually, the game’s more open-ended structure means that it’s easier than ever to play with any of the starters, simply because you avoid certain roadblocks early on. If you pick a starter Pokémon simply because you think they look the best, you’ll still have a great time with the game. It’s really that simple. Of course, each starter Pokémon does offer unique skills, stats, and yes, advantages that anyone looking to find the best Pokémon (or just the best one for them) should know about. With that in mind, here are our rankings of each starter Pokémon in Scarlet/Violet.
Pokémon Scarlet/Violet: Why Sprigatito Is the Best Starter
Sprigatito’s Total Stats: 310 HP: 40 Attack: 61 Defense: 54 Special Attack: 45 Special Defense: 45 Speed: 65 Spirgatito is by far the fastest Pokémon of the starters. Actually, Sprigatito’s incredible combination of speed and hard-hitting physical attacks offers some obvious advantages in very early combat scenarios. Indeed, you’ll be able to breeze through some of the game’s earliest battles with Sprigatito on your roster, though you may start to notice this starter’s low initial HP pool and low overall defenses during some tougher early challenges (most notably Gyms). Sprigatito’s final evolution, Meowscarada, is also quite interesting. While that Grass/Dark Pokémon suffers from the fewest strengths and most weaknesses of any of the starters’ final evolutions, it benefits from a power-hidden ability (Protean) that allows it to swap the type of the move it’s about to use. So while Meowscarada’s defenses are still quite low, it’s a technically gifted Pokémon that hits quite hard and still boasts top-tier speed.
Pokemon Scarlet/Violet: Why Fuecoco Is the Best Starter
Fuecoco’s Total Stats: 310HP: 67Attack: 45Defense: 59Special Attack: 63Special Defense: 40Speed: 36 Fire Pokémon generally tend to be pretty popular so far as starters go, and Fuecoco’s objectively cute design will certainly make it a favorite among some fans. Don’t let that cute exterior fool you, though. Fuecoco is incredibly tough. Simply put, Fuecoco is a fiery tank. He boasts the best physical defenses and HP of all the starter Pokémon, and his Special Attack rating is off-the-charts good. So, while Fuecoco is notably “slower” than his competition, that tends not to matter when most opponents can’t really do much against Fuecoco before it unleashes a deadly final attack. It’s also worth noting that Fuecoco’s Fire-type is particularly useful against some of the earliest Gym battles you’re likely to encounter.
Pokemon Scarlet/Violet: Why Quaxly Is the Best Starter
Quaxly’s Total Stats: 310HP: 55Attack: 65Defense: 45Special Attack: 50Special Defense: 45Speed: 50 Again, if you choose to pick Quaxly because he’s a duck with a great haircut, nobody will blame you. It’s also worth noting that Quaxly’s evolutionary forms look amazing. Unlike in real life, though, looks will only get you so far in Scarlet/Violet. Thankfully, Quaxly has more to offer than that. In fact, Quaxly offers arguably the best overall starting stats package in the game. While Quaxly only leads the starter pack in one notable statistical category (Attack), only its Defense is noticeably lower than the competition. That nice stat distribution means that Quaxly has no trouble holding his own during the earliest parts of the game. However, Quaxly really gets interesting when he reaches his final form: the Water/Fighting-type, Quaquaval. Not only does Quaquaval boast the most type strengths and fewest type weaknesses (tied) of all the starters’ final forms, but its incredibly high Attack rating directly benefits its best Fighting abilities. Grants, that kind of leaves this Pokémon’s Water abilities in a strange place, but Quaquaval tends to be a handy addition to most lineups due to its flexibility and generally strong stat package.
Who Is the Best Starter in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?
Again, you’ll be more than fine picking whichever starter Pokémon you really want to pick in Scarlet/Violet. By the time things get a little more difficult in the game, you’ll have access to a full lineup of Pokémon who will be more than capable of helping you handle anything the game can throw at you. 3. Quaxly 2. Sprigatito
- Fuecoco Truth be told, Quaxly is going to be placed comfortably at the bottom of many players’ starter rankings. While Quaxly is solid, it just doesn’t offer a lot of notable early advantages, and its Water-based abilities never really scale all that well with its primary stats compared to other Water options in the game. Again, I think there is something to be said for having Quaquaval in your lineup as a utility option, but other starters just have more obvious advantages to offer at various points in the adventure. Sprigatito could have easily been first in these rankings, and I might be doing the starter an injustice by not awarding it that honor. Yes, its low defenses remain a problem throughout the game (as do its on-paper type-based Strengths/Weaknesses), but it is so fast and so powerful that only those who don’t learn to utilize its many advantages will have to suffer through its worst weaknesses. Once you figure out how to deploy Meowscarada’s abilities and advantages, you’ll be laughing.
