Best Starter Pokemon: Which Starter Should You Choose?

The best Starter Pokemon for Pokemon: Legends Arceus is Oshawott. Find out why it is currently the best starter, the starters' type matchups, stat comparisons, and best natures, as well as how they match up against Noble Pokemon.

Which is the Best Starter?

Oshawott is the Best Starter

Oshawott

After playing through the game, we have found that Oshawott is the best among the three starters mainly due to its type advantage against most of the Noble Pokemon in the region, specifically Kleavor. Though it may struggle against Noble Hisuian Lilligant, at that point, you will likely have caught another Pokemon that can easily counter it.

Though it is not the fastest among the starters, it is still enough to outspeed many of your opponents. Its mostly even base Attack and Special Attack also makes it a versatile member of the team, especially since its learnset lends well to either a Physical or Special Attacker.

Best Starter to Choose: Video Guide

Starter Advantages and Disadvantages

Pokemon	Advantages	Disadvantages
Rowlet	・Decent matchup against many Noble Pokemon	・Has the overall worst typing defensively and offensively ・Has the lowest speed stat among the starters
Cyndaquil	・Highest base stat total at their final evolutions ・Highest speed stat among the starters	・Has the worst matchup against most Noble Pokemon
Oshawott	・Has the most balanced typing and stats ・Great matchup against most Noble Pokemon	・Overall lowest base stat total.

Which Starter Will You Choose?

Can the Starter be Shiny?

All Pokemon found through static encounters are shiny-locked, meaning they are unable to be shiny. This applies to the starter you choose from Professor Laventon at the start of the game.

Starters found through other means will have a chance to be shiny, but you won't be able to have a shiny starter join you on your adventure.
How to Get All Starters

Hisuian Evolutions for the Starters

While the basic forms of the starters may be familiar to most trainers, Pokemon Legends: Arceus introduces new regional variants for their final evolutions!

Rowlet Evolution

Evolution Line
Rowlet	Lv. 17 →	Dartrix	Lv. 36 →	Hisuian Decidueye

Hisuian Decidueye

Hisuian Decidueye Arrow Quill Pokemon
Type
Height	5' 03"	Weight	81.6 lbs
Pokedex Entry	The air stored inside the rachises of Decidueye’s feathers insulates the Pokémon against Hisui’s extreme cold. This is firm proof that evolution can be influenced by environment.

Has a high attack stat but has a lot of weaknesses

Hisuian Decidueye takes advantage of its high attack stat with a good set of physical Grass and Fighting-type moves. As strong as it is, its high number of weaknesses also hold it back.

Hisuian Decidueye - Evolution, How to Get, and Research Tasks

Signature Move

Move	Type	Cat.｜Pwr.｜Acc. Effect
Triple Arrows		Physical｜50｜100 The user delivers an axe kick, then fires three arrows. This raises the chance of its future attacks landing critical hits and also lowers the target’s defensive stats.

Oshawott Evolution

Evolution Line
Oshawott	Lv. 17 →	Dewott	Lv. 36 →	Hisuian Samurott

Hisuian Samurott

Hisuian Samurott Formidable Pokemon
Type
Height	4' 11"	Weight	128.3 lbs
Pokedex Entry	Hard of heart and deft of blade, this rare form of Samurott is a product of the Pokémon’s evolution in the region of Hisui. Its turbulent blows crash into foes like ceaseless pounding waves.

Balanced Stats and Typing

Hisuian Samurott is the most well-rounded out of all three with excellent offensive and defensive stats. Gaining the Dark-type also gives it an immunity against Psychic-types!

Hisuian Samurott - Evolution, How to Get, and Research Tasks

Signature Move

Move	Type	Cat.｜Pwr.｜Acc. Effect
Ceaseless Edge		Physical｜65｜90 The user slashes its shell blade at the target, aiming to land a critical hit. Shell splinters left behind by this attack will continue to damage the target for several turns.

List of All Signature Moves

Cyndaquil Evolution

Evolution Line
Cyndaquil	Lv. 17 →	Quilava	Lv. 36 →	Hisuian Typhlosion

Hisuian Typhlosion

Hisuian Typhlosion Ghost Flame Pokemon
Type
Height	5' 3"	Weight	153.9 lbs
Pokedex Entry	Said to purify lost, forsaken souls with its flames and guide them to the afterlife. I believe its form has been influenced by the energy of the sacred mountain towering at Hisui’s center.

Special attacker with high speed

Hisuian Typhlosion is a Special Attacker with great coverage moves too. Its Ghost-typing allows it to hit most types for neutral damage with its Fire-type coverage handling the rest.
Hisuian Typhlosion - Evolution, How to Get, and Research Tasks

Signature Move

Move	Type	Cat.｜Pwr.｜Acc. Effect
Infernal Parade		Special｜60｜100 The user attacks with myriad fireballs. This may also leave the target with a burn. This move’s power is doubled if the target has a status condition.

List of All Signature Moves

Noble Pokemon Matchups

Noble Pokemon fights are some of the most difficult battles you will face in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Among the three starters, Oshawott has the greatest number of advantages against most of the Noble Pokemon, likely because three of the six Nobles are part Rock-type.

This list also takes into consideration the approximate level of your starter at that point in the game and if they have evolved.

All Boss Battles: How to Beat Frenzied Noble Pokemon

Starter Pokemon Type Matchups

Rowlet Evolutions

The Rowlett line has the worst typing among the starters when it comes to defenses as its first two forms are weak to a total of 5 types, while its final form is weak to 6, and it will always have one 4x weakness.

Though it is significantly more useful offensively, this offensive potential is severly decreased once it reaches its final form since a total of 3 types resist both of its typings.

Rowlet Line Type Effectiveness

Rowlet and Dartrix

Hisuian Decidueye

	Type
Takes 4x damage (Weakness)
Takes 2x damage (Weakness)
Takes 0.5x damage (Resistance)
Takes 1/4x damage (Resistance)
Takes 0x damage (Immunity)

Unlisted types deal neutral damage to Rowlet

	Type
Takes 4x damage (Weakness)
Takes 2x damage (Weakness)
Takes 0.5x damage (Resistance)
Takes 1/4x damage (Resistance)	-
Takes 0x damage (Immunity)	-

Unlisted types deal neutral damage to Hisuian Decidueye

Cyndaquil Evolutions

The Cyndaquil line has great overall defenses, since it resists 6 types during its first 2 forms and 7 types at its final form. When it reaches its final evolution, it is also offensively the best type since it can inflict super effective damage on 6 types, with no types resisting both its typings.

Cyndaquil Line Type Effectiveness

Cyndaquil and Quilava

Hisuian Typhlosion

	Type
Takes 4x damage (Weakness)	-
Takes 2x damage (Weakness)
Takes 0.5x damage (Resistance)
Takes 1/4x damage (Resistance)	-
Takes 0x damage (Immunity)	-

Unlisted types deal neutral damage to Cyndaquil

	Type
Takes 4x damage (Weakness)	-
Takes 2x damage (Weakness)
Takes 0.5x damage (Resistance)
Takes 1/4x damage (Resistance)
Takes 0x damage (Immunity)

Unlisted types deal neutral damage to Hisuian Typhlosion

Oshawott Evolutions

The Oshawott line has the most balanced typing overall with great defensive and offensive potential. It also has the best defensive typing once it reaches its final form due to its 6 resistances and immunity to Psychic.

Oshawott Line Type Effectiveness

Oshawott and Dewott

Hisuian Samurott

	Type
Takes 4x damage (Weakness)	-
Takes 2x damage (Weakness)
Takes 0.5x damage (Resistance)
Takes 1/4x damage (Resistance)	-
Takes 0x damage (Immunity)	-

Unlisted types deal neutral damage to Oshawott

	Type
Takes 4x damage (Weakness)	-
Takes 2x damage (Weakness)
Takes 0.5x damage (Resistance)
Takes 1/4x damage (Resistance)	-
Takes 0x damage (Immunity)

Unlisted types deal neutral damage to Hisuian Samurott

Starter Pokemon Base Stat Comparisons

When it comes to stats, Rowlet has the highest base stat total at the first and second stages of their evolutions, which makes it useful at the start of the game. However, once they reach their final evolutions, all three starters will have mostly even base stats, with Hisuian Typhlosion having a slight edge.

Hisuian Samurott has roughly the same Attack and Special Attack stats, which makes it incredibly versatile while playing through the main story since your Pokemon will not always have their ideal movesets.

Hisuian Typhlosion has the highest base speed among the starter final evolutions with Hisuian Samurott coming in a close second. However, Hisuian Decidueye with its base 60 speed will rarely outspeed other Pokemon in battle.

Fully Evolved Starter Pokemon Stat Spreads

Best Natures for Each Starter

When selecting natures for your Starter Pokemon, it is best to increase their primary attacking stat, either Attack or Special Attack, while decreasing the other attacking stack. Remember to take into account the stats of their final evolutions as well.

Recommended Natures
Rowlet Adamant ↑ Attack ↓ Special Attack	Cyndaquil Modest ↑ Special Attack ↓ Attack	Oshawott Adamant ↑ Attack ↓ Special Attack

Since Hisuian Decidueye and Samurott perform best as Physcial Attackers, we recommend to increasing their Attack while lowering their Special Attack. However, we recommend the opposite for Hisuian Typhlosion since its high Special Attack makes it a great Special Attacker.

Nature Chart and How to Check Natures

Save right before selecting the starter to reset for nature

Right before you are asked to pick the starter, you'll have the opportunity to move your character freely. You can use this chance to save in case you want to reset for a good nature.

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