What Are the Starter Pokemon in Pokemon Champions?
Pokemon Champions allows players to choose from a selection of classic starter Pokemon at the beginning of the game. As with the mainline series, starters come in three elemental types: Fire, Water, and Grass, each with their own evolutionary lines and final form stat distributions that define their role in competitive play.
Unlike some Pokemon titles where starter choice locks you into a particular character for the entire game, Pokemon Champions' roster building system means your starter becomes one member of a team you will continually develop. This changes the calculus around starter selection: rather than asking which is best overall, the better question is which starter complements the team you are planning to build.
Each starter's final evolution has unique secondary typing, abilities, and move access that determines how it fits into the competitive meta. Understanding these differences is the first step toward making a starter choice you will not regret as you advance through ranked play.
Starter choice impacts early game progression and type coverage significantly
Fire Starters: Offensive Power from the Jump
Fire-type starters have historically been the most aggressive choice in competitive Pokemon, and Pokemon Champions follows that trend. The Fire typing offers a reliable offensive STAB against Steel, Grass, Bug, and Ice types, all of which are common defensive options in early and mid-rank team compositions.
Fire starters with secondary Fighting typing (like the Emboar evolutionary line) add a second strong STAB combination that handles Normal, Rock, and Dark types effectively. This dual offensive typing gives Fire starters the broadest attacking coverage of the three options, which is especially useful before you have had the opportunity to build a fully rounded team.
The downside of Fire starters is their susceptibility to Water, Rock, and Ground types, which are extremely common in the current meta. Teams built around Fire starters need a reliable switch-in for Water-type attacks to prevent the starter from being repeatedly forced out in unfavourable matchups.
Water Starters: The Most Balanced Choice
Water starters consistently rank as the most balanced option in competitive Pokemon, and their counterparts in Pokemon Champions are no different. Water-type STAB is reliable across a wide range of defensive archetypes, and the secondary typings available in Water starter evolutionary lines range from Ice to Ground to Fighting.
The broader defensive typing of Water starters means they can absorb more hits before needing to switch out, which is a significant advantage during extended ranked matches where momentum swings frequently. A Pokemon that can take a hit and respond effectively maintains more consistent value than a glass cannon that needs to be protected carefully.
Water starters also have access to utility moves like Aqua Ring, Whirlpool, and Knock Off that give them support roles beyond pure damage dealing. For players who enjoy the support and utility side of competitive Pokemon in addition to pure attacking, Water starters provide the most variety of team roles to explore.
Grass Starters: High Skill Ceiling, High Reward
Grass starters are the most nuanced choice and generally the least recommended for players who are new to competitive Pokemon formats. The Grass typing has more weaknesses than either Fire or Water, including Fire, Ice, Flying, Bug, and Poison, five type disadvantages that can make Grass starters feel fragile in matchups where those types appear.
However, Grass starters with secondary typings that offset these weaknesses can become extremely potent in the right team structures. Grass and Ghost or Grass and Steel typings significantly reduce the vulnerability count and create typing combinations that are genuinely hard to deal with for opponents who have not prepared specifically.
Experienced players who choose Grass starters often cite the forced creativity in team building as a major benefit. Covering a Grass type's weaknesses comprehensively requires thoughtful selection of the remaining five team members, which teaches team building principles more quickly than the comparatively forgiving matchup profiles of Fire and Water starters.
Which Starter Should You Choose in Pokemon Champions?
For players new to competitive Pokemon formats, the Water starter is the most forgiving choice. Its balanced stats, reliable Water STAB, and flexible secondary typing mean it performs adequately in most matchups without requiring deep knowledge of type interactions or meta trends to be effective.
Players with prior competitive experience who want to push toward higher ranks quickly should consider the Fire starter. The aggressive offensive typing rewards decisive play and can punch through defensive cores that newer players rely on, accelerating rank gains in the early and mid ladder.
Grass starters are the choice for players who want the most engaging team building challenge and have the experience to handle the additional complexity. They offer the highest ceiling in terms of creative potential but require the most investment in understanding the meta to use effectively. All three starters are viable at the highest ranks, so the decision ultimately comes down to personal playstyle and how you enjoy experiencing the game.
