The Batlord

People picked Bulbasaur just cause it was understood he was the easiest early game pick due to type compatibilities with the first few gyms and a generation later they've all forgotten their mercenary reason for picking Bulbasaur in the first place.

Charmander isn't just objectively better in battle but also the most adorable and he has a flame tail. A ****ing flame tail. And Charizard just rules.

That being said 1st gen I generally ditch my starter cause Arcanine is GOAT and I love him, grass types are lame, and Lapras is too majestic to deny.

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Synthgirl

I bought Pokemon Blue on week 1 or 2 back in 1998. I've been a hardcore fan at various points in my life, though these days I'm not keeping up with it as much. My favorite generation is 4, that was when I got really into competitive battling and throughout my first couple years of college I was glued to that game.

My tradition has always been to put my starter in the box early on. I like the freedom of being able to have more options for all my party slots.

Key

Damn it's cool to see what peoples favorites were and honestly, Id like to try that with the putting your starter in the PC early on. I always did what DJ did, ended up with the evolved forms of the Pokemon you find early on and just used them for my party. Usually worked out pretty well. Though Bat, Arcanine and Lapras are two solid choices. My younger brothers favorite is Arcanine and I definitely understand why. Lapras is also a very strong Pokemon. I just wished you got it earlier in a playthrough. I still think both Weezing and Muk could be a force to reckon with if you trained them with the right moves. Theres a lot of strong Pokemon in the first few generations. I also wish you could acquire fossil Pokemon earlier as well since I always really like Kabutops but never really got to use it to it's full potential. Charizard is also a bamf.

Synth, that's really cool you got into competitive battling. I've known people that got into that and sometimes it's super intense especially with pokemon abilities and everything.

DJ, I'll try to compile a list like you did but I'll have to do some digging in my brain to remember which teams i used. Especially in the later games since I honestly just dont remember those.

Key

Fossil Pokemon In Pokemon Games

Especially in the earlier Pokemon games, fossil Pokemon were not really introduced in the game until it was already too far in to where any of them would be of any use. And I always thought that was such a shame because some of my favorite Pokemon designs are of the fossil family. Pokemon like Aerodactyl and Kabutops spring to mind right away. Though I can't really say as much for the later games since I don't really remember which fossil Pokemon I had access to, I do just remember that each time a fossil Pokemon would come around in the games, the momentum to even want to train them just wasn't there. Especially considering Kabuto, Omanyte, they both evolve into their respective evolutions at level 40. And the only was to train big xp in the earlier games was just to go through the elite four multiple times to get their levels. However if you're already at a point where you can take on the elite four multiple times, the only reason you'd evolve both Kabuto and Omanyte at this point would be to add it to your Pokedex, assuming you don't bring it with you in the later games, which I suppose you could now that I think about it. How far it will travel I don't know as I did most of my trading between gen 3 onwards, so I know not much about how the trading process works all the way back from generation 1.

However, if for whatever reason I was able to acquire a fossil Pokemon early on in the game to the point that it was super useful throughout the game, I would definitely go with Kabuto over anything else. Not just because I think it's a cute as **** Pokemon and turns into a really cool Pokemon, but also, Kabutops is pretty strong. It may not seem like it at first but if you can equip it with the right moves, it can be a force to be reckoned with. However, it does have a lot of weaknesses so it is pretty easy to take down. But, design wise, I think Kabutops is one of the coolest looking Pokemon in the first generation. It's up there with the likes of Scyther and the ones that really look like they can pack a punch, only to find out that they are relatively weak.

Also, praise Helix.

As you know at this point, I love the third generation of Pokemon games, and that also goes with my thoughts on the fossil Pokemon in this gen. Lileep and Anorith are both pretty cool looking Pokemon on their own, but when they evolve, especially Anorith, they just look badass. Much like why I like Kabutops for how cool it looks, both Lileep and Anorith start off cute as well and turn into their respective power houses. Again though, unfortunately I have used both throughout playthroughs of Pokemon Ruby, and neither are necessarily all that strong all things considered. Generally, I'll evolve one of them and then just PC for the rest of the journey. I have used one of each throughout one playthrough and they were cool to have on the team, but just kind of died a lot. Could've been my ignorance of how to properly use them but I remember being somewhat underwhelmed. Look wise though, super cool looking. Just makes the third gen that much better for me.

I think that's just how it is though for me anyway. The fossil Pokemon typically look really dope, but don't really provide too much as far as longevity on a team, since a lot of times it's just too far in the game for them to matter much. However, I do think Aerodactyl is probably a little stronger than the rest, but again...I haven't really had much chance to use it in a game so I wouldn't really know of its full potential.

Key

My Favorite Starter Pokemon (From Each Generation I Have Played)

While I have not played all the Pokemon games, I have played my fair share of them, so I'm simply going to discuss which Pokemon starter I personally like the most and had the most fun using in its respective playthrough:

Pokemon Red / Blue
As much as I really like Charmander, I have to go with my boy Squirtle on this one. Bulbasaur is sort of just there and not really a Pokemon I used too much. Most of the playthroughs of Pokemon Red / Blue I have done have always either been Squirtle or Charmander. In fact, the playthrough I have going right now in Pokemon Red is using Squirtle. And Beedrill. Mostly Beedrill though.

Pokemon Gold / Silver
I've said this before but I'll say it again, this one goes to Cyndaquil. I actually really like all the starters in this generation, and yes, even Chikorita. I thought both Meganium and Feraligatr were both amazing fully evolved Pokemon, but Typhlosion is in a league of its own, and I really enjoyed the use of Flame Wheel and just reaking havoc on all Pokemon that didn't stand a chance against a fire type.

Pokemon Ruby / Sapphire
I think if I remember correctly, I used Mudkip on my very first playthrough, but on another playthrough, I used Torchik. I think I actually liked Mudkip a little bit more simply because Swampert is a force to be reckoned with while Blaziken is very weak in comparison. I dunno, maybe they're tied because again, I think all the starters in this generation are great for their own reasons. Even Sceptile is dope.

Pokemon Black / White
This one goes to Oshawott. Even when looking back on it today, I still think this is the case. I chose Oshawott on my first playthrough of Pokemon Black 2 and had an absolute blast using it once it fully evolved. Empoleon is not only a great name for a Pokemon, but it's also a great design. Again though, really cool starters in this generation. None of them lacked in style as far as I'm concerned.

Pokemon X / Y
I wish I could say this goes to Fennekin because as far as starter Pokemon for this generation, it would undoubtedly be my favorite. Unfortunately it has a far more disappointing final evolution which takes a lot of its cuteness away and subsequently puts it to #2 right under Froakie. I think Froakie is an amazing Pokemon through and through. Not just the fact that it's cute as ****, but Greninja is one of my favorite Pokemon, at least in my top 10-15 surely.

Pokemon Sword / Shield
I think this was the last Pokemon game I played and probably one of the few that I never actually finished all the way through. I dunno, I just wasn't as motivated to push through to finishing it. On top of that, I'm not really a big fan of the starters at all, and while I honestly don't even really remember using it to its fullest potential, I'll go with Scorbunny since it was the only one I used on the only playthrough I did on Pokemon Sword / Shield.

The Batlord

Beedrill? Did you lose a bet?

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Key

Nah, was just kind of curious and ended up liking it so I've used it for a little bit. I'm not even past the 2nd gym on this playthrough so that could change fairly quickly.

Key

Pokemon Types (Also My Favorite)

This is a topic as old as the franchise itself, but if you weren't aware for some unknown reason, Pokemon have types. And sometimes they have two types instead of one. And while that can sometimes lead to a lot more weaknesses, it can also be used to make ones Pokemon very strong. Like the fact that Groudon can have a moveset that consists of Thunderbolt, Eruption, Solar Beam, and Earthquake. It can really make for some intense battling. But all this aside, which one would I consider my favorite one to use? This is a question that's not all too easy to answer since there are a lot of things to consider about which type I choose. This would have to be a type that a lot of my favorite Pokemon consist of, and ones that I typically try to look for more of when playing Pokemon games. There are certainly no right or wrong answers, moreso it's all about what you prefer. Obviously some types are stronger than others depending on the Pokemon that you choose, which is why I'm basing my answer solely off of which type I use the most of. And, given that my favorite Pokemon is of this type, I'm going to have to go with - Water.

Vaporeon, Blastoise, Greninja, Lapras, Wailord, Swampert, all of these Pokemon are both Pokemon that I would consider favorites of mine as well as being Pokemon that consist of Water typing. Sure, it may no the strongest type out there given that it is weak to both grass and electric, but honestly, there are some really strong water type moves. Moves like Muddy Water for Swampert, or simply Surf for countless Pokemon. I don't even know if it's possible to even get through a playthrough without using Surf in some capacity. It's incredible useful in the overworld but also very strong as a water attack. Especially if you're out of options as far as water type attacks go.

On top of that, well...again, Vaporeon being my favorite Pokemon of all time, it should be no surprise that I favor water typing over any other. I have just always enjoyed having water Pokemon on my team, and I really do think it started back when I fought Misty as a gym leader for the first time. As much as I'd like to say Starmie can be a force to be reckoned with, it can be taken down pretty easily. But...simply for it's great design and the fact that it has Bubblebeam just makes this an overall cool water Pokemon. Not to forget both Suicune and Gyarados as great water Pokemon as well. Hell, you could probably bring up any water type Pokemon and I'm certain I'll say something good about it.

I would honestly say that you should definitely try to have at least one water Pokemon on your team because especially if it can pair with ice moves as well like Articuno or Lapras, it can make for a really strong Pokemon in your party. Lapras would probably take my choice over Articuno honestly. Go with Lapras.

Not to also forget that the move Surf basically allows you to progress in the games like I said so not only is it important as a Pokemon move, you need it to progress through a lot of the stories.

Water Pokemon are dope, man.

The Batlord

I've tried using one a few times just for fun but they just kinda have a useless move set. I hear Mega Beedrill is good though.

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The Batlord

Oh and since you dig Pillars of Eternity and Divinity: Original Sin have you played the Pathfinder games? They're pretty great. CRPGs seem to be in a second golden age and I am absolutely here for it.

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