gaming Does anyone actually use their starter in pokemon?

[Flutter_shy_FTW 29]

I've always used my starter throughout the whole game because I thought it was necessary. To not use your starter seems odd and weird to me. I know that my charizard can be replaced with a dragonite because i have an arcanine, but for some reason i can't bring myself to put charizard in the box.

[MagicalStarRain 599]

Same. Besides, my Torterra was VERY useful throughout the whole game(Platinum) even though he was very slow even though he had a Quick Claw on(I always had to rely on luck for that thing to activate).

Edited November 18, 2012 by MagicalStarRain

[Flutter_shy_FTW 29]

Same. Besides, my Torterra was VERY useful throughout the whole game(Platinum) even though he was very slow even though he had a Quick Claw on(I always had to rely on luck for that thing to activate).

 

Torterra was insanely useful in pearl/diamond/platinum because he could also learn ground moves and be a walking tank. But the others (piplup, chimchar) were not as useful, but i still kept them in my party because it felt right. Just like venasaur and sceptile.

[Evilshy 5,093]

Even though they might not be as good as others, starters are always good, so players won't ever feel like a useless pokemon has been shoved at them. And, of course, the emotional attachment of having a Pokemon you've had literally since day one being part of the team that you take to the Elite 4.

 

Anyway, my starter has always ended up in my final team because I always find a way to make them useful. Sure, it's not a competitive team by any means, but I still make great E4 teams.

I'd have to say, my DOT Serperior was probably my worst starter in any of the games I've played, and even then, it wasn't that bad.

[Whisper 30]

I used to always have my starter Pokemon from start to finish, but since I started playing by Nuzlocke rules, I usually box the starter immediately after I make my first catch, and make that my "starter" Pokemon. I do not always keep that Pokemon to the very end but there is definitely a special bond to the first Pokemon.

[That One Techpriest You Used To Know 2,286]

Well, your supposed to!

 

That was the intent. The starters are OP'd on purpose- if you bond with them, you learn Hydro Cannon, Frenzy Plant, or Blast Burn. The only way to get those moves is by using a starter.

 

And personally, I like Empoleon. It's a steel type, so it can learn the powerful Steel-type moves.

[Pinkie D Pie 1,036]

My starters have always been my main pokemon, even on a shared Pokemon game I did with my nephew where we both got different pokemon, and he got the starter, I counted the first one I caught as my starter, just so happened to be a starly that would have come with me anyway but whatever. In every game my starter is there, I refuse to ever lost my Empoleon, or lose my Samurott, those things have meaning and are special. Besides, there insanely strong most of the time it seems like.

[Envy 6,529]

I can't think of any instance throughout playing all of the games where I have not used my starter from start to finish. I'm not competitive in the least, so I couldn't care less about stats.

 

However, since I always pick the water starter I have never used the other Water Pokemon and I'd like to someday. If R/S remakes come out I may end up doing that there. The Mudkip line is my least favorite water starter line, so it wouldn't be too tough for me.

[SicklySweetInsanity 34]

I do,He/she is my front leader

Bulbasaur

Torchic

Cyndaquil

Piplip

Snivy

All of them are girls lol...I'm insanely lucky with those

[CMC Ryan 5]

i couldn't even comprehend getting to any elite 4 without your starter, the only time my starter leaves the party is when i drop it off at the daycare center.

[Thundershock 310]

i think its stupid to not have your starter on your team. i always use my starter in every game i use. but if anyone does have a starter on their team, thats fine

[Sunbro 4 Lyfe 939]

i have thrained her from the time i first had her.out of all my pokemon, she trusts me the most, she has spent her time for me. To not have her in battle would be like having no soul. it is only fitting for me to keep my empolion.

[Emerald Flame 381]

The only time I wouldn't use a starter is if I lost it in a Nuzlocke run, which hasn't happened to me yet. But, I am on my first Nuzlocke run ever, so I'm not saying it won't happen.

[Descant 1,898]

I always use my starter. Sometimes, though, I use a loophole I found forever ago, in the fact I trade the starter the game gives me for an egg of, let's say, Poliwag, or Eevee, or Ralts, and I use it the exact same way as I would my starter if it were the Turtwig I recieved from Professor Rowan. I still use it faithfully and adoringly. Has anyone else done this, or is it just me?

 

Oh, and when I do this, I try to line it up to where the type matchups are still aligned accordingly (If I start with Turtwig, like I said, I'll trade myself a pokemon that's still weak to Chimchar's fire type attacks, or evolves into same). It just doesn't feel the same if you have the type advantage over your rival. It's less fun that way, because it's less of a challenge.

Edited November 20, 2012 by Descant

[linnyc 22]

I used my starter through the whole game, every game. They're usually level 100 half way through the game because i use them first in every battle. One time, I traded my (Lv. 100) Blastoise for a (Lv. 60) Charizard but I wanted my Pokemon back but they kid I traded with said no. I can remember crying for a whole day and my mom calling his mom and making him give my Pokemon back.

[Betez 1,735]

I almost always do did. For me, he'd always become the strongest, so I figured, why not?

 

Although I've tried to be better about getting my other pokemon to around the same level as him.

[Marshmallow 1,137]

I always keep my starter by my side for the whole game. It somehow wouldn't feel right to box away your faithful starter. Besides, they're often some of the coolest Pokemon in every generations. I don't overtrain my starter though and I don't treat him specially just because he's my starter. He's a member of the team and I like my whole team to be trained evenly.

 

I recently ditched my starter for a Starmie in Whîte 2 though. But it was post-league, and I tend to not really stick with a specific team after I've beaten the league anyway.

[Crystal Skull 54]

The only two starter Pokemon I have ever used throughout the whole game are Oshawott and Totodile if I spelled it right. But with Oshawott I used him both in White and Black 2.

[Colt 555]

With my Charizard HELL YES always, in fact I just play with 7 Pokemon each game, the same 7 Pokemon I have always trained.

I have transferred them since my PKM' Red. Now I have a Ruby Fire just for the sake of that team. All of them are on LVL 10 and each time I start a new PKM game I bring them to the adventure thet have been an amazing team each time.

[LunaEclipse 101]

I always use my starter for my first run through the game, but in the end when I make a competitive team, I tend to switch them out for another pokemon.

 

The only starter that ended up in my after-game team turned out to be Blaziken, because he's just a bad-ass.

[MorningFlash 214]

Well usually, your starter becomes the highest level pokemon in your party, well that's what's happened to me in the past few Pokemon games I've played. I always pick the fire type, I just think the grass type is useless and the water type is just puny.

[TopazReshiram 26]

I use my starter Pokemon until I am able to create a competitive well-balanced team. I then box away my starter if its not going to be on that team.

[Zygen 6,066]

I feel really weird not using my starter in any pokemon game, i always bring them to the very end, and I only don't use them in competetive teams, but I don't play competetive really anymore. So I pretty much use them all the time now lol.

Something about your starter makes you feel like you are obligated to use them, hard to explain. They are normally quite awesome looking though, so that may be part of it.

[Lando 81]

I always have my starter with me and they are usually the one I use the most and, as such, is usually the tank of my team. I almost never put my charizard away in the PC

[Cadance of Love 1,118]

I've always had the starter in my main team. I'd only take it out if it can't/doesn't learn/know surf or fly when i need to make space for other pokemon