Best Starter Pokemon Sword Shield Ultimate Guide How Pick Your

Choosing the right starter Pokémon in Pokémon Sword and Shield can significantly impact your gameplay experience. Here’s a detailed guide to help you decide which starter is best for your journey.

The Three Starters: Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble

Each starter Pokémon has its unique strengths and weaknesses, making the choice dependent on various factors including your playstyle and the specific challenges you'll face in the game.

Grookey

Type: Grass
Pros: Grookey has high HP and a balanced set of stats, making it a reliable choice. Its final evolution, Rillaboom, is particularly strong against the first two gyms and can be effective against certain later gym leaders.
Cons: Grookey's low speed can be a disadvantage, and it struggles against the third gym, which is fire-type. It is best supported with water or ground-type Pokémon.
Recommended Nature: Adamant (Atk ↑, Sp.Atk ↓) or Jolly (Speed ↑, Sp.Atk ↓).

Scorbunny

Type: Fire
Pros: Scorbunny has high speed and attack power, making it strong against the first gym. Its final evolution, Cinderace, is highly effective with moves like Pyro Ball and can overpower steel-type Pokémon later in the game.
Cons: Scorbunny may struggle against the second gym, which is water-type. It is best supported with grass or electric-type Pokémon.
Recommended Nature: Adamant (Atk ↑, Sp.Atk ↓) or Jolly (Speed ↑, Sp.Atk ↓).

Sobble

Type: Water
Pros: Sobble has excellent special attack and speed scaling, making its final evolution, Inteleon, a powerful special sweeper. Inteleon is particularly useful in ranked battles and has strong coverage moves like Shadow Ball and Ice Beam.
Cons: Sobble may struggle against the first gym, which is grass-type. It is best supported with fire or flying-type Pokémon.
Recommended Nature: Modest (Sp.Atk ↑, Atk ↓) or Timid (Speed ↑, Atk ↓).

Gym Battles and Type Advantages

The first three gym leaders in Pokémon Sword and Shield specialize in grass, water, and fire types, respectively. Here’s how each starter fares against these gyms:

First Gym (Grass): Scorbunny has an advantage here because fire-type moves are super effective against grass-type Pokémon. Grookey will not take added damage but won’t have an advantage either. Sobble will be at a disadvantage.
Second Gym (Water): Sobble has an advantage here because water-type moves are super effective against fire-type Pokémon. Scorbunny will be at a disadvantage. Grookey will not take added damage but won’t have an advantage either.
Third Gym (Fire): Grookey has an advantage here because grass-type moves are super effective against fire-type Pokémon. Sobble will not take added damage but won’t have an advantage either. Scorbunny will be at a disadvantage.

Building a Team Around Your Starter

To progress smoothly through the game, it’s crucial to build a team that complements your starter Pokémon’s strengths and weaknesses. Catching other Pokémon that can counter your starter’s weaknesses will help you overcome challenges more easily.

Recommended Team Compositions

For Grookey: Catch water or ground-type Pokémon to support Grookey against fire-type gyms.
For Scorbunny: Catch grass or electric-type Pokémon to support Scorbunny against water-type gyms.
For Sobble: Catch fire or flying-type Pokémon to support Sobble against grass-type gyms.

Ranked Battle Considerations

If you're interested in ranked battles, Sobble's final evolution, Inteleon, stands out due to its high special attack and speed stats. Inteleon can learn powerful moves like Shadow Ball, Air Slash, and Ice Beam, making it highly competitive.

Breeding and Nature Considerations

Choosing a Female Starter

If you plan on breeding Pokémon, choosing a female starter is recommended. However, this may require restarting the game multiple times to get a female starter, as the probability is low.

Changing Nature

The nature of your starter Pokémon can be changed later in the game using an item called Mint. This allows you to optimize your starter's stats without worrying about the initial nature.

Final Evolution Stats and Moves

Each starter's final evolution has unique stats and move sets that can significantly impact your gameplay:

Rillaboom (Grookey): High attack power and HP but low speed. Effective against the first two gyms but struggles later on due to multiple weaknesses.
Cinderace (Scorbunny): High speed and attack power. Effective with moves like Pyro Ball but may not sweep well in gyms.
Inteleon (Sobble): High special attack and speed. Excellent special sweeper with strong coverage moves.

By considering these factors, you can make an informed decision about which starter Pokémon best fits your playstyle and helps you navigate the challenges of Pokémon Sword and Shield.