Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s starters are an interesting bunch, with two of the three being from Gen 2 and the third being one of the less popular Gen 5 starters. Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile all have the potential to become new fan favorites in Pokemon Legends: Z-A depending on how the game treats these starters. However, one of this trio of critters is in far more need of some improvements than the others, and Pokemon Legends: Z-A may be exactly what it needs to finally shine.
The player’s choice of starter in a given Pokemon game tends to impact the early game more than it does the late game when players are likely to have filled out their team a bit more. While less important to the main story of a game, a starter’s competitive potential is also something to take into consideration, with mons like Greninja, Rillaboom, and Incineroar being notable examples of all-time greats in this regard. However, Chikorita is infamously one of the worst starters in both of these areas, and Pokemon Legends: Z-A could give the mon a second chance at ranking among the franchise’s best.
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Pokemon Legends: Z-A – Why Were Its Starters Chosen?
After Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s latest trailer confirmed its starter Pokemon, there could be some interesting reasons behind Game Freak’s final choices.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Can Give Chikorita a New Lease on Life
Chikorita Has Historically Struggled as a Starter
Since it was introduced in the Gen 2 games, Chikorita has had a hard time standing out among the series’ starters. It was dealt a bad hand from the beginning, as Chikorita is the only starter in Pokemon Gold and Silver to be weak against the first two gyms. Trying to take on Falkner’s Flying types with Chikorita as a starter is a recipe for disaster without catching something like a Mareep or Geodude, and going against Bugsy’s Bug types can spell similar trouble.
Even after Chikorita reaches its final stage, it has a hard time standing toe to toe with the other Gen 2 starters. Meganium is a very defensively-oriented Pokemon stat-wise, with high Defense and Special Defense but mediocre stats in everything else. This stat spread severely limits the utility of Meganium in both a casual Johto playthrough as well as competitive play, and one of the best defensive Grass-type moves available to it in Leech Seed is locked as an egg move, requiring players to go through the extra step of breeding Meganium with another mon that already knows the move to obtain a Chikorita that knows Leech Seed.
Leech Seed was locked as an egg move for Chikorita until Gen 9 when it finally gained the ability to learn the move by level-up at level 23, or 26 for Bayleef and Meganium.
A New Form for Meganium Could Make the Critter the Best It’s Ever Been
Luckily, there is a good chance that Meganium will see a pretty significant improvement in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. A key part of Meganium’s utility comes from its ability to set up a defense for the party with moves like Light Screen and Reflect. However, with Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s transition to a full range of 3D movement for players and their mons during battle, moves like these may require a complete rework or a complete scrap altogether, opening the door for Meganium to fill a new niche.
With Meganium likely to gain a new form in Pokemon Legends: Z-A—whether it’s a regional variant or Mega Evolution—the critter could also see an entirely new moveset and stat spread. There is solid evidence to suggest that Meganium could gain the Fairy type via a new form, as Chikorita can be seen knowing the Fairy-type move Disarming Voice in the recent trailer—a move it couldn’t learn previously. Meganium gaining the Fairy type would do wonders for its usability since Fairy is one of the strongest types in the franchise and would be a massive step-up for the creature compared to its appearance in past games.
