Best Starter Teams

New to Pokemon Scarlet & Violet? Don't stress about your starter! This guide helps you pick the perfect early-game team with Diglett, Wooper, Fletchling, and more.

Alright, so you're diving into the Paldea region in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and wondering about the best Pokémon to grab early on, right? Don't sweat it! Picking the right team members from the get-go can make your journey through the gyms and story so much smoother. Let's talk about some awesome Pokémon you can snag right at the start to build a solid foundation for your adventure.

Here are some of my top picks for building a strong starter team:

• Diglett: If you're looking to swap out Lechonk early, Diglett is a fantastic ground-type. It's immune to Electric attacks, which is super handy, and it learns moves like Dig. You'll actually walk right past the Inlet Grotto where you can catch it on your way to the academy, so it's super convenient.
• Paldean Wooper: This little guy is a poison and ground type, making it a great counter to Grass and Electric Pokémon. You can find Paldean Wooper chilling near the lake just south of the East Los Platos Pokémon Center. Plus, it evolves into the awesome Clodsire at level 20 – totally worth it!
• Fletchling: Didn't pick Fuecoco as your starter? Then Fletchling is a must-have. It brings both Fire and Flying-type moves to your team, which is a killer combo. You can find Fletchling starting from Pocco Path onwards. It evolves into Fletchinder at level 17, so it gets strong pretty quickly.
• Hoppip: If Sprigatito wasn't your starter choice, Hoppip is a solid grass-type alternative for the early game. While it might not be a permanent fixture on your ultimate team, it gives you access to some really useful grass-type moves right from the start. It also evolves at level 18, so it's not a long wait.
• Psyduck: Didn't go with Quaxly? No problem! Psyduck is another great duck Pokémon you can find. It's versatile, offering both Water and Psychic-type moves, which gives you a lot of flexibility in battle. Just be aware that Psyduck takes a while to evolve into Golduck; you'll need to reach level 33.
• Pichu: Want an Electric-type early on? Head to the Pokémon Center just outside Mesagove, turn right, and go up the small hill. You'll find Pichu there. It's always fun to have a Pichu (and eventually a Pikachu!) on your team, and Pichu evolves when it's happy, so keep it close!
• Gastly: This one's a bit more of a hidden gem, but you can snag a Gastly before you even get deep into the story paths. Once you reach the East Los Platos Pokémon Center, hang a right and head up the hill. Keep going until you find some ruins – Gastly spawns frequently in the middle of them. Gastly evolves into Haunter at level 25, and then you can trade it to get the powerful Gengar!

Building a balanced team early on really sets you up for success. These Pokémon are all accessible pretty early and offer great type coverage to help you tackle whatever the Paldea region throws at you!