Pokémon Legends: Z-A starters: Chikorita, Tepig or Totodile?

Which three partners are offered?

The official Pokémon Legends: Z-A site names Chikorita, Tepig and Totodile as first partner choices. They are associated with Grass, Fire and Water respectively, providing three familiar starting type identities.

There is no universal best starter for every player. This guide deliberately avoids inventing final-stage damage rankings or claiming one line is fastest without independent testing in the current game build.

How the basic type triangle helps

At a foundational level, Fire is strong against Grass, Water against Fire and Grass against Water. That relationship helps explain why no single choice is automatically superior in every fight.

Type advantage is only one part of Z-A because battles happen in real time. Timing, the move you use and the opponent’s positioning can all change the outcome. You should not treat a type advantage as guaranteed victory.

1. 01Choose a companion you enjoy using.
2. 02Build supporting teammates with different type coverage.
3. 03Practice move timing rather than relying only on the starter’s type.

Plan a team rather than a single overpowering pick

The game introduces more Pokémon throughout Lumiose City, so later team options can cover weaknesses your starter has. Evaluate missing coverage as you encounter new species rather than restarting because a web tier list changes.

The developer’s list of revealed Pokémon can grow over time. Use the linked official game page for confirmed first partners and forms; any exact encounter location should be independently verified before being added as a map reference.