The Hoenn region became an option for Pokemon fans with the Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald versions. Emerald is the successor of the previous original games, mainly because of a series of differences, whether you count the gameplay or the actual battles.
Pokemon Emerald allows three options when starting the game, grass, fire, or water. Which Pokemon you choose will redefine the gameplay later on, as well as your advantages and disadvantages in battles. So, which option is better from Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip, and why?
Who Is The Best Starter in Pokemon Emerald?
If you’re like most newbies, you’ll probably pick something random or whatever seems suitable based on the initial stats. But choosing the best starter in Pokemon Emerald is more than that and implies thinking about your evolution in game as well.
At first, they all look similar. Fire Pokemon is more effective against grass Pokemon, while grass Pokemon is more effective than water Pokemon. Water Pokemon is also better against fire Pokemon, hence the confusion.
But the base stats are not everything, despite the differences that may push you in one direction or another. You’ll also have to think about the evolution stages of the Pokemon and further stats, not to mention the move sets.
You’ll also need to consider the gym leaders and how you’ll do against them, as well as the elite four and story battles. Without any help, chances are most newbies make a random pick that they might regret later on. With these thoughts in mind, here’s the best starter based on these considerations.
Mudkip
Mudkip is probably the best choice overall. The water Pokemon becomes Marshtomp once you reach level 16, which turns into Swampert as you get to level 36. Despite being a water Pokemon, its evolution is quite varied and makes your little monster a water and ground type later on.
At that stage, grass will be its only weakness.
Level 36 Swampert has a good base stat. Overall, it scores 535, a bit more than others. More importantly, it’s the most balanced one, as only one of them goes under 85. Attack and HP are its main strengths, yet its defense is also pretty high at 90.
The mud slap your Pokemon will learn in the beginning is relatively weak, but it offers good defense by lowering the enemy’s accuracy. On the other hand, the water gun is slightly better. Nothing special so far, yet your Pokemon will start shining after level 16, when the mud shot becomes a top hit.
Once you evolve to Swampert, you’ll also learn muddy water, as well as earthquakes.
Treecko
Treecko is a grass type Pokemon. At level 16, it turns into Grovyle, while evolving to level 36 will bring Sceptile out. Evolutions are quite impressive and will bring in a massive change in your game.
But back to the beginning, Treecko has grass advantages, so flying is its main weakness. Other than that, it will have issues with fire, poison, bug, and ice Pokemon. It sounds terrible, but on a more positive note, this is a monotype line. This means there are no 4x disadvantages, so that's a plus.
Given the grass type, Treecko has great speed in attacks. In terms of defense, it’s not too bad, but massive hits from opponents can definitely give it a shake.
The first move you'll learn is absorb, and it comes at level 6. Just like its further upgrades, this move is very helpful when you take big hits, as it regenerates health. Other than that, you’ll love the quick attack move once you reach level 11, not to mention agility, which boosts its speed even more at level 35.
The primary purpose of the Pokemon is to hit first and quick, rather than prolong a battle.
Torchic
Torchic is a cute fire Pokemon that, just like the other starters, comes with two upgrades. At level 16, you'll become Combusken, while level 36 will reveal Blaziken. Weaknesses include water, flying, ground, and psychic Pokemon.
The special attack is its main stat, coming at 110. It’s outweighed by the physical stat, ranked at 120. This means you’ll gain from fighting and fire attack moves. Having these stats high means there’s not much left for defense.
The first move you’ll learn is at level 11. The ember move will most likely be your top option until you reach level 36 and learn the blaze kick. The double kick move you’ll learn at level 16 is pretty nice too, but most people stick to the ember move.
As for utility moves, you’ll appreciate the bulk up and focus energy.
Challenges and Obstacles in Pokemon Emerald
The general concept in Pokemon Emerald is to battle as much as possible. When deciding on a starter, you need to consider who you'll battle, gym leaders, and the elite four.
Now, gym leaders represent the main challenges. There are eight of them. At this point, think about the composition of your team. As you gain levels and experience, you'll be able to fill up your team with all kinds of advanced Pokemon. The idea is to cover all kinds of benefits.
The first four gyms are the most important ones, so that’s where your focus is. If you can go through them without too much effort, your team will get incredibly strong as you gain levels, so the last four should be just as exciting.
Pokemon Emerald vs Elite Four
The elite four is one of the most interesting parts of the game. Indeed, the challenge is difficult, but it feels extremely rewarding once you complete it. There are a few members in the elite four, Sidney, Phoebe, Glacia, Drake, and Wallace.
You’re likely to face dual type Pokemon in this challenge, so you’ll need to consider each individual Pokemon.
Take Treecko, for instance. At the beginning, you have advantages over 5 Pokemon and disadvantages against 9 Pokemon. Torchic, on the other hand, has advantages against 6 Pokemon and disadvantages against 10 Pokemon.
On the other hand, Swampert has advantages over a single Pokemon only, with disadvantages against 2 Pokemon.
The ratio of advantages and disadvantages won’t be too different. Weaknesses are nearly two times higher than strengths. At this point, it’s mainly a matter of personal preferences.
Some people like the fact that Torchic has numerous advantages, but others may compare Swampert’s disadvantages with two Pokemon only. At this point, Swampert seems the better option. Given its HP, it can take a good beating while still being strong.
Conclusion
Bottom line, each starter has strengths and weaknesses, but overall, Mudkip seems the most balanced option in Pokemon Emerald. The concept is to reach a bit of equality between Pokemon, so differences won't be massive. Moreover, you should play whatever you find interesting and excitement in.