The most important question new Pokemon Legends: Z-A players will be asked on launch day is to choose between three starters to begin their journey with. Pokemon Legends: Z-A's starter trio is made up of Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile, and each is expected to receive a new Mega Evolution, if leaks are true. However, these three starters are not all created equal, and some recent reveals for Legends: Z-A could point to one option being the strongest choice of the bunch.
Without hard confirmation of Mega Evolutions for these starters, it's hard to pin down just how strong each one will potentially be. However, rumors suggest that Mega Meganium will become a Grass/Fairy type and Mega Feraligatr will become a Water/Dragon type. Despite Mega Emboar being rumored to remain a Fire/Fighting type, it may be in the best position to face some of the game's toughest battles after the recent Pokemon Presents introduced the Rust Syndicate as a foe players will need to overcome.
This Pokemon Legends: Z-A Starter Already Has One Hand Tied Behind Its Back
One particular starter Pokemon in Game Freak's upcoming Pokemon Legends: Z-A may face an uphill battle due to a rumored new form.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Players Have a Better Reason Than Ever to Choose Tepig as Their Starter
Pokemon's Best Starters Shine in Major Boss Fights
Determining the best starter for a given Pokemon game is largely subjective, but one metric is to judge how each one stacks up against major story battles players will have to face. For example, the best starter for a Gen 1 Pokemon playthrough is usually Bulbasaur because of how many Gym Leaders its Grass/Poison typing will be helpful against. Bulbasaur gets the advantage against Brock, Misty, Erika's Tangela, and Giovanni, while resisting Lt. Surge's Electric types, giving it a higher number of advantageous boss battles than Charmander or Squirtle.
With little known about what types of trainers players will face in the Z-A Royale during Pokemon Legends: Z-A's storyline, it can be hard to determine which of the three starters will be ideal at this time. However, some of the leaked details for Legends: Z-A that were recently supported by information revealed in the latest Pokemon Presents suggest that players who start with Emboar will have an advantage in several major battles. While it may be too early to say that Emboar is definitively the best starter choice in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, players considering choosing Tepig should at least feel secure in their choice.
Emboar is Perfect for Tackling The Rust Syndicate in Legends: Z-A
One of the biggest story details announced in the recent Pokemon Presents was the introduction of the Rust Syndicate, led by Corbeau. While official information on this organization is sparse, it's confirmed that players will battle Corbeau as a participant in the Z-A Royal and that he uses Arbok on his team. However, according to credible Pokemon Legends: Z-A leaks, Corbeau's ace is not Arbok but Mega Scolipede, a Bug/Poison type that would be weak to Emboar's super-effective Fire-type attacks.
Another member of the Rust Syndicate that remains unnamed appears alongside Corbeau in the latest Legends: Z-A trailer, but leaked information reveals his name to potentially be Phillipe. He is also allegedly a Steel-type specialist, with the leaked Mega Skarmory being his ace. Additionally, the background of the Rust Syndicate headquarters shown in the trailer is decorated with art of Steel types like Steelix and Kingambit, suggesting the organization has an affinity for the type. If this is true, Emboar will be especially useful in battles against the organization, as both its Fighting and Fire-type STAB attacks will be super effective, meaning players who choose Tepig as their starter will get a lot of mileage out of the mon.
Also leaked with this information is the revelation that Jett's secretary, Vinnie, will use Mega Lopunny as his ace, giving Emboar another major boss battle advantage.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
- Released
- October 16, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo, The Pokemon Company






