After Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, there's another type trio that the developers may want to experiment with for the series' starters. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet maintained the tradition that the series has kept with its starters since the beginning. However, there was an extra bit of flavor added to the mix in the latest generation. Of course, every generation's starters have had something that makes them unique. Even with that in mind, there's a real chance for the games to start getting a little more experimental. Scarlet and Violet made an excellent argument for doing just that very soon.

The types of Pokemon's starters have followed a pattern since the very first games. Each region's trio of starters has almost always consisted of a Grass-type, a Fire-type, and a Water-type. This has not only given every new game a sense of familiarity, it has ensured that every starter has a marked advantage over another in the trio, and the player's rival traditionally chooses the starter that's strong against their selection. This format even appears in spin-offs, such as Pokemon Legends: Arceus and Pokemon Trading Card Game. At this point, it's safe to say that the starter dynamic is here to stay.

Pokemon Yellow and the Let's Go! Games are the only mainline Pokemon titles to not use the usual starter formula.

Pokemon Has Another Type Trio That's Perfect For a Spin-Off's Set of Starters

An interesting quirk of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's starters is that there is a second type triangle among them. In addition to the usual Grass-Fire-Water trio, the fully-evolved starters also add Dark-Ghost-Fighting to the mix. Interestingly, the advantages for these types are reversed. For instance, Sprigatito's Grass typing is weak to Fuecoco's Fire from the start, but Meowscarada's Dark type has an advantage over Skeledirge's Ghost, making a more even fight between the two. Interestingly, the Dark-Ghost-Fighting triangle has appeared once before with the starters from Pokemon X and Y. The developers are clearly aware of this quirk, which is worth exploring further.

Dark, Fighting, and Ghost Work as Well as Grass, Fire, and Water

A Dark-Ghost-Fighting trio could work for the starters of Pokemon Legends: Z-A or some future spin-off. After having the same three types for starters throughout Pokemon's history, a change of pace would likely be welcomed by at least some players, even just for a single game. Plus, as previously mentioned, Dark, Ghost, and Fighting form a perfect circle of strengths and weaknesses just like Grass, Fire, and Water, albeit a less obvious one for series newcomers. Not to mention, each of those three types has several interesting Pokemon that could make for great starters, so the building blocks are all in place for the concept.

New Starter Types Could Change a Pokemon Spin-Off's Design Accordingly

This approach could add a bit more character to a future Pokemon spin-off game. Of course, there's the obvious benefit of completely new Pokemon being offered as starters, which would undoubtedly provide the game with a unique identity right away. This approach could also shake up the kinds of Pokemon that players will encounter early on, since there would be a new set of starter types around which to balance the early game. This is especially true in the case of Ghost-types, which resist the Normal moves that are very common at the beginning. This kind of shake-up could lead to a rather challenging new experience.

Dark, Ghost, and Fighting could very well be the next spin-off starter trio. While Pokemon's Generation 10 starters are almost guaranteed to repeat the usual Grass-Fire-Water triangle, a spin-off is the perfect ground for a new selection of starter types. The Pokemon series has found plenty of ways to innovate, both in the main series and spin-offs. Applying that creative approach to the starter formula feels like a natural evolution. A Dark-Ghost-Fighting starter trio is worth watching out for in a future Pokemon adventure.

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6 /10

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
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RPG
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Systems
super greyscale 8-bit logo
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Top Critic Avg: 71 /100 Critics Rec: 48%
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Released
November 18, 2022
ESRB
E For Everyone Due To Mild Fantasy Violence
Developer(s)
Game Freak
Publisher(s)
Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
Engine
Proprietary Engine
Multiplayer
Local Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play
no
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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The school that you’ve enrolled in as you play Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet hosts a special independent study project. The theme of this assignment is "A Treasure Hunt." Explore the world and seek out your very own treasure!

Three stories will be woven into your adventure while traversing the sprawling Paldea region. Along Victory Road, you will go to Gyms in different locations in order to to achieve Champion Rank. On the Path of Legends, you can join Arven in search of rare ingredients. And in ★ Starfall Street ★, you’ll challenge Team Star, a group of delinquents causing trouble for the school.

These stories are set in an open world, so where you go is all up to you. A world teeming with Pokémon and people to meet is waiting for you—traverse the Paldea region wherever you heart desires.

Genre(s)
RPG