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At the beginning of their quest, [[Pokémon Trainer|trainer]]s are given a '''starter Pokémon''' (Japanese: '''はじめてのポケモン''' ''Hajimete no Pokémon'' or '''さいしょのポケモン''' ''saisho no Pokémon''). This [[Pokémon]] will be used to [[battle]] the first [[wild]] Pokémon that the trainer encounters. Once another Pokémon is caught, the starter may be retired, but it is often with this Pokémon that trainers learn friendship and trust. As such, even advanced trainers may still use their starters.

==In the games==
In the main [[games]], each starter Pokémon is at [[level]] 5, armed with one damage-dealing [[move]] and another that affects [[stat]]s. Generally, trainers can choose between a {{t|Fire}}, {{t|Water}}, or {{t|Grass}} Pokémon, with a few exceptions. The trainer that will be designated as the player's [[rival]] will always choose or have the Pokémon of the starter trio that weakens the player's, though it may not be the case that they remain the true rival.

The following is a list of starters by region: 
===Normal starters===
====Main series====
=====[[Kanto]]=====
In [[Pokémon Red and Blue|Pokémon Red, Blue]], [[Pokémon Green|Green]], and [[Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen|FireRed and LeafGreen]], [[Professor Oak]] will bring trainers to his lab to give them one of the following to begin their journey:

{| style="text-align: center; font-size:85%; margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"
|-
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:001.png]]<br />'''{{p|Bulbasaur}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:004.png]]<br />'''{{p|Charmander}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:007.png]]<br />'''{{p|Squirtle}}'''
|}

The player's [[Blue (game)|rival]] will then pick the type-advantageous starter, and the remaining Pokémon will sit in the [[Poké Ball]] on Oak's desk for the rest of the game.

In [[Pokémon Yellow]], Oak instead gives out:

{| style="text-align: center; font-size:85%; margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"
|-
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:025.png]]<br />'''{{p|Pikachu}}'''
|}

This Pikachu is the same one that attacked the player when they ventured onto [[Route 1]] that Oak caught, which will be the only choice the player gets.  Another notable change here involves the player's rival receiving an {{p|Eevee}} from Oak, which will evolve into one of its three [[Generation I]] evolutions, depending on the outcome of the battles between the player and the rival.  It should be noted that during the adventure, the player will be able to get the original three Kanto starters through special events not present in the earlier games.

=====[[Johto]]=====
In [[Pokémon Gold and Silver|Poké Gold, Silver]] and [[Pokémon Crystal|Crystal]], [[Professor Elm]] will have an errand for the player to run, and will give them one of the following for protection on this errand, which they will then keep after completion: 

{| style="text-align: center; font-size:85%; margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"
|-
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:152.png]]<br />'''{{p|Chikorita}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:155.png]]<br />'''{{p|Cyndaquil}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:158.png]]<br />'''{{p|Totodile}}'''
|}

After the player meets with [[Mr. Pokémon]] and receives a [[Pokédex]] from [[Professor Oak]], Professor Elm will call the player to tell them that [[Silver (game)|a thief]] has taken a Pokémon. As the player returns to [[New Bark Town]], he or she will encounter the thief, who will have the stolen Pokémon, the one with the type advantage over the player's own. From this point onward, the thief will be the player's rival, while Professor Elm keeps the Pokémon that was left behind by the thief on his desk for the remainder of the game.

=====[[Hoenn]]=====
In [[Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire|Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire]] and [[Pokémon Emerald|Emerald]], after [[Professor Birch]] is rescued from a {{p|Poochyena}} (R/S) or {{p|Zigzagoon}}, (E) he allows the player to keep the Pokémon they chose to rescue him with, either: 

{| style="text-align: center; font-size:85%; margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"
|-
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:252.png]]<br />'''{{p|Treecko}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:255.png]]<br />'''{{p|Torchic}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:258.png]]<br />'''{{p|Mudkip}}'''
|}

The player's neighbor, [[Brendan (game)|Brendan]] or [[May (game)|May]], already has his or her starter, which is always the one with the type advantage. [[Wally]] starts with {{p|Ralts}}; he seeks [[Norman|Norman's]] and the player's assistance in catching his first Pokémon. Strangely enough, by the end of the game, it seems that the player's nominal rival, the son/daughter of Professor Birch, has stopped being a trainer, and Wally is actually the true rival.

=====[[Sinnoh]]=====
In [[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl]], when a {{p|Starly}} attacks the player at [[Lake Verity]], to which they travel upon hearing reports of a [[alternate coloration|red]] {{p|Gyarados}}, they will choose one of the following from [[Professor Rowan]]'s briefcase, which he left at the lake:

{| style="text-align: center; font-size:85%; margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"
|-
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:387.png]]<br />'''{{p|Turtwig}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:390.png]]<br />'''{{p|Chimchar}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:393.png]]<br />'''{{p|Piplup}}'''
|}

The player's [[Pearl (game)|in-game neighbor]] will choose the one that has a type advantage against the player's choice, and the NPC who is the other-gender choice ([[Lucas (game)|Lucas]]/[[Dawn (game)|Dawn]])  will have the Pokémon weak to the player's choice. After fighting off the Starly and returning the briefcase to Rowan, the professor will allow the player and Pearl to keep their choices.  Rowan also allows Lucas/Dawn to keep the remaining Pokémon. Compared to previous games more NPC trainers use starter Pokémon than before, with notable figures such as the [[Gym Leader]] [[Gardenia]] and [[Elite Four]] member [[Flint (Elite Four)|Flint]] using them as well as several other trainers.

====Side series====
=====[[Orre]]=====
In [[Pokémon Colosseum]]:

{| style="text-align: center; font-size:85%; margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"
|-
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:196.png]]<br />'''{{p|Espeon}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:197.png]]<br />'''{{p|Umbreon}}'''
|}

A first for the Pokémon games, these starter Pokémon come as a pair as to represent the Double-Battle system, and are also different in that they are in the player's possession right at start of play. Umbreon is at level 26, knowing the [[TM]] moves [[Taunt]] and [[Snatch]], as well as [[Bite]] which is otherwise only available through [[breeding]] at such a level. Espeon is at level 25, knowing the TM moves [[Return]] and [[Reflect]].

In [[Pokémon XD]]:

{| style="text-align: center; font-size:85%; margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"
|-
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:133.png]]<br />'''{{p|Eevee}}'''
|}

This starter Pokémon is also in the player's possession right at the beginning. It is at level 10, knowing Bite which is again unique for this level. At an early point in the game, the player is offered one of five evolutionary items, {{i|Water Stone}}, {{i|Thunder Stone}}, {{i|Fire Stone}}, {{i|Moon Shard}} and {{i|Sun Shard}}, to make the Eevee evolve into any of its [[Generation III|(then)]] [[Eeveelution|five evolutions]].

===Special starters===
=====[[Fiore]]=====

{| style="text-align: center; font-size:85%; margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"
|-
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:311.png]]<br />'''{{p|Plusle}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:312.png]]<br />'''{{p|Minun}}'''
|}

This is the only Pokémon that the player will keep throughout [[Pokémon Ranger]]. Instead of being a choice based on which Pokémon is more appealing, it is dependent on the player's gender choice, Plusle belonging to [[Solana]] and Minun belonging to [[Lunick]].

=====[[Pokémon World (Mystery Dungeon)|Pokémon World]]=====
In [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon]]:

{| style="text-align: center; font-size:85%; margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"
|-
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:001.png]]<br />'''{{p|Bulbasaur}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:004.png]]<br />'''{{p|Charmander}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:007.png]]<br />'''{{p|Squirtle}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:025.png]]<br />'''{{p|Pikachu}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:052.png]]<br />'''{{p|Meowth}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:054.png]]<br />'''{{p|Psyduck}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:066.png]]<br />'''{{p|Machop}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:104.png]]<br />'''{{p|Cubone}}'''
|-
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:133.png]]<br />'''{{p|Eevee}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:152.png]]<br />'''{{p|Chikorita}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:155.png]]<br />'''{{p|Cyndaquil}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:158.png]]<br />'''{{p|Totodile}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:252.png]]<br />'''{{p|Treecko}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:255.png]]<br />'''{{p|Torchic}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:258.png]]<br />'''{{p|Mudkip}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:300.png]]<br />'''{{p|Skitty}}'''
|}

In [[Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2]]:
{| style="text-align: center; font-size:85%; margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"
|-
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:001.png]]<br />'''{{p|Bulbasaur}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:004.png]]<br />'''{{p|Charmander}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:007.png]]<br />'''{{p|Squirtle}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:025.png]]<br />'''{{p|Pikachu}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:052.png]]<br />'''{{p|Meowth}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:152.png]]<br />'''{{p|Chikorita}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:155.png]]<br />'''{{p|Cyndaquil}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:158.png]]<br />'''{{p|Totodile}}'''
|-
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:252.png]]<br />'''{{p|Treecko}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:255.png]]<br />'''{{p|Torchic}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:258.png]]<br />'''{{p|Mudkip}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:300.png]]<br />'''{{p|Skitty}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:387.png]]<br />'''{{p|Turtwig}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:390.png]]<br />'''{{p|Chimchar}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:393.png]]<br />'''{{p|Piplup}}'''
! style="width:80px" | [[Image:446.png]]<br />'''{{p|Munchlax}}'''
|}
In these games, instead of the player choosing a Pokémon to train at start, depending on choices made on a test, the player '''''becomes''''' one of these Pokémon.

==In the anime==
[[Image:EP001 003.jpg|thumb|A poster on Ash Ketchum's bedroom wall, depicting the Kanto Starter Pokémon.]]
Upon their tenth birthday, youth can register for a [[Pokédex]] and pick up a starter Pokémon from the local [[Pokémon professor]] or [[Pokémon Center]] free of charge. Starters are usually raised specifically to be easy to train.

Like in the games, the specific starter Pokémon available vary from region to region, but are the same in each region as the games. That is, Kanto trainers can only choose Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle, Johto trainers can only choose Chikorita, Cyndaquil, or Totodile, and so on.

Other rookie trainers may receive their first Pokémon from a friend or relative instead; this means that trainers can, in fact, start with any Pokémon, provided that their first Pokémon is received from someone that is not sanctioned by the Pokémon League.

===List of starter Pokémon in the anime===
* [[Ash Ketchum]] received a [[Ash's Pikachu|Pikachu]] from [[Professor Oak]].
* [[Gary Oak]] received a {{p|Squirtle}} from Professor Oak that [[evolve]]d into a [[Gary's Blastoise|Blastoise]].
* [[Brock]] received an {{p|Onix}} from [[Flint (anime)|his father]] that now belongs to his brother, [[Forrest]], with whom it evolved into a [[Brock's Steelix|Steelix]].
* [[James]]'s first Pokémon is his pet {{p|Growlithe}} named [[Growlie]].  However, he left it at home when he ran away.
* [[Ritchie]] may have started with a {{p|Charmander}}, now a [[Zippo|Charmeleon]], as it is the only Pokémon on his [[party|team]] that is a starter Pokémon in any of the standard regions, excepting his [[Sparky|Pikachu]].
* [[Sammy Oak]] started with a Charmander, which is a Charmeleon as of [[Pokémon 4Ever]].
* [[Casey]] received a {{p|Chikorita}} from Professor Elm that evolved into a [[Casey's Meganium|Meganium]].
* [[Jimmy (Legend of Thunder)|Jimmy]] received a {{p|Cyndaquil}} from [[Professor Elm]] that evolved into a [[Jimmy's Typhlosion|Typhlosion]].
* [[Marina (Legend of Thunder)|Marina]] received a {{p|Totodile}} from Professor Elm that evolved into a [[Wani-Wani|Feraligatr]].
* [[Vincent]] also received a Chikorita from Professor Elm, which is as well now a [[Vincent's Meganium|Meganium]].
* [[May (anime)|May]] received a {{p|Torchic}} from [[Professor Birch]] that evolved into a [[May's Blaziken|Blaziken]].
* [[Harrison (Johto League)|Harrison]] also received a Torchic from [[Professor Birch]], which is as well now a [[Harrison's Blaziken|Blaziken]].
* [[Gilbert (Kanto)|Gilbert]] ([[H014]]) received a Bulbasaur from Professor Oak.
* [[Dawn (anime)|Dawn]] received a [[Dawn's Piplup|Piplup]] from [[Professor Rowan]].
* [[Paul]] has a [[Paul's Chimchar|Chimchar]] the first time he is seen.  However, his starter Pokémon was in fact a [[Paul's Torterra|Turtwig]].
* [[Max]] intends to begin his journey with a {{p|Ralts}} that he met in [[AG109]].  This is possibly a reference to [[Wally]]'s starter Pokémon in the games.

Several characters have also captured Pokémon in the wild that are, in the games, only available as starter Pokémon.
* Ash Ketchum captured a [[Ash's Bulbasaur|Bulbasaur]], a {{p|Charmander}}, and a [[Ash's Squirtle|Squirtle]] in quick succession in the [[Kanto]] region. Of the three, only Charmander evolved, becoming a {{p|Charmeleon}}, and later a [[Ash's Charizard|Charizard]], both of which were ''very'' disobedient to Ash until [[EP105|an incident]] in the [[Orange Archipelago]], after which it served Ash as it had when it was a Charmander. Bulbasaur was also going to evolve, but decided itself against becoming an {{p|Ivysaur}} in [[EP051]].
* Ash also captured the three [[Johto]] region starters, {{p|Chikorita}}, [[Ash's Cyndaquil|Cyndaquil]] and [[Ash's Totodile|Totodile]], of which only Chikorita evolved, into [[Ash's Bayleef|Bayleef]].
* Ash captured as well a {{p|Treecko}} in [[Hoenn]], while Brock captured a {{p|Mudkip}}. Treecko evolved twice, becoming [[Ash's Sceptile|Sceptile]] before Ash left it at [[Professor Oak]]'s lab, while Brock's Mudkip evolved into [[Brock's Marshtomp|Marshtomp]]. Along with May's {{p|Torchic}}, the traveling trio had the three starters of Hoenn.
* In [[Sinnoh]], Ash repeated himself by capturing [[Ash's Turtwig|Turtwig]], while his rival [[Paul]] owns a [[Paul's Chimchar|Chimchar]] and a [[Paul's Torterra|Torterra]], and [[Dawn (anime)|Dawn]] herself has the third, [[Dawn's Piplup|Piplup]]. This is an imitation of the games: the rival (Paul) has the starter strong against the main character's (Ash) while the partner (Dawn) has the starter weak against the main character's.
* Gary Oak has had his {{p|Eevee}} at least since Ash was traveling in the [[Orange Islands]]. As it was revealed to be under his ownership before his Blastoise, it caused many to hearken back to [[Pokémon Yellow]], where the player starts with {{p|Pikachu}}, like Ash, and the rival starts with Eevee. Either way, it was disproven that this was the case when Gary finally revealed his Blastoise to Ash. His Eevee evolved into [[Gary's Umbreon|Umbreon]].

==Trivia==
* Of the four {{type2|Fire}} starters, three of them have a Japanese name beginning with ヒ ''hi'': ''Hitokage'', ''Hinoarashi'', and ''Hikozaru''. Those same three have names starting with a ''C'' in the English language versions: {{p|Charmander}}, {{p|Cyndaquil}}, and {{p|Chimchar}}, respectively.
* All starters in the normal series of games start off having only their native type - Grass, Water, or Fire. Only one of them starts off with a second type: {{p|Bulbasaur}}, who is part {{t|Poison}}.
* Usually upon [[evolution]], the starter Pokémon gain another type. However, {{p|Blastoise}}, the three [[Johto]] starters' final forms ({{p|Meganium}}, {{p|Typhlosion}}, and {{p|Feraligatr}}), and {{p|Sceptile}} never gain a second type.
* The final forms of the starters also vary in type based on their region. All three of the Johto region's starters never gain a second type, while all three of the [[Sinnoh]] region's starters do have a second type. It should be noted that the Sinnoh starters' secondary types are configured so that each is theoretically a perfect match for each other. [[Kanto]] and [[Hoenn]] both have two of their starters' final forms having two types, while the third has only one.
* All of the Kanto starters, excepting {{p|Pikachu}}, can interbreed, being in the [[Egg groups#Monster|Monster]] egg group. The {{p|Chikorita}} and {{p|Totodile}} families join them, however, {{p|Cyndaquil}}'s family is instead in the [[Egg groups#Ground|Ground]] group, a pattern that would continue into [[Generation III]] where both {{p|Treecko}} and {{p|Mudkip}} were in the Monster group while {{p|Torchic}} was in the Ground group. Finally, in [[Generation IV]], only {{p|Turtwig}} is in the Monster group, leaving both {{p|Piplup}} and {{p|Chimchar}} in the Ground group.
*For [[DP001]], [[Professor Oak's lecture]] is about the starter Pokémon of Sinnoh.  He writes this [[Pokémon senryū]] about them: シンオウで　たびがはじまる　ポケモンと ''Shin'ō de tabi ga hajimaru Pokémon to.'' "In [[Sinnoh]], a journey begins with Pokémon."
*Each of the {{type2|Grass}} starters is based on a reptilian creature, with Bulbasaur and Chikorita being based on [[wp:dinosaur|dinosaur]]s, Treecko on [[wp:gecko|gecko]]s, and Turtwig on [[wp:turtle|turtle]]s.
*None of the {{type2|Water}} starters have any differences between genders.
*None of the Sinnoh region's starters have any differences between genders, despite this feature having been introduced in that generation.
*A [[Red (game)#Super Smash Bros.|new character]] in [[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]] based on a [[Pokémon Trainer|Trainer]] uses a team of {{p|Squirtle}}, {{p|Ivysaur}} and {{p|Charizard}}—one member from each of the Kanto starters' evolutionary lines.
*All of the Kanto starters are based off of reptiles. (dinosaur, salamander, turtle)
*{{p|Charmander}} and {{p|Treecko}} are both based off of lizards. (salamander, gecko)
*{{p|Squirtle}} and {{p|Turtwig}} are both based off of turtles.
*{{p|Torchic}} and {{P|Piplup}} are both based off of birds. (chicken, penguin)
*{{p|Cyndaquil}}, {{p|Pikachu}}, and {{P|Chimchar}} are the only main series starters based off of mammals, a hedgehog, a mouse, and a young chimpanzee, respectively.
[[Category:Terminology]]
[[Category:Starter Pokémon|*]]