With Pokémon Legends: Arceus very nearly here, it's time to start thinking about partner Pokémon.

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Which starter Pokémon should you choose this time out? Will their cute child-like faces make your decision, or are you more interested in their powerful final evolutionary forms?

Near the start of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, you will be given a choice from three starter Pokémon - Rowlet, Cyndaquil and Oshawott - but only one of them can be your partner.

And if you're looking for some tips on picking your starter in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, you've come to the right place! Keep on reading for the key details!

What are the starter Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus?

Rowlet, Cyndaquil and Oshawott are the starter Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. You can pick whichever one you want to be your partner.

In a first-of-its-kind move for Nintendo and Game Freak's mainline Pokémon role-playing games, these three Pokémon all come from different generations and regions: Cyndaquil was first available in Gold & Silver's Johto region, Oshawott was first available in Black & White's Unova region, and Rowlet was first available in Sun & Moon's Alola region.

Nonetheless, these three creatures will be your trio to choose from in the Hisui region of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which is itself an early prototype of the Sinnoh region from Diamond and Pearl. It's important to remember that Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a prequel to all the previous games in this franchise, so it could rewrite any of the old lore if the developers see fit.

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Which starter Pokémon is best in Pokémon Legends: Arceus?

Which starter Pokémon should you choose to be your partner in Pokémon Legends: Arceus? That's a matter of personal preference, and you could base your choice entirely on which one you think is cutest.

In terms of thinking strategically, though, we'd argue that Rowlet is the best choice among the Pokémon Legends: Arceus starters. That's because he has two types covered - this creature will learn Grass and Flying moves, and having a mixture of both types in one slot could free up some space in your party!

Cyndaquil is a Fire-type and Oshawott is a Water-type, but Rowlet has dual purpose as a Grass/Flying type, so that would be our top pick. That being said, we haven't been able to play the game yet, so it's hard to know exactly which types will be most useful. Near the start, that's when you normally feel the benefit of your starter pick the most.

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What are the evolutions and final forms of the starter Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus?

From left to right: Decidueye, Typhlosion and Samurott.
From left to right: Decidueye, Typhlosion and Samurott. Nintendo/Game Freak

If you're wondering what this means in terms of evolutions and final forms of the starters in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, this is what you need to know! Normally, these are the evolutions you get from these creatures:

  • Rowlet evolves into Dartrix at level 17, and then into Decidueye at level 34
  • Cyndaquil evolves into Quilava at level 14, and then into Typhlosion at level 36
  • Oshawott evolves into Dewott at level 17, and then into Samurott at level 36

However, there could be big changes to this established set of rules in Pokémon Legends: Arceus! You can learn more on that below.

Do the starter Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus have new final forms?

There could be special Hisuian final forms in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
There will be special Hisuian final forms in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Nintendo/Game Freak

"You may have met Dartrix, Quilava, and Dewott in your other adventures," the developers of Pokémon Legends: Arceus teased in the description for a recent trailer on YouTube. "But you’ve never encountered their Hisui region Evolutions."

The image above has also been shared through official channels, seeming to showcase some brand-new silhouettes for Rowlet, Cyndaquil and Oshawott's final forms. It would seem that, in the Hisui region of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, these popular pocket monsters will have new final evolutions.

Regional variants like this have become increasingly common in the Pokémon franchise over the last few years, with Sun & Moon's Alola region and Sword & Shield's Galar region previously housing their own unique versions of pre-established Pokémon.

With all of this in mind, then, the launch of Pokémon Legends: Arceus just got a little bit more interesting! We'll be sure to update this page when we learn more about Rowlet, Cyndaquil and Oshawott's region-based changes. Until then, the trailer below has some extra teases for you.

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Authors

Rob Leane Gaming Editor
Rob LeaneGaming Editor

Rob Leane is the Gaming Editor at Radio Times, overseeing our coverage of the biggest games on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC, mobile and VR. Rob works across our website, social media accounts and video channels, as well as producing our weekly gaming newsletter. He has previously worked at Den of Geek, Stealth Optional and Dennis Publishing.

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