{"id":26647,"date":"2021-01-26T10:35:12","date_gmt":"2021-01-26T10:35:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.prod.gmgfarm.net\/?p=26647"},"modified":"2021-01-26T10:35:12","modified_gmt":"2021-01-26T10:35:12","slug":"pokemon-sword-shields-best-starters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/vpce-0921aaf1c67156043-4t1vg0wq.vpce-svc-0cf8d5d00172470c2.us-east-1.vpce.amazonaws.com\/pokemon-sword-shields-best-starters\/","title":{"rendered":"Pok\u00e9mon Sword &#038; Shield&#8217;s Best Starters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Choosing your starter in a Pok\u00e9mon game can feel like a huge decision. What you pick in those first few minutes can shape your entire adventure. Pok\u00e9mon Sword and Shield\u2019s starters are no exception &#8211; you\u2019ll choose a companion who\u2019ll be with you through every badge, every rival battle, and every Elite Four takedown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re diving into Sword and Shield for the first time or replaying it for a nostalgic trip to Galar, we\u2019ve put together a guide to help you pick the best starter for your journey &#8211; based on stats, type matchups, and how the game unfolds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, you can always go with the one that just <em>feels<\/em> right. Anyone who\u2019s suffered through Red and Blue\u2019s first few gyms with Charmander knows it can be worth the struggle. But if you\u2019re looking for the most optimized run? Read on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Grookey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/WpfX8-ZSYewfst0RK1kjcyOs5DA0RoU6l0oV_xi1pschDQGanTvk3YG4P-KHIr4DnZko9L6pBxIbEAgIrFIbu4BHsG0-tKPcJ-ZHPx3mjVcWbmRzRQZOIxl78lVlJyaXaNGdlCFp\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Grookey is your Grass-type starter, and like all Galar starters, they\u2019re charming from the get-go. Grookey evolves into Thwackey at level 16, and then into the powerhouse Rillaboom at level 35.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rillaboom boasts the highest HP of the trio and hits hard with physical attacks. If you want a starter that can soak up damage and strike back just as hard, Grookey\u2019s a solid pick. Plus, it has a strong showing early in the game\u2019s gym circuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scorbunny<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/iWpACTltTxDH1dc7Cxi08mzHgL2RI0YRrO8T3V2HctjRt2Z0I2zdNFreu-XgYiEcnJrxUtWLy_AWcppvURO9Sq6YeP9YO5tD-rQTYLVSF2MHhJkQvE5GXxcpcyypiPdk4azpF1JG\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This fiery little rabbit is all about speed and offense. Scorbunny evolves into Raboot at level 16 and then becomes the quick-footed Cinderace at level 35.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With great Attack and Speed, Scorbunny is built for aggressive playstyles. It also has the highest Special Defense of the three, helping it survive against tougher opponents later in the game. If you want fast-paced battles and quick victories, this is your starter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sobble<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/2CBTvOK6vuzA0sPaxfd69VmXRrJrGB4ZRW5RUtB8TL23phYXfaxyDOGtdug52F-ErFtrseCrIepHajJzpCihSYIUKu34y7xHFGEFlSwNbfuzLvbhxaAxTC1ddWNmNIiJdxLRJ_cK\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Sobble is your Water-type starter and maybe the most emotionally expressive Pok\u00e9mon in the series. It evolves into Drizzile at level 16 and then into the sleek, sharpshooting Inteleon at level 35.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sobble excels in Special Attack, making it ideal for players who prefer to stay at a distance and blast through opponents. While its defences are on the lower side, careful strategy can turn Inteleon into a devastating special attacker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best Pok\u00e9mon Sword and Shield Starter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/FQQhL0sJ6-y9tsdU7H-pFIaoSW1bgTYcuoFHbnvsBsuEyeDtqmfHLKqLx-fQ8-V8fTDkJxpZMrF4tbive6vHA-3qOUH85BJ5Si1g5BQaU2_Jn_68wtfuwUHs6NJDJrPBAS_pS5Jo\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It all depends on your playstyle. But if you&#8217;re looking for a stat-based breakdown:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Early Game Advantage<\/strong>:<br><em>Grookey<\/em> shines in the early gyms and can tank hits better than the others.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Late Game Strength<\/strong>:<br><em>Scorbunny<\/em> takes the lead later on, with high speed and offensive capabilities that scale well into the post-game.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, always choose the Pok\u00e9mon you love. You\u2019ll be spending a lot of time together, and no stat sheet beats that bond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>So &#8211; who\u2019s your pick in Pok\u00e9mon Sword and Shield? Whether it\u2019s for the look, the type, or the battle strategy, there\u2019s no wrong choice. Just go with your gut &#8211; and maybe a Pok\u00e9 Ball or two.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Choosing your starter in a Pok\u00e9mon game can feel like a huge decision. What you pick in those first few minutes can shape your entire adventure. Pok\u00e9mon Sword and Shield\u2019s starters are no exception &#8211; you\u2019ll choose a companion who\u2019ll be with you through every badge, every rival battle, and every Elite Four takedown. Whether &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/vpce-0921aaf1c67156043-4t1vg0wq.vpce-svc-0cf8d5d00172470c2.us-east-1.vpce.amazonaws.com\/pokemon-sword-shields-best-starters\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Pok\u00e9mon Sword &#038; Shield&#8217;s Best Starters&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26648,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,19],"tags":[696,773,1012,1153,1278],"class_list":["post-26647","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-guides","tag-game-freak","tag-guide","tag-main","tag-nintendo","tag-pokemon"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Pok\u00e9mon Sword &amp; Shield&#039;s Best Starters | Green Man Gaming<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Starting a Pok\u00e9mon game means a huge choice, but before you decide here\u2019s our guide to the best Pok\u00e9mon Sword &amp; 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