Pokemon Champions Best Starter – Charizard, Tyranitar, or Pikachu?

Pokemon Champions is finally here, and one of the very first decisions you make in the game is also one of the most important ones. During the tutorial, you are asked to recruit your first Pokemon from a set list, and that recruit is permanent. It will stay in your Champions account forever. Choosing wisely from the start can save you a lot of time and Victory Points down the road, so here is a full breakdown of the best starters in Pokemon Champions and why they matter.

Why Your Starter Choice Matters

Unlike most Pokemon games, there is no going back on your tutorial recruit. The Pokemon you pick joins your account permanently, which means you need to think about what role it will fill and whether that role is actually useful in the metagame. Your starter pick also determines the rest of your initial team, so you are essentially choosing a full squad of six Pokemon, not just one.

The best starter depends primarily on the battle format you plan to play most. If you are leaning toward Single Battles, Pikachu is the recommended pick. If you want to play Double Battles, which is the more competitive format in Champions, Tyranitar is the stronger choice. However, a third popular recommendation is Charizard, which brings its own strengths to the table.

Charizard: Best for Weather Teams

Charizard Y is considered the best sun setter in the game thanks to its Drought ability. However, the Charizard you receive through the tutorial is set up as a physical attacker by default, which means it is not optimized for Mega Charizard Y right out of the box.

To get the most out of it, you will want to make the following adjustments using Victory Points:

• Change the nature from Adamant to Modest to maximize Special Attack output.
• Reallocate stat points away from physical Attack and into Special Attack.
• Build a moveset around moves like Heat Wave, Solar Beam, Air Slash, and Protect.

These changes will cost VP, but the result is one of the strongest weather sweepers in the game. The Charizard starter team also comes with Azumarill, Steelix, Whimsicott, Gengar, and Drampa, giving you a decent spread of support and offensive options.

Tyranitar: Best for Double Battles

If you plan to focus primarily on Double Battles, Tyranitar is the top recommendation. Selecting it gives you Arcanine, Whimsicott, Drampa, Aggron, and Sylveon as your starting lineup.

This team has standout competitive value across multiple roles:

• Tyranitar sets up sand with Sand Stream, and its Mega Evolution continues to keep the weather active. Tyranitar can be slotted into a wide range of team compositions and is considered one of the top 10 meta Pokemon in the game.
• Arcanine brings Intimidate, which lowers the Attack of both opposing Pokemon in Double Battles simultaneously. This makes it an especially valuable asset in the doubles format.
• Whimsicott is one of the best Tailwind setters in the game, with access to Encore and support moves like Moonblast and Energy Ball. Note that the tutorial version of Whimsicott does not come with speed control moves by default and needs to be trained to learn them.
• Sylveon has the Pixilate ability paired with Hyper Voice, letting it hit both opposing Pokemon with a strong Fairy-type spread move right away without any setup.

Pikachu: Solid Pick for Single Battle Players

For players focused on the Single Battle format, Pikachu is the recommended starting choice. Its team includes Kingambit, Garchomp, Azumarill, Gyarados, and Gengar, all of which are strong picks for Singles.

Garchomp alone is a massive pull. It is one of the highest-priority Pokemon to obtain in Champions incredibly strong and fast Pokemon that can fit on virtually any team. Gyarados provides an Intimidate option on the water side, and Gengar brings speed and power. If you lean more toward Special Attack-heavy teams, Palafin is another Single Battle option that pairs with Gengar, Aggron, Beedrill, Sylveon, and Hydreigon.

What About the Other Starter Options?

Beyond the top three, Champions offers a range of other tutorial starters including Armarouge, Lucario, Gardevoir, Absol, Altaria, and Snorlax. Most of these are solid Pokemon in their own right, but their accompanying teams are not as meta-relevant as the Charizard, Tyranitar, or Pikachu squads. Unless you specifically need one of these for a team concept you already have in mind, the three options discussed above will give you the strongest foundation.

Tips to Get More Out of Your Early Game

Regardless of which starter you pick, here are a few things you should do right after the tutorial to strengthen your roster:

• Check your mailbox immediately for early download bonuses, including a free Dragonite and a Quick Ticket.
• Complete the battle tutorials in the Train menu, as they award significant amounts of VP and several Mega Stones for Pokemon like Garchomp, Beedrill, Gyarados, and more.
• Claim your free daily recruit from the recruit screen. These are temporary for seven days unless you spend VP or a Recruitment Ticket to make them permanent.
• Use a Mystery Gift code if one is currently active. The current code “champion” in the sub menu rewards a free Machamp.
• Do not overlook the Battle Pass. The free tier already includes a Mega Dragonite Stone and Quick Coupons, which are genuinely useful early on.

Final Verdict

For most new players, Tyranitar is the best starter in Pokemon Champions if you plan to engage with ranked and competitive Double Battles, which is the primary format the game is built around. Charizard is an excellent alternative if you want to run a sun team and are willing to invest VP to optimize it early. Pikachu is a legitimate choice for Single Battle fans who want a balanced team right from the start.

Whichever you choose, make sure to supplement your roster through daily recruits, Pokemon HOME transfers, and the battle tutorial rewards. Your starter is just the beginning, and with consistent play and smart VP management, you can build a competitive team regardless of which route you take.

Also Read: Pokemon Champions Singles Tier List: Best and Worst Pokemon in Season 1 Meta

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