- Primary Subject: Pokémon Series Starter Pokémon Typings
- Key Update: An editorial opinion argues that Pokémon should break its long-standing Fire, Water, and Grass starter tradition to allow for more creative designs and a more challenging early-game experience.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: January 20, 2026
- Quick Answer: While Pokémon has always used Fire, Water, and Grass starter types, changing them to new types could revolutionize early-game strategy, enemy balancing, and creature designs.
Whenever a person starts their Pokemon journey, they must pick one of three starters. No matter what game, whether it's the first one or the upcoming Winds and Waves, it's always a choice between a Fire, Water, or Grass type.
The series has never deviated from that, and we've essentially accepted that it will likely remain that way.
But while it's something we're used to, it shouldn't be. I think that at some point, Pokemon needs to stray away from the usual starter types and go with something completely different. I know some people might not like the idea, given that choosing among the elemental trio has always been a staple, but I do have a few reasons that may be convincing.
To start, it allows for much more unique designs. While I'm not saying the current starters' looks are bad, you have to admit that they can seem somewhat predictable. Whenever a new game releases, you expect that the three Pokemon you'll choose to start your journey with will be based on some sort of animal.
A few elements are mixed in to make them more unique, but at the end of the day, they're akin to creatures that you might see in real life. I understand that it keeps things simple and allows the developer to be more creative in thinking about their evolutions. While that is the case, it wastes the potential of making the initial stage of starter Pokemon even more unique and memorable.
So, the best thing to do is to go with new typings. Imagine if we had something like a Dark-type starter. Instead of following the usual animal motif, perhaps it could resemble a shadowy entity, or a monster that crawled from the depths of the void. There are so many different and interesting possibilities in terms of what it could look like, and this goes for every starter, so long as it's not stuck with the usual Fire, Grass, and Water typing.
Another good reason to stray from the usual starter formula is that it can change up the whole early game experience. Whenever a new entry in the series is worked on, the enemies at the beginning are balanced around the available choices. Since it's always Fire, Water, and Grass, you'd usually encounter normal-type Pokemon first to ensure you're not too strong against them, then gym leaders that are more or less neutral or weak against what you've chosen.
While it's great for ensuring the beginning goes smoothly, having it continuously revolve around the three Pokemon types has made things feel bland and repetitive. It's like you know there's going to be a bird or some other animal or plant-based creature that will either be used for grinding or as placeholders until you get the real team that you want, then deal with the major fights that will put up only the tiniest of struggles.
If Pokemon were to have new starter typings, then that would change completely. Because let's say that instead of Fire, Water, and Grass, we're instead given the choice of Dark, Psychic, and Fighting. Neutral early-game enemies like Normal types wouldn't work as they'd be decimated very easily, so we would likely get new ones like Rock, Fairy, or even Dragon.
That alone would change the game completely, as there's a better chance that they could be more interesting and strong enough that they won't just end up eventually being replaced and will instead become a solid part of the team until the end.
Also, it would mean that the early game gym leaders, or whatever you call them, as that might change with every new entry, would have to be radically different from what we're used to. New typings could mean we get something as early as a Dragon-type or even an Electric-type user right from the get-go.
They could have moves we aren't used to seeing at the beginning, and depending on the starter trio, it could be worked around that they're truly neutral with no advantages or disadvantages. That can truly change the early-game experience, making it much more challenging.
I understand that some would be against such a thing, considering the beginning should ease people into what they're in for, but there's a way to do that without being too easy. Also, making it harder would be good for new and returning players, as it can force them to actually strategize and think about how to win, rather than just plowing through with brute force.
It may already be late for Generation 10, but Nintendo and Game Freak could make the idea of new starter typings a reality moving forward. The change has too much interesting potential to go completely ignored, and while it won't be happening anytime soon, I'm confident that in due time, it will.
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