TL;DR
- You pick 1 of 10 starter Pokemon after the tutorial — each one unlocks a full team of 6 for free.
- Pikachu gives the best overall team for Singles (Kingambit, Garchomp, Azumarill, Gyarados, Gengar).
- Tyranitar is the best pick for Doubles — brings weather, Intimidate, and speed control.
- Dragonite is always available to all players regardless of who you pick.
- After the tutorial, prioritize recruiting Incineroar from Roster Ranch — it is the top Doubles Pokemon in the current meta.
- You can also recruit any starter you missed through Roster Ranch later, but you won’t get the bonus team again.
Your very first decision in Pokemon Champions matters more than it looks. You are not just picking one Pokemon. You are picking an entire free team of six. That starter team costs nothing. Every recruit after that costs Victory Points (VP).
So before you tap on the first Pokemon you like the look of, it is worth knowing what you are actually getting. This guide covers which starter is right for you, and which Pokemon to chase from Roster Ranch after that.
You can download the game for free on the Nintendo eShop and check the full roster on the official Pokemon Champions site.
How the Starter System Works
After you complete the introductory battle, the game gives you a choice of 10 starter Pokemon. Pick one. Then five more Pokemon join your team automatically based on who you chose. That is your starting squad.
A few important things to know before you pick:
The lineups are fixed. Every starter comes with a set group of five teammates. There is no randomness here. If you pick Pikachu, you know exactly who fills the other five slots.
This is the only time you get a full team for free. Every Pokemon you recruit after this costs VP or a Teammate Ticket. Roster Ranch gives you a free trial every 22 hours, but permanent recruitment costs resources. Use this moment wisely.
You can get missed starters later. Any of the 10 starter Pokemon can appear in Roster Ranch for recruitment after the tutorial. But if you recruit one that way, you only get that single Pokemon — not the full bonus team.
Dragonite is always free. Every player gets Dragonite added to their team regardless of which starter they choose. Factor that into your planning before you pick.
Check out the full Pokemon Champions Pokemon list to see every available Pokemon in the game.
Best Starter for Singles: Pikachu
If you plan to play Single Battles, pick Pikachu.
Pikachu itself is not the most powerful Pokemon in the meta on its own. But the team it brings with it is one of the strongest starting lineups in the game.
The Pikachu team:
- Pikachu
- Kingambit
- Garchomp
- Azumarill
- Gyarados
- Gengar
This is an incredibly strong physical offense squad. Kingambit is a top-tier late-game sweeper. Garchomp is one of the best Pokemon in the entire game right now — consistently appearing in the Singles S-tier. Azumarill with Huge Power hits extremely hard. Gyarados brings Intimidate for defensive utility. Gengar adds Ghost-type coverage and speed.
You are getting five competitively viable Pokemon in one pick. That is a huge head start without spending a single VP.
The takeaway: do not judge this choice by Pikachu’s individual stats. The team it unlocks is what makes it so valuable for Singles players.
Best Starter for Doubles: Tyranitar
If you plan to play Double Battles, pick Tyranitar.
Doubles is actually the primary competitive format in Pokemon Champions — it is what VGC events use. So if you want to climb the ranked ladder or eventually compete, Doubles is where to focus.
The Tyranitar team:
- Tyranitar
- Arcanine
- Whimsicott
- Drampa
- Aggron
- Sylveon
Tyranitar is the only starter with access to a weather condition — Sand Stream activates a permanent sandstorm on entry. That passive damage chips opponents every turn and boosts Tyranitar’s Special Defense.
Arcanine brings Intimidate, which lowers the Attack of both opposing Pokemon simultaneously in Double Battles. That is immediate board control from turn one.
Whimsicott is a Prankster user, meaning its priority moves always go first. It can learn Tailwind for speed control and Trick Room support, giving your team serious flexibility. Note that the starter Whimsicott does not come with speed control moves by default — you will need to train those moves in.
Sylveon with Pixilate and Hyper Voice deals Fairy-type spread damage to both opponents without any setup. That is immediately useful.
Two sources of Intimidate, weather, spread damage, and speed control — all in one free team. For Doubles, this is the right choice.
Other Solid Starter Options
Not everyone plays Singles or Doubles exclusively. Here are a couple of other picks worth considering.
Palafin — Good for Singles players who prefer Special Attack-oriented teams. The team includes Gengar, Hydreigon, Sylveon, Beedrill, and Aggron. Palafin also has a unique mechanic: switching it out and back into battle activates its Hero Form, which dramatically increases its power. Rewarding for players who enjoy tactical switching.
Gardevoir — A popular early choice due to its Fairy and Psychic typing. Gardevoir resists Dragon-type moves, which is useful given how common Garchomp is in the meta. It can also run the Telepathy ability in Doubles, making it immune to your own teammate’s Earthquake damage — a great pairing with Garchomp.
Charizard — Familiar and popular, but comes with a weaker supporting team. Worth picking only if you specifically want Charizard and plan to invest VP into filling gaps early.
Who to Recruit First from Roster Ranch
Once your starter team is set, the next question is who to go after from Roster Ranch.
Roster Ranch refreshes every 22 hours. You can permanently recruit Pokemon using VP or Teammate Tickets. The meta is still forming, but the early consensus is clear on a few priority targets.
For more details on getting new Pokemon and managing your roster, see our guide on how to get more Pokemon in Pokemon Champions.
Priority #1: Incineroar (Doubles Players)
Incineroar is the single most impactful recruit you can make if you play Doubles.
It has Intimidate, which lowers both opposing Pokemon’s Attack on entry. It has Fake Out for guaranteed first-turn disruption. It has Parting Shot, which lets it debuff opponents and safely reposition — triggering Intimidate again when it re-enters. No other Pokemon in the game combines these tools into one slot.
Incineroar fits into almost every team archetype. Balance, Trick Room, Sun, Stall — it works in all of them. It is consistently at the top of Doubles tier lists and appears on the majority of high-ranked teams in the current meta.
If you did not get Incineroar in your starter team, make it your first Roster Ranch priority.
Priority #2: Garchomp (Singles and Doubles)
Garchomp is a top-tier Pokemon in both formats. It has excellent base stats across the board, natural high Speed, and access to AoE moves like Earthquake that pressure multiple opponents in Doubles.
In Singles, Garchomp is an S-tier threat alongside Hippowdon at the top of the current rankings. In Doubles, it is a consistent A-tier pick that threatens most meta teams when not facing Ice-type moves.
If your starter team did not include Garchomp — which the Pikachu team does — this should be high on your Roster Ranch wish list.
Priority #3: Kingambit (Doubles and Singles)
Kingambit is a top-tier sweeper in both formats. In Doubles, it works brilliantly alongside Incineroar — when Intimidate activates, Kingambit’s Defiant ability triggers, giving it a +2 Attack boost. That means your opponent’s Intimidate actually makes Kingambit more dangerous.
In the late game, Kingambit’s Supreme Overlord ability boosts its Attack for every fainted ally on your team, making it an excellent closer.
The Pikachu starter team includes Kingambit for free. If you did not pick Pikachu, this is worth chasing from Roster Ranch.
Priority #4: Dragonite (Always Free — But Customize It)
You get Dragonite for free. Every player does. But its default moveset and stat spread may not match your team’s strategy.
Dragonite works well in Doubles as a physical attacker that is immune to Earthquake — excellent for pairing with Garchomp. It can also run Tailwind for speed control. Customize it through the training menu to match your specific build needs.
Read our guide on how to train EVs and change Nature in Pokemon Champions to get the most out of Dragonite and every Pokemon you recruit.
Best Mega Evolution Targets to Look For
When you recruit Pokemon, keep an eye out for ones with strong Mega Evolutions. Mega Evolution is the primary battle mechanic in Pokemon Champions and can swing games dramatically.
The current top Mega options are:
- Mega Delphox — Top-tier Mega in the current meta
- Mega Greninja — Extremely popular with high Speed and offensive power
- Mega Floette — Strong Fairy-type spread threat
- Mega Gengar — Powerful Ghost attacker with great Mega form
You can only use one Mega per battle, so choose based on your team’s overall strategy. Read our guide on how to get and use Mega Stones in Pokemon Champions to know exactly how the system works.
What About Pokemon You Already Have in HOME?
If you have well-trained Pokemon in Pokemon HOME from games like Scarlet, Violet, or Legends Z-A, you can transfer them into Champions instead of recruiting from Roster Ranch.
Transferred Pokemon keep their Nature and EV training from the original game. This is a big VP saver — you skip the cost of training from scratch. Just make sure the EV spread and Nature are exactly right before the first transfer, because that initial snapshot locks in forever.
Learn the full process in our guide on how to transfer Pokemon HOME to Pokemon Champions.
Quick Recruitment Tips
A few things that will save you time and VP:
Always trial before committing. The free daily trial lets you battle with a Pokemon for 7 days. Use it to test whether a Pokemon fits your team before spending VP on a permanent recruit.
Trial Pokemon cannot be trained. You can battle with them as-is, but stat changes, ability swaps, and move changes only become available after permanent recruitment.
Read Battle Data before training new recruits. In the training menu, press Y on any stat screen to see what other players are using on that Pokemon. Great way to confirm you are building it right. You can also look at Pokemon Champions best builds for VP-efficient ways to get your team ready faster.
Check Shiny status too. If you are interested in Shiny variants, keep an eye out during Roster Ranch rolls. Our guide on Pokemon Champions Shiny hunting and titles explains how it works.
Starter Choice Summary
| Goal | Best Starter | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Singles Ranked | Pikachu | Best supporting team: Garchomp + Kingambit |
| Doubles Ranked | Tyranitar | Weather + Intimidate + Spread damage |
| Tactical / Switching play | Palafin | Unique Hero Form mechanic |
| Type coverage focus | Gardevoir | Dragon resist, Telepathy in Doubles |
| Any format (flexible) | Absol, Altaria, Armarouge | Solid all-round options, no bad picks |
Final Thoughts
Your starter choice sets the foundation for everything that follows. For most new players, Pikachu for Singles or Tyranitar for Doubles gives the strongest immediate return. Both teams are ready to battle on the ranked ladder from day one without spending any VP.
After the tutorial, make Incineroar your first Roster Ranch priority if you play Doubles. Then build around Garchomp, Kingambit, and your chosen Mega Evolution target.
The meta is still young. New strategies are forming every day. The best thing you can do is get in battles, earn VP, and keep experimenting. Also check the Pokemon Champions Mystery Gift codes page regularly — free rewards can give you a meaningful head start.
