Pokémon Champions Guide: The Best Starter Teams Tier List

Quick Answer: Your starter choice in Pokémon Champions dictates your entire early game roster. If you want immediate competitive dominance, Pikachu (for Singles) and Tyranitar (for Doubles) are the undisputed S-Tier picks due to the incredibly powerful supporting teams they unlock.

Forget the classic grass, fire, and water beginner choices. Pokémon Champions skips the usual tutorial fluff and hands you a team of fully evolved heavy hitters right from the jump. However, there is a massive catch. The starter you select permanently locks in a complete six-monster roster that will heavily influence your early ranked progression.

Instead of struggling for hours trying to make a beautiful but useless squad work, I have mapped out exactly which initial draws give you the highest competitive advantage. Let’s break down the meta so you can start winning immediately.

The Complete Starter Roster Data

Before we dive into the rankings, let’s look at exactly what you are getting. You earn this draw immediately after finishing the introductory battle sequence.

S-Tier Choices: Absolute Meta Kings

If you want to jump straight into ranked matchmaking and dominate the ladder, these two options offer the best starting foundation.

Pikachu

It might sound like a joke, but picking the famous electric mouse is actually the smartest strategic move for 1v1 formats. You are not choosing Pikachu for its combat stats. You are choosing it because it unlocks a terrifyingly strong Singles squad consisting of Garchomp, Kingambit, Gengar, and a Huge Power Azumarill. Gyarados also joins the fray to provide crucial Intimidate support. Kingambit alone makes this bundle worth it, as it easily counters the top-tier threats currently dominating the arena.

Tyranitar

While Pikachu rules the Singles ladder, Tyranitar is the ultimate foundation for Doubles. The Sand Stream ability automatically whips up a sandstorm on entry, which damages opponents every turn while disrupting their weather setups. You don’t even need Tyranitar’s Mega form for it to be lethal. This draw also provides an Arcanine with Intimidate, giving you immense early-turn pressure. Since Tyranitar is a Rock and Dark type, it completely shuts down the popular Psychic-heavy team builds.

A-Tier Choices: Reliable and Powerful

These draws offer incredible standalone power and solid supporting casts, but they come with a few specific conditions you need to keep in mind.

Charizard

Charizard is hands down the most forgiving choice for newcomers. It delivers fast, aggressive damage right away, and its Blaze ability gives Fire-type attacks an early punch. The real prize here is unlocking Whimsicott. This grass type is an elite support option you will use well into the endgame. Additionally, Charizard boasts two broken Mega forms, giving you the flexibility to build it as either a physical or special attacker depending on your team’s needs. If you are wondering how these Megas fit into the broader competitive picture, read our guide analyzing every new Regulation M-B ability to see which forms truly dominate the field.

Gardevoir

In a vacuum, Gardevoir belongs in S-Tier. Its Psychic and Fairy typing is excellent, its Pixilate Mega Evolution is a nightmare in Doubles, and it comes with strong physical defenders like Corviknight and Heracross. It also shreds Dragon types effortlessly. So, why is it A-Tier? Because the game is currently handing Gardevoir out as a free event reward. Do not waste your one starter choice on something you can claim for free. If the event has ended by the time you read this, move Gardevoir straight to the top of your list.

B-Tier Choices: Niche Playstyles

These rosters require highly specific strategies but can be extremely rewarding if you master their mechanics.

Snorlax

Consider this your ultimate safety net. Snorlax moves like molasses, but its incredible bulk and Thick Fat ability allow it to tank hits that would instantly vaporize a weaker squad. It provides the perfect roster for absorbing mistakes while you learn the competitive ropes.

Palafin

Palafin brings a highly tactical playstyle to the table. Using Flip Turn to swap it out and back in triggers Hero Form, turning it into an absolute offensive powerhouse. The accompanying team leans heavily on special attackers like Hydreigon and Gengar to punch through physical walls. If you enjoy complex setups, this is a phenomenal pick.

Armarouge

If you want to build a Trick Room team, this is your starting point. Trick Room flips the speed mechanics so the slowest monsters move first, creating the perfect environment for Armarouge to thrive. You will need to pair it with a Farigiraf or Sinistcha later to maximize its potential, but it provides a very solid foundation for climbing to the Master Ball rank.

C-Tier Choices: Proceed with Caution

These picks aren’t entirely useless, but they require significantly more effort to pilot effectively and lack the immediate impact of the higher tiers.

Lucario

Lucario is a fan favorite and hits incredibly hard, but it relies almost entirely on its Mega Evolution to be useful. This heavily restricts your team-building options later on. You are much better off picking Charizard to get a more versatile roster.

Absol

Relying on Absol’s Super Luck ability and a Scope Lens to fish for critical hits sounds entertaining, but it is a frustrating strategy to execute in the lower ranks. Its Mega Z form is interesting, but this specific team will consistently lose to bulkier, more optimized opponents.

Altaria

Altaria might have a beautiful Mega Evolution, but you will quickly regret this selection. The auto-generated supporting cast is extremely weak against early competitive teams. Unless you are a seasoned veteran who knows exactly how to pilot this specific setup, you will be steamrolled before you can even execute a game plan.

For more tips, walkthroughs, and everything else covering the game, check out our full collection of guides.