what do you care when you choose your starter?

[NoirCore]

I typically choose by which one Pokemon has the coolest design among all three evolution lines, final stage or not.

 

[PurplePopplio]

My most important rule is that I choose the starter based on its popularity. I go for the least popular starter usually.

And then it has to work on my team as well. I plan my team in advance.

 

[BorgyDudeMan]

I'd usually consult Google on which starter performs best.

 

[Aulos]

I always choose the Water starter because I feel like having a strong Water Pokemon ensures success since it is such a versatile type.

The Water starters have always been relatively decent designed too. I didn't really care for the Mudkip line, but it's better than many of the lines that other type's get. It'd be funny to see what would happen if a Water starter ended up getting a final evolution like Incineroar that I think is horrible. I wonder if it would make me change.

 

[Crimson Dagger]

I'm biased towards fire-type starters. However good or bad stats will override this bias.

My choices in each generation:

1. Kanto: Charmander
2. Johto: Cyndaquil (Starters mildly suck in this region)
3. Hoenn: Treecko
4. Sinnoh: Chimchar
5. Unova: Snivy (Starters suck in this region)
6. Kalos: Fennekin (With Froakie providing some very stiff competition)
7. Alola: Popplio (Starters suck in this region)

 

[SUP3RN0VA]

I usually always choose the Fire type as my starter of choice, as that is my favourite type of the three. At this point, I am content with having the starter Pokémon be Grass type, Fire type and Water type. Those types are pretty iconic as starter choices now, and wouldn't want to see that changed.

 

[SerenaToAlola]

I usually just go with the cutest starter. With SM, I started with Popplio but i found the game really difficult, especially with magnemites in the begining! I restarted the game and used Litten instead.

Sinnoh: Piplup
Unova: Oshawot
Kalos: Chespin -> would have went with Fennekin but I really hated the design of Delphox
Alola: Popplio

 

[Peekaboo Pikachu]

I tend to go by type. I almost always pick the Fire type.

 

[BigBadButterfree]

Usually has to do with their design/origin concept. it usually ends up being the grass starter, because I like reptiles, but lately they've tried moving away form that. Idk, there isn't like a set thing I look for. It's different in each generation. And sometimes I can't even pick a favorite. And then deciding which one to use first is a nightmare :/

 

[Rainbow Cloud]

I tend to choose starters based on their designs but I mostly base my choice on the design of their final stage evolution rather than there pre-evolved forms as that's the form they will become permenently.

 

[Guzma]

I also usually go with Grass. The only time I didn't is Gen II (Chikorita's okay, but I liked the other two more), Gen III (I liked Sceptile a lot, but I ended up like Blaziken more even though Fire is my least favorite of the three starter types, even though I still like most Fire starters to an extent) and Gen VI (Chesnaught's pretty neat, but Greninja is just too damn awesome.)

 

[techitisJ]

I try to go based on design of the first and final evolution, but I also like to have a bit of balance, not using too many of one type. But since I so often find myself changing between which starters I like more, it's hard to keep that balance. I can never choose between all the Alolan starters (as I love all their forms so much), and I also have a rough time picking between Chimchar and Piplup, and Snivy and Oshawott.

 

[Harryghost]

I tend to follow the pattern of Fire, Water and Grass when it comes to choosing any starter Pokémon.
My starter Pokémon choices are as follows:
Emerald - Blaziken
Platinum - Empoleon
White 2 - Serperior
My starter Pokémon choices will be as follows:
Y - Fennekin
Sun - Rowlet

 

[Nero the Giant Whiscash]

i always go on appearance and based my starter(s) and what evo level they stay at based on that regardless of how powerful or weak they are

Yellow" pikachu,ivysaur(bulbasaur) , charziard (charmander)and wartotle((squirtle)

OR swampert(mudkip)

platinum (turtwig)

black 2 samurott (oshawott)

moon Torracat (litten)

Y Quillidin (Chespin)

 

[Rika]

Whatever looks good in a box.

oh! i usually do the same! but some people see that cruel and say something like: how could you do that with a starter!? kkk
anyway I'm glad I'm not the one

 

[Matleo]

secondary typing, movesets, turor moves, egg moves and their abilities?
Signature move?

Design and main typing is important, but there are more things you need to watch out.

 

[OnlyBolu]

More often then not, I go by design. But, 90% of the time, I ditch my starter and catch the Pokemon I want as my actual starter. I'm going through US/UM right now and, when I found an Ekans, I decided it was my starter.

 

[Pyrax]

My choice is based on the final form's stats and design. If it's going to be my 'main' Pokemon, it needs to pull its own weight in battle and not fall behind. Design-wise, since I'll be using it for the rest of the game, it needs to be something I think is aesthetically pleasing.

 

[Virbank Video]

Nowadays I base my decision almost entirely on the design of the starters, with the exception of maybe when I've seen the final stage designs/typings and base my decision on that... I try to keep the final stages of the starters as a surprise but it's getting more and more difficult. In the run up to Sun and Moon, for example, the hype was REAL. Couldn't stop myself. There are upsides and downsides either way I guess. I remember in my first play through of Pokemon White being so disappointed when my Samurott appeared haha! However, when I first started playing Pokemon I definitely favoured water types. If my memory serves me well, these are the starters I've picked for my first play through of each new region game -

Blue - Squirtle
Gold - Totodile (this whole line is horrible, just a horrible design... I don't know what I was thinking. I was like... 11 or 12 and Squirtle/Wartortle/Blastoise were three of my favourite Pokemon... I think I'd convinced myself that water starters were always going to be the coolest.
Sapphire - Mudkip (see above)
Diamond - Piplup (I actually think this line is really cool, design wise. Empoleon looks badass)
White - Oshawott (I'm only just realising now how far my water type starter bias stretched. Well...this is embarrassing. I can't remember ever being more disappointed with a Pokemons final evolution)
X - Froakie (sigh...ok but in my defence Greninja is fantastic. One of the best starter concepts ever)
Sun - ROWLET! I have to say, I love this Pokemon, or more specifically, Decidueye - I love its design and I love its typing.

I genuinely thought that list was going to be far more varied, type wise! I've played through so many of the games multiple times that it wasn't until I started typing that I realised how water-centric my initial play throughs have been!

 

[Arcalargo]

Gold - Totodile (this whole line is horrible, just a horrible design... I don't know what I was thinking. I was like... 11 or 12 and Squirtle/Wartortle/Blastoise were three of my favourite Pokemon... I think I'd convinced myself that water starters were always going to be the coolest.

In your defense, Gen 2 had the worst starters in history, period. There wasn't a good one in the batch.