Starter Pokemon... Do you always use them forever?

[Pubbles]

I've always seen a lot of... Well, interest and hype about which starter is better and who likes them most, etc...

But I've always found it somewhat difficult to include the Starters in any of my past Teams for many reasons or their types (be they single or dual type). Personally, I like to keep them as long as I can as a part of my active team... But it's mainly for sentimental reasons and not preference, with the exception of very few starters. Even then it's because some have a great use further on as Dual types or with necessary strong attacks/uses...

So, the question is...

Do you always include your Starter as a major part of your team?
or
Do you switch them out for something you feel is more useful (either in battle or for RP)?

-Pubbs

[Jerry]

Well, I use all the pokemon I catch at first until they hit the maximum level. Once they got there, I try to find other pokemon, those which I'm not familiar with. At other times, I breed the pokemon I kept and try to get one with better stats and train it though all over again.

[Fergal]

I pretty much always keep my starter pokemon in my party and i'll admit that it is due, in part, to sentimental reasons. In fact i get so attached to my starter that i feel guilty if i leave them out (except pikachu, i've never had this problem with pokemon yellow)

[TheChosenOne]

I always keep my starter and I it's usually the highest leveled pokemon.

[BloodRaven]

Always keep my starter,  they grow so fast and always obey me.  Plus they are generally stronger than most Poke'Mon.

[LeoReborn]

Not only do I Keep using it, Its practically the ONLY one I use.

LeafGreen. Charizard, Lv. 63 Before Victory Road.

[Dexwin]

I always stayed with my Sceptile from Sapphire version and passed it on to Emerald then Diamond and Finally Platinum, now Im waiting for x-mas to get both HG and SS and pass on Sceptile, but I just don't know what will happen onced Black and White comes out =\ ...

anyway thing is I always stick with my starter no matter what.. but I also have some other pokemons i've keep since Sapphire and still have them like Irongross (Metagross).. and no I never leave either Scepty or Irongross in my box NEVER!!  >.> although onced but it was only to immigrate it to Diamond >.<

[Chad29]

I tend to build my team around my starter, so of course I keep it. Starters tend to have relatively good all around stats, and some evolve into types you can't find anywhere else. Charizard is the only nonlegendary fire/flying type, Blaziken and Infernape are the only fire/fighting types in their respective games, ect.

[Ryan Matthews]

Usually I will, since usually they're the strongest Pokémon I have.

The only exception were the Sinnoh games. I immediately stuck my Sinnoh starter in the computer after I caught a Starly and Bidoof... they're just so dumb.

Infernape is basically a rip-off of Blaziken, which was a rip-off of Typhlosion, which was a rip-off of Charizard.

Empoleon, durr... water-type tank? We don't have one of them do we? *stares over towards Blastoise, Feraligatr and Swampert*

And Torterra is just Venusaur's drugged up brother.

For real, yo.

[Chad29]

Feraligatr isn't a tank, and how are any of the other starters a rip-off of Charizard? None of them are part flying, or lizards, or have anything in common except their main type. I suppose you think all fire types are rip-offs of Charizard because he was the first fire type?

[boyben10]

If you Ask me, Meganium and Torterra are more rip offs of Venusaur than Fire starters 2-4 were of charizard. they are all reptilian four-legged defensively oriented pokemon.

[Chad29]

Yeah, that I can see. Sceptile is a reptile as well, but at least he's a speedy and bipedal sweeper.

Though all the fire starters are bipedal. That's something I didn't mention before. I don't really fault Infernape for being the same type as Blaziken, though mostly because I heppen to like him better.

[Ryan Matthews]

You can easily make Feraligatr into a tank.

I just find the fire starters are all mainly offensive, I'd like to see in Black and White a huge ass fire pig that serves as something other than just main offence.


Anyhow, the Sinnoh starters are still awful in my opinion.

[Chad29]

Fire is supposed to be an offensive element. Is there a media where elements are used, and the fire element controller is the "mighty glacier" or "stone wall" type?

Well, there is that smoking turtle with quite high physical defense, but I just don't see fire as a tanking type.

I like all the fourth generation starters, actually, especially Empoleon. There's only one pokemon line that has more resistances than it does, which makes it easy for him to switch in.

[Dexwin]

You can easily make Feraligatr into a tank.

I just find the fire starters are all mainly offensive, I'd like to see in Black and White a huge ass fire pig that serves as something other than just main offence.


Anyhow, the Sinnoh starters are still awful in my opinion.

I agree but only for chimchar and puplip, but Torterra is Grass|Ground and learns Earthquake and other ground moves witch defends him from fire pokemons and will destroy a steet type pokemon like Lucario.. for me only Torterra is usefull in the game