For the early stages of your Johto adventure, focusing on a diverse team that can handle the first few Gym Leaders is crucial. Here are some general recommendations based on your starter choice:
Chikorita Starter (Meganium)
- Meganium (Grass): Your reliable Grass-type. Focus on defensive moves like Reflect/Light Screen and status moves like PoisonPowder, alongside Razor Leaf/Giga Drain.
- Magmar/Arcanine (Fire): To cover Grass's weakness to Fire and Ice. Magmar can be found in Burned Tower, Arcanine (Growlithe) on Route 35.
- Poliwrath/Quagsire (Water/Fighting or Water/Ground): Excellent type coverage. Poliwag can be found in various waters, Wooper on Route 32.
- Jolteon/Ampharos (Electric): For Flying and Water types. Mareep on Route 32, Eevee from Bill in Goldenrod.
- Pidgeot/Fearow (Flying/Normal): For early game Flying STAB and HM Fly. Pidgey on Route 29, Spearow on Route 33.
- Donphan/Sandslash (Ground): For Electric and Rock types. Phanpy on Route 45, Sandshrew in Union Cave.
Cyndaquil Starter (Typhlosion)
- Typhlosion (Fire): Your main attacker. Focus on Flamethrower/Fire Punch and Swift.
- Vaporeon/Lapras (Water): To cover Fire's weakness to Water and Ground. Lapras in Union Cave (Friday), Eevee from Bill.
- Jumpluff/Victreebel (Grass/Flying or Grass/Poison): For Water and Ground types. Hoppip on Route 32, Bellsprout on Route 31.
- Ampharos/Electabuzz (Electric): For Flying and Water types. Mareep on Route 32, Elekid from Odd Egg or Route 34.
- Machamp/Heracross (Fighting): For Normal and Rock types. Machop in Mt. Mortar, Heracross from Headbutt trees.
- Noctowl/Crobat (Flying/Normal or Poison/Flying): For HM Fly and general utility. Hoothoot on Route 29, Zubat in caves.
Totodile Starter (Feraligatr)
- Feraligatr (Water): Your physical attacker. Focus on Surf/Waterfall and Ice Punch.
- Arcanine/Magcargo (Fire/Rock): To cover Water's weakness to Grass and Electric. Growlithe on Route 35, Slugma in Burned Tower.
- Jumpluff/Exeggutor (Grass/Flying or Grass/Psychic): For Water and Ground types. Hoppip on Route 32, Exeggcute from Headbutt trees.
- Magneton/Electrode (Electric/Steel or Electric): For Flying and Water types. Magnemite in Route 38, Voltorb in Rocket Hideout.
- Primeape/Hitmonchan (Fighting): For Normal and Rock types. Mankey on Route 42, Tyrogue from Mt. Mortar.
- Pidgeot/Dodrio (Flying/Normal): For HM Fly and general utility. Pidgey on Route 29, Doduo on Route 26.
Remember to balance your team with Pokémon that can learn essential HMs like Cut, Fly, Surf, Strength, and Rock Smash without compromising their battle effectiveness too much.
While Johto lacks the early-game abundance of Wingull found in Pokemon Emerald, snagging a Wooper provides the essential Water and Ground coverage needed for the first few gyms.
While Pokémon Crystal relies on permanent team synergy to overcome gyms, Pokemon TCG Live focuses on rapid deck rotation to adapt to an ever-evolving competitive meta.