Your adventure begins with a choice! After a brief introduction from Professor Rowan, you'll be prompted to choose your gender (Lucas for male, Dawn for female) and name your character. This name will be used throughout the game, so choose wisely! You'll also be asked to name your rival, Barry, who will be a constant presence throughout your journey.
The most crucial decision early on is selecting your starter Pokémon. You'll find yourself in Professor Rowan's lab in Sandgem Town, where he'll offer you one of three Pokémon:
- Turtwig (Grass-type): A sturdy Pokémon with good defense, evolving into Grotle and then Torterra (Grass/Ground).
- Chimchar (Fire-type): A fast and offensive Pokémon, evolving into Monferno (Fire/Fighting) and then Infernape (Fire/Fighting).
- Piplup (Water-type): A special attacker with good special defense, evolving into Prinplup and then Empoleon (Water/Steel).
Each starter has its own strengths and weaknesses, and your choice will influence your early game strategy. Consider their final evolutions and type matchups against the Gym Leaders you'll face. There's no 'wrong' choice, as all three are capable of leading you to victory.