The Pokemon franchise is one of the most beloved and most profitable properties ever to exist. But even the most diehard fans will admit to the games becoming ꦑa little formulaic. Why not shake things up a bit to keep things fresh?

One of the most fundamental experiences of beginning a Pokemon game is 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:choosing the starter Pokemon. Every mainline Pokemon game begins the same way: players choose between a Fire-, Water-, or Grass-type Pokemon. This usuall💟y ends up being the player's main partner throughout their Pokemon adventure.

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The player's rival will pick the type that's super effective against the player's choice. This golden trio works because every type is resistant against one and super effective against the other. Almost no other trio of types works exactly in this perfectly balanced way. But there are some types that almost work th♑at would be interesting to see ✱as starter Pokemon.

Updated January 4th, 2020, by Juliet Childers: Pokemon, as a franchise, continues to dominate in toys, collectibles, games, and other industries. Reaction to 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Sword and Shield was not excessively great and it brought into clear view just how much fans are bored with Pokemon's game formula. Instead of rehashing old games, new ones should choose from region-specific types. Better yet: let the player pick from completely unique trios in every game.

15 💮 Dragon ꦉ> Dragon > Dragon

image of Larvitar, Dratini, and other dragon Pokemon

Okay, this one's , but technically Dragon types are super effective against themselves. This combination obviously lacks the resistance angle of a perfect trio. Still, it would be interesting to see a💖 Pokemon game throw three baby dragons at the player and call it a day.

It almost seems like the beginning of a more fantastical Pokemon adventure. One in which the player and their rival are dragon tamers setting off to conquer the trials of the Pokemon league. Dragon-type Pokemon are resistant to a number of common Gym types — Fire, Water, Electric, and Grass — which makes the player 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:very powerful right off the bat.

14 🌼 Dark > Ghost > Fighti♎ng

images of Dark, Ghost, and Fighting Pokemon

This combination might suit for an adventure with a more grim tone. Especially when Dark and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Ghost-type Pokemon are billed as being somewhat ꩵ"evil" types. However, this trio isn't perfectly balanced. Ghost types aren't super effective against Fighting.

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The advantage Ghost has is that a Fighting type's kicks and punches pass right𓂃 through their spectral bodies with no effect wha𒈔tsoever. This probably wouldn't be fair to an unsuspecting kid who chose Fighting as their starter and then has to watch helplessly as their rival stomps them into the dirt.

13 Bug >𒀰 Grass > Rock

images of Bug, Grass, and Rock Pokemon

Besides the fact that practically no one would want to be saddled with a Bug-type starter, there are a couple of problems keeping this from being a perfect trio. First of all, while Grass is super effective against Rock, it doesn't💙 resist Rock-type attacks. The same is true of Rock vs. Bug.

Bug-type attacks somehow deal regular damage against living, breathing granite. Still, the kind of game that would feature this starter match up would be cool. It seems🎀 like it would be more grounded and natural in tone, pitting several different forces of nature against eℱach other.

12 ꧟ Fighting > Steel > Fairy ⛎

images of Fighting, Steel, and Fairy Pokemon

The problem with many of these flawed type trios is that there's a clear best option to pick. When choosing from Fire, Grass, and Water, fans might have a certain early game advantage depending on how the gyms are arranged. Eventually, all three types have balanced strengths and weaknesses. But Steel is the obvious victor here — even against the Pokemon who becomes 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the fan-favorite Lucario.

Fairy vs. Fighting and Steel vs. Fairy match up the way they're supposed to. But, while Fighting is super effective against Steel, it isn't resistant to it defensively. Then there'🌳s the fact that Steel-type Pokemon resist so many other types (eleven types total) that would make them an indomitable wall for much of the game.

11 🔥 Ice > Ground > Steel

images of Ice, Ground, and Steel Pokemon

The Steel type is great and would probably make for a really interesting starter design since it wouldn't have to stick so closely to the organic designs of most other "mons". Unfortunately, including it in any starter match up almost always breaks it. 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Steel is just that good.

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And then the Ice-type, which would be great to see get starter treatment, just can't hold it's own. The only type Ice resists is itself. It's a shame because fans would love to see a tundra-themed opening to a Pokemon game wh🌃ere the only choices are harsh and unforgiving elements.

10 ꩲ 🧸 Water > Ground > Electric

images of Water, Ground, and Electric Pokemon

This is a popular trio for fans to bring up as an alternative to the usual starter match up. It probably has something to do with the desire to have an Electric-type starter that isn't the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Pokemon franchise mascot and overlord, Pikachu. Totally understandable.

Unfortunately, the coveted 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Electric starter has a significant disadvantage here. Ground hits it for super effective damage and also is completely immune (not just resistant) to Electric-type 🥀attacks. Unless players have one of those wimpy rivals that choose the Pokemon weakest against the player's, this trio makes for a rough early game.

9 Dark > Psychic > Fi💟ghting

images of Dark, Psychic, and Fighting Pokemon

This is another one of those trios that come really close to working. It's also one of the most popular suggestions for alternate starters. In fact, Generation VII used this type match up for the starter Pokemon's secondary types in their final form. Greninja is Water/Dark, Delphox is Fire/Psychic, and Chesnaught is Grass/Figh🥃ting.

They made both type match ups move in the same direction, so it doesn't really add any interesting twists to late game rival battles, but the thought counts. Still, it isn't perfect. 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dark-type Pokemon a𓃲re completely immune to Psychic attacks which makes them the winner🍎 of this trio.

8 Rock > Fire >꧒ Steel

images of Rock, Fire, and Steel Pokemon

Though many don't work, there are alternate type trios that actually work the way they're intended. Even Steel still has many other re꧟sistances that would make it very powerful for the early game battles full of Scratches and Tackles. But this is a matchup that isn't completely unbalanced by the addition of Steel.

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This could make for an interesting theme for the game; maybe something based on the Industrial Revolution or in a mining town. The only downside is that Rock- and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Fire-type Pokemon can be a little similar design-wise, so they🔯 would need to be sure t🧜o make the starters distinct.

7 Poison > Grass > Ground ꧃

images of Poison, Grass, and Ground Pokemon

Fans would love to see a Poison-type starter Pokemon. Poison has kind of a bad rep; in the early games they were the preferred type of Team Rocket Grunts and have come to be associated with evil-doers♛. Poison is an underappreciated type that deser𒊎ves some time in the spotlight. Plus, this type trio does actually work out perfectly.

Poison is super effective against and resists Grass, Grass does the same for Ground, and Ground comes back ar🌺ound to do the same to Poison. The match ups aren't quite as intuitive as Fire > Grass > Water, but that doesn't mean it'📖s a bad trio.

6 🎐 Fighting > Ro💮ck > Flying

images of Fighting, Rock, and Flying Pokemon

This, out of all the actually balanced and viable alternate trios, is the only one not to feature ✅one of the common starter types. Instead, it le🅠ans away from magic elemental attacks and more toward straight-up scrapping.

This is probably the best oওption for Game Freak stepping outside their comfort zone. It still functions the 🍰way a starter trio should but also pushes the designs toward something new and unexpected.