Starter Poll 9: Ghost

[Greninja The Mario Karter]

If you haven't seen my post involving choosing a starter for every type, I would like to refresh you with some criteria I made, and the first criterion is mandatory. Here is the mandatory criterion. I'll be doing each of the eighteen types in poll form to see what everyone thinks.

• The Pokemon in question has to evolve twice (meaning it has to have a three stage evolutionary line), and it has to maintain its specified type throughout its entire line.

Here are the general targets that I hope to aim for.

1. I want Pokemon to get within or as close to starter base stat total ranges as possible. The ranges are 307-320 for base forms, 405-420 for middle forms, and 525-535 for final forms.
2. The Pokemon should ideally evolve via level up all the way through, and even more ideal, its first evolution should occur in the teens (level 10-19) while its second evolution should occur in the thirties (level 30 to 39). I will allow for non-level up evolutions, but I will try to avoid trade evolutions whenever possible.
3. I want to pick the Pokemon that looks and feels the most like a starter to me. I will allow for dual typed base forms if necessary, but I would prefer to avoid them if possible.

Going in alphabetical order, ninth is Ghost. There are five options in this poll, none of which are great.

If you want to see my doc on this ordeal, click this link here.

Picking a Starter for Every Type Using Existing Pokemon

Picking a Starter for Every Type Using Existing Pokemon Criteria for Starter Pokemon Mandatory Criterion The Pokemon must evolve twice, meaning it has to have a three stage evolutionary line, and it must maintain its specified type throughout its entire line. General Targets I want Pokemon to get...

docs.google.com

 

[Greninja The Mario Karter]

Dreepy is the only three stage Ghost option to evolve via level up all the way through, but it immediately sucks because its evolution levels are 50 and 60, which is enough to disqualify it. Litwick, Duskull, and Honedge all have their first evolutions at levels 41, 37, and 35 respectively, which aren't as bad but are still bad.

The remaining option is Gastly, which evolves at level 25 and then by trade, and as much as I dislike trade evolutions, it's the best option I have. This also works well because of its stats. Gastly and Haunter have base stat totals of 310 and 405 respectively, which fit perfectly within the target ranges for base and middle forms, while Gengar has a base stat total of just 500, which is a little underpowered for a final form. Dusknoir has a base stat total of 525, which is within the range for final forms, but again, being stuck with a Duskull until level 37 would really suck. It's not ideal, but Gastly is the Ghost starter.

 

[Ray Trace]

I love Dreepy and I will still pick it if it's a starter no matter what but you need to keep in mind that it has an absolutely abysmal level up set.

 

[Greninja The Mario Karter]

I love Dreepy and I will still pick it if it's a starter no matter what but you need to keep in mind that it has an absolutely abysmal level up set.

Not to mention its evolution levels are almost as bad as Deino's evolution levels.

 

[Ray Trace]

I'm aware of that but the learnset is a thing people easily pass by over when compiling these. Unless you use TMs and HMs (not sure which ones are available to you but even WITH them it's very terrible getting only like Dragon Tail and Draco Meteor, late game TMs likely), you're literally stuck with your strongest, nonSTAB move Bite (60 base power) until you evolve into a Drakloak and get only Take Down at level 54.

Would be an interesting Pokemon to do solo runs with though.