Starter Poll 11: Ground

[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, eleventh is Ground. There are six options in this poll, all of which stink in terms of evolution levels.

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]

I will look at Swinub, Trapinch, Gible, and Sandile since they evolve via level up all the way through (although Piloswine needs a certain move to level up). However, in regards to evolution levels for these options, they all stink. The earliest is Gible at 24, but then not again until 48. Sandile is next at 29 then 40, and the other two don't evolve for the first time until sometime in the 30s. For base forms, all but Swinub (250) are underpowered but close. For middle stages, Gabite (410) is within the range, Piloswine (450) is above it, and Krokorok (351) and Vibrava (340) are weaker by a chunk. For final forms, Mamoswine (530) is within the range, Flygon (520) and Krookodile (519, 509 in Gen V) are close, and Garchomp (600) is way above it. Of these options, Trapinch is the Ground starter because it's the only one that's pure Ground in its base form.