Starter Poll 15: Psychic

[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, fifteenth is Psychic. There are eight options in this poll, but three stand above the rest.

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]

For starters, let's get rid of Cosmog because not only is it a Legendary Pokemon, but it's completely useless until level 53. Ralts is also out because both it and Kirlia are super weak, and I would also like to disqualify Gothita, Solosis, and Hatenna because all three evolve in the early 30s then early 40s, and they're not that strong by the end. Beldum and Abra only know a single move by level up, Kadabra evolves by trade, and Metagross is a Pseudo and thus super powerful.

Weirdly enough, that leaves Mime Jr. as the Psychic starter (assuming the Galarian evolutions, otherwise it's Abra because it evolves at level 16). Mime Jr. levels up while knowing Mimic. It learns it at level 32 in Gen VIII, and level 15 in Gens VI and VII, effectively making it a teen evolution. Then, Galarian Mr. Mime evolves at level 42, which is a bit late, but it's just as good, if not better than Gothitelle, Reuniclus, and Hatterene. Mime Jr. (310) is within the base form BST range, and while Galarian Mr. Mime (460) is above it, Mr. Rime (520) is the closest of the final form Psychic types to the target range. It's not perfect, but Mime Jr. in Galar is the Psychic starter.