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Which Starter Should I Choose in HeartGold? A Definitive Guide

Choosing your starter Pokémon in HeartGold is a crucial decision that shapes your early game experience. While personal preference plays a big role, objectively speaking, Cyndaquil offers the most balanced and strategically advantageous start. Its evolved form, Typhlosion, provides excellent offensive coverage and deals significant damage, making it effective against a wide range of opponents, especially the early game Gym Leaders. While Totodile and Chikorita are viable, Cyndaquil’s strengths outweigh their weaknesses, making it the best choice for a smoother journey through the Johto region.

The HeartGold Starter Trio: A Deep Dive

Let’s break down each starter Pokémon to understand their strengths and weaknesses:

Cyndaquil: The Fiery Frontrunner

Type: Fire
Pros: High Speed and Special Attack. Typhlosion learns powerful Fire-type moves early on, providing excellent damage output. Effective against Bug, Grass, Ice, and Steel types. Offers great coverage against the first few Gyms and Elite Four members.
Cons: Vulnerable against Ground, Rock, and Water types. Can struggle against certain Gym Leaders if not supported by a diverse team.

Totodile: The Water-Type Tank

Type: Water
Pros: Balanced stats with good Attack and Defense. Feraligatr is a powerful physical attacker with access to strong Water-type moves. Resistant to Fire, Ice, Water, and Steel types.
Cons: Weak against Electric and Grass types. The Johto region lacks a wide variety of strong Water-type moves early on.

Chikorita: The Grassy Gamble

Type: Grass
Pros: Decent defensive stats and access to support moves. Resistant to Water, Grass, Electric, and Ground types.
Cons: Weak against Bug, Fire, Flying, Ice, and Poison types, making it the hardest starter to use effectively, particularly in the early game due to the prevalence of Flying and Bug-type Pokémon. Bayleef’s (its mid-stage evolution) stats are also quite weak.

Team Building Considerations

Your starter choice will influence your team composition. Here are some synergistic team options depending on which starter Pokémon you chose:

Cyndaquil Team Composition

A strong Cyndaquil team could include:

Gyarados: Provides Water and Flying coverage, complementing Typhlosion’s Fire-type prowess.
Ampharos: An Electric-type powerhouse to counter Water and Flying threats.
Crobat: A fast Poison/Flying type, good against Grass and Fighting types.
Butterfree: (Early game only) A good early Bug-type Pokémon, useful to counter some Gym Leaders.
Golduck: Secondary Water-type coverage.

Totodile Team Composition

A solid Totodile team might consist of:

Typhlosion: Fire-type coverage is crucial to balance Totodile’s weaknesses.
Ampharos: Counters Electric and Flying threats.
Graveler/Golem: Rock/Ground types offer protection against Electric and Grass attacks.
Noctowl: Psychic and Flying coverage.

Chikorita Team Composition

A Chikorita focused team requires careful planning:

Typhlosion: Essential for covering Chikorita’s multiple weaknesses, particularly Fire.
Gyarados: Water and Flying coverage, handles Fire and Flying threats.
Ampharos: Electric-type coverage against Flying threats.
Arcanine: Additional Fire power.

Conclusion: The Flame Burns Brightest

While all three starter Pokémon are viable, Cyndaquil stands out due to its offensive capabilities, strategic advantages, and relatively smoother early-game experience. It offers the best balance of power and coverage, enabling you to tackle the Johto region with confidence. Ultimately, the “best” choice is subjective and depends on your play style and team-building preferences. However, if you’re looking for a powerful and versatile starter, Cyndaquil is an excellent choice. Learning more about the game dynamics and strategy can be enhanced by resources from organizations like the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is Chikorita really that bad?

Chikorita isn’t inherently “bad,” but it’s definitely the most challenging starter in HeartGold. Its numerous weaknesses and lack of strong offensive moves in the early game can make progress difficult, especially against the first few Gym Leaders. However, with careful team building and strategic play, it is possible to complete the game with Chikorita as your starter.

2. What are the weaknesses of each starter Pokemon?

Cyndaquil: Ground, Rock, Water
Totodile: Electric, Grass
Chikorita: Bug, Fire, Flying, Ice, Poison

3. Can I get all three starters in HeartGold?

Officially, no. You only get to choose one starter Pokémon at the beginning of the game. However, you can obtain the other two through trading with other players or by transferring them from other Pokémon games via the Poke Transporter and other intermediary games.

4. What is the best Pokémon team to start with in HeartGold if I choose Cyndaquil?

As mentioned earlier, a good team to pair with Cyndaquil includes Gyarados, Ampharos, Crobat, Butterfree (early game), and Golduck. This provides a good balance of type coverage and strategic options.

5. Is Totodile stronger than Cyndaquil?

Totodile and Cyndaquil have different strengths. Totodile is a more balanced starter with decent Attack and Defense, while Cyndaquil boasts higher Speed and Special Attack. In terms of overall usefulness, Cyndaquil often edges out Totodile due to its offensive firepower and strategic advantages against key opponents.

6. What is the best moveset for Typhlosion in HeartGold?

A strong Typhlosion moveset includes:

Flamethrower/Fire Blast: Powerful Fire-type STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) moves.
Earthquake: Coverage against Rock types.
Thunder Punch: Additional coverage against Water types (learned via move tutor).
Focus Blast: Useful for additional coverage.

7. Which version is better, HeartGold or SoulSilver?

Both HeartGold and SoulSilver are excellent games and largely identical. The main differences are version-exclusive Pokémon. HeartGold features more Pokémon from earlier generations, and SoulSilver has more Pokémon from later generations. The “better” version is a matter of personal preference.

8. Can I get a female starter in HeartGold?

Yes, you can get a female starter Pokémon in HeartGold, but it’s rare. The odds of getting a female starter are about 12.5%. This makes breeding them more challenging but not impossible.

9. How do I evolve Onix into Steelix in HeartGold?

To evolve Onix into Steelix, you need to trade it while it’s holding a Metal Coat. The Metal Coat can be found in various locations or obtained from certain Pokémon.

10. What are the best early-game Pokémon to catch in HeartGold, regardless of my starter choice?

Some excellent early-game Pokémon to catch include:

Pidgey/Pidgeotto: Reliable Flying-type with good Speed.
Rattata/Raticate: Decent Normal-type with good Attack.
Bellsprout/Weepinbell: (Route 31) Provides early Grass-type coverage.
Geodude: (Dark Cave) A Rock/Ground type, good against Flying types.

11. Is it worth training Onix in HeartGold?

Onix can be a useful early-game Pokémon due to its high Defense. However, its low Special Defense and other stats make it less viable in the late game unless evolved into Steelix.

12. What is the best Eevee evolution in Pokemon HeartGold?

Vaporeon is often considered the best Eevee evolution in HeartGold due to its high HP and Special Attack, making it a powerful Water-type. However, the best evolution depends on your team’s needs.

13. Where can I find strong TMs in HeartGold?

Strong TMs can be found throughout the Johto region, often hidden or given as rewards for defeating Gym Leaders. Key TMs include:

TM26 (Earthquake): Found in Victory Road, extremely powerful Ground-type move.
TM24 (Thunderbolt): Game Corner in Goldenrod City, good for Electric-type coverage.
TM35 (Flamethrower): Game Corner in Goldenrod City, powerful Fire-type move.

14. How do I get the Kanto starters in HeartGold?

After defeating Red on Mt. Silver, you can receive one of the Kanto starters from Professor Oak in Pallet Town. You can repeat this process to get all three.

15. What makes HeartGold and SoulSilver so special?

HeartGold and SoulSilver are highly regarded for their faithful remakes of Pokémon Gold and Silver, enhanced graphics, improved gameplay mechanics, and the addition of features like following Pokémon. The games retain the charm of the original while offering a modern Pokémon experience. You can connect, battle, and trade with fourth generation titles, Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, which allows for further accessibility to the many species that were available at the time as well as opportunities for more competitive play against a variety of teams. The GamesLearningSociety.org promotes deeper understanding and engagement with gaming through learning and research.

Which starter should I choose Heart Gold?