Pokémon, being the Trope Codifier for the modern Mons Series, naturally features many, many examples of this trope, used in different ways:
- The "main series" Pokemon games traditionally feature a trio of starter Pokemon, each one having three stages, each embodying the elements of Grass, Fire, and Water. These also form one of the most basic Elemental Rock-Paper-Scissors triangles in the game: Grass beats Water, Water beats Fire, Fire beats Grass. As of Gen III, the starters can also learn a trio of "ultimate moves": Frenzy Plant, Blast Burn, Hydro Cannon. As of Gen V, they can be taught team combo moves Grass Pledge, Fire Pledge, and Water Pledge. Many starters also typically have a signature move that only they can learn (for their generation, at least). Aside from a pseudo-starter trio in Gen V, the starters also have unique abilities in Overgrow, Blaze, and Torrent.
- Generation I: Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle; Charizard is Fire/Flying and Bulbasaur's line is Grass/Poisonnote . The ultimate moves were unique to the Kanto starters in Gen III before being opened up to all starters in Gen IV. Generation VI then made them the first starter trio capable of Mega Evolution, with Charizard having two options. Generation VIII gave them Gigantamax forms as well, though only Charizard's was available at release.
- Generation II: Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile. Until Pokémon Legends: Arceus, they were the only group of starters to all remain pure-typed throughout their entire evolutionary line. While they lack true signature moves, they're associated with the moves Sweet Scent, Flame Wheel, and Crunch, respectively.
- Generation III: Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip; Combusken and Blaziken are Fire/Fighting, while Marshtomp and Swampert are Water/Ground. They were the first starter trio to have signature moves: Grovyle and Sceptile have Leaf Blade, Blaziken has Blaze Kick, and Marshtomp and Swampert have Muddy Water. They're also the other starter trio that can Mega Evolve.
- Generation IV: Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup. They were the first starter trio to all have dual types: Torterra is Grass/Ground, Monferno and Blaziken are Fire/Fighting, and Empoleion is Water/Steel.
- Generation V:
- Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott; Pignite and Emboar are Fire/Fighting. This group had signature moves again: Snivy learns Leaf Tornado, Tepig learns Heat Crash, and Oshawott learns Razor Shell.
- In addition to the usual three starters, fifth generation features a trio of elemental monkeys, Pansage, Pansear, and Panpour, that are often considered a "secondary starter trio". They have the same types as the regular starters (Grass, Fire, Water), and you're given one for free soon after the beginning of the game—you get whichever your main starter is strong against. They can be caught, but they're extremely rare. Their Hidden Abilities are the same abilities that the starter trios usually have.
- Generation VI: Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie. Their signature moves were Spiky Shield for Chespin, Mystical Fire for Fennekin, and Water Shuriken for Froakie. The secondary types of their final evolutions also form an elemental triangle, with their secondary type being super effective on the same starter their primary type is effective against; Chesnaught is Grass/Fighting, Delphox is Fire/Psychic, and Greninja is Water/Dark.
- Generation VII:
- Rowlet, Litten, Popplio. Their signature moves are Spirit Shackle, Darkest Lariat and Sparkling Aria, respectively. Notably, the first two signature moves are typed after the secondary types of the respective starter's final evolution. Rowlet starts out as Grass/Flying, but it becomes Grass/Ghost in the end, while the other two become Fire/Dark and Water/Fairy. They're also the only starter trio with exclusive Z-moves, which derive from the aforementioned signature moves: Sinister Arrow Raid, Malicious Moonsault, and Oceanic Operetta.
- In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, the Ultra Beast Poipole is described as being a popular first partner in its own world, and its evolution, Naganadel, has a base stat total on par with many fully-evolved starters. Similarly, it's the only Ultra Beast in the game where the player gets only one.
- Generation VIII: Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble. They're the first starter trio in 20 years to remain single-typed through their entire evolution lines. Their signature moves are Drum Beating for Grookey, Pyro Ball for Scorbunny, and Snipe Shot for Sobble. As of the Isle of Armor DLC, they each have exclusive Gigantamax forms.
- Generation IX: Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly. Their signature moves are Flower Trick, Torch Song, and Aqua Step. They evolve into the Grass/Dark Meowscarada, Fire/Ghost Skeledirge, and Water/Fighting Quaquavel.
- As the Series Mascot, Pikachu is one of the most common starter choices found in spinoffs.
- Pokémon Yellow (and its quasi-remake Pokémon Let's Go, Pikachu!) has Pikachu as the only starting Pokemon in place of the usual Generation I starters (which can all be obtained later in the game). In Yellow, Pikachu can no longer be caught in the wild, and the special Pikachu you start with cannot be evolved into Raichu. Like its Kanto brothers, it also received an "ultimate move" of sorts in Volt Tackle. In Let's Go, Eevee!, the rival has Pikachu as his starter instead.
- All Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games (except for Blazing and Stormy Adventure Squad, due to the way the Adventure Squad games split starter choices).
- All Pokémon Rumble games except for the first game and Rush.
- Pokémon GO, as a hidden option.
- Pokémon Quest
- Pokémon Masters
- Many Pokémon spinoff games have Eevee as their starting Pokémon. In addition to being a rare Pokémon, it can evolve into between three and eight different Pokemon depending on the generation, each of a different type and all fairly strong. Games with Eevee (or one of its evolutions) as a starter:
- Pokémon Yellow: The rival started with an Eevee opposed to the player's Pikachu. With no breeding mechanics in Gen I, when the player obtains their own Eevee they have a choice between three evolution stones sold in the Mart of the same town Eevee's in. The rival will choose whatever evolution has the best defense against Pikachu depending on how many battles he loses at the beginning of the game.
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team, Explorers of Sky, and Blazing Adventure Squad.
- Pokémon Colosseum (you have two starters; Espeon and Umbreon, two of Eevee's forms).
- Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
- Pokémon Conquest
- Pokémon Quest
- Pokémon Let's Go, Eevee! In Let's Go, Pikachu!, the Eevee goes to the rival as it did in Yellow. In this case, his Eevee will always become a Jolteon in order to match Pikachu's type.
- The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series lets you choose two starters; one representing you and one as your friend and partner:
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team: You and your partner can be any of the ten Gen I to III starters (though Cyndaquil and Chikorita are gender-locked to males and females respectively). You can also be a Meowth or Machop if male, an Eevee or Skitty if female, or a Psyduck or Cubone for either; but your partner can't. The DX Updated Re-release removes all restrictions, allowing all sixteen choices for both characters.
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Darkness: The Gen I to IV starters for both characters, plus Meowth, Skitty, and Munchlax for you.
- Its third version, Explorers of Sky, makes Meowth and Munchlax partner-only but adds additional gender-restricted choices for the player: Phanpy, Riolu, and Shinx for males and Eevee, Vulpix, and Skitty (demoted from full availability in Time and Darkness) for females.
- In the Japan-only Mystery Dungeon Adventure Squad games, each of the three has its own set of starters based on the game's associated element and color:
- Blazing Adventure Squad has the Gen I-IV fire starters (Charmander, Cyndaquil, Torchic, Chimchar), Vulpix, Growlithe, Eevee, Teddiursa, and Buneary.
- Stormy Adventure Squad has the Gen I-IV water starters (Squirtle, Totodile, Mudkip, Piplup), Wooper, Phanpy, Azurill, Wynaut, and Riolu.
- Light Adventure Squad has Pikachu, Meowth, Psyduck, Pichu, Togepi, Mareep, Elekid, Shinx, and Pachirisu.
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity: Only the Gen V starters, Pikachu, and Axew.
- Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon: All starters from Gens I to VI plus Riolu.
- Pokémon Ranger: The original game has Minun or Plusle, depending on whether you pick the male or female player character. Shadows of Almia starts with Pachirisu, Starly, or Munchlax. Guardian Signs provides a Pichu to the player.
- Pokémon Rumble has Ratatta for the first game and Rumble Rush, and Pikachu for Rumble Blast and Rumble World. Rumble U, being a multiplayer game, provides four Pokémon to begin with; the Gen V starters and Pikachu.
- Pokémon GO uses the Gen I starters. Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle are initially presented, but Pikachu is a hidden fourth option that appears if you refuse to select one of the first three.
- Pokémon Quest, focusing on Gen I characters, has the four Gen I starters and Eevee.
- Pokémon Masters revolves around not just the Pokémon, but their trainers. In addition to the Player Character and their Pikachu, players are given Brock and Misty (who own Onix and Starmie respectively) to round out a three-pair team. The gacha tutorial is also set to summon Whitney and her Miltank right off the bat, as well.
- While Pokémon Legends: Arceus is set in the distant past of the Generation IV region, it instead brings back three previous starters from different generations (explicitly noted as foreign ones from other lands) for its own starter selection; using Rowlett, Cyndaquil, and Oshawott. They're also given new variants of their final evolutions with different secondary types; being Grass/Fighting, Fire/Ghost, and Water/Dark. The normal Gen IV starters, being native to the region, can be instead caught in the wild.
