5 best starters for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet VGC

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Indigo Disk expansion has brought every Starter Pokemon back to the games. Thanks to a few buffs courtesy of Game Freak, many of these creatures have become forces to be reckoned with rather than niche picks players rarely take. As such, many players are finding it easier to get into the competitive scene.

With this in mind, a lot of players will want to try these creatures in the new online battle mode the game has to offer. While every Starter is back in the game, there are some that are more valuable and viable compared to others for various reasons.

So, what are some of these Starter Pokemon that rise above the rest? This article explores more.

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5 best Starters for competitive battling in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

1) Skeledirge

Skeledirge's Pokedex picture in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Image via Game Freak)

Since its debut, Skeledirge has been a popular choice in competitive play thanks to its high bulk and capacity to snowball games with relative ease. Its 104 HP stat, paired with its 100 defense, makes it a sturdy physical wall with the ability to deal serious damage with its 110 special attack. However, its one drawback is that it is incredibly slow.

With this in mind, many players have been opting to run Skeledirge on Trick Room teams. Trick Room is a move that activates a field effect, reversing the current turn order, meaning the slowest Pokemon moves first. Combine this condition with Skeledirge's signature attack, Torch Song, to quickly rack up free special attack boosts to snowball opponents.

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2) Torterra

Torterra's Pokedex picture in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Image via Game Freak)

Torterra was brought back to the game with the Teal Mask chapter of the expansion pass. In this generation, it received some major buffs in access to Knock Off and Shell Smash. Pairing this with Bullet Seed and the Loaded Dice held item, Torterra can pump out some serious damage.

On its own, Torterra is a great defensive option thanks to its 105 defense stat and 95 HP, but this pick is more than just a niche defense wall. Torterra's biggest asset is its offensive prowess, thanks to its Ground secondary typing and its 109 attack stat. Pairing this with a Loaded Dice strategy can make for some intense match-ups.

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3) Empoleon

Empoleon's Pokedex picture in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Image via The Pokemon Company)

With Knock Off recently added to its movepool, Empoleon has become an amazing utility lead in competitive battles. Thanks to its access to Flip Turn, Icy Wind, and Stealth Rock, Empoleon can make a potent set-up, debuff both opponents on the field, and then safely swap to another teammate.

Thanks to its 111 special attacking stat, Empoleon can lay down some decent damage even with a utility moveset. Pairing Empoleon with another utility support Pokemon like Cresselia can even provide a slight stall without designating one's whole team to the playstyle. Overall, Empoleon makes for a solid foundation for a defensive team.

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4) Meowscarada

Meowscarada's Pokedex picture in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Meowscarada has been a great leading choice due to its utility and scouting potential. With all the new Starter Pokemon added in The Indigo Disk, Meowscarada has a lot of new team synergy potentials with the move Grass Pledge, which can be paired with Fire or Water Pledge for some amazing damage.

Meowscarada is a glass cannon with its two greatest assets being its 123 speed and 110 attack. Its signature attack, Flower Trick, is powerful and will always land critically for much more damage. This attack also never misses, meaning debuffs that impact accuracy will be ineffective when using it.

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5) Rillaboom

Rillaboom's Pokedex picture in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Rillaboom has been a great choice for competitive play since the Isle of Armor introduced the new move, Grassy Glide. While in grassy terrain, Grassy Glide has priority, meaning it will always go first. Pair this with Rillaboom's Grassy Surge ability, which summons grassy terrain when it enters the field, and the Grassy Seeds item to boost its defense and watch the opponent crumble.

In fact, Rillaboom was such a problem when it was first brought into Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's base game via raids that Grassy Glide was nerfed in the middle of the generation in patch 2.0.1. Even then, a base 55 power priority move coming off of Rillaboom's massive 125 attack stat can still deal significant damage.