Pokémon X and Y Best Starter: Fennekin, Froakie, or Chespin?

For most Pokémon X and Y playthroughs, Fennekin is the best starter. Its line hits four of the eight Gyms hard and struggles with only one. Pick Chespin if you want a bulky Pokémon and an easy first Gym, or the best answer to Lysandre’s Mega Gyarados. Pick Froakie if you want the fastest attacker and don’t mind a frail one. All three evolve at level 16 and again at level 36. The starter you get never has its Hidden Ability, so your Greninja has Torrent, not Protean. Pokémon X and Pokémon Y give you the same three choices.

This page covers Pokémon X and Pokémon Y on Nintendo 3DS and 2DS, up to update 1.5. The Mega Evolutions of Chesnaught, Delphox and Greninja are from Pokémon Legends: Z-A, not from X and Y.

Which starter should you pick in Pokémon X and Y?

If you want…	Pick	Why
The easiest Gyms	Fennekin	Strong against Korrina, Ramos, Valerie and Wulfric. Only Grant gives it real trouble
A nuzlocke or a safe run	Fennekin, or Chespin	Fennekin for the Gyms. Chespin hits both of Viola’s Pokémon with Rollout and takes Lysandre’s Mega Gyarados well
Bulk against physical hits	Chespin	Chesnaught has 88 HP and 122 Defense. Its Special Defense is only 75, below Delphox’s 100
Speed and offense	Froakie	Greninja has 122 Speed, the fastest of the three, but low Defense
Your favorite design	Any of them	With the Exp. Share on, every starter can finish the story

The choice only decides which fights feel easy. It doesn’t decide whether you can beat Champion Diantha. You also get a second starter, a Kanto one, from Professor Sycamore before the second Gym. So you won’t be stuck with one type.

Chespin vs Fennekin vs Froakie

Each starter is level 5 and male 87.5% of the time. Chespin knows Tackle, Growl and Vine Whip. Fennekin knows Scratch, Tail Whip and Ember. Froakie knows Pound, Growl and Bubble.

The moves that matter early

• Chespin: Rollout at level 8, Bite at 11, Leech Seed at 15, and Pin Missile at 20 as Quilladin.
• Fennekin: Flame Charge at 14. Psybeam comes at 17 if Fennekin hasn’t evolved yet, or at 18 as Braixen. Psybeam is its answer to Korrina.
• Froakie: Quick Attack at 8, and Water Pulse at 14. Water Pulse is its answer to Grant.

Each line gets its second-type attack late. Chesnaught learns no Fighting attack by leveling until Hammer Arm at level 60. Froakie and Frogadier learn Fling, a Dark move, at levels 25 and 28, but Fling needs a held item to throw. After that, Greninja learns no other Dark move by leveling until Night Slash at level 70. Delphox is fine, because Psybeam and Psyshock come early. The fix is Madam Reminder, the move relearner in Dendemille Town, which you reach after the sixth Gym. Hammer Arm and Night Slash are on the level-1 lists of Chesnaught and Greninja, so from then on, one Heart Scale teaches either move. Greninja can also get Feint Attack this way, since it learns that move at level 33. See the move relearner guide.

Is Greninja the best starter?

Greninja is famous because of competitive play, where it has Protean. Protean changes its type to match each move it uses, so every attack gets the same-type bonus. That Greninja is a Hidden Ability Pokémon. The Froakie you get in Aquacorde Town always has Torrent, and so does the one Shauna trades you later.

• Torrent powers up Water moves by 1.5× when Greninja is at one third of its HP or less.
• An Ability Capsule can’t give it Protean. It only swaps a Pokémon between its two standard abilities. Both of Froakie’s standard slots are Torrent, so the Capsule doesn’t work on it.
• Story Greninja is fast but frail. Its 67 Defense and 71 Special Defense mean it trades hits badly. Its Water typing is weak to Ramos and Clemont, and its Dark typing is weak to Valerie.

Froakie is still a fine pick. It just makes the middle of the game harder than its reputation suggests. If you love Greninja, pick it, and catch a Grass or Ground Pokémon for the middle Gyms.

Gym by Gym: which starter helps

Count it up, and Fennekin is strong in four Gyms and tough in one. Chespin is strong in one and tough in three. Froakie is strong in two and tough in three. These ratings assume normal levels and one-on-one battles. Switching, items and the rest of your team change a lot. Still, Fennekin has the fewest bad matchups, which is why it’s the easiest pick here.

Viola: Chespin’s Rollout and Fennekin’s Water Sport problem

Viola’s Surskit is Bug/Water and knows Bubble and Water Sport. In X and Y, Water Sport cuts the power of Fire moves to about one third for five turns, so Ember does little to Surskit. Chespin learns Rollout at level 8, and Rock is super effective on both of Viola’s Pokémon. Rollout starts at only 30 power, hits 90% of the time and locks you in, and Vivillon’s Infestation is super effective on Chespin. It can still go wrong, but Chespin has the easiest time of the three at the first Gym. If you picked Fennekin or Froakie, catch a Fletchling on Route 2 or in Santalune Forest, or a Pikachu in the forest. You get the Exp. Share from Alexa right after this Gym, not before it.

Grant: the Gym Fennekin hates

Grant leads with Amaura, a Rock/Ice Pokémon with Refrigerate and Aurora Beam, then sends Tyrunt. Fire is only neutral on Amaura, because its Ice type cancels out its Rock type, and Tyrunt takes just ¼× from Fire. Both know Rock Tomb, which is 2× on Fennekin’s line. Froakie’s Water Pulse hits Amaura for double damage. If you picked Fennekin, the Kanto starter solves this Gym: Squirtle or Bulbasaur from Professor Sycamore, who gives you one before you reach Cyllage City. A Pancham from Route 5 also helps, because Fighting moves are 4× on Amaura.

Lysandre, the Elite Four and Diantha

Lysandre’s last team, in Team Flare’s Secret HQ under Geosenge Town, ends with a level 53 Gyarados holding Gyaradosite, so it Mega Evolves into a Water/Dark Pokémon. It knows Aqua Tail, Earthquake, Iron Head and Outrage. Chesnaught resists Water and Ground and hits it 2× with Grass moves and Hammer Arm. Watch out for Honchkrow’s and Mienshao’s Flying moves first, though, because Flying is 4× on Chesnaught. Delphox is weak to Aqua Tail and Earthquake, so let something else take Gyarados.

What your pick locks in: rival, Shauna and a legendary bird

The bird is level 70 and starts roaming Kalos after you enter the Hall of Fame. It flees each time you run into it while it roams. After eleven encounters, it settles in the Sea Spirit’s Den in Azure Bay, where you can catch it. Only one bird appears per save file, so if you want a specific one, pick the matching starter. The rival’s Eevee evolution joins its team in the later battles.

Already picked? How to get the other two starters

1. Shauna’s trade. After you become Champion, Shauna in Vaniville Town offers a level 5 starter she says came from an Egg, in exchange for any Pokémon you choose. It has Shauna as the Original Trainer: Chester the Chespin (Adamant), Kinniekins the Fennekin (Modest) or Froabble the Froakie (Jolly).
2. The Friend Safari. Also after the Hall of Fame, the Friend Safari in Kiloude City has Quilladin in Grass Safaris, Braixen in Fire Safaris and Frogadier in Water Safaris. They are level 30 and only appear in the third slot. Each Safari of those types has a 50% chance to have that starter as its third Pokémon. Once it does, the three Pokémon in that Safari are about equally common.
3. Trading. A second cartridge or a friend gives you the third line from the start.

The third Safari slot only opens once that friend has entered the Hall of Fame and your game has seen them in the PSS at the same time. Nintendo shut down online play for the 3DS on April 8, 2024 (April 9 in some regions), so today that only works by playing together over local wireless. Pokémon from an unlocked Safari can have their Hidden Ability. That’s the only place in X and Y to catch one with Protean, Magician or Bulletproof. After that, you can breed more or trade for one. You can’t catch Chespin, Fennekin or Froakie in the wild.

Kanto starter pairs, and X vs Y

After you beat Viola and reach Lumiose City, Professor Sycamore battles you in his lab, then lets you pick a level 10 Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. He also hands you that Pokémon’s Mega Stone. You can’t Mega Evolve until you get the Mega Ring later in the story.

Pokémon X and Y have the same three Kalos starters, with the same stats, moves, evolution levels, rivals and birds. The one version difference here is Charmander’s Mega Stone: Pokémon X gives Charizardite X, and Pokémon Y gives Charizardite Y. For the other Mega Stones, see the Mega Stones guide.

Not in X and Y: Mega Greninja and Ash-Greninja

• Mega Chesnaught, Mega Delphox and Mega Greninja are from Pokémon Legends: Z-A. X and Y have no Mega Stones for the Kalos starters.
• Ash-Greninja and its Battle Bond ability came with the Pokémon Sun and Moon Special Demo Version. They aren’t in X and Y.
• The Kanto starters are a second gift. You still keep your Kalos starter.

Early teammates that cover each starter

Pansage, Pansear and Panpour each appear 10% of the time in Santalune Forest grass, and Pikachu 6%. Turn on the Exp. Share once Alexa gives it to you, and new teammates catch up fast. See the Exp. Share guide.

Frequently asked questions

Who are the starter Pokémon in Pokémon X and Y?

Chespin (Grass), Fennekin (Fire) and Froakie (Water). You pick one in Aquacorde Town at the start, then get a Kanto starter from Professor Sycamore in Lumiose City.

Is Greninja the best starter in X and Y?

Not for the story. Greninja is the fastest, but the one you get has Torrent, not Protean, and its typing is weak to three mid-game Gyms. Fennekin has the easiest Gym path.

Does the Froakie you get at the start have Protean?

No. It always has Torrent, and an Ability Capsule can’t change that. Protean Froakie comes from the Friend Safari’s Frogadier, or from breeding one.

Can I get Chespin, Fennekin and Froakie on one save?

Yes. You get one at the start, Shauna trades you a second after you become Champion, and the Friend Safari has the third line’s middle stage.

Which starter is easiest for the Kalos Gyms?

Fennekin. It’s strong against Korrina, Ramos, Valerie and Wulfric, and only Grant gives it a hard time. The Kanto starter covers Grant.

Does Pokémon X or Y change the starter?

No. Both games have the same three starters. Only Charmander’s Mega Stone changes, Charizardite X in Pokémon X and Charizardite Y in Pokémon Y.

Which legendary bird do I get with each starter?

Chespin gives Articuno, Fennekin gives Zapdos, and Froakie gives Moltres. The bird starts roaming after the Hall of Fame.

Can Chesnaught, Delphox or Greninja Mega Evolve in X and Y?

No. Their Mega Evolutions are only in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.