Part 74: EX 01: The Unseen Starters

EX 01: The Unseen Starters

During the partner vote, I left out all the Normal types because I was getting Skitty, thus ruling out Normal-type partner choices. Here are the ones we didn't see:


Eevee ♀

Returning from Red/Blue Rescue Team after being left out of Time/Darkness, Eevee's a popular starter choice in every Pokemon game ever, including the ones where you have to hack it in. In the Gen IV games, it can evolve into one of seven Pokemon, each with different types, stats and abilities.

But in PMD, you have to stay as Eevee for a long, long time. Its HP and defenses aren't great, its level-up stat gains are piddly, and its movepool is limited to mostly Normal-type moves, with not much in the way of variety or range. As always, playing smart with items in dungeons and using your partner to your advantage can help an Eevee starter get through. Its abilities are Adaptability and Run Away. Adaptability strengthens moves of the same type, meaning things like Tackle and Quick Attack, learned early on, will get double power, stronger than STAB.

Run Away is the reason Eevee is the worst partner. Leaders aren't affected by it, but if an ally with Run Away gets to critical HP, it flees... away from you, and straight into an enemy's attack.

Its egg move is Flail, and considering Eevee's plight, I don't blame it for throwing a tantrum on the floor.


Meowth ♂
*Partner Only*

While you could be Meowth in PMD Red, Blue, Time, and Darkness, he's relegated to partner-only status in Sky, probably to make room for the new starters. Meowth's abilities are Pickup and Technician, the latter of which powers up moves with 4 stars or less. That means moves like Scratch stay beefy throughout the game. PMD Sky was the first game where you could choose a Normal-type as a partner if you didn't start as one, and Meowth's pretty decent in that role. It also makes sense story-wise, what with the partner wanting to discover shiny gold and treasures.

Meowth's egg move is Hypnosis, which causes sleep in the target. Not bad at all.


Munchlax ♂
*Partner Only*

Munchlax was available as a starter in PMD Time and Darkness. He makes a solid enough partner, starting with Metronome for maximum fun! Besides Pickup, he also gets Thick Fat as an ability, meaning he takes half-damage from Fire- and Ice-type moves. Until level 33, Munchlax learns mostly Status moves, like Amnesia, Screech, and Defense Curl. He can learn a variety of TMs, though, once those are available to you. Arguably the partner with the most beef.

Like Skitty, Munchlax's egg move is Zen Headbutt.