Pokemon Monomyth Starters: Best Picks & Starter Guide

The short answer

Which is the best starter?

For a priority-focused opening, choose Mishimizu.

Our provisional pick is based on Aqua Jet at level 14: a physical Water attack that fits its 61 base Attack. If finishing weakened opponents with an early priority move is the plan, this is the clearest fit in the published level 8–18 learnsets.

Choose Marmroot instead for the highest base Attack and HP in the trio; choose Crackliss for the highest base Speed and Sp. Atk. Their specific move plans are below.

Scope matters. This is our analysis of DexDB’s v1.0 records, not an official recommendation or a gameplay-tested winner. We have not tested first-boss matchups, clear times, or the full game. Read the method and limitations →

The decision desk

Three starters. Different strengths.

Base forms · v1.0 data

Compare the same starting forms before looking at their evolutions. All three have a base stat total of 320; how those points are distributed is what differs.

Starter base statistics and ordinary abilities from DexDB v1.0
Base form	MarmrootGrass	CracklissFire / Poison	MishimizuWater
HP	65	40	49
Attack	65	45	61
Defense	55	55	52
Sp. Atk	42	60	50
Sp. Def	51	50	48
Speed	42	70	60
Ability	Overgrow	Blaze	Torrent

Our data-based pick

Mishimizu, for an early priority attack

Aqua Jet is listed at level 14. It is a physical Water move, matching 61 base Attack rather than 50 Sp. Atk. That makes Mishimizu our data-based pick if your opening plan is to finish weakened opponents with priority.

Priority does not mean an automatic first move or a KO. Marmroot has more base HP and Attack; Crackliss has more base Speed. This is a level 8–18 move-plan recommendation, not a tested boss-clear ranking.

Read Mishimizu’s starter guide →

Source: DexDB’s v1.0 starter records ↗. Base stats are species values, not your Pokémon’s on-screen stats or measured damage. No in-game comparison runs have been completed.

Choose for the way you want to start.

There is no weighted score behind these picks. Each one answers a different, specific goal; none establishes an overall strongest starter.

Mishimizu, for an early priority attack

Marmroot, for a physical opening

Marmroot has the highest base Attack (65) and HP (65) of the three. Physical Leafage at 8 and Razor Leaf at 14 align with that Attack; Shadow Sneak at 16 and Dig at 18 add different attack options.

Its base Speed (42) is the lowest. HP alone is not a complete measure of bulk, and Dig takes two turns. This does not prove Marmroot is the easiest starter against the first boss.

Crackliss, for base-form Speed

Crackliss leads the trio in base Speed (70) and Sp. Atk (60). Ember at 8 and Acid at 11 use the special stat; Glare at 16 offers a status option alongside direct attacks.

It also has the lowest base HP (40). Flame Wheel and Poison Fang are physical, so more printed move power does not automatically mean more damage. Fastest in this trio is not fastest in every battle.

For a first playthrough: use the move plan you can follow, not an unverified “easy mode” label. No first-boss results are available here, so we cannot honestly name the most forgiving starter for the campaign.

Getting and choosing your starter.

The three starting options are Marmroot, Crackliss and Mishimizu. At the three-choice screen, match the name and type to the plan above. Crackliss begins as Fire/Poison; the other two begin as single-type Grass and Water.

Set up the official game.
If you have not started yet, follow our official-patching setup guide. This site does not host a playable ROM.
Choose an opening role.
Priority-focused Water attacks, higher physical Attack and HP, or faster special attacks: use the comparison rather than a final-evolution image alone.
Check the Pokémon you receive.
Read its actual ability and moves in-game. The plans below do not assume hidden abilities, special natures, perfect individual stats, or traded moves.

The precise story route, selection location and save-before-choice opportunity have not been independently verified. This section is a selection checklist, not a step-by-step story walkthrough.

Your first move plan.

The moves below are base-form level-up records through level 18. They are not inherited from the original Emerald starters. Evolution changes and later learnsets require separate checks.

No. 001 · Grass

Marmroot starter guide

Physical moves. More opening HP.

Build around physical attacks: its listed Attack is 65, compared with 42 Sp. Atk. Leafage at level 8 gives you a matching physical Grass move. Razor Leaf at 14 adds power; its listed accuracy is 95%, so keep that tradeoff in mind.

Marmroot opening level-up milestones
Level	Move	Category	Power
8	Leafage	Physical	40
11	Mud-Slap	Special	20
14	Razor Leaf	Physical	55
16	Shadow Sneak	Physical	40
18	Dig	Physical	80

How to use the next few levels

Shadow Sneak at 16 offers a priority option. Dig at 18 adds physical Ground coverage, but takes two turns. The higher printed power is not a reason to use it in every situation.

Avoid this mistake

It has the lowest base Speed of the three (42). Do not plan around moving first with ordinary attacks. Mud-Slap uses the lower special stat; treat its accuracy reduction as a separate reason to use it.

Think about your next teammate

Look for teammates that can handle opponents your Grass attacks struggle against. Compare their actual moves and defensive matchups rather than adding another physical Grass attacker by default.

Show Marmroot’s evolutions Names & types · spoilers

Level 20 → ThistlepigGrass / Ground
Level 40 → PunxearthGrass / Ground

Third-party v1.0 conditions. Not independently tested here; the move table above stays scoped to the unevolved form.

Data source: Marmroot’s DexDB record ↗ · checked November 2, 2026. Teammate advice is general planning, not a tested encounter route.

No. 004 · Fire / Poison

Crackliss starter guide

Fastest base form. Special options.

Ember at level 8 and Acid at 11 use its higher attacking stat: 60 Sp. Atk versus 45 Attack. These give you separate Fire and Poison attack options. The Poison typing alone does not mean every move poisons.

Crackliss opening level-up milestones
Level	Move	Category	Power
8	Ember	Special	40
11	Acid	Special	40
14	Flame Wheel	Physical	60
16	Glare	Status	—
18	Poison Fang	Physical	50

How to use the next few levels

Keep an eye on move categories. Flame Wheel at 14 has more printed power than Ember, but uses the lower Attack stat. Glare at 16 adds paralysis utility; it is not a damaging attack.

Avoid this mistake

Its 70 base Speed leads this trio, but 40 base HP is the lowest. Speed is not a guarantee of acting first against every opponent, and it does not make Crackliss the safest damage absorber.

Think about your next teammate

A teammate that can switch into attacks Crackliss cannot comfortably take is more useful than relying on Speed alone. Check the game’s displayed matchups; we have not tested a named early-game pairing.

Show Crackliss’s evolutions Names & types · spoilers

Level 20 → MokaboomFire / Poison
Level 40 → ExplobraFire / Poison

Third-party v1.0 conditions. Not independently tested here; the move table above stays scoped to the unevolved form.

Data source: Crackliss’s DexDB record ↗ · checked November 2, 2026. Teammate advice is general planning, not a tested encounter route.

No. 007 · Water

Mishimizu starter guide

Early priority. Physical follow-up.

Keep Water Gun at level 8 as a Water option. Metal Claw at 11 uses 61 Attack rather than 50 Sp. Atk. It is listed at 95% accuracy, so it is not a guaranteed hit.

Mishimizu opening level-up milestones
Level	Move	Category	Power
8	Water Gun	Special	40
11	Metal Claw	Physical	50
14	Aqua Jet	Physical	40
18	Hone Claws	Status	—

How to use the next few levels

Our priority-focused opening pick comes online at level 14: Aqua Jet is a physical Water attack that usually acts before ordinary-priority moves. Use it to try to finish weakened opponents, not as a promise to move first in every matchup. Hone Claws at 18 raises Attack and accuracy but costs a turn.

Avoid this mistake

Water Gun is special, while Aqua Jet is physical; identical printed power does not imply identical damage. Its base HP is below Marmroot’s, and we have not established which starter clears the first boss most easily.

Think about your next teammate

Check the opponents that force Mishimizu out, then seek a teammate that covers those fights. Do not assume that using a Steel move makes its unevolved form Water/Steel.

Show Mishimizu’s evolutions Names & types · spoilers

Level 20 → CoppeshuWater / Steel
Level 40 → MishiarmorWater / Steel

Third-party v1.0 conditions. Not independently tested here; the move table above stays scoped to the unevolved form.

Data source: Mishimizu’s DexDB record ↗ · checked November 2, 2026. Teammate advice is general planning, not a tested encounter route.

A few things worth knowing.

What are the Pokémon Monomyth starters?

Marmroot (Grass), Crackliss (Fire/Poison), and Mishimizu (Water). The comparison above covers their base forms, not their final evolutions.

What is the best starter in Pokémon Monomyth?

For a level 8–18 priority-focused move plan, our provisional, data-based pick is Mishimizu because it learns physical Aqua Jet at level 14. Choose Marmroot for the highest base Attack and HP in the trio, or Crackliss for the highest base Speed and Sp. Atk. These are scoped recommendations from third-party v1.0 data, not a gameplay-tested overall ranking.

At what levels do the starters evolve?

DexDB lists the first evolution at level 20 and the second at level 40 for all three lines. These are third-party v1.0 records, not conditions independently verified in our gameplay. Open the evolution sections for names and types.

Can I get the other starters later?

DexDB lists Nature Reserve grass encounters for all three at levels 6–12, with a 5% encounter rate each. We have not verified when that area becomes accessible or its story requirements, so do not plan on an immediate second starter.

Can I change my starter after choosing?

We have not verified an in-game starter-reselection feature. Do not treat later encounters or trading as a reset button for the original choice. Check the in-game saving options before committing if you want to revisit the selection.

Are hidden abilities assumed in these recommendations?

No. The comparison lists the ordinary ability recorded for each starter and does not rely on obtaining a hidden ability. Hidden-ability availability for the initial selection has not been verified here.

Is this an official guide or a tested walkthrough?

Neither. This is an independent starter guide using linked official setup information, third-party game data, and explicitly labeled editorial analysis. We have not completed in-game starter comparison runs or tested first-boss matchups.

What this guide is based on.

Version: v1.0, as labeled by DexDB’s source statement. Checked: November 2, 2026. Species values, level-up moves and evolution conditions come from the linked third-party records. We have not independently extracted a game ROM or confirmed those records in gameplay.

Our interpretation: the three opening-role recommendations. We compared base stats, move categories and level 8–18 availability. We did not measure damage, boss wins, speed breakpoints, experience costs, or item consumption. A listed move is not proof of a particular battle outcome.

Not yet verified: exact starter-selection story steps, early teammate availability, hidden-ability access, first-boss performance and full-campaign rankings. Later game versions may differ. If the game disagrees with a record, use the game as the authority.

Full sources & editorial standards →