Three kinds of evidence
- Official information
- Statements from Team Monomyth about the game, legal distribution, patching and emulator support. We link to the actual page, not a ROM mirror.
- Third-party game data
- Starter stats, moves and evolution conditions from DexDB, which labels its Monomyth dataset v1.0. These are not independently verified gameplay results.
- Editorial analysis
- Our interpretation of those records: which starter fits a priority, physical, or base-Speed opening plan. A role recommendation is not proof of a win rate, boss matchup or full-campaign ranking.
Official references
- Game overview and Athanto region ↗
- Current patcher and supported emulator list ↗
- Trading requirements and limits ↗
- Project status, creators and distribution statement ↗
Starter records
- Marmroot: base stats, moves, evolution and encounters ↗
- Crackliss: base stats, moves, evolution and encounters ↗
- Mishimizu: base stats, moves, evolution and encounters ↗
- Side-by-side starter data ↗
- DexDB’s v1.0 source statement ↗
These pages were inspected on November 2, 2026. We have not independently extracted a ROM or applied the patch to check the records. Later releases may differ.
How we choose a recommendation
We compare the three unevolved forms, their base-stat distribution, and their listed level-up moves from levels 8 through 18. A physical move and a special move use different attacking stats; a move’s printed power alone is not a damage comparison. We do not assume hidden abilities, a specific nature, perfect individual stats, traded moves or late-game items.
We currently recommend Mishimizu for a priority-focused opening because Aqua Jet is listed at level 14. Marmroot offers higher base Attack and HP; Crackliss offers higher base Speed and Sp. Atk. The guide explains the tradeoffs. There are no hidden scores.
What is not yet tested
No first-party gameplay comparison runs have been completed. Exact story selection steps, named early teammates and encounter access, first-boss performance, full-game rankings, hidden-ability access, and starter reselection remain unverified here. We will not call a guide a tested walkthrough while those checks are missing.
Image credits
The three unmodified, 64 × 64 game sprites are Team Monomyth’s work, served here as small references to the starters being discussed. The files were obtained from DexDB’s Monomyth records. This attribution is not a claim of a license or endorsement. Pokémon names and related intellectual property belong to their respective owners.
Found a discrepancy?
Prefer the current in-game behavior over a database entry. This MVP has no correction-submission form or verified public contact channel yet. A future correction should include the game version, the relevant screen, and enough context to reproduce the difference.