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For a Pokémon Scarlet or Violet story playthrough, the best party is a balanced one—not a universal ranking. Choose your starter around the route you expect to tackle first, then fill the remaining slots with Pokémon that add useful type and move coverage without stacking the same weaknesses. This guide is for the base-game story adventure, not competitive battling; route order and personal preference change what works best.
How to read this party tier list
There is no official, universal story-party ranking for Scarlet and Violet. The tiers below are practical guidance based on broad usefulness across the three story routes, type and move coverage, acquisition considerations, and ease of use. They are not competitive rankings, and the game’s flexible open-world structure means your next challenge depends on the order you choose.
Use the tiers as a way to think about party roles, not as a requirement to catch particular Pokémon. A strong story party can include favorites; aim to make sure those favorites contribute different options when possible. Type compatibility matters because a move can be more or less advantageous depending on its match-up. For the official overview of the games and their battle systems, see Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet.
Story-party tiers
| Tier | What it means | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Core pick | A Pokémon that gives your party a useful role or coverage you otherwise lack. | Consider it when it complements your starter and your upcoming route objectives. |
| Good fit | A useful option whose value depends more on your team, route order, or preference. | Choose it if it brings a distinct type or move plan rather than duplicating a role. |
| Preference pick | A Pokémon you want to use even if its role overlaps with another party member. | Keep it if you enjoy it; adjust the rest of the party to cover gaps. |
These are role-based tiers, not claims that one species is stronger in every situation. The evidence available for this guide supports the starter comparison and general mechanics, but not a verified species-by-species ranking of every Pokémon in the game.
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- New Pokémon to Discover - Learn new details about Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly—the three Pokémon from which you’ll choose your first partner—along with other wonderful new Pokémon, including the Legendary Pokémon Koraidon and Miraidon!
- The World of Pokémon Has Evolved - Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet offer an open-world experience that only the Pokémon series can deliver—one welcoming even to newcomers to the series.
- You can experience a new style of adventure, with a world that you’re free to explore at your leisure and not in an order dictated by the story. You will, of course, journey to hone your skills as a Pokémon Trainer, but many more discoveries and stories await you. Meet a variety of people and Pokémon, and adventure in the world of Pokémon the way you want to.
- A Deeper Experience with Multiplayer* Gameplay - Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet allow multiplayer gameplay with up to four players. Along with series staples, such as trading and battling Pokémon, you will be able to explore the various locations of the region in these games with other players. You can discover new Pokémon and explore unfamiliar areas with your friends and family, opening the door to an adventure more precious and fun than ever!
- Meet the characters - As one of the main characters, you’ll set off on your adventure. Your outfit will vary depending on whether you play Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet. Who knows what kind of story awaits you? For the first time in the series, one of two different professors will appear in your game depending on the version you choose to play.
Which starter Pokémon should you choose?
The official Pokémon site names three first partners: Grass-type Sprigatito, Fire-type Fuecoco, and Water-type Quaxly. Any of the three can work through the story. If you want a route-based tiebreaker, Nintendo Life recommends Fuecoco for Victory Road, Sprigatito for Titan encounters, and Quaxly for Team Star. Those are the outlet’s recommendations, not official rankings, and the advantage changes with the order in which you take on the routes.
| Starter | Type | Route-based recommendation | Practical takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprigatito | Grass | Nintendo Life recommends it for Titan encounters. | A reasonable choice if that route is your early priority; build the rest of the party around coverage it does not provide. |
| Fuecoco | Fire | Nintendo Life recommends it for Victory Road. | A reasonable choice if you plan to prioritize that route; add different types and move options as you go. |
| Quaxly | Water | Nintendo Life recommends it for Team Star. | A reasonable choice if Team Star is your early focus; avoid letting the rest of the party simply duplicate its role. |
Because Scarlet and Violet let you approach objectives in a flexible order, there is no starter that is automatically best for every player. The official game overview describes the open-world structure, starter choices, and type compatibility at Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet; Nintendo Life’s route-specific advice is at Best starter Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
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- If you purchase either the physical or digital double pack, you will receive a 200 Poké Ball bonus via download codes* that can be entered in the Mystery Gift** feature in your game!
- The packaged version of the double pack includes 1 physical Pokémon Scarlet game and 1 physical Pokémon Violet game
- Catch, battle, and train Pokémon in the Paldea Region, a vast land filled with lakes, towering peaks, wastelands, small towns, and sprawling cities
- Choose either Sprigatito, Fuecoco, or Quaxly, to be your first partner Pokémon before setting off on your journey through Paldea
How to fill the rest of your party
After choosing a starter, make each additional party slot solve a particular problem. Consider what type coverage or move options you lack, whether the Pokémon is available in your version, and whether it overlaps with a teammate. You do not need to cover every possible matchup, but a party with several overlapping weaknesses can make story battles less forgiving.
- Look at your next objective. Pick a route target you expect to face soon rather than building around a fixed order that the game does not require.
- Identify a coverage gap. Check whether your party has a useful response to the types and opponents you have encountered. Type compatibility affects how advantageous moves are in battle.
- Check access in your version. Scarlet and Violet have version-specific Pokémon. Nintendo’s examples include Larvitar and Stonjourner for Scarlet, and Bagon and Eiscue for Violet. Do not plan around a version-exclusive Pokémon unless you own the relevant version or can trade for it.
- Prefer a distinct role when choosing between candidates. A new party member is most useful when it contributes a different type or move option instead of repeating a role you already have.
- Revisit the party as you progress. Your priorities can change when you finish a route or catch something that covers an earlier weakness.
These checks are more dependable than following a single fixed list: your route order, version, catches, and preferences determine which candidate is practical for your own playthrough.
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![Pokémon Scarlet/Pokémon Violet Expansion Pass: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero (Retail Version) Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51n-a8y2QXL._SL160_.jpg)
- Only one code for a Hisuian Zoroark can be used in either the Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet game. Upon purchase of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC, an email with your code will be sent to the email address registered to your Nintendo Account. From the in-game menu, go to the Poké Portal, then select Mystery Gift, select Get with Code/Password, and then enter your code.
- The Mystery Gift option can be found within the Poké Portal menu option in the X menu after you unlock the feature in the Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet game. (This occurs after about 1 to 1.5 hours of gameplay, though individual gameplay time may vary.) An internet connection and a Nintendo Account is required to redeem the item in game. A Nintendo Switch Online membership is not required. Each item can only be redeemed once.
Use Terastallization as a tactical option
Terastallization changes a Pokémon to its Tera Type, and moves matching that type can receive a power boost. It can reinforce a move plan or help in a particular matchup, but it does not replace having varied coverage across the party. Nintendo says it can be used once per battle, lasts until that battle ends, and requires the Tera Orb to recharge before another use. See Nintendo’s explanation in its Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet overview.
Think of a Tera Type as an option to use deliberately in a battle, not a reason to ignore a party member’s other matchups. The official Pokémon site also explains Terastallization and type interactions at Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet.
Scarlet, Violet, and what this guide covers
Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet launched for Nintendo Switch on November 18, 2022. Nintendo lists Scarlet, Violet, and a Double Pack as products; the two versions differ in some available Pokémon. If version exclusives matter to your team plan, check the current game listing for your region and confirm which version you are buying. The recommendations here focus on the base-game story playthrough; they are not a complete availability guide for downloadable content, and they do not assume that you have traded.
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