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For a normal story run, Chimchar is the strongest starter if you measure strength by offensive pace and by how useful its line remains through the later Gym challenges. That is a qualitative judgement, not a measured ranking, and no official source ranks Turtwig, Chimchar and Piplup against one another. Turtwig is the better pick for early Grass coverage and a sturdy final form, and Piplup is the better pick if defensive staying power matters most.
The three are the first partners in the Sinnoh games, including the Nintendo Switch remakes Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, as described on The Pokémon Company’s Sinnoh story page. The verdict below applies to a standard campaign. It does not cover competitive play or randomised rulesets.
What “strongest” has to mean
Most disagreements about starters come from people using the word for different things. Settle your own definition first:
- Easiest story run: how smoothly the early Gyms go with a reasonable team.
- Strongest final evolution: how the last form compares in typing and stats.
- Best early Gym matchups: whether the starter’s type helps or hurts in the first two Gyms.
- Best offensive pressure: how hard the line hits and how long it stays relevant.
- Defensive resilience: how well the final form resists incoming attacks.
The rest of this article uses the official guide’s descriptions and the wording of two historical Nintendo and community sources. None of them provides a measured head-to-head test of the three lines.
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How the three lines compare
| Starter line | What the official guide emphasises | Early risk | Final form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chimchar → Monferno → Infernape | Described as “swift and strong”; Monferno learns Fighting-type moves as early as level 14. | The first Gym is a type disadvantage. | The guide calls the line a major asset in later Gyms and challenges. |
| Turtwig → Grotle → Torterra | Early access to Grass moves, which the guide says to prepare by leveling Turtwig early. | Leveling needs to happen early enough to have useful Grass moves before the first Gym. | Torterra is given a well-rounded move set and strong defensive stats. |
| Piplup → Prinplup → Empoleon | Not stated as an offensive strength in the guide; the 2009 Nintendo guide calls Piplup the most defensive starter. | Piplup may struggle in the second Gym. | Empoleon is Water/Steel and is described as resisting or being immune to 11 Pokémon types (publication year of the guide not stated). |
These are qualitative comparisons drawn from the sources, not test results.
Chimchar: the offensive case
Chimchar is the pick that rewards offensive planning. Its early Fighting-type moves arrive before most players reach the mid-game, and the official guide places the line in the role of a dependable attacker through later challenges. The trade-off is the first Gym. Because the starter is at a type disadvantage there, plan for another team member to handle that battle rather than relying on the starter alone.
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Turtwig: early Grass coverage and a durable finish
Turtwig makes the most sense if you want Grass moves early and a final form with broad coverage. The catch is timing. Grass moves need to be learned before the first Gym, which means the official guide’s advice to level Turtwig early is not optional if you want that coverage at that point in the story. Torterra’s well-rounded moves and defensive stats make the investment pay off later.
Piplup: defensive staying power
Piplup’s strength shows up at the end of the line. Empoleon’s Water/Steel typing gives it strong defensive profiles, but the official guide also warns that Piplup may struggle in the second Gym. That makes Piplup a choice for players who will accept a rough mid-game in exchange for a tougher final form, and who are willing to support it with other team members.
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What the official wording does and does not establish
The Pokémon Company’s trainers guide says: “Whichever first partner you choose, it may very well become one of the strongest Pokémon on your team.” The line is reassurance about your own team. It is not a ranking of the three starters. The same guide says there is “no wrong choice” and that all three can be effective companions (Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl Trainers Guide: Pokémon Trainer Fundamentals).
The one number in the official guide that bears on this question is Empoleon’s resistance count: 11 Pokémon types resisted or nullified. That figure is the guide’s own claim, and it describes a defensive profile, not overall strength. A starter that resists many types can still be a weak choice if its early Gyms are hard to get through.
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The 2009 Nintendo of South Africa page, titled Which Starter Will You Choose?, says “Piplup is the most defence-oriented starter.” That is a historical description of Piplup’s role, not a current verdict on the whole Sinnoh series.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Game version matters
The official Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl pages describe the trio, but they do not rank the starters against one another in a way that holds across the original Diamond and Pearl, Platinum and the remakes. The only community reference found for campaign utility is Smogon University’s Pokemon Diamond and Pearl In-Game Tiers guide. It is a community reference for Diamond and Pearl, not an official verdict, and it does not establish a version-by-version ranking for the other games.
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In practice, this means a ranking for one edition does not transfer automatically to another. If you are replaying a particular game, check your own team’s needs against the Gyms in that game rather than against a general answer.
Quick Recap
Choosing by your own definition
- If offensive pace matters most, start with Chimchar and plan a backup for the first Gym.
- If Grass coverage matters most, start with Turtwig and level it early enough to learn its Grass moves before the first Gym.
- If defensive staying power matters most, start with Piplup and accept a harder second Gym in exchange for a tough final form.
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