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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11There is no single objectively best Alola starter. If you mean fan-vote popularity, Rowlet has the clearest edge: it ranked above the other starter lines in The Pokémon Company’s 2020 Alola-region vote. That result does not show which starter is strongest in Pokémon Sun or Moon, or in competitive battles.
Which Pokémon are the Alola starters?
The three choices are Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio. Their full evolution lines are Rowlet–Dartrix–Decidueye, Litten–Torracat–Incineroar, and Popplio–Brionne–Primarina. The official Sun & Moon Pokémon TCG checklist includes all nine species.
Which Alola starter is most popular?
Rowlet is the best-supported answer if “best” means popularity in The Pokémon Company’s 2020 Alola-region vote. Rowlet placed second among the region’s Pokémon, with Decidueye third. The other four members of the starter lines also appeared in the results:
| Pokémon | Votes in the 2020 Alola-region results | Regional place |
|---|---|---|
| Rowlet | 52,367 | Second |
| Decidueye | 44,011 | Third |
| Incineroar | 29,925 | Sixth |
| Primarina | 25,953 | Eighth |
| Litten | 14,005 | Thirteenth |
| Popplio | 7,542 | Twenty-eighth |
These are the figures and placements in The Pokémon Company’s Pokémon of the Year 2020 results. They describe that vote, not a survey of every player or a measure of battle performance. The table also shows why the evolutionary lines should not be treated as interchangeable with their unevolved starters when interpreting the result: each form received its own placement.
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Does the vote tell you which starter is strongest in Sun or Moon?
No. A popularity ranking cannot establish which choice makes the strongest story-mode team. The evidence here does not provide a controlled comparison of the three starter lines across the original Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon campaigns, so it cannot support a definitive campaign-strength winner.
Strength depends on the game and the opponents involved. Pokémon Support explains the matchup principle with this example: “If you’re always facing off against Fire-type Pokémon, it’s often useful to look for Water Pokémon that pack a punch.” That is general guidance, not a ranking of Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio. The relevant comparison for a playthrough is how each choice fits the battles and team you encounter and build.
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What about competitive battling or other Pokémon games?
A competitive ranking needs a specified game, ruleset, and date. The available sources do not establish a current tier ranking for the three Alola starter lines, so a claim that one is competitively best would need more specific evidence.
Game-specific roles should stay game-specific. In its Pokémon UNITE announcement, The Pokémon Company describes Decidueye as a ranged attacker and says it evolves during a match from Rowlet to Dartrix to Decidueye. That role description applies to UNITE; it is not evidence of Decidueye’s strength in the original games or another battle format.
Rank #3
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How should you choose?
If your priority is the documented fan-vote result, choose Rowlet. For a personal favorite, choose the design or evolution line you like most; preference is subjective, and community discussion reflects individual opinions rather than a consensus measure. If you want a gameplay winner, first name the game and mode you care about, then compare the starters in that context rather than treating popularity as a proxy for strength.
In short: Rowlet is the popularity pick, but the best Alola starter for your playthrough or battles depends on your criterion and game mode.
Rank #4
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Pokémon Forums discussion of players’ starter choices
Quick Recap
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