Chikorita is a perfect personal starter for Pokémon Legends: Z-A if you like its gentle, sunshine-loving character and want the trio’s speed-focused option. Nintendo Life’s October 2025 guide describes it as the fastest starter, with the highest Special Defense, and says its Mega Evolution gains Fairy typing. That is a compelling case—not proof that Chikorita is objectively the strongest. The same guide calls Tepig statistically strongest.
What makes Chikorita a compelling partner?
Pokémon’s official Japanese profile identifies Chikorita as a Grass-type Pokémon, 0.9 m tall and 6.4 kg. It describes Chikorita as usually gentle, fond of sunshine, and able to sense temperature and humidity with the leaf on its head. The leaf’s faint sweet scent can also ease a tense mood. Those traits give Chikorita a distinct, calm personality beyond its battle statistics. See Chikorita’s official Pokémon profile.
In Legends: Z-A, Chikorita is one of three possible first partners. The official game page says the player arrives in Lumiose and, after certain events, befriends the Pokémon that begins their journey as a Trainer. Read the official Pokémon Legends: Z-A partner overview.
How Chikorita compares with Tepig and Totodile
Nintendo Life’s guide, published October 28, 2025, offers a useful comparison, but its rankings are the guide’s assessment—not official Pokémon rankings or independently tested results.
#1 Best Overall
- POKÉMON PLUSH: Choose to snooze with Chikorita, the Leaf Pokémon
- SUPER SIZE: Large-scale Pokémon plush rounds out at 18-inches
- UNIQUE STYLE: Chikorita is splayed out in a unique sleeping posture
- PREMIUM PLUSH: Plush is made of super-soft material that’s perfect for cuddling
- OFFICIAL PRODUCT: Officially licensed Pokémon product from Jazwares
| Starter | What the guide reports | A reason to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Chikorita | Fastest of the trio; highest Special Defense; Mega Evolution adds Fairy typing. | You like Chikorita’s gentle character or want the guide’s speed- and Special Defense-focused choice. |
| Tepig | Statistically strongest of the three, according to the guide. | You want the option the guide rates strongest overall. |
| Totodile | Highest base stat total and a balanced profile, according to the guide. | You prefer the guide’s more balanced profile. |
Read Nintendo Life’s starter comparison and acquisition guide.
Does choosing Chikorita lock you out of the others?
No—not permanently, according to Nintendo Life’s guide. It reports that the other two starters can be caught in Wild Zone 20 after the main story and a short post-game sequence. If you are following its route, check the steps against the game version you are playing; the guide’s reported availability is a post-game option, not a promise that all three are available at the start.
Rank #2
- It’s perfectly clear—Chikorita, the Leaf Pokémon, is one chic -looking plush! Soft and sweetened with embroidered details, it will add a fresh presence to your decor or Pokémon collection.
- Soft fabric and embroidered details
- Care Instructions: Hand Wash Only. Line Dry.
- Item Dimensions: 5.5 x 4 x 6.3 inches (14 x 10.2 x 16 cm)
- Pokémon Center Original
Which starter should you pick?
- Pick Chikorita if its gentle, sunshine-loving character appeals to you, or if the guide’s reported speed, Special Defense, and Fairy-type Mega Evolution suit your preferences.
- Pick Tepig if you want the starter Nintendo Life calls statistically strongest.
- Pick Totodile if the guide’s highest-base-stat-total, balanced-profile description sounds more appealing.
The available comparison does not establish that Chikorita is best for every team or player. Nintendo Life recommends considering team composition and notes that the game offers enough type coverage and options to make choosing a favorite reasonable. If Chikorita is your favorite, its case does not depend on winning an overall statistical ranking.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A HOME bonus for Chikorita collectors
Pokémon’s February 27, 2026 announcement says that depositing Pokémon caught in Legends: Z-A into the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME enables Alpha Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile Mystery Gifts in the mobile version of HOME. The announcement says gift details and the method may change without notice, so check the official notice for current instructions. Read Pokémon’s HOME connectivity announcement.
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Quick Recap
Best Value
- The Chikorita Sitting Cuties Plush is weighted with microbeads, so it sits up when you put it on a flat surface. This palm-sized plush is a fun, charming way to show off a favorite Grass-type first partner Pokémon originally discovered in Johto!
- Includes Chikorita Sitting Cuties Plush
- Care Instructions: Hand Wash Only. Line Dry.
- Item Dimensions: 3.3 x 4.5 x 5.3 inches (8.3 x 11.4 x 13.4 cm)
- Pokémon Center Original
Rank #4
Rank #3
- w/tracking by JP post
- PP40 Chikorita (S)
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