Best Starter in Pokemon Legends: Arceus
No Legends: Arceus starter comes out on top. Oshawott wins the most boss fights, 3 of 7, and Cyndaquil has the best average score in the first four fights, but both have two Tough fights. Rowlet has three. All three end in new Hisuian types: Hisuian Samurott adds Dark, and Hisuian Typhlosion turns Fire and Ghost.
Legends: Arceus Starter Evolutions and Stats
Rowlet
Final form: Hisuian Decidueye
grass
fightingEvolution
Base statsHisuian Decidueye
- Total
- 530
| Boss | Result and score out of 100 |
|---|---|
| Kleavor | Tough, 30.2 |
| Lilligant | Good, 62.7 |
| Arcanine | Tough, 30.4 |
| Electrode | Even, 45.7 |
| Avalugg | Good, 65.1 |
| Kamado | Even, 54.2 |
| Volo | Tough, 41.5 |
Wins 2 of 7
Cyndaquil
Final form: Hisuian Typhlosion
fire
ghostEvolution
Base statsHisuian Typhlosion
- Total
- 534
| Boss | Result and score out of 100 |
|---|---|
| Kleavor | Tough, 37.6 |
| Lilligant | Good, 59.1 |
| Arcanine | Tough, 28.4 |
| Electrode | Good, 68.6 |
| Avalugg | Even, 54.4 |
| Kamado | Even, 55.9 |
| Volo | Even, 53.9 |
Wins 2 of 7
Oshawott
Final form: Hisuian Samurott
water
darkEvolution
Base statsHisuian Samurott
- Total
- 528
| Boss | Result and score out of 100 |
|---|---|
| Kleavor | Even, 48.4 |
| Lilligant | Tough, 28.3 |
| Arcanine | Good, 69.1 |
| Electrode | Tough, 37.0 |
| Avalugg | Strong, 72.7 |
| Kamado | Good, 62.1 |
| Volo | Even, 48.2 |
Most wins: 3 of 7
- Strong
- Good
- Even
- Tough
- Bad
- Score 50
Other Starters You Can Get Later
Finish the Legends: Arceus story and Professor Laventon hands over the two starters you didn't choose, so one save can hold all three Hisuian final forms.
Legends: Arceus Boss Fights, Rated for Each Starter
7 fights in story orderLegends: Arceus has no gyms, so we rate its five Noble Pokemon plus Kamado and Volo. Oshawott starts rough, Tough at Lilligant and Electrode, and finishes with Hisuian Samurott rated Strong against Avalugg.
Each cell is that starter's rating for the fight, scored 0 to 100. Tap a row for the boss team.
Ratings come from our matchup model: your starter's form, level, moves and stats at each fight against that boss team. Not a tier list.
| Boss |  Rowlet |  Cyndaquil |  Oshawott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nobles · 5 | 2 won · 2 Tough | 2 won · 2 Tough | 2 won · 2 Tough |
Tough30.2 | Tough37.6 | Even48.4 | |
Good62.7 | Good59.1 | Tough28.3 | |
Tough30.4 | Tough28.4 | Good69.1 | |
Even45.7 | Good68.6 | Tough37.0 | |
Good65.1 | Even54.4 | Strong72.7 | |
| Final story fights · 2 | 0 won · 1 Tough | 0 won · 0 Tough | 1 won · 0 Tough |
Even54.2 | Even55.9 | Good62.1 | |
Tough41.5 | Even53.9 | Even48.2 |
This list leaves out 14 Warden, Clan Leader and Galaxy Team fights. Our data does not say where they fall in the story.
Move power, accuracy and PP in the ratings are the Legends: Arceus values. Agile and Strong styles are not part of the ratings.
Best Team for Each Legends: Arceus Starter
5 teammates per starter · all obtainable in Legends: ArceusGardevoir and Kleavor sit first and second in Rowlet's Legends: Arceus ranking, and its team has both. Kleavor is a Scyther from the Obsidian Fieldlands, evolved with a Black Augurite. Gapejaw Bog in the Crimson Mirelands holds the Ralts for Gardevoir and, at night, the Gastly for Gengar, 4th in the ranking.
- Kleavor (Noble)Tough 30
- ArcanineTough 30
- VoloTough 42
This team wins 6 of 7 boss fights. It wins 2 of Rowlet's 3 Tough or Bad fights; no teammate you can catch in time wins Kleavor (Noble).
Between them, the team resists every type Rowlet is weak to.
- Golduckwater
9th of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Obsidian Fieldlands, at The HeartwoodWhen: Before KleavorLevel: Lv 13 to 16
- ArcanineStrong 72
- AvaluggStrong 80
- KamadoGood 63
- Kleavor
bug
rock2nd of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Obsidian FieldlandsWhen: Before KleavorLevel: Lv 13 to 16
- ElectrodeGood 67
- AvaluggGood 72
- KamadoGood 61
- Gengarghost
poison4th of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Crimson Mirelands, at Gapejaw Bog, Golden Lowlands, Scarlet Bog and Shrouded Ruins, at nightWhen: Before LilligantLevel: Lv 17 to 24
You catch Gastly. Haunter at Lv 25, then Gengar with a Linking Cord.
- LilligantStrong 76as Haunter
- ElectrodeStrong 72
- KamadoGood 63
- Gardevoir
psychic
fairy1st of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Crimson Mirelands, at Gapejaw Bog and Shrouded RuinsWhen: Before LilligantLevel: Lv 16 to 22
- AvaluggStrong 80
- KamadoGood 63
- VoloGood 62
- Empoleonwater
steel5th of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Cobalt CoastlandsWhen: Before ArcanineLevel: Lv 12 to 15
You catch Piplup. Prinplup at Lv 16, then Empoleon at Lv 36.
- ArcanineGood 66as Prinplup
- AvaluggStrong 89
- KamadoGood 62
- Kleavor (Noble)Tough 38
- ArcanineTough 28
This team wins 6 of 7 boss fights. It wins 1 of Cyndaquil's 2 Tough or Bad fights; no teammate you can catch in time wins Kleavor (Noble).
The team resists every type Cyndaquil is weak to except Ghost.
- Golduckwater
9th of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Obsidian Fieldlands, at The HeartwoodWhen: Before KleavorLevel: Lv 13 to 16
- ArcanineStrong 72
- AvaluggStrong 80
- KamadoGood 63
- Kleavorbugrock
2nd of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Obsidian FieldlandsWhen: Before KleavorLevel: Lv 13 to 16
- ElectrodeGood 67
- AvaluggGood 72
- KamadoGood 61
- Hisuian Lilligantgrassfighting
Good or Strong in 3 of 6 fights after you catch it
Where: Crimson Mirelands, at Cottonsedge Prairie and Holm of TrialsWhen: Before LilligantLevel: Lv 33 to 36
You catch Petilil. Hisuian Lilligant with a Sun Stone.
- LilligantGood 58
- ArcanineGood 68
- AvaluggGood 66
- Gardevoirpsychicfairy
1st of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Crimson Mirelands, at Gapejaw Bog and Shrouded RuinsWhen: Before LilligantLevel: Lv 16 to 22
- AvaluggStrong 80
- KamadoGood 63
- VoloGood 62
- Empoleonwatersteel
5th of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Cobalt CoastlandsWhen: Before ArcanineLevel: Lv 12 to 15
You catch Piplup. Prinplup at Lv 16, then Empoleon at Lv 36.
- ArcanineGood 66as Prinplup
- AvaluggStrong 89
- KamadoGood 62
- LilligantTough 28
- ElectrodeTough 37
This team wins 6 of 7 boss fights. It wins both of Oshawott's Tough or Bad fights.
Between them, the team resists every type Oshawott is weak to.
- Golduckwater
9th of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Obsidian Fieldlands, at The HeartwoodWhen: Before KleavorLevel: Lv 13 to 16
- ArcanineStrong 72
- AvaluggStrong 80
- KamadoGood 63
- Kleavorbugrock
2nd of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Obsidian FieldlandsWhen: Before KleavorLevel: Lv 13 to 16
- LilligantGood 64
- ElectrodeGood 67
- AvaluggGood 72
- Gengarghostpoison
4th of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Crimson Mirelands, at Gapejaw Bog, Golden Lowlands, Scarlet Bog and Shrouded Ruins, at nightWhen: Before LilligantLevel: Lv 17 to 24
You catch Gastly. Haunter at Lv 25, then Gengar with a Linking Cord.
- LilligantStrong 76as Haunter
- ElectrodeStrong 72
- KamadoGood 63
- Gardevoirpsychicfairy
1st of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Crimson Mirelands, at Gapejaw Bog and Shrouded RuinsWhen: Before LilligantLevel: Lv 16 to 22
- LilligantGood 64as Kirlia
- AvaluggStrong 80
- VoloGood 62
- Magnezone
electricsteel8th of 81 Legends: Arceus teammates in our boss-fight scores
Where: Coronet HighlandsWhen: Before ElectrodeLevel: Lv 38 to 49
You catch it as Magnezone.
- AvaluggStrong 86
- KamadoGood 69
Every teammate is a wild catch in Legends: Arceus, with no trading between games. It counts only for fights after you can catch it, and an evolution only once you can reach its item. Teammates are ranked by how they do in the boss fights after you catch them, and a late catch ranks lower because it misses fights. At least two of the five join before a quarter of the boss fights are done. Every teammate is in the top third of that ranking. No two of the six (your starter and its five teammates) have exactly the same typing, and no type appears on more than two of them or hits more than two for super effective damage. The six always include a physical attacker, a special attacker, a fast Pokemon and a bulky one. Wins in your starter's Tough or Bad fights count extra, and legendary and mythical Pokemon are left out. Scores come from the Boss fights model, for the teammate's form at that fight.
Key Moves for Each Legends: Arceus Starter
Hisuian Decidueye's Lv 40 move is Brave Bird, a Flying attack, so it doesn't get one of its new Fighting type. Typhlosion and Samurott do get their new type at Lv 40, with Infernal Parade and Dark Pulse.
| Lv | Move | Type | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flying, Special |  flying Special | Special |
| 6 | Grass, Physical | grass Physical | Physical |
| Evolves to Dartrix at Lv 17 | |||
| 18 | Flying, Physical | flyingPhysical | Physical |
| 21 | Grass, Special | grassSpecial | Special |
| 25 | Flying, Special | flyingSpecial | Special |
| 34 | Grass, Physical | grassPhysical | Physical |
| Evolves to Hisuian Decidueye at Lv 36 | |||
| 40 | Flying, Physical | flyingPhysical | Physical |
| 43 | Grass, Special | grassSpecial | Special |
| Lv | Move | Type | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Fire, Special | fireSpecial | Special |
| Evolves to Quilava at Lv 17 | |||
| 18 | Fire, Physical | firePhysical | Physical |
| 25 | Normal, Special |  normalSpecial | Special |
| 34 | Fire, Special | fireSpecial | Special |
| Evolves to Hisuian Typhlosion at Lv 36 | |||
| 40 | Ghost, Special | ghostSpecial | Special |
| 43 | Fire, Special | fireSpecial | Special |
| 43 | Ghost, Special | ghostSpecial | Special |
| Lv | Move | Type | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Water, Physical | waterPhysical | Physical |
| 11 | Normal, Status | normal Status | Status |
| Evolves to Dewott at Lv 17 | |||
| 18 | Water, Special | waterSpecial | Special |
| 25 | Normal, Physical | normalPhysical | Physical |
| 34 | Water, Physical | waterPhysical | Physical |
| Evolves to Hisuian Samurott at Lv 36 | |||
| 40 | Dark, Special | darkSpecial | Special |
| 43 | Water, Special | waterSpecial | Special |
More Legends: Arceus guides
Pair the Noble Pokemon guide with the Boss fights table here, since five of the seven fights we rate are Nobles.
Starters in other games
Gold and Silver is where Cyndaquil's original line lives, with a Typhlosion that stays pure Fire. Legends: Arceus has one version, so nothing here depends on which copy you own.