Highlights

  • Starters in Pokemon Legends Z-A may not include any from Gen 1, 3, or 6 due to Mega Evolutions rules and regional form requirements after Legends: Arceus.
  • Mega Evolutions returning in Pokemon Legends Z-A marks a break from tradition, potentially impacting the selection of starters in the game.
  • Pokemon Legends Z-A could feature starters from Gen 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, or 9, with potential for regional forms or Mega Evolutions in gameplay.

Pokemon Legends Z-A took the internet by storm when it was revealed on Pokemon Day, as many fans expected new Johto or Unova games to be next in line rather than a Gen 6 title - and with good reason too, seeing all the cues from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet and the recent rumors. Yet, Pokemon Legends Z-A will make its way onto the Switch in 2025, and there are no signs of another title between this one and the inevitable release of Gen 10, so Pokemon Legends Z-A may signal the end of remakes. Still, it seems that Pokemon Legends Z-A will include Mega Evolutions, and this alone rules out multiple starters from the game's selection.

Mega Evolutions returning in Pokemon Legends Z-A is a big deal since it's the first time the series has been breaking the tradition of leaving battle gimmicks in the past, and it's also a good way to give some fans what they've been asking for. There will need to be adjustments to the formula, though, as Mega Evolutions typically require their respective held item to be triggered, but a big rule of Pokemon Legends: Arceus was that there were no held items. Another big rule from it was that the three starters were all from different regions, and the starters in Pokemon Legends Z-A will likely have their own rules.

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Related
Pokemon Legends Z-A Breaks One of The Biggest Cycles in The Franchise

Pokemon Legends Z-A's announcement may mark the end of an era for Pokemon games, breaking a cycle that started all the way back in 2004.

Pokemon Legends Z-A's Mega EvolutionsMean Nine Starters Are Unlikely to Return

Pokemon Legends Z-A May Have a Starter Problem After Legends: Arceus

A big question regarding Pokemon Legends Z-A's starters is whether they will be the original Gen 6 trio of Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie. This is because none of them ever got a Mega Evolution, so they may still be used in Pokemon Legends Z-A and have no regional variant (unlike the starters in Pokemon Legends: Arceus), but then get a Mega Evolution. The counterargument for this is that Ash-Greninja exists, and it does technically behave like a Mega Evolution.

But if Gen 6 starters are not the chosen ones for the game, then Pokemon Legends Z-A's Mega Evolutions may prove to be a problematic concept. Assuming that the rules from Pokemon Legends: Arceus apply, with them being that starters are all from different regions and that they all get a final evolution that's a regional form, then Mega Evolutions may mean that all Gen 1 and Gen 3 starters are out of the equation alongside the Kalos starters. This includes:

  • Bulbasaur
  • Charmander
  • Squirtle
  • Treecko
  • Torchic
  • Mudkip
  • Chespin
  • Fennekin
  • Froakie

Why Pokemon Legends Z-A's Starters Are Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Mega Evolutions Spell Trouble For Some Starters

If this is indeed the case, then it seems likely that Pokemon Legends Z-A's starters will come from Gen 2, Gen 4, Gen 5, Gen 7, Gen 8, or Gen 9. Considering that Pokemon Legends: Arceus' starters included Cyndaquil from Gen 2, Oshawott from Gen 5, and Rowlet from Gen 7, it does seem plausible that Pokemon Legends Z-A will use a Gen 4 starter, one from Gen 8, and one from Gen 9. Regardless of the initial selection, it remains to be seen whether the game's starters will get a regional form as their final stage or they will have a Mega Evolution, instead.

There is also the possibility that they get both, which would muddy the waters surrounding the overall use of the gimmick, but the most likely scenario seems to be that they only get one of the two. It's likely that any Pokemon from Gen 6 games that had a Mega Evolution at the time and are now returning in Pokemon Legends Z-A will retain their original Megas, and that's a big reason why using starters from Gen 1 and 3 doesn't really work. Things may be handled differently, though, and nothing is set in stone just yet.