Starters · v1.0.9 · checked 2026-11-09
Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip
3 entries. Use a column heading to sort; scroll the table for all columns.
| Treecko | 252 | Grass | Sceptilite | Grovyle (Lv 16); Sceptile (Lv 36) | Starter — one of three, given at the start of the game |
| Torchic | 255 | Fire | Blazikenite | Combusken (Lv 16); Blaziken (Lv 36) | Starter — one of three, given at the start of the game |
| Mudkip | 258 | Water | Swampertite | Marshtomp (Lv 16); Swampert (Lv 36) | Starter — one of three, given at the start of the game |
Pokémon Heartfelt Gold replaces the Johto starters with Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip. The features guide says the starter-creation step gives each one its matching Mega stone. Species data lists that stone as the wild held item: Sceptilite, Blazikenite, and Swampertite.
Lines and the first gym
Treecko (national 252, Grass) becomes Grovyle at level 16 and Sceptile at 36. Torchic (255, Fire) becomes Combusken at 16 and Blaziken at 36. Mudkip (258, Water) becomes Marshtomp at 16 and Swampert at 36. Those levels are the evolution guide, not a guess.
The starting level itself is not written down. I am leaving it blank.
Falkner in Violet City fields a Flying party at level 14. Grass is weak to Flying. Fire and Water are neutral. That is the type chart plus the trainer guide, not a ranking of the three. Nothing in the notes says one starter is the strongest.
The Mega Ring is tied to “the existing Oak event” in the features guide. I am not adding a chapter number the guide does not give.
The same held-item rule puts Mega stones on 93 wild species (76 different stones). A reconciliation note says 79 ground Mega pickups remain and 13 ground spots were turned back into ordinary items. Catching the species is a documented source, not the only one. See changes and the Pokédex held-stone column.
Questions people ask
Which starter is best?
No public source ranks them. Falkner’s Flying team is hostile to Grass and neutral to Fire and Water.
What level do they start at?
The notes do not say. The cell is blank.
Where is the Mega Ring?
The features guide points at the existing Oak event and does not give a step list.
Sources
Checked against the linked public pages on 2026-11-09. Multiple documents from the same publisher count as one source; a single-publisher claim is identified as such.
- Features guide — checked 2026-11-09
- Evolution guide — checked 2026-11-09
- Trainer guide — checked 2026-11-09