- Pokemon Renaissance best starter: Squirrel (Steel-type) is our top overall pick for defensive reliability.
- Know your typings: Starters cover Fire/Ice/Grass, Ground, and Steel lines — pick around early gyms.
- Reroll natures: Soft resetting for the right nature is viable and worth the patience.
- Early-game matters: Quest Town has free items — grab potions and berries before your first fights.
- No wrong answer: All three starters can clear the game with good team support.
Pokemon Renaissance Starter Overview: Meet Your Options
Your starter choice in Pokemon Renaissance shapes the first several hours of your adventure, from the opening route outside your hometown all the way through the early gym challenge. Based on confirmed gameplay, the game offers a starter trio whose evolutionary lines reveal dual typings as they develop — including a notably defensive Steel-type option, Squirrel.
Choosing my starter in Pokemon Renaissance is a genuine decision point, not just a cosmetic one. Type coverage, availability of healing items around Quest Town, and the balance of your eventual team all factor into which companion serves you best.
Video Highlights:
- First-look gameplay of Pokemon Renaissance straight through the launcher download
- The player selects Squirrel and speculates on its Steel typing before confirming it
- Early exploration of Quest Town: berry merchant, laboratory, and free potion pickup
- A soft-reset marathon for the right nature — showing natures are rerollable at the start
- Controller and keybind customization is available before you begin
Talk to every NPC in your starting town first. Free items like potions and berries can be found before you commit, and they make the opening stretch far smoother regardless of which starter you take.
Starter Comparison: Typings, Strengths & Weaknesses
While the full evolutionary details are still being documented by the community, the confirmed typings observed in gameplay let us build a practical comparison. Squirrel is confirmed Steel, Chiminers is confirmed Ground, and the third line appears to lean into Ice and Grass coverage as it develops.
| Starter | Confirmed/Early Typing | Core Strength | Main Weakness | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squirrel | Steel (possible secondary type) | Excellent bulk, strong defensive typing | Lower offensive tempo early | Defensive, patient playstyles |
| Chiminers | Ground | Strong attack, good type coverage | Vulnerable to Water/Grass hits | Aggressive, front-loaded teams |
| Third Starter | Ice/Grass leanings (observed) | Versatile coverage as it evolves | Frail against Fire/Fighting pressure | Flexible, support-oriented builds |
| Criterion | Squirrel | Chiminers | Third Starter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early-game survivability | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Damage output | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Team flexibility | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Beginner-friendliness | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
Squirrel — Best Overall
- Steel typing resists many common attacks
- Great bulk for learning the game safely
- Pairs well with almost any team
Chiminers — Best Offense
- Ground typing hits hard early
- Fast tempo through opening routes
- Needs team backup vs. Water and Grass
Third Starter — Best Coverage
- Ice/Grass leanings offer wide options
- Strong mid-game once evolved
- Requires more careful positioning
Steel is widely regarded as one of the strongest defensive typings in the entire franchise — historically, Steel lines like those celebrated in Collider's best-starter rankings earn top marks when their bulk carries uneven early teams. That same logic applies here.
Step-by-Step: How to Pick and Reroll Your Starter
Follow this process when starting a fresh Pokemon Renaissance save to lock in the strongest possible opening.
Set Up Controls First
Before leaving the intro, open the settings menu and adjust keybinds or controller mapping to your liking — remapping the menu key avoids mid-adventure friction.
Explore the Starting Town
Walk through town and collect the free potion, visit the berry merchant, and check the laboratory. These resources offset early damage no matter which starter you choose.
Confirm Typings Before Committing
Review each starter's confirmed typing in the selection screens. Steel (Squirrel) suits defense; Ground (Chiminers) suits offense; the Ice/Grass-leaning option suits coverage.
Soft Reset for the Right Nature
If the nature roll is unfavorable, save before confirming and reset. Players have spent over two hours rerolling for an ideal nature — patience here pays off across the whole run.
Save Immediately After Choosing
Once your starter is locked in with a nature you accept, save right away so you never have to repeat the reroll process.
Set a personal reroll limit before you start. Nature hunting can stretch for hours if left unchecked — decide in advance how many resets you are willing to do.
Early-Game Strategy by Starter Choice
Each starter changes how you should approach the opening hours. Use this route planning table to smooth out the difficulty spikes around Quest Town and beyond.
| Scenario | Squirrel (Steel) | Chiminers (Ground) | Third Starter (Ice/Grass) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening routes | Tank hits, heal rarely | Sweep quickly, watch HP | Chip steadily, rotate coverage |
| Quest Town errands | Free potion covers mistakes | Buy extra potions at merchant | Use berries between fights |
| First gym matchups | Strong default resistance | Confirm matchups before entering | Lead with type-appropriate moves |
| Team building priority | Add an attacker | Add a bulky partner | Add a fast lead |
Whatever starter you choose, your first two catches should cover its weaknesses. Squirrel wants damage-dealers; Chiminers wants bulk; the coverage starter wants speed.
Opening-Hour Milestones:
- Customize controls before leaving the intro
- Collect the free potion in the starting town
- Visit the berry merchant and stock up
- Soft reset until you accept your starter's nature
- Save immediately after locking in your starter
- Catch two teammates that cover starter weaknesses
Final Verdict and FAQ
Our recommendation for the Pokemon Renaissance best starter is Squirrel. Its confirmed Steel typing delivers unmatched early survivability, forgives mistakes while you learn the game's systems, and fits onto nearly any team composition. Chiminers is the pick for players who want fast, aggressive clears, and the Ice/Grass-leaning starter rewards planners who enjoy wide move coverage as the game develops.
New players: choose Squirrel. Speedrunners and veterans: Chiminers. Team-builders who like flexible coverage: the third starter. All three clear the game — the difference is how comfortable the journey feels.
Q: What is the best starter in Pokemon Renaissance?
Squirrel is the best overall pick thanks to its confirmed Steel typing, which provides excellent defensive resistances and early-game survivability. Chiminers is a strong alternative for offensive-minded players.
Q: Can I reroll my starter's nature in Pokemon Renaissance?
Yes. Save before finalizing your choice and soft reset until you get a nature you are happy with. Some players reset for over two hours, so set yourself a reasonable limit.
Q: Is Squirrel a pure Steel-type?
Squirrel is confirmed as a Steel-type, and gameplay suggests a possible secondary type may develop through its evolutionary line. The community is still documenting its full evolution details.
Q: Do starter typings matter that much early on?
Yes. Your starter carries the opening routes and first gym matchups, so typing directly affects how many healing items you burn and how smoothly the first hours play out.