Choosing your starter Pokemon is, arguably, the most important decision you’ll ever make. Forget about buying your first house, finding a life partner, or deciding whether you want kids or not. In this economy? No – deciding whether or not to pick the Water-type Duck Pokemon Quaxly is the biggest choice young people face today.
This guide has a list of pros and cons for picking Quaxly, so you can be sure the first Pokemon you pick in Paldea is perfect for you.
Heads up though! If you’re reading this before Pokemon Scarlet and Violet officially launch, we’ll be discussing some of those leaks that have been floating around.
Why You Should Pick Quaxly
- Type: Water
- Category: Duckling Pokemon
- Ability: Torrent/Moxie
Quaxly evolves into Quaxwell and Quaquaval, a Fighting/Water Pokemon. This handsome Elvis impersonator has a glossy body thanks to the gel it secretes from its feathers to repel water and grime. It even slicks its fabulous quiff back using this… “rich, moist cream”. Hm.
If that’s not put you off Quaxly immediately, this Pokemon does have a few strong reasons why it should join your team. According to the popular Twitter account CentroLeaks, Quaxly’s final stage evolution, Quaquaval, is dual-type Water/Fighting. It’s a nice change from the Fire/Fighting starters of old and will give you nice type coverage as you adventure across Paldea.
Its Hidden Ability, Moxie, immediately makes Quaxly stand out. Every time it knocks an opponent out it’ll gain a 50% Attack boost. With Quaquaval’s already incredibly strong base Attack stat of 120 (the highest of all the final form starters in Generation 9), this makes it a formidable foe. If you can get the KO early, you can snowball entire teams.
While its Attack stat is certainly impressive, its other stats leave something to be desired. 85 Speed isn’t ideal, but it’s still decent for a Choice Scarf same-type-attack-bonus (STAB) strategy. And the thought of a STAB, Moxie-boosted Mach Punch has us quiff-ering in our boots.
Of course, these stats are only reported for now. There could be a 1.1 patch to make adjustments as the game officially releases. As ever, it’s best to take a look for yourself once the game releases!
If you’re looking for a tactical physical Attacker (and a fabulous dancer) to join your team, Quaxly would be the best choice for you.
- Not convinced? Check out our thoughts on picking Fuecoco or Sprigatito instead…