The worst Pokemon Winds and Waves Starter is already clear (based on leaks)

Pokemon winds and waves may not rear its head again this year and show more news and content ahead of its 2027 release, but there have been some interesting leaks so far. Among them is one purportedly showing the full extent of the map, including various locations on each island that make up the archipelago, as well as various sea or ocean areas that will likely be explored underwater. The concept doesn't seem too different from what Pokemon Scarlet and Violet did, with different biomes and their respective achievements or gym battles, meaning that Pokemon winds and waves can give players equal or greater freedom in how they choose to explore.

It's unclear exactly what the islands will contain in terms of new Pokemon, exact challenges, and possible equivalents to the Gen 9 “Pokémon Titan” story boss battles. However, Pokemon winds and wavesThe starters can already be compared to what this map contains in terms of gym battles, and if this leak is true, then it's clear that one of the three starters will be worse than the others in some sense. Stats, abilities, and movesets are always a big part of how good a Pokemon can be, but so is its type or combination of types. In this case, Browt is already prepared for the worst.

Why Browt is the worst starter in Pokemon Winds and Waves

Pokemon winds and wavesThe leaked map comes with a list of locations for each island, and while it's currently unclear if level scaling or how free exploration will actually work, gym battles favor Pombon quite heavily. The gyms are:

• Grass Gym (Island 1)

• Poison Gym (Island 2)

• Flying Gym (Island 6)

• Fighting Gym (Island 7)

• Dark Gym (Island 8)

• Normal Gym (Island 9)

• Steel Gym (Island 11)

• Fairy Gym (Island 14)

Again, it's hard to say if there will be level scaling and if it will be necessary to challenge gyms in that exact order, but regardless of those two points, Pokemon winds and wavesPombon is clearly the best starter to deal with them, while Browt is the worst. The reasons are as follows:

• Grass Gym – Best Pokemon: Pombon

  • Browt is a grass-type pokemon, meaning that the first Gym resists its STAB attacks. Pombon is a Fire Pokemon, so it takes less damage from this gym and also deals more damage. Gecqua deals less damage to Grass Pokemon and also takes double damage from them due to its water type.

• Poison Gym – Best Pokemon: Pombon and Gecqua

  • Browt is weak to Poison and also deals reduced damage with grass moves. Pombon is neutral against Poison both offensively and defensively, as is Gecqua.

• Flying Gym – Best Pokemon: Pombon and Gecqua

  • Browt is weak to Flying and deals reduced damage with STAB moves. Both Pombon and Gecqua are neutral towards Flying.

• Fighting Gym – Best Pokemon: All beginners alike

  • All three starters are neutral both offensively and defensively against Fighting moves.

• Dark Gym – Best Pokemon: All beginners alike

  • Browt, Pombon, and Gecqua all deal and deal neutral damage against Dark.

• Normal Gym – Best Pokemon: All beginners alike

  • Again, all three starters are neutral to normal Pokemon.

• Steel Gym – Best Pokemon: Pombon

  • Like the first Gym, Pombon is the best starter here because it deals super damage to Steel-type Pokemon while also resisting it. Instead, both Browt and Gecqua deal half damage to Steel Pokémon, but are defensively neutral against them.

• Fairy Gym – Best Pokemon: Pombon

  • While all three starters are offensively neutral against Fairy-type Pokémon, Pombon's Fire-type means it resists Fairy attacks.

Why Pombon is the best starter in Gen 10

Image via The Pokemon Company

Additionally, Pombon is set to be the first ever Fire/Fairy Pokémon, which could change the matchups slightly. Against Poison Gym, she would be neutral in attack and weak in defense, but would resist Fighting and Dark Gym instead. She would lose her resistance to Steel and only be neutral against it defensively, but still be super effective offensively with Fire moves. This is based more on Pokemon design than actual leaks, so it's very speculative in nature.

The leaked Pokemon Winds and Waves map makes Browt the worst starter

However, if the leaked map is correct, it makes for the worst starter to explore Pokemon winds and wavesThe region is Browt, at least when it comes to gyms. While Pombon would have a significant advantage against the three Gyms that the other two starters don't have, and would be good against everyone else, even if it's not super effective against them, Browt is in the opposite situation. Browt is set to be the worst starter in Gen 10 for his type, as he would struggle pretty hard against the first three gyms and have no upper hand against all the rest. In fact, it would also fight against the Steel Gym.

Unfortunately, Grass is a very poor defensive type and Browt's only saving grace may be his evolution. For example, if Pokemon winds and wavesThe starter trifecta skips Combat, it could be something like Grass/Dragon for Browt, Fire/Fairy for Pombon, and Water/Poison for Gecqua. Still, if the leaked map turns out to be an actual in-game map, it's hard to argue against Pombon as a starter, just like it's hard to argue in favor of Browt.

Systems

Released

2027

Multiplayer

Online co-op, online multiplayer