PMD Explorer Starter guide

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PMD Explorer Starter FAQ
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==extra info:
=============
-STAB: 1.5x SE: 1.4x ; yes, it is better to use STAB attacks than 2x SE attacks
	-coverage moves should only include types SE against mons that resist your STAB
	-Immunities are not true immunities (unless ability), just greatly reduced damage
-multihit moves generally hit for full power per hit given move scaling in PMD, very strong options
-status effects are generally very powerful (Paused, Constricted, paralysis, etc)
-you cannot evolve until postgame, meaning most partner/starter choices should be done with first stage movepools in mind
-room moves are ideal for Monster Houses and very large rooms with multiple mons in it, aim to have at least one user in a team
	-Room moves will be deadly against you in post-game dungeons, so be wary
	-Moves like Discharge, Heatwave, Blizzard will not hit your teammates; Earthquake will
-Speed boosting moves now boost 'turns,' making them extremely valueable boosting moves with those who have access
-Ominous Wind/Silver Wind has a chance to proc the stat boost on each mon hit; as a room move, it's great if you're using it, deadly on enemies

==Starter and Partner analysis:
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//largely based on Explorer's expanded ability + IQ sets, most info still applicable to Red/Blue/Gates

//IQ groups:
A	Aggressor	//almost exclusively offensive skills, leading to short battles (for better or worse)
D	Speedster	//top tier, great offensive skills and minor utility abilities
E	Tank		//defensive, fantastic when partnered with an Aggressor
F	Utilitarian	//makes for great partners due to smart AI skills
G	Explorer	//dungeoneering ideal, aiming for self-sufficiency in status, PP, attack, and finding items/stairs
H	Cleric		//defensive and evasive skills, very helpful as partner; gets Fast Friends skill at high IQ

//Best in Show tier
==Pikachu	D
=================
-fantastic IQ group for skills like Concentrator (accuracy+), Sharpshooter (crit+), etc
-gets Agility party buff (you can act once more per 'turn', including using Agility again)
-gets Discharge for room clear
-gets Thunderbolt for small ranged AoE
-gets Quick Attack for ranged offense (+1 tile, bypasses partner/immediate tile)
-however, reliant on Thundershock+Quick Attack for most of early game, as its best moves are late level ups
-only one weakness that's covered with species/type items
-fantastic leader or partner
==Treeko	D
=================
-fantastic IQ group for skills like Concentrator, Sharpshooter, etc
-gets Agility party buff
-gets Mega Drain for self-healing, making long dungeons an easier trek
-gets Quick Attack for ranged offense
-gets Bullet Seed (TM) to stack with Concentrator+Sharpshooter for massive, line ranged, multihit damage
-gets Energy Ball (TM) for line-ranged attack
-gets EQ (TM - Sceptile only) for room clear once post-game evolution is accessible
-better leader than partner, but both are suitable options
==Skitty	G
=================
-Mostly unique IQ group, best abuser of Double Striker due to Normalize, but also gets ability to sense stairs/items
-Normalize applies STAB bonus to standard A attack, giving it an infinite Tackle tier move to spam
	-this stacks with Double Striker (IQ), making your basic attack hit for 3x damage total
-Attract broken in Red/Blue (applies to all mons since gender wasn't implemented; alternates floors in Explorers and up)
-gets Quick Attack for (+1 tile) ranged offense
-gets Sing for Sleep status
-gets Doubleslap for strong (if inaccurate) multihit damage
-gets Heal Bell for postgame cleric
-gets Zen Headbutt (egg - Sky) for a strong STAB (Normalize) with flinch
-gets Blizzard (TM) for room move *Normalize renders this Normal type, STAB
-gets Shadow Ball (TM) for line range move *Normalize renders this Normal type, STAB
-only one weakness easily dealt with by species/type items (Explorer)
-fantastic leader or partner, just make sure the other partner has a way to deal with ghost types

//Good Tier
==Eevee		F
=================
-Adaptability means it has very strong attack options
-gets Quick Attack for ranged offense
-gets Bite to cover Ghost ineffectiveness
-gets Shadow Ball (TM) to cover Ghost ineffectiveness and line range
-post-game evolution options make for a diverse mon with a ton of options
	-evolution diversity and movepool is what makes Eevee good in post game, while Adapability keeps it up in main-game
-good leader, TERRIBLE partner due to Run Away (doesn't proc if leader)
==Bulbasaur	F
=================
-gets Sleep Powder for status (less useful in postgame when enemies get maxed IQ for auto-insomnia/self-curer)
-gets Razor Leaf for a line ranged move
-gets Growth self-buff
-gets Bullet Seed (TM) for line ranged mutihit (but lacks IQ group passives to make it reliable)
-gets Giga Drain (TM) for recovery (less PP and overall efficiency than Mega Drain, but still useful)
-gets Energy Ball (TM) for line ranged move
-ideal as partner due to IQ group, getting the unique Weak-Type Picker IQ skill, making for smart AI choices
	-also gets ability to shoot line ranged moves through allies, which Bulbasaur has plenty of
==Charmander	A
=================
-gets Dragon Rage for good early damage (30 HP damage)
-gets Flamethrower for ranged line damage
-gets Fire Spin for Constricted status for disabling
-decent offensive TM access all around
-great offensive IQ skills
-eventually evolves into Charizard, negating Earthquake/Earth Power weakness
-gets Heat Wave for room attack (as Charizard)
==Squirtle	E
=================
-Tank IQ group gives it a lot of defensive options, and gets most of their skills early (less grinding)
-Energy Saver (slows belly loss) makes this a great leader for long dungeons
-gets a very early Bubble for line range attack
-gets Water Pulse for stronger line range attack
-gets Blizzard (TM) for room attack
-great leader in postgame (you can choose who the leader is), and great defensive tank in maingame as either lead/partner
==Chikorita	H
=================
-the only Cleric IQ group for defensive and evasive skills amongst starters/partners
-gets early Razor Leaf for line ranged attack
-gets Reflect/Light Screen for party buff
-gets Safeguard/Aromatherapy for party status warding/healing
-gets Energy Ball (TM) for line range attack
-gets Giga Drain (TM) for healing
-gets EQ (TM) as Meganium for room attack
-ideal partner for its supportive options and IQ skills
==Cyndaquil	A
=================
-gets Flame thrower for ranged line damage
-gets Lava Plume for small AoE attack centered on self
-gets Quick Attack for ranged attack
-gets Smokescreen for acc. debuff (really good in PMD)
-gets Earthquake (TM) for room clear as Typhlosion
-gets offensive IQ skills
==Totodile	E
=================
-Tank IQ group gives it a lot of defensive options, and gets most of their skills early (less grinding)
-Energy Saver (slows belly loss) makes this a great leader for long dungeons
-gets Hydro Pump for a line range skill
-gets Water Pulse (TM) for a line range skill
-gets Blizzard (TM) for room attack
-gets Agility for party buff as Feraligatr
-gets Earthquake (TM) for room attack as Feraligatr
==Torchic	A
=================
-gets Focus Energy for self-buff
-gets Sand-Attack for acc debuff
-gets Quick Attack for ranged attack
-gets Mirror Move self-buff status effect (reflects attacks, pretty OP)
-gets Flamethrower for line ranged attack
-gets Earthquake (TM) for room attack as Blaziken
-gets offensive IQ skills
==Mudkip	F
=================
-Utilitarian IQ group gives it Weak-type Picker and all Terrain Hiker
-gets Mud-slap for accuracy debuff
-gets Whirlpool for Constricted status (prevents movement)
-gets Hydro Pump for line ranged attack
-gets Water Pulse (TM) for a line range skill
-gets Blizzard (TM) for room attack
-gets Earthquake for room attack as Swampert
-IQ group and Weak-Type Picker makes it a very good partner
==Turtwig	E
=================
-Tank IQ group gives it a lot of defensive options, and gets most of their skills early (less grinding)
-Energy Saver (slows belly loss) makes this a great leader for long dungeons
-gets Mega Drain (best efficiency/PP for drain move) for longevity and healing
-gets Leech Seed for healing debuff effect
-gets Leaf Storm for line range attack
-gets Bullet Seed (TM) for line ranged mutihit (but lacks IQ group passives to make it reliable)
-gets Energy Ball (TM) for line ranged attack
-gets Earthquake as for room attack as Torterra
-gets Rock Polish (TM) for self-buff as Torterra
==Chimchar	A
=================
-gets Fury Swipes for multihit attack
-gets Flamethrower for ranged line damage
-gets Fire Spin for Constricted status for disabling
-gets Slack Off for self-healing
-gets Mach Punch for ranged attack as Infernape
-gets Earthquake (TM) for room attack as Infernape
-gets Focus Blast (TM) for line range attack
-decent offensive TM access
-good offensive IQ skills
==Piplup	F
=================
-Utilitarian IQ group gives it Weak-type Picker and all Terrain Hiker
-gets Bubble for line range skill
-gets Bubblebeam for line range skill
-gets Fury Attack for a multihit attack
-gets Whirlpool for Constricted status
-gets Hydro Pump for a line range attack
-gets Blizzard (TM) for room attack
-gets Water Pulse (TM) for line range attack
-gets Aqua Jet for ranged attack as Empoleon
==Shinx		A
=================
-Rivalry means power gets boosted every other floor, and reduced every other floor
-Intimidate is a great ability
-gets Charge to link into Spark for high damage early on
-gets Quick Attack (egg - Sky) for ranged attack
-gets Discharge for room attack
-gets Thunderbolt (TM) for small ranged AoE
-gets good offensive skills in the Aggressor IQ group
==Meowth	G
=================
-gets Fake Out for ranged attack
-gets Fury Swipes for multihit attack
-gets Pay Day for money making shenanigans
-gets Hypnosis (egg move - Sky) for sleep status
-gets Water Pulse (TM) for line ranged attack
-gets Thunderbolt for (TM) small ranged AoE
-gets Shadow Ball (TM) for line ranged attack
-good, rare IQ group for nice skills for exploring like Double Striker, Quick Healer, and ability to sense items/stairs
==Muchlax	E
=================
-Tank IQ group gives it a lot of defensive options, and gets most of their skills early (less grinding)
-Thick Fat for a great defensive ability
-gets Body Slam for STAB and possible Paralysis
-gets Zen Headbutt (egg - Sky) for flinch chance
-gets Water Pulse (TM) for line range attack
-gets Ice Beam (TM) for line range attack
-gets Blizzard (TM) for room attack
-gets Thunderbolt (TM) for small ranged AoE
-gets Flamethrower (TM) for small ranged AoE
-gets Earthquake (TM) for room attack
-gets Shadow Ball for line ranged attack
==Riolu		A
=================
-gets offensive IQ skills
-gets Quick Attack for ranged attack
-gets Counter self-buff
-gets Earthquake (TM) for room attack
-gets Bone Rush for multhit as Lucario
-gets Aura Sphere for line ranged attack as Lucario
-gets Dragon Pulse for line ranged attack as Lucario
-gets ExtremeSpeed for +2 tile range attack as Lucario
==Vulpix	G
=================
-good, rare IQ group for nice skills for exploring like Double Striker, Quick Healer, and ability to sense items/stairs
-gets Quick Attack for ranged attack
-gets Confuse Ray for status
-gets Imprison for inflicting Paused status effect (cannot take action)
-gets Flamethrower for ranged line damage
-gets Fire Spin for Constricted status for disabling
-one of the best lock-down/debuffers of the starter/partner list

//Bad tier
Run Away Eevee as partner

//Phanpy tier
Phanpy		E
=================
-gets Ancient Power (Sky - Egg) for attack
-gets zero STAB moves by levelup in a game where STAB move options are the best to use
-requires Earthquake (TM) for room attack and STAB
-gets Earthquake for room attack and STAB as Donphan (only in post-game)
-gets Thunder Fang for SE coverage against Flying as Donphan
-while viable, this is the least recommended mon