Pokemon Platinum: which starter pokemon did you pick and why?

[raydawg11595]

i chose chimchar because i have pearl and diamond, and i had chose piplup for pearl, turtwig for diamond, so i figured id use all of them

[pip]

Piplup is the coolest pokemon ever

[Raven]

Why is everybody so focused on the head to head match-ups when picking a starter? You have to take in head to head, gyms, elite four, and type availability. Chimchar- owns first gym, second gym, can survive in the third and fourth gyms, has his first weakness in 5th gym, owns 6th and 7th, and can survive in 8th gym. Also there is only one easy fire type to catch in the game (Ponyta, who in my opinion isn't that effective at all) Piplup- owns 1st gym, first weakness at second gym, survives at 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, second weakness at 8th gym. Multiple water types in game, first one being magikarp, my favourite though, available around 5th gym, is remoraid. Turtwig- owns 1st gym, can survive at 2nd, 3rd, 4th gyms, owns 5th gym, can survive at 6th gym, runs into his first and only weakness at the 7th gym, and can survive at the 8th gym. You can catch your first grass type before the first gym, budew, who gets pretty effective throughout the game. Neither starter is stronger than the other, all can own each other, so you need to look at there usefulness throughout the game.