Pokémon Legends: Z-A has three first-partner choices: Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile. Their ordinary evolution lines are Chikorita → Bayleef → Meganium, Tepig → Pignite → Emboar, and Totodile → Croconaw → Feraligatr. The game’s official Pokémon page also shows Mega Meganium, Mega Emboar, and Mega Feraligatr, but those are Mega forms used as battle transformations—not additional stages after the three-stage lines.
After you arrive in Lumiose, events lead to befriending the Pokémon that becomes your adventuring partner. This guide lists every standard evolution, explains what is and is not known about evolution levels, separates Mega Evolution from normal evolution, and covers the Alpha starter gifts available through Pokémon HOME. Pokémon Legends: Z-A is available for Nintendo Switch and as a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition; check that your copy matches your console before buying a physical version.
Which starter Pokémon are available in Pokémon Legends: Z-A?
The available first partners are Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile. They represent three different established starter families, each ending in a fully evolved Pokémon after two ordinary evolutions.
| Starter | Type associated with the starter | Second stage | Final standard evolution | Mega form shown for Pokémon Legends: Z-A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chikorita | Grass | Bayleef | Meganium | Mega Meganium |
| Tepig | Fire | Pignite | Emboar | Mega Emboar |
| Totodile | Water | Croconaw | Feraligatr | Mega Feraligatr |
The official Pokémon Legends: Z-A website describes the opening setup this way: “After arriving in Lumiose, certain events will lead you to befriending a Pokémon that will become your adventuring partner, thus beginning your journey as a Pokémon Trainer.” The wording establishes how the partner joins your adventure; it does not change the established species names or their three-stage evolution structure.
What are the starter evolution lines?
Each choice has two standard evolutions. The first evolution changes the unevolved starter into its middle stage, and the second produces the final standard form.
| Choice | First evolution | Final evolution | Complete line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chikorita | Bayleef | Meganium | Chikorita → Bayleef → Meganium |
| Tepig | Pignite | Emboar | Tepig → Pignite → Emboar |
| Totodile | Croconaw | Feraligatr | Totodile → Croconaw → Feraligatr |
These are the ordinary evolution chains to follow in your party and Pokédex. A Mega form belongs outside that chain: Meganium does not normally evolve into Mega Meganium, for example. Mega Evolution is an additional battle state that becomes relevant when the game gives you the ability and circumstances to use it.
What does Chikorita evolve into in Pokémon Legends: Z-A?
Chikorita evolves into Bayleef, and Bayleef evolves into Meganium. The complete standard line is Chikorita → Bayleef → Meganium, with Mega Meganium treated as a separate Mega form rather than a fourth ordinary stage.
Chikorita to Bayleef
When Chikorita reaches the game’s applicable evolution condition, the normal evolution prompt lets you approve or postpone the change. If you want to keep Chikorita unevolved for a particular moveset, visual preference, or party plan, decline the prompt and evolve later from the Pokémon’s summary or party screen when the option is available.
Bayleef to Meganium
Bayleef is the middle stage and Meganium is the final standard evolution. Once Bayleef evolves, Meganium is the endpoint of the ordinary line; Mega Meganium is then an optional battle transformation, not another species that permanently replaces Meganium in the evolution family.
Why published Chikorita level guides disagree
Current secondary guides do not agree on Chikorita’s first evolution threshold. One reports level 16, another reports level 17, and a separate guide describes level 15; a search extract from another publication contains malformed digits and should not be used. No authoritative official level listing resolves that discrepancy here, so the dependable method is to watch for the in-game evolution prompt and verify the requirement in your own version.
What are Tepig’s evolutions?
Tepig evolves into Pignite, and Pignite evolves into Emboar. The standard line is Tepig → Pignite → Emboar, while Mega Emboar is an additional Mega form displayed for Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Tepig to Pignite
Your Tepig remains the first stage until the game signals that it can evolve. Confirming the prompt changes it to Pignite. Because evolution can be postponed, you can keep Tepig temporarily if you prefer its appearance or want to manage when a move becomes available.
Pignite to Emboar
Pignite is the intermediate form. Its next ordinary evolution produces Emboar, the final standard member of the line. Treat Emboar as the Pokémon you build around for the long term; Mega Emboar, when usable, is a battle transformation layered on top of that species.
Checking the exact requirement
Use the evolution prompt in your save rather than relying on an unverified level list copied from an older game. Legends: Z-A is a distinct release, and a guide that gives a milestone for another Pokémon title may not describe this game’s implementation.
What does Totodile evolve into?
Totodile evolves into Croconaw, and Croconaw evolves into Feraligatr. The complete standard line is Totodile → Croconaw → Feraligatr, with Mega Feraligatr shown separately as a Mega form.
Totodile to Croconaw
Accept the game’s normal evolution prompt when Totodile qualifies, or postpone it if you have a reason to keep the first-stage Pokémon. The change is part of the ordinary three-stage line and does not consume or activate Mega Evolution.
Croconaw to Feraligatr
Feraligatr is the final standard evolution for Totodile’s family. Any later use of Mega Feraligatr should be understood as a temporary battle state for Feraligatr, not a permanent fourth evolution.
What level do the starters evolve?
Do not treat an online milestone as definitive until the game itself confirms it. The available secondary references disagree specifically about Chikorita’s first evolution, and the collected official material does not publish a complete, authoritative level table for all three lines.
Use the in-game prompt as the final authority
- Keep the starter in your active party and gain experience through the game’s normal battles and activities.
- When the Pokémon qualifies, look for the evolution notification or check the party and summary interface for an available evolution action.
- Read the displayed requirement in your own save. If you want to evolve immediately, confirm; if not, choose the option to postpone.
- After postponing, return to the same Pokémon’s party or summary controls when you are ready and confirm the evolution.
This approach avoids importing a threshold from a different Pokémon game, a pre-release article, or a search result with transcription errors. It also accounts for possible differences between game updates, editions, or how the interface presents the requirement.
What to do when a starter does not evolve
- Check whether the evolution prompt was declined earlier; postponing does not permanently block the evolution.
- Confirm that the Pokémon is the correct stage. Chikorita must become Bayleef before Meganium, Tepig must become Pignite before Emboar, and Totodile must become Croconaw before Feraligatr.
- Continue gaining experience if the game has not yet displayed an eligible state.
- Review the current party or summary screen instead of assuming that a remembered level from another title applies.
Are Mega Meganium, Mega Emboar, and Mega Feraligatr extra evolutions?
No. The official Pokémon Legends: Z-A Pokémon page lists Mega Meganium, Mega Emboar, and Mega Feraligatr, but these forms should not be inserted into the ordinary chains. The standard families stop at Meganium, Emboar, and Feraligatr respectively.
| Standard evolution endpoint | Mega form | How to describe the relationship |
|---|---|---|
| Meganium | Mega Meganium | Mega Meganium is a battle transformation of Meganium. |
| Emboar | Mega Emboar | Mega Emboar is a battle transformation of Emboar. |
| Feraligatr | Mega Feraligatr | Mega Feraligatr is a battle transformation of Feraligatr. |
How to record the lines in a Pokédex or guide
Write the families as Chikorita → Bayleef → Meganium, Tepig → Pignite → Emboar, and Totodile → Croconaw → Feraligatr. Add Mega Meganium, Mega Emboar, or Mega Feraligatr in a separate Mega Evolution note. This keeps ordinary collection progress distinct from battle-form availability.
What Mega Evolution does not imply
- You do not need to raise a starter through a fourth permanent stage.
- A Mega form does not replace the final standard Pokémon in the evolution chain.
- Seeing a Mega entry on the official game page does not by itself prove that the form is available from the beginning of the story.
The exact in-game activation requirements for each Mega form should be checked against the instructions and items in your current save. The official listing confirms the forms’ presence, while it does not provide a complete step-by-step unlock guide in the material available here.
Which starter should I choose?
There is no evidence-based universal winner among Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile. Choose according to the final Pokémon you want, the design you prefer, the moves and matchups you expect to use, and how the line fits the rest of your planned party.
Choose Chikorita if Meganium is your target
Chikorita is the right choice when you specifically want Bayleef and eventually Meganium. Its line gives you a Grass-associated starter family and access to Mega Meganium as a separate long-term battle-form goal. Select it because you want that identity, not because an uncertain online level claim promises a particular timing.
Choose Tepig if Emboar is your target
Tepig leads to Pignite and then Emboar. It suits a player who wants a Fire-associated starter line and is interested in Mega Emboar later. Consider the rest of your team before committing: avoid choosing solely on a presumed ranking, since a starter’s practical value depends on the moves, matchups, and partners you actually use.
Choose Totodile if Feraligatr is your target
Totodile becomes Croconaw and then Feraligatr, with Mega Feraligatr listed among the game’s Mega forms. It is the natural pick for players who already know they want that final design or a Water-associated member in the party.
A simple decision checklist
- Which final design would you be happiest to keep for the entire story?
- Does your planned party already cover the starter’s type and likely matchups?
- Do you prefer the starter itself, or are you choosing mainly for its final evolution?
- Is the corresponding Mega form one you actually expect to use, rather than simply collect?
- Would you rather decide by personal attachment than by an unverified tier list?
Because the available material does not establish a definitive performance ranking, a preference-led choice is more defensible than declaring one line objectively best.
How do the Pokémon HOME Alpha starter gifts work?
Pokémon HOME offers a one-time gift condition for Alpha versions of all three starters. To trigger it, deposit a Pokémon caught in Pokémon Legends: Z-A into the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME, then claim the Mystery Gifts in the mobile version. The Switch and mobile versions of HOME must be linked to the same account.
Step-by-step transfer and claim process
- Open the Nintendo Switch version of Pokémon HOME and connect it to your Pokémon Legends: Z-A save.
- Deposit a Pokémon caught in Z-A. The qualifying action is the first transfer condition described in the official HOME guidance; it is not a recurring reward for every deposit.
- Ensure the mobile version of Pokémon HOME is linked to the same account as the Switch version.
- Open HOME on your mobile device and navigate to the Mystery Gift area.
- Claim the available Alpha starter gifts for Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile, following the on-screen instructions.
If the gifts do not appear
- Verify that the deposited Pokémon was caught in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, rather than transferred from another title.
- Confirm that the Switch and mobile HOME applications use the same linked Nintendo Account.
- Close and reopen the mobile application after completing the qualifying deposit.
- Check the Mystery Gift section rather than the standard Pokémon boxes; the reward is claimed there.
- Remember that this is a one-time qualifying condition, so repeating transfers will not create a second first-time trigger.
The Alpha gifts are separate from the starter you choose at the beginning of the story. They do not alter your original partner’s evolution line and do not turn Mega forms into ordinary evolutions.
Which game editions support these starters and evolutions?
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is available for Nintendo Switch, and a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is also available. The official purchase information says physical copies are sold through participating retailers. Before purchasing or transferring a physical copy, check the console and edition compatibility for the system you own.
| Edition or format | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch version | Confirm that you are buying the Switch release and that your console supports it. |
| Nintendo Switch 2 Edition | Confirm that the package or digital listing is the Switch 2 Edition intended for your console. |
| Physical copy | Check the participating retailer’s current stock, region information, and edition label before purchase. |
Do not assume that a box labeled for one system automatically includes every feature or entitlement associated with the other edition. Edition compatibility is a purchase decision, while the three starter families described above are the same identities readers should track in their evolution notes.
How should I plan a starter’s evolution during the story?
Plan around the final Pokémon you want and the needs of your party, then use the game’s own prompt to control timing. You do not need to rush an evolution merely because the option appears.
Before the first evolution
- Decide whether you value the starter’s current appearance or want the middle stage as soon as possible.
- Review your party for overlapping roles and type coverage.
- Record any move or ability preference that makes you want to delay an evolution, if the game’s current rules make that relevant.
Between the middle and final stages
- Confirm that you are ready for the final standard form: Meganium, Emboar, or Feraligatr.
- Keep the Pokémon available in the party so you can see the next evolution notification.
- Do not mistake a Mega form shown in promotional or Pokédex material for the next ordinary step.
When building around a Mega form
First complete the ordinary line. Then treat Mega Meganium, Mega Emboar, or Mega Feraligatr as a separate battle objective whose availability depends on the game’s own systems, items, and story progress. The official form listing confirms the three Mega choices but does not replace the in-game instructions for using them.
What are the most common starter-evolution mistakes?
Most confusion comes from mixing standard evolution, Mega Evolution, and level information from other games. Use the checks below before assuming that a guide or search result is describing your save correctly.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| A guide lists a fourth stage after Meganium, Emboar, or Feraligatr. | Mega Evolution has been treated as ordinary evolution. | Keep the standard line at three stages and list the Mega form separately. |
| Chikorita has not evolved at the level you expected. | Different secondary guides report different thresholds, or the number belongs to another title. | Use the in-game prompt and current save as the authority. |
| The Alpha gifts are missing in HOME. | The qualifying Z-A deposit or account link has not been recognized. | Check the caught-in-Z-A condition, linked accounts, and the mobile Mystery Gift menu. |
| A physical game does not match your console. | The package is for a different Switch edition. | Verify the edition label and console compatibility before opening or purchasing. |
Starter evolution reference
Use this compact reference when checking a party, planning a replay, or explaining the lines to another player.
| Starter | Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Separate Mega form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chikorita | Chikorita | Bayleef | Meganium | Mega Meganium |
| Tepig | Tepig | Pignite | Emboar | Mega Emboar |
| Totodile | Totodile | Croconaw | Feraligatr | Mega Feraligatr |
The safest level guidance is procedural rather than numerical: wait for the evolution prompt in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, verify the requirement shown in your game, and confirm or postpone it according to your party plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get all three starter families in one Pokémon Legends: Z-A save?
The opening partner choice gives you one of the three starters. The official HOME condition separately provides Alpha versions of all three after the qualifying Z-A deposit and mobile Mystery Gift claim, so HOME is the documented way to obtain the other starter families without treating Mega forms as extra evolutions.
Does postponing a starter’s evolution prevent it from evolving later?
No. If you decline an evolution prompt, keep gaining experience and check the Pokémon’s party or summary controls again later. The game’s prompt is the reliable indication that the Pokémon can evolve in your current save.
Are the Alpha HOME gifts different from the starter I receive at the beginning?
Yes. The HOME reward is a separate one-time gift condition for Alpha versions of Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile. It does not replace your original partner or change that Pokémon’s standard evolution line.
Do Mega Meganium, Mega Emboar, and Mega Feraligatr stay permanently evolved?
They should be recorded as Mega forms of the final standard Pokémon, not as permanent fourth stages. Use the game’s own Mega Evolution instructions to determine when and how each battle transformation can be activated.