The early access hit, Temtem provides players with the nostalgic feeling of playing a classic Pokemon title in a pseudo-MMO context. Temtem provides players with a variety of unique and original creatures to capture, train and evolve. PC players have become enthralled with the imaginative world of Temtem as a secondary option to the vastly popular “monster collecting” style of game. However, given its status as a Pokemon-style RPG, one of the most important decisions a player must make is the choice of their starter before embarking on their journey.
It is common for the choosing of a player’s starter monster to be a nerve-wracking and difficult decision. The decision can influence the course of a player’s entire experience dependent upon the challenges they face during their journey. It is essential that a player understands the pros and cons of each of the three Temtem starters before committing to one. This guide will illustrate the general strengths and weaknesses of three Temtem starters: Smazee, Crystle, and Houchic.
Picking Smazee in Temtem
The first of the three options in Temtem is the melee type, Smazee. Smazee if a physical attack powerhouse, who excels at dishing out physical damage to his foes.
When picking Smazee players are opting for an offensive focused playstyle. Smazee’s typing being Melee places him as a solid choice for dealing hard-hitting but physically focused attacks. Smazee’s initial physical statistics simply overshadow his two contemporaries. The only other Temtem close to Smazee’s attack is Crystle.
Smazee’s typing makes the orange creature particularly strong against Earth and Crystal types. Melee types are offensive specialists that can break apart the solid defense of Earth and Crystal types. Melee does decent damage to all the other types in the game. The only type that is defensively strong against Melee types is other Melee types. Although Melee is not super effective against every type, it can still do powerful damage against all types.
Smazee is very weak to Digital and Mental types. So be careful pitting your Smazee against Temtem of the mentioned types. Even a high-level Smazee will be torn apart by Digital and Mental types.
Picking Smazee guarantees a powerful offensively buff Temtem, but other than that strength Smazee is only average in his other stats. An all or nothing style monster that can decimate enemies with his high stats in a physical attack.
Picking Crystle in Temtem
As its name implies, Crystle is a Crystal type monster. It is the all arounder of the group, not truly excelling in any particular stat but possessing average power in all its stats.
Crystle, as mentioned, is a jack of all trades. It possesses decent physical and special attacks making it a powerful foe to face. And having decent health and defensive stats. The downside to Crystle is that it does not truly excel in any of these stats. It will develop useful skills in every facet but never truly “shine” in any of them.
Crystle’s Crystal typing makes the creature a powerful option against Electric and Mental types. This makes Crystle a powerful option against the special attack focused Mental and Electric types in both offense and defense. Coupled with Crystle’s all-around stats, the creature is a solid option against almost all the creatures in Temtem making it a versatile option.
However, Crystle is extremely weak to Melee and Earth-type monsters. Even given its solid defensive stats, Crystle gets dismantled by the overwhelming offensive power of Melee and Earth types. So be sure to avoid using Crystle when facing creatures who possess attacks of the mentioned types.
Picking Houchic in Temtem
The final option to choose from is the Mental type, Houchic. This Temtem stands as the strongest special attack Temtem of the three by a large divide. Holding a 20-30 point advantage to the second-highest special attack creature, Houchic is the special attack powerhouse of the three options.
Houchic’s typing as a Mental creature makes the starter an excellent option when facing Neutral and Melee types. Given their offensive capabilities, Neutral and Melee creatures can be a dangerous foe for even the strongest teams. Houchic allows a player to circumvent any trouble faced by these physically buff types. Being able to pick apart Melee and Neutral types with its type advantage and its extremely high special attack stats make the starter a solid option.
Houchic is one of the few Temtem starters to have relatively little in the way of bad matchups. Mental types only being weak to Crystal types make the starter a true menace for the majority of Temtem in the game. Being smart when using Houchic will make the starter a true force on any player’s team, as it can use its high special attack to deal massive damage to most of the types in the game.
The major downside to Houchic is its weak defensive stats. Other than Neutral and Melee types, Houchic can take massive damage from physically buff attacks. This makes the creature a true “glass cannon” as it dishes out massive damage with its powerful Mental attacks and crumbles to creatures with good to decent physical stats. Choosing Houchic is similar to choosing Smazee, you are reliant upon its oppressive statistic to make up for its explicit weaknesses.
Which Starter to Choose in Temtem
Upon examining the pros and cons of each Temtem starter it is clear that each creature has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. So which one should a player choose? This decision is simply a matter of preference. If a player prefers highly aggressive and oppressive creatures they should choose either Smazee or Houchic. If a player wishes to have an all-around good type then Crystle is the best option. Regardless of which starter you choose, it is imperative you understand their weaknesses and adjust your playstyle accordingly. Sending out any of these creatures against their worst match-ups will lead to a quick and devastating defeat.
Temtem is available on PC.
