>>36693255I hope you mean as in the canon partner, because Riolu being silent the entire game is unfitting for such a robust character. An aura pokemon should be open with his feelings and be very expressive, especially since his evolution was regarded as the best explorer in the PMD Rescue Team games. Having him actually be a pokemon vs yet another human-turned-pokemon means he probably is related to the great Lucario of Rescue Team, perhaps even an egg of his that hatched on his own and lived as a foster child without knowing his dad's legacy. It takes an even deeper emotional context when you play as one of the female PCs and Grovyle talks about how much better you are in your partner's hands over his.
Also, it's more fun in general to run a supportive team leader because planning the fighting moves of your partner is easier than hoping the AI uses Sing/Attract/Sleep Powder/etc. appropriately. And because you are iften the first to face an enemy pokemon you can already start off with inflicting status conditions so your partner can clean up afterwards. As far as I'm concerned, this is the way PMD was meant to be played.
