>>38859281If that's the case, I have an idea that balances this out. You choose your Starter first and when Hop has to choose his, he can't decide and asks you to help him with his choice in a battle. You start off against the one you're weak, but you get one Potion and neither Starter has their STAB. If you defeat that Starter, your Pokémon levels up and learns their STAB, which will be super effective against the second Starter Hop sends out. If you defeat both Starters, Hop chooses the one that has an advantage over yours, but if you can't, he chooses the one that's weak to yours. How does that sound? A lesson on type advantages, learning new moves, and the importance of items in one battle as well as you having a real effect on your rival that hasn't been seen since Pokémon Yellow.
