What's your criteria when choosing a starter Pokemon?

[Tooker]

The first factor for me is what type they'll end up as and the moves they can learn.  Since that often ends up a wash between a couple, I'll admit to going with whichever's cutest after that.

Dincrest: I love that song. :)

Dice: Have you seen these drawings?  493 Pokemon drawn as anime girls.  Some less work-friendly than others.  It's a mild example, but... rule 34, y'all.
http://www.geekologie.com/2011/01/24/pokemon-girls-full.jpg

[Agent D.]

Fire type, always. Charizard, Blazican, the hedgehoggy one in gold/silver, Emboar....always the fire type.

[Dice]

In regards to picking NON-Starter Pokemon in my roster: The Pokemon can't look like a little pussy ass bitch.

I mean, seriously.  WHy would I want this over Nidoking, Gyrados, or Onyx?

[Starmongoose]

I know right?

Jigglypuff is way superior to Clafairy.

[Dice]

I know right?

Jigglypuff is way superior to Clafairy.

Jiggly in Smash was the cat's ass.

Also:

[Alisha]

starters i've chosen
charmander
totodile
uh the grass lizard
piplup
uh the grass snake

only piplup breaks the pattern
I LUV DINOSAURS YO!

[Annubis]

The last Pokemon I played was Yellow... soooooooo Pikachu.
Pidgey was still my MVP.

[Perigryn]

Lot of fire lovers, it seems, if I read right.

As for me:
Is it Bulbasaur?
If 'Yes', then 'Bulbasaur.'
If 'No', then 'Grass-type.'

But, that being said, all I've played with are Bulba, Chikorita and Treecko.

That being said, in Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, effing penguin, guys. Look that adorable little mofo.

[Dincrest]

It seems like selecting a starter pokemon is akin to this anaolgy:

You've been magically transported to an empty room with nothing but your skivvies on.  There, a mysterious voice tasks you to embark on an epic quest.  But before you can go out the door, you must choose one of three items to start your quest off with: 1) a sword  2) a shield  3) a suit of armor.  Which do you choose?  

It almost seems to me that common consensus is

Code:

sword= fire starter, shield= grass starter, suit of armor= water starter

EDIT: My reasoning for this is:

Code:

Fire starters are good offensive sweepers, but are fragile.  Grass starters are excellent supporters and are quite effective if you're flexible with your strategy.  Water starters don't have as many huge weaknesses as the others and often evolve into tanks.

[Ashtrot]

Seems legit, I chose shield due to its flexibility compared to the other two and I do indeed choose grass starters more often.

[Monsoon]

I would say that analogy holds for the first few generations, but keep in mind that in Gen V it all got flipped.  Both Emboar and Samurott are sweeper/tanks with poor speed but above-average offensive stats and decent HP.  Serperior is a sweeper/tank with poor attack, possessing good speed but low offensive stats.  Let's just say that Gen V tried to turn starter stereotypes on its head and coincidentally is also the worst group of starters in Pokemon history. 

[Dincrest]

I've heard the analogy that water= tank, fire= sweeper, grass= special ops. 

I echo the sentiment someone else said that hopefully fennekin won't be a fire/fighting type again, since chimchar and tepig were both fire/fighting. 

I'll definitely be choosing Froakie. 

[Aeolus]

I've heard the analogy that water= tank, fire= sweeper, grass= special ops. 

I echo the sentiment someone else said that hopefully fennekin won't be a fire/fighting type again, since chimchar and tepig were both fire/fighting. 

I'll definitely be choosing Froakie. 

Also torchick.

[Hathen]

If Froakie ends up being Water/Fighting you're all obligated to call it Battletoad

[Aeolus]

If Froakie ends up being Water/Fighting you're all obligated to call it Battletoad

Much better than Revolver Oshuwatt which only lasts as a joke until you evolve it into a Dewott which you then have to proceed to rename it to Mountain until the final evolution where you name it Seven or Nobunaga.

Also, you don't have to call it a Battletoad if you want to call it Zitt, Pimple, or Rash instead.