Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Fuecoco is "the most broken starter in Nuzlocke history"

Fuecoco, the Fire Pokemon Scarlet and Violet starter
(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Nuzlocke scene is apparently being decimated by Fuecoco.

That's according to PokemonChallenges on Twitter, who is generally seen as an authority on Pokemon Nuzlocke runs by the community at large. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Fire-Type starter is apparently completely "broken," and what's more, might be the most "broken starter in Nuzlocke history."

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That's quite the audacious claim from PokemonChallenges, although then again, this is coming from an expert on the topic. Fuecoco is apparently able to easily blast through the first two and the last three Gym Leaders in Scarlet and Violet, and can even take on a member of the prestigious Elite Four (no word on which member, though) and the Champion, with ease.

According to the expert, none of the other starters, Sprigatito and Quaxly, even come close to Fuecoco's sheer power. PokemonChallenges also recommends banning Fuecoco for "more interesting" Nuzlocke runs, although it remains to be seen if the community will adopt and abide by this rule going forward.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, Nuzlocke runs are a Pokemon 'permadeath' mode in which trainers can't use a Pokemon if it faints. To up the difficulty further, players can only catch the first creature they encounter in each area, adding an extra element of chance to the team you put together.

If you're at the beginning of Game Freak's latest adventure and aren't sure which starter creature to go with (even after this testimony), head over to our full best Pokemon and Violet starters guide for more. 

Alternatively, you can read up on our best Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Gym Leader order walkthrough for where to head in the adventure first. 

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.