Choosing Pancham as Starter in Pokémon Legends: Z-A In Pokémon Legends: Z-A, attempting to pick Pancham during the starter selection leads to a humorous Easter egg interaction rather than actually obtaining it as your starter.

The Starter Scene

The game presents standard Kalos starters like Chespin, Fennekin, or Froakie, but Pancham appears as a cheeky option nearby. When you try to select it, a nearby girl quickly intervenes, exclaiming something like "HEY, that's mine!" and takes it back, poking fun at the player's choice. This early-game moment, often highlighted in YouTube videos and Reddit threads since the game's October 2025 release, adds a lighthearted touch without altering the storyline or giving you Pancham permanently.

Why It Doesn't Work

  • Pancham isn't a true starter; it's a wild Pokémon you can catch later in Wild Zone 3, making it accessible early but not selectable here.
  • Forum users on r/LegendsZA note it's just dialogue flair for replay value, with comments like "No, that's not possible; it's merely a humorous choice" racking up hundreds of upvotes.
  • No storyline changes occur—your adventure in Lumiose City's redevelopment proceeds with a proper starter, as confirmed across playthroughs.

Catching and Evolving Pancham Later

Pancham becomes available soon after, and players love building it into a powerhouse. To evolve it into Pangoro:

  1. Level Pancham to 32.
  1. Ensure a Dark-type Pokémon (like Sandile, Sableye, or Absol) is in your party.
  1. Manually trigger the evolution via the party menu, as it doesn't auto-evolve in Legends: Z-A.

"Unfortunately, you can't actually choose Pancham. The girl will exclaim something like, 'HEY, that's mine!'" – Reddit user RubyFennex, top comment with 454 upvotes

Trending Discussions

Since launch, this has sparked viral YouTube clips (e.g., "What Happens if you Try to Pick Pancham") and Reddit posts, with 300+ votes on threads debating if it's a "clickbait" secret. As of January 2026, it's a fun meme in the community, especially for Kalos nostalgia fans. No major patches have changed it, per recent guides.

TL;DR: You can't keep Pancham as a starter—it's a funny rejection scene, but catch it wild and evolve into Pangoro for your team.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.