Best Pals to start in Palworld. What Pal to choose as beginner?

Palworld represents a groundbreaking survival experience that masterfully blends creature collection mechanics with deep crafting and base-building systems. Your initial Pal selection serves as the cornerstone of your entire gameplay experience, influencing everything from combat effectiveness to resource acquisition rates. This comprehensive guide provides actionable insights to help you make an informed decision that aligns with your preferred playstyle.

As you embark on your Palworld journey, the choice of your first companion carries strategic weight that extends far beyond simple preference. Each available Pal offers distinct advantages that can accelerate specific aspects of your progression, making this decision one of the most impactful you’ll make in the early game.

When you first load into Palworld’s vast open world, you’ll encounter a carefully balanced ecosystem where creature levels and availability follow deliberate progression patterns. The three starter Pals—Lamball, Cattiva, and Chikipi—are specifically designed to introduce new players to core game mechanics while providing distinct strategic pathways.

The initial capture sequence presents a critical decision point: after locating all three available Pals in your starting area, you’ll only have one Pal Sphere available for your first capture attempt. This limitation forces players to consider their immediate needs versus long-term goals.

At the beginning of the game, you can encounter these three foundational Pals:

• Lamball
• Cattiva
• Chikipi

Pro Tip: Before making your final selection, spend 5-10 minutes observing each Pal’s behavior patterns and testing combat interactions to better understand their capabilities.

Every Pal in Palworld features a sophisticated skill system comprising Partner Skills that provide passive benefits, Active Skills for combat engagement, Work Suitability ratings for base assignments, and randomly generated passive traits that add variability to each individual creature.

Here’s an in-depth breakdown of the three starting Pals’ capabilities and strategic applications:

Lamball

• Partner Skill: Shield Transformation – When activated, Lamball attaches to your character, creating a protective barrier that absorbs incoming damage. When assigned to ranch duties, it periodically produces Wool resources.
• Active Skill: Roly Poly – The Pal curls into a compact sphere, gaining momentum as it rolls toward hostile targets. After completing its attack sequence, Lamball experiences temporary disorientation, creating strategic vulnerability windows.
• Work Suitability: Handiwork 1 (basic crafting), Transporting 1 (item movement), Farming 1 (agricultural tasks)

Cattiva

• Partner Skill: Supply Carrier – While active in your party, Cattiva enhances your inventory management by significantly increasing maximum carry capacity.
• Active Skill: Punch Flurry – This Pal aggressively pursues enemies, delivering rapid consecutive punches with both forelimbs in close-quarters combat.
• Work Suitability: Handiwork 1, Gathering 1 (resource collection), Mining 1 (ore extraction), Transporting 1

Chikipi

• Companion Skill: Egg Layer – When assigned to ranch facilities, Chikipi periodically produces eggs that serve as valuable food sources and crafting components.
• Active Skill: Chicken Peck – The Pal launches aerial assaults, flying directly at visible enemies and striking with precision beak attacks.
• Work Suitability: Gathering 1, Farming 1

Strategic Insight: Cattiva’s four work suitability categories make it the most versatile early-game worker, while Lamball’s defensive capabilities provide crucial survivability during initial exploration.

After extensive analysis of the three available starter options, Lamball emerges as the optimal choice for players prioritizing exploration and combat progression. Its unique shield transformation ability provides invaluable protection during early encounters with hostile creatures and environmental hazards.

While Lamball features three work suitability categories compared to Cattiva’s four, its defensive Partner Skill dramatically enhances survival rates during initial world exploration. The shield capability allows players to engage higher-level Pals earlier, accelerating experience gain and resource acquisition.

Chikipi serves as a specialized foundation Pal for base-oriented players. Its egg-laying ability establishes sustainable food production early, while its farming and gathering suitabilities support rapid base development. For comprehensive Class Guide principles applied to Palworld, understanding role specialization is key to efficient progression.

Common Mistake: Many beginners underestimate the importance of Work Suitability diversity, focusing solely on combat capabilities. This oversight can significantly slow base development and resource accumulation.

Advanced Tactic: If you select Lamball initially, prioritize capturing a Chikipi within your first 30 minutes to establish food sustainability.

The time investment between capturing your initial Pal and acquiring additional companions is surprisingly minimal for prepared players. Once you master Pal Sphere construction and develop effective combat strategies, you can complete your starter trio within approximately 45-60 minutes of focused gameplay.

Optimization Strategy: Begin crafting additional Pal Spheres immediately after establishing your first base camp. This approach ensures you’re prepared to capture additional Pals as soon as opportunities arise.

Strategic team composition becomes crucial once you expand beyond your first Pal. Consider balancing your party with complementary abilities—pairing Lamball’s defensive capabilities with Cattiva’s carrying capacity and Chikipi’s resource production creates a well-rounded foundation for mid-game challenges. For more comprehensive team-building strategies, consult our Complete Guide to advanced Pal management.

Time Management: Allocate your first hour as follows: 15 minutes securing your starter Pal, 20 minutes establishing basic base infrastructure, and 25 minutes capturing your remaining starter options.

Progression Acceleration: Players who strategically select their starter based on immediate needs and quickly capture the remaining options typically advance 30-40% faster through early game content than those who make arbitrary selections.

Understanding these Weapons Unlock parallels in Palworld, your early choices create momentum that compounds throughout your entire playthrough.

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