Arriving promptly

You run out to the professor's lab ready to start. By the time you get there you are out of breath but open the door to see the professor with two young girls, barely dressed in large t-shirts with their hair undone. The girls stare daggers at you for interrupting so early but the professor smiles over his coffee "Well red, looks like you are the first one ready despite my granddaughters living here." You smirk proudly and he gestures at a stand holding three pokeballs "Feel free to take a moment and acquaint yourself with the pokedex and pick a pokemon while Blue and Green get ready for their journey."

You nod and take the tablet pointing it at each of the balls in turn.

1. Bulbasaur: A lizard living in symbiosis with the flower on it's back.

2. Charmander: It has a tail flame that shows it's health.

3. Squirtle: The entire body can be retracted into its shell.

You call over to the professor "Hey why does this pokedex just give me fun facts... that don't actually sound all that true... instead of you know, physical statics and training options." the professor walks over "oh sorry this one was in accessibility mode try that" he flips some switches behind a pannel and hands the device back to you.

1. Bulbasaur Type: Plant Strengths: Versatility, the flower can work as a chemical synthesizer and the vines can be used for a number of utility functions. Weakness: meat part is **** to attack before evolution, flower part can be disabled, before evolution pokemon has very little mental capacity due to metabolic strain. Training options: Focusing on tactical combat gives a number of trap options and "leech seed" can be learned early which gives a massive tactical advantage vs any opponent not immune to plant attacks. Focusing on utility would make one indispensable to a group, allowing massive ability to control your environment and produce useful items.
2. Charmander Type: Fire Strengths: Combat, Among the top tier battle pokemon at every level. Unparalleled in its capacity for physical destruction. Weaknesses: Pitiful defense, at low levels can be defeated by light rain as water causes it pain. Training options: Really only direct combat training is advisable. It is strongly suggested you capture a number of support pokemon as soon as possible.
3. Squirtle Type: Water Strengths: Defense, the shell is a powerful defense and it has attacks that it can launch from inside the shell. Weaknesses: Few, Squirtle is an all round good option but not the best at anything. Don't expect it to excel. Training options: Wisest would be to train in a number of different tactics and styles allowing you to change to meet your opponent's weaknesses.

You are impressed. There is more data on each of them giving exact numbers and counters for each, even a number of training programs that you can use while they are in their balls to teach them basic things and a way to program new ones or upload programs you buy. So now the question is which of these should you take? Charmander would win you your first few fights but would be a massive gamble, Squirtle would be a huge investment of time and energy for something suboptimal, Bulbasaur would be both, sub-optimal and a massive investment for potential future gains but if it worked out it would mean a permanent place in the world not just as a trainer.