Starter inequality in RSE?

[Gothic-Gothorita]

That's nothing new, they typically design the gym (especially the early gyms), so that your choice of starter is an inherent difficulty setting. They've done the same thing since the beginning of the series. For instance, in RBY Bulbasaur will give you the best advantage for the first two gyms since it's super effective against Rock and Water, Squirtle will give you an advantage against Brock but not Misty, and Charmander is weak to both.

This. The starters somewhat set your difficulty at times. While in the end, the starters are all effective in the story, especially in their final forms.

[PopPrincess_Lyra]

I didn't find it ahrd mostly coz I always start with water types. There's a reason to catching OTHER Pokemon in the wild to fight, ye know, nya~

[StormOfFlames]

When I play RSE, I start with Torchic (But I'm not good at training, so I only train my starter) But, if you evolve torchic into combusken before gym 1, and teach it double kick, it will be a breeze And the torchic line is just pure AWESOME!

[Scaldaver]

I think you'll find that the Torchic Line has access to Peck by the second badge, which is an advantage. And Swampert is not disadvantaged by flying type - by this time it could have learned TM Ice Beam. I think by this logic you will see that the Swampert Line has 5 advantages: rock, electric, fire, flying (technically) and Psychic (what types are Lunatone and Solrock (and Claydol and Xatu? (Xatu when Swampy has TM Ice Beam...))). Torchic, in RS, has the advantages in Fighting, Electricity (what type is Magnemite and Magneton?), Normal. Also, in the Elite 4, Blaziken obliterates Dark, Steel and Ice, even if some of the ice types are part water, sky-uppercut can OHK most of them. All in all, I think the Treeko line is the most discriminated against, with inability to cope with Magneton/Magnemite, The fire, flying, Psychic (Xatu and flamethrower Solrock) gyms and the Ice, Dragon, Ghost and Steel Elite four members.