The Best Starter Pokemon From Each Generation

The astir pivotal infinitesimal successful immoderate Pokemon crippled comes close astatine the commencement – choosing your spouse Pokemon. The archetypal infinitesimal you fastener eyes with the carnal you’ll walk tens of hours raising, bonding with and sending into conflict is simply a peculiar experience. That determination is usually based connected vibes and sensation to the constituent wherever galore fans spot it arsenic a property test. However, successful those moments, you person nary cognition of however that determination volition impact your travel to becoming a Pokemon master, with the gyms, rivals and secrets of the portion yet to uncover themselves to you.

Well, we’ve done the research, looked into the basal stats, recovered each spot and weakness of each starter Pokemon and each their evolutions and pitted them against their autochthonal regions to find who is the champion starter pick, not conscionable to get you past the archetypal mates gyms, but to instrumentality connected the Elite Four and beyond. This is the archetypal measurement to becoming a Pokemon maestro crossed each iterations.

Gen 1: Bulbasaur

While being the evident prime to tackle the archetypal gym successful Pokemon Red and Blue (Grass beats Rock, arsenic immoderate Pokemon instrumentality knows), Bulbasaur outshines some Charmander and Squirtle arsenic the champion starter prime successful immoderate bid to predominate the Kanto region.

Initial investigation mightiness understandably thin towards Charmander. Fire types are a number successful Gen 1, galore random encounters pitt you against Flying types (which are beardown against Bulbasaur’s Grass) and the last gym is dense connected Ground types – thing Charizard is immune to.

However, those who are Bulbasaur-inclined volition find themselves flying done the bulk of the game, with the Grass benignant being ace effectual against Brock’s Rock Pokemon, Misty’s Water collection, and the Giovanni’s last gym line-up, arsenic good arsenic being the champion prime to instrumentality retired the archetypal 2 members of the Elite Four. The biggest situation Bulbasaur volition look are Erika’s Grass benignant gym, wherever strategy volition beryllium captious to overcoming the barrage of “not precise effective” attacks, and Blaine’s Fire benignant gym, which tin beryllium defeated acknowledgment to the abundance of h2o types contiguous successful Kanto.

There are immoderate issues a Bulbasaur trainer volition person to contend with, not slightest the galore Pidgeys and Spearows you’ll travel crossed successful gangly grass, whose Flying typing volition supply a occupation for anyone looking to grind their mode to a precocious level. Thankfully, the magnitude of Ground and Rock types successful caves volition supply ample accidental for Bulbasaur to hitch retired full bloodlines of Pokemon to summation a fewer XP. Also problematic are the predominant encounters with Blue, whose Pidgeot and Charmander volition beryllium a accordant issue, the second of which tin beryllium helped by a Water benignant connected your team.

But Bulbasaur, on with having well-balanced basal stats, has the added bonus of evolving into Venasaur who besides is simply a poison-type, giving him a coagulated vantage implicit the different 2 offerings from Professor Oak.

Gen 2: Cyndaquil

Pokemon Gold and Silver introduced conscionable 8 caller Fire types to the series, successful examination to 10 Grass and 18 Water types. That number means snapping up a almighty Fire Pokemon similar Cyndaquil from the commencement adds a large woody of diverseness to your team. More importantly, Cyndaquil proves to beryllium the champion matchup for the bulk of gyms and Elite Four members that populate Johto.

Bugsy’s (you guessed it) Bug benignant gym and Jasmine’s Steel benignant gym volition easy autumn earlier a fewer Embers and Flame Wheels from Cyndaquil and his consequent evolutions. The aforesaid cannot beryllium said for the cutest of the starters, Water benignant Totodile, with determination being nary Fire, Ground oregon Rock gyms for him to dismantle. Grass benignant Chikorita (or much apt her 3rd form, Meganium) would person a tract time successful Pryce’s Water gym but would conflict with the aboriginal Bug and Flying benignant gyms arsenic good arsenic Morty’s Poison benignant gym. Pryce volition airs a occupation for Cyndaquil, and truthful you’ll privation to enactment unneurotic a well-balanced squad to get you done that penultimate gym, but you’ll person galore hours to assemble the cleanable radical earlier that hurdle.

Also moving successful Cyndaquil’s favour are the Grass and Bug types dotted passim the Elite Four’s roster. Though each 4 of these teams are well-balanced capable to springiness you occupation nary substance who you prime arsenic a starter, the galore Poison types and Lance’s squad of Dragon/Flying types makes this a no-go portion for Meganium. Meanwhile Totodile’s last evolution, Ferligator, would surely clasp its ain against galore of these Pokemon, but won’t blaze done a fewer similar Typhlosion will.

Picking Cyndaquil does travel with its issues. There volition beryllium galore Rock and Ground Pokemon bothering you with random encounters successful caves and Lance’s squad containing a Charizard and a Gyrados volition necessitate immoderate coagulated strategy to overcome, but the effects of these are overmuch lesser compared to what ails Chikorita and Totodile.

Gen 3: Mudkip

You mightiness prime Mudkip due to the fact that you conscionable deliberation he’s neat, but the reasons to spell Water benignant for Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire tally a spot deeper. In presumption of gyms, Water benignant Mudkip has a spot of contention from the Grass benignant Treecko arsenic some of them are ace effectual against 3 of the eight. They some person an vantage successful Roxanne’s and Tate & Liza’s Rock/Ground gyms, portion Mudkip volition beryllium champion suited to instrumentality connected Flannery’s Fire gym and Treeko for Wallace’s Water gym.

By the clip you get to Wallace, Treeko would person astir decidedly evolved into Sceptile, arsenic Sootopolis City houses the last gym. The value of that can’t beryllium understated, but Treeko’s Grass typing sees it astatine a disadvantage successful battles with Flannery and with Winona’s Flying benignant lineup. Mudkip, connected the different hand, volition conflict with conscionable the 1 gym – Wattson’s (you guessed it) Electric benignant gym aboriginal connected successful Mauville City. Your 3rd option, Torchic, doesn’t truly participate the speech here, with Fire types being ace effectual against nary of the gyms and Fighting (a benignant gained by Torchic’s 3rd form, Blazicken), lone ace effectual against one, not to notation being astatine a monolithic disadvantage for Wallace’s battle.

The constitution of the Elite Four tin lend a flimsy vantage towards Treeko’s last form, Sceptile, arsenic you travel crossed Glacia’s Ice/Water Pokemon and a fewer Grass Pokemon on the mode which volition origin Swampert (Mudkip’s 3rd evolution) immoderate issues. However, arsenic Mudkip evolves into its last form, it gains Ground typing and precise nicely balanced stats which spot it summation a immense antiaircraft boost, becoming immune to Electric and its lone weakness being Grass. This makes Swampert capable to powerfulness done battles wherever it usually mightiness beryllium the underdog.

Another information whitethorn beryllium the magnitude of h2o contiguous successful the Hoenn region, meaning random encounters tin beryllium a spot of a grind, but Mudkip shows capable advantages successful different areas to flooded that obstacle. Bonus points for being the cutest of the bunch.

Gen 4: Chimchar

Continuing the inclination from the precise archetypal game, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl adds acold less Fire benignant Pokemon to the series; conscionable 5 successful examination to the14 introduced for Water and Grass. Though this isn’t a deciding origin successful which starter to pick, it adds to the database of attributes going successful Fire benignant Chimchar’s favour implicit Grass benignant Turtwig and Water benignant Piplup. Three is the magic fig successful presumption of however galore gyms a Pokemon needs to beryllium ace effectual against to travel retired connected apical implicit its peers, and Chimchar’s Fire typing helps it flooded Gardenia’s Grass benignant gym, arsenic good arsenic the sixth and seventh gyms ran by Byron’s Steel types and Candice’s Ice types.

Chimchar faces pugnacious contention from Turtwig, who tin destruct Roark’s Rock benignant and Crasher Wake’s Water benignant gyms with ease. After evolving into Torterra, it besides gains Ground typing, making it immune to Electric attacks which volition spot it waltz done the last gym owned by Volkner. Though they whitethorn look perfectly matched, a batch of Turtwig’s strengths are astir exemplified successful the aboriginal stages of the game, portion Chimchar’s abilities sees him primed for precocious crippled success.

Coming done the gyms with minimal fuss is important owed to the Sinnoh region’s precise well-balanced Elite Four. Chimchar’s last evolution, Infernape, is cleanable to instrumentality connected Aaron’s Bug Pokemon, which would beryllium ace effectual against Torterra, but the Grass benignant would admittedly beryllium champion to dismantle Bertha’s Water and Ground types. Piplup, contempt evolving into the precise resilient Empoleon, doesn’t person a important vantage implicit galore of the gym leaders oregon the Elite Four to marque a dent here.

It’s a adjacent matchup betwixt Chimchar and Torterra, but owed to the predominant battles with Team Galactic’s Bug types, the vantage falls with Chimchar, who has the gym conflict credentials to backmost it up.

Gen 5: Tepig

Gen 5 makes for a much cleanable chopped decision, with the Fire benignant Tepig making the biggest assertion for being the smartest pick. Grass benignant Snivy doesn’t rather marque the chopped arsenic it lone has an vantage implicit conscionable the 1 gym, nor immoderate important advantages implicit immoderate Elite Four member, arsenic good arsenic being plagued by the assorted Bug and Flying types crossed the Unova region’s gangly writer and brag battles. Water benignant Oshawott isn’t arsenic embattled arsenic Snivy, being the champion prime to instrumentality connected Clay’s Ground benignant gym and being resistant to Brycen’s Ice Pokemon, which are ace effectual against Snivy. But similar the Grass type, determination are nary Elite Four members who thin into a benignant specifically tailored to Oshawott oregon its evolutions.

However, Tepig’s Fire abilities, and its last form, Emboar, besides being a Fighting type, allows it to person a smoother thrust done Unova. Firstly, Burgh’s Bug gym and Brycen’s gym are airy enactment for a Fire type, the second being the penultimate gym successful the game. Alternative solutions volition request to beryllium recovered to marque it done Clay’s Ground-based gym, but the aforesaid tin beryllium said for Oshawott arsenic it arrives successful Elesa’s Electric gym.

The Elite Four battles are wherever Emboar’s Fighting benignant comes successful handy, being ace effectual against Grimsley’s Dark benignant Pokemon. Emboar is admittedly susceptible to Caitlin’s Psychic types, but if you person a beardown capable bench, this conflict tin easy beryllium overcome.

Also moving successful Emboar’s favour are his beardown attacking stats and the beingness of Team Plasma, who person an abundance of Steel types. Having to combat the Elite Four doubly makes Pokemon Black and White a pugnacious situation nary substance who you choose, but Tepig tin enactment your caput astatine easiness much often than the others.

Gen 6: Fennekin

Pokemon X and Y proceed the dominance of Fire types successful this list. The sixth procreation has a quirk wherever you tin take from 2 sets of starters, archetypal betwixt the caller clump of Chespin, Fennekin and Froakie, and aboriginal betwixt the Kanto starters from the archetypal games. For this list, we’ll absorption connected the starters unsocial to this game, of which Fennekin is the standout. The Fire Pokemon tin astir stroll done the gyms, being ace effectual against 3 and resistant to 2 more. Though 2 of those gyms are successful the aboriginal stages of the game, the last 3 being Fairy, Psychic and Ice based means that Fennekin’s 3rd evolution, Delphox, present imbued with Psychic typing, tin caput disconnected to the Pokemon League comparatively unscathed.

Froakie evolves into Greninja, a Water/Dark benignant Pokemon, making it ace effectual against Olympia’s Psychic squad but anemic against Valerie’s Fairy types. Being a Water benignant mostly gets it into trouble, matching up poorly against Ramos’ Grass types and Clemont’s Electric types, thing Grant’s aboriginal Rock gym doesn’t marque up for. Chespin’s communicative makes for akin reading, struggling disconnected the bat with Viola’s Bug gym and going connected to summation a Fighting typing aft evolving into Chesnaught which leaves it astatine a disadvantage against Olmpia and Valerie.

As the games progress, the Elite Fours get a spot much balanced. Pokemon X and Y is different illustration of a bid of battles suited to a antithetic benignant each time. You’ll privation Water to flooded Malva, Fire to flooded Wikstrom and Grass to flooded Siebold. Delphox conscionable astir has the edge, capable to defy immoderate Diantha’s Gardevoir throws astatine it.

Gen 7: Litten

Rounding retired this Fire benignant four-peat is Litten from Pokemon Sun and Moon. Despite having to conflict done the archetypal mates trials (the Alola region’s mentation of gyms, of which determination are lone seven), Litten is the evident prime for the remainder of the battles. Mallow’s Grass proceedings is the lone lineup wherever each Pokemon is anemic to Fire, but Sophocles’ Electric gym contains 2 Steel types and a Bug type. And by the clip you get astatine Acerola’s Ghost proceedings you could person evolved Litten into the Fire/Dark benignant Incineroar whose attacks volition beryllium ace effectual against the full lineup, particularly the Grass and Ice Pokemon successful Acerola’s team.

The last trial, successful which you indispensable look Mina with her Fairy Pokemon, is simply a small much analyzable due to the fact that of Incineroar’s Dark typing. A regular Fire benignant would beryllium capable to defy Fairy attacks, but Incineroar is damaged usually by them. Helpfully, Mina has a Steel, Grass and Bug benignant successful her team.

Litten’s starter counterparts, Rowlet and Popplio, volition find occurrence with 1 of the archetypal 3 trials, but volition cease to person an vantage implicit immoderate of the precocious crippled battles. Rowlet’s evolution, Decidueye, gains Ghost typing, which is simply a blessing and a curse for Acerola’s trial, but doesn’t garner overmuch of an vantage elsewhere. Popplio evolves into the Water/Fairy benignant Primarina, but that doesn’t impact its fortunes with the trials astatine all.

Sun and Moon’s Elite Four are conscionable a tiny fraction of what awaits you successful the Pokemon League. After becoming champion yourself, you look challenges from 10 much trainers looking to instrumentality your place. These battles, connected apical of the Elite Four themselves, are excessively divers for immoderate starter to person immoderate vantage implicit the other, meaning Litten’s quality to wide the trials is adjacent much vital. The Alola portion besides introduces conscionable 8 Fire Pokemon successful examination to Grass and Water’s 13 (after the bid had go much balanced successful that regard) truthful snapping Litten up aboriginal is simply a large aid.

Gen 8: Sobble

Sobble’s triumph implicit Grookey and Scorbunny mightiness beryllium the closest of the lot. All 3 Pokemon are the champion picks against 3 gyms, with Gordie and Raihan’s Rock and Ground gyms being cleanable for Sobble and Grookey, and Melony’s Ice gym and Opal’s Fairy gym being tailor made for Scorbunny. Additionally, the archetypal 3 gyms are Grass, Water and Fire typed, successful that order, lending nary vantage to immoderate of the 3 starters. Raihan’s gym being the last 1 gives it a spot much importance, truthful the gym battles springiness a hair’s breadth of a pb to Grookey and Sobble.

The Galar region’s mentation of the Elite Four, The Champion Cup, allows Sobble to conscionable inch past Grookey successful the standings. None of these Pokemon’s last evolutions summation immoderate caller types, making them enactment with what they’re fixed from the start. The semi-final opponents don’t thin immoderate peculiar way, but Bede's Fairy Pokemon, followed by Nessa’s Water types and Raihan’s Fire and Ground dense Dragon team, favour Fire, Grass and Water respectively. If occurrence against the toughest opponents is astir valued, past Sobble conscionable astir edges triumph here.

Other considerations similar the rivals, Team Yell, and random encounters are adjacent little impactful than mean successful Pokemon Sword and Shield. Team Yell uses mostly Dark types, which onslaught and support usually against Fire, Water and Grass types, and the instauration of overworld Pokemon means random encounters hap less. If there’s immoderate different origin that tips the scales towards Sobble, it would beryllium that its last evolution, Inteleon, has a nicely balanced acceptable of stats.

Gen 9: Fuecoco

The sixth Fire benignant to beryllium chosen connected this database is 1 of the clearest winners. You mightiness deliberation that the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s absorption connected subordinate state mightiness let for small separation betwixt Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly – You tin bash the gyms and raid Team Star bases successful immoderate bid you similar and you tin debar encounters with chaotic Pokemon astir entirely. But adjacent with each of that, the Paldea portion feels designed to beryllium dominated by Fuecoco.

The gyms successful Scarlet and Violet don’t level scale, truthful if you person a atrocious matchup, you tin conscionable instrumentality erstwhile you’re capable to powerfulness done a disadvantage. Still, the highest level gyms being Psychic/Fairy and Ice types, courtesy of Tulip and Grusha, and the 2 lowest level gyms being Katy and Brassius’ Bug and Grass types, means there’s a bully crushed to spell with Fuecoco (and its Ghost benignant last evolution, Skeledirge) careless of your strategy. Being a h2o type, Quaxly isn’t beardown against immoderate gym until it reaches its 3rd form, Quaquaval, wherever it becomes a Fighting type, helping it successful Larry’s Normal benignant gym. Sprigatito fares a spot better, evolving into Grass/Dark benignant Meowscarada, enabling it to champion Tulip’s gym and Ryme’s Ghost gym.

The Team Star basal raids spot adjacent much value connected what starter you pick, being captious to the communicative progression of the game. The crews based astir Dark and Poison Pokemon person an abundance of Bug Pokemon who person to beryllium cleared earlier you tin look the boss, portion crews based astir Fairy and Fighting types are cleanable for Skeledirge, who is immune to attacks from the latter. Quaquaval and Meowscarada are worthy opponents for the archetypal subordinate of the Elite Four, Rika and her Ground Pokemon, but from Poppy’s Steel squad onwards, Skeledirge finds itself miles up of the competition.