No Pokemon journey is feasible with no starter. These Pokemon can be your first companions, and amongst your most trusted and highly effective. Nonetheless, not all starters are created equal: Right here’s our record of all 32 starters within the mainline video games from the weakest to essentially the most highly effective.
32: Pikachu
Pikachu is without doubt one of the most iconic Pokemon of all of them, and it’s appeared as a starter in two separate video games: Pokemon Yellow and Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu. Whereas it’s a viable companion general, it struggles in comparison with others for one large cause: it might’t evolve in any sport the place it’s the companion. The one method round this (at the very least in Yellow) is to commerce it away, at which level it loses its distinctive area of interest. It solely has one weak point, Floor, however its low protection and HP means it struggles to take a success.
31: Eevee
Eevee is the starter for Let’s Go Eevee, and whereas it does profit from a flexible transfer set and being barely stronger than Pikachu general, it’s overwhelmed out by Pikachu in each assault and particular assault. Whereas no pokemon are weak to the Regular sort, it’s solely weak to 1 sort (Combating) and is proof against Ghost, whereas it’s versatile moveset provides it loads of choices to cope with its foes. Nonetheless, as with Pikachu, your companion Eevee can’t evolve, which means we are able to’t justify putting it larger.
30: Chikorita, Bayleef, and Meganium
Meganium is the tank of the fully-evolved Johto starters and has a large moveset, however its mediocre assault stat is let down by the truth that nearly all of strikes the road learns by levelling up are non-damaging. Nonetheless later video games gave it the Leaf Guard potential, granting it an immunity to standing circumstances, boosting its viability.
29: Squirtle, Wartortle, and Blastoise
The least helpful of the Kanto starters, a totally developed Blastoise continues to be a defensive beast, though safely it doesn’t get a secondary sort alongside its contemporaries. Later video games within the sequence drastically improved the road with new strikes, but when given the selection, one of many others will normally be the higher alternative. A secondary Metal typing would probably increase this line’s viability, however because the Metal sort wasn’t launched till Technology 2 that leaves Blastoise in an odd place. Regardless of its iconic nature, you’re normally higher off selecting a distinct Water sort.
28: Grookey, Thwackey, and Rillaboom
The cute monkey Grookey evolves into the Grass sort drumming gorilla Rillaboom, a robust attacker with respectable protection and velocity. Nonetheless, its shallow moveset and a scarcity of a secondary sort imply it struggles to do something most different grass varieties don’t do higher. Giving it the Rock or Floor sort would considerably increase its viability, however… effectively, it’s nonetheless a rock and roll-playing monkey.
27: Oshawott, Dewott, and Samurott
This cute otter evolves into a robust blended attacker, regardless of mediocre defensive stats. Nonetheless, it has an opportunity of gaining the hidden potential Shell Armor, granting it a helpful immunity to vital hits. It additionally advantages from a large transfer pool, however missing a secondary sort means it doesn’t fairly stack up towards a number of the different starters.
26: Treecko, Grovyle, and Sceptile
The Treecko line suffers from being a monotype one going up towards two twin sort alternate options. Nonetheless, it does achieve a useful double effectiveness towards the Mudkip line. This speedy particular attacker has an honest assault stat and an honest movepool, whereas its mega evolution boosts its highest stats even additional, in addition to granting it a Dragon typing.
25: Totodile, Croconaw, and Feraligatr
If we have been rating based mostly on spelling, this line could be all-time low. Feraligatr was named again when there was a ten-character restrict. It must be Feraligator, which at the very least is smart. This cumbersome bodily attacker has entry to all kinds of strikes that cowl its weaknesses successfully and grant it entry to a number of the strongest strikes within the sport.
24: Sobble, Drizzile, and Inteleon
This delicate Water sort evolves into the Suave superspy Inteleon, which boasts excessive velocity and particular assault on the expense of middling HP and defensive stats. Its signature transfer, Snipe Shot, bypasses any makes an attempt to redirect it and has an enhanced vital hit price, whereas the hidden potential Sniper will improve the injury vital hits trigger. It might be a bit of too situational to make use of to its full impact, nevertheless it does make Inteleon an honest alternative, regardless of its low rating.
23: Tepig, Pignite, and Emboar
The Tepig line suffers for a number of causes, most notably being the third Fireplace/Combating sort in a row. It has excessive HP, assault, and particular assault, however its low defensive stats and velocity imply that it’s not too exhausting for a robust Water, Flying, or Floor sort to take it down rapidly. The road’s hidden potential, Reckless, will increase the injury of recoil strikes on the expense of taking extra injury from utilizing them, which suggests it may be exhausting for an Emboar to benefit from it successfully with out placing itself in danger.
22: Piplup, Prinplup, and Empoleon
The Piplup line has respectable bodily stats and nice particular stats, in addition to an honest movepool – albeit one which isn’t fairly as extensive as different starters. Its secondary Metal typing grants it a useful resistance to the Grass sort, letting it keep away from one a part of the compulsory elemental rock paper scissors, however on the expense of its weak point to Combating and Floor varieties.
21: Chespin, Quilladin, and Chesnaught
Don’t let this hedgehog idiot you – it evolves right into a cumbersome Grass/Combating sort with a large protection stat. Even higher, its hidden potential Bulletproof grants it immunities to many highly effective strikes, together with some that will in any other case be tremendous efficient. It additionally has entry to the transfer Curse by TM, boosting its assault and protection additional at the price of its already low velocity.
20: Cyndaquil, Quilava, and Typhlosion
Johto’s Fireplace sort line advantages from nice assault and a large movepool, in addition to a smooth design. Nonetheless, its lack of a secondary typing lowers its viability considerably. It’s even known as the volcano Pokemon, so a Floor typing could be excellent. Nonetheless, it has entry to the Flash Fireplace hidden potential, granting it immunity to the Fireplace sort whereas boosting its personal Fireplace strikes every time it’s hit by one.
19: Scorbunny, Raboot, and Cinderace
This line of Fireplace varieties is predicated on rabbits, and takes heavy inspiration from soccer. Cinderace has excessive assault and velocity in addition to the hidden potential Libero, which lets it change its typing to whichever transfer it’s about to make use of, in addition to a large movepool that lets it use the latter successfully. Whereas it isn’t fairly nearly as good as a number of the extra specialised starters, it does make it simply the perfect in Galar.
18: Fennekin, Braixen, and Delphox
The Fennekin line might lose cuteness factors because it will get older, however don’t let that idiot you – Delphox is a speedy particular attacker with excessive particular protection and a fantastic moveset. It additionally has the hidden potential Magician, letting it steal the power of any enemies it hits with a harmful transfer, doubtlessly messing up its opponent’s technique.
17: Quaxly, Quaxwell, and Quaquaval
The Quaxly line is the worst of the Paldean starters. Except for having a questionable design, the road’s nice assault is let down by its weaknesses in each different stat. Nonetheless, its signature transfer Aqua Step boosts its velocity every time it’s utilized in battle, which provides to its viability. Its hidden potential, Moxie, additionally boosts its assault every time it defeats an opponent, so don’t wash your arms on this Water sort.
16: Cyndaquil, Quilava, and Hisuian Typhlosion
Hisuian Typhlosion’s secondary Ghost typing grants it useful immunities to Regular and Combating varieties, whereas granting it a lift to its particular assault. It solely learns one Ghost sort transfer naturally, Ghost Parade, however this transfer has a 30% probability of burning its goal, and hits twice as exhausting if the goal is already inflicted with a standing situation. Its hidden potential, Frisk, lets it determine what merchandise its opponent is holding. Whereas that is much less flashy than many skills, it might assist you determine any issues you may face as quickly as Typhlosion enters the sphere.
15: Snivy, Servine, and Serperior
This regal Grass sort line focuses on protection, particular protection, and velocity. Nonetheless, don’t let that trick you into considering it’s a pure tank. The Snivy line will get entry to the hidden potential Opposite, which reverses any makes an attempt to lift or decrease its stats. The Snivy line can simply benefit from a number of the most impractical strikes within the sport, equivalent to Leaf Storm, whereas benefitting from any makes an attempt to weaken it.
14: Chimchar, Monferno, and Infernape
A totally developed Infernape is a speedy blended attacker with an honest movepool and an superior design that echoes the legendary monkey king, Wukong. It additionally has a fantastic movepool that features punching strikes which benefit from its Iron Fist potential. Nonetheless, there’s one Fireplace/Combating starter that beats it.
13: Rowlet, Dartrix, and Hisuian Decidueye
The primary two steps on this evolutionary line are an identical to the native Alolan kind, however Hisuian Decidueye trades its secondary Ghost typing for a Combating one. Whereas it solely learns two Combating strikes by itself, Triple Arrows is absolutely all you want due to it decreasing your opponent’s defensive stats whereas boosting Decidueye’s vital hit price. It additionally has barely larger assault, HP, and protection than its Alolan kind. Its hidden potential, Scrappy, additionally permits it to hit Ghost varieties with Regular and Combating strikes, whereas making it proof against intimidation.
12: Oshawott, Dewott, and Hisuian Samurott
Hisuian Samurott positive factors a secondary Darkish typing, which already provides it the sting over its Unovan kind. Its signatura potential, Ceaseless Edge, has a excessive vital hit price and an honest energy of 65, but additionally causes its opponent to take residual injury for a number of turns after they’re hit. Nonetheless, the transfer positive factors a large increase from Samurott’s hidden potential, Sharpness, which powers up slicing strikes. Add in nice assault and particular assault, respectable velocity, and a flexible transfer pool, and Hisuian Samurott can rapidly turn into its opponent’s worse nightmare.
11: Popplio, Brionne, and Primarina
Whereas the Popplio line’s design leaves quite a bit to be desired, its implausible particular stats and Water/Fairy typing imply that it may be a much more harmful foe than it seems. Whereas its movepool isn’t the widest, it has loads of strikes to cowl its weaknesses. Its hidden potential, Liquid Voice, turns any sound-based strikes into the Water sort. Its signature transfer, Glowing Aria, is pretty situational in that it cures these it hits of any burns, however this may nonetheless shut down any makes an attempt to make the most of sure skills like Guts.
10: Rowlet, Dartrix, and Decidueye
This cute owl evolves right into a Grass sort archer which trades its secondary Flying sort for the Ghost sort. Decidueye is a blended attacker with excessive particular protection and a fantastic movepool. Its hidden potential, Lengthy Attain, means it by no means makes contact with an enemy, letting it bypass quite a few skills or strikes that may make touching your opponent a dangerous prospect.
9: Mudkip, Marshtomp, and Swampert
The Mudkip line has the doubtful honour of getting a double weak point to Grass, however don’t let that put you off – its typing means that is its solely weak point whereas granting it an immunity to one of many Water sort’s best weaknesses, the Electrical sort, and shedding the Floor sort’s weak point to Ice. The road additionally advantages from excessive assault and respectable stats general, aside from its middling velocity. It additionally will get a mega evolution boosting its assault even additional, whereas additionally granting it the Swift Swim potential, which boosts its velocity within the rain. It’s not the strongest Water sort starter, nevertheless it’s actually up there.
8: Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, and Venusaur
Probably the least in style of the unique three starters, the Bulbasaur line advantages from a helpful second typing (Poison) and a large moveset, together with standing strikes. Later video games additionally gave it each a Mega kind and a Gigantamax kind, as with its Kantonian contemporaries. Nonetheless it isn’t till later within the franchise that it will get entry to a couple damaging Poison sort strikes, so regardless of it being the perfect starter in its house video games, it’s not the perfect Kantonian starter general.
7: Charmander, Charmeleon, and Charizard
The one starter that rivals Pikachu by way of iconicness, Charizard is an offensive beast with an superior design, two separate mega types to select from, a Gigantamax kind, a large transfer pool together with a number of the strongest strikes within the sport, and an immunity to Floor, one of many Fireplace Sorts best weaknesses. Regardless of this, different Fireplace sort starters profit from higher skills, movepools, and all-around energy.
6: Turtwig, Grotle, and Torterra
This cumbersome attacker advantages from a large moveset, together with a number of the most dependable attacking strikes within the sport. Even higher, it might increase its assault and protection directly whereas sacrificing its mediocre velocity, however as a tortoise with a tree rising from its again a Torterra isn’t going to be outspeeding a lot anyway. It’s additionally the one starter pokemon that eschews the basic rock paper scissors when it’s totally developed, shedding its weak point to the Fireplace sort due to its secondary Floor typing.
5: Litten, Torracat, and Incineroar
Litten could also be an cute little kitten, nevertheless it evolves into Incineroar, a robust Fireplace/Darkish sort with respectable defenses based mostly on a wrestler. Incineroar has entry to quite a lot of totally different strikes, together with a number of which might cowl its weaknesses or increase its lacklustre velocity. Its hidden potential, Intimidate, additionally lowers the assault of any opposing Pokemon when it enters the sphere.
4: Sprigatito, Floragato, and Meowscarada
Sprigatito might evolve to have a questionable design, however this speedy feline packs a severe punch. Meowscarada’s signature transfer, Flower Trick, by no means misses and at all times lands a vital hit, letting it bypass your enemy’s protection or evasion with ease. Even higher, the road’s hidden potential Protean lets it change its typing, shaking off its weaknesses, making it an unpredictable enemy. Regardless of Protean now activating solely as soon as per battle, Meowscarada’s versatile moveset and having an superior signature transfer earns it a spot within the high 5.
3: Froakie, Frogadier, and Greninja
One of the best Water sort starters of all of them, the standard Froakie evolves right into a speedy blended attacker based mostly on a ninja. What makes this line stand out is the hidden potential Protean, which permits it to alter its sort to whichever transfer it’s about to make use of, granting it a similar sort assault bonus on each transfer whereas making it unpredictable to enemies. Some particular potential get Battle Bond as a substitute, which increase a number of of its stats every time it takes down an enemy in battle, and in Technology VII additionally strengthens its signature transfer, Water Shuriken.
2: Torchic, Combusken, and Blaziken
The Torchic line is the primary of the Fireplace/Combating starters, however inarguably the perfect. The road is a blended attacker with a large movepool, nevertheless it actually shines due to its hidden potential, Velocity Enhance, which raises its velocity by one stage each flip. After a number of turns, Blaziken can mow via its opponents earlier than they even have time to react.
1: Fuecoco, Crocalor, and Skeledirge
Skeledirge is the mighty glacier of the Paldean starters, boasting excessive protection and HP, in addition to the best particular assault of the three. Its signature transfer, Torch Track, boosts its particular assault even additional every time it’s used. Even higher, with two immunities, seven resistances, and no double weaknesses, it’ll take some effort to silence Skeledirge earlier than it begins chewing via its enemy’s HP.
On the lookout for extra Pokemon? Take a look at our tierlist of each area within the mainline Pokemon video games.
