Top Starter Pokemon Per Generation

The journey to becoming a Pokémon Master begins with a pivotal choice: selecting your starter Pokémon. This initial decision, often based on personal vibes and preferences, shapes your entire adventure through the regions. It's like a personality test for many fans, but at the outset, you have no idea how this choice will impact your battles against gym leaders, rivals, and the secrets each region holds. We've analyzed the base stats, strengths, weaknesses, and evolutions of every starter Pokémon across all generations, matching them against their native regions to determine the best starter for not just the early gyms, but also to conquer the Elite Four and beyond. Here's a detailed look at the best starter for each generation:

Gen 1: Bulbasaur

Games: Pokémon Red & Blue, FireRed & LeafGreen

Starter options: Bulbasaur (grass), Charmander (fire), Squirtle (water)

Full guide: IGN's Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow guide

Choosing Bulbasaur might seem obvious for tackling the first gym in Pokémon Red and Blue, given Grass's advantage over Rock. Yet, Bulbasaur proves to be the best starter not just for the initial challenge but for dominating the entire Kanto region. While Charmander might initially seem appealing due to the scarcity of Fire types and its immunity to Ground attacks in the final gym, Bulbasaur offers a smoother journey overall.

Bulbasaur excels against Brock's Rock Pokémon, Misty's Water types, and Giovanni's final gym lineup, making it the best choice to take out the first two members of the Elite Four. The Grass type's main hurdles are Erika's Grass gym, where strategic planning is essential, and Blaine's Fire gym, which can be overcome with the plentiful Water types found in Kanto.

Bulbasaur trainers must navigate challenges like the frequent encounters with Flying types such as Pidgey and Spearow in tall grass. However, the abundance of Ground and Rock types in caves offers ample XP opportunities. Rival Blue's Pidgeot and Charmander can pose consistent issues, but a well-rounded team, including a Water type, can mitigate these challenges. Bulbasaur's evolution into Venusaur, which gains Poison typing, provides a significant edge over other starters, thanks to well-balanced base stats and diverse type advantages.

Gen 2: Cyndaquil

Games: Pokémon Gold & Silver, Crystal, HeartGold & SoulSilver

Starter options: Chikorita (grass), Cyndaquil (fire), Totodile (water)

Full guide: IGN's Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal guide

In Pokémon Gold and Silver, the introduction of only eight new Fire types compared to ten Grass and eighteen Water types highlights the importance of selecting Cyndaquil. This Fire type starter adds vital diversity to your team and proves to be the best matchup for most Johto gyms and Elite Four members.

Cyndaquil and its evolutions can easily handle Bugsy's Bug type gym and Jasmine's Steel type gym with moves like Ember and Flame Wheel. In contrast, Totodile struggles without Fire, Ground, or Rock gyms to exploit, while Chikorita faces challenges with early Bug and Flying type gyms and Morty's Poison type gym. Although Pryce's Ice gym poses a challenge for Cyndaquil, ample time is available to build a well-balanced team to overcome this hurdle.

Cyndaquil's advantages extend to the Elite Four, where Grass and Bug types are common. While all Elite Four teams are well-balanced, Cyndaquil's evolutions are better suited to tackle the Poison and Dragon/Flying types compared to Chikorita's Meganium and Totodile's Feraligatr. Challenges like Rock and Ground types in caves and Lance's Charizard and Gyarados require strategic planning, but these issues are less impactful than those faced by other starters.

Gen 3: Mudkip

Games: Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire, Emerald, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire

Starter options: Treecko (grass), Torchic (fire), Mudkip (water)

Full guide: IGN's Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald guide

Choosing Mudkip might initially be based on its charm, but its advantages in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire are substantial. Both Mudkip and Treecko are super effective against three of the eight gyms, excelling against Roxanne's and Tate & Liza's Rock/Ground types. Mudkip also has an edge over Flannery's Fire gym, while Treecko is better suited for Wallace's Water gym.

By the time you reach Wallace, Treecko will likely have evolved into Sceptile, but its Grass typing is a disadvantage against Flannery's Fire types and Winona's Flying types. Mudkip, evolving into Swampert, gains Ground typing, boosting its defensive capabilities and making it immune to Electric attacks. This evolution provides a significant advantage in battles where it might otherwise struggle.

Torchic, with its Fire typing, is less competitive against the gyms, and its Fighting type evolution, Blaziken, only has an advantage against one gym. The Elite Four slightly favors Sceptile, but Swampert's balanced stats and type advantages make it a formidable choice. The Hoenn region's water-centric environment might make random encounters challenging, but Mudkip's overall strengths outweigh this hurdle.

Gen 4: Chimchar

Games: Pokémon Diamond & Pearl, Platinum, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Starter options: Turtwig (grass), Chimchar (fire), Piplup (water)

Full guide: IGN's Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum guide

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl continue the trend of fewer Fire type additions, with only five new Fire types compared to fourteen for Water and Grass. This scarcity makes Chimchar an excellent choice, providing crucial team diversity. Chimchar's Fire typing is super effective against Gardenia's Grass gym, Byron's Steel gym, and Candice's Ice gym, making it a strong contender.

Turtwig, while effective against Roark's Rock and Crasher Wake's Water gyms, shines mostly in the early game. Its evolution into Torterra gains Ground typing, making it immune to Electric attacks and effective against Volkner's final gym. However, Chimchar's evolution, Infernape, is better suited for late-game challenges, particularly against the well-balanced Sinnoh Elite Four.

Infernape excels against Aaron's Bug types, which pose a threat to Torterra, though Torterra handles Bertha's Water and Ground types well. Piplup's Empoleon, while resilient, lacks significant advantages over many gym leaders or the Elite Four. The frequent battles with Team Galactic's Bug types further tip the scales in Chimchar's favor.

Gen 5: Tepig

Games: Pokémon Black & White

Starter options: Snivy (grass), Tepig (fire), Oshawott (water)

Full guide: IGN's Pokémon Black and White guide

In Pokémon Black and White, Tepig stands out as the best choice. Snivy struggles with only one gym advantage and no significant Elite Four advantages, compounded by its vulnerability to Bug and Flying types. Oshawott fares better against Clay's Ground gym and Brycen's Ice types but lacks advantages against the Elite Four.

Tepig's Fire typing and its evolution into Emboar, which gains Fighting typing, offer a smoother journey through Unova. Emboar easily handles Burgh's Bug gym and Brycen's Ice gym, with alternative strategies needed for Clay's Ground gym. Emboar's Fighting type is super effective against Grimsley's Dark types in the Elite Four, though it's vulnerable to Caitlin's Psychic types.

Emboar's strong attacking stats and the presence of Team Plasma's Steel types further bolster its case. Facing the Elite Four twice in Black and White makes the game challenging, but Tepig offers more frequent advantages.

Gen 6: Fennekin

Games: Pokémon X & Y

Starter options: Chespin (grass), Fennekin (fire), Froakie (water)

Full guide: IGN's Pokémon X and Y guide

Pokémon X and Y continue the trend of Fire type dominance with Fennekin as the standout starter. Fennekin's Fire typing is super effective against three gyms and resistant to two more, making it a strong choice throughout the game. Its evolution into Delphox, gaining Psychic typing, further enhances its effectiveness against Fairy, Psychic, and Ice type gyms.

Froakie's Greninja, a Water/Dark type, excels against Olympia's Psychic team but struggles against Valerie's Fairy types and Ramos' Grass types. Chespin's Chesnaught, gaining Fighting typing, faces challenges against Viola's Bug gym and the late-game Psychic and Fairy types.

The well-balanced Elite Four in X and Y requires different types for each battle, but Delphox's Psychic typing gives it a slight edge, especially against Diantha's Gardevoir.

Gen 7: Litten

Games: Pokémon Sun & Moon

Starter options: Rowlet (grass), Litten (fire), Popplio (water)

Full guide: IGN's Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon guide

Litten emerges as the best starter in Pokémon Sun and Moon, despite initial struggles in the early trials. Litten's Fire typing proves advantageous in Mallow's Grass trial and Sophocles' Electric gym, which includes Steel and Bug types. Evolving into Incineroar, a Fire/Dark type, enhances its effectiveness against Acerola's Ghost trial and Mina's Fairy trial, despite the Dark typing's normal damage from Fairy attacks.

Rowlet's Decidueye and Popplio's Primarina, while effective in early trials, lack significant late-game advantages. The diverse challenges in the Pokémon League, including ten trainers after becoming champion, make Litten's trial-clearing capabilities crucial. The scarcity of Fire types in Alola further emphasizes the importance of choosing Litten early.

Gen 8: Sobble

Games: Pokémon Sword & Shield

Starter options: Grookey (grass), Scorbunny (fire), Sobble (water)

Full guide: IGN's Pokémon Sword and Shield guide

In Pokémon Sword and Shield, Sobble edges out Grookey and Scorbunny in a close race. All three starters are effective against three gyms, but Sobble's advantage in the final gym against Raihan's Rock and Ground types gives it a slight edge. The first three gyms, being Grass, Water, and Fire, offer no initial advantage to any starter.

The Champion Cup in the Galar region slightly favors Sobble's Inteleon over Grookey's Rillaboom, with Bede's Fairy types, Nessa's Water types, and Raihan's Fire and Ground heavy Dragon team aligning well with Sobble's strengths. Factors like Team Yell's Dark types and the reduced frequency of random encounters due to overworld Pokémon have less impact, but Inteleon's balanced stats further support Sobble's selection.

Gen 9: Fuecoco

Games: Pokémon Scarlet & Violet

Starter options: Sprigatito (grass), Fuecoco (fire), Quaxly (water)

Full guide: IGN's Pokémon Scarlet and Violet guide

Fuecoco stands out as the best starter in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, despite the game's focus on player freedom allowing varied approaches to gym battles and Team Star base raids. The non-level scaling gyms, with the highest levels being Psychic/Fairy and Ice types, and the lowest being Bug and Grass types, favor Fuecoco's evolution into Skeledirge, a Fire/Ghost type.

Quaxly's Quaquaval gains Fighting typing, helping against Larry's Normal type gym, while Sprigatito's Meowscarada, a Grass/Dark type, excels against Tulip's Psychic and Ryme's Ghost gyms. However, Team Star base raids, crucial for story progression, further emphasize Fuecoco's advantages, particularly against Dark, Poison, Fairy, and Fighting types.

Skeledirge's immunity to Fighting types and effectiveness against Steel types in the Elite Four give it a clear edge over Quaquaval and Meowscarada. The Paldea region's design seems tailored for Fuecoco's dominance.